Unbroken Promises

Silence hung over their group as they walked across the desolate wasteland. Each of them was lost in their own thoughts. Only the whistling of the wind passing through the jagged hills filled the void, guiding them forward. Until, at last, they reached the edge of the island, and their silence came finally to an end.

"Look, over there," Alphinaud said and pointed towards a confluence of wind, forming a vortex that swirled in place. He turned around to face them. "It must be a sign of Estinien. We should ride its flow, and see where it leads us."

But just as he said those words, his shoulders began to slump and his eyes, having long since dried, lowered to the ground. S'eni took a step forward and gently touched his arm. "I'll go ahead. See if it's safe."

She gave his arm a comforting squeeze and walked towards the vortex. As soon as she stepped into it, her body began to rise and got carried by its flow towards the next island further up. When she landed, S'eni gave the area a quick sweep for any potential danger, then waved down towards the rest to signal for them to follow.

One by one, they landed on this new island, with Alphinaud being the last to arrive. With a far-away look in his eyes, he walked over to the edge and stared down at the rocky area. S'eni turned towards the others.

"Let's give him a moment," she said in a low voice before walking over to him.

She didn't speak, choosing to instead wait for him to do so, but nevertheless offered him silent comfort. A few minutes passed like this until Alphinaud exhaled deeply and said, "We have managed another step forward..."

"We have."

"And it is all thanks to Estinien's resolve. It was strong enough to defy the dragons' hopelessness. They still remain trapped within this prison of their own making, lamenting the horrors of war, yet Estinien knew those better than anyone. His honor as a warrior always made him fight for what he believed was right, and he still does..."

"Yes...Estinien hasn't given up yet," Alisaie said as she joined them, casting her gaze out into the distance, then landing on her brother. She offered him a little smile. "And neither has Thancred. Even now, with the dynamis having devolved their physical form, they continued to fight. For us."

"Alisaie..." Alphinaud slowly began to mirror his sister's expression. "Yes. You are right, of course."

"Our fight is not over yet either," Y'shtola said. "Let us press on. Together with Thancred and Estinien..."

"Indeed. So let us see where the winds have carried us." The young Elezen began looking about the immediate area and rubbed his chin. "At the very least this does not appear to be a fragment of the dragon star."

"Yeah." The tip of S'eni's boot dug through the sand under their feet. "Seems like a desert."

"Then whatever lifeform resides here will be vastly different. We should prepare for anything. And tread carefully. One wrong step and we could tumble into the darkness below."

They followed the singular path available to them and, before long, stepped out into the dune-covered expanse. Nothing but sand as far as the eye could see. Of course, being as dark as it was around here even without any fog, it wasn't much. As far as S'eni could tell though, no shades were watching them.

Her eyes landed on Alisaie walking ahead of her, who was trying to find anything in the distance, but had just about as much luck. Frowning, she then stepped closer to Y'shtola. "Hey..."

"If you are concerned about my eyesight, then I can assure you that I still see quite well," the other Miqo'te replied.

"Oh? Then maybe you should go ahead. Clearly you're seeing more than us." They shared a look, then smiled slightly, the tension leaving both of them if only a little bit. "How are you holding up?"

Y'shtola sighed. "I'm managing. As harsh as it may sound, we have little time to grieve for our friends. There will be enough time after all this."

"Hm. I suppose so," she said. A few seconds of silence ticked by before she asked, "...do you think he's right?"

"Who is right?" her lover asked right back, eyes scanning the distance.

"Urianger. He said he believes that Thancred isn't truly lost, and if so, then Estinien too."

Y'shtola looked back towards her, brows furrowed in a way that told S'eni that she too had been thinking about that. Her lips parted. "I—"

"Look, over there!" Alphinaud called out and they both turned their attention towards him. He pointed further ahead, where a faint, violet light was piercing through the darkness. Following it, they eventually reached a lone stone monolith. The glow that had led them here was emanating from crystals embedded into its rough surface.

