The Promised Canaan Episode 4 Part 1

Narration begins by getting philosophical and talking about plants. They sprout, grow, bloom, then wilt. As the seasons cycle on, the process repeats itself. Storms may blown them away, floods may wash them away, avalanches can bury them, and blights can kill them. Even so, life can go on with those plants becoming fertilizer for the next generation to grow.

Narration then talks about how no world promises eternal life. All there is is someone’s efforts to make the flowers bloom beautifully even just a bit longer to extend their life. This principle applies even to worlds created by many living things coming together and building one.

What the game is getting at is that worlds are maintained by someone’s constant efforts. But even so, many worlds have been destroyed by storms, floods, quakes, or plagues. Those worlds still leave behind traces of themselves, proof that they existed even after being struck by some natural disaster.

Perhaps those traces are the remnants of wishes from someone who desired eternity. They could be something like the one tree that withstands a flood that scrubs down an island, the game says as Kijimuna’s silhouette pops up. They could be a pillar from a palace almost completely destroyed by an enemy, it says as Dagon’s silhouette pops up.

Those are the the ones who uphold the world. Those are the bearers of what’s known as Pillars. They stand in the interval between heaven and earth and the center of the world to witness the cycling of death and rebirth. They are said to be always standing besides the wish for the world to continue existing. And sometimes there’s something similar there as well. That would be ‘something that stood on the earth and held up the heavens,’ it says bringing Tangaroa’s silhouette up.

Title card pops up, and this chapter is called The 5th Promise.

Camera then tunes with Astarte asking if you’re ready for her to pick something up. She goes on with it as you try to get her to stop long enough for you to get off of whatever, though she doesn’t wait that long. Narration then says she’s cleaning up some fallen rocks that fell just the day before and are blocking traffic in town. She isn’t breaking a sweat while doing so, and mobs are amazed by this.

Robinson pouts a little about how much attention you’re giving Astarte and says he’s been training himself every day while hunting. You either deny looking at Astarte so much, say you know he’s cool, or ask if he’s jealous. A doesn’t give any extra dialogue at least.

But anyways Asterius says he can do just as well as he starts lifting rocks out of the way too. You either comment that he’s keeping up, say he’s amazing, or say he’s cool. Going C if it matters, Asterius tries to show off but immediately falls over. You either comment on his hands slipping or ask if he’s okay.

Astarte laughs before asking if Asterius is okay too as she easily picks up the rock lying on him and sets it to the side. Robinson expresses some amazement and says a contest of physical strength wouldn’t last long. Asterius is also impressed as he says this would be the first time he’s seen someone who could keep up with his superhuman strength. Baal is around not saying anything.

Later Astarte tells you not to move from where you’re standing. As the camera tunes in, you guys are at Dagon’s palace presumably as the shadow mermaid mob asks Astarte to bring some ritual equipment over. She agrees and says she can take care of any heavy lifting.

Baal is around not saying anything again, and Astarte comments that for all his staring at you guys he could be helping. You are more focused on cleaning up some lighter things and ask Kurogane where to put something or comment on how out of control messy it is.

Kurogane thanks you for the help and says when he’s alone he doesn’t clean at all. He gets too into his work and there isn’t anyone around to get mad at him to clean up. You either sigh about his crafting obsession, scold him about needing to clean up after himself, or offer to clean for him whenever.

Going B, Kurogane laughs and asks you to come over every day to clean for him. After a moment to think about it, he asks if there’s anything you want or what sort of things you like. He then makes a point of saying this is to thank you for the help you’ve been giving him. You either decline and say just talking to him is fun, say you have something you want to make yourself, or say you want him because you love him.

Going B, Kurogane is excited about that and invites you to come to his workshop more often. He talks about how having a kouhai come over there makes him happy, then says that if you think up of something you want then maybe you two can make it together. He promises to do so when the time comes, then yells for you to accept his feelings as he passes you a Promise Shell from his sweaty, oily hands. Take care of it!

Astarte calls over to you guys and snaps that you guys should keep working instead of slacking off. Kurogane quickly tries to placate her as he gets back to it. Astarte then finds some blueprints for a building and comments she’s never seen one like it around.

