II: A New Friend?

Those shock waves that Pepper mentioned in Tynerum...
What could be causing them? What's beyond the Tynerum barrier? As you pondered those questions, you received a message from Neinheart.
Neinheart sent you an invitation to Ereve, on behalf of the Empress.
In Ereve, the Empress revealed something that rather horrifying.
She said the shock waves were getting stronger because the barrier was getting weaker. She wasn't sure what would happen to Maple World if the barrier were to completely disappear...
She asked you to venture past the barrier to see what you could discover. You agreed, eager to conquer the unknown. Neinheart called you to Ereve for an urgent meeting. The Empress asked to look into this new land, and propose a peaceful alliance if possible. You traveled to the southernmost tip of Shadow Veil Forest, but you didn't find anything strange. Until you met an old man named Parbell. Once you'd located his missing Emerald, he told you about the continent of Dawnveil. It sounded like a call to adventure. Dawnveil, the lost continent... Parbell offered to send you there, and it was then you were sure this was the land the Empress had spoken of. A new adventure was just around the bend...

You arrived in Berry, a small town in Dawnveil, where you met Mayor Berry. Mayor Berry seemed to be the only citizen of his own small fishing village in the Commerci Republic, on the western coast of Dawnveil. You stuck around and ran some errands for the Mayor, and he eventually introduced you to Leon Daniella, of the Daniella Merchant Union. Leon Daniella was a very spirited man, and pleasant to be around. He was finishing up some business, and asked you to meet him in San Commerci, the capital city of the Commerci Republic. This could be an opportunity to form an alliance with Ereve!
And then you finally arrive at San Commerci.