I didn't even mind the cold. Each step forward, though it was accompanied by a drop in temperature, was a gift because it was that much farther from that Wood. One step after another, and it was just that much easier to breathe. Tiny increments of relief, but they would add up. It was enough, at least, that I could act alright again. That was always the first step, acting okay. Usually, even I started to believe the lie. Somewhat.

Vaan noticed the shift in my mood and smiled at me. "How ya doing?"

I smiled back. "We're using a Gate Crystal to get wherever we need to go next, by the way," I said in a voice that was nearly cheerful. "I don't care what it's going to cost, how many teleport stones I'll need, how it'll happen; it will happen." I would burn teleport stones on back-and-forth trips to my place in Rabanastre if I needed to. I was not going to walk back through that jungle.

Basch nodded. "I think we can manage that." It would be easier, anyway, just more expensive, and since we hadn't been on the other side of Golmore at the start of the journey, we couldn't have used Gate Crystals to get here. The return trip would be doable, and I was going to do it if it burned holes in every one of my pockets.

As we went, we started to see other groups of people. None of them looked well-off. Their clothing was tattered and dirty, and there was an exhaustion in their eyes as they headed toward But-Omisace.

We saw a monk, and Aelia approached him. "Is this the way to Bur-Omisace?" she asked.

He nodded. "Mt. Bur-Omisace is to the northeast. Should you go south, you'll enter the rift... Take care. Gods guide your path. Faram."

"Faram. Thank you."

We went to the northeast, up the snowy paths sandwiched between high cliffs.

Another group of particularly rough-looking refugees walked past, and Balthier said, "Empires parade down city streets, while refugees walk barefoot through the snow."

Larsa turned to him. "And so I sue for peace to stop short war and ease their suffering. My father will choose peace."

"Will he now?" Balthier replied quickly in what was almost a snap. "You sound sure of yourself. You can never know another, even your father," he said with no small amount of disgust. He walked on.

Larsa looked at the ground, and his hands clenched into fists.

Aelia shot Balthier a dirty look and put a hand on Larsa's shoulder. Vaan said quietly to the boy, "Don't take it the wrong way, okay?"

He sighed, nodded slowly, then followed.

I watched Balthier as we continued. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little relieved that someone else's bullshit was taking over for my own, but I hated to see what had come over Balthier. His body was tense, jaw tight, and he refused to look at anyone. Even Fran kept away.

I wondered what he was hiding, what skeleton lay in that closet. Daddy issues, apparently, but what kind? Plus, there was that thing Fran said before entering Eruyt: "You've let your eyes betray your heart"? About nethicite? Were those two different skeletons or the same one? It wasn't my business, really. I was still keeping secrets, even if I'd shared some of them. I couldn't hold Balthier's secrets against him.

Unfortunately, he caught me staring. "What?" he said rather harshly.

I held up my hands nonconfrontationally, but I moved closer so that I wouldn't have to talk so loud to be heard. "Look, whatever that was about - you know, when you yelled at that little boy? I don't need to know." He seemed at once offended and relieved. I shrugged. "Shit, I'm the last person with any right to pry a backstory out of someone. Keep it a secret or don't, that's on you. I think I've got a right to be a little curious, though." He stared at me then, brows knit, and it lasted so long that my face got hot. "What?"

"You really aren't even going to ask," he said as though he still didn't quite believe it.

I laughed, and it was the first laugh since leaving Golmore and it felt wonderful. I said, "It's that 'do unto others' shit. I've still got questions I don't want to answer. What kind of asshole would I be if I asked you while I was still keeping secrets?"

He didn't laugh, but his body relaxed, and he shrugged and nodded. "I suppose you're right."

As we came in view of a hub of activity, I laughed again and said, "I usually am. I'm smart like that."

Maeve ran up to us and slapped me on the back when she arrived. "Hey, Laughing Karre. How are ya?"

I looked at her and shrugged. "Better, but I guess that's saying very little." She made a face that seemed like agreement. "I still feel like I'm in the middle of the ocean treading water a little, but at least I'm not drowning. And, honestly, that's better than I would have thought I'd feel right now, so I'll take it." But within another few seconds, I had looked to the right and a strong wave of vertigo had come over me and I'd had to close my eyes tightly. "Just kidding; I just saw that giant fucking cliff. I'm no longer better."

Maeve snorted and I felt two arms wrap around me, and then I snorted too. "I am ready to lead you, my dizzy friend," she said valiantly.

