Trails in the Sky the 3rd, as we can now officially call it, provides a wealth of background information of the Zemurian continent and its history through its gaiden, or side stories. You’ll be able to enjoy dozens of these once the games hits digital shelves in 2017. Some of those, however, are inaccessible through the game and are hidden among the tens of thousands of lines that did make it into the game. Today we got one of those: the pre-release or prototype version of Star Door 15.
Below is a translation of said pre-release Door. The illustrations correspond with the references in the source code; the first image was not used in the final version of the game.
In the corner of an enormous city stands a firmly built mansion. Its walls, decorated with marble, bathe in the cool moonlight and shine brilliantly amidst the darkness. It’s the meeting place of an organisation, one operating in a world of darkness.
Within its chalk prisons, girls still underage are held captive. They are here to attend the unsavory banquets of men with endless desires.
Among the many still recovering from a metal and physical shock, one girl, however, who managed to keep her wits about her and somehow makes it through each day of hardships. Hardly the age of 5, this girl, too, was abandoned by her parents and is just yet another unhappy soul in this place.
And as the night falls, the doors of the mansion open once again. Arriving in front of the mansion is a high-ranking official in his carriage.
Manager: Your Excellency… It has been a while.
Official: Hmph… Quick, lead me in. Manager… Tonight I’m in a particular good mood. I expect some exquisite hospitality.
Manager: I-I understand…
Manager: Come on, Renne… …Why don’t you greet your favourite mister?
Renne: …
Official: Hoh… This one is outstanding… Now then, Renne…
Come here. Let me get a better look of that cute, little face of yours.
Renne: …
Official: Hahaha… There’s nothing to be afraid of. Now, be a good girl and do what I say. And if you do, the moment you’ll open your eyes again… …It’ll be all over again, like something never happened.
Renne: W-wha…!?
Man’s scream: Grraah!
Man’s scream: Wah…!
Manager: W-what’s going on!?
Official: Something happened…
Official: …Eeek!…
Loewe: Haven’t you become a fat pig? Your shriek is just as disgusting as your looks…
Joshua: …The first floor has been taken care off. The others seem to have fled to the second floor.
Loewe: Like trapped rats, huh… …Lead me to them.
Joshua: Understood.
The raiders of the mansion were two members of the Society. The two of them wiped out every last member of the organisation. As a warning toward the rest of the underworld, the Society eliminated all potentially opposing powers.
— At the time of the raid, the young girl barely made it out alive. She was taken in by the Society, as she exhibited multiple extraordinary powers. As a candidate for the upper echelons, she immediately underwent formal training.
She saw Joshua and Loewe, who had saved her from that hell, as substitute brothers. But then she was to be seperated from Joshua for a long time, as he was given special duties by the Society. After having heard the news, the young girl became entirely dependent on the Society and the unavoidable happened: out of boredom and loneliness, she went out to visit the town she grew up in.
What she came to witness there, was — exactly as she had heard —
a couple she recognised holding a newborn baby.
Renne: …Pa…pa… Mama…
Loewe: Well then… What’s the plan now?
Renne: Loewe…
Loewe: Whether it’s worth to kill them, that’s the question. What you want to with them is entirely up to you, of course…
Renne: …Hmhm, it’s okay. I’m not worried about these fakers. My real papa and mama are elsewhere.
[Game switches to Renne alone with Pater-Mater, located in – based on the game’s files – Grancel’s main street]Renne: …Ah… Oh… No wonder I’m cold, it’s started to rain…
[Pater-Mater shields Renne for the rain]Renne: Heehee, thank you, Pater-Mater… Come on, let’s go.
This pre-release Door is notably different, shorter and, as far as we know, less illustrated than its retail version counterpart. It should also be noted that despite the similarities in the final scene, Renne does not state that her next destination is Crossbell like she does in the final version of the Door.