The man stepped out from the shadows, staring straight to her. “Tell me, for whom do you fight?” 

Azlyn thought that was a weird question given their circumstances. “I fight...” She averted her gaze, trying to find the right words. “I fight to protect my friends.”

Gaius scoffed. “How very glib. And do you believe in Eorzea?” 

“I do.” Azlyn turned her attention back to Gaius. “I believe in these lands just as my parents had. They believed in saving it.” 

“What does this have to—” Kida tried to ask why the twenty questions, but Gaius spoke over her. 

“Eorzea’s unity is forged on falsehoods. Its city-states are built on deceit. And it’s faith is an instrument of deception. It is naught but a cobweb of lies. To believe in Eorzea is to believe in nothing.”

Ozwin drew his blade, and hefted his shield up to his side. “I think that’s up to the person to decide.”

“Yeah!” Richiro piped in. “If it wasn’t for the Garlean invasion and the battle of Carteneau, Eorzea would be in a better place by now!”

Roll and Mjnt remained silent, gauging Gaius as he took in their answers. 

Azlyn narrowed her eyes. “I admit Eorzea isn’t the utopia one would have liked, but every city, every country, every land will have some sort of flaw—some sort of problem that needs to be addressed.”

Gaius postulated to the group, “If you admit this, then why do you not see it? In Eorzea, the beast tribes often summon gods to fight in their stead—though your comrades only rarely respond in kind. Which is strange, is it not? Are the ‘Twelve’ otherwise engaged? I was given to understand they were your protectors. If you truly believe them your guardians, why do you not repeat the trick in Carteneau and call them down?” 

Koroko Koko offered an answer to his questions. “Two wrongs do not make a right.” 

The Black Wolf turned to her. “Yet your leaders,” he turned to Azlyn in that moment. “Your own parents thought it wise to bring them forth! And they answered—they will answer—so long as you lavish them with crystals and gorge them on aether.” 

Azlyn winced, she knew where he was trying to go with this—and she didn’t like it. She knew what he implied—and couldn’t refute him for it. 

“Your gods are no different from those of the beasts—eikons everyone one. Accept but this, and you will see how Eorzea’s faith is bleeding the land dry.” He pointed to Azlyn, calling out the truth. “Nor is this unknown to your masters. Which prompts the question: Why do they cling to these false deities? What drives even men of learning—even the great Louisoix—to grovel at their feet?” 

No one gave a response to him. Everyone had been quiet after his speech. Nothing he said was false in any right. In fact, it hit home to many of them—even those few who were not from Eorzea. 

“No answer?” He laughed at them for their silence. He formed a clenched fist, raising it up in front of him, before thrusting it down to his side. “Your masters lack the strength to do otherwise!” Then Gaius started to remove his gunblade from its holster. “For the world of man to mean anything, man must own the world. To this end, he hath fought ever to raise himself through conflict—to grow rich through conquest. And when the dust of battle settles, it is ever the strong who dictate the fate of the weak.” 

The group watched as he held his gunblade aloft, his armor sparking in energy. The aether charged into his armor, changing it into a shiny gold armor. 

Azlyn grimaced. “How can you say that when the Empire is working with the Ascians? Does that not conflict with what you’ve just said? For the world of man to mean anything, the man must be the one to gain that control—not through the means of a paranormal bringer of chaos that purposefully teaches others how to summon these eikons. Most of the problems in the world can be linked to the Ascian connection—yet the Empire decides to throw their lot with them. This is where your argument falls flat.” 

Gaius shook his head, lifting the barrel to aim squarely to her. “As a scholar, you possess knowledge that could both be harmful and helpful. Yet you choose which knowledge to employ, and which you should not. Even though the Ascians teach the ways to summon eikons, it is still the responsibility of the ones who learned it to know what they should and should not do.” 

Azlyn winced. 

“The question is not whether how they can or cannot—it should be about having someone strong enough to tell them what is the boundaries of what can and cannot be. Knowing this, but a single path is open to the impotent ruler—that of false worship. A path which leads to enervation and death. Only a man of power can rightly steer the course of civilization. And in this land of creeping mendacity, that one truth will prove its salvation.” 