I laughed weakly, again grateful for my friend. "Lead on, then," I said, and I opened my eyes just enough so that I could see the ground beneath my feet.

I didn't even see the temple until we were at the door and Maeve let go of me, and then it was too tall and the cliff too near behind me for me to see it properly. We entered, and stood in a room lit by stained glass windows stretching up multiple stories. In front of us, across the long room lined with shallow, still pools of water, was the Gran Kiltias Anastasis. He was an ancient-looking Helgas in an ornate robe. He stood with his eyes closed and did not move as we approached.

We stood looking at him in silence for a long moment, waiting for him to speak, until Vaan said, "Is he sleeping?"

Ashe shushed him immediately.

"No, my child," the Gran Kiltias said, but his mouth did not move and his eyes did not open. "I do not sleep. I dream. For reality and illusion are a duality, two parts of a whole. Only the mirror of dreams reflects what is true." We looked around at each other, just to be sure that we had all heard that voice inside our heads.

Ashe stepped forward. "Anastasis, Your Grace, I am Ashelia-"

"Lay down your words. Ashelia, daughter of Raminas. I have dreamt your dream," the Gran Kiltias interrupted, and I took no small amount of satisfaction in seeing the Princess falter. "Who better to carry on the Dalmascan line that she who bears the Dawn Shard? Your dream of a kingdom restored is known to me."

Larsa stepped forward, and I caught a quick glimpse of the pride in Aelia's eyes as she watched him. "Gran Kiltias, then give us your blessing. Grant the Lady Ashe her accession-"

"I do not suppose," came a heavily-accented voice from the doorway behind us, "this is something you might... reconsider?" The man it belonged to was... a lot, even for me. He wore sunglasses, had feathered dark hair on his head, chin, and chest, and he wore a dark shirt unbuttoned so that we all might see his hairy chest. He wore close-fitting white pants that left very little to the imagination, particularly as he walked forward. He came in with a reserved woman in a plain dress. "My little emperor-in-waiting," he continued, looking at Larsa with something of a smile. "You called and I have come."

Larsa held out his hand for the man to shake, but he instead patted the boy on the head. Larsa made a face, pushed the hand off his head, and softly groaned. He turned to Ashe. "This is the man I wanted you to meet. Believe it or not, he is a member of the noble House Margrace, rulers of the Rozarrian Empire."

The Rozarrian walked past Larsa and up to Ashe, saying, "I am but one of very, very many. Try as I might, I could not stop this war alone, thus I came seeking Larsa's assistance." Very dramatically, he took off his sunglasses, and the woman beside him took them from him. "Al-Cid Margrace, at your service. To think I stand before the Lady Ashe. It is truly an honor." Then, the man got down on one knee and took Ashe's hand so that he could kiss it. He looked up at her, hands still together, and said, "I see it is true after all. Ah, stunning is Dalmasca's desert bloom."

Beside me, Penelo gasped at the display, and I noticed the Aelia's green eyes were fixed on the man, her face turning red. Balthier rolled his eyes at the display, as did Larsa. Interesting, I thought, and I tucked all those reactions away.

"In Archadia, Larsa. In Rozarria, Al-Cid. They dream not of war," the Gran Kiltias said. "Should empire join with empire, the way will open for a new Ivalice in our time."

Al-Cid let out a bark of laughter. "Gran Kiltias! You speak much of dreams, but in the real world, war is upon us."

Ashe stepped forward, brows furrowed. "Gran Kiltias, I was told my coming here would prevent this war. I was to assume my father's throne and announce the restoration of Dalmasca... Treat with the Empire for peace and persuade the Resistance to stay their hand. I have not come all this way to reconsider!"

Al-Cid regarded her with a sedate interest. "A word from you and the Resistance would stop cold, and Rozarria's pretext for joining the war... scattered, off to the four winds. This was what we had hoped. Alas, circumstances change. A full two years have passed since your reported death. Were it to become known that you were still alive, I fear it could only worsen our current situation."

"Because I am powerless to help," Ashe spat, and we knew that her disgust was aimed mostly at herself.

"Ah, nay, in fact it has little to do with you," Al-Cid said, brushing away the idea with a wave of his hand.

"Then what?" Larsa asked, stepping forward. "If Lady Ashe were to extend her hand in friendship, perhaps I could then persuade the Emperor. His Excellency will solve things peacefully-"

"The Emperor Gramis is no more," Al-Cid interrupted. "His life was taken."