As Solus predicted, the place he urged for garleans to explore contained vast amounts of fuel to use inside Tertium. All the tempered fell before his dark might. After having faced powerful enemies in Norvrandt that almost brought Emet to the brink, having a reminder of mortal's weakness and frailty. The soldiers in his squad could not contain their awe; even Jullus had no choice but to admit how helpful Solus's presence was.

When the area was clear, and there was nothing more to take or mark, the squad marched back to base in utter triumph. When Emet entered the station, he was met with a picture still reminiscent of the despairing lot he saw upon his first visit, but there were a few notable differences. There were fewer groups, and they had grown larger than those he saw before. Garlean civilians were much more eager to speak with each other and share their worries and hopes. Eagerness is exactly what Solus sought to cultivate before the battle.

"I will notify lord Quintus about our findings." - Jullus said quietly, probably eager to get away from the ascian.

"Be my guest." - Solus responded, still focused on the civilians in the station's center. Their shared warmth kept those lone survivors going, forming bonds, not unlike those garleans forged by blood in battle, the ones depicted on their flag.

"My lord!" - He heard an old man shout from the group. His gaze was followed by a dozen more, and now the ascian had a whole bunch gazing at him simultaneously, every single one with either awe, reverence, or fear. The emotions garleans displayed when seeing Solus could have been counted on one hand, but the magnificence of each made the ascian amused. "Forgive me if I'm disturbing. We were talking about you." - Upon a closer inspection, Emet noticed the same old man that recognized him before. His daughter sat beside him, taking care of her father.

"I will have you know that I have noticed the change in attitude, be it slight and gradual." - Emet casually strolled towards his subjects. "No less than what I expect of you."

"Thank you, your radiance!" - One of the women in the crowd exclaimed. "Pray, will you share a moment with us?"

"If it includes answering countless questions about my past and motives, you'd better ask Quintus." - The ascian shook his head.

"Not at all, just to have you sit here, with us…Please, it will be bliss for all of us!" - The woman pleaded with excitement. There was no real reason for him to waste time here, but there has been no clear goal just yet. It was too early to storm the tower, and he enjoyed having moments of respite from time to time.

"Very well, I will indulge you for a moment or two." - He said with some coldness, but the woman would not pay attention to that.

"Thank you, my lord, it's our pleasure!" - She moved aside, inviting Solus to sit beside them. The ascian relaxed and took up the place, still gripping with how unnatural this felt. To sit and spend time together, to reminisce about the past of muse on the future-this was something he would do with Hythlodaeus and Apollo, not random people that probably did not even have an ancient's shard in them. Still, at times one would have to settle for the company he had, and this would certainly boost up their morale for the days to come. "I'm Flavia, by the way." - The young woman introduced herself before moving on to the people closest to them. "This is my husband, Brutus, and over there is my friend Claudia and her father Laurentus." - She pointed at the stern black-haired soldier beside her and the familiar old man along with his daughter.

"I would've introduced myself, but you would find it hauntingly similar to some of my royal addresses, isn't there little point in regurgitating yourself?" - Solus said.

"Oh, we understand, your radiance…"

"Call me Solus; titles can get a little tiresome after a while. This certainly did." - Emet made a request, which they would abide without question, of course.

"As you wish, milord."

"How was the search?" - Brutus asked calmly and without a shade of bootlicking in his voice.

"Splendid, actually. We have garnered enough fuel to last this place a few days." - Solus said it casually, for this wasn't anything too difficult for him. The people, however, have been enthralled.

"All thanks to you!" - Flavia clapped. "Your power is truly beyond reach, milord!"

"Yes, yes…" - Emet sighed and noticed that the old man Laurentus had been examining him with remaining disbelief.

"When I first saw you, my lord, I couldn't believe my eyes…I thought I was dying and seeing a phantom or that it was the most blissful of dreams. Never in a lifetime could have we guessed that your radiance will return to our side in a dire hour!" - There was nothing but gratitude and worship in his tone, for Laurentus didn't care to know the whole truth. How much easier it was to live in ignorance sometimes.

"You can get recognition from me for being the first to actually recognize my face. Too many here have forgotten their own history, I'm afraid." - The ascian shook his head.

"Oh, we could never forget, my lord, much less I. My son has always been your biggest admirer, always wished to become a warrior and conqueror as great as yourself." - Laurentus spoke in a weak and mournful voice, not able to hide the quivering of his lips.

"And is he…"

"Dead." - Claudia, Laurentus's daughter, shook her head. "My brother was with us when this…This nightmare began. We weren't tempered, but the monsters surrounded our home. There was almost nowhere to run until he cleared a way for us…I promised him to get father to safety, but he couldn't join us." - She looked away to not show her tears; the garlean creed commanded one to be strong even in the face of loss and pain.

