Finding Echo'a

by ArtisticVicu

Named Miqo'te WoL goes through some things. Mostly just my WoL going through the game with liberal use of game dialogue sprinkled in with my own random things. Complete at 47 chapters until Dawntrail 7.1, probably. Predominantly Shadowbringers and Endwalker content but there is some Heavensward. Unless noted otherwise, each chapter is named for the quest it appears in.

43. Chapter 43

Chapter 43
Notes: Titled "Continued" and overlaps the ending of "Endwalker" from G'raha Tia's perspective.

"You or Thancred."

The words trembled, a barely managed struggle that tore at G'raha's heart. In reality, the whole ordeal tore at him but Echo'a picking them out specifically after giving a clear 'no' to choosing spoke greater than Echo'a probably knew.

"Alisaie, do you mind taking my place?" he asked, already moving to stand.

It was clear when all she did was nod and move around her brother that the implication behind Echo'a's words were not lost on the others. Even in such heightened stress, Echo'a was still watching out for them.

Or maybe it was a moment of selfishness.

Urianger, Thancred, and Estinien lingered at the edge of the chaos, the latter two using the wall as a backrest. Only Estinien wasn't watching the proceedings outright. Thancred met his gaze as he approached, eyebrows rising in question as the man stepped away from the wall. "Well? Did the kid decide on who's going with him?"

G'raha shook his head. "Beyond naming you and me, he is ultimately leaving that decision to us."

Thancred crossed his arms with a frown, an unsurprised expression crossing the man's face. The fleeting thought of it having been a moment of selfishness died. Between all present, G'raha and Thancred had seen Echo'a at his worst the most. Yes the others had seen him as the Light had been taking him, yes they saw the aftereffects of the nightmares, but it was always either him or Thancred that Echo'a reached out to. Whether that was because he believed they could weather it better than the others or because he knew that the two of them were the most effective as dealing with him was yet to be seen.

"Well, no surprise there," Thancred said, the words heavy despite the light tone Thancred tried to use. "In the state he's in, I'm surprised he even managed that much." Thancred uncrossed his arms. "You go with him."

G'raha's ears and tail straightened in surprise. "What? Why me?" A faint flush quickly darkened G'raha's cheeks as he adjusted his stance, tail flicking behind him. "I mean- don't get me wrong, I'm happy to go with him, I just-" G'raha shook himself, recentering; for a fleeting moment, all three saw the Crystal Exarch in G'raha's stance as those red eyes met Thancred's again, sure and steady once more. "While I appreciate the vote of confidence, why such a quick response? While I might not know the full extent of your shared history, it is quite apparent that you have worked with his panic frequently enough that he trusts you to calm him down."

Thancred shrugged at that. "Yeah, sure, I can calm him down, but sometimes that's not all he needs." When all he received was a curious head tilt from G'raha, Thancred sighed heavily. Taking a step forward, he dropped a heavy hand on G'raha's shoulder and lowered his voice so that it only carried between the two of them. Urianger and Estinien dutifully looked elsewhere, giving them some semblance of space. "Look, we both know what triggered his panic earlier and because of my little condition, I can't reassure him with aether when he can no longer hear me."

G'raha's ears sank at that. Watching Echo'a's panic suddenly flare when Alphinaud had to trade out with one of Sharlayan's people had been heartbreaking. They should have anticipated the negative impact of losing familiar aether in the midst of trying to talk him back down but it hadn't even occurred to any of them until Echo'a wasn't responding to Thancred's words anymore.

When Thancred had forced him to trade places, he had only caught a glimpse of the emotions Thancred had been tightly binding back into place under the familiar dour expression he always seemed to wear. G'raha could only imagine the bitter emotions Thancred had felt in that moment, of having tried everything and knowing that there was nothing else he could do, that he had to trust others to do better in his stead.

G'raha gingerly touched Thancred's forearm. "I still think you should not have written yourself off so quickly. He trusts you."

A cocky smile tugged at Thancred's lips. "Oh please. We both know that he trusts you even more. Not once have we shared a bedroll." G'raha rolled his eyes in good humor at the deflection. While he had no proof, he was rather certain that was a lie. Echo'a trusted Thancred too much to not seek the man out when his choice of sleeping companions was limited as it often was. Thancred's little smirk fell as he stated seriously, "Besides, even if you usually defer to the other healers in the group to do the healing, you can still use healing magicks. I doubt they'd ever need you to contribute anything but this is Echo'a we're talking about. Nothing is ever simple with that kid."

Thancred had a point there. G'raha looked back towards Echo'a and the others. Alphinaud and Y'shtola were apparently having quite the enticing conversation if Alisaie's curious gaze drifting between them was anything to go by, though it was clear she wasn't being left out when she commented something. Y'shtola raised an eyebrow at the comment, giving Alisaie her attention.

He knew Alphinaud's hand on Echo'a's shoulder was more than a touch of comfort.

And so did Thancred as he patted G'raha's shoulder. "Go take over for Alphinaud. I'll let Fourchenault know of our decision and get them to start moving him out of here."

G'raha turned to say something in response but Thancred was already halfway to Fourchenault who was standing nearly on the other side of the room. No matter what weapon he was given, G'raha was certain Thancred would always be a rogue at heart, disappearing and darting around in the shadows with a gunblade on his back.

"They're moving him, then?" Estinien asked, pushing away from the wall.

G'raha gave him a nod. "Should be a rather simple process." He glanced at Urianger. "It may be best for you both to linger behind while they take him out first. They are only allowing one of us to join him but I am certain that Lord Fourchenault at minimum will make sure you all know where he will be. Not that it will do you any good since no one will be permitted to see him until he has been cleared to have visitors."

"And how long will that take?" Estinien asked, crossing his arms.

