Disclaimer: Eden belongs to TinyRaptor, Albert is mine. Everything else is SquareEnix.
"I am Solus zos Galvus, founding father of the Garlean Empire. And, under various guises, the architect of myriad other imperially inclined nations. As for my true identity…" He drew a hand over his face, an Ascian sigil appearing. He gave a slight bow. "I am Emet-Selch. Ascian."
Blood rushed through Albert's ears, drowning out the Scion's words as they had their own reactions to the newcomer. His axe was in his hands before he had any conscious thought of having done so, and it was Thancred putting a firm hand on his shoulder and Eden a gentle hand on his arm that stopped him from rushing the Ascian.
"Oh my. Well I suppose I shouldn't be surprised." Emet commented, looking amused. "But still, won't you give me a chance to say my piece first, hero?"
"I don't care for anything you have to say!" Albert snarled, trembling with fury. "It's your fault. It's your fault I lost my home! My family! It was your Empire! You're a monster like the rest of your kind, but at least Lahabrea didn't march an army on Ala Mhigo!"
Emet blinked a couple of times, lips pursed and actually looking somewhat puzzled by the tirade. "Oh. Is that all?"
"Is that–?!" Albert's hands clenched harder around his axe, but then slowly he moved to place it on his back instead. Without white auracite, he couldn't kill him in any way that mattered. "What do you want, Ascian?"
"I was getting to that, so if you are quite finished?" He waited for a few moments, but when no one spoke and Albert just glared, he smiled. "Now then, as I was saying….while it did occur to me to side with Vauthry and simply kill you all, I would just be following the same path as Lahabrea, and we all know how well that worked out for him. So I thought I would offer a different approach." He walked closer to Albert, some may argue dangerously close. "Cooperation. Now clearly that will be a hard pill to swallow, but if you would give the idea a chance perhaps we could find some common ground and a solution that suits us all. I will not hinder your hunt for the Lightwardens, and I will even offer my knowledge."
Albert growled, but then turned to Eden. He burned with hate, but this wasn't his decision alone to make, so he turned to his comfort instead. He'd certainly made his own feelings on the matter clear.
Ardbert awoke with a groan, feeling like he'd been trampled by a herd of amaro.
Where am I?
Squinting his eyes open, it took a few moments for him to realize he was floating upside down near the ceiling of the building he'd tried so desperately to reach.
Oh yeah. Albert can breathe underwater. He tried to right himself, and that's when pain blossomed into agony and he nearly passed out again.
Hissing through his teeth, Ardbert took stock of his injuries.
His recently dislocated shoulder felt out of socket again, his back was stiff, his eyes were swollen, and his right leg definitely felt broken. Considering he'd been slammed with what amounted to a tidal wave, he considered himself lucky his neck hadn't been broken too. His armor had likely protected him, though Ardbert guessed it probably wasn't in the best shape at this point.
That bastard really did try to kill me. Not that he was surprised by that, but it definitely solidified his idea that working with Emet-Selch was severely unwise. Too bad he hadn't gotten the answer of how to keep him from coming back from the dead.
At the moment though, he had more immediate concerns; like how to get himself back. It was so hard to think or concentrate, but it seemed he could reach for Atherytes again, so he focused on the Crystarium and mentally braced for how much this was going to hurt.
It definitely hurt more than he had prepared for.
He screamed when he hit the ground in front of the Aetheryte and definitely passed out for a few seconds, since he came to surrounded by concerned faces.
"It's the Warrior of Light! It's Ardbert!"
"He's hurt!"
"What happened to him?"
"That definitely doesn't look like it's supposed to bend like that…."
The voices swam around him like so much noise, and he just laid there confused about having definitely heard his name before he remembered a critical fact among the haze of agony.
After his conversation with Thancred he'd gotten his hair cut and shaved off the mustache, then dyed Albert's armor, and while such obviously wouldn't be the case on all the worlds, he and Albert could have been twins. Except for superficial differences in hair length and the fact that Albert's hair had been black before Ardbert had joined with him, they had looked identical—a fact which had amused both men when they had separated souls.
All of that came around to the fact that Ardbert in fact now looked exactly like himself and technically not at all like Albert, meaning he had just inherited the legacy Elidibus had left behind while puppeting around in his body.