"Falling while protecting his loved ones…A far worthier death than most." - Solus said. While his tone hardly contained any sympathy, he wasn't oblivious to the parallels between his path and this lone soldier.

"He was a hero, aye." - Laurentus attested. "I couldn't have asked for a better son, and much of it he achieved with you as his idol."

Was it truly Solus's influence that guided the boy to such lengths, or was it a fire within his own heart? The ascian did not know him, so there was no way to know for sure, but it was yet another subject for him to muse about.

"And what is it you seek here? Is it revenge against those that have formed this tower?" - Brutus wondered.

"Don't you remember, he told us not to ask about that!" - Flavia interrupted, but this was a question Solus could answer easily.

"I have come here to rescue a friend, first and foremost." - As he said those words, Elidibus's distant presence echoed in Emet's mind. He was suffering there, tormented by the maniacs that tricked him. There was some time, but not much; Solus needed to convince them to strike, and soon. "And once that is done, I will erase my great-grandson and that renegade "genius" of his from existence, simple as that." - He explained, seeing worry in his people's eyes as he laid out a seemingly impossible task before them.

"A friend?" - Flavia wondered. "Maybe they're here, on the station?"

"Had that been so, I would have noticed. You do not know him. He came here alone and sought to enter the tower on his own, while…"

"I beg your pardon." - Solus heard a new voice from behind. As he looked behind, the ascian witnessed another woman, this time carrying a baby in her hands. "May I speak?"

"Go ahead."

"Was this friend also dressed in white robes and had hair of the same color?" - For the first time here, Solus was surprised.

"Yes, he was. Have you seen him? Where?" - Emet asked with newfound impatience.

"He saved me from the tempered while in the wilds…I urged him not to go alone, but he was adamant about it. He asked how were those people tempered and who created the tower, and that was it." - She recounted nervously, careful not to upset her Emperor. It seemed that some of his fears had been confirmed, and something dreadful truly did happen.

"Well, that's about as how I expected it, though I…"

Emet noticed Quintus leaving his train and marching towards their gathering. He didn't seem angry but rather very intrigued. Jullus remained behind, likely already presenting the victor's spoils to the Legatus, perhaps making him change his outlook on Emet gradually.

"I see you have found yourself a company…Not too downtrodden for your tastes?" - Quintus spoke with some mockery and pain, still unable to get over what Solus told him.

"I understand that you were never one for socializing, but it is no reason to be so envious. Come, join us and let's discuss that which appeals to your heart's desire." - He replied with similar sass, seeing Quintus visibly scoff at this reaction.

"He is right, lord Quintus. It has been days since we…" - Flavia began only to be cut off.

"I have come here to give credit where it is due. If it wasn't for your powers, Solus, we wouldn't have gained as much fuel as we did. Not to mention the magitek technologies we managed to recover, that will surely bolster our forces." - He said with faint gratitude; at least the old warrior could acknowledge Emet's contribution. A few more weeks, and he will be bowing before his Emperor.

"So you finally admit that I am of some use? How very charitable of you." - Solus nodded with a sarcastic smile and stood up, examining Quintus's distrustful gaze. "Have we not gone over this? I outlined that which I can promise, and I am intent on fulfilling it."

"I will hold you to it." - Quintus nodded. "There are a number of Legions that have left Garlemald in search of reinforcements, but soon they shall return with their ranks restored and enough power to strike at the heart of this blasphemous carnage."

"You know which words to please your Emperor with. Carry on…"

"I sent each of them a message telling them about your return. This will certainly rouse their spirits and prompt them to return. If you want a battle, Solus, you will get it." - The Legatus seemed to accept his role in this as he crossed his hands; it seemed that as long as Solus was there to lift the garleans up, the humiliation of working alongside the ascian has been bearable. "Make no mistake, you are a monster…But you are our monster, and we have made a pact."

"Yes, yes, I heard that all already. My goals are one and the same, and your musings won't…"

Their conversation was interrupted by a lone scout that returned from the snowy lands. He ran in pure awe and shock, eager to convey his findings.

"My lords, Solus, Quintus…I have news!" - He stopped near them and breathed with tire.

"What is it?" - Quintus inquired.

"The savages from Eorzea are here, a whole army of them!"

Those words caused Solus to brim with intrigue, for this was yet another opportunity.

…

In a few hours, Camp Broken glass has already been set as a foothold in those savage lands, but very few could take joy in it at the moment. The ambush scarred many, both physically and emotionally.

