Yes, this is the same chapter I released two days ago. After rereading it and receiving a major dose of criticism from my brother, I've made substantial changes that you'll need to read if you've already read the original version. I'm terribly sorry about that, but such is the price of reading a book that's still being written. The changes start at the beginning of the Occuria scene.
Everything I said below still stands, except maybe I'm a little happier with this chapter now. If somehow you're longing for more from A Tale of Hidden Powers during the week I'm gone, you can go back and check out some of the earlier chapters again; I've made some major edits to Part One and Act One of Part Two. The time I spent on that project is probably why I'm so far behind now...

This is hot off the presses! I finished writing it yesterday and edited it a few seconds ago. I just barely made it...
But only barely. I've decided not to release a chapter next week, to give me time to maybe write more than barely one chapter and make up the backlog I'm used to having. I understand two weeks is a very long time to wait, and remembering the story over such long gaps is asking a lot, but I'd like to have time to refine my writing and give you the best story I can. Don't worry; I'll be back in two weeks!
I'm not impressed with this chapter, but I did write it in rather a hurry. Hopefully that won't have to happen again. Enjoy anyway!

Chapter Forty-Three

The Ancient City, Giruvegan
Year 706 of the Old Valendian Calendar

"But it just ends," Penelo said, peeking over the edge where the stone pathway dropped away to the depths of Giruvegan below. She pulled back, looking around for an answer. "What do we do now?"
"Did we know what we were doing before?" Balthier said with a sigh. They'd journeyed through this labyrinth of a city for hours, then camped for the night. It was impossible to tell the time, but after walking for long, they were all tired enough to stop and sleep. The city was still and silent, yet Balthier couldn't say it felt abandoned There was an unnerving presence in the air he couldn't explain, just lingering on the edges of thought. It had made sleeping very difficult.
Balthier walked over to the edge, staring down it and stroking his chin as he thought over this newest predicament; it was a very long way down…
Thoosh! A snapping whoosh cracked the air, and Balthier nearly jumped as a pathway, made of disks of green energy, surged out from the platform at his feet. The road of emerald energy arched away from the wall into open air.
"What is that?" Vaan asked, eyes wide.
Balthier carefully tapped the path with one foot. Seems solid enough…
"The way forward, I think." Balthier walked out a few paces; the green energy held him up. He nodded back to his companions. "Come on."
The others followed warily onto the path. Balthier couldn't say he found it comforting walking a road of strange, crystalline energy over a drop that must've been hundreds of feet.
The pathway led them away from the wall, into a fuller view of the city. Stone pathways ringed the walls on all sides, and in the massive city's center rose an enormous shape.
"Look at that!" Vaan stepped out precariously closed to the path's edge.
Balthier stopped, narrowing his eyes at the wondrous sight.
"Now, isn't that impressive…"
A massive crystal. The stone stood as high as the palace in Archades, its outer shell dark, sending the faintest golden glimmer into the air around it. The energy pathway they walked wound straight towards the great crystal. Eyes fixed on that stone, Balthier felt a strange chill ripple through his body, just for a moment, the same chill he'd felt in the air of this place the second they stepped inside.
For a moment, everyone stopped and just stared.

Penelo drew closer to Vaan. Even though he stood dangerously close to the pathway's edge, Penelo felt better near him. The great crystal was breathtaking, yet terrifying, like everything else in this ancient city. Shaking under such unease, she felt better near her big brother.
"I can't shake the feeling we're somewhere we're not supposed to be," Penelo said to Vaan. "It's…"
"It's exciting," Vaan said, eyes still locked on the crystal far below.
"Exciting?" Penelo said, turning to her brother wide-eyed.
"Sure," Vaan said. "Who knows what's down there?"
"It's scary," Penelo said. She sighed, studying the green, crystalline energy under her feet. "I just want everything to be peaceful again so we can go home."
"Yeah," Vaan said. He sighed. "Don't worry Penelo; we'll beat all those Archadians." Vaan glanced, briefly, over at Balthier, who talked with Ashe a little ways down the path. Penelo followed his gaze, then came with worry back to her brother.
"Vaan, you're not still mad at him, are you?" Penelo asked.
"So?" Vaan said, voice hot in his way. "He lied to us the whole time!"
"I know you looked up to him," Penelo said, "but he's only human like the rest of us, Vaan. You can't stay angry."
Vaan opened his mouth to object, but Penelo cut him off.
"And it's not his fault he's an Archadian, either. That shouldn't change anything. I know you know that, Vaan."
Vaan turned and stared down at the great crystal; his fists tightened, then relaxed.
"I… guess so," he started hesitantly, then sighed. "You're right, Penelo. You're… right."
There was a moment of silence; Penelo found her thoughts wandering.
"I wonder how Larsa's doing," she said absently.
"Penelo?" Vaan glanced at his sister. Penelo felt her cheeks grow warm; it suddenly seemed a silly thing to say.
"Oh, nothing. Sorry."

