"I am wondering though why Cid thought it a good idea to have the presumed dead Prince of Sanbreque be his successor in name and position within his little venture after he left Waloed"

"He had his reasons"

"Very well, I may not be able to easily accept it right now, but I do respect his decisions, even after he left Tharmr's service I respected him, I didn't like him, but I respected him all the same"

"In the field I shall be known as Wyvern by the way, whenever in the Hideaway Dion and I will go by our true names, only in the field will we expect to be called by our other names"

"I see, thank you for that kindness since it will be hard enough for me to call someone by Cid's name when I know that it isn't Cid out in the field"

Ultimately Benedikta would become the lead person in gathering intelligence for the resistance within a year because while Gav was good, she had more connections, though Benedikta also deferred to Gav more often then not for certain locations

"Even I couldn't come up with some of that information"

"I've been in those areas most of my time with the Hideaway so I have the contacts that you don't Benedikta, still this past year has certainly taught us much"

"Yes, but there's some new rumors that are beginning to worry me, and they involve Sanbreque Dion"

"I see, then keep an eye on the situation, though...what kind of rumors are they?"

"Someone either helping or hindering the military, and more specifically the Dragoons, which Terrance is in charge of per your instructions right?"

"Yes, I indicated that if anything should happen to me, once he was of age and experience he be given command that I was automatically given as the Dominant of Bahamut, even though I wasn't quite of age yet myself when the plan to fake my death was enacted"

"In any case I'll try and find out more about this mysterious person Dion"

"My thanks"

Jill, Clive and Dion then went to Clive's office and discussed the rumor further thinking that it might be Joshua or perhaps just someone that remembered Dion and wanted to help his people out because some of the hindering that had happened had saved lives

"So...five years from now we head to Nysa Defile and check on things there"

"Yes, that's where we were reunited after thirteen years Jill and I doubt the Ironblood will hold back even with the fact that they no longer have a Dominant in their grasp"

"True, then in five years we'll be there to try and stop them, but for now we have other concerns to deal with"

"Good point"

"When's the meeting in Isolde again?"

"Tomorrow and it's just going to be me per my uncle's request"

"I don't like that for some reason, he never makes that request anymore, and then there's the fact that as far as we're aware Sir Wade isn't part of this meeting either"

"I know guys, I know, but he has his reasons which I know of that you don't, not even you Dion even though my uncle trusts you as Cid"

"Understood"

"By the way what about your contacts that you mentioned after you faked your death Dion?"

"I've been in touch, though it's not easy"

"How did you come by them anyways?"

"As you can probably attest from seeing it with Joshua, being a prince and Dominant isn't an easy burden, my contacts found me one day allowed me to be Dion for a few hours, and through that, over time they gained my trust to the point that I contacted them even after my reported death"

"I'm glad you had that, now then I have to get going if I'm going to meet my uncle on time"

"Clive..."

"Don't worry, I should be back in a few days"

And so Clive leaves to make his rendezvous with Byron, what no one realized was that the reason Clive was meeting with Byron in private was because Byron wanted to celebrate Elwin's birthday with the only family member capable of meeting up in Isolde safely, though he'd had to remind Clive what was so important about that day since Clive hadn't kept track of the time too closely but soon enough Clive was in Isolde and he and Byron were toasting to Elwin

"To my brother, though he may be gone I still remember him on his birthday and anniversary"

"Same uncle, even if you have to remind me of the date due to how busy I am"

"Clive...I've been thinking, it might be time to end what you've been doing"

"Uncle"

Byron held up a hand and spoke up again

"Hear me out before you argue with me, Sir Wade has been doing what he can to keep Rosaria alive in the hearts of the people, but it's been harder and harder to keep the secret about your survival to just the Guardians, and...I miss actually being proud of protecting Isolde, of carrying the Rosfield name like I used to be proud. Wade and I have been talking and we think it's time that Wyvern and Cid take back Rosaria for the people, make it into the vision you wanted to make it for so long, do more for the Bearers then what you have been doing due to circumstances"

"Kupka is also helping now uncle and has been for a year, so I'm surprised you haven't heard anything about that"

"I know about it, but still, expanding it to Rosaria would probably do you some good, and leading the country until your brother can claim the throne might also be a good thing, if only for Rosaria"

"I think I get where you're going now, you're not saying to stop helping Bearers but to do what my father wanted and make Rosaria a safe haven for them, be more open about helping them instead of doing everything in secret"

"Exactly Clive"

"In time uncle, I have to talk to my fellow leader for one thing and for another...we had plans that will still take a few years to come to fruition and if we're more open we'll have to change that, especially since we don't actually have Rosaria under our control"

"True, but you could have it if you wished, Joshua and I spoke and he wants you to take Rosaria back and rule in his name until he can reveal himself as alive to everyone and is also old enough to become Archduke"

"I see, I have to talk to Dion, and...Dion, Joshua and I have to discuss something in person about Kupka and Benedikta that might affect things"

"Oh?"

