Estinien wished that his next return to Ishgard would be that of relief and rejuvenation after fighting a long fight, but that dream was getting further away from reality at every turn. It was a visit of urgency, knowing that the world had possibly stood at the countdown before the fabric of reality was to be unraveled. The terrifying thought only gave Estinien more motivation to ensure that everyone was as prepared as they could be in this situation. He volunteered to recount the tale to Aymeric and get him to support immediate action.
As Estinien and his mentor walked across their great city, feeling the northern winds dancing on their spines, the usual sense of familiarity and home that Estinien felt when returning here was all but obsolete. The same could be said about the atmosphere in the city, the bells chimed from time to time, but there was little joy or happiness among commoners and nobles, for they weren't oblivious to the crisis that plagued their land. They'd recognize Estinien but didn't have the heart to ask him about Garlemald directly, probably hoping for their leaders to recount what occurred. Estinien and Alberic had some time on their hands to talk before Aymeric was ready to allow them in.
"A time-traveling Exarch, and a looming end of the world…I was hoping I would never live to see something like that." - Alberic shook his head after Estinien finished the tale.
"Makes you miss the good old Dragonsong War days." - Estinien smirked, still consumed by his looming thoughts.
"How do you even fight their creatures? If one or two are created, many more people will succumb to fear, creating more beasts…At least with the dravanians, you knew where they came from and that their forces were not endless. With this, it sounds like pure chaos."
"It was enough for G'raha to become rather worried, and he knows much more than we do."
"Nothing to do but prepare, then…"
When they got a chance to talk to the knight, he welcomed them with haste and was eager to hear them out. The certain doubt and confusion on his face indicated that with all the revelations this report brought, even for someone like Aymeric, things became rather complicated.
"Halone bless you. I've been awaiting your return." - Aymeric said, ready to have the two dragoons at his side. "We've been worrying, old friend." - He said to Estinien.
"I'm fine and relatively unscathed, more than could be said for many others…How is count Edmont and Artoriel?" - The dragoon asked, only to see Aymeric sigh with a heavy heart.
"The news has hit hard…The count has not spoken to anyone for a few days since he knew; even my attempts at counseling could do little. He needed time, but it is even worse with Artoriel." - Aymeric said, and Alberic continued.
"The poor boy…It was his idea to send Emmanellain into the fray like this, wasn't it?"
"Yes."
"I said that this was a wrong time for such experiments, no matter how positive they can become in the end." - Alberic shook his head. "But we should've acted, should've made the necessary precautions."
"Don't blame yourself; Artoriel wouldn't accept anyone's part but his own. He is heartbroken and blames himself for Emmanellain's demise. I considered trying to help him with accepting it, but it was too early…I know that grief does not go away easily. Even after the downfall of my father, it took time for me to accept both his nature and demise." - Aymeric said with acceptance. "However, considering the nature of your findings, I am afraid he will be especially vulnerable."
"That's what we wanted to discuss." - Estinien said. "The final days remain a mystery, and I am not convinced that anything will happen at all; even the ascian was not certain. But considering everything G'raha knows and Fandaniel's plan…"
"We cannot ignore it, I understand." - Aymeric paused for a moment. "How is Lucia doing?" - He asked, somewhat unexpectedly.
"She knows, of course, and makes the necessary precautions for the Ilsabard contingent as we speak."
"I would have called for her to return to Ishgard, but I see that she is invested in restoring her homeland and bringing the crack between our people…She can hardly be blamed for that, and I understand this desire." - Aymeric spoke with confidence. "Tell her that I support her decision and wish her the best and that I'll do my duty in protecting our home. Returning to the matters at hand…I thought of disclosing the information to the people of Ishgard, but that would create panic and may conflict with the decisions made by other Alliance leaders." - He said thoughtfully.
"And this is why we need to convene." - Estinien said. "G'raha promised to speak to all leaders directly and explain as much as he can on the matter; this will also allow you to set on a course for all Alliance nations." - The dragoon explained.
