Aran (KR:아란) is one of the six Heroes who sealed away the Black Mage and is the sole Warrior of the group. Aran uses many ice and combination attacks against her foes with a Polearm, while using a Mass as the secondary weapon.
Awakening centuries later in Rien, Aran finds herself without her memories or her power. With the help of Lilin, Aran struggles to regain her former glory as she faces the Black Wings, who hope to steal the Seal Stones hidden around the world by the Heroes in order to revive the Black Mage.
Aran was a powerful warrior who possessed a polearm with a spirit, Maha, which she obtained from a legendary blacksmith in Mu Lung. As weapons with spirits were extremely rare, and even rarer still was it to be deemed worthy to wield one, it spoke immensely of Aran's strength as a legendary warrior. Having grown up with a stoic grandfather, Aran developed a quiet, serious personality. She also rode a powerful Silver Wolf named Ryko into battle.
Aran was one of the many people who gathered at the Dragon Master's Tower, which was lit by Ryude and his band of soldiers in order to warn Maple World that the end of the world was approaching. She joined Freud and four others to become the Heroes of Maple who fought against the tyranny of the Black Mage.
During the last days of the war, Aran and the other Heroes received a letter from the Demon, who planned to betray the Black Mage. Soon after, Arkarium arrived to battle the Heroes. Aran was injured in the fight and was left behind by the other Heroes to evacuate with Athena Pierce. Aran soon regained consciousness and helped Athena with the rest of the evacuation by rescuing a lost child in the burning forest, after which she rushed to meet up with the other Heroes at the Temple of Time.
She single-handedly held off the Black Mage's ground forces while Freud, Afrien, Mercedes, Luminous, and the pirate hero went ahead to fight the Black Mage. The other Heroes were successful in sealing the Black Mage, though he managed to unleash a curse upon the Heroes before he was sealed. Aran and the other Heroes were expelled from the Temple of Time and fell back down to the burning forests of Leafre.
Soon after, a member of the Silent Crusade, having traveled back centuries from the present, appeared and ran into an unconscious Aran. Maha explained that he was planning to transport Aran to the frozen island of Rien in order to slow down the Black Mage's curse. However, he had been damaged during the fight and lost much of his strength. After the Crusader helped repair Maha, the spirit used the last of his power to take his master to Rien, where she eventually succumbed to the Black Mage's curse and froze in ice.
Over the centuries, a small clan who still remembered the legend of the Heroes held faith that the lost hero Aran, who remained frozen on the island, would one day awaken. Over the centuries, the Rien Clan continued passing down the prophecy of the Heroes' return, though many slowly began to lose faith.
One by one, the clan began to leave Rien until only two siblings, Lilin and Neinheart von Rubistein, remained. Eventually, even Neinheart lost faith in the prophecy and decided that he would rather take fate into his own hands by finding the lost descendent of Empress Aria in order to have them become the next ruler of Maple World. Lilin and Neinheart got into an argument, and when Lilin refused to abandon her faith, Neinheart left her behind.
Main Story
Awakening on Rien
On Rien, Aran finally awoke from the ice, where she found Lilin waiting for her. Aran discovered that she had no memories, which Lilin explained was the result of the Black Mage's curse. Lilin explained that the curse on Aran had caused the island of Rien to become permanently frozen, even though it hardly ever snowed naturally.
She took Aran into town, where the penguins who lived there were amazed at the prophesized return of the hero. Lilin explained that her clan possessed a Book of Prophecy that foretold the Heroes' return, and that she was the last member of her clan still living on Rien. As Aran had lost her abilities from the curse, Lilin decided to help train Aran and return her to full strength, as the Black Mage was fated to return as well. After some basic training, Lilin showed Aran the giant polearm that they had excavated. Upon touching the polearm, some of Aran's old strength flowed into her.
Information Dealer's Request
As she had grown stronger than the monsters of Rien, Aran was advised by Lilin to go train in Victoria Island. She told Aran that an information broker named Mr. Truth, better known as Tru, could help her get stronger. Aran arrived at Lith Harbor and went to Tru's shop. After reading a letter of introduction from Lilin, Tru was amazed by Aran's return and explained that he was also part of the Rien Clan, although he had left long ago after losing faith in the Heroes' return. In order to validate Lilin's faith, he promised to help Aran in any way that he could.
To help her get stronger, Tru suggested that she work as an informant for him, as it would help her get stronger and learn more about Maple World. He sent Aran on a test mission to get the latest news from the crewmen who worked in Lith Harbor. Aran questioned Teo, who offered to exchange the information for Snail Shells, which he believed could help ease his arthritis. After bringing him the shells, Teo told her that the crewmen were mainly talking about the formation of the Cygnus Knights, as well as some concerns that the Black Mage may soon be coming back.
Tru then sent Aran on her first real mission, which was to investigate the recent behavior of Orange Mushrooms in Henesys. There, Aran spoke to a mushroom researcher named Scarrs, who asked her to defeat Cynical Orange Mushrooms for him. After defeating them, Aran returned and brought him an Orange Mushroom puppet, which she had found inside one of the monsters.
Scarrs then asked her to defeat Berserk Horny Mushrooms in order to check if they had puppets inside them as well. Aran confirmed this by bringing him back a puppet from inside the monsters. Scarrs hypothesized that the puppets were responsible for the strange behavior of the monsters. To confirm his theory, he asked Aran to investigate Crying Blue Mushrooms, where Aran found yet another puppet. Scarrs told her that the puppets produced a noise on a frequency that only monsters could hear, and promised that he would research more on the nature of the puppets.
Soon after, Tru asked Aran to visit him at his store, where he told her the news about the kidnapping incident in Henesys and asked her to learn more from Chief Stan. Stan told her about how an Enraged Golem had kidnapped Camila several days ago, and that it was likely due to a puppet. Aran went to the Golem Temple and found a Golem puppet in the monsters. Stan then asked her to question Camila about what she had seen.
When Aran asked Camila if she had seen anyone suspicious near the Golem Temple, Camila replied that there were always Explorers around the temple, though there hadn't been anyone suspicious at the time. Aran then asked if she had seen anyone who could have been putting the puppets inside the monsters around town. Camila suddenly remembered that a strange boy had arrived holding a puppet a few days ago, which had also been around the time that strange activities had begun occurring in Henesys.
Realizing that this boy was the cause of the puppet activity, Aran warned Chief Stan about him before returning to Tru. Tru thanked Aran for the information, but added that he was worried for the people of Henesys. He suggested that she return to help the townspeople in the meantime. Upon arriving, Chief Stan informed her that the strange boy had been sighted near the Golem Temple and asked her to check if the Golems had any strange puppets inside them. Aran investigated the temple and told Stan that she hadn't seen anything suspicious. Stan told her to stay on standby, and that he would contact her again if anything suspicious came up.