Oh hells…
He whimpered when someone picked him up, but his eyes were too swollen and he was too blinded by pain to see who it was.
"Easy now, hero. I'll get you to the chirurgeons." They said.
Ardbert could only grit his teeth and try not to cry out again. I'm not the hero…
He couldn't have said how long the chirurgeons worked on him, since he kept drifting in and out of consciousness, but it felt like a while before they were able to set him to rights. They'd had to cut him out of the armor, which didn't thrill him, but at least they hadn't thrown it away, so he'd be able to collect it and take it for repairs. It had been heartening to hear that his injuries would have been a lot worse if he hadn't been wearing it.
How he itched to get back to the First where there were more powerful healers. Healers that could actually heal his broken leg rather than putting it in a brace, and help his shoulder mend so it wouldn't be in a sling, and heal his poor swollen face, though he considered himself lucky that swelling was all he'd gotten, considering the rest of him.
"Wow, you look like shit."
He turned his head to see a young woman who felt oddly familiar wearing black clothes, and way too much red lipstick, accompanied by Ryne who looked embarrassed.
"...Thanks?"
"What Gaia means is you look like you're in rough shape." Ryne said.
"No, I mean he looks like shit." Gaia corrected. "What the hells happened to you?"
Ardbert grimaced, then winced, then grimaced again. "...Do I know you?"
Gaia drew herself up. "Wow. Really?" She frowned then and looked at Ryne. "Wait, do I know him?"
"Technically no." Ryne said. "That's Ardbert, not Albert….unless Elidibus came back from the dead?"
"I'm not Elidibus." Ardbert said a touch peevishly. "But…."
Was it right to tell her about Emet-Selch? Well, it was probably better to be forewarned in case he decided to harass the Crystarium.
"Emet-Selch is back from the dead, and he's the one who did this to me."
He proceeded to explain in brief what had happened, though he glossed over the beginning. He didn't know if Ryne had ever encountered Hythlodaeus when they'd been with Albert in Amaurot before, but in case she had he didn't want to tell her he was very very gone. Hells, he still couldn't believe he was mourning him when in the end he was still just a creation of Emet-Selch, even if an apparently independently-minded one.
"Emet-Selch…" Gaia murmured thoughtfully. "I feel like I know that name…." She jerked suddenly and looked stunned. "Wait, I do know that name, and yours!" She looked at Ryne. "Mitron mentioned him, and us and…." She made a face, but before she could say anything else, Ardbert forgot his leg was broken and tried to jump to his feet, only to fall back onto the bed.
"Augh…." He hissed, grabbing the brace and waiting for the pain to subside before he looked back at Gaia. "Mitron?!" He still didn't remember the name, but he remembered what Hythlodaeus had said about him.
Gaia eyed him a bit worriedly for a few moments before she nodded slowly. "Uh...this is kind of awkward actually. I think….we were enemies once?"
"Oh dear…." Ryne murmured.
Ardbert's eyes narrowed. "Who are you?"
"Uhm…." Gaia clasped her arms, looking uncomfortable.
"I-It doesn't matter!" Ryne exclaimed and got between them. "She's Gaia, my friend!"
"I have a very short list of people I consider my enemies." Ardbert said. "And other than Emet-Selch, they're all dead. Or at least they should be….but I didn't have any white auracite when I defeated them, and Ascians apparently don't die for good without something like that."
"Oh hells…" Gaia said, and put a hand on Ryne's shoulder, peering at Ardbert from behind her. "I don't even remember it, not really. Mitron tried really hard to make me remember, but it's only just….bits and pieces. He called me Loghrif, but I'm not that person anymore….but for whatever it's worth, I'm sorry. I truly am."
"Sorry doesn't help much." Ardbert gritted, half in anger and half in pain. "But…" He made himself relax, forced his breath to even out. "But if you say you're not that person anymore, then...there's no point yelling at you about it. What's done is done. I can't say you're forgiven, but I won't carry the grudge over." Maybe he had never known those Ascian's names, since 'Loghrif' wasn't ringing a bell either.
"Uhm…" Ryne fidgeted. "You have Albert's memories, right? Do...does he remember helping to restore the Empty?"
