“Forgive me for saying so, but you look rather fine in imperial black and crimson! Definitely your colors!” Cid called down to them as they walked by. They were on their way out to Fogfens when he stopped them from up on the deck of the Enterprise. “Ahh, but now is not the time for jests.” 

Azlyn grimaced, looking down at herself. A frown enveloped upon her facial features.  

Alphinaud leaned over the side. “Let’s review the infiltration plan. Castrum Centri lies just beyond Camp Revenant Toll’s camp. A short while ago, an imperial patrol left to do its rounds.” 

Cid smirked at the recent reports from the freelancing adventurers in Mor Dhona. It was one thing to have sanctuary granted to them, and another for them to actively help them in their pursuit to enter the Castrum. “Alphinaud, myself, Nin-Nin, Koroko and Richiro will create a diversion out here and keep them occupied for as long as we are able. We will then retreat back to the airship. Meanwhile Azlyn’s group will enter the stronghold, posing as the patrol returning from duty.” 

N’thuzu Tia rolled his head slowly from one side to another. “We sneak in with our disguises, and determine where the captives are.” 

Roll smiled. 

Kida tapped the front of her chest. “Y’shtola, Yda, Mjnt, and myself will go through another way—and meet up with everyone on the inside. We’re diversion team 2 in case we need it.” 

Y’shtola chuckled into her hand. “Hopefully it won’t come to that.” 

Yda punched her hands together. “But we’ll be ready for them!”

“Don’t be reckless Azlyn.” The conjurer from the Scions spoke at last. She gave her a knowing smile. “Keep an eye on your cousin Roll.”

“Heh.” Roll nodded.

“Should we prove less distracting than hoped, I’ll contact you via linkpearl. Be ready to make a hasty retreat.” Cid added to them. 

Nin-Nin flipped out his daggers, playing with them between both hands. Azlyn could tell from his lax attitude that he’d take care of it if it came to that. 

Biggs helped Wedge into Maggie, the magitek reaper by tossing him up to the pilot’s seat. They watched as the Lalafellin confidently landed within the seat with a smirk. He operated the panel with ease, as any engineer under Chief Cid Garlond would using magitek. 

“I’ll lead the way with the reaper, you all follow me!” Wedge announced, as he operated Maggie forward. Roll and N’thuzu Tia followed, shortly by Biggs and Azlyn. 

“Be safe you guys. Don’t get hurt being a distraction.” She added.

Before they left Alphinaud shouted out to them, “Don’t do anything suspicious! We don’t want to launch two rescue missions.” They gave the young Sharlayan a thumbs up, and left together in a unit. They had gotten the general mannerisms of how an imperial unit walked together, and emulated them. 

They walked the designated routes that a patrol would do, and after ten minutes to allow the other two parties time to get in place they slowly started to make their way to the stronghold. Hopefully they wouldn’t need to improvise as this plan hinged upon their arrival being successful. If this rescue atttempt failed, then the possibility of finding their comrades would become slim to none. 

As they approached the stronghold, many of the standing officers saluted to them. They timed their salute together, silently gesturing with an arm straight to their chest. Azlyn watched as the imperials waved them through. 

Azlyn kept her thoughts to herself, thinking how lax these imperials were to wave them in. They walked in, letting their reaper run by Wedge first. Then they followed in pairs. Roll tapped her cousin on the elbow when they were fully inside. The atmosphere was relaxed, as they noticed the units weren’t all together and split. 

“Let’s split up in teams of two to three.” 

N’thuzu went with Roll, while Azlyn went with Wedge and Biggs. The trio went off to an imperial soldier working on a magitek vanguard. Azlyn approached, giving the man an imperial salute. 

“Oh!” The imperial soldier dropped what he was doing to give her a salute. “My apologies. I didn’t notice you there, so engrossed was I in my task. You’d be engrossed too had the tribunus commanded you to arrange for the prisoners to be transported.”

