Once again, G'raha found himself at a loss.

The Exarch hoped that a visit to the Leveilleur manor would unravel some of the secrets and reveal what Fourchenault has been up to, but Ameliance refused to give him anything and sent him and Krile away with spite in her eyes. G'raha did not blame her, even if it complicated their search. It can never be easy telling a grieving parent that they are acting irrationally…If G'raha had always listened to his rationality, he would never have gone this far in his journey.

Now G'raha and Krile have found themselves outside the manor, unsure what their next step should be.

"So…What now?" - Krile wondered.

"I hoped she would tell us something…This isn't it." - G'raha shook his head in disappointment while looking away.

"She is grieving; you can't force her to betray her husband like that even if she knows something."

"I know, I know…" - The Exarch sighed. "Let's not linger on that."

"Agreed. I think we should check in with the rest of the Forum, maybe master Montichaigne? Fourchenault wasn't acting alone as C'irena told us; maybe others know something." - Krile suggested.

"It would take a lot of time…But we don't have any other choice."

"Shall we head off to the Studium, then?"

"Yes, that would be for…"

The Exarch did not finish as he felt a sudden surge of pain in his body. It was pierced with a primordial power of darkness that poisoned his body. G'raha clenched his teeth and fell to his knees as he felt his heart aching in agony. His breaths grew heavier as he was about to drop his staff due to such a shocking change in the energies that permeated it. The crystal heart of Tycoon changed its color, now gleaming with a distinct dark purple light.

"G'raha, are you alright?" - Krile looked at him with concern.

"Yes, it's just another of those…" - G'raha breathed before hearing a hauntingly familiar voice echoing in his head, coming from the crystal heart.

"What can't hold a single soul in your chains without crumbling to pieces? I expected more." - Emet's mocking voice echoed in G'raha's head, causing the Exarch to inadvertently shiver.

"You…How?" - G'raha replied with surprise, causing Krile to look at him with confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"Wait, I hear Emet's voice in my head, his soul…I can feel it?" - He explained it as clearly as possible to Krile.

"How's that even possible?"

"Just let me talk to him… What's going on?" - G'raha spoke quietly, hoping for Emet to finally shed light upon this.

"Seems that your chains are so powerful they denied me a trip to Chrysalis, instead bringing me back to your tiny prison."

"Is that not the place you go after the death of your vessel?"

"Indeed…"

"What happened? I need to know now."

"We were separated by an aetheric trap set up by Fourchenault and Rolandeau, his ally."

"As I suspected…"

"They dragged my soul to Labyrinthos where they planned to use all of their strength to annihilate me while I was weakened, poor fools…" - The last two words were said with unexpected sympathy in Emet's voice as the Exarch felt him quiver. His being right inside G'raha's head helped shed light on some of the emotions Hades would not usually display.

"Did they succeed in destroying your body?"

"Well…Not exactly." - Emet hesitated. "What they did succeed in was weakening the chains you forced upon me just enough so I could use my powers and break free from primitive spells. I had to fight back to reclaim my freedom, Rolandeau proved very persistent, so I'm afraid I had to resort to extreme measures."

"You…You killed him?!" - G'raha spoke with horror. Even Krile heard those words and recoiled.

"Calm down, that's not your biggest problem right now…" - The ascian took a deep breath before continuing to speak; G'raha felt his heart racing in anticipation. Having the ascian murder, a member of the Forum put this blood on the Exarch's hands, as it was he that brought the ascian here. "I was content with leaving Fourchenault in peace, but…Dynamis waves got him." - The most horrifying revelation G'raha could hear now; his hands trembled as he struggled to breathe. "He became a beast that tore my vessel apart, and here we are…"

"By the gods…"

"What happened?" - Krile inquired with fear and worry in her voice. "What are you two talking about?" - G'raha had to act immediately. There was no time to waste on pondering and regrets; the worst that could happen happened, and the entire city was in danger.

"Krile, we need to separate."

"Why?"

"I will go to the elevator that leads to Labyrinthos…Fourchenault broke, Krile. He turned into a blasphemy." - G'raha spoke quietly in a quivering voice, still in disbelief that he was saying this terrifying sentence.

"Oh my…" - Krile gasped, barely able to speak. She recoiled in shock and looked at the manor that they were leaving behind, reminding G'raha of how terrifying this loss would be for Ameliance. "How did it…Why…"

"Lister, we don't have time. The blasphemy is in Labyrinthos, but it will try to find a way up here, no doubt. I'll go and warn the guards. You return to the annex and explain the situation; I need everyone to stay in their homes and not panic; I will not let it reach the city. Alright? "- G'raha outlined the plan, praying that he had enough time spare.

"I…Alright." - Krile sighed. "Please, be careful out there."

"I'll try my best." - G'raha promised moments before they separated. The Exarch gazed towards the Forum Hall that arose on the hill underneath the night's sky. So calm, so peaceful, and yet the clouds have gathered around it. If the monster breaks free, it might infect those near it, and amidst the mass panic, there will be even more blasphemies to be created, plunging Sharlayan into the same chaos that Limsa Lominsa and Ul'Dah have suffered, the same fires of torment that would reign upon them, G'raha could not allow this.