"The…." Ardbert shook his head. "No. He was in the Empty?"
"He was, with us and Thancred and Urianger before they had to return to the Source." Ryne said. "You don't know about that at all?"
Ardbert furrowed his brow and tried to think. "I...he remembers….something. A beautiful land full of life, and yeah….you both were there, and then a long journey back to Amh Araeng…" He grit his teeth and winced when that made his face hurt. "Ryne...those memories feel like Albert's memories of fighting Elidibus...like it's been damaged…."
"Oh boy…" Gaia murmured. "But how? Why? …..Damnit…." She looked at Ryne. "Some of the memories are clouded, but I remember the Shadowkeeper. Mitron made it sound like it was just to bring Loghrif's memories back, but what if he was also trying to mess with Ardbert?"
"But why?" Ryne shook her head. "That doesn't make any sense!"
"Sure it does!" Gaia replied. "Ardbert's the reason he was trapped in Eden all that time!"
Ardbert groaned and put his good hand to his head. There was way too much information being thrown at him at once, and his concussed brain couldn't handle it. "...Eden…." He murmured. "Albert's girlfriend?"
Gaia shook her head. "No, not the viis. The Sineater."
Ryne smiled sheepishly. "The name just came to me. She thought it was kind of funny in a way."
"Okay, I…." He groaned again. "….Hythlodaeus thought someone called Mitron might have been why Albert's soul looks the way it does….but why didn't you notice, Ryne?" He peeked at her from between his fingers.
Ryne shook her head. "I don't know. I know Mitron could erase memories, but I don't know how it worked besides that. I wouldn't have assumed it was even Mitron's fault, but for you to also be missing memories of Eden and the Empty kind of says otherwise."
"But my memories have been coming back." Gaia murmured thoughtfully. "So this had to be an intentional attack…." She sighed heavily. "And he's gone to the Lifestream, so who knows when he'll even be reborn, or whether he'll remember who he is without help? Unless Emet-Selch Awakens him again..."
"Emet-Selch could get him if he wanted to." Ardbert growled. "Not that I'd ask him after this." He reached for the walking cane he'd been given so he could hobble to the Crystal Tower and return to the Source. How was he going to ride Albert's chocobo like this?
Gaia shrugged. "Doesn't matter. He probably hates your guts, especially if he really did this to you on purpose. I mean, with what you did to him. He lost his mind a little bit. I'd be pretty mad about that too, really."
"Whatever." Ardbert stood with a grunt. "My head is pounding, and this is way too much for me to take in right now. There's trouble on the Source, and I need to get back there. I'll wanna come back and ask you two about this business with the Empty and Mitron and all of that when I can take it all in though."
"There's trouble on the Source?" Ryne asked, drawing her arms close in distress. "What's going on? Does it have to do with Emet-Selch?"
"It has to do with the Final Days." Ardbert replied. "But Emet-Selch says he's not involved, and I believe him on that. It's another Ascian named Fandaniel." He squinted at Gaia. "Know that name at all, 'Loghrif'?"
Gaia sniffed and drew herself up, putting a hand on her hip, and staring back at him. "I'm not Loghrif, I just have the same soul. But the name rings a bell. Someone from….the 'Convocation of Fourteen'?" She shook her head, then shrugged. "Yeah, I don't know. Mitron just wanted me to remember him, not this other stuff."
Ardbert shook his head slightly and regretted it immediately. "I need to get back." He repeated, and started laboring forward. Maybe once he was back on the Source he could linkpearl for someone to come pick him up, since he really didn't think he'd be able to get on a chocobo, let alone ride one.
"Take care, Ardbert." Ryne said.
"I'll do my best…" He'd already screwed up letting Albert's body get this hurt in the first place. He definitely couldn't be that careless twice. He paused, then looked back at them sheepishly. "I don't suppose you could help me get my armor to the Tower, could you?"
"Sure." Ryne said immediately and stepped forward to take as much as she could carry. Gaia gave a put upon sigh, but then followed her lead.
