My theory on what happened to Fretia and Lily in Ending C [Spoiler]

[Jolyphus]

It has been so long since I have felt so invested in a story. I can't help but write out my thoughts. I hope anyone reading will bear with this veritable wall of text and share their thoughts with me.

I'm just too fixated on wanting a happy ending for Lily and Fretia, so I was pondering what exactly happened in the cannon ending C. It suddenly struck me of the possibility that Fretia may truly still be together with Lily. Remember that in ending B, Lily and Fretia became as one, never to be apart. This should mean that they merged together in some way right? Just like that note the crazy mages wrote that under specific circumstances blighted bodies can merge together (they also pondered themselves, what happens to the souls then? HMMM). If ending B has Lily FAIL to purify Fretia and ends up merged with Fretia, could it be possible that in ending C where Lily SUCCEEDS in purifying Fretia, Fretia herself might end up merged with Lily?? It aligns with a youtube video discussing lore from Indie Xplorer where he mentioned there were 8 graves in the final cutscene, seemingly none for Fretia, so where was her body then?

It's so ambiguous what this whole merging process is, since ending B ends so abruptly. Do their bodies and/or soul fuse? DO they both retain their consciousness or not? A white priestess' soul is immune to blight but their body isn't, so we can maybe infer some details, maybe lol. I admit this might be me convincing myself, but the lore of EL requires this anyway so here goes:

1. In ending C, Lily's initial attempt to purify Fretia was rebound and she ends up HEAVILY blighted before her luminant aegis curio lights up and her 8 sisters show up (for moral support or else what btw?). However, after her second attempt which was a success, we see in the final cutscene that Lily REGAINED a large portion of her pure appearance (only several blighted appendages on her hair and some bulging veins remain, which should be around middle levels of blight on her body I guess?). This is a big hint, because all logic dictates that since she was already heavily blighted before repairing the luminant aegis curio and saving Fretia + the insane levels of blight on Fretia herself, lily should have gained even more blight reflected on the state of her body, not less blight instead. The Luminant aegis curio lessens the burden of purification, but neither does it completely negate it or reduce the blight already in a priestess (?). Could it be that Lily's restored appearance is due in some way to merging with Fretia? Perhaps the spirits of the 8 Lilies might have helped?

2. What happened to Fretia's body after being purified? She didn't seem to have a grave in the final cutscene.

3. In the final scene between Lily and Fretia, she says 3 final lines: "It's time I should be leaving. I'll be watching over you..." (NOOOO, RIP... Lily, don't cry!). Suddenly though, the screen lights up into pure white! "We'll always... be together...". There are multiple ways to interpret the meaning behind these lines. Is Fretia merely trying to console Lily with empty words? If she means what she said, that they can still be together, why did she say: "It's time I should be leaving." Why did they deliver her final line with that pure white backdrop? Does it imply her leaving for "heaven"? Or being super speculative, is it that when Fretia's soul faded away, her soul MERGED with Lily, lighting up the location they were (probably mentally) conversing in, which could have been Lily's deep consciousness/soul.

4. In the final cutscene, Lily seems to have grown up a fair bit. Not sure how much time passes since her success, but gathering her sister's body and burying them should not have taken too long. Perhaps a month at most. Of course this point is weak and unclear, but still, another potentially sudden change to her body.

5. As Fretia's clone, Lily should have an even closer & greater affinity and compatibility towards Fretia than if Lily were her child (I have no clue scientifically speaking though). Not just her body, but her soul too. She developed her own soul, but it was based off of Fretia right? It would be truly poetic if the original (Fretia) merged into the clone (Lily). Perhaps Fretia stressing this point to Lily, that she is her own person, is also to assure Lily and us players in this regard that she is truly worthy. If that is indeed so that Fretia is aware she merged into Lily, she would have saved a lot of tears if she just outright explained it to us XD.

What I want is that they can still accompany each other, talk with and spend time with each other. After seeing what they both went through, I just want them to get another chance to properly live, be happy. I guess it's good enough for me if they merged like I speculated. Perhaps Fretia might even awaken after some time and truly reunite with Lily, spending time with and existing alongside Lily like Ferin does? I would have a hearty, teary laugh if Ender Lilies 2 follows Lily again and my speculation turns out right! At least, I hope it continues Lily's story. Man, writing this was fun!

[GrugIsRock]

what happened to the umbral knight in ending c?

[Jolyphus]

Originally posted by GrugIsRock:

what happened to the umbral knight in ending c?

I think he is bound by his oath/pact to the eldest of the white priestesses. As such, regardless of whether Fretia somehow merged together with Lily (with Lily being the conscious/dominant personality, it seems) or simply passed away (making Lily the last and eldest), he will follow and protect Lily. Basically a happy ending for Ferin, who simply wanted to protect and support Lily.

[GrugIsRock]

Originally posted by Jolyphus:

Originally posted by GrugIsRock:

what happened to the umbral knight in ending c?

I think he is bound by his oath/pact to the eldest of the white priestesses. As such, regardless of whether Fretia somehow merged together with Lily (with Lily being the conscious/dominant personality, it seems) or simply passed away (making Lily the last and eldest), he will follow and protect Lily. Basically a happy ending for Ferin, who simply wanted to protect and support Lily.

Good, I am happy to see the umbral knight still alive, he is my favourite character.