The Minstrel's Ballad: As our Hope wanes

by Angelfortruth

The road walked by the warrior of light is one of sorrow and trials, of enduring pain and despair so that hope may one day prevail. But what if, in her attempts to find an answer to the question, Hydaelyn miscalculated and the hero fell in a battle against the Angel of Truth before he fulfilled his purpose? Can someone else follow in his footsteps, or is the world fated to burn?

68. Heroes and men

Emet didn't know what to expect of the loporrits, and truth be told, the ascian hardly cared. He was drained and tired of this pointless search, a search that would only lead the Exarch to disappointment and dead ends. There was no value in it, no purpose in trying to find answers amidst a scheme created by a madwoman who did not wish to share it with anyone even in their ancient times, much less now. It was clear that she had hoped for Edwin to stop this calamity, yet now, after he was gone, evacuation to the moon might have become the only option for the star.

A way of a coward.

When Emet and G'raha entered the lair, they immediately realized that they were not alone. An enormous hall emerged before them, its scale rivaling that of Amaurot. It was perfectly designed and covered in metal, its technologies surpassing even Allagan space vessels. Beneath them, there were structures that resembled houses and a panel that showed what looked like a map of the known universe.

"Who built all this…" - G'raha wondered as he stepped forward and looked at the level beneath them. There lay their answer. Dozens of tiny creatures ran around the hall, constantly talking to each other, stumbling around the houses, bringing new materials, and exploring the map, yet none of them were static. The loporrits, Hydaelyn's creations, whose purpose was now clear to Emet.

"They have." - Emet-Selch pointed at the bunny-like creatures. It took moments to realize that there was one standing beside them, a lone loporrit with pale fur holding a book in his hand and looking into the pages with impeccable precision. After realizing that he was not alone, the loporrit looked at his guests, immediately dropping the book on the floor and recoiling.

"Aaaaah!" - He shouted in panic before taking a small device out of his pocket and frantically pressing its screen. "Livingway, Livingway, can you hear me…You need to come up here now! Yes, yes, right now, we have guests…No, it's not the Watcher. They're from Eitheyris!"

"Excuse me, may I…" - G'raha still maintained his rather puzzled expression as he approached the creature cautiously.

"Just a moment; we weren't forewarned about your arrival! I need to prepare the living quarters…" - The loporrit ran away, leaving the Exarch visibly confused. As he looked at the ascian, Hades could only shrug.

"Elidibus watched those a while ago…He said they're a lovely bunch. I can certainly see why."

"Well, they must be talented builders at the least…"

It did not take long before one another loporrit emerged on the nearby bridge, coming out of the teleportation gateway. This one had darker fur, and as they caught Emet and G'raha, the creature immediately rushed toward them with a speed one wouldn't expect from someone so tiny. At least they would explain how they would traverse those halls so quickly.

"There you are!" - The bunny breathed heavily as she stopped before them. "Forgive me my delay, we couldn't have expected that we would have guests so early, so we couldn't set up a proper welcome…But we are not complaining! "- Her stuttering voice sounded nervous yet also intrigued enough. G'raha stepped forward.

"Greetings. Your friend seemed to run off rather quickly when he saw us, so if it needs saying, we haven't come to cause harm."

"For now." - Emet added with annoyance.

"Oh, forgive him his demeanor." - The bunny responded. "The last few weeks have been the busiest we have ever been with everything that needs to be prepared."

"You are the loporrits then? Servants of Hydaelyn who oversee this vessel and prepare it to evacuate people from the star?"

"Oh, so you already know who we are, wonderful! That spares me with a lengthy explanation. Yes, you are quite right. It was us to whom she entrusted this vital mission and for which we worked tirelessly over all those years! I am Livingway, the one leading the operation, and I have to say, our preparations have almost reached their end. The moment Zodiark died, as we were told he would, we were ready to finish our job!" - After hearing those words, Emet looked away with disdain. Even those creatures reminded him that the ascian quest was nothing but a pre-written tale, a part of Hydaelyn's plan, which she knew would unfold. Even Zodiark's death, while not playing out in the manner she expected, was nothing but a catalyst, a game where the ascians simply could not win. G'raha, meanwhile, looked at the rabbit with interest yet didn't speak at all, which Livingway noticed. "Is something wrong? You seem terribly confused…" - This was a moment when Emet couldn't help but chime in.

"Oh, forgive my associate. He is always so easily overwhelmed she can barely help it. I'm afraid even compared to all the creatures he witnessed in his long travels, you are a step too far…"

"No." - G'raha finally spoke up. "I advise you not to listen to his nonsense. I am merely surprised because I admit, I expected someone less…" - The Exarch paused before sighing and saying what was on his mind. "Cute."

"Oh, I see! Well, have no worries, for Hydaelyn knew what she was doing when she created us. We are here for your sake, after all, and we need to support the atmosphere of relief and happiness aboard our ship, and what better way to do it than to have us remind them of something so cute and wonderful from their own world? Especially for children like you, we hope to be the best we can in terms of cheering you up."

"Children like us?" - G'raha said with surprise while Emet chuckled and shook his head. This was going to be rich.

"Well, of course! It stands to reason that your elders would begin the evacuation by sending their most treasured children into the fold, not to mention that you're far smaller than your elders must be." - Livingway said with excitement. They truly believed this, believed that the evacuation was underway and that Emet and G'raha were the first ones to set foot aboard and stay. They would soon be disappointed, and the ascian couldn't help but wait for this moment. They were an extension of Venat's will, and her disappointment was the only reason for Emet to smile.

"Rich words coming from a creature that did not even exist at the time of me serving in the Convocation!" - The ascian scoffed at the loporrit; having those creatures call him a child was too humiliating. Livingway recoiled in shock at those words.

"Wait…Older than me? You aren't children?"

"You're mistaken, I'm afraid." - G'raha responded. "We are full-grown men who have lived longer than most of our kind do, both mine and that of my companion. We came here after the Sharlayan Forum revealed to us the truth of your existence and the evacuation that was about to go underway."

"The Forum…That must be our benefactors from the star! But if you aren't children…Is every adult on the source your size?"

"There is some variation among different people, of course, but we, more or less, represent the average."

"Oh…" - Livingway looked around in panic, desperately avoiding eye contact with either Emet or G'raha. The ascian sighed in disappointment.

"Are you telling me that you toiled for thousands of years on this project and are only now learning about how small mortals have grown over the years?"

"That's just a simple miscalculation. One moment…" - Livingway took out a communication device similar to the ones they had seen before. "Buildingway, can you hear me? Change of plans, I need you to rebuild all domiciles at one-third the scale! Yes, all of them. I will explain it later, as quickly as you can…No 'buts'!"

