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Legacy of The Sixth Astral Era (1.0)
The Calamity (1.x)
The adventurer encounters Legate Nael van Darnus, who reveals that the Empire's goal is to purge Eorzea of the primal threat once and for all by dropping the lesser moon Dalamud from the sky, potentially eradicating all life in the realm in doing so. Gaius aids the adventurer in ending Nael's mad scheme, but Nael becomes infused with Dalamud's immense power, hell-bent on ushering in the Seventh Umbral Era.
The legatus is seen wandering near Camp Glory. The Grand Companies assemble an attack squad, only for them to encounter a strange light at the patch of floating islands known as the Rivenroad, similar to what was seen at what was found at Castrum Novus. From the Rivenroad, Nael uses his power to rain stone from Dalamud upon the realm.
Nael is defeated, even as he draws fully upon Dalamud's power and sacrifices his sanity. With Nael's death, the Rivenroad collapses, but Cid saves the adventurer and their allies from the falling islands.
The Grand Companies celebrate their victory and the halt of Dalamud's descent, but the adventurer still feels uneasy. Louisoix advises them to go on a pilgrimage of the Twelve, during which they encounter Gaius once more. He warns that the VIIth Legion, which survived the collapse of the Rivenroad, is amassing in Mor Dhona to launch an invasion from Castrum Novum. The adventurer relays this information to Louisoix.
Dalamud continues its descent, causing changes to the realm as Atomos appears near aetherial crystals and summons voidal monsters. The Alliance sends its combined forces to the Carteneau Flats in Mor Dhona, the predicted point of impact for Dalamud.
In spite of their best efforts, the Alliance is unable to stop Dalamud, and during the battle, the pillars in the moon fall to the surface. Pieces of Dalamud rain, revealing that Dalamud is no moon but rather an artificial satellite created to imprison the elder primal Bahamut. The realm is bathed in fire as Bahamut awakens and begins to raze Eorzea.
Louisoix, in a last-ditch attempt to stop Bahamut, attempts to recreate Dalamud and imprison Bahamut once more, but to no avail; his staff shatters, and Bahamut begins to cast Teraflare with the intent of wiping out the realm once and for all. With no other alternative, Louisoix casts a spell that sends a handful of adventurers into a rift in the fabric of space and time, where they would remain until it was safe to return to the Realm. As the last adventurer vanishes in light, Louisoix does naught but smile as the massive ball of fire Bahamut creates engulfs him.
However, in that brief moment, Louisoix is touched by the Twelve, who give him the remaining power from his spell to battle Bahamut. With this amazing power, Louisoix strikes down Bahamut and destroys the Teraflare, but the exertion causes him to fade away into aether, the power spreading across Eorzea and healing it.
The legatus is seen wandering near Camp Glory. The Grand Companies assemble an attack squad, only for them to encounter a strange light at the patch of floating islands known as the Rivenroad, similar to what was seen at what was found at Castrum Novus. From the Rivenroad, Nael uses his power to rain stone from Dalamud upon the realm.
Nael is defeated, even as he draws fully upon Dalamud's power and sacrifices his sanity. With Nael's death, the Rivenroad collapses, but Cid saves the adventurer and their allies from the falling islands.
The Grand Companies celebrate their victory and the halt of Dalamud's descent, but the adventurer still feels uneasy. Louisoix advises them to go on a pilgrimage of the Twelve, during which they encounter Gaius once more. He warns that the VIIth Legion, which survived the collapse of the Rivenroad, is amassing in Mor Dhona to launch an invasion from Castrum Novum. The adventurer relays this information to Louisoix.
Dalamud continues its descent, causing changes to the realm as Atomos appears near aetherial crystals and summons voidal monsters. The Alliance sends its combined forces to the Carteneau Flats in Mor Dhona, the predicted point of impact for Dalamud.
In spite of their best efforts, the Alliance is unable to stop Dalamud, and during the battle, the pillars in the moon fall to the surface. Pieces of Dalamud rain, revealing that Dalamud is no moon but rather an artificial satellite created to imprison the elder primal Bahamut. The realm is bathed in fire as Bahamut awakens and begins to raze Eorzea.
Louisoix, in a last-ditch attempt to stop Bahamut, attempts to recreate Dalamud and imprison Bahamut once more, but to no avail; his staff shatters, and Bahamut begins to cast Teraflare with the intent of wiping out the realm once and for all. With no other alternative, Louisoix casts a spell that sends a handful of adventurers into a rift in the fabric of space and time, where they would remain until it was safe to return to the Realm. As the last adventurer vanishes in light, Louisoix does naught but smile as the massive ball of fire Bahamut creates engulfs him.
However, in that brief moment, Louisoix is touched by the Twelve, who give him the remaining power from his spell to battle Bahamut. With this amazing power, Louisoix strikes down Bahamut and destroys the Teraflare, but the exertion causes him to fade away into aether, the power spreading across Eorzea and healing it.
A Realm Reborn (2.0)
The story picks up five years later in a world rebuilding from the Calamity, unable to remember their heroes, as an up-and-coming hero arrives in either Gridania, Ul'dah or Limsa Lominsa (if the player imports a character from 1.0, they are one of the heroes Louisoix sent to the future, finding themself in the wilderness outside one of the three city-states). After being directed to the local Adventurer's Guild, the hero makes themself at home and sets off to make a name for themselves. In the process, they come into contact with a mysterious crystal and come into contact with the Mothercrystal Hydaelyn, who charges them with protecting the realm from evil. As they either protect the Guardian Tree, help retrieve the Sultana's crown, or foil a kidnapping plot in Limsa Lominsa, they battle a mysterious cloaked man with the aid of a Sharlayan scholar or two. The adventurer's actions are enough to draw attention from one of the city-states' leaders: Elder Seedseer Kan-E-Senna of Gridania, Sultana Nanamo Ul Namo of Ul'dah and her right hand man General Raubahn Aldynn, or Admiral Merlwyb Bloefhiswyn of Limsa Lominsa. They invite the adventurer to a celebration in their honor, though they suffer a blackout where they see the final moments of the Battle of Carteneau - a manifestation of a power called the Echo. When they come to, the leaders decide to rebuild the Eorzean Alliance through a memorial service for the Battle. With the adventurer as that leader's envoy, they pass the message to the other city-states, who are of an accord.
After dealing with different threats across Eorzea, you find yourself confronted by the mage Y'shtola, who seeks to recruit the adventurer into the group she belongs to, the Scions of the Seventh Dawn. After consulting with Ul'dahan Adventurers' Guild owner Momodi, they decide to accept the offer. They meet with the Scions' leader, Minfilia, the secretary Tataru, and the other Archons - Y'shtola, Papalymo, Thancred, Yda, and Urianger - within the Waking Sands (if you imported a 1.0 character, Minfilia explicitly remembers you and later apologizes for treating you like a stranger). The adventurer's first mission, investigating disappearances in Thanalan, ultimately finds them battling and slaying the primal Ifrit, foiling the plot of their Amalj'aa captors. Their actions draw the attention of the city-states' Grand Companies, who all want to recruit them; Minfilia suggests they go revisit the city-states and their services before making a choice. As they do, they meet up with two Elezen teens, Alphinaud and Alisaie Leveilleur, the grandchildren of the missing Louisoux. The former snarks about how "corrupt" the city-states are while the latter seethes at the omission of the missing Warriors of Light and Louisoux from the memorials. After returning to the Waking Sands and joining a Grand Company, the adventurer rescues two Airship pilots - Garlond Ironworks engineers Biggs and Wedge - and their airship from Garlean soldiers. The adventurer subsequently aids the Sylph race with finding their missing Elder; rescuing her leads to the sylphs becoming friends of theirs.
The adventurer then deals with parts of the Ala Mhigo Resistance, a group of Ala Mhigan refugees who seek to liberate their country from the Garlean Empire. No sooner is the trouble with them quelled when word gets out of the arrival of the primal Titan. Seeking to learn how to defeat them, the adventurer seeks out the last team to face Titan down, the Company of Heroes, who puts them through a series of tests... for their own banquet, before giving a few pieces of advice. The adventurer finds their way inside the Navel, faces Titan, and emerges victorious. However, any celebrations are cut short when they return to the Waking Sands to find it littered with bodies and the Scions missing. Thanks to the Echo, they learn that the Garlean Empire somehow learned of their base, kidnapped the Scions, and murdered everyone else in there. They follow Minfilia's final instructions and seek refuge at a nearby church.
During their time at the church, the adventurer befriends a man named Marques, an amnesiac survivor of Carteneau with a knack for mechanics. After the adventurer stops a Garlean spy, Alphinaud arrives and reveals that Marques is actually the missing Cid Garlond. Alphinaud recruits them both to hunt down Cid's airship, the Enterprise, in order to stop the recently-summoned primal Garuda. The search for the Enterprise sends them to Coerthas and into a scheme by heretics to sow distrust among the high houses of Ishgard. After exposing the scheme, they're able to retrieve the Enterprise, but it's in rough shape and requires a special stone to get back up and running to full power. After finding it, the adventurer, Cid, and Alphinaud fly off to face Garuda.
With the aid of the Echo, the adventurer helps Cid fully recall his past and (should you have played through the Legacy version of the game) reveal that they are one of the missing Warriors of Light, revealing their identities at long last. Confronting Garuda, the primal is vanquished, but resurrected just as quickly... only for the Garleans to make their move, unleashing the Ultima Weapon, an ancient Allagan warmachina, on not only Garuda, but the resummoned Ifrit and Titan, absorbing them and forcing the three Scions to make a hasty retreat.
The trio returns to the Waking Sands in order to plan out their next action, and reunite with Y'shtola and Yda, who were actually elsewhere when the other Scions were captured. Knowing the other Scions are on borrowed time, the team formulates a plan to find where they were taken and sneak in, using captured uniforms and a stolen Magitek Reaper. The joy of succeeding is quickly dampened by the revelation mid-escape that Lahabrea, an Ascian who has been a thorn in your side for a while now, is actually Thancred - or, rather, as Minfilia corrects, possessing Thancred.
With the Scions rescued, they are able to rally the leaders of the city-states from the verge of surrender and instead initiate Operation Archon, a massive joint military effort to stop the Garlean advance and shut down the Ultima Weapon. As the various Eorzean armies handle other Castrums, the Warrior of Light (joined by Cid) invades Castrum Meridianum to shut down the barrier around the Praetorium. The resulting destruction draws out Livia sas Junius, who tries her best - and fails - to prevent the Warrior from getting to Gaius.
Making their way into the Praetorium, the Warrior of Light and Cid confront Gaius. Gaius tells Cid of his father's last regrets and offers him and the Warrior a place at his side. When they refuse, Gaius heads for the Ultima Weapon, and the Warrior gives chase as Cid monitors from a control room. The Warrior reunites with the Magitek Reaper they stole earlier en route and are stopped by Nero tol Scaeva, who seeks to prove his superiority over Cid. Though Nero escapes after their battle, the Warrior finally confronts Gaius, who attempts to convince the Warrior to abandon protecting Eorzea and instead rule it. They refuse, and Gaius attacks before retreating to the Ultima Weapon itself. Despite the Weapon's power, the Warrior manages to overcome it and strip it of the power it absorbed from the primals. Lahabrea then appears and reveals the Ultima Weapon's true power - the magic known as Ultima. Unleashing the spell wreaks devastation on both Hydaelyn's protective magic and the Praetorium, and Gaius takes the opportunity to make one last attempt to strike down the Warrior, but is still defeated, the Weapon destroyed. Lahabrea, annoyed at Gaius's failure, attempts to destroy the Warrior himself. However, with Hydaelyn's help, the Warrior is able to exorcise the Ascian from Thancred. As the Praetorium starts to explode, the Warrior escapes on the Magitek Reaper as the various Scions and leaders watch with worry. Hydaelyn inspires them to reach out to the Warrior (and should they be a Legacy character, they will remember their old friend clear as day as a original Warrior of Light). With the threat of the Garleans stopped for now, the Ultima Weapon destroyed, and Thancred safe and sound, the leaders declare that the Sixth Umbral Era is at an end and now, the Seventh Astral Era has begun.
After dealing with different threats across Eorzea, you find yourself confronted by the mage Y'shtola, who seeks to recruit the adventurer into the group she belongs to, the Scions of the Seventh Dawn. After consulting with Ul'dahan Adventurers' Guild owner Momodi, they decide to accept the offer. They meet with the Scions' leader, Minfilia, the secretary Tataru, and the other Archons - Y'shtola, Papalymo, Thancred, Yda, and Urianger - within the Waking Sands (if you imported a 1.0 character, Minfilia explicitly remembers you and later apologizes for treating you like a stranger). The adventurer's first mission, investigating disappearances in Thanalan, ultimately finds them battling and slaying the primal Ifrit, foiling the plot of their Amalj'aa captors. Their actions draw the attention of the city-states' Grand Companies, who all want to recruit them; Minfilia suggests they go revisit the city-states and their services before making a choice. As they do, they meet up with two Elezen teens, Alphinaud and Alisaie Leveilleur, the grandchildren of the missing Louisoux. The former snarks about how "corrupt" the city-states are while the latter seethes at the omission of the missing Warriors of Light and Louisoux from the memorials. After returning to the Waking Sands and joining a Grand Company, the adventurer rescues two Airship pilots - Garlond Ironworks engineers Biggs and Wedge - and their airship from Garlean soldiers. The adventurer subsequently aids the Sylph race with finding their missing Elder; rescuing her leads to the sylphs becoming friends of theirs.
The adventurer then deals with parts of the Ala Mhigo Resistance, a group of Ala Mhigan refugees who seek to liberate their country from the Garlean Empire. No sooner is the trouble with them quelled when word gets out of the arrival of the primal Titan. Seeking to learn how to defeat them, the adventurer seeks out the last team to face Titan down, the Company of Heroes, who puts them through a series of tests... for their own banquet, before giving a few pieces of advice. The adventurer finds their way inside the Navel, faces Titan, and emerges victorious. However, any celebrations are cut short when they return to the Waking Sands to find it littered with bodies and the Scions missing. Thanks to the Echo, they learn that the Garlean Empire somehow learned of their base, kidnapped the Scions, and murdered everyone else in there. They follow Minfilia's final instructions and seek refuge at a nearby church.
During their time at the church, the adventurer befriends a man named Marques, an amnesiac survivor of Carteneau with a knack for mechanics. After the adventurer stops a Garlean spy, Alphinaud arrives and reveals that Marques is actually the missing Cid Garlond. Alphinaud recruits them both to hunt down Cid's airship, the Enterprise, in order to stop the recently-summoned primal Garuda. The search for the Enterprise sends them to Coerthas and into a scheme by heretics to sow distrust among the high houses of Ishgard. After exposing the scheme, they're able to retrieve the Enterprise, but it's in rough shape and requires a special stone to get back up and running to full power. After finding it, the adventurer, Cid, and Alphinaud fly off to face Garuda.
With the aid of the Echo, the adventurer helps Cid fully recall his past and (should you have played through the Legacy version of the game) reveal that they are one of the missing Warriors of Light, revealing their identities at long last. Confronting Garuda, the primal is vanquished, but resurrected just as quickly... only for the Garleans to make their move, unleashing the Ultima Weapon, an ancient Allagan warmachina, on not only Garuda, but the resummoned Ifrit and Titan, absorbing them and forcing the three Scions to make a hasty retreat.
The trio returns to the Waking Sands in order to plan out their next action, and reunite with Y'shtola and Yda, who were actually elsewhere when the other Scions were captured. Knowing the other Scions are on borrowed time, the team formulates a plan to find where they were taken and sneak in, using captured uniforms and a stolen Magitek Reaper. The joy of succeeding is quickly dampened by the revelation mid-escape that Lahabrea, an Ascian who has been a thorn in your side for a while now, is actually Thancred - or, rather, as Minfilia corrects, possessing Thancred.
With the Scions rescued, they are able to rally the leaders of the city-states from the verge of surrender and instead initiate Operation Archon, a massive joint military effort to stop the Garlean advance and shut down the Ultima Weapon. As the various Eorzean armies handle other Castrums, the Warrior of Light (joined by Cid) invades Castrum Meridianum to shut down the barrier around the Praetorium. The resulting destruction draws out Livia sas Junius, who tries her best - and fails - to prevent the Warrior from getting to Gaius.
Making their way into the Praetorium, the Warrior of Light and Cid confront Gaius. Gaius tells Cid of his father's last regrets and offers him and the Warrior a place at his side. When they refuse, Gaius heads for the Ultima Weapon, and the Warrior gives chase as Cid monitors from a control room. The Warrior reunites with the Magitek Reaper they stole earlier en route and are stopped by Nero tol Scaeva, who seeks to prove his superiority over Cid. Though Nero escapes after their battle, the Warrior finally confronts Gaius, who attempts to convince the Warrior to abandon protecting Eorzea and instead rule it. They refuse, and Gaius attacks before retreating to the Ultima Weapon itself. Despite the Weapon's power, the Warrior manages to overcome it and strip it of the power it absorbed from the primals. Lahabrea then appears and reveals the Ultima Weapon's true power - the magic known as Ultima. Unleashing the spell wreaks devastation on both Hydaelyn's protective magic and the Praetorium, and Gaius takes the opportunity to make one last attempt to strike down the Warrior, but is still defeated, the Weapon destroyed. Lahabrea, annoyed at Gaius's failure, attempts to destroy the Warrior himself. However, with Hydaelyn's help, the Warrior is able to exorcise the Ascian from Thancred. As the Praetorium starts to explode, the Warrior escapes on the Magitek Reaper as the various Scions and leaders watch with worry. Hydaelyn inspires them to reach out to the Warrior (and should they be a Legacy character, they will remember their old friend clear as day as a original Warrior of Light). With the threat of the Garleans stopped for now, the Ultima Weapon destroyed, and Thancred safe and sound, the leaders declare that the Sixth Umbral Era is at an end and now, the Seventh Astral Era has begun.
The Seventh Astral Era (2.x)
With the threat of the Empire stopped for now and the primal threat renewed, the Scions plan to relocate, so they can operate without being indebted to any city-state and thus maintain their political neutrality. Minfilia refuses, however, and it requires the Warrior of Light and Alphinaud to get down to the source of the problem - hunting down and finding Minfilia's missing adopted mother F'lhaminn. The two reunited, Minfilia finally agrees to the relocation, and the Scions establish a new base, the Rising Stones, in Mor Dhona. They barely get settled in when word comes of another primal - the moogles have been tricked by the Ascians into summoning Good King Moggle Mog XII, threatening the Black Shroud. During this time, the Warrior also aids the eccentric "gentleman inspector" Hildibrand Manderville, who has been rediscovered after disappearing five years ago when he flew to Dalamud, in stopping a mysterious thief and also dealing with the interdimensional traveler Greg... Gilgamesh.
On the side, the Warrior of Light offers aid to Cid and a Sharlayan research group, The Sons of Saint Coinach, as they look into the sudden reappearance of the Crystal Tower in Mor Dhona, lest it hold more Allagan weapons like Ultima. Assisted by the heterochromatic Miqo'te G'raha Tia, who christens the allied groups as the Nominated Observers of Artifacts Historical (NOAH), you clear a path through the Labyrinth of the Ancients toward the central spire, the Syrcus Tower, but are stopped by its immovable front door. Two strangers, Doga and Unei, reveal themselves to NOAH, and effortlessly open it. Nero tol Scaeva, who has abandoned his Garlean command after Operation Archon, expresses his own interest in the expedition, hoping to find a power source stronger than Ultima. He reveals that the door only opens to those of royal Allagan blood, and that Doga and Unei are clones of two royal sages. They were created to stop the also-cloned Emperor Xande, who wishes to unleash powerful Voidsent upon Hydaelyn to fulfill an ancient pact with their leader, the Cloud of Darkness. The Warrior slays Xande, but then, through the portal he had opened into the World of Darkness, the Cloud whisks Doga, Unei and Nero away. The Warrior and G'raha pursue them inside, eventually besting the Cloud and rescuing her three captives. Doga and Unei reveal the nature of G'raha's unusual single red eye - he is a descendant of a Miqo'te gifted royal blood by the last Allagan princess, Salina. The two sages augment G'raha's blood with their own, and the Warrior, G'raha and Nero escape back to Eorzea, the portal sealing behind them. G'raha, now understanding his bloodline's purpose, decides to honor Salina's last wish - to make the Tower a beacon of hope for all Eorzea - by sealing himself inside to await the day they can open its gates, whereupon he will be their guide to using the Tower's powers. He and NOAH exchange farewells, promising to make that day come sooner than later, and as the Tower's doors close once more, NOAH is dissolved.
Soon the Warrior finds themself dealing with another group of refugees, this time from the far eastern nation of Doma, which was also under Garlean occupation. At the behest of Yugiri, the refugees' de facto leader, the Scions attempt to win over the Syndicate of Ul'dah. Despite Nanamo's desire to help the Domans, the Monetarists refuse, despite the overtures of the friendlier Teledji Adeledji. Alphinaud hits upon another solution, finding the Domans a home in Mor Dhona as frontier hands. With Teledji's help, they're able to travel to the outpost without much trouble. However, trouble looms once more as it is revealed that the Sahagin plan to summon their primal Leviathan. Despite the Scions' best efforts, the primal is awoken. Using an ingenious plan, the heroes are able to dampen Leviathan's power and slay him. Doing so leads Merlwyb to lend aid to the Domans; Yugiri, in turn, offers to teach the Ninja skills of her land, as the Rogues of Limsa Lominsa seem to fight in a similar way.
Trouble brews once more as unrest among the Ala Mhigan refugees shakes Ul'dah, and Alphinaud is caught in the crossfire. He makes it out relatively unscathed, though, and the Scions resolve to figure out who is behind the riot. While the investigation yields little proof, Raubahn believes this to be part of a scheme by Teledji Adaledji - his kind overtures actually belieing a far more sinister goal of claiming the Carteneau Flats, which contain a weapon much more powerful than the destroyed Ultima Weapon - Omega. Without any proof, the Scions are unable to confront the Lalafell and must turn to a greater threat - the primal Ramuh, who has been summoned by the tempered Sylphs. Ramuh is reportedly a more peaceful primal than the ones the Scions have yet faced, and despite their intent to negotiate with him, Ramuh insists on testing the Warrior's worthiness in battle. The Warrior of Light's actions are starting to inspire their comrades, especially Tataru, who wants to make herself useful, and Alphinaud, who decides that he wants to make his own Grand Company, unbeholden to any one nation, that will save the world. Recruits are scouted from across Eorzea for Alphinaud's brand new Crystal Braves, though not without warning that the group may actually be funded by the Monetarists.
As the Scions gain a new ally in Moenbryda, a Sharlayan scholar and old friend of Urianger's who is helping them find a way to slay the Ascians, the Warrior of Light helps the Crystal Braves snuff out a traitor within the Immortal Flames. After defeating and arresting the Garlean spy, they travel to Coerthas to aid the Ishgardians in finding and stopping the mysterious "Lady Iceheart," a heretic disrupting their supply routes. Through Moenbryda's help, you are able to confront Iceheart, who reveals she can become a primal by summoning Shiva, a woman branded a heretic by Ishgardian history for laying with a dragon. You are able to defeat her, but she escapes, hinting that she, too, has been blessed with the Echo.