"Mayhap 'tis a monument of sorts..." Urianger said as he inspected it. Reaching out a hand, he ran his fingers over the glyphs carved into the crystals. "A curious script. Alas, one I am not familiar with."

"I do not recognize it either," Y'shtola said, gently tapping her knuckles against her cheek.

"Nor do I. But I agree with Urianger," G'raha said. "And more importantly, it means that whatever culture inhabits this place is one that has mastered the written word."

Urianger stepped away from the monolith to look at S'eni. "Meteion claimed the dragons' world suffered a slow death, seeking the release of oblivion, correct?"

She nodded.

"Then what life we find here, like as not, doth wend its way towards a similar end."

Of course, she thought, her face darkening as she placed a hand on the back of her hip. "Going to have to find them first, though."

"Then I might have just done so," Alisaie said suddenly and pointed far into the distance. "Looks...like a tower perhaps? Definitely not a rock."

Stepping up to his sister, Alphinaud looked out into the darkness. "Yes, now that you are saying it...it is hard to make out, but it seems to bear the same crystal as this monument."

"Well what are we waiting for then?" the young woman turned towards them and nodded in the direction of this supposed tower. "Let's go check it out!"

It took a little bit, mainly due to the dunes they had to scale, but soon enough they reached this 'tower' that Alisaie had spied. Though that description only scratched the surface of what they found. Glyphs were not only adorning the nearby rock formations but also covered the very ground in large, circular patterns that vaguely reminded S'eni of leylines.

A ritual place perhaps? She wondered and looked at the violet crystal that hung from an 'arc' carved into the rock. Maybe for a summoning...?

But whatever speculation she had about this place went right overboard when they rounded a large platform and found something standing there. A figure of sorts, round in shape and covered in a white cloak. Above what she assumed was its head floated a white glowing halo.

It must have noticed them, as it slowly began to turn around, revealing nothing but amorphous darkness underneath the cloak, moving like a thick liquid. A pair of large, yellow glowing eyes peered at them from within. The being blinked and a voice filled the silence, but it didn't truly sound spoken and was quite distorted.

"Oh? Are these travelers standing before me?" they wondered. "What a most unexpected occurrence. Only rarely do individuals stumble into this corner of the universe. What brings you here?"

Eyes wide, Alisaie looked at the rest of them before replying, "Um...h-hello there. Does that mean you are an inhabitant of this place?"

"Indeed I am. Ah, my apologies. I would have a more suitable self-introduction ready if I was familiar with your kind...but allow me to try." The being began to twist and part of their amorphous body, eyes included, separated from the rest and rose into the air. It remained there for a couple of seconds until it rejoined the rest again. "There was once a time when our kind still relied on primitive vocal folds to convey our thoughts. In those days we called ourselves 'Ea'. Though it has very little to do with us in our current state. But dwelling on that would only overcomplicate the introductory process. Every Ea also possesses a nomenclature to help in the separation of the individual. You may call me Coph-coodg. Coph...coodg...yes that is my name. It has been since I had to recall it. Does that suffice as explanation for my presence?"

Mouth agape, S'eni slowly turned her head towards Y'shtola, only to be met by the very same expression on her lover's face. "Incredible...never before have I seen beings able to communicate completely without a voice. Some that make use of telepathy and hand gestures, yes, but never wholly so," Y'shtola said. "Perhaps these people have discovered a way to use aether that is entirely unknown to us? It could also have something to do with dynamis..."

"May I take from your assessment that you understood my explanation?" Coph-coodg asked. "Then I would like to ask you a few questions in turn. You are aware of the existence of aether, so it stands to reason that you too are aether-based lifeforms. Therefore, it can be surmised that your bodies are of similar makeup as those once possessed by us. Including your five senses—sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell. I would like to know all about them."