"That's certainly something…" - G'raha whispered to Emet, still uncertain of how to react to such a display.

"See how your 'mother' loves her children? She didn't even bother to forewarn those creatures about key details; I wonder how much else do they not know?"

"Alright, that's settled…" - Livingway put the device away and turned back toward her guests, failing to maintain any confidence. "So, who are you, exactly? Are you for the Forum?"

"No. I am G'raha Tia, though many others know me as the Crystal Exarch or the Time Traveller, and my companion here is Emet-Selch."

"Aaagh!" - The loporrit jumped back with her eyes frozen in primal horror as she looked at the grumpy ascian standing beside G'raha. "Emet-Selch…THE Emet-Selch? The ascian?

"Yes, yes, yes, skip this idiotic facade. I am not going to slaughter you, not because I can't but because I have little interest and nothing to gain from it." - Hades couldn't help but think of Venat when talking to those creatures. An extension of her feelings and hopes, a symbol of the ascians' failure. "Are we on the same page now?"

"Well…Thank you for not killing us, I suppose, but…" - Livingway's voice quivered. "I'm sorry if it sounds blunt, but we were told that by the time Zodiark's shield is destroyed, all of you will be dead."

"Life is full of surprises, isn't it?" - Emet retorted. "Even someone as arrogant as your creator will have to learn that some twists of fate are simply beyond our control…What was it you said back in Sharlayan, G'raha? Sometimes tragedies happen, as do miracles."

"Let's not dwell on what I said and focus on the situation at hand." - G'raha shook his head, trying to act as a mediator for Emet and Livingway. "We did not come here to cause trouble or sabotage your plans, but I want to ask some questions as well as to see what exactly is the paradise you prepared for the people of our star. Considering that you didn't know of our size until seeing us, I suggest that this would be beneficial for all of us."

"Yes, yes, most certainly!" - Livingway replied with haste. "My friends and I would gladly show you around if you share with us the knowledge of your people and what are the optimal living conditions for them. We need to make some adjustments to living quarters in Smileton, but…Ah, yes, the Carrotorum would be a perfect place to start! Come with me."

After those words, Livingway strolled back towards the teleported, beckoning for Emet and G'raha to follow her and not giving them a single second to ask questions. Judging by the Exarch's disposition, he was certainly unimpressed.

"Smileton? Carrotorium? They have a unique style."

"Stop being so forgiving to them and say it like it is." - Emet encouraged him. "I'm sure that whatever we see here will only facilitate their image as idiots and fools that are as incompetent as it can get. Do you truly think they know something of the Final Days?"

"They might. Life is full of surprises, isn't it?"

"By the…"

Emet didn't finish; he was forced to follow G'raha and Livingway as they entered a gate that transported them to a lower level. The Exarch would keep this naive and hopeful disposition even when the answer was obvious right before his eyes. Someone so caught up in his own heroics that he would reject reality in order to pursue his dreams. So much like Apollo, so much like his best friend. No matter which age or era, Emet would always find himself in the company of the same type of person, the type of company he would always crave no matter their differences.

When the trio descended to the lower level, they could see the work loporrits there doing from a closer distance. Despite the aversion, Emet felt towards them because of their connection to Hydaelyn, the ascian could not deny that they were good at following their instructions, as misguided as those instructions were. Most of them barely paid attention to the guests they had. There was far too much to prepare and get going before they would get such an opportunity.

"Carrotorium is right there!" - Livingway pointed at the large door to their left with a few more loporrits bustling around it. "There, we have the best foods stored for the people of Eitheryris when they finally arrive! I'm sure you would find it delicious. I've already sent a message to Cookingway; he will prepare the best meals."

As she rushed ahead, G'raha and Emet were forced to follow her once again. The ascian could clearly see the emerging disappointment in G'raha's eyes, something that will inevitably strike him when the truth becomes far too pressing to escape.

"A place for the foods called 'Carrotorium'…" - Emet chuckled at the thought. It seemed like they found themselves the victims of a cruel joke. "You can imagine what it is they store there."

"I'm not judging until I've seen it."

"You won't judge even if those rascals accidentally sabotage the whole moon while trying to make it fly in the sea of stars; your opinion is hardly a metric." - Emet scoffed as they approached the gigantic gateway to the Carrotorium.

"I have to admit, I expected more. Livingway is right. Having them look as welcoming as this would soothe many hearts, but what was Hydaelyn's intention in creating those miniature beings to create a giant vessel like this? A vessel that does not even fit the people of Eitheyris, mind you." - G'raha wondered, probably still thinking that there was a reasonable explanation for this.

"The first rabbits were Venat's concept back in the day; she has a soft spot for those animals. I suppose that explains the form she chose for loporrits. As for their purpose…I have my theories."

"Such as?"

"She was just like you in her unwavering belief and truly thought that as long as Edwin and the scions guarded the star, there was nothing that could go wrong, no real need for this contingency plan. Now she has to suffer the realization of how many years were wasted while creating this pointless paradise…I hope she chokes on it."

The Exarch didn't respond to Hades's spiteful words, perhaps because he didn't care for the ascian's provocations anymore or because he was focused on loporrits. When they entered the Carrotorium, they saw a gigantic metal hall around them. It was filled with structures, houses, and plazas that far exceeded that of any sundered. A failed project, through and through. No decorations, no golden balconies, or aetherytes colored in rainbow could salvage it.

"Welcome to the Carrotorium!" - Livingway exclaimed with joy. "Come; Cookingway must be nearby; I'm sure he has some of our best carrots for you to try."

"Is it just carrots?" - G'raha wondered. "Do you have anything else in store?"

"On, of course, isn't simple carrots! We have carrots of happiness, iron carrots, healthy carrots, the red carrots."

"Alright…" - G'raha sighed. "Can I ask a few questions before we arrive?"

"Of course, ask away."

"How often do you communicate with the Forum? Considering that you seemed to lack some key information, I cannot imagine it being too often."

"We exchange information and occasional signals, that is all. The last time they sent us a lot of sacred tomes with information about your people, but…It seemed something was missing. Still, no need to panic! We will fix everything in due time and salvage the people from the calamity that approaches."

"It's not approaching…" - G'raha sighed with disappointment. Even though he had little patience when dealing with silly antics at the brink of an apocalypse, Emet understood this sense of annoyance well. After a few centuries of dealing with the likes of loporrits and the Exarch would become indistinguishable from Hades in his disappointment in mankind. "It is already here. One city was destroyed, another one horribly damaged…Not to mention the schemes that played out to set Final Days in motion. They led to yet another city suffering horrific damage and a whole nation of people being nearly annihilated in the madness." - He spoke those words with grave seriousness and stern; even the loporrit froze for a moment, looking at the Exarch with misunderstanding.

