I think Fanfiction must be having some sort of problem, since it says I've had no views on either of my stories since the twenty-fourth of February. I suppose it's possible that everyone suddenly stopped reading both ToHP and my FFX novelization all at once, but I'm going to assume you're all still out there.
Also, though I managed to get this chapter done in plenty of time, I don't think I'll be able to finish the next one before next Tuesday. I know, another gap. I'm very sorry. I'll do my best to finish it in time, but if I don't, I'll just skip a week. Stress degrades my writing, so I'm not going to worry about it. Don't worry; however long it takes, I will write this story until it's done. I've been thinking, there can't be more than five more chapters before the end of Part Two. Over time, my promised Part Three has shrunk until I think it'll end up as a few floating chapters like chapter eleven. Then on to Part Four! Or, as I'll be calling it, Part Three. The Blood of Kings, either way! I can't wait for that! And for the final clash with Vayne, and Venat...
Okay, sorry for talking. Read on.

Chapter Forty-Five

The Port at Balfonheim
Year 706 of the Old Valendian Calendar

In Strahl's engine room, fuel bubbled happily through tubes, and the walls hummed with life, a musical, familiar sound. The homely smells of oil, lubricant, metal and magicite floated in the air, strong and soothing. Balthier knelt on the floor, wrenching the screws that held the coolant tubing together. He'd come down here to do maintenance before they left for Ridorana and found a lot more work than he expected.
"I can't believe you didn't tell me about this," Balthier said to Strahl. "Oh, I knew that jagd shielding would never work properly."
"You were busy flying," Strahl replied. "I didn't want you to worry. Besides, I wanted to get you as close to Giruvegan as I could. You'd have made me stop if you knew."
Balthier sighed, gritting his teeth as he twisted the stubborn bolts. "You do realize that myst overload literally shatters skystones, right? Sends airships plummeting out of the sky?"
"I had everything under control," Strahl replied. "I can resist the myst pressure, you know. A little."
Balthier heaved a sigh. "When you stopped us, I was under the impression the shields had just started leaking, not that your engines had already overheated so much that it literally curdled your coolant! I didn't know that was even possible." Balthier sighed again, studying the pipe's clear surface. Cloudy clumps of congealed gel clogged the tube, blocking the pathway to the main engines.
"How on Ivalice did you get us back to Balfonheim like this?" he asked. "If Difor's myst overloaded your engines that much before, how hot did it get without coolant?"
"I never said it was comfortable," Strahl replied. "It was… really hot." Balthier could feel her cringe at the memory. "But I'm fine, alright? It was nothing I couldn't handle."
Balthier sighed, frowning despite Strahl's cheery tone. "You're sure you're alright? I can check the main engine battery-"
"I'm fine, okay?" Strahl said, growing annoyed. "Perfectly alright and not shattered and everything! Just hurry up so we can fly!"
"I don't want you pushing through like this, alright?" Balthier said, setting down his wrench and frowning at the airship around him.
"But-" Strahl started.
"I didn't take you from YPA so you could go and shatter yourself in some jagd," Balthier continued. "I want you to tell me if something like this happens before it gets out of hand. Understood?"
"I just want to help you."
"Strahl…"
Strahl sighed. "Fine."
"Uh, hey. Whatchya doing?"
Balthier turned to see Vaan standing in the doorway.
"Just some… minor repairs," Balthier replied, picking up his tools and turning back to the piping.
"Oh." Vaan stood there and watched while Balthier continued removing bolts. The kid was unusually quiet, a stiffness about him that had been all-too present lately. Balthier sighed. This is getting old.
"Still feel like throwing me out in the harbor?" he asked, looking over his shoulder at Vaan.
"Eh…" Vaan stiffened a moment. "Nah."
Balthier arched an eyebrow. "What, a sudden change of heart? What happened to your hatred of all things Archadian?"
"Uh, just… I've been thinking," Vaan said, shrugging uncomfortably. He looked at the floor. "I… I guess I was a little unreasonable. Sorry."
Balthier turned back to the pipe but didn't move, taken off guard by Vaan's genuine contrition. He remained silent several moments.
"Well, if you're not fuming anymore," he said, picking up the wrench again, "feel like lending a hand?"
"Really?" Vaan perked instantly. "You mean, with your airship? You'd let me?"
"If you don't mind getting your hands dirty," Balthier replied, starting on the last bolt. He made note to move out of the way before the pipe fell open and the slimy residue inside spilled out.
Vaan lit up. "Sure!"