She shared another look with Y'shtola, her shoulders rising into a little shrug. "I suppose that's only fair."

"Oh, splendid! Do not worry, I have only one hundred forty-two billion questions. An amount that you should be able to answer within your lifespan, yes?"

That was not the amount she expected. And neither did the others if their collective reaction was anything to go by.

"That is—" G'raha cleared his throat. "—excuse me, did I just hear correctly? You said the Ea once possessed bodies like ours?"

"Quite right. We were once flesh and blood. We exchanged our physical bodies for these purely aetheric forms. What seemed desirable at the time, we ultimately strived to undo. But none of the still existing Ea is able to recall what it feels like to be mortal," Coph-coodg explained. "Without those memories, we are unable to create new vessels with the necessary nervous system that would ensure the correct transfer of sensations like touch."

"I believe I understand. But why the sudden change of heart?" G'raha asked.

"Is that not obvious?" the Ea blinked. "To bring an end to our existence, of course."

Of course, S'eni echoed their words within her mind and narrowed her eyes. With how enthusiastically they appeared about their arrival, it was easy to forget that the memories of the Ea were here for a reason.

"Naturally, it would be simple to end our existence by purging our aether, but such a death seems...inadequate. The nostalgics, of traditionalists if you will, among our kind would rather pass away within a body that grants our lifetime an unrevokable end. We seek the sense of finality that only mortality can give. And what you see here is the place where we tried to regain it...and ultimately failed."

Silvery-white eyes sought out hers and they both nodded. Y'shtola then said, "Before we come to your questions, we would like to learn more about your people. In exchange we shall answer you to the best of our abilities."

Coph-coodg's 'head' separated from their body once more, floating in mid-air in what she assumed was the Ea's way of mulling something over. "Hmm. An exchange of information might indeed prove mutually beneficial. Very well—"

Their head snapped back into place.

"—not far from here reside the Ea who seek to die a natural death. Our domicile if you will. I hereby invite you to join us there..." a hand with three long fingers emerged underneath the cloak and moved in a welcoming flourish. "If you would follow me. And do be mindful of the Ea wandering the desert. Their desire for bodies of flesh has eroded their minds."

With that, the Ea turned around and began to leave.

"That turned out to be surprisingly simple," Alisaie said as they began to follow.

"Even so, we mustn't forget that all life here has, in reality, long since ceased to exist." Y'shtola frowned. "What I fail to understand is why a civilization so seemingly advanced would choose oblivion."

"Why indeed..." S'eni said and let her gaze come to rest upon their guide.

She supposed they would know soon enough.

It really shouldn't have surprised her that the domicile of a people that long since abandoned physical bodies would be quite different from what they were used to. And yet she still couldn't help but feel amazed as she walked between the rows of curved rocks from which round crystals were hanging like glowing fruits, each holding a sleeping Ea according to Coph-coodg. As it turned out, most of them spent their time in an idle state and only emerged once in a while if a particular inspiration struck them. And to rouse them, one but needed to cast their thoughts out towards the crystal and the Ea dwelling within would respond.

So was this what the Ea's final days had been like? She thought, looking at one of the crystals. Was this the sight that greeted one of your sisters, Meteion?

S'eni shook her head. It didn't really matter. Stepping up to one of the crystalline abodes, she began to reach out with her thoughts, focusing on the one question that was on all of their minds: why do the Ea seek an end to their existence?

A few moments passed until a drowsy voice began to reply, "Hngh, why, you ask? Very well, I will explain...as soon as I can remember...what form I need to take."

She cocked an eyebrow, but nevertheless left. She might as well look if she could contact more of them. Sadly, her search was less than fruitful, as the next two crystals she picked only offered dead silence and a couple of moans respectively, something that Alisaie noted to have experienced as well when she passed by her. Eventually though, she encountered another one willing to talk and, after deciding she most likely would have much more success, decided to head back to Coph-coodg.