“I see. Which prisoners are being moved?” Azlyn kept her voice lowered and straight laced. 

“What prisoners do I speak of? You mean you haven’t heard? Only the infamous ‘Scions of the Seventh Dawn’, captured by the tribunus herself! If you don’t believe me, have a look in the storage tower when next you pass that way.” 

He pointed to the storage tower in question. 

Azlyn gave him a salute. “I will.”

He looked to Wedge driving the Magitek reaper. “You can take your reaper and park it by the  wall over there.” 

Not wanting to raise suspicions, Wedge and Biggs went to do as suggested. She was by herself now, as she tried to see if there were any others she could talk to. She watched Roll and N’thuzu Tia were in the background, giving an imperial salute together to a man standing by himself. They appeared to be talking. 

Seeing them doing fine, she moved on to another person. There was a guard lounging under the shade of the tree. She gave an imperial salute. 

The soldier stood up, giving her an apathetic salute back. It appeared his attention was elsewhere—more specifically to the direction the first soldier had pointed to the tower. She soon learned why. 

“Greetings, comrade. Forgive me for asking, but you haven’t visited the storage tower recently, have you? I only ask because I dropped something in there, and—um—Oh, who am I fooling?” The soldier sighed heavily. “I’ve fallen for one of the prisoners, alright?! I dare say you know the one I mean.” 

Azlyn immediately thought of Minfillia. “The blonde one?” 

“What! The Svelte blonde? Goodness no!” He clasped his hands together, in a slight swoon. “It’s the Lalafellin lass I’m smitten with! She’s so adorable, it hurts! I want to sweep her up into my arms and squeeze her till my arms ache!” 

The imperial continued talking about Tataru’s likeliness, and she frowned.

“You know they’re being transported today.” She hoped it would stop him in his tracks. 

“Ah! Oh no!” He griped in horror, dropping back to the ground. “Not my adorable Lalafell!” 

She let it go from there, giving the lovestruck soldier a salute. She decided to head back, meeting Wedge and Biggs. It appeared Roll and N’thuzu Tia were with them as well. 

“They’re in the storage tower.” Roll quietly spoke. “Does that corroborate what you’ve all heard?” 

Azlyn nodded, “Yes. That’s what all the soldiers have stated as well. I don’t think they were lying.” 

N’thuzu Tia stood at attention, before gesturing with a nod of his head. “That guy looks to be in charge of the yard. Let’s go speak with him.” 

The different armor set of the man gave away his position to them right away—possibly a Centurion or Captain at best. Azlyn directed Wedge and Biggs to stay by Maggie, while the three of them approached the man. Maybe he would have better insight on the timing. This was an opportunity that they couldn’t very well pass up.

Azlyn led their group, up to the steps where the Centurion stood. When they all stopped just a few steps beneath him, they all snapped into the imperial salute. She hoped they would pass this man’s observation.

“Sir, we need access to the storage tower.”

The man quirked his head at her request. It was hard to gauge his expression, seeing as all of their faces were covered by masks and helmets.

“What’s this? You need access to the storage tower? What business have you there?”

Azlyn tried to think of the most plausible thing. “It’s at the tribunis’s behest that we need to go inside.” She hoped her impromptu and kneejerk response would give them access.

The centurion gave her a long, quiet stare—and then produced a key card from his front lapel. “This is highly irregular, but it would not do to make my lady wroth. Take my identification key. See that it is returned when your errand is concluded.” He passed the card over in her hands.

The three immediately bounced into an imperial salute. “Yes sir.” They unanimously called.

Wedge and Biggs saw they had succeeded in getting a keycard, so the pair made their way to the bulkhead where the three were heading. They didn’t want to make it obvious that they were all going together so they needed to time the opening.

Azlyn approached the keycard operator, just as Biggs came beside her. “Security’s tight, just as we expected. We’re going to need a special key if we want to get past the bulkhead.”

The girl nodded, sliding the identification card over the reader. The panel lit up green, allowing the bulkhead to open.