"Indeed." - Aymeric said with resolve. "Bring the message that I will lead the Ishgardian delegation to our selected meeting place. We will do everything in our power to think of the best possible course to prepare and minimize the damage of the crisis."
Once again, Estinien saw proof that Alliance leaders cared deeply for their people. He only hoped that this would be enough in the coming days.
…
While the preparations went underway, G'raha wanted nothing more than to return to Mor Dhona, the former headquarters of the scions. There did his tale with the Crystal tower begin, the one that would defy generations to come. He remembered how carefree the place felt at the time; the Revenant's Toll became headquarters for the Scions of the Seventh dawn, who swore to protect people from both the primal threat and that posed by the Empire.
Now, this was not the case. The darkness loomed over the place, even if it was not evident at first glance. People became the prisoners of their own shadows, of painful reminders of the chaos that ensued in their world that they now thought unprotected. It was clear that Edwin's death was not a secret, and it weighed heavily on those who looked up to the hero. G'raha shuddered to imagine how this would affect those people during the final days. Still, the air of nostalgia that he felt entering the village could not be compared to anything else. The place where his exploration would come to a climax and make him something more, someone who will slumber in hopes of waking up in a paradise and instead being sent to the seventh hell. And this was even without the fact that Syrcus Tower loomed above them, untouched and remote despite all of its glory.
"Here it is…" - The Exarch said to his companion, master Garlond. "I might need to pay a visit, just to see how it was."
"Do what you will; as for me, I've seen enough towers for the next decade or so." - Cid scoffed and looked away. G'raha could understand his feelings. During their journey here, there was a time to discuss the affairs of the present in more detail. Cid told him about how the towers first came to be, as well as the rise of ultima weapons that preceded them. He told him of how Nero died, sacrificing himself to become one with a machine and saving Ala Mhigo. He said that many were surprised by such acts of nobility at the time, but both Cid and G'raha knew that he was a hero at heart who would do anything for the people he cared about, few as they were.
"And yet here we are, long after stopping the apocalypse orchestrated by Xande and Amon, once again grappling with its inevitability."
"And having it orchestrated by the very same man." - Cid chuckled. "History truly does like repeating itself."
Soon the two reached Rising Stones; there was a certain someone who G'raha wanted to speak with personally. He was told by Cid that Krile Baldesion, his old friend from Sharlayan, took over in scions' absence. He wanted to make sure she was doing okay, as possible as it was with all the recent tidings. As for reunion's sake, G'raha wasn't sure if it would achieve any emotional connection between them, considering that this was technically the first time they saw each other. Still, he'd like to try.
"Here you go." - Cid showed him to the entrance. "I'll stay outside; Biggs and Wedge have been waiting for me for a while now."
"Thank you, Cid." - G'raha said before entering the headquarters.
There was only a handful of people inside, much fewer than G'raha would have expected. Perhaps this was only natural, considering that the Scions were few and far between now, most would've turned away from them to other sources of aid, such as the grand companies. Only a few still remembered what this organization stood for and will continue to stand in the days to come.
He noticed a lalafell woman speaking to a bulky warrior in metal armor. After he left, she turned around and was shocked to see G'raha. After a swift examination, she rushed towards him. Her eyes gleamed with intrigue and thought. She must have felt slightly intimidated.
"You are G'raha Tia, right? We were told you will come…" - She welcomed him, eyeing the man with curiosity.
"I am. I would like to meet with mistress Krile Baldesion if you would be so kind." - G'raha said warmly.
"Of course, if you would follow me." - The woman led him towards one of the rooms further inside the house. "I am Tataru Taru."
"A pleasure to make your acquaintance…Your friends spoke a lot about you." - G'raha said with as much care as he could, though Tataru immediately looked away at those words. Before the Exarch could apologize, they approached another lalafell, this one being very familiar to G'raha. She stayed alone, pondering with turbulence and doubt in her eyes. The moment she saw G'raha, however, Krile's pain faded immediately.
