"Mr. Hawke, how much longer until our arrival?" Gaius asked, walking up to the Hyur manning the helm of the large airship as it soared through the orange clouds.
"According to the toy fuzzball we're almost there. I've got Robin on lookout, assuming she hasn't found a way to get distracted yet." Alex replied.
"Very good, just make sure to be gentle with this vessel. I had to take a large sum out of our coffers for the Ironworks to let us use it, I don't want to add repair charges on top of that." The Au Ra instructed before heading towards a nearby group on the deck.
"Oi I think I see something!" Robin bellowed from the forecastle.
"Is it the city?" Alex shouted back.
"No, it looks like a swarm of flies or something." The Roegadyn replied.
"What the Hells is she..." Alex muttered as he pulled out his spyglass and gazed into the distance.
"Ah shit. Everyone prepare yourselves, flying Voidsent inbound!" He yelled as all those on board quickly snapped to attention and readied themselves for combat. In the distance a horde of winged demonic figures swept through the air towards the ship.
"Robyn, take the flying armor and cover us from the sky. Ranged combatants take aim around the perimeter. Everyone else prepare to strike once the enemy is within range." Gaius ordered before climbing into the Magitek Predator that had laid dormant near the cabin entrance.
As the enemy neared the Machinists and Bards began to strike from a distance, sending several of the demons tumbling down beneath the Sea of Clouds before they could reach the ship. An Ahriman swooped towards the deck but came to a sudden halt as it collided with the edge of Leo's lance in a squirt of gore.
Many more Voidsent avoided the projectiles sent their way and closed in on the airship but were promptly fended off. Rose prepared to attack one of the incoming enemies but suddenly fell to her knees whimpering as a sharp pain shot through her head.
"Rose! Are you okay?" Paris panicked as she began to prepare a healing spell.
"I- I'm..." She winced.
"We are one now. Accept me. Let me in. You cannot keep us apart any longer." A voice whispered to her.
"No!" Rose clutched her head, straining as she got back to her feet.
"Stand firm, something new is approaching." Leona warned. A Vodoriga came soaring towards them with a large Anubys in the clutches of its hands and feet.
"Bloody Hells are they just dropping in reinforcements now?" Dakota groaned.
"Ha! Just more for me to carve up." Robin replied enthusiastically. As the pair approached, the Vodoriga swung forward and loosened its grip on the Anubys as it came crashing down in front of them. Swiftly reeling back it let out a might swing of its great-axe as Leona instinctively flipped back out of the way. The group moved cautiously, dodging and waiting for a moment to counter attack as the Voidsent slashed violently towards them.
The Anubys began to target Asugi, lifting its axe up and bringing it crashing down towards him. However instead of dodging, the Au Ra bent back slightly and slammed his palms together, catching the head of the axe and holding it back as the creature tried to force it down.
"Asugi, quickly get down!" Gaius shouted. Focusing his strength, Asugi pushed the axe sideways, giving him a split second to drop to the ground as a large beam of energy shot out from behind him and straight into the enemy, leaving a gaping hole through what would have been its stomach before it collapsed to the ground.
"Good looking out!" Asugi smiled back to him with a thumb up. A whirring sound added to the noise ringing in the sky as Robyn now flew overhead chasing and gunning down Voidsent who had attempted to board the ship. Anna looked upon the sight in a moment of awe before something caught her attention.
"Woah, incoming! Something big" She yelled out as a large winged creature with a long tail slithered through the sky towards them.
"Ack, not another one of those giant bat things!" Laris cried out. Miles, Malik and N'athys readied their bows and prepared the Refulgent Arrow technique, waiting for the demon to draw closer before releasing their grips as dozen of bright magic arrows trailed through the clouds towards it. The gigantic creature sped through the sky with the projectiles following close behind. As fast and powerful as they were however the creature managed to outmaneuver them until the arrows lost their power and dissipated.
"Damn! This thing's too fast to keep up with." Malik growled.
"Be careful, it's set its sights on us now." N'athys warned as the Voidsent glared at the trio, snarling with its skeletal facial features before shooting a dark beam towards them. The bards scattered and leaped to the ground narrowly avoiding the blast as the creature charged up for another.
With a deafening screech the Voidsent shot out another energy beam, however this time it exploded in mid air as it clashed with Gaius' own beam shot from his Magitek Armor. As the Au Ra took aim and prepared to fire once more, the demon glided off and began evasive maneuvers.
"Damn this wretched thing, I can't get a proper aim on it." Gaius growled in frustrated.
