Xenoblade Chronicles: Rise of the Skywalker

Chapter 8

Upon reaching Eryth Sea, the group gets their first glimpse at Prison Island, as well as the High Entian capital, , which the group finds technologically spectacular. They travel to the entrance of Alcamoth via transporters (which Kotaro also finds uncomfortable). When they get there, the group is met by High Entia guards who address Claire as "Lady", to the others' confusion. Claire goes with the guards and tells the others to wait while she gets the aid they need. But after she leaves, more guards arrive, arrest the group, and imprison them in a fancty aerial room.

Unaware of the group's arrest, Claire proceeds to meet with the Emperor and give the group sanction. As she heads there, she is watched by three disgusted individuals: her stepmother , Yumea's masked servant Liza, and an adviser, Lorita. It is revealed that Claire is actually the daughter of the High Entia emperor, Bill, and has an older brother named Judal . She informs them that the Telethia has been slain, and Bill announces that she will be next in line to the throne. She then learns of the group's arrest; Judal explains that, according to a prophecy, the true heir to the Monado (Sora) will use the sword to destroy the High Entia. Claire says Sora would never do that, but Bill has already sent the High Entia's chief adviser, the Divine Seer, to interrogate them.

In the prison, only Sora remains convinced that Claire would never betray them. They meet the Divine Seer - Akise, Akise finds them not guilty, and allows them to roam around Alcamoth at their own leisure. Sora tries to ask him about the Monado, but he leaves. With nothing else to do, Dawin tries to go find Claire, but instead they decide to help the High Entia Guards with a rescue mission.

While the group is away, Bill and Judal prepare Claire's inauguration ceremony. Yumea, who is Bill's First Consort and Judal's birth mother, suggests that the Trial of the Tomb, a ritual not used in centuries due to its lethality, be used for the ceremony. Judal protests, but Bill, recognising the prestige it would bring, agrees, as does Claire. Yumea later conspires with Liza: she has always hated Homs, believing them to be worthless and filthy, and has a desire to eliminate them from all contact with the High Entia. As Claire has Homs blood (the Second Consort is always a Homs), Yumea orders Liza to assassinate her in the Tomb. Judal sees this take place, but does not hear their words, although he notes Liza's mask.

After returning to their room having rescued the High Entia worker, the party see High Entia gathered below outside. From a balcony, bill announces that Claire, seen wearing a garment that completely covers her body with a Ceremomial Mask, is the new heir to the throne. Murasame is the only member of the party not surprised by this. Claire is to depart for the trial of the tomb immediately. After the ceremony ends, Sora has a vision in which Claire is killed at an altar.

After Sora relays the vision to the others, they are confronted by five assassins dressed like Liza. Alvis arrives to help, having foreseen the attack, but arrives after the assassins are defeated. Judal follows soon after; Akise believes the assassins to be part of a supposed-mythical terrorist group called the , who once served the imperial family, but were eradicated for their extremism. Judal recalls Yumea's meeting with Judal, and Sora explains her vision of Claire being assassinated. Judal, due to High Entia law, cannot permit the group to enter the Tomb (despite kotaro's complaints), but Murasame works his way around it by saying they are not obligated to follow this law due to being Homs. Judal relents, and Akise takes them to the tomb. At the entrance, Sora asks again about the Monado. Akise reveals himself as part of a long line of Divine Seers with the ability to see the future and use the Monado. However, their visions happen through a "ritual" as opposed to Sora's sudden visions; Akise interprets this as Sora having greater power than the Seers. Just before they enter the Tomb, Akise also notes "The Bionis is stirring".

Claire enters the tomb via a scan determining her a genetic analysis. When the group reach the same place, Kotaro presses the same button and is also analysed - but as a Homs, he is deemed an intruder, and a trap door opens causing the party to fall a long way down into a pool of water. Claire, ahead and alone, fights through the challenges to reach a chamber containing an artificial intelligence with the mindset of the progenitor of her family, who tells her that he feels "joy" due to the fact she is 80% Homs, and that she is to be the next empress — and likely the last — but that she is the hope of the High Entia, which Bill and Judal have said; all this confuses Claire. Apparently, Claire's ancestors have long searched for a cure to a curse, and only a specific gene sequence will relinquish them from it. After the AI grants Claire a royal seal, Liza appears and attacks Claire.

The party survive their fall, and belittle Kotaro for pressing the button. Alvis notes that they were lucky, and can still reach Claire albeit less directly. Traversing the tomb, they encounter and defeat several OrIuga Rufus before reaching Claire just as Liza attacks her, revealing that Claire is half Homs (a surprise to Sora). As they arrive, a large Telethia appears above them, forcing the group to fight both. After the battle, Liza's mask is knocked off and the Telethia absorbs too much ether. The group ends up in the blast radius, but Akise uses another power to absorb the explosion; during the confusion Liza escapes. Sora thanks Akise and Claire, removing her mask, thanks the group for saving her, holding a happy Darwin in her arms.

Claire goes to her father and brother with Akise, and they explain the events in the tomb. Claire's coronation is scheduled to a year following Bill's death. The party relax in their room, but Murasame is curious to why Claire is to be the next ruler instead of Judal. As they ponder it, Sora is summoned before Bill. Bill asks why the group wants to defeat the Mechon, and Sora tells him. Bill then tells Sora that the Mechon invasion is depleting the ether levels in Bionis, and that according to an ancient prophecy, the Monado is the sword that will save the people; he thus grants the group sanction to assault the Mechon. Sora asks to go to Prison Island, but Bill says that an ancient secret that even the imperials do not know completely about is located there, and no one is allowed there in order to avoid negatively disturbing the secret; Sora reluctantly obliges. Bill then asks one more thing "as a father"; he asks Sora to remain Claire's friend forever, which Sora accepts. Pauline wonders if Claire's true persona is that of the frail girl they met in Makna Forest or the formal princess they know now. Sora says she is both, a little uncertainly. Meanwhile, Loritia and Akise discuss a plan.