Bringer of Nightfall

by RoseDragonWitch

Now hailed as a hero throughout the Source, what next awaits the Warrior of Light, soon to become a Warrior of Darkness? The time has come to move on only now we are heading to not a different country, but rather an entirely new world! The path to the First is open to us and a new battle awaits… the most epic one yet… discovering the truth of what lies at the heart of the Star...

14. The Wheel Turns

Chapter 13: The Wheel Turns

It was bright and early the next morning when everyone gathered outside as a light shower fell upon the flowers and causing the pixies to dance in the rain.

"Everyone ready?" Thancred asked more than ready to head out.

"Almost all of us," Alisaie stated, who was sporting a hangover, and glanced around, "We're missing someone?"

"Give her some time, I'm sure that she's not feeling her best after that fight last night," Alphinaud said firmly.

"So, where are we going to go from here?" Minfilia asked Thancred curiously as they waited.

"We will head back to the Crystarium," Thancred answered, "And then we will decide which area to go to next. Personally, I'm all for heading to the Greatwood. Last I heard, that was where Y'shtola was."

"Truly? Oh, it would be good to see her again," Alisaie said with an eagerness that countered the hangover feeling she was feeling. "I haven't seen her in so long."

"Been almost five years since I last saw her as well," Thancred said with a shrug, "And with everyone here and two Lightwardens already dead, I fear that if we wait any longer, she would feel slighted."

"That's a frightening thought," Alphinaud said, looking forward to moving on as well, "I, for one, am not against the idea and I know that her help would be invaluable to us from this point onwards. But we will discuss it all with the Exarch when we return."

It was only a couple minutes later when the final member of their band finally emerged from the Bookman Shelves.

"Ah, our hero finally arrives," Thancred called as she approached, and they were all surprised to see her hair a tangled rat's nest as Thancred laughed, "And someone slept well, judging from the wild bed head."

Claire rolled her eyes, but she laughed with them as she went back to trying to smooth her tangled locks.

"Right, now that everyone is here, I think that it's time to head out," Thancred said, "Before we do head out though, let me just say one last thing."

He punched Claire in the shoulder as he told her, "I knew you could do it. And not only because of your blessing. You have a strength all your own, and it has seen us through many a trial."

She just smiled back rather shyly, which caused him to smirk before he turned to everyone and spoke up, indulging in a little sentimentality as he gave his speech, "With the Warden defeated, I believe our work here is done. It is time we were going—together, needless to say. To the bitter end—the fate of our two worlds being at stake, and all that. Now then, I suggest we hurry back to the Crystarium. Much and more may have happened while we were frolicking with the fae folk. That Ran'jit elected to pursue us makes me hopeful the city was spared Eulmore's attentions, but I would sooner see for myself. Besides, I believe I speak for us all when I say that I've had a bellyful of Il Mheg. Let us away before the faeries think to play with us again."

No one could disagree with that and were more than willing to head out. The pixies were a little sad as they came to wave them off, but promised them that they wouldn't try to turn them into anything since the King had ordered them to allow their party free rein to come and go.

"Unless you want us too?" one of them asked hopefully. "That way you need never leave again!"

"Not in this lifetime!" Thancred said as he gave Minfilia a little push to the mountain trail as the pixies all let out sad groans, as if denied a large treat.

"I swear, how did you manage to survive there all this time, Urianger?" Alisaie asked their friend as they left the flowers behind them and walked further into the thick forests around them as they took the path back to Lakeland.

"One must learn to communicate," he answered simply, "If thou can but do that much, then it is simply a matter of understanding."

"Oh, like how you were always trying to get me and Alphinaud to talk to each other while growing up?" Alisaie asked with a roll of her eyes.

"I but wished to help thee get along with thine own kin," he reminded them calmly, "I can only see that it did not work as well as I hath hoped."

They laughed once more as they continued on the long walk back through the mountain trail, but still on guard should the Eulmorans be lying in wake. But it did not seem that was not the case, for aside from some random sin eaters attacking once in a while, the trip back was uneventful. The rain had stopped as soon as they reached Lakeland and began to tread over the lavender-colored grounds and admired the trees as the sun came out.

"To think that this place is supposed to be this world's version of Mor Dhona," Alisaie said as she admired the beautiful trees.

"Believe it or not, Mor Dhona used to be covered with thick forests and lush vegetation," Thancred informed her casually, "It didn't become the crystalscape land that we all know and love until after the battle of Silvertear. So, if that battle never happened, I think that it would have looked very similar to this."

"Isn't it pretty if it's covered with crystals, though?" Minfilia asked wondrously.

"Well, yeah, I guess it is," Thancred said with a thoughtful frown, "If one were to overlook the barren wasteland between them. Still, it would be nice to return and see it again. It may be a crystal-covered barren wasteland, but it's our crystal-covered barren wasteland." He then looked to Claire and asked, "I hadn't had a chance to ask how Tataru and the others faring, by the way?"

"Yes, I would like to hear more if you can tell us something," Alphinaud asked, turning his head back to her and she let out a shrug.

She had only been here a short amount of time now, though they were now approaching the three week mark now that she thought of it. Hard to believe so much time could pass in a blink of an eye. Or she was just getting her days mixed up since it was hard to tell how much time passed with the Light distorting her days and nights. Regardless, if time here was much faster than back home, she doubted that much had changed since then. Though she still told them about how well that the others were when she last saw them, including going into more details about Krile and her work upon Eureka.

The others were shocked to discover that the Isle of Val had survived, and what had been lurking upon it. She told them a little more of the primal Eureka, what it could do, and how it was sealed away there by the founder of the Students, Galuf Baldesion. She explained that he and his companions had been the one who kept it under guard until it was discovered by the Ascians who planned to use it. This was all thanks to a message that was left behind by Galuf, who confessed that they invoked a spell to throw the entire island into the Lifestream that dragged them, as well as the Ascian named Emmeroloth, inside in the hopes that it would be enough to scatter their essence into the torrent of aether along with the imprisoned Eureka.

"Emmeroloth," Alphinaud repeated slowly, "That name I have not heard before."

"I'm not surprised," Thancred shrugged, "I don't know how many of their number were out there, but enough to be causing trouble for the rest of us."

"So what happened?" Alisaie asked her quickly, "After all that, I mean? I know that the island apparently appeared in the Far East so how did…?"

Claire then explained that according to Krile and Ejika Tsunjika, it seemed that Eureka awoke and used most of its aether to push the entire isle back into the world. As of right now, the primal was weak but they decided to have it resealed and have time to come up with a better solution to destroying it.

"Yet another thing to worry about when we get back," Alisaie sighed grimly at the thought. The last thing she wanted was to deal with another primal when they had their hands full of sin eaters. But at least the matter seemed well in hand for the time being.

"I'm just relieved to hear that Ejika decided to wait for the time being," Alphinaud said thoughtfully, "Krile, despite her optimism, would have been devastated. I'm confident that we can leave the matter up to them for the time being, but it is certainly something to look more into when we return."

"And what of Emmerololth?" Thancred asked and Claire shook her head in a lost way.

"Emmerololth was the Ascian who learned about how Eureka was imprisoned upon the Isle before Galuf cast the isle into the Lifestream," she said slowly, "That is all that I know of it. And the missive did say that they were certain it would destroy them, but as for whether or not it worked…?"

"Then for now, I suggest we prepare ourselves should this Emmerololth survived… until we learn more," Alphinaud said firmly as they finally reached the bridge that would take them back into the city. "But thinking about it, it is a plan that would probably work if they were trapped on the island with the others…?"

Though saddened at the thought that most of the Students of Baldesion had perished along with the Isle, and they knew that so much had happened in their absence, they took comfort in the thought that everything seemed to be holding together… at least for the time being.

For now, they pushed on with their current mission here in the First. They crossed over the bridge until they found themselves at the foot of the Crystal Tower in the middle of town. Just one look around showed that nothing here had changed since they were last here. The sky was bright and cloudless as it revealed the people hard at work with various tasks.

"The city appeareth unchanged from when last I visited," Urianger said as they glanced around at the people coming and going as they pleased., "There is the selfsame comforting hum of activity in the air."

Claire couldn't hide the relief she felt at the sight of the people here alive in well. She had feared that they would suffer under Vauthry's temper tantrum because they defied him.

"Yes," Alisaie said with a smile, "Eulmore was plainly more concerned with finding us. How flattering."

Claire smiled at that, let out a sigh she didn't realize she had been holding for a while. She was just thinking of the look on the Exarch's face when they told him all that happened in Il Mheg when…?

She felt eyes on the back of her head.

That odd feeling was suddenly accompanied by footsteps and she turned around to see a man slowly approaching her. He seemed to be a man that looked both young and old at the same time. His face didn't hold so much as a single wrinkle, but his eyes—golden in color—seemed to melt into like a timeless age of the sun. His hair was a dark burgundy color with a white streak wrapped around his face, but it stood out with his black military coat adorned with gold on the chest and white fur along the trimmings.

His golden eyes were boring into hers. Who was he? He seemed familiar, but she wasn't sure why.

She turned completely around to face him as he continued to approach them, soon getting the attention of the others when he called, "You certainly took your time. I had half resolved to complete the task myself."

Something about this man was giving her an uneasy feeling that she didn't like.

"And you are?" Alisaie began before Urianger held up his hand, stopping her, and his voice was surprisingly sharp as he glared at the man.

"Were one to study the annals of Garlean history, one would find yonder visage on many a page," he said darkly, "Though by rights its youth should long since have faded."