"You have a guest, Krile." - Tataru announced, and the Exarch began to speak. He still was not certain whether he could truly see her as "his" Krile; the worries got to him on the airship.
"Greetings, mistress Baldesion, I…"
"G'raha!" - She rushed to the crystal man's embrace, hugging him and leaving G'raha shocked. "Thank the twelve you're here, thank all the gods…" - She spoke with tremendous relief, making G'raha feel ashamed. How could he, for a moment, suggest that they were not friends due to them coming from different timelines? They still shared all the memories from Sharlayan and the Studium.
"I'm glad to see you, too." - His voice broke as he returned Krile's embrace. Tataru watched the heartwarming reunion with relative distance, but a small tear fell from her eye, leaving a stain on the floor.
"When I read the reports, I couldn't believe it!" - Krile looked up. "I thought this was some kind of mistake, but it was really you! In our darkest hour, you returned from another world, another time, to help us! Finally, something good…" - She sounded jubilant, though a part of it has been a clear attempt to fake the disposition. G'raha did not want to overestimate his role, especially with all the potential consequences he brought them.
"Thank you for your words…But I am no savior." - G'raha had to shake his head with disappointment at his own self, his own mistake. "And I am not entirely G'raha, either…Do not let my presence replace the man in the Crystal Tower, please."
"But you are G'raha, and you are my friend! I could see it the moment I looked into your eyes. Yes, they might be beaten, tired after seeing all that you have seen, but there is still that something…Something that makes you you. That spark of joy, of hope…" - Krile put her hand on G'raha's azure hand. "Something that no crystals can hide." - She spoke with purest warmth and kindness, coming in with a reassurance G'raha did not feel he deserved. He felt as if he was taking the place of another man, finding himself amidst a scene that he should not be a part of. And he enjoyed it, too. Tataru braced herself and interrupted their moment.
"I've received a report recently that all the towers except for the one in Garlemald are gone, so that's some good knees…We also know what happened on the front…How is Estinien?" - She asked.
"He is fighting fit; when I found myself on the moon, he was fighting along with…Well, him." - G'raha spoke, having Emet's spiteful words echo in his mind once again. Krile shook her head and closed her eyes for a moment after hearing him.
"You can name him; we know of that, too…" - She said and looked at Tataru. "I'm sorry."
"Oh, you shouldn't be. We all tried our best."
"I should have told you from the first." - Krile spoke; G'raha felt her shame. "I left you in ignorance, and you were all the more worried because of me. It's been selfish and…It didn't help anything, anyway, not except making the blow even harder…" - She said as tears fell down her eyes. "Alphinaud, Alisaie, Urianger…All of them. Why must the gods be so cruel?!" - She tried not to shout, although this injustice had been eating all of their hearts out. G'raha was eager to take some blame on himself and reassure her, even if this wasn't what Krile needed.
"I'm sorry that I forced them to fight in this battle. Those were long, tiring years, and I wish there was another way."
"You did all you could…One day, you'll tell me everything of your adventures." - Krile spoke adamantly, wiping her tears. "But for now, just tell me this. Was it a worthy battle? Did they change the history's course? Did they die…Like the heroes they are?" - She asked in a trembling voice, but G'raha had no trouble with an honest answer.
"That they have. In my lifetime, as long as it was, I have never seen a band of warriors that was so determined to bring change. To fight the inevitability of their fate even when all hope seemed lost. That was never even a question for them, and I always admired that. They were ready to give their all for a world beyond the rift and their own alike. They died…" - G'raha choked up at the moment, fighting back his tears. "They died as they have lived. With hearts full of desire and courage, not a single shade of fear. And that is why I am proud to call myself their ally."
A smile emerged on Krile's face as more tears began to fall. Tataru approached her friend and offered an embrace, which Krile accepted.
"We will all miss them…" - She said through her crying and pain. "But you must remember…As long as we stand fast against despair…The beacon of hope…Will never be lost to sight…" - She wept before G'raha's own eyes, and Krile shared her pain. The Exarch thought back to the words that Alphinaud mentioned to him when they only began fighting to save Norvrandt from the flood.