Everyone knew what they signed up for, but no one could predict the chaos that would ensue as soon as they entered Garlemald. Pacifying a pack of rabid wolves wasn't the simplest task, but those in the swarm have been people once, with their own hopes, dreams, and relationships before becoming the monsters Estinien and others saw.

Lucia was the only one who had no time to mourn at all. She and Maxima were overseeing the camp and its structure, ranging from the aetheryte to the supply halls and the command center. All commanders have spread across the place, setting up tents for their warriors and starting to treat their wounds. Estinien helped where he could, though his main purpose was, once again, to guard the camp from any tempered who could invade.

In this silent endeavor, he had all the time to think of lord Emmanellain and his passing. It was only a day ago that the dragoon looked into the eager and overjoyed eyes of a lord who, despite his doubts and fears, still decided to fight among the proudest warriors defending their world. Emmanellain told him that this idea belonged to Artoriel in an attempt to harden him and give him more experience. Estinien disapproved of this idea, though it was only now clear the reasons why. This was not a place to gain experience or grow. This was a place where a single wrong move would obliterate you and make your body a vulture's feast.

When Estinien was sure that there was not as much as a single wild predator in the wilds, he made his way to the bodies. Lucia kept those that could be recovered near the bay, though there was no place for them among the wounded. It was not the biggest pile but far from a respectful burial. All soldiers that fell have been taken here in case anyone would want to say goodbyes. Emmanellain was here, as well as Sadu's charred body.

Cirina and Magnai stood beside their friend's corpse, full of bullet marks and having skin so dry that it was hard to believe that Sadu had died recently. Her eyes were torched to ashes, leaving nothing except two black holes. Everything about her looked like an old lifeless doll. Everything except the shade of her smile, even in the face of death, Sadu remained fearless and took joy in those moments to the end. Estinien wished he knew her; they would have gotten along. Still, he did not, and there was no need to interrupt those who did. Cirina's tears that fell on her body were enough to demonstrate the connection those two shared.

Emannelain was another matter entirely. He might have not lived for long, but his bravery and valiance deserved recognition. Alberic and Stephanivien felt the same way. The two Ishgardians have gathered to pay their respects, standing here in silence. Estinien joined them and looked at the boy's body. Only now did the feeling of grief strike him like a dragon's jaw; only upon seeing the young lord's bloodied body did it occur to Estinien. To an outsider, it would seem like the dragoon did not care for Emannellain's demise, but nothing could be further from the truth. The turmoil of emotions made his chest burn.

"I'm sorry, Emmanellain…" - Alberic sighed with regret. "If only I could be quicker…"

"What's done is done." - Estinien said grimly, though he knew that his care and pain had been evident to others.

"And I should've said something." - Stephanivien said with a quiet voice, and a single tear fell from the elezen's face. "He shouldn't have been here at all…And his family still does not know. He doesn't deserve this; his father doesn't. To lose two sons…Only the strongest can stomach a tragedy like this."

They had not known Emmanellain too closely, but each had unwavering respect for his father and house, and his newfound bravery was enough to show that he was a worthy descendant of their line. Loss of life was always a tragedy, especially one so young, a boy that had an entire future ahead of him.

"He fought well." - Estinien heard Magnai's voice from behind.

"As did Sadu." - Estinien replied with pride.

"We shall remember them all as fearless warriors they were. You would be wise to do the same." - Oronir stated, true to the philosophy of a Steppe's warrior, and perhaps there was truth to this approach. A glorious battle was the surest way to uncover one's true self, to expose the coward or a hero within. The ambush has shown them that there were no cowards here, dead or living.

Estinien would have spent a few more minutes with his friends and Emmanellain, but he noticed something away from their camp. The dragoon walked closer and realized that this was a silhouette, but not the one he had ever seen before. Estinien approached with caution, slowly venturing beyond the camp's borders. It was a man in some kind of royal clothing and black hair, which Estinien thought to be Fandaniel for a split second before noticing a small white lock of his hair.

Before he could see any more, the mysterious man disappeared into an ascian's portal.

…

The path to the bay has been surrounded by an air of worry due to Reeq's injuries that have gotten too deep for a simple spell of white magic to heal him. Granson carried the archer on his back while he occasionally grunted and breathed heavily. Still, it seemed like he remained stable and would be able to live through this. Even on their way, G'raha attempted to rationalize his decision. The Exarch had no wish to focus so much of his energy on it, but this pervasive thought wouldn't leave him. He was lucky this time, but what if Reeq wasn't strong enough? What if Tycoon had time for one more blast?

