Chapter 28: Shadowbringers
This was it, this she knew.
Their rag-tag group of misfits stood in front of the Capitol building, having been allowed to go through to these final doors without any problems. To say that she was not afraid would be a lie… but it was more of what they may find waiting for them beyond these doors that frightened her more than the thought of death waiting. She felt her friends all behind her though as she took a deep breath and pushed the doors open.
They found themselves in an enormous marble hall bathed in golden light from nearby lamps and reflecting off the near mirror-like floors as they stepped inside. Their footsteps echoed around them as they walked, tense and waiting for anything to leap out and attack. When they were nearly upon the doors at the other end of the hall… she heard his voice.
"This really is unacceptable. I gave you very specific instructions."
Emet-Selch appeared before them—looking just like he had when last they spoke. And like every other time, he completely ignored the others as he shook his head in disappointment and scolded, as if he expected better from her, "My invitation was for an abomination, ripe with the power to bring about the world's annihilation. Not this half-broken...thing. Whatever am I to do with you?"
'You can at least look me in the eye before telling me off,' she thought darkly as his eyes finally turned from her and seemingly glancing over the others as if they were some particularly rotten fruit at a market stall.
"And I see you insist on keeping the same familiar company. Are you so lost without them?" he asked.
"It is not she who is lost without the familiar," Y'shtola spoke up, anger lining her voice as if daring him to counter her. "Not content with remaking an entire city, you aim to fill it with the reconstituted souls of the dead."
For the first time, Emet-Selch seemed a little abashed at her words and looked down as if having been caught doing something he shouldn't.
"I may have gotten a little carried away, in my attention to detail," he admitted slowly, "Added a few unnecessary flourishes..." He then shrugged as he acknowledged, "Weeell, there's no point trying to hide it. Yes. Once the rejoining of worlds is complete, Zodiark will regain His full strength and shatter His prison. Then we shall offer up the Source's remaining inhabitants in sacrifice, that we might resurrect our brethren who died to bring Zodiark into existence."
Oh, just like that? How easy it seemed.
"But what was it that you came here to do, exactly?" he asked her.
She glared back and answered, "We came here for the Exarch."
"Well, you can't have him," he retorted almost childishly back, "The wisdom that man guards may open up new worlds of possibilities. He has unlocked the secrets of travel across the rift ─ and through time as well, it would seem. Quite an accomplishment for one of his 'incomplete' nature. I must explore the limits of his capabilities, and harness that power for the Ardor."
"Not on my watch," she growled back, feeling anger flash inside her once again. But he didn't notice as he just shook his head in severe disappointment.
"Even now, after everything, you refuse to see reason," he said, "You think it unfair that you are subject to suffering? That your lives will be sacrificed for the ancients?"
Suddenly his face lit up in anger and so much so that she barely recognized him for that moment.
"Look at me! I have lived a thousand thousand of your lives!" he yelled out, and it seemed that he had been dying for a chance to scream out his frustrations and pains to someone and they just happened to be the most convenient ones he could find. "I have broken bread with you, fought with you, grown ill, grown old! Sired children and yes, welcomed death's sweet embrace. For eons have I measured your worth and found you wanting! Too weak and feeble-minded to serve as stewards of any star!"
She gazed back. She understood, she really did. How many times had she also been angry at the actions of some? That she wanted to rage and scream at them? But could not bring herself to show it… mankind… was weak. She could only imagine what someone who had been forced to see the worst in mankind for thousands of years would be like.
But still…?
"Have your recent spats with Vauthry and his sin eaters taught you nothing?" he demanded, continuing on without knowing her thoughts. "Have you not learned that your ignorance and frailty beget only endless misery? How long do you mean to perpetuate this farce? How much more must I endure your bumbling interference?"
No, that's not it.
"Let us imagine that the laws of reality are again undone, and the world faces true annihilation. Do you honestly believe that half your number would sacrifice themselves to save the other?" he demanded. "Of course they wouldn't! And if you had witnessed history unfold as I have, you would reach the same conclusion!"
The anger faded from his eyes to be replaced with unbearable sadness that broke her heart. He suddenly looked back into her eyes, desperately searching for… something?
"You cannot be entrusted with our legacy," he decided before turning and walking away. "I will bring back our brethren. Our friends. Our loved ones. The world belongs to us and us alone."
They were far from perfect, she knew that better than anyone. But that did not mean that they had no worth. There was still good in this world… in all the worlds. And they had as much right to live as he did.
"Emet-Selch!" Alphinaud's voice called out after him and he paused in misstep. "We understand. Truly. But it makes no difference. The ones you love are in the past. While ours are here in the present. One day, we too will be ashes and dust, but not today. Our time is not yet finished. We share your conviction...and that is why we will not abandon our course."
But his words just seemed to anger him even more as he turned back, his eyes wide with rage once more before he demanded, "You think us the same? You think your tattered soul of equal worth to those I lost?"
The others recoiled at the fury in his voice but she stared on unflinching, still trying to reach out to him… perhaps too stubborn to believe that they could still learn from each other. But he seems to be willing to give them a chance after all for he said, "Then come ─ earn your place. Prove yourselves worthy to inherit this star."
And so the doors behind him finally opened and if she did not know better she would have sworn that they were the gates of the deepest pit of the seven hells. For all that was waiting beyond was fire and brimstone she could hear the echoing voices of screams as smoke and ash billowed out; she could feel the heat even from here as if she were standing next to a furnace.
She took a step back in surprise as he stared coldly back at them and snarled, "Behold, the coming oblivion. 'Twas the end of our era, and the beginning of our great work. A fitting backdrop...for your final judgment."
He turned around with his back to them.
"I shall wait within, but do not spend too much time on your preparations. There's no telling how much longer the guest of honor will last," he added and he walked off into the fire, disappearing from sight among the fire and smoke.
So they would be forced to relieve the end of the world? Yes, she could sense that was what was waiting for them at the end of this trail. And besides, she knew he was right about one thing… the Light, she could feel, was pulsing against whatever bonds Ryne put up inside her. Going in there was sure to make it worse but then again, what choice was there? She said to herself she would listen to his story and she was going to see this through to the end even if it killed her.
She felt Alphinaud take her hand in his.
"Just say the word, Claire. However harrowing the scenes that await us, they will not sway us from our course," he said and she nodded back. Giving his hand another firm squeeze before letting go.
"I won't ask you to hold back-that time is long past," Alisaie added from her other side, also sensing the turmoil inside her, "I'll just try to snuff out the worst of the embers before they reach you."
"Thank you," she said before looking back to the others, who all were nodding.
Urianger drew up with them to look at the fire and warned, "In those Final Days, 'tis said that monstrous beasts were set loose in the city-terrors made flesh by sorceries run rampant. If Emet-Selch hath been faithful in his reconstruction, then we must be prepared to face many such abominations."
In other words, expect monsters. And lots of them.
Thancred, thankfully, was more than eager to rush in as he drew his weapon and promised, "Ready when you are, Claire. If its proof he wants, we'll give him a fight the likes of which he's never seen."
Again, proof that she wasn't alone. The Light pulsed inside her once more and against the straining against her chest she closed her eyes as she heard the singing from the Light once more:
One brings shadow, one brings light
Two-toned echoes tumbling through time
Threescore wasted, ten cast aside
Four-fold knowing, no end in sight
One brings shadow, one brings light
One dark future no one survives
On their shadows, away we fly
She didn't know what she was going to find, only that she knew that it wasn't going to be anything good. Time didn't favor her but she must brave the Final Days of Amaurot and confront Emet-Selch.
She took a deep breath. This was it… it was do or die as she squared her shoulders and led the way with the others falling into step behind her. But almost as soon as they were through the doors, they were set upon immediately by monsters on all sides. Thancred and Urianger blocked the attackers while yelling at her to continue on.
She didn't wish to split up like this, but then again, it didn't seem like there were many options. She ran on ahead with Alphinaud, Alisaie, and Ryne on her heels while Y'shtola stood her ground with Urianger and Thancred to help them fight off the beasts. All three of them yelled after her that they would watch the rear and catch up to them as soon as they could, which she nodded in understanding before drawing her sword.
Claire could feel the flames of hellfire burning her as they ran through the crumbling city. They emerged from the smoke to be upon the very outskirts of the recreated city… only now it was a world that was on fire with people running and breaking apart around them. Several more giant Amaurot citizens ran past them screaming as she charged on ahead into the very middle of a literal hell. All the while she could hear Emet-Selch's voice echoing from somewhere above them.
"Welcome to the final days of Amaurot…" Emet-Selch's voice echoed around them as monsters appeared through the fire and more meteors continued to fall around them. People were dropping like flies when they rushed in to try and help and the smoke quickly felt like it was choking her.
What caused this? How was this happening? How could everything go so wrong?
"The fabric of our star began to fray…" Emet-Selch's voice called, as if he heard her unasked questions, "And the unchecked energies of creation begat malformed beasts!"
Several of these monsters finally notice them and ran at them. She held up her blade to block the claws and fangs; all the while she could feel her heart feeling like it was about to break apart… not even realizing that there were tears falling from her face. But no sooner were they close to bringing down the first mob did even more pop up and she was forced to take them all onto herself to get them away from the others.
She felt like she was trapped in a nightmare that she could not awaken from.
Yet, once the last mob was down she ran ahead just as a building fell over with a mighty CRASH and created an unstable, but usable, walkway for them to continue. She tripped over the broken stones just as a voice, a different voice to Emet-Selch's, echoed from deep within her.
"Leaving naught in their wake but blood and ash…"
She actually paused there for a moment, taken aback by that unexpected voice… it wasn't even a voice now that she thought of it… more like a gut feeling… like a memory in the very back of her mind…? She gave her head a hard shake as she moved forward while more meteors fell and even more horrible creatures that she couldn't even begin to name appeared before her. She gritted her teeth as she fought them, feeling like she was about to come apart at the seams. She wiped her eyes furiously as she let her anger out when more mobs appeared to attack them.
The path was still open for them, but just barely. They were forced to try and slip through the side streets but often found them blocked or completely destroyed as well. Even if they had known the city like the back of their hands like the people here once did, there was no way that they could hope to get out in time… but she couldn't focus upon that as more fiends were waiting.
She was panting now by the time they turned another corner and Emet-Selch's voice cried out from above: "Just as prayer gives rise to primals, our dread made manifest our deepest fears."
"Thus did the first doom befall us," the echoing feeling inside her seemed to whisper as they came into what looked like part of what had once been a park, though it too was on fire. Waiting for them looked to be a giant worm… twisted and grown grotesque by whatever nightmare was fueled to create it.
She launched an attack as Emet-Selch warned, "The first beast was striking in its unsightliness."
That was an understatement to say the least. This thing was hideous and ravenous as its mouth snapped and bite. It had horns and breathed out poison just as they drew near it… she couldn't tell if it had two eyes or a hundred from the way it's heavy-looking head lumbered about as each of its teeth were as long and sharp as a katana.
"As if to scour away all life, it called down a cataclysmic deluge," Emet-Selch warned and she could sense the meteors falling. She called to the others to get behind the boulder-like meteors that were scattered about them, which they did in time just as a larger meteor was brought down to crush them. They survived but lost their covering just as the buildings around them began to break apart, forcing them to dodge the falling debris.
Her armor took the abuse, protecting her from the worse of it as she stood against it all, warning the others when to duck behind any kind of covering that they could find whenever she could feel another powerful meteor being brought down. They trusted her senses completely and did not hesitate or argue whenever she gave out the warnings, leaving her to focus upon this first doom.
She wasn't sure how long it took, but finally, she lobbed off its ugly head and watched it writhe about before collapsing in a heap on the ground. Her bangs clung to her sweaty forehead and it was becoming difficult to see as she looked up when Emet-Selch said, "Yet even its defeat did not halt the march of oblivion…"
"It would not, however, prove the last," the feeling in her mind added.
Who are you?
She shook her head again, both to clear her mind and remove the strands of her white hair, which had come free of their bindings and was flowing freely again, and raced off into more of the fiery city. She coughed violently, finding it difficult to breath without choking on ash and soot while entire buildings were continue to crack apart.
"The buildings are coming down!" Alisaie screamed as they ducked to avoid being hit by the stones of one particular building broke and crumbled like a shattered window. More monsters were waiting for them further ahead and they were even uglier than the first batch. Well, fine then. She wasn't going to stop now.
She continued on the road with the others directly behind her, each doing their best to hold up but Claire felt her own self starting to falter at this point—moving slower and clumsier.
No… not now! She was not going to give in now! She gritted her teeth as she pushed herself more than she had ever done so before, ready to do just whatever it took to make it to the end. They managed to come to a slightly more stable walkway, but from here on you couldn't even tell it had once been such a grand city. All that was waiting beyond here were malms of flames and blackened, burnt-out skeletons of rubble.