The Exarch rushed towards the hall, he knew that it was nearby that the lift to Labyrinthos was found, the guards needed to know. Meanwhile, the power of darkness raged within the Exarch. Emet's full soul was contained within the Tycoon's heart, the crystal which was not equipped to deal with its entirety. The staff grew heavy, or were it G'raha's hands that became weaker? The darkness corroded his entire body, all while the ascian's voice still echoed in his head.

"Yes, be careful, will you… It's not just your life that is at stake here!" - Was it worry in the ascian's voice? The Exarch couldn't tell. All he could do was run across the streets of Sharlayan and reach the lift before the monster will. To his luck, the fact that the night befell the city meant that there would be far fewer people outside, but it also meant that it would be easier for the beast to hide in the shadow.

"We'll talk with you later." - G'raha spoke dismissively; murdering someone, especially a member of the Forum, would be a step too far, and the rest would not allow him to stay in Sharlayan. "Better help me with it if you want both of us to live. When Fourchenault transformed, how did this beast look?"

"Akin to a large spider, very sharp teeth, I must say…"

"No wings?"

"No." - This made it harder for the blasphemy to reach Sharlayan, but G'raha still had to remain wary of the possibilities.

"Can you grant me some of your dark power if it comes to it?" - G'raha felt no pleasure in asking, yet they needed to destroy the beast before it spread its rot onto anyone else, and they had precious few options.

"Oh, look who's talking…" - The ascian sighed. "Once again, you're not leaving of choice, and while I am still locked away in your staff, I'd rather not see your life extinguished." - He would maintain his mocking tone.

"Well, I'm glad we're on the same page…"

Eventually, the Exarch reached the halls. There were suspiciously few guards patrolling the building; perhaps after years of isolationism and pacifism, the Sharlayans saw little reason for maintaining much order. A city of peace and knowledge, they believed, right until the moment when the beasts strike from within.

"Awfully quiet, this place…" - The ascian noted, adding to G'raha's suspicion that something was not right.

"There must be some guards around here, and they need to know."

The Exarch rushed across the halls, trying his best to remember the way that would lead towards descent to Labyrinthos. At urgent times like those, his memory served him surprisingly well, as G'raha did not even have to think or reminisce. His intuition was enough. Soon he and Emet's spirit were in the room with the elevator…

Only to witness a picture of primal horror.

The room was utterly lifeless; its floor was drowning in puddles of crimson, still-fresh blood. The gates to the elevator were breached, and the body of the lone gatekeeper lay beside, pierced by one of the golden doors. His mouth was still open, overtaken by the grimace of terror as his mouth drowned in blood. There were guards' bodies scattered around those puddles, with their dark blood still flowing and tainting the floor beneath them. Some of them had their limbs torn apart and thrown to the other side of the room; it was a grotesque, horrifying image. There was but one trait similar between those bodies, and that was primal, most monstrous fear and shock.

"No, no, no…" - G'raha's lips quivered. "We're late…" - If the beast ran free, this was but the beginning of their troubles and the slaughter that shall follow. This couldn't be allowed. G'raha wondered where the monster could hide, but the answer did not take long. The Exarch felt a burning ache in his shoulder, causing the man to grunt and clutch it with his hand. It was as if something poisonous and corrosive touched his skin, an acid that slowly burned through, getting to his muscles. Yet seconds after, G'raha realized, to his own shock, that this was his crystal elbow, the one with which he hardly felt any pain. Something else fell, this time in front of him, a tiny drop of pale green sludge that immediately began forming vapor as it came in contact with the floor.

"G'raha, I think it's above us." - Emet's trembling voice rang in the Exarch's head, causing him to quickly look up. A shadow of a beast arose on the ceiling. The crimson spider with a single bright yellow eye clung to the ceiling, putting all of its focus on the newly-emerging prey. G'raha immediately felt the primal hunger in rage in the eye of this beast; it was a horrific sight…Yet what made it truly unbearable was the knowledge that echoed in the back of the Exarch's head that this was Fourchenault, a man he met in Limsan cell, someone he helped escape and return to Sharlayan, to his beloved wife, only for this to become the tragic and gruesome end of his journey.

Moments before the spider jumped down to the floor, G'raha jumped to the side while clutching his staff. He landed near the puddle of crimson blood in between two bodies, immediately turning back to the monster. It stood between him and the door to Sharlayan as the Exarch was cornered before the broken lift. The loud hiss of the blasphemy echoed in G'raha's ears, and more green poison dropped from its jaws, dripping its spike-like teeth in it. G'raha attempted to create the shield and blade out of his light-infused powers, yet he could not. The darkness of the ascian's soul prevented him from using those powers to his fullest. The blasphemy spat once again, this time with a splattering flow of green poison. G'raha retreated once again, swiftly avoiding every single drop. The walls and floor around him were colored with poisonous toxicity, which thinned them out, burning the bricks that were laid as their foundation in a matter of seconds.