"Well, have the others agreed to satisfy your mortal curiosity?" they asked.

"Two of them did. The others I tried either didn't respond or couldn't," she replied.

"Yes, I expected as much. Many Ea lose their identity during their dormant state. Their minds are little else than a mass of aether harboring the fragments of a soul." They raised a hand at the look of shock forming on her face. "But there is no need to worry about the loss. Those who agreed to talk with you shall surely arrive soon!"

A part of her wanted to immediately ask how they could be so indifferent about this whole thing, but she knew that it would do very little. They wished for oblivion after all. The sound of approaching footsteps told her that the others were coming back and she turned around. "How did it go on your end?"

"None of the Ea answered my calls, but the others had more success in waking some of them up," Alisiae replied.

"Ah, and there they come already," Coph-coodg said and looked towards a group of three Ea joining them. "These are Lah-laakh, Dew-deekh and Neh-neeg."

All three raised their hands in greeting, followed by one turning to Coph-coodg. "It has been quite some time since we last met like this. Am I wrong or has Sadr IV completed an orbit in the meantime?"

"It appears so. If not for these travelers, I would have scarcely noticed the unravelling of some of the others," Coph-coodg said.

"Travelers...?" one of the other ones looked at S'eni and the rest, eyes narrowing slightly as if trying to recognize something. "Ah yes, those who wish to know why we seek to regain our corporeal forms."

"An answer plainer than the distant galaxies, one might think." Coph-coodg sounded slightly amused. "But it appears my account was not enough for a satisfying exchange of thoughts, so I asked them to wake you."

"Am I the only one struggling to tell them apart?" G'raha asked.

"Ah, good. I was afraid I was the only one," S'eni commented. How in the blazes could the Ea tell each other apart?

"Same as I. 'Twould appear in shedding their corporeal forms, they lost part of their individuality..." Urianger said as they followed the avid back and forth between the four Ea. Something about proper customs for visitors and how they had apparently forgotten exactly what those customs were. It was almost a bit funny in a sort of scatterbrained kind of way.

Before this entire conversation could become overly long though, one of them, Lah-laakh she guessed from pure process of elimination, finally seemed to remember. "Ah, of course. The custom is to serve food. Beings of flesh such as they must regularly replenish their aether. By contributing to their replenishment, we communicate our friendly intentions."

"That's right! That's right!" they all exclaimed in unison and Coph-coodg turned their attention back to their group. "Travelers, if your customs permit, we would invite you to feast with us. Afterwards, we may engage in leisurely conversation."

"If we have a chance to learn more about these people, then I see no reason to decline," Alphinaud said.

"Excellent. If you would please follow us. Rest assured, you will be served only the purest of aether."

As they followed the four Ea, S'eni noticed that more of them had emerged from their crystals and things seemed almost a little lively now. Unlike with the dragons before, their appearance here had stirred the locals' curiosity, if nothing else. And a morbid one at that, given their desire for physical bodies stemmed from the wish to die.

They soon arrived in a sort of plaza, marked by the same glyph-covered crystals embedded into the ground in another carefully laid out pattern. A sizable amount of Ea had gathered here, simply standing about gazing upwards. Was this how they 'ate'?

"This is where we replenish our aether reserves. It may not have a special name, but the nostalgics among ourselves like to refer to it as a 'restaurant'," Coph-coodg explained. "You just need to stand over there. In but a few moments this area will be awash with aether. Please absorb as much as you like."

They did as they were told and simply waited. And waited. But nothing happened.

"Yes, I thought as much," Y'shtola said after a few more moments and stepped up to S'eni. "As convincing as it may be, this is still Ultima Thule, not the star of the Ea. No aether can be generated here. As recreations, they are oblivious to that fact, not unlike the phantoms we encountered in Amaurot."

"Yes, it's frightening how life-like they are." S'eni frowned and put a hand on the back of her hip. "Meteion really outdid herself in creating this place."