"You...know the truth about Dion, Joshua and I uncle, but Kupka and Benedikta do not"

"I think I know where you're going here, and that could backfire you know that right?"

"I know, but...I'm thinking it's time they learn the truth, they've been with us for a year now and we trust them"

"I see, I don't agree with you, but this is something only the three, or maybe four of you can decide on because Jill should be involved in the conversation as well Clive, after all it affects her just as much as it affects you three"

"Jill and I already talked about it a while back uncle and we're agreed still, I confirmed in private recently when Dion was out on assignment"

"As long as everyone's agreed I don't have an argument I guess"

Ultimately Kupka and Benedikta would be told the full truth about the time travel and what happened to them in the alternate future

"That future won't happen now, you've changed it to something hopefully better"

"Kupka, now that you know what we've hidden from you, do you wish to back out of the agreement?"

"No, I can see why you wouldn't tell me the truth until now, trust is hard to gain and easy to lose, and I had an even bigger uphill battle then what I thought I had, you were right to wait until now Prince Clive, this time was needed for healing on one end and knowledge of commitment on both"

"He's right Clive, this was time that was needed for all three of us, I'm also still with you in case you're wondering, I wish...I wish Cid was truly here so that I could talk to him about everything but still, this is going to be a better future for us at least, and it's nice to know why we don't remember what you do"

"Who all knows besides the obvious anyways?"

"Sir Wade and my uncle know the truth, as do all of the Undying according to Joshua"

"I can see Joshua trusting Lady Jote since I see them from time to time, but the rest of that secretive order?"

"No choice since he remembered in the middle of a training session"

"Ah"

"Why do you not use Sir Wade and your uncle to free Rosaria since they know the truth?, and while I can understand telling your uncle Sir Wade is a mystery to me still"

"Joshua and I agreed to wait on freeing Rosaria soon after he remembered, we have our reasons Benedikta, I know you can't see them but we have our reasons, Sir Wade and my uncle are doing well to secretly hold Isolde in the meantime"

"Understood, but why are you heading to the Nysa Defile when Jill is already free and you're not part of the Imperial military?"

"We have our reasons Benedikta, reasons that may not seem logical to you but to Jill and I especially are important"

"Oh, your history, closure would be important and then there's the fact that the Iron blood might still go there and cause trouble that you want to avoid, got it"

"Thanks for understanding Benedikta"

"You're welcome, so about four or so years then?"

"Yeah"

Suddenly one of Benedikta and Gav's men came in and whispered something in Benedikta's ear and she spoke up surprised

"Are you sure?"

A nod was all she got but it was all she needed to see and thus she sighed and turned to Dion and Clive

"There's been a rumored sighting of Leviathan"

"What?! I thought that Leviathan..."

"Same after all it's been so long since she's been seen that everyone thinks her Eikon isn't around anymore and she's nearly a myth"

"Exactly and thus we need a confirmed sighting by a Hideaway member to know if it's true or not that Leviathan truly has come back after so long"

Ultimately Leviathan's return would indeed be confirmed by a Hideaway member and one of Dion's contacts as well

"So Leviathan has returned, and yet we can't figure out who the Dominant is because what brief looks we get is always with them in a cloak, like Joshua wears"

"Exactly, we'll try and make contact and hope that they trust us, but it might not happen and even if it does trust will take time"

"Right"

"Still, it's surprising it only took six months to confirm all things considered"

"Maybe...maybe the Dominant wants people to know Leviathan is back, not sure the reason behind that thought, but it might be why we've seen them"

"Perhaps, but we'll only know for sure once we get in contact with them"

"Right"

And so the group started making plans on how to contact and slowly gain the trust of the new Dominant of Leviathan, however about two years before Nysa Defile they learned that the Dominant had been captured by the Ironblood after getting involved in a battle between the Ironblood and Waloed

"Now what?"

"Now, we free them the same day Jill and I were reunited thirteen years after Phoenix Gate, unknowing of the others situation"

"Why not now?"

"The Ironblood will keep them close, at least for a year and a half, that's what they did with me after all and even if that wasn't the case we're not ready to enact the plan, even if there are three Dominants who can participate in the battle at any given time"

"Why aren't we prepared?"

Jill actually sighs at that question

"Do you honestly think we're ready to plan two major assaults at any given time?"

"No, but what other assault are you talking about?"