"Emet, come now! Now is the time!" - The Exarch shouted while clutching his stuff; he felt the darkness flowing and pulsing inside it.

"As if I owe you anything…" - The ascian replied with apathy.

"We can sort out our arguments later! For now, just help me deal with the beast!" - G'raha screamed commandingly.

"Fine, fine, whatever suits your fancy…"

In the next instant, the darkness inside G'raha's staff has been unleashed. A powerful aetheric surge, a wave of astral energy that the Exarch could never dream of controlling, exploded in a dark purple wave of destruction, focusing its might on the spider. The blasphemy was pushed towards the nearby wall, forcing its body to hit the bricks with the spider screeching in agony.

"Yes, yes, that's what I need!" - G'raha spoke with emerging excitement as the monster finally seemed weakened. "I need more!"

"And I need some goddamn time to restore my powers. Do you imagine doing this while chained is easy?" - The ascian scoffed. G'raha didn't respond, for he was focused on the spider. The beast decided to retreat, and the Exarch saw it turn around and spit some more poison at the nearby wall. This time there was so much of it that it corroded it in a matter of seconds, leaving a gaping hole just enough for the blasphemy to escape to the hall.

"No, no!" - G'raha attempted to conjure some minor elemental spells, trying to slow the monster down with his enchantment of ice, yet he was too late. The spider had already escaped, dissipating behind the broken wall and the pile of corroded rubble it created.

"Well, that worked out well." - Emet's mocking voice echoed in G'raha's head. "Any other plans?"

"We go after it…And we end it before it claims any more lives!"

The Exarch could not allow this blunder to take more innocents; the monster had to be put down.

The sheer audacity the Exarch had…Few sights could make Ameliance angry, but seeing him dare to interfere and try to get the information out to her, as if she would ever betray her husband, as if she would choose to help G'raha in protecting the murderer of their children from righteous justice that he deserved to get, from the suffering he deserved to have inflicted upon him.

Yet now, the grieving woman could finally smile as the Exarch revealed the truth. When Ameliance sat in their garden, waiting for Fourchenault to stay with her for a while, to enjoy the falling sun and one of the last moments of peace they had on this star. She wanted him to hold her hand, to embrace her like he did after proposing to her…She wanted him to whisper and tell her that everything would be alright, that no matter what dread and calamity fell, they would persevere together.

When Arielle said that he left without even saying goodbye, Ameliance was paralyzed. She shuddered and froze in shock at all the things he might do for her, all the promises he could make…He chose to run. She knew not what he was doing, yet it was something 'very important, it would seem. Was it because he was afraid to look into her eyes? Because he was not ready to make this promise? He was afraid and angered as well. She wanted to get an opportunity to support him, to be there for him, yet once again, he abandoned her in the shadows.

She wept in the lush garden, wept like a broken, lifeless soul, left alone and abandoned by those closest to her.

Yet now she knew what it was Fourchenault was doing, and immense guilt swayed her for ever doubting him. Ameliance sat on her bed in solitude, her faint smile turning into a pained frown before emerging once again. He knew a method to destroy the ascian…To burn out his soul and free their dying star from its tormentor. She wished he would've told her everything, but she understood why he did not. He wanted to spare her the torment of having to see this monster, of gazing into his remorseless eyes and begging for a response, for some kind of reason, and getting none. Only heartbreak and suffering. The heartbreak and suffering Fourchenault must go through alone. All to make the ascian sense the bitter taste of agony and demise, to finally avenge their beloved children. To send him into the deepest pit of the seventh Hell.

Before she knew it, Ameliance was sobbing yet again, this time quietly. The void in her heart grew with each passing day; there was no respite, no end in sight for her and Fourchenault. No joy to be found in the empty life that they had left without their children, without their home. The only sight that could give her any sense of hope, any sense of relief now, was Fourchenault standing at the manor's door, telling her that the deed is done, that the monster is no more. Then they would finally embrace each other once again, free from the agonizing burden. Free to grieve without his shadow reigning over them.

Her torment was interrupted in a swift moment of horror. The glimmering moonlight that fell on her skin, making it even paler, suddenly disappeared, replacing it with a shadow much darker than that of the night sky. Ameliance felt the chills descending down her spine like a surge of icy water. There was something there, someone there…Slowly and cautiously, Ameliance turned around to peer into the window, the only one in her room, only to find the terrifying source of this shadow. The yellow eye covered the gateway to the outer world. It was attached to an animalistic, crimson head with dozen teeth emerging from its jaw. The monster breathed slowly, eying the terrified woman. Ameliance recoiled in fear towards the wall, frozen in a trance as the monster gazed upon her. She felt utterly powerless, a dove caught in the silky web of a beast that awaited the moment to strike. Ameliance could not run, could not stand, or scream; the woman just looked away to the wall, trying to bury her gaze in a much more familiar and welcoming shadow as her heartbeat grew uncontrollable and chaotic. She was about to shiver and give away her presence. The woman desperately tried to breathe as darkness began to gather around her eyes, a thousand hands dragging her into oblivion.