“And are you that man Gaius?” Azlyn asked for the group. “Is that the resolve you’ve made—to make Eorzea yours—no matter the cost?” 

In answer, he clicked the safety on his weapon off, a loud click over the slow grind of the elevator lift rumbling down. The slow pace of the lift put them in a tight position. 

“Come, champions of Eorzea—face me! Your defeat shall serve as proof of my readiness to rule!” 

Everyone brought forth their weapons, Azlyn brought up her grimoire as she carefully eyed the Legatus. He was correct in most of what he said, and he was even able to refute her claim of the Ascians. 

“It is only right that I should take your realm. For none among you have the power to stop me!” 

“You’re forgetting she’s not alone!” Kida hollered, bringing up her bow. “You’re up against the Trepidation Tremble Treble squad!” 

Mjnt swung her spear aloft, settling into an offensive stance. “Interesting name.” 

“After this, we’re seriously going to chat about that one.” Ozwin remarked, lifting his shield. 

Gaius fired several shots to Azlyn as she darted out of the way. The girl summoned her Ifrit-Egi to her side, commanding it to deal with Gaius. In the meantime, she hoped to find a spot to start casting her spells. 

“Let us dance, champions of Eorzea.” 

They danced around the field—Gaius holding them off, reading their movements and parrying them. Azlyn had a feeling that he was toying with them, reading into their attack patterns. It was as if he’d watched them fight before. Azlyn grimaced, of course he had, he studied everything about them. He’d know how each of them would fight, and how they would react. 

This was why he was the Legatus leading the imperial march upon Eorzea. 

“Impressive! Now it is my turn!” Gaius charged N’thuzu Tia, throwing down a vial to the ground. A wide circle of blue flames erupted around him, and the warrior withdrew. Mjnt backflipped away from the blue flames, wiping the sweat from her face. Ozwin braced himself as he jumped into the fight. 

Gaius was powerful, he knocked Ozwin backward. Azlyn watched the Hyur skid away—his back slamming into the rear of the elevator rail. 

Mjnt tried to jab him with the point of her spear, however the Legatus played around her fight box. He weaved inside before punching her hard in the solar plexus. She pulled back, gasping for air. 

With the melee fighters out of commission, the Black Wolf turned his attentions to Roll and Richiro Wichiro. He fired several shots, diverting them from their cast to avoid getting hit. He switched ammo in a matter of seconds, before he fired a long piece of rope that tangled around both of them—Richiro was strung up to Roll’s leg as the two tripped over the other. 

Koroko Koko tried to drop her firestorm upon Gaius to help their healers, however his armor absorbed the aether of her magic. He fired upon the caster, as a net of electricity caught the Lalafellin caster to tie her down. She winced under the metal net, and she too, dropped to the ground. 

Azlyn widened her eyes as the man turned his attention to Kida. He swung his blade upward—and a blast of blue energy surged outward to the bard. Kida hadn’t expected it, getting sliced up by the blue aetheric energy. 

Kida crumpled.  

Azlyn watched as one by one he swatted them down, and it wasn’t long before she was the only one standing. As a caster she was at a disadvantage, but she had her egis. He stalked toward her, changing the ammunition in his gun chamber to fire at her. 

She rolled out of the way, darting and weaving. Azlyn commanded her egi to attack—and watched as Gaius charged his sword once again. He sliced through her summoned creature, watching as the aether dissipated and was absorbed. His gunblade shined bright with energy. 

She closed her book, letting it go into the aether pocket and brought forth her axe. Azlyn tried to go the full frontal attack, however he matched each strike from her with one parry to the next. He blocked her, caught her by the arm and then tossed her around. When she was turned around, he kicked her behind the knee. 

Azlyn went to clutch her axe, only for him to kick the weapon aside. She bit her cheek, deciding to bring out her spear. She rolled onto her back, thrusting the spear upward to push the Legatus back. In response, he caught the spear and yanked her back up from the floor. He led her around by her weapon, and shoved her into N’thuzu Tia who charged to help. 

