"We stand together!"
G'raha Tia's voice echoed through the phantom realm that surrounded him. He stayed silent for too long, and the memories of the recent past remained blurred in the Exarch's mind. His wound was still aching, and the body still weakened, but this was not enough to stop him. Emet-Selch underestimated him. The voices rang out in G'raha's mind, reminding him once again of what he was fighting for.
…
"And here we are…I assume you have some questions, my crystal fellow."
"Whatever you need me for, if you think I'll cooperate…."
" I do not expect you to, not now. While I would like you to retain at least some of your conscience, I have an eternity to work with you. "
"You're wrong…You might have gotten me, but the scions will come here…He will come here; whatever you throw at them, whatever you try to do, you won't win!"
"I am counting on him coming…Have you forgotten what happened? Ah, of course, my bullet got you before you had any chance to realize."
"No, it can't be…I was so close to freeing him from the light, freeing them all!"
"And still not enough."
"What have you done to him?"
"Sooner or later, he will transform into the most powerful light warden this shard has ever seen, and then this world will become history and everyone on it…Except the two of us."
…
G'raha remembered how Emet looked at him. Shedding his apathetic and aloof demeanor, he was confident and smug now that the victory was in his hands. He tortured G'raha until he lost his conscience, sent deep within the realm of torment and nightmare. But now, the ascian's look was the one of shock and worry.
"How did… I'm surprised you can stand at all."
The moment he remembered well was the one when G'raha finally awoke. It was when he felt the presence of a warrior of light and the scions walking among the echoes of the past Emet conjured. They came here for him, fighting their mightiest opponent. This gave G'raha determination and the will to carry on.
He gave them a quick glance, all the scions standing ready to fight. The hero himself looked at G'raha with a smile, a mighty huyur paladin by the name of Edwin, G'raha's inspiration and role model, the one he dreamed of fighting alongside. Now was finally the time. But he knew there was more he could do. The Exarch turned towards Emet-Selch, showing no signs of fear.
"Let expanse contract, eons become instant! Champions from beyond the rift, heed my call!" - He shouted as he called upon his power, spreading his call for aid across timelines and worlds, with the shades of valiant heroes answering it. The light rays surrounded them, with one white silhouette appearing after another.
A short yet courageous lalafell paladin, the powerful and cunning elezen wielding red magic, a battle pair of two elezen, one bard and another black mage, all fighting in tandem. There were three au ra, a mysterious dark knight, and two stood by his side, a dancer and a reaper, followed by a fearless hyur monk. All of them would fight to see this world, the one they knew nothing of, saved. As the challengers emerged, both scions and aethereal heroes, Emet Selch would no longer hold his fury.
"Damn you! Damn you all!" - The ascian shouted as he turned back towards Edwin, his mortal adversary.
"It ends this day. One way or another, it ends." - The paladin responded with courage in his voice. Emet stepped forward.
"The victor shall write the tale, and the vanquished become its villain. But come! Let us cast aside titles and pretense, and reveal our true faces to one another!" - The ascian called to the power of darkness, the red glyph glowed brighter than ever before, he began his dark transformation. "I am Hades! He who shall awaken our brethren from their dark slumber!"
With these words, the area around them changed. G'raha and others found themselves among the ruins of Amaurot, on the platform rising above the dreadful city. Emet transformed into a powerful being wielding the primal power of Zodiark. The aethereal heroes stood at the ready, attacking Hades first.
"Show me your "vaunted" strength. And I shall expose the lie of your fragmented existence."
G'raha reached other scions as they battled, ready to fight alongside them.
"It's good to see you awake…We had our doubts whether we could make it in time." - Edwin said with pride and sheer joy of seeing his friend alive.
"I had none, you saved this world, and I know you will do it once more. These projections will hold him off, but not for long." – G'raha warned Edwin, but he didn't tremble at all. With his friends here, the possibility of defeat seemed obsolete.
"Then it's our battle; I'll gladly take on it."
They turned towards Hades; G'raha noticed that Ryne was barely standing while Thancred stood in front of her, not straying too far. She was still in pain after the strike Emet inflicted.