But then, in a miraculous moment, the gruesome shadow behind her dissipated. It took some time for Ameliance to force herself to look at the window yet again, but there was nothing there this time, not a single trace of a demonic creature, nothing but the pale moon restoring its light in Ameliance's room. She sat in silence, her thoughts all focused on the nightmare she had just witnessed. This must have been a figment of her imagination, her paranoia that emerged due to the anger and grief that filled her heart, the ugly desire and corrupting energy that now manifested in this dark mirror. It is what it had to be, right? It had to be, it had to be…Ameliance could only think of this dreadful moment, again and again, trying to distance it from herself, trying to purge this image from her mind.

This loop did not last.

She heard another sound from beyond her door, a lengthy hiss as if something was swiftly dissolving from corrosion. It was followed by a loud creak as the floor trembled from something large landing on it from above. The echo that emerged in Ameliance's mind made her freeze again, this time watching the door before, hearing echoing steps from behind it, the steps which could not be described as reminiscing any human sounds. They were much louder and made the floor creak beneath them as if something pierced it. They also reoccurred far too often, far too quickly for those sounds to be produced entirely by a pair of legs.

This echo stumbled around the room, getting louder and quieter as petrifying thoughts ran through Ameliance's head. She imagined the ascian who she never saw in person, only heard stories of. She imagined this twisted creature of darkness coming towards her, annihilating any obstacles in its way, yearning for nothing but a twisted sense of satisfaction, a desire to slaughter the remaining members of the Leveilleur family to finish its gruesome task.

Soon it grew silent, once again making Ameliance question her sanity. She repeated a few words in her head, 'this isn't real, this isn't real, this isn't real'…But she knew that it was. As she sat there in silence, occasionally shivering in horror, the nightmarish realization crept in, slowly burning her mind away. She and Arielle were not alone in this manor anymore, and whatever entered it was not a man or woman. It was a creature, a feral and wild one, too horrifying to be looked into its eye or resist, an unstoppable force of nature.

Ameliance would have stayed in her room or attempted to jump out of the window to escape, but Arielle was still there on the lower level; she couldn't leave the girl alone. After a few moments of bracing herself, Ameliance finally stood up and walked towards the door, shaking and slowly making her steps. Her legs did not want to go there. With each step, she felt her mind and body getting exhausted. When Ameliance attempted to open the door, she did so extremely slowly, praying that the faint echo does not reach the beast.

Once she was in the corridor, Ameliance heard the steps again; this time, they came from the dining hall. Sound after sound, something was moving around there in search of something. The elezen looked at the wall. There was a large hole near the window, an uneven and corroded hole with drips of green sludge still dropping from there, still corroding their way through. This must be how the beast got inside, and this meant that there was no instance it could not break, no barrier it could not overcome.

She must have gone straight to Arielle, yet Ameliance's curiosity suddenly emerged, bringing her closer to undoing and torture. Something, an unknown force of will that Ameliance could neither control nor explain, made her take another step toward the dining hall. The image of this monstrous, yellow eye watching her, the dreadful memory drained her in. She wanted to look away and forget she ever saw this creature, but she also wanted to see more. Wanted to witness it once again, to peer into its poisonous nature, to bring herself closer to her own demise…Maybe it would be agonizing. Maybe it would be painless.

And then she finally saw it.

Amidst the dining hall, crawling over the table and occasionally spitting green poison that corroded the table, chairs, and cutlery, sometimes even reaching the floor and leaving its dark stains upon it. A giant crimson spider with ten sharp legs pierced the floor, making it crack beneath the weight of the monster. It breathed and wandered around without purpose, still not noticing the horrified woman that froze behind it in the doorway. Its every step echoed in Ameliance's ears, every second could be the one where it notices her, and it becomes her last. If she walks slowly, she would collapse into chaos of her own heartbeat and lose her conscience. If she runs, the monster will hear her. There was nothing to do but stand idle and watch its movements, its nightmarish features. The nightmare carried on until Ameliance heard steps behind her and a naive, worried voice.

"Are you alright, mistress Ameliance? I just noticed that…" - Arielle's voice broke Ameliance's trance as her quiet voice felt like a powerful shout amidst the unceremonious silence, immediately making Ameliance retreat. Her movements were swift and uncontrollable; her legs trembled as she lost control. This was the moment when Arielle finally noticed the spider in the hall. It was too late by this point. The beast has already realized that its prey has arrived. As it turned around, Ameliance tripped and collapsed beneath the weight of her own dread, falling to Arielle's feet. The girl gasped in horror as she froze before the creature.

"By the gods, by the gods, by the gods…" - She whispered frantically as her legs began to shake, too. It was not long before the spider turned and showed its gleaming yellow eye; there was nowhere to hide for its prey any longer, not here.

Seeing the hungry eye of the monster finally forced Ameliance to think and react. If she lingered for a single second, both she and Arielle would be slain by this monster.

"Run, run!" - Ameliance screamed, holding the girl's hand as she stood up. The moment before the spider began its chase, Ameliance and Arielle rushed to the gate. The elezen did not look back for a single second, but she heard its legs piercing the floor behind them and the loud hiss this beast let out with its poisonous jaw.