"Is it…Is it that bad already?"

"Yes, it is."

"But why didn't the Forum begin their exodus yet?"

"It seems they, too, have some preparations to make." - G'raha sighed. "Truth is, the main reason why we came to visit you has little to do with checking your work. Your entire task is to save the people of the star from Final Days that are about to destroy all life. I wanted to ask if you know something about their nature and origins."

"Oh, of course, we do!" - Livingway responded, immediately garnering G'raha's attention. The ascian chuckled the moment he witnessed G'raha's ears immediately go up as he stared at the loporrit with unbridled anticipation.

"You do?" - Once again, a naive idealist began to emerge in his hopeful voice.

"Yes, how could it be otherwise? The Final Days are caused due to the rot of celestial currents that happened after the shield set up by Zodiark was broken, which leads to people transforming into horrible beasts upon…" - Emet didn't know if watching G'raha's hope be squashed, seeing his eyes be slowly stripped of momentary hope with every word was entertaining or pitiful. He wanted to grasp at every possible lead, yet they would always push him aside.

"I know all of it. I was speaking about what caused these celestial currents to rot."

"Oh…No, we don't know that."

"Damn it…" - G'raha clenched his teeth and looked away. The ascian, meanwhile, couldn't help but chuckle in a quiet yet chaotic and almost hysterical fashion, trying to grasp the sheer absurdity of their present reality. This was what their people had to die for, a bunch of buffoons who tried to save others, just as foolish creatures while dancing to the tune of a goddess that knew everything yet continuously kept her every ally in the dark.

"But why does it matter? We are going to abandon the star anyway with as many people as possible and find a place that is not affected by this cataclysm; we will make sure you feel at home at any time…"

"We don't want to abandon the star." - G'raha interrupted her with unusual crudeness in his voice. "It is our home, the home we love and cherish…We cannot simply leave it. We need to fight together to end the cataclysm and save the star, whatever the cost shall be." - An idealist immediately turned wisened hero, a much more tolerable persona, even if still annoying for Emet.

"That's pointless." - Livingway replied causally. "The star will die, and the Final Days can't be stopped. There isn't mulch to do with it, I'm afraid."

"How can you possibly say that? I do not know what there was in those tomes you were sent, but if they contained a realistic portrayal of men and women that live on the star, you would know that they have never given up on their world, even in the face of great cataclysms akin to the one we are facing now. This is simply not the way forward, and among my friends, the possibility of failure is…It is unacceptable." - He stood firmly against yet another myriad of voices singing to the tune. First, the Forum, now loporrits, all spoke of how it was impossible to save their world from certain doom. And still, G'raha would maintain his belief in man's potential, in his ability to fight against insurmountable odds. A belief that was shared by all of Emet's closest friends back in the days of Amaurot, a belief that did not save them. Only knowledge would give them a chance, a knowledge which only the ascian could provide.

"Eh, I…" - Livingway stuttered. "Oh look, we've arrived!" - She led G'raha and Emet to the nearby plaza in between the oversized homes where yet another white-furred loporrit awaited them. "Hey there, Cookingway! Have you done what I asked you for?"

"Of course! Only the best carrots for our guests." - Cookingway turned towards Emet and G'raha; the loporrit must have immediately noticed their unimpressed gaze judging by his taking a small step back. "Welcome…I hope you enjoy your stay."

"I'm sure you can make it very enjoyable for them…" - Livingway stepped aside. "Meanwhile, I have to talk with Growingway and prepare the Endsvale for presentation! Cookingway, meanwhile, will be a great guide for you in the Carrotorium." - Livingway announced before rushing off back to the door with timid uncertainty, leaving Emet and G'raha alone with a new acquaintance.

"Alright…" - Cookingway pointed to the nearby stash, where Emet saw a number of multi-colored carrots. There were generic orange ones as well as those with azure, yellow and crimson colors, and not a single trace of any other food. "Those are the carrots we prepared for the people of Etheirys; they will keep them healthy and strong with all the components we put in them. There is the iron carrot, the spiced carrot, the carrot of happiness…Would you be so kind as to be the first people to try out our work?" - Cookingway looked at them with hopeful eyes, only for the ascian to shake his head.

"No, don't even think about it." - Emet crossed his hands and denied the offer rigorously, only to see the emerging disappointment in the loporrit's eyes. It was to Cookingway's luck that G'raha was far more charitable than the ascian.

"I will try one, if I may."

"Yes, you may! Which one would you like?"

"Hm… I'll take the red one." - G'raha spoke and grabbed a lone carrot before him. Emet was waiting for a spectacle, and it did not disappoint.

The moment Exarch put this carrot into his mouth and chewed on it, he immediately clenched his teeth and let out an uncomfortable gulp as the ascian watched this with both cringe and delight.

"How is it?" - Cookingway asked with anticipation, but G'raha couldn't speak yet. Emet could see his cheeks growing red same with his eyes. All the while, those physical reactions were absolutely lost on the loporrit. So much for knowing the people of Etheirys and their needs. After a few moments, G'raha finally swallowed it and took a deep breath.

"It's…Something."

"You picked one of the spiciest ones. We were told that some people enjoy that kind of food, so we made a carrot that will make you burn on the inside! Well, not literally, of course…But you don't seem too happy. Maybe it's not your type of food. Worry not; we will find something that will fit you as well." - Growingway said excitedly.

"And do you have anything but carrots?"

"Why would you need anything else? We created all the different kinds. There is everything you need!"

"Many people like variety in their food."

"Yes, that's why we have so many different ones."

"I doubt this is how it works…"

"Well, I…"- Loporrit was at a loss for words. "I'll see what I can do with that later. I could show you around if you wish…Although I'm afraid there is much to be done on my part, so if you are fine exploring the place alone for a while, I will be most grateful."

"Yes, that would be for the best…" - G'raha sighed with relief.

"Thank you! I'm sure Livingway will find you when the time comes! Meanwhile, enjoy your time here!" - Growingway exclaimed before turning around and rushing off to his peers. Did they understand how much they missed the mark and just pretended to be fooled, or were they this oblivious? Emet would gladly find out.

"Well…" - G'raha wanted to say something but coughed involuntarily at this attempt. "Gods, it burns!"

