The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II is a direct sequel of The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel and continues the story right after the ending of the prequel. The game marks the 10th Anniversary of the Kiseki series and is planned to be released on September 25, 2014. The Chinese and Korean versions will be released simultaneously with the Japanese version.

Characters
All playable characters in Trails of Cold Steel (at least the permanent members) make a return and join Rean's party throughout the story. Some characters, notably Elise Schwarzer and Claire Rieveldt who were either previously not playable or only temporary party members in the prequel were also added as permanent playable characters, although some of them are only available in parts of the story (but can be added to the party in end-game)

Additionally, there is an extra chapter including Lloyd Bannings and Rixia Mao, the characters from Zero and Ao no Kiseki, which involves the events in Crossbell after the ending of Ao no Kiseki.

Story Summary
A gunshot that changed the fate of an empire.

Stemming from the shooting of blood and iron prime minister Gilias Osborne, the imperial capital of Heimdall was captured.

And then, when a giant flying battleship called “Pantagruel” appeared, the relationship of power within the empire was changed completely by a battalion of the mechanized human-like weapons called “Armored Soldiers.” And a civil war involving the entire nation began.

With an overwhelming amount of material resources and new weapons, the Aristocrat allied forces gained total control. And the highly trained soldiers and armored division stayed with the imperial army.

The civil war that began in the giant empire of Erebonia become much more violent than expected. When it would end was unknown, and the people, stricken with powerlessness, trembled at the presentiment.

Meanwhile, Rean Schwarzer of Class VII at the Thors Military Academy wakes up in a desolate mountainous area. Nearby him—a black cat able to speak human language, and a gigantic grey-colored “Knight.”

The other students of Class VII—comrades with no substitute, who together with Rean overcame many trials—were nowhere to be found.

Just as he’s about to lose consciousness, he hears the parting words from his comrades, as well as that of his own wailing and screams.

He pictures all too clearly in the back of his mind the horrifying sight of the land as it was beginning to be engulfed by war, as well as that of a blue shadow that drew near.

“Is everyone alright?”

“If we can’t get back to the academy soon—!”

Wresting himself free of the black cat’s control, Rean makes his way back down the mountain, uncertain of what lies in wait as he tries to pay no mind to the gigantic gray shadow that looms.

Such is how the tumultuous days commenced, hearkening the beginning of the end.