He escorted adventurers to the medical bay before descending to the halls once again. The Exarch had to examine the body of a metal guardian and see whether there was anything of use. From what he knew, it was about to feed on aether, transferring it into energy for the tower. The amount needed to make G'raha's jump possible were insurmountable, and re-creating this exact trick would take years.

Still, with the help of Beq and Ryne, this might be enough to take him "home." G'raha extracted the auracite core and took it to the nu mou, who seemed overjoyed after laying their hands on the invention. Beq asked G'raha to stay outside for a while as he discerned the crystal's basic properties, but it did not take them long. Soon they beckoned for the Exarch to come in.

"This is exactly what I was looking for!" - Beq swirled around the small crystal core, modified with mechanisms, be it buttons, wires, or covers. Now G'raha remembered that this core was something created in Cid's design created before it was implored into the mechanism of the Tycoon; it could work as a separate tool.

"So, what about it?"

"It can extract aether on a whim, and its capacity is impressive. I could house a dozen or so of souls there!" - The nu mou jumped in excitement. "Do you know what this means?"

"That it could house my own soul…A trinket small enough to carry."

"Exactly, though I'll need to test how the tower will react when I use it. That and…" - Lugg took the mechanism and brought it closer to the Exarch. They pressed one of the buttons, and G'raha felt a crumbling pain for a moment. Something clenched his soul, bringing the Exarch to the brink of collapsing on the Ocular's floor. Beq stopped almost immediately, but they had their attempt.

"What was that for?" - G'raha shook his head with slight annoyance.

"I needed to see whether it can extract aether from living beings. Don't worry, I haven't actually taken any from you, but it seemed to get to the essence pretty quickly."

"Can you…Not do this again?" - The Exarch shivered, releasing most of the pain.

"Of course. Have no worries; my other tests can be done without living subjects."

"Thank the Twelve…" - G'raha felt his ears relaxing after those words.

"Don't fret. It's your aether we have to transfer, after all."

"Better tell me about the leap itself. What are your theories?"

"Oh, we are beyond theories here; it turned out simpler than I expected." - They smiled with eagerness. "It seems that after your previous experiments and conversion of energy from Tower to Eden and the other way around, the two entities are now connected. The aether between them can flow freely, and Eden has more than enough to make it pierce the heavens again."

"But what about Ryne?" - G'raha wasn't so certain.

"My predictions say that she will still have enough for her existence as is, perhaps she will have to take less time visiting the surface, but you will have to ask her about it." - Beq relayed, though even they had some doubts.

"I will, thank you. Is it all for now?"

"Yes, but you know that my research is in a continuous cycle of progress. It will not be long."

Soon after those words, Beq retreated into the tower's halls, leaving G'raha with much to ponder about. It seemed that a plan had been shaping up, and it was not as ephemeral and unreachable as it could seem at first. As much as he didn't want to use too much of Ryne's energy, it was unavoidable, at least to grant him the power to destroy Zodiark in one fell swoop. There was little point in considering this without her present, but G'raha did not have to.

"There you are!" - The door behind him opened, and a familiar girl's voice echoed through the Ocular.

"Ah, Ryne, you're…" - G'raha looked around and was taken aback. The girl's skin was unnaturally pale, exposing all the cracks and fissures in her body, and her empty eyes were glowing with light. She had no hair at all, probably sparing herself from wasting much energy. This, however, made her look like someone in the process of a transformation into a sin-eater.

"Don't worry, I just didn't have time to make a recreation. I sensed Reeq's suffering and had to check up on him and others." - Her voice sounded relieved; this telegraphed good news.

"How is he?"

"He is recovering, though it will take some time. I was worried that some of you would get mortally wounded in there, thank the tower it didn't come to this!" - She spoke with emotion and joy in her voice, and hearing this made it much easier for G'raha to fill out the image of Ryne as he knew her in his head. These feelings and this warmth carried much more than physical appearance. Now G'raha got a perfect example before him. "And what about you? Are you alright?"

"I'm good enough, thank you. A bit more hopeful than usual considering the progress Beq was making." - The Exarch smiled. "And it's something to talk to you about, as well."

"What is the news? Is it all good?" - Ryne was eager to hear everything.

"They found a connection between Eden and the Crystal Tower; it seems that you can share the energy that can be used to teleport me to the Source's dimension, even the moon, if we so choose."

"That's wonderful!" - Ryne was about to jump with excitement. "I'll do all I can to teleport you there; there should be enough."

"Well, are you sure?" - The Exarch asked in a serious tone. "It might limit the powers you have now."