"I…I…" - Arielle stuttered. She shouldn't be wasting her breath, not now.

"We need to get out; we're close, we…"

The moment the door outside emerged, Ameliance heard the creature them taking a leap forth. Its glaring shadow traversed the expanse above them before landing at the wall right above the door. Now the spider had cut off their escape route, once again forcing Ameliance's heart to race. She felt Arielle's hand clutch hers even harder, as for a moment, Ameliance was at a loss. The poison dripped from the beast's teeth to the floor; it was ready to make yet another leap.

"Run, run!" - Ameliance shouted, dragging Arielle with her. They looked away from the spider and charged into the hall. There were no windows to be found there, but this was their only way out. The elezen woman had a young life to protect, and she couldn't allow Arielle to suffer.

"W…Where are we going?" - Arielle spoke in a trembling voice.

"Just follow me… We'll find a place to hide!" - Ameliance responded as quietly as she could. Fortunately for them, the gateway into this hallway was not large enough for the beast to enter without corroding it first, which gave them a few precious moments. Soon, they reached the door to one of the rooms that once housed Leveilleur's manservants before they abandoned the family, the only room they could hide to avoid the monster's gaze. Ameliance rushed to the door, and Arielle followed soon.

There were few places to hide in a single room with a lone bed and a study table. The best one was the emptied wardrobe. This was the room of their cook, who relinquished his position almost two weeks ago.

"Come on, hide inside!" - Ameliance commanded to Arielle; the girl rushed towards the wardrobe before burying herself inside its shadows. The elezen woman followed immediately after, praying the monster that traversed the outside the halls would not discover them. All they could do now was pray.

And they did.

Ameliance saw Arielle looking down as her quiet prayer to Nophica echoed in elezen's ears. The girl's tears streamed out of her eyes as her mouth froze; she must have desperately held herself, not screaming in horror.

"How did it…How…" - Her lips quivered. Ameliance wished she knew where this monster had emerged from, but she was as clueless as Arielle. All she knew was that she should've run earlier, should've warned her instead of foolishly going to see the beast for herself. There was no rationality in this decision; she knew that it was incredibly dangerous, and yet still, she made that fatal mistake.

"It came from outside, it's, it's…"

"It's like them…" - Arielle continued. "The monsters I saw in Limsa, blasphemies…" - Ameliance had this suspicion, yet only now could she be certain of it. This truly was a monster born out of someone's despair; either one of their citizens broke under the weight of the dreadful news or…She remembered what Fourchenault told her about the ascian. His vile nature was enough to manipulate his pain and create the first blasphemy back in Limsa Lominsa.

Soon she heard the poison slowly corrode the wall before them as well as she could feel her heart stopping for a single moment. A moment when she wished to disappear, to wipe herself off the face of this isle, to forget everything and be forgotten, all to not see this monster again. This time, there was nowhere to run. Ameliance heard Arielle breathing heavily. The woman held her hand and beckoned for Arielle to come closer. The shivering girl buried her head in Ameliance's hands, trying not to look outside through a small crack.

"I…I…"

"Shh…Stay quiet, it won't find us, it won't…" - Ameliance tried to sound convincing even when her own hands were shaking. Both of them were powerless against the dreadful creature.

Soon, the spider finally entered through the formed hole, and Ameliance witnessed its yellow eye once again. The creature crawled around the room slowly, breathing regularly and peering into every corner methodically, proving itself to be intelligent for its nature. Too intelligent for them to have any chance… Arielle's sobbing was quiet, almost silent, yet Ameliance felt her warm tears flowing down the elezen's arms.

It was getting closer, and its breaths echoed in Ameliance's ears like piercing knives cutting the flesh. The best gazed under the bed, scouring for prey, and for a moment looked towards the door as if it heard something beyond. This gave Ameliance a momentary hope that the monster would leave without attacking them, but before she could sigh in relief, the spider turned back towards the closet. The woman was petrified, holding the shaking girl in her hands as this creature made its advances. A few more steps and it would uncover their hiding place; they would be at its mercy, torn apart while screaming from the poison that would burn their skin away. At this point, there was no point in praying for salvation, only that their deaths would be quick.

"Here it is!"

And yet, salvation came at the moment Ameliance believed it impossible. Suddenly, a loud voice rang from the doorway, immediately diverting the spider's attention. It was a familiar face, G'raha Tia…Yet he was surrounded by a dark aura, holding a purple blade in his hand. His gaze was focused on the beast, and his eyes were full of vigor.

Sometimes one had to transcend their own limits, tormenting their own body and soul with the powers they were not accustomed to, only to grasp at the chance of triumph, a chance of saving innocent lives.

When G'raha traced the beast to the Leveilleur manor, he was horrified. He knew that Ameliance and Arielle were inside, utterly defenseless and confounded by their blissful ignorance of the beast that now roamed Sharlayan. If they were to fall victim to the transformed Fourchenault, it would be the Exarch's fault for not trying to solve the conflict sooner, for not being swift enough. When he entered the manor, he called upon Emet to grant him the power of darkness that would bolster his power, empowering the crystal heart with astral energies that would overwhelm the monster.