"Be it in the snow or in the clouds, we few will see that the dawn's light shines again."
The grief would not free them for months to come, but for their lost friends, they had to continue their fight. And G'raha knew they would; whatever happens, they must see this world saved.
…
Chasing Amon's soul has been no easy task, even for someone with a gift of sight. Emet attempted to focus on his essence, but the fugitive was constantly traveling from place to place. There was no logic or patterns to his movements, but Emet would not stop until he found out the truth. Until he made this monster beg before him, although Solus knew that if he did not chase his naive dreams and killed G'raha, Fandaniel would not have succeeded. Perhaps the eight calamities would even come to pass if only he wasn't such a fool.
Once the ascian finally caught Fandaniel's trail, he emerged in the Far East on the continent of Othard. Emet knew those territories; this land was called Yanxia and was a part of a kingdom of Doma that the garleans once subjugated. During his last visit, it was full of despair and broken men and women who had forgotten the scent of freedom. Now, as the sun rose above the village of Namai, he knew that their souls rejoiced at the chance to live their authentic, unrestricted lives. How ironic that these were the last few days of paradise they would have, followed by the hell they had never seen before.
And amidst them, a crimson soul filled with anticipation and intrigue. A soul that towered above the rest, watching gleefully as those people were getting closer to their doom. Emet found Fandaniel atop one of the highest cliffs near the arc that had once separated the land from the castle with a magitek field. The sundered mage sat with legs down, observing the life around him. Solus could barely restrain himself from attacking outright and obliterating his soul, but the questions were of greater importance. Once Emet approached him, Amon turned around with a smile.
"So you came…Didn't expect you to find me so quickly." - He said calmly and stood up. "Why so furious, Hades? Truly, you must be thanking me for my efforts. This degenerate nation defiled your Empire's rule, and now the well-deserved punishment will reach them! What is there not to enjoy?"
"You spoke of a buried memory, of me knowing our fate that I forgot. You will tell me everything. Now." - Solus said starkly and without any patience. If Amon dares to play games, he will suffer.
"Ah, memory…Such a wonderful force, bringing the past with us through generations and at times becoming our own prison. Take, for example, this body of mine…He was Doman, and before I claimed his face, he was a lowlife, a groveling worm, and an abuser, but now? Mankind will remember his face as that of the endbringer…For the short period of time they have left to them, of course." - Fandaniel laughed, and this was the last straw.
Emet unleashed a magical arrow, but the sundered ascian teleported to the side, quickly pretending to be upset and hurt by such a gesture.
"Must we resort to violence? I thought better of you…"
"I don't care." - Emet cut him off before hurling a tempest of dark magic at him. Fandaniel tried to put up a magical shield, but that was only enough to absorb half of Emet's attacks; Amon was still significantly weaker as a sundered ascian. He tried to avoid other attacks, but eventually, they forced him to the ground. Amon grunted in pain as he fell. The sundered breathed heavily before turning his eyes to disdainful Emet.
"Pathetic." - Hades scoffed.
"What are you going to do, then?" - Fandaniel smirked. "Kill me? I have already done everything I wanted. Truth be told, my plan was to die with Zodiark, and while I treasure the opportunity to see these places burn, it is not anything of true value. Or do you want to make me suffer? Like with Elidibus? Hah…I am no stranger to suffering. Five thousand years have I suffered, searching for the answer…Do you think that something as banal as physical pain will break me?" - Fandaniel said without fear.
"You are a disgrace. To Amaurot, to the convocation, to the man you once were…" - Emet responded. This creature was pitiful, nothing that deserved to be an ascian, much less an ancient. Yet those words seemed to strike some chords with Amon, judging by his volatile reaction.
"I am not Hermes!" - He shouted. "Just because I inherited his memories thanks to your crystal does not mean I am him!"