Traces of the Puppeteer
Chief Stan called Aran and told her that the strange boy had once again been sighted near the Golem Temple. Though Aran took down many more Golems, she was unable to find any traces of the strange boy. After reporting back to Stan, Aran heard a mysterious voice inviting her to his cave. Aran was teleported to the cave, where the strange boy introduced himself as Francis the Puppeteer from the Black Wings. He told Aran that she had annoyed him by getting rid of his puppets and threatened her with the wrath of the Black Mage if she didn't stay out of his way.
Aran returned to Tru's shop and explained what had happened. Tru explained that he had heard of the Black Wings and told her that he had thought that they were merely a hoax. He began to grow concerned that the old prophecies were coming true, which would mean that the Black Mage was fated to return soon. He resolved to look into the Black Wings and told Aran to inform Lilin about this latest development, adding that the return of the Heroes, the followers of the Black Mage, and the prophecy were all connected. Given how much Lilin had researched and believed in the Heroes, Tru told Aran that Lilin had a right to know as much as anyone.
Aran returned to Rien and explained the situation to Lilin. She replied that the Book of Prophecy stated that the Heroes would return and destroy the Black Mage for good, and that the rise of the Black Wings seemed to confirm that the Black Mage was still alive. When Aran asked if Lilin was afraid, she responded that she had no fears, as she was certain that Aran would defeat the Black Mage. She reassured Aran that it was clear that her strength was returning since coming out of the ice, and that there was no way that Aran had endured so much suffering only to lose to the Black Mage.
Just then, Tru got back to Aran and asked her to investigate the Smirking Ghost Stumps in Perion, citing the similarities between their appearance and the events in Henesys, and suggested finding 10 Boogies for more details. Upon arriving, 10 Boogies told Aran that a puppet was the likely cause for the strange behavior, but after defeating the Smirking Ghost Stumps, Aran was unable to find any puppets inside them.
10 Boogies then showed her a monitor that could detect puppet activity, which confirmed that there was a puppet in the area. She explained that if a puppet were inside a monster, the puppet energy on the monitor would have been moving, but the monitor indicated that the puppet energy was still. 10 Boogies suspected that the puppet was hidden in the area and asked Aran to investigate. Aran then discovered several puppets hidden beneath piles of old relics.
With this information, 10 Boogies concluded that firstly, aberrant monster behavior always stemmed from a puppet; secondly, the puppets didn't have to be inside the monsters, merely in the area; finally, the Puppeteer had the power to control all of Victoria Island, not just a specific town. With her investigation complete, Aran reported back to Tru, who told her that he would look into the Puppeteer's activity in order to pinpoint his location. He also warned Aran that since she had disrupted the Puppeteer's plans several times, he might try to get revenge. 10 Boogies then contacted Aran and asked her to deliver her research report to Neinheart, as she was unable to leave her post. In Ereve, Neinheart thanked Aran for delivering the report, but curtly asked her to leave as soon as possible, as Ereve was closed to strangers.
Some time later, Tru told Aran that Francis had been sighted in Ellinia and asked her to speak with Rowen the Fairy, who was the one who had seen him. Rowen told Aran that she had seen a robed boy earlier, and that she believed him to be the Puppeteer because the Evil Eyes had become much more violent shortly after his appearance. She asked Aran to defeat Evil Eyes to stop their noise pollution of the forest, after which she told Aran to go to the northern forests, where she would find a cave decorated with puppets.
Aran went to the cave and heard a voice that demanded a password to enter. She returned to Rowan, who suggested that Fanzy, a magical cat who lived near the Great Tree, might have overheard the password. Fanzy offered to give Aran the password in exchange for Evil Eye tails. He then told her that the password was “******* is a genius Puppeteer!”, explaining that he hadn't caught the first word, though he added that it sounded like a name. Aran returned to see Tru, where they deduced that the missing word was ‘Francis'.
With the password, Aran entered the cave and confronted Francis, who was shocked that Aran had managed to infiltrate his cave. Aran then proceeded to soundly defeat Francis, although he managed to escape. Aran then took a document from his cave and brought it to Tru. He realized that the document was written in code and told Aran to bring it to Lilin, who was a master codebreaker.
Lilin solved the code and learned that Francis' mission was to recover the Seal Stone of Victoria Island, and that he had been using his puppets to control the monsters of Victoria Island in order to find it. The report also showed that due to unforeseen complications from external forces, the mission had been delayed and Francis had requested reinforcements. Lilin was unsure what the Seal Stone was, but as it seemed to be something that the Black Wings were searching desperately for, she believed that it had to be closely related to the Black Mage. Knowing that Aran was likely the external complication that Francis was referring to, Lilin advised Aran to exercise caution and to continue training.
Second Job Advancement
Soon after, Lilin called Aran back to Rien because of the strange behavior of her polearm. Aran returned to Rien and found the polearm vibrating, as well as a spirit floating next to it. The spirit told Aran that he had been trying to call her for some time and introduced himself as Maha, the spirit of her polearm. Having lost her memories, Aran was unable to recognize him and instead asked Lilin, who told her that the Heroes' weapons were said to have personalities of their own.
In order to help Aran remember Maha, Lilin told her to visit the Mirror Cave and look into the Mirror of Desire, which had the power to show whatever the user desired. Through the mirror, Aran witnessed her past self going to Mu Lung in order to obtain the greatest weapon ever made by the Master Blacksmith. After completing a trial to prove her strength, the Blacksmith had presented her with his finest creation, Maha. Aran then returned to Maha and told him that she remembered him. Maha was overjoyed and explained that since her body had gone through intense training in the past, her powers could be jogged through muscle memory. He then used his powers to restore part of Aran's old strength.
The Seal Stone of Victoria Island
Aran was contacted by Tru, who asked her to come see him at his shop, though Aran noted that Tru's mannerisms were uncharacteristic of him. She arrived at his shop and found him tied unconscious to a chair, with Francis and a second Tru awaiting her. Francis thanked the second Tru, who revealed himself to be a shapeshifted Baroq. After Baroq left, Francis told Aran that the reason she had beaten him last time was because he had just come back from a battle with the Cygnus Knights, promising that he would be a much stronger foe this time around.
Despite his boasting, Aran was once again able to defeat him with ease, forcing Francis to retreat. She then freed Tru, who thanked her for saving him. He was surprised that Francis would have gone so far, but he was content with having learned the Puppetmaster's weaknesses. Aran was confused by what he meant, and so Tru explained that Francis' drastic measures meant that the document which she had obtained from his cave was real, which confirmed that the Black Wings' goal was to recover the Seal Stone of Victoria Island. He then urged Aran to keep training while he investigated further.