"Which is all the more reason we need to remain cautious..."

"So, did you enjoy your aether?" Coph-coodg asked as they and their fellows approached them.

"I'm afraid we couldn't absorb it," Y'shtola replied. "It must be a deficiency in our bodies."

"How unfortunate...may I ask how you normally replenish your aether?"

"We consume food and drinks with the help of our mouth," S'eni explained and made a motion as if biting into an apple. The Ea were downright shocked at this revelation.

"Your mouths?!" The one she believed was Dew-deekh exclaimed. "How delightfully primitive!"

"Does it not also serve to expel sound and draw in oxygen?" Neh-neeg asked, clearly fascinated by this. "Life-forms with such an inefficient metabolism have long since vanished from our system!"

"Though we regrettably could not partake of your magnificent feast, rest assured we feel your welcome most keenly," Urianger then said in an attempt to steer the conversation towards the topic at hand. "In the course of acquainting ourselves with your sophisticated ways, however, we not fail but wonder: wherefore do you wish to obtain vessels of flesh, and thence to vanish? Will you not favor us with an explanation?"

"There it is again, that mortal curiosity. This almost charming straightforwardness...But who can blame you? We will try to explain it to you," Coph-coodg said. "In the beginning, when our ancestors still possessed corporeal bodies, the pursuit of knowledge and the advancement of technology was the center of our civilization. Driven by the belief that we could eliminate misery and abide in true happiness, we sought to transcend all limitations of our existence."

"And there were many such limitations," Lah-laakh continued. "From the tangible, such as land and resources, to the intangible such as labor. But the most confining of all was the flesh itself. Our natural lifespan was distressingly middling, you see. Too short to enjoy unhurried lives, yet too long to be considered disposable. Furthermore, to simply maintain the integrity of our bodies demanded considerable resources."

Neh-neeg raised a hand. "But after long years, we discovered how to become noncorporeal entities with everlasting lives, untroubled by the failures of the flesh."

"And with the infinite time we had achieved, we had the freedom to pursue all those scientific secrets our lives would have us otherwise denied. We went on to make ever greater strides in our quest, until we finally decided to challenge the last of them all: the limit of knowledge," Dew-deekh said.

"The limit of knowledge?" S'eni repeated after them, tilting her head.

"We wished to decipher the laws of creation," Coph-coodg replied and a gasp escaped her. Unperturbed by her reaction, they continued. "We sought to discover how the universe came into being and explain all extant phenomena, and, with that knowledge, predict the future. We believed we could be free of fear and uncertainty if we achieved this."

"...And did you achieve your goal?" Y'shtola asked after a brief silence, her eyes narrowing.

"Indeed we have. We unveiled the most fundamental truth of all."

"Knowledge of said truth is essential for the continuation of our conversation. If you truly wish to know, we will share it with you," Lah-laakh said, but Dew-deekh immediately interjected.

"No, we mustn't! As primitive as they might be, it would still be unspeakably cruel to do so!"

"But Dew-deekh, is it not our duty as those who have gone before to spare them the cruelty of our chosen path?" Neh-neeg asked and the four Ea once again began to discuss among themselves.

S'eni watched this with furrowed brows. A truth so fundamental that it was necessary to understand why they wished to have their bodies back, but too cruel to reveal it to them. Just what could it be?

"What thinkest thou...?" Urianger's voice pierced through her thoughts, but when she glanced over her shoulder to look at him, he had his eyes to the ground, an expression of deep contemplation on his face.

"We have deliberated and come to a consensus," Coph-coodg suddenly announced, drawing her attention away from her friend and towards them instead. "If you truly wish to hear the truth of the universe we will reveal it to you. We will wait for you at Elegeia, a place outside our domicile, where the graves of our ancestors stand."