"Now I will die never knowing whether these buffoons made the carrot far too spicy for anyone's taste or if you are just weak." - Emet smiled playfully; even after the pain and agony of memories, the recent discoveries helped lighten up his mood. "Both are equally likely."

"For the love of Hydaelyn, just shut up…"

"Don't count on it. I understand that you're upset that those rabbits had no answer, but as I said, your expectation, your belief that someone knows the true answer, has always been unfounded."

"We will see about that." - G'raha looked up, desperately trying to maintain some confidence and belief in his gaze, no matter how hard it was after life would push him down and down with every attempt. "Let's see what more they have to offer. If we came here all this way, we might as well see the true face of this safe haven."

…

It became clear during their meeting with Rolandeau that the time had come. Once most of the people have awakened, the news spread incredibly swiftly around the city of knowledge. The messengers from the Forum delivered them in all parts of their homeland, and all knew that it was time for them to gather at the main square and listen to a very important announcement that the Forum was about to make. Of course, none knew the nature of this announcement yet, but all of them understood that this was concerning the Final Days.

Fourchenault decided to see his peers speak the truth to the people himself. This was a moment each Forum member dreaded, and while Fourchenault expected to be amidst the people that would tell this truth to others, perhaps even speak it himself. It might not have turned out the way he expected, yet realizing that this distant moment had finally arrived was yet another grim reminder of the nightmare that encroached on the star.

When Fourchenault arrived, the plaza was crowded with citizens that came from all corners of the city. Fourchenault gazed over fearful and concerned gazes that were directed at the gates of the Forum hall. Everyone was filled with dreadful anticipation at this moment. They whispered to each other with their quiet voices full of doubt and dissent.

"…Why did it take so long?"

"…Do you think they know something about the cataclysm?"

"…What if they don't even have a plan? What if…"

Among this crowd, very few recognized Fourchenault. No longer did he wear the forum robe but rather an unremarkable grey suit, one of his father's old ones, perfect to not get noticed by those people and have them ask intrusive questions. It was not Fourchenault's duty to answer them any more. Among those people, Fourchenault notices a white-haired elezen woman and a younger elezen girl standing beside her. Ameliance and Arielle were already here, and it was Fourchenault's duty to be by their side at this moment. He approached the two women from behind, getting close enough so they could hear his voice.

"Ameliance, here you are." - Fourchenault said calmly, forcing the two to turn around.

"Finally!" - Ameliance exclaimed. "Where have you been?"

"Mistress Leveilleur was very worried. We were…" - Arielle added.

"Forgive me." - Fourchenault sighed, realizing that in his obsession and mission, he neglected his own wife. "I had trouble sleeping…After all that happened yesterday, the anticipation of it all made it almost impossible, and I needed to spend some time in the fresh air; pray to forgive me that I did not leave a note."

"It's alright." - Ameliance spoke with warmth and reassurance. "Just please warn me next time. I was getting concerned."

"Of course, my dear." - Fourchenault promised, knowing that he might have to break his word one more time. He noticed Arielle looking at him with intrigue.

"Are they going to tell us about the moon and the ark?"

"Yes, it is long past the time…I can't imagine the Forum will tell any more than what I already told, but we shall see." - Fourchenault wondered if they would tell them how ready the ark truly was or if this would be concealed for the sake of maintaining peace and calm. Knowing what the consequences of a large-scale panic might be, Fourchenault wouldn't blame them for concealing the truth. "And what about you? How are you feeling?"

"Well…" - Ameliance took a breath. "You told us to put faith in your comrades in the Forum, and we will. When they are ready to make the first departure, we will join you aboard." - She spoke slowly, as if unsure of her own words.

"Is there no other way at all?" - Arielle wondered. "I would gladly join everyone who goes to the moon, of course, but it's just…How many will we leave behind? It's much smaller than our star, right?"

"The Forum will take as many as they can…That is all I know."

"But how many will we have to sacrifice?" - Arielle was a naive soul who wanted to save everyone, even people she knew nothing about. Fourchenault admired it to an extent, yet it was too reminiscent of the rhetoric spouted by G'raha back at the meeting.

"Sometimes sacrifices have to be made." - Fourchenault responded sternly as Ameliance and Arielle stood in silence. All of them knew the sting of feeling a loss, all knew what was at stake, and all knew that no kind or soothing words would change it. Before they continued talking, Fourchenault noticed a familiar lalafell not far from them. Krile came to see the announcement as well, standing away from the most crowded spaces and trying to observe the plaza. A perfect opportunity to ask about the whereabouts of their unruly recluses.

"Forgive me, I have to leave for a moment." - Fourchenault forewarned, and before Ameliance and Arielle could ask any questions, he disappeared into the crowd once again, finding his way towards the lone lalafell. She seemed focused on the plaza and the people that filled it and thus hardly noticed Fourchenault until he came close. When Krile finally saw a silhouette of the elezen, she turned her head quickly. Her eyes were full of caution, which Fourchenault picked up upon.

"Oh, master Fourchenault…I haven't noticed you there." - She said quietly.

"Came to watch the announcement, I take it?" - Fourchenault asked. They didn't have to be here, both knew exactly what was going to be said, yet they found themselves drawn to it, drawn to the place where the fates of so many are being decreed and decided.

"Yes, I want to know how much of the truth they will reveal… It's the same for you, I take it?"

"Aye, I gave the promise to be here when we announce the truth, and I will fulfill it. To support my brethren in the Forum, to support Ameliance…"

"I hope they know what they're doing." - Krile said with hope. "Once the announcement is made, I plan to go to Eorzea and spread the word around there. Gridania, Ul'Dah, Ishgard, Ala Mhigo, people of Ilsabard and the Far East…There are so many to save, far more than the moon can hold."

"As many as possible before this star becomes Hell…That was the promise we gave, the promise Forum shall fulfill."

"I hope so…I truly do. I also hope that this exodus will be the last resort, that before the star is destroyed, someone will find a way…I try not to be too naive, but I wish G'raha's dreams become a reality, I truly do." - Her belief wavered as she brought a perfect opportunity to ask the question that was on Fourchenault's mind.

"Speaking of the Exarch, will he attend the announcement?" - Fourchenault wondered, only for Krile to shake her head.

"No, he won't."

"Busy finding a solution to the Final Days, I gather? Still pursuing those impossible dreams…I can admire him, as foolish as those actions are." - Fourchenault would've easily denounced G'raha if he did not know that his children would do exactly the same. No matter how much he would chastise them for their naivety, they would never give up their ways, just like Fourchenault's own father.

"He…They are away. I can assure you that G'raha and Emet won't be of any disturbance to the Forum if that is what you want."