Soon after, Tru learned that the cave in Ellinia was empty, meaning that Francis had changed his headquarters. After investigating, he found that Francis was hiding in the Golem Temple and sent Aran to deal with him. After defeating Francis, Aran returned to Tru, who asked her why she seemed downcast. Aran told him that her mission had been a failure, as she had failed to learn anything about the Seal Stone of Victoria Island in Francis' hideout.
To her surprise, Tru revealed that he had already found it. As the Black Wings knew where his shop was, Tru felt that it would be unwise to keep the Seal Stone, and so he asked Aran to give it to Lilin for safekeeping, explaining that Rien was normally only populated by the native races of the island, and so many spells had been placed on it to keep it inaccessible to foreigners. He then told Aran that he would no longer assign her missions, as she had gained enough experience about Maple World to gather information for herself. He told her to keep investigating the Black Wings and asked her to let him know immediately if she learned more about the Seal Stone.
The Seal Stone of Orbis
Soon after, Tru contacted Aran and told her that he had expanded his intelligence network outside Victoria Island, allowing him to learn that something had happened in Orbis, which possibly involved the Black Wings. In Orbis, Aran spoke with a half-Nymph named Lisa, who told her that she had been unable to sleep last night because of a thumping noise that kept all the fairies in Orbis awake. After investigating the source, Lisa had learned that there were Giant Nependeaths growing in the Neglected Strolling Path. As Nependeaths didn't grow so abnormally large, she asked Aran to investigate the source of what was causing such a drastic growth.
After defeating the Giant Nependeaths, Aran found bottles of Rapid Growth Accelerants. She brought them to Lisa, who told her that Orbis had been slowly sinking from the sky year by year, explaining that the heavier the mass on Orbis, the faster they would sink. She asked Aran to consult with a seer named Spiruna about whether Orbis was going to sink because of the Giant Nependeaths. Though she normally hated strangers, Spiruna sensed that Aran had a strange aura and allowed her to speak. Aran explained the situation with the Giant Nependeaths and asked whether they would cause Orbis to sink.
Peering into the future, Spiruna foresaw that Orbis would be safe, though she asked Aran where the Giant Nependeaths had been growing. After learning that they had been growing in the Neglected Strolling Path, Spiruna wondered whether someone had been trying to get into the Sealed Garden. Aran began asking what the Sealed Garden was, but Spiruna snapped at her and asked who she was and why she was asking such questions. Before Aran could respond, Spiruna looked into her crystal ball and was shocked by what she saw. She told Aran that a great fate hung over her, which was to overcome a terrible curse that had persisted for countless centuries.
Though she didn't know much about the Sealed Garden, Spiruna told Aran that the Empress had ordered it off-limits, as it was where the Seal Stone of Orbis was hidden.[4] Spiruna explained that the only way to get to the Sealed Garden was to make the Nependeaths in the Neglected Strolling Path grow large enough to reach the vines growing down from the Sealed Garden and asked Aran to stop the people trying to steal the Seal Stone.
In the Sealed Garden, Aran encountered Dargoth the Giant of the Black Wings. Dargoth realized that Aran was the one who had defeated Francis and laughed that he would take the Seal Stone and defeat Aran all at once. Aran was able to defeat Dargoth, but Hiver took the Seal Stone and disappeared before Aran could stop him. Frustrated, Aran returned to Tru and told him what had happened in Orbis. Though Tru was disappointed that the Black Wings had stolen the Seal Stone of Orbis, he was intrigued to know that there were multiple Seal Stones.
He told Aran to cheer up and let Lilin know about what had happened, reminding her about the importance of keeping Lilin in the loop. Lilin agreed with Tru that the confirmation of the existence of multiple Seal Stones was a major discovery and reminded Aran that their acquisition of the Seal Stone of Victoria Island was an even bigger success. She told Aran to keep focusing on her training while she and Tru kept looking into the locations of the Seal Stones.
The Wolf Pup
Some time later, Aran was summoned to Rien by a penguin named Pucci, who explained that while taking care of his huskies, he had realized that one of them was actually a wolf. As wolves weren't native to Rien, he wondered where it might have come from. Though he didn't know much about wolves, he felt that it would be cruel to abandon it, and so he had resolved to raise the wolf until it could take care of itself. In order to find out more about raising wolves, he asked Aran to go to Snowy Whale Island in Aqua Road in order to visit Nanuke, who was experienced in raising wolves.
Nanuke told Aran that she had raised wolves before and offered to make a Wolf Pup Formula in order to help it grow stronger. For the formula, she asked Aran to bring Seahorse Tails and Wolf Cub Vitamins from Kenta in the Aquarium. Aran brought the ingredients to Nanuke, who made the formula for her. She took it to Rien and fed the wolf, who instantly grew attached to her. Pucci told her that he had named the wolf Werewolf, and that Aran would soon be able to ride it.
Some time later, Aran encountered Scadur in El Nath, who was impressed to see Werewolf, as he hadn't seen anyone with a wolf in ages. He told her that he could teach her to ride the wolf and explained that she would need a Wolf Saddle. He offered to make her one in exchange for bringing Jr. Yeti Skins for the raw materials. With the skins, Scadur made her the saddle and taught her how to ride Werewolf.
The Seal Stone of Mu Lung
Back in Lith Harbor, Tru reached out to Aran and told her that he had learned of Black Wings activity in Mu Lung. He told her to investigate Mr. Do, who had been in contact with one of the Black Wings. Mr. Do told Aran that the Black Wings member was known as the Shadow Knight, and that the Shadow Knight had given him a Hanging Scroll to pass on to Mu Gong, the master of Mu Lung Dojo. However, Mr. Do had accidentally boiled the scroll while making medicine and the contents of the scroll had been lost. He asked Aran to visit Jin Jin, the best painter in Mu Lung, in order to see if he could restore it. Jin Jin had Aran gather ingredients to create a Special Ink, which he then used to restore the Hanging Scroll.
Aran read the scroll and found out that it was a warning from the Shadow Knight that he was going to steal the Seal Stone of Mu Lung. She showed the scroll to Mr. Do, who realized that the Shadow Knight had written it as a challenge to Mu Gong and asked Aran to warn him. Though one would have to normally fight to the top floor of the dojo in order to reach Mu Gong, Mr. Do told her that Mu Gong's apprentice, So Gong, could be bribed into showing her the back route to Mu Gong. As So Gong was obsessed with becoming the strongest warrior, Mr. Do told Aran that if she brought him Bellflowers, which were said to be good for one's health, he might let her pass. Sure enough, when Aran brought the Bellflowers, So Gong showed her the secret path to reach his master.