"Can you walk?" - Thancred asked with fatherly concern.
"Barely… I'll manage the pain, don't worry about me." - The girl responded after a heavy breath.
"It's dangerous. Perhaps you should find a safer place." – Thancred suggested, only to be cut off by the brave child.
"I'll fight with you…You know that's what I want."
"I understand… I'll look out for you." – He promised
The scions were ready to fight. Aethereal heroes dissipated one after the other, not before dealing a significant blow to Hades. Y'shtola was the first one to take action.
"His strength might be godly, but as long as we're together, we can prevail." - She said before casting a raging blast of fire onto Hades, but the ascian defended himself using aethereal magic.
"I would see you try." - He responded before unleashing a spell of darkness upon the scions; Alphinaud and Urianger reacted quickly and were able to put the shields around others and protect them with healing spells. They still took a tall from Emet's power, but all remained strong. Alphinaud reached for his twin, helping her to get up.
"Are you alright, Alisaie?"
"Thanks…But I can look after myself now, let's end him!" - She charged into the heart of this battle with Edwin, who was Hades's primary focus. He wanted to unleash the power of light within him and make him lose control.
As everyone became engaged in the battle, Emet summoned a myriad of aethereal mirrors, soon to engulf the area in a dark blast.
"He sure didn't waste his time preparing an arsenal." - Thancred said while looking around.
"Tis the trickery he playeth upon us…." - Urianger was looking for safe spots while healing the others.
"Look, over there!" - G'raha pointed to where the rays wouldn't reach, all the scions rushed towards it.
"Good sight…Prepare for a counterattack!" - Edwin commanded. As they reached the safe zone, Ryne barely made it, with the blast of darkness emerging from behind her. At the very last moment, Thancred was able to pull her away from it. He would've said something, judging by a spark of worry in his eyes, but there was no time.
"You think you can flee, you fools? Be thankful I need some of you alive." - Hades claimed; Edwin stepped forward with a heroic smile.
"If you think you can tire us into submission…And you call Lahabrea a fool?" – He taunted the ascian confidently.
"Talk all you like; this battle will show who is in the right."
"Then let's get onto it!"
They clashed, a group of brave heroes against the villain that orchestrated the destruction of numerous worlds and civilizations, with theirs being next in line. The villain they knew very well now and could understand, but not stand aside while he destroys all they hold dear. G'raha was filled with pride, realizing that he was a part of this team now; fighting alongside scions and the Warrior himself was the greatest honor.
Eventually, Hades pushed the scions aside with a spell and disappeared into the black fog which covered their arena. Masks began to appear from all sides, gazing at the heroes.
"And what in the seven hells is he doing now?" - Thancred wondered.
"He broke from his mortal vessel…Prepare yourself; something is coming." - Edwin warned others before Emet's loud voice echoed from the darkness.
"Our brethren are Legion! Rise, Nabriales!" – The scream pierced G'raha's ears.
The ascian shade emerged, immediately beginning to cast a spell of the earthquake. G'raha noticed Urianger clenching his fist before quickly coming to his senses.
"Nay, tis not him, naught more than a shade." – He recomposed his
"He is trying to use his aether to destroy us!" - G'raha shouted.
"Then let us deprive him of it." - Edwin responded and led the attack. They hit Nabriales, dealing the damage and robbing him of his power. He became weaker before the earthquake was unleashed but still had some power remaining, which the Warrior noticed.
"Get ready!" - He shouted seconds before the light earthquake trembled. Ryne was the only one who lost her balance and fell to the ground. Thancred immediately rushed towards her and gave the girl a hand.
"I'm so sorry…" – She spoke with shame, which Thancred would not allow her to feel, not anymore.
"No need for it, Ryne, just stay alert." – He was swift to calm her.
"I will."
The area changed once again as Lahabrea and Igeyorhm were summoned. The shades attacked in unison with the magic of fire and ice. G'raha was prepared to take on whoever Edwin would tell him to do.
"Twins, G'raha, we take on Lahabrea, others deal with Igeyorhm, let's go!"
