"Unbelievable, what a view," Nia gazed down at the landscape below from on top of the soaring titan.

The breeze running freely through her hair and ears was definitely a sensation that Nia had missed along with the spectacle of watch the world pass by below as she flew freely through the air on Azurda's back. As difficult as her adventure with Rex and the others had been at times, there was a thrill to it that her now more peaceful life couldn't quite match.

"So, how was the first day on the job, Nia?" the titan started up a conversation.

"Interesting to say the least," she replied, "You really get all kinds of folks in Torigoth."

"The more things change the more they stay the same, eh? The new land on the surface is quite mellow in comparison to the cities of Alrest. We've come to quite enjoy it."

Nia could easily see what he meant as she got a look at the land from above. The area where Rex had chosen to make his new home was uncharted territory which was exactly how Nia was sure Rex liked it. His present house was a quaint cabin on the beach of the boundless oceans that stretched further into the horizon than what could once be seen all across the planet's surface. In many ways, it was no different to his old home on Fonsett Village and Nia further noticed the significant presence of exotic plant life that she had never seen before on Alrest as the titan made his descent.

"The nature here is quite colorful," Nia commented.

"It has certainly helped to teach me what Dromarch meant about flora healing an aching soul," Azurda teased.

Upon making his landing, Azurda took his rest in the water, much like he used to in the Clouds of Alrest, as Nia gave her thanks and stepped down onto the beach. The tropical climate made her feel severely overdressed in her bulky clothing, but the setting sun offered some relief while she walked across the sand. Going up a few small sets of stairs, Nia stepped up to the porch to knock on the door.

"Nia! It feels like it's been so long since I've seen you!" Pyra answered and pulled Nia into the house with a hug.

"It hasn't been all that long..." Nia only grew hotter against the natural warmth of a fire elemental blade

"Well, it's definitely been longer than I'd like anyway," Pyra released her before she roasted completely, "You really should visit more often."

"I'll consider it, but I'll probably only be busier from now on."

"Of course, your healing clinic is up and running now. It's what we brought you here to celebrate, after all. Please come in. Rex and Mythra are already waiting in the dining room."

Nia entered the home which was every bit as quaint and charming as Rex's aunt Corrine's house back on Leftheria. Every bit of the walls and piece of furniture looked to be hand carved and crafted to create an aura of authenticity throughout the entire place. Walking into the dining room brought Nia face-to-face with Rex and Mythra who were just as eager to greet her as Pyra before them.

"Hey there, champ, I hear you've done very well with that idea of yours," Mythra placed a complimentary hand on her shoulder, "I knew you had it in you."

"Thanks, Mythra," Nia accepted the praise, "You look like you've been working hard yourself."

"Yeah, salvaging with Rex is interesting, if not a bit messy," Mythra acknowledged the spots of dirt that could still be noticed on her despite her best efforts to dust off, "This junk will probably be pretty important if we're going to rebuild this land properly."

Nia shared a laugh with her before freezing up somewhat upon making eye contact with Rex.

"It's really good to see you, Nia," he welcomed her, "As nice as it is with Pyra and Mythra, it's just not the same without all of the others around. Morag and Zeke are just too busy these days."

"It's good to see you too," Nia contemplated going in for a hug but forced herself to settle for offering a handshake that he gladly accepted, "I'm sorry that I missed your visit before."

"Don't be. I figured that you would be occupied with something when I showed up."

"Yes, it was certainly... eventful."

"Come on, tell us more."

"At the dinner table," Pyra interrupted the exchange, "I timed everything very carefully so that the food would be done right when Nia arrived. I won't have it being allowed to sit and get cold."

Like a mother with her children, Pyra led the three of them into the dining room where four chairs had been prepared. Plates and silverware had been neatly distributed across the table in the center of the room. Once Nia, Rex, and Mythra had taken their seats, Pyra began to bring out the various entrees that she had been preparing in the kitchen. For this meal, Pyra had readied an array various types of seafood along with Cream Orange Paratha and Snowbaby Potato Salad on the side. The significance of these choices was not lost on the girl from Gormott.

"It's been so long since we ate together like this and you still remember all my favorite foods?" Nia asked.

"Why wouldn't I? I've been looking forward having this dinner for a long time, Nia," Pyra beamed, "I'm proud of you, Nia. We all are."

"Seriously, I said I liked the idea when you told me, but I have to admit I wasn't sure you were going to go through with it," Mythra added, "Good work."