At the top of the dojo, Aran gave the Hanging Scroll to Mu Gong, who grew worried that the Shadow Knight would steal the Seal Stone. He told Aran that the Seal Stone was a valuable item guarded by the warriors of Mu Lung for centuries. When Aran asked for more details on the Seal Stone, Mu Gong tested her to see if she was worthy of receiving the knowledge. Aran successfully fought Mu Gong's shadow and Mu Gong immediately recognized her fighting style, which he said had been used centuries ago and was rumored to have even been used by one of the Heroes. Because of this, he mistook Aran to be a disciple of the Heroes, but nevertheless told her the location of the Seal Stone, as well as the password to enter.
Though he knew that the Shadow Knight's challenge had been meant for him, he felt that it would be better for the hero's successor to face him. Aran then entered the Sealed Temple, where the Shadow Knight was waiting. Just like Mu Gong, he mistook her for the hero's successor rather than one of the Heroes herself. Aran was able to defeat the Shadow Knight, but just like in Orbis, the Gentleman appeared from the shadows and took the Seal Stone of Mu Lung.
Frustrated, Aran returned to Mu Gong to report her failure. To Aran's surprise, Mu Gong revealed that the Heroes had entrusted the Seal Stone with the chief of Mu Lung, who had constructed the Sealed Temple in order to safeguard it. He then told Aran that the loss of the Seal Stone may not have been significant, as he had believed that the reason the Sealed Temple was so heavily protected was because it was the legacy of the Heroes, adding that he didn't know the purpose of the Seal Stone.
Dejected, Aran returned to Tru and told him about the events in Mu Lung. Tru reassured Aran that she was growing stronger, and that she would stop the Black Wings next time. He told her to speak with Lilin about what she had learned in Mu Lung. Lilin was excited to learn that the Heroes had left behind the Seal Stones and said that the information made up for losing the Seal Stone. Aran was confused by how she had reached that conclusion, to which Lilin explained that by piecing together information on the Heroes, she could predict which places were likely to have the Seal Stones before the Black Wings found out. As always, she told Aran to focus on training while she researched the Heroes and Tru looked into the Black Wings.
Third Job Advancement
Lilin called Aran to Rien once again. She explained that Maha had been acting strangely and suspected that he wanted to speak with her. In Rien, Maha told Aran that a thief had stolen a Red Jade that decorated the polearm. He believed that the thief had disguised themselves as a penguin in order to avoid detection, and that they were likely fleeing Rien as he spoke. Aran chased after the thief, which she discovered was a Thief Crow, and managed to defeat it. However, she forgot to recover the Red Jade and returned back to town.
As Maha succumbed to hysterics, Aran asked Lilin what to do, as the Thief Crow had likely recovered from the battle and escaped with the jewel. Lilin believed that the Red Jade likely amplified Maha's powers, and so they needed to quickly make a replacement. She suggested that Aran visit the Mirror of Desire once again in order to find out how to craft the jewel. Through the mirror, Aran saw one of her memories, in which she encountered a Yeti named Tititi in El Nath. Tititi was crying, as a Thief Crow had stolen his Red Jade. After Aran recovered the jewel, Tititi gave it to her as a reward. Through the mirror, the present-day Aran was able to extract the Red Jade from her memories and affixed it back on the polearm. Maha was overjoyed by the return of his jewel and, with his powers amplified once again, he was able to bestow more of Aran's old power upon her.
The Seal Stone of Ellin Forest
Tru contacted Aran and told her that a crack in time had appeared in the Time Control Room of Ludibrium, which was rumored to lead centuries into the past when the Heroes were still active. Aran entered through the crack in time and arrived in Ellin Forest. Proceeding deeper into the forest, she arrived at Altaire Camp and met Loha, who assumed that she was a lost refugee and sent her to Athena Pierce. At the Camp Conference Room, Aran met with Athena and began to explain who she was, but Athena remained unconvinced of her identity, as Aran looked different and she was unable to remember Athena.[5]
Aran began explaining everything that had happened to her since awakening from the ice, and though Athena found it unbelievable, she could not deny that Aran's eyes and her manner of speaking suggested that she was telling the truth. Choosing to believe her, Athena introduced herself and told Aran about how the refugees of Leafre had crash-landed on Victoria Island and established Altaire Camp while searching for fertile lands in order to relocate to. She then asked Aran why she looked different, causing them both to realize that coming through the crack in time had likely changed her appearance.
Athena then asked Aran whether she had come in search of her lost memories, but when Aran explained that she was looking for Seal Stones, Athena told her that she had been given a Seal Stone by the Heroes, which she was keeping locked in the library. After obtaining the storage key from Loha, Aran entered the library and encountered Hiver, who had also entered the crack of time. Before she could stop him, Hiver disappeared with the Seal Stone of Ellin Forest.
Athena apologized to Aran for not having better secured the Seal Stone, but Aran reassured her that it wasn't her fault. Athena then told her that she had also been given a letter by Aran of the past, which she recalled had mentioned something about the Seal Stones. However, when Aran tried to take the letter, it merely fell through her hands, which Athena found strange, as Aran had been able to take the storage key from Loha without any problems.[6]
Since she was an elf, and thus had a long lifespan, Athena suggested that she could keep the letter and instructed Aran to find her in the present day. After returning to her own time, Aran told Tru what had happened in Ellin Forest and asked him who Athena Pierce was. She was surprised to learn that Athena was one of the most famous people in Maple World, both as the instructor for bowmen and as an influential leader of Victoria Island. Aran went to the Bowman Instructional School, where she found that Baroq the Master of Disguise had knocked out Athena and was reading the letter.
After Aran defeated him and saved Athena, she took the letter to Tru, who found that it was completely unreadable. They realized that it was written in code, and that since Baroq had already read it, the Black Wings likely already knew the contents of the letter. Tru told Aran that Lilin would be able to decipher it, and so Aran went to Rien and showed the letter to her. Lilin realized that the code was extremely complicated, with several layers of encryption. She asked Aran for some time to decipher it and told her to focus on training in the meantime.
The Seal Stone of Ereve
Soon after, Lilin told Aran that she had successfully deciphered the letter, which she learned had been written by the Heroes and given to Athena Pierce in order to pass on to the new Empress of Maple World. She told Aran that the letter simply said to take care of the Seal Stone of Ereve. As the Black Wings had read the letter, they likely knew of the Seal Stone's existence, and so Lilin asked Aran to warn the people of Ereve and told her to bring the letter as proof. Aran went to Ereve and met with Neinheart, who was surprised that Aran knew about the Seal Stone of Ereve, which was also known as Shinsoo's Teardrop. Nevertheless, he told Aran to leave, as not only was Ereve closed to foreigners, but he also didn't trust that Aran wasn't one of the Black Wings herself.