Urianger spoke up in G'raha's stead. "The severity of Echo'a's condition will discern the longevity of their operations. Should it be but a bell or the morrow is but speculation. Lest there be complications, by the evening bells wouldst thou best expect to be summoned."

Conversation halted as they were approached by a Sharlayan personnel. G'raha adjusted his stance to face the person properly. He recognized the small differences that marked them as one of the head chirurgeons. The stranger gave a bow, words curt but not unkind, "I am Olivier Praxen, head chirurgeon who will be overseeing the Warrior of Light's operation and recovery." The chirurgeon's expression softened. "I was told that G'raha Tia is to accompany him for as long as we can permit;" Olivier's gaze landed on G'raha, "that is you?" G'raha nodded. "Once we start moving him to Psysis Technon, it is imperative that we do not stop along the way. We are counting on you to keep Echo'a as calm as you can throughout the transfer." The chirurgeon's gaze fell onto Estinien and Urianger. "If you will excuse us; time is of the essence."

G'raha glanced at Urianger and Estinien before quickly following after the chirurgeon. Olivier didn't spare him a glance as he ordered, "Inform your companions that they need to join their fellows."

"Of course." G'raha darted forward as Olivier began organizing the other personnel in the space.

Alisaie's gaze was on him before he had fully approached and it was her question that met him once he was within reach. "Are you going with him, then?"

Amusement tugged a soft smile to his lips. "Thancred thought it best that I be the one to go with. He was rather convincing about it." He spared Y'shtola and Alphinaud a glance each as he shared, "The lead chirurgeon has asked for you three to join the others. They are eager to get him to Psysis Technon."

The three stood with little hesitation; Alisaie lingered in her touch long enough to press a kiss to Echo'a's hair. He didn't respond to the touch. G'raha was certain that was more a blessing than a concern at the moment. The longer Echo'a was oblivious to the world, the better.

Alphinaud touched G'raha's forearm, his expression a mix of calm and worry. "Take care of him for us."

Alisaie was quick to take hold of the same hand, giving G'raha a hard look. It did little to hide her worry. "You don't leave him alone for a moment, you hear?"

He offered the both of them a small smile reminiscent of those he had used as the Crystal Exarch as he tugged his hand from her grip in favor of placing a hand on their opposite shoulders. "To what extent I can, I assure you." He gently nudged them towards the others. "Now hurry off to the others. Best not delay this more than we already are."

Both twins gave Echo'a one final glance before darting off. G'raha felt oddly alone as the Sharlayan personnel started swarming in earnest.

"You take that side there," cut through G'raha's wandering attention as Olivier approached him. There was sympathy on that stoic face now. Olivier spoke again, curt still but softer both in volume and tone. "You should be able to remain at his head until we transfer him to a bed but be quick on your feet and try not to run into our hands."

"Of course."

G'raha was quick to take his position at Echo'a's head, anxious as everyone else to see Echo'a tended to as soon as possible. For a fleeting moment, G'raha had thought Echo'a had finally fallen asleep, but then the other's eyes had fluttered open, unfocused. G'raha dropped into a squat, sliding his fingers into Echo'a's hair as he shifted onto a knee, drawing Echo'a's attention. "They are going to move you now," G'raha explained, hoping that giving the other plenty of information would make the transition from the ship all that much smoother. Something moved along the upper edge of G'raha's line of sight and he looked up in time to watch one of the personnel take hold of Echo'a's wrist and placed it back against his side, holding it there when Echo'a tried to pull away. A keen whine escaped Echo'a and it was fortunate he was already on a knee as G'raha quickly cradled Echo'a's head between both hands while keeping himself calm and still as much as he was holding Echo'a's head still. Blessedly, it drew Echo'a's attention away from the source of his agitation. "It's ok, Echo'a. I am right here," he gently soothed. "I will be the entire time." G'raha glanced at the personnel who had caught Echo'a's wrist and was not surprised to see them still holding it. Consciously or not, Echo'a was still fighting the restraint. "Think you can manage staying still for them?" he asked, returning his gaze to Echo'a.

Echo'a tried to turn his head but G'raha - with as much care as he could - held Echo'a's head in place. Echo'a's entire body went slack before he grumbled out, "Fine," with a bit too much breath.

He took the small bit of relief that came with Echo'a giving in. He curled forward, resting his forehead against Echo'a's. "Thank you," he offered softly, genuine. "It will only be for a moment. Try and bear with it."

When G'raha pulled away, he found Echo'a had closed his eyes. It would be a miracle if Echo'a managed to actually pass out during transit - a miracle that G'raha silently prayed for but did not expect. It would certainly be a mercy Echo'a deserved but if the other miqo'te had not passed out already, the chances of him doing so before being forced under upon their arrival was slim.

Olivier came to stand at the stretcher handle on G'raha's right as G'raha rocked back onto the balls of his feet, his hands slipping free of Echo'a's head. "All ready?" Olivier asked those standing at the other three handles as G'raha let his fingers linger against Echo'a's ear. All three personnel nodded as they met Olivier's gaze and though he had not expected Olivier to check in with him as well, G'raha gave a curt nod as well when their eyes met. Olivier took a knee and took hold of the handle. "And, lift."

It was with an impressively smooth motion that all four bearers rose from kneeling but it wasn't smooth enough as Echo'a's entire body seemed to seize, a choked cry quickly turning into a whimper as the stretcher settled at level.

One of the two maintaining healing magicks called out in alarm, "Doctor Praxen!"

"Hold positions for a moment!" Olivier was quick to order as G'raha darted closer, burying a hand in Echo'a's hair in hopes it would be enough to calm him back down. Another personnel came to the one who had called out in alarm and started adding their own aether as the pair started talking rapidly in hushed voices.