"Um... thanks," Nia was unsure if she was being complimented.

"Really, Nia, well done," Rex spoke sincerely

"Come on, it's nothing special..." Nia began to blush at all the praise, especially from him, "Enough about me for now. Tell me about what you have all been doing. Mythra said before that you're still doing salvaging work."

"Yes, I want to know as much about this world as I possibly can," Rex announced, "Even in ruins, Morytha was more incredible than any civilization that I've ever seen. I want to discover the secret for how we can recreate that now that the planet has been restored."

"You won't be satisfied until we've recreated the Elysium that you envisioned, eh?"

"Nope."

"That's just like you. It truly is."

"But that's a long way away. Tonight, we're gathered to celebrate our present successes, and that means you, Nia," Pyra raised her glass, "Can we have a toast for her here?"

The Aegis poured four glasses of grape juice out of consideration for the fact that Rex was still in his teens. The group held their cups high gave a hurrah for Nia who was modest but feeling too warm inside to keep a smile from creeping onto her lips. Once that was over though, the hunger from a day that had her skipping her lunch thanks to the poor manners of her Nopon friend became too much to bear. She dove into her meal with the ferocity of a feral animal.

"Woah there, Nia," Pyra was floored by her speed, "You don't have to eat that fast. It's not going anywhere."

"That's what I thought about the tuna salad I had saved at home before that damn Tora ate it on me today," Nia tore at the fish with her fangs.

"Well, I'll certainly have to have a word with him about that, won't I?"

"Your food is much better than anything I know how to cook anyway."

"Then, I'll be sure to make some more for you to take back with you."

"I'd savor every bit of it, Pyra."

The meal went on with merriment and laughter. Rex and Mythra had fascinating stories to share of what they've seen exploring the mysterious lands of the planet's surface. Relics of the ancient society gave them hints to begin to piece together aspects of its lost culture. Nia shared the stories of the people she had met in her first day on the job to which Pyra in particular seemed to take a strong interest. Eventually, the entire party had managed to get their fill of the banquet after which Rex and Mythra excused themselves to their room to inspect the haul of artifacts that they had recovered on their expedition that day. Pyra and Nia stuck around in the dining room to partake in a small desert and a cup of Pyra's favorite Jenerossi Tea. The time with Nia alone was an opportunity the Aegis had quietly been waiting for some time now and she seized on the moment.

"So, Nia, how have you been doing lately?" Pyra finally initiated a direct discussion now that they had some privacy.

"Oh, today went alright I suppose," she looked up from her drink.

"I'm not just talking about today. You already said plenty about that, but I want to know how you have been in the time since we all went our separate ways," the Aegis clarified, "I'm worried about you."

Nia was momentarily touched by the sentiment before forcing herself to laugh it off.

"Oh, come on, worried about me? What for? You know how tough I am."

"I know, but I feel bad that you're back out to living on your own after all you went through. We would have been more than happy to have you here with us."

"I'm not totally alone, I still have Dromarch as well as Tora and Poppi who visit from time to time. It was all my decision. Don't worry."

"If you say so..." Pyra took a sip of her beverage.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Nia set down her own cup.

"I just wanted to make sure that you were living your life as you wanted after all that time you were wrongfully imprisoned."

"Of course, I... am," Nia couldn't force herself to complete the sentence smoothly.

"Please Nia, don't feel like you can't let me in on anything that's worrying you," Pyra became much more serious, "You did it before, remember?"

"Oh... yeah," Nia knew what she was referring to back in Mor Ardain.

"I hope you'll forgive me for being nosy, but I've always wanted to ask you a few things about that. Do you mind?"

"Go ahead. Lay it on me."

"Why were you in the hot spring when we stayed at the inn?" Pyra continued, "Why did you deliberately let me in on your secret? None of us suspected anything. You could have just kept on going in the guise of your average Gormotti. What changed?"

"Honestly, I don't think I was really all that sure at the time," Nia began to open up, "I could have kept a towel on or made an excuse to get out of the water before you arrived. I just... didn't. It was like an impulse I couldn't ignore."

"An impulse?"

"I was surprised... when we met Cole. I was still trying so hard to hide who I was, and then he just came out and said that he was a Flesh Eater like it was nothing and nobody else seemed to care. I watched Vandham die because I was too afraid to use my powers to try and help him and this guy who's nearing the end of his rope just... said it. If only for a moment, I got so sick of it. Even if I couldn't bring myself to say it out loud, I wanted an excuse to let someone know, even if only by accident."