She had also realized that there were no more people running for cover at this point… she looked around at the dead remains of bodies scattered on the ground and she suddenly couldn't stand the sight of it. She screwed up her eyes in pain, racing on even as she felt like she was about to shatter apart from all of this horror.
A truly living hell.
"The land buckled; the cities burned; the waters ran red with blood…" Emet-Selch said as the ground twisted and turned and she was coated with yet another layer of ash.
"For soon did the sun bend low, scorching earth and boiling seas…" the grieving feeling pounded inside her head.
That was when she gasped at the sight of an enormous monster with wings swooping over the wreckage of an empty building. She couldn't tell what it was through the smoke but she could see enormous claws and wings as a horrible roar echoed about her.
But as soon as it appeared, if flew off and she gulped down her fear as she dreaded to think what was waiting for them at the end of this road—which may be coming soon since they were quickly running out of city. No sooner did that fear appear did they come to a dead end that dropped down when the road collapsed. But either Emet-Selch commanded it or not, another building fell and they were able to continue by walking over the broken remains to reach the other side. That was when they came to the end of another building that had been knocked over, revealing a large bird-like creature that resembled a dodo crossed with some kind of primate or lizard with some sort of red mask placed over its face… a creature born of madness.
"Thus did the second doom break us," her own inner voice was warning her as the beast tried to tear into her with its giant talons.
"The beast bellows, and gives birth to terror," Emet-Selch also warned and she wondered how he could be seeing this from wherever he was. "A terror which, in turn, gives birth to new beasts."
So that was how it was? This was mentioned before that something frightened the people so much that they lost control of their magicks. And with these people's powers of creation, able to create just about anything out of nothing…? These monsters were born from their fears. Suddenly so much more made sense… but still, this thing seems to have been created from several people for it was much stronger and tougher than those she had seen before now.
Suddenly, this thing flew off and landed upon a ledge that overlooked them while more monsters, each as ugly as the next, appeared around them to fight instead.
"It's gaze turns skywards and fiery rain falls from the heavens… Once the fear has taken root, it cannot be expunged…" Emet-Selch warned as yet another wave appeared after the first two.
She could see where this was going. They had to kill these things fast and then turn their attentions to killing that 'second doom' before it could wipe them out. And so they were left with no choice but to kill each wave of mobs… wave after wave before the beast finally left its high perch and fell back onto the platform, which threatened to give way from the weight of it, and she could see that it seemed to be charging up.
She sensed something coming and so they went straight at it, all the while, Emet-Selch warned, "As if feeding upon the horror, the beast bloats… then shivers… then ruptures…"
In other words it was going to blow up. So she yelled at the others to kill it as fast as possible while it only continued to grow bigger and bigger, all but glowing like how a bomb would before it set off. Still, they managed to make it in time and though it fell with a crash at their feet, Claire swayed where she stood. The fire only managed to graze them as it disappeared, but she could see the others struggling to breathe at this point.
"Was… that… the last of them…?" Alisaie wheezed.
Somehow, Claire doubted it, but she could not see where they were to go from here.
"Yet this was far from the worst of it," Emet-Selch's voice called out, having been waiting for them to ask that, "Come, and I will show you…"
Rather than another road opening up, she saw an aetherial portal appear and knew that if they stepped into it they could ride it to somewhere else. She didn't know what it was that he wanted to show her next time but she decided to let this carry her and find out. She stepped into it and through a surprisingly smooth ride, they came out someplace very dark and cold… a vast contrast to city they left behind.
She breathed in deeply, grateful for the lack of smoke to choke on… but her breath easily caught when she realized where they were. They were upon a platform of some kind of dark crystal… just above the planet. She stood slowly, her eyes widened while the others let out cries of surprise and fright; staring at the vastness of space seemed to stretch out before them with a scattering of stars and colors. But below her she could see the very globe of the world—as it once was—all aglow from fires that continued to blaze
"Just a little further…" Emet-Selch called and she knew that he was nearby now, "And you will see the end of a world."
Everything around them was aglow with aether as more meteors fell and fire spread and burned the land beneath in such a way that looked like glowing like veins in a goldmine. However the stone platforms that they were all upon were solid enough and they were able to leap between them as Claire wondered again and again just what could have caused of this destruction?
"Yet it was neither claw nor flame, but our very sins…" the feeling inside her whispered as the Light was now bleeding into her vision so that everything was becoming hazing.
"Gods! This place defies understanding!" Alisaie cried, stumbling once they touched down upon the next platform.
That was the point. Emet-Selch created this part just so that they could get a good look at what the planet looked like and what they had lost. That was when she saw the horrible creature from before. Its multiple faces all aglow as she set about dealing with more beasts as it flew about them. She could see that this thing was waiting for them as it shot powerful blasts of energy their way. If they weren't careful they could get knocked clean off the platform. She didn't know what would happen if they fell from here and she didn't think she wanted to know.
At this point though, she could see one final, long platform waiting for them and she yelled at the others to brace themselves when they got there.
"The star was fading," Emet-Selch called, "We saw we had to weave its laws anew…"
"Stacked to the heavens where they took root, corrupting its halls—"
"Who are you?" she asked in frustration to the feelings that were continuing to rise inside her as sorrow gripped her heart. She thought she could hear Alisaie or Ryne ask who she was talking about, but she didn't pay attention as more monsters that were more like tentacles than actual shapes appeared.
Something inside her was telling her this though, warning that something terrible was coming.
They came to the final platform and the beast appeared before them at the far end, causing parts of the platform to break off from its weight. More a massive block with mask-like faces planted upon it with claws and wings bursting forth. It didn't look like a real creature though she knew not how else to think of it.
Only that the name appeared before her though she knew not how that was possible.
"The Chthonic Riddle… Therion…"
It roared as Emet-Selch sighed, "But between us and our goal loomed a final misbegotten fiend…"
"Thus did the third doom undo us…" the feelings inside her mind seemed to whisper before it fell silent.
"I don't care how monstrous it is! We end this now!" Alisaie warned, shaking Claire from her thoughts. Easier said than done. Still, she ran ahead as Emet-Selch called, "From the depths of despair, the last harbinger arose…"
In other words you won't speak with us until we deal with this monstrosity?
Well, this thing was causing the floor beneath them to burn as a surge of aether rose between them. She moved to the sides of the platform for them to stand and she could feel the power going by as they hung on. But the creature was getting closer, leaving a burning path in its wake. Suddenly its ghostly heads appeared on either side of them and more burning blasts of aether broke free from them and she could feel the burns as it heat up her armor from the outside.
"Its voice was fulgent destruction, and none could stand in its path," Emet-Selch said.
She could see why. But again and again as the beast tried to slay them, knocking more stone off the platform and leaving them nothing more than a tiny ledge of the island to stand, they were somehow able to hold on.
"And as it edged inexorably closer, we knew…" Emet-Selch went on as she dodged and grabbed hold of Alisaie by the back of her dress to pull her upright again and away from the edge, he said sadly, "Without decisive sacrifice, our star would surely perish."
Which is why Zodiark was born.
But this time around, the four of them managed to bring Therion down, watching it writhe before it let out a death screech and fell, collapsing in a heap as she stared on, barely registering how the others finally caught up with them. She just stared off into the distance at the falling stars, her mind adrift in this hellish world.
He was watching… he was here… she could feel it.
She felt one of her friends move forward but she snapped at them, "Wait."
They stopped dead and they waited as the beauty and horror of space surrounded them.
And then he came. He appeared from the darkness and began to walk towards them.
"Well, well, you prevailed…" he hissed as he looked over them all. "Nevertheless!"
He held up his hand and she felt a massive surge of power hit them and they were forced back. The others hit the ground hard but she dug her heels in and did her best to remain upright, but ended up falling to her knees as she struggled to hold on… all the while her vision continuing to worsen. She could barely see… light was filtering her sight so that she could barely make out anything but Emet-Selch in front of her.
"Your performance was underwhelming," Emet-Selch stated in disappointment, "And I remain unconvinced of your worthiness."
He looked directly to her and added, "Oh, you tower over your misbegotten ilk, no doubt. But should I bring my full strength to bear, well… you would be as leaves in the wind."
"That doesn't give you the right…" she answered back, fighting for every lungful of air.
Yet, still he wasn't fazed as he raised his head and answered, "The gulf between us is a reflection of the disparity between the world as it was… and what it has become."
Oh, she wanted to move, but her body had finally started to give out and would not budge no matter how hard she pushed. Still, Alisaie wasn't restricted by any such conditions and she was the first one up. She all but flew through the air, her blade drawn, to try and strike at him. But it was as if she had hit some kind of invisible barrier that was between them and the sword was mere ilms away from him as he looked on dully.
"Our worlds may not live up to your lofty standards…" Alisaie yelled, "But they are our worlds! Our homes! Full of life and love and hope!" And she began to slash and attack as she screamed out furiously, "And we won't stand by and let you destroy them!"
She fought valiantly, yet she may as well have just been striking at a brick wall for all the good it did before he held up his hand and she was shot backwards by another burst of unseen power.
Alphinaud cried out to his sister and rushed to her side as Emet-Selch folded his arms and said coldly, "You are a mistake. For we who have known perfection, the shattered Source and these shards are ghastly mockeries of the true world."
He then smirked at the two of them as he finished, "The ephemeral lives you exalt are pale imitations, utterly devoid of meaning."
Alphinaud glared at him as he scooped his sister into his arms and held her close.
No… stop… he was gonna…?
"Belittle us all you like, but we will rise again and again, and give the lie to your insults through word and deed," he growled before looking up and shouting fiercely, "We define our worth, not the circumstances of our creation!"
Again, Emet-Selch wasn't moved—if anything Alphinaud's words angered him as he grunted.
"More prattle."
He held up his hand and snapped his fingers as blackened arrows appeared before them and fell upon the twins. Her eyes widened in horror as Alphinaud bent over to protect Alisaie as Claire felt the explosion—a pure blast of raw energy. She tried to cry out but Light was only dripping from her mouth as she watched on… her heart feeling like it was torn in two when she saw the two of them lying there. She forced herself to calm down enough to be able to see the rise and fall of their chests and knew that they were still alive… but still…?
Rage that she had never known before rose up inside her and gave her the strength to stand.
"How dare you?" she hissed though her voice could no longer speak. No one touches either of them while she was around. In that second she wanted nothing more than to rip off Emet-Selch's head for daring to lay a hand on either of them.
"Fool," he said when he saw her stand, "Who are you? No one. Nothing."
Maybe not to you but that isn't what matters. She mattered to someone… and they matter to her.
"Once I have reclaimed my heritage, my first act will be to expunge your stain from history's weave," he said and suddenly his eyes saddened when he finished, "My world will have no need for heroes."
But she didn't care what he said any longer. She took a step forward and began to slowly make her way towards him, still barely able to see but was too angry to care.
"Still fighting the good fight," he hissed as she staggered onwards. He then shot a burst of aether at her, but suddenly a magical barrier appeared around her, blocking the attack. She had an idea of where it came from though even as she saw Y'shtola's own fiery meteor appear above Emet-Selch's head and come crashing down as the Miqo'te screamed, "It is true that all we hold dear is fated to fade away. But that is no reason for us to forsake it!"
"To take what steps we may, and thus mark the road for those who would follow," Urianger shouted out as well, "To strive for the best of all futures… be this not also thy purpose!?"
But they were now pushing it with Emet-Selch, who finally had enough, and through the smoke came another burst of aether and she could feel the stinging pain fly past her and struck at the others. She looked back in time to see both Y'shtola and Urianger on the ground again.
Oh, her anger was rising even more now.
She glared back as Emet-Selch stepped through the smoke though, his glyph upon his face as he hissed furiously, "Do not presume to speak of my future!"
She took another step as the glyph faded and he shook his head.
"And you!" he snapped, "Why waste your final moments in futile defiance?" His voice then took on more of a mocking tone, "Weary wanderer—you've no fight left to fight! No life left to live!"
No, that wasn't…?
But the Light seemed to disagree and she felt it break free—at last, finding the cracks between its bonds. She screamed in agony as it now was forcing its way out and this time there was no way she could push it back. She fell to her knees as light began to pour out of her body again as she could feel it clawing its way out and she was too weary to fight it any longer.
Emet-Selch could see this and burst out laughing and said, "You see! The Light will not be denied! Surrender to your fate, and let the transformation take you! Rise up in madness and fury! Devour the vermin infesting the land which is rightfully ours!"