“Good thing the Centurion is such a nice guy.” Azlyn whispered, and slowly the five of them—with Maggie—maneuvered through. No one started to rush at them when they all proceeded inward to the steel doors that led into the Storage Tower.

The bulkhead closed behind them, leaving them with a few less enemies to interact with. Slowly, they all walked down the plated road, and to the doors. Azlyn merely walked over to the identification card reader and did the same thing that she did to open the bulkhead.

As the panel flashed green, the steel doors automatically opened—revealing the inner compartment space.

“No!” A woman shouted from within. The five of them could see a group of prisoners with a few guards harassing them to move.

Biggs muttered to Azlyn and Roll. “There’s Minfillia… and the rest. Thank goodness they’re safe.”

Azlyn nodded, feeling the sweat start to accumulate on her cheeks. The mask was making it hard for her skin to breathe.

“I am the one that you want! Leave the others be!” Minfillia’s voice echoed in the tower, she looked like she’d seen better days—with bruises upon her face and neck. There also seemed to be some splotches of purple on her mid-drift.

Tataru cowered behind Minfillia, while Urianger and Papalymo stood perfectly still. They all were handcuffed behind their backs.

“If you harm my friends, I swear I shall take my own life—and you shall answer to your mistress!” Despite all the pain they must have been through, the Antecedent was quite the talker. 

Azlyn, Roll, and N’thuzu Tia stepped quietly into the space, keeping back so they wouldn’t alert the guards of anything suspicious. Biggs and Wedge in Maggie slowly sauntered in, as the doors of the tower started to close behind them. With the doors closing, it would give them a bit of privacy, and a way to gather the Scions without further incidents.

The two guards turned to the five that just came in, and scoffed. They turned back to Minfillia. “Don’t test your luck! We shall be taking you to Castrum Meridianum, peacefully or not.”

Tataru snuck a peek around Minfillia to the five of them, as she eyed each and everyone one. Her purple eyes fell upon the lalafellin engineer in the reaper, before shyly snapping her head away. She seemed to have noticed something.

Azlyn looked up to see Wedge giving a thumbs up.

She shook her head.

Biggs muttered to the group for only their ears. “We risk letting the entire castrum know we’re here…”

N’thuzu Tia clenched his fists to his side. “If we’re going to do this, we need to do it.”

Roll anxiously clicked her nails. “Are we doing this Az?”

Azlyn stepped forward confidently, before she brought out her book. “This is as good an opportunity as any. Let’s bash some heads in.”

“You lot! Come help wrangle these prisoners for the transfer!” The one who had shouted at Minfillia turned to them. The other, got a call on his transmission.

“This is the third squadron. What is it?”

Azlyn moved up, with Roll and N’thuzu Tia by her side. Biggs and Wedge covered their rear.

“A reaper?! Seized…when?! And that came to light only NOW!?” He yelled into his ear piece. “The culprits will have left a trail! Take as many men as you need and scour the area! I want that reaper found!”

The Au Ra smirked deviously as the Roegabyn was relaying the messages out to them all. Only to falter when he saw the five of them approaching. He gaped at the reaper, noticing the branded paint job on the left side.

“What the—!? Strike my last!” He yelled, which alerted the other guard.

Wedge stood up, giving a mocking imperial salute.

“ELIMINATE THE INRTUD—!?” He couldn’t finish his statement as he got slammed in the face by a heavily charged Ruin spell that Azlyn unleashed. She ripped off her helmet, revealing her white hair, her scales, and her luminous purple eyes. As the guard went unconscious, she snapped her attention to the last guard.

“Thuzu, if you’d do the honors?”

The warrior stepped forth, chucking his helmet off as well. “On it!” He charged, taking out his axe to hack and slash the stupefied guard at their arrival.

Papalymo called out to Roll, who also ripped off her helmet in their unveiling. “Roll! Get these shackles off us, quickly!”