"So, I guess it's only a coincidence that it was me. I simply happened to be the one who came into the bath with you."

"No, I think part of me really wanted it to be you. I mean... you're the Aegis."

"What does that have to do with it? I would hope you'd view me as a friend above all else."

"I do, but I wanted to know how you'd feel about it."

"Did you think I would somehow be upset with you?"

"No, no, of course not! I just wanted to... see it for myself."

"I'm still not following."

"How would the Aegis, the ultimate blade created by the Architect himself, feel about someone like me."

"Oh, you mean a..."

"A Flesh Eater," Nia finished Pyra's sentence, "Your father is the one who created all of us blades. I just wanted to see if you'd see me as some sort of freak or something. You'd know better than anyone."

"I may have powers that other blades don't, but I'm still a blade just the same as you. My opinion on the notion of if you're some sort of freak is no more important or valid than yours."

"You really think so?"

"I noticed that when you were sharing your stories with Rex, Mythra, and me during dinner, you seemed to strongly care about other people responded to interacting with you as your true blade self. Even once, if only for a second, have you ever stopped to ask yourself about how you feel about what you are?" Pyra cut to the heart of the issue.

Nia readied herself to answer but stopped dead in her tracks when she realized that she really hadn't. Her friends had never judged her after she told them the truth, and Dromarch would constantly go out of his way to offer words of encouragement, but she had not even remotely considered about how she felt about what she had become.

"I-I don't know..." was all she could whisper while hanging her head to hide the tears that were forming.

"And that's what I see to be a true tragedy," Pyra shared in her grief, "But then let me ask you now. How do you feel about being a Flesh Eater? Please feel free to take your time to think it over."

Nia drew in a deep stab of air to gather the strength to adequately ponder the question. First off, she had to realize that if she had never eaten her sister, she wouldn't even be here right now to begin with. Her memories and identity would have been lost along with her father's life, but that undeniable fact carried its own burdens.

"How is it fair for me to keep on living at my sister's expense?" Nia asked mournfully, "Can I truly justify how I've freed myself from the normal limitations of a blade's lifespan through the sacrifice of her life instead?"

"Do you regret it, Nia? Do you think you would've been better off remaining as an ordinary blade, returning to your core, and waiting to be picked up by a new driver to start a new life and identity?"

This question brought Nia's mind to all of the struggles she had seen the blades around her go through to try and hold onto themselves as they went through their natural life cycles. Brighid's journal, Pandoria giving Zeke a piece of her core, the tragedies that befell Jin and Fan La Norne, all of them were born from the crushing desire to remain as the people they knew, to control their own fates. A crisis she had evolved beyond through her sister's blood. In remaining as her current self, she had gained an irreplaceable set of friends where were almost like family to her and she never had to worry about forgetting it. Perhaps the reason that she felt so guilty was that she understood so well just how tremendous of a blessing being alive truly is.

"How do you think your sister would feel if she knew? That it's now only through her that you're alive and free? Would it have made her happy?"

"I can't tell you what I'd trade away to ask her that myself! To let her know that I still love and miss her, even now. To thank her for everything from the bottom of the heart she gave me!" Nia buried her face into her hands in anguish.

This was a powerful teaching moment for Pyra as well. She was all too familiar with the struggles of blades to grapple with their mortality or lack thereof. In her case, it was the difficulty of having to make friends while always knowing that she would ultimately out live them, but she never thought of what it would be like having to live a life knowingly extended by the death of another. She had seen the toll it took on Jin and was more than determined to be there for Nia the way that she wasn't for him.

"You may be saying stuff like this now, but you've shown me a stronger will to live than just about anyone I've ever met. Somebody who regrets being alive would never have come up with the idea that you did to build a place dedicated to saving lives. There must be something that's still keeping you going," Pyra got up from her seat and walked around the table to rub Nia on the back, "Or someone."

"Thanks, Pyra," Nia lifted her head, "Sorry for all of the sobbing. It just feels like I don't have anybody I can talk about this sort of stuff with."

"What about Dromarch?"

"He's nice, but he always has to give the polite answer. He's not the type to bring the hard questions that need to be asked."

"What about Rex?"

"What about Rex?" Nia repeated.

