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He Waits was a virtual representation of one of Kassandra's genetic memories, relived by Layla Hassan in 2018 through the Portable Animus HR-8.5.
Description[]
Time had come for Kassandra test her mettle against the Minotaur.
Dialogue[]
Within the Knossos Palace, Kassandra made her way down to the entrance of the Labyrinth of Lost Souls and inserted the Phaistos Disk into the stele. The massive trapdoor below parted open, and she and Ardos stood at the edge of the walkway to peer into the depths. Kassandra leapt into the pool of water far below, climbed out, and made her way past the glowing door. Inside, she took note of the unusual architecture.
- Kassandra: This... can't be Minoan. What is this...?
She rounded the corner and saw the massive labyrinth from myth laid out before her.
- Kassandra: Maláka. It's real. By the gods...
Kassandra noticed a large string from a familiar myth tied to the stone path.
- Kassandra: The string Theseus used to navigate the labyrinth... Let's see what's at the end.
She followed the string around a corner and noticed a demolished and bloodied corpse slumped against the wall.
- Kassandra: A creature of rage did this.
She continued following the string and found a different corpse, that of a man.
- Kassandra: This must be Nikios.
She inspected his remains and found a ring.
- Kassandra: A ring? Ardos might want this.
The string ended there, so Kassandra was left to navigate the rest of the maze on her own. As she explored, she was occasionally turned around.
- Kassandra: I've been this way before.
Her free running skills allowed her to collect many valuable treasures and traverse paths that had long since fallen into ruin. She followed the roaring sounds to the heart of the labyrinth and jumped across to its central chamber.
Inside, the half-man, half-bull of legend tossed a corpse aside and grabbed its axe before staggering to its feet. It roared and charged at Kassandra, who deftly dodged it. The Minotaur crashed into the nearby stonework and slammed its fist into the ground in rage. The Minotaur finally found its balance and stood ready to fight Kassandra in earnest. She drew the Spear of Leonidas and readied for a difficult battle.
- Kassandra: Well. The malákas Minotaur. Aaaand here we go.
The Minotaur swung its axe wildly and charged at Kassandra. She focused on dodging its powerful blows and inflicting hits when it was vulnerable. After she'd damaged him sufficiently, he slammed his fist and axe around and stamped his feet, reducing half of the arena to ruin.
- Kassandra: I really need to charge more for slaying mythical creatures...
The Minotaur began using its strikes to scatter debris at Kassandra from range, and the damage to the arena hindered her movements. Despite this, Kassandra eventually wore the Minotaur down and delivered the killing blow.
- Kassandra: Can't believe... I killed the Minotaur. Mater would be so proud.
Kassandra claimed the glowing horn from the Minotaur's corpse. As she held it, the horn glowed the same color as her spear and shook violently as it attempted to transmute her like it had its previous holder. Kassandra struggled to resist the power and hold the artifact steady. A ghostly Minotaur behind her reached towards her and the horn.
- Unknown: ...Give us strength, when all of ours is gone...
Kassandra grit her teeth together and continued to struggle against the artifact. Thanks to her willpower and the unique blood within her veins, she resisted the artifact's power. It ceased shaking and took its true shape in the form of an apple-like sphere which glowed gently. Kassandra exhaled and pocketed the artifact, not noticing the desiccated corpse of its previous wielder. Then se began the long climb out of the labyrinth.
Kassandra returned to the great stone trapdoor to find Ardos waiting for her. Ardos smiled at her, knowing she was successful.
- Kassandra: The Minotaur is dead. Thanks for your help, Ardos.
- Ardos: Where's pater?
- Kassandra: I searched the labyrinth and—
- Kassandra: I'm sorry, Ardos—
- Ardos: Sorry? Why?
- Kassandra: Listen—
- Ardos: You said you'd bring him back. You lied. Go back in there and find him!
- Kassandra: Ardos—
- Ardos: You promised!
- Kassandra: I didn't find him. There's no way anyone but me could have survived down there.
- Ardos: My pater was fast! And really smart. If anyone could've, it would've been him—
Maybe he got out! That's why you couldn't find him!