The healer of their group ran over, while Azlyn, Biggs, and Thuzu dealt with the guards storming in from the upper landings. The girl was quick in her work, pulling out her lockpick set to work on the chains. It wasn’t long before they had a room full of imperial bodies, and a set of freed Scions.

Azlyn walked over to Minfillia and Tataru, before bowing to them. “I’m sorry for the delay in your rescue.” When she pulled herself up from the stance, she saw the pink haired Lalafellin running to her.

Tataru hugged her, rubbing her face filled with tears on her leggings. The Lalafellin bookkeeper hiccuped to her. “Azlyn, I was so scared!”

She reached down to pat her hat in comfort. “It’s okay now—we’re going to get you out of here.”

Roll concentrated on her energies, before unleashing a huge mass healing spell upon them. The one who benefitted the most from the spell happened to be Minfillia, who gratefully nodded her head.

“It was foolish of you to have come here.” Minfillia scolded them all, but then sighed. “You might have been killed.”

Azlyn gave her a wry grin. “Garuda could have killed us too—but we managed.”

The Scion returned her grin with a version of her own. “Thank you. I shudder to think what might have happened had you all not arrived when you did.”

Roll looked to the doors nervously. “I don’t want to rush our reunion and all, but we should get out of here.”

Papalymo and Urianger joined them, after conversing with Biggs and Wedge. “I say, did you not see Thancred anywhere? I’m beginning to fear for the fellow…”

Azlyn gave a worried glance over to Papalymo who asked. “He wasn’t with you all?”

Urianger shook his head. “No, he was not.”

An unsettled feeling grew in her stomach at the mention of him. If he wasn’t with them, nor with Yda and Y’shtola—where could he possibly be? She couldn’t help but think back to his weird behavior back in Ul’dah… thinking back her unsettled stomach tumbled at the memory.

“…I’m sure he’s okay.” Azlyn offered the thaumaturge caster. “But Roll’s right, we really should get going.”

“To linger here shall yield us no answer. Let us away, ere the window to our liberty closes shut.” Urianger added tactfully.

They all bobbed their heads in agreement, before they started to lead them out the tower. With the Centurion’s identification card, it was easy to navigate through the bulkheads and escape. The alarms did raise however, as they were set upon by imperial soldiers. Azlyn swapped equipment sets, settling for her axe given she needed to purchase a new sword and shield. While she and N’thuzu handled the soldiers up front, Roll and Papalymo took care of their rear—casting and supporting. Urianger summoned his familiar, an amber carbuncle that headbutted the soldiers that tried to recapture Minfillia and Tataru. Wedge had been trigger happy with Maggie, firing at will against the oncoming soldiers.

“Get them!” A battalion of soldiers cried out. Wedge looked over to Tataru who fearfully shook behind Roll.

“Must—protect—Tataru!” Wedge spoke nervously, then turned to Biggs. “Biggs, I’m going in! See everyone to safety!” He activated Maggie, running headfirst and firing like mad. He was screaming as the bulkhead that opened started to close.

“No! Wedge!” Biggs cried, as the bulkhead separated the magitek reaper and Wedge from the rest of their party.

“Wedge!” Azlyn yelled, but N’thuzu Tia grabbed her by the arm. “Don’t!”

Roll grimaced, looking ahead to see more coming up from the north. “Come on! We have to hold them off!”

Biggs stepped up, standing in front of Tataru and Minfillia. “I’ll protect Minfillia and Tataru—go!”

Azlyn and N’thuzu Tia jumped into action, hacking and slashing as a pair of warriors. Roll supported them, granting resistances and helping with support. Over time they were able to whittle the enemy forces down enough to press onward to the next area.

The party ran out to the next bulkhead leading to the outside on the north end, they planned to make it over to the bridge to see if they could run past the guards there—only to be overrun by thirty armed soldiers on the other side.