It was as he ran his fingers along one of Echo'a's ears that he noticed Echo'a was holding his breath. G'raha cradled Echo'a's head between his hands again and leaned close, gently coaxing, "Breathe, Echo'a. You can do that much for me, can't you?"

There was a long second before Echo'a deliberately pulled in air. But when the breath only caught again, concern shot through G'raha. Echo'a's body finally released the air in little bursts only for his breathing to remain shallow and quick. "Echo'a?" he asked, rubbing a thumb against Echo'a's cheek in hopes of gaining Echo'a's focus. He silently cursed how much of his worry had laced into Echo'a's name.

Echo'a's head tried to move in between G'raha's hands but G'raha kept it still.

The one that had called out darted away as Olivier turned his attention to G'raha. "He may be starting to experience greater levels of pain. The jostling of the stretcher agitated some of his injuries. Despite our best efforts, the pain may increase as we make our way."

The one that had called out returned with another and the pair took opposite sides, adding their aether.

G'raha straightened his posture. "Understood. I will do what I can."

Olivier gave him a nod before looking to the forward most bearers. "Go ahead."

Unlike the conviction Alisaie held over the matter, G'raha had not been too confident in the manner for which they were to relocate Echo'a. Surely someone would see the transfer. But in a rather surprisingly Sharlayan manner, no one did. The Forum had obviously cleared the pier and higher streets along the only stretch of the journey that was out in the open. The fact that there were back passages to Psysis Technon was far from the surprising part but the fact that he hadn't even known they had existed was. And that the passage allowed for a stretcher - or even a gurney if they had one - to pass through with a body walking comfortably on both sides seemed like a thought out aspect that should have been overlooked somehow.

Psysis Technon itself was quite deserted as well. The few personnel that were darting about were the selfsame G'raha had seen back on the Ragnarok which meant that the Forum had made good on Fourchenault's promise that no one who wasn't supposed to would see Echo'a.

"G'raha Tia, if we could have you step to the side for a moment," Olivier's voice cut into his thoughts and G'raha quickly darted to stand directly behind Olivier out of instinct. With a quick pin of his ears and an apologetic smile, he took a solid step back, giving the chirurgeon space.

Olivier gave him a nod of thanks anyway before focusing on the personnel G'raha had not noticed. They walked a gurney forward under the stretcher and the bearers took care in setting Echo'a down. It was clear it had not been a painless process but Echo'a barely reacted beyond a small noise of pain. Olivier looked to G'raha again. "We need to remove his gear and the stretcher out from under him. This will agitate quite a number of his injuries. If you could-"

"Yes, of course," G'raha was already saying, darting back to stand at Echo'a's head. Even as his hands came to rest at either side of Echo'a's head, Olivier's fingers pressed to G'raha's forearm, regaining his attention.

"If you are forced to keep him calm with aether, the less you give him, the better. We are already seeing signs of having reached the limit of what he can handle and we need the few more minutes we have left if we are to keep him alive."

That didn't bode well. He gave a brisk nod. "Understood."

G'raha wasn't sure if he was grateful or concerned that he hadn't needed to give Echo'a any aether. The poor miqo'te had stopped fighting the small reactions to the pain, vocalizing quite regularly with whimpers and the occasional cry out, but only once did Echo'a truly tense under the whole process. G'raha couldn't even remember what he had muttered to the other but Echo'a had calmed back down without too much fuss. Not that it was by much. It was clear that the pain was getting to him and it was all G'raha could do to keep the sides of Echo'a's face dry as the tears never seemed to stop.

They had allowed him to stay all the way up to the operating room. There had been a personnel waiting by the doors but it had taken Olivier stating that G'raha could not go beyond that point that he realized the personnel was there for him. Sure enough, they led him through some halls to a rather secluded waiting area. The others were already there, half seated, half not, and all of them looked at him as he entered.

"G'raha!" came at him in several different voices and he gave them all a kind smile as he heard the door close behind him.

Alisaie made it to him first despite having been one of the ones sitting. She grabbed at the front of his shirt, her forearms colliding with his torso as she didn't quite stop in time. He took a step back to compensate, taking the blow without a sound as his hands settled on the sides of her shoulders. "How's Echo'a? Do you have any news?" she rushed, as her momentum came to a stop.

G'raha shook his head. "He's nearing the limit of how much healing magicks his body can handle. They've taken him in to one of the operating rooms where their first priority is to get him stable."

"Stable?" she parroted as Alphinaud gently took hold of her arms and pulled her away from G'raha slowly. She went without much fight but G'raha was certain that was more due to her confusion than a conscious willingness.

"How bad is it?" G'raha looked to Thancred and saw that tension had bled back into that feigned relaxed posture. Thancred clarified, "His hip."

He caught Alphinaud tensing out of the corner of his eye. "Bad," G'raha answered. "The one that was filling Olivier in said it was shattered but the extent and why that term was never explained."

A hiss came as Thancred sucked in a breath through his teeth.

"They can fix that without magicks here?" Estinien asked, disbelief edging his words.

G'raha nodded. "I had not recognized his name when we first met but Chirurgeon Praxen is one of the leading surgeons in mundane healing practices who is quite incapable of using any magicks. He relies solely on his team to compensate for that aspect but only in situations where the mundane practices fail, situations like keeping Echo'a stable while in transit. He has quite the number of papers under his name that are being converted into textbooks in hopes of teaching these practices to other nations now that there's less stigma around such things."