…

Balthier wrenched the last screw back on, glancing over the complete, thoroughly cleaned piping system with great satisfaction. Vaan knelt on the floor beside him.
"Better?" Balthier said to Strahl, sitting back to inspect his work.
"Yes. Thanks."
"Whew!" Vaan sat back, sighing with relief. "Are we done?"
"I believe so," Balthier said. He nodded to Vaan. "At least you're not as clumsy with tools than you are with social graces." Vaan opened his mouth to object, but a new voice cut him off.
"That looks promising." Balthier look over his shoulder to see Reddas coming into the doorway. How odd to think that man was really Judge Zecht…
"Your Viera friend said you were down here," Reddas said. "The others are waiting upstairs." He tapped the wall. "So? Can she fly?"
"Yes, she can," Balthier rose, glad to stand after that hour's crouching. "Come on, Vaan, we've got places to be, haven't we? No reason to wait."
Vaan stood as well, walking out the door, past Reddas and up the stairs beyond. Balthier followed, noticing the way Reddas watched him.
"What?" Balthier said, stopping to frown at Reddas as he passed him.
"Basch has been informing me of… some things he believes to be tactically important in understanding our enemies' goals," Reddas replied. It took Balthier a moment to understand.
"Oh," Balthier sighed. "My life was so much simpler before I started telling people that."
"It isn't what I expected, but the pieces fit." Reddas nodded, still studying Balthier. "I believe it."
"Good for you," Balthier said, rolling his eyes. He walked away before Reddas could reply.

Up in the cockpit, Ashe, Fran, and Penelo talked, Ashe and Penelo sitting while Fran stood. Basch sat in the opposite row of passenger chairs, silent.
"Captain." Balthier walked over to Basch. "Sorry to leave you alone with the ladies. By chance, did you think to ask me before filling Lord Reddas in on those particular details?"
"It's become vital to our situation," Basch replied, stonily. "He had to know."
Balthier sighed, lamenting the fact that he couldn't really argue. He turned to address everyone.
"We're ready to go?"
Ashe nodded from her seat. The Treaty-blade rested in her lap.
"I think so," she said. She frowned at Balthier. "Balthier, were you down there all morning?"
"There was a lot to fix," Balthier nodded to the airship around him. "Jagd wasn't kind to her engines."
In truth, with Reina on his mind, Balthier been avoiding the princess, though he'd noted from afar, and with pleasure, that Ashe had regained the sanity she'd lost in Giruvegan.
"I hope you don't mind putting her through it again," Reddas said, settling into his own seat.
"I'd prefer not to," Balthier said with a sigh, "but I don't see there's much choice." He walked towards the captain's chair. "Enough chatter; let's fly."