"My uncle and Joshua have finally convinced me it's time to start retaking Rosaria, and we're going to start with Eastpool"

"Why not Isolde since that's where your uncle lives?"

"Too dangerous and obvious unfortunately, but Eastpool will be a surprise, and after that we'll free either Rosalith or Isolde"

Benedikta and Kupka both were unhappy with the news but they also knew better than to argue with Clive regarding his home

"Very well"

And so the planning to free Eastpool was begun and six months later was executed, but the Hideaway crew received a surprise, the Dominant of Leviathan came to help

"Thanks for the help, but I was told you were captured by the Ironblood"

"Ah...we have much to discuss, and some of it will be confusing and against all knowledge about Eikons and Dominants, then again...two Dominants of Fire is already breaking the known rules but what I have to tell you will shatter them completely. But not yet, once Eastpool is stable I will tell you what you need to know"

It took a month and a half but Eastpool was finally stable enough that the mysterious person would be able to have time to tell them their story

"So to start off what you were told about the Dominant of Leviathan being captured was true, partly, you see there are two Dominants of Leviathan, the one that was captured was my fellow Dominant who can turn into Leviathan like I can"

"Wait, that makes no sense there can't be two people who can have the same Eikon, it's never been done in the past, at least according to history"

"I know but when I awoke and it was confirmed the person who confirmed it told me that because she hadn't been seen in so long Leviathan was too strong for just me to control over my lifetime and thus I needed to seek out my other half and I found them about eight years or so ago"

"How were they captured then?"

"We often separated and they told me that they needed to be where they were when they were captured, unfortunately I don't think they were ready for the Ironblood, either that or it's intentional, I can feel them because we're linked together due to us both being Leviathan's, but I only get a general sense of if they're alive and basic health, we can't communicate over distance if that's what you were hoping for"

"I've noticed you haven't given any specific gender for your fellow Dominant"

"When we came together we agreed that it was for the best that if at all possible, until it was necessary no one was to know if we were male or female, we even made sure that no one knew that there were two Dominants of Leviathan if it could be helped"

"Which until now worked since we always thought that you were one and the same person, but the capture report and then suddenly you turning into Leviathan meant that the secret had to be revealed to us"

"Precisely"

"We'll free your fellow Dominant I promise, but we have a plan for that which means they'll have to remain a prisoner for a little while longer, partly because they won't be used by the Ironblood until the time we plan on freeing them"

Clive tells Elise (they finally find out that the Dominant that they were with was female and went by the name Elise the same day the story was told) about the plan to free her fellow Dominant and while she wasn't happy about the timeline she understood that there hands were tied to a degree

"If we get a chance sooner though I want to go for it"

"Of course and...I have a request myself, my uncle Byron lives in Isolde, I'm hoping that you agree to live with him for the moment because Dion and I have talked and we think that with the freeing of Eastpool it might be time to start separating the Dominants to a degree and since we might try and free Isolde..."

"My being the Dominant of Leviathan will make that task much easier since Isolde is a port city"

"Precisely"

Ultimately the group would decide to free Isolde and then continue towards the plan regarding Nysa Defile on the day that Jill and Clive reunited in the original timeline and then the day finally came

"It's time"

"Yes, and the Ironblood is there like you predicted, though how you knew about this is beyond me"

"In time Elise, you've gained our trust a lot since you revealed yourself at Eastpool, but you're also not at the Hideaway often enough or long enough to determine if you're ready for more information

that what you've already been given, including my annual meeting with my uncle"

"I had to keep both of you from getting alcohol poisoning when that day arrived which surprised me, as did...well your other guest all things considered"

"True, in any case though it's time we head to the Nysa Defile"

"Right"

And so the group heads there and sees the second Dominant of Leviathan in a cloak and surrounded by the Ironblood

"Ready?"

Jill, Elise and Dion nod and at Clives signal they begin attacking the Ironblood, and it was during the fight that the mysterious Dominant lost the hood of their cloak causing Dion, Jill and Clive to all freeze in shock and whisper in unison a name that they heard regularly and yet at the same time hadn't said this name for this particular person in a decade

"Cid?"

"Hey you three, we'll talk later, right now we have bigger problems on our hands"

Cid would semi-prime in order to deal with the fighters quicker and once all the enemies were gone Elise speaks up

"Glad to actually see you okay buddy, I knew you were alive but not quite what state you would be in, I felt you being put into the fetters by the way"

"Sorry about that, so...I have some explaining to do to not only you three but a lot of others too"

"We thought you were dead Cid, why didn't you ever make contact with us if you were alive?"

Cid sighs

"I know I should have made contact, but when I tell you my story I hope you understand just why I never did, but that will happen at the Hideaway, how is everyone by the way?"