He was always ready to take charge in every situation, and others prepared to follow. G'raha nodded and rushed to take on the fiery ascian. As Edwin attacked head-on and distracted him and Alphinaud ensured they stayed alive, G'raha and Alisaie attacked Lahabrea with their full might. The Exarch felt the fire burning on his skin with only magical protection standing in between them.
The other team did their best as well, the combined might of scions quickly overpowered Igeyorhm, but the battle was slowly draining them of their magical power. Soon Lahabrea and Igeyorhm fused into ascian prime, the combined being that shared their power and wielded the magic of darkness similar to Hades himself.
"Stand together; we'll fight on!" - Edwin commanded as the scions gathered behind. The ascian began with several powerful energy blasts, the damage that scions shared between them. But the shade controlled by Emet quickly adapted to the situation noticing the futility of its actions.
Before the scions could realize it, the shade employed a powerful spell of silence, pushing all the heroes apart and temporarily draining them of their magic. They became vulnerable. G'raha looked around and noticed Edwin taking a stand against the shade, still talking its attention while defending others and giving them a moment to get ready and restore their mana.
Edwin wanted to finish the shade and prepare for whatever came next. It wasn't an easy task, fighting alone, even for a few moments. G'raha looked at him as he tried to approach the shade but soon noticed Alphinaud preparing a healing spell for Edwin with the remnants of his powers. But the ascian prime saw that too.
It cast a powerful spell of shadow, draining half of its life force. G'raha realized that Alphinaud will not have enough power to protect himself. The Exarch rushed to his defense, but he could not reach him in time; neither could Edwin.
And yet, the young elezen remained standing. Someone else stood between him and the shadow magic. The twin sister lay on the ground; she took this dark blast on herself, piercing her heart. Edwin quickly defeated the weakened shade and made it dissipate, the skies around them cleared, and Hades's presence was nearer. The scions looked at Alisaie; she fell down and barely moved, slowly crawling towards them.
"Alisaie!" - Her brother rushed to the red mage, looking over her injuries; G'raha soon followed to look over her and reanimate the elezen with spells.
"No, no…" - Ryne whispered as others looked in shock, but before they could do anything, the demonic voice behind them rang out.
"I shall bear every hope, every dream, every prayer! The future of this star shall be shaped by my hands! I shall be raised up by the prayers of my fallen brethren!" – Hades's voice became purely demonic.
All scions turned towards the newly formed abomination behind them except Alphinaud and G'raha, who leaned over Alisaie.
"I'll help, just don't move, a moment…" - Alphinaud tried to cast a healing spell, but his powers still had not been restored, and he could not control them.
"A…A…" - She tried to speak and raised her hand towards her brother.
"No, don't waste your energy, I'll help you, I…" - Alphinaud tried to remain calm, but his heart was pounding. G'raha tried to look at the wound; the spell hit her very heart and essence; it was deteriorating right in front of them. Her veins became dark, and the heart was slowing down. In a moment, Alisaie's hand fell to the ground, and the beating stopped utterly. G'raha felt chills going up against his spine.
She was no more. The spell was too precise. The Exarch saw pure terror and despair in Alphinaud's eyes as he realized this, but soon the look of realization switched to denial.
"Alphinaud, I…"
"No, no, it can't be, it's not! She just needs healing; I'll help her!" - As he restored his mana, he began casting healing spells upon her lifeless body, trying to desperately resurrect her. Others already began fighting Hades, but now he became stronger while some scions were out of the battle. G'raha abandoned Alphinaud in favor of helping others; he immediately rejoined Edwin at the heart of this battle. As they evaded the dark spells, he looked at the Exarch.
"What happened, is Alisaie…"
"She is alive, Alphinaud just needs some time healing her." - G'raha told this lie as his first reflex as he did not want to bring down morale. Yet the dread was filling him no matter how much he tried to think about the fight. Edwin nodded and looked at Urianger.
"We'll need double the healing power from you. Can you do it?" – He hated to make demands of his friends, but there was no other way.
"Everything I can do, I shall." – Urianger was prepared.
"Look out!" - Thancred said as Hades unleashed the dark wave, twice as mighty as before.