Things swiftly go downhill for the Scions from there. Not only have Ifrit, Garuda and Titan been resummoned, but a passage leading deep beneath Eorzea, the mysterious Coils of Bahamut, is discovered; the Warrior of Light and the Leveilleur twins brave its depths to confront the primal beast and learn the truth of Louisoix's fate. Even worse, the dragon Midgardsormr, thought dead for years, is reawakened. After confronting his aetherial form, he seals away the Warrior's Blessing of light, with Hydaelyn's approval, and creates a new diminutive form to accompany you and judge your worth. Realizing their weakness, the Ascian Nabriales makes a power play, attempting to steal the fragment of Louisoix's staff kept in the Rising Stones, which still serves as a source of great magical power. He grievously wounds Moenbryda and kidnaps Minfilia, but the Warrior is able to save Minfilia and protect the staff, using it to create the blade of light that drove off Lahabrea and save Thancred. However, their power isn't enough, and the dying Moenbryda sacrifices the last of her strength to destroy Nabriales.
There's no time to really grieve, though, as the Warrior is called upon to aid Ishgard - Iceheart has destroyed the magical barrier protecting Ishgard, and the Steps of Faith have become a battleground. The Warrior is able to slay the gigantic dragon Vishap and save Ishgard from disaster, leading the nation to consider reopening its gates to the outside world. However, things get very grim - while helping a scholar with his studies, the Scions find the body of Wilred, a young Ala Mhigan rebel who joined the Crystal Braves, in the Black Shroud, stabbed and left for dead. Last anyone knows, he was investigating irregularities in the Braves' ledgers. Then, at a party to celebrate the recent victories, the other shoe drops.
Sultana Nanamo Ul Namo, after confiding to the Warrior her plans to abdicate the throne and dissolve the monarchy as a means to destroy the Monetarists' stranglehold on the government, suddenly collapses to the ground after drinking a poisoned wine. Teledji Adaledji and the Brass Blades arrive and arrest you for regicide, sending away the delegate for Ishgard, Ser Aymeric, before accusing the Scions of the Seventh Dawn of trying to overthrow the government. Whatever plans Teledji had, however, are completely scuttled when his relentless insults to a grieving Raubahn incite him to lunge forward and slice Teledji in half. His blades then turn to Syndicate member Lolorito when he accuses him of aiding the Scions' alleged coup, but is stopped when his left arm is sliced off by his now-former childhood friend and captain of the Crystal Braves, Ilberd. Seeking to give our heroes a chance to escape, Raubahn frees the captive Warrior of Light and tells the Scions to flee Ul'dah.
However, the Scions prioritize the Warrior's safety over their own; Yda, Papalymo, Y'shtola, and Thancred stay behind to stop the Brass Blades and traitorous Crystal Braves, and Minfilia too remains behind after receiving a message from Hydaelyn. The Warrior is reunited outside the city with Alphinaud, who is horrified that his Crystal Braves had been in the pocket of the Monetarists the entire time. Accompanying him is Raubahn's adopted son Pipin Tarupin, Vice Marshal of the Immortal Flames, who freed him and smuggled him out. The three are rescued by the traveling merchant from the beginning of the Warrior's adventure, who was sent to help by Alphinaud's sister Alisaie. He and Pipin drop the Warrior and Alphinaud off at Black Brush Station, where Cid awaits to spirit them off to Camp Dragonhead, where Haurchefant welcomes them in and offers them asylum. It is here that they are reunited with Tataru and Yugiri, now unmasked and revealed as an Au Ra, and learn that Urianger is safe back at the Waking Sands. With Midgardsormr's cryptic taunts in the Warrior of Light's ears, the future seems shaky at best...
On the side, the Warrior of Light offers aid to Cid and a Sharlayan research group, The Sons of Saint Coinach, as they look into the sudden reappearance of the Crystal Tower in Mor Dhona, lest it hold more Allagan weapons like Ultima. Assisted by the heterochromatic Miqo'te G'raha Tia, who christens the allied groups as the Nominated Observers of Artifacts Historical (NOAH), you clear a path through the Labyrinth of the Ancients toward the central spire, the Syrcus Tower, but are stopped by its immovable front door. Two strangers, Doga and Unei, reveal themselves to NOAH, and effortlessly open it. Nero tol Scaeva, who has abandoned his Garlean command after Operation Archon, expresses his own interest in the expedition, hoping to find a power source stronger than Ultima. He reveals that the door only opens to those of royal Allagan blood, and that Doga and Unei are clones of two royal sages. They were created to stop the also-cloned Emperor Xande, who wishes to unleash powerful Voidsent upon Hydaelyn to fulfill an ancient pact with their leader, the Cloud of Darkness. The Warrior slays Xande, but then, through the portal he had opened into the World of Darkness, the Cloud whisks Doga, Unei and Nero away. The Warrior and G'raha pursue them inside, eventually besting the Cloud and rescuing her three captives. Doga and Unei reveal the nature of G'raha's unusual single red eye - he is a descendant of a Miqo'te gifted royal blood by the last Allagan princess, Salina. The two sages augment G'raha's blood with their own, and the Warrior, G'raha and Nero escape back to Eorzea, the portal sealing behind them. G'raha, now understanding his bloodline's purpose, decides to honor Salina's last wish - to make the Tower a beacon of hope for all Eorzea - by sealing himself inside to await the day they can open its gates, whereupon he will be their guide to using the Tower's powers. He and NOAH exchange farewells, promising to make that day come sooner than later, and as the Tower's doors close once more, NOAH is dissolved.
Soon the Warrior finds themself dealing with another group of refugees, this time from the far eastern nation of Doma, which was also under Garlean occupation. At the behest of Yugiri, the refugees' de facto leader, the Scions attempt to win over the Syndicate of Ul'dah. Despite Nanamo's desire to help the Domans, the Monetarists refuse, despite the overtures of the friendlier Teledji Adeledji. Alphinaud hits upon another solution, finding the Domans a home in Mor Dhona as frontier hands. With Teledji's help, they're able to travel to the outpost without much trouble. However, trouble looms once more as it is revealed that the Sahagin plan to summon their primal Leviathan. Despite the Scions' best efforts, the primal is awoken. Using an ingenious plan, the heroes are able to dampen Leviathan's power and slay him. Doing so leads Merlwyb to lend aid to the Domans; Yugiri, in turn, offers to teach the Ninja skills of her land, as the Rogues of Limsa Lominsa seem to fight in a similar way.
Trouble brews once more as unrest among the Ala Mhigan refugees shakes Ul'dah, and Alphinaud is caught in the crossfire. He makes it out relatively unscathed, though, and the Scions resolve to figure out who is behind the riot. While the investigation yields little proof, Raubahn believes this to be part of a scheme by Teledji Adaledji - his kind overtures actually belieing a far more sinister goal of claiming the Carteneau Flats, which contain a weapon much more powerful than the destroyed Ultima Weapon - Omega. Without any proof, the Scions are unable to confront the Lalafell and must turn to a greater threat - the primal Ramuh, who has been summoned by the tempered Sylphs. Ramuh is reportedly a more peaceful primal than the ones the Scions have yet faced, and despite their intent to negotiate with him, Ramuh insists on testing the Warrior's worthiness in battle. The Warrior of Light's actions are starting to inspire their comrades, especially Tataru, who wants to make herself useful, and Alphinaud, who decides that he wants to make his own Grand Company, unbeholden to any one nation, that will save the world. Recruits are scouted from across Eorzea for Alphinaud's brand new Crystal Braves, though not without warning that the group may actually be funded by the Monetarists.
As the Scions gain a new ally in Moenbryda, a Sharlayan scholar and old friend of Urianger's who is helping them find a way to slay the Ascians, the Warrior of Light helps the Crystal Braves snuff out a traitor within the Immortal Flames. After defeating and arresting the Garlean spy, they travel to Coerthas to aid the Ishgardians in finding and stopping the mysterious "Lady Iceheart," a heretic disrupting their supply routes. Through Moenbryda's help, you are able to confront Iceheart, who reveals she can become a primal by summoning Shiva, a woman branded a heretic by Ishgardian history for laying with a dragon. You are able to defeat her, but she escapes, hinting that she, too, has been blessed with the Echo.
Things swiftly go downhill for the Scions from there. Not only have Ifrit, Garuda and Titan been resummoned, but a passage leading deep beneath Eorzea, the mysterious Coils of Bahamut, is discovered; the Warrior of Light and the Leveilleur twins brave its depths to confront the primal beast and learn the truth of Louisoix's fate. Even worse, the dragon Midgardsormr, thought dead for years, is reawakened. After confronting his aetherial form, he seals away the Warrior's Blessing of light, with Hydaelyn's approval, and creates a new diminutive form to accompany you and judge your worth. Realizing their weakness, the Ascian Nabriales makes a power play, attempting to steal the fragment of Louisoix's staff kept in the Rising Stones, which still serves as a source of great magical power. He grievously wounds Moenbryda and kidnaps Minfilia, but the Warrior is able to save Minfilia and protect the staff, using it to create the blade of light that drove off Lahabrea and save Thancred. However, their power isn't enough, and the dying Moenbryda sacrifices the last of her strength to destroy Nabriales.
There's no time to really grieve, though, as the Warrior is called upon to aid Ishgard - Iceheart has destroyed the magical barrier protecting Ishgard, and the Steps of Faith have become a battleground. The Warrior is able to slay the gigantic dragon Vishap and save Ishgard from disaster, leading the nation to consider reopening its gates to the outside world. However, things get very grim - while helping a scholar with his studies, the Scions find the body of Wilred, a young Ala Mhigan rebel who joined the Crystal Braves, in the Black Shroud, stabbed and left for dead. Last anyone knows, he was investigating irregularities in the Braves' ledgers. Then, at a party to celebrate the recent victories, the other shoe drops.
Sultana Nanamo Ul Namo, after confiding to the Warrior her plans to abdicate the throne and dissolve the monarchy as a means to destroy the Monetarists' stranglehold on the government, suddenly collapses to the ground after drinking a poisoned wine. Teledji Adaledji and the Brass Blades arrive and arrest you for regicide, sending away the delegate for Ishgard, Ser Aymeric, before accusing the Scions of the Seventh Dawn of trying to overthrow the government. Whatever plans Teledji had, however, are completely scuttled when his relentless insults to a grieving Raubahn incite him to lunge forward and slice Teledji in half. His blades then turn to Syndicate member Lolorito when he accuses him of aiding the Scions' alleged coup, but is stopped when his left arm is sliced off by his now-former childhood friend and captain of the Crystal Braves, Ilberd. Seeking to give our heroes a chance to escape, Raubahn frees the captive Warrior of Light and tells the Scions to flee Ul'dah.
However, the Scions prioritize the Warrior's safety over their own; Yda, Papalymo, Y'shtola, and Thancred stay behind to stop the Brass Blades and traitorous Crystal Braves, and Minfilia too remains behind after receiving a message from Hydaelyn. The Warrior is reunited outside the city with Alphinaud, who is horrified that his Crystal Braves had been in the pocket of the Monetarists the entire time. Accompanying him is Raubahn's adopted son Pipin Tarupin, Vice Marshal of the Immortal Flames, who freed him and smuggled him out. The three are rescued by the traveling merchant from the beginning of the Warrior's adventure, who was sent to help by Alphinaud's sister Alisaie. He and Pipin drop the Warrior and Alphinaud off at Black Brush Station, where Cid awaits to spirit them off to Camp Dragonhead, where Haurchefant welcomes them in and offers them asylum. It is here that they are reunited with Tataru and Yugiri, now unmasked and revealed as an Au Ra, and learn that Urianger is safe back at the Waking Sands. With Midgardsormr's cryptic taunts in the Warrior of Light's ears, the future seems shaky at best...
Heavensward (3.0)
Upon finally being given asylum within Ishgard, you, Alphinaud and Tataru make their way to the main city, taking a tour of it and being introduced to Haurchefant's family, who are taking the trio in as wards. Hoping to find word of the missing Scions, Tataru hangs around the Forgotten Knight pub while you participate in adventures with Haurchefant's brothers - learning of the primal Bismarck while with Emmanellain while aiding in stopping more of Lady Iceheart's followers with Artoirel. However, when you return, you find that Tataru and Alphinaud have been accused of heresy by members of the elite guard known as the Heavens' Ward. Using a trial by combat and acting as Tataru's champion, you defeat the Heavens' Ward members and clear their names of heresy. Afterwards, you're brought about to Archbishop Thordan VII, who apologizes to you for what happened, then tells you that he's been met by the Ascians and plans to use them.
Some mixed news comes of this soon after - returning to Limsa Lominsa, you're greeted warmly by Merlwyb, who reveals that both her country and Kan-E-Senna's Gridania are open to them and remain staunch allies and Raubahn is revealed to be lined up for execution for his actions. Aided by Yugiri and the Domans, you break in to Halatali and rescue Raubahn, driving away Ilberd and the Crystal Braves. However, you're forced back to Ishgard as there's another attack in the works and Ishgard is still weak from the last attack. Alphinaud decides the best thing to do is to confront Lady Iceheart in order to find the dragons and stop this senseless war. Despite the odds stacking against them, you have Ser Aymeric's blessing and are backed by the Azure Dragoon, Estinien.
Calling out Lady Iceheart, who reveals herself as Ysayle, she reveals the horrid past behind the Dragonsong War, that it was the Ishgardians who betrayed the dragons, not the other way around as perpetuated by the Ishgardian clergy. They realize that confronting the lead dragon Nidhogg would be futile and opt to confront Hraesvelgr instead. With Ysayle joining you, the group journeys to the Dravanian Forelands, slaying the primal Ravana and the dragon Tioman as you reach the Churning Mists. With help of Kuplo Kopp and Kan-E-Senna, you're able to gain the help of other moogles in summon Hraesvelgr. However, Hraesvelgr rebuffs the group - he tells the group the true story of how King Thordan and his Knights Twelve turned against the dragons, kickstarting the Dragonsong War, and that Ysayle's Shiva form isn't the real Shiva, but just her imagination given primal form.
Thus, plan B is given - to confront Nidhogg himself. However, to do so, Cid makes final preparations on a new type of personal airship, the manacutter, capable of weathering the storm surrounding the Aery where Nidhogg roosts. While he's doing this, you are called back to Thanalan as there are leads as to what happened to Nanamo. Finding and confronting her former handmaid, the heroes are, in turn, confronted by Lolorito, who reveals everything - that he had learned of Teledji's plot to assassinate Nanamo and hijacked his plan so that she would instead be put in a deep sleep. He also revealed that he was the one who had control over the Crystal Braves. Despite Raubahn wanting to kill him as well, everyone is forced to stay their hand - the only way the status quo could be restored is if Lolorito goes free. With Nanamo finally revived, the decision is made to deal with the returning threat of the Garlean Empire. The Warrior of Light, however, is called back to Ishgard - the manacutters are ready and Estinien is ready to end Nidhogg's threat.
Entering Nidhogg's abode, the Warrior of Light and Estinien make their way to Nidhogg himself and, in a titanic struggle, the duo defeat the elder dragon, the Azure Dragoon stealing away Nidhogg's other eye. To his surprise, the eye he pulled out isn't Nidhogg's other eye. They confront Hraesvelgr and learn that that eye is his - Nidhogg lost both eyes and he gave him one after Nidhogg guilt-tripped him into doing it. Though Estinien wonders as to where Nidhogg's other eye is, other matters take precedence - Ishgard is under attack by an invasion of heretics. Ysayle intervenes and tells them to go back - Nidhogg's dead and the war is over. Given a moment to breathe, the heroes reveal the truth of the Dragonsong War to Aymeric. Disheartened to learn of this, he decides that, with Nidhogg dead, it's time to put the past behind them and allow the truth to be revealed. The others, realizing how pear-shaped this will go, plan to break Aymeric free if things head that way. When it does, the heroes seek out a woman known as "the Mongrel", a woman who was a child of a highborn and a lowborn; this woman, Hilde, is surprised at you wanting her help, but is willing to entertain that idea, mostly because it allows her to get back at the highers-up.
After an attack by a member of the Heavens' Ward, the heroes set their plans into motion - the Warrior of Light is to invade the Vault and capture the Archbishop while the others rescue Aymeric. The group rescuing Aymeric is successful and join up with the Warrior of Light as they catch up to the Archbishop. The Warrior and Haurchefant chase after the Archbishop, only for a hidden Heavens' Ward knight to strike. Haurchefant blocks his attack with his shield, protecting the Warrior of Light, only for the shield to fail and strike the knight, ultimately killing him. As the Fortemps family is left to grieve, the heroes learn of what happened between Aymeric and Thordan and ultimately realize that, like Ysayle, have become primals themselves, namely King Thordan I and his Knights Twelve. With only the mysterious name "Azys Lla" to go by, the heroes set off after the Archbishop's airship.
Returning to the Sea of Clouds, you meet and befriend the Vanu Vanu tribe, who tell you a bit more about the mysterious Azys Lla and that one needs a "key" to get in. Sadly, the primal Bismarck ate the key along with the island it was on. With the aid of a small island, a pair of dragonkiller cannons and a magitek generator, Cid comes up with a plan to lure Bismarck, capture it and slay it to free the key. The plan works, but the Warrior of Light is paralyzed by a sneak attack by an Ascian, Archbishop Thordan taking the key and making his way to Azys Lla. Slightly dejected but determined as ever, the heroes return to the Vanu Vanu, only to see them captured by the Garleans, meeting the new Emperor Varis. The Garleans opt to retreat when Lucia arrives with her own Magitek Armor, driving them away. Chasing after the Archbishop's airship, Lucia reveals that she was originally a spy for the Garlean Empire, but the Ishgardians drive and Aymeric's own charisma caused her to switch sides. The heroes arrive at Azys Lla, finding it to be a massive floating fortress, however, the heroes are driven back when a massive shield blocks their path, heavily damaging the Enterprise.
Returning to Ishgard, as Cid goes to fix up the Enterprise, they ponder a way to get through the barrier. However, they end up with some good news - returning to Thanalan, at the collapsed site of the Scions' escape from Ul'dah, they learn that while there were no bodies located in the rubble, Y'shtola's old staff was. With Urianger's help, they learn that Y'shtola must have used a forbidden teleportation spell known as Flow to escape from her pursuers, which has a risk of stranding the user in the Lifestream. With the aid of the Seedsters and Y'shtola's half-sister, the missing Scion is freed from the Lifestream. Once reunions (and a new outfit for Y'shtola from Tataru) are given, the mage is asked if she knows of a way to penetrate the barrier. She doesn't, but she knows someone who does - her old master, Matoya. Traveling to Y'shtola's and Alphinaud's old home of Sharlayan, they aid the goblins there who have set up Idyllshire, a colony in the abandoned city, before reaching Y'shtola's master. The old mage sends the Warrior of Light into the Great Gubal Library to retrieve a book needed to make their device, though before the heroes return to Ishgard, Matoya stops Y'shtola and notes the change in her eyes - her trip into the Lifestream has rendered her blind, and her method of seeing via aetheric energy runs the risk of killing her.
With the book in hand, Cid create the device needed and adds it to the rebuilt Enterprise, rechristened Enterprise Excelsior. The plan is to use the Eye of Nidhogg to give the device enough aetheric energy to pierce through the shield. Bidding farewell to the Ishgardians and receiving both Haurchefant's shattered shield as a keepsake and an extra white auracite from Urianger, you head off back to Azys Lla. Breaking through the barrier, the Excelsior is attacked by the Garleans, who hid in wait for the heroes to shatter the shield. When all hope seems lost, Ysayle returns on the back of Hraesvelgr. Leaping off the dragon, she transforms into Shiva one last time and uses her power to attack the mighty Garlean airship. She's able to heavily damage it and save the Excelsior, but the Garleans' retaliation subdues Shiva. Plummeting from the sky, Ysayle reaffirms her belief in her newfound allies as she dissipates into aether.
Arriving at Azys Lla, the heroes activate an Allagan guidance node, which Wedge nicknames "Gilly", and have it lead them to where the Archbishop is. The Warrior of Light is forced to go alone, however, when they encounter the Garleans, taking the eye of Nidhogg with them. They encounter the dragon Tiamat, who has been captured by the Allagans for centuries. Despite Midgardsormr wanting her to be free, she refuses - it was she who allowed the primal Bahamut to awaken because she listened to the Ascians in her grief after the Allagans killed the real Bahamut. This, along with other events since arriving on Ishgard, allows the Warrior of Light to reclaim Hydaelyn's blessing of light, stronger than ever. Midgardsormr, finally acknowledging the Warrior of Light's efforts and resolve even without Hydaelyn's blessing, uses that awakening power to make a bigger body for himself and allows the Warrior to ride him to the Aetherochemical Research Facility, the heart of Azys Lla.
Making their way to the core of the facility, they encounter two Ascians — Lahabrea and Igeyorhm. Despite their power, you overwhelm them and you end up killing Igeyorhm using the auracite and the Eye of Nidhogg. However, before Lahabrea can escape, Thordan arrives and reveals that he has the other Eye. Using its power, he becomes the primal version of King Thordan and, turning the eye and the body of the first dragoon into a massive sword, slays Lahabrea and absorbs his aether. In a final showdown, you challenge the Knights of the Round and defeat them all, leaving Thordan in total disbelief as he dies, not understanding how you could overpower him.
Soon, Estinien arrives and notices that Thordan had the other eye. Taking it, he proclaims relief that his duty is almost over before something goes terribly wrong: Nidhogg's spirit refuses to die and takes Estinien's moment of weakness to take over, turning his body into a healthy copy of his old body. Midgardsormr appears and can only sigh in defeat as to why his son has become so thirsty for revenge. Escaping from the Singularity Reactor, you catch up with the other heroes in victory, leading to the Ishgardians' first encounter with a dragon that wasn't with bloodlust as you ride in on Midgardsormr, marking the first steps to peace between man and dragon.
In the days to follow, Ishgard is reinstated as a member of the Eorzean Alliance in a formal ceremony while the Scions put Haurchefant to rest in the Coerthas Central Highlands, overlooking the Steps of Faith, with you leaving his shattered shield by his grave.
Some mixed news comes of this soon after - returning to Limsa Lominsa, you're greeted warmly by Merlwyb, who reveals that both her country and Kan-E-Senna's Gridania are open to them and remain staunch allies and Raubahn is revealed to be lined up for execution for his actions. Aided by Yugiri and the Domans, you break in to Halatali and rescue Raubahn, driving away Ilberd and the Crystal Braves. However, you're forced back to Ishgard as there's another attack in the works and Ishgard is still weak from the last attack. Alphinaud decides the best thing to do is to confront Lady Iceheart in order to find the dragons and stop this senseless war. Despite the odds stacking against them, you have Ser Aymeric's blessing and are backed by the Azure Dragoon, Estinien.
Calling out Lady Iceheart, who reveals herself as Ysayle, she reveals the horrid past behind the Dragonsong War, that it was the Ishgardians who betrayed the dragons, not the other way around as perpetuated by the Ishgardian clergy. They realize that confronting the lead dragon Nidhogg would be futile and opt to confront Hraesvelgr instead. With Ysayle joining you, the group journeys to the Dravanian Forelands, slaying the primal Ravana and the dragon Tioman as you reach the Churning Mists. With help of Kuplo Kopp and Kan-E-Senna, you're able to gain the help of other moogles in summon Hraesvelgr. However, Hraesvelgr rebuffs the group - he tells the group the true story of how King Thordan and his Knights Twelve turned against the dragons, kickstarting the Dragonsong War, and that Ysayle's Shiva form isn't the real Shiva, but just her imagination given primal form.