"Well, well, we have a historian in our midst," the man said, sounding pleased that at least one of them knew who he was, but that statement only confused Claire even more… at least until the man continued, "That spares me a lengthy explanation. I am Solus zos Galvus, founding father of the Garlean Empire. And, under various guises, the architect of myriad other imperially inclined nations. As for my true identity…"

He held up his hand and passed it over his face as a red glyph appeared and her eyes widened as she suddenly realized who, or rather, what he was.

The man then bowed to them and said, "I am Emet-Selch. Ascian."

It seemed to take everyone at least a minute to full grasp what was happening.

Of course, the others quickly snapped out of it once they remembered where they were.

"Gaius spoke of you!" Alisaie gasped from behind her, "A native of the Source…"

But Thancred was already reaching for his weapon the moment he heard the word 'Ascian', and snarled out, "Equal in rank to Lahabrea. And you come all this way just to introduce yourself to us?"

Emet-Selch didn't answer him. Instead, he just smirked before gesturing to the cloudless sky.

"Behold the sky, restored to its former glory!" he called dramatically, spinning about like he was on stage until his hands were fully up in the air and his arms outstretched as if rejoicing over the sight, "Have you ever seen a more affecting spectacle? Ohhh, it is truly, deeply…"

The change happened so suddenly that she didn't even realize it until he slumped over, as if a great weight was bearing down on him, and she heard him hiss with suppressed malice, "…Infuriating. Do you have any idea how much you have delayed the Rejoining?"

He slowly turned in a jerky movement, giving them all a dark glare, as if them standing there was the great insult that they could have given him.

"Following the Flood, the First had bene listing ever further towards the Light—towards stasis," he snapped, "The end was in sight! Enter man and his indomitable spirit. He would haul the world back from the brink! And adding his lumpen weight to the power of growth, he duly tipped the scales, if only by a fraction. Yet a fraction was enough to spoil the perfect imbalance needed to bring about a Rejoining! Had mankind continued to live in idleness under Vauthry's rule, all the conditions would have been met…"

He was glaring at her, as if she was the bane of his existence, his eyes alight with fury.

"But you had to come and ruin it all!" he snarled, pointing an accusing finger at her, "Thanks to your meddling, Light's supremacy is in doubt, and our painstakingly laid plans are in tatters!"

"Well, I should begin by thanking you for confirming Urianger's theories on the inner workings of the Calamity," Thancred said briskly, immediately coming to her defense, "He will be most pleased. As for what happens next, might I suggest you admit defeat and walk away?"

It was startling at how all his anger seemed to fade at the question.

"Happy to let me go, are you?" Emet-Selch asked, his tone surprisingly calm and light now as he finally glanced at Thancred, "Because the murderous glint in your eye suggests otherwise. Indeed, it is enough to make me think better of confronting you alone." He shrugged before confessing, "Look, it did cross my mind to simply side with Vauthry and kill you all. But that's no different from what Lahabrea did. And we all know how well that ended for him."

The others were all tensing up as he slowly stepped closer, though Claire remained calm and stood her ground. His entire attention seemed focused on her as he continued, "And so, while it is liable to be troublesome, I have settled upon a different approach…"

He finally stopped when he was just within arm's length of her before he then tilted his head and asked with a rather strange smile, "Cooperation! I will not raise a hand to hinder your hunt for the Lightwardens. If you desire it, I will even lend you my knowledge and strength."

No one knew what to say, just that the very suggestion stunned them all. But it seemed that the Ascian finally got too close to Claire because Alphinaud took a step forward.

"Since time immemorial, you and yours have labored to rejoin the thirteen shards, at the cost of countless lives," he countered coldly, "Do you expect us to believe that your objective has suddenly changed?"

Emet-Selch straightened himself.

"Nay, our objective is the same as it ever was—though I daresay you do not know our motive," he responded casually, as if merely discussing the weather, "A war waged without knowledge of the enemy is no war—it is mere bloodletting. Just once… might we not seek to find common ground? For good or ill, I am immortal. Provided I have the inclination, I can always begin anew. Scheme and conspire to my heart's content. But this time, I thought that I might instead try to see eye to eye. To understand what drives the hero of the Source. To determine if your goals are truly incompatible."

What did he care? Since when do any of them suddenly care? As far as she knew, they loved all of this. Causing chaos, planting the seeds of discord… that was the whole reason he built up the Garlean Empire, was it not? She found it very unlikely that he saw the error of his ways and was now extending a chance for peace.

"So come," he said, "Shed your preconceptions. See beyond the unscrupulous villains you take us for. When all is said and done, we may find ourselves pleasantly surprised. The proud discoverers of a path of cooperation rather than opposition. Think of it."

She didn't know what to think… only that she did not like how he was looking at her.

Neither, it seems, did Urianger. For he suddenly threw one of his Astrologian cards at him and Emet-Selch disappeared in a puff of dark smoke.

"Thou hast delivered thy proposal, and we would not dismiss it outright," Urianger called in a remarkably firm tone, "If I may offer thee counsel, however: to make thy case via an illusion reflecteth poorly upon thy sincerity."

"My apologies," Emet's voice purred and they all turned around to suddenly find him standing directly behind them. "You will forgive me if I am not entirely at ease in the presence of a famed Ascian-slayer. I felt it only prudent to take precautions."

He gazed at them all, his eyes lingering upon her the longest, before he shrugged and conceded, "Nonetheless, your counsel is duly noted."

He then slowly turned his back to them and began to walk, waving his hand up in a bored way that was akin to someone flinging off an annoying fly as he called, "I take my leave friends. Rest assured, we shall meet again soon."

No one spoke for a few long minutes as they let that all sink in. It wasn't until Thancred, who was glaring around in all directions and snarling under his breath, "He appears to be gone, but I won't be lowering my guard just yet," did everyone suddenly speak up on what just happened.

"Than an Ascian of Emet-Selch's standing should willingly reveal himself unto us—and at this of all junctures—is… most interesting," Urianger said slowly, and his voice deadly serious.

"Finding common ground with an Ascian…" Alphinaud repeated with a shake of his head, "My entire being rebels at the very notion."

"Cooperation?" Alisaie demanded, in full agreement to the very thought, "He can't be serious… can he? Well, we've certainly been given much to ponder, but first things first: we should report to the Exarch."

She shook her head hard before taking several breaths to calm down. When she did, she glanced over at Claire, and added, in a much more controlled tone, "You can run along, Claire."

When Claire arched her eyebrow at her, the younger girl merely reassured her, "We're perfectly capable of handling this little task. In light of your recent exertions, I'd say you've earned a rest. Go on, take yourself off to bed. We'll see you later, refreshed and ready for more."

Claire made to refuse, but it seemed that the others were agreeing with this idea and were insisting that they would take care of anything else and that she should get some rest since she still looked tired.

She only nodded in the end, and they parted ways with the others heading back to the tower while she turned and walked off in the direction of her room at the Pendants.

With the eyes of another party now watching her every move.

*Emet-Selch*

Honestly, all he was trying to do was play nicely with them and they go and reject his kind offer?

How insulting.

Still, he spoke his piece and was now watching from the shadows at how they all discussed amongst themselves, most likely all agreeing that he cannot be trusted.

If they knew the whole truth, they would be singing a different tune. Though, he supposed he could not blame them for their ignorance. It was simply part of who they were now.

Oh, how the mighty have fallen, indeed.

To think that he was dragged from his peaceful slumber to deal with this rebel. He didn't see why Elidibus, or Lahabrea for that matter, had such a hard time dealing with them. But when his golden eyes spotted the champion among them, he remembered why this task had to be handled delicately.

"Don't let your sentimentality blind your judgement, Emet," Elidibus warned him in the back of his mind when he last saw him. "No matter what form that soul takes, whenever it shows up, our plans are always left in tatters. Don't hesitate for a moment if you get a chance to finish her off."

"I know… I know…" he growled in annoyance, as if Elidibus was there with him, "Honestly, you sure know how to order people around. It's probably why she didn't listen that… that first time."

Still, he could not help but think that if they could just get her on their side then perhaps…?

Though, he supposed that the antics of Lahabrea and Elidibus had done little to give them reason to believe him. Especially that white-haired man acting the part of some deranged guard dog for the girl, he could see the damage that Lahabrea had done when he had that body. So he, at least, seemed the least likely to want to listen. But for those who claim to be scholars, he had expected a little more open-mindedness.

He glanced over them all from a distance, trying to discern more about them from here. He could see their souls… very clearly… each with unique shades to them. That young girl, the one they call the Oracle, is very pale compared to the ones he had seen in the past, rather… uninspired compared to the others who came before her. It was a strange incident, but he didn't pay it any mind for she was still just a weak imitation.

The tall Elezen with the star globe, he knew that he spent some time with Elidibus before—who tried to charm him into their way of thinking. He… could prove to be a problem later on. Not out of talent though, no, his magicks were more for healing than combat right now… and feeble compared to his own. They all were.

The twins had potential, despite their age. Practically babes who were stumbling around trying to find their way. He could see the connection between them, though their aether were both similar and distant… then again, perhaps this was expected with twins. So… cliché. What really drew his attention were the fact that for Lahabrea's former puppet and the three Elezen… their aether was reacting very strangely. Those weren't their true bodies… that much he could see. Their souls had just taken on a more solid form at this point. Which meant that their real bodies must have been left behind in the Source; Elidibus would be interested in that.

All save for…?

His eyes were drawn back to the champion once more. Her body was her own and her soul was intact… though now infected with an abundance of Light. So bright that it made his eyes water just to look at her.

He continued to watch her, noticing how she left the others behind and began to walk across the courtyard, probably heading off to her room here. He watched with annoyance… everything about her… was so familiar… the way she walked, her quiet demeanor… she even looked very similar to… her.

Claire… that was what this broken fragment was called.