"Then…" - Ryne knew this was inevitable, and still her voice radiated some pain, but even more than that, shame. G'raha could not understand why she would display shame out of all emotions? Ryne had made an unimaginable amount of work and sacrifice for Norvrandt and was ready for more; she deserved to swell with pride over those actions. She managed to shake the feeling off, eventually. "I know, I'll stop coming here for a while…" - She sighed. "Creating avatars takes a lot as-is."

"But this is your only way to meet up with friends, Ryne. I know it's hard up there. You need those moments to maintain your sanity." - G'raha shook his head, to which Ryne reacted with fear and recoiled.

"No, it doesn't matter; it's not important."

"It's…"

"Not when it comes to saving both our worlds!" - Ryne cut him off. "Yours is a mission to destroy Zodiark, and I'm just here, trying to defend your city with the energy I have. I can do something with my sanity later…" - She shook her head frantically; G'raha extended his hand to calm the girl down.

"Ryne…"

"Please." - He could hear her beg to switch topics, but G'raha couldn't pass the opportunity again. He would leave this world sooner than expected, and Ryne was still in turmoil. She saved his people with a selfless sacrifice. Not returning the favor in any way the Exarch would be his greatest regret.

"We can focus on the present for now." - G'raha stated. "But I will tell Beq Lugg that once I'm gone, I want him to take up another research and find a way to free you from this prison."

"But…" - Ryne sounded hopeful for a moment before once again reverting to her nervous self. "How?"

"He might find another body and move your soul there."

"But what about the shield and Eden? The ascians might attack again; I won't be able to defend them anymore!" - She sounded like not being able to protect Crystarians would be akin to losing a life's purpose. The girl could not remain strong anymore. G'raha saw all of her vulnerabilities, desiring no more than to offer help.

"The ascians would not last forever, not without Zodiark."

"And what if you fail? What if they will create another plan? Forget about me…" - She said with a heavy heart. "Not until we have won." - G'raha began to understand what happened here. Ryne took burden after burden, challenge after challenge that helped those around her but would slowly wear out Ryne's soul until she lost her connection to life. G'raha thought of Elidibus, of the ascian they thought in the tower, how he became a manifestation of hopes and dreams of his people, and how it seemed to define who he was. Was this the fate Ryne was striding towards?

"Ryne…" - The Exarch sighed; it was time to have a one-to-one. G'raha was about to speak from the heart that ached from the memories he was about to invoke. "There is nothing shameful in admitting that you want to live." - He said, feeling Ryne's shocked gaze on him. "I know that you try to protect us all, but I see that you want to be yourself, just as well. If you think that it is selfish to think of your own well-being while the world is in danger, then nothing could be further from the truth. It was your joy, your friendships, and your bravery that brought you this far, and they will bring you further if you relax, at least for a moment." - G'raha's voice quivered; he knew the agony Ryne was going through and knowing that he can't free her just yet tore his heart. "When I became one with the tower, I knew that I wanted nothing more than to go off on an adventure with the scions, fight alongside them in their battles against sin-eaters, to always protect them where I could…Had I a chance, I would have taken it without thinking, and there would have been no shame in it. I might have made mistakes, but you are one of the kindest, most pure-hearted people I have met in over a century. You deserve to breathe, enjoy your life, make friends, and find your first love…You deserve it like no other. And whether you accept this or not, I will do anything in my power to give this chance to you." - The Exarch said as his tears fell down on the floor. He felt broken, helpless, and barely hopeful, and still, it was better. G'raha got a chance to say what he now wanted to say for a long time, what she deserved to hear.

The girl remained silent for a moment; she walked towards G'raha with the weight of her burden pushing her down. Before she fell, the Exarch caught her in his arms. She sobbed as tears streamed down her light-filled eyes, perhaps created by her own mind, like the avatar. G'raha was there for her, sharing what little warmth he had.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry…" - Ryne said as she cried in pain. "I'm losing myself…Every time I come here, it's changing. I feel like a monster, like a sin-eater! It only gets worse…I only have the thought of protecting you and others; I can't let this be for nothing, I can't, can't…" - Miraculously, her body began to gain missing elements. Her hair emerged on the head, the cracks became fainter and barely visible, and the eyes finally gained form and color. "Thank you…"

"Anything for you, Ryne." - G'raha smiled warmly. "You deserve to admit your pain and have someone you can talk to about it." - He hoped that hearing those words brought her some ease. He felt Ryne slowly relaxing and regaining her composure; he helped the girl wipe her tears and get up. Ryne smiled for the first time today, now that she was finally in the company of the one that understood her. G'raha saw no reason to cut such a wondrous occasion short.

This made the century of vigil worth it.