"W... who?"
'It's me, Konami... don't you remember?'
"What?... Kon-am-i?"
'I guess it's alright that you don't remember... being used to create Promathia must have wiped your memory.'
"...What?"
'...Kazu, this world may be gone now, but that doesn't mean that I have not lost hope. You believed in me when no one else would, Kazu... now it's my turn to do the same for you. But nothing I do can help unless you start having faith in yourself!'
"Faith... in myself?..."
I opened my eyes, and all I saw around me was a dark room made from what appeared to be cermet. Cermet is a very strong, very light metal created by using alchemy, and is often found in Zilart ruins. But... this didn't look like any Zilart ruin I had ever seen.
"That's because it is not of Zilart creation, young one." A dark voice behind me said.
"What?" I said before turning around. There before me stood a large, winged demonic creature.
"I am Diabolos, Celestial Avatar of Dreams," it spoke. "normally I reside within the realm of dreams, for its strength proves to keep me sealed within. However... now I am here, within this dream... a dream of my own."
"The realm of dreams?" I asked.
"Dynamis." It said. "A realm filled with emptiness that consumes your body, however, leaves your soul to wander the universe. It is a realm of infinite knowledge and wisdom... and eternal life. I invite you to join me... although your body would be destroyed, you could live forever without any worries of the real world."
It all sounded too good to be true, and just before I was about to accept, I heard a voice in my mind... a voice that brought warmth, and strength to my body.
'Don't lose hope, Kazu. Believe in yourself.'
"What was that?" Diabolos asked, apparently hearing it as well.
"...Konami." I said. "Diabolos, I will not join you in the realm of dreams. There are still people who depend on me, my life is not just my own. As long as I have breath in my body, I will remain fighting against the shadows that plauge Vana'diel."
"The light of hope is dying in Vana'diel," Diabolos responded. "what could possibly make you think that you stand a chance against that which shall destroy it?"
"The very same light of hope." I added. "As long as it exists, there is still reason to fight back, to keep surviving."
Diabolos grinned, and said, "This dream cannot be of my own creation... maybe... just maybe, Vana'diel has a true second chance at happiness."
All went black, and when I opened my eyes again, I saw everyone in Midori gathered around me.
"Are you alright, Kazu?"
'That voice...' I thought to myself. 'Konami!'
"Yes... I am now, thanks to you." I said to her, smiling.
She looked at me, confused, as did everyone else in the group.
"Come on," I added. "we've got quite a long journey ahead of us." I picked up my lance, and headed off to the west, unsure of what lay ahead of us. However, I knew we would be ready for whatever did come, and we would have to, because no matter how anyone looked at it, we were all that stood before the shadows and Vana'diel now.