Mayhaps it was once yours…
But something white came rushing past her and through the haze of pain she could see that it was Thancred. He reached Emet-Selch, but was blocked by the same barrier that stopped Alisaie. Not that it stopped him as he pushed against it with all his might while shouting over his shoulder, "Now, Ryne! Now!"
Ryne had gotten to her feet and was rushing towards Claire, but Emet-Selch saw this and was now pushing back on the barrier. Thancred dug his heels in, trying to hold him back, but slowly slid back farther and farther before he was knocked backwards off his feet and hit the ground hard. As Ryne was within range of her, Emet-Selch shot another attack directly at her and Claire saw the dark energy go straight through her stomach. She stared on in horror as the girl fell to her knees. She tried to shout out Ryne's name yet no words would come now.
Instead, Ryne was reaching out a shaking hand to her as she pleased, "Fight it… You have to hold on!"
I'm trying… I'm trying so hard… but I can't…?
And Ryne collapsed as she fainted as well, leaving Claire alone. As soon as Ryne's head collided with the stone beneath them the Light seemed to roar out in approval and was now tearing her body apart from the inside, fighting for its freedom. She bit down hard to try and keep it inside but the effect was so great she could feel blood bursting from her lips and splatter upon the ground. She doubled over, coughing up more blood—so full of Light that it left glittering spots on the ground like sparkling gemstones.
She couldn't… she just… couldn't… and she felt her head collide with the ground. But before her vision completely faded into the light she saw a familiar pair of armored boots right beside her.
And then she knew no more.
When Claire next opened her eyes, she found herself in a very strange… place. Everything around her was pure white… like she had stepped into a world of nothing but snow… or the whitest piece of paper… there was truly nothing but whiteness all around her. She could see herself perfectly fine, as well as Ardbert—who was looking surprisingly solid—as she looked at him in confusion.
He was standing there, facing forward, not glancing back at her.
"Ardbert?" she asked before he spoke.
"If you had the strength to take another step, could you do it?" he asked her. "Could you save our worlds?"
Could she? A tall order, but…?
She suddenly smirked and asked, "What, all by myself?"
She had gone on long enough to know that she couldn't do it alone, but she was prepared to try. She knew that she was messed up now… but if he had any suggestions to what to do, she was more than welcomed to hear it. Instead of answering though, she just heard him give a chuckle. Then, without warning, Ardbert's bloodied axe appeared in her line of sight and she looked up, startled to see that he had reached the axe out for her and was smiling.
"Take it," he said to her, "We fight as one!"
And suddenly the pair of them were bathed in more light—but very different to the kind that was inside her. It felt warmer… like home… and as soon as she felt that pure, raw strength flow through her exhausted body she found she could grabbed hold of the misbehaving Light and held it strong as it suddenly recoiled like a beast that had been struck.
No fight left to fight… no life left to live…?
How many times had she asked herself that question? She closed her eyes as the faces of all she knew and cared about came to her minds eye. She thought of the people back on the Source… the Scions waiting for them back home… the people of Gridania, Limsa Lominsa, Ul'dah, Ishgard, Ala Mhigo, Doma…? As well as the friends she had met while here in the First. And that included the people of Crystarium, Il Mheg, Eulmore and all of Kholusia, Amh Araeng, the Greatwood…? Her friends and teachers from all over both worlds and all those who had joined hands with her here…?
It was at that moment when she reached out and touched the axe… she felt their spirits merge into one did she truly come to realize something critical about herself.
From the moment she was given the title as the Warrior of Light, she had said she fought for Hydaelyn and for the light. But she could see now that was a lie.
She thought back to the battle she had with Lahabrea and the Ultima Weapon… she could not help but laugh at how naïve she had been back then to the truth that lay at the heart of the world. But that wasn't important now. Despite knowing what she knew now, if she had the choice to return to that moment and fight them again she would have done it all in a heartbeat. She fought them that day for one simple reason. She fought for Eorzea and the people that called it home. She didn't even think about what lay beyond that.
But that journey to help see a realm reborn from the ashes of the calamity gave her a new name. A title that had become a part of her as much as her real name had even though she never desired it.
Her thoughts then brought her to Nidhogg and her struggle to protect a nation that had faced a thousand years of war and suffering. For years, they thought that Nidhogg was just monster and that they were righteous in their battle… but she had come to realize that nothing in life was ever that simple or clean. She was forced to reflect upon her actions and fought against a creature that did not deserve the tragedy that was dealt to it.
The same journey that cast her eyes heavensward gave her a conscience. To never to judge others for their actions without first hearing what made them this way and to always show sympathy for their pain and suffering.
Her thoughts then drifted towards Zenos and the tyranny of the Garlean Empire… an empire that forced many nations under their heel all for power. The people who suffered under their rule were close to breaking until the promise of freedom gave them the strength to stand up and fight for what they loved. No one was born a monster… monsters were created from their environment but reminded her that moral ambiguity doesn't change what must be done.
That journey through a storm of blood gave her a purpose. A belief that became a rallying call to all around her and lit a fire in her that she knew would never die out.
Which brought her to the here and now. The journey set before her in a new world that was struggling to stay afloat in a sea of destructive light.
Ever since she arrived here, all of those things had been stripped away from her one by one. All of the things that she had worked so hard for until that moment. Her name… her conscience… her beliefs…? Emet-Selch challenged everything about her. Everything that she thought she knew about herself and dug so deeply into her very soul that it forced her to question everything she thought she knew and face her deepest fears.
The reasons she thought that she chose to fight and what it was all truly for.
A Warrior of Light… Warrior of Darkness… it didn't matter what title she went by any longer for she finally understood the real reason she fought. She could feel Ardbert's spirit join with hers and the pain she had been in began to fade away as she felt his strength flow in her veins. His hopes, his dreams, his strength, his wishes… were now all hers. She had become a part of him… and he… he became a part of her.
She could feel him smiling from within her as she found the answers that were always there. When everything she had was all stripped away, the truth that laid there below was laid bare for her to see. In fact, she almost felt the need to laugh at the simple truth that was looking back at her.
She didn't fight for Hydaeyln or even the light… it did not matter if others saw her as a hero or a villain. For the simple truth was that she didn't stand for either light or darkness… she stood for life. For the love of the people that had faith in her and for a new tomorrow for their children and for those who they held dear. She fought for the people, those wonderfully stubborn and optimistic people who showed the best part of them all. The reason she wanted to help was because she could see the good in them and reminded her of the selfless power that they showed to even complete strangers.
What she learned from them was to be brave, never give up, and do what you believe you have to do.
Though Ardbert gave her what was left of his strength, it was that conviction that came from within both of them that was the driving force to get her to stand back up.
This world may be far from perfect, but it was still their home… their hopes. And they deserved to survive and continue to thrive. Those of a doomed future believed in this with all their hearts and sacrificed everything to give them that chance… and so when next her eyes opened, a new feeling was rushing through her body… as if a blazing sun was shining inside her heart that nothing could ever extinguish.
'I understand,' she thought to herself and Ardbert chuckled in the back of her mind, 'And I shall't forget it again. For the Source… for the First… for all the shards out there… we will end this here and now!'
'I like the way you think,' Ardbert's voice answered before she pushed herself back to her feet once more.
*Ardbert*
He could still remember that day... when they first met. He and his friends had travelled around the Source for a short time but it still felt like an eternity given how little time was left to their home. It was both home but also an alien world to them all. However, they were just getting used to this new world... all of the new roads and the differences that came with them despite the familiarity that everything felt.
They had gone to the Gnath that day to deal with Ravana… which only came with minor complications that they could easily handle. After having gotten through that thick shell of his, it was almost easy with all of his friends there to back him up and cut down the primal.
That was when they appeared… the Scions.
At first, he figured that they were just some random adventurers… at least until the Echo struck at his mind and he walked in her memories as she was surely walking in theirs.
Suddenly he was running through the middle of a dark tunnel. Water sloshed into his boots as he ran, the faint light of a lantern being carried by someone right beside him. They had to get out... they had to make it... but were the others alright? Once he got Minfilia out then maybe he could try to…?
There was a loud noise behind them that caused the walls to shake and dust to fall from the ceiling. He skidded to a stop and they looked back, seeing only darkness behind, no different than what was in front of them.
But…? He couldn't just abandon them... they were trapped here trying to help them get out... if he went back then perhaps...?
There was a gasp next to them and suddenly darkness fell almost completely. His head jerked up and he could just make out Minfilia's form through the gloom—lit by only the tiniest of cracks in the walls around them that revealed moonlight. She had dropped the lantern and she was breathing hard as she stared upwards as if struck.
"Hydealyn, she... she speaks to me..." she whispered.
She does?
He looked around, trying to listen... but heard nothing.
"No!"
Minfilia just stared ahead before she lowered her head in defeat. What was wrong? Whatever she heard couldn't have been good. He wanted to ask, but before he could get his mouth to move, still sore from the bruises that those traitorous Crystal Braves gave him, she was already turning back to him. That was when he saw her eyes shining with a fierce determination that he knew anywhere... and it usually meant trouble for him.
She took a deep breath and said, "I must remain behind… but you cannot stay with me."
He was shocked by what she said. What? Now?! After all this?! They were nearing the exit! He couldn't go on alone like this! Why would she even...?
He took a step forward, shaking his head, getting ready to drag her out by the scruff of her neck if he had to.
But she then took a step back away from him as she pleaded, "Please, you must go on! You are the Warrior of Light! You are hope—for the Scions, and for all the realm!"
He froze completely at that title.
Be that as it may... The others... Raubahn, Yda, Papalymo... Y'shtola and Thancred... they all willingly stayed behind to give them the chance to escape and he couldn't just stand back and allow anyone else to just…?
He wanted to say something, anything, but as his mind cast about for something to yell at her, she just looked on with a fierce kind of pride and proclaimed, "As long as your flame continues to burn, the light of the dawn may ever be relit!"
He faltered again, not able to think of anything to say to that.
"But…?" he began as she shook her head.
"You must escape, and save Eorzea from those who would plunge it into darkness!" she proclaimed, pointing onwards to the end of the tunnel where freedom was waiting.
But how...? How could she expect him to do that all on his own? He couldn't... he didn't know where to even go once he got out! What did she hear that would cause her to believe she had to stay? What brought this on all of a sudden? Did she think that she could help the others fight their way out? She couldn't fight! What did Mother...?
Minfilia took one last long look at him—'twas though she was committing their face to memory—before she turned away, as if she was afraid if she looked any longer she may change her mind. Instead, she was now staring down at the murky water at their feet.
"'Tis the only way…" she decided and before he could stop her she bolted back, running back the way they came from down the tunnels and towards their friends... and their pursuers. He just stood there, trying to reach out and grab them... but they were already out of sights and melted into the darkness.
He was about to run after them and drag them... but he knew that look in her eyes and that she wasn't going to back down from her course... whatever that was.
His hands shook as he remembered why they stayed behind... to give her time to leave.
Minfilia's voice ringing in his ears... he turned and ran down the tunnel and bolted towards the end... it seemed to stretch on for countless malms... all he could do was keep going... going... until he reached a blockade. At first, he feared that he was trapped... until he spotted more moonlight shining in through another crack in the wall and began to pull the heavy stones apart.
It looked as if the stones were just stacked up on top of each other like how a child would stack their blocks. After a few minutes of knocking the stones over, the events of the last bell echoing inside his head like someone was drilling a spear right through his skull all the while, he was able to push them apart just wide enough for him to heave himself through. With a shuddering gasp, he was able to finish climbing over the rocks and out into a much wider opening and back into the desert air.
The moment he walked in those memories he knew exactly what, or rather who, he was dealing with. It turned out that his friends all saw different visions of her past, but they all agreed on one thing. That this woman was no different from them.
He could feel everything of how she felt that night in Ul'dah.
Her emotions... he knew them so well for how often did they also plague him? But there was also something else… something so eerily familiar… as if her memories were his own? He didn't know how to put it into words. All he knew was that he hoped that he would never see that woman again, for he understood that it would mean having to fight her and he didn't know if he could do that. He instead ordered the others that they were not to touch her unless she stood in their way… which proved they didn't need to be persuaded to agree.
And then weeks later when they were finally about to return home with Minfilia—having been transformed from the woman he saw before into… something else… he remembered looking at the Source's Warrior of Light and left a warning. This woman was so much like him that he knew that she was in terrible danger of falling into the same trap that he once did. And that was why he begged for her to find a new way… a better way… and allowed himself to drift away along the Light back to the Source.
He honestly never thought that he would see her again.
But the moment he recognized her after a hundred years of wandering… the moment he realized that she could hear and see him… he understood though didn't acknowledge it at the time. It was because of her, he was sure of it. This was the reason why Minfilia spared him, why she doomed him to a century of wandering and denied him his sacrifice from that day… he was here so that he could make it now at their darkest moment.
