Phantom Brave - Plot

Plot

The protagonist of Phantom Brave is a 14 year old girl named Marona. Having lost both of her parents at a young age, Marona lives on Phantom Isle in the oceanic world of Ivoire with a phantom named Ash. While he was still alive, Ash worked alongside Jasmine and Haze (Marona's parents) as a Chroma, a sort of bounty hunter or adventurer for hire. On an assignment that brought the trio to the Isle of Evil, a fragment of a malevolent being known as Sulphur attacked the group, mortally wounding them. Using the last of his life energy, Haze attempted to revive the party after the battle; however, there was only enough life left in him to bring Ash back as a phantom. Haze and Jasmine's dying wish was for Ash to watch over their then infant daughter Marona.

As far as the game is concerned, Marona is the only one able to see Ash in phantom form. This is primarily because of her unique ability known as "Chartreuse Gale". This ability not only allows her to see and interact with phantoms, but bind their souls to various objects to grant them a temporary body, referred to in-game as "Confine". Using this power she can summon Ash and other phantoms to the world of the living to aid her in her own endeavors as a Chroma, similar to the work done by her late parents. Because she possesses the ability to see and speak with the dead, many assume that she is either controlled by or cooperates with evil spirits, and are afraid to even interact with her, much less employ her for Chroma work. Also; in the early portions of the story, people who offer Marona employment would rescind any rewards upon completion once they discover that she was the fabled phantom-possessed Chroma.

As she continues her Chroma work, Marona's path eventually crosses with that of a man named Walnut. Walnut prides himself on his status as a Chroma Oxide, one who secretly follows a Chroma on their mission and steals the reward for their work. Walnut regularly tries to meddle in Chroma-related matters involving Marona, but is rarely successful. As they continue their work, Ash and Marona also meet a sickly young girl named Castille. Confined to her bed or wheelchair for most of her life, Castille has been unable to go out into the world and make friends. However; after helping Castille's family on an assignment, Marona grows close to Castille and they become friends. Marona leaves Putty; a mischievous nature spirit found on an earlier assignment, with Castille to keep her company when Marona is unable to do so.

As the game progresses, signs of Sulphur returning to Ivoire in full force become more apparent. Earthquakes increase in frequency and monsters plague the land, with lesser forms of Sulphur known as Wraiths appearing to attack Ash and Marona several times. At one point Marona and her rival Walnut are forced to team up, and it is revealed that Walnut is Castile's older brother who's been stealing money from Marona and other Chromas in an effort to pay for Castile's hospital bills so that she can be cured of the sickness that keeps her bedridden. Ash and Marona meet more people who are aware of thee signs signalling Sulpher's return and are making preparations to meet Sulpher in battle, if necessary. Among these individuals are Raphael; a renowned knight known as one of the Nine Swords of Ivoire, and the dreary Sprout; a renegade soldier whose family was killed by Sulphur many years earlier. While Sprout seems to side with Ash in this fight, he is hellbent on the destruction of Sulphur at all costs, no matter the means used.

As preparations for the final battle are made, Ash and Marona return to the Isle of Evil and find Raphael is possessed by Sulphur, and so Marona's team of phanotms is forced to engauge Raphael in a duel. After Raphael is too injured to continue and comes back to his senses, he entrusts Ash with Heliotrope; his sacred sword, for use in their battle against Sulphur. At the center of the island lies a portal from which Sulphur is entering the world, and upon the heroes' arrival to this point they expect to engage in combat with Sulphur immediately. However they are intercepted by Sprout. Having gone mad from the dark power that he has stolen from the countless minions of Sulphur that he has killed and by Sulphur's increased influence in the area, Sprout attacks Ash and Marona. When he loses to Ash he kills himself with his sword; Shiva, in an attempt to kill Sulphur within him, but his sacrifice is in vain as Sulphur successfully materializes anyway. Ash and Marona finally battle it out with Sulphur, but in spite of the duo's best efforts, Sulphur is merely weakened and is still attempting to enter into Ivoire. At that point Walnut appears and says fairwell to Castile (who has apparently followed our heroes to this point in her wheelchair), sacrificing his own life to sever the portal between Ivoire and Sulphur's domain and effectively save the world.