"Away to where?"

Krile paused after this question, turning away from Fourchenault. She doubted; after taking a deep breath, she looked back with slight relief.

"They decided to travel to the moon and see this newly created paradise for themselves."

"Mare Lamentorum?" - Fourchenault asked with surprise, yet it wanted almost immediately. Both Emet and G'raha visited the moon before, and as loporrits have told the Forum, there are a few aetherytes set up. They must have teleported away together…This provided a perfect opportunity if they made the necessary preparations with the aetheryte system before those two decided to return. He would have to tell Rolandeau after the announcement. "I see…As long as they are not interfering here, it matters little."

" Then I hope all of us can walk their own path…"

Yes, and the path that awaited was a sinister one indeed.

"Order, order!" - Barnier's loud voice echoed through the crowd, immediately bringing Krile and Fourchenault's attention to the opened gates. Every Forum member was there, at the footsteps of their hall, ready to speak to the public in awe and anticipation. Fourchenault scoured them to find Rolandeau, eventually spotting the hyur standing in the back row. When the noise ceased, Barnier could finally continue. "The time has come to speak of the Forum's most sacred duties…I believe all of you know of the troubling news coming from the east. The calamity that raged in Ul'Dah strikes again, this time far closer to our city…In recent days, Limsa Lominsa has been demolished, decimated by the beasts along with most of its people." - Barnier admitted as the public gasped in terror; some recoiled and clenched their fists while Krile and Fourchenault stood in silence, knowing that no words can truly describe the extent to which this nightmare was horrifying. "In light of this, I need to apologize for delaying this announcement to such an extent, yet it still must be made…Two hundred and seventy years ago, our forebears began an expedition in Dravanian Hinterlands in search of a route to the aethereal sea, as you know…Yet their discoveries became the Forum's most guarded secret. It was the very heart of the star we discovered and Hydaelyn herself. There did she tell us of a calamity that will destroy all life on this very star, yet she did not want this to be the end for us. There did. She tells us about a way for opus to survive and escape the cataclysm, the moon…It was created as a vessel to carry people of the star away from the cataclysm, so we can be spared and allowed to search for a new home."

"Will we have to leave our homes?"

"What about our families from other cities?"

"Can we not save the star at all?!"

"You should've told us earlier! How can we…How…"

"Calm yourself." - Barnier spoke. "We will let people from any corner of the world on the vessel we prepared. Yes, it will not be easy for any of us, yet such is the only way…To this end, we maintained contact with servants of Hydaelyn that reside on the moon. They worked tirelessly to prepare a vessel to the best of our needs. Since the time learned the truth, we began amassing the knowledge necessary for our journey, and our search has reached its end. Rest assured, we will see you brought to the moon safely and in an orderly fashion." - So they didn't tell the entire truth, as much as Fourchenault expected. Let them live with the hope that their journey is prepared only so that in a few days, they might discover the bitter truth. This couldn't have been an easy decision for the Forum, yet it had a possibility to backfire horribly. Fourchenault prayed that they would see to its completion successfully. For better or worse, this was not a part of his duty anymore.

Yet his was coming closer as well. Now that Fourchenault knew G'raha and Emet were away, there would be a surprise awaiting them by the time they returned. A surprise that will not leave the ascian alive.

…

Exploring what loporrits have built for people of the star has been a unique experience, though G'raha couldn't call it a positive one. He and Emet were given free rein to walk around the Carrotorum and explore it, seeing how much of it would fit mankind's current state. There was a lot those beings did not know. The tomes sent to them by the Forum did not provide a clear enough picture. And it seemed that that was the extent of their contact and that the Forum had no idea of the various miscalculations that were present in the newly-created city.

Not to mention that this lead proved to be a dead end yet again; there was a moment when G'raha believed that those loporrits would know something about the Final Days, only to once again find himself incredibly disappointed, and this time with no other leads. This visit to the moon would've been entirely pointless were it not for the discovery the Exarch made…With the oversized domiciles, the diet consisting purely of various carrots, the malfunctioning mechanical guardians that roamed the Carrotorium, and the complete lack of understanding on the loporrits' part, they were expecting someone similar to the ancients. And as they wandered around those halls, the Exarch realized that there would be more surprises to come, surprises that Sharlayan Forum must hear of. And, of course, his constant companion remained behind him, unusually silent for himself.

"I don't envy your people." - The ascian finally spoke up as he gazed around the hall. "Even my people would have little joy living in those metal halls, not to mention how…Minuscule will the sundered feel in those surroundings."

"I wish you didn't try to make me agree with you…" - The Exarch sighed, knowing how little he could argue. They were both of one mind and with good reason. "But you are right…I know they tried their best, but this isn't fitting for most of my people. I wonder how long it will take for them to make the necessary preparations…At least I can share everything that is needed."

"And break their hearts by telling them that much of their generational work is due for scrap?" - Emet chuckled. "I don't think you'd have the heart."

"You know the lengths I can go when something is truly necessary."

"Like torturing me in Limsa? Oh, yes, that's a wonderful moment to remember." - Hades responded snidely before taking yet another look around and taking a deep breath. "Still, you have to admit…This is better than complete annihilation. Your brethren were given some kind of chance by Hydaelyn, a chance that is far more preferable to what she did…To what happened to my people."

"It's a chance I cannot take." - G'raha spoke firmly. If anything, what he saw before his eyes was proof that no moon would ever replace the star, which had been a home for them for generations.

"Even if this is the only way?" - Emet wondered as they approached a secluded area with a few oversized benches; they needed to take a break. G'raha wasn't sure if his answer to Hades would be of any confidence, yet it would remain unchanged. As they took a seat from which they got a view of the western part of the Carrotorium, G'raha finally mustered a reply.

"I don't believe it's the only way, and you know it." - A brave response that immediately made Hades chuckle.

"I suppose I should not even bother, should I?"

"The star is our home, our lust and beautiful world, a world I saw destroyed by the black rose and endless wars…I will not let it be purged once again because of my mistake. Failure was never an option." - G'raha attempted to maintain a smile of hope on his face, although he knew that by now, the ascian had learned to see through it.

"Even as all the people around you evacuate and every single city has burned, you would still try and look for a miracle…Yes, I can picture that rather clearly."

"And what would you have done? Would you abandon the star if such was the way to go? Would your people leave their world for a life of endless wandering?" - G'raha noticed that Hades looked away after those words as if unsure of what to say.