He didn't know what would become of either of them now… after all, neither of them were whole. He didn't think that they could ever become whole if the pieces of the soul they once were was sundered between fourteen…?
But he somehow knew that this was right.
They were surrounded by light, but it was different from the kind that was eating at them from the inside. It was warm and calm… not unlike the kind that Minfilia was bathed in that day. Suddenly, he saw Claire reaching out for him and he took her hand in his own once more as the words of that ghostly giant from before echoed inside his head:
"A hue that distinctive cannot be mistaken, no matter how thin the soul is spread."
Maybe that was why seeing the burning Amaurot was so painful… made them both shed tears… for a part of them had been there as well. Mayhaps they will never know the full story… including of who they, themselves, were so long ago… but perhaps a part of them still remembered their city burning, their home dying… their very star being burned alive.
But regardless of whoever they were before, this is who they were now and this was their home. They will never see that happen again. And so when she reached out to him, he met her halfway and felt himself melt against hers. She could do it… all she needed was to hold on for a little longer… another boost of energy… and she could do it.
Her soul was in pain, feeling like it was cracking and shattering apart at the very last few strands that were being held together before the Light broke free. He helped to soothe that pain as his own was washing away. Their breathing slowed down until it were the same… and suddenly he could hear his heart beating in his own ears… no wait… that was her heart.
They weren't whole… but it felt… right. Like they had always been there.
And then he felt himself whisper to her, not sure where the words were coming from, but they too felt right when he said, "Listen to my voice. Listen to our heartbeat. Listen."
And she did. She took his hands as tightly as he held her as she found her footing and her resolve. A moment later and suddenly they were one and the same. One breath… one pulse… one mind… one desire…
All the while the song from before rose up inside them and they could both here it inside their minds.
One world's end
Our world's end
Our end
We won't end
I am shadow, I am the light
'I am both,' they both thought together.
I am shadow and the light. Just as Emet-Selch is. They were both the darkness ready to wipe out the other's hope as well as served as the hope for their peoples. Now it determines which side is more determined to see that hope to fruition.
They felt the strength to get up as they spoke but though it was her mouth that moved, it was his voice that spoke, "This world is not yours to end… this is our future. Our story."
*Claire/Ardbert*
"This world is not yours to end… this is our future. Our story."
They were one heartbeat now and their resolve was the same. For the Source… for the First… for the other remaining shards out there… for a future for all the people and all their imperfections… they were ready to fight back.
Emet-Selch stared with his eyes wide with shock and was actually shaking slightly as if he could not believe what he was seeing.
"No… it can't be…" he gasped, staring at them. She didn't know what he saw but it was enough to take him completely by surprise as the Light settled down from within them and Ardbert looking on fiercely from behind her eyes. It was almost a staggering realization when the pain she had bene in just moments ago was almost completely gone at this point… her vision was still slightly hazy but otherwise she was more than ready to fight as her courage mounted.
At that point, Emet-Selch's shock faded to anger as he yelled, "Bah, a trick of the light. You are a broken husk, nothing more. How can you hope to stand against me alone?"
Her eyes narrowed before another voice cried out, "We stand together!"
That took them both by surprise and they looked behind Emet-Selch to find G'raha Tia there. Barely upright with his face bloody and covered with ash and his clothes all torn and dirty… looking as if he had just dragged himself off a war-torn battlefield and was only able to keep himself upright by leaning heavily upon his staff.
Joy filled her heart at the sight of seeing him again after all this, and though worried about his condition to see with her own eyes that he was still alive was more than what she could have hoped for.
Once more, Emet-Selch seemed at a loss for words.
"How did—!? … I'm surprised you can stand at all," he finally said as G'raha wheezed in exhaustion.
"I could not well leave matters half-finished," G'raha answered before he gathered up his energy and began to chant, his staff how held aloft. "Let expanse contract, eon become instant!"
And she realized what he was doing the moment that geomantic spheres of light appeared on the ground around her. By the time that Emet-Selch looked back, the Exarch finished, "Champions from beyond the rift, heed my call!"
The Exarch brought the tip of his staff down with the sound of an echoing bell before pillars of light erupted around her in a perfect circle. And she knew what he was doing. He wasn't able to help her fight himself… so instead he was calling in aid from elsewhere.
"Damn you! Damn you all!" Emet-Selch screamed as she glared back.
'G'raha…' she thought softly.
'Let's not let his faith go unrewarded,' Ardbert said in her mind and she nodded back as Emet-Selch finally seemed to lose it.
"I challenge you, Emet-Selch," she said firmly. It ends. One way or another, it ends today!
He heaved a sigh.
"Very well," he grunted out with surprised fury, "Let us proceed to your final judgement." And as if he were on stage of a grand show he spread his arms wide and cried dramatically, "The victor shall write the tale, and the vanquished become its villain!"
He then began to come closer, his tone growing darker and deeper with every step before he finished, "But come! Let us cast aside titles and pretense, and reveal our true faces to one another!"
And his glyph appeared again as he was engulfed in a dark shroud over his whole body before yelling out, his voice now deep and monstrous, "I am Hades! He who shall awaken our brethren from their dark slumber!"
And so everything faded around her as his darkness billowed out and it felt like a curtain had fallen for a moment before everything reappeared. She looked around, standing upon the cusp of a dying gasp… having left space behind them only to be replaced with the city of Amaurot around them and a darkened sky. No fire or death… not the burning end that it once was… but nor was it the glittering city it had been before all that. Instead, she could see just the bare bones of the city… what it became after 'the final days'. Broken and twisted buildings that were charged and empty… and they were now standing atop one of these skyscrapers beneath a deep, black sky.
And then he appeared before her once more. A sorcerer of eld… incredibly powerful. Dressed in a long cloak and his face covered completely by a mask as it billowed around them. He had four sets of arms at this point, two of them massive, hulking things that were akin to clubs as glyphs swirled around them, and closer to the body were more… 'normal' sized arms that were gray and decaying-looking. He wielded a giant staff of crystal, the image of Zodiark in his hands, and he grew to his true, proper height so that he stood far above her.
As she faced him down, the Light was continuing to sing within her own mind but not in a way that was distracting. Rather it seemed to be as if all those who died before because of the Light were singing in a way to support her. She could hear snippets of the song before but this was the first time that it was sung all the way for her:
For whom weeps the storm,
Her tears on our skin
The days of our years gone,
Our souls soaked in sin
These memories ache with the weight of tomorrow
Who fights?
Who flies?
Who falls?
One brings shadow, one brings light
Two-toned echoes tumbling through time
Threescore wasted, ten cast aside
Four-fold knowing, no end in sight
One brings shadow, one brings light
One dark future no one survives
On their shadows, away we fly
The road that we walk
Is lost in the flood
Here proud angels bathe in
Their wages of blood
At this, the world's end, do we cast off tomorrow
One brings shadow, one brings light
To this riddle all souls are tied
Brief our moments, brazen and bright
Forged in fury, tempered in ice
Hindmost devils, early to rise
Sing come twilight, sleep when they die
Heaven's banquet leavened with lies
Sating honor, envy, and pride
One brings shadow, one brings light
Run from the light
Authors of our fates
Orchestrate our fall from grace
Poorest players on the stage
Our defiance drives us straight to the edge
A reflection in the glass
Recollections of our past
Swift as darkness, cold as ash
Far beyond this dream of paradise lost
Home
Riding home
Dying hope
Hold onto hope... Ohhh...
Home
Riding home
Home, riding home
Hope, finding hope... Ohhh...
One brings shadow, one brings light
One more chapter we've yet to write
Want for nothing, nothing denied
Wand'ring ended, futures aligned
One brings shadow, one brings light
One brings shadow, one brings light
You are the light
We fall
We fall
We fall
We fall unto the end
One world's end
Our world's end
Our end
We won't end
I am shadow, I am the light
She took comfort and courage from the song as she waited for Hades to speak first.
"Show me your 'vaunted' strength. And I shall expose the lie of your fragmented existence!" he cried. She could feel the light around her fading and felt the presence of others around her. She didn't know if she knew them or not, for her vision was still clouded slightly but she knew enough to sense that these figures were those that she could trust and rely upon to aid her here.
She wasn't alone as they all silently vowed to lend her their strength. She led the way, taking his full attention onto her as he turned to face her.
"You are destined for naught else but oblivion!" he roared out as he slashed at her.
"That may be but what gives you the right to slaughter us?" she demanded as she ducked under his massive arms and she could feel the power of darkness around them as it caused the air to vibrate almost painfully.
"Darkness reigns!" he yelled as glowing black arrows appeared about them. "Flee, you fools! You are unworthy!"
He wasn't playing around any longer. The arcane was his to command and he was now bringing down glowing circles of aether. She stood too close to one and she felt pain go through her body and quickly realized that they were deadly to stand in. He wasn't going easy on her as he bore his all against her but there was something still very strange in his battling… Why was he telling her to flee over and over?
Course, she didn't have too much time to ponder that as his power continued to flood the battlefield around them.
He began to use his abilities over and over, more dark arrows, more devastating blasts from above. Eruptions of dark energy…? He was pulling out all the stops. She could feel those gifted in the arts of healing around her though as they closed her wounds… she could feel the others fighting with all they had at her side. She wished she could thank those for fighting with her though she couldn't do so while ducking underneath Hades's ceaseless onslaught.
She still reached out to him though, still trying to understand him. She could see the city around them, all dead and ruined… why would he still be going on when all he once knew was taken away from him? Was there even a purpose? But then again, who was she to talk?
"Give voice to your anguish, my brethren!" he cried.
He then raised his staff as he summoned out more ghosts of the past. Claire hated that he was doing this… summoning those he had lost to fight with him. She took one side while she felt one of her new allies take the other group of shadows of the Ancients.
'I know you yearn for them to be with you again… but they are gone though,' she thought.
'Are they?'
Hades voice inside her head took her aback and she almost ended up getting knocked back by another dark arrow above her head before she dodged it. Was he inside her thoughts?
'Can He truly bring them back? What makes him so different than from any other primal?' she thought.
'We had no choice.'
And then he commanded more shadows to appear around them, having them lend him strength to unleash a powerful attack and Claire had seen enough of this to know that they had to kill the figures quickly to avoid getting wiped out.
'You had your chance. Now it is our turn to live.'
"And by their undeniable grace, may our perfect world rise anew!" he finished, but she knew that he heard her words.
She continued on thinking, reaching out to him, trying to understand and hope that she could be understood as well:
'Is this truly what they would have wanted? What would they say if they could see you now? Would they truly condone the deaths of thousands even if we were as small as insects to you? We may not be as you were… but we are still people.'
'How dare you?' his voice echoed back inside her head as she cut down more of these shadows. 'Why? Why do you deserve to be there when I have lost everything? Lost all that I cared about?! How dare you stand there where she once stood?!'
'Who?' she wondered.
'No, you aren't her. No matter how much you sound like her.'
'I don't understand.'
'It matters not. No more… no more… this will end one way or another today.'
He was hurting… it was almost as if she could feel his heart in that moment and there was such a terrible hollow ache inside that it was painful just to sense it there. He seemed to sense that she could feel it though and he quickly blocked her out as he roared out, sounding more beast than man.
"Yawn wide, the ever-hungering void!" he cried as he tried to finish the spell that the shadows were lending to him. "Devour the Light, and return all to Darkness!"
However, with all of the shades now gone, his magic fell short. Though they were all hit with the blunt of the explosion, it was enough to knock the wind out of their lungs but not enough to kill them. She glared up and she could swear that he was glaring back down at her.
"Impressive resilience… but it matters little," he said as he held up the staff, "I have all eternity to break your stubborn wills!"
To her shock he shoved the crystal end of the staff right into his chest. He cried out he was stifled by the vessel of flesh and so the ground beneath them turned black and darkness billowed out of him before fading away.
And then through the dark she could see dim lights appearing like stars… only they quickly grew larger and larger and took on more distinctive features. Masks. Hundreds of them and they were all merging together to for a single red mask… and that was when the city faded around them and they were suddenly within a dark place surrounded by broken crystal shards and pulsating with dark energy. More masks appeared when a new form appeared… Hades in his true, final form.
A monster of a creature with blackened wings that were made up of the countless masks and the arms grew longer and more skeletal as the claws were glinting in the faint light. She stayed rooted to the spot as the misshapen creature roared out, "The future of this star shall be shaped by my hands!"
The wings barely beat as they hovered above her head and she could see all the implanted faces there, giving her the impression that hundreds of people were glaring down at her. Hades vowed that he was being raised up by the prayers of his fallen brethren and she shook her head. This was terrifying to witness. How can they be praying for this? This is wrong! And deep down she suspected that he was aware of that as well.