With those words, the four Ea left them to think. Hands going to her hips, S'eni tapped her foot a few times, before looking over to Y'shtola. Her lover's eyes were still narrowed and silent frustration radiated from her. Master Matoya and her had dedicated their lives to the uncovering of the truth; to unveil all the secrets that their star held. To now see those who claimed to have unveiled the very truth of the universe, only to ultimately throw it all away with their death, must be frustrating indeed. But she could also see the desire reflected in her silvery-white gaze. The desire to know what it was the Ea uncovered.

Reaching out, she placed a hand on the other Miqo'te's shoulder. "Shtola, are you alright?"

"The most fundamental truth of all..." Y'shtola said and exhaled deeply. "Very well, let us follow them and learn what made such an enlightened people stray from their path towards such an indolent end."

"Ere we join the Ea, I would ask for thy patience. There is a matter I would fain investigate," Urianger spoke up. "It will take but a moment. S'eni, G'raha Tia—might I trouble you for your assistance?"

"Just S'eni and I...?" G'raha blinked and sent her a glance. "Well...of course."

"My thanks. We shall head outside the abode, if you would kindly follow me."

Y'shtola crossed her arms. "I don't know what you are plotting again...but I trust you, Urianger. In the meantime, we shall head to Elegeia. And don't worry, we won't start without you."

Urianger offered Y'shtola a deep bow, before turning around and walking away, G'raha close on his heels. S'eni for her part frowned and looked at Y'shtola. She received a small smile in return.

"Don't worry, we'll manage here. So go on and assist Urianger in whatever he wishes to uncover."

"Alright..." she said and began to follow the two of them. She did not see that, as soon as she had turned, Y'shtola's expression darkened and her right hand curled into a tight fist.

They left the domicile and headed out into the desert, traveling across the dunes while being ever mindful of those Ea that had lost their minds to the desire of having corporeal bodies. As the distance to the domicile grew, S'eni found herself wondering what exactly it was that Urianger wished to investigate out here. Eventually, they found a spring and he stopped.

"Aye, this place shall serve," he said.

"Was it this spring you wished to investigate?" G'raha asked and looked around.

"Nay." Urianger shook his head. "Pray forgive me...but there is naught to investigate. 'Twas but a pretense to speak in private."

G'raha and her exchanged a look. "You have our undivided attention."

"As we have established, here in Ultima Thule, those denizens of ruined stars are recreated in their twilight days. Yet one question doth arise in my mind. So faithfully formed are the simulacra, they believe themselves yet amongst the living. How dost thou suppose this is possible?"

"If I had to guess, I'd say Meteion has absorbed their hearts," she said. G'raha nodded.

"I agree. If she can take the emotions of others as her own, then it would certainly explain that she could replicate them so faithfully," he said. "And that, in turn, must mean she has encountered the originals during a time when they were still alive."

"So too did I theorize and, upon that assumption, consider how those two races may have met their demise," Urianger said and met her gaze. "According to thine own tale, Meteion perceiveth the emotions of those nearby as her own. A heightened sense of empathy intrinsic to her nature as an entelechy. In the course of her star-faring journey, if she encountered beings who strongly desired a cessation of their existence..."

"She would be powerless in the face of that desire," G'raha finished.

"Powerless, while likewise in possession of the power to grant it."

"Dynamis," S'eni said.

"Indeed. 'Tis my supposition that, overwhelmed by their longing for death, Meteion did unleash dynamis and ushered the dragons and the Ea unto their doom. Of course, such was not always the outcome; full many stars did she find already lost to ruin. Therefore, should you struggle to find the way forward, pray ask yourselves this: in the place where you stand, whose is the soul that yearneth most desperately for oblivion?"

G'raha averted his eyes. "...why do you tell us this now?"

