For the first time in months, the Crystal Exarch finally felt overjoyed. He knew everything now, what the true cause of the Final Days was, what Hydaelyn's plant entailed, what exactly could be done to defeat her…Of course, there were a lot of pending questions. He still did not know where to find Meteion, the universe was a gigantic place, and she could hide in any corner of it, but if Hydaelyn believed that Edwin might one day take the fight to her, she must know how to reach it.
But that would all come after G'raha tells everyone in Sharlayan the truth. Knowing what it truly is, that is, rotting the currents on their star, having this phenomenon be explained instead of remaining a mystery was a sure way to ease the upcoming panic, even if by a little. If they knew that the Final Days were not unbeatable, the hope in their hearts would help them carry on until the hour of salvation was at hand.
All those thoughts echoed through the Exarch's mind as he found himself amidst the stream, drawing his and Emet-Selch's soul back to Sharlayan. It was always a momentary feeling, a single second before they would finally open their eyes and find themselves amidst the plaza; at least, that's how aetherytes were supposed to work. Not this time, however. While they were still in the stream, G'raha felt a different force, a powerful grip of aether that encircled the two souls. It has hard to discern what was going on, yet the Exarch felt his soul aching as the barrier made out of pure light touched them. His soul was able to pass onward despite the discomfort, but moments after, G'raha felt a part of his being torn away. The ascian's soul was getting further with every moment. The white barrier fully encircled it and drained its powers. The Exarch reached out for the ascian's soul across the azure stream, yet his attempts were nothing compared to the sheer force of the stream that tore the two souls apart. The ascian began to fade before G'raha, and in the next instant, they had torn away from the stream.
When G'raha opened his eyes, he found himself amidst the Sharlayan aetheryte plaza as the pale moon rose amidst the sea of stars, sending its glitter upon his crystal skin. It took a few moments for the Exarch to realize what had happened. His senses were numbed as his subconscious refused to believe what he saw for some mysterious reason. He felt as if he was still in the stream amidst the ephemeral dream that transferred onto reality once he was finally released.
And then there was the pain. G'raha clutched his crystal staff, feeling his entire body shaking as every slight movement made his legs and arms overwhelmed with exhaustion. After G'raha forced himself to sit up, he realized that this was similar to the exhaustion he felt once applying the most powerful of his chains around Emet's soul…Thinking about this made G'raha's mind finally spur up in a fit of rash realization. Battling his pain, the Exarch stood up, looking over the city plaza. Most people kept to themselves, endlessly discussing their own affairs, only a few curious children pointed their fingers at the Exarch, but this time wants what made his heart beat at twice the speed.
Emet wasn't here. Whatever this was in the stream that they encountered had taken the ascian's soul away, be it by his own design or somebody else's. The ascian was now far enough for the Exarch to over-exhaust himself by the sheer virtue of keeping him chained, but the Exarch felt that his chains still held on; he couldn't have gone too far away. G'raha remembered just looking at the ascian's face a few moments ago, nothing suggested trouble, yet now he found himself amidst a mystery to which he had no answer. He needed to find Emet, be it to continue his watch over him or end this immense draining ache the Exarch felt in his bones.
The Exarch considered his options. Usually, the staff would at least give him a trace, yet now it was utterly muddled, and Exarch could not know why. Perhaps swift teleportation did not allow him to leave an aetheric footprint, or perhaps he was too far away for the crystal to sense him.
Baldesion annex was nearby, and G'raha needed some help. This was the only destination he could think of going to; hopefully, it would not take too long to find Krile. The Exarch strolled through the streets as quickly as he could without running; it wouldn't do him any good to attract attention now. When he saw the gates of the annex, G'raha felt his heartbeat become even stronger, Krile was a busy woman, and it wasn't unlikely that she might have been in another part of the city, away for her duties; all the while, G'raha had no time to waste.
The moment he saw the hall, however, the Exarch let out a breath of relief. Krile was in the hall, sitting at one of the tables and talking with C'irena. The miqo'te woman spoke with joy and color in her voice.
