"Yes." Nadia said calmly, "The citizens of this Ishvaran were completely screwed. Hence why they all died with barely a survivor to remember that it ever existed.
"However," she continued. "This may just be what we need."
'How can an approaching army that resembles a never ending black tsunami be exactly what we need?' Kain thinks in confusion. Clearly he and Nadia have very different perspective on what they need.
Likely seeing Kain's skepticism, Nadia elaborated. "Obtaining the Relic Core is only one aspect of clearing a Historical Echo relic. Nobody knows how Historical Echoes are formed, since unlike trial and habitat relics humans are not able to make them, but one thing is for certain—they all present a unique event in human history."
Benji, still looking pale but steadying himself, chimed in. "Indeed. Even the most innocuous-looking historical echoes eventually reveal themselves to be a pivotal turning point in human history."
Taking a breath, he recounted, "A couple of decades ago, another group entered a Historical Echo relic that was set in a small, unassuming village right before the Celestial Ascension period. It was just a rural settlement, barely worth mentioning. There weren't even any beast tamers among its people, and for the longest time, there were no clues on the clearing conditions of such a mundane setting. It was frustrating. People were stuck in that relic for months to even years with no progress.".
"But then, guess what they discovered?," Benji paused for dramatic effect, not really expecting them to answer, "it was discovered that this small village was the birthplace of Calista Eyera, one of the five founders of the Empire."
Claudia let out a low whistle. "Damn. That must have been incredible. You could actually meet her?"
Clara nodded eagerly. "Eyera was the only female founder and was famous for her beauty. Imagine how adorable she must have been as a child!"
Benji shrugged. "She was only twelve or thirteen at the time of the Historical Echo. But despite not even having awakened as a beast tamer yet, she already possessed the gift of prophecy."
Kain raised a brow. "Prophecy? You mean like divination? Those types of abilities are usually vague at best and unreliable at worst."
"That's what most thought at first," Benji admitted. "But in her case, it was real. From practically the time she was born, she had innate foresight abilities. The problem was, the things she saw were never good. Every prophecy she made foretold tragedies that could rarely be changed. That kind of thing makes people uncomfortable. Terrified, even."
Nadia frowned. "They turned on her." She said as if she already knew the outcome with a bitter smile on her face. "People tend to react to the unknown with fear and hatred rather than just trying to understand."
Kain couldn't help but give a side glance to her. She seemed as though she was speaking from practical experience.
Benji nodded. "Some of the villagers spread rumors. That she was a jinx, a demon, or worse—that she was causing the tragedies herself just to make her 'gift' seem real. There were even suggestions to cast her out or kill her. She probably would have been if not for the village chief taking pity on her. He protected her from the shadows, but he couldn't shield her from the fear, contempt, and isolation of the rest of the villagers. So, to survive, she stopped speaking aloud many of her prophecies. Instead, she internalized them."
"So a bunch of her visions were lost to history," Kain guessed.
"Exactly," Benji confirmed. "When she suddenly disappeared one day, she took all that knowledge of the future with her. That relic's clearing condition wasn't a battle, but rather gaining her trust and retrieving the prophecies she never spoke of to others, or at least the ones she made in her youth. The information they uncovered was so valuable that it changed the trajectory of the Empire, cementing its long reign of power and influence."
"And what exactly were those prophecies?" Claudia asked in interest.
Benji shook his head. "Only the highest-ranked individuals and those who cleared the relic know. It's classified."
Kain scoffed. "Figures."
Returning to the present matter at hand, Nadia gestured toward the approaching Abyssal horde. "Anyways, what I was trying to say is that this army may not necessarily be a bad thing." Benji said, "Not to mention that this city getting besieged and destroyed—whether by a tide of Abyssal creatures or spiritual beasts—must be a fixed plot event. It's likely the clearing condition of this relic. Therefore, there's no reason to feel guilty about bringing the abyssal creatures to the city or feel as though you caused this attack-it would have happened regardless. If anything it is probably a little weaker now since the Abyssal creatures also had much less time to prepare too."
Claudia furrowed her brows. "So this was always going to happen? Even if we weren't here?"
"Yes, since it is likely the clearing condition," Nadia affirmed. "The Abyssal creatures likely planned to use that flesh gate to bypass the clearing condition and claim the core without following the relic's rules. But we don't have that option. If we can successfully defend this city against the attack, not only will we clear the relic, but we'll also gain full control over the Relic Core. If we completely assimilate it with our spiritual power, we take ownership of this Historical Echo relic."
Kain pinched the bridge of his nose. "So, to summarize: we have to stop a doomsday-level siege, prevent history from repeating itself, and claim the core… all before we end up like the original citizens of this place."
Nadia smirked. "Now you're getting it."
Clara exhaled sharply. "No pressure, then."
Benji let out a dry laugh. "We might as well start preparing now. The way that horde is moving, we don't have much time."
Kain sighed. "Alright. Since this city is destined to be destroyed, let's see if we can defy fate."