Yet another theory submitted by Bronze Frog (sorry about earlier posts!)

This is about the [Sept Terrion in Erebonia], but with a twist on what people may think!

(Editor’s Note: I’ve made a minor edit to the starting line, to avoid spoilers before you go under the cut.)

Let’s ignore the Divine Knights for a bit here, and talk Black Records.

While I believe the two celestial titans mentioned in the first entry are treasures of the Goddess, I don’t believe that they’re both “located” in Erebonia.

Rather, I believe that one of the giants is going to be revived in Erebonia, and the other in Calvard. But wait! Thomas said that there were two Sept-Terrion in Erebonia, right?

Let’s go to the beginning of the Black Records. One thing to keep in mind about the first entry is how vague it is. It’s like the stories told about the basement of Grancel Castle in comparison to all the detailed records left behind by the inhabitants of the Liber Ark. And as a result, quite a bit was lost in transition from one period to another.

There’s a general idea of when the Great Collapse occurred, and that’s the year 0 on the Septian calendar. But there’s nothing inside the Black Records that state when the clash occurred between the Two Great Gods. Nothing to confirm that it directly contributed to the Great Collapse.

However, there is a mention of the kin of the gods – possibly the other Sept-Terrion such as the Aureole – in the Black Record descending upon the dark land at the same time. If they were the Sept-Terrion, the dark land becomes all of Western Zemuria as opposed to just Erebonia, with the treasures granting light upon the human inhabitants.

My theory enters the picture. I believe that in ancient Calvard and Erebonia, two of the Sept-Terrion established themselves amongst the population in a fairly standard manner. However, that left the two titans featured in Record #1 who sought their own territory and followers. And in their search, they met each other, and we know the general outcome of the duel.

But what’s not mentioned what happened to humanity during this time. Or is it?

I’ve always wondered about the Liber Ark, its name. What exactly was the Ark granting sanctuary from?

If half the events mentioned in the first Record are accurate, then the dustup between the titans was bad enough to make Ouroboros’s earthquake machine seem as threatening as a bowl of flan in relation to the entire continent. Something that catastrophic would’ve been on top of the list of things that the other Sept-Terrion would’ve tried to protect against.

And so Liber Ark was removed to the sky, far, far away from the problems of the ground with the Aureole providing all the protection possible to the inhabitants. The Demiourgos in Crossbell provided clairvoyance to its people in order to help prevent misfortune, and those are the examples we know of.

The witches and gnomes in Erebonia sought to find a way to put back together the remnants of the celestial titan in their land, while the established Sept-Terrion in Erebonia continued rebuilding and making things better for its followers. Whatever happens within Calvard is unique to itself, the Divine Knight system isn’t copied, peace is re-established on the continent.

However, the mysticism within both Calvard and Erebonia are products of the clash of tribes, if you will. One group has the power of their treasure with the question of magic being sufficiently advanced technology, and the other group has only fragments and pieces of their treasure, with their knowledge incomplete and superstition filling in the gaps.

Not to mention the difference between the established population and the wanderers within their respective countries. One of them fought a ruinous war, while the other sought to build up a civilization.

Now, why the System works the way it does now, or why the gnomes went their separate ways from the witches, or why the Great Collapse occurred are questions beyond the purview of this theory. We’re going to go forward to when Erebonia and Calvard become nations during the Dark Ages.

I believe that the conflict between Erebonia and Calvard is symbolic of the giants within their lands, continuing their war with each other beyond the grave. Not to mention that the conflict within each country is symbolic of their giant being at odds with the wishes of their kin inside the country.

Gaius’s words in chapter 3 of Cold Steel 1 aren’t new sentiments. It’s not the front and center of the plot in the Sky arc, but Alicia feels the long rivalry between Erebonia and Calvard has claimed countless lives by the hands of justice, and Crossbell casts a long shadow on the endless conflicts between the two countries.

We think about the “peace” between the nations in Cold Steel 1, which has become a dilemma if Ao no Kiseki had anything to say about it. Both countries want an end to the fighting, and make commitments (in SC) to scale back the aggression and try to talk out their longstanding issues.

However, neither the Republic or the Empire can dismiss the possibility of betrayal, and so they both do not lower their guard or begin meaningful disarmament or demobilization. While it might not have been inevitable, the end result of so much tension over years becomes war again. Of course, Ouroboros is actively making things worse, but that’s not what I’m trying to get at.

The way things are, the Empire and the Republic are incompatible because of their opposing natures. Just like the celestial titans mentioned in Black Record #1.

Of course, that leaves us with the question of what are the stone statues in Nord and Bryonia, and what their purpose is. Are they the empty husks of the old celestial titans, and wouldn’t that disprove my theory? Or are they actually Divine Knights?

But my thoughts remain undecided on them. Rather, my next theory will be about some of what went down all those years ago when a certain someone left “Rean” in Ymir, c.1192.

So til next time!