"Ne'er again would I betray your trust. This pledge I did make to my comrades. In bringing thee into my confidence, I would remain true to my word." Urianger offered her a smile, but she found herself unable to return it in kind when the realization of where this was going began to slowly creep into her mind. He turned it towards G'raha. "As for thee... Let us consider it my fitting reward for the secrets I harbored for the Crystal Exarch. I once placed my faith in thy chosen path, walking at thy side full knowing that we were bound for thy demise. I ask now that thou returnest the favor, and abide in faith as I fulfill mine own destiny."

G'raha closed his eyes and released a shaky breath. "As if I had any right to refuse..."

"Urianger..." she took a step closer to him. "Is this really what you want?"

"Tis indelicate of me, I know full well, and I can but beg thy forgiveness. Yet even if I must needs go to such lengths, I cannot well feign ignorance of the answer I have found within...The answer to the question: in what moment might I stand strongest?"

"Then...I won't stand in your way," S'eni said and looked away, biting her tongue to keep herself from saying anything more. Never before had her words tasted so bitter...

"Do what you must..." G'raha said, his voice firm now. "Do what you must, and see your conviction through."

"I shall, my friend. I shall." Urianger exhaled deeply. Everything that needed to be said had been said. "Come, let us join the others and hear the Ea's tale."

Heading back in silence, they found Y'shtola and the others at the place called Elegaia. Monoliths not unlike the one they had encountered in the desert were scattered around the area. The graves of their ancestors, according to Coph-coodg. They seemed to be talking about something with the Ea, but stopped when they noticed their arrival.

"Everyone is here," Y'shtola said and turned towards their hosts. "Very well, will you now tell us about this truth you uncovered?"

"As you wish. But to get one thing out of the way first: the goal of this conversation is not to convey to you a scientific explanation as it would be impossible for you to understand them," Coph-coodg said. "Which means that instead of reconstructing the underlying thesis and theoretical reasoning in minute detail, we shall rather focus on the conclusions to which we came and the resulting consequences for our species."

"In the past, our findings plunged Deneb III into mass hysteria. It would be quite...undesirable to see your star fall victim to the same phenomenon," Lah-laakh explained. "So we would ask you to please understand if we keep the details of that time a secret."

"It is up to you how you share your knowledge with us, and which details you divulge," Y'shtola said. "Please, continue."

Coph-coodg nodded. "Long ago, our universe was but a miniscule dot. Until at a particular moment, it began to rapidly expand. A species like yours, confined to the surface of a singular star, will never know the true scale of its size."

"But we realized to which this still continuing expansion would inevitably lead to," Lah-laakh said. "The further the distance between the stars grows, the colder the universe becomes. And when their light is at last extinguished, so too will life cease to exist. Nothing but cold darkness will remain. That is the unavoidable end towards which all of existence is headed."

The unavoidable end... S'eni thought, visibly disturbed by what she heard.

"While verifying the truth of this theory, our greatest scientific minds sought to find ways to avoid this fate. To no avail. The conclusions to which they arrived were so sobering, that the name of the project became synonymous with futility. It became clear to us that the end of the universe could not be stopped," Coph-coodg said.

"The consequences were catastrophic. Our creativity and thirst for knowledge came to a stop, and all efforts seemed pointless," Lah-laakh explained. "All knowledge that our civilization had endeavored to collect over the ages...would become nothing but dust. Not even beings, who could lament this loss, no scholars to uncover our legacy, would remain. That is the unavoidable, sombering consequence of the end of the universe."

"And so it was that, from one moment to another, we were nothing but conceited fools. Our knowledge, the source of our pride, became nothing but a monument of insignificance. The eternal life we had acquired became scorned and our people turned their backs on existence." Coph-coodg looked towards the monoliths behind them. "These bear the names of those who preferred the purging of their aether over a senseless life. And yet, many thought that even this gesture was pointless."

"I, too, long for the end. That is why I wish to regain my corporeal form. So that I may find salvation in death," Lah-laakh said and their fellows nodded.

"You are free to make your own decisions, but we can only advise you not to waste your time with the senseless pursuit of knowledge," Coph-coodg told them. "Ignorance is bliss. Only life in its base form promises a modicum of happiness."