Thus, plan B is given - to confront Nidhogg himself. However, to do so, Cid makes final preparations on a new type of personal airship, the manacutter, capable of weathering the storm surrounding the Aery where Nidhogg roosts. While he's doing this, you are called back to Thanalan as there are leads as to what happened to Nanamo. Finding and confronting her former handmaid, the heroes are, in turn, confronted by Lolorito, who reveals everything - that he had learned of Teledji's plot to assassinate Nanamo and hijacked his plan so that she would instead be put in a deep sleep. He also revealed that he was the one who had control over the Crystal Braves. Despite Raubahn wanting to kill him as well, everyone is forced to stay their hand - the only way the status quo could be restored is if Lolorito goes free. With Nanamo finally revived, the decision is made to deal with the returning threat of the Garlean Empire. The Warrior of Light, however, is called back to Ishgard - the manacutters are ready and Estinien is ready to end Nidhogg's threat.
Entering Nidhogg's abode, the Warrior of Light and Estinien make their way to Nidhogg himself and, in a titanic struggle, the duo defeat the elder dragon, the Azure Dragoon stealing away Nidhogg's other eye. To his surprise, the eye he pulled out isn't Nidhogg's other eye. They confront Hraesvelgr and learn that that eye is his - Nidhogg lost both eyes and he gave him one after Nidhogg guilt-tripped him into doing it. Though Estinien wonders as to where Nidhogg's other eye is, other matters take precedence - Ishgard is under attack by an invasion of heretics. Ysayle intervenes and tells them to go back - Nidhogg's dead and the war is over. Given a moment to breathe, the heroes reveal the truth of the Dragonsong War to Aymeric. Disheartened to learn of this, he decides that, with Nidhogg dead, it's time to put the past behind them and allow the truth to be revealed. The others, realizing how pear-shaped this will go, plan to break Aymeric free if things head that way. When it does, the heroes seek out a woman known as "the Mongrel", a woman who was a child of a highborn and a lowborn; this woman, Hilde, is surprised at you wanting her help, but is willing to entertain that idea, mostly because it allows her to get back at the highers-up.
After an attack by a member of the Heavens' Ward, the heroes set their plans into motion - the Warrior of Light is to invade the Vault and capture the Archbishop while the others rescue Aymeric. The group rescuing Aymeric is successful and join up with the Warrior of Light as they catch up to the Archbishop. The Warrior and Haurchefant chase after the Archbishop, only for a hidden Heavens' Ward knight to strike. Haurchefant blocks his attack with his shield, protecting the Warrior of Light, only for the shield to fail and strike the knight, ultimately killing him. As the Fortemps family is left to grieve, the heroes learn of what happened between Aymeric and Thordan and ultimately realize that, like Ysayle, have become primals themselves, namely King Thordan I and his Knights Twelve. With only the mysterious name "Azys Lla" to go by, the heroes set off after the Archbishop's airship.
Returning to the Sea of Clouds, you meet and befriend the Vanu Vanu tribe, who tell you a bit more about the mysterious Azys Lla and that one needs a "key" to get in. Sadly, the primal Bismarck ate the key along with the island it was on. With the aid of a small island, a pair of dragonkiller cannons and a magitek generator, Cid comes up with a plan to lure Bismarck, capture it and slay it to free the key. The plan works, but the Warrior of Light is paralyzed by a sneak attack by an Ascian, Archbishop Thordan taking the key and making his way to Azys Lla. Slightly dejected but determined as ever, the heroes return to the Vanu Vanu, only to see them captured by the Garleans, meeting the new Emperor Varis. The Garleans opt to retreat when Lucia arrives with her own Magitek Armor, driving them away. Chasing after the Archbishop's airship, Lucia reveals that she was originally a spy for the Garlean Empire, but the Ishgardians drive and Aymeric's own charisma caused her to switch sides. The heroes arrive at Azys Lla, finding it to be a massive floating fortress, however, the heroes are driven back when a massive shield blocks their path, heavily damaging the Enterprise.
Returning to Ishgard, as Cid goes to fix up the Enterprise, they ponder a way to get through the barrier. However, they end up with some good news - returning to Thanalan, at the collapsed site of the Scions' escape from Ul'dah, they learn that while there were no bodies located in the rubble, Y'shtola's old staff was. With Urianger's help, they learn that Y'shtola must have used a forbidden teleportation spell known as Flow to escape from her pursuers, which has a risk of stranding the user in the Lifestream. With the aid of the Seedsters and Y'shtola's half-sister, the missing Scion is freed from the Lifestream. Once reunions (and a new outfit for Y'shtola from Tataru) are given, the mage is asked if she knows of a way to penetrate the barrier. She doesn't, but she knows someone who does - her old master, Matoya. Traveling to Y'shtola's and Alphinaud's old home of Sharlayan, they aid the goblins there who have set up Idyllshire, a colony in the abandoned city, before reaching Y'shtola's master. The old mage sends the Warrior of Light into the Great Gubal Library to retrieve a book needed to make their device, though before the heroes return to Ishgard, Matoya stops Y'shtola and notes the change in her eyes - her trip into the Lifestream has rendered her blind, and her method of seeing via aetheric energy runs the risk of killing her.
With the book in hand, Cid create the device needed and adds it to the rebuilt Enterprise, rechristened Enterprise Excelsior. The plan is to use the Eye of Nidhogg to give the device enough aetheric energy to pierce through the shield. Bidding farewell to the Ishgardians and receiving both Haurchefant's shattered shield as a keepsake and an extra white auracite from Urianger, you head off back to Azys Lla. Breaking through the barrier, the Excelsior is attacked by the Garleans, who hid in wait for the heroes to shatter the shield. When all hope seems lost, Ysayle returns on the back of Hraesvelgr. Leaping off the dragon, she transforms into Shiva one last time and uses her power to attack the mighty Garlean airship. She's able to heavily damage it and save the Excelsior, but the Garleans' retaliation subdues Shiva. Plummeting from the sky, Ysayle reaffirms her belief in her newfound allies as she dissipates into aether.
Arriving at Azys Lla, the heroes activate an Allagan guidance node, which Wedge nicknames "Gilly", and have it lead them to where the Archbishop is. The Warrior of Light is forced to go alone, however, when they encounter the Garleans, taking the eye of Nidhogg with them. They encounter the dragon Tiamat, who has been captured by the Allagans for centuries. Despite Midgardsormr wanting her to be free, she refuses - it was she who allowed the primal Bahamut to awaken because she listened to the Ascians in her grief after the Allagans killed the real Bahamut. This, along with other events since arriving on Ishgard, allows the Warrior of Light to reclaim Hydaelyn's blessing of light, stronger than ever. Midgardsormr, finally acknowledging the Warrior of Light's efforts and resolve even without Hydaelyn's blessing, uses that awakening power to make a bigger body for himself and allows the Warrior to ride him to the Aetherochemical Research Facility, the heart of Azys Lla.
Making their way to the core of the facility, they encounter two Ascians — Lahabrea and Igeyorhm. Despite their power, you overwhelm them and you end up killing Igeyorhm using the auracite and the Eye of Nidhogg. However, before Lahabrea can escape, Thordan arrives and reveals that he has the other Eye. Using its power, he becomes the primal version of King Thordan and, turning the eye and the body of the first dragoon into a massive sword, slays Lahabrea and absorbs his aether. In a final showdown, you challenge the Knights of the Round and defeat them all, leaving Thordan in total disbelief as he dies, not understanding how you could overpower him.
Soon, Estinien arrives and notices that Thordan had the other eye. Taking it, he proclaims relief that his duty is almost over before something goes terribly wrong: Nidhogg's spirit refuses to die and takes Estinien's moment of weakness to take over, turning his body into a healthy copy of his old body. Midgardsormr appears and can only sigh in defeat as to why his son has become so thirsty for revenge. Escaping from the Singularity Reactor, you catch up with the other heroes in victory, leading to the Ishgardians' first encounter with a dragon that wasn't with bloodlust as you ride in on Midgardsormr, marking the first steps to peace between man and dragon.
In the days to follow, Ishgard is reinstated as a member of the Eorzean Alliance in a formal ceremony while the Scions put Haurchefant to rest in the Coerthas Central Highlands, overlooking the Steps of Faith, with you leaving his shattered shield by his grave.
The Dragonsong War (3.x)
Though the threat of Archbishop Thordan and his primal ambitions has ceased, the road to peace for Ishgard is still a treacherous path to travel. Eager to set about on this road, Aymeric has our heroes seek out Vidofnir with Lucia in order to kick off the peace proceedings. When you approach her, she's amenable to the idea, but she can't leave quite yet - Ravana has returned and she must protect the entrance to the Churning Mists from his wrath. She will, however, tell the other dragons of the plan and see what they think as well. To pass the time, Alphinaud and the Warrior of Light head for Idyllshire to meet Y'shtola and greet a Sharlayan scholar, who turns out to be Krile, Minfilia's dear friend and an old classmate of the Leveilleur twins.
As it turns out, Krile has a way to try to find Minfilia and Thancred, but needs to seek out Matoya to do so. Approaching the mage, she requests a special item — the Crystal Eye, one of the oldest and most potent of Hydaelyn's own crystals — to help scry for them. Matoya warms up to the scholar and willingly allows her to use it. Alphinaud deduces that Krile herself has the Echo, which she reveals gives her the unique ability to track another person's aether, which the Crystal Eye can boost. Krile can't find Minfilia, but does find that Thancred was last dropped off within Sohm Al's base. Using highly detailed sketches of Thancred drawn out by Alphinaud (a talent which Krile reveals he had developed as a means to pick up girls), you're able to deduce that Thancred has been around, though one person gave the description of a warrior holding an axe, not Thancred's signature knives. Before Y'shtola can kill Alphinaud over a perverted comment, the plan is made to go and slay Ravana again to draw out Thancred. However, before they can do so, the primal is found already defeated by a mysterious band of adventurers as they got there. Despite seemingly sharing the same goal, the unknown adventurers do not take kindly toward you and the Scions. The band turns their attention toward your group and easily defeats them, only to be driven off by Thancred's arrival. The self-proclaimed "Warriors of Darkness" promise that they will meet you again.
Reunited with Thancred, he explains that he had been dropped off in the area stark naked, in similar fashion to Y'shtola's retrieval from the Lifestream. Forced to fend for himself, he fashioned a makeshift pair of knives to kill and skin a bear before finding the Vath, who he was able to trade for fanciful clothes and weapons. He planned to wait until the heroes dealt with Ravana to meet up with them, but the Warriors of Darkness almost complicated things. With Thancred back in the fold and Ravana gone, they return to Vidofnir to bring the news. In turn, Vidofnir reveals that Hraesvelgr has allowed the rest of his brood to make their own decisions over the peace offering and they seemed to accept.
However, the return to Ishgard isn't a happy one - Lucia reveals that Aymeric was nearly killed in an assassination attempt. What's more, the city is starting to go up in flames! Though, you are able to stop the arsons and bring the arsonist to justice, there are still many more questions needed answering. Though Aymeric recovers enough to rejoin the heroes, thanks to the Fortemps' healing salve, they're soon worried of news that a group calling themselves the True Brothers of the Faith has invaded the Vault and taken refugees from the arsons hostage. They effectively seek a new Archbishop immediately and that Aymeric must turn himself in to be summarily executed for his perceived crimes. Knowing that a peaceful ending is highly unlikely, Aymeric leads a team inside the Vault to rescue the hostages. The leader, a priest, spirits away a young girl to the roof of the Vault, where he's confronted. Completely convinced of Aymeric's guilt, he attempts to punish Aymeric by tossing the girl to her death, only for her to be rescued by a just-arriving Vidofnir. However, Vidofnir's arrival is less than pleasant - Hraesvelgr brings news that, soon, Nidhogg will resume his war once more.
That bit of news is dulled a bit with news from Tataru - F'lhaminn, Hoary Boulder, and Coultenet are on their way back to Limsa Lominsa after running off to evade the Crystal Braves. Your reunion is a joyous one, though F'lhaminn isn't happy that Minfilia is still missing. However, the Scions learn of a possible way to find her thanks to Krile and Thancred. Returning to Matoya, you seek entrance into the Antitower, a old Sharlayan facility built to survey the aetherial sea, to find and contact Minfilia. After traversing the topsy-turvy tower, you finally encounter your missing friend, only to learn that she has become an emissary to Hydaelyn Herself and unable to rejoin them, something that upsets Thancred greatly.
With that, the Warrior of Light returns to Coerthas, where they learn that Aymeric's plans to broker peace between Ishgard and Dravania are apace, with a stone relief being made in Falcon's Nest to commemorate the end of the war and the reunion of man and dragon in harmony. Unfortunately, not everyone shares the desire to bury their grudge with the dragons; a group of protestors known as the Convictors are rumored to be conspiring to sabotage the coming peace talks. Lucia and Artoirel, the elder son of Count Edmont de Fortemps, leave to investigate the situation as you are left in Falcon's Nest to look after Artoirel's impulsive younger brother, Emmanellain.
After aiding young Emmanellain in his duties, the Warrior of Light retires to a tavern to get out of the cold, a young woman working there offering a drink to him on the house. Unfortunately, the drink is laced with a sedative that knocks the Warrior of Light out...
While unconscious, the Warrior of Light has a vision of the young maid, whose husband had been lost in the Dragonsong War, with a group of other Ishgardians united under one belief; that it was folly to try to make peace with the dragons that had massacred their families. The maid, in particular, is driven to see justice carried out in the names of those they had lost.
When the Warrior of Light comes to, Falcon's Nest is in chaos as injured civilians line the streets. The maid, standing on a rooftop, condemns the idea of peace with Dravianians and calls for a rise to arms against the murderers of their families. Emmanellain, hoping to defuse the situation, orders one of the hamlet's guards to stop her, leading to the maid being shot in the arm. Injured but infuriated, the maid condemns the great houses and Ser Aymeric for trying to strike her down for telling the truth; that they are now left with no choice but to die either by the dragons or the guards' hands. She is shot again, this time near-fatally.
Emmanellain, never wanting to have the maid killed, finds himself with the ire of the people of Falcon's Nest, the words of the maid resonating with them and her apparent death striking a chord with them.
With the possibility of peace with the dragons now in doubt, the Warrior of Light and Emmanellain make ready to return to Ishgard to relay the events that had transpired to Aymeric, but come across Honoroit, Emmanellain's servant, injured in the streets after a run-in with some of the Convictors' sympathizers. Thancred tries to talk an increasingly hysterical Emmanellain down, saying that what happened cannot be changed and he must learn to live with the consequences. Emmanellain lashes out at Thancred, whom he sees as being completely ignorant of what it is like to fail, and punches him. Thancred punches back, harder, and tells him that he had tried to save those closest to him and failed; he must live with those failures, and so too must Emmanellain.
The Warrior of Light returns to Ishgard afterwards with Thancred in tow to discuss the matter with Aymeric and Lord Edmont. Sadly, Ishgard is a nation steeped in tradition stemmed from the sins of antiquity on behalf of their forefathers, perpetuated by the clergy for a thousand years until Thordan VII's downfall. The people would not soon forget what they had lost to the dragons, and to try to convince them to do so as they strive for peace would only invite more like the Convictors and the True Brothers of the Faith to fight back. If there is to be any peace, the people of Ishgard must be once more united under a common goal, like they had with the war against the dragons before.
Aymeric has an idea that can help bring Ishgardians together; a "grand melee", a fighting tournament where Ishgard would would test their mettle against the other city-states of the Eorzean Alliance. Such a show of strength on the part of Ishgard's forces, composed of both Aymeric's Temple Knights and Hilda's watch, would reignite patriotic flames within the hearts and minds of the Holy See's people and help to pave the way for peace. With Lucia and Hilda both on board, the Warrior of Light is sent to find Emmanellain, so that he may make amends for his shortcomings at Falcon's Nest in the melee.
The Warrior of Light finds Emmanellain in the Pillars, his mistakes still heavy on his mind and his heart. Emmanellain had been born into privilege; as a son of House Fortemps, his future had been decided for him before he was even born, and lacking the strength of conviction his brothers held, he had been content to simply do as he had been told until now. Now seeing the harm that came from his indecisiveness, he decides to take his future into his own hands; when he returns to Ser Aymeric, he does not simply agree to accept his father's instructions, but instead asks Aymeric to let him take part in the grand melee.
With Emmanellain taking part, Aymeric asks for one more person to take part in the melee alongside himself and the forces of Ishgard, one who took the cause of his people as their own and gave them hope; the Warrior of Light, who accepts Aymeric's invitation to his delight.
At the grand melee, the battle reaches a fevered pitch as Raubahn and the Warrior of Light duel. Ultimately, the Warrior of Light, and the Ishgardian warriors they fought alongside with, emerge victorious. With the bonds and forces of the Eorzean Alliance strengthened, Emmanellain's resolve renewed, and the morale of Ishgard's people lifted by their symbolic victory, the time is ripe for the peace talks to commence.
At Falcon's Nest, a crowd of Ishgardians, along with the Warrior of Light, the Scions of the Seventh Dawn, and even the maid that orchestrated the Convictors' protests earlier, gather as Aymeric and Vidofnir meet to formalize the end of the Dragonsong War and the beginning of a new era where man and dragon stand together. To commemorate the coming peace, Aymeric unveils the relief made in dedication to this monumental event, depicting the two beings that once saw their two kinds come together: Hraesvelgr and Saint Shiva.
Tragically, the peace that had been only newly forged is shattered by the appearance of Estinien, the eyes of Nidhogg grafted into his body, as he drives his lance into Vidofnir, nearly killing her. Before all present, Nidhogg, using Estinien as his medium, proclaims that there would be no end to the war; he would see that the Ishgardians paid for their sins, and any who stood in the way of his vengeance, be they man or dragon, would be slaughtered. With that, Nidhogg transforms Estinien's body into his restored dragon form and takes flight.
The people of Ishgard begin to believe that there would be no end to the war so long as Nidhogg drew breath, and cry out for his death.
In light of Estinien falling under Nidhogg's thrall, Alphinaud reflects on his motivations up to this point. In the past, he had thought only of the good of the realm, and doing anything in his power to ensure it, regardless of the cost. Having seen firsthand how shortsighted such goals are following the Crystal Braves' betrayal and the events that followed, he declares that he wound instead fight for his friends, including Estinien; even if Aymeric and others condemn Estinien to die, Alphinaud would do all in his power to save him.
The Warrior of Light and Alphinaud meet with Y'shtola and Krile to discuss their next course of action. Y'shtola and Krile both note how Nidhogg's hateful influence from the eyes have practically overtaken Estinien's body and soul, but even still, Estinien's spirit still exists within Nidhogg's shade; he may yet be saved. Alphinaud vows to do so, even if it means plucking out Nidhogg's eyes and risking becoming Nidhogg's next host himself.
The fact of the matter remains, however, that with both of his eyes, Nidhogg's might is nigh insurmountable. Ser Aymeric and Alphinaud decide to try and entreat the aid of Hraesvelgr, Nidhogg's brood-brother and equal, likely though it may be that he would refuse.
When the Warrior of Light, Alphinaud, and Aymeric meet with Hraesvelgr, their suspicions are realized when Hraesvelgr remains reluctant to intercede. Alphinaud questions if Hraesvelgr has truly given up on mankind, however; if he had, why would he have intervened to help the Warrior of Light and his allies at Azys Lla, and with Ysayle riding on his back, no less?
With further encouragement from Midgardsormr, Hraesvelgr finally decides to put the Warrior of Light and their friends to the test and assess their mettle. In the trials that come, including a duel between the Warrior of Light and Hraesvelgr, the Warrior and their allies emerge victorious. Hraesvelgr agrees to give mankind one more chance and pledges to aid them against Nidhogg.
Nidhogg and his horde have begun to assault the Steps of Faith, with Lucia and the Temple Knights fighting a desperate battle against a seemingly unending assault by the dragons, when the Warrior of Light and their friends arrive with Hraesvelgr. Hraesvelgr engages Nidhogg in a titanic battle that sees the vengeful wyrm bring his brood-brother crashing from the heavens, having ripped off one of his wings and grounded him. Hraesvelgr, however, is determined to see Nidhogg's shade felled; no longer able to fight himself, he reveals that he has left one of his eyes and the immense power it contains to the Warrior of Light!
The Warrior of Light fights Nidhogg and dispels his draconian form, reducing him to Estinien's body with Nidhogg's eyes grafted into his armor. With Estinien desperately holding back Nidhogg's influence, he begs to be killed, thus ending Nidhogg's threat once and for all. Alphinaud refuses to entertain his request, instead beseeching the Warrior of Light to aid him in wresting Nidhogg's eyes away from Estinien. With the aid of the spirits of Ysayle and Haurchefant, they both muster the strength to extract Nidhogg's eyes. Aymeric frantically calls out to cast them into the abyss beneath the Steps of Faith before they can do any more harm, which the Warrior and Alphinaud do, ending Nidhogg's influence and the threat he posed.
Estinien recovers from his injuries enough to speak with the Warrior of Light, Aymeric, and Alphinaud, whom he came to see as a younger brother not unlike the one he lost in the war. He explains that when Nidhogg took over his body and mind, he saw in Nidhogg's soul the same burning hatred over the death of his brood-sister at the hands of the Knights Twelve as he had for Nidhogg following the death of his family. Were it not for his friends to guide him, he would've been alike to Nidhogg in all respects. With Nidhogg felled and the war over, he abdicates his mantle as Azure Dragoon, declaring Aymeric to be an Azure Dragoon for a new age.
Afterwards, Ser Aymeric sets the foundation for sweeping reform across Ishgard. In his last act as acting leader of the Holy See, he abolishes the theocracy and sets up a republic government in its wake; church and state would be separated and policy for Ishgard would be determined by high and low-born alike in the newly established House of Lords (to which Aymeric is quickly elected to the highest seat) and House of Commons. Afterwards, the peace between Ishgard and Dravania is finalized. The book closes on the thousand-year Dragonsong War, and a new age of peace begins for Ishgard.
Even as the light graces Ishgard, however, the Warriors of Darkness remain afoot, and the ambitions of the Ascians continue to cast their shade...
Meanwhile, the Warrior is sent on other adventures as peace returns to Ishgard once more. First, they aid the Garlond Ironworks in investigating Alexander, a primal summoned by a group of Goblins known as the Illuminati. The investigation reveals that Alexander can actually travel through time, and that the primal orchestrated its own destruction with the help of its familiar, Shanoa. Next, the Warrior joins a band of sky pirates as they uncover the secrets of the city of Mhach and the voidsent that plagued the land during the Sixth Umbral Era. Finally, as a result of Archbishop Thordan's actions, the Warring Triad begins to awaken, prompting the Warrior, the Scions, a mysterious boy from another world known as Unukalhai, and even Regula van Hydrus (who gives his live to protect Unukalhai) to stop them.
With things finally at peace, Aymeric finally makes good on his earlier promise and invites the Warrior of Light to dinner. A quiet, lighthearted moment ensues between the two in the comfort of Aymeric's home, which is sadly broken with terrible news - Thancred had arrived in the Fortemps manor with a wounded Alisaie. She had been trailing the Warriors of Darkness (poorly, as Thancred would add) when she was spotted by the Warriors and subsequently rescued by Thancred. However, the archer of the group had struck Alisaie with a poisoned arrow. Before she passes out, she begs the heroes to head to Xelphatol to stop the Ixal from summoning Garuda again. With the aid of the Temple Knights, the summoning is left incomplete and put to a complete halt by the Warrior of Light.
Returning to Ishgard, Alphinaud is overjoyed to learn his sister has fully recovered. Comparing notes, the heroes determine that the Ascians are helping the tribes summon stronger and stronger primals for some unknown reason and this sort of thing should not continue. Aided by Alisaie, the Warrior of Light and Alphinaud first head for the Waking Sands and get help from Urianger. He reveals that the kobolds are attempting to summon Titan once more. A suspicious Alisaie, however, tells Urianger to find a certain book in order to confirm claims made by the Warriors of Darkness.