Some time later, the Black Wings conducted an operation to try to steal the Seal Stone of Ereve. Baroq used his powers to disguise himself and infiltrate the island, but thanks to Aran's timely warning, Neinheart was prepared and mobilized the Cygnus Knights, who forced Baroq to retreat. Soon after, Neinheart asked Aran to come to Ereve. There, he personally thanked her for her actions and explained that he had initially mistrusted Aran because of her strange aura, but after thoroughly investigating her, he now understood her dynamic past.
Birth of an Alliance
Lilin contacted Aran and asked her to return to Rien. There, she excitedly showed Aran the invitation that the Cygnus Knights had given her and explained that it was proof that Ereve had recognized Aran as a true hero. Believing it best that Aran went with someone who recognized her as a hero, Lilin suggested that she ask Athena Pierce to accompany her, as she was a well-respected figure in Maple World.
Aran asked Lilin if she would also come to the conference, but Lilin was unsure about whether she ought to be there. While she debated about going, Athena agreed to accompany Aran and told her that Mercedes would also be there. As Aran had lost her memories, she asked Athena who Mercedes was, to which she merely told Aran that Mercedes was a friend. Soon after, Lilin told Aran that she would come with them as well.
After receiving unanimous confirmations, the First Continental Conference took place and the Maple Alliance was officially created.
Fourth Job Advancement
As Aran continued her training, Lilin reached out and asked her to return to Rien, as Maha was behaving strangely. Aran rushed back to Rien and found that Maha was emanating dark energy. He explained that he had been frozen over the centuries, just as she had been, and that that the absence from his master had been too much for him, which had caused seeds of darkness to be planted in his heart. Though he had initially believed that the darkness would have gone away after Aran returned, Maha realized that its hold was too strong on him.
He begged Aran to defeat him and return him back to normal before he went berserk. Aran then fought Maha and managed to subdue him. Maha thanked her for her help and explained that since she had proven herself to be strong enough to contain him, it was an indication that he could safely restore her full power. He then bestowed all her old skills and explained that she would return to full power once she fully mastered them.
The Adolescent Wolf
Soon after, Pucci reached out to her and asked if her wolf, Werewolf, which Aran had renamed Ryko, had been acting rebellious lately. He explained that wolves went through a type of puberty during their adolescent years, and that the ones who didn't go through puberty failed to grow properly. In order to get advice about how to help Ryko through his adolescence, Aran first visited Nanuke at Snowy Whale's Island, who offered to make a special formula for adolescent wolves.
After bringing her Lime Powder Bottles, Ink Bottles, Butter-Toasted Squids, and special Puberty Wolf Vitamins from Kenta, Nanuke prepared the formula for her, which she then fed to Ryko. Aran then went to see Scadur, who told her that she needed to let Ryko run wild in order to get the rebellion out of his system. After bonding with Ryko by riding with him through the cold fields of El Nath, Ryko soon grew to become an adolescent wolf.
Temple of Time
While exploring the Temple of Time, Aran's memories were drained by Dodo. After being told by the Record Keeper to return to where her adventure began, Aran decided to return to Rien and spoke with Lilin, who explained that the whole process of seeing Aran having lost her memories, but still keeping her spirit as a hero, as well as her gradually regaining her abilities, was a memory for her.
The Silver Wolf
After a long time, Pucci told Aran that a pack of wolves had shown up in Rien, having followed the rumors that she had picked up a lost wolf pup. Aran went to see the Head Wolf, who thanked her for taking care of Ryko, but asked that she return him back. Aran told him that Ryko was her friend, and so she couldn't give him up. In order to determine whether Aran was worthy of keeping Ryko, the Head Wolf administered a test to have Aran fight his Wolf Underlings.
After she defeated them all, the Head Wolf was impressed by her power and allowed her to keep Ryko. However, he told her that they were Silver Wolves, who possessed Silver Blood. He explained that before becoming adults, Silver Wolves strengthened their hearts by drinking Life Water for Wolves, which was only found in their homeland. He warned that forgoing the ritual would result in serious consequences, and so Aran traveled to Leafre, the homeland of the Silver Wolves, and collected the Life Water for Wolves from the Skelegons, which Ryko then drank in order to evolve into an adult.
The Wolf's Evolution
Maha told her that he could sense an incredible force trailing her and asked if there was someone extremely powerful with her. Aran returned to Rien and Maha immediately recognized that the energy was coming from Ryko, who had grown strong as a Silver Wolf alongside its master. He told her that the wolf was ready for its awakening, but when Aran told him that she didn't remember how to do it, Maha used his powers to awaken the wolf for her. He then told her that Ryko was the strongest wolf in history, even stronger than the one that she had ridden centuries ago. He explained that the wolf that she had ridden in the past was also called Ryko, and that he had thought that she had given him the same name deliberately.
Final Quest
Maha reached out to Aran through their mental link and asked her to return to Rien. There, he told her that though she still didn't have all her memories, she was worthy of receiving his blessing, which signified the full return of her powers.
Fifth Job Advancement
Upon entering the Erda Flow and meeting with the Goddess of Maple World, the Goddess asks the player what it is that they cherish most in the world. Aran gets to choose between the other Heroes or Lilin.
Silent Crusade (Current)
When the player is confronted by Arkarium's snake minions, Aran gets exclusive dialogue, in which the snake minions call her directly by her name and thank her for buying Arkarium time.
Aran gets an exclusive script when she encounters Maha in the past. After encountering Maha floating over her unconscious past self, she expresses her shock at seeing him, while Maha is shocked to see two Arans and wonders whether it’s another trap of the Black Mage. Aran tells him that she’s come from the future after traveling back through the crack in time created by Arkarium. Maha is relieved to hear that she’s from the future, as it means that she won’t die from her injuries in the present.
Though Aran is surprised that Arkarium hasn’t gone back further, she decides to help Maha first. Maha tells her about his plan to seal her past self on Rien and asks her to collect the broken polearm pieces. After Aran collects them, he thanks her and jokes that it seems as though his master really can be useful once in a while. Aran retorts by asking him whether she needs to remind him who the boss is around here, to which Maha tells her not to get grumpy with him, adding that she’s just not seeing things from every angle.
After he asks her to find Afrien, Aran notes that what had been a brief moment in time for her must have been centuries to him. She then apologizes to him, regretting that things could have been different if she had been stronger. Maha then blesses Aran with one of her old skills, “Regained Memory”, and bestows her with a chair called “Chair of Aran the Guardian”.