"Ow. Oh gods ow…" Ardbert whimpered as he limped into the Rising Stones. He'd gotten back only to discover that his linkpearl was gone and he had no way of calling for help. This left him but one choice; riding on Albert's chocobo, Verten. To the bird's credit, all he knew was his master was hurt and tried to be as gentle with Ardbert as possible. It still wasn't easy-chocobos did not have the smooth flight of an amaro-but he did his best.
Now he limped into the Rising Stones and hoped there was a healer around, though he dreaded what the Scions would say. While he didn't consider what had happened to him strictly his fault per say-it had likely been a foregone conclusion the second he'd infiltrated Emet-Selch's mind-he definitely hadn't made the situation any better for himself afterward. Hells, maybe if he'd just managed to grovel a little, Emet would have been amused enough not to drop the ocean on him.
"Hey, can anyone-" He started before trailing off. It was hard to see with his eyes as swollen as they were, but he was pretty sure he saw Thancred and G'raha Tia sitting at a table, with…
"Eden, what are you doing here?"
"What happened to you?" She hopped to her feet to rush over to him, and he stumbled back in surprise, only to forget about his broken leg and go down with a yelp, landing on the shoulder that had been dislocated twice that day.
He came to rest on his back, eyes squeezed shut and hissing in pain, and wondered if the day was going to get any worse. He was broken, bruised, in his undershirt and skivvies since Albert's armor was still in Verten's saddlebags, and now Eden was here to see her fiancé's body in this state.
He felt her put his head on her lap and touch his cheek with one hand while the other went to his shoulder and he gave a shuddering sigh when her healing magic flowed through him. He hadn't known anyone on the First who had healing magic this strong other than Lamitt. Thank the gods the Source was full of them, though he still would have rathered his healer not be Eden right then.
When the healing ceased, he opened his eyes to look up at her and blinked when he saw she looked amused rather than upset or angry.
"Thanks, Eden." He murmured, feeling himself blushing and wondering if it was bad manners to not want to move.
"Of course." She frowned then. "But what happened?"
Suddenly he definitely wanted to move and slowly sat up. Other than some twinging, he now felt fine. "...Emet-Selch." He said, and moved to stand.
"Got caught, did you?" Thancred asked.
"Don't sound so casual about it." Ardbert groused, shrugging out of the sling before reaching out to unbind the splint on his leg. "Yes, I got caught. Whatever spell was put on that crystal, he could apparently hear the questions I asked Hythlodaeus….and he destroyed him before he tried to drown me."
"Well, that's peachy, because he was here earlier acting like nothing was wrong." Thancred replied with annoyance. "Got us to agree to the alliance and all of that, not giving the slightest damned clue he even knew where you were."
"...Not even surprised." Ardbert muttered, hoping that Emet had shown up before Eden had. "But 'scuse me. I….will be right back…." He turned for the door, dodging Eden, and went back outside to pop in Albert's Paladin job crystal and go get his Warrior gear repaired before switching back to Warrior and returning.
"Considering I left last night, I have to assume I was gone at least that long." Ardbert said when he returned. "What bell is it?"
"Tenth morning bell." G'raha said. "But I expect there might be some time differences between the First and the Source. Things weren't going to stay in sync forever...in fact, we're probably lucky that time is still flowing at similar rates."
Ardbert shrugged. "Or I was just out that long. The chirurgeons took a while to get me fixed up."
"So Emet-Selch tried to drown you?" Eden asked, sitting back with the others again.
Ardbert grimaced. "...Dropped the blasted ocean on me."
Thancred scowled. "He did what now?"
"Drowned out Amaurot." Ardbert went over to sit even though being close to Eden made him feel nervous and awkward.
Thancred sighed heavily. "Did you at least get our answers?"
"...There's apparently a part of Amaurot here on the Source that has a large amount of aether, but it's underwater too and Hythlodaeus didn't say where it was." Ardbert said. "And Emet-Selch isn't 'ruling out' trying to kill us. But he showed up before I could find out how to kill him for good. Maybe it doesn't matter anyway...maybe he doesn't even know what will keep him dead." He looked down at the table, feeling doubly guilty. Hythlodaus hadn't been more than a memory, but Ardbert still felt like he'd gotten him killed, and then he'd nearly gotten himself killed and Eden of all people was the one to fix him up again. This was not a good day.