"…That's why I liked my first two days in the last stand a lot! The customers are all very nice; compared to the folk in Limsa, they are absolute sweethearts. Well, some of them are getting a little on edge today, but we all know why that is…" - She looked to her side, noticing the tired Exarch in the middle of the hall. "Oh, hey there, G'raha."
"You're back!" - Krile exclaimed.
"Yes…" - The Exarch responded quietly before approaching them. The table had only two seats, taken by Krile and C'irena, and there wasn't a place for the Exarch.
"Gods, you seem exhausted…" - Krile noted. "Take a seat; I'll get you some water."
"Wait." - G'raha paused her in a voice far sterner than he intended. "No need for that. Any news from the Forum?"
"You should've seen the evacuation announcement." - C'irena responded with a glint of excitement. "People got up in arms, I understand them, of course…But flying to the moon certainly seems more fun than any of my tribe mates has ever done."
"Yes, and that's about it." - Krile continued. "The evacuation process is soon to begin, people are panicking, of course, but at least they know. But that doesn't matter, for now, tell me what you learned! You visited the moon, right? Have you seen those servants of Hydaelyn? Did they tell you anything?"
"I spent some time with them, and they are certainly…A sight to behold." - G'raha sighed, knowing that he didn't have time to explain everything now, not until he found Emet, but he had to say it. "They didn't tell me anything I did not know…But Emet did. I now know what it is that's causing the Final Days." - Even the Exarch himself struggled to believe those words as they passed his lips. The same could be said of Krile and C'irena as the lalafell visibly recoiled at the suggestion, and the miqo'te froze in shock.
"R…Really?"
"Yes." - G'raha nodded.
"What is it, then?" - C'irena wondered.
"It's a long story that I will tell, but first, I need your help with something." - G'raha looked at Krile with hope in his eyes.
"Of course, Raha! What is it?"
"When I teleported to the moon, I dragged the ascian's soul along with me…We found ourselves in one place, but it's not the case now." - G'raha began, immediately garnering Krile's attention.
"What happened?"
"When I teleported both of us back, our souls were separated…Somehow. I didn't notice much, only that there was some aura of light that separated us; it happened very quickly."
"Hm…Do you think he could've done it?" - Krile wondered.
"No, or else I would not still sense my chains. They are on him, even if they now require much more power. He couldn't have gone too far with them still on his soul, and I doubt that using light is his preferred method of action…" - G'raha mused, noticing that C'irena grew visibly interested.
"A soul torn away, you say?"
"Yes, all while amidst a swift teleportation."
"Eh…" - C'irena looked around the room frantically, as if checking that none were listening before turning to G'raha and Krile. "I might know something about that."
"Really?" - Krile spoke with disbelief.
"When I was at the last stand this morning, there were a few notable visitors who came very early…One of them was Fourchenault, and the other was a hyur from the Forum, judging by his robes." - C'irena recalled. "I didn't try to listen for them too much, but while serving the nearby tables, my ears caught something…We, miqo'te, have no rivals when it comes to hearing, aren't we, G'raha?" - She gave the Exarch a proud look which he did not bother to reciprocate, being far too consumed by the thoughts of his present situation. "They talked about something related to aether and separating souls, not that I understood half of it…But they mentioned Emet-Selch and the ascian." - C'irena concluded, confirming G'raha's fears. Fourchenault was indeed involved in this, likely planning for before they returned, and he was not alone in his plan. The Exarch looked to the floor and clenched his teeth, trying to maintain his calm. Fourchenault had a good reason to act the way he did, but if he took it too far, this would only create a new conflict in Sharlayan at a time when they could not afford it.
"Do you think he might have prepared something?" - Krile looked at G'raha with kindness and uncertainty, eager to help him in any attempts at figuring out this mystery.
"Only one way to find out." - The Exarch sighed. "Will you join me? It's time to ask some questions at the Leveilleur manor." - The Exarch suggested and immediately saw Krile nod enthusiastically.
As much as G'raha hated to admit it, he had to stop this conflict by any means, even if it meant saving his immortal enemy.
