Artist: Yoshiku
The fourth Book of the game, running from December 2019 to November 2020. See the opening cinematic here
, midpoint cinematic here, and ending cinematic here in English and here in Japanese.
Tropes:
- All Just a Dream: The book basically operates on this, except things get more complicated as it goes on. It turns out the first time the Askr group tried to leave the dreams, nightmares poured out and invaded the real world. Later on, the group is led to believe that they had managed to escape the dream world after Freyr sacrificed himself to depower Freyja, until they realize they've been stuck in there and race against Freyja to escape for good. Near the end, it's revealed that "Alfonse" was really the Summoner dreaming themselves as Alfonse, having experienced lapses of amnesia regarding meetings with Zacharias that they never remembered, meaning the real Alfonse wasn't even with them after they were first sent to the dream world since Book IV, Chapter I.
- Bookends: The arc ends with you fighting a slightly souped-up version of Loki and the team she fought you with at the beginning of the book, on the exact same map to boot.
- Changeling Tale: Throughout the story, Sharena starts getting dreams about her and another girl who looks just like her, with the two of them switching places by dressing as one another. When she tells others about the dream, Anna is reminded about old legends of changelings, a type of álfr who abduct children and take on their identity to be raised in their place.
- Dreams vs. Nightmares: The story sees the Order of Heroes in a Dream Land being antagonized by entities that give mortals literal nightmares.
- Food Chains: Those who drink the nectar of the gods will become "the heroes called to save the land of dreams, (...) But those who drink the nectar will never...ever...return." It is eventually revealed that the alfr Peony, Triandra, Plumeria, and Mirabilis were once human children who drank this nectar. Sharena was offered it as a young child, but refused it and ran away instead.
- Foreshadowing: The Adrift Paralogue in November 2018 as a whole was foreshadowing the theme of Book IV, that being dreams, nightmares, the dream world, and even butterflies.
- Or Was It a Dream?: The ending reveals that none of the events actually happened - in the real world, at least. The World of Dreams was indeed turned upside down by the battle with Freyja, but the encounter with Loki at the beginning of Book IV hadn't actually happened yet. Despite this, Sharena comes out of the experience with the parting gift that Peony gave her, and Peony herself shows up in the real world at the end. Meanwhile, Loki is implied to know what really happened.
- The Stinger: The Book IV Ending Movie video shows "Líf" and "Thrasir" inviting both Triandra and Plumeria to the abode of gods to have their wish to revive Freyja come true, before a metal leg stomps on the ground in a rocky landscape covered in smoke, with having "Líf" warn Alfonse about the Niðavellir, the home of the Norse Dwarves, called "Dvergar" in Heroes, while Freaky Electronic Music plays.
- Wham Episode:
- Book IV Chapter 11: Sharena was originally supposed to be an álfr like Peony and Triandra, but abandoned the World of Dreams, Sharena could possibly be a Changeling and might not actually be Alfonse's sister after getting her memories of the World of Dreams back, and Alfonse figures out that they did not really wake up and are in another layer of dreams after being chased by Freyja in the "real world".
- Book IV Chapter 12 drops one of the biggest bombs in the entire story: The Alfonse that was there through the entirety of Book IV is actually the summoner, dreaming as they were Alfonse. The real Alfonse died after his final encounter with Hel. Subverted in the next chapter when it turns out Freyja was lying her ass off.
- Wham Line:
- The final line of Book IV Chapter 12. The next chapter reveals she's lying through her teeth.Freyja: I don't suppose you CAN remember what happened... If you could recall, the dream would likely collapse. Be that as it may, the truth is that this mortal you care so much for, Prince Alfonse, defeated death... And with that, He Who Created Everything, Alfaðör, has decided... Prince Alfonse could no longer be allowed to exist. [...] Prince Alfonse is gone. You will never see him again!
- The final line of the Book IV Ending Movie."Líf": On your guard, Alfonse... Niðavellir is at hand.
- The final line of Book IV Chapter 12. The next chapter reveals she's lying through her teeth.