"Drown in despair!" - He shouted while unleashing the power. Urianger cast his most powerful healing spell to shield others, but the ascian's power was too great. His protection saved their lives but could not protect them from wounds and draining. Soon Hades noticed Alphinaud at the back of the platform trying to save Alisaie without success.
"It seems one of yours would rather mourn a fallen ally that saves the living ones. So much for letting go of the past." – He spoke in a tone of mockery.
"Fallen?" - Thancred asked in confusion, but Emet gave no answer. He unleashed another powerful aethereal blast forced upon scions; together, they could share the pain, but Alphinaud and Alisaie were not present. Urianger cast spell after spell, protecting his allies, soon, he was drained of his mana, but the spells continued to come. When his power ended, he called upon his own aether, using it as fuel for his spells, draining his own life force to protect those close to him.
Hades continued, blast after blast, and Urianger did everything to protect others. Yet with each new cast, he gave away a small part of himself, no matter how painful it was. Urianger was withering, and it seemed Emet knew this too well, as did G'raha.
"Urianger, stop! It's not worth it!" - The Exarch shouted as others prepared their defensive spells. Urianger was the one to listen to G'raha, to understand, to keep his secret…Seeing him in such state was dreadful.
"Thou must carry on…To save this world and all that lies beyond…" – Urianger spoke with agony as he unleashed his last powers. A few seconds more and there will be naught left. "Now I understand thy choice, Moen…I understand…" - After the tempest ended, Urianger fell on his knees, pale and weakened, hardly breathing. Edwin turned towards the astrologian and attempted to heal him with the bit of magic he had. Before he could do that, Hades created another aethereal mirror which exploded with power going straight to Urianger. He didn't have time to evade it; his burned corpse fell on the floor, lifeless as the remnants of his aether left him.
"I can't sense him anymore…No…" - Y'shtola said, barely withholding her horror, but there was no time for rest.
"You will pay for this. Dearly." - Edwin said with emerging hatred as he turned towards Hades. G'raha saw that the hero was furious, and the powers of light within him still sought to break free.
"Of course, you will, I'm in waiting." - Emet said before casting another powerful spell and making comets fall from the sky; all of them would explode when they reach the ground. Edwin looked at Thancred, the gunbreaker just nodded. Soon they rushed to the opposite side, attempting to soak the comets as the strongest members of their team.
For a few moments, this was enough, but they had no one to heal them now as Alphinaud wasted most of his power on Alisaie and Urianger was no more. Each new comet brought them unimaginable pain and suffering, but two heroes wouldn't give up. G'raha and Y'shtola saw that they were struggling with no one to support them; the next few comets could become their last.
"We have to aid them! I can try redirecting the comets' energy." - G'raha said and attempted to use his staff to teleport them away, but the magic was too powerful. Y'shtola shook her head.
"I think I know what I can do…It was an honor to walk this path." - The black mage said bravely
"Wait, you aren't…."
But it was too late. Y'shtola cast the most powerful absorb spell she could muster and the nearest two comets, the last ones which would have been a killing blow for Edwin and Thancred. This power filled her, bringing her utmost pain; Y'shtola did everything to contain it and weaken its power, she succeeded. And yet the explosion still occurred, not enough to wound G'raha or others but enough to blind them for a few seconds…
Once G'raha looked back, naught remained but ashes. She was gone, saving her friends and comrades, just like Urianger. In a few minutes, three of the heroes that G'raha fought alongside, those who saved the First, were gone. Perhaps it could still be reversed if they defeat Hades…If they attain the power to traverse the stream like he did…Futile hopes. Soon Thancred and Edwin rejoined G'raha and Ryne in the battle, but they could barely resist an empowered ascian after their comrades had fallen.
"Where's Y'shtola?" - Ryne asked after she got a second to give others attention as Hades was restoring his power. But this was not a question, not real one…It was clear in her voice that she already knew.
"She…She saved them, at a very high cost." - The Exarch responded, this was clear to all of them.
"Damn him!" - Edwin said in fury and turned back to Hades, who was ready to continue their clash.