Heading for Camp Outlook, you learn of a kobold problem at the camp and begin to search. The search leads to a young kobold named Ga Bu, who is trying to protect his parents from Titan by stealing away the crystals they need to summon him. While you are able to secure some of them, many of them have already been taken. Giving the crystals you've secured to Alphinaud, the Warrior of Light, Alisaie and Ga Bu head to where Titan is summoned, finding the bodies of Ga Bu's parents and others, sickening Alisaie. The priest attempts to justify it with the Limsa Lominsans continued expansions into their territory, however, it is cut short when Ga Bu finds his parents and his grief summons a different Titan, one that is influenced by and takes on the mind of the young Kobold's grief. Spiriting Alisaie and Ga Bu away, the Warrior of Light returns to slay Titan once more while Alisaie admonishes herself for having brought Ga Bu with her. Before returning to the Waking Sands, Ga Bu is left in the care of those at Camp Outlook, hopeful that the now-traumatized kobold can recover and was not tempered by Titan.
Returning to the Waking Sands, Urianger reveals what he learned through the book he read, revealing a passage that suggest that a world could be spared by killing the world it is a reflection of and that a world of pure light or pure darkness would end up just becoming a void. Furthermore, Urianger reveals that the crystals being used for the summons were being smuggled by Ishgardian smugglers and being sent to the Ala Mhigan Resistance... news that Thancred later mentions, which sets off Alisaie further. Heading to Little Ala Mhigo, you learn of the resistance growing by a new, masked leader known as "The Griffin", who is a great orator. To their shock, the heroes end up finding two people they hadn't seen in ages — Yda and Papalymo. As it turns out, they had made their way to Little Ala Mhigo after the Scions' escape from Ul'dah, but couldn't really return home since they ended up getting rid of their linkpearls in their escape. Further, the group they were aiding, the Masks, was highly distrusting of the Scions and seemingly worked behind the scenes to keep them from being contacted by the two.
In order to get answers over the crystals, a plan is made to disguise Alphinaud and the Warrior of Light as downtrodden adventurers wanting to join the Masks' cause. Doing so draws out one of the Griffin's decoys, who explains the Masks no longer have the crystals they're looking for, that they were given to the Amalj'aa for their aid in the coming battles with the Empire. He explodes with anger when Yda accuses him of shortsightedness but recovers, inviting the others to search the camp for the crystals. He also thanks the Warrior of Light for a kindness they had done in the past, leading to this moment.
While Yda and Papalymo search for the crystals, the other Scions head for Zahar'ak, where they find the Warriors of Darkness waiting for them. They have taken in the idea to just go ahead and murder the Warrior of Light to save their world and a titanic battle ensues, with Alisaie joining the fight with her own sword of light. The Warriors of Darkness, endowed with the Echo similar to the Warrior of Light, prove stronger once more and bind the Scions, only to be rescued by the Warriors' mysterious ally, revealing himself to be Urianger himself! Their black mage prepares a powerful spell to defeat the Scions, which Alisaie prepares one of her own. Alisaie proves to be the quicker and the Warriors are defeated. However, they remain defiant, refusing to back down as they hold out their own Crystals of Light. Alphinaud realizes that they're already dead as the Warrior of Darkness explains that they were chosen by the Mothercrystal to be Warriors of Light themselves and they rid their world of evil, including their own Ascians, only for their world to be engulfed in light. As the Warriors attempt to escape, Urianger tells the Warrior of Light to hold up their own Crystal, drawing the Warriors and Scions towards the Mothercrystal. Urianger, then, calls out to Hydaelyn for an audience with Minfilia in exchange for a bounty of light.
Minfilia, as the Word of the Mother, turns to the Warriors of Darkness and tells them that Hydaelyn is willing to set the balance right on their world. Arbert, the de facto leader of the Warriors of Darkness, is in disbelief and attempts to strike her with his axe, which she effortlessly repels. As herself, Minfilia expresses joy at being reunited with her old friends one more time. Urianger, upset, reveals that he had played friend and foe alike to save the Warriors' world and give Minfilia her freedom. Though the Scions are upset at this, Minfilia is actually glad to be able to do such a thing. As a parting gift, Minfilia entrusts them Tupsimati, Louisoix's broken staff, before taking the Warriors of Darkness back to their world, to their possible final rest.
Returning to their own world, the Scions opt to return to the Rising Stones, but not before picking up Yda and Papalymo. However, before they leave, the leader of Little Ala Mhigo spots Yda and recognizes her as a great fighter thought dead. Papalymo is able to push aside this before Yda has a chance to try to explain. Back at the Rising Stones, things are put into order - Alphinaud decides to reform the Scions into a group whose members work their own ways to help the realm. Krile and Alisaie are made official Scions and Urianger, still troubled by what he had to do, remains with the group and Alphinaud, very reluctantly, is made leader of the group.
Soon after, Tataru asks the Warrior of Light to visit the Diamond Forge for something... only to be ambushed by the Lalafell and the Diamond Forge workers, taking their measurements. However, the jovial moment is broken with the arrival of a friend of Yda's, wounded and panicked. The Griffin is seeking to attack Baelsar's Wall, the border between Gridania and Gyr Abania, from the Ala Mhigan side. The Scions realizes the scheme is tantamount to suicide — the Empire would drive out the Resistance within a week and would just bring further conflict between the Empire and Eorzea, which may be what he's gunning for. With that, the Scions seek out the leaders of the Alliance to warn them of this, with the Warrior of Light heading for Ishgard. Upon talking to Aymeric, he agrees that something must be done, but there needs to be an envoy to speak for the country in the Alliance. Unsurprisingly, he's been made that choice.
In Gridania, the leaders, joined by Yugiri as Merlywb's escort, learn of what's going on and agree with the Scions' assessment. As much as they hate it, they must ready themselves for war. Returning the Rising Stones, the Scions attempt a two-pronged plan with Yda, Papalymo, Thancred and Yugiri attempting to sneak under Baelsar's Wall to find the Griffin and speak reason to him while the Warrior of Light returns to the Black Shroud and wait for anything bad to happen. Sadly, the plan failed before it even got off the ground — to everyone's shock, soldiers donning the uniforms of the Grand Companies begin attacking the Wall, overrunning it. While Alphinaud attempts to find the others and warn them of what's happening, the Warrior of Light and other adventurers climb the wall to find and confront the Griffin.
To their surprise, once the Griffin is confronted, he's unmasked and revealed as Ilberd. After a titanic battle, the Griffin is defeated and the Warrior is not happy with it. However, Ilberd is nonplussed — his plan is moving forward as Yuyuhase and Laurentius, disguised as Imperial soldiers, unleash Magitek Vanguards on the Rebellion, crushing them easily. Papalymo, Yda and Alphinaud join the Warrior of Light, shocked at the bloodbath. Alphinaud begs Ilberd to retreat, but he refuses, brandishing his latest toy — the Eyes of Nidhogg, fished from the Sea of Abyss by the Ascian Elidibus and the Warriors of Darkness earlier. Despite Alphinaud telling him he shouldn't use the eyes, Ilberd's defiant — he's grown so sick of how much the Ala Mhigans are actually okay with leaving their homeland to the Empire that he'll gladly become a demon to liberate the home he feels they don't deserve: he seeks to summon a Primal even more fearsome than Bahamut itself. Yda attempts to strike Ilberd, but he jumps out of the way, landing on a ledge. With one last cry of defiance, Ilberd falls backwards, smashing into the ground below.
Fueled by the broken bodies of the fallen, the pure cries of vengeance and Ilberd's corrupting presence, the Eyes of Nidhogg gather and unleash the energies to give birth to a new primal, taking the shape of a monstrous wyrm. Papalymo knows what he must do — the primal must be contained and he seeks to use the same spell Louisoix used to contain Bahamut, using Tupsimati. Yda begs Papalymo not to, knowing what will happen. When an airship containing Thancred, Yugiri and Hilda arrives, Papalymo tells the others to get going - Thancred is forced to carry Yda away. Left alone, Papalymo sets about the spell. It works, but it ultimately costs the Scion his life.
With the threat of a new primal literally hanging in the air, a new plan by the Alliance must be made. However, a familiar face turns up — Nero tol Scaeva, who announces that he has a plan to deal with the primal: finding and activating the Omega Weapon, a machine that was designed to confront and capture Bahamut. Reluctantly, they agree and the plan is made to head back to Carteneau Flats and the entrance to the Omega Weapon's control room. Back at the Rising Sands, joined by Nero, the Scions learn of the plan, only to be interrupted by the arrival of a boisterous samurai by the name of Gosetsu. He attempts to bring Yugiri back to Doma with dire news of home, but he is instead convinced to stay to deal with the Empire. Before you set off to the Flats, Tataru gives the Warrior a parting gift - a Scion outfit of your own, a special gem mounted on it to help guide you back home — it seems Tataru has been deeply affected by the losses sustained by the Scions.
With a seemingly revitalized Yda joining Cid, Nero, Yugiri, Gosetsu and the Warrior, they head for the Cartinaeu Flats and the teleporter to the control room. However, a massive Imperial leader named Grynewaht and his contingent are already there. With the aid of Nero's Magitek Armor, you're able to drive off the group and enter the control room of Omega. Inside, Yda makes the decision to be the one to activate the machine and the Omega Weapon roars to life, arriving at Baelsar's Wall just as the primal breaks free from its prison. A furious battle ensues which ends with both the primal and Omega falling back to the ground around Gyr Abania. Appraised of the situation, the Alliance decides that they must take over the Wall and head into Ala Mhigo to find both Omega Weapon and the new primal, named "Shinryu" by the Domans.
Back in the North Shroud, the Scions check up on Yda, who reveals that she isn't Yda and never was — her real name is Lyse, taking up the mask her older sister Yda wore after she was killed years ago. Papalymo allowed her to perpetrate this lie, though only the Warrior of Light didn't know the truth as the other Scions figured it out long ago and played along. With Papalymo gone, Lyse has no reason to continue the charade and now must walk her own path and she resolves to liberate her home.
As it turns out, Krile has a way to try to find Minfilia and Thancred, but needs to seek out Matoya to do so. Approaching the mage, she requests a special item — the Crystal Eye, one of the oldest and most potent of Hydaelyn's own crystals — to help scry for them. Matoya warms up to the scholar and willingly allows her to use it. Alphinaud deduces that Krile herself has the Echo, which she reveals gives her the unique ability to track another person's aether, which the Crystal Eye can boost. Krile can't find Minfilia, but does find that Thancred was last dropped off within Sohm Al's base. Using highly detailed sketches of Thancred drawn out by Alphinaud (a talent which Krile reveals he had developed as a means to pick up girls), you're able to deduce that Thancred has been around, though one person gave the description of a warrior holding an axe, not Thancred's signature knives. Before Y'shtola can kill Alphinaud over a perverted comment, the plan is made to go and slay Ravana again to draw out Thancred. However, before they can do so, the primal is found already defeated by a mysterious band of adventurers as they got there. Despite seemingly sharing the same goal, the unknown adventurers do not take kindly toward you and the Scions. The band turns their attention toward your group and easily defeats them, only to be driven off by Thancred's arrival. The self-proclaimed "Warriors of Darkness" promise that they will meet you again.
Reunited with Thancred, he explains that he had been dropped off in the area stark naked, in similar fashion to Y'shtola's retrieval from the Lifestream. Forced to fend for himself, he fashioned a makeshift pair of knives to kill and skin a bear before finding the Vath, who he was able to trade for fanciful clothes and weapons. He planned to wait until the heroes dealt with Ravana to meet up with them, but the Warriors of Darkness almost complicated things. With Thancred back in the fold and Ravana gone, they return to Vidofnir to bring the news. In turn, Vidofnir reveals that Hraesvelgr has allowed the rest of his brood to make their own decisions over the peace offering and they seemed to accept.
However, the return to Ishgard isn't a happy one - Lucia reveals that Aymeric was nearly killed in an assassination attempt. What's more, the city is starting to go up in flames! Though, you are able to stop the arsons and bring the arsonist to justice, there are still many more questions needed answering. Though Aymeric recovers enough to rejoin the heroes, thanks to the Fortemps' healing salve, they're soon worried of news that a group calling themselves the True Brothers of the Faith has invaded the Vault and taken refugees from the arsons hostage. They effectively seek a new Archbishop immediately and that Aymeric must turn himself in to be summarily executed for his perceived crimes. Knowing that a peaceful ending is highly unlikely, Aymeric leads a team inside the Vault to rescue the hostages. The leader, a priest, spirits away a young girl to the roof of the Vault, where he's confronted. Completely convinced of Aymeric's guilt, he attempts to punish Aymeric by tossing the girl to her death, only for her to be rescued by a just-arriving Vidofnir. However, Vidofnir's arrival is less than pleasant - Hraesvelgr brings news that, soon, Nidhogg will resume his war once more.
That bit of news is dulled a bit with news from Tataru - F'lhaminn, Hoary Boulder, and Coultenet are on their way back to Limsa Lominsa after running off to evade the Crystal Braves. Your reunion is a joyous one, though F'lhaminn isn't happy that Minfilia is still missing. However, the Scions learn of a possible way to find her thanks to Krile and Thancred. Returning to Matoya, you seek entrance into the Antitower, a old Sharlayan facility built to survey the aetherial sea, to find and contact Minfilia. After traversing the topsy-turvy tower, you finally encounter your missing friend, only to learn that she has become an emissary to Hydaelyn Herself and unable to rejoin them, something that upsets Thancred greatly.
With that, the Warrior of Light returns to Coerthas, where they learn that Aymeric's plans to broker peace between Ishgard and Dravania are apace, with a stone relief being made in Falcon's Nest to commemorate the end of the war and the reunion of man and dragon in harmony. Unfortunately, not everyone shares the desire to bury their grudge with the dragons; a group of protestors known as the Convictors are rumored to be conspiring to sabotage the coming peace talks. Lucia and Artoirel, the elder son of Count Edmont de Fortemps, leave to investigate the situation as you are left in Falcon's Nest to look after Artoirel's impulsive younger brother, Emmanellain.
After aiding young Emmanellain in his duties, the Warrior of Light retires to a tavern to get out of the cold, a young woman working there offering a drink to him on the house. Unfortunately, the drink is laced with a sedative that knocks the Warrior of Light out...
While unconscious, the Warrior of Light has a vision of the young maid, whose husband had been lost in the Dragonsong War, with a group of other Ishgardians united under one belief; that it was folly to try to make peace with the dragons that had massacred their families. The maid, in particular, is driven to see justice carried out in the names of those they had lost.
When the Warrior of Light comes to, Falcon's Nest is in chaos as injured civilians line the streets. The maid, standing on a rooftop, condemns the idea of peace with Dravianians and calls for a rise to arms against the murderers of their families. Emmanellain, hoping to defuse the situation, orders one of the hamlet's guards to stop her, leading to the maid being shot in the arm. Injured but infuriated, the maid condemns the great houses and Ser Aymeric for trying to strike her down for telling the truth; that they are now left with no choice but to die either by the dragons or the guards' hands. She is shot again, this time near-fatally.
Emmanellain, never wanting to have the maid killed, finds himself with the ire of the people of Falcon's Nest, the words of the maid resonating with them and her apparent death striking a chord with them.
With the possibility of peace with the dragons now in doubt, the Warrior of Light and Emmanellain make ready to return to Ishgard to relay the events that had transpired to Aymeric, but come across Honoroit, Emmanellain's servant, injured in the streets after a run-in with some of the Convictors' sympathizers. Thancred tries to talk an increasingly hysterical Emmanellain down, saying that what happened cannot be changed and he must learn to live with the consequences. Emmanellain lashes out at Thancred, whom he sees as being completely ignorant of what it is like to fail, and punches him. Thancred punches back, harder, and tells him that he had tried to save those closest to him and failed; he must live with those failures, and so too must Emmanellain.
The Warrior of Light returns to Ishgard afterwards with Thancred in tow to discuss the matter with Aymeric and Lord Edmont. Sadly, Ishgard is a nation steeped in tradition stemmed from the sins of antiquity on behalf of their forefathers, perpetuated by the clergy for a thousand years until Thordan VII's downfall. The people would not soon forget what they had lost to the dragons, and to try to convince them to do so as they strive for peace would only invite more like the Convictors and the True Brothers of the Faith to fight back. If there is to be any peace, the people of Ishgard must be once more united under a common goal, like they had with the war against the dragons before.
Aymeric has an idea that can help bring Ishgardians together; a "grand melee", a fighting tournament where Ishgard would would test their mettle against the other city-states of the Eorzean Alliance. Such a show of strength on the part of Ishgard's forces, composed of both Aymeric's Temple Knights and Hilda's watch, would reignite patriotic flames within the hearts and minds of the Holy See's people and help to pave the way for peace. With Lucia and Hilda both on board, the Warrior of Light is sent to find Emmanellain, so that he may make amends for his shortcomings at Falcon's Nest in the melee.
The Warrior of Light finds Emmanellain in the Pillars, his mistakes still heavy on his mind and his heart. Emmanellain had been born into privilege; as a son of House Fortemps, his future had been decided for him before he was even born, and lacking the strength of conviction his brothers held, he had been content to simply do as he had been told until now. Now seeing the harm that came from his indecisiveness, he decides to take his future into his own hands; when he returns to Ser Aymeric, he does not simply agree to accept his father's instructions, but instead asks Aymeric to let him take part in the grand melee.
With Emmanellain taking part, Aymeric asks for one more person to take part in the melee alongside himself and the forces of Ishgard, one who took the cause of his people as their own and gave them hope; the Warrior of Light, who accepts Aymeric's invitation to his delight.
At the grand melee, the battle reaches a fevered pitch as Raubahn and the Warrior of Light duel. Ultimately, the Warrior of Light, and the Ishgardian warriors they fought alongside with, emerge victorious. With the bonds and forces of the Eorzean Alliance strengthened, Emmanellain's resolve renewed, and the morale of Ishgard's people lifted by their symbolic victory, the time is ripe for the peace talks to commence.
At Falcon's Nest, a crowd of Ishgardians, along with the Warrior of Light, the Scions of the Seventh Dawn, and even the maid that orchestrated the Convictors' protests earlier, gather as Aymeric and Vidofnir meet to formalize the end of the Dragonsong War and the beginning of a new era where man and dragon stand together. To commemorate the coming peace, Aymeric unveils the relief made in dedication to this monumental event, depicting the two beings that once saw their two kinds come together: Hraesvelgr and Saint Shiva.
Tragically, the peace that had been only newly forged is shattered by the appearance of Estinien, the eyes of Nidhogg grafted into his body, as he drives his lance into Vidofnir, nearly killing her. Before all present, Nidhogg, using Estinien as his medium, proclaims that there would be no end to the war; he would see that the Ishgardians paid for their sins, and any who stood in the way of his vengeance, be they man or dragon, would be slaughtered. With that, Nidhogg transforms Estinien's body into his restored dragon form and takes flight.
The people of Ishgard begin to believe that there would be no end to the war so long as Nidhogg drew breath, and cry out for his death.
In light of Estinien falling under Nidhogg's thrall, Alphinaud reflects on his motivations up to this point. In the past, he had thought only of the good of the realm, and doing anything in his power to ensure it, regardless of the cost. Having seen firsthand how shortsighted such goals are following the Crystal Braves' betrayal and the events that followed, he declares that he wound instead fight for his friends, including Estinien; even if Aymeric and others condemn Estinien to die, Alphinaud would do all in his power to save him.
The Warrior of Light and Alphinaud meet with Y'shtola and Krile to discuss their next course of action. Y'shtola and Krile both note how Nidhogg's hateful influence from the eyes have practically overtaken Estinien's body and soul, but even still, Estinien's spirit still exists within Nidhogg's shade; he may yet be saved. Alphinaud vows to do so, even if it means plucking out Nidhogg's eyes and risking becoming Nidhogg's next host himself.
The fact of the matter remains, however, that with both of his eyes, Nidhogg's might is nigh insurmountable. Ser Aymeric and Alphinaud decide to try and entreat the aid of Hraesvelgr, Nidhogg's brood-brother and equal, likely though it may be that he would refuse.
When the Warrior of Light, Alphinaud, and Aymeric meet with Hraesvelgr, their suspicions are realized when Hraesvelgr remains reluctant to intercede. Alphinaud questions if Hraesvelgr has truly given up on mankind, however; if he had, why would he have intervened to help the Warrior of Light and his allies at Azys Lla, and with Ysayle riding on his back, no less?
With further encouragement from Midgardsormr, Hraesvelgr finally decides to put the Warrior of Light and their friends to the test and assess their mettle. In the trials that come, including a duel between the Warrior of Light and Hraesvelgr, the Warrior and their allies emerge victorious. Hraesvelgr agrees to give mankind one more chance and pledges to aid them against Nidhogg.
Nidhogg and his horde have begun to assault the Steps of Faith, with Lucia and the Temple Knights fighting a desperate battle against a seemingly unending assault by the dragons, when the Warrior of Light and their friends arrive with Hraesvelgr. Hraesvelgr engages Nidhogg in a titanic battle that sees the vengeful wyrm bring his brood-brother crashing from the heavens, having ripped off one of his wings and grounded him. Hraesvelgr, however, is determined to see Nidhogg's shade felled; no longer able to fight himself, he reveals that he has left one of his eyes and the immense power it contains to the Warrior of Light!
The Warrior of Light fights Nidhogg and dispels his draconian form, reducing him to Estinien's body with Nidhogg's eyes grafted into his armor. With Estinien desperately holding back Nidhogg's influence, he begs to be killed, thus ending Nidhogg's threat once and for all. Alphinaud refuses to entertain his request, instead beseeching the Warrior of Light to aid him in wresting Nidhogg's eyes away from Estinien. With the aid of the spirits of Ysayle and Haurchefant, they both muster the strength to extract Nidhogg's eyes. Aymeric frantically calls out to cast them into the abyss beneath the Steps of Faith before they can do any more harm, which the Warrior and Alphinaud do, ending Nidhogg's influence and the threat he posed.
Estinien recovers from his injuries enough to speak with the Warrior of Light, Aymeric, and Alphinaud, whom he came to see as a younger brother not unlike the one he lost in the war. He explains that when Nidhogg took over his body and mind, he saw in Nidhogg's soul the same burning hatred over the death of his brood-sister at the hands of the Knights Twelve as he had for Nidhogg following the death of his family. Were it not for his friends to guide him, he would've been alike to Nidhogg in all respects. With Nidhogg felled and the war over, he abdicates his mantle as Azure Dragoon, declaring Aymeric to be an Azure Dragoon for a new age.
Afterwards, Ser Aymeric sets the foundation for sweeping reform across Ishgard. In his last act as acting leader of the Holy See, he abolishes the theocracy and sets up a republic government in its wake; church and state would be separated and policy for Ishgard would be determined by high and low-born alike in the newly established House of Lords (to which Aymeric is quickly elected to the highest seat) and House of Commons. Afterwards, the peace between Ishgard and Dravania is finalized. The book closes on the thousand-year Dragonsong War, and a new age of peace begins for Ishgard.
Even as the light graces Ishgard, however, the Warriors of Darkness remain afoot, and the ambitions of the Ascians continue to cast their shade...
Meanwhile, the Warrior is sent on other adventures as peace returns to Ishgard once more. First, they aid the Garlond Ironworks in investigating Alexander, a primal summoned by a group of Goblins known as the Illuminati. The investigation reveals that Alexander can actually travel through time, and that the primal orchestrated its own destruction with the help of its familiar, Shanoa. Next, the Warrior joins a band of sky pirates as they uncover the secrets of the city of Mhach and the voidsent that plagued the land during the Sixth Umbral Era. Finally, as a result of Archbishop Thordan's actions, the Warring Triad begins to awaken, prompting the Warrior, the Scions, a mysterious boy from another world known as Unukalhai, and even Regula van Hydrus (who gives his live to protect Unukalhai) to stop them.