As reluctant as he was, the ascian obliged. And now the Exarch, empowered by darkness, found himself standing in the hallway watching the spider crawl around the bedroom, destroying everything in its way with its corrosive poison. The moment it noticed its pursuer, the beast hissed and spat yet another green drop upon G'raha, but the astral aura was swift to consume all of it, turning the poison into formless fumes of vapor.

"Emet, now!" - G'raha commanded and felt the ascian's might surging inside of him. His soul burned once again, with G'raha's eyes glowing in a dark violet color, forcing this dark energy to pulse through his staff and body. A powerful ray of darkness emerged, wounding the blasphemy and piercing its flesh. The spider screeched in a surge of sudden pain as two of its legs were torn off immediately and thrown aside to the floor, as blood flew from the wounds that emerged in the stead of its legs. The spider screeched before turning away and spitting its poison at the nearby wall. There was enough to corrode a hole inside it almost immediately as the blasphemy made its escape. G'raha attempted to cast yet another spell, but it proved futile as the beast made its way further into the city, avoiding the blast. It was a strong monster but not impenetrable; all they needed was a few more precise spells. The Exarch watched its legs dissipate and turn into dark ash on the floor before him, as did all the slaughtered blasphemies.

"What are you waiting for? Follow it!" - Emet shouted at G'raha.

"No, wait; first we need to find…"

Luckily, they did not have to wait long. Moments later, the Exarch witnessed the wardrobe door opening and Ameliance and Arielle hiding inside it. The Exarch saw their pale faces with tears still streaming down their faces, as Arielle was still afraid to look away from the comforting shadows.

"Praise the Twelve!" - Ameliance spoke after signing in relief, still unable to fully restore her breath or stop shaking. G'raha was relieved, too, the beast could easily kill them in the time of his chase, yet it did not get close enough.

"Are you hurt?" - G'raha asked with genuine concern, although his voice was distorted by the darkness Emet imposed upon his essence, which made Ameliance look at him with suspicion. "It's alright, I won't hurt you…" - G'raha promised.

"No…We ran and hide until…Until you…"

"Good. Stay here, and don't leave the manor before it is safe; I will go and end this monster."

"Where…Where did it come from? How do you know of it? And this dark power…"

"I…" - The Exarch clenched his teeth. "I cannot talk about this right now, not while the people are still endangered." - Those were the only words he could force out of himself before turning around in shame and rushing away. He did not even look into Ameliance's eyes. The truth was too terrible to bear and was she to know it now, the despair might become overwhelming and turn her into a blasphemy, as well.

"You would have to tell her soon, you know…" - Emet's voice echoed in G'raha's head, though he paid no attention to it at all. There was a matter of utmost importance at hand, and that was to finish off the spider.

Both to G'raha's relief and horror, it didn't take long to notice it again. The one-eyed blasphemy climbed to the top of the nearest house, piercing its walls with its sharp legs, occasionally spitting poison all around it, leaving stains on those walls. It jumped from one roof to another, getting closer to the place where it would find the most prey, the plaza. This was where they would go. The Exarch wasted no time on loitering. He charged into the heart of the battle immediately. There were some guards at the plaza, but there were even more civilians who enjoyed one of their last nights on their star and knew not of what awaited them; they would be powerless against such a foe. When the Exarch witnessed the monster jump to the ground below, descending from the house directly to the plaza, G'raha's heart trembled. Even from afar, he could already hear those horrifying screams of despair and dread as the beast emerged before their eyes.

"Damn it, damn it…" - G'raha whispered to himself as he attempted to run faster; the plaza was getting closer.

"Stop being so dramatic and get to the chase!" - Emet's nagging voice scoffed. "Or better yet, if you actually want more power at your side…You could always set me free and remove the chains."

"No." - The Exarch denied his request vehemently.

"Oh, you are not clinging to delusions that you can still hold me, are you?" - Hades's mockery pierced G'raha's ears, further irritating the Exarch.

"I said we would discuss it back in Sharlayan, but I did not expect to be met with the news of a conspiracy plot devolving into a blasphemy running free in the city! We will deal with it once there is no threat. Is that good enough for you?"

"No, not anymore." - Emet's stark voice rang once again before unleashing a wave of darkness. The Exarch shouted and fell to his knees as an inferno of pain overtook him.

"Aaargh!" - Like a dozen black spells tearing apart his skin and draining his muscles and bones, the ascian's darkness sent wave after wave, a soul that was finally reunited and restored all of its powers since fighting Hydaelyn; there was no way for the Exarch to hold him at bay for long.

"N…No, not yet!" - G'raha raised his staff, using it to hit the rocky ground and giving what little energy he had to empower his chains. This time it was Emet who shouted in agony.