Vaan and Penelo talked about something at the path's edge, but Balthier wasn't interested. The great crystal was stunning, but he didn't care about that either. Ashe stood apart from the others, staring down the pathway that seemed to lead straight towards the crystal. She clasped her hands at her chest, eyes fixed ahead. Balthier walked up to her, stopping beside her with a sigh.
"I've seen you act strange before, princess, but not like this. What's wrong with you?"
At first Ashe didn't reply, then she turned her face to him. Her eyes held less of that glassy, dazed look and more a growing fear.
"Balthier, I… Oh, I don't know." Ashe closed her eyes a moment, then opened them again. She raised a hand, resting it gingerly on her forehead. "I can't… think properly. My feet move before I tell them to. I…" She broke off, drawing in a deep, shaky breath. Balthier studied her troubled face for a few moments.
"Well, whatever it is, it seems to be getting better," he said. "At least you're acting like yourself again. Back at the entrance, well, I didn't know what to think."
"It… is," Ashe replied. She shuddered, like the air bore a nipping chill. "But I can still feel it. Like I have to go forward. Balthier… Do you think Fran was right? It is the Occuria?"
Balthier let out a sigh, turning from Ashe's troubled gaze to the massive, faintly glowing crystal ahead.
"I… don't see any other explanation."
"But what are they? And what do they want with us?"
"Who knows? Maybe they'll tell us when we meet them," Balthier said with a shrug. For a reason he couldn't fathom, the thought of meeting the Occuria sent a chill down his spine.
"Oh, I just…" Ashe sighed. "I just want to finish what we have to do and leave this place. Do you think Dr. Cid is somewhere down here?"
"I hope so," Balthier said with a sigh. "It'd be a shame if we went through all this only to miss him entirely." That confrontation was already far overdue, Balthier knew. You'd better be here, father.
When Balthier turned back to Ashe, she wasn't looking at him anymore. Her gaze was fixed ahead, a hand at her chest, that wild, possessed look replaced with one of fear and fatigue.
"Balthier," she whispered. "We're close. We have to… keep going." She closed her eyes, blocking view of that shining display of pain. Balthier studied her gravely face a few moments, then nodded.
"Right."
He turned to the others, calling for them to get moving.

At the end of the energy pathway stood a warp, like the kind at the outside of Raithwall's tomb, only this one was older and more ornate. Beyond it the path of green disks ended, and there lay only open air between them and the great crystal, which now stood very near.
"I suppose we use this, now," Balthier said, stepping up onto the warp's platform. The device lit up before he could touch any of its controls, a reddish glow hovering around its lamp-like top.
Balthier signaled for the others to come up on the platform.
"This may be it," Basch said.
"Wait, you think the Occuria are on the other side of this thing?" Vaan asked, eyes wide.
"We haven't seen any other warps. And we've come quite a ways," Fran said.
Balthier frowned at the ornate device. "I suppose it does look rather ceremonial." He glanced at Ashe. She seemed to know where they were going.
"Princess? You think so?"
"I… don't know," Ashe said. "Maybe."
Balthier sighed. Not very reassuring. If there were Occuria on the other side, he wanted Ashe where he could see her. Who knew what they'd want with the princess?
"I suppose we'd better find out, then." Balthier turned one of the warp's ancient dials, making sure to keep one eye on the princess. The device pulsed, and runes etched in its platform lit with a red glow. There was a flash of warm light, and the next thing Balthier knew, he was standing somewhere completely different.