With things finally at peace, Aymeric finally makes good on his earlier promise and invites the Warrior of Light to dinner. A quiet, lighthearted moment ensues between the two in the comfort of Aymeric's home, which is sadly broken with terrible news - Thancred had arrived in the Fortemps manor with a wounded Alisaie. She had been trailing the Warriors of Darkness (poorly, as Thancred would add) when she was spotted by the Warriors and subsequently rescued by Thancred. However, the archer of the group had struck Alisaie with a poisoned arrow. Before she passes out, she begs the heroes to head to Xelphatol to stop the Ixal from summoning Garuda again. With the aid of the Temple Knights, the summoning is left incomplete and put to a complete halt by the Warrior of Light.
Returning to Ishgard, Alphinaud is overjoyed to learn his sister has fully recovered. Comparing notes, the heroes determine that the Ascians are helping the tribes summon stronger and stronger primals for some unknown reason and this sort of thing should not continue. Aided by Alisaie, the Warrior of Light and Alphinaud first head for the Waking Sands and get help from Urianger. He reveals that the kobolds are attempting to summon Titan once more. A suspicious Alisaie, however, tells Urianger to find a certain book in order to confirm claims made by the Warriors of Darkness.
Heading for Camp Outlook, you learn of a kobold problem at the camp and begin to search. The search leads to a young kobold named Ga Bu, who is trying to protect his parents from Titan by stealing away the crystals they need to summon him. While you are able to secure some of them, many of them have already been taken. Giving the crystals you've secured to Alphinaud, the Warrior of Light, Alisaie and Ga Bu head to where Titan is summoned, finding the bodies of Ga Bu's parents and others, sickening Alisaie. The priest attempts to justify it with the Limsa Lominsans continued expansions into their territory, however, it is cut short when Ga Bu finds his parents and his grief summons a different Titan, one that is influenced by and takes on the mind of the young Kobold's grief. Spiriting Alisaie and Ga Bu away, the Warrior of Light returns to slay Titan once more while Alisaie admonishes herself for having brought Ga Bu with her. Before returning to the Waking Sands, Ga Bu is left in the care of those at Camp Outlook, hopeful that the now-traumatized kobold can recover and was not tempered by Titan.
Returning to the Waking Sands, Urianger reveals what he learned through the book he read, revealing a passage that suggest that a world could be spared by killing the world it is a reflection of and that a world of pure light or pure darkness would end up just becoming a void. Furthermore, Urianger reveals that the crystals being used for the summons were being smuggled by Ishgardian smugglers and being sent to the Ala Mhigan Resistance... news that Thancred later mentions, which sets off Alisaie further. Heading to Little Ala Mhigo, you learn of the resistance growing by a new, masked leader known as "The Griffin", who is a great orator. To their shock, the heroes end up finding two people they hadn't seen in ages — Yda and Papalymo. As it turns out, they had made their way to Little Ala Mhigo after the Scions' escape from Ul'dah, but couldn't really return home since they ended up getting rid of their linkpearls in their escape. Further, the group they were aiding, the Masks, was highly distrusting of the Scions and seemingly worked behind the scenes to keep them from being contacted by the two.
In order to get answers over the crystals, a plan is made to disguise Alphinaud and the Warrior of Light as downtrodden adventurers wanting to join the Masks' cause. Doing so draws out one of the Griffin's decoys, who explains the Masks no longer have the crystals they're looking for, that they were given to the Amalj'aa for their aid in the coming battles with the Empire. He explodes with anger when Yda accuses him of shortsightedness but recovers, inviting the others to search the camp for the crystals. He also thanks the Warrior of Light for a kindness they had done in the past, leading to this moment.
While Yda and Papalymo search for the crystals, the other Scions head for Zahar'ak, where they find the Warriors of Darkness waiting for them. They have taken in the idea to just go ahead and murder the Warrior of Light to save their world and a titanic battle ensues, with Alisaie joining the fight with her own sword of light. The Warriors of Darkness, endowed with the Echo similar to the Warrior of Light, prove stronger once more and bind the Scions, only to be rescued by the Warriors' mysterious ally, revealing himself to be Urianger himself! Their black mage prepares a powerful spell to defeat the Scions, which Alisaie prepares one of her own. Alisaie proves to be the quicker and the Warriors are defeated. However, they remain defiant, refusing to back down as they hold out their own Crystals of Light. Alphinaud realizes that they're already dead as the Warrior of Darkness explains that they were chosen by the Mothercrystal to be Warriors of Light themselves and they rid their world of evil, including their own Ascians, only for their world to be engulfed in light. As the Warriors attempt to escape, Urianger tells the Warrior of Light to hold up their own Crystal, drawing the Warriors and Scions towards the Mothercrystal. Urianger, then, calls out to Hydaelyn for an audience with Minfilia in exchange for a bounty of light.
Minfilia, as the Word of the Mother, turns to the Warriors of Darkness and tells them that Hydaelyn is willing to set the balance right on their world. Arbert, the de facto leader of the Warriors of Darkness, is in disbelief and attempts to strike her with his axe, which she effortlessly repels. As herself, Minfilia expresses joy at being reunited with her old friends one more time. Urianger, upset, reveals that he had played friend and foe alike to save the Warriors' world and give Minfilia her freedom. Though the Scions are upset at this, Minfilia is actually glad to be able to do such a thing. As a parting gift, Minfilia entrusts them Tupsimati, Louisoix's broken staff, before taking the Warriors of Darkness back to their world, to their possible final rest.
Returning to their own world, the Scions opt to return to the Rising Stones, but not before picking up Yda and Papalymo. However, before they leave, the leader of Little Ala Mhigo spots Yda and recognizes her as a great fighter thought dead. Papalymo is able to push aside this before Yda has a chance to try to explain. Back at the Rising Stones, things are put into order - Alphinaud decides to reform the Scions into a group whose members work their own ways to help the realm. Krile and Alisaie are made official Scions and Urianger, still troubled by what he had to do, remains with the group and Alphinaud, very reluctantly, is made leader of the group.
Soon after, Tataru asks the Warrior of Light to visit the Diamond Forge for something... only to be ambushed by the Lalafell and the Diamond Forge workers, taking their measurements. However, the jovial moment is broken with the arrival of a friend of Yda's, wounded and panicked. The Griffin is seeking to attack Baelsar's Wall, the border between Gridania and Gyr Abania, from the Ala Mhigan side. The Scions realizes the scheme is tantamount to suicide — the Empire would drive out the Resistance within a week and would just bring further conflict between the Empire and Eorzea, which may be what he's gunning for. With that, the Scions seek out the leaders of the Alliance to warn them of this, with the Warrior of Light heading for Ishgard. Upon talking to Aymeric, he agrees that something must be done, but there needs to be an envoy to speak for the country in the Alliance. Unsurprisingly, he's been made that choice.
In Gridania, the leaders, joined by Yugiri as Merlywb's escort, learn of what's going on and agree with the Scions' assessment. As much as they hate it, they must ready themselves for war. Returning the Rising Stones, the Scions attempt a two-pronged plan with Yda, Papalymo, Thancred and Yugiri attempting to sneak under Baelsar's Wall to find the Griffin and speak reason to him while the Warrior of Light returns to the Black Shroud and wait for anything bad to happen. Sadly, the plan failed before it even got off the ground — to everyone's shock, soldiers donning the uniforms of the Grand Companies begin attacking the Wall, overrunning it. While Alphinaud attempts to find the others and warn them of what's happening, the Warrior of Light and other adventurers climb the wall to find and confront the Griffin.
To their surprise, once the Griffin is confronted, he's unmasked and revealed as Ilberd. After a titanic battle, the Griffin is defeated and the Warrior is not happy with it. However, Ilberd is nonplussed — his plan is moving forward as Yuyuhase and Laurentius, disguised as Imperial soldiers, unleash Magitek Vanguards on the Rebellion, crushing them easily. Papalymo, Yda and Alphinaud join the Warrior of Light, shocked at the bloodbath. Alphinaud begs Ilberd to retreat, but he refuses, brandishing his latest toy — the Eyes of Nidhogg, fished from the Sea of Abyss by the Ascian Elidibus and the Warriors of Darkness earlier. Despite Alphinaud telling him he shouldn't use the eyes, Ilberd's defiant — he's grown so sick of how much the Ala Mhigans are actually okay with leaving their homeland to the Empire that he'll gladly become a demon to liberate the home he feels they don't deserve: he seeks to summon a Primal even more fearsome than Bahamut itself. Yda attempts to strike Ilberd, but he jumps out of the way, landing on a ledge. With one last cry of defiance, Ilberd falls backwards, smashing into the ground below.
Fueled by the broken bodies of the fallen, the pure cries of vengeance and Ilberd's corrupting presence, the Eyes of Nidhogg gather and unleash the energies to give birth to a new primal, taking the shape of a monstrous wyrm. Papalymo knows what he must do — the primal must be contained and he seeks to use the same spell Louisoix used to contain Bahamut, using Tupsimati. Yda begs Papalymo not to, knowing what will happen. When an airship containing Thancred, Yugiri and Hilda arrives, Papalymo tells the others to get going - Thancred is forced to carry Yda away. Left alone, Papalymo sets about the spell. It works, but it ultimately costs the Scion his life.
With the threat of a new primal literally hanging in the air, a new plan by the Alliance must be made. However, a familiar face turns up — Nero tol Scaeva, who announces that he has a plan to deal with the primal: finding and activating the Omega Weapon, a machine that was designed to confront and capture Bahamut. Reluctantly, they agree and the plan is made to head back to Carteneau Flats and the entrance to the Omega Weapon's control room. Back at the Rising Sands, joined by Nero, the Scions learn of the plan, only to be interrupted by the arrival of a boisterous samurai by the name of Gosetsu. He attempts to bring Yugiri back to Doma with dire news of home, but he is instead convinced to stay to deal with the Empire. Before you set off to the Flats, Tataru gives the Warrior a parting gift - a Scion outfit of your own, a special gem mounted on it to help guide you back home — it seems Tataru has been deeply affected by the losses sustained by the Scions.
With a seemingly revitalized Yda joining Cid, Nero, Yugiri, Gosetsu and the Warrior, they head for the Cartinaeu Flats and the teleporter to the control room. However, a massive Imperial leader named Grynewaht and his contingent are already there. With the aid of Nero's Magitek Armor, you're able to drive off the group and enter the control room of Omega. Inside, Yda makes the decision to be the one to activate the machine and the Omega Weapon roars to life, arriving at Baelsar's Wall just as the primal breaks free from its prison. A furious battle ensues which ends with both the primal and Omega falling back to the ground around Gyr Abania. Appraised of the situation, the Alliance decides that they must take over the Wall and head into Ala Mhigo to find both Omega Weapon and the new primal, named "Shinryu" by the Domans.
Back in the North Shroud, the Scions check up on Yda, who reveals that she isn't Yda and never was — her real name is Lyse, taking up the mask her older sister Yda wore after she was killed years ago. Papalymo allowed her to perpetrate this lie, though only the Warrior of Light didn't know the truth as the other Scions figured it out long ago and played along. With Papalymo gone, Lyse has no reason to continue the charade and now must walk her own path and she resolves to liberate her home.
Stormblood (4.0)
Time passes since the disappearance of Omega and Shinryu when Tataru arrives with a message from the Alliance to Alphinaud — still no sign of either, but if they're to enter Ala Mhigo, they must gain the assistance of the Ala Mhigan Resistance lest they see it as another invader trying to take their homeland. The Scions make their plans to move out - with Lyse taking the lead, Alphinaud, Alisaie, the Warrior of Light, Y'shtola and Krile will head towards Gyr Abania while Urianger, Thancred and Tataru would stay behind. Before they depart, Yugiri and Gosetsu say their farewells as they prepare to depart Eorzea for Doma while Tataru gives Lyse a brand new outfit to wear.
Arriving at Baelsar's Wall, now occupied by the Alliance, the Scions meet up with Raubahn to discuss the plan of action before the Scions head off to their first stop: Rhalgr's Reach. Upon reaching the hidden encampment, the Scions are approached not only by soldiers, but also Lyse's friend M'naago and two others, Meffrid and the leader, Conrad. After explaining the situation, Conrad confers to the elders of the town before making his decision — they'll help, but there are other settlements who may not want to, so the Scions must confront them themselves.
Speaking with Meffrid, who was the Ala Mhigan whom you aided in the Black Shroud long ago, you head for Lyse's old home town of Ala Gannha, a town broken both by Imperial subjugation and the Griffin's false promises. Though Lyse is able to sway the elder from kicking all of them out, they find themselves hard-pressed to gain assistance for their cause, particularly so after the recent actions of the Griffin, which resulted in the deaths of most of the town's willing and able. Even trying to aid the citizens to win them over doesn't work, especially when one youth chews out Lyse for trying to appeal to them as an Ala Gannhan. However, their fortune changes after they go to rescue a youth who was kidnapped by a group of beastmen bandits. Despite rescuing him, they watch in horror as a group of soldiers known as the Skulls - Ala Mhigans who opted to throw their lot with the Garleans - beat the poor youth. Lyse is heartbroken how everyone is more than willing to just sit there and take it until the youth who attacked Lyse approached to apologize for being such a hypocrite. He begged to join the Resistance and promised to tell others know who were feeling the same way before they made their decision.
Afterwards, the Warrior of Light and Alisaie escort M'naago to Castrum Oriens to give Raubahn Conrad's official reply. Along the way, M'naago's sensitive hearing, honed from years of hunting and learning to be weary of predators and imperial patrols, picks up on a sizable contingent of imperial soldiers passing through the area. After dispatching the patrolling soldiers, they make their way to the castrum to deliver Conrad's reply. The lack of manpower and morale as a result of the Griffin prove troubling, but Pipin proposes an idea to return the fighting spirit to the rebels; a joint offensive between the Eorzean Alliance and the Resistance against the Empire. Even a small victory could restore the Ala Mhigan's hope and boost recruitment to the cause of liberation. An opportunity to do so presents itself in the form of Garlean soldiers field-testing a new prototype magitek armor; destroying the armor would prevent its mass production, harming the empire while proving the Resistance could hold its own against Garlemald's military might.
Raubahn leads a contingent of Alliance and Resistance soldiers, along with the Warrior of Light and Alisaie, against the prototype armor and imperial soldiers. Leading the imperials field-testing the prototype is Grynewaht, who recognizes the Warrior of Light from Carteneau and is eager to take revenge against them for his previous defeat. Unfortunately for the brutish imperial soldier, the Warrior of Light and their allies prove too much for him, prompting him to escape with his life as the prototype armor under his care is abandoned and scrapped. The imperials are humiliated, the Alliance and Resistance soldiers suffer minimal casualties, and morale swells among the Resistance with this symbolic victory.
The victory has its news spread quickly as the Resistance gains new members, in particular a half-breed Ala Mhigan once encounters in the Waking Sands, and the Garleans learn of the prototype's destruction. The Imperial viceroy of Ala Mhigo, Zenos yae Galvus, responds to the news of the loss by murdering the general reporting to him for not being present at the attack and delegating the prototype's protection to a lesser soldier. Realizing this is a wonderful time to attack the Resistance to sate his own bloodlust, he asks for suggestions. One soldier, an Ala Mhigan named Fordola, speaks up and is acknowledged by Zenos as he notes her own desires to fight...
After helping out around Rhalgr's Reach, the time has come to make the next move. Pipin decides they need to capture Castrum Velodyna and has the Warrior of Light and the twins aid him in reconnaissance. However, upon their recon, explosions strike... at Rhalgr's Reach. The four race back to a bloodbath — the Imperials found the base and laid waste. Meffrid is slain by Fordola, who finds herself overwhelmed by Lyse. However, when Zenos arrives, Lyse is defeated and Y'shtola is badly wounded when her barrier is shattered. The four heroes return and begin to turn the tide, but when Zenos steps up, not even the Warrior of Light is able to stand up to his power, only being spared because their battle breaks Zenos's weapon. Raubahn and the Alliance soon arrive, but Zenos, seemingly bored, leaves to depart with the remainder of his forces. Seeing that even the Warrior of Light was bested by this terrifying new adversary, Raubahn refrains from giving chase, leaving the Alliance to tend to the wounded.
The battle has left the Resistance broken, Conrad especially. Despite evacuating everyone to Castrum Oriens, Conrad is about to give up on the fight before M'naago rightfully chews him out for his cowardice. Realizing that Zenos rules over both Ala Mhigo and Doma, Alphinaud suggests a plan - to aid the Domans in their own liberation and force Zenos to fight a two-pronged war, thus lessening his military strength. Heading for Limsa Lominsa, Tataru is given the task to find a captain who is willing to take them to Doma. She comes back with Captain Carvallain de Gorgagne of the Kraken's Arms. Alisaie's disgusted that they chose a pirate, though Alphinaud is able to calm the situation, especially since airships or an Alliance ship would cause too much problems. When the captain begins to have second thoughts, Tataru subtly blackmails him with knowledge of his true identity, which gets him back on track.
Before they head off, Lyse and the Warrior of Light return to Mor Dhona to get information on Doma. The Warrior learns of how Doma was taken over and who runs it while Lyse learned proper eating etiquette. As they prepare to head off, Urianger quickly arrives with a few things for Alisaie. The first is one of his usual cryptic messages, the other being a rapier - noting her aetheric sword was powerful yet heavily taxing, he went through the trouble of obtaining a new weapon that lessened that drain significantly. Partway to their destination, the ship is taken off-path and crashing onto an island admist the Sirensong Sea. The Warrior of Light charges in to vanquish the spirits within and allows the captain to continue the trip, though Alphinaud would be more than thankful to not deal with ghosts again.
Finally arriving in Kugane, the Scions bid Carvallain farewell, only to meet up with an Ul'dahn merchant named Hancock. To the Scions' shock, he's here with them on behalf of Lolorito, which angers Alphinaud due to the Crystal Braves incident. Hancock tries to reassure them, first by giving them a tour of Kugane, then giving them access to his headquarters. Hancock reveals that Lolorito sincerely wants to make up for the incident, but really can't put it into words, thus the accommodations. As much as the others don't like it, they accept. To that point, he tells them that Yugiri and Gosetsu have been around and currently unable to return to Doma — as it turns out, there's a complicated problem involving Hingashi, the Garlean-controlled Doma and the Confederacy which controls the Ruby Sea between the two territories — the current Imperial viceroy of Doma has decided that the Confederacy is a problem and those who converse with them are to be considered enemies of the Empire, forcing Hingashi to break ties with them.
Needing a way to find their friends, Alphinaud provides the Scions with drawings of the two to show various captains. Through a bit of searching, they learn that Gosetsu had been searching for a boat to cross the Ruby Sea, but no sign of Yugiri. One figure, a Namazu named Gyado, claims to have seen both and claims to have a way to meet them. Though Lyse is excited, the others have their doubts, thus plan to spring any possible trap and take him prisoner. Indeed, upon meeting him, they are ambushed by Imperial soldiers and, when they are fought off, find themselves surrounded by the Sekiseigumi, the samurai law-enforcers of Kugane. With the aid of a Kojin named Soroban, they are able to escape and, as thanks for getting him to meet Hancock through their chance encounter, gives them a ship to cross the Ruby Sea. To that end, Alphinaud stays behind to help out should things go astray elsewhere.
Hitting the Ruby Sea, the Scions encounter the Confederacy and witness first hand how powerless they are to the Empire as they try to enforce their Ruby Tithe, only for the Imperial soldier to keep trying to goad them into attacking, forcing the Confederacy to back down lest the Empire crush them. The Scions attempt to get the Confederacy to aid them, but they won't hear it. Reaching a fishing town, they catch sight of the acting viceroy of Doma, a cruel and heartless Doman woman named Yotsuyu, who convinces a Doman youth to shoot an attempted escapee, then kill his parents. When he refuses to do the later, he is struck down when he turns his gun on her. Before she can sic Grynewaht, who was transferred to Doma for his failings, to get the others, Gosetsu steps out to confront them, telling the Scions to head to a nearby tower. Gosetsu is captured as the Scions escape.
Reaching the tower, they find out that a small village filled by the Confederacy is there. Despite trying to help them out, the Scions are once again rebuffed from getting help from them, only for Alisaie, furious over the fact they're willing to leave one of their own to suffer, puts them to the challenge - if they are able to draw away their Kojin Red allies, then they should take back that fishing town. They take them up on the challenge, sending them to the Kojin's village. Thankfully, the turtle beastmen are a lot more receptive of the Scions and are willing to aid them — the Red Kojin's actions by being mercenaries for the Empire have made it hard for them to trade. To that, the Scions learn of a missing great treasure and they should try to find it and return it to their treasure cove.
Given the ability to breathe underwater via a Kojin ritual, Alisaie, Lyse, and the Warrior of Light first head for a nearby underwater village inhabited by Au Ra. They are promptly turned away only to be encountered by Yugiri's parents, who reveal that she had went out into the world to learn the ways of the shinobi, but when she returned, the Ruby Princess threw her right back out despite their protests. Glad to hear of her safety, they aid the Scions through special lamps to find the artifact. Finding the artifact, they return to the Kojin village, where they are given a ceremonial knife to help open the vault containing the treasures. Distracting the Red Kojin, they enter the vault, only for the resulting chase causing the treasure and two others to join together and accidentally summon a primal, Susano. Jubilantly, Susano just wants a fight, which the Warrior of Light reluctantly obliges. Between the victory against the primal and the distraction, the Confederacy make their move, driving out the Empire, rescuing their hostages and reclaiming the Ruby Sea.
With Gosetsu rattled but otherwise okay, the heroes head for Yanxia, the outskirts of Doma itself, where the scars of the failed rebellion remain. The heroes are quickly kicked out of the farming village of Namai, leading Gosetsu to head for the hidden base of the House of the Fierce, where the Doman Liberation Front are housed, and a reunion with Yugiri. Yugiri reveals that she found the missing Hien, crown prince of Doma, but he refuses to return, telling Yugiri to see what Doma wishes. If they wish to be freed, then he'll return to help them, but should they rather remain cowed, then he'll give the Empire his head. Yugiri, aided by Lyse and the Warrior of Light, seek out what's going on with the people and find them broken by Yotsuyu's vicious reprisals, leading to a youngster who drove out the group earlier to do so again. Even worse, a group of Imperials arrive, "recruiting" Domans for various jobs elsewhere. Yugiri sends Lyse back to the base while she and the Warrior head for the nearby Castrum Fluminis. After sneaking in, they learn that the various villagers are being sent across the land, forced to repair machinery way too advanced for them in retaliation for the Confederacy's actions. Yugiri's able to stage a rescue, but the villagers are horrified she did so - scared of Imperial reprisals, they would rather listen to them and suffer than stand up to them. Though they do escape, Yugiri is shaken - are the villagers willing to forsake freedom? Is Doma doomed to be under Imperial rule forever? The Warrior of Light reassures her, only for the moment to be broken as an airship approaches Doma Castle - Zenos is here to find out what happened at the Ruby Sea. While the rebellion and the Scions are willing to hide from Zenos, Yugiri refuses - she views this as the perfect opportunity to fight back and kill him once and for all, despite Zenos's incredible power.