"Oh, you are persistent! But don't delude yourself. There is no world in which your force will overcome my power!" - He unleashed one more wave before finally stopping; a light of azure re-emerged at the Tycoon's core, chaining Emet-Selch for the precious few moments; this power will be enough, but even this came at a price. The Exarch saw a small crack emerge in the heart, causing G'raha to feel his own heartache. After letting out a grunt, the Exarch clutched his chest with his crystal hand. If the ascian succeeds in destroying the core, then not only will he be free, the part of the soul that Exarch kept in the staff will be sent to the aethereal sea, thus ending his own life…No, this couldn't be the end yet.

Ignoring Emet's demands, G'raha ran towards the plaza. Once he finally arrived, he witnessed a gruesome, horrifying picture that shook him to his core. The panic had already begun as defenseless citizens ran around and hid wherever they could, shouting in horror and despair as the spider's shadow arose above them. The puddles of green poison had already spread to the ground, burning away the rocks beneath it. Its vile hisses terrified the people that rushed beyond the nearby houses and walls, attempting to hide, even though there would be no place where it would not reach them. A dozen guards were there, as well, bravely fighting against the overwhelming odds, yet they had no chance. Moments before the Exarch entered the battle, he witnessed one of those men in great agony as the poisonous bile was spit onto his face, forcing him to scream in despair, and his collapsed body shook frantically. His agonizing screams pierced the Exarch's ears and made the man tremble. The other guards maintained their positions, yet G'raha saw the fear in their eyes as they slowly retreated from the beast.

The Exarch cast a powerful arcane spell to attempt and bind the beast, yet all he could do was burn its skin temporarily. The spider hissed before turning towards the Exarch and retreating. It peered at the figure before him with its yellow eye as if unsure whether it should attack or not. The last time must have made the creature fearful.

"Hold on!" - The Exarch rushed into the heat of the battle, shouting a battle cry in an attempt to rally the remaining guards into the battle. Some of them looked to him in hope, yet the vast majority were preoccupied with battling the monster and evading its poison. G'raha stood beside these brave men who row their lives in an attempt to let their people escape, no matter how much it hurt him when such darkness pulsed inside the Exarch's body.

"I'll take it on!" - G'raha knew he had no right nor position to do so, yet he spoke in a commanding tone to the nearby guards. "Escort people to a safer place!"

It didn't take long before yet another danger emerged. While speaking to the guards, G'raha threw a fearful glance at the wounded man, who was still reeling from the poison.

"Help him!"

"It burns, it burns, IT BURNS….AAAAAARGH!" - Soon after those screams, a dark aura formed around him. Before G'raha could do anything, he became a worm-like beast that slithered on the floor and emerged from the cloud of shadow, far weaker than the spider blasphemy but just as vicious.

"No, no, not another one!" - The running woman shouted in horror as the dark aura engulfed her too, as surrounding people looked away in horror. She was gone, too, emerging as a bat-like fiend whose roar would bring fear to the people that were still stuck on the plaza. They would consume them, one after another, if they were lucky, and if not…There will be nothing left of their souls to even feast on.

"Emet…" - G'raha looked at the two minor blasphemies, once again calling to the ascian whose help he desperately needed.

"You…Certainly…Have the gull…" - Emet's disdainful and distorted voice echoed in response.

"If we don't do something, there will be more of them…Come on, just let me finish this, please!"

"Fine, fine…"

Once again, the darkness comes to aid G'raha, pulsing within him and preparing to unleash another wave. The soldiers recoiled as they saw the Exarch barely able to contend with this power, yet they were too busy fending off the spider to help him.

"N…NOW!"

The Exarch shouted in fury as the two violet rays of astral darkness emerged out of his staff, each of them striking a weaker beast. Both the worm and the bat screamed in agony moments before dissipating into ash, stopping their rot from spreading, but this left the Exarch weakened once again. G'raha fell on his knees, trying to restore his breath in desperation, but all of those attempts took precious time.

The looming shadow covered the sky once again, forcing G'raha to turn around. The spider walked over dead and mutilated corpses, desperate to claim its prey and destroy the main threat towards itself simultaneously. G'raha saw the poison that dripped its teeth, and the monster was ready to strike once again and bring unimaginable suffering to G'raha.

He would not let it happen. Calling to the powers that rested within him, G'raha stood up and unleashed yet another ray at the blasphemy. This one pushed it away as its poison splattered all around the plaza. The spider's body hit the aetheryte crystal, forcing its foundation to collapse and the entire device to fall on the emptied ground, forcing a multitude of cracks upon this surface.

Yet this was not enough to destroy the beast. As G'raha breathed heavily, trying to hold his staff with his shaking hands, the spider rose once again. It was infuriated by such resistance, which aggravated the beast to attack again and again, all while the Exarch was too drained to respond. Even Emet's powers of darkness were not limitless.

"Get away from him!" - Krile's voice rang from behind G'raha, and a loud gunshot blew before G'raha's ears. The bullet hit the spider's head, causing the beast to recoil.

"Take that, you…You freak!" - C'irena exclaimed with joy, yet her voice was still plagued by uncertainty and fear. G'raha looked around, noticing Krile, C'irena, and a few more soldiers joining the fight.