It was more of her than he had seen in a very long time.

Almost to a point that he saw her as something worth looking into.

Though she was still a broken shard… a broken piece that was nothing more than a pale shade of the original… he decided that she was worth giving a chance to prove herself.

He would watch and see where this went.

At worst, the Rejoining would be delayed a few decades, but that was nothing for the rest of them. At best…?

He smirked at the thought as he continued to watch her from a distance. As if she were a particularly interesting piece of art he was trying to figure out.

*Claire*

Claire did what she was told and returned to her rooms where she could get some more sleep. Still, she could not help but feel a little put out that they told her to go to her room and go to bed. She couldn't help but feel like she was being treated as some misbehaving child who didn't want to take a nap… but she was in no mood to argue.

She didn't want to admit it to the others, but she really didn't want to get up this morning. Well, that last battle had been far from easy so she supposed that she shouldn't be surprised she was so tired.

Right now she was more hungry than actually tired, but she figured that she would drop off her things before looking around the markets to see what she could have for lunch. But no matter how she tried to think about food, her thoughts kept going back to him… Emet-Selch.

She had to admit that he wasn't at all what she pictured him to be. Then again, perhaps that wasn't his real face but another borrowed form? She could still remember how Lahabrea once used Thancred's face to taunt her as they did battle even as the entire structure around them was starting to crumble.

But what was he planning? Seriously, after all the fighting between them, what made him think, for even a moment, that any of them would heed what he could say? And what was with the way he was looking at her the whole time? She didn't know what to make of him.

When she was up against Lahabrea, Igeyorhm, and Nabriales… she could always sense a dark anger and strong dislike whenever they just gazed at her. But with this Ascian… it was different. There wasn't hatred there… none that she could sense anyway… it was more… curiosity.

And the way he was looking at her, it was like he could see something in her that the others couldn't. She didn't like that feeling. As if she were a particularly interesting study subject that he was trying to understand.

Like she was a project of his.

Her mind was so lost in thought that it was several minutes before she realized she walked right by the pendants. Once she realized that her feet were carrying her off somewhere else, she turned back and dashed inside, barely paying any attention to what the innkeeper said before she returned to her room.

She stepped inside the warm room, grateful to find it empty for the moment, and closed her eyes as she heaved a heavy sigh. At least here she didn't have to think too much at what was waiting beyond the walls. She instead tried to will her worries and anxieties away before she opened her eyes again.

That was when she spotted the basket on the table that wasn't there before and she slowly walked over, leaving her bag on the floor as she went. There was a tray set up with a jug and goblet of cool water and a basket filled with carefully made sandwiches.

Who could have…?

She then spotted the handwritten missive lying next to it.

I hope the past few days have not been overly taxing. Pray take your rest and recover.

There was only one person who came to mind who could have laid this out for her and she found herself oddly choked up at the thought.

"From the Exarch, is it?"

Claire glanced up to see Ardbert having appeared without warning as he usually did. He was looking over the food with a slightly suspicious look in his eyes as he added, "With that mirror of his, he can watch your every move, you know. He'll probably think you're talking to yourself."

Oh, why did he have to tell her that? That was the last thing she needed to be paranoid about. It was bad enough thinking that Ardbert, and the possibility that Emet-Selch was also watching her, now she had someone who was still practically a stranger to her peeking in? Was the idea of privacy completely dead?

Perhaps Ardbert could sense the sudden unease and added, as if wanting to change the subject, "Still, he's keeping you well-fed."

He looked up to her, and she gazed back, still feeling some confusion about how she should feel about the Exarch. She still knew next to nothing about him, even so much as his real name or what he looked like under his cowl. Now she knew better than anyone that he was entitled to his secrets, but it would help make this uneasy feeling go away.

"What do you think of him?" she asked curiously, truly wondering what his opinion was of the Exarch.

"Judging by his people's faith in him, he seems to be a decent sort," he confessed, shrugging much in the same way that she did when she didn't know how to answer, "But so much about him remains shrouded in mystery. Like what was he doing back in my day? There was no such person when I was around."

Shrouded in mystery was putting it lightly. Now according to the Exarch, despite a youthful appearance, he was most certainly an old man. The reason for his youth was because of the Crystal Tower. Which was another question. Why did he feel the need to pull the Crystal Tower here? And how? And how could he find a way to merge with it? She understood precious little about how the tower worked, suspecting that even someone like Cid would struggle to find a way to even explain how it worked to her.

The only other person she could think of who could help her understand it was…?

"A lot's happened since the Flood, though," Ardbert added, interrupting her thoughts, "Since I was… set adrift. I now little more than you do of this city's history and the Exarch's past."

"I see," she said, realizing that she shouldn't be surprised. A lot has happened since the Flood after all. She gazed at him as he folded his arms and looked on ahead.

"Not that it matters," he said firmly, "It's Emet-Selch we should be concerned about."

"Do you know him?" she asked wonderingly, knowing that he had dealt with Ascians before.

"When our world was about to be consumed by Light, the Ascian in white appeared before us," he explained, "He said that the only way for us to live on was to bring about the Rejoining. Desperate as we were, we heeded his words, not realizing that the Flood was of the Ascians' own making."

Right, the white-robed Ascian was Elidibus… or the Emissary as he called himself. She was going to ask what he could tell her about them, but he just turned his head to her and stated firmly, "They cannot be trusted. None of them. But Emet-Selch had one thing right: one should not fight blindly."

He then turned away to look at the floor as he added wretchedly, "That's what we did. And it cost us everything we held dear."

It was when his seriousness faded to a grim sorrow did she realized something else about her ghostly companion. He was really worried about her. Worried that she would make the same mistakes as he once did and she felt her heart blossom in her chest despite the situation.

Still, she couldn't stand to see that sad look when he claimed that they lost everything. Well, that wasn't true either.

"Not everything," she reminded him with a smile. "I know a certain amaro would disagree with what you just said."

His head jerked up at that, startled at the suggestion.

"...You mean Seto?" he asked, before trying to explain that didn't count, but after seeing the way she smiled at him, his excuse died in his throat as he admitted, "Well, that's... Aye. I suppose you're right."

"He really cared about you," she told him, glad to see the silver blush coming to his face as he folded his arms and looked away, "Still does. And he was right about you. You deserved far better than what happened."

Ardbert was silent for a moment as he let that all sink in.

"He's done some growing," he confessed, determined to turn the conversation to a safer route, "When we were travelling together, he was nowhere near as big. And he obviously couldn't speak."

But he was smiling fondly at the memories of his days on the road as he added, "I had no idea how much that medallion meant to him."

She couldn't stop smiling as she watched him reflect on the past. When he realized this, he cleared his throat, still blushing.

"What about you, anyway?" he asked and she could all but sense him desperately seeking some kind of suggestion to change the subject, "You must have a friend like Seto. Chocobo, perhaps? Come on, you tell me something for a change."

"Oh… ah… well, I guess I do," she said, a little taken aback.

"What is it?" he asked and this time it was her turn to blush.

"It's just that most don't really ask me about my life," she confessed, "But… I have two chocobo's at home waiting for me to come back and…?"

And so she told him all about her two trouble-making birds waiting for her back in the Source. Of some of the adventures she went on, and even the kind of trouble those birds of hers had gotten themselves into.

"So this Lord Haurchefant gave the black one to you as a gift?" he asked her curiously and she nodded.

"He was a Knight of Ishgard," she explained softly as she took a seat and helped herself to some water. She trailed off, and suddenly her smile became a frown as she stared at her reflection in the goblet of water in her hands. "He… was my…?"

How do you describe someone like him? Someone so open-minded and upbeat? Some who was pleasant and always ready to offer words of encouragement or a smile to those who need it most? Sincerity and loyalty in abundance…?

"My friend…" was all she could say.

Ardbert didn't press her for details. But his eyes softened as he observed her and said quietly, "He sounds a lot like someone I used to know."

There was an uncomfortable silence between them before he insisted that she start to eat and not to worry about offending him or anything.

"Not that I don't miss it," he sighed as she finally took one of the sandwiches from the basket, "But there's not much I can do about it here. I've gotten used to it."

She was truly sorry about that. She really did want some food in her stomach, she felt that would make her feel a little better, but she didn't want him to have to watch her eat while she couldn't offer him anything in return.

But as soon as she took a bite, she froze as the flavor filled her mouth.

"What's wrong?" he asked, "You don't like it?"

She chewed slowly and carefully swallowed before answering.

"N-No," she said slowly, staring at it, "It just… it tastes so familiar. He really put a lot of time and care into these."

"Is that a bad thing?" he asked with his eyebrows raised.

"No, not at all," she said as that thought suddenly came back to her. "Just that… he reminds me a little of an old friend of mine."

"Ah, that old feeling," he sighed in understanding as she took another bite. "Believe me, I know what it's like to think about old friends. I think about my old comrades all the time…"

"Tell me about them," she said, turning back to look at him curiously. "You mentioned one of them earlier? Branden?"

"Huh?" he asked distracted from his thoughts, "Yeah, him. He was one of the first people I met on the road. Well, after Lamit, of course."

And he told her more of the former knight and what he was like. How brave he was, how strong… a true knight who was as akin to a fluffy toy on the inside once you got to know him.

"Well, I'm sure you can understand the feeling," he admitted as he described some of the places that they had seen while they were there, "Being in a place you feel like you've been before a hundred times, only to remember that it's not the same place? Branden said that he felt like he was looking at Veoburt when we were in that kingdom in the snow when we were on the Source."

"Ishgard," she nodded, suddenly feeling a touch of homesickness once again for those snow-capped mountains. "Not as cold though, I'm sure."