"Behold, a sorcerer of eld! Tremble before my glory!"
'You certainly don't look like the hero of your tale,' she thought and his voice echoed back into her mind.
'One may say the same about you.'
'Aye, I admit that. I never said I was innocent. I have committed sins. I have taken lives… countless of them. Perhaps if I really stopped to think about it I may be crushed by the weight of them. But the people of these worlds have as much right to live as your people once did.'
'Wrong… you are all mistakes and I shall prove it.'
But there was hesitation there… very slight… but it was buried there. Yet, he was far from done as his massive arms stretched out over them and she could feel the darkness building. They ducked under the arm to feel the discharge of power miss. Then the wings came together as a shower of aether fell down upon them.
'What gives you the right to decide for us that we don't get to live?' she demanded, feeling the heat of his attacks as they grew more and more desperate.
"Hearken to the world of ruin!"
And before she knew what was going on, she was lifted up into a sphere of dark energy. She could feel it crushing her as those below fought to free her from its grasp. She struggled before she reached out to touch the walls of the dark sphere and she could all but feel his heart laid bare for her to feel.
'I understand. Believe me when I say that I understand…'
She felt that she could reach to Hades heart… a tiny fluttering thing… and she knew that she was far from innocent but she still held onto her belief. The love he held for his people and his home… all buried deep under a veritable ocean of sadness and regret. She reached out and could almost feel herself touching his beating heart and held it securely in her hands.
There was so much pain inside… but there was more to it than that. She could also feel the warmth that came with it.
There were plenty of people who were rotten to the core… but there were still good ones too! Those who deserve to live! She meant what she decided earlier… she no longer stood for Hydaelyn… but she will not stand for Zodiark either. Relying upon them was not the answer. It were the people that needed her protection the most… not a god or a primal! These people deserve to live and she was going to see it.
Meanwhile her new allies were busy battering themselves against the aetherial gaol, and then freeing her from its confides and she fell back onto the ground, spitting out a mouthful of light-coated blood as she ran back in with her sword raised. She wasn't thinking twice about this.
"This place will be your tomb!" he roared, having sensed her resolve and it seemed that her own heart was made known to him as clearly as his was to her.
She forced herself to stand through sheer stubbornness as the attacks began to rain down on both sides. It was at a standstill at this point and with all the support she was given then it wasn't going to end. And no matter how many tantrums he threw, he wasn't going to sway her now that she found her resolve. She could feel his rage as she felt the burn on her cheek heal up and she could swear she felt his eyes upon her.
'I'm truly sorry for what happened to you. I know that you love this world and there wasn't anything that you wouldn't have done for it… something that the people could learn from that… but you all had your chance and it failed! So obviously you weren't so perfect!' she thought and in the moment she felt the impulse of shock leak into through the pain and sorrow.
'How dare you?'
'But it's true! You, yourself aren't perfect! Isn't it hard to think like that?!'
'We were… we were perfect! Compared to you weak, malformed creatures!' he shot back. 'Can you not desire it? A world where there are no wars? No fighting other than in the debate room? Where those that we know and love never left us for all of eternity. Could you not agree that it was better?'
'But it didn't work out,' she reminded him sadly as tears were forming once more down her cheeks. 'You must see that this isn't the answer. You must have been a good man once. Surely you can understand?'
He was silent as the two observed the other.
'Can you truly condemn the purity of mine crusade?'
She gazed back at him, and for a moment, she could swear she saw his golden eyes through the mask upon this monstrous form. She did understand. But that wasn't the problem. She simply could not accept it.
'Did you truly not feel any hope for our kind throughout these centuries? Or did they just become forgotten about?' she asked him wonderingly.
Again he was silent.
She looked to his wings and could see the weight that was weighed down upon them.
'So many masks… so many people you once loved. You bear their hopes and their legacy. It must hurt to carry them all. They must be so heavy,' she told him sadly, wondering if she carried a similar burden without her ever realizing it. If she had wings would they look like that? Now she fully understood why he walked with that slightly hunched over form.
'Surely you of all people could understand then. Could you abandon those you once loved?'
'No… I couldn't. And I won't. But they are still here with me and I will not let them down if I can help it. They are good… as I know that you once must have been. Yet even if all that you wish for comes true, can you really claim to be the same person now as you used to be?'
But that last question seemed to trigger a flood of emotions from Hades.
"Drown in despair!"
And she felt herself bound by glowing chains, held above the ground.
"My dormant brethren, dream now of a dark tomorrow…" he said as everything faded around them in pitch darkness. "By our gathered might must we reclaim these vain reflections!" And the wings broke apart to reveal the glowing masks once more as he cried, "In Zodiark's name, I beseech you!"
No… not here. She could feel the light inside her shuddering away from the dark as she fought with all her strength against her bonds. And she drew upon the Light inside her, seizing control of it properly for the first time and allow it to break free just enough to shatter the chains and cast the glow about them.
"Has the Wardens' Light won free?!" he cried, shrieking as it flowed out and around them, and she used all the strength that she wasn't already using to steady it against her soul. She could feel Ardbert's hand there as well as he focused upon the ever flowing stream and kept it from racing beyond her control. "No… damn you! Damn your wretched blessing!"
The light was hurting him as the floor beneath them was bathed in a beautiful glow the moment she felt her feet land… as if they were suddenly standing upon the facets of an enormous diamond.
"I will extinguish the spark of your miserable lives!" he yelled as she ran at him again. His darkness pushed back against her and she could feel the darkness slowly cover the battlefield upon which she stood again.
"That Light split the world, and every life upon it!"
And so began a tug of war of sorts… both sides pushing against the other with everything that they had left. The darkness grows deeper still and she and her comrades drew closer as the darkness pushed the light to the center of the platform.
"Our tragedy must never again come to pass!" Hades cried out as she let out a cry of anger at the hypocrisy of it all as she screamed out a bitter truth in her mind.
'BUT YOU ARE MAKING IT HAPPEN! AGAIN AND AGAIN… YOU, YOURSELF, HAVE SEEN TO IT SEVEN TIMES ALREADY!'
At that, he seemed too stunned before he roared out and pushed down ever more fiercely upon her and she knew that he was powering up for his final attack. He was exhausted by this point, pushing himself to his limits, and so he was going to end it here and now. They had to finish him quick before he could finish it all. The darkness becomes an impenetrable shroud, encompassing all… suffocating them all.
"Death comes for Her servants…"
'No, I am not a servant,' she countered. They pushed harder and harder as his power continued to build. It was a race against time. This was it, someone was about to lose everything all at once…?
"I shall rebuild our kingdom upon your bones," he promised her.
'And who would wish to live there knowing what was lost to recreate it?'
"For you, who never should have been, this is the end!" he demanded as she pushed back with all of her strength. And finally, she broke through… her hand cutting through his armor as she reached out and in that moment, not only could see feel Ardbert's heart beating along with her own, she felt Hades as well… in time with their own. But the intentions were clear despite his words:
"Abomination!" he shrieked. "You seek to shatter my soul?"
And she watched as he flew backwards, as if terrified of her.
"You…" he howled in pain, "You have no power over me!"
Darkness truly began to billow out from every part of his body and then everything faded around them so that she was upon the cold platform in the dark. She was breathing hard… her heart now painful against her chest and her limbs all felt like lead as she stood there, watching him fade.
'Don't relax,' Ardbert's voice warned her, 'He's not beaten yet.'
"I know," she said out loud as she looked about her, waiting. Meanwhile, her allies slowly faded around her, the summoning now spent and she was left alone. She waited… she could still sense him out there—just beyond her line of sight. She used up a great deal of the Light trapped inside her to push back his darkness just moments ago but she still had plenty left over and was wondering if she could somehow command it to bring some light here to see what was happening… and then…?
"I…will…not…yield."
His voice was shaking with effort and the countless masks appeared once more, all appearing like faces through the thick dark around them. All the while Hades voice continued to ask, wonderingly, pleadingly, as if the answers he sought were beyond his grasp: "Should I surrender this fight, what will become of it all…? What will become of our triumphs? Our hopes? Our… our despair?"
I don't know.
The masks continued to appear… each of different shapes, colors, and designs. They all felt like a thousand, thousand souls were glaring down at her and demanding answers that she could not give them. All the while, Hades was continuing to cry out, pleading for an answer: "What of this anguish which yet burns in my breast even after the passing of eons?"
I don't know. I wish I can answer you. I wish I can take this pain away from inside your soul.
But suddenly Hades's own mask appeared directly above her head and she could feel his eyes upon her once more.
"No, no, NO!" he screamed, out wildly at that moment, power now swirling around them like a windstorm about to pick up as he insisted, "I will not let it all be for naught!"
And he appeared through the dark, his arms reaching for her as she braced herself for the worse. Though injured from the battle, he was ready to continue their fight and she braced herself for the worse, reaching for her sword…?
But then, high above, through a literal crack in the dark, a flash of white appeared.
"Enough, damn you!"
"Thancred?" she cried in shock.
And so it was. Thancred had suddenly appeared—having somehow fought his way to find them—and was now in a freefall towards them. Hades seemed taken aback by this as Thancred spun about upon the giant arms and wings to avoid the claws before he threw something small and white above them and she recognized it immediately as the White Auracite that Urianger had crafted for them. Thancred leapt up and began to attack it and she watched with wide eyes as the stone shattered into pieces and were sent flying, like arrows, towards Hades. In a blink of an eye, over a dozen of them were now embedded inside him and Hades let out a loud shriek of pain as his body thrashed around, as if hoping to dislodge them.
But then, the small shards slowly began to glow and grow outwards as a wind began to pick up around them. She turned around at once to where the wind was gathering and saw the others: Urianger, Y'shtola, Ryne, Alphinaud, and Alisaie all there as they began to pour all their strength into the auracite—pouring all that they had into disrupting Hades's power.
"Such… infernal… strength…" Y'shtola gasped with effort to hold him still as Hades struggled against his bonds. One of the shards suddenly came bursting out of him and shattered upon the ground in front of her friends, almost hitting Alphinaud, who staggered back, his concentration interrupted.
But Alisaie was there to support him and the two shared a look before nodding and with their arms linked, continued their part in pouring whatever they had left into the shard. Each one struggling to remain upright—but refusing to let go until, finally, she saw what they were attempting to do. The largest shard, planted right in Hades chest began to glow brightly so that it looked like a spike of light shot out of him.
Urianger looked to her and shouted, "Now! Strike with all thy might!"
Understanding at once, she turned back and focused harder than she ever had in her life as she reached deep inside for the Light that was swirling about—ready to be used for them instead of against them. Hades realized she was still there and his giant arms shot forward to grab hold of the auracite shard and began to pull it out as she held up her hand—commanding the Light to come to her. And through a great force of effort, she could feel it rising to her command and flow through her hand as she held it above her head, glowing ever brighter as an image of a weapon appeared in her mind's eye.
Hades, meanwhile, managed to smash the stone by allowing the darkness inside him to spread. And when it shattered apart, him looming over them, everything was pitch black. But she stood out in it, bathed in light and the overpowering dark blackening everything so that she was all that could be seen as this servant of the dark was directly above her.
She threw her arm back as she felt Ardbert's presence, stronger than ever, and a new image instead of a sword of light appeared in her mind's eye and she grasped at it tightly.
Ardbert's greataxe.
She felt the weapon appear in her hand, appearing out of nowhere and so the stage was set for the final clash. This was it, one of them was about to go down once and for all…?
And with all her might she threw the axe and it flew straight and true and found its mark. It collided with Hades until everything faded around them but the dark and the light… both sides pushing hard… and then…?
With a blinding burst of light, the light pierced the darkness and it was dispelled around them leaving them blinded with light.
For a moment she was forced backwards and she clenched her eyes tightly and she felt herself drifting about in this sea of Light once more. But as she drifted… an image appeared before her mind's eye. A memory? The Echo? She didn't know… all she knew was that she recognized the location.
Three figures were standing upon the streets of what she knew to be Amaurot… standing just outside the Capitol building. Two of them were near equal height—though one had their arms folded as if annoyed and the other seemed to be trying hard not to start laughing. The third figure was about a head shorter than the other two, and seemed to be standing there with their arms behind their back, with a rather innocent air about them and a chuckle upon their mouth.
The one whose arms were folded continued to glare at them, tapping his foot as he gazed at the third visitor and seemed to be waiting for an explanation of some kind.
"I just figured…?" the smaller said a little playfully, and Claire realized that this figure was a female—judging from her voice, "That it would be a very interesting experiment."
"Experiment?" he sighed, and Claire gasped at the sound of Hades voice speaking from it, though it was in the same language that the rest of the Amaurotians used. "You went ahead and did this on your own without informing any of us?"