"I…I would've been ready to make sacrifices. As most of my people were." - Emet looked at G'raha once again. "People like you will never understand that sometimes saving everyone and everything is impossible, so deeply are you drowned in your own idealism…You would criticize and mock those who have the resolve to do whatever it takes to do as much as possible. You would decry them for being realists and looking at the truth before them with an unclouded gaze…Just like Apollo always did." - Emet's lips quivered as his voice became quiet before reclaiming its pitch. "I wish your broken self did not remind me of him so much, especially now. "

"It's not the first time you mention the name." - G'raha remembered Emet's words during their battle near the silvertear lake; it was difficult to track how Emet truly saw this mysterious person by words alone since his voice was full of both anger and shame, yet also maintained a shade of quiet pain. A pain that was longing for something once lost. "Who is Apollo?"

"Huh…You want to hear the tale, then?" - Emet paused for a moment. "Very well, then in the times of eld, I had two very close friends. One of them was a renowned creator and the chief of the architect's bureau; Hythlodaeus was his name. The other was an adventurer at heart, someone whose passions and dreams included traveling around our world, learning more about the people that lived in it…And helping. Always helping in everything, demanding nothing in return." - As the Exarch listened to the tale, he tried to imagine how Emet would be as a man. G'raha tried to battle his own preconceptions. After all, thousands of years of grief and pain will make anyone become a monster. The Hades G'raha imagined was very hard-working, and despite coming off as a tad too sarcastic and irritable, he always remained loyal to his closest friends. "He was a hero all of us appreciated…No wonder he earned a place on the Convocation."

"He was one of the fourteen?"

"Indeed, the seat of Azem, the traveler. A place he always aspired to have for as long as I remember him; both me and Hythlodaeus were immensely proud of him when he finally got the black mask of Azem…"

"He sounds like the type of person you would find very annoying, at least nowadays. I've heard that opposites attract from some people, not that I ever got to test the theory, but maybe this is one of those cases." - G'raha suggested, noticing Emet let out a very faint smile on his face.

"It wasn't rare for me to find him annoying back in the day as well…But something in him always brought me back. I think I know what it was, his openness and altruism, his belief that the world is a beautiful place in which everyone can find their place, a place truly worth living in and exploring…Alas, people like me tend to lose this thought after many years of routine." - Emet sighed and shook his head. "Even the goddamn altruism and naivety…I might have disagreed, but his perspective was always refreshing. His antics might have been insufferable at times, but I know they were always but a means to achieve a truly noble goal…"

"Antics?"

"Yes. Something along the lines of stopping a volcano eruption by shamelessly risking his own life while everyone else, both Convocation and those that lived nearby, already made their peace with it and began an evacuation." - Now G'raha understood. A soul that did not accept the consensus and always looked for a better way, no matter how much it hurt…Just like Edwin did, just like the Exarch tried to do now. G'raha looked to the floor in shame, his wish to have a friend like this during this apocalypse bordered on desperation.

"He was a good man, I take it…Yet he didn't teach you to believe in miracles, it would seem. Or did you simply become more skeptical with time?"

"He is precisely the reason why my belief was crushed." - Emet responded in grave bitterness. "Because for every idealist, there comes a time when their beliefs are no longer enough, when their endless search for another way can only lead to dead ends. This is a moment where one has to accept the futility of their quest and do what must be done or drown themselves…Apollo chose the latter. When the Final Days came, the Convocation made a difficult decision. Not everyone supported it, not everyone was sure that was the best way forward, yet most understood that if they were to do nothing, the entire star would die along with everyone dwelling on it."

"The first sacrifice." - G'raha concluded it.

"Indeed. After endless debates, everyone agreed on this course. We decided to bring forth an elder god born out of our souls and prayers with one of the Convocation to become his heart, the first sacrifice…" - Emet stuttered as his voice suddenly broke in immense, draining pain. "Themis was his name, the one who volunteered to take this place. Although you will know him by the name of Elidibus…"

"The Emissary?"

"Yes, the last of our kind, along with me until recently…He agreed to give himself for us, no matter how worried or afraid he was. To him, it was worth it if we were to see the other day…He was a friend to all of us, but especially to Apollo. The two truly became inseparable; Themis would gladly join him on any adventure Apollo could think of, and sometimes even I would tag along…" - Emet took a deep breath. "He couldn't watch him die. Couldn't watch Hythlodaeus die, our shared friend that was among the sacrificed. Couldn't watch all the others die to save the rest. The fact that the Convocation would resort to such methods was bewildering to him…I suppose it made sense from his point of view, for he truly believed there was another way."

"Did he protest, then?"

"Tried to, but alas, what can one voice do against thirteen? When he realized we would not be swayed, Apollo abandoned his seat and duty, leaving Amaurot for good." - Hades recalled the tale with a frown forming on his face, a frown of shameful spite that the ascian tried to hide. This tale made G'raha think of what he would do were he in Apollo's place. The thought of having his close friends sacrificed was horrifying, yet abandoning them when they make a decision so vital to their entire life? That would be a betrayal. "In the end, his idealism never led him anywhere, at least not that I know of. What I do know is that he wasn't there when we said goodbye to Elidibus when I said goodbye to Hythlodaeus when so many tears fell and so many lives were lost. I never saw Apollo since that day; I stopped seeing him as a hero…We had another to look up to. After the Final Days were forestalled, Elidibus separated himself from Zodiark, but it was not the same Themis we knew…He was a manifestation of our God's will with the voices of all those who were sacrificed echoing in his mind, a representation of the ideal a mediator should be, a guiding star for our world." - It was rare to hear Emet describe someone with genuine fondness, yet hearing his tales about Apollo and Themis showed the side that the ascian rarely showed before. A man that spoke in a tired voice with glints of warmth and nostalgia, the warmth that his pain has buried beneath all the horrors he had to endure. "He was the noblest of us, yet went through the most pain and suffering…For nothing. In the end, he still perished, and his soul was erased, everything he lived and worked for destroyed. He never got his miracle, and neither did Apollo." - G'raha couldn't help but listen attentively and feel his heartache. The thought of someone having to deal with such a nightmare and burden for thousands of years only to be annihilated and given naught but pain and suffering was horrific… G'raha wondered if this was what awaited him at the end of his fight. What if everything was truly for nothing? What if all that awaited him, in the end, was a fate of being slaughtered by blasphemies or, worse yet, becoming one of them?

"I'm sorry…" - G'raha responded quietly. "I won't pretend to understand what Elidibus went through, what suffering he had to endure…It is a tragedy, and I never denied it. Yet I hazard a guess that Elidibus would've supported the fight. Even though I did not know him for long, the resolve with which he fought in the Crystal Tower is enough evidence for his resolve. I think he would have supported our fight despite all the differences."