N’thuzu and Azlyn had to jump away as the bullets echoed in the valley. They were forced to retreat to the edge of the canyon. With their chances to escape diminishing by the second, Azlyn and N’thuzu Tia stepped forward to protect the others behind them. So did Roll, Urianger, and Papalymo. Together they created a protective semi-circle as they watched the soldiers close in on them.

“Not the best escape.” Azlyn wheezed, wiping the sweat from her face.

“Could have gone worse.” N’thuzu Tia pointed out to her, and the guards shouted for them to be quiet.

“Fan out and surround them!” The guards charged at the order, with their guns readied to fire.

A red armored Centurion stepped forward, pointing to Minfillia. “Take the leader, kill the rest!”

Azlyn gritted her teeth, as the soldiers clicked their safeties off. As they were about to fire off their arms, an incredibly quick footed Miqo’te came charging in. She expanded her arms outward as a barrier erected around them. The bullets hit the shell, cracking and sizzling against the aetheric sphere that surrounded them.

Shortly after, three other joined the fray from the back, taking care of some of the gunners. Mjnt jumped eloquently over, landing with ease next to Y’shtola—while Yda and Kida darted in between the soldiers to join their friends.

“First the Tribunis and now this. Good thing we’re here for the rescue!” Kida lifted her bow up with several arrows notched. “Open wide, cocksuckers!”

Minfillia called out to Y’shtola, while Azlyn smiled over to Mjnt and Kida.

“You guys sure took your time.” She spoke softly.

“Pray forgive us for our delay.” Y’shtola replied confidently to them.

Yda lunged to punch an imperial who tried to cut into Y’shtola once the barrier dropped. As she knocked several of the imperials to the side, Kida and Mjnt joined the fray—the trio danced the melee between their enemies and themselves with grace—it was almost a sight to behold. As Mjnt leapt upward, Yda charged from underneath. Kida would let loose arrows before going side by side with Yda, only to roll off the girl’s back to avoid attacks.

Roll whistled.

Papalymo was not pleased as he pointed to the pugilist Scion. “What took you so long!”

Yda gave her trademark smirk, “Well it’s nice to see you too!” She had her back turned for just a second, as an imperial tried to cut her down. Kida had been working with Mjnt so Papalymo fired off a quickcast of fire.

The imperial was blasted backward as the Scion caster scoffed to her. “Get your head back in the moment!”

“Aye Aye!” She snapped her fingers happily.

Y’shtola smiled. “The reunion must wait.”

“Right!” Kida yelled. Mjnt jumped back to their group with ease. She whipped her lance to the side. “First things first.”

Papalymo sighed heavily to the girls. “Yes—let’s get back to being heavily outnumbered.”

Azlyn had to laugh. “Don’t be discouraged Papalymo—it could be worse.”

A terrified scream started not only the imperials, but also their group as a Lalafellin engineer started to run toward them. He was without Maggie the magitek reaper, but he was alive.

Biggs shouted to him. “You ditched your magitek armor!? Fool of a Lalafell!”

“Well excuse me! She’s all yours if you think you can do any better!” Wedge complained to the Roegabyn engineer.

As the situation turned grim for them, they did they best to push back. Azlyn took a spell to the face, getting caught off guard. She was knocked back into Roll, which interrupted her sequence of spellcasting in the process. Mjnt was having some trouble with all of them getting pushed to the cliffside—and Kida was running out of arrows.

A whirring sound of the reaper roared to life—as it started to fire at all the imperials who were attacking their group. The imperials started to panic, as no one was controlling the magitek reaper.

“What is going on!?” One soldier cried out as a magick cannon blasted him and a few others backward.

Everyone’s linkpearls began to buzz. “Everyone, this is Cid—can you hear me!”

“Loud and Clear Chief!” Kida answered.

“I need you to count to five, then jump! Understand!”

They all looked between each other and the raging reaper keeping the imperials at bay. They all started to count down.

“One.” Y’shtola started.

“Two!” Kida and Yda replied at the same time.