Kurogane says he was looking for those blueprints and thanks her, then explains that the diagrams are plans for a new palace since he’s also an architect. Said palace is planned to be near the ruins of a tower, but he comments on being short handed. He was thinking of checking the area out after cleaning up.

This reminds Kurogane of something, so he asks if you guys can help with geological survey prep work. Plants have been growing out of control lately so it’s been dangerous. Astarte comments about ‘him’ not keeping on top of things before wondering where Adonis went. You ask about the name and/or remember hearing it from somewhere.

Astarte says she brought the name up before and describes him as something like a childhood friend. Kurogane adds that he’s the ‘one who knows death and rebirth’ and is in charge of the four seasons where plants are born, grown, and die. He’s also supposed to stand next to the World Representative, from what he’s heard.

Astarte confirms that and says that she was raised together with him since she was supposed to be the spouse of the World Representative. That said, he suddenly disappeared somewhere. She yells about how worried she is and swears to read the riot act to him. You either comment that it is worrisome or hope he’s okay.

Astarte tries to claim she isn’t actually worried and says he’s a tough, lively guy. He’s probably off taking a nap somewhere. She then prompts you guys to get to the next thing to do.

Scene shifts over to the tower as Nomad summons the flames of vengeance with his power to clear out the plants in a flash. You compliment him about this, and Astarte declares she won’t lose as she mows down a bunch of plants herself. Kurogane is happy things are moving along when he notices something up with Tangaroa.

Tangaroa is staring at the cross section of the ground while talking to himself. He eventually turns to Kurogane and addresses him as Canaan’s most famous artisan before asking for his opinion. Kurogane tries downplay his reputation, and Tangaroa moves on by asking what he thinks of the cross section. Kurogane says there are unmistakable traces of flooding there, then realizes that there aren’t records of floods there despite his research.

Tangaroa swears as Yam that he has never caused a flood in this area, which Kurogane finds weird since Yam is the controller of floods. Tangaroa explains that he’s the controller of the rivers and seas and that sometimes he causes floods. It’s just that sometimes floods are caused by other things, he says as he starts almost glaring at Baal in the distance. Baal is here too and staring at you guys in silence.

Tangaroa says he has no proof but is suspicious that he’s forgetting something. He wonders whether he needs to find a way to slip past Baal’s supervision as he looks up into the sky. Then he comments that a storm is coming to Canaan.

Scene shifts back to town as Astarte laughs about how fun the day was. You either agree, say you’re tired, or say it was awful for you. Going A, Astarte says she’s having fun and has been every day. Narration says her hands and legs are covered in cuts and dirt, so you say that’s all well and good but remind her to wash her hands or else germs and poison could get in.

Astarte: Yes *mom.* They told me that so many times when I was little...

Since she brings it up, you ask what Astarte was like back then and can say she must have been cute. Astarte goes quiet for a second before saying she was sickly as a kid. Everyone took care of her to the point of overprotectiveness and she loved everyone, but she admits that she always was uncomfortable with being the one given everything. It’s why she’s having fun now where she can give something back.

You comment on her loving everyone and can ask if she loves you too. Going A, she says there’s no way she could hate them for being so kind to her. She notices you smirking at her and gets embarrassed as she says she’ll cut you up. You change the subject by asking when you’ll switch back places, though you do think to yourself that you’re okay with this going on just a bit longer.

Astarte says it’ll just be a little bit more and asks you to let her stay where she is. You either shrug and agree or say you’ll bug her about it every day. Time then skips to the next day as almost all the World Rep candidates are called to Dagon’s palace with Astarte announcing her presence when she gets there. She wonders why all of them were brought over.

The shadow mermaid says things have changed for the candidates’ positions and Dagon has something important to talk to them about. Astarte wonders what that could be about, and the merman guides everyone in. Before he does Astarte asks where Tangaroa is, so the mermaid informs her Tangaroa sent a servant to tell them he’ll be absent. Astarte finds this unusual and the camera looks at Astaroth before moving on.

Anyways time skips a bit to where Dagon welcomes everyone present. He talks about how the citizens know the World Representative as the one who is the ruler of the world and the one who controls everything. This is not, however, the full scope of things as the promise to hide the truth means parts have been kept under wraps. So in other worlds, few people know what it means to be the Representative, and the candidates shouldn’t either.