Ashe blinked as the light faded, trying to see her surroundings clearly. Rather than the dark of Giruvegan, she saw sky all around her, a strange, grey-blue color, clouded with myst and filled with floating, tooth-like stones. Ashe gasped. She stood on a stone platform, floating in this strange sky. Around her sat four statues in thrones; the statue she faced sat beneath a pillar of stone, atop which rested a blood-red crystal, pulsing a faint light.
Ashe looked around, panic growing as she realized none of the others were there.
"Hello?" she called out. "Where is everyone?"
The only response was the echoing of her voice. Ashe was alone save those four statues, each a distinctive human form. The figures confused her; they all looked barely older than Vaan; two young men, two teenaged girls. She glanced over their chilly marble faces, then up at the pulsing red stone. Where am I?
"Ashelia B'nargin Dalmasca. You follow summons well."
Ashe jolted at the sound of her name, spoken in an eerie, rattling voice. Above the four statues materialize four ghostly figures. They were each painted with their own foggy colors, each with a face shrouded in shadow, piercing yellow eyes glowing out of the gloom.
"We Occuria speak with you alone, Ashelia," continued the ghostly figure in front of her, beneath the great pillar, his form shimmering silver. "Welcome, heir of Raithwall."
Ashe stared at the creature, eyes wide in terror. "W-What? Who…?" The Occuria? They look just like… Dr. Cid's Venat…
"You desire power for your people's freedom, Ashelia," the Occuria continued, "and power we shall grant you. Seek the Sun-cryst; in tower on distant shores it dreams, on the sea's farthest reach. That stone, mother of nethicite and giver of its power, is your birthright."
Ashe felt her eyes widen. "What?"
"Centuries ago, we gave Raithwall the task to unite your world, and the nethicite as his sword. His deeds and his pact with us flow through your blood. You feel it, Ashelia?"
The sudden shudder rippling through her limbs surprised Ashe. She swallowed hard. "But, the Sun-cryst," she said. "That's where Raithwall cut his shards from? With the Sword of Kings?"
"That sword is the symbol of an old pact," the Occuria said. "A new treaty we forge with you, with your blood… and with this sword."
A great sword of shining silver materialized in the air, encrusted with sapphire gems along its hilt. It drifted down to hover in the air just in front of Ashe. She stared at it.
"This Treaty-blade marks our pact with you, Ashelia," the Occuria said. "With it, cut your own shards. With their power, destroy Venat!"
Ashe tore her gaze from the sword to look up at the wrath-like being before her. "Venat? But… isn't he an Occuria? Like you?"
"Venat betrayed us!" the Occuria shouted. A rush of wind punctuated his fury. Ashe raised her hands to block the gust, sucking in a gasp. "With your nethicite," the Occuria continued, "you will destroy Venat, and the empire that has thrived off his forbidden knowledge. Thus, you attain your vengeance, as well."
"What? No!" Ashe let her hands drop, staring up at the Occuria. "War is what we're trying to stop! I can't destroy Archadia!"
"You have your stone and your task," the Occuria said, his rattle growing lower. Ashe felt a jolt rush through her body, and she sucked in a gasp at the electric shock of pain. "You will fulfill your duty!"
"Gerun, the little one wants only peace." Another of the Occuria spoke up for the first time, a shadowy figure in shades of rich red-brown, her rattling voice with a female tone to it. "Must Venat be destroyed?"
"He has left us and will be punished," the first Occuria, Gerun, hissed. "The humans as well. The knowledge they hold is too dangerous."
"But… wait," Ashe spoke up, forcing her way into this discussion of ancient ghosts. "Just what is it Venat is trying to do?"
"Venat seeks to revive powers most ancient and unnatural, the scourge of elder days," another Occuria, shadowy blue and female voiced, rattled. "He feels we have failed in our duties to Ivalice. With that might, he will destroy this city and us with it. Your world's emperors he only toys with as he grows closer to this goal."
"He sees your world and its nations as flawed and doomed to repeat the errors of olden days," the fourth Occuria, golden-hued and deep voiced, said. "With the ancient power, he will lay waste to your kingdoms as well, and return them to dust."
"We once thought to keep Ivalice from such mistakes," Tainra said, "but as millennia pass and our powers fade-"
"Enough," Gerun rattled. "Ashelia, you understand your task now? Take the blade, work your vengeance, and free your people. Destroy Venat and his threat to your world."
Ashe stared a few moments at the sword. On the other side of the suspended blade, another ghostly figure took shape: a figure she knew well.
"Rasler…" Ashe breathed. Rasler rested one hand around the sword's hilt. His gaze met hers, and he nodded. Ashe reach for the hilt, then hesitated.
She knew what Rasler would want. She could see him clearly in her mind's eye, not the phantom before her but hale and whole, the day the news of Nabudis's fall came, jaw set, a hand clenched on the hilt of his sheathed sword. His eyes burned, lips barely moved as he breathed the words to Captain Basch…
"I swear, on my honor… and my father's spilt blood, Archadia will rue the day she raised her sword against house Nabradia!"
Ashe stared into the ghost's eyes. Something was so very empty there, nothing like the Rasler she'd known. She remembered what Balthier said; he thought the ghosts she saw had something to do with the nethicite. Ashe didn't want to take that sword. But what else could she do?
Ashe rested a hand around the Treaty-blade's hilt, feeling the icy chill of its metal against her palm. A flash of light surged around her, with a rush of heat she felt burning through her being. Ashe gasped as the light faded…