Despite everyone's pleas, Yugiri charges off, the Warrior of Light deciding the join her in her attempt. Waiting until the time is right, Yugiri makes her move, only for Zenos to stop her. The Warrior of Light steps in and a vicious fight ensues. Once more, Zenos defeats the Warrior of Light, but is completely surprised by the fact the Warrior managed to damage his helmet. He decides to spare them, imploring the Warrior of Light to continue to grow stronger, but when Yugiri attempts to attack him again, Zenos strikes her back down. Before she can be finished off, the villagers lead by the youth, Isse, arrive to save her. Zenos is amused and decides to retreat when Alisaie and Gosetsu arrive. Both Yugiri and the Warrior of Light are able to escape with their lives, but with a far greater prize than just escape: the villagers have rediscovered their will to fight and prepare to get ready for round two. Gosetsu reprimands Yugiri for her actions, telling her the true meaning of Hien's words while the Warrior of Light learns that it was Alphinaud who helped rally the villagers, panicking at the fact that they had went on what amounted to a suicide mission.
With the will of the people reforged, Gosetsu decides its time to find Hien and bring him home, though Alisaie decides to stay behind to help her brother. At Doma Castle, Zenos viciously reprimands Yotsuyu for her actions before leaving to check on a "prize". Back at Gyr Abania, Estinien arrives at a massive hole in the earth where Shinryu might have landed, reaffirming his duty to end Nidhogg's threat after learning how it was made.
Arriving at the Azim Steppe, inhabited by numerous tribes of Xaela Au Ra, the heroes make their way to the trading town of Reunion in search of Hien. Helping a Mol tribe member named Cirina and learning of a contest known as the Naadam, Cirina leads them to Hien. Learning that the Domans are ready to fight back, Hien is pleased, but he's not ready to return. He seeks to participate in the Naadam as champion of the Mol in order to become leader and lead the Xaela into aiding him in taking back Doma. He charges Yugiri to return to the villages in Yanxia to prepare them for battle while Gosetsu, Lyse and the Warrior of Light stay behind to aid Hien.
Upon reaching the village, the four are introduced to the leader of the Mol tribe and Hien requests permission to participate in the Naadam. As she believes it was fated for their tribe to find Hien, the leader realizes he might be fated to help them in the Naadam and allows it. As the others prepare to leave, the leader stops the Warrior of Light and tells them that she feels that their presence there is a sign of something big. To participate in the Naadam, they must conquer Bardam's Mettle, a series of tests that is said that no outsider has ever accomplished. After a big feast, the four head for the Mettle, fighting off kidnappers along the way. Going through tough tests of battle and skill, they are victorious, only to be confronted by soldiers of other tribes and brought before Magnai, khan of the Oronir, the winners of the previous Naadam and therefore the dominant tribe of the Steppe. Though annoyed and reluctant, the four play along with his desires and demands, though Hien isn't ready to leave just yet as he wants to know more about the tribes before leaving, learning about the assumed origins of the Xaela. However, Magnai isn't ready to let you go and keeps Lyse and Hien as prisoners as he bids Gosetsu and the Warrior of Light to spy on the Dotharl tribe.
Despite Gosetsu's accidental rudeness towards the Dotharl's way of life, their leader, Sadu, is more than welcome to let them "spy" while Lyse learns from Hien why people like the Domans were more than willing to let the Garleans trample all over them, reigniting her passion to free both his and her own people from Imperial rule. Soon, it is the day of the Naadam and the three clans charge forward toward the ovoo that designated victory for the tribe that claimed it. Despite both Magnai and Sado fiercely trying to claim it before everyone else, the winner is the Warrior of Light themselves, becoming khagan of the Xaela tribes. However, the reign is tested almost immediately when Grynewaht and an army of Imperials enter the fray. Fighting together as one, they drive off the Imperials with a panicked Grynewaht proclaiming he needs more power to defeat them. Victory in hand, Hien asks the two tribes to aid them in the liberation of Doma.
After a final farewell to the Mol, the victorious heroes return to the House of the Fierce, where the twins and Yugiri await. The trio have been busy in recruitment, having gotten the aid of the Confederacy, random Doman villages and the blue Kojin, though the same village that turned the heroes away before still refuse to step in. Alphinaud lays out the strike plan, which sends various waves to drop the Imperials' defenses before the main siege. With much to do, the Warrior of Light helps out with certain duties - retrieving documents on Magitek devices for Alphinaud, being on the lookout for Imperials with Alisaie and convincing a cynical blacksmith to make armor. However, when accompanying Hien to look at Doma Castle and a nearby village does he get the idea to modify the plan. Despite Gosetsu's protestings, Hien modifies the plan so that the Kojin plant explosives underneath Doma Castle, intending on flooding it and preventing Imperial reinforcements. The night before the attack, the Warrior of Light joins Gosetsu and Hien in a drink, where the drunken elder samurai begs forgiveness for his failures.
The next morning, the attack commences and, impressively, everyone plays their part greatly, leading to Hien, Gosetsu, Yugiri and the Warrior of Light to make the charge inside Doma Castle. Battling through the castle, they encounter Grynewaht one last time, heavily modified into a killing machine lost in his bloodlust. Ultimately, the heroes confront Yotsuyu, who tells her story of how she was ignored and abused by her own people and she sought to get revenge on all of them once she gained her power. She attempts to kill Hien, but he is fast enough to cut the bullet aimed at him and incapacitate Yotsuyu. The heroes soon realize that Yotsuyu was stalling for time and that the castle is preparing to cave in upon them. Gosetsu catches the ceiling and bids everyone to leave, but Yotsuyu comes to and fires her pistol at Gosetsu, weakening his hold. Reluctantly, they leave Gosetsu to his fate. By the time they try to go back to him, Doma Castle has collapsed into the river below. Soroban is unable to find any trace of either Gosetsu or Yotsuyu.
Despite the losses, Doma is finally free and Hien rallies his tired people into starting the rebuilding process. Their job done, the Scions prepare to head back to Eorzea, though Tataru opts to stay behind in Kugane. Before they leave, however, Hien and Yugiri catches up to them. Hien thanks them for what they did and pledges to send forces to Eorzea once an intern government has been established. He plans to cause more confusion and chaos within the region by sending shinobi to other villages to incite other rebellions, thus preventing the Empire from retaliating on Doma itself. He also charges Yugiri to join them, not only to aid in the Scions' fight but also to let the Doman refugees in Eorzea know that their homeland is free once more.
However, not everything is happy back in Eorzea - just before their arrival, a group of Resistance Fighters seeking to get Y'shtola and the other wounded to Mor Dhona were ambushed by Imperial forces with Krile captured. Reuniting with Raubahn and Pipin, the story of the Doman Liberation is told, which Pipin responds to the comm chatter from the Imperials trying to squash down other liberation attempts. Raubahn decides now's the time to strike: he initiates Operation Rhalgr's Light, in which the main force would lure out most of the Imperial Forces from Castellum Velodyna, allowing a small team to mop up and allow M'naago to sneak above and apply glamour prisms on the Imperial flags to replace them with the sign of the Resistance.
While preparing for the mission, Conrad bids the Warrior of Light to speak to three different soldiers and, though them, is able to realize that Conrad seeks to pass leadership to Lyse when the time is right, though he asks not to say anything. Soon, the mission starts off with everything going without a hitch. The battle draws out Fordola once more, who is still no match for the Warrior of Light, even despite using brand new assets. With everyone distracted, M'naago is able to pull it off, changing the flag to one of the Resistance, causing the Imperials to fall apart, despite Fordola's attempts to make them stay. Castellum Velodyna is captured by the Resistance.
Learning the M'naago had return to her village on the Peering Stones, the Warrior of Light and the Scions make their way there. However, an Ananta, a serpentine beastmen race native to Gyr Abania, is waiting for them. Speaking as a member of the Vira tribe, she tells them the story of their fellow Qalyana tribe and what they had done — to keep the Imperials away from them, they swore fealty to them. However, their broodmother's daughter was kidnapped by an ignorant Fordola, who was in search of someone known as "the Butcher". When the Resistance made their attack on Velodyna, the Qalyana went to rescue the girl from Fordola. However, in a moment of confusion, one of the Skulls slew her, driving the broodmother to grief and madness and summoning the primal Lakshmi. With no other option, the decision is made to find and stop the primal.
Arriving at the home of the Vira, the Scions are told of Lakshmi and her origins. The entire thing resonates with Alisaie, reminding her more and more of Ga Bu and his tragic fate. With the aid of another Vira, they make it to the Qalyana home and attune to their aetheryte. Sneaking into Lakshmi's abode, they find the broodmother wondering why her daughter isn't alive. Though Lakshmi brought her back to life, she was nothing more than an empty shell, her soul scattered to the winds. In anger, Alisaie made her presence known, berating the Qalyana for following the lies and false promises of the primal. A duel of words ensue, leading to Lakshmi to try to temper them. The Ananta are changed, but the Warrior of Light uses their power to save the others. To Alisaie's regret, the Warrior of Light must fight the creature. After the primal's defeat, the broodqueen snapped at the Warrior of Light for attacking their god. Despite Lyse attempting to get her to see reason, she refused and told them to leave.
Back in Ala Mhigo, Fordola is forced to confront Zenos for the loss of Velodyna, bearing the insults of other Imperials. Zenos forces her to tell the truth — Fordola wants revenge on those who humiliated her. Taking notice of her rage, Zenos places her in the care of a Garlean scientist...
After telling the Vira of their victory, the Scions returned to the Peering Stones, where they were welcomed back with open arms. Urged to rest before heading onward, they are treated to a hearty meal and, that night, Lyse talks to the Warrior of Light about the incident with the Ananta before turning in. The next morning, the Scions ultimately make their way to the Fringes, where the Alliance and Resistance have reclaimed Ala Ghiri. Joining Raubahn, they plan their next move, seeking to capture Specula Imperatoris before heading onward.
In Ala Mhigo, using Krile, the Imperials experiment on Fordola. Through the scientist, she learns she was experimented on mysteriously as a way to help overcome the Garleans' inability to use aether. Learning of the possible attack on Specula Imperatoris, Fordola wishes to join her Skulls, but Zenos requests to do another job. All the while, Thancred watches from above.
As Alisaie and the Warrior of Light patrol Ala Ghiri, the Resistance and Alliance lay siege in Specula Imperatoris. However, in Gyr Abania, Fordola arrives at Castrum Abania with orders from Zenos. To the shock of the Imperial soldier there, she orders the main cannon fired on the Specula Imperatoris main tower, despite all of the other Imperials there. Fordola knows this and claims that they have to do it because only the strong survive. The weapon is powered up and fired, destroying the tower. Alisaie and the Warrior of Light see this and raced to Specula Imperatoris to find survivors. Raubahn is able to shake Alisaie out of her panic to go help others, but the Warrior of Light sees the worst as M'naago, Lyse and Alphinaud try to rouse a badly injured Conrad. With his last bit of life, he passes command of the Resistance to Lyse. Before the Imperials can use the cannon again, Estinien arrives and employs his dragoon abilities to disable the cannon, musing to himself that his debt to Alphinaud is repaid.
Retreating to Ala Ghiri, the Resistance attempt to plot their next move, realizing that the cannon should have kept firing but didn't. The Warrior of Light and Lyse investigate, finding smoke still pouring out from the damage. Returning to camp, the plan is made to capture Castrum Abania to make sure the cannon isn't used again. With the aid of a hidden Resistance member, they sneak inside for a three-pronged attack, making their way to the command center where Fordola is waiting. Lyse calls her out for her brutal murdering of her own people, but Fordola brushes it off, claiming that the only way to be accepted within the Empire is to be strong and if that meant killing their own, so be it. The two begin fighting, but Fordola moves with incredible speed and agility and a pincer attack by Alisaie leads to the girl being struck down by Fordola. Despite her empowerment, when the Warrior of Light attempts to enter the fray, Fordola realizes she's outgunned and makes her escape, though gives an invitation to the heroes to meet Zenos in Ala Mhigo.
Meeting up with Raubahn, he recognizes Lyse's grief and confusion and brings her and the Warrior of Light to a small village and a house, namely Raubahn's home. The Warrior of Light gets a vision where a young Raubahn is convinced by Lyse's father to keep fighting, spurred by the creed "Liberty or Death". Through that, Lyse becomes convinced to become a better leader, to fight for freedom or die trying. On their way back to another village, they're ambushed by a group of youth, who they realize that they were trying to capture them for a favor with the Empire. This forces the Scions to take Alisaie back to Rhalgr's Reach to prevent a reprisal. Once Alisaie is settled, Lyse asks the Warrior to wait outside for something. When she returns, they're surprised by Lyse wearing a stunning red and white outfit, which was once worn by Yda, her reasoning being that, if they were going to make the push into Ala Mhigo, then a part of Yda should be with them. She then asks the Warrior of Light for a sparring match, which lasts for quite some time.
With everything in order, the remaining Scions begin the final push, heading into the Lochs. With knowledge that Krile is inside, the Scions prepare to make their way into Ala Mhigo. Aided by the youth who first attacked Lyse upon her arrival, the heroes made their way to a monastery where the young man's grandfather was hiding. With his blessing, he gives them a key that will get them inside through a special passageway. Before sneaking in, they're confronted by Urianger, who gives them a staff resembling Moenbryda's to be used against Fordola should they run into her again. The Scions are able to sneak into the Ala Mhigan Quarter and allow the Resistance to break through while they pushed further in to find Krile. Inside, they find Fordola, who proved to be a fierce opponent, but the staff tipped the scales in the heroes' favor, capturing Fordola and saving Krile. However, Fordola boasted that Zenos was much stronger than they thought and that he had a power of an eikon.
With everything set up, the gathered armies prepared for the final push. Before heading off Raubahn gave the Warrior of Light a package to give to Pipin. Upon arriving to him, they learned that the package was one of Raubahn's swords. When word comes of a pack of wolfmen were approaching, Alphinaud and the Warrior of Light rush to stop them, hoping that, since they were Doman, the news of the country's liberation will stop them. Despite their attempt, the wolfmen forced them to fight, but their mercy lead them to believe their words. An attempt to bust down the front gates was nearly stopped by a fleet of gunships, only for the sudden arrival of Lord Hien and some of his Doman allies, who give them the chance to bust the doors down and charge forward into Ala Mhigo proper. After a devastating battle inside against Zenos, the Warrior of Light finally has the upper hand and pursues him to the Royal Menagerie, where it is discovered that Zenos has Shinryu in his captivity, and that he has been endowed with the powers of a Resonant, giving him an artificial Echo that allows him to take control of primals. He gloats that he and the Warrior are one and the same - bloodthirsty warriors who crave the next battle. Despite his attempts to get the Warrior to join his cause, Zenos nevertheless decides to show off his immense power, taking control of Shinryu through his Resonant powers.
After a titanic struggle, Shinryu is destroyed and Zenos defeated. However, despite the attempt to bring him in alive, Zenos has other plans. Feeling his life complete, he takes his life, despite Lyse attempting to stop him. Lyse felt that the victory was hollow with him taking his own life, but Raubahn tells her to not see it like that. With Zenos dead, their stated goal is completed - Ala Mhigo is free. With the long and bloody war for independence finally won, all of the soldiers gathered join with Lyse in singing the anthem of their reclaimed homeland.
O come ye wayward brothers,
Bereft of hearth and home,
Beneath yon burning star there lies
A haven for the bold.
Arriving at Baelsar's Wall, now occupied by the Alliance, the Scions meet up with Raubahn to discuss the plan of action before the Scions head off to their first stop: Rhalgr's Reach. Upon reaching the hidden encampment, the Scions are approached not only by soldiers, but also Lyse's friend M'naago and two others, Meffrid and the leader, Conrad. After explaining the situation, Conrad confers to the elders of the town before making his decision — they'll help, but there are other settlements who may not want to, so the Scions must confront them themselves.
Speaking with Meffrid, who was the Ala Mhigan whom you aided in the Black Shroud long ago, you head for Lyse's old home town of Ala Gannha, a town broken both by Imperial subjugation and the Griffin's false promises. Though Lyse is able to sway the elder from kicking all of them out, they find themselves hard-pressed to gain assistance for their cause, particularly so after the recent actions of the Griffin, which resulted in the deaths of most of the town's willing and able. Even trying to aid the citizens to win them over doesn't work, especially when one youth chews out Lyse for trying to appeal to them as an Ala Gannhan. However, their fortune changes after they go to rescue a youth who was kidnapped by a group of beastmen bandits. Despite rescuing him, they watch in horror as a group of soldiers known as the Skulls - Ala Mhigans who opted to throw their lot with the Garleans - beat the poor youth. Lyse is heartbroken how everyone is more than willing to just sit there and take it until the youth who attacked Lyse approached to apologize for being such a hypocrite. He begged to join the Resistance and promised to tell others know who were feeling the same way before they made their decision.
Afterwards, the Warrior of Light and Alisaie escort M'naago to Castrum Oriens to give Raubahn Conrad's official reply. Along the way, M'naago's sensitive hearing, honed from years of hunting and learning to be weary of predators and imperial patrols, picks up on a sizable contingent of imperial soldiers passing through the area. After dispatching the patrolling soldiers, they make their way to the castrum to deliver Conrad's reply. The lack of manpower and morale as a result of the Griffin prove troubling, but Pipin proposes an idea to return the fighting spirit to the rebels; a joint offensive between the Eorzean Alliance and the Resistance against the Empire. Even a small victory could restore the Ala Mhigan's hope and boost recruitment to the cause of liberation. An opportunity to do so presents itself in the form of Garlean soldiers field-testing a new prototype magitek armor; destroying the armor would prevent its mass production, harming the empire while proving the Resistance could hold its own against Garlemald's military might.
Raubahn leads a contingent of Alliance and Resistance soldiers, along with the Warrior of Light and Alisaie, against the prototype armor and imperial soldiers. Leading the imperials field-testing the prototype is Grynewaht, who recognizes the Warrior of Light from Carteneau and is eager to take revenge against them for his previous defeat. Unfortunately for the brutish imperial soldier, the Warrior of Light and their allies prove too much for him, prompting him to escape with his life as the prototype armor under his care is abandoned and scrapped. The imperials are humiliated, the Alliance and Resistance soldiers suffer minimal casualties, and morale swells among the Resistance with this symbolic victory.
The victory has its news spread quickly as the Resistance gains new members, in particular a half-breed Ala Mhigan once encounters in the Waking Sands, and the Garleans learn of the prototype's destruction. The Imperial viceroy of Ala Mhigo, Zenos yae Galvus, responds to the news of the loss by murdering the general reporting to him for not being present at the attack and delegating the prototype's protection to a lesser soldier. Realizing this is a wonderful time to attack the Resistance to sate his own bloodlust, he asks for suggestions. One soldier, an Ala Mhigan named Fordola, speaks up and is acknowledged by Zenos as he notes her own desires to fight...
After helping out around Rhalgr's Reach, the time has come to make the next move. Pipin decides they need to capture Castrum Velodyna and has the Warrior of Light and the twins aid him in reconnaissance. However, upon their recon, explosions strike... at Rhalgr's Reach. The four race back to a bloodbath — the Imperials found the base and laid waste. Meffrid is slain by Fordola, who finds herself overwhelmed by Lyse. However, when Zenos arrives, Lyse is defeated and Y'shtola is badly wounded when her barrier is shattered. The four heroes return and begin to turn the tide, but when Zenos steps up, not even the Warrior of Light is able to stand up to his power, only being spared because their battle breaks Zenos's weapon. Raubahn and the Alliance soon arrive, but Zenos, seemingly bored, leaves to depart with the remainder of his forces. Seeing that even the Warrior of Light was bested by this terrifying new adversary, Raubahn refrains from giving chase, leaving the Alliance to tend to the wounded.
The battle has left the Resistance broken, Conrad especially. Despite evacuating everyone to Castrum Oriens, Conrad is about to give up on the fight before M'naago rightfully chews him out for his cowardice. Realizing that Zenos rules over both Ala Mhigo and Doma, Alphinaud suggests a plan - to aid the Domans in their own liberation and force Zenos to fight a two-pronged war, thus lessening his military strength. Heading for Limsa Lominsa, Tataru is given the task to find a captain who is willing to take them to Doma. She comes back with Captain Carvallain de Gorgagne of the Kraken's Arms. Alisaie's disgusted that they chose a pirate, though Alphinaud is able to calm the situation, especially since airships or an Alliance ship would cause too much problems. When the captain begins to have second thoughts, Tataru subtly blackmails him with knowledge of his true identity, which gets him back on track.
Before they head off, Lyse and the Warrior of Light return to Mor Dhona to get information on Doma. The Warrior learns of how Doma was taken over and who runs it while Lyse learned proper eating etiquette. As they prepare to head off, Urianger quickly arrives with a few things for Alisaie. The first is one of his usual cryptic messages, the other being a rapier - noting her aetheric sword was powerful yet heavily taxing, he went through the trouble of obtaining a new weapon that lessened that drain significantly. Partway to their destination, the ship is taken off-path and crashing onto an island admist the Sirensong Sea. The Warrior of Light charges in to vanquish the spirits within and allows the captain to continue the trip, though Alphinaud would be more than thankful to not deal with ghosts again.
Finally arriving in Kugane, the Scions bid Carvallain farewell, only to meet up with an Ul'dahn merchant named Hancock. To the Scions' shock, he's here with them on behalf of Lolorito, which angers Alphinaud due to the Crystal Braves incident. Hancock tries to reassure them, first by giving them a tour of Kugane, then giving them access to his headquarters. Hancock reveals that Lolorito sincerely wants to make up for the incident, but really can't put it into words, thus the accommodations. As much as the others don't like it, they accept. To that point, he tells them that Yugiri and Gosetsu have been around and currently unable to return to Doma — as it turns out, there's a complicated problem involving Hingashi, the Garlean-controlled Doma and the Confederacy which controls the Ruby Sea between the two territories — the current Imperial viceroy of Doma has decided that the Confederacy is a problem and those who converse with them are to be considered enemies of the Empire, forcing Hingashi to break ties with them.
Needing a way to find their friends, Alphinaud provides the Scions with drawings of the two to show various captains. Through a bit of searching, they learn that Gosetsu had been searching for a boat to cross the Ruby Sea, but no sign of Yugiri. One figure, a Namazu named Gyado, claims to have seen both and claims to have a way to meet them. Though Lyse is excited, the others have their doubts, thus plan to spring any possible trap and take him prisoner. Indeed, upon meeting him, they are ambushed by Imperial soldiers and, when they are fought off, find themselves surrounded by the Sekiseigumi, the samurai law-enforcers of Kugane. With the aid of a Kojin named Soroban, they are able to escape and, as thanks for getting him to meet Hancock through their chance encounter, gives them a ship to cross the Ruby Sea. To that end, Alphinaud stays behind to help out should things go astray elsewhere.
Hitting the Ruby Sea, the Scions encounter the Confederacy and witness first hand how powerless they are to the Empire as they try to enforce their Ruby Tithe, only for the Imperial soldier to keep trying to goad them into attacking, forcing the Confederacy to back down lest the Empire crush them. The Scions attempt to get the Confederacy to aid them, but they won't hear it. Reaching a fishing town, they catch sight of the acting viceroy of Doma, a cruel and heartless Doman woman named Yotsuyu, who convinces a Doman youth to shoot an attempted escapee, then kill his parents. When he refuses to do the later, he is struck down when he turns his gun on her. Before she can sic Grynewaht, who was transferred to Doma for his failings, to get the others, Gosetsu steps out to confront them, telling the Scions to head to a nearby tower. Gosetsu is captured as the Scions escape.
Reaching the tower, they find out that a small village filled by the Confederacy is there. Despite trying to help them out, the Scions are once again rebuffed from getting help from them, only for Alisaie, furious over the fact they're willing to leave one of their own to suffer, puts them to the challenge - if they are able to draw away their Kojin Red allies, then they should take back that fishing town. They take them up on the challenge, sending them to the Kojin's village. Thankfully, the turtle beastmen are a lot more receptive of the Scions and are willing to aid them — the Red Kojin's actions by being mercenaries for the Empire have made it hard for them to trade. To that, the Scions learn of a missing great treasure and they should try to find it and return it to their treasure cove.