"Ah, yes, on the subject of memory. Should I repeat my query, or will you figure it out yourself?"
"Oh, you fool…" - Fandaniel chuckled again. "I felt pity for poor Hytlodaeus, thinking of the sheer awakening he must feel now…But it is much worse with you."
"Start talking, will you." - Emet utilized another surge of dark energy, bringing pain to Fandaniel.
"What is it you want to know? Try to remember yourself…Do you not think of the day you set out to Elpis to recruit Hermes into the ranks of the Convocation?"
"I only remember the faint images of farce that ensued, how he attempted to show us some kind of creation and set off the damn Kairos, making us do all the necessary proceedings again!"
"And there is your answer." - Fandaniel said with bone-chilling glee. "Do you truly believe that this was an accident? Do you truly believe the chief engineer of Elpis that you recruited into one of the most respected positions in your Convocation had one of his devices simply fail accidentally?" - Emet did not like where this was going, but he needed to listen. How could Amon know?
"And what are you implying?"
"Your memory was erased on purpose, along with Hythlodaeus's! Hermes, the idealistic idiot, even had his own mind wiped out only to keep the "challenge" fair!"
"Challenge? What are you talking about? Why would he do that?" - Emet was burning with questions, noticing Fandaniel's smile.
"Do you not see? You are a smart man, you understand. You just don't want to admit it. This day is the key to everything that happens now; this was the day that the Final Days have truly begun! And you were there, you saw everything! You knew of the true reason all this time, simply could not remember. It was Hermes that engineered this cataclysm, he who doomed you all!" - Fandaniel raved with pleasure, finally able to speak his mind to someone. Emet recoiled in shock, in utter disbelief. He could not accept this. This wasn't right.
"One of our own…No, I do not believe it! An amaurotine would never do something so degenerate and destructive…That is the way of the sundered!" - The ascian retorted with disdain, only fueling Fandaniel's bliss.
"You believed your own little race to be perfect, didn't you? How must it hurt…But the truth is, be it across different stars or across generations, mankind is always the same. A bunch of sheep trapped in a cycle of meaningless existence. A cycle that Hermes sought to break, and I will see broken. Your goal was only to follow in that same cycle with sheep that are more aetherically dense."
Were it not for the questions, Emet would have killed Fandaniel here and now. He could not force himself to think rationally; even assuming that parts of this tale are true was akin to accepting his own defeat, to accept that the people of Amaurot were in any way faulty.
"But how do you know it?" - Emet said.
"Simple…Kairos does not erase the memory; it simply pushes it into one's subconscious. Only the stream can purify it. Going through cycles of death and rebirth, this memory has become clear. Long before you and Lahabrea approached me, I saw this as a dream, a vision. Now, the last piece of the puzzle falls into place." - Fandaniel smiled, seeing Emet's shock. "To see a man so broken by knowledge and realization…I do not even know whether I should pity you or mock you. But if you do not believe me, a "sundered whelp," then perhaps another of your kind will make you understand? If you truly want answers, then speak to the one who truly charted our history, in whose shadow both of us abide."
"Hydaelyn…" - Emet said her name with disdain.
"She was there on that day. She saw everything as well but managed to escape the memory wipe. She knew everything, every single day."
"And kept us all in the dark?" - This sounded preposterous. Despite his hatred for Hydaelyn, Emet would never assume Venat to do something so ghastly.
"She truly thought low of you, didn't you? Well, now it hardly matters…I will gladly be consumed by the shadow, but not before watching it consume you as you resist, kicking and screaming till your last breath is spent." - Fandaniel said and disappeared into a dark portal. Emet-Selch was too shocked to even attempt to stop him.
A memory buried deep within his mind, the knowledge of the Final Days that he could never evoke. The day that he always thought a nuisance was a key to their world's demise. And a convocation of fools that could not the see the answer in front of their noses, all except Venat. He would seek her out in the stream and demand answers. She will tell him everything about that day, of how they came to this moment. Every single detail.