"Why do you barely talk to him anymore? Back when we were on our journey, you two always had each other's backs. Now it feels almost like you don't want to speak to him. This is the kind of stuff he'd want to know about. He may not be able to fully understand it, but he cares about you as much as anyone in the whole world."

"Of course, I want to speak to him. I just want to make sure he has his space. I mean it's already a bit crowded here with you and Mythra around. He doesn't need to hear my complaining too..."

"So that's it. You still feel embarrassed over how you told him you loved him." Pyra was astute enough to read between the lines of her remarks.

"What?! Where did you hear about that?!"

"From Pandoria, but I always had a hunch. It's why I asked you to take care of him for me after all. You performed more admirably as his blade than I had ever envisioned."

"So, you were thinking that far ahead, eh? You really do see right through me..."

"From what I heard he wasn't at all upset over it."

"No, he said he loved me too. That he loved all of us. It was so like him that I couldn't help bursting out into laughter."

"And is that a bad thing?"

"No, but I can't so blind as to ignore the fact that he's going to end up loving some people more than others," Nia eyed Pyra sharply, "Who am I to force my own feelings against his own?"

"But shouldn't he be the one to make that decision?"

"I think he made it pretty clearly."

"Can you be sure about that? Did you ever discuss the subject with him?"

"What? No? I mean we tried, but the time never felt quite right?"

"Was that because he thought so or you did?"

"Me..." she confessed

"Are you willing to decide that now is the right time?" Pyra proposed.

"Now? You mean right now?"

"You're out there trying to make sense of your relationship with society, yet you won't even decide what sort of relationship you're going to have with the person you care about most?"

"Why are you doing this, Pyra? Isn't he your special someone?"

"This isn't about that. This is about helping a friend get the closure she needs to get on with her life," Pyra helped Nia out of her chair, "Are you ready?"

Nia locked eyes with Pyra to confirm her resolve although she still wasn't entirely sure she was ready. The purity Rex displayed in answering her confession was still fresh in her mind, and the message she got from it remained the same. This was a boy who valued the happiness of his friends above all else. What greater betrayal of that trust he placed in her could there be than for her to deliberately pit the happiness of one person he cared for against another? Still, she could also sense how much it hurt Pyra to see the pain forcing herself apart from him. The unselfishness of the Aegis was still unequaled in anyone she had ever encountered. Not wanting to take what Pyra was offering to her too lightly, Nia allowed herself to take on her full blade form one more time for the day. If she was going to do this, it wasn't going to be while holding anything back.

"Okay, I'll do it," Nia nodded with the most conviction she had displayed in a while, "For real this time."

Pyra led Nia up the stairs to the room that she and Mythra shared with Rex. Inside, the salvager was still going over his latest haul of scrap with the blonde-haired Aegis.

"Living on the surface has made finding treasure like this easier than ever before," he announced to Mythra.

"The old world my father grew up in really was a remarkable place," she answered. Further studying the origins of the Architect, the Artifices, and the World Tree had become something of a hobby of hers while working alongside Rex.

Upon reaching the bedroom at the end of the hallway, Nia and Pyra could hear the discussion coming from inside. The blades stopped one more time for the Flesh Eater to fully still her nerves. After a nudge from behind by the Aegis, Nia finally knocked on the door to get Rex's attention.

"Rex, may I come in?" she spoke into the room, "I'd like to have a few moments to talk to you. It's really important."

"Sure, the door's unlocked. Help yourself," he accepted.

With a twist of the knob and a creaky push, Nia opened the door to astonish the pair inside at the change she had made into her true form and Pyra waiting behind her.

"Nia, is everything alright?" Rex didn't know what to make of it.

"What's going on, Pyra?" Mythra questioned her sister.

"You and I need to go immediately," Pyra summoned her with a wagging finger.

"If something's wrong, I want to know about it too," she protested

"These two need to be alone, now." Pyra declared with shocking sternness that not even Mythra could disobey.

Without another word of objection, the Aegises exited the room and Pyra led Mythra away so that they wouldn't even be within earshot of the conversation. Whatever may come of this discussion, Pyra knew Nia's feelings still deserved her respect and an appropriate degree of privacy. Rex listening to their footsteps grow more and more distant gave Nia the necessary time to search her thoughts for the proper ice breaker to address the elephant that she had been permitting to linger in her life for far, far too long.

"Do you still remember, Rex?" Nia started with a question once the sound of walking had faded completely, "That thing I said to you that one time in the Spirit Crucible."