- Kassandra: He could still be out there... Somewhere.
- Ardos: Yeah. You're right! Nothing can knock down the great Nikios!
- Kassandra: Are you OK, Ardos?
- Kassandra: Ardos, he's not coming back.
- Ardos: You said you looked, right?
Kassandra stood despondently.
- Ardos: And if you couldn't find him, he must've made it out! A crack in the wall... Or, you know, he climbed out! The way you went in. Y-yeah!
- Kassandra: No.
Ardos broke into tears.
- Kassandra: Your pater loved you. If he got out, he'd have come to see you.
- Kassandra: I found his body in the labyrinth. Your pater is dead.
- Ardos: You're lying. He wouldn't just leave me alone!
- Kassandra: Listen—
- Ardos: You said you'd bring him back. You lied. Go back in there and find him!
- Kassandra: Ardos—
- Ardos: You promised!
- Kassandra: I didn't see any sign of him.
- Ardos: What?! You didn't look hard enough. Maybe he got out! That's why you couldn't find him!
- Kassandra: You might be right. He could be out there somewhere.
Ardos began to cry, but Kassandra told him to never give up.
- Kassandra: Don't ever give up looking for your family, you hear?
- Ardos: But, I—
- Kassandra: I never gave up, Ardos, and I found my mother. Have faith—not just in the gods. But in yourself.
- Kassandra: Ardos, he's not coming back.
- Ardos: You said you looked, right?
Kassandra stood despondently.
- Ardos: And if you couldn't find him, he must've made it out! A crack in the wall... Or, you know, he climbed out! The way you went in. Y—yeah!
- Kassandra: No.
Ardos broke into tears.
- Kassandra: Your pater loved you. If he got out, he'd have come to see you.
In that moment, Ardos' biggest concern was forgetting his father.
- Ardos: I'm afraid I'll forget him. I don't want to forget him.
Kassandra placed her hands on her hips.
- Kassandra: I'm sorry... there's nothing more I can do for you.
Ardos sobbed.
- Ardos: Still, you tried. Thank you, misthios.
- Kassandra: You said your pater went into the labyrinth to find valuables. I found this. Take it. It isn't much, but maybe I will have helped him fulfill his promise.
- Ardos: T-thank you, misthios.
Kassandra placed her hands on her hips.
- Kassandra: I'm sorry... there's nothing more I can do for you.
Ardos sobbed.
- Ardos: Still, you tried. Thank you, misthios.
The two left the labyrinth behind and made for the surface. Outside Knossos Palace, Kassandra asked Ardos about his plans.
- Kassandra: What will you do now?
- Ardos: I don't know, misthios. Without pater... I don't know.
Ardos' old caretaker approached them.
- Kassandra: Maybe you can figure it out together.
- Caretaker: Ardos...
- Kassandra: Remember, you're never alone. There will always be people who care. Stay out of trouble, boy.
- Ardos: You know I can't promise you that!
- Caretaker: I'll make sure of it, misthios. Thank you.
The two decided to go home together and put the tragedy of the labyrinth behind them.
- Caretaker: Let's go home, Ardos.
- Ardos: I'd like that.
Kassandra overheard the two as they walked for home.
- Ardos: ...I'm sorry I stole the disk—
- Caretaker: I understand—
- Ardos: And your amulet.
- Caretaker: What amulet?
- Ardos: And your ring collection.
- Caretaker: So that's where—
- Ardos: And your memoirs.
- Caretaker: I hadn't finished those! By the gods—you can't be stealing things all the time, Ardos!
- Ardos: But I'm good at it! And I only steal from people who deserve it.
- Caretaker: I didn't deserve it.
- Ardos: You didn't talk to me for years.
- Caretaker: Well, I—You're right. I wasn't there for you. Perhaps I did deserve it.
- Ardos: I know, right?! Not to mention all the gold—
- Caretaker: WHAT?! Ardos—...You didn't steal anything from the misthios, did you?
- Ardos: Ha! We'll never know.