…

The Ridorana Cataract was beautiful from the air, an island perched on the great waterfall at the edge of Ivalice's oceans. The seas on the other side stretched on forever, waters undisturbed. At the island's center rose a massive tower, a mysterious ruin known by mariners' tales as simply the Pharos Lighthouse.
The resting place of the Sun-cryst.
On the island's rocky shore, Balthier, Ashe, Reddas, Fran, Vaan, Basch, and Penelo stood, Strahl hovering above. A salty tang washed the air, and silence reigned save for the distant roar of water streaming over the falls. Balthier stood by Strahl's anchor, which sunk securely into the ground.
"A tower on distant shore." Fran gazed up at the tower rising above the island's rocky heights. "And about its peak, a piercing myst."
"Can't we just fly the all the way in?" Vaan said, glancing up at the Strahl.
"Did you not see her engines, Vaan?" Balthier said. "I'd like to avoid that happening again, if at all possible."
"It's not that far to walk, Vaan," Penelo said, looking up the ancient pathway that led to the tower. "And I don't hear anything like monsters out there."
Vaan sighed. "I guess."
"Balthier, you know I could-" Strahl's voice came, but he cut her off.
"Forget it; we're walking."
Strahl sighed.
"It isn't that far," Ashe said, taking a few steps farther. "The Sun-cryst is right up there."
"I hate to break it to you, princess," Balthier said, "but while the entrance isn't that far away, I imagine climbing to the top will take quite some time. A day or three at least."
Eyes still on the trail ahead, Ashe sighed.
"I… I just want to get there and get it over with," she said. She rested a hand absently around the Treaty-blade's hilt, sheathed at her hip.
"Why are you so worried?" Vaan said. "We're just gonna smash some nethicite. What could go wrong?"
Ashe looked at the ground. Balthier heaved a sigh.
"Ivalice is depending on us," Reddas said, looking at Ashe. "We'll simply do our best for that, Lady Ashe."
Ashe nodded, swallowing hard.
"Come on, let's be off." Basch gruffly put an end to all conversation, striding forward. Everyone started off; Balthier lingered a brief moment.
The Sun-cryst, and Venat, and my father. Not looking forward to that. That look in his father's eyes atop Draklor still haunted him. Balthier had seen something there, something familiar, something not quite as insane as he'd expected. Perhaps it meant there was something of the old Dr. Cid left? Or maybe just that it was the old Dr. Cid who was willing to do all those terrible things. Still, Balthier clung to the small, perhaps even childish hope that both he and his father would survive their next encounter.
"If you won't let me fly you, at least be careful, won't you?" Strahl's voice came to Balthier's mind just as he was about to start off. "You're the leading man, remember? You've gotta come back."
Balthier heaved a sigh. "This whole 'leading man' thing of yours is not easy, you know."
"Just come back."
"Mm."
Strahl's presence reluctantly slipped from his mind. Balthier looked up at his airship. If he didn't…
The others were walking away, Vaan tailing the group, unaware Balthier lingered.
"Vaan," Balthier called, and he stopped.
"Balthier? What?" Vaan said, turning around.
Balthier glanced back up at his airship. "Vaan, if something untoward happens to me, I want you to take the Strahl."
"Wait, what?" Vaan's eyes went wide. "Untoward? What are you talking about?"
"You never know," Balthier said, walking to join the group with deliberate nonchalance. "Might have to do something heroic. I want to make sure she's in good hands, just in case."
Thankfully, Vaan didn't press once they'd rejoined the others. The group proceeded along the trails of the Ridorana Cataract, up the stairs and roads of the still, ancient ruin. After a half hour's travel inland, they reached the longer, wider staircase leading up to the massive tower's base. The stairway crested onto a terrace made of sandy stone. At the top, Balthier stopped.
The Pharos Lighthouse towered overhead, breathtaking in its width and sheer height. Its top disappeared into the clouds far above. Balthier frowned. And I thought this place looked intimidating from far off.
Ashe stared at the tower, eyes wavering. Her hand rested on the Treaty-blade's hilt, in a habitual way it had since she received it. She seemed connected to that sword, in the she seemed connected to the Dawn Shard, and Balthier didn't like that.
"Oh, wow, it's… tall," Vaan said, gawking at the tower.
"Inside," Ashe said, quietly. She walked towards the door, a towering gate to match the towering lighthouse. She stopped before it, staring up at the gilded patterns over its surface. She didn't look possessed, Balthier was glad, but she did look scared, and uncertain. Balthier came to stand beside her, studying her face.
"Princess-" Balthier began.
"No, Balthier, I'm alright." Ashe put on a brave smile. "We just- let's get this door open."
Balthier sighed, then turned to study the door. There didn't seem to be any mechanism to raise it.
"Hey, there's something carved over here," Vaan said. He looked up at the pillar beside the gateway. Balthier turned from the gate and studied the figures etched in the ancient stone.
"Some sort of ancient text…" he said, frowning. "Fran? Can you read this?"
Fran approached the wall. "The tongue is quite old," she said, resting her fingertips against the text. "But I believe I can.
'Blade-bearer, sent ones, beware. The tower is unkind, and her paths are set with the trials of the stone-birthers, to prove those appointed. Test of might, test of wit, test of will. To those who follow, I speak caution, for deepest fears arise. You without power, want it not. You with power, trust it not. You with sight, heed it not. Rend illusion, cut the true path. In blood, Raithwall.'"
Ashe gasped. "The Dynast King?"
"Does that surprise you?" Fran said, cocking her head at the princess. "Raithwall cut his Shards here, didn't he?"
"He must have known the Occuria would send others after him," Basch said, gravely. "And if he thought it was necessary to leave a warning, these 'trials' he spoke of must be great indeed. We should take care."
"Oh, come on," Vaan said. "How can it be worse than anything we've already been through?"
"I don't think it has to be worse to get us killed," Penelo said. She hugged her staff to her, frowning at Vaan.
"At any rate," Balthier sighed, "why don't we focus on getting this door open?"
"Lady Ashe, what about your sword?" Reddas said. He'd been silent for a while, staring gravely up at the tower with his fists on his hips.
"The Treaty-blade?" Ashe looked down at the sword tied at her waist.
"The Occuria gave it to you, didn't they?" Reddas said. "It's proof they sent us for the Sun-cryst; perhaps that's the key."
Ashe pulled out the Treaty-blade; the long, glittering sword caught the sun's rays. Ashe stepped closer to the gate, holding the Treaty-blade in front of her. A faint, blueish glow formed around the sword's blade, and Ashe's eyes widened. Balthier, standing beside her, could feel the shiver of energy from the blade. The gate rose with a tremendous grinding, dust from its ancient frame clouding the air. The rushing of water echoed from inside.
Ashe let the sword fall. She breathed out shakily.
"Look at that," Balthier said. He sighed. He dreaded facing his father, but a determination welled up inside him to set things right in that meeting, whatever it took.
"Well, princess." Balthier turned to Ashe. "Shall we?"
Ashe looked into his eyes, breathed deep, and nodded.