"What are…What are you doing here? You should hide, should…"

"We couldn't just leave you to fight it alone." - Krile smiled. "I saved as many as I can; now it's all on us." - Krile spoke with determination before the soldiers attacked, hitting the spider's legs one after another and forcing it to recoil. C'irena shot from afar, continuing to eye the monster with an expression of disbelief on her face.

"And that's… That's him? Fourchenault? Seven hells…" - Krile must have told her the bitter truth. Once again, was G'raha reminded of Ameliance and what she will have to learn once the beast is no more, a dreadful thought that pushed the Exarch even further down.

Those warriors would do their part, yet his part was the key. Only his magic was enough to deal a killing blow to this bestial creature. As the soldiers carried on with their onslaught, the spider began to fight back with even more vigor, spitting thrice as much poison and clawing its way through the soldiers, piercing their elbows and forcing them to drown in the rivers of blood. G'raha wished he could fight undisturbed, but the darkness left him with only one way to end this.

"You're exhausted!" - Krile shouted. "Let them do the job; we'll get you…"

"NO!" - G'raha stood up, using his staff as a crutch, so hard it was to stand. He felt like a malnourished elder who was being stripped of the last remnants of his life force. Yet still, he made another step, covered in darkness and the invisible flame that scorched his body. The massacre continued to rage before his eyes. Seeing those soldiers tormented and broken by the fearsome beast made his heart ache yet stronger, yet it also made G'raha carry on despite the agony. He knew that he was on the brink; every crack that emerged on the surface of Tycoon's core was a bitter reminder, a twist of the knife that plunged his heart.

"E…Emet…" - G'raha's voice creaked, yet he heard no answer. The ascian presence still permeated G'raha's soul, his anger raged like wildfire, his desire to be free became almost unstoppable, and it was too late for arguments. "Once…More…I…"

"And why would I waste my chance? You kept me in those chains long enough, and I am not intent on prolonging this farce."

"Please…Just once…One last time…We have come this far, this is…This is your world too, I…I need your help…"

"And this is all? No better arguments?" - Emet mocked G'raha.

"There is no time, just, just…It will slaughter everyone!"

"Then weaken your chains now; make my strength unrestrained once again."

"I…"

"Do you want help or not?! This is my only condition. Better make your decision quickly!"

There wasn't much time to waste; G'raha knew that he would not keep Emet; the ascian was too strong to be restrained.

"Very well…"

The Exarch gave away the command, and the surging wave of darkness emerged this very moment, surrounding G'raha in a cataclysmic whirlwind of astral might; Emet was in control of the Tycoon's heart, with this gesture, G'raha gave away the last shades of control he had, there was nothing standing in Emet's way but the walls of the heart. A dozen of dark rays emerged out of the vortex, all charging at the spider. One after another, they pierced the beast's skin, leaving stains of darkness upon it, its agonized hisses and screeched getting louder, piercing the ears of everyone nearby. Even soldiers recoiled at the sight of this storm, rushing to the edge of the plaza to hide.

Only the Exarch remained, stranded among the storm, alone and powerless…Almost powerless. The same resolve he experienced during the battle at Limsa Lominsa burned again, this inexplicable desire to stand up and make another step, to walk upon the bloodied spikes and hellish fires to save those he loved, to save this world, to give as many people a future as he could. Dynamis, as Hades called it…The rays of hope that danced with the torment he felt toyed with the fire that burned his body, not tarnishing it, no, but transforming it into an unstoppable force of nature that would be unleashed upon its enemies. The blasphemy was cornered and weakened by the darkness, yet he still needed to strike it one last time.

When G'raha realized that his staff channeled this energy in its purest form, he rushed towards the spider, each step feeling like it left behind a stain of his soul's fire behind, a powerful blade emerging in his arms once again. Now was the moment to end it and to slay the beast, to not allow the tragedy that scorched Ul'Dah and Limsa to come to pass. There has been more than enough bloodshed. Not even looking behind, G'raha leaped at the wounded monster, the aura of Dynamis purging the poison it spat at him. Moments later, G'raha's blade pierced the monster's eye. A stream of blood flowed to the ground as the beast screeched and shivered, letting out its last cries of agony. This was not Fourchenault, this was not the man who perished in Labyrinthos, and there was no shame in ending it…Even its blood was akin to poison, the Exarch felt it burning his feet, but this pain was nothing when they were so close. The dark storm around them grew stronger and stronger, aiding the Exarch in putting the blasphemy down. And amidst this storm, the Exarch felt his heart pierced by an insurmountable surge of power, as if a monster's claw tore his soul away, something that paralyzed him utterly and agonizingly. When the blasphemy's body finally dissipated into darkness, the Exarch was stuck in a free fall. A fall that took seconds, yet for G'raha, felt like an eternity. Thousands of images echoed through his head…Those of his friends standing beside him, being purged away one by one, falling to the devils that surrounded them, that wanted to take everything from them, to scorch their souls and leave no trace…He felt so close to them now, closer than ever before, as the aethereal stream lingered before his eyes. And then G'raha caught a glimpse of his staff, realizing that the magic of darkness overwhelmed him.

The cracks finally breached, and the Tycoon's core was shattered.