Dagon says it’s time for them to know now what being World Representative really means and what they have to do for the world. The game hides this and shifts to where you are as you comment that Astarte is late. You do know Dagon called her over and wonder what business it is. She comes back around now talking to herself as you try to talk to her and welcome her back, but she is preoccupied and looking awful.

You try to get Astarte’s attention again with a pat on the shoulder, and when she does notice you she pales and screams. You are surprised by this of course and ask her what’s wrong. She claims it’s nothing and apologizes. You don’t really accept this and offer to listen to her if she wants to talk as you look worried for her. She claims to be fine and says she has to go somewhere.

As you wonder what’s going on when Astarte leaves, a voice calls to you. You think you’re hearing things, but ghost Astarte denies that and tries to direct you to them. As you can see them, Not Astarte comments that you can see them after all as The Analyst starts playing. They suppose there’s an unknown bond or fate between you two.

You initially think it’s Astarte you’re talking to, but as you look closer you realize that’s not the case. You can see Astaroth’s appearance underneath the Astarte phantom as you mention a purple haired person and compare the shifting view to a kaleidoscope. Astaroth is surprised you can see that far, and you try to ask who it is.

Astaroth gives their name and describes themselves as a part of her now lending her power. For now, just think of them as a ghost helping her. Scene shifts and time skips to Astarte mulls over the terms World Representative, ‘world decided by love,’ and Beloved.

As Astarte paces around she wonders why it is she never thought it was strange that the powers the candidates had (plagues like wildfires, sacrifices for the earth, and deluges that flood the world) would ever be needed by a ruler

This then reminds Astarte of someone else, the fourth king and his power. She decides to push that thought to the side as she expresses regret for what she did to you. Baal walks by and comments on her ruining her lovely face with the expressions of suffering she has on. She grabs him by the shoulders and yells, asking if he knew what being the World Representative would mean.

Baal doesn’t give a straight answer and points out she’s in the same position as him right now. Astarte says that if she knew she’d never have done it. Baal starts talking about how really lucky she is to have exchanged roles. Astarte tries denying it, and Baal lays it on a bit thick with disbelief that she would be feeling regret. After all, she complained so much about how it sucked to be weak that she was calm about making someone else take the position.

Astarte flinches at the remark, so Baal asks if she is going to switch back. Can she even switch back? She learned what it means to be the Beloved now. Astarte shakes in terror as tears fall endlessly from her eyes. Baal continues on and offers a word of advice if she wants to do so, which he frames as the atonement that she can do.

Should Astarte want to make amends, Baal says she should become World Representative. Astarte argues back that it wouldn’t change what would be done. Baal concedes the point and says no one can change that, but the World Representative does have the power to choose who this would be done to. Astarte struggles with this, so Baal says she should be the one to choose. It could be anyone who had raised her, or a foreigner who came to visit.

Baal starts ranting that it is the duty of someone who has power. It is the duty of someone who represents the world’s System. It’s not something that would or could be left to someone else, but Astarte. If she can’t do it, then she never was meant to have power. Astarte collapses to her knees, and Baal just watches her.

Scene shifts to what the game labels as Underneath Baal’s Palace where Tangaroa is. He comments about knowing of the underground passageways but never knew there was such a big space even further below. He thanks his underlings for finding it. One downplays the praise and says Yam pointed them towards it. They also say no one should have known Baal had this space beneath his palace.

Tangaroa says he feels that Baal is hiding something. The mob talks about immediately finding the space when the chance came up with Baal leaving his place, then thanks Tangaroa for his insight. Tangaroa dismisses it as not being his intuition or anything, then talks about feeling like he’s seen the place before despite not having been there before.

When Tangaroa takes a step he notices some walls blocking a path, clearly put up by someone. He blasts his way through by smashing them with his artifact since there’s something being hidden there. Once he looks in, he sees Kijimuna who is somehow sleeping through everything. The mob recognizes him as Adonis. Kijimuna shuffles in his sleep and says he can’t eat anymore while calling Tangaroa’s actual name. Tangaroa parrots it back in confusion, and the episode ends.