"Oh not at all," he grinned, "But it did get cold in winter, the summers were beautiful. Perfect for a day outside with a glass of wine, as he used to say. Branden had a taste for fine wine. I swear, he would go through our coinpurse at every tavern we visited. If it wasn't for Lamit keeping a close eye on it, I don't know how we would have ever eaten. But he would drink until he passed out or got sick and would vomit all over…?"

"You're making me lose my appetite," she warned.

"Oh, poor you!" he retorted with a roll of his eyes, "But I take your point. Let's see, then… what's a good topic for mealtime…? Food, I suppose? I could tell you all about Voeburtite cuisine, if you like." He then smirked at some sudden memory and added, "Oh, and there's the time we were forced to collect rare ingredients for some godsforsaken feast. If it sounds ridiculous, it's because it was."

She blinked as she had a sudden image of Costa de Sol and she muttered, "Well, there is another familiar feeling."

And he blinked, realizing what she was saying.

"…What? You too?" he asked, his own eyes widening, before he laughed, he actually laughed the first true laugh she had ever heard from him. "Parallel worlds, eh? So what sort of things did you have to fetch, then?"

And so she told him more of the not so humbly named Company of Heroes and how they had to convince them to help her very near the beginning of her journey. She had to earn the trust of each of the scattered members and gather ingredients for a feast before she was able to earn their blessing and gave her the secret to teleport directly into the primal's sanctuary.

"I will say this," she said as she helped herself to another sandwich, "That was one of the best meals I had ever had."

"I swear, what is with people?" Ardbert asked wonderingly with a shake of his head and a smile still on his face. "Then again, mayhaps you should have expected something like that from a group of people who name themselves the Company of Heroes. They sure aren't a modest lot and aren't expected to be normal, I suppose?"

"Yes," she confessed with a chuckle before another question entered her mind and she asked, "Speaking of names, why did you all pick the names you did when you came to the Source?"

She hadn't meant to ask that out loud, but he definitely heard it and the question clearly took him by surprise as she turned to look to him.

She was able to apologize, not wishing to spoil the fun mood, but he wasn't frowning at her, more like he was trying to come up with an answer.

"I don't know," he shrugged, "We didn't feel right going by our real names anymore. I suppose that if we were going to become villains, we might as well take on new names."

"You didn't change your name that much," she pointed out and he smirked at that.

"What can I say? I'm not that creative," he shrugged. "Or maybe I felt like I was enough of a monster at the time. I guess my name could have passed very easily that there was no need to change it. I mean, we actually met a handful of adventurers while we were in the Source, not that we spent too much time getting to know people, you know, if you're planning to destroy their world, you can't have something like that in the back of your mind… but you should hear some of the names there."

He turned to her and added, "Though I am curious about your name. Not like any other name I've heard of. And that's saying a lot."

Ah, yes... she had gotten made fun over that in the past.

"It's nothing special," she said, but he noticed how she turned red at that and was looking on with new curiosity. Though the idea of names did bring back a dream… or perhaps a memory…?

"Is everything alright?" Ardbert asked her in concern, noticing her thoughtful expression.

"Hmm? Oh, I was remembering… a dream," she said absent-mindedly.

"A dream?" he repeated, "You sure it wasn't more than that? You look like you've seen a... ghost."

Claire cocked a smile at him before it faded slightly as the memory of the dream came back to her.

"I have a question for you," she asked him.

"Ask away," he said slowly.

"Do you think the Echo can work on your own memories?" she asked him, "That you could suddenly have a vision of your own past?"

He raised his eyebrows at such a thought and asked, "No idea. I probably know about it as much as you do. Why? Did you see something?"

"I think," she answered, "After I was knocked out by the Fuath's flood of water. I thought that I was having a dream. But I think I saw a vision from my own past."

She turned to look ahead at the wall.

"My mother was the one who named me," she answered, "I think... I saw her."

Ardbert didn't seem to know what to say as she sighed and got up. She approached the window and stared out at the clear blue sky with a few wisps of clouds starting to drift across from the light breeze.

"I was born in a place not unlike Il Mheg," she said to him quietly as she sat upon the sill as she gazed out at the water, "Not a place full of pixies and spirits like that, though. I mean a cottage surrounded by a field of wildflowers."

She knew he was looking at her as she slowly reached down to the pots of flowers growing on her balcony and picked one. She gazed at the little daisy before spinning the stem between her fingers and watched the petals spin before her eyes.

"Amalia…" she said, and when she felt his questioning look, she added, "That was my mother's name."

"You said was...?" he asked slowly and she sighed.

"I was told that I was parted with her soon after my birth," she explained simply. "She lived long enough to name me and hold me once before she died. At least, that was what I was told."

"I'm sorry," he said softly.

"It's alright, there is no reason for you to feel sad for me," Claire confessed as she continued to gaze at the flower. Wondering why she was suddenly in such a mood to talk about this, having never felt the urge to do so before.

"You know, we heard stories of fairies while we were children," she went on, "Little spirits who would appear and disappear… My father was like that, they said. Father was a traveler, and since he was young, he would come and go as he wished. He would head off into the wilds for weeks on end, only to show up without any warning with all manner of treats and prizes before he would disappear again. He did that often enough that the people used to joke that he was secretly a fairy. One of the Faye Folk… at least, that was how they were known to us as."

She smiled as she remembered the stories that she had been told growing up of her parents.

"My mother used to call him Faye... as a joke… since he loved to sneak up on her and see if he could scare her before showing her all manner of items he brought with him from distant lands," she went on, "Eventually, he grew so fond of her calling him that, that he decided to take the name as his own. Whenever I asked about them, they always said that I have my mother's face but father's mischievous green eyes… another reason they began to joke that he was secretly a fair in disguise. That had been the only true picture I have whenever I try to picture them."

"What happened to them?" Ardbert asked slowly.

"Father died," she explained simply, "I never met him since he died shortly before my birth. So I don't remember him at all... or of mother for that matter. I don't know the full details, only that there had been some sort of an attack happening in the village shortly before my birth."

"An attack?" Ardbert asked and Claire shrugged.

"I was born in a tiny village… so tiny that you would struggle to call it that. More of an outpost I suppose. Some say that it was an attack, others say that it was an accident, and I think that I've even heard someone say that it was a bolt of lightning that caused it, I don't know," she told him. "Only that a fire happened in the village where I was born. Father, who was returning from another trip, saw the fire and ran in to help get people out. He managed to pull mother from the burning house, but when he went back to help other people...?"

Her voice trailed off there as she let the flowers fall from her hand and over the ledge and out of sight. She didn't say what happened… she didn't need to for Ardbert understood. There was silence for a long time after that.

"But your mother?" he asked and she nodded grimly.

"Mother was injured from the fire," she sighed. "They tried to help her... but her injuries was too bad."

Claire had been told that her mother died from her injuries... but she would sometimes hear the whispers that it wasn't because of the fire that she died from... but from the shock of losing her beloved and the loss of her home…?

The shock was too much for her mother to take, and that put her into labor far earlier than she was supposed to. And her own birth had been very... complicated.

She had tried to block those thoughts out... tried not to think of it...

But then that dream she had mere moments before awakening in the lake... of that pretty woman who looked just like her with those loving eyes...?

Could that have been her?

If so, why would she have that dream now?

"Yet she was determined to live long enough to have me," she explained softly and they let that sink in. She stared out at the distant lake without really seeing it this time as the water sent gentle to the shores.

"She wished for me to have father's name… the name that meant so much to them both and the stories they loved," Claire finished sadly, "Faye. I used to be teased for that name because it means: Fairy."

"And your first name?" he asked, his full attention on her now as he drew closer so that he was standing on the other side of the window frame as he gazed out at the lands before them with her

"It was a name from mother's homeland," she shrugged, "It means…"

She blushed and whispered the meaning to him as he stared on and then gave her a surprisingly tender look.

"I think your mother doomed you from the beginning to what kind of person you would become," he reasoned and she was glad to see him smile again. "So, your name… means… Light Fairy?"

She nodded and he laughed... which was such a nice sound since few times she had heard him laugh for real. But she found herself smiling as well.

"I spent most of my time out in the fields playing with a toy sword growing up," she admitted to him, "The children in the village didn't really like playing with me because my silence bothered them. The adults never ignored me… they always had a kind word to say to me… but they didn't have time to really pay attention to an orphaned girl. I would do small tasks for them in exchange for food or a place to sleep at night. But long have I dreamt of exploring the world as my father did. So, when I felt that I was finally ready, I left home. Not that I had much with me but the clothes on my back, some weathered jewelry, and a battered weapon at my side. A few days later, I was arriving in Eorzea."

He folded his arms as he observed her and asked, "So you don't have any other family?"

She shook her head. "I was taken care of by the people in the village," she confirmed, "But I never had a place that I could really say I was surrounded by a family."

"Is that why you wanted to become an adventurer?" he asked in that same tender voice. "To find one?"

She gave that question some thought, having never really thought about it before. Finally, she could only confess, "I don't really know. I don't know what it was that I wanted. I just…?"

She fell silent but he didn't press her as they watched the sun sink lower through the sky. She hadn't realized how much time had passed. But it had to be the late afternoon at this point. Night would soon be upon them. She had thought of heading out to speak with the others about their plans for the upcoming days. But she realized that they may be just as tired as she felt and needed some time to themselves. Besides, if they really needed her, surely they would have sent someone along by now.

"What about you?" she asked Ardber suddenly, "Do you know what became of your family?"

Ardbert blinked, as if he never thought of it.

"Well, not much to say," he confessed, "I was born to a simple family of fishermen. My parents wanted me to grow up to a modest lifestyle, but I wanted to see the world. After a lot of talks, they said that I could leave when came of age. So... I left home with a worn old axe on my back."