"Hey boss I have an idea!" Robyn shouted as the flying armor zoomed in towards him from behind, it's two arms leaning forward as the claws took a firm grip on the Magitek Predator's limbs.
"Robyn what on Hydaelyn do you think you're doing?!" Gaius let out.
"Trust me it'll work out, just try and get a good hit in on that thing when we're close enough." She yelled back to him as she pulled up on the controls. The flying vehicle took with off the bipedal armour swaying beneath it, giving chase to the elusive enemy.
"Robyn Mercer put me down this instant!" Gaius shouted with his hands clenched on the controls.
"I could if you wanna plummet down beneath the clouds. Just hang tight until I close in on it." The Miqo'te tried to reassure him. Gaius reluctantly followed along with the woman's idea and prepared to fire once more. Although he was now closer and more in-line with the enemy it was hard to read whether his shot would hit or not with the constant swaying and the unpredictable nature of the enemy's movements.
"I have only one shot at this, if I miss we'll both be vulnerable to a counter attack and would likely perish. I better hope this hits its mark..." Gaius muttered to himself, his hand hovering over the cannon control ready to fire at any moment. As soon as his instinct kicked in Gaius immediately fired the Magitek cannon and a bright beam split straight through the torso of the giant Voidsent which let out a blood curdling screech as it plummeted down beneath the clouds.
"Alright! Great work boss!" Robyn cheered.
"Yes, now just get me back on the ship already!" He yelled back to her.
"We're coming up on the city!" Alex yelled, still steering the vessel as several others protected him from the few remaining Voidsent that continued their assault. After dispatching the last of the demonic fiends, the group prepared themselves as the large airship began to slow down and came to a halt near a small platform. A step ladder lowered and each member began taking turns stepping off the vessel.
"Flint and Moglet will be staying behind to take care of the ship as well as supporting us from a distance, everyone else is to remain vigilant on our way towards the castle." Gaius instructed as the group approached a large plaza in the lifeless city.
"Be on your guard at all times, the enemy could strike at any moment." The Au Ra advised, but as he finished the ground beneath them seemed to shatter like glass and everyone began falling into a dark and endless abyss.
Robyn awoke to the scent of breakfast cooking from the next room as she turned in her bed and rubbed her eyes.
"What's Alex cooking this morning? It smells like eggs." She thought to herself as she wriggled around in bed, turning her body to the side and leaping legs first out of bed. She began stretching her arms, back then her legs before getting dressed and walking out into the kitchen.
"Oh, good morning dear." An older blonde Miqo'te woman smiled as she prepared her meal.
"M-mum?" Robyn let out softly.
"Yes is everything alright? Leona left already to help your father with work today." She replied.
"My father? What about..." Robyn began muttering to herself.
"That reminds me, isn't your friend Alex supposed to be sailing in to the nearby port town today? You should make sure to see him tonight." The woman reminded her.
"Oh right, I may as well travel there soon then. Love you!" Robyn headed towards the front door excitedly.
"Stay out of trouble while you're gone, your father doesn't want to have to get you released from the Yellow Jackets after another brawl again!" Her mother called out as she left. Robyn stepped out into a peaceful village, the morning sun shining across the green plains and farmlands as the villagers went about their daily lives.
"Oh Robyn you're not helping your father today?" N'athys asked as he approached her.
"Hi Enny, Alex is arriving in the next town later today so I'm headed there instead." She replied.
"I really wish you'd stop calling me that. Would you mind a travel companion? I'd relish the chance to be able to sketch any animals we come across on our way there." The blue-haired Miqo'te asked.
"Sure, although we're likely meeting together at the local tavern so it might get a little too rowdy for you there tonight." Robyn replied.
"It's quite okay, perhaps I could soothe the patrons with a melody, and should the need arise I do know how to defend myself." N'athys reassured her with a soft smile as they began their departure. They passed by the village well and noticed a young woman standing there trembling.
"Rose? What's the matter?" The pair paused as N'athys turned to the Auri woman who stood there shaking with her eyes clenched shut.
"Do not run from this." A voice whispered to her as Rose opened her eyes to the sound of N'athys' voice. As she did Rose saw two Miqo'te standing calmly in front of her as the village around them was engulfed in flames. The screams of the townsfolk invaded into her mind and the heat of the flames lashed against her skin.
"Are you okay?" Robyn asked as she took a step towards her.
"Stay away!" Rose shrieked as she grabbed her head with her hands and closed her eyes once more.