And Emet knew full well where to begin his search, the nation that has made most contact with the goddess of light. Sharlayan.
…
Anticipation of the council meeting has not been the easiest time for G'raha, but his reunions have softened the pain, making him feel hopeful and relieved. It almost made G'raha forget that he destroyed Zodiark and stirred their world into uncertainty. Emet-Selch was still around, as was the endbringer ascian that orchestrated the ordeal, but none were as terrifying as the prospect of the Final Days that loomed over the world. At certain moments, G'raha could swear that he sensed the sky around him change into crimson for a few seconds, although he was certain that this was his mind playing with him.
He did lie to himself in thinking that there would be much respite for him, but there was something he wished to do while there was time. That was why he ventured to the depths of the crystal land Mor Dhona, to take a look at the azure beacon towering over it. To see this lone tower, the last remnant of the past that was surrounded by phantom guardians and constructs of a bygone era, flooded G'raha with memories. How different was the tower he knew?
Looking at its gates and spire from a distance, G'raha imagined Crystarium around it. Imagined all the people of the First that he wished farewell to. Did he perceive this return as coming back to a long-abandoned home, or was it a new, unfamiliar land to him? The thoughts permeated his mind as G'raha felt the cold winds flowing beside him, searching eternally for a way, never able to find true rest. At times, G'raha envied his reflection that slumbered inside this tower. How serene must it be to know your duty with as much certainty as G'raha did hundreds of years ago…But those feelings would persist for only a fleeting moment. The ignorance and absolution that the eternal slumber provided have been a luxury of the past, and G'raha wished only to look into the future.
"Here you are." - He heard Cid's relieved voice from behind. The engineer walked towards the Exarch and gazed over the tower at his side. "I almost thought you tried to go inside; that'd surely make a mess of things."
"Have no worries about that. I don't seek to wake my reflection up." - G'raha reassured him.
"I've come to tell the news. All Alliance leaders responded and agreed to a council regarding the final days and our course of action. They chose Ul'Dah as the meeting place, so that's where you'd better go."
"I will be there." - G'raha sighed quietly.
"No time like the present, then, eh?" - Cid said but quickly noticed that G'raha was still fixated on the tower. "Brings out all those bloody memories, am I right?"
"For centuries, I have been a keeper of this tower as it empowered me and kept me imprisoned within its walls…"
"You regret it?"
"Not at all; it gave me the knowledge and the power to right the wrongs of the past." - G'raha said confidently. "But here I find myself again, at the moment it all began…A time before the cataclysm, before this reality was unraveled. I know that there will be a day when my reflection wakes up, too. All I want is for it to be a happy occasion, a happier one than mine…" - G'raha's lips quivered as the fear emerged in his heart. Despite him trying to avoid those thoughts, they would persist. "But I wonder if, in my attempt to stop the calamity, I unleashed something far, far worse…"
"What's done is done." - Cid shrugged. "You destroyed Zodiark out of benevolence and desire to help, and you did what seemed right in your position. Hell, ask any of us if we would put a blade through an ascian or their god and see how we respond."
"If only this wouldn't be for nothing…My foolishness might bring ruin to this world."
"Foolishness? Do not despair now, G'raha." - Cid said in a reassuring tone. "I know that our timelines are very different, but you had said that before you slumbered in the tower, it was one and the same, and so I think I can speak on that. Besides, it might be a little fresher in my mind than yours…" - Cid smiled. "Your decision to keep the knowledge of the tower at your own detriment was one of a man wise beyond his years, so ain't no point talking about foolishness. I know the promise we have given to G'raha, our G'raha, I mean. We won't have him awaken to the ruins of the world he knew, not again." - Cid said, glancing over the tower. The Exarch wondered if the engineer truly saw him as G'raha he knew or was he a distinctly different person in his eyes? "So let's drop the musings and focus on what truly matters now, setting things right."
G'raha looked at Cid with a smile. He always was a light of inspiration. It was time to see Alliance leaders and make a choice on their future.