…
Even the ascian could barely realize what was happening before completely losing control. As their souls traveled through the stream, Emet remembered witnessing a powerful aura of light emerge before him. It was akin to an invocation of Hydaelyn's making, the power that made his soul burn with agony. Now the chains around him grew thrice as painful with this charred force scorching his body. He could not even scream as he saw G'raha's soul pass through this aura and disappear beyond the horizon of the stream while Emet's soul lingered in this horrific web.
When Emet opened his eyes, he was lying on the stone floor of a secluded building made of stone. Hades tried to look around to get a better glimpse of his surroundings, but his limbs ached at the attempt. The moment Hades attempted to stand up, his legs shook, and his soul let out a cry of pain that pierced his entire body. The ascian grunted in pain before falling down to his knees once again. His body was in drought, as if poison was slowly corroding his entire self, soon to turn him into dust and ashes. His mind could not even focus and Emet felt his reservoir of aether being chained by the Exarxh's magic that clutched to his soul in desperation, unleashing all its reserves. They must have been far from each other; somehow, they got separated during their journey home. A welcome occurrence which in any other situation would've made Emet exude a sigh of relief, but not when this separation made him powerless.
The ascian stood up again, this time doing his best to walk towards the door that led out of this empty room, yet he could not let go of his worry. Someone must have been nearby. This wasn't an accident; the white aetheryte shard arising behind him only enhanced his dreading suspicion. There was no magic at his disposal, the ascian was practically a shell of his former self, yet he sensed his soul raging. He felt it fighting against the chains of light around him, its fire of darkness glowing brighter with every passing second.
"It worked!"
An ecstatic voice rang from the door, causing Hades to immediately turn around. A young hyur arose, a member of the Forum armed with nouliths behind his back and an expression of joy muddled by fearful shock. The one he possessed, Rolandeau. Now everything made sense, Hades knew exactly what it was about, and he was powerless to stop the tide of vengeance.
"You…"
Before Emet could continue, Rolandeau commanded his nouliths, fueling them with white magic. A wave of white light pierced Emet's soul like a blade of light, causing him to fall to his knees and scream in agony. Rolandeau followed this with a few more blasts, each of them tearing Emet's soul apart like a beast's claw. What little strength Emet was able to gain has now dissipated.
"The sheer insolence you dare to display…" - Emet tried to stand up, barely holding himself from falling again. "You are playing a very dangerous game, mortal!"
"Come here, I need help!" - Rolandeau shouted at someone beyond Emet's sight, though the answer did not have him wait long. A familiar figure appeared at the door; Fourchenault Leveilleur gazed at the ascian with an empty stare, and Emet could only read disbelief at the fact that they genuinely had the ascian caught. It did not take long for this disbelief to change, and a frown emerged on his face. The elezen used his own nouliths to aid Rolandeau, pushing Emet towards the white aetheryte. The ascian felt his back burning as he collided with the crystal, as well as the chains of light emerging around his body, bounding the ascian to the ground. Chained, both body and soul, and made a fool for the mortals' amusement, Emet's patience was wearing thin, though he did not exude a single sign of fear. Fourchenault and Rolandeau rose above him, watching their prisoner with a focused gaze as their eyes were slowly filled with rage, especially Fourchenault's.
"If you need a moment…" - Rolandeau looked at his friend with concern in his eyes. "Now is the time."
"Very well." - Fourchenault spoke quietly as he clenched his shaking fist. The elezen walked towards Emet-Selch, who continued to look up at him with pride.
"Come to torment me, have you? Such a primitive desire, not unlike Amon…"
After those words, Emet felt Fourchenault's fist punching his face with a strength that made him cough and recoil. Only someone who had not a single reservation or doubt about this could've hit with such vigor.
"No, not to torment, though I hope you feel enough pain in the process…" - Fourchenault retorted, speaking slowly and taking deep breaths as he looked at the ascian. "We will kill you. We will burn your soul and force it into oblivion, just like you have done with…With so many."