The corridor from the doorway opened up into an enormous, circular room built of bluish stone. In the center, the floor fell away to reveal a column of water, flowing miraculously upward in a whirling spiral. The water pillar stretched up, and down, as far as Balthier could see.
"What was that?" Penelo jumped at low growling noise coming from one of many doorways along the outside wall. The room inside was dimly lit, but Balthier could see a shadowy shape slipping away.
"I think we found Ridorana's wildlife," Balthier said.
"The myst is thicker in here," Fran said. "It likely draws the creatures to it."
"Means we get to have some excitement." Balthier drew out his rifle with a sigh. "Come on; let's find some stairs."
What part of their journey wasn't taken up with fending off myst-crazy monsters, Basch spent grilling Balthier on what Tainra had meant by 'the last time' he met Venat. The captain hadn't had a chance to ask yet, and Balthier could tell that bothered him. Balthier ended up telling, though clenched teeth, the story of Nabudis, that, yes, he had met Venat before, and yes, he had been entirely unsuccessful in fighting him off, and no, he didn't feel he'd improved terribly much in controlling his power since then. Balthier made sure to leave the other Judge on that mission anonymous, for Reddas's sake.
When the small windows found occasionally along the Pharos's walls showed views of starry black sky, they stopped and made camp for the night.

…

The red glow of a crackling fire chased the shadows into corners in this dim room, high in the Pharos Lighthouse. Reddas breathed in the scent of burning wood, thankful for the warmth on this rather nippy night. Penelo spread out everyone's bedrolls around the fire, something she'd insisted on doing, and did with obsessive precision. Vaan, Balthier, and Ashe all sat around the fire, resting their feet. Vaan and Balthier argued lightheartedly, and Ashe listened with a smile, hands stretched over the fire. Reddas stood farther from the fire, with Basch and Fran, people whom he'd identified as the most mature members of this ragtag group. Ffamran- well, Balthier- and the princess, they managed a good enough appearance, but Reddas knew there were some lessons only years could teach.
"I have been thinking," Basch said, his face graver than usual. "Venat's goals ultimately revolve around his controlling Balthier's power, if we can trust what the Occuria said. And from what Balthier has told me, if we meet Venat here, he may not be able to fight him off. If Venat gets ahold of this power, and it is as powerful as we've been led to believe, we can assume all hope will be lost."
Fran frowned. "What are you saying?"
Reddas remained silent and listened. He'd kept quiet most of the day; he could see that this group were closely knit friends, and he couldn't help but feel he was upsetting a delicate balance.
"I only mean this as a last resort, but-" Basch said "-if things get out of hand, we must be prepared to take drastic action. If Balthier is no longer an option, Venat's plans will be foiled."
Fran studied Basch but said nothing. Her taciturn face was hard to read.
"How can you suggest that? It doesn't prick your conscience?" Speaking up felt awkward, as it had all day, but Reddas did it anyway.
"Only as a last resort," Basch repeated. "I think even he'd agree with it." Basch turned his gaze to the princess, who contentedly warmed her hands over the fire. "I have a duty to Dalmasca," the captain said, "and I will not allow that to be endangered."
Reddas sighed. "There should be a way to settle this with no more death."
"What about Dr. Cid?" Basch said, turning back. "You don't honestly think we can settle him diplomatically."
"I know war has casualties," Reddas said. "But if must kill our enemies, I'd like to at least make it through this without killing our friends."
"When I first met Balthier," Fran spoke up, "I could see he was… different. The myths of my people…" Fran shook her head, then continued. "I only came with him with the intention of killing him when the opportunity came. But as time went on, I realized he posed no danger. I understand what you mean, Basch; we could end all this simply, easily, instantly. But, I think Reddas is right; we mustn't stoop to that dark road."
Basch was silent a long while, then only grunted his consent.