The conclusion of their tale was met by deafening silence. So that was the source of their despair. The inevitability of the end of all existence.

Next to her, Y'shtola sighed. "A tragic tale, indeed...but I cannot heed your advice. Because there exists no absolute truth. It will always be open to interpretations and doubts."

"You believe our conclusions about the end of the universe are false?" Coph-coodg asked.

"You said it yourself. It would be impossible for me to understand your scientific ways. I can neither confirm, nor deny, your theory. And in the time that was given to me, I very much doubt I ever could. But one thing is certain: I will never believe that ignorance is bliss."

Y'shtola stepped forward.

S'eni's eyes widened when she realized what Y'shtola was about to do. "Shtola, no! Wai—" she was stopped by a pair of arms wrapping around her. "Urianger?! No! Let go of me! Shtola!"

But he didn't budge even as she tried to free herself, his grip as iron as it had never once been before. And despite her cries, Y'shtola did not stop.

"True knowledge is not gained by studying the wisdom of old. No, one has to acquire it themself. That is the path that I have ever followed, and it has shaped me into who I am today. It's feelings like love and joy, but also sadness and anger, that urged me on all my life." Y'shtola scoffed. "The universe will end? All is pointless? As if that could stop me from enjoying life! I will continue to explore the world with my own eyes. Your conclusions cannot stop my curiosity!"

"Words of a truly primitive existence," Coph-coodg said and black mist began to seep out of their body. "I suspected it would come to this and stand corrected: the truth is too complicated for your simple minds."

"It seems we must teach you where the path of knowledge ultimately leads to. You will soon learn that hopelessness is the only truth in the universe!" Lah-laakh exclaimed. One by one, their bodies became dark, twisting shadows that coalesced together into a tiny, black mass which then formed into a bird, before exploding outward into a storm that surrounded Y'shtola.

"SHTOLA!" she shouted.

"Eni, you must listen to me now," Y'shtola said, her tone perfectly calm. "My body will disintegrate and open a path for you. But there might be a way to reverse it. Azem's crystal, together with Hydaelyn's blessing, might be able to bring us back should our souls persist. But that cannot be allowed to happen. Every path we opened would disappear and our sacrifices would've been in vain. We were all ready to lay down our lives to save Etheirys. So walk on, ever forward, until the battle is won. Just like you promised me."

Like a burning hot dagger, those last words plunged deep into her heart, sapping her of her strength. Lowering her head, she bit her lip hard and nodded. "Yes...I did..."

Gods be damned, she did!

The arms that were holding her in place let go of her, and she felt Urianger's hand give her shoulder a comforting squeeze, before he stepped forward into the storm. Towards his destiny. Y'shtola appeared surprised at this sudden turn of events at first, but soon exchanged warm words with him, aimed not only at one another, but also the rest of them.

As the storm's intensity grew, S'eni slammed her eyes shut, not wanting to see this. Only when the sound of her name, softly spoken by Y'shtola, reached her ears did she open them again. Though being almost nothing more than a shadowy silhouette, she could see those beautiful silvery-white orbs managing to find hers through the darkness, and she knew that her lover was smiling. "I love you, Eni. Now and—"

The storm violently imploded, leaving S'eni to stare at the spot Y'shtola and Urianger had just been a second ago. The air left her lungs and she sank to her knees, fingers burying into the sand. Tiny droplets crashed onto the ground around her hands, soaking deep into the dry, grainy earth of this barren wasteland. She was gone...

Y'shtola was gone.

Her mind was racing and she wanted to scream, to rage, but the numbness spreading through her body wouldn't let her. She vaguely registered that something was happening and someone was speaking. Was it Meteion?

She couldn't tell. It was all so faint. So far away.

Nothing...but echoes in the distance.

Dammit, Urianger. Even now you're pulling a fast one! Tsk tsk.