"Ha-ha…" - Emet chuckled with a mocking smile emerging on his face. "You are a reckless fool. How wrong I was in assuming you were in any way calculating…You cannot destroy my soul; the two of you don't have enough power. Were it so simple, Me and my brethren would never have gotten this far."
"We are willing to try our best." - Rolandeau responded.
"And to what end? We will be here for hours, if not days, of this pointless endeavor. You can make me scream in pain; I will give you that…But there is nothing you can do to destroy my soul, nothing you can take away from me to bend my will!" - The ascian shouted. He did not care for pain or torment, and there was no point in deluding those two with false hope. There was nothing between Emet and Fourchenault to speak of, nothing to say to each other, and the ascian understood this.
"Rest assured, we have a lot of time here in Labyrinthos. Away from prying eyes, not to mention that we are not acting alone." - Rolandeau smiled. "We have gotten quite far, too, and don't even try to suggest that we retreat now."
"If you want to waste your time, who am I to stop you…" - Emet scoffed and noticed Fourchenault's gaze burning his soul with its primal fury.
"Still, you mock us…You have no shame, ascian, no conscience…" - He took a deep breath and looked at the floor before once again piercing Emet's eyes with his own gaze. "You killed my children! You murdered them in cold blood, without mercy! And you enjoyed, I know you did…You are a monster who enjoys seeing us suffer; I got enough proof of that!"
"No, I did not enjoy it." - Emet attempted to shrug, but the magical chains would allow him to move. "They stood in my way, and I merely did my duty."
"Liar! You have no duties. You have twisted, warped desires. No duty can justify what you and yours did to our world and to many others! How many lives have you ruined, how many innocents have you slaughtered, and how many civilizations have you brought to heel…All to bring you to this very moment." - A cathartic smile emerged on Fourchenault's face momentarily, he took joy in this moment of triumph, and the ascian couldn't blame him. "You took away my family, you had me on my knees, mocked me, and disgraced me before my people…How have the tables turned. You are nothing, ascian; you have no allies, no god to protect you. Your soul is chained, and here you are lying before us, beaten and broken, trying to bark at us like a muzzled dog!" - Fourchenault kneeled before Emet to get closer. "So let me tell you this, as one failure to another…I hope you feel every second of it. I hope you suffer before you die." - He spoke with spite before looking back at his ally. "It's time, Rolandeau. Let's make him pay."
"Gladly."
There was no stopping them now. The two men raised their nouliths in the symphony, unleashing a combined wave of powerful light upon Hades. The ascian could not do anything to resist, his agonized screams echoed from the lone facility, and there was no one to hear them.
…
As soon as they had their hint from C'irena, Krile and G'raha ventured to Leveilleur manor with haste, for there were many questions to ask. The Exarch knew that this could not be a coincidence. He spoke with Fourchenault before, powerless to quench his anger and fury, fury that G'raha could sympathize with yet not understand on a personal level. Losing friends has been horrific in itself, yet losing those who you held in your hands the moment they were born, your children who you saw grow and develop, make their first steps, first tears, first smile, and dreams…Who was he to deny Fourchenault this justice? Who was he to tell him how he should act when the murderer of his children walks before him, the murderer G'raha to an extent protected, whether he liked it or not. Still, he prayed that it was not too late, that a solution could still be found, and that there was a way to bring peace and justice at the same time. Yet another foolish hope that G'raha desperately grasped.
"So…What are we expecting?" - Krile looked at G'raha as they approached the manor's footsteps.
"I don't know yet. All I want is to get some answers to where Emet-Selch is." - G'raha responded. He did not want to stir any trouble and dreaded that the Leveilleurs would take it the wrong way, yet their connection had to be restored.
"If Fourchenault has Emet as his prisoner, I don't think he would keep him in the manor; that's too dangerous."
"Neither do I, but it doesn't hurt to ask." - Something told G'raha that Fourchenault was not even there, that he was wherever they took Emet's body and soul, enjoying the moments of his vengeance.