Fourchenault's voice joined the conversation. "Not that it would have stopped him and his colleagues." All eyes settled on the Forum members - Montichaigne was with him - as they approached. Fourchenault continued talking, seemingly unbothered. "Their work has been long in the making; Olivier's predecessors may have paved the way for their success but he and his colleagues have found better and easier ways to tend to injuries once thought only magicks could heal or were unhealable outright. Had the Final Days not happened, members of the Forum were prepared to assist in the distribution of their knowledge in an unofficial capacity." Fourchenault met Estinien's gaze. "While we have always maintained that Sharlayan is to remain outside of other nations' conflicts, the sharing of medical knowledge without discrimination was the compromise."

Y'shtola spoke up, gently tucking the knuckle of her first finger against her cheek. "It sounds as if you were one of those spoken members who was ready to help."

"I am."

Estinien was the only one to not show some degree of surprise at that.

Alphinaud took a step forward. "Truly, Father? But…why?"

Fourchenault met his son's gaze, fondness softening the man's otherwise sharp neutral expression. "Olivier and I met just before I entered the Studium during his first year. It was a simple interaction but enough that he remembered it a year later when we were both out on field work with a small team. As well as we prepare for the inevitable, accidents happen and the two of us were separated from the others, injured and without supplies. Olivier took charge of the situation without hesitation, making sure both of our injuries were tended to as to keep my magic focused on keeping us protected. It was not a long separation - barely more than an hour - but he had proven his skill and knowledge in that moment even with his lack of magical aptitude. We had passed that hour talking of his studies and his ambitions for afterwards." Fourchenault's expression tightened. "They were quite the ambitions, ones I had found myself wanting to encourage shortly after hearing them, but by the time we were both out of the Studium, I thought them nothing more than fanciful thinking. As did he, from what he told me afterwards." Fourchenault crossed his arms. "But that was a later conversation. No, the reason I support the distribution of his and his colleagues' texts is because it saved Ameliance's life," Fourchenault's gaze settled on Alphinaud, "and then later Alphinaud's."

"What?" escaped both the twins, though it was Alisaie who was louder in her disbelief. Alphinaud's had been more of an inhale of breath.

Fourchenault nodded. "As excited as we were to see you both come into this world whole and healthy, complications outside of our control happened. Olivier had been one of the two chirurgeon that had made sure both your mother and yourselves lived through the ordeal. You both know the context, I trust." The twins nodded. "As for Alphinaud, it had been when you both were still quite young. I would be surprised if either of you remember any of it." A rather haunted look crossed Fourchenault's face before he deliberately shook his head, clearing his expression. "Another accident, one I should have been able to prevent but did not."

G'raha glanced at Alphinaud, catching at least Estinien and Urianger glancing at the young elezen as he did so. Both twins had nearly identical looks of confusion on their faces but G'raha could make out the suspicion in Alphinaud's. Alphinaud was also gripping his left arm and G'raha wondered if it was unconscious or not as Fourchenault started speaking again.

"You had barely learned how to walk two moons prior when you decided it was a great time to explore what lay beyond the estate's grounds. I had been home on a day of rest and was agitated by some project or such and had thought a walk would be well enough as Ameliance and your sister were both asleep." A teasing glint filled Fourchenault's gaze as he offered as evenly as everything else, "Would certainly keep you from waking them both with your wailing, insisting you be 'let out'."

Alphinaud's cheeks and ears quickly turned red but he did not react even as Y'shtola and Thancred's chuckles surely reached his ears. G'raha at least had the decency to keep his chuckling silent.

Surprisingly, Alisaie didn't react to the teasing either, both twins still intently watching their father.

Fourchenault's expression closed off. "I had not paid you nearly the attention I should have on our walk. We had not gone far down the hill when you had decided that you needed to go back the way we came. As small as you were, the incline was quite the interesting challenge for you and you were certainly entertained with waddling up and down the short stretch that I simply let you wear yourself out with the choice of activity." That haunted look settled over Fourchenault again. "I still cannot recall who it was I was speaking with, however, one moment you were safely waddling up the path at an incredibly slow pace that you were going nowhere fast, and then the next you were out of sight." The breath Fourchenault pulled was necessary for speech but it was clear - at least to G'raha - that it was also an act of steadying himself as well. "I found you had wandered far too close to the edge of the ravine and my inexperience and panic caused me to startle you."

The entire room seemed to hold its breath as the same thought seemed to pass through everyone's mind. Alisaie shifted closer to her brother, her hands finding the crook of his elbow as his grip on his left arm tightened. G'raha was certain there would be no color under those gloves from the force of Alphinaud's grip.

Fourchenault schooled his expression again. "It was a miracle you had survived not only the fall but the few minutes you were in the water for. When we scooped you out of the water near the harbor, you were barely shivering anymore and struggling to breathe." Fourchenault shook his head. "I did what I could but it was far from enough. Blessedly, there were others of more sound of mind present who made sure we made it to Psysis Technon. It was Olivier who met us out front, flanked by two other specialists. They swept us inside and started treating you only for a complication to arise."

Alphinaud's expression flickered. "I was at my limit for healing magicks."

Fourchenault nodded. "The younger the child, the lower the tolerance is, which leads to higher child death rates in the more treacherous regions. You had not been pulled out unscathed. Your left arm was broken in three places and your lungs still held water on top of the hypothermia and the force of the impact bruising a lot of your small body. But Olivier was not deterred. He assured me that he could save you, I simply had to trust in his methods. When he had described them to me, I had initially balked at the idea of subjecting you to such seemingly barbaric treatment but Olivier was insistent and, in the end, won me over. After everything, I could not lose you. Not like that. Not if there was a chance of saving you."