"We all still miss you of course, but we're doing okay, oh and we've moved by the way"

"I know, I kept up on that much anyways over the years, but is there anything else I should know?"

"Kupka and Benedikta are part of the Hideaway this time around and they know about the time travel by the way"

"Wait...time travel?"

Suddenly Clive freezes remembering after the fact that Elise hadn't been told the full story

"Right, you now have to be told a lot of information Elise, including why we thought Cid here was dead since you probably didn't know that either"

"Actually he told me that he had friends that believed he was dead from the start"

"I see, then after we catch Cid up we'll give you the full story that you need to know since I slipped and gave you information we weren't going to tell you yet"

And so the group does a brief catch up with Cid and then on the way to Eastpool they tell Elise the whole mess regarding the time travel that had happened

"How come I don't remember then?"

"Two reasons, for one Leviathan wasn't active in the original timeline and thus couldn't have given me the abilities that you can and for another you had to of fought against Ultima which you didn't either because you were unaware of the fight or by choice"

"I see"

"By the way Cid we have a slight problem on our hands, a problem that you created by the way"

"What...oh right that problem, to be honest I didn't think I would be alive to create such a problem you two but you're right that needs resolved and it needs resolved before we get back"

"What problem might that be?"

"Dion, in the field he goes by the name Cid per...well, Cid's request"

"Oh, now I get it, yeah there's confusion right there with the two different Cid's"

"Fortunately I already have the solution, if the plan had gone off like originally intended I was going to tell the two of you that I wanted to work in the field and even had a field name in mind, we'll simply tell the Hideaway, once Cid's survival is revealed, that I'll be going by that field name instead"

"What name did you think up lad? I hope it wasn't one that would be too obvious"

"Shadowlight"

"I can work with that"

"Same, once Cid's survival is revealed you shall be known in the field as Shadowlight"

And so they get back to Eastpool and the first person they see is actually Gav, who doesn't realize that he was about to be reunited with an old friend due to the fact that when they got close enough Cid put up the hood to the cloak that he was wearing

"Hey Wyvern, Cid, Jill, Elise, it looks like you succeeded in your mission"

"We did"

"Hi there, welcome to Eastpool, my name is..."

Cid though would interrupt him

"Gav"

As soon as Gav hear Cid's voice he takes several steps back in obvious shock

"It...it can't be, you died, you died ten years ago, it just can't be you"

Clive immediately intervenes though

"It's him Gav, I don't know how since he has yet to tell me the story but I swear it's really him, I know it Gav"

Gav would quickly calm down at hearing and seeing the censcerity in Clive's voice and eyes and quickly goes to hug Cid who had put the hood down while speaking to Gav

"It's good to see you Cid, though...now we have two new problems that I don't know how you're going to solve"

"My code name is already solved Gav"

"Okay, then we still have one problem"

"I know about Kupka and Benedikta being part of the Hideaway, but I will admit that they need to know about this new development and yet it has to be done carefully so either you or Clive will have to go ahead of us so that they can be warned as much as possible"

"Right"

"But now that we've reached this point, what are we going to do? I mean..."

"I know Dion, I know, we'll figure it out somehow, promise"

"Okay, and Cid, I heard what happened in the original timeline, no doing that this time if it can be helped understood?"

"Clearly Dion, I don't think Clive and Jill would be too happy with me if it happened again"

Suddenly they hear another voice, one that was quite frankly unexpected

"Neither would I, I came too late to save you...and seeing you alive is something that needs explained but in either case what happened originally at Drakes Head will not be allowed to happen this time"

"Joshua, I didn't realize you were coming"

"It's time Clive, this time we take Drakes Head together"

"I see"

"Though first I have a question, since you know the truth do you want to skip Phoenix Gate this time around?"

"No I...I think I still need to go through what I did in the original timeline at Phoenix Gate"

"But why brother?"

"I'll explain that after Cid tells us his story"

"After Kupka, Benedikta and the rest of the Hideaway are informed of my survival and see me"

"Understood Cid"

"I'll go on ahead and warn them about the situation"

"Thanks Jill"

"Wait, what will be the signal that we can come in?"

"Diamond Dust"

"Got it"

And so Jill goes on ahead to the Hideaway to inform everyone about the fact that Cid, the original Cid was actually alive and in Eastpool and the rest of the group waited until they received the prearranged signal

"Come on, that's the signal"

And so the group heads to the Hideaway and after several teary reunions Cid would tell the group his story about what he'd done over the past decade

If you're reading this story after I finish posting it I would recommend reading Cid's story before continuing on to the epilogue because it goes into further detail on how Cid was captured by the Ironblood in the first place