Aran also gets an exclusive script when she encounters Afrien in the past. Afrien recognizes her and notes that she looks well. Aran greets Afrien and replies that it’s been a while. Afrien agrees with her, adding that it’s been several centuries in her case, revealing that he knows that she’s come from the future. He asks her how she managed to go back in time, as he had believed that such a feat would be impossible.
Aran tells him that she had come through a crack in time created by Arkarium, and that she hadn’t expected to see him while working to stop Arkarium’s plot, which she explains is to eliminate the Heroes in the past. Afrien notes that it made sense, given that Arkarium was a Guardian of Time, though he adds that he hasn’t seen Arkarium around.
After he casts a protective barrier around them, he asks for a favor and explains that while she may already know, there was a young Onyx Dragon who had survived the Black Mage’s curse while inside its egg. As the egg had been lost during the battle, and as Leafre was filled with dangerous monsters, he asks Aran to find it and return it back to him.
After Aran brings the egg back, Afrien thanks her and explains that her courage provides a powerful shield. He adds that even after centuries, he finds himself in admiration of her, explaining that the Onyx Dragons owe her a debt that they can never repay. Aran tells him that there’s no need for such a sappy thanks, as friends naturally help one another. Afrien then tells her that the child was meant to be protected by Freud, though he fears that she and Freud may never meet again, as such events simply aren’t to be. However, Aran replies that it’s enough that she got to see him one more time.
He then tells her that they need to see to Mercedes’ safety, whose energy is fading. Aran offers to lend her strength to Mercedes, to which Afrien calls her noble as always. After Aran heals Mercedes with the crystal, Afrien thanks her and explains that the Heroes will awaken one day. He then asks her to investigate a dark presence at the Temple of Time.
Silent Crusade (Original)
Aran gets an exclusive script when she encounters Maha in the past. After encountering Maha floating over her unconscious past self, she expresses her shock at seeing him, while Maha is shocked to see two Arans and wonders whether it’s another trap of the Black Mage. Aran tells him that she’s come from the future after traveling back through the crack in time created by Arkarium. Maha is relieved to hear that Aran came from the future, as it means that she won’t die from her injuries in the present.
He then tells her about his plan to seal her past self on Rien and asks her to collect the broken polearm pieces. After Aran collects them, he thanks her and jokes that it seems as though his master really can be useful once in a while. Aran retorts by asking him whether she needs to remind him who the boss is around here, to which Maha tells her not to get grumpy with him, adding that she’s just not seeing things from every angle.
After he asks her to find Afrien, Aran notes that what had been a brief moment in time for her must have been centuries to him. She then apologizes to him, regretting that things could have been different if she had been stronger. Maha then blesses Aran with one of her old skills, “Regained Memory”, and bestows her with a chair called “Chair of Aran the Guardian”.
Aran also gets an exclusive script when she encounters Afrien in the past. Afrien recognizes her and notes that she looks well. Aran greets Afrien and replies that it’s been a while. Afrien agrees with her, adding that it’s been several centuries in her case, revealing that he knows that she’s come from the future. He asks her how she managed to go back in time, as he had believed that such a feat would be impossible. Aran explains that she had come through a crack in time created by Arkarium, and that she hadn’t expected to see him while working to stop Arkarium’s plot.
Afrien then tells her that while she may already know, there was a young Onyx Dragon who had survived the Black Mage’s curse while inside its egg. As the egg had been lost during the battle, and as Leafre was filled with dangerous monsters, he asked Aran to find it and return it back to him. After Aran brings the egg back, Afrien thanks her and explains that her courage provides a powerful shield. He adds that even after centuries, he finds himself in admiration of her, explaining that the Onyx Dragons owe her a debt that they can never repay.
Aran tells him that there’s no need for such a sappy thanks, as friends help one another. Afrien then tells her that the child was meant to be protected by Freud, though he fears that she and Freud may never meet again, as such events were simply not to be. However, Aran replies that it’s enough that she got to see him one more time.
He then tells her that they need to see to Mercedes’ safety, whose energy is fading. Aran offers to lend her strength to Mercedes, to which Afrien calls her noble as always. After Aran heals Mercedes with the crystal, Afrien thanks her and explains that the Heroes will awaken one day. He then asks her to investigate a dark presence at the Temple of Time.
Riena Strait
After completing Riena Strait, Aran gets exclusive dialogue that follows Lilin's dialogue for regular classes. Lilin tells Aran that in order to help people come together and protect what they love, they need a hero like Aran. She explains that heroes are symbols of hope who have the power to bring people together, and that with Aran on their side, they all have that hope. Lilin then jokingly asks Aran if she's scared before laughing that there's no way that it could be true with she's Aran. She then gets flustered when Aran points out that she had just smiled. She tells Aran not to look at her like that and orders her to get back to training.
Attack on Rien
Soon after Phantom's return, the Black Wings discovered that the Seal Stone of Victoria Island was being guarded in Rien and launched an attack. Thanks to the efforts of Aran, Phantom, and the penguin warriors, the Black Wings were successfully repelled.
Meeting Shade
Aran was informed by Athena Pierce that an old friend wanted to meet her. At Riena Strait, Aran met Shade, who asked whether she remembered him. Aran apologized and explained that she had lost her memories, though she was trying hard to get them back. Shade told her about the last time that they had seen each other in the Temple of Time, when she had told him to go on to fight the Black Mage while she covered him. Aran realized that they must have entrusted each other to watch their backs, and as warriors only showed their backs to their friends, she asked if they had been friends in the past.
Shade told her that they were, but Aran apologized and explained that she still couldn't remember him. However, she promised that she would come find him once her memories returned, to which Shade told her that he would be waiting. He also shared one of his memories of her and Mercedes making lots of food. Though most of it hadn't been good, he promised that he would eat her cooking again if they ever got the chance, though he asked her to use less sugar next time.
Mirror World
While Alpha and Beta were undertaking a monk examination while searching for the Goddess Teardrops, So Gong told them that the Aran of Mirror World had finished their training course in half the time it had taken the twins.
Ellin Forest
When Wiz explains that Ellin Forest had existed centuries ago, Aran gets some exclusive dialogue, in which she notes that she hadn't been able to do a thorough search when she had first visited because she had been looking for the Seal Stone of Ellin Forest, but she wonders whether returning there will help her regain her memories.
When Karen initially refuses to allow the player through the Temporal Gate, Aran gets exclusive dialogue, in which she tells Karen that she's from that time period, and that she's lost her memories of it, which is why she wants to go back there and see what kind of a person she really was.
Upon meeting Yuris, Aran will introduce herself by name. However, Yuris dismisses her as a follower of the Heroes who's impersonating the real Aran.
When Perzen doesn't recognize Aran as one of the Heroes, she will wonder whether she might have been erased from history, but she notes that Perzen clearly still remembers the existence of the Heroes themselves.
