As I wander the dreamscapes of the Somniel in the year 2026, the echoes of past conflicts in Elyos still whisper through the air. My journey alongside the Divine Dragon was not just one of clashing blades and roaring dragons; it was a quest for transformation, for the very essence of growth. At the heart of this evolution lay the coveted Master Seals, artifacts of such profound power that they could reshape a warrior's destiny. Their scarcity made each discovery a treasure, each strategic decision a weight upon my soul. This is the chronicle of my pursuit, a poetic mapping of where these seals of mastery lay hidden, waiting to unlock the potential within my chosen allies.

The Merchant's Promise: Gilded Gates to Power

My first glimmer of hope came not on the battlefield, but in the tranquil heart of the Somniel. After the tumult of Chapter 4, the Item Shop's doors swung open, a beacon of commerce and potential. Yet, the ultimate prize—the Master Seal—remained tantalizingly locked away. It was only after the dust settled on the fierce clashes of Chapter 8: The Kingdom of Might that the shopkeeper, with a knowing nod, placed the first radiant seal upon the counter. This was not a mere transaction; it was a rite of passage. From that moment, a rhythm was established, a cadence of availability that dictated the tempo of my army's growth.

The merchant's ledger, as I came to understand it, unfolded like a sacred scroll:

Chapter Milestone	Master Seals Offered	A Note on Second Seals
Chapter 8	1	The first glimmer of hope, alongside 3 Second Seals.
Chapter 11	2	A bounty after the retreat, matched by 3 Second Seals.
Chapter 13	2	For the heroes of the oasis, with 3 more paths to choose.
Chapter 14	2	Amidst the battle for Solm, options multiplied.
Chapter 16	2	The penultimate offering before the end.
Chapter 17	Infinite	The final veil lifted; the forge of promotion open to all.

This progression taught me patience. I could not elevate every companion at once. I had to listen to their stories, watch their prowess in skirmishes, and choose whose latent power yearned most urgently for release. Gold became more than currency; it was crystallized potential, to be spent only on the most worthy.

Treasures of Turmoil: Seals Forged in Conflict

While commerce offered a steady stream, the most memorable seals were those earned through valor and exploration on the field of conflict. These were not bought; they were won, each with its own tale of peril and triumph. They felt warmer to the touch, humming with the residual energy of the battles that secured them.

My map became a tapestry of annotated memories, each seal a gleaming stitch:

• In the Paralogue of the Mysterious Merchant, amidst Anna's puzzling trials, a treasure chest nestled in the left-most corner held my first such prize. It felt like a reward for cleverness, not just strength.

• Chapter 7: Dark Emblem brought a clash with the flamboyant Hortensia. Defeating her yielded a seal, a harsh lesson that even from foes, growth can spring.

• The confrontation with the Fell Dragon Sombron in Chapter 10 was a maelstrom of dread. Toppling the imposing Hyacinth in that chaos and finding a seal among the aftermath was a moment of defiant light in the darkness.

• Chapter 11: Retreat was a symphony of tension. The frantic escape was punctuated by the necessary defeat of an archer guarding our exit—a final, crucial test that granted another key to advancement.

• Chapter 12: The Sentinels offered a different kind of fulfillment. Saving a weary old man from the fray and hearing his grateful words after the battle—his gratitude took the physical form of a Master Seal. It was a poignant reminder that our war was for the people.

• The later chapters, 16 and 17, demanded everything. Besting the formidable Marni and finally the enigmatic Veyle in successive struggles yielded the last of these fixed, map-born seals. After Chapter 17, the wellspring in the wilds ran dry; no more seals lay waiting in chests or on fallen commanders.

The Alchemist's Philosophy: Weaving Strategy from Scarcity

This scarcity was not a flaw, but the core of Engage's beautiful, brutal strategy. With a finite number of seals available until the very last chapters, every decision resonated through the rest of the game. I could not simply promote everyone. I became an alchemist of potential, mixing and matching units, their Emblem partners, and their future classes in my mind's eye.

I learned to observe the unique growth rates of my companions, to sense which ones languished in their base class and which ones thrived, buying time for a later promotion. The Emblem Rings and their skills added another layer to the calculus. Perhaps a unit needed a specific inherited skill before promotion would truly unlock their power. The Second Seals, often available alongside Master Seals, presented a parallel path—sometimes a lateral move to a better-fitting base class was wiser than an immediate promotion.

My advice, hard-won from countless turns and trials:

💎 Prioritize Your Core: Identify 8-10 units who form the heart of your strategy. Focus your early seals on them.

⚔️ Mind the Threshold: Remember the level ten gate. Let your chosen ones gain experience freely until they brush against this ceiling, then elevate them to soar higher.

🏆 Plan Your Conquests: Cross-reference your battle plans with the known seal locations. Defeating Hortensia or Hyacinth isn't just an objective; it's a strategic resource acquisition.

💰 Hoard Your Gold: When the shop's stocks refresh, you must be ready. Complete donations to regional allies, farm ingots from the Somniel, and sell unneeded weapons. Every piece of gold saved is a step closer to another transformed ally.

In the end, the journey for Master Seals was a microcosm of the entire war for Elyos. It was about making difficult choices with care, treasuring hard-earned rewards, and investing in the future of the bonds I had forged. By the time infinite seals lay available in the late game, the struggle had already shaped my army—and me—into something far greater than we started. The seals were merely the keys; we were the ones who had to grow strong enough to turn them.