They both tumbled away. 

Ozwin ran over then, readying his shield to bash him. Gaius could tell he was coming, stepping away and shot his gunblade to the Hyur’s calf. Ozwin crumpled to the ground, grasping his leg as blood pooled. 

Azlyn shook the stars from her sight, as N’thuzu Tia struggled to get up. “Help Roll...and Richiro.” She asked him, before eyeing the floor. 

Mjnt tried to attack him from up above, however he stepped to the side—as her spear impacted the lift’s ground. With her weapon stuck in the metal, Gaius did a roundhouse kick into the Viera, which sent her flying into Ozwin. 

“Is that all?” Gaius looked to their group broken and bleeding. 

Azlyn struggled to get up, bringing up her hand greaves now. She shook the nerves as she tried to attack him with her fists. Casting magicks upon him would turn into it being absorbed and getting it sent back to them threefold. Going full frontal also had it’s disadvantage because he was a veteran in battle. She knew that he was stronger than them—he had years—scores more like—of lifetime experience. 

However that couldn’t stop her. 

If her couldn’t be overpowered by physical or magical means. Maybe she could take him on by speed. She ran toward him, only to see him disappear from the previous spot. She skidded to a stop, eyes wide as she tried to read the field—and then felt him behind her. By the time she realized her error, as she turned. A hand snapped forward, catching her by her throat. She felt her feet get lifted up the ground a margin. Desperately searching for some air, she clung to his arm.

By the time the elevator reached the bottom of the shaft, all of them were heavily breathing, even him. He let her go, as she gasped for air.

Gaius stepped back from her, as he signaled the lift to lower the guard rails.

“I had not thought to be so hard-pressed.” He offered them. “Your strength is most impressive. Such power befits a ruler.” He put his gunblade back to it’s holster. Gaius then looked to Azlyn who had lightly held her throat. “Yet you lack the resolve to put it to proper use. A waste.” 

Roll plucked a card from her side holster, as the Miqo’te warrior finally freed them up from their bindings. She instantly went to heal the Hyur who had been shot.

Ozwin felt relief in his calf as the wound started to heal with her administrations. “He’s not wrong.” He struggled to get up. 

Azlyn took a step back, placing some distance between her and Gaius. “I resent that.” 

Gaius laughed at their banter, deciding to leave their broken party to walk away. He went to a series of doors where he entered with ease. He didn’t bother closing the doors, as he didn’t feel they were much of a threat. 

As he disappeared into the next room, Azlyn brought out her grimoire and winced. “Is everyone alright?” 

Richiro and Roll went to heal their wounds, while Mjnt went to help Koroko Koko from the electric net. N’thuzu Tia ran over to Kida to help prop the girl up. The blue haired Auri shook her head. 

“Gods—I haven’t been knocked to shite like that since my days in the Azim Steppe.” The Xaela blinked several times. “Why are there two Azlyn’s?” 

Roll walked over to Kida, before she casted a stronger healing spell upon her. “Did that help?” 

Kida nodded. “Yup. The splitting headache is gone.” 

Koroko Koko wiggled her fingers as Richiro asked Eos to heal her from the shocks. 

Mjnt rubbed her stomach, staring to the door. “I can see why he’s the Legatus.” 

Azlyn nodded. “He was incredibly strong. The Ultima Weapon is bound to be tougher.” 

Ozwin spat to the side. “I want to beat the shit out of that guy. Now more than ever.” 

N’thuzu Tia retrieved his axe from the ground, along with Azlyn’s. He returned the weapon to her. She let it disappear into the aether pocket, and sighed. “A formidable foe—one fitting his rank and status in the Empire.”  

Roll stepped forward, directing their attention to the doors. “We have to see this through. The Alliance is risking their lives outside to give us this opportunity. We must destroy the Ultima Weapon.” 

Ozwin cracked his back. “Or die trying. It could be worse I suppose.” He lifted his sword and shield. 

Azlyn reached up to her chest, gripping the front of her clothes. “We have to believe—believe that we can do it. Let’s go.” 

