All Blade Quests
Official art of Dahlia

Blade Quest

Dahlia

Quest: “Fly in the Ointment” — Anastatia's (inn), Theosoir, Kingdom of Tantal; quest giver: Celliara (Kastina's mother). Quest plays out around Old Gelgemos Gate and the Pillar City Ruins in Tantal

Ice Bitball HLR From Chapter 6

How to get Dahlia: Rare Blade from random Core Crystal pulls (no special odds stated on the wiki). Can be bonded to Rex, Nia, Zeke or Morag.

Before you start

Story progress
Chapter 6 or later
Chapter 6 — after Pyra is rescued from the ether accelerator during the Theoscaldia Palace events (Xeno Series Wiki). Pyra is required in the party, so the window is Chapters 6–7 or from Chapter 10.
How the quest unlocks
Two-part hidden trigger with Dahlia equipped: (1) walk into Elmos Square in Theosoir to get a cutscene with the girl Kastina — this is also what unlocks Dahlia's level 3 Key Affinity node ('Head to Elmos Square in Tantal'); (2) then take a rest at Anastatia's inn (speak to innkeeper Viccus) — during the night Celliara wakes the party and the quest begins. Xeno Series Wiki: Nia, Tora, Morag, Zeke, Pyra and Dahlia must be in the party.
Field skill checks
  • Nopon Sage step — 'Threaten him' option: Ice Mastery Lv 9 + Focus Lv 3 (avoidable by giving an offering item instead)
  • Reach Pillar City Ruins — Fandom: ice bridge from Lumos Pillar needs Ice Mastery Lv 6 + Focus Lv 5; Xeno Series Wiki instead lists Fire Mastery Lv 3 + Focus Lv 5 for this objective
  • Warm up the frozen Kastina — Fire Mastery Lv 5 + Focus Lv 5 (Fandom)
Also required
  • Dahlia awakened and equipped (she need not be in the active battle party per Fandom, but XSW lists her in the party)
  • Dahlia's level 3 Key Affinity unlocked (the Elmos Square cutscene itself)
  • Theoscaldia Palace story events completed (Chapter 7)

Walkthrough

  1. After the night cutscene with Celliara, gather information about Kastina in Theosoir — Celesmia is the NPC who must be spoken to.
  2. Head to the forest behind the Old Gelgemos Gate in Tantal's Lower Level to look for Kastina.
  3. Investigate the snow mounds in the forest; checking the westmost mound progresses the quest and uncovers the Nopon Sage.
  4. Deal with the Nopon Sage: either give him one offering item — a Soft Sea Cucumber (Gormott Ichthyology collection point), a Juicy Ray Fin (dropped by Manda Moramora in Uraya, only during Crystal Sleet weather), or a Benign Cricket (Leftheria Entomology) — or threaten him (Ice Mastery 9 + Focus 3 field skill check).
  5. Go to the Pillar City Ruins — per Fandom this means creating the Ice Bridge from Lumos Pillar (Ice Mastery 6 + Focus 5 check).
  6. Warm up Kastina, who is frozen at the Pillar City Ruins (Fire Mastery 5 + Focus 5 check).
  7. Defeat all 4 Sarta Garlus (Lv 43) that ambush you at the Pillar City Ruins.
  8. Report to Celliara at Anastatia's in Theosoir; Dahlia freezes Kastina's flowers into sculptures and the quest completes.

Good to know

  • The trigger is easily missed because nothing is marked: you must first walk through Elmos Square with Dahlia equipped for the Kastina cutscene, and only then does resting at Anastatia's start the quest.
  • This quest is a field-skill gauntlet — bring leveled Ice and Fire Blades plus Focus. If you can't pass the Nopon Sage check, just hand over one of the three offering items; the Juicy Ray Fin needs specific Crystal Sleet weather in Uraya, so the Gormott/Leftheria collectibles are usually faster.
  • Sources disagree slightly on the travel checks (Fandom: Ice Mastery 6 + Focus 5 for the bridge and Fire Mastery 5 + Focus 5 for the thaw; Xeno Series Wiki: Fire Mastery 3 + Focus 5 to reach the ruins) — prepare for the higher values to be safe.