"Yes, don't hold your anger back. Remember what I have done and tremble at what I will still do." – Emet-Selch seemed only to provoke them.
"Enough!" - Hades was distracted as he noticed Alphinaud joining the battle once more. His eyes were wet with tears, but behind them, a savage rage burned. "You killed her…You killed them!"
"I warned you, did I not? A shame that it could not go the other way…But alas, you did not prove yourself worthy." – The ascian said with no sympathy at all.
"This is for Alisaie!" - Alphinaud began summoning a creature to his aid; pure hatred and rage gave him enough determination to transcend his limits and call upon a similarly fiery being.
"She is in the past now, is she not? Is that not what you told me before, to stop clinging and focus on those in the present?" – Hades savored the moment.
"SHUT UP!" - Alphinaud couldn't hold back his tears as he summoned a creature covered in fire, vaguely resembling Ifrit, the lord of inferno. It rushed in front of the scions towards Hades, but it was no use. The ascian quickly absorbed the fiery power and reflected it all into Alphinaud.
The young elezen screamed in agony as the flames engulfed him, Edwin immediately tried to shield him with healing spells and later physically, but it was too late. His charred body lay lifeless on the ground as the aether left him. Another life was lost, another friend fallen. The remaining four heroes looked at Hades; Edwin stood foremost with anger and fury he couldn't contain.
"It's me you need, not them! Let's fight one against the other like it was supposed to be!" – His voice brimmed with both anger and plea.
"They made their choice when they joined you in battle." - The ascian replied coldly.
"You…" - But before Edwin could continue, the bright energy of pure light emerged from his body; it was raging uncontrollably, so close to breaking free. The paladin fell on his knees, unsure how to resist. The transformation was going forward; the demise of his friends threw him out of balance and weakened his resolve.
"Yes, that's exactly what I waited for! Release the power and consume the First in the magnificent flood!" – The ascian was rejoicing.
G'raha was worried to see his hero weakened, but he would not stop fighting. Hades cast another spell and put Edwin in chains of darkness, which he could break free from, but the only way to do so was to unleash the power of light.
"Let me go!" - Edwin shouted as he struggled to break free.
"You can do so yourself, don't you see?" - Hades said while switching his attention to other heroes. G'raha was fully prepared to defend himself, but the ascian's attention was on Thancred and Ryne, who stayed close together with the gunbreaker shielding the oracle. "You cherish her, do you not? Don't worry, I will not separate you."-With these words, Hades unleashed another spell on them, throwing both Thancred and Ryne to the ground, but before he could finish them, the Exarch attacked and distracted him.
"Think you've won already? We still have some unfinished business to attend to!" - He shouted.
"No, you have another purpose."
Thancred got up despite all his pain, but as he tried to help Ryne, she couldn't walk at all; the wounds and magic got to her, leaving no strength to move on.
"I can't walk…Please, run away, you can still save yourself…" - The girl said.
"I can't, and even if I did…I wouldn't dare to leave you." – Thancred was adamant on fighting until the bitter end.
"But what can we do…."
Thancred looked towards Hades.
"Give it everything we've got. He will fall, and if not…Thank you, Ryne, for everything." – One last smile emerged on the gunbreaker's face.
"No, wait!"
It was too late for that; Thancred rushed to the ascian; he would not hold back.
"G'raha!" - he shouted, gaining Exarch's attention. He threw a crystal of white auracite right into his hands and quickly took another one. It was enough for G'raha to understand; both unleashed the power of auracite upon Emet, the flow of light was pumped into him, bringing the ascian immense agony. He screamed but showed no sign of weakening.
"Your toys won't save you here; now it's time to pay!" - Hades began casting a dark spell that would engulf the whole area. Thancred looked at the remaining crystals.
"Damn it…Giving it all, are we?" - After that, the gunbreaker jumped towards Hades, breaking one crystal after another with more power going into him. It seemed like he was very close to neutralizing Hades, but that was just momentary. His spell was weakened, but the remnants were still enough for a single shot.