"Oh, you don't know how right you are…" - Emet chuckled, although this one brimmed with internal shame that was breaking free. "But this is not the end of this tale, and something tells me that the ending, as disappointing and unfulfilling as it is, will be your favorite part…Among the ancients, the lucky few were granted with a unique gift of soulsight, an ability to see one's soul, see the color and shape it takes, the turmoil and joy that permeates them…I would never mistake Apollo's soul for any else, and I have never seen his soul ever since that day. For a long, long time, at least…" - Emet looked G'raha in the eyes as if he was to confess something very important, something that he held in himself for far too long. "Until one day, I saw a hero that was transported to Norvrandt by your magics. A hero clad in armor and bringing forth the will of light, a hero who was surrounded by other friends, other comrades. And when I looked into Edwin's eyes, I saw a waning shade of a man he once was."

"No…" - G'raha recoiled in shock as his mouth was kept wide open. Now he understood what Emet-Selch wanted to say, but was it even possible? To experience such an unexpected reunion thousand of years later was one of the cruelest twists of fate one could imagine.

"You're saying that Edwin is…A sundered Apollo?"

"Yes, that's exactly what he is. Why so surprised? Almost everyone who lives in the current world is a sundered someone." - Emet wondered.

"It's…" - G'raha sighed, trying to put his reaction into words. "It's hard to imagine that you were once friends, that being the entire reason you even approached us! And not just friends you, with Elidibus as well…

"We were never friends." - Emet cut him off. "Now I see it clearly, I didn't back in Norvrandt…I assumed that Edwin was a changed and twisted version of my friend, someone who just needed guidance and memory restoration like every sundered ascian would…I was wrong." - Emet said with stark grief. "No matter how hard I tried, no matter how much I looked, no matter how many similar traits I tried to find to convince myself that he is still Apollo…He was not. He was a hero still, but for different people. A different man, with different hopes and dreams, with a different path…With the same heroic resolve." - This explained so much. This was why Hades kept close to the scions and tried to learn more about Edwin, trying to give him a chance despite the ascians being set on a single goal thousand of years ago. This was the reason behind him extending an invitation for Edwin to phantom Amaurot, even if it put the ascian's life in danger. It was due to the friendship they shared in the past, a friendship that Emet desperately wanted to restore.

"And yet you killed him…The one you thought a friend." - G'raha stated gravely, watching Emet's eyes slither away.

"Well, you were the one who dealt the killing blow…" - The ascian sighed, continuing to toy with G'raha's heart. "But even I had to accept this inevitability. Little did I know that…Well, it's difficult to explain. Edwin became for your people that which Themis was for ours. A hero who protected those who could not protect themselves, who could not resist the despair…A beacon of hope upon which so many placed their hopes. A hero whose existence is in itself a miracle. A miraculous tale with a tragic ending, both are gone now, both did not see the future they battled for…" - Emet spoke with admiration, yet his voice grew heavier with every time. "Without them, people are nothing. Simply masses that try and follow the orders of those false idols they believe to be their guides. A truth too terrible to bear but the one you have to hear. You may be the one to go against the flow, G'raha, but you are a unique specimen, one of a kind, just like Edwin, just like Apollo and Themis. And your end will be just like theirs, with no hope to be found." - G'raha was at a loss for words; so many revelations opened before him that they were enough to plunge his thoughts into chaos. Hearing his nemesis call him a hero and one of a kind, in a way that Ryne or Lyna would back in Crystarium, was the final straw. But whether it was because he did not wish to take the compliment or because of his disbelief, G'raha spoke out.

"I disagree."

"With what?" - Emet chuckled. "With the fact that Edwin and Themis met tragic ends? Well, that's surely an interesting outlook!"

"No, with you calling me 'one of a kind.'" - Those words surprised Emet, and judging by his focused eyes, the ascian's interest was piqued.

"So selfless, are we? Well, I feel no pleasure calling you that, but it is the truth. You traversed the fabric of reality and time, escaping from a world where we, ascians, have won and ushered another calamity. And not only did you prevent this calamity from being ushered, you effectively put an end to the ascians by destroying Zodiark. You might have doomed your world in the process, of course, but the task was accomplished." - Emet said with a tone of mockery; it was clear the ascian admired G'raha's persistence, even if his actions have tormented him. Yet on this matter, the ascian was wrong.

"You would be surprised by how little can be attributed to me as an individual back in my world." - G'raha spoke, thinking back to the noble people he left behind. "As the calamity raged and the black rose poisoned the land and people, I was slumbering in the Syrcus Tower, utterly oblivious to the chaos that erupted around me. Oblivious to the people that were slaughtered, to friends that died, to the few that survived and watched the world transform into one filled by chaos and war." - The Exarch thought about the moment he was woken up by the Ironworks and told how much has changed since then. How he found out that all people he knew and loved were no more, taken by black rose, blades of their enemies, or time. How their world saw so much perish and be wiped off the face of their star, how old civilizations fell, and the new ones arose. "It all began with but a few minds, those of Cid Garlond and Nero Scaeva…"

"Of course, it had to be them." - Emet forced himself to smile. "The Garlean Empire, for all its flaws, has always produced the best inventors and engineers…Midas has certainly played his part to perfection during the Seventh Umbral Calamity. Like father, like son."

"Even to this day, I can't stop wondering at how magnificent their minds truly are…I wish I could get the time to talk to Cid more, to ask him about how he's been…About Nero." - It was to great shame that G'raha remembered that one of his friends and allies he met during an expedition into the Crystal Tower, one of those he swore to save, has already perished. "But that is beside the point. Along with their comrades, Cid and Nero devised a theory that would help them pierce the fabric of reality and time in an attempt to undo this tragedy. This would be the work to which they'll dedicate the rest of their lives."

"And how exactly did they do that?" - Emet continued to question the Exarch, who was not oblivious to what ascian really wanted. Yet Hades would not find the response he sought so much.

"From what I know, by combining the abilities of dimension-hopping Omega and the time-piercing primal Alexander. Thus did they conceive of a theory which they never lived to see…But it was passed down from generation to generation until one day, the new Ironworks decided to turn theory into practice. They sought an abundance of aether that would facilitate such a jump."

"And, of course, they turned to the Syrcus Tower."