When the player meets Athena Pierce in Ellin Forest, Aran will express her surprise that even Athena doesn't recognize her, despite having met before. However, Athena will later tell Perzen that she's met Aran before, and that she recognizes Aran, despite her appearance being completely different from last time.
After returning back to Wiz, Aran will explain how she had been perceived differently, to which Wiz speculates that the will of the world might have altered their appearances in order to prevent paradoxes.
Kritias
Upon hearing that Empress Aria had visited Kritias recently, Aran gets exclusive dialogue, in which she thinks to herself that she'd been having doubts ever since hearing the name “Kritias”, but after hearing the whole story, she's now sure that it's the same kingdom that the Black Mage had annihilated hundreds of years ago. She then wonders why the kingdom that had vanished into thin air centuries ago has appeared now all of a sudden.
Friend Story
In the special scene for Chapter 4: Cassandra's Tales of Totally Shocking Stuff, accessible only through a replay of the story, the player will encounter Lilin. Aran gets exclusive dialogue when she meets Lilin, in which she notes that the girl, whose name she doesn't know, looks a lot like Lilin from Maple World.
Black Heaven
The morning of the operation, Lilin was overseeing Aran's training exercises. She told Aran that the battle was the perfect opportunity to see how well her training had paid off. When Aran stopped to agree, Lilin told Aran that she hadn't been told to stop. Aran continued practicing her polearm swings until she hit 835 before Lilin finally told her that it was good enough.
As Aran collapsed in fatigue, Lilin told Aran that she expected her to reach 1000 after boarding the Lumiere, though she added that it was a shame that she couldn't come with Aran and watch her fight. She then told Aran not to wear herself out, as it was her first aerial fight. Aran laughed and asked Lilin whether she was worried about her, to which Lilin reminded Aran that she sometimes got overeager and told her to hurt the enemies, not herself. She then warned Aran that if she hurt herself, her training regime would be increased to 10,000 polearm swings a day.
After Athena Pierce and the player fight their way to the main deck, Athena gives a word of encouragement to the player as they charge into battle, which depends on their class. For Aran, Athena tells her to show the enemies the power of a hero.
During the Black Heaven operation, Aran met Shade and, with her memories of meeting him in Riena Strait being erased after he moved between dimensions to Grandis, she befriended him once again and the two later became sparring partners.
Heroes of Maple
When Aran and Shade were training, they received news of Lilin being kidnapped by the demon army. Aran brought Shade to Turtle Island and met up with Evan and Mir. Aran broke a large ice wall and fought several troops in the demon army, with Shade as a backup, in order to save Lilin. They eventually met Afrien and Aran briefly fought Damien, who branded Maha with his mark.
Due to Maha taking damage from Damien's attack, Aran promised to meet Evan at the Sanctum of Abraxas later on. After Maha was healed, she and Shade fought the demon army from the other side of the sanctum, which took them a long time to reach the other Heroes. The group eventually escaped the demon army when Evan activated the Eye of Abraxas and took them to Seoul.
She, along with Evan and Mir, stayed behind in the airship and discussed Shade's curse, which was a hindrance for him to accompany the Heroes across dimensions to Earth. However, they soon came under attack by Damien's forces, who were aiming to delay the Heroes by destroying the airship. Fortunately, they managed to escape and met up with the other Heroes on one of the skyscrapers, with Shade using a inter-dimensional communication system to contact them from Maple World.
Aran and the other Heroes successfully defeated Damien and used the Transcendence Stone to scatter Alicia's life force in order to save Maple World.
In the credits, she was shown laughing at the missing section of the mural depicting the Heroes sealing the Black Mage, much to Shade's embarrassment.
Vanishing Journey
After the player defeats Arma, Kao will speak to the player while being carried through the cave. Aran asks where Kao has left Maha. Kao explains that thought she can't be sure, she believes that Maha has ceased to exist. She recalls how Maha was there with her for her entire life, but after losing him and seeing how she's fallen after losing her memories and her power, she believes that she no longer has the right to fight anymore.
Yum Yum Island
Upon encountering the Afrien fusion, Aran will recognize that the creature is made from Afrien's Erdas. While fighting it, she notes to herself that despite the fusion's power, it's still nowhere near Afrien's strength.
Esfera
Upon seeing the memory of Will capturing Tana, Aran gets some exclusive dialogue, in which she notes that the closer they get to the Black Mage, the more Commanders they find that hadn't been there centuries ago. She wonders how long the Black Mage has been laying the groundwork for all this and notes that they need Freud now more than ever.
After Will tells the player about the Black Mage's words that "the ultimate light can only be found in the ultimate darkness", Aran wonders whether Luminous might know anything about it.
Upon learning that the power of creation is mastery over Erda, Aran wonders whether the light that Tana uses is different from that which Luminous uses.
Labyrinth of Suffering
After Cygnus tells Neinheart that she will lead the fleet into Tenebris in the Adversary's place, Aran gets exclusive dialogue, in which she senses the Empress' resolve and notes that though it's been a long journey, she'll finally meet the Black Mage soon.
As darkness begins to fall around the fleet as they approach Tenebris, Aran will wish that Luminous was there with them. She then realizes that if Luminous had cast a light, then it would be visible ahead, making her realize that something might have happened on his end.
When the player first meets with Azalin - Hilla disguised as a Night Walker - she notes how incredible it is that all the legendary Heroes who had once sealed the Black Mage away have returned, adding that she's honored to be with them as they make history. She tells Aran that she seems as energetic as ever, despite how much time has passed, which surprises her, as she would've imagined that the long fight would be exhausting for Aran.
She then jokingly asks Aran if she's feeling rested because she's been sealed away for so long. Aran demands to know what she means by that, to which Azalin interrupts and asks if she's touched a nerve before saying that she had merely been thinking out loud. Aran then angrily wonders to herself whether Azalin had really had the audacity to cut her off.
After the Adversary collapses into despair as a result of Hilla's machinations, they pass out in a void of darkness within their own mind. As their morale and strength threaten to diminish completely, the mysterious divine light speaks to them in the form of someone close to them and provides them motivation to continue.
For Aran, the voice of Freud asks her why she risks her life to save others. Aran tells Freud that it's because everyone is that precious to her, to which Freud asks her why she cares so much for Maple World, which is nothing like her home, and what her purpose is. Aran replies that Maple World is the home where her loved ones live, and that it's a precious place, filled with all their memories.
Freud asks her if she can remember what she needs to do now, to which Aran begins to say hopelessly that everyone is already dead, and that she couldn't protect anyone. She adds that there's nothing that she can do, and that she's completely helpless, as even before, she had barely managed to seal the Black Mage, who had still come back in the end. She then asks what else she can do now, to which Freud tells her to open her eyes and see for herself, explaining that even if Hilla covers her eyes, she can never cover the truth.