Alphinaud stepped away from his sister, her hands falling from his arm as he got out of reach, and crossed to his father. There was no ceremony behind it and hardly a warning beyond a shared glance before Alphinaud tucked himself into Fourchenault's side. Fourchenault set one arm across Alphinaud's back as he placed his other hand on Alphinaud's head. After a moment, Fourchenault looked up and finished his tale. "Olivier's practices are clean and precise. Where others wailed about possible infections and the stress it would put on Alphinaud's small body, Alphinaud healed without any further complications and made a full recovery. Though he had been quite wary of high places for a long while after that and gained a rather sensible caution to potential dangers, it never seemed to slow him down." Fourchenault's gaze settled on Estinien. "I would not be surprised if Olivier implemented similar practices from when he had tended to Alphinaud's arm as he tends to Echo'a. Though, I do have a word of caution: it will be a long process if the damage is to the extent that one would use the term "shattered" to describe it. Tending to Alphinaud took several bells. I expect it will be quite the wait before we hear anything, good or bad."

Thancred clapped his hands together. "Then we best get settled! I am going to go get some food for anyone who wants something and those that don't because I am absolutely starving and the rest of you might as well be as well."

Y'shtola nodded in agreement. "I will also take my leave for a time. I wish to gather some reading materials to pass the time and inform Tataru and Krile of what has happened should they wish to join us. If there are any requests, be they items from Noumenon or personal effects from the annex, I shall be more than happy to see about filling them."

There was quite the bit of shuffling about as those that had requests made them. G'raha made requests of both Thancred and Y'shtola, though the latter he was certain was an act of futility. There was a buzzing beneath his skin, an agitation from worry that he was not certain he could focus enough through to be able to read anything. Hopefully with Krile present there would at least be enough chatter to distract from the slow march of time.

Fourchenault and Montichaigne left with Y'shtola, Thancred having long since left to get food once he had gathered all the requests. The delay of the Forum members' departure and Y'shtola's had been due to conversation. A lot of it was simply filling the Scions in on what had transpired across the star in their absence - blessedly little thanks to the work Echo'a had done in dealing with the blasphemies before their departure - and how relief efforts were progressing.

With nothing left to do but wait, G'raha set about people watching. With Echo'a behind closed doors, personnel had been allowed to fill the halls of Psysis Technon again and while the waiting room had been void of any other patrons, it took not even five minutes after the Forum members and Y'shtola departing for an older woman to sit in a seat as far from the Scions as was physically possible. She was soon joined by a younger person and the pair chatted quietly as they waited.

Despite leaving at different times, Y'shtola and Thancred returned together nearly a bell later accompanied by Krile and Tataru, all four of them ladened down by either books and belongings or food. Tataru was a right mess with worry but being among the Scions seemed to soothe the worst of it. Krile looked tired but was weathering the worry better, settling in the chair next to G'raha and asking for a retelling of their time away. He told her of what he could but had to rely on the twins for what had happened after his sacrifice.

Krile kept her thoughts about them all sacrificing themselves to herself until they were well and done.

"I am of the same mind as Echo'a," she said, her words sharp as she glowered at all of them. The look was tempered by the exhaustion that seemed to cling to her. "You all are quite too prone for such acts of sacrifice to be such commonplace." Her expression fell far too quickly. "And all of you so quickly. I can't imagine how Echo'a managed to weather through so much loss so quickly. I certainly wouldn't have been able to hold my composure after the first one, let alone all of you leaving him in such a manner."

Alisaie, sitting cross-legged on the floor before them with Alphinaud, shifted her weight forward, her arms remaining straight with her hands on her ankles. She glanced at Alphinaud as she voiced, "I don't think he really understood what was happening. I mean, looking back on it, he had seemed sort of…shell shocked when we had awoken upon arriving in Ultima Thule and I don't think it really left him," her gaze landed on G'raha, "until your sacrifice. When he said that he couldn't do it again."

G'raha's ears fell at the reminder and he dropped his gaze to his hands loosely linked between his knees. He knew Krile's curious gaze was on him but he found it difficult to draw his gaze away from his hands. "It had not been my intention to hurt him as I had in that moment. I had truly thought he had been ok with everything - as ok as any of us could be, what with what we were all doing - so it had not even crossed my mind that he would have taken it the way he had." His fallen ears pinned against his skull as the image of Echo'a's expression flashed through his mind. "I should have chosen my words better. Our parting in the First clearly left a scar I unintentionally reopened."

"I remember Echo'a's agitation upon returning and how he bolted out of there to bring you back," Krile said. Her hand settled on his arm, tentative but there. He covered it with his own, finally lifting his gaze to look at her. "At the time, I had not thought much of it beyond an eagerness to get everyone home, but from the sounds of it, your parting had not been as amicable as it ought to have been?"

"I think it was more of the uncertainty of it all," G'raha explained, though he sounded uncertain about his own thoughts on the matter. "When we parted ways, the body of the Crystal Exarch became crystal before Echo'a's very eyes. Despite having my mind and soul in his hand, I think it only compounded the notion that we had no idea if my mind and soul would succumb to my younger self, merge with it, or overwrite it completely. In that moment, I think Echo'a truly feared he had lost me." G'raha's gaze settled on Alisaie, though his words were intended for Alphinaud as well. "At least, as mere speculation from what you shared of how you found him after the fact."

Alisaie shook her head. "I was so mad at you for making him cry like that but when we bugged him about it later, he had brushed it off as the remnants of your fight with Elidibus."

"G'raha, did you ever ask after what the nightmare had been that first night?" Alphinaud asked nonchalant as he picked up another piece of colorful paper and started folding it; he had a little collection of small paper stars in a myriad of colors before him Alisaie had been sporadically helping with. Surprisingly, Estinien had his own collection on the chair beside him, having sat behind the twins when Alphinaud had been showing his sister how to fold the paper. Alphinaud had been all too happy to include the dragoon in the pastime.

G'raha frowned. "No. I had assumed it had been related to the events on the First but I had not thought it my place to ask after at the time."