"Do you miss them?" she asked him and he shifted a little awkwardly at that.

"I suppose," he said slowly. "I never saw or heard from them again after I left. I wish I thought to write home a little more often than I did."

There was silence before he asked, "But what about that dream of yours? What did you think when you saw your mother?"

"She was... really pretty," she said softly as she remembered the joy in her face. "She was so happy when she saw that I was ok... but she was sad too... I think she knew that she wasn't going to make it."

"Do you miss her?" he asked this time.

"I miss I never got to know her," she said softly, "But… otherwise, it's hard to know how to feel about someone you don't remember anything about."

Another stretch of silence passed between them but it wasn't a bad feeling this time. After all, they were two of a kind… a pair who had to make due in a tough world where they had been forced to wear masks to hide how they really were… or who they really were. Just a pair of orphans looking for something in this world that they weren't entirely sure they knew what or when they would find it.

"I don't know how I feel about all this," she said thoughtfully as she gave the matter some thought. "There are plenty of days that I wonder if it would have been better that I never got off that boat in Limsa. What if I chose to start my journey elsewhere? Like in Gridania or Ul'dah? Though I have a nasty feeling that it wouldn't have mattered where I ended up for it would have surely led me down this same path to this moment."

He was gazing at her as she turned her head from the lake to look at him long and hard.

"I'm sorry," she said, "Am I talking too much?"

"No, I don't mind it," he said, "I like hearing you talk more often than you do. I was never much of a talker either, but you would be surprised how much you long to talk to another when no one else can see or hear you."

Once more, she wished she could reach out a comforting hand to him. But what would be the point now? Instead, she thought of her next words very carefully.

"I don't know how this well end," she said honestly, "But I can't just wait around and do nothing. This world is sick… but it's not past the point of no salvation. The people here are worth saving. And I think that deep down… you believe that to."

"I… I hope you are right," was all he could say. And they passed rest of the day speaking to each other of past experiences and adventures that they had, not really drawing upon the idea of family or comrades too much, but it was something that they both could enjoy.

She found a strange kind of comfort when she spoke to Ardbert, both speaking to him and listening. She couldn't remember the last time she had a friend that she felt she could be so open with. They stood at that window and talked even as the sky grew dark and the stars began to come out and Claire yawned.

"Why don't you get some sleep?" Ardbert suggested when he saw her struggling to hold her eyes open.

She didn't want to, but the sandwiches had made her full and sleepy and she could feel the beginning of another headache starting to come on. She just nodded as she got back up from the windowsill before asking another question she had been wondering about.

"Do you… I mean, do you ever…?" she asked suddenly and he gave her half a smile as he confessed, "There's no need for me to sleep. I don't have a physical state to take care of anymore. Don't worry, I'll keep an eye out and I'll make sure to wake you up should something happen."

She smiled back as she removed her gauntlets and set them down on her bedside table next to where she had set her sword and greaves before she climbed into bed… asleep as soon as her head touched the pillow.

*Ardbert*

Ardbert watched her sleep, her gentle breaths filling the room as he tried to wrap his thoughts around these confusing thoughts. For so long now he had believed that he was being punished for his part in the Flood and that he was doomed to wander until he faded away. That is what nearly happened to him after all. Before she arrived, he was all but spent… had just about given up all hope of finding a reason to his continued existence if you could even call it that.

But after discovering that she could see and hear him, to learn that he finally had a voice again, even if it was just to one person…? He could not deny the joy that filled him.

But that still left the question of why?

Why could only she hear him? Was he here to haunt her for their defeat at her and the others hands? If that was the case, what was the point? He couldn't follow her back to the Source, so she could easily leave him here if she wished to get away from him that badly. And he understood that she and her friends fought them that day to protect their home. He didn't begrudge them for that.

He couldn't allow himself to get too close to her though. This wasn't her world… not where she truly belonged. It would only be a matter of time before she would be forced to return to the Source… whether she was able to find a way to save this world or not. While he doubted that she would leave her friends trapped here on their own, he didn't want to get his hopes up again of finding a reason for all these years of endless wandering only to have that hope taken away again. Should that happen… he knew that he would simply lose himself.

But he couldn't deny just how good it felt to talk to someone again… to be listened to. He wished that he spoke his thoughts more often when he was alive… mayhaps that would have changed the outcome of what happened? Though he doubted that somehow.

He slowly left the window and came over to the bed and gazed down at her dreaming expression, so deeply asleep that he doubted that even if he yelled she would respond to it.

The more that he talked to her, the more he seemed to find himself… grounded. The more that she listened and he spoke, the easier it felt for him to hold onto some semblance of himself. Her kindness, her understanding… her determination to save this world and make it a better place… he was grateful for it even when he still struggled to find hope for this world.

But there had to be a reason.

He could feel it like a whisper in the back of his mind telling him that even though his story had long since ended, he had a part to play in hers. But what could he do? What was it that he was supposed to do?

He felt his entire spirit ache at the thought of how she was tasked with such an impossible feat. He wished that there was something that he could do or say to help her. This was his world after all, not hers. She had no right to be here… this was his mess to clean up, and she should have stayed home to that quiet corner of Eorzea that was truly hers.

But he was selfish to admit that he didn't want to see her leave. The two of them truly did understand the other and when they spoke, there was no fear of being misunderstood or judged. He knew better than anyone else out there what it was like to have the weight of so many other expectations bearing down on you. He knew that she smiled to hide the pain that she was in.

Why…? Why were they chosen to bear this burden? What was their purpose? To suffer and die only for some other poor fool to carry on in their stead?

His head jerked up at the unexpected knock at the door, feeling tension rise. He hoped that whoever was there would just go away and after a couple minutes of silence he thought they had. But then the door creaked open just a hair.

His first thought was of the Ascian Emet-Selch returning… and he was about to cry out to her to wake up… but instead it was a crystalize arm that appeared on the door. His fear faded slightly when he saw the hooded figure of the Exarch carefully holding onto the door to make sure that it didn't squeak as he peered inside.

He wasn't sure what to make of the Exarch or how he was able to do what he had done… but he couldn't help but feel like he had his own agenda involving the Scions. Claire seemed to know that he was keeping something from her, yet she couldn't put her finger on what it was that he was trying to do other than bring down the Lightwardens.

Ardbert's eyes narrowed suspiciously as the man saw Claire fast asleep and a gentle smile appeared on his face… the only part of it that he could see anyway. He slipped inside the room and went around to the lanterns and quietly blew them out so that the room was left in darkness. The Crystal Exarch then approached the bed before gently pulling the blankets at the foot of the bed and tucked her in so that she was more comfortable.

"The others were concerned," he heard the Exarch whisper quietly, "I'll let them know that you're sleeping and will join us in the morning."

So he had just come to check on her?

Judging from the tender way he handled the blankets he could believe that. But as he left, he caught just a tiny glimpse of something red shining from under the hood but couldn't be sure what it was. Only that the smile was truly gentle and warm… like a parent checking on their child after a nightmare.

*Thancred*

It was too early for this. The sun had only been up for a short time when Thancred was having a drink as he stood upon the walkways that overlooked the markets of the Crystarium.

Of course, thanks to previous 'adventures' that drinking had brought to him in his youth, he resolved to drink water, no matter how tempting it was to drink his sorrows away. Minfilia was still fast asleep in the room that they shared together, curled up on the bed and dreaming peacefully after an exhausting last few days.

He had awoken hours ago… or rather… he had been unable to get to sleep since early this morning.

What were they planning? There was no way that an Ascian could ever be willing to offer their assistances unless it was something that benefited them. He gritted his teeth, his hand gripping the bottle so hard that he could have sworn that a hairline crack appeared in it and he was tempted to throw it hard enough to break.

He didn't really care though for he did his best to not have to think back to those hellish weeks where he was nothing more than a marionette to Lahabrea.

He didn't notice it at all at first. He would lose an hour or two in the day, but then just chalk it up to working too hard, or mayhaps not hard enough. He had thought that he was making himself useful to the others, but all he did was make himself more vulnerable to an Ascian's control.

By the time he realized what was going on, it was too late; his body would not obey him any longer. His thoughts weren't his own anymore. He was trapped in his own mind while another walked around using his body.

No one noticed the subtle changes in him. Lahabrea had access to his memories and knew what to say or to do to convince everyone around him he was who he pretended to be. Thancred fought hard to try and free himself, but once the Ascian realized that he was putting up a fight, he would cause him to black out so that he was lost and alone in the dark. The Ascian did not wish to risk him learning anything about them or their plans and there would be long periods where he would simply have dark dreams only to awaken to a nightmare.

He would occasionally awaken as if coming out from deep slumber and witness what was going on.

He remembered how the Ascian avoided Minfilia and Claire, whom they called the Bringer of Light, for just being near them was somehow painful for them. He would only glimpse flashes of what was going on. But he remembered the unfathomable grief of watching his fellow Scions slathered at the Waking Sands. As well as the relief of watching Minfilia and the others taken away instead of being killed on the spot. He wanted to scream out when he realized that the Ascian was allowing him to witness this.

He just prayed for death before falling back into darkness.

When he next regained consciousness, the snow was falling. He then caused the sleeping dragon to awaken and it rounded on another figure. But at that point, he could only remember seeing the blinding light that only the Ascian could see. He watched as the figure brought the dragon low… and how he tried to scream for his friend to kill him.

He remembered how he looked up, relief flooding his very soul at the realization that his friends were escaping from the Castrum. Cid, gods he was alive, and he was at the helm of the Enterprise as it soared off through the sky and away from danger.