He blew his breath out and looked back at Thancred. "So, what's the plan? Since we're allied with a murderous Ascian against another murderous Ascian…." He trailed off and looked at Eden. "And really, what're you doing here?"
Eden frowned at him. "Albert hardly went anywhere without me, I'm his healer. I've decided I'll be your healer too, and good thing!"
Ardbert wanted to refuse immediately, but instead he just smiled and rubbed the back of his head. "I appreciate it, Eden. I guess I just proved it's good for me to have one." He became serious. "Though I'm glad you weren't there for this, at least….and I can't protect you as well as Albert could. I have his job crystals, but I don't have his training."
"As long as you can keep things focused on you, I can handle keeping you up." Eden replied, her long ears giving a twitch that seemed awfully satisfied.
"Yeah, I can do that." Ardbert agreed. "Thancred….can I have a word?"
"Sure." They stood up to walk all the way to the other end of the room and out of Eden's earshot.
"Did you call her here again?" Ardbert asked lowly, itching to grab the other man by his coat and shake him. "Because I swear, if-"
"No, I didn't." Thancred interrupted, crossing his arms but unsurprised by the accusation. "She showed up a bell ago and told us her plan, so we forewarned her that you look like you and not Albert and told her to probably expect an argument when she said she was sticking around. Kind of surprised you didn't give her one."
"Oh, I want to. She shouldn't be anywhere near here." Ardbert stated before he shook his head. "But maybe her being here will help him wake up, and….I have, if not all of his memories, then most of them. They were practically joined at the hip for much of their lives. I don't look like him right now, but….if she wants to be here, it might upset her more than not being here." Not to mention if she was with him, then there was less of a chance of her adopted father finding out about Albert's condition. The last thing Ardbert needed on top of everything else was dealing with a nine-fulm tall Au Ra who barely tolerated Albert at best and actively seemed to dislike him at worst. It would only make things worse for Eden, well intentions aside.
Thancred uncrossed his arms to clap him on the arm. "You're not half bad, Ardbert. Maybe there's hope for you after all."
"...I don't know what you mean by that, but thanks?"
Thancred just smirked before he turned to head back to the table. Ardbert eyed his back before he slowly followed.
"Alright." Ardbert said once they were seated again and ignoring the curious look Eden was giving him. "What is our plan? Other than how to guard ourselves from two Ascians who want us dead for different reasons, I mean.
"You're in a fatalistic mood." G'raha noted. "Y'shtola and the twins left shortly after Emet-Selch did to travel to Ishgard and get Ser Aymeric appraised, as well as demonstrate the untempering process on some soldiers who wandered too close to one of Fandaniel's towers."
Ardbert smiled faintly. "I don't look forward to seeing him in person and having to explain myself, especially with the letters I've sent him and the other leaders as Albert."
"Well that's your own fault." Thancred said. "Though I don't blame you for it. None of us thought it would drag on this long."
Ardbert looked at G'raha. "Which reminds me…I need that tonic."
"Oh!" G'raha leapt up to go make it, and Ardbert sat back with a heavy sigh, putting a hand over his eyes.
"Gods….I know it's early, but do you think Tataru would mind if I got into the wines? I need a drink."
"Have fruit juice and deal." Thancred sipped his own drink. "I've been wanting a hard drink since Emet-Selch left. That damned Ascian puts a bad taste in my mouth."
Ardbert snorted. "That's another problem. He's not exactly going to be thrilled when he sees his attempt to kill me didn't work…." He turned his head and peeked at Thancred. "Have you seen Urianger this morning? Someone like Emet-Selch probably could figure out where the magic originated from, and I don't want him or Krile in danger."
"Urianger and Krile were both part of the conversation when Emet-Selch showed up, and he didn't give the slightest bit of attention to either of them." Thancred said. "Then again, maybe he's just decided Fandaniel is more important than revenge."
"Or he thought killing me was good enough." Ardbert sighed heavily again. "Always bloody Ascians. They're worse than cockroaches."
"I could always yell at him?" Eden offered.
Ardbert sat up immediately at that, and Thancred was also staring at her.
"No offense Eden, but you're about as threatening as a damp paper bag." Thancred said.