Given the ability to breathe underwater via a Kojin ritual, Alisaie, Lyse, and the Warrior of Light first head for a nearby underwater village inhabited by Au Ra. They are promptly turned away only to be encountered by Yugiri's parents, who reveal that she had went out into the world to learn the ways of the shinobi, but when she returned, the Ruby Princess threw her right back out despite their protests. Glad to hear of her safety, they aid the Scions through special lamps to find the artifact. Finding the artifact, they return to the Kojin village, where they are given a ceremonial knife to help open the vault containing the treasures. Distracting the Red Kojin, they enter the vault, only for the resulting chase causing the treasure and two others to join together and accidentally summon a primal, Susano. Jubilantly, Susano just wants a fight, which the Warrior of Light reluctantly obliges. Between the victory against the primal and the distraction, the Confederacy make their move, driving out the Empire, rescuing their hostages and reclaiming the Ruby Sea.
With Gosetsu rattled but otherwise okay, the heroes head for Yanxia, the outskirts of Doma itself, where the scars of the failed rebellion remain. The heroes are quickly kicked out of the farming village of Namai, leading Gosetsu to head for the hidden base of the House of the Fierce, where the Doman Liberation Front are housed, and a reunion with Yugiri. Yugiri reveals that she found the missing Hien, crown prince of Doma, but he refuses to return, telling Yugiri to see what Doma wishes. If they wish to be freed, then he'll return to help them, but should they rather remain cowed, then he'll give the Empire his head. Yugiri, aided by Lyse and the Warrior of Light, seek out what's going on with the people and find them broken by Yotsuyu's vicious reprisals, leading to a youngster who drove out the group earlier to do so again. Even worse, a group of Imperials arrive, "recruiting" Domans for various jobs elsewhere. Yugiri sends Lyse back to the base while she and the Warrior head for the nearby Castrum Fluminis. After sneaking in, they learn that the various villagers are being sent across the land, forced to repair machinery way too advanced for them in retaliation for the Confederacy's actions. Yugiri's able to stage a rescue, but the villagers are horrified she did so - scared of Imperial reprisals, they would rather listen to them and suffer than stand up to them. Though they do escape, Yugiri is shaken - are the villagers willing to forsake freedom? Is Doma doomed to be under Imperial rule forever? The Warrior of Light reassures her, only for the moment to be broken as an airship approaches Doma Castle - Zenos is here to find out what happened at the Ruby Sea. While the rebellion and the Scions are willing to hide from Zenos, Yugiri refuses - she views this as the perfect opportunity to fight back and kill him once and for all, despite Zenos's incredible power.
Despite everyone's pleas, Yugiri charges off, the Warrior of Light deciding the join her in her attempt. Waiting until the time is right, Yugiri makes her move, only for Zenos to stop her. The Warrior of Light steps in and a vicious fight ensues. Once more, Zenos defeats the Warrior of Light, but is completely surprised by the fact the Warrior managed to damage his helmet. He decides to spare them, imploring the Warrior of Light to continue to grow stronger, but when Yugiri attempts to attack him again, Zenos strikes her back down. Before she can be finished off, the villagers lead by the youth, Isse, arrive to save her. Zenos is amused and decides to retreat when Alisaie and Gosetsu arrive. Both Yugiri and the Warrior of Light are able to escape with their lives, but with a far greater prize than just escape: the villagers have rediscovered their will to fight and prepare to get ready for round two. Gosetsu reprimands Yugiri for her actions, telling her the true meaning of Hien's words while the Warrior of Light learns that it was Alphinaud who helped rally the villagers, panicking at the fact that they had went on what amounted to a suicide mission.
With the will of the people reforged, Gosetsu decides its time to find Hien and bring him home, though Alisaie decides to stay behind to help her brother. At Doma Castle, Zenos viciously reprimands Yotsuyu for her actions before leaving to check on a "prize". Back at Gyr Abania, Estinien arrives at a massive hole in the earth where Shinryu might have landed, reaffirming his duty to end Nidhogg's threat after learning how it was made.
Arriving at the Azim Steppe, inhabited by numerous tribes of Xaela Au Ra, the heroes make their way to the trading town of Reunion in search of Hien. Helping a Mol tribe member named Cirina and learning of a contest known as the Naadam, Cirina leads them to Hien. Learning that the Domans are ready to fight back, Hien is pleased, but he's not ready to return. He seeks to participate in the Naadam as champion of the Mol in order to become leader and lead the Xaela into aiding him in taking back Doma. He charges Yugiri to return to the villages in Yanxia to prepare them for battle while Gosetsu, Lyse and the Warrior of Light stay behind to aid Hien.
Upon reaching the village, the four are introduced to the leader of the Mol tribe and Hien requests permission to participate in the Naadam. As she believes it was fated for their tribe to find Hien, the leader realizes he might be fated to help them in the Naadam and allows it. As the others prepare to leave, the leader stops the Warrior of Light and tells them that she feels that their presence there is a sign of something big. To participate in the Naadam, they must conquer Bardam's Mettle, a series of tests that is said that no outsider has ever accomplished. After a big feast, the four head for the Mettle, fighting off kidnappers along the way. Going through tough tests of battle and skill, they are victorious, only to be confronted by soldiers of other tribes and brought before Magnai, khan of the Oronir, the winners of the previous Naadam and therefore the dominant tribe of the Steppe. Though annoyed and reluctant, the four play along with his desires and demands, though Hien isn't ready to leave just yet as he wants to know more about the tribes before leaving, learning about the assumed origins of the Xaela. However, Magnai isn't ready to let you go and keeps Lyse and Hien as prisoners as he bids Gosetsu and the Warrior of Light to spy on the Dotharl tribe.
Despite Gosetsu's accidental rudeness towards the Dotharl's way of life, their leader, Sadu, is more than welcome to let them "spy" while Lyse learns from Hien why people like the Domans were more than willing to let the Garleans trample all over them, reigniting her passion to free both his and her own people from Imperial rule. Soon, it is the day of the Naadam and the three clans charge forward toward the ovoo that designated victory for the tribe that claimed it. Despite both Magnai and Sado fiercely trying to claim it before everyone else, the winner is the Warrior of Light themselves, becoming khagan of the Xaela tribes. However, the reign is tested almost immediately when Grynewaht and an army of Imperials enter the fray. Fighting together as one, they drive off the Imperials with a panicked Grynewaht proclaiming he needs more power to defeat them. Victory in hand, Hien asks the two tribes to aid them in the liberation of Doma.
After a final farewell to the Mol, the victorious heroes return to the House of the Fierce, where the twins and Yugiri await. The trio have been busy in recruitment, having gotten the aid of the Confederacy, random Doman villages and the blue Kojin, though the same village that turned the heroes away before still refuse to step in. Alphinaud lays out the strike plan, which sends various waves to drop the Imperials' defenses before the main siege. With much to do, the Warrior of Light helps out with certain duties - retrieving documents on Magitek devices for Alphinaud, being on the lookout for Imperials with Alisaie and convincing a cynical blacksmith to make armor. However, when accompanying Hien to look at Doma Castle and a nearby village does he get the idea to modify the plan. Despite Gosetsu's protestings, Hien modifies the plan so that the Kojin plant explosives underneath Doma Castle, intending on flooding it and preventing Imperial reinforcements. The night before the attack, the Warrior of Light joins Gosetsu and Hien in a drink, where the drunken elder samurai begs forgiveness for his failures.
The next morning, the attack commences and, impressively, everyone plays their part greatly, leading to Hien, Gosetsu, Yugiri and the Warrior of Light to make the charge inside Doma Castle. Battling through the castle, they encounter Grynewaht one last time, heavily modified into a killing machine lost in his bloodlust. Ultimately, the heroes confront Yotsuyu, who tells her story of how she was ignored and abused by her own people and she sought to get revenge on all of them once she gained her power. She attempts to kill Hien, but he is fast enough to cut the bullet aimed at him and incapacitate Yotsuyu. The heroes soon realize that Yotsuyu was stalling for time and that the castle is preparing to cave in upon them. Gosetsu catches the ceiling and bids everyone to leave, but Yotsuyu comes to and fires her pistol at Gosetsu, weakening his hold. Reluctantly, they leave Gosetsu to his fate. By the time they try to go back to him, Doma Castle has collapsed into the river below. Soroban is unable to find any trace of either Gosetsu or Yotsuyu.
Despite the losses, Doma is finally free and Hien rallies his tired people into starting the rebuilding process. Their job done, the Scions prepare to head back to Eorzea, though Tataru opts to stay behind in Kugane. Before they leave, however, Hien and Yugiri catches up to them. Hien thanks them for what they did and pledges to send forces to Eorzea once an intern government has been established. He plans to cause more confusion and chaos within the region by sending shinobi to other villages to incite other rebellions, thus preventing the Empire from retaliating on Doma itself. He also charges Yugiri to join them, not only to aid in the Scions' fight but also to let the Doman refugees in Eorzea know that their homeland is free once more.
However, not everything is happy back in Eorzea - just before their arrival, a group of Resistance Fighters seeking to get Y'shtola and the other wounded to Mor Dhona were ambushed by Imperial forces with Krile captured. Reuniting with Raubahn and Pipin, the story of the Doman Liberation is told, which Pipin responds to the comm chatter from the Imperials trying to squash down other liberation attempts. Raubahn decides now's the time to strike: he initiates Operation Rhalgr's Light, in which the main force would lure out most of the Imperial Forces from Castellum Velodyna, allowing a small team to mop up and allow M'naago to sneak above and apply glamour prisms on the Imperial flags to replace them with the sign of the Resistance.
While preparing for the mission, Conrad bids the Warrior of Light to speak to three different soldiers and, though them, is able to realize that Conrad seeks to pass leadership to Lyse when the time is right, though he asks not to say anything. Soon, the mission starts off with everything going without a hitch. The battle draws out Fordola once more, who is still no match for the Warrior of Light, even despite using brand new assets. With everyone distracted, M'naago is able to pull it off, changing the flag to one of the Resistance, causing the Imperials to fall apart, despite Fordola's attempts to make them stay. Castellum Velodyna is captured by the Resistance.
Learning the M'naago had return to her village on the Peering Stones, the Warrior of Light and the Scions make their way there. However, an Ananta, a serpentine beastmen race native to Gyr Abania, is waiting for them. Speaking as a member of the Vira tribe, she tells them the story of their fellow Qalyana tribe and what they had done — to keep the Imperials away from them, they swore fealty to them. However, their broodmother's daughter was kidnapped by an ignorant Fordola, who was in search of someone known as "the Butcher". When the Resistance made their attack on Velodyna, the Qalyana went to rescue the girl from Fordola. However, in a moment of confusion, one of the Skulls slew her, driving the broodmother to grief and madness and summoning the primal Lakshmi. With no other option, the decision is made to find and stop the primal.
Arriving at the home of the Vira, the Scions are told of Lakshmi and her origins. The entire thing resonates with Alisaie, reminding her more and more of Ga Bu and his tragic fate. With the aid of another Vira, they make it to the Qalyana home and attune to their aetheryte. Sneaking into Lakshmi's abode, they find the broodmother wondering why her daughter isn't alive. Though Lakshmi brought her back to life, she was nothing more than an empty shell, her soul scattered to the winds. In anger, Alisaie made her presence known, berating the Qalyana for following the lies and false promises of the primal. A duel of words ensue, leading to Lakshmi to try to temper them. The Ananta are changed, but the Warrior of Light uses their power to save the others. To Alisaie's regret, the Warrior of Light must fight the creature. After the primal's defeat, the broodqueen snapped at the Warrior of Light for attacking their god. Despite Lyse attempting to get her to see reason, she refused and told them to leave.
Back in Ala Mhigo, Fordola is forced to confront Zenos for the loss of Velodyna, bearing the insults of other Imperials. Zenos forces her to tell the truth — Fordola wants revenge on those who humiliated her. Taking notice of her rage, Zenos places her in the care of a Garlean scientist...
After telling the Vira of their victory, the Scions returned to the Peering Stones, where they were welcomed back with open arms. Urged to rest before heading onward, they are treated to a hearty meal and, that night, Lyse talks to the Warrior of Light about the incident with the Ananta before turning in. The next morning, the Scions ultimately make their way to the Fringes, where the Alliance and Resistance have reclaimed Ala Ghiri. Joining Raubahn, they plan their next move, seeking to capture Specula Imperatoris before heading onward.
In Ala Mhigo, using Krile, the Imperials experiment on Fordola. Through the scientist, she learns she was experimented on mysteriously as a way to help overcome the Garleans' inability to use aether. Learning of the possible attack on Specula Imperatoris, Fordola wishes to join her Skulls, but Zenos requests to do another job. All the while, Thancred watches from above.
As Alisaie and the Warrior of Light patrol Ala Ghiri, the Resistance and Alliance lay siege in Specula Imperatoris. However, in Gyr Abania, Fordola arrives at Castrum Abania with orders from Zenos. To the shock of the Imperial soldier there, she orders the main cannon fired on the Specula Imperatoris main tower, despite all of the other Imperials there. Fordola knows this and claims that they have to do it because only the strong survive. The weapon is powered up and fired, destroying the tower. Alisaie and the Warrior of Light see this and raced to Specula Imperatoris to find survivors. Raubahn is able to shake Alisaie out of her panic to go help others, but the Warrior of Light sees the worst as M'naago, Lyse and Alphinaud try to rouse a badly injured Conrad. With his last bit of life, he passes command of the Resistance to Lyse. Before the Imperials can use the cannon again, Estinien arrives and employs his dragoon abilities to disable the cannon, musing to himself that his debt to Alphinaud is repaid.
Retreating to Ala Ghiri, the Resistance attempt to plot their next move, realizing that the cannon should have kept firing but didn't. The Warrior of Light and Lyse investigate, finding smoke still pouring out from the damage. Returning to camp, the plan is made to capture Castrum Abania to make sure the cannon isn't used again. With the aid of a hidden Resistance member, they sneak inside for a three-pronged attack, making their way to the command center where Fordola is waiting. Lyse calls her out for her brutal murdering of her own people, but Fordola brushes it off, claiming that the only way to be accepted within the Empire is to be strong and if that meant killing their own, so be it. The two begin fighting, but Fordola moves with incredible speed and agility and a pincer attack by Alisaie leads to the girl being struck down by Fordola. Despite her empowerment, when the Warrior of Light attempts to enter the fray, Fordola realizes she's outgunned and makes her escape, though gives an invitation to the heroes to meet Zenos in Ala Mhigo.
Meeting up with Raubahn, he recognizes Lyse's grief and confusion and brings her and the Warrior of Light to a small village and a house, namely Raubahn's home. The Warrior of Light gets a vision where a young Raubahn is convinced by Lyse's father to keep fighting, spurred by the creed "Liberty or Death". Through that, Lyse becomes convinced to become a better leader, to fight for freedom or die trying. On their way back to another village, they're ambushed by a group of youth, who they realize that they were trying to capture them for a favor with the Empire. This forces the Scions to take Alisaie back to Rhalgr's Reach to prevent a reprisal. Once Alisaie is settled, Lyse asks the Warrior to wait outside for something. When she returns, they're surprised by Lyse wearing a stunning red and white outfit, which was once worn by Yda, her reasoning being that, if they were going to make the push into Ala Mhigo, then a part of Yda should be with them. She then asks the Warrior of Light for a sparring match, which lasts for quite some time.
With everything in order, the remaining Scions begin the final push, heading into the Lochs. With knowledge that Krile is inside, the Scions prepare to make their way into Ala Mhigo. Aided by the youth who first attacked Lyse upon her arrival, the heroes made their way to a monastery where the young man's grandfather was hiding. With his blessing, he gives them a key that will get them inside through a special passageway. Before sneaking in, they're confronted by Urianger, who gives them a staff resembling Moenbryda's to be used against Fordola should they run into her again. The Scions are able to sneak into the Ala Mhigan Quarter and allow the Resistance to break through while they pushed further in to find Krile. Inside, they find Fordola, who proved to be a fierce opponent, but the staff tipped the scales in the heroes' favor, capturing Fordola and saving Krile. However, Fordola boasted that Zenos was much stronger than they thought and that he had a power of an eikon.
With everything set up, the gathered armies prepared for the final push. Before heading off Raubahn gave the Warrior of Light a package to give to Pipin. Upon arriving to him, they learned that the package was one of Raubahn's swords. When word comes of a pack of wolfmen were approaching, Alphinaud and the Warrior of Light rush to stop them, hoping that, since they were Doman, the news of the country's liberation will stop them. Despite their attempt, the wolfmen forced them to fight, but their mercy lead them to believe their words. An attempt to bust down the front gates was nearly stopped by a fleet of gunships, only for the sudden arrival of Lord Hien and some of his Doman allies, who give them the chance to bust the doors down and charge forward into Ala Mhigo proper. After a devastating battle inside against Zenos, the Warrior of Light finally has the upper hand and pursues him to the Royal Menagerie, where it is discovered that Zenos has Shinryu in his captivity, and that he has been endowed with the powers of a Resonant, giving him an artificial Echo that allows him to take control of primals. He gloats that he and the Warrior are one and the same - bloodthirsty warriors who crave the next battle. Despite his attempts to get the Warrior to join his cause, Zenos nevertheless decides to show off his immense power, taking control of Shinryu through his Resonant powers.
After a titanic struggle, Shinryu is destroyed and Zenos defeated. However, despite the attempt to bring him in alive, Zenos has other plans. Feeling his life complete, he takes his life, despite Lyse attempting to stop him. Lyse felt that the victory was hollow with him taking his own life, but Raubahn tells her to not see it like that. With Zenos dead, their stated goal is completed - Ala Mhigo is free. With the long and bloody war for independence finally won, all of the soldiers gathered join with Lyse in singing the anthem of their reclaimed homeland.
O come ye wayward brothers,
Bereft of hearth and home,
Beneath yon burning star there lies
A haven for the bold.
Raise up your hands and voices,
Let fill your hearts with pride,
Above the churning waters we
Stand strong and unified.
At Rhalgr's Reach, Lyse gathers the Scions to let them know she's stepping down as a Scion to focus on rebuilding her homeland, though Y'shtola gets in a good rib before they all reassure her that they're all friends and comrades through and through, Scion or not. At the Menagerie, Estinien discovers Nidhogg's eyes, left behind upon Shinryu's defeat. He confirms that they have very little aether left, but decides not to take chances and takes up his lance to completely destroy them, finally putting an end to Nidhogg's vengeful influence. Within Garlemald's lands, Elidibus speaks with the Emperor, the latter seemingly unconcerned that Zenos is dead. He is shocked, though, when Elidibus removes his Ascian mask and reveals his identity. Back in Ala Mhigan lands, Cid finally finds the location of Omega's resting place, but Jessie of the Garlond Ironworks wants to put a leash on him... by hiring his fiercest rival, Nero tol Scaeva.
Rebuilding Two Nations (4.x)
With Ala Mhigo finally liberated, the task of rebuilding the war-torn nation begins. The first step is determining the system of government to be used, with everyone having their own idea of how Ala Mhigo should be governed, and the only agreement being that theocracy was not an option, not after the destructive reign of the Mad King Theodoric.
As Lyse deliberates how to proceed from here, the Warrior of Light earns a much appreciated respite. They are approached by Arenvald, a former Scion and Resistance soldier, who suggests going on an adventure. He had an idea of what kind of adventure to undertake; with the aid of the Warrior of Light and Alphinaud, he means to find the Mad King's Trove, a cache of riches that Theodoric took from the political enemies he had killed.
The trio set out for the Ala Mhigan Quarter to ask those who had lived during Theodoric's reign if they had any information pertaining to Theodoric's treasure. The Warrior of Light gains a clue from the Mad King's former scribe, who recounts how, in the twillight years of his reign, Theodoric found a creative and disturbing new way to dispose of his enemies; having the court thaumaturge to place a curse on them, transforming them into vile monsters, and casting them into "the darkness below the palace".
The Warrior of Light relays this tale to Alphinaud and Arenvald. Alphinaud thinks he might have an idea, based on this clue, as to where the treasure may lie. Before he reveals his idea, however, he asks Arenvald what he truly sought in finding the Mad King's Trove.
Arenvald confesses that while he did seek adventure, he had a more personal reason for seeking out the Trove: he was born the bastard son of an Ala Mhigan woman and a Garlean soldier. His mother held him in great disdain and would always check his brow for a Garlean "third eye", one day taking a knife to his brow, leaving a scar that he conceals with war paint. Eventually, she abandoned him, and Arenvald was forced to do whatever it took just to survive. The things he had to do to get by haunt him, and he eventually made his way out of Ala Mhigo, taking up a career of adventuring in Eorzea and eventually coming into the employ of the Scions. If he could find the Mad King's Trove, he could spare his countrymen from the same fate that had befallen him in his youth.
Satisfied with Arenvald's answer and sympathetic to his plight, Alphinaud takes his companions out to Loch Seld to explain his idea: in the Sixth Umbral Calamity, a city known as Skalla was flooded and destroyed. It now sat at the bottom of Loch Seld. The "darkness below the palace" the scribe mentioned to the Warrior of Light wasn't a reference to any subterranean prison in the Ala Mhigan palace, but rather, the ruins of Skalla which laid even further beneath the palace. Furthermore, the political enemies that Theodoric cursed had been banished to the ruins to protect his treasure.
Together, the Warrior of Light, Alphinaud, and Arenvald delve into the Drowned City of Skalla. At the heart of the ruins, they uncover the legendary mad king's trove; there was even more treasure than the legends had foretold, more than enough to help Ala Mhigo's poor! The trio of adventurers report their findings to Lyse when she comes to the Ala Mhigan quarter to convene a delegation of Ala Mhigan leaders to discuss policy.
The joyous news, however, is interrupted by reports of an angry mob convening outside the prison where Fordola was being detained. Several Ala Mhigans, many of whom lost loved ones to Fordola and her men, had formed a lynch mob, hell-bent on butchering the Butcher. Accusations fly towards Lyse for keeping her alive. The situation is defused, thankfully, by Raubahn, who explains that exacting revenge against Fordola may provide temporary satisfaction, but Ala Mhigo should set a better example than the Garleans that had ruled over them, and give Fordola a chance to answer for her crimes.
Afterwards, Arenvald asks for a chance to speak with Fordola, since their circumstances are not dissimilar. Raubahn gives Arenvald permission, and are joined by the Warrior of Light and Lyse.
In her cell, Fordola claims that it would've been better to let her die at the hands of the mob. Lyse, however, reminds her that she promised that she would let her live long enough to see Ala Mhigo free. Fordola spits this statement back in Lyse's face; after all, she killed not only Lyse's soldiers, but her own men, and deserved to be put to death. Arenvald shoots back that Fordola didn't come so far just to give up.
As Arenvald and Fordola argue, the Warrior of Light has a vision from the Echo of Fordola's past. Fordola's parents were imperial sympathizers during the occupation of Ala Mhigo, earning them the scorn of their countrymen. Before she could understand what their decisions in the name of survival meant, she was exposed to the ugly truths of the occupation when an angry mob gathered to stone her. Her father shielded her with his body while her mother begged nearby Garlean soldiers to help them, but to no avail. In the end, Fordola's father died when he was struck in the head by a large stone from the mob. This incident would shape her into a cold and callous young woman who knew all to well that citizenship in the empire meant naught unless one was born a full-blooded Garlean. Resentful towards both the Empire for their prejudices towards Ala Mhigans and to her own countrymen for the death of her father, she would enlist in the military with her friends, the same ones she would later sacrifice, to make others respect and fear her until they were free.