At that moment, he truly didn't care if he died for he knew that the others were safe.

But then he felt his hands moving… and Lahabrea forced them to pull back the hood so that they could see his face. He heard Minfilia screaming his name even as the Ultimate Weapon fired upon them. They missed the attack, but just barely.

No matter how this ended, he would take it. For they were alive.

All he could think of though was one thing… 'I'm sorry'.

After that, he could only watch as the Alliance banded together to try and fight off the Garleans march. He could recall the excitement Lahabrea felt as he watched them fight… believing that all was going as planned… though, he could not know just what that meant at the time.

But he could remember the outrage that Lahabrea felt whenever he saw Claire. How that whenever she showed up, their careful plans were thrown into disarray. He was determined to put an end to her once and for all.

And so he turned to using the true power of the weapon to break through the Bringer of Light's shield. Thancred all but roared out in desperation when he saw the weapon of Allag fall and the Black Wolf defeated, for despite the victory he was still trapped inside and helpless, and knew that this was do or die right now… either he was going to die or be free from Lahabrea… either way, it was fine by him.

They battled, and he could only watch in horror as he was forced to fight her. Darkness pounding through his body like blood as he launched magical attacks at her. He remembered how tired she was when she emerged victories from fighting her way down here, and knew that it was only a matter of time before she would collapse.

But she was slowly but surely gaining the upper hand.

This, Lahabrea realized as well, for he growled at her in warning, "Yet know that if I should perish, so too will the mortal within whose flesh I reside."

If that was all that had to be paid to put an end to this, then please… do it! He wanted to scream at her that it was alright, that he didn't blame her at all for what had to be done. The Ascian had to be stopped and if that meant finishing him off with him, then he would embrace it without a second thought.

He didn't remember too much after that… only the blinding light and how it tore through his body as the shadows inside him scattered to the four winds.

He fell down… down… down…?

And later awoke. Alive and in complete control of his body once again. With Minfilia watching over him inside a tent set up outside of Mor Dhona, her smile so radiant that he found himself smiling along with her.

"I'm sorry…" he had said, but she just smiled and shook her head, promising that it was over. He was alright.

No… he wasn't. He was far from alright.

"For what?"

He jumped when he heard the light voice and felt the hand on his shoulder. He spun around, thinking that it was the Ascian… but stopped when he realized that it was Claire.

"What are you doing up here?" he asked quickly as she stepped back, pulling her hand back from him as if she had been burned.

"Sorry," she said, "I was just getting some air and wanted to explore up here."

He was breathing hard as he slowly turned away and shook his head.

"I'm sorry if I bothered you," she said, and she looked ready to leave

"No, I'm sorry," he reassured her quickly, "It's just that ever since running into that Ascian yesterday… I've been jumping at shadows. Please forgive me."

"I was hoping to talk to you about that," she said, "What do you think about what he said?"

"What? Trust an Ascian? Come, come my friend, I thought you smarter than that," he said with a brush of his hand. "I wouldn't trust him as far as I can throw him. They can't be trusted."

"Then why do you think he approached us?" she asked him.

"I guess he's bolder than the rest of his cult," he growled bitterly before realizing how harsh he sounded and sighed again. "Because if that's all you have to say then just get it through your head that we have enough to deal with than with some scumbag."

And in his anger, unable to stop himself, he threw the bottle over the edge—temporarily forgetting that they were standing high above the markets.

"Thancred!" she scolded as he just watched the bottle fall through the air, realizing too late that it could easily hit someone. But it fell to the ground and shattered into pieces. It frightened a few people nearby, but no one was close enough to get hit by glass and they were looking all over to see where it had come from.

He moved back so that he wouldn't be seen, but he had to take a few steadying breaths to calm himself.

"I'm sorry," he said again, "I know you didn't come here to pick a fight. Just forget it."

"What is it?" she asked him in concern.

"Just… thinking about the Ascians make me angry," he said shortly.

"I'm sure it does," she said, "But I don't think that this is just about them. I think that it may have something to do with a little closer to home?"

"Like what?" he asked, "The fact that we're stuck here as far as possible from home and we don't know if we'll be able to save it from here?"

"Part of it," she said, "Or is this about Minfilia?"

"Which one?"

"Both of them," she said firmly.

He did not answer, but she wasn't one to give up that easily.

"Thancred," she said softly and he looked back to find that she was looking at him. "I know about what Minfilia asked you. Our Minfilia, I mean."

He blinked in confusion before she confessed what she had seen thanks to the Echo to the conversation that they had that day in she spoke to him through the younger Minfilia's mouth.

He stared at her, speechless for a moment, before turning his head away from her and looking down.

"I see," he said softly.

"I'm sorry," she whispered but he shook his head again.

"Full well do I know that you have no control over it," he reassured her, "Don't apologize. But I would appreciate it if you kept quiet about that for the time being. I rather not let our Mini Minfilia know about it."

Claire was silent for another moment, and he could tell that there was something plaguing her mind.

"Do you… do you really hate her?" she asked him, "The girl, I mean."

"Of course not," he said gruffly, "What makes you think that?"

"She seems to think that you do," Claire pointed out and she told him what the girl told her while they were in Il Mheg. "She thinks that you hate her because she's not your Minfilia. And I'm starting to fear she is right, but I know that it's not like you."

"How do you know me?" he asked dully.

"You are not yourself," she reminded him softly. "The Thancred I first met was the type of man who could laugh in the face of any disaster for the sake of those he cared about." She looked at him sadly and confessed, "Where did that man go, I wonder?"

"Good question," he said quietly. "I haven't been that man in a long time. Not since that night in Ul'dah."

She didn't sound mad with him. But he would have preferred that over the disappointment that he saw when he glanced at her out of the corner of his eye.

"I feel… so useless," he said and he pounded the railing with a gloved fist bitterly. "First I couldn't do anything to save Master Louisoix! And then later on, I get possessed by an Ascian and almost ended up giving the keys to conquering Eorzea to the Garleans! And then after that, as I try to make up for it, I end up trapped in the lifestream only to come out of it not able to use any magic! And now, here I am, trapped in this world and not able to help save someone I care about!"

It was a good thing that he no longer had anything in his hands to throw because he would have surely smashed something apart there.

"What have I done so far?" he demanded furiously, all but willing to scream out to the gods to answer him. "What have I done that's of any help to you all but get in the way and hold you back?"

"That's not true. And you know it's not," she told him firmly.

"Yeah? And what good have I done?" he rounded on her, still not able to look her in the face, "Not even Minfilia, our Minfilia, would trust me enough to tell me what she wanted."

"She wouldn't want you to feel this way," Claire pointed out to him, "She always cared about you and would hate to think that you were blaming yourself."

"How would you know?" he snarled at her, "You knew her for less than a year when I knew her for almost fifteen summers! Don't you think that you knew her mind."

"But I'm starting to think I knew her better if you think that she wouldn't feel that way," she retorted and at those cold words, it was as if she struck him. He felt his anger fade as he sighed and slumped over the railing.

"I can't say for sure how she felt, but I know that none of us blame you for what happened," she confessed softly, "We don't see you as a burden or weak. I want you to know that."

It meant a lot to hear her say that. In fact, this was probably the most he had ever heard her speak to him, and for some reason, that thought made him ashamed.

"Even when I foolishly let you down when you faced against Ifrit?" he asked. He never spoke of that day… but the truth was he could not help but feel responsible for having the world of expectation placed on her shoulders. After all, if he had been there for her when she first joined the Scions then she may not have had to face Ifrit on her own. Which wouldn't have led to her becoming their 'to-go-to' primal slayer… which wouldn't have led her down the path to become the Warrior of Light. Then again, if that didn't happen, Eorzea would probably be under Garlean rule and he would most likely be dead or still Lahabrea's plaything.

He heard her heave a heavy sigh, but she didn't speak up. Not that he gave her a chance too because he pushed himself up from the railing and turned around, feeling like he was looking at her against his will. But there was something he needed to say.

"I want you to know that no matter what happens, I will do whatever it takes to protect everyone," he said as he turned to look at her full in the face. "I am devoted to this cause and will do anything to see our mission through. I will protect everyone for as long as I can, and I want you to know that I hold you in nothing short of the highest esteem. I always have."

Her eyes softened.

"But you have to understand," he said, "I don't know… what to do with her. The girl, I mean. I am not a parent and know next to nothing about children. And, I confess that it's hard to look at her sometimes. But it was Minfilia's wish that I protect her and so I have to do it however well I can."

He lowered his head.

"She… was a dear friend. But as close to me like a sister," he confessed softly. "When I learned of what became of her, I can't help but be upset about it. She had long since outgrew me needing to protect her, but I can't help how I feel. I just… don't want to face it yet."

He turned away again as he gazed out at the land that stretched out below him.

"I still remember that day," he said thoughtfully as she stood next to him and he was given time to think it over. He remembered that day in Ul'dah so clearly… where he was still nearly out of his reckless teen years and he witnessed a tragedy for a little girl that, if he just acted faster, he may have prevented.

He knew that Minfilia didn't blame him for what happened, that she knew he was not part of the group who were responsible for the goobbue escaping that day, but he couldn't help but feel that way sometimes.

He was there and fought with the goobbue after all, and so if he just acted quicker, wasn't trying to show off or mouth off, he could have finished the damn thing sooner and that would have meant that she never go through the pain of losing her father.

Regardless, he could not help but feel that if not responsible for the goobbue escaping, then responsible that he wasn't the one who could finish it off before it was too late.

Claire leaned up against him, her shoulder bumping against his in an oddly comforting way as she waited for him to continue on.

He sighed, letting out a breath that blew his bangs about his face for a moment before he felt strong enough to continue speaking.