When they reached the door, G'raha knocked loudly, with the echo spreading towards the inner hall. He and Krile stood and silence as they prepared to ask uncomfortable questions, no matter how hurtful it would be for the grieving Leveilleurs. They did not have to wait for long, the door opened, and they saw Arielle standing before them, looking at her saviors with admiration, yet maintaining some caution by keeping her distance.
"Hello." - She spoke quietly, trying to force a smile out of herself. "What brings you here?"
"Hello, we're glad to see you are well…" - Krile began. "Is master Fourchenault home? We wanted to ask him a few questions." - After those words, G'raha noticed Arielle freeze in her place without saying a word as her face was growing paler.
"No, I'm afraid he is not home…" - She sighed. "He left on some important business earlier; he didn't tell what this was."
Just as G'raha expected, this business was undoubtedly about setting a trap for Emet, a way to separate their souls. Their chances for finding an answer here have all but perished, but the Exarch would persist.
"And mistress Ameliance?" - G'raha asked.
"Yes, she is here." - Arielle nodded.
"May we talk with her?"
"Well…She is very tired, and I don't think she wants any visitors now." - Arielle spoke with doubt in her voice.
"Let's look for other clues." - Krile looked at her friend. "It won't do any good disturbing a grieving woman…"
"I'm afraid there will be no other clues. Arielle, this is a matter of utmost importance, and I promise that we will be quick. I only ask you to guide us to mistress Ameliance so we can ask a few questions." - The Exarch saw the girl hesitate at those words. He tried to sound as soft and kind as possible, though the urgency of their situation prevented him from letting his guard down. "Please."
"Very well…Follow me." - Arielle sighed and welcomed them to the manor. G'raha noticed Krile's doubt in her wavering gaze as she stepped beyond the door, it was clear that she didn't want to do this and thought it would make matters worse, but they had to get any knowledge they could. If Fourchenault shared his plans with anyone, it would be his wife.
They walked in silence as Arielle guided them through the empty corridors of the manor to the dining hall, the same place Fourchenault and Ameliance welcomed G'raha in. The elezen woman sat in solitude, looking at the floor and occasionally at the windows above her. The moment her guests entered the hall, Ameliance immediately turned towards them. There was no warmth nor kindness in her eyes; they were full of tiredness and fear. Looking at her, G'raha doubted his decision to pressure her with questions, but it was too late to go back.
"Greetings…" - She sighed monotonously. "What do you want?"
"Forgive me, my lady." - Arielle spoke. "They really wanted to ask you some important questions, and I had to oblige…"
"It's alright, my dear, don't worry…I'll talk to them." - Ameliance looked at G'raha and Krile, waiting for them to speak. She did not want to talk. That much was clear from her dismissive gaze. "Go on, then; I want to get this over with."
Krile stood beside Arielle, not talking at all. G'raha had to step forward and explain their situation.
"Emet-Selch and I journeyed to the moon in search of answers to what caused the Final Days…"
"Is that why you are here?" - Ameliance interrupted G'raha. "To talk about him? I said that I do not want to hear that name in my house, and I…"
"Please, this is important. When we returned through the aetheryte, his…The ascian's soul was separated from me by a force I could not identify. When I arrived at Sharlayan, I was alone with him, nowhere to be seen." - After those words, he noticed Ameliance's expression change as she took a deep breath and dropped her gaze to the floor once again as if trying to hide something from the Exarch.
"And…" - She stuttered. "What does it have to do with me?"
"When I got back, one of my allies said that she overheard Fourchenault talking to one of his former colleagues at the last stand. They discussed the ascian and methods of separating the two souls…It does not seem like a coincidence." - G'raha noted, noticing Ameliance chuckle quietly before raising her head. This was the moment when Krile joined in.
"Please, we want to understand what is going on. You don't have to do it for the ascian. We certainly don't…Do it for your husband. It is a far, far too dangerous undertaking."
"What is it you want to understand?" - Ameliance shook her head and spoke with disappointment. "That my husband and I do not want to see the murderer of our children walk the streets of Sharlayan?" - She retorted with spite and raised her voice. "That we…That he would not leave it to be like this? That he would look for any opportunity to bring any justice to this burning world, the justice we deserve, the justice you take away from us…Did you truly not know?"