"To be fair," the third figure spoke up, and Claire was startled again to recognize this voice as belonging to Hythlodaeus—having just spoken to him a little while ago. Though they all sounded similar, her sharp hearing was able to pick up on the tones of each one and she was almost certain she was right on who each one of them were. Hades… Hythlodaeus… but for this third figure…? She did not know them yet there was something so strangely familiar about her…?
"Oh, what's the harm?" the smaller figure asked. "The volcano was about to erupt and something needed to be done."
"Which we need to allow to happen," Hades countered. "Though we are caretakers of this world, we must allow it to continue as naturally as possible for the sake keeping this star healthy."
"Exactly," she agreed. "So I didn't—put a stop to it so to speak…?"
"To be fair…" Hythlodaeus sniggered, his laughs continuing to seep through, "Thanks to her, the explosion of fire, lava, and the sea created another isle. A blank slate, almost! Imagine what that could become one day?"
"Regardless, she should have contacted us first about this mad plan of hers," Hades reminded him.
"What? And then be forced to wait around for a fortnight before the rest of you made up your minds?" she asked him with a shrug. "There was no time and you all just love hearing yourselves talk so much that the volcano would have gone off before you all even remembered what you were arguing about."
"Do you remember why you were offered a seat upon the Convocation?" Hades sighed, "That does not excuse you to do what you wish."
"I know that," she said, still in that light tone. "But the island had a village on it and the volcano has blessed them with such fertile farmland… but that would be buried under so much fire that I knew something had to be done or they would have lost everything… especially since that last storm ruined much of their ships so they couldn't all hope to leave in time before the eruption."
"If you feel that strongly about the people, why not create new ships for them to leave on?" Hades asked exasperatedly.
"Oh, I didn't think of that," she said in a way that didn't fool anyone and Hythlodaeus couldn't hold back any longer and burst out laughing even as Hades glared at him.
"And you thought taking the eruption elsewhere would be the best decision?" he asked.
"Well, it wasn't easy," she confirmed, "However stiff Lahabrea may be though, he is a master at coming up with some interesting creatures. You know that fire spirit of his, Ifrita, was a real form of art almost. Anyway, all that power had to go somewhere so I transferred it to Ifrita and then drew her away from the island so that when she was destroyed… it would be in the middle of the ocean where no harm could be brought to anyone. Of course, fighting the living embodiment of a volcano wasn't easy… but I did eventually bring it down. And imagine my surprise when I looked around to find that the aether that had been released gave birth to a new island! It's just off the coast of Amaurot… not too far from us…?"
"You shouldn't have done that," Hades countered, "What if something happened to you?"
"Why, Hades… one would think that you were concerned," she laughed and he suddenly became all hunched over and shook his head as Hythlodaeus, still sniggering, patted him on the back.
"I'm going to be hearing from this from Lahabrea later on, aren't I?" he asked.
"Hey, if they didn't want that thing to be used, they never would have stored it's concepts in the Bureau of the Architect," she reminded him.
"You realize that you could be censured… again," he reminded her. "At this point, the Convocation is half ready to strangle you. You're lucky that our current emissary is still so young and fascinated upon your 'refreshing perspective' otherwise you would have lost your seat by now. But tell me why you were so eager to prevent the eruption if you could have gotten the people away from there in time? And this better not have to do with the grapes that Elidibus told me about. I don't care how delicious they are."
"Those grapes were those people's livelihood," she informed him. "Not everywhere is like Amaurot, after all. Not only would they have lost their homes, but they would lose much of their food and wine supply, and I know how fond you have become of wine."
He sighed and shook his head, exasperated before turning to Hythlodaeus and snapped, "This is all your fault! You enabled her to much and now look what you did?!"
"She is a free spirit," he reminded her with a laugh. "Have you ever tried to stop her? Even if I said no, she either would have stolen it or found another way. I just saved us all the headache and trouble that would bring us."
"And now I have to deal with the headache from her actions now," Hades retorted. "For some reason the Convocation seems to think that I can control her. I have no say in where she goes nor how long she's gone for… sometimes she leaves for decades at a time before showing up again!"
"Yes, you have complained about that greatly over these last few decades. What was it that you were telling me what that's like, my friend?" Hythlodaeus asked curiously, "That she comes and goes like the brilliant sun and when she is gone, like laughter on the wind, everything seems so much darker…?"
"What?! I never said that!"
"Oh, do you mean that, Hades?!" the figure gasped happily, "Be careful though, or some may be thinking that the great Emet-Selch would be showing favoritism! Think of the scandal!"
"No! That's not at all what I mean…?!"
"Now look who's the enabler," Hythlodaeus said with a playful nudge in the side with his elbow. "You can't say no to our dear friend even if you tried. Now you know why I couldn't stop her. She's got us wrapped around her finger."
"Shut up," Hades said, but even he sounded like he was lightening up and when he looked at her, there was an air of fondness mixed in with his scolding.
"Thank you for caring, Hades," the figure told him and he turned back to her, and Claire could all but feel the embarrassment echoing off him as he tried to stammer an excuse before barking, asking how she can keep doing these foolish things again, and again, and again.
"It is who I am," she answered. "My nature, I suppose. I'm happy… and I can make so many others happy, which makes me even happier. But I don't see that as a bad thing. It is how it is and so why would I ever wish to change that?
He just stared at her, as if stunned by her answer, before he shook his head and slumped forward once more as if he could not bring himself to argue with her.
"Do what you wish, but still you will have a lot to explain to the Convocation about your actions and…?" he began before she suddenly reached into the bag at her side and, quicker than blinking, she had pulled out a grape from inside and stuck it into Hades mouth as he was talking. He choked before swallowing the sweet juice and he seemed to freeze up.
"They're good, right?" she asked with a laugh. "And the people were so grateful they gave me more than I could ever eat! Come, let us go to the park and enjoy them while we talk about some of what I've seen! If you and the rest of the Convocation ever thought to stray beyond this city then you would see it as well. The desert kingdoms… the cities of the forests…? The people who live in the tall mountains to the north…? So many places with so many interesting people. Please, Hades, will you not come on an adventure with me sometime? It doesn't have to be a long journey… but… please?" she asked him and he looked down at her before sighing.
But then Claire watched as his hand reached up to gently pat his friend on the top of her head as he gave in to defeat and promised her, "Someday."
And then everything faded from there.
Claire felt sorrow inside her heart at the scene even as the memory faded from around her and left her in the light. But she knew that Emet-Selch was still there, she could feel his presence.
'You wish to go back to those moments… those carefree moments?'
…
…
…
'Yes. More than anything.'
Her eyes opened through the haze.
"I'm sorry," she said softly. "But please… there's no need to continue on like this. I know that they wouldn't wish for you to suffer like that."
She heard him sigh.
'I know.'
"But who was she?"
'Someone precious. She is gone now though.'
"I'm sorry that you couldn't keep that promise to her," she whispered, having felt the yearning in his heart to be allowed to journey with this treasured friend of his… even if it was a small journey.
'No… I did… in a way.'
"What do you mean?" she asked again.
'In the end, it doesn't matter,' he said and she felt him standing behind her and his hand upon her shoulder. 'Perhaps… it has been long enough. You are you… but not you. I see that… now.'
His words confused her but the way that he gripped her shoulder wasn't a malevolent way. It was… kind… but also sad. She reached up and placed her hand over his own and she could feel the way that he was touching her heart the way that she had felt his own. She heard him give a strange kind of purr as she felt as if his essence touched her very soul.
She felt the final motes of Light that had been inside her fade away and the pain fade completely. She felt strong, young, and heathy again… as if nothing could stop her. Like she could run all day long and never get tired. She wanted to set to the road and explore once more…? She almost laughed this time… having not felt this way since she was a child and first decided that she wanted to become an adventurer. She remembered the way that she would practice with all manner of toy or wooden weapons as she prepared for the day she would be allowed to leave home. The villagers who cared for her were worried for her safety despite how… different she was. They tried to sway her from her path but the more they talked about staying here in this small place, the more she yearned to see the world. So when she was of age, they waved her off and wished her luck… though she knew that she would never be able to return after that.
"Is that why you chose to walk this path?" Emet-Selch asked her softly, speaking to her instead of inside her own head.
She raised her head and stared off through the Light and could almost imagine seeing the horizon with the sun rising before her eyes. Before arriving here, she would have struggled for an answer, but the truth was plain before her now… especially after seeing all that.
"It is who I am," she answered. "It's not like… it's not like I like feeling pain and seeing so much death and loss. When I left home, I had no idea that any of this was waiting for me. And if you had told me back then what my life would be like… fighting gods, leading rebellions, travelling to other words…? I would have laughed at whatever bottle they were drowning themselves in to come up with any of this."
She smiled sadly at that before closing her eyes.
"But that is how it is," she finished. "I know how you feel about mankind. I know that we are far from perfect. That we are guilty of so much death and destruction. Maybe the world was better off when Amaurot was still here… but it's not. We can't go back. And deep down, I think you know that."
He knew. She could tell that from the tempest of emotions that were turning around inside him. He knew that what he wished for was gone and even if they completed the Rejoining… things could not simply pick up where they left off. He can't return to those days with those that he loved no matter how much he wished it. Yet he could not bear to let go of his dreams now, not after all this.
"I'm sorry," she told him again. "I know that you love this world and it hurts you as much as anyone else to see it suffer so. But can you honestly tell me that there is no good in our kind? That there is no trace of the old world in us all?"
He did not answer as he let her talk and so she went on.
"I don't know how things will end for me," she said, "But I know that someday I will be dead and in the ground one day. Eventually, my story will pass into legend. But that is our fate. To live, struggle, and then die. But still, someday… someday maybe a greater paradise will be waiting for us. By stopping the Eight Umbral Calamity, as I am sure you must have learned by now from the Exarch… a beautiful future could be waiting for us. Maybe even reaching the heights that Amaurot could not have reached."
She opened her eyes and lowered her hand from his.
"And if that future, no matter how many centuries that's away from us, could be waiting for us… then a little pain from me is a small price to pay to see that path to the people," she finished.
'Well said…' Ardbert's voice whispered in her ears and she felt her heart grow warm at his voice.
Emet-Selch, meanwhile, remained silent for a moment longer but she felt his hand grip her shoulder a little harder before he chuckled.
"I see," he sighed. "Alright. I give up. I could never reason with sentimental fools. Perhaps that was what I found so endearing about your kind."
And then his hand was removed and the light blinded her again for a moment.
"But… if I am to admit defeat… I will ask… a favor."
"What favor?" she asked before he was suddenly gone.
It took several minutes for the light to die down and for Claire to see through it again. This time, they were back outside where their battle took place… still upon the rooftop of the remains of Amaurot, surrounded on all sides by the ruined city with clouds drifting across a swift sunrise. But her eyes were focused upon what was right in front of her… with the axe of Light embedded upon the platform mere yalms ahead of her, glinting with it's pure aether under the glowing sun… all while looking straight through the gaping hole in Emet-Selch's chest.
She stared at him as Emet-Selch, dressed in the hooded and dark cloak of the Ascians—a shade of the world that they had once been a part off—raised his hand to rest upon the wound as his aether bled out of him.
She watched as he slowly reached up and pulled the hood down from his face so that she could see it. There was no pain there… no sadness or anger… just… indifferent acceptance.
He looked long and hard at her.
"Remember… remember us…" he said and she realized that for the first time since meeting him, he was standing tall instead of being slumped over as he had before.
His eyes found hers as he closed them for a moment and finished, "Remember… that we once lived…"
'I will remember… I promise you that.'
'I know you will.'
She nodded back before he smiled. The first real, true simile that she had ever seen from him… like how he had smiled at that 'friend' of his in the memory. And as he looked at her… at her… not through her or past her… looking for someone else… instead, it was as if he could finally see who she really was and not whoever he was hoping to find.
For just that moment, their minds and souls were linked and they came to fully understand each other. A strange peace passed over Hades face as his body began to glow with aether… and then it shattered apart. His body and soul both faded at long last.
*Emet-Selch*
Every time Emet-Selch had to look at the Warrior of Light, he was nearly overcome with an urge to scream.
Why? Why was she so like… like her?
He could remember how that soul used to be, how shining and beautiful…? But now it was just an ugly, fractured piece with its hue washed out and weak and he could almost feel the edges where it had been cut away from the original whole.
Somehow… his dearest friend was gone and was replaced with this half-broken… thing walking around with it.
The last time that he had seen a piece of that soul was one of those foolish warriors of the First who pushed this world to cause the flood. Elidibus thought to use them to trigger another Rejoining before the end. It did not go through like how they hoped, but it was enough to salvage this world to a point that they didn't have a repeat of what happened to the Thirteenth Shard.