They nodded to her, streaming in pairs as they followed after Gaius. When they entered the space, they didn’t expect to see the Ultima Weapon just standing there. The red glowing patches on the lower body, arms and wings ominously welcomed them. They spread out, as the whole room buzzed in activity. The ground slowly started to rise, as they realized they had entered another elevator shaft. This time, the elevator was going up—which made Azlyn wonder. 

Kida however was the first to bring it up. “Wait, did we just go down only to go back up...?” 

Roll chuckled. “Heh.” 

“Probably not the best time to worry about that.” Mjnt reminded them, pointing up to the left hand side of the Ultima Weapon. Standing on the shoulder pad was Gaius watching them. 

“Allow me then, heroes, to do that which you will not!” 

Azlyn shouted up to him. “By exerting force and decimating the lands of these people!? That will never be an appropriate response—ever!” 

The Ultima Weapon’s head shuddered down, as the back of its neck opened outward to the cockpit. None of them expected that to happen. Gaius regarded them with keen interest. “Show me then.” He goaded her, and stepped into the weapon. 

After several seconds, the weapon came to life—as the three-fingered claws snapped outward. A speaker opened a channel for Gaius to speak. 

“Bear witness to the true power of the Ultima Weapon!” 

All of them readied for the fight, and as Azlyn stepped up with her grimoire in hand. With the Ultima Weapon charging straight to them, the only thing they could do is separate from their cluster and circle it from the outside ring of the elevator. 

“The Ultima Weapon has partaken of the power of the Eikons! None can stand against it!” Gaius roared over the intercom, letting the green particle energy beams to blast at them. Roll ran away as the beam tracked in a linear fashion, running up the track of the elevator walls. 

After a minute of running and attempting to fight this massive death machine, they all came to the realization that nothing they did were putting a dent to the weapon. 

Frustrated. Angry. Worried. 

These were all emotions that ran rampart through all of them. 

Gaius seemed to sense their trepidation as the Ultima Weapon unleashed an explosion similar to Ifrit’s mighty attack. They were all knocked back by the aether bomb, and staggered to their knees. 

A voice rung in all of their ears then, a female voice that called to them. 

Hearken unto me, crystal bearer. Thy foe is Darkness clad in steel.

Azlyn gripped her chest, feeling a warmth from her chest. 

If thou wouldst triumph, thou must look to the Light.

A bright light emerged from her chest then, blinding the whole room. The light wrapped around each of them, and Azlyn felt the strange warmth protectively wrapping them. 

Koroko Koko chuckled, raising her staff. “Strange—I’ve never felt this power before.” 

Ozwin flexed his hands, “Look to the Light.” 

Roll released a large scale healing spell, healing them from the last explosion. “Let’s not disappoint her!” 

Together they attacked, as the Ultima Weapon tried to attack them—as Gaius tried to attack them—it appeared that none of the attacks were doing as much damage as before. 

Azlyn felt the aether converge of the outside, as the wind started to pick up. Roll yelled out to everyone. 

“This... guys, run to the center! This is Garuda’s presence!”

They ran inside the circle as the Ultima Weapon unleashed a huge gust of thrashing winds that had blown upward. Azlyn’s chest started to glow once more, and Hydaelyn’s voice rung in their minds once more. 

If thou wouldst triumph, thou must look to the Light.

Mjnt yelled to Azlyn. “Use the light Azlyn!” 

The Au Ra looked down to her chest, and then closed her eyes. She looked inward as a bright crystal formed in her hands. She manifested the jewel, a combination of all the crystals she collected in her travels in Eorzea. She held it up high. 

“ENOUGH!” She blasted the Ultima Weapon with a ruin spell—as the magicks were intertwined with the blessing of Light. 

They watched, as the essence of Garuda started to peel away from the Ultima Weapon. The primal clawed her way, before finally disappearing in a swath of light. 

“Garuda’s essence—torn from the Ultima Weapon!?”