"There was a parade in Ul'dah that day, and everyone was out and celebrating," he explained to her softly. "I can still remember the fireworks, the music being played, and F'lhaminn passing out flowers to everyone who walked by. And I was doing what I always did in those days and that was drop in and listen to rumors and gather information. I didn't even think twice about a child who was recently come to Ul'dah with her father."

And that was when they all became connected with each other.

"F'lhaminn, who in those days, was still known as the Songstress of Ul'dah, along with a man who was her husband named Niellefresne, set a beast loose at a parade," he sighed and he felt Claire's eyes upon him.

"Why?" she asked quietly.

"They hoped in gaining political power by putting the beast down and being heroes," he said with a slight glanced up at her and added, "Lest you wonder, I doubt that they ever meant for anyone to get hurt. I suppose they thought the worst that would be lost would be coin in repairs. But one man was made to pay with his life."

"Minfilia's father," she guessed and he nodded back, confirming that detail for her.

"From what I learned, the goobbue almost trampled her, but he ran in to save her… but was injured in the process," he explained grimly. "He slipped into a coma… one which, as far as I know, he never woke up from. At least that was what Corguevais said."

"Who?" she asked in confusion.

"Oh, he was the man who was in charge of the goobbue," he shrugged, "He wasn't in on the plan and so everyone blamed him for the goobbue escaping. But Minfilia went to confront him… not that it helped. Warburton died soon after that. Once she learned of Warburton's death, F'lhaminn tried to make things right by taking Minfilia, or rather Ascilia, in and raising her. But that was when Corguevais informed her that her new adopted mother was part of the group that released the goobbue to begin with."

"So what happened?" Claire asked him quietly.

"Long story short? In the end, Niellefresne tried to ally himself with a necromancer to bring her father back from the dead. But the plan failed after Niellefresne was killed by a mysterious someone, and Minfilia had nowhere else to go," he answered. "She eventually went back to F'lhaminn, who did her best to raise her on her own after her beloved's death."

Claire was silent for a time as they stood there, listening to the light babble of the early morning shoppers that were just waking up below them.

He thought that his role in the child's story had come to an end. After all, he was still young himself, hardly out of his teenage years and still struggling to look after himself. He couldn't look after a child. But he had made a habit of stopping by to check in on Ascilia. If was a good thing too, for because of her father, on several occasions he found undercover Garleans on the hunt for both Warburton and his daughter.

He could still remember when she took up her new name.

"Minfilia..." she had said with a smile. "Yes, I rather like the sound of it."

He could still remember that little girl and the woman she became. How he had been prepared that night in Ul'dah to stay behind and give his life for her. If this was what he had to do to make up for Warburton, for everything, so be it; as long as she was safe.

Claire hesitated, as if she wanted to say something about that, but she nodded.

"What is it that you want to do?" she asked him.

He didn't need to ask what she meant by that, but knew not how to answer at first.

"I really don't know," he confessed at long last.

She looked away, not really sure why she expected a different answer.

"It's just that… I think I know what Minfilia would have wanted," he went on after a while and she looked back at him, who was still glaring over the railing to the distance. "She would want the girl to make her own decision. But if she does that then…?"

"Have you talked to the girl about it?" she asked him quietly. "I think that she would like to talk to you a little more?"

"Not today," he said as he finally pulled back and looked her full in the face for the first time. "There is still time. I don't know how this is going to end, but no matter what, I will protect her until that point. And whatever she chooses to do, I will support it. But the decision… will have to be hers. I won't try to influence it by telling her what I think. This, she will decide for herself."

"Thancred…" she said sadly as the man turned and left all her alone.

*Exarch*

He had been unable to tear his eyes away from the mirror for the last few days. He could not bring himself to stop as he witnessed the battle against Titania and how she was freed from her torment. He could remember when she had been a just ruler who once fought for the sake of her subjects… only to pay a heavy price in the end. It was a painful thing to witness, but he took solace in the fact in that it was finally over for the suffering monarch. She was freed from her torment and her last wish of her subjects and all those who called Il Mheg home were safe from the Light.

He had watched the battle with baited breath, actually pulling his hood down so that he could get a clear view of the battle without that cloth in the way. He was alone in the security of the Ocular, and so he didn't need to fear being spotted. He just couldn't help it… he felt like a child watching a play on stage and only wished he could have seen it up close.

Almost as worrying for him was seeing the talk that Claire and Urianger had shortly after. He could see the concern in Urianger's face as he looked at her… as if he wanted to say something.

Now he knew that he could trust the man, knew that he wasn't the type who would risk everything by giving into sentimentality… unlike himself.

But already he could see the effects of the light taken hold of her. She was exhausted when she emerged from the castle. Though she still had enough strength in her to ride out and see the others, he could see how weary her eyes looked… see the slight traces of the Light's corruption taking root.

He shook his head hard, pulling his cowl back up to cover his face.

He had told himself that he had to stay strong and prepare for anything that may come. As he thought, she was able to hold back the light of two Lightwardens with very little trouble. But there were still three others who were waiting for them. And he knew that their best option would be to head off to Rak'Tika next and meet up with Y'shtola. He would have liked for them to have gone to Amh Araeng next before there, but he was certain that the others become suspicious if they went off to the desert lands before reuniting with their final friend.

He was only afraid that Y'shtola would see through their plans and discover what was going on. He didn't want to risk her informing them of what was happening to Claire until the time was right. He would just have to trust in Urianger to play his part.

He knew that she had to be cared for while under his watch, but he must keep her at arm's length for her own good as well. After all, he had been aware from the beginning that this wasn't going to be easy… but seeing her fight and struggle was harder than he thought it would be. Still, he couldn't falter now. He couldn't see her as the friend he once knew… he knew that he couldn't expect her to trust him completely when he kept his true purpose, let alone his name and even his face, hidden from her.

Even should she come to hate him at the end and see him as a villain, so long as his plans carried out and they could avoid the coming of the Eight Umbral Calamity, then he would take whatever came. He knew all of this and had long since accepted that he may have to play the role of villain before the end… so why did his heart ache so? Why did he have to fight the urge to pull down his cowl and explain everything to her?

He shook his head hard, dispelling such thoughts and instead focused on his duties here in the Crystarium. He had kept the mirror's powers silent since the night of Titania's defeat and helped to work with the good people he was surrounded by to build up their defenses. Though they have yet to suffer any kind of retribution from Eulmore, he did not expect that to last for too much longer.

In fact, just the morning after the night sky had been returned to Il Mheg did he receive an invitation of sorts from Lord Vauthry, requesting to speak with him.

If he had been a younger man, he may have been fooled by the sudden request into hoping that this was a chance to reach out and gain Eulmore's cooperation. But he knew better than to think that Eulmore would suddenly change their mind about fighting against the sin eaters after so long of wallowing in their pleasures.

Still, he knew that this was not something he could ignore and he promised to send a message back as soon as he finished preparing for the journey to Eulmore. It was difficult for him to leave the light of the Crystal Tower for too long, and if he wasn't careful, he could find himself helpless and weak before a potentially dangerous foe.

He would prepare for the journey and a few tricks up his sleeve before he left the Crystarium. As well as see to it that the Scions and their champion were safely on their way to the next location while he was away.

So it was here that he left the tower and began to make his usual rounds through the city, just making sure the people would be well protected and looked after before he left. He had just passed through the markets where he was told that someone had thrown a bottle from the upper floors. Thankfully it didn't hit anyone and Bragi already made sure that the glass was cleaned up, but he requested that if some naughty children were behind it, they must be scolded for it.

The Exarch decided to head up to see if he could find some clue to who it was when he was almost bowled over by Thancred, who seemed completely lost in thought that he barely paid him any attention. When he reached the top floor, he felt himself freeze when he saw her there, gazing out from over the railing and off in the distance of the tower, as if lost in thought.

Deciding to see how she fared for himself, he stepped forward.

"Good morning," he called warmly, getting her attention.

"Oh, Exarch," she said as she stood up taller and he joined her, "Good morning."

"I am relieved to see you so well," he told her, "I was concerned when you remained in your room nearly all day yesterday. The others said that you were just tired. Are you feeling well?"

He had decided to check in on her last night when the others realized that she had yet to return from her rooms and he volunteered to check on her. He had been so glad to find her fast asleep and made sure she was comfortable to before reassuring the other Scions that she was well.

She nodded with a smile.

"I'm sorry if I worried you," she told him quietly, "I was just… tired. Rest assure I am feeling much better today."

"Tis a relief," he said to her, "Should you need anything else, please don't hesitate to ask."

She smiled softly at him before she seemed to worry that there was another reason why he was here and asked, "I'm sorry, were you wishing to speak with me?"

"Ah, no," he reassured and quickly explained about the bottle and he came to investigate. That was when her eyes widened and she then told him that it had been Thancred who had been reliving some of his memories of his past experience with Ascians.

"I see," he said, "While I do not blame him for his frustration, I hope that he doesn't make a habit of throwing bottles like that. Bragi was convinced some misbehaving children were responsible for it."

"Oh, I'm sorry about that," she said apologetically, "I'm sure that it won't happen again."

She tilted her head as he chuckled and reassured her that the others were taking their time in preparing for the next part of their mission. While he understood the rush, they had to be prepared. He would have hated to see them go off ill-prepared for what lay ahead of them. When he mentioned that it seemed that their best option would be to meet up with Y'shtola, he saw her eyes light up at the thought.

He was glad she was so happy to hear that. He was only saddened at the thought that with his attention focused on Lord Vauthry he won't be able to witness her defeat of the Lightwarden that resides in the Greatwood.

But what she said next took him completely by surprise.

