The gates to the village remain shut at all times, and food is scarce. Times have gotten hard for the villagers during these intervening years. In the five years since Yonah was carried away, Nier has neither given up hope that she's alive nor doubts for one moment that he can find her again. Their quest sees many hardships, culminating in Kainé becoming petrified in order to seal a deadly Shade beneath the library, while Yonah is carried away by the master Shade, known as the Shadowlord, who carries his own book, Grimoire Noir. In their search, they encounter the hot-tempered, foul-mouthed Kainé, who is herself part-Shade and a young boy Emil, whose eyes petrify anyone that gazes upon them. This partnership with Weiss allows Nier to use magic and the two begin their quest to search the lands to collect all the Sealed Verses that Nier hopes will give Weiss the power to destroy the darkness and save his daughter. It is discovered that Yonah is suffering from the Black Scrawl virus, which is linked to the Shades.

The two team up to defeat the army of Shades and two living guardian statues to save Yonah. Upon searching the Lost Shrine, Nier stumbles upon a talking book capable of wielding magic, calling itself the Grimoire Weiss. One day, Yonah leaves to seek out the Lunar Tear flower her father told her about and may have gone off in search of the Lost Shrine where Popola told her where they grow. Some would say the work is beneath a man of his caliber but he holds his head high and does whatever he can to provide for his daughter, all the while hoping that the village's wisest members, Popola, and her twin sister Devola, can discover a cure. The entire village knows of young Yonah's illness, and lends their support by hiring Nier for numerous odd jobs and errands. Villagers live in modest homes and work together to ensure a better life for their community. Though much time has passed, the world in which this father and daughter resides is, in many ways, one of a simpler time. The story begins 1,358 years after the events of Drakengard, where a man named Nier and his only daughter, Yonah, has succumbed to a violent cough and must remain in bed while he searches for a cure. These skills and many more, come in handy as Nier dedicates himself to finding a cure for his daughter's illness. Over time, he comes to possess a mastery of the spear and the two-handed sword as well.

Nier is also a skilled fighter trained in the ways of the one-handed sword. Though his appearance seems intimidating, those close to him know Nier as a kind-hearted man with a strong sense of honor and incredible work ethic. He loves his daughter deeply and strives each day to provide for her as best he can. Nier is a middle-aged widower left to watch over his only daughter following his wife's untimely demise some years ago. SPOILER ALERT - Plot details for NieR follow.

Nier automata walkthrough ps4