…

"Ashe!"
Final able to move his legs, Balthier ran to Ashe's side. When they appeared on the platform, he'd found himself, along with the others, rooted to the ground by some force, unable to move. Ashe couldn't even see them. Balthier could only listen while those Occuria surrounded Ashe, their rattling voices grating over his mind. And Venat… Venat was an Occuria? With that knowledge, a lot fell into place. And he sought a power great enough to destroy the Occuria. My prey come crawling straight to me… Venat's words at Nabudis raked over Balthier's mind, suddenly making a spine-chilling sense. The way those Occuria spoke of the 'scourge of elder days' also sent a feeling of chill though him.
Then Ashe grabbed the Treaty-blade, and she cried out as a light flared around her. The Occuria vanished, and Balthier finally found himself able to move again. The princess now held the blade, bent over, breathing hard. Balthier forgot for a moment his pondering over the Occuria and rushed to her.
"Princess! Are you alright?" he asked.
Ashe looked up, stunned. "Balthier!" She straightened and looked around with a gasp. "Everyone! But-"
"We were here, Highness," Basch said. Everyone crowded around the princess. "We heard everything."
"Will you do it?" Vaan asked. "Destroy the empire?"
"I… Oh." Ashe dropped the Treaty-blade with a clatter, bringing a hand to her forehead. She swayed, nearly falling.
"Ashe!" Balthier caught her shoulders. "What's wrong?"
"Oh, I… Sorry. I'm just… dizzy." Ashe shook her head. "I'm alright." Ashe met Balthier's worried gaze. "Really."
Balthier felt her shoulders tense under his hands. Ashe stepped back, and Balthier let her go.
"So, um…" Penelo spoke up, breaking the awkward silence. "What about Doctor Cid? Wasn't he supposed to be here?"
"He should have arrived by now," Basch said.
Balthier pulled his gaze from Ashe. That had been troubling him. Now, as Basch mentioned it, it all fell into place. Oh, no…
"No, I should've realized sooner," Balthier said. "Dr. Cid isn't coming at all. He laid out the bait, and we bit. That's why he lured us with bits about Giruvegan, flaunted his nethicite. This is what he wanted all along. To bring Ashe to the Occuria." Balthier felt his hands draw to fists. "I can't believe I missed it."
"But if we get nethicite, wouldn't that be bad for Archadia?" Vaan said. "Why would he want us to come here?"
"Who knows? He probably has some master plan," Balthier said with a sigh. "Or maybe he just wants to see what happens when two nethicite-wielding forces collide. That'd be just like Doctor Cid."
"I think we should discuss this elsewhere," Fran said. She glanced at the warp, sitting behind the ring of statues.
"Agreed." Basch gave a single nod. "Highness?"
"Oh. Yes," Ashe replied.
Everyone turned to walk away; Balthier lingered a moment. His mind still whirled with the rattle of the Occuria's voices as they hissed out Venat's plans, which made such disturbing sense. Balthier couldn't help but wonder if his father knew Venat's true objective… He remembered something Dr. Cid said, in the Formidable's hold just before the bombing of Nabudis.
"Don't worry, Ffamran; you'll have your role to play."
Balthier felt sick.
"Balthier?"
Ashe's voice brought him back to the present. She still waited, watching him with worried eyes.
"Princess," Balthier said. "I was just… thinking." A moment of awkward silence followed.
"Balthier," Ashe said at last. "The Occuria said Venat sought… the scourge of elder days. Balthier, is… is that…?"
"You're smart, princess," Balthier said with a chuckle; it came out bitter. "I think so." He sighed. "I suppose that should be made common knowledge. The captain will want his strategic elements all in place. Oh, come on." Summoning up his outer air of confidence, Balthier beckoned to Ashe; the others already gathered around the warp. "Like Fran said, we'll discuss this elsewhere."
Ashe nodded, coming up beside him. Balthier just turned to leave when a rattling voice sounded, stopping him in his tracts.
"Wait, little ones."
Balthier spun around to see Tainra materialize over one of the statures, a ghostly form of red-brown shadow.
"What the…?" Balthier nearly jumped at the sudden appearance. Ashe gasped. The others were several feet away, around the warp, but Balthier could see saw the Occuria.
"What do you want?" Balthier said, frowning at the wraithlike being.
"I speak only a word of caution," Tainra replied. "Venat is no fool. Be wary, scourge-bearer; you may not be so fortunate a second time."
Balthier stiffened. "How do you know what happened the first time?"
"Only be cautious," Tainra said, ignoring the question. Her ghostly form flickered, Balthier called out before she could vanish.
"Wait! This… scourge." Balthier sucked in a breath. "Just what is it? I'd assume you know."
Tainra was silent a long moment.
"That… is yet lost to the tides of time," she said, finally, quietly. "Not to be spoken. Gerun would not stand it."
"But-" Balthier tried to object, but Tainra continued.
"Hurry, prove scourge sings not only darkness, and prove worthy to that first name-bearer, Ffamran…"
With that she faded away, leaving Balthier stiffened from her final words. After a few confused, frustrated moments, he heaved a sigh.
"Well, wasn't that informative?"
"Are you two alright?" Fran called from the warp.
"Yes, we're coming!" Balthier called back. He beckoned to Ashe, who still stared at Tainra's statue; the woman sculpted there looked remarkably young for the ancient Occuria of old.
"Come on, princess," Balthier said. "Let's go."