"Please…" - G'raha sighed. "It is about preventing your husband from making a mistake, not about justice…"
"Oh, but it is. I know Fourchenault suffered; I saw him ashamed because of us allowing Emet-Selch to walk freely and not face the punishment he deserved…I saw his pain, I tried to tell him that it wasn't his fault, but I knew he would accept none of it…" - Ameliance clenched her fist. "You will get no answers from me, for he did not tell me anything, not before disappearing amidst the evening to take care of some important business…I dared to doubt him at this moment, but thanks to you, I know what he is doing, and what he does is righteous."
"This will do nothing but bring more conflict and chaos to the city that is already on the brink with all the recent news; I just beg you to hold off your desire for punishment; all will be served in due time…"
"Why would we believe you?" - Ameliance shook her head. "You were there, saw our children, your friends die! You had him at your mercy and did nothing! You kept him for knowledge, for his powers. Never did you stop and think about what he deserves."
"If only you knew how much I thought about it…" - Exarch sighed, trying to exude his earnest sympathies. "If you do not know anything, we will be on our way…"
"Yes, go, and don't come back. Whatever Fourchenault is doing, I hope he succeeds and finally rids the world of this demon…Then Alphinaud and Alisaie can finally be avenged." - She spoke sharply and with contempt. The righteous rage that festered in the hearts of those grieving parents, the rage that G'raha overlooked for the purpose he considered more important, and this is where it has brought them.
"I'm…" - Krile looked at Ameliance with pained kindness. "I'm sorry, I truly am."
"Just…Just go." - The woman looked away as tears began to fall down her eyes; Arielle immediately rushed towards her to calm the agonized woman down, but they would get no answers from her, indeed. G'raha wanted to apologize, yet he understood that any words would be nothing but empty platitudes, while his actions did not align with his words.
"Let's go, Krile…We don't have much time."
The Exarch said before turning away; he felt his heart beating faster as the pain in his body re-emerged. He needed to find the ascian and Fourchenault before it was too late, and he would not allow anyone to slow him down.
…
Some scars never heal. Some wounds remain open and drain you for the rest of your life in a horrifying, tormenting process that one cannot stop, only slow down. For some, their grief became their shadow that always followed in their footsteps and whispered into their ear. Emet-Selch knew how difficult it was to let go. After so many years of suffering and loss, his heart was broken, emptied of any hope for a better future, and there was only a word the voice in his mind kept repeating.
Failure.
A word that became so prevalent, so heart-wrenching and draining that the physical pain Fourchenault and Rolandeau inflicted upon the ascian with their spells was a welcome respite. He might have shouted and screamed, might have recoiled in pain, but in reality, this simpler, primitive agony was silencing this voice, if only for a few moments, a temporary bliss where Emet could focus on the present instead of constantly dreading what the future shall bring. Even now, the ascian maintained the upper hand, for he knew what Fourchenault and Rolandeau did not…Their spells did not simply weaken his soul. Their attempts to corrode his body with light, fleeting hopes of piercing him with a blade of aether, the most of their power…It weakened G'raha's chains as well, for they were about to let the darkness of the ascian's soul through, finally unleashing him, even if in part.
All he had to do was to watch them do their job. Hades looked at Fourchenault, shouting and growing more furious with his every attempt to break the ascian's will and burn his soul to the ground, every attempt that brought Emet pain yet did nothing to destroy him. All of this made Emet think of Lahabrea, of the early days of their undertaking when the only person he could think of was Erichtonios, his son…The person who is most dear to him was taken away by Hydaelyn's blade. He wanted to make her suffer, to make her soul burn in the blazing flames as she paid for her crimes, and Hades wanted nothing more than to be with him during this triumphant moment. He would have stood beside him, like Rolandeau, and helped him bring that monster to justice. Fourchenault wanted the same, no doubt, and he would not stop before the murderer of his children would be brought to justice. A respectable pursuit, the one Emet understood and thus held no grudge against Fourchenault. Alas, there was nothing to be said about them. The ascian murdered his children and did not regret it, even if the act himself brought little joy to him. Whether it was a confession or any regret that Fourchenault wanted to get out of him, he would get none.