"Don't come any closer." She whimpered.
"Open your eyes, see the truth for what it is." The voice whispered to her again.
"T-the village why is it suddenly... gone? Why is everything on fire? What is happening to everyone?!" Rose screamed. Robyn looked at her in confusion for a moment before her eyes widened in fear. What was once a peaceful village quickly faded into a blazing nightmare before her eyes.
"By the Twelve, what is happening here?" N'athys let out as he gazed at the alarming sight around him. The horrific environment seemingly became more chaotic as strange cracks began to appear nearby around the group.
"Remember this fear. Remember this pain. Remember this reality." The voice whispered to the Au Ra once more.
"No!" She screamed, the piercing sound echoing out as the cracks around them grew bigger before the reality around them seemed to shatter. Rose opened her eyes to see the cold view of the lifeless city of Dun Scaith around her once more. The others were all sprawled around the floor, seemingly just regaining consciousness.
"Balathor, you traitor!" A voice hissed as a powerful Succubus floated above them. Rose staggered for a moment then regained her composure.
"All the aether these fools brought could have been ours, just as those mortals promised, and yet you would side with them?" She continued.
"Balathor? No... My name is Rose." The Au Ra replied in a strangely echoed voice, leering at the Succubus with a menacing grin, her left eye suddenly a crimson red hue.
"You will pay!" The Voidsent screamed as she dove forward. Rose concentrated and began channeling aether through her staff creating a small flaming orb at the end of it that shot out towards her enemy, striking her in the chest.
"W-what is this?" She shrieked in pain as pillars of flame began bursting out of holes that continuously broke out along her body, spreading outwards from where the attack initially hit. The Succubus let out one last scream before she was engulfed in flames and left nothing but ash that was carried away through the light breeze.
"Is everyone alright?" Gaius asked as everyone else had eventually stumbled onto their feet.
"Yeah but what was that, a dream? It seemed far too real." Sarya replied.
"What about Rose how did she wake up and defeat that thing so easily?" Asugi asked.
"And what happened to your eye?" Anna added. Rose began to feel overwhelmed with everyone's attention suddenly on her after all that happened. She took a step back as her eyes began to well up before she felt a hand on her shoulder.
"It's okay Rose. You can tell me what happened." Gaius told her calmly.
"I-it's the Voidsent that's been inside me all these years. It appears that we've... Well, merged." She let out softly, her body still shivering.
"Merged? You mean you've both become one being?" He asked. "But that should be impossible, Voidsent have been recorded to possess and even temporarily change the form of ones body but never have they become one with their host. Unless... Wait, it can't be." He muttered.
"It must have been the Fantasia formula I made. It can completely alter ones form so I guess it did the same for the monster that was inside of me as well and fused us into one being. Ever since then I've heard a strange voice whispering on occasions, trying to coax me into letting down my guard and becoming one. I guess this is what it meant." Rose explained.
"How do you feel?" Gaius asked.
"I feel... Fine I suppose? My blind eye feels a little strange but other than that I don't feel any different than I did before." She replied.
"Very well, we can look into this matter more once we rescue Juria and return home. For now we must continue pressing onward." He announced as the group prepared to continue on once more but were suddenly interrupted by a voice calling out to them.
"So you've defeated that Succubus, colour me impressed." A man exclaimed as he approached the group. He was a Hyuran Midlander with short, messy black hair, thin scruffy facial hair and bright blue eyes with dark, sleepless circles around them. He was dressed in rogue-like attire with a perculiar rod tucked into the sash behind the belt on his waist.
"Who are you, another one of Alvin's men?" Leo asked bluntly with his weapon in hand.
"Alvin? Never heard of the man. The name's Siegfried, Siegfried Lionhardt, but you can just call me Sieg. Now it's my turn for a question; what brings such a large group of adventurers like yourselves to a place like this?" He asked.
"We've come to rescue someone important to us who was taken to a castle at the edge of the city." Gaius answered wearily.
"Is that so. Well I'm not sure who that Alvin character you mentioned is but if he was the one who abducted them and brought them here then is was likely under someone else's orders." Sieg replied.
"And what makes you think that?" Gaius asked.
"Because the one I'm here for is the current master of that castle." He answered.
"Alvin isn't one to take orders from someone else, why should we believe anything you're saying?" Leo asked skeptically as the other Hyur just shrugged.
"It's your choice whether you'd like to believe me or not but the truth is no matter who you are fear can be an overwhelming influence. Likely this Alvin character isn't working under him out of respect." Sieg explained.