Eden's ears twitched and folded back slightly before she pushed her oval glasses up her nose. "I know." She said. "It would probably just amuse him...but I don't like that you could've died."
"Neither of us like that." Ardbert agreed. If Eden had been with him then he might've watched his mouth more. He definitely wouldn't have said that part about Zodiark lying about the lives lost in sacrifice being restored should all the shards be rejoined.
He rubbed his face. "So no plan until the others get back, then."
"We're reconvening with Emet-Selch in a couple of bells." Thancred said. "He's doing his own investigations, and agreed to share freely whatever he's learned."
"So how much do you think he's actually going to tell us then?"
"Whatever he thinks will get us to dance to his tune the best." Thancred replied. "Though I don't know how he's going to react when he finds out we know he tried to kill you."
"Well s'not like I can avoid being there, so I guess we'll just cross that bridge when we get to it." Nothing more to do in the meantime but wait for his tonic and hope Tataru would give him something to eat before Emet-Selch returned and ruined his appetite.
"Oh." Emet deadpanned when he emerged from the void portal and saw Ardbert. "You survived, and none the worse for wear it seems."
The Scions were all gathered around the tables when he appeared, and both Thancred and Ardbert got to their feet. "Yeah." Ardbert said, waving off Thancred. "I did, but I guess I kinda deserved it. So why don't we just start over? We all want to stop what Fandaniel's doing, so let's just focus on that, yeah?"
Emet arched a brow. "Just let bygones be bygones, hm?" He shrugged expressively. "Very well. The end of the world is just a bit more important than holding a grudge, after all."
Ardbert nodded stiffly and sat down again, hoping it really was the end of it. The moment stretched almost into an awkward silence before Emet cleared his throat. "Right then. As I said earlier, I was looking into the towers to try and discover their true purpose and how it attends to the Final Days, and I admit you won't like the answers."
"That we expected." Y'shtola said. "Please impart what you have learned."
Emet inclined his head slightly. "As I've said before, they suck in the aether from their surroundings, and as you know kidnapped beastmen are used to summon eikons. The eikons are themselves the catalyst. As long as they exist they shed corrupted aether into their surroundings, but defeating them sends their aether into the air and ground around them. It's a bit of a….rock and a hard place situation, now isn't it? They cannot be suffered to live, yet to destroy them only worsens the problem."
He crossed his arms. "What I believe Fandaniel is doing is trying to….repeat the conditions of the first Final Days, and while what is happening right now doesn't seem to be quite the same thing….I admit the field of research in which he was an expert is somewhat lost on me."
"And what field of research was that?" Y'shtola asked.
Emet shook his head slightly. "He studied aetherial currents. He was, in fact, the one who discovered the points in which the troubles would start, which gave us the idea of how to counteract it with Zodiark. But as I said, that was his field, not mine nor any other member of the Convocation."
Y'shtola tapped her fingers against her cheek. "I seem to remember you telling us on the First that the majority of the Convocation was sundered, so could you not–"
"I could if I still had the crystals containing their memories." Emet interrupted. He spread his hands in a shrug. "Alas, they seem to have vanished without a trace. So no, I cannot Awaken any other, possibly less insane shards of Fandaniel to ask his advice." He put hand to chest and bowed slightly with a sardonic smile. "I'm afraid you've only my brain to pick. He was our only active Fandaniel on the shards."
Ardbert, who thanks to Albert's memories, knew what had happened to those crystals, averted his gaze. "Well it doesn't matter what he's doing, we have to stop him from doing it."
"On that point we heartily agree." Emet said. He motioned to the Scions. "So, any brilliant ideas?"
"Have you discovered any way to destroy the towers?" Y'shtola asked.
Emet smiled sardonically. "Yes, but not without killing the trapped individuals, which I imagine wouldn't be the desired outcome." He shrugged when he got hard stares in response to his statement. "Perhaps you might want to investigate other avenues. Sharlayan perhaps? Oh, and I believe Radz-at-Han has individuals working on some kind of solution as well."
"You couldn't have led with that?" Thancred asked testily.