Alphinaud nodded in understanding. "I inquired after it the following day when it was just the two of us; Alisaie was still well and asleep and you were with Krile seeing to the Tower. He explained he had dreamt you turned to crystal, though he was unsure of the details of the whole matter, only that you had essentially died in the dream." Alphinaud paused in what he was doing, staring at the half finished star caught between his fingertips. After a moment, he blinked and started working again. "While I did not ask if it was a reflection of what he had felt back on the First, I would be hard pressed to say it was not."

G'raha shook his head, baffled. "But why, though? Why was it so important that my consciousness made it back to the Source?" It dawned on him the moment the words left his lips. "Oh." Estinien huffed in amusement as Alisaie reached out and patted his knee as G'raha buried his face in his hands. "Oh, gods, I am such an idiot."

Krile patted his shoulder. "Yes, yes, we all already knew that, Raha," she said, the words edging on exasperated. He knew it was a tease but he ducked under it anyway, his ears lowering even more as his face burned with embarrassment. "But is it truly so bad to know that your hero saw you as a friend even back when you were all hooded and mysterious?"

"I honestly thought he was just being the kind person he is!" G'raha exclaimed - well, more squeaked but he would deny that even with his dying breath - as he threw his hands out in front of him to gesture at the floor in front of him like it was the problem. "I hadn't thought I had made enough of an impact that he stressed himself out over whether or not I would be able to return to the Source with everyone."

That gained him quite a few flat looks but it was Estinien who asked, "Echo'a, the selfsame miqo'te who barely more than a day ago had hugged the very villain you all had faced on the First with tears on his face and well wishes falling from his tongue. The selfsame miqo'te who took the time to make sure that every nation in need of aid with blasphemies received that aid before we went to the farthest reaches of the universe. The one that fights not because he enjoys it but because he is either forced to or sees it as his duty. That Echo'a?"

Thancred gestured with the spoon he had been idly twirling between his fingers. "Estinien does have a point. Echo'a's quite the bleeding heart when it comes to those he gets to know." Thancred stabbed the spoon in G'raha's general direction. "And you, our dear Exarch, he did not need to know well to sympathize with your plight." The spoon was returned to the slice of cake precariously resting on the arm of his chair. "Though I do think him figuring out who was under that hood of yours only cemented your place in the category of those he cares about along with the rest of us. While I was not there for that particular endeavor where you locked yourself into a tower without a set end date only for the world to pass you by-" there was venom in those words; G'raha just knew it- "I did happen to see some of the aftermath of it. You should ask him how many dreams he woke from that had a locked door in it."

G'raha winced. Yep, those be venom laced daggers in Thancred's words. "It had been the best option at the time." And overall, seeing as who he was now.

"Oh, I'm not arguing that fact. In fact, I think it may have done you some good. I'm just saying that back when you were a little nobody Archon working on the Crystal Tower project, Echo'a had cared enough to be torn over your decision." This time the flat look he gained from Thancred was curbed by sympathy. "It should not surprise you he cares just as deeply for you now, not after everything."

Yet it somehow did.

Blessedly, the conversation moved on from there as did time. Fourchenault returned as night fell, accompanied this time by Ameliance. Their children were happy to have them there so the other Scions got over any personal issues they had with Fourchenault being present and let it be, not that there were many personal issues left after Fourchenault stopped fighting them at every turn and started to support their decisions.

The sun wasn't due to rise for another bell yet but G'raha found that he simply couldn't sleep anymore. It looked as if he was the only one among the Scions to have awoken, though with Estinien and Thancred he was never truly sure, but Fourchenault was awake and standing off some ways from the waiting area speaking with what appeared to be another Forum member. G'raha was certain if he woke either Krile or Y'shtola, one of them would be able to name the Councilor.

G'raha stood up and stretched, working out the sore spots from having slept in such an awkward position. He had half a mind to take a walk but the Councilor was walking away by the time he stepped beyond the boundary between waiting area and hallway so he simply wandered over to Fourchenault, curious. "Is aught amiss?" he asked in a low voice so as not to wake any of those sleeping nearby.

Fourchenault looked to him with a raised eyebrow. "Simply Forum business; one of the Gleaner teams sent an unusual missive but it is being handled without much trouble."

"Hopefully not terribly unusual," G'raha pressed.

Fourchenault shook his head. "A clerical error. Some miscommunication that is easy enough to clean up."

Before G'raha could say anything more, they were interrupted by a familiar voice. "Fourchenault?" The pair of them turned to find Olivier approaching them, dressed down from surgery. "What are you doing here? None of your family is admitted; I just saw all three of them asleep in the chairs I just passed."

"While I am here to some capacity as a member of the Forum, I am here to help support my children as they wait to hear any news about their dear friend. Of which: any news on Echo'a's condition?"

Olivier's expression didn't change but the pause before he nodded didn't bode well. "Yes. Let us wake everyone in case they have any questions."

In less than a minute, Olivier had a rather attentive audience and he gave them all a tired look. "While I wish I could say Echo'a is clear of danger and is set to make a full recovery, I cannot." The entire group balked at that, some vocalizing their disbelief and heartbreak at such words but only managing barely more than a sound before Olivier's hand rose to cut them off, his tired expression only growing more weary. "The surgery itself went well and we only had a few complications that stem from a very serious problem that continues to put him at risk." When they remained quiet, he continued in a solemn voice, "Echo'a's body can no longer receive healing magicks or aether of any kind for the time being. It isn't permanent but one of the side effects of having been overexposed to the levels he was unfortunately subjected to out of necessity, we are starting to see signs of degradation in the body as injuries that had been healed are manifesting again."