"Working under who exactly?" Gaius interrupted.
"I'll explain everything on the way there, there's no point standing here in idle chatter." Sieg offered. The Au Ra was reluctant at first but ended up agreeing. After all if it were at enemy trap then this Siegfried character would be vastly outnumbered.
"Very well, we'll co-operate together for now." Gaius agreed as they began their travel through the silent city.
"The master who resides in that old castle is named Alastor Lionhardt, he's an ancestor of mine." Sieg began.
"Ancestor, but shouldn't he be really old by now? Like hunched over dragging his beard on the floor old?" Laris blurted out.
"My impostor mentioned something about his master being a higher power able to shroud the world in darkness. If he's an Ascian then I don't think age would be an important factor." Leo mentioned.
"He's no Ascian, no old man either. Just a shadow of his former self. In short, he's no different to that Carbuncle there." Sieg replied, pointing to the small blue creature that was trotting along beside Paris.
"My family has a history of researching arcane magic, my ancestor Alastor devoted his life to researching cloning through Arcanima and eventually succeeded in creating a clone of himself through his research. However the Arcanima was violent, heartless and unpredictable and ended up taking his life." He explained.
"So that doppelganger I fought in the ruins, he was an Arcanima clone of myself?" Leo asked.
"That would seem to be the case, although I can't tell without seeing it for myself." Sieg shrugged.
"But if that were the case how would a stranger that none of has have ever encountered be able to create a clone of one of our members?" Gaius thought aloud.
"Someone you know is working under him, correct? Unlike a Carbuncle which is summoned through the use of gemstones, Arcanima clones use Materia formed from the aether of a specific person to give the clone its form." He replied.
"It was that bastard Alvin then. For a time he made us train using specific gear which he later converted into Materia for what he excused as future training." Leona explained.
"So this allegiance went back further than suspected." Gaius frowned.
"These Arcanima are similar to Primals in regards that they need a fairly consistent source of aether to keep their form. Alastor has spent all these years silently murdering civilians, draining their aether and sowing seeds of chaos. My father attempted to hunt him down long ago when I was still a child but ended up losing his own life. Now it falls onto me to finally rid this star of his blight." Sieg finished.
"Then let us bring him down together." Leo nodded.
"So how did you arrive here exactly? After all we're on a floating city, you couldn't just walk here." Neilla asked.
"I arrived a couple days ago on a single pilot airship and spent most of my time trying to make my way through the city without alerting the Voidsent that inhabit this place. Unfortunately that Succubus had been blocking my path to the castle since then, until you finally arrived that is." He replied.
"And you were oh so generous to lend us a helping hand with that." Miles added.
"Had I known how to defeat it I would have done so when i first arrived here. She was a powerful demon, able to send her prey into a deep slumber, dreaming of their hearts greatest desires while she slowly siphons away their aether, leaving nothing but a dead empty husk. Even if I were to confront her while she was busy with you I still would have quickly fallen under her spell." Sieg explained.
"So that was our hearts greatest desire then... What did you dream of, Miles?" N'athys asked.
"N-never you worry about that, little kitten. Besides we have more important topics at hand." The Hyur replied.
"Yes, like the question of how that Au Ra girl over there was able to see through the charade and save you all." Sieg added.
"We still have yet to figure that out for ourselves." Said Gaius sternly.
"Look, that must be it!" Robyn yelled out as she ran forward a little and pointed far off in front of her. In the distance on a small mountain stood a tall, menacing castle illuminated by the large full moon shining behind it.
"Great, how the Hells do we get there now? It'll take all night to scale that mountain and there's probably a horde of regrouped Voidsent between us and the ship by now." Alex grumbled.
"I think I might have an idea, but..." Paris paused.
"I could use a teleportation spell to get us there but I've never used it at a great distance such as this or with another person, let alone of whole group of us." She finished.
"What's the risk?" Leo asked.
"Well it runs that chance of failing to carry us all, leaving me as the only one transported there or... Taking such a large group could disrupt the navigation path and change our destination to let's say an empty space in the sky over there." Paris explained.
"Do you believe this plan might work?" Gaius asked her.
"I... Believe there's a chance." She replied hesitantly.
"Then that's all I need. Let's get started then." Gaius placed a comforting hand on her shoulder before gathering everyone together.
"Here goes..." Paris muttered to herself as she summoned her staff and began channeling aether. A swirl of magic circled her, slowly growing wider until it soon enveloped to whole group, and with a sudden flash they were gone.