"You've grown too defiant, no more!" - Hades unleashed the power of darkness; Thancred gave Ryne the last look. She was still weakened and lying on the ground, powerless to stop this carnage. Thancred was engulfed by darkness, and soon his aether was lost, and his body burned to ashes. G'raha was the only one who still fought, and he knew this was no coincidence.
In the next moment, after seeing another comrade die, the power of light was finally unleashed. Edwin broke his chains, and a powerful white wave spread through the arena, pushing Hades further away, distorting his dark essence.
"Yes, exactly what I expected. It's not pain or suffering that breaks you, making you desperate, not your pain. It is one of your friends and allies that makes your blood boil; you are dependent on them." - Hades said; he maintained the distance and watched with pride as Edwin began to emit more light. G'raha could feel it too; a few more minutes and the light will go free, engulfing the world in flood. The Exarch approached his struggling comrade and tried to help him get up.
"I'll help you contain it; I pray it will be enough…" - G'raha said, lying to both Edwin and himself.
"Can you still…Use the power of traversing the rift?" - Edwin asked in a hoarse voice.
"I can muster a few more now, but it won't be of any help unless…No, you can't possibly mean to do that!" - G'raha remembered who he was talking to, the hero unafraid of sacrifice for the noble cause. He knew deep inside that the time would come; he just hoped it would not be so soon.
"We lost…If I die here, the whole world will be destroyed, thousands killed; I won't let it happen." – The Warrior of Light said defiantly.
"But there must be another way, if only…."
"Please, G'raha, we have no time! I feel it; I'm turning already…Just send me where I would die with all this light, not able to destroy anything."
"But…I…"
"You need to be strong…For everyone who died today, for me…The ascians cannot win, and they won't. So let's deprive them of this victory."
G'raha could not hold back a tear rolling down his cheek. When he summoned aethereal heroes. In one fleeting moment, his certainty was completely gone as G'raha was surrounded by corpses and ashes of his friends. So many challenges passed on the First, so many battles won…He thought this would not be different. Edwin noticed it and gave him a proud smile.
"Don't fear, G'raha, if not for you, we wouldn't have come this far…When I'm no more, get yourself and Ryne back to Crystarium, you have to tell everyone what happened to prepare them for the coming storm… I'm counting on you."
"I won't fail you…I promise."
G'raha raised his staff and began casting the spell that would kill his idol once and for all.
…
The end was coming to the First, and it was beautiful. Hades watched from afar; he saw and felt the energy of light regaining its presence, soon to be exploded. With that, the Warrior shall become a beast that will finally destroy this realm's balance, sinking it in flood. Two calamities with just a few years between them…Their scheme was going stronger than ever before, despite all the losses.
Now was the time to look at the glory of another pathetic reflection getting destroyed. Despite this, Emet still felt a sense of grief over its fall, over the one that was once his closest friend perishing. For a moment, he truly believed that they would succeed and contain the light, that Edwin will rise above mankind's limitations, but he was just as disappointing as the rest of them. Perhaps, when all will be rejoined in another millennium, they will meet again…But this is still a long way away.
Something felt wrong, Hades felt another explosion of pure light, but after that, its reach deteriorated. A pillar of aethereal energy appeared right where Edwin kneeled, the same one that brought forth the spectral heroes. Edwin's silhouette was still there; Emet felt that power was evading him.
"Hades!" - Edwin's scream was followed by another wave of light; it weakened Hades and blinded him for a few moments, while the Warrior of light stood tall and continued talking. "You may think yourself superior; you may think that once you destroy us, there will be no one else…No heroes to rise up to you. You are wrong. Once you come and attempt to impose your tyranny, there will always be those who fight back…I am not the first Warrior of Light and won't be the last. I will not let you destroy the world with countless heroes on its soil, true protectors that I saw myself. And if you truly believe that our fall marks your victory…You are one wretched fool."
The pillar of light gleamed brighter with these words, and a powerful surge of light energy was channeled unto the stream. Hades realized what was going on as he felt Edwin's aether rapidly dissipating and moving away from this realm and even dimension.