"Is that…" - Emet breathed with pain after yet another spell of light burned his soul like wildfire. "Is that all you can do…"
"Oh, we can do much and more." - Rolandeau claimed with pride. "Right, Fourchenault?" - He looked at his ally, who was still focused on the ascian, unable to let go of the rage in his eyes.
"Tell me the truth…" - Fourchenault spoke quietly.
"You know everything already; what else do you…"
"Tell me!" - Fourchenault suddenly shouted in response, raising his fist once again. "I know that you are a liar! You enjoyed it, you must have, a maniac like you would, I have no doubt…"
"Fourchenault…" - Rolandeau spoke with kindness yet maintained a stern tone to his voice. "There's no point, let's just focus on destroying him."
"No, not yet…He needs to admit the truth." - Fourchenault cut him off. "Do not be such a coward, ascian, and just admit it. Just say it to my face, tell me the truth…I deserve it…They deserve it!" - His voice wavered as Fourchenault demanded that Emet confess to something that never happened. The ascian could forgive him for getting delusional in the spur of the moment, but this did not mean that he would…Suddenly, a thought spurred through Hades's mind, a distant memory of the battle in Amaurot, the thought that Fourchenault wanted to unleash…If that's what he yearned for so much, Emet will give him the truth.
"Very well…" - The ascian replied spitefully, garnering Fourchenault's attention. "I do not take pleasure in killings, and I never did…Yet there was one moment, one fleeting thought that brought a smile to my face. Your son told me that the ascians were wrong for sacrificing the sundered to bring back our brethren who were trapped inside Zodiark…" Those you love are in the past, and ours are here, in the present." Those were his words to me. Yet when my spell snuffed the life out of his sister and ended her life…He rushed to her side. He had forsaken his friends for the last attempt to heal the fading soul of his sister, no matter how futile it was…He wept at her corpse, and when he finally rejoined the battle, all he could think about was vengeance. She was gone, as he would say, in the past…Yet now he understood exactly what I meant. Seeing his rage and putting an end to him…Yes, I admit to taking joy at that moment."
"BASTARD!" - Fourchenault screamed before raising his nouliths. "You will suffer, I swear by the Twelve, you will!" - He followed this with yet another array of light spells, with Rolandeau adding his power onto it to aid Fourchenault.
"AARGH!" - Emet screamed as the light burned his body once again, the two men who desired vengeance and justice would not stand back, yet in this moment of righteous fury, the ascian finally felt a chain being broken.
It was but a single one out of the array that G'raha enforced upon his soul, yet it was enough. The magical power finally breached the barrier, finally created a crack in this enchantment, reaching for the very essence of his soul and unwittingly unleashing some of the power that rested within the lone ascian. Emet tried his best not to sight in relief as he realized what Fourchenault and Rolandeau had just done. Such ironic that they would play a role in setting him free from the Exarch.
"I…I…" - Emet breathed in pain as he looked to the floor; Fourchenault and Rolandeau needed some time to prepare for another wave of spells, giving the ascian some rest. "Ha-ha-ha…How…Ha-ha-ha…"
"What's there to laugh about!?" - Fourchenault spoke out in disdain before approaching Emet with his nouliths circling around him. "If you can still laugh, you have not suffered nearly enough! Don't expect us to let this oversight go unfixed, do you hear me, ascian?"
"Yes…Loud and clear." - Emet smiled. He could now muster a few spells of darkness, but they should be enough to break free. The time for pretense was over.
A powerful wave of darkness followed the ascian's words, annihilating the chains his jailers put on him and putting a crack into the nearby aetheryte. His soul was still majorly weakened by G'raha, yet his body was finally free from those obstructions.
"No, no!" - Rolandeau exclaimed in fear, immediately preparing to cast another spell.