But as soon as he had seen that warrior's soul he could not help but be reminded of how it used to be. Even now, he could have sworn that he saw a shadow of the fragment following after this larger piece. But at that moment, when she stood up, that soul brighter than it had been in centuries, he felt shock going through him when she suddenly stood before him.
He had been pushing her to remember… to retake her title and rightful seat. He had the star crystal with him if she should wish it… but no. She just… she did something unexpected that changed all the rules like how she always did! He didn't know how but somehow a Rejoining happened within her so that her soul was now more… her than it had been in countless centuries.
Of course she would be like this.
She was never one to give up without a fight.
She had always been there to brighten up the day whenever she came around. When she was there even the stormiest day seemed to brighten up. Brighter and warmer than any other soul as she would lend her aid to any who asked. She could never refuse to aid someone if they needed it. He remembered how he would go to her whenever he needed aid, especially when they were young and how she would sit by him through the night if she thought that he needed his help. It was thanks to her encouragement that he pushed himself and earned the title of Emet-Selch despite his 'young age'.
She was special to so many… though a bit of an oddball to the people of Amaurot. She hated the robes and masks and so when she had risen to the seat of the Fourteenth, she took it joyfully for she was able to leave the city and travel the earth for as long as her heart desired. She was required to return to the city to make reports, and the amount of trouble she caused for them when she was away for so long only to appear with a mountain of reports of problems that she had already dealt with.
They have told her off so often that it became normal for them to just scold before she would just smile and wave, promising to behave herself next time… which they all knew was just said out of habit.
She would be gone for weeks, months, hells she once disappeared for a good solid 200 years before finally returning one day—shocking them all as they were just wondering if she had been killed. He never believed that though. He would always be there to wave her off and wished her safe travels before hoping that she would stay well along the road.
That was just her way. She would handle those problems on her own before she would set off again. She always made a habit of visiting him and tell him of all that she had seen, all but dancing with joy at exploring new lands.
But then when the world broke apart, she was among those that he had lost. It was so very dark and lonely for he had lost everything else that he had ever cared for that, in desperation and despite Lahabrea's and Elidibus's wishes, he created a special stone that contained her memories. He kept it with him for centuries and during those days that it felt like there was no hope or light, he would find himself staring into the crystal and be taken over by a strange calm. If he closed his eyes during those times he could almost wear that he was back in his beloved city and she was there as she told him about her latest adventure.
He had walked countless malms for countless years as he suffered in silence, drowning in regret for failing their people. The days that he struggled to stand under his burden was akin to being crushed under an avalanche and he could only pray for the strength to keep going.
The worst parts were the shards of the souls that he used to know. They were reborn but he would lose them almost too easily.
The worst was her though. The forms that she took were different every time but he never failed to recognize her. Always different races, different faces, different names… of both men and women throughout the long history of the world and its shards. But always there, doing what she loved doing.
This woman was just the latest in a long line of her successors.
Yet he couldn't hate her and that was what angered him.
Mostly because he knew what she would say to him if she were herself. If it had been his friend here with him, he knew that she would never approve of his actions.
But what else was there for him?
They who loved the planet to just be forgotten and disappear? No… that would be more final than any death.
Instead, he would give her one last chance to prove him wrong.
He took her friend from her and told her where to find him and so he disappeared below the surface with the Exarch and waited. He was able to gleam at least an understanding from the Exarch… though the man was stubborn in explaining anything to him. He eventually learned that he came here from a 'doomed' future and believed she was the key to ensuring that future never come to pass.
When he felt her presence in the city at long last, he left the Exarch behind to meet with her as the soul had finally returned to the copy of the home they once shared in. To his disappointment, she still did not recall anything of her former life… but that no longer mattered. The stage had been set and so all he had to do was play the part of the villain for the story to see if he could have his answer once and for all.
And so he played through with it with perfection as he was want to do.
She rose up and with her little friends and found a way. She had passed her final test and her soul shone brightly again for just a moment. It was here he spoke his true name and took his final bow off the stage.
So then, why did she look so sadly at him during those final moments?
"I challenge you, Emet-Selch. It ends this day. One way or another, it ends."
The same words that she spoke so long ago that day. And it was after that when the entire world shattered into pieces… leaving just three of them intact.
And so he served Lord Zodiark faithfully… truly believing that he would one day bring everything back and return them to the lives that they once knew. But after so many years… walking among the people and learning about them… the weight of his guilt was so great that it felt as if his own soul was to shatter from it.
It time, that grew to equal the weight of the souls that were counting on him to free them and return the world to how it used to be… forcing him to walk with agonizing pain for countless centuries. Whenever he was allowed to drift off to slumber within the dark, it was a welcomed relief where he could relive his former life and walk the streets of his beloved homeland in his dreams. Only to awaken some time later to the cruelty of reality.
But in that moment when she dealt that final blow… the entire world became sharp and focused again in a way he could not remember when he last felt it. Even as he returned to his original form and lowered his hood… a hand going up to the hole that he knew was in his chest, he did not feel the pain.
He looked to her eyes as she breathed hard… her soul, which had been so close to breaking apart, was healing and the light gone. Now he remembered…
With Zodiark no longer whispering in the back of his mind, he could see clearly once again even though grief echoed through him. But he still stood as he could feel death coming for him at long last. He did not fight it though… his journey was over. This long… long… lonely journey was over and he could rest. It was not at all how he wanted it to end but… for some reason he found that he did not mind it so much.
To think that he would be meeting his end by her hands…?
This woman who was both her… and not her…
And he accepted that for he understood that he was the same. The real Hades had died long ago when the world was first sundered and he was just the pitiful preserved remains. But still, his greatest fear remained with him and so he spoke up while he still had the strength.
"Remember us…" he said for his last request, his final words, to this fragment… to… her successor, "Remember that we once lived."
She—Claire—looked back at him… her eyes… her eyes just like how they were so long ago… though he could swear that he saw just the tiniest flicker of recognition there as she nodded. He could remember how she was never much of a talker, but when she made a promise, she kept it to the very end.
"The rains have ceased and we are blessed with another beautiful day," she was so fond of saying and he smiled as he felt the warm rays of sun upon him.
In that brief moment he saw the Light of hope again and was free from his burdens. Dawn was breaking at that moment over the horizon as he was thrown from the stage and his shadows took the light. He managed to return here to his home—even if only in a dream—and be reunited with a piece of his friend… family…
And he allowed himself to fade… to merge away with the Lifestream as his pain finally, finally was lifted.
*G'raha Tia*
The others flocked to her the moment that Emet-Selch vanished.
He had been too weak to help stand with them before… having poured all that he had left into his summoning allies to fight with them.
But they did it. They really did it.
Claire slowly turned towards her friends, looked exhausted but was still alive and breathing. Her deathly pale skin was flushed and the dark shadows under her green eyes had faded; but the most noticeable change was her hair. She stood there with the others, alight with the glow of the dawn and her white hair having returned to its shade of familiar pink and she was smiling with the others as if she had never felt better in her life.
"It's over!" Alphinaud gasped, his face melting into such a gentle expression that could only be described as loving. "Emet-Selch is no more!"
For a moment it looked like he was about to throw his arms around her and kiss her before his sister pushed him out of the way and demanded more urgently, "More importantly, how do you fare?"
The Exarch slowly pushed himself upright as Claire answered, "I feel… fine. Better than fine… I haven't felt this alive in ages!"
And he believed it for she looked healthy again. Like she had sprung back from that frail shade that had been there before and fully recovered from some dreadful illness. Y'shtola seemed to concentrate upon her as Urianger asked what she was seeing.
"Her aether… it is… it is as it used to be…" she whispered in shock, stunning them all.
The others flocked around her, looking baffled and not sure if they believed her… but the evidence was right before them. Y'shtola seemed to be trying to find an explanation for this… miraculous recovery.
"As a disciple of Zodiark, the Ascian was the Darkness to your Light… I can but assume that when you set your strength against his, the Light within you was spent."
Could it be that simple?
"No, it's more than that," Ryne countered, everyone immediately turning to her. "Under the strain of that incredible flood of aether, your soul had begun to break apart. Yet now it seems somehow… restored."
Ryne now seemed very confused as she asked, "I tried to help you before the battle, but Emet-Selch stopped me. So h-how did you—exactly what did you… can you tell us what happened?"
The question sort of drippled away as they all stared at her. Claire didn't answer as she looked behind her to where the glowing axe of Light remained embedded in the ground. He followed her gaze as it twinkled in the light of the rising sun… before disappearing into specks of light.
Claire then turned back with a mysterious smile and answered, "I had help from a hero of this world…"
Everyone else looked at each other, completely battled by this as Ryne only choked out, "I see…"
Claire grinned, her face dirty and suffering from some cuts, but she was so full of happiness that it was all but blinding.
He could barely bring himself to look at her.
It was all his fault that this happened after all.
The pain in his body was nothing to the terror he had felt at thinking he had doomed a friend to an agonizing, painful transformation. Despite all of his planning and preparations, he didn't ever expect to be kidnapped by an Ascian at the end of it all. Instead of allowing her a quick death at the hands of the Black Rose, he feared that he created something even worse than that.
But still… it was over… ending better than he ever could have hoped for.
Urianger was the first to notice him there as he limped his way to them… his hood off and knowing he must look a mess. His head was down and his ears, now free of the hood, were drooping low as he looked to the ground and played with some of the bands on his arms when he felt their eyes all upon him,
"Where to start?" he asked. He could feel blood dripping down his face and across his nose but he didn't dare try to stem the bleeding as he tried to find some way to explain himself.
"I believe I owe you all an apology…" he finally murmured, still unable to bring himself to look at any of them. And when he felt her eyes on him, he added, "And you most especially."
There was a moment of silence and he got the impression that the other Scions were looking from him to Claire and back again. And then…?
"Tis good to see you awake, G'raha Tia."
Hearing his name with her own voice caused his head to jerk up and stare at her as she smiled back. It was warm and kind without any signs of anger or hatred. Hearing that, seeing her expression as if he were something dear, knowing that she didn't hate him was enough to bring the tears to his eyes. He couldn't hold tears back as they fell down his face and he hid his face in his crystalized limb even as more spilt out.
It took a few minutes for him to regain control enough that he could speak without choking on sobs and he rubbed the tears away so that he could see clearer… though more tears were already forming as he answered, his own smile shaky, "Well, 'tis good to be awake."
And so they came over to help him walk out of this recreated Amaurot and back into the Tempest to the dream-like version of the city. When they reached this point, he had been able to fill them in on what happened to him after he had been shot at the top of Mt. Gulg. He had awoken here in a holding cell after Emet-Selch healed the bullet wound in his back and questioned him. He also confessed that his wounds weren't from the Ascian. Emet-Selch knew all manner of manipulating answers out of him without resorting to violence… and just questioned him over and over again until he understood the very basics. G'raha didn't tell him anything about how the tower was able to travel through time nor of those who helped him do so… but he did accidently let slip of the future that was waiting for them if things weren't stopped… and it was the first time he actually saw concern on the Ascians face.
Still, eventually Emet-Selch left him, saying that he had to go and deal with the 'guests' that had just arrived.
When G'raha first awoke in this recreated ancient city, he had demanded answers to what happened to the Warrior of Darkness and to the First… actually believing that they had left the First behind after seeing this ghostly city before him.
Emet-Selch played with that thought and that was how he was able to learn of the dark future that waited for them before he informed him that they were still in the First and that his 'hero' was still alive and as herself. But said not to grow attached to that idea since it was only a matter of time before thing changed.
When he left him, he knew that she had to be here and he had to do something to help. He managed to escape his cell just after the others went running through the ruined version of Amaurot and he gave chase. Of course, fighting his way through a reimagined 'end of the world' wasn't easy on his own and so he felt that he was lucky that he managed to make it through with all his limbs still attached.
At least, that was what he told the others.
But then Claire suddenly grabbed hold of his cheek and gave him a sharp pull.
"Ow, ow, OW!" he yelled.
"You realized you scared me for that?" she demanded before she let him go and he rubbed the side of his face broodingly before she surprised him again when she wrapped her arms around him and gave him a tight hug.
"Oh, G'raha…" she sighed, "What are we to do with you?"
He immediately felt himself melt at that and returned the hug back tightly, relief and gratitude still rising up inside him before he heard a slight awww and his head jerked up to see the others watching with smiles.
"You know, Exarch, if you had told us that you were friends from the very beginning I may not have given you such a hard time," Y'shtola said, but she was smiling at the sight.
"I'm sure that we will have ample opportunity to discuss this when we get back to the Crystarium," Thancred interrupted, "And return to the people their stubborn leader. So… any ideas how to get back?"