"By the way, thank you for the sandwiches," she told him and he actually took a step back at the sweet expression she gave him. Before now, there had always been a slightly guarded tension with her whenever she interacted with him. While she had been friendly and polite enough, he could not blame her for the slight edge of distrust. Here though, she seemed perfectly at ease with him around.

"Oh, I… you're welcome," he said, glad for the cowl covering his head and hiding most of the blush that was drifting across his cheeks. "I had hoped that you would enjoy them. A… good friend of mine taught me how to make a proper sandwich a long time ago. To this day, I cannot say that I've ever had one that tasted as good as that one. I wish I had asked for the recipe."

She chuckled at that and he felt a warmth spread from his stomach to the tips of his fingers and toes at the sound.

"Well, I wanted to repay you for that," she said, as she reached into the bag at her side and pulled out a small sack from within. He was startled at that, and took the sack curiously, peering inside to find…?

"Flower bulbs?" he asked in surprise.

"I remember how you said that you loved the flowers of Il Mheg," she told him kindly, "And now I know why. I asked to take some from the pixies while I was there. I thought that the people of the Crystarium would enjoy them."

"You truly are too kind, my friend," he said warmly as he took the bulbs as if they were made of glass. Gods… like the vast clear sky that she had brought to him, his adoration were welling up within him each time he beheld her both in front of him and in his mirror. But inside, he could feel guilt gnawing at him. How could he stand there with her looking at him so sweetly when he was planning so much suffering in her near future?

But he looked over the bulbs before whispering, "Thank you. I am sure… I am sure the people will love them."

He tucked them carefully into his robes, planning to deliver them to the botanists as soon as he could. He was sure they would love them and get to work on filling the entire Crystarium with flowers blessed by the Fae.

He nodded back, glad to hear it, but he feared that her sudden exhaustion wasn't just the result of a long and difficult battle. Urianger had mentioned that he feared she was suffering from headaches recently and he was concerned that there was an underlying problem that could end up causing trouble for them later.

The Exarch had resolved to watch over her long before she got here, but with his meeting in Eulmore coming, he would have to rely upon Urianger to keep an attentive eye upon her.

"Do you think I did the right thing?" she asked suddenly, "Could there not have been another way to help Titania?"

He gazed at her grimly, wondering how best to put what he thought into words. He knew that she felt guilt over what became of Titania, but she need not feel in such a way.

"Don't look at it as being cruel," he said, and she turned her gaze back to him as he forced a smile. "You should not feel so sorrowful for what had to be done. That is… what I want to say to you. But I also know that fate is not always so kind. Believe me when I say that I know how unfair life can be."

He knew that feeling all too well. He had been born… different as well. His tribe shunned him for being born so different from them and there was a time that he hated that he had been born with such a feature. How he wished that he could have rid himself of it growing up so that his own people, his own family, would accept him.

But he now saw them as a gift. A gift that allowed him to be here. And he wasn't going to let the time he had left here be wasted.

"The point I am trying to say is… you don't need to hide how you feel about it," he told her gently. "I know that it was for Titania's sake… but I don't want you feeling that it's wrong to feel this way. No, you should feel sad about it. It's alright to feel that way. And I admire you all the more because you can feel such for others."

She blinked and he was pleasantly surprised to see the blush on her cheeks at his words.

"Life is tough," he confessed honestly, "But that's ok. We all should be allowed to feel as we do. But I hope that you won't let yourself dwell overmuch on such thoughts. For I don't think that we need to feel that we did her an unkindness. She is free and her subjects are enjoying a new peace with a new Monarch. And I am very much relieved to see you well and alive with us. That alone is cause to celebrate."

"I think you overpraise me," she told him.

"I speak only what I see," he reassured her, "It's a gift that comes with old age. One that I hope you will come to enjoy one day."

She let out a sigh, but it was like some of the tension she was feeling was let go. He hoped so, he hated thinking of allowing her to dwell overmuch on such grim thoughts. So instead, he told her more about the Crystarium. He pointed out a few places where they stood and explained how it used to look before the city was built. She seemed to enjoy listening to him as he began to go into more details about the last few years and all the changes that had happened since then.

He stood there with her for a long time as they talked about everything that came to mind. For a while he felt like he was a young man again, speaking with a good friend who was an amazing listener.

"I also had time to look over that book you gave me," she informed him, "The maps have been most helpful getting around, but I think that it will take some time to finish going over all the changes that have been made in it since then."

"Please, take your time," he said eagerly, glad to see the slight shine return to her face, "I only hope that I will get a chance to look over it someday to see the changes made to it."

"Did the others tell you what happened yesterday?" she asked suddenly, "About… Emet-Selch, I mean?"

He frowned at that before nodding.

"They mentioned it to me," he confessed, remembering how disturbed he was to think that the Ascians were aware of their plans.

"Do you think we should hear what he has to say?" she asked.

He frowned as he gave it some time to think. In truth, this was not the first time that he had spoken with Emet-Selch. He had coming and going for some time lately… since just before she arrived in this world.

But he would be the one to worry over that. She and the others had enough on their plate without adding an Ascian on top of all of that.

"I do not know just yet," he said carefully, "But I do know that Ascians aren't known for telling the truth. They are masters of manipulation, and so we must be careful in dealing with them."

She was silent for a moment before she nodded, though still looking a bit anxious.

"It'll be alright," he said, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. He knew that some found his… condition to be somewhat disturbing, but she didn't seem to mind as he withdrew it, suddenly feeling shy.

"I don't know what it is that they are planning yet, but we can't let that distract us from the hunt of the Lightwardens," he told her firmly. "Two of them have already been defeated… which leaves only the ones in the Greatwood, Amh Araeng, and Kholusia. So we are making progress, my friend."

He then glanced upwards to see the bright sky and added, "That sky there is all the proof we need to know that we are on the right path."

She glanced up, a hint of a smile back on her face for a moment before asking, "It feels like it's getting harder and harder. You really think that I'll be able to defeat the remaining three?"

"Of that, there is no doubt in my mind," he told her firmly, "And for what you have gone through and will go through, I want you to know that you have my eternal gratitude. Though this land here is not my homeland, I feel more at home here than I ever did before."

He turned to gaze fondly at the people below him and could not stop the grin that came to his face. He remembered when this land was nothing more than a couple shabby tents set up in the shade of the tower as the people slowly began to come together to build that first wall.

Long had he searched for where he truly belonged… a place to call home… and he knew he found it here with these wonderful people. He would give anything to see them spared anymore suffering. And with night slowly being returned to this land, he could see the hope and joy returned to their faces as they began to look ahead with eagerness at what the future held rather than dread. He would do just about anything to ensure that hope never left them again.

"Exarch?" Claire asked as he turned back to look at her.

"Forgive me," he said, "I was caught up in my memories. This land is precious to me and I will continue to lead my people as best I can to a brighter future that is waiting for them. A future that you've already began to show for them. And for that, I am grateful."

She hesitated for a moment, and for a moment he feared that she had suddenly seen through his disguise. But instead, she just smiled and said, "You're welcome."

They parted ways soon after that talk with him making the excuse that he had to speak with Lyna on the state of the guard. But in truth, he just said it so that he could leave without feeling the guilt continuing to eat his insides.

He waved her off, watching her until she climbed down the stairs and was out of his sights. He waited only a few more minutes as he watched her walk across the markets as she began to explore the Crystarium again.

He knew that he was being cruel here. He knew that he was lying and that she would surely come to despise him once the end came. But if that was the price that had to be paid to see this world delivered from doom, he would take it without a second though.

But he couldn't hide the warmth he felt at the realization that he was slowly, but surely, earning her trust.

That thought made him happier than he had been in a long time. But he feared that this development was only going to make matters even more difficult for him.

(Hello everyone! Thank you for reading! I had planned on getting this chapter up before February, but hey, life happens. I felt that we needed a lot more bonding time and maybe a little less of the trivial details. I promise that I focus more on just the important scenes from now on, with a little sweetness added to each chapter just for you all. As for Claire's past? That was kinda the picture I had in mind for her. I tried to think about a reason why she would be like how she is? Someone who is willing to sacrifice her all for others. I just pictured an orphaned girl who didn't have much of a family life growing up. While she was shown care, she didn't have a true family. And I can totally see her doing what she could to help out around this small village for food and other means she would need to survive. She is used to being alone and travelling on her own even though she hates feeling that way. She is willing to help others so much because she had been doing so her whole life... and she is so badly craving a family unit because she didn't have that growing up. This is just the picture I always felt was inside my head and I felt that she could really connect with Ardbert in a way that she really can't talk to the other Scions about despite how close she felt to them. She wants to protect her family, but a part of her can't seem to let go and fully trust another with everything inside her head except to those who she felt could really understand her. That is how I see Claire as… not some strong warrior who winds all the time… just a little lost girl who is searching for something specific. What that something is, I don't' think she knows just yet.

Anyway, I hope that you enjoyed this chapter just to do some bonding with the boys here. In the next chapter we will be heading off to Rak'Tika and meeting up with the final member of their band of misfits and continue on their journey to save the First. Also for anyone who asks, no, I will not be doing a special chapter for Valentine's Day. Mostly because I doubt that they would have a Valentione's Day in Norvrandt. But… I did have an idea for Little Ladies Day. I'll give you a hint… it's full of sweetness, but it's not who you think it will be with. Anyway, I will be taking a break from this story for a little while, but I will be back soon. Promise.

Oh, and for anyone out there, please help a girl with the Recruit a Friend Campaign, I would so like to get one of the mounts this year and I have the code for it as: 95H5YHUF. If you can help me out with this, it would mean so much to me! Thank you and see you soon.)