Freud asks her to open her eyes, get up, and do what she has to do, telling her to keep moving forward, just as she had done before. He then tells her that all roads exist inside her heart, and to never forget that. He adds that the memories of them all will live on forever, and that he'll always be with her. As the voice fades away, Aran recognizes the voice as belonging to Freud.
Limina
When the Adversary faces the Black Mage, he tells them that their path has always been preordained. In response to his words, Aran vows that she'll transcend the destiny that he's created to put an end to their long history.
After the Adversary scatters into Erda after killing the Black Mage, they awaken in the Erda Flow, where the White Mage thanks them for putting an end to the battle and helping him liberate the world from the influence of the Overseers. After the conversation, the Adversary will return back to the real world. As they do, the White Mage will give them a unique title based on their class; the title he gives to Aran is "Undying Warrior".
After the final battle, the Adversary will return back to the Outpost and speak with Neinheart and the other leaders of the Alliance. For Aran, Neinheart tells her that everyone in Maple World is grateful to her. Cygnus notes that Aran has been keeping Maple World safe for so long, and now, she's saved the world from the greatest threat that they've ever faced. She then thanks Aran and vows that the Alliance will continue protecting the world that Aran has given everything to save.
Aftermath
After a large celebration party, Evan unexpectedly decided to visit Freud's birthplace, where he found that the other Heroes were also there. Evan was surprised, as they had told him that they had ‘other stuff' to do and had sent him off like a child. Aran laughed and explained that she had changed her mind, but that it had been worth the trip to see the baffled look on his face.
Mercedes told Aran not to make fun of Evan, reminding her that he had helped them save the world. Luminous noted that it appeared as though they all had the same ‘stuff' to do. Just then, Phantom appeared in a flash and saw that they had beaten him, though he declared that the star of the show always appeared last.
Mercedes snapped that he was meant to be at another extravagant party, but Evan broke up the fight and told them that with Phantom, all the Heroes were there, as well as himself. Phantom then told Evan not to discount himself, as he was one of them after having helped save the world, which Mercedes agreed with.
Phantom noted the irony of the grand Heroes who had defeated the Black Mage celebrating in an abandoned shack to mope about their long-lost companion. Mercedes then suggested watching the moon and stars, which were visible from the broken roof. They wondered whether Freud had ever watched the sky as they had, but Phantom pointed out that there likely hadn't been a hole in the roof while Freud had still lived there.
Aran mentioned that she recalled how Freud had many holes in his roof, and that he had been too lazy to fix them. Shade countered that Freud wasn't so much lazy as he was content with the feeling of a rundown cottage. The Heroes then looked back fondly on Freud and his eccentric ways. Soon after, they all prepared to leave when Evan asked when they would see each other again. The Heroes reassured him that they were like family, and that they would see each other again at the next crisis, as they were Maple World's greatest heroes.
Later in Rien, Aran arrived to visit Lilin, who was surprised to see her, since Aran was supposed to be at a party. Aran told Lilin that she'd already had her fill of fun and had figured that Lilin could use the company, as Lilin didn't have a cat or any other pet. Lilin told Aran that she wasn't a lonely, doddering old woman and told Aran that just because she had helped defeat the Black Mage, it didn't mean that she could get lazy and fall out of shape, to which Aran laughed that she couldn't let her gorgeously sculpted muscles go to waste.
Lilin asked if that meant that she had come to train, which Aran confirmed, adding that she wanted to thank Lilin as well, which took Lilin aback. Aran explained that even though everyone was giving her credit for defeating the Black Mage, her friends were the real reason why she had won, as their determination had given her the strength that she had needed.
She told Lilin that she had always been her biggest supporter and explained that she couldn't have done any of it without her. Lilin was left speechless as she blinked back tears before telling Aran to get to training. Aran laughed and told Lilin not to pretend as though she wasn't touched, as she could plainly see her tears. However, Lilin told Aran that she was mistaken, claiming that the wind had merely blown a snowflake on her face.
Aran smiled before heading out to train alone. After Aran left, Lilin spoke aloud that she would always need Aran, who had appeared to save the day just when she had been about to give up hope. She then added that she was grateful for every day that she got to spend with Aran.
Cernium
Upon reading about how the Overseers had originally created the Seal Stones as the Godspheres, Aran gets some exclusive dialogue, in which she realizes that Freud hadn't created the Seal Stones out of nothing. She then wonders whether he had drawn out the divine power that had permeated into the land after the end of the war.
Arteria
Before the Adversary leaves to rescue Cygnus, Shinsoo calls to the Adversary and addresses them with a unique title based on their class; the title she gives to Aran is "Hero of Maple World".
MapleStorySEA Heroes of Maple: Aran Revamp Trailer
Trivia
Aran's storyline has many continuity errors / retcons:
The cutscene says the Black Mage's curse wiped out the memories of all the Heroes. However, only Aran was affected by this.
Lilin states that each of the Heroes had weapons with spirits. However, none of the other Heroes' weapons have spirits. The only other spirit weapons are Alpha and Beta's weapons, Lazuli and Lapis, and Damien's sword, containing the Spirit of Vengeance.
Lilin states that Rien became frozen after Aran was cursed. However, in the Silent Crusade storyline, Maha states that he planned to take Aran to Rien so that the icy landscape would slow down her curse.
Aran was depicted male in the class's initial release. Aran was later shown as female in the Age of Battle trailer, which became canon.
In the original Explorer storyline, if the player is a warrior, they talk to Lilin about Aran, who asks about Aran's gender. This choice determines the gender of Aran that appears in the same quest.
As a joke to Aran's constantly switching gender, one of the three options is simply "Aran".
A scene in the final act of Labyrinth of Suffering involves the Adversary falling into despair in a void of darkness within their mind. Here, the Adversary, whose morale and strength are almost completely gone at this point, talks to a voice that provides the motivation for them to continue. The voice, whose identity depends on the Adversary's job, manifests as Freud for Aran.
An interesting dynamic between her and Shade's stories is that while Aran lost her memories of everyone she knew, everyone Shade knew lost their memories of him.
↑Originally, Spiruna claimed that the Goddess had ordered it off-limits, with the Goddess likely referring to Minerva.
↑Before the Ellin Forest revamp, Athena and Yuris (whose role was later given to Loha) both recognized Aran immediately, as the lore about people's appearances changing to prevent time paradoxes had not yet been established.
↑Before the Ellin Forest revamp, it was explained that it was impossible to handle objects from the past. Athena pointing out that Aran had been able to handle the storage key was also omitted.
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