"We lost. Miserably." Verdel commented, sitting on a stool.

"You don't need to tell me twice." I groaned, clutching my side.

We were in my house in Besaid, a large manor hidden in cove, far from view. While it was a chore getting to the village at times, at least I rarely had to worry about locking my doors.

I had barely managed to get the three of us off the beach and to my house before anyone noticed the commotion, although an enormous crater from Miraak's lightning was left in plain sight.

"Willow's still unconscious, so the planning is up to us now." Verdel continued soberly, and I finished changing out into dry armor and clothes.

"We need to find the new Warrior of Harmony." I announced quietly.

"Why? Whoever it is, he or she is dead when Miraak finds them. Someone who's only passed the first cycle of the war wouldn't last a minute against that bastard." She looked confused and disbelieving, and I waved her off.

"Which is why we need to help him. The Chaos-Borns are the least of his problems at this point. Miraak defeated a seasoned former warrior of Harmony, the foremost expert in Black Magic, and one of the most powerful Wardmakers in history without even taking the battle seriously, and he's not even fully released from Apocrypha yet. If we don't help this new warrior, he'll be dead before he realizes what's really going on." I explained, but a flash of light caught my attention.

Cosmos, Goddess of Harmony, stood before us.

"Darius. It's been a long time." She spoke softly, in that same absent-sourced voice of hers.

"Cosmos. How typical." I growled under my breath.

With a nod, Verdel silently left the room, leaving the two of us alone.

"The man you're looking for goes by the name of Kel. He is my new champion of Harmony, and the victor of this cycle. He's heading for this very—" She began, but I cut her off.

"Don't you dare…don't you dare try to play your games with me. The only reason, the ONLY reason, I'm even considering helping this Kel is because we need him. Not because I feel any loyalty at all towards you." I rose my hand, pointing at her with venom dripping from my words.

"Darius, I—" I cut her off again, and continued.

"You betrayed me. You left me to die there. When Miraak ripped my heart out in that godforsaken mine in Ivalice, and my power of Harmony keeping me immortal with it, I lost any faith I had in you." I turned my back to her, and slammed my fist against the wall.

"Darius…" She began, but faltered.

I whirled, ripping open my tunic and exposing the enormous scar on my chest, right over my heart.

"You look at me and tell me you're truly and honestly sorry. Look me in the eyes, and tell me there was nothing you could do!" I glared straight at her, but as I expected, she was unable to look me straight in the eyes.

I scoffed, rezipping my tunic and turning from her.

"…You're going to tell me where Kel is. And then you're going to tell him that I'm looking for him. And after we finally meet, we're never going to speak again. I'm not going to let you play your mind games on me, Cosmos. I learned a long time ago that you're worse than Chaos when it comes to that." I quietly finished, and leaned against the counter for support.

"If that is what you wish." She consented after a few minutes of silence passed, and turned to leave.

"Cosmos. What is happening on Gaia?" I suddenly asked.

"Hmm?" She answered with curiosity.

"The world was never remade. If anything, it's in further ruin than before. This Enclave has completely ravaged the Planet, far from what I'd think you'd call 'Harmony'." I explained darkly.

"…Someone or something has interfered with Shinryu and the Purification. I'm not entirely sure what, but my…envoy there assured me that she has the problem under control. Soon, it will be as it should be." She responded matter-of-factly.

"…Fine." I answered gruffly.

"…Goodbye, Darius." She disappeared as she spoke, and I didn't answer.

Verdel reappeared moments later, and took a seat at the table.

"So what's the plan?" She asked quietly.

"Cosmos will tell me where this 'Kel' is soon. Then we find him and train him. Hopefully then we'll stand a chance against The Betrayer." I sighed, and walked out of the room without another word.

"…Darius…" Verdel whispered softly and sadly, watching me go.