Claire broke away from him as he thought it over. In truth, he used up just about all that he had left when invoking his summoning spell. He had a little bit of strength left for another teleportation spell… but nowhere near strong enough to take them as far as to Lakeland… or even to Kholusia. But, he did inform them that he could get them directly upwards to the surface… but after that they would still be in the middle of the ocean—a good few malms away from shore.
"You mean we will have to swim back?!" Alphinaud gasped in horror and Urianger went pale at the thought.
*Later*
Claire slowly woke up, her body exhausted and her head hurting only slightly from the lengthy swim. She was able to get back up, her muscles all pulled tight, and feeling a slight chill in the air from wherever part of the island they washed ashore on. That was when the cried drew her attention and she looked up to see the crowd waving and cheering for them at the docks, and she smiled back before looking up to the sky.
The light was gone, truly gone, revealing the world as it was always meant to be. Which means, if this sky had returned to normal… then the rest of Norvrandt must be enjoying similar views right about now.
She would later learn from the citizens of Kholusia what happened. It all came without warning… the fierce bright light had faded to calmer and warm sunlight. Revealing a beautiful blue sky for the first time across the entire land of Norvrandt in a century. A crowd gathered upon the docks once word reached everyone in the city that a giant whale had been spotted flying mere bells before the sky cleared.
The Chais were among them as they looked around, hoping for some kind of an explanation by the time that they made it back. None of them had ever seen a more beautiful sight… never having seen such a shade of blue before or even seen the sunlight. Their city, while looking so grim and creepy before, now looked truly breathtaking against it.
Claire then looked over to her left to see her friends all dragging themselves from the water. Alphinaud was able to make it a few steps as he wheezed as if he had never breathed properly before.
"I didn't think… we'd be swimming… the whole way back…" Alphinaud gasped as he staggered a few steps away and fell to his knees. "Heavens… heavens… take me…"
And he fainted right then and there.
If she should ever get him home, the first thing she was going to do was take him back to Kugane and see if the Kojin could do something to help him.
"Alphinaud?" Alisaie asked before marching over to him, cursing under her breath, "Oh, hells…"
And as Alisaie began to try and poke him awake as the others behind them were slowly catching their breath and Y'shtola was tending to the Exarch. Y'shtola and Urianger had already saw to his wounds, with the former showing much more care than she had in the weeks that she had seen the two interact… though the Exarch was still as battered-looking as ever. He was assuring them that he would be alright, but he would have to move much slower… he had been away from the tower for far too long already and so he had to reserve whatever was left of his strength before he could 'recharge' when they returned.
As everyone rested Ryne began to look around.
"Wait!" she cried out, "Where's Urianger?"
And sure enough, their solemn friend was nowhere to be seen. Claire had noticed he was floundering a bit back a ways but had assumed that Thancred was taking care of it when he snapped at Urianger to just relax and not thrash around and sink them both again.
Speaking of which, Thancred, who got to his feet, scoffed and said, "He must have fallen behind…"
"But… shouldn't we look for him?" she asked worriedly.
Y'shtola just looked up and smiled as she reassured her, "He'll wash up sooner or later."
That was cold. She could only assume that there were still some slight negative feelings for him lying to them before. Well, if they weren't concerned with him 'missing' for the time being, she didn't think that they had to worry.
As Alisaie was now shaking her brother hard to get him to wake up, Claire heard a joyful voice call out, "Welcome back, dear ones!"
She looked up to see Feo Ul appear with a bright smile on their face. Claire just beamed back, feeling so relieved and grateful to be alive as her pixie friend flew in close happily. Claire only laughed as they fluttered about and she approached her friends, all of them looking relieved and as tired as she felt. The Exarch, or G'raha Tia, stood up and they shared a look of understanding before they were able to meet with the people of Eulmore—who were already giving them a warm welcome and asking what happened.
Knowing they would never believe the whole story, they just told them all that the one responsible for the light has been dealt with and that they need not fear anymore Lightwardens. Someone was kind enough to send a message ahead of them to the Crystarium, reassuring them that everyone was alive and well and would be making their way back soon.
They had to wait around for a good deal while before Thancred finally stepped into the ocean to fish Urianger out before they made their way back to Lakeland. It was a long way back to the Crystarium, in fact the sun had set to the night sky by the time they returned… but they were in no hurry. Along the way, she could see how G'raha's body seemed to become straighter as energy was returning to him. And the second they spotted the spire in the distance, he let out a sigh of relief as he seemed to recover before their eyes.
When they reached the bridge to the city proper, they found a crowd already waiting for them in the distance, probably having heard of it from the scouts and guards as they were approaching. What looked like all of the Crystarium had come out to welcome them back, all of them letting out cries of joy of seeing them, especially the Exarch, and waved joyously.
She and the Exarch were out in front and she could see him pause there for a moment and she shared a sympathetic look.
"Come on," she said, "They're waiting for their fearless leader to reassure them."
He smiled back and they walked on together. As she stepped forward though, she could have sworn she felt something.
A vision of sorts of Ardbert walking towards his friends… all waiting for him.
She blinked, wondering why that came to her. But it faded as quickly as it came as they all flooded at them, asking if they were alright and what happened. The Exarch reassure them that he was alive and well, just worn out and soon they were asking what they could do to help him.
Soon there were calls of a celebration and before anyone could do something about it, there were people running about and getting ready for a party the likes of which no one has ever had before. She laughed at the thought before she found herself being swarmed by people on all sides as they were asking what she wanted or if they could get her anything. She made up a couple lies about drinks and food and was able to slip off as lanterns were being lit all over and music was starting up from somewhere.
Claire found a nice spot from one of the upper walkways and just watched on fondly with a smile.
That was when she felt it inside… amidst the steady beat of her heart… something was stirring in the abyss.
"So, you feel like you changed, have you?"
Claire blinked before looking to her left to find a familiar figure was leaning up against the railing, her back to the crowd below them.
"Fray…" Claire whispered as Fray looked back to them, and she could see their eyes shining through their helm. It had been so long now since she last heard it… last reached out to this important piece of herself. Perhaps a part of her had always been afraid of her. Afraid of what she represented… and that fear was what kept her from completely accepting her. It wasn't until these moons of silence did she come to realize just how important that she was to her… and just how much she needed her.
"You certainly took your time," Claire said.
"Hey now, that wasn't my fault," Fray pointed out. "Think… back…?"
Claire thought it over, but already she knew the answer.
"You couldn't come because the Light blocked you," she said and Fray chuckled darkly.
"It wasn't until you were so deep in it that I was able to force myself to reach out to you," she answered back. "But you were busy with so many other messy distractions so I suppose that I can forgive you. Either way… it's good to talk and be heard again… and especially good to see you up and about again… hero."
"Yes," Claire nodded, confessing the truth, "It is good to see you too."
They both glanced down at the crowd still below them and she could see drinks being passed out and even a few of them starting to dance to the music.
"And so we have come to the end of another adventure and yet another realm was pulled back from oblivion at the final moment," Fray stated as she looked back at her. Her stance was casual and though her eyes were usually as sharp as a knife, they seemed more relaxed and warmer than what she was used to.
"And aren't you going to tell me off for being so reckless?" Claire asked her.
"No, I think you learned your lesson," she answered with a shrug. "And all it took was a near death experience for you to finally get it."
Death? Please, she almost turned into a sin eater which was so much worse. She felt her hand pass over the pouch at her side which contained the Warriors of Light crystals… though she had not heard from them… she felt a certain kind of peace from the crystals now… as if they had done their part and she smiled at that.
"Well, I'm thinking I could use a vacation after this adventure," she said.
"And then what?" Fray asked curiously. "Soon you will be called back to the Source to continue on with another battle. And then another and then another… isn't that how it works?"
"Probably," she chuckled as she leaned against the railing and stared off at the tower as it glittered. "But I long since accepted it. As you, yourself, once said: such is our lot. To be born, suffer, and to die. Am I right?"
"Aye, that's true," Fray admitted. "But you know, you can spare yourself a lot of that suffering. You've got no one to blame but yourself for the mess you dragged yourself in."
"Are you angry with me?" she asked back and Fray shrugged.
"Does it matter?" she asked back before glancing up to the stars above them. "I'll not deny that it is a beautiful sight."
If she were to take off her helm now, Claire would know that she would be looking at her own face… and for a moment she was certain that she would. But Fray just shook her head at that as she told her, "That dark armor of yours…? It looks strange on you… but also… strangely fitting. About as fitting as 'Warrior of Light' you wear."
"I'll take that as a compliment," Claire said kindly before she pushed back to stand upright and stared down at her hand. No more Light threatening to kill her and she could see her hand looked normal now. But she still felt different… and strangely sad.
She placed her hand over her chest and called Ardbert's name in her mind.
"He's still there…" Fray reassured her and Claire looked up as she finished, "But I wouldn't expect to hear from him all the time. This is your life after all, we shouldn't be here."
"But you are. And I don't want to let go of any of you," Claire answered. "You… or Myste… and now Ardbert. You are all a part of me and I couldn't bear the thought of…?"
But Fray placed a finger over her lips to silence her.
"I never said that you won't hear from us again," she answered back as she lowered her hand. "You finally found your voice… that little voice inside telling you want you truly want. And that is enough for us."
"I will still need you," Claire said, her voice becoming hoarse.
"And when you need our input we will make ourselves heard," she reassured her, strangely kind despite her usual disinterested tone. "But now I must ask… what is it that you wish for now?"
"For right now?" Claire said as she let that thought weigh upon her mind. "Rest… mayhaps… a cup of hot chocolate in front of a roaring fire."
Fray didn't speak for a moment as she observed her before chuckling once again and Claire thought back to when the two of them first met. She could still feel the weight of her heavy greatsword in her hands as Fray's voice all but yelled in her ears. At one point, she may have thought she would be better off without that little voice inside her head… her darkside carrying the darkest part of her soul that she always felt ashamed of. At least, there was a point that she may have thought that.
But now, after all this, she could fully embrace all parts of herself now, and that included… the stranger sides of her. She couldn't imagine going the rest of her life without having Fray or any of the others lurking inside her there along for the ride. Fray was… her shadow. And a shadow was the darkest part of you but was always there whether you liked it or not… and you cannot go through life without it there following behind her.
"Yes," Fray answered, knowing full well what Claire was thinking, "I guess you finally understand. That's good to know."
She reached out and she could feel Fray's touch upon her cheek as she looked into her eyes. No words were spoken between them, yet they heard everything perfectly.
"Whatsoever you need us, you need only look inside," she reassured her, "For like I said before… whenever you tire of this charade… I'll be here. You need only ask."
Claire closed her eyes and nodded once. And when she next looked up, her shadow was gone, leaving her alone upon the walkway. But she wasn't alone, not anymore anyway. She could feel that as she placed her hand over her heart and thought of the three inside her… her shadow… the child who yearned for forgiveness… and the young man who gave his all to give her that fighting chance. She had fully learned to accept herself and all of her imperfections throughout this journey… and though her hands were stained with blood and sin… she accepted it all.
Being ignorant of the truth is a relief… knowing the truth is agonizing… but worth all the suffering. From here on out, she would fight for the people, not because of some god or goddess. She looked up to the sky, knowing that she will still need to figure out how she feels about Hydealyn and Zodiark—something told her that this story with them was far from over—but she would face that moment when it came.
For now though, it was a time for peace… a time for celebration. And she should enjoy it while she could before the open road called her once more and she headed down it to another adventure.
"Excuse me!" cried a voice, interrupting her thoughts, "You're the Warrior of Darkness… aren't you?"
She turned to find a wide-eye boy staring up at her and she was taken aback by the sight of him. This boy… he looked just like Ardbert… the same hair… same eyes… she wondered if this was how he looked as a child.
"Where are you from, really?" the boy asked her with awe, "And how did you get to be so strong?"
She stared down at him before her surprise wore off and she smiled, wondering what she should tell him. She closed her eyes as she thought it all over before holding a finger up to her lips and whispered, "It's a secret. But I'll tell you if you can keep it."
(Awwwwwwww… that is so sweet! I did not plan on this chapter being so long, but God, it felt so good to put it all in. I had been planning this chapter out in my mind for months and had pages of notes of what I would like to put into it and though I'm afraid I may have putto too much, I couldn't get rid of anything here. Anyway, I want to thank you all so much for your patience and understanding, I needed that break between chapters and I'm feeling better. I can't say when the next chapter will be out but probably the beginning of next month as I work on the last chapter and perhaps a bonus, but I wouldn't hold my breath on that one. As for a sequel that carries on through 5.1? Like I said, I will be taking a break from this once the final chapter is up and I make no promises. I would like to finish it so that they would make it back to the Source, but we will wait and see for that.)