Krile's soft, "Oh, no," drew G'raha's attention in among the other voices - it sounded like Estinien hadn't quite understood as Alphinaud was quietly reexplaining it to him and at least Alisaie had voiced a similar reaction as Krile - and he quickly reached down and tucked Krile against his leg, hugging her as best he could with the height difference without kneeling. She leaned into him without another sound, both sets of fingers covering her mouth as she kept her gaze on Olivier.

"Wait," Estinien cut in, drawing G'raha's gaze immediately. The note of worry he had heard on the dragoon's voice was apparent on his face. "How far back does this condition go to recreate injuries?"

Olivier shook his head. "Usually not very far but we have never seen a case this severe in someone with so much raw power. It is just as likely what has manifested at this point will be all that manifests as it is likely he could go back several days if he suffered anything during that time. As I said, he is currently stable and the injuries that have returned have been tended to. We are letting him rest for a few hours under observation with a response team on standby should anything occur. Until we are certain nothing else will manifest, we cannot permit you to see him."

It was not the greatest news but at least it was something. Several of them nodded but it was G'raha who spoke up and said, "Thank you, Chirurgeon Praxen, for the update."

Olivier's gaze settled on him briefly. "My hope is the next one will be with better news. Until then, if you will excuse me."

No one said anything as Olivier walked away and even then, once the chirurgeon was out of sight, it took a long moment before the silence was broken by Alphinaud's voice.

"Estinien." G'raha pulled his gaze away from the hallway and found a confused frown on Alphinaud's face as the young elezen looked up at the dragoon. "Why are you concerned about how far back the degradation reaches?"

Estinien, suddenly the host of everyone's gaze, crossed his arms in discomfort as he looked anywhere but them. "I am not sure it is my place to share as it was not Echo'a who told me of what had occurred."

Y'shtola pointed out, "If it is close enough to warrant our concern, I am sure Echo'a would forgive you for sharing without his permission."

Estinien shook his head. "I am not sure how long ago it had occurred. Aymeric was not specific in his missive about the matter."

Thancred stepped forward from where he was half hidden by Estinien's bulk, a hand finding Estinien's elbow. "Something happened while he was in Ishgard?"

"But he never said anything when he returned," Alisaie protested, though her words lacked any real conviction. "Surely he would have said something. And if not him, it would have shown up in the reports."

"Not this."

Thancred's face darkened. "Why not?"

Urianger placed a hand on Thancred's shoulder, gently encouraging, "Thou best speaketh that which thy holds close to thine breast ere the flames of conflict are fanned out of control. They will but think of worse scenarios if thou dost keep thy council."

Estinien seemed about ready to challenge Urianger's words but Alphinaud took a step closer, his voice soft but carried well among the group. "Please, Estinien. Should this reach far enough back, ought we be prepared for what he may suffer through once more?"

Their eyes met and for a breath G'raha was certain Estinien would refuse once more. Instead, Estinien let out a rough sigh, his expression twisting into something painful before it was schooled into the same stoic expression G'raha had seen in combat a few times now. "Fine. But it would be best if you all sat down. I will not have you all hear this tale while breathing down my neck."

A fair enough compromise in G'raha's opinion and he quickly returned to his chair, Krile right on his heel and hopping back into her own. The space that had settled between the Scions while they waited vanished in that moment. Thancred sat heavily on G'raha's other side while the Leveilleurs sat opposite them. Tataru took the chair on Krile's right while Urianger and Y'shtola dragged a pair of chairs about to close off the walking area between the isle of chairs, facing Estinien. His arms were crossed again but he seemed less likely to leap out the nearest window now.

"This does not leave this space," Estinien warned. He gained no arguments there and sent a final glance about the space. G'raha was certain the dragoon was ready to scare off anyone that was lingering but the only souls present beyond their group in those pre-dawn hours were the personnel passing through the hallway and even that had been scarce. The last personnel G'raha had seen was Olivier and he had been half facing the hallway the entire time. "What I share is second hand information I received from Aymeric so take it as you will but I trust his words to be accurate, especially about this matter. It is…" Estinien's expression tightened, "not something I had ever expected to read about. I have yet to actually confront Echo'a on the matter but that is for another time." The faroff sound of feet crossing the tile floor at the end of the hallway drifted towards them before fading again as Estinien's gaze focused on some in between space. "According to Aymeric's letter, Echo'a nearly became a blasphemy himself-"

If Estinien had anything more to share, it was immediately cut off by several cries of outrage and disbelief, Alisaie and Thancred the loudest of them all. G'raha leapt to his feet but it was only to grab ahold of Thancred's arm and tug hard enough to counter the man's forward momentum. Alisaie was blocked at the waist by both brother and father but, unlike Thancred, had done nothing more than simply jump to her feet.

"Sit back down, Thancred," G'raha ordered, his voice unintentionally falling into the Crystal Exarch cadence he was always so careful to avoid, "and let him finish."

Thancred glared at him - though G'raha wasn't sure what exactly drove the glare - before plopping heavily back into his chair.

Y'shtola spoke up from where she was perched on the edge of her seat. She had been leaning back and now sat ramrod straight. "Estinien, do you perchance have the missive on your person?"

Estinien pulled the letter from the breastplate of his armor and passed it to her. "Aymeric goes on to explain that the change had stopped immediately upon getting Echo'a's attention." Estinien's jaw flexed and G'raha understood it to be rage only after the dragoon added, "The near change had been caused by the cold; once Aymeric became aware of the details behind it, he made conscious effort to make sure Echo'a was as warm for the rest of his stay as was possible."

Every single Scion understood that rage as they knew the significance of the cold being the catalyst for the change. Unfortunately, there were more than simply Scions present.

"If I may ask," Fourchenault spoke up, "you make it sound as if simply being cold caused Echo'a to start changing yet we have no reports of others suffering similarly. It was understood that blasphemies were created by deep-seated despair."