Ardos took his leave and sat back down at his camp.
- Ardos: I'll be OK, misthios. I have to be, right?
- Kassandra: What's your plan now?
- Ardos: I'm going to keep looking for pater! Do you think any of the others will know where he went?
- Kassandra: I don't think so.
- Ardos: I... I see.
Ardos' old caretaker approached them.
- Kassandra: Look who's here.
- Caretaker: Ardos.
- Kassandra: You are never alone, Ardos. There are always people who care.
- Caretaker: Thank you, misthios. He's in good hands now.
- Ardos: The misthios couldn't find pater. He must have found a way out!
- Caretaker: Is that so?
- Kassandra: There was no sign of him in the labyrinth.
- Ardos: Come on! We've got to start looking! Thanks, misthios. You're the best.
- Kassandra: You'll find your pater. I know it.
The two decided to go home and begin searching for Nikios together.
- Caretaker: Let's head home first. Maybe something there will help us find your pater.
- Ardos: Home?
- Caretaker: Yes, our home. Let's go.
Kassandra overheard the two as they walked for home.
- Ardos: ...I'm sorry I stole the disk—
- Caretaker: I understand—
- Ardos: And your amulet.
- Caretaker: What amulet?
- Ardos: And your ring collection.
- Caretaker: So that's where -
- Ardos: And your memoirs.
- Caretaker: I hadn't finished those! By the gods—you can't be stealing things all the time, Ardos!
- Ardos: But I'm good at it! And I only steal from people who deserve it.
- Caretaker: I didn't deserve it.
- Ardos: You didn't talk to me for years.
- Caretaker: Well, I—You're right. I wasn't there for you. Perhaps I did deserve it.
- Ardos: I know, right?! Not to mention all the gold—
- Caretaker: WHAT?! Ardos—...You didn't steal anything from the misthios, did you?
- Ardos: Ha! We'll never know.
- Kassandra: Tyche be with you, Ardos.
- Ardos: Thank you, misthios! I'll find him for sure.
Ardos took his leave and sat back down at his camp.
- Ardos: I'm not sure where to start looking, but I'll figure something out!
Kassandra returned to the Adrestia still docked at the Messaran port, and upon casting sail, she told Barnabas of her adventure.
- Kassandra: Barnabas, you'll never believe what happened in Messara. Actually, you probably will.
- Barnabas: You have my full attention!
- Kassandra: I found the legendary labyrinth near Knossos.
- Barnabas: Did you go inside?!
- Kassandra: I defeated the Minotaur.
- Herodotos: That's quite a story.
- Barnabas: Story? These are the gods we're talking about, Herodotos! Tell me, what did the beast look like? Was he as ruthless as the legends say?
- Kassandra: He is. And smelled pretty bad too...
- Herodotos: How could anyone possibly believe—
- Kassandra: I ripped out one of his horns.
- Herodotos: By the gods!
- Barnabas: You're a hero of legend!
- Kassandra: And this artifact seems to have special abilities... The Cult cannot get their hands on this.
Behind the scenes[]
If the player says they could not find Nikios, Ardos' closing line, and the Caretaker's if present, will refer to continuing the search for Nikios, even Ardos if was subsequently told to move on and thus accept that he is dead. This indicates that the line for the game to use is flagged by the first dialogue choice rather than the actual outcome. This effect is purely cosmetic, as there is no way to follow up with Ardos afterwards.
If Ardos is alone and continues the search for Nikios, the hero will say either "I know you'll find him" or "Tyche be with you." The exact controlling variable is simply finding his body; if the hero knows the truth and does not tell Ardos, they bid Tyche, goddess of luck, to go with him as they know he'll never actually find Nikios. If the hero does not know the truth, they seem to genuinely believe Ardos will find Nikios somewhere out in the world. The quest also references finding Myrrine, if the main story has advanced that far beforehand, thus allowing the hero to speak from personal experience relative to this progression.
If Ardos ends up alone, the Caretaker's NPC actor will still spawn at Knossos Palace and begin walking back to Ardos' House anyway.