Azlyn hollered to her friends. “Keep attacking! Draw it’s attention to the center.” She closed her eyes, focusing on the power of the crystal of Light. She could feel the pulse of energy at the tip of her fingers. Slowly growing. Slowly becoming stronger as she focused on it. 

Koroko Koko yelled to the rest. “A surge of aether is amassing at the edges! Move in!” The outer ring exploded in flames of fire. When the flames died down, they continued to attack the lower legs and body. 

Kida looked to the center as she felt the ground shudder. “Move out from the center! Titan’s coming!”

They ran to the outer ring as Titan imploded the ground with it’s aether. 

The Au Ra holding the crystal aloft feeling the energy reach the intended level. 

If thou wouldst triumph, thou must look to the Light.

“Titan! Release yourself!” Azlyn yelled, sending a massive blast of concentrated light into the Ultima Weapon. Just as Garuda’s essence had, Titan emerged—pulling itself out and absolving in the Light Azlyn presented. 

Gaius sounded objectively mortified as Titan too disappeared. “Titan’s as well?! Impossible!” 

The three-pronged claw turned to Azlyn’s direction—blasting her with aether. She took the blow, but to her, it felt like a breeze on the wind. Her hair blew back, fluttering behind her as she started to collect the energy needed for the last primal. 

The ground imploded with Ifrit’s aether, following after her as she moved to avoid the bursting of fire. Everyone concentrated their full offensive line up of attacks against the weapon while Azlyn drew it’s attention. She didn’t mind as she hopped the aether pockets while concentrating on the light in her possession. 

If thou wouldst triumph, though must look to the Light.

“IFRIT! You do not belong here!” Azlyn shouted at the same time of Hydaelyn’s call. The light burst forth from her hand and into the Ultima Weapon—where the infernal primal struggled to pull itself free. The primal roared before it too disappeared in Hydaelyn’s light. 

“Noooo! How—how are you doing this!?”

Azlyn lifted the crystal aloft, her eyes glowed a brilliant purple-red. “The Ultima Weapon is nothing more than a shell! It shall not be used as you think it will!” 

Gaius called out over the speaker. “But the Ultima Weapon is all powerful! Why does my enemy still stand!? Can their strength—can her strength be so great!?”

“Because we’re together!” Kida shouted from below. 

“Because we fight for what we believe is right!” Richiro summoned his courage to say what he wanted.

Azlyn regarded the drained Ultima Weapon with a keen eye. Only she noticed a dark portal emerge at the left shoulder. She watched as Lahabrea—using Thancred—stepped out from the portal to gaze upon them. 

“It is the blessing of Light that confounds you.” The Ascian implored with a smirk. 

“Lahabrea.” 

“It’s Lahabuttmunch!” Richiro gasped. 

“I thought we agreed on Lahabutthead?” Roll quipped.

“Nah, it’s Lahadumbfuck.” Kida announced at the same time. 

The Ascian turned to the Ultima Weapon. His eyes alight with an unknown fascination. It seemed to Azlyn like he was enjoying some sort of inside joke that only he was aware of. 

“Your foe acts under the protection of the Crystal she bears.” 

Gaius seemed to understand. The Ultima Weapon turned to her. “So, this is what empowers her.” It appeared to narrow in on the crystal she held close. The light glowed a brilliant hue. 

“Beyond mortal limits.” Lahabrea offered, glaring to the light. “If you are to prevail, the hammer of darkness must needs be brought to bear upon the shield of Light. And so it shall, for the Ultima Weapon is host to a power of which you are as yet ignorant.” 

Azlyn narrowed her eyes at what the Ascian had said. 

“Speak plainly Ascian.” 

Lahabrea answered. “The heart of Sabik. It is the Weapon’s core—an enigma whose surface even the vaunted scholars of ancient Allag failed to scratch. The magic within has laid dormant for eons.”

Azlyn really didn’t like the sounds of that. She thought back to that night—the night where G’raha Tia had talked her ear off about the Ultima Weapon.

“Of what magic do you speak.” Gaius prompted for Lahabrea to answer. 

“A spell without parallel.” 