"I got around to it." Emet shrugged. "Besides, for all my skill set, I am still but one man. I cannot be everywhere. You'll need to do some legwork yourself." He put hand to chin in thought. "Oh yes, and I believe the source of the towers lies in Garlemald. That is, the creation spring from which the rest spout. But I can't investigate that myself for obvious reasons." He motioned at himself.
"What? You can't just possess a body and go take a look at your old Empire yourself?" Thancred asked.
Emet's brows rose and he smiled. "Why? Are you volunteering?"
"Oh piss off."
Emet gave a slight bow. "Well that's all I can offer for now, but as none of us want the Final Days to come to pass, you can rest assured I will continue to seek answers."
"Wait!" Alphinaud spoke up. "We need a way to contact you if we find out essential information."
"Ah, very well." Emet looked bored. "I suppose that would be more convenient than having to come here in person."
Thancred, looking irritated, pulled out a spare linkpearl to toss to Emet, who deftly caught it and put it in as if he'd used one before. "Well, ta for now." He vanished into the void.
"Right, well it sounds like we'll have to split up for this." Ardbert said. "I'll take Radz-at-Han, uh…with Eden."
"Really?" Eden tilted her head. "But that's where my Da is."
"…..Shit." Ardbert muttered.
"Why not Garlemald?" Estinien suggested. "If the Ascian is right about the source of the towers, then we'll need your clout there."
Ardbert and Eden shared an uncomfortable glance. Of all the people assembled, Estinien was the only one who didn't know and there really was no easy way to get around it.
"Albert's Ala Mhigan." Ardbert began, looking back at Estinien. "Not only that, he hates Garleans about as much as I think you hated Nidhogg? Might not go so well if he decided to wake up. Like 'slaughter' bad."
That statement was met with ringing silence. "…You're exaggerating." Alphinaud finally said. "We know how he feels about most Garleans, but Albert would never go that far."
Ardbert looked aside. "…I only have his memories and thoughts to go off of, but I….maybe it's only Zenos he feels that strongly about. Still, I don't know if it's worth the risk."
"It's worth the risk." Thancred stated, crossing his arms. "If Albert wakes up in the middle of Garlemald I trust my friend not to lose his mind and go slaughtering civilians, and your help there, if Emet-Selch is right about it being the source of the towers, will prove invaluable. Of all of us, you're the only one with the blessing that keeps you from being tempered and there will doubtless be Primals involved."
Albert looked distinctly unhappy, and Eden's ears had gone flat, but he nodded slowly. Preventing the Final Days was a bit more important than their discomfort. "Fine. What about the rest of you?"
"I'll go with you with Garlemald." Thancred said. "What about the rest of you?"
"I already have the Aetheryte to Thavnair, so I'll go to Radz-at-Han." Estinien said.
The Scions turned to one another in discussion, but in the end, decisions were made quickly. Since it was assumed that Krile would be able to get them into Sharlayan, Y'shtola, Urianger and G'raha would go there once the permissions had been procured. The twins and Thancred would go with Ardbert and Eden and Estinien, who was the only one with the Aetheryte to Thavnair, would travel to Radz-at-Han. This last decision was immediately vetoed however when Tataru practically threw herself into the conversation and said that under no circumstances was Estinien to go there on his own or he'd end up emptying his purse on bad financial decisions.
"Well who can go with him then?" Thancred asked. "We couldn't ask Emet-Selch to babysit him."
"I don't need 'babysitting'!" Estinien retorted hotly.
Y'shtola tapped her cheek and finally sighed softly. "Emet-Selch stated he cannot be 'everwhere at once', but if he is truly sincere about aiding us, then he should accompany one of us. He has already refused to go to Garlemald, but he would be almost as well-known in Sharlayan. Radz-at-Han really is the only option."
"Very well." Urianger said. "I shalt go with our Ishgardian ally. I leave the scholarly pursuits to mine colleagues."
"Great! I'll work out the transportation to get you there." Tataru said cheerfully before pointing at stern finger at Estinien. "You are not to go ahead of him!"
Estinien grimaced slightly. "But that…..yes yes, fine." He sighed heavily.
Ardbert put a hand to his temple and began rubbing in slow circles. What an irony. Albert had traveled to a world not his own to save it, and now Ardbert found himself in the same scenario. Fate sure did have a sick sense of humor.