“Three.” Roll and Papalymo spoke aloud.

“Four.” Minfillia narrowed her blue eyes as they all moved into position.

“Five!” Azlyn shouted, and she watched as the group jumped off at once.

Azlyn had been the last one to jump, seeing everyone easily land as the whirring of an airship caught her ears. She pushed past the fear of the height, and jumped outward—stretching her hand out for someone to catch.

A firm grasp caught her arm, and she was brought in by Nin-Nin.

Everyone settled on the deck of the ship, as Cid propelled them all out of the canyon. Azlyn hung on the side of the rail, seeing the imperials getting the magitek reaper to calm down—but they were safe.

“Thank you Maggie.” Azlyn said, even though she knew the engine wouldn’t hear her this far out. Cid flew them higher and higher, where Richiro and Alphinaud started to administer quick heals to those injured.

As the airship passed over the last chunk of the stronghold to Mor Dhona—a blast of green energy rocketed toward them. The sirens on the airship blared as Cid evasively maneuvered them away. The ones standing on deck stumbled down to their knees. Azlyn clutched the side of the rail with Nin-Nin hovering over her. On their side they could see an armor-clad Legatus standing next to a fully primed weapon.

“Not good!” Azlyn gritted her teeth.

“What in the seven hells!?” Cid corrected their position, also looking at the weapon getting ready to fire another shot at them. “Hang on!” He turned the wheel as hard as he could as the weapon fired another shot in the sky.

Alphinaud ran over to the side Azlyn clung to. “Oh no. It’s here!”

“Twelve preserve us. They finished it. Ultima Weapon.” Minfillia gasped in horror.

Azlyn was afraid it was that. She knew G’raha Tia had lectured her about its capabilities the night before. She white knuckled the rail.

“So that was its name.” Alphinaud gaped.

“It’s a relic of ancient Allag.” Azlyn explained to them. “Raha mentioned that if it was that, then it must have been excavated from its resting place deep beneath Ala Mhigo.”

Minfillia nodded to Azlyn. “The Allagans used it to crush primal and foe alike. And now the Garleans mean to do the same.”

“Damn you Gaius!” Cid cursed.

The Au Ra looked down to Gaius van Baelsar, who watched them attempt to fly away. A dark portal emerged right by him, as the black clad Ascian with the hood stepped forth. “And look—I should have known an Ascian would be beside him.”

“An Overlord no less.” Alphinaud pointed out. “His garb attests to that.”

“Lahabrea—it can only be him.” Minfillia walked over to the side they were on.

They all watched from the side, as the Ascian leaned forward. His hands moved up to his hood—pulling it slowly off to show white unkempt hair. The tanned skin on his cheeks. The familiar light amber eyes. The markings of the Scions on his neck. It was in that very moment that Azlyn’s blood ran cold.

“No.” Azlyn muttered, horrified. Her mind flashed to that night in Ul’dah again—the night in the alley. The night where he had been acting strange. How he asked her about when she’d be back in Vesper Bay. How she told him she’d be there on Starlight. “No. No.” She repeated the word over and over. Nin-Nin looked down to her, his blue eyes widened at the sight of her starting to panic.

“Thancred!” Minfillia called his name in shock. Everyone was shocked.

“That SONAVUBITCH!” Kida swore aloud.

As if to mock them, the red mask that identified Lahabrea blazed over his face—his smirk maliciously grew—as he stared to one person on that ship’s side.

Azlyn’s purple eyes widened at the expression.

“He was Lahabrea…?” Minfillia didn’t want to believe it either. None of them did. “This cannot be!”

The aether started to charge in the Ultima weapon’s gauntlet, as Alphinaud yelled over to Cid. “Get us out of here! Quickly!”

Cid turned to Roll. “Override the engine protocol!”

The girl ran past the people, with Biggs on her heels. Together they started to override the speed as Cid pushed the Enterprise’s limits to escape. The burst from the engines accelerated them away, as another green stream of energy soared past their right wing.