"Damn you!" - Fourchenault shouted and attempted to strike Emet down with a flash of light, yet the ascian was quicker. He manifested an arrow of darkness that hurt Fourchenault's elbow, making the elezen scream in pain and clutch it with his hand. Just enough time for the ascian to push him aside with all the strength he had, Fourchenault wasn't yet ready to resist. One of his nouliths was dropped as he lost control over it, and before the elezen could reclaim it, Emet's hands claimed it. The dark aura severed the connection it had to Fourchenault, stripping the noulith of its magical properties and turning it into an empty yet sharp weapon.
"Get down, now!" - Rolandeau shouted before unleashing one of his spells, yet Emet was quick enough to jump away towards the nearby wall. Rolandeau tried to scour for the ascian as his eyes were filled with dread. His momentary panic gave Hades enough time to charge at him from behind, clutching one of his nouliths.
The ascian pushed Rolandeau to the ground, forcing him to temporarily lose control of his weapons, but the man still continued to resist vigorously.
"Let me…Let me go, bastard!" - He pushed Hades away as the ascian attempted to get on him. Rolandeau didn't give up and attempted to wound Emet while trying to scratch and even bite.
"Enough!" - Hades shouted as he put his hand over Rolandeau's neck while holding onto the noulith with the other. "If you want to live…"
"Not without…Killing you!" - Rolandeau reached out and grabbed the noulith, attempting to tear it away from Emet's hand. The strength in his hands was admirable, no doubt empowered by the rush he experienced now, but it was still not enough. In a swift push, Emet forced the noulith down, piercing Rolandeau's neck with it. The river of blood flowed immediately as his skin and throat were cut, coloring the noulith in crimson. Rolandeau coughed with more blood as his eyes turned red and his body shivered in agony. With every second, his grasp grew weaker, and the ascian finally felt free once again. The body stopped shaking, and the coughing slowed down before completely dissipating. Hades slowly rose above the bloodied corpse, claiming the bloodied noulith from Rolandeau's neck.
Emet looked around the room and found Fourchenault crawling towards the nearby wall, still reeling from his wound. When Emet's shadow rose above him, Fourchenault looked into the ascian's eyes once again with his seething rage still overtaking him, but now Emet could see the dread re-emerge. The horror of seeing Rolandeau's body made Fourchenault shudder in fear.
"Now, what did you say about tables turning?" - Emet sighed, looking at the shocked elezen before him.
"Y…You…"
"Never attempt to chain an ascian, everyone who has ever attempted to do so learned this lesson in the harshest of ways. Now you did, too, and G'raha will come soon…Perhaps this pathetic attempt of yours would finally teach you to stay away!" - Emet scoffed before turning around and walking towards the exit. There was no reason to kill Fourchenault, he had suffered enough, but the ascian hoped that this painful lesson would finally put an end to his vengeance.
"You killed him…" - Emet heard Fourchenault's quivering voice. "You killed them all, you…DAMN YOU! You are…Out of all the tyrants and maniacs I learned of, you…You are a monster! You torment, you murder, you take our loved ones away, you…WE WERE SO CLOSE! So close to ridding the world of you, so close to fina…Finally…" - Fourchenault's voice broke many times before starting to sound suspiciously distorted as if some kind of enchantment was put upon him…It grew less human with every passing second, eventually causing Emet to turn around.
All he could see was Fourchenault's face, pierced in shock and the purest form of despair. His trembling body was fully covered by the dark aura of Dynamis that made the ascian recoil. He was too late and could not even conjure up a spell; Fourchenault's whole body and soul were surrounded by a dark cloud that grew exponentially, sending waves of despair toward Emet-Selch. When the dust settled, there was no man before Emet-Selch, but a large beast rising above him. A monster covered in crimson colors standing on eight legs which were reminiscent of a spider, a large monster that took the whole room, encircling Emet-Selch like a predator that was ready to feast. Its single, yellow eye stared at the trapped ascian with not a single mote of rage, hatred, or pain. Nothing but emptiness and hungering void, which was about to claim its prize.
The blasphemy made its move, sinking its teeth into the ascian's neck, each of its legs piercing his flesh. Moments later, his vessel was torn apart.