"Huh? Oh yeah, that," he figured out where this was headed.

"You tried to talk it over with me a few times though I brushed you off every time because I was too embarrassed and maybe even fearful to confront it, but now I'm ready for it."

"Sure, Nia, I'm listening," Rex remained patient with her.

"Well, even before that, I think I need to start by apologizing to you, Rex," Nia digressed, "For lots of stuff."

"Like what? You haven't done anything wrong," he remained as unassuming as ever.

"I lied to you," she reminded him, "A lot."

"You mean about you being a blade? I know I may have sounded mad, but I was more confused, really. I didn't get why anyone would feel the need to hide anything from me, but I was just being selfish, I suppose."

"What? No! How in the world could you be the selfish one here? I let you and others get hurt because I found it preferable to facing my fears. How does that not make me the selfish one?"

"I never doubted that you had your reasons."

"There was never a valid reason. It's all my fault for pathetically losing my ability to trust anyone, especially humans."

"I don't blame you. I saw in my travels with you that there are a lot of bad people out there looking to abuse and exploit blades."

"But I never should have let myself think for even an instant that you might be one of them. You came back for me, when I was arrested. Even Malos and Jin decided I wasn't worth bothering with once I left them. On the other hand, you barely knew me, yet you still saw fit to come back for me. You wanted to search for Elysium with me. I should have known at that moment how my feelings were changing. I should have told you everything about me right then and there. Instead. I chose to do what I could avoid your notice, and it's my responsibility exactly how our relationship turned out because of it."

"No, you shouldn't have to go out of your way to seek my attention. I should have been able to spot how you were feeling on my own, but instead I let myself get too fixated on Pyra to see how my actions were affecting the rest of you."

"What are you talking about, Rex?"

"Sorry, you just made me remember something that's all. What you said to me in Elysium."

"I don't remember saying anything to you up there."

"Well, it wasn't you. It was another you."

"Huh?"

"Remember what Klaus showed us and what he said about it being our inner fears? When that happened, I saw you for a little bit."

"Oooooooh," she finally put the pieces together in her head.

"You were pretty angry at me, asking why I only ever thought about Pyra and never noticed you."

"That was just your fears talking though. I would never say something like that. Pyra is a good friend to me and someone very special to you. She even saved your life multiple times. I'd never feel any sort of resentment towards her."

"Still, you saved me too. You had your own problems just as Pyra and Mythra did. I should have done a better job seeing them."

"Come on, Rex. You're the Driver of the Aegis. Everyone on Alrest was counting on you. That's much more important than trying to sort out my personal issues."

"Do I need to give you a refresher on the Salvager's Code? I'm going to help my friends, no matter what, and that's it. If anything is ever bothering you, I'll always be willing to lend a hand or an ear."

"Thanks Rex, I... knew I could count on you," Nia smiled but with her eyes welling up

"Is everything... alright, Nia?"

"No, I'm really not sure it is..." she began to let out a few sobs, "It's no good. It's no damn good."

"What's no good?"

"I thought it was just something I spat out in the heat of the moment, something that I would just get over if I got away from you for a little while, but it's not working. Not even a bit."

"What isn't working, Nia? What can I do?"

"I love you, Rex," she looked directly at him with tears rolling down her cheeks, "I still do, as much as I ever have. I wanted to try and force myself to forget, but I can't. I simply can't."

"I know, Nia," he was much more prepared to hear it than he was last time, "I... I'm still not totally sure of what to say to you about it, but I know what you mean. Trust me..."

"No, you don't need to say anything at all. I'm... I'm just being self-centered," she wiped her face with her hand, "You have your own life with someone you love, and here I am dumping my own feelings on you as if it's somehow your fault that I have them and your problem to fix. It's wrong. You don't deserve to have to deal with this."

"Nia, please don't talk like that," Rex placed his hands reassuringly onto her shoulders, "Loving someone is never a selfish thing to do. I know I didn't answer you in the best way I could when you said it that time, but I swear that it still made me happy to hear it and fight alongside you. Even if I can't return your feelings the way you wish I could, I would never think less of you for having them."

"Thanks Rex," she got her composure back, "Looks like Pyra was right as usual. I really did need to hear that. I still remember what I saw you say to me on Elysium as well. Demanding to know how in the world I could possibly have the nerve to say I loved you after deceiving you for so long. Begging to me to go away so that you could be alone with Pyra and Mythra. Even when I learned it to be an illusion, I could never be certain that you would be in the wrong think that way about me."