“Ultima. I sought the life force of the primals for no other reason than to quicken the core. For the true power of the Ultima Weapon lies within it’s now-beating Heart!” 

Azlyn shouted to interrupt. “You can’t! You’d destroy everything if you did that Lahabrea! The magic you speak of is—”

The Ascian turned to her, waving his head toward her in quick fashion. A dark orb blazed at her, smacking her chest. She fell back, clutching her body in pain. 

“Azlyn!” The others ran over, forming a huddled circled around her. Roll placed a hand on her shoulder, healing her from the attack. 

Gaius lifted the Weapon’s arm up, to smack the air where Lahabrea floated. “Lahabrea—What have you done?”

The man in the black cloak seemed to guess his move and opted to teleport to another area of the room. The elevator snapped to a stop at last, which jolted the party where they stood. 

Azlyn brought herself up once more, holding the crystal of Light to protect herself and her friends. 

“No more than was necessary—for my god to be reborn.” The Ascian flicked his hand to the core, activating the machine to act. 

“Damn you, Ascian!” 

“Fuckin’ dickpickle!” Kida shouted from the ground. “Azlyn told you! She literally told you!” Angrily she pointed up to the weapon. 

Lahabrea smirked devilishly, as his red Overlord arcanic mask appeared over the front of his face. Azlyn didn’t know what was worse, having a weapon that could obliterate them in one spell—or seeing Thancred being forced to be Lahabrea’s meat suit. 

“The hour is at hand!” Lahabrea snapped an arm to the side, giving the weapon the cue to start releasing the spell. “Behold but a sliver of my god’s power!” 

They all watched as the Weapon’s core started to glow ominously blue—the massive influx of aether started to gather all at once—and Azlyn ran to the front of their group. She could only think of one thing as she lifted her Crystal of Light up. She closed her eyes, concentrating upon her own aether to compile it all into the crystal in her hands. 

She could feel a shield form around her and her friends, but she wondered if it would be enough. 

A giant orb emerged from the Ultima Weapon’s core, the air filled with static—electricity—a buzz of power flowed into the core as Lahabrea called upon the spell. “And from the deepest pit of the seven hells to the very pinnacle of the heavens, the world shall tremble! Unleash Ultima!” 

Azlyn winced as the impact was instantaneous. She could feel the shield, the one she started to call upon, start to crack under the full power of the spell. Several hands grabbed ahold of her, as her friends started to channel energy into her from behind. 

Everything went white—Azlyn knew that she was still alive, as the pain soon shortly followed. Her whole body ached. Rather, her entire right side, neck and head throbbed in agony. She felt like she was on fire—as she gasped for air. A bit of blood trickled down her nose as she heavily panted. 

The Praetorium was no more. Ultima had destroyed the entire fortress, leaving naught but a smoldering elevator shaft that Azlyn’s shield of Light preserved in the blast. Everything else had been set ablaze, where piles of smoke started to billow from the scene.

She looked up to the night sky, she could see where the clouds had been bursted in a circular fashion—how the spell had taken out several airships—as they plummeted to the ground. 

There were screams. She could hear it from all around. But for the moment, her friends and her were safe... for the time being. Lahabrea cackled in mad laughter, seeing the inevitable destruction caused by Ultima. 

When the Ultima Weapon settled back to the platform, they could see that the Legatus looked around. While they couldn’t see his expression, they imagined it was filled with anger and surprise at the new development. 

“Such devastation—This was not my intention!” 

Lahabrea turned his attention to the eight still standing—Azlyn flared her nostrils to him as he spoke down to them. “Oh Hydaelyn, it seems the task of keeping Your champions alive has exhausted what strength You had left.” The Ascian looked over his shoulder to Gaius piloting the Ultima Weapon. “Van Baelsar, your enemy’s shield is broken. The rest I leave to you.” He bowed mockingly, before teleporting out from the mess. 

Gaius angrily called to him. “We shall speak later—Ascian! But first...” He looked down to the eight. “I must deal with you. The question of who is mightier remains! Come, adventurers! Let us find the answer together!”