"Indeed…And awakened me in the process." - G'raha said. "They told me everything, including their plan, and I was glad to support them in this endeavor. It was not easy, I admit…When I began my slumber in the Crystal Tower, I expected to wake up in a brave new world, a world that was ready to ascend and master the Allagan technology, not the Hell I saw before my eyes." - G'raha desperately wished for it to go a different way, he wished to be awakened by Cid and his other friends, by those who would look upon him with a smile, ready to welcome their guide in a new world. He wished his day of awakening to be a happy one, to be an occasion when he would see a world that was still familiar to him but just a little better. A more united, a more hopeful version of it.

"Hm…" - Emet was intrigued. "The you of this timeline still slumbers in the tower, I assume?"

"Yes, and I want him to wake up in a better world than I did, and I will not let this star become a hell of my own making."

"Resolved, as always…But you haven't finished your tale yet."

"Before my eyes, those masterful inventors transformed the vaults beneath the Syrcus Tower, enhancing them with wondrous technologies that their ancestors have found. They created a system that could pierce the fabric of reality itself, and at the heart of it was the Tycoon, a mechanism that stored the boundless reservoirs of aether in its heart, as well as provided enough power to open the gateway…" - G'raha noticed Emet's gaze growing more intrigued by the second. "Before you suggest anything…No, you can't use the Tycoon to travel back in time anymore. I and my allies destroyed most of it shortly before I left."

"Most of it?"

"Except for the heart, although it has separated from the tower's structure. It has been emptied and now acts as a perfect storage vessel…For both my soul and yours." - After those words, a gaze of understanding emerged in the ascian's eyes, though he could not hide his disappointment. G'raha led him into a dead end, a false one, as the tower could still be used even without the Tycoon if a suitable source of energy was found to replace it, but the Exarch couldn't help but feel a sense of karma. It wouldn't be the first time Emet sneered at him for stumbling into yet another dead end; why shouldn't he repay him in kind? G'raha's most recent experiences made him more spiteful than he ever was before. Alas, he began the tale, and he would finish it. "But then there remained the matter of the leap itself. Everything was set up, and I volunteered. I was a man of another age, the one who had no connection to the world that existed before me, and knowing that there was a chance to save those who I loved and cherished in an older age…" - Once again, G'raha failed to hold his emotions, and a few tears fell down his face. How ironic was it that when it came to opening up about his pain and sacrifice, it would be his enemy before whom he would speak this truth. Krile and his other friends would always support him and provide a shoulder to lean on. Hades would do none of that, yet he would do something that only he could…He would understand G'raha. Understand his pain and sorrow because this is the pain he went through. "Back in the day, we were under the assumption that once the history is rewritten, our entire timeline would cease to exist along with myself as the last trace of it."

"And are you seriously telling me…" - Emet spoke with disbelief. "That the sundered were ready to sacrifice themselves for a bright future they would never see?"

"Not all of us, of course, and understandably so…But among the marvelous men and women that I worked with, they were all of one mind. They inspired me as much as Edwin did…"

"And yet you survived despite being at the mercy of the laws of time. How?" - The ascian tried to understand the answer, which even G'raha himself didn't know.

"I don't know…But I did." - G'raha shrugged. "Perhaps I was able to live on due to being teleported to another timeline, or perhaps…Perhaps my world still exists. Perhaps those people got a chance to find happiness as well…I hope that at least they are able to build a better world, for I have failed miserably in this task here."

"I suppose you tried. Genuinely tried." - Was this a half-hearted encouragement? G'raha could barely believe that those words were coming from Emet-Selch of all people, yet here they were. "It's a fascinating tale, I will give you that. Alas, it leaves me with but a single question…"

"Ask away."

"It's not addressed to you." - Emet chuckled with light pain. "Though I wouldn't be surprised if even she cannot give me an answer."

"Hydaelyn?"

"Who else?" - This suggestive, mysterious tone of voice inadvertently reignited hope within G'raha.

"What was it you talked about?"

"No, no, we are still playing by my rules." - Emet shook his head. "You say the Tycoon was destroyed. Does this mean that the tower cannot be used for traversing time anymore?" - Now he asked the question directly, and G'raha found himself amidst a difficult situation. It only took a moment of thought before the Exarch laughed quietly, much to Emet's surprise. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing…Just realizing how bad I am at this game. Perhaps I simply do not want to play." - The Exarch was tired of hiding, tired of lying; if their conversation was to go anywhere, someone would have to compromise. "The tower can still be used as the system that the Ironworks created has transferred to the First as well. All you need is to find a source of aether to replenish the reserves." - G'raha sighed, realizing that he might have committed a grave mistake out of his misplaced kindness. "Here is the 'secret' you wanted to know, is it not? That is all I can tell you. Both I and the Tycoon's heart have been separated from the tower and are independent of it."

"So…" - Emet spoke with caution and genuine interest without a single sign of his usual smugness. "If your world will still exist and that the laws of our time allow the existence of parallel worlds as your journey is the most glaring example of…Why are you so averse to me doing what you did? You are no fool, G'raha, and you understand my plight. Then why can't we simply come to a mutually beneficial agreement? After all, this is all I ask."

"I…" - It was a good question, G'raha had to admit, and not a simple one to answer. "I do not have anything against you saving your people in a separate timeline if you can, but to speak plainly, I do not trust you to harm my friends in Norvrandt while you are looking for the source of aether. After all, there is only one suitable example I can think of, Eden…Ryne."

"And what if I say I have certain ideas on how to make this leap work? What if I say that I am ready to work with Ryne so we find a safer way to travel?"

"And why should I believe that?"

"Because you know that I am not a senseless murderer. I have no reason to kill your friends unless they stand in my way, and if you give me your blessing, I don't think they would. It is a perfect scenario for both of us…You get a world free of ascians that tormented it for so long, a world where you can fight the Final Days with all your strength. Meanwhile, I get a world I always yearned for without it costing you yours." - If Emet spoke truly, then perhaps it was for the best. G'raha didn't know if his strength could help them during the Final Days. So far, this danger seemed far out of scope even for the Unsundered.

"I…" - The Exarch was not sure how to answer. "I'll put it this way. I will be willing to discuss it with you and come to an arrangement that benefits us both, but not before you answer my question. And I think you are well aware of what this question is."

"Still clinging on to it…Impressive, truly impressive."

"And are you finally ready to give me the answer?"

"Oh, there you are!" - The loud loporrit's voice echoed in front of them as Livingway rushed to their side. "I'm ready to continue our tour; there is still the Endsvale that you have to see. Follow me!"

They had no choice but to oblige. The Exarch looked at the ascian, playfully smiling behind him. He shrugged silently before standing up. The question remained unanswered, yet he did not refuse it, nor did he deny that there was something to tell. So be it. Hades might call the Exarch a naive fool all he likes…

G'raha would still cling to hope.