Azlyn remained petrified in that one spot, staring down at the two with their Ultima Weapon. The laser blew up a portion of the Castrum in the process, as the explosions rocketed upward.

“We’re going! Hang on!”

Cid pulled them up and away—flying further and further from the site. As they escaped into the skies, the Chief of Garlond Ironworks decided to use the clouds as a way to cover them. They must have flown for over an hour, in silence they all sat around deck. Azlyn remained at the side—keeping a steeled expression to the darkening sky in the direction of the Castrum.

Thancred was Lahabrea. How could she have not noticed? She could have prevented everything if she just—She clenched her fists tightly together, her nails digger deep into her flesh. She felt no pain, even as the blood started to drip from her palm.

“All that time, the enemy was beside me, and I never even suspected.” The voice spoke Azlyn’s true thoughts, as everyone turned to see Alphinaud grimacing by the side. His blue eyes hardened. “And to think it was I who suggested that Thancred investigate the Ascians! How could I have been so blind!?” He slammed his fist against the wooden frame of the ship’s mast. “Small wonder the enemy knew our every move—and where to find us! Confound it all!”

Azlyn grit her teeth tighter. She felt the pain in her jaw as she clenched.

The boy shook his head, pulling back his hand from the frame. “No—no, this is not the time for self-doubt. The Alliance Leaders staked their hopes on the Scions, but now they believe us all dead or missing.” He turned to the whole group, his face twisted in determination and worry. “When they learn of the Empire’s new weapon, we cannot be certain what they will do.” He looked to every one of them, his gaze hardening once more. “We must go and offer them what assurances we can that defeat is not inevitable!”

Minfillia’s linkpearl went off, and she tapped it. She spoke to the person while Alphinaud tried to rally their spirits. Azlyn could barely pay any of them any focus. She picked up things from Minfillia’s call, like “Krile”, “We’re in a safe place”, and “The item that I requested”.

Alphinaud spoke confidently. “This situation may have taken an ill turn, but the battle is far from over. And so long as we stand together, there shall ever be hope of victory. The people of Eorzea falter for want of such hope. Let us provide it. Let us bear to them the tidings that the Scions of the Seventh Dawn are returned!”

Roll crossed her arms, Kida punched her fist into her hand. Mjnt nodded her head when the Scions had. And N’thuzu Tia, Koroko Koko, Richiro Wichiro silently accepted his call to arms. Nin-Nin remained unfazed, as he leaned back against the rail. He stuck close to Azlyn, his eye never really leaving her. She stood through it all, accepting the situation but not quite absorbing everything. She was there—and yet she wasn’t. It was a strange disassociation, like when she went through her visions. She didn’t know what to think, or do, or say.

Her mind went back to that night in the alley. With Thancred—no, he was Lahabrea then. She could hear him darkly chuckling at her. A voice creeping in the back of her mind. It’s your fault. Like some twisted sick joke. His voice echoed relentlessly.

Alphinaud clapped his hands together. The sound was enough to pull her from the darkness encompassing her mind. “Matters are coming to a head. I hope we can count on you.”

Everyone had turned to look at her. The only thing she could do is nod—as numb as she felt she knew that this would be a fight everyone would be needed.

“My regards to Grandfather.” Minfillia ended her call and looked to Azlyn. “I’m ready. Let us pay a visit to the council of the Alliance leadership. Go to Ul’dah at once Cid.”

Cid took hold of the steering wheel, and from that point on in their travels, they sailed off into the darkening night sky. Everyone returned to their quite somber groups, chatting quietly between one another. Azlyn walked over to the side of the ship, to gaze out at the stars beyond the holes in the clouds.

They may have succeeded to escaped Castrum Centri, rescuing their comrades, and being alive—yet somehow deep within her she felt the defeat broiling inside her.

It’s your fault.

She put both of her hands upon the rail, and silently gazed ahead.

It’s all your fault.