G'raha half expected one of the twins to speak up on the matter but a glance their way proved that neither were in a state to fill their parents in as they were now in one chair huddled against each other. Ameliance had an arm around the pair, looking distraught in the wake of their obvious pain. G'raha met Fourchenault's gaze in turn. "If you will allow me to answer your question with another question." Fourchenault gave him a nod. "What do you know of the event that occurred before the initiative to take the Tower of Babel?"

Fourchenault frowned, though it was more in thought than anything else. "Most likely only what was written in the official and unofficial reports that were sent to Sharlayan on the matter, which most likely does not…" Realization dawned on Fourchenault's face. "The kidnapping."

G'raha nodded.

Fourchenault's frown only deepened. "The official report stated that the Warrior of Light had gone missing while the number of Garlean refugees in Camp Broken Glass were being actively tempered. Upon his return after the chaos had been subdued, he was subsequently tackled by a tempered Garlean soldier that had gone unaccounted for. The unofficial report in turn called it a kidnapping, stating that the Ascian Fandaniel had appeared during the tempering chaos and had taken the Warrior of Light to the Tower of Babel upon which his body was taken over by Zenos viator Galvus and his soul placed into that of a Garlean soldier presumed dead before the transfer." Fourchenault shook his head in disbelief. "The report then stated that Zenos viator Galvus had arrived at Camp Broken Glass galavanting as the Warrior of Light and proceeded to threaten the lives of two Scions who went unnamed." G'raha was rather surprised there was no reaction from Alisaie or Alphinaud at that, though, after everything they had been through since, maybe it didn't have quite the same charge anymore. G'raha's tail flicked in agitation at the reminder. "At this point, Echo'a intervened and was then returned to his own body as whatever had caused the transfer in the first place wore off."

Thancred shifted in his seat, muttering, "That was impressively thorough. Wonder who penned that one."

G'raha hoped it was a rhetorical remark. G'raha leaned his elbows into his knees and spread his hands before him, asking, "Was there any mention of the condition the Garlean soldier's body had been in?"

Fourchenault shook his head. "Not beyond a simple 'poor condition, stiff with death'."

Thancred snorted. "You going to tell them?" he muttered, this time purposefully cantered too low for anyone else to hear.

G'raha's left ear twitched as the only giveaway he had heard anything. "I am assuming either Lucia or Maxima had penned that particular report?" At Fourchenault's confirmation, he went on to explain, "Echo'a does not talk openly about what he had experienced. He had kept his own report of the events as bare bones as he could manage when he relayed it to those of us who knew the finer details already. In fact, it would be after quite some time before any of us gained even a glimpse of just how bad his experience had been." G'raha's ears fell even as he tried to keep his expression neutral. "Without giving too much detail, Echo'a was forced to traverse the distance between the Tower of Babel and Camp Broken Glass in a body that only grew more injured as he neared the edge of the city. Subsequently, he was forced to drag himself through the snow until the cold had numbed the pain enough for him to get up and walk. Doing so, though, caused a tremendous amount of damage to the hands and, unfortunately, all of that trauma carried over when he was returned to his own body. Even now he struggles with cold temperatures, more so if his hands get too cold in the process."

Concern filled Fourchenault's face. "Has he had any trouble with Sharlayan's temperatures?"

"For the most part he's been fine here," Thancred spoke up, sounding a bit too sharp in his nonchalant cadence. "I had to talk him down from one episode but it was nothing compared to what it sounds like happened in Ishgard."

G'raha was rather tempted to ask when exactly that had occurred. Y'shtola spoke up before he could make up his mind on whether to ask or not, returning the letter to Estinien. "Regardless, it may be best to let the chirurgeons know that they should keep him warm and to keep an eye on his hands should the degradation reach that far back. From what Aymeric shared in his missive, Echo'a had injured his hands during the episode in Ishgard after having removed his gloves while they were still outside."

Fourchenault rose from his seat. "I will go let one of the staff members know. If you will excuse me."

Ameliance watched her husband walk away as Y'shtola and Urianger returned the chairs to where they had originally been. Thancred also stood and returned to his original seat.

"I know it is not my place to ask," Ameliance said before her gaze settled on first Estinien and then G'raha, "but who were the two Scions that had been threatened before Echo'a was able to intervene?"

G'raha's ears flattened against his head at the question, his tail curling over his lap as he tried to not outright wince. "Ah, that was…myself and Alisaie, I'm afraid," he said, his gaze inexplicably landing on Alisaie. Alphinaud's arms tightened around his sister. "I had, of course, placed myself between Zenos and her."

He couldn't put to words how he had done so knowing that it would have done little to protect her against someone like Zenos, even if he was in Echo'a's body.

Ameliance seemed to already know the answer, or at least had guessed as much because she barely reacted. She placed a hand on Alisaie's head and gave the twins her attention. "I had wondered when that letter arrived what it was you had so conveniently left out. Surely you are both aware that your mother is not as oblivious to the dangers you constantly find yourselves in as your letters seem to state you believe."

"It hadn't seemed important," was Alisaie's muffled reply from where her face was tucked into Alphinaud's shoulder.

Ameliance gave her an unimpressed look that Alisaie did not see. "Your life is quite important, my dear. And I am sure our dear friend Echo'a would be the first to wholeheartedly agree with such a statement if he was present."

Alisaie lifted her head enough to glare at her mother but making eye contact seemed to break whatever facade she had managed to erect. Her eyes quickly filled with tears and she buried her face into Alphinaud's shoulder again. "He better live or so help me, I'm bringing him back just so that I can give him a good kick in the shin."

That brought a solemn air to the group that remained even when Fourchenault returned.