"No, not now!" - Emet flew towards the pillar, high as he could, but it was too late already; all traces of the hero were gone; he was beyond the known universe. His aether was very distant, and then…It was all gone. An explosion of light among empty space, annihilating Edwin and dissipating in the abyss. All the nearby from the flood that Emet and others prepared, all power of lightwardens, gone in an instant…
Before Hades could process the thought, he saw another pillar of light, much smaller and fainter. He flew back to the platform and noticed that it was surrounding Ryne this time. Before the ascian could do anything, she disappeared from his sight without leaving a trace. Only the Exarch remained; he was the one who teleported Edwin away, who saved the First and snatched this victory right from Emet's hands.
He began another cast, but before the third pillar could emerge, Hades conjured up an arrow of darkness, the one that was intended to drain G'raha and make him lose conscience while still keeping him alive. Emet was successful; when Exarch noticed this threat, it was far too late. The arrow shook him and forced him to submit to draining darkness; soon, he fell unconscious on the ground.
And only silence followed.
Emet transformed into his huyur form once again and stood at the heart of this arena he created. They were dead, most of them at least. The girl would pose no threat on her own, and G'raha was under Hades's control. And still, Edwin outplayed him. All this hard labor, carefully laid schemes were for nothing. So much power wasted…Emet looked to the darkened skies as if still searching for Azem's presence.
"Why…Why couldn't you just listen to reason!?" - He almost shouted but controlled himself. There was no need for panic and anger; they were of no use. What he needed to do now is to find a way to cultivate the energy and continue with the flood to consume first once for all; he will have much less resistance now.
Aside from that…Emet looked at unconscious G'raha. They still had much to discuss.
…
Staying near Rising stones and waiting for the scions' return has not been easy for Krile's mind. She and Tataru looked after them, hoping that their friends would wake up one day, praying for it to come sooner, to be successful in all of their journeys, and come home victorious.
But that was not what happened. Instead, Krile felt a massive explosion of light and aether. It came from somewhere beyond their world, but its echo reached her ears due to how powerful it was. For a split second after that, she saw a familiar image, the one of Edwin. It lasted only a moment before disappearing once again…
But this time, it felt as it was more than just an image. It was as if their friend gone forever.
…
This turn of events was not something he anticipated.
When Fandaniel felt the aethereal disturbance, he was shocked to realize that the Warrior of Light had lost to Emet-Selch, and now there was no great hero of Eorzea. It caught the rogue ascian off-guard; he was expecting him to win and destroy the unsundered, paving the way for him.
But it was too late to turn back now. Fandaniel already began scheming; his manipulations across various garlean legions seemed to work perfectly; it would bring the chaos Fandaniel desired and make him the Harbinger of final days. Alas, Elidibus and Emet-Selch wouldn't let this go unnoticed, but perhaps they could be kept away for long enough, so it would be too late to finally realize the truth.
Fandaniel still had one advantage. The emperor was murdered, and the one truly responsible for it could be a useful pawn; he wanted the same thing Fandaniel sought.
Chaos in its purest form.
…
Zenos would remember this moment for all days to come.
It came when he sat on his throne, shortly after Gaius van Baelsar and Estinien Wyrmblood escaped. He was silently pondering on the only man who could make him feel alive again. The one who fought valiantly and ferociously every time gave Zenos a challenge he desired.
These images became something more in one instant as if Zenos couldn't control them. He felt the trembling of aether, and somehow, amidst all this chaos, he recognized that it was him. A star burning brighter than a thousand suns and turning to ash. And then Zenos realized.
He was alone once again.
…
It could not have been this way; it could not be…
Hydaelyn felt Edwin's demise, so rapid and unexpected, yet heroic in its own way. For the first time in millennia, the goddess of light did not know what to do. She was sure that Edwin would live to meet her and accept her final challenge, whatever the outcome. She saw him there, in Elpis…They worked together; Hydaelyn knew that he lived long enough to see it.
Was it possible that the timeline itself changed?
Now all of her plans had dissolved, and she had no answer. There was no one to stop ascians from destroying countless nations and lives, all to restore Zodiark. But far worse than it was her sense that told her of the schemer that would bring forth the final days. Clear the way for the song of Oblivion.
And no one will be there to silence it.