"Not in a million years, Nia."

"Yeah, thanks, and thanks for lending me your time too. I know I can't be that special someone in your life, but I don't want that to keep us apart anymore."

"I would never let it, Nia. You're still my blade, after all."

"I'm your what?" Nia was unnaturally surprised by such a simple statement

"Well, I mean you said you'd let me be your driver, so that means you're my blade, right?"

"Yeah, well, I just wanted to be of help. I never really thought of it like that."

"Why not?"

"Well, when I think of a driver and blade team I think of Morag and Brighid, Tora and Poppi, ...or even Shellhead and Pandoria," Nia admitted with a blush.

"And what is it that they have that we can't? They support each other, laugh together, cry together, share advice, and fight their hardest for one another. Didn't we do the same when battling to rescue Pyra? Can't we continue to do it?"

Nia really didn't know what to make of this proposal. She had experienced more than enough of what it meant to be a blade and driver through adventuring with her friends. Morag in particular had become someone she could admire, and, for all of their goofiness, the bond between Zeke and Pandoria was unlike any other she had ever seen. Despite having her own blade in Dromarch, as a Flesh-Eater, she never felt like a real driver or a real blade, unable to truly relate to either. Fighting as a driver often left her wondering if she was simply exploiting her blades as Jin so often claimed, and the time she spent fighting alongside Rex was muddled by regrets over having misled him for so long. Blades and drivers aren't supposed to choose one another, but, for Rex to be able to look past all she had done and want her to be his blade anyway made her happy beyond anything she could put into words. The salvager followed up his suggestion by holding a hand out to her.

"Do you want me to be your driver, Nia?" Rex finally asked, "For good this time?"

She knew immediately what it was he wanted from her and gave it to him by spawning her familiar scimitar from her core crystal. Handing it over to him had her so excited yet so nervous that she couldn't stop her cheeks from turning a vivid shade of red or her ears from twitching furiously. The words Mythra spoke on the World Tree also bubbled up to the top of her mind.

"I... I'm your blade, Rex," she presented the weapon to him, "Even if the body of a flesh-eater may inevitably get sick and die one day, I want to be your blade until it does!"

Placing his hand next to hers, they shared the blade just as they had on that day in the Spirit Crucible, but it now had an entire differently feeling to it. Nia wasn't just trying to act as a temporary substitute for Pyra and Mythra or provide a quick heal here and there. She was now ready and worthy to stand side-by-side with them and Rex for the long haul, just as she could now know that she could call on Rex for that extra bit of strength or support wherever and whenever she might need it. With the final barrier she felt had been blocking her ever since that fateful confession dissolving, she gave him the hug that she had denied herself before.

"Thank you, Rex, for everything," she squeezed and released him with one last smile.

"Anytime, Nia, anytime."

"Just promise me you'll try to be more of a Morag and less of a Shellhead,"

"Maybe, Nia. Just maybe." they split with a shared grin.

"I don't think I've ever be able to properly express my gratitude, but, as much as I'd love to stick around with you guys for a while longer, I know that I need to get myself back to the office. It may not be easy, but I know that there are people out there who need me, and I have to be there waiting for them when they finally do show up."

"Don't sweat it, Nia. I'll be just as sure to come visit you whenever I get the chance. We would all love to see what you've done with your new place."

Exchanging eye contact one last time to fully re-secure their bond, Nia exited the room to head downstairs where the Aegis sisters were waiting.

"How did it go, Nia?" Pyra inquired.

"Perfectly," Nia gave the most heartfelt smile she had all night, "I lost an important piece of myself when I let my conflicted feelings drive us apart, but I think I've really got it back. I feel like a brand-new blade."

"Pyra explained to me what was going on with you," Mythra walked up to her, "Don't ever feel like you have to be a stranger. We'll have a place open here for you anytime you want it."

"I'll never forget," Nia vowed, "I'll never forget again."

With a few more cordial farewells to her hosts, Nia took her leave of the house to head back to the beach where Azurda was ready to provide her a ride home. The night sky was even more gorgeous than the sunset she saw on her way in. The light of the stars raining down on her made her think of all the core crystals that spawned all of the blades and titans that made up this new world of Architect. This was a thought that would often come to mind for her when gazing at the midnight vistas during the occasional sleepless evening, but now she felt like she was closer than ever before to taking her firm place among them and shining brighter than ever before.