After having the vision, Fordola claims her death would serve to unite the people of Ala Mhigo. Arenvald fires back that Fordola had every opportunity to end her own life after she was imprisoned, but that suicide would not have served her anything as opposed to being executed. Fordola then turns to the Warrior of Light, snapping at them and stating that they could know nothing about her just by peeking into her past. She prepares to use her Resonant powers, but suddenly, the Echo gives her visions of the Warrior of Light's past. She witnesses the hardships they had endured; their fight with Gaius, the betrayal of the Crystal Braves, the deaths of Haurchefant and their other friends, their struggle to save Estinien's soul, the trials they faced in liberating Doma, their showdown with Zenos and Shinryu... She is taken aback at all that had happened to them, and can't understand how they have the strength to persevere. With that, Lyse tells Fordola that she still has time, and she must decide how to use it, before she and her companions take their leave.
As the Warrior of Light and their allies search the laboratory where Krile was held, they realize that Fordola had similar powers to those of other Echo-enchanted individuals - in particular, Krile, who could sense the faintest traces of a person's aether - but could not control her power; she was constantly peering into the souls and seeing the memories of those whom she and the Skulls had victimized. Inundated with such hatred on a daily basis from angry crowds to her prison guards, it's little wonder that she would wish for death.
Fordola would have to continue waiting for her execution, however, for the experiments the Garleans had conducted on Krile and Fordola are most troubling. If any word of the experiments had made it back to the empire, it could lead to legions of imperial soldiers who were given the powers of the Echo. The Alliance would need to consider how to react to such a possibility.
As Alphinaud, Arenvald, and Lyse make preparations to retrieve Theodoric's treasure, Pipin approaches the Warrior of Light with a summons by the Sultana.
In Ul'dah, the Warrior of Light meets with Nanamo, who is concerned for Raubahn's future; though he is ever loyal to her and has called Ul'dah his home, he would doubtlessly wish to remain in his homeland of Ala Mhigo to help rebuild the nation. Nanamo claims she would welcome whatever choice Raubahn made, and only wishes for him to not have any lingering doubts with his decision. She still worries about how he could make such a decision, since she relies so much on his counsel. Resolving to become more independent, Nanamo offers the Warrior of Light a chance to accompany her as she travels across the realm to put things in perspective.
As the Warrior of Light walks the realm with her, Nanamo confides in them her lingering doubts and regrets. In the years since the fall of Ala Mhigo and the Calamity, the divide between the rich and poor has grown wider, a discrepancy for which Nanamo felt responsible. She had lost her parents in a landslide when she was young, and was thrust into the throne without any idea on how to govern, simply acting as a puppet for the Monetarists. Whether her parents were victims of an accident or an assassination was not known, and even if their deaths was determined to be intentional, she would only be able to have the ones hired to carry out the assassination brought to justice, not the ones who orchestrated their deaths. She had resolved to take power from the Monetarists and place it in the hands of Ul'dah's people, a decision that turned out to be ill-fated if the attempt on her life and the Crystal Braves' betrayal was any indication.
At the coliseum, Nanamo recounts the tale of how she first met Raubahn; she had been invited to observe a match where the famous Bull of Ala Mhigo was forced to fight several gladiators at once, a ploy by a gambling ring to have Raubahn killed in an inconspicuous way. Even before Nanamo learned of the plot against him, she determined that she would not watch such an injustice brought against Raubahn and used what authority she wielded to demand Raubahn fight in an honorable one-on-one duel. In gratitude, Raubahn pledged to be Nanamo's blade after his victory. Nanamo had been so used to being manipulated by the Monetarists that she never could have imagined Raubahn was sincere in his vow...
The Warrior of Light receives a vision from the Echo of the last battle Raubahn fought at the Coliseum, five years after he met Nanamo. After winning his match, Nanamo approached Raubahn to announce to all that, with the fortunes Raubahn had amassed, he not only had enough money to buy his freedom, but also to take a seat in the Syndicate. In turn, Raubahn made good on his promise to her years ago and vowed to serve as her blade. After the vision ends, Nanamo further explains that there while she had many friends and allies, there was none she could confide in about politics and how to govern than Raubahn, who had served to help her counter the interested of the Monetarists.
With many refugees returning from Ul'dah to their homeland, Nanamo seeks a means to provide housing and supplies to Ala Mhigans using Ul'dah's vast riches. To this end, she travels to the Manderville Gold Saucer, a massive entertainment establishment, to seek the advice of Godbert Manderville, the Gold Saucer's proprietor famous for his generosity and his goodwill to refugees. When Nanamo proposes using Ul'dah's wealth to provide the Ala Mhigans with shelter and employment, however, Manderville disagrees with her; to provide unconditionally to the Ala Mhigans would not only serve to make them reliant on charity, but also foster resentment among the citizenry of Ul'dah for spending the nation's money on improving the lot of foreigners. Instead, her efforts should be directed towards helping the Ala Mhigans achieve self-sufficiency, and in so doing, help to not only turn a profit for Ul'dah, but also strengthen relations between Ala Mhigo and Ul'dah.
To better understand how to make her acts of philanthropy profitable, advice from successful businessmen would be a boon. To this end, Nanamo tasks the Warrior of Light with consulting Hancock, of the East Aldenard Trading Company, in Kugane. Hancock suggests consulting with Lolorito, and arranges for a meeting at the Waking Sands. Nanamo is less than enthused with the idea of dealing with the Monetarists, Lolorito most of all, but resolves to not live in fear of him and try to work with him.
Together, Nanamo and Lolorito meet at the Waking Sands, alone save for the Warrior of Light. Nanamo approaches Lolorito with her face concealed by a mask like his own. Seeing the difficulties in dealing with someone veiled behind a mask, Lolorito sheds his, so the two may negotiate. They eventually come to an agreement; Lolorito would have the East Aldenard Trading Company help to set up a salt industry in the saltery around Loch Seld, generating revenue for the Ala Mhigans with a portion of profits going to Ul'dah.
With the deal struck, Nanamo has the Warrior of Light convey the developments to Lyse. Lyse is onboard with the idea of Ul'dahn aid, as is Alphinaud, albeit on the condition that Ala Mhigo play a key role in stimulating the salt economy, so as to keep Lolorito's influence in check. After helping to lay the foundation of the Saltery's rebuilding, the Warrior of Light is summoned by Raubahn for their advice concerning what to do with Ilberd's conspirators. Afterwards, Raubahn admits that he felt partially to blame for Ilberd's actions; had he been more vocal about his support for Ala Mhigan liberation, things could have been different. Nonetheless, Ala Mhigo was free, and Raubahn was ready to return to Nanamo, for he had promised to be her blade and would keep his vow.
Trouble looms afterwards as the Qalyana tribe of the Ananta, the ones responsible for summoning Lakshmi, demand to be allowed to attend the summit of Ala Mhigan leaders. A compromise is reached with Lyse and Raubahn's aid; the Qalyana would have to relinquish crystal jewelry before entering talks, and in return, they could keep their weapons, with armed guards keeping the peace. Raubahn feels uneasy with the Qalyana, who were under Lakshmi's thrall, being allowed to enter the palace, and arranges for increased security with the Scions.
Within the palace, talks seem to start well enough, as Lyse promotes the idea of a republic in which all of the leaders of Ala Mhigo, from Resistance veterans, beastman tribal representatives, and village leaders. Just as the foundation of the republic seems to be set, however, the Qalyana representative demands all present pledge fealty to Lakshmi. Immediately afterwards, she summons Lakshmi. With the other leaders in danger of being enthralled, and many guards already under Lakshmi's control, the situation grows dire; even with the Warrior of Light and Arenvald using their Echo to keep Lakshmi's influence at bay, they were fighting a losing battle.
As all seems lost, however, help arrives from the most unexpected of sources; Fordola! Using her artificial Echo, she helps to keep Lakshmi from enthralling the representatives and slay the primal. After the battle ends, the Warrior of Light receives a vision from the Echo of what had transpired shortly before; Lyse had fallen back from the palace and made her way to Fordola's cell. Time was of the essence, and Lyse laid a sword at Fordola's feet with a choice: die as Zenos had, or fight for Ala Mhigo.
When the representatives return to the throne room, they are shocked to see Fordola. Fordola receives a vision of their past from the Echo, of the husbands, wives, and children her Skulls butchered. When her visions end, she lays down her sword and requests to be returned to her cell. As she walks past the representatives, one speaks out and says that he does not forgive her, but he thanks her for saving them. Fordola, touched by gratitude she was not expecting, sheds a single tear before leaving.
With the danger subsided, it comes to light that the Qalyana had been able to smuggle crystals into the conference with the aid of city guards who had already been enthralled. Y'shtola offers to use her ability to see the differences in the aether of those under a primal's thrall to prevent another such incident.
Afterwards, the conference continues. When the discussions conclude, Raubahn meets the Warrior of Light on the roof of the palace at night. Ala Mhigo would adopt a representative government inspired by the Houses of Lords and Commons from Ishgard, and with his work complete, he would return to Ul'dah. As the Warrior of Light leaves Raubahn to his introspection, they pass by Nanamo, who approaches Raubahn with a royal decree; effective immediately, Raubahn is relieved of his command over the Immortal Flames and his seat in the Syndicate. Raubahn is shocked, but Nanamo explains, with tears in her eyes, that she could see the pain in Raubahn's eyes when he spoke of returning to Ul'dah while his heart yearned to remain in Ala Mhigo. She wanted Raubahn to be happy, and thus freed him of his obligation to her. The two make the announcement concerning Raubahn to the Scions afterwards, with Pipin taking over his father's duties in the Syndicate, leaving Raubahn free to remain in Ala Mhigo. With Ala Mhigo's military consisting largely of disparate militias, Lyse believes Raubahn's military experience would be invaluable.
All the while, Gosetsu finally returns to civilization, albeit finding himself stuck in Kugane with nary a coin to his name. His misfortunes are exacerbated by his watching over Yotsuyu; having lost her memories, "Tsuyu" now seemed almost childlike in demeanor. Nonetheless, Gosetsu vows to persevere so that he could reunite with his lord.
Meanwhile, in Garlemald, a soldier laments the death of Zenos, only to be reprimanded by his superior; how dare he believe the chest beating of savages when Zenos is alive and well! As the soldier recovers and apologizes for doing so, a figure in white watches in trembling rage...
Returning to Rhalgr's Reach, Lyse tells the Warrior of Light the leaps in progress towards Ala Mhigo's reconstruction, with Raubahn as leader of the Resistance military, though the Qalyana has hit a snag as their new leader ended up being the broodmother's half-dead daughter, meaning they really have no leader. However, the talk is interrupted by the arrival of Alphinaud and Alisaie, who tells them that Hancock needs to see them right away in Kugane. Though Lyse wishes she can go, she wishes the twins and the Warrior of Light luck. In Kugane, the three are met by Tataru, Hancock, Yugiri and Soroban, the latter there on other business. As Kugane explains, there was a sudden contingent of Garlean soldiers arriving, rumored to be searching for Yotsuyu. The others can't believe their ears that the Witch of Doma might still be alive. Hearing of rumors of a Roegadyn man with a woman resembling Yotsuyu makes the others believe Gosetsu is alive as well. Hancock tells them that he has the best informant money can buy and requests they go meet him. To Alisaie's annoyance, the informant is the treacherous Namazu, Gyado, who quickly acts nice when Alisaie threatens to go tell Lyse. Gyado tells them that while he hasn't seen the two, he knows that a pawnbroker bought a very well-made katana. Wanting to know if it's Gosetsu's, Yugiri and Alphinaud go with the Warrior of Light to confirm if the weapon is Gosetsu's. Alisaie, meanwhile, sticks with Gyado.
Finding the pawnbroker, Yugiri confirms that the weapon is Gosetsu's. She wants to buy it back, but she doesn't have the coin. The Warrior of Light tries to, but she refuses his payment. However, Alphinaud decides to ultimately pay for it, as a gift from the Scions. Learning that the two went to a teashop next, the trio head over to it and learn they were already on their way to the Ruby Sea. Reuniting with the others, Alisaie reveals that the gathering of Garlean soldiers are on a secret mission and believed to be following Gosetsu's trail. Before they head off, Alphinaud gives Tataru the bill for purchasing the katana, which leaves her incredibly frustrated. Arriving at the Ruby Price, their plan is sidelined when they hear explosions. Going to investigate, they find the Garleans attacking a Confederate stronghold. Realizing their targets might be there and, if not, their allies are in danger, Alphinaud tells Alisaie to stay back with Soroban to prepare the boat for a retreat while the others head off to aid the Confederacy.
Heading towards land and fighting their way up, the heroes are shocked at the sight of both Gosetsu and Yotsuyu. Driving off the Imperials, the heroes ask for how the two of them survived. Gosetsu explains that, when Doma Castle collapsed, the two were swept to sea, but fate seemed to smile on them as they found a sturdy door that allowed them to use it as a makeshift raft, sending them to an island. While Yotsuyu's kimono had a special Garlean-devised weave that protected her from Hien's blade, it provided little protection from the fall, rendering her amnesiac. He admits he wanted to strike down Yostuyu, but just didn't feel right doing so. With the danger passed, the group reunites with Alisaie and Soroban, the former warning "Tsuyu" that she has her eyes on her. Arriving on land, Soroban bids everyone farewell, though lets the Warrior of Light know of his business venture, suggesting they take it up to help refill the Scions' coffers after Alphinaud's purchase. To his horror, Alisaie lets him know that a sword like that costs the same to buy a house and fully furnish it.
Returning to the House of the Fierce, Hien welcomes back Gosetsu with open arms. After telling Hien of how he survived and returned, their attention focuses on Yotsuyu. They know that the Imperials will be gunning for her as she has secrets within. Hien requests Yugiri to put her under the protection of another shinobi, but Tsuyu panics, leading Gosetsu to join them. Elsewhere, Hien lets the Scions know that Doma's rebuilding is moving quickly and soon their countrymen can return to their homes if they so wish. However, Alisaie's concern over Gosetsu and Yugiri taking so long leads to them returning unable to find the shinobi they were looking for. In concern, the Scions agree to help find the missing shinobi. Finding him, he reveals that he was her "courtesan", sold to him by her adopted father. He noticed the soulless gaze in her eyes, but the men enjoyed her anyhow. When she became acting viceroy, he joined the Liberation Front as atonement, though he admits he's just a coward. Gosetsu and Yugiri agree to have him placed in another position at the moment before they return to the House.
Upon arrival, they're let known of a new development from the Empire as an aircraft has just arrived at a nearby Castrum. Hien recruits Yugiri and the Warrior of Light to find out what's going on and asks the twins to aid in calming the enclave. Arriving at the Castrum, the trio are shocked at the sight of a smoke signal, which Yugiri mentions was used in former times to signal peace. Hien decides to humor them and honor their request, letting Yugiri send up a signal in reply. An aircraft soon arrives and lands with three figures stepping out,the leader being Asahi sas Brutus, ambassador of Garlemald and stepbrother to Yotsuyu. However, he's here on a mission of peace; as a member of the Populares, who seek reform within the Empire, he has been granted permission to speak on Emperor Varis' behalf in wanting peace. Despite possible misgivings, Hien agrees and leads the contingent to the Doman Enclave, where the group, along with the twins, discuss the idea of peace. Asahi reveals that Garlemald wishes peace and only demands that Doma polices people in trying to summon eikons. While Hien points out that the eikons are summoned due to fear and the Kojin are actually quite peaceful when left alone, he agrees to these points. Asahi realizes the irony of how the Empire ends up creating the eikons by their actions, especially when Ala Mhigo is mentioned, but bemoans that another faction, the pureblood Populares, makes it hard to bring about these changes. Hien is wary of all of this, leading to Asahi suggesting a prisoner exchange - Asahi is willing to release the Domans that had been forcefully conscripted into the Garlean military in exchange for the Garleans detained in Doma. This would also include Yotsuyu. Hien decides to ponder all of this for the moment. With the Garleans away, the Warrior of Light and the twins discuss the situation, Hien realizing that Yotsuyu in her present condition is in no state to be given away: even if she was privy to important Imperial secrets, none could hope to glean them so long as she was amnesiac.
As Alisaie and the Warrior of Light plan to wander the Doman Enclave, they are approached by Yugiri and Asahi, the latter wanting to speak to the Warrior and as such wants them to tour the liberated homeland, leading to all four doing so. At the ruins of Doma Castle, Asahi laments its senseless destruction thanks to Yotsuyu's actions. As they head for the village of Namai, they find Isse and his sister under attack by Red Kojin. The four spring to their rescue and felling the attackers. Isse and his sister thanks them as Alisaie muses as to what prompted them to attack. Asahi figures it's desperation from Yotsuyu's disappearance and another bit of Garlean mismanagement. He proclaims that the only way to fix things is from within, which the Warrior agrees with. Returning to the Enclave, the Warrior of Light and Hien discuss what to do about the Red Kojin, which they believe is simply making sure they don't get enough aether to perform another summoning. Before confronting Asahi, Hien has one last act to perform. He reveals that he had Tsuyu brought to the Enclave in secret and, confronting her, Hien draws his blade, telling her that her current state doesn't excuse her crimes and that she should be at the bottom of the river. However, Gosetsu convinces him to spare her, that it was probably the kami's will to give her a second chance. Regretfully, Hien backs down and decides that, if Yotsuyu regains her memories when the time comes to exchange prisoners, she will go back with them and if not, she spends the rest of her days as Tsuyu. Leaving the two alone, Hien discusses to the Warrior that Gosetsu is acting weirdly and realizes he's probably feeling his injuries and age, making them realize that they need to make a world where he need not raise a blade again.
Meeting up with Asahi once more, Hien agrees to Asahi's conditions only if he does the same to his. Much to Asahi's annoyance, he agrees, if only to make up for the earlier attack. Asahi does request to see Yotsuyu, with Hien giving his permission. After awhile, Asahi returns, apologizing for the length it took. Sadly, Yotsuyu doesn't recognize him, resigning him to leave her in Doma's care. Hien does thank Asahi for his earlier heroics and Asahi tries to brush it off as the acts of someone trying to make up for past mistakes. With that, they take their leave, Hien and the others joining them to bid them farewell. However, before he leaves, Asahi talks to the Warrior of Light in private... and his affable demeanor completely shatters, snarling to the Warrior that there will be a "reckoning". Struck with an Echo-induced vision, the Warrior sees Asahi confronted by members of the Liberation Front, who are furious at him abandoning his homeland in favor of the Garleans. Before they can kill him, they are struck down by Zenos. Asahi tells him of Lord Kaien, Hien's father, and watches starstruck as he goes to slay him. Returning to the present day, Asahi, enraged at the Warrior of Light for taking Zenos away, attempts to goad the Warrior of Light into striking him, knowing that they cannot do so without risk of ruining the prisoner exchange. As Asahi leaves, the Warrior tells Hien and the others of what they saw. Asahi's loyalty to Zenos and his revealing his true nature for a brief moment are cause for concern, but in the interest of seeing the conscripted Domans returned to their homeland safely, Hien has no choice but to play along with Asahi's game for the time being.
Returning to Kugane, the Warrior of Light and the twins appraise Hancock and Tataru of the situation. Alphinaud apologizes for his frivolous spending, though she assures him that Soroban's new business venture just might solve the problem. However, Alphinaud wants to find out what Garlemald is doing so they can have an advantage in the coming prisoner exchange...
On Asahi's airship, the ambassador muses how easy it was to set up the prisoner exchange and that his master's plan is proceeding apace. Back at the Enclave, Tsuyu looks at a strange mirror that Asahi left with her during their brief meeting. In the Imperial Capital, it seems Zenos is truly alive...
Soon, the Scions get word of everything moving apace within Doma and the prisoner exchange being underway. Worried about Yotsuyu's state of mind, they head off to the Enclave to ascertain her state of being. However, arriving at the Enclave, Hien tells them of Gosetsu and that he had recently collapsed, most likely from his condition. They find Gosetsu in Tsuyu's care, the latter forcing Gosetsu to get out of his clothes to take a bath. As Tsuyu cleans Gosetsu, she sees the gunshot wounds she inflicted on him as Yotsuyu, and suffers a flash of memory of doing so. As the trio discuss Gosetsu and Tsuyu with Hien, Yugiri approaches the four to lend credence to Tsuyu's loss of memory. With that, Hien decides that it's time to settle that matter with the Garleans, opting to bring her to Asahi out of sight of others. However, as they prepare for everything, Hien comes running - Tsuyu has disappeared, a skiff captain telling him that he carried a mysterious passenger from the Enclave.
Hien, Alphinaud and the Warrior of Light head on with the Warrior talking to the Namazu in Yazuka Manor. One of the Namazu tells the Warrior that a fair-skinned figure might have wandered northeast. Upon finding her bamboo hat, the Warrior is joined by Hien and Yugiri, Hien realizing to his horror she might have wandered into Namai. As the Warrior heads into town, they find Tsuyu entering the town, looking for a persimmon for Gosetsu, confused as to why the citizens are running in complete horror. As Hien and Yugiri join the warrior, Isse finds Tsuyu and is terrified of her appearance, his appearance triggering another memory. As Hien tries to calm the populace, Tsuyu realizes that what was said was true and tearfully begs for forgiveness. The populace is calmed, though, when Isse's sister approaches her, gifting her with a persimmon, realizing this woman isn't the same monster that tormented them before. Hien tells the villagers that she's to be known as "Tsuyu" and that she will remain under his care until her memories return, finally quelling the anger.
With Yotsuyu safe, the group heads for the Castrum to meet with Asahi. After confirming that the Garleans brought the prisoners, Hien reconfirms Yotsuyu's mental health. However, Asahi is undeterred, bringing out two guests - Yotsuyu's adopted parents. This triggers her memories of their anger, along with that of young Asahi. Hien realizes something's up as Asahi continuously taunts Yotsuyu. It seems not to work as Yotsuyu drops and finds the persimmon and remembers she needs to give it to Gosetsu. Asahi seems to give up and let her stay in Doma, though he whispers to her that he plans to get her out soon. As they leave, Alphinaud is wary of Asahi, though doesn't speak much about it. Back at the Enclave, Hien and the others go to tell Gosetsu of Tsuyu's fate. Gosetsu tells Hien that he had seen Tsuyu very upset and Hien tells him that it was because of Asahi's attempt to rattle her memories by using her adopted parents. Alphinaud mentions the mysterious crates of boxes, prompting everyone on their guard. Bad news soon arrives - Tsuyu has gone missing again. As the Warrior of Light searches the Enclave, they hear a weak cry of help. They find Yotsuyu's parents lying on the ground, the mother dead and the father dying. Another Echo vision strikes and they see Yotsuyu having reached the spot where they are now. She had regained her memories and, in her grief, planned to take her own life, unworthy of Gosetsu's kindness. However, she's stopped when her parents arrive. Her mother berates her for not dying and being forced to return to Doma before her father decides to use her looks to sell her back into the same business she had been given off to when she was younger. Yotsuyu finally snaps and returns to her old persona, vowing to get revenge against the world and brutally cuts down her parents in revenge. Hearing clapping, she is confronted by Asahi, who is overjoyed at her return. Though Yotsuyu isn't as joyful, Asahi tells her he has the means to bring about her vengeance as the vision ends. Hien arrives and learns what had transpired, forcing everyone on their guard to hunt down Yotsuyu before she can act again.
Arriving at the shores near the Castrum, Hien plans to keep going with the exchange, but being on the lookout for anything Asahi or Yotsuyu might do. At the meeting, Hien spots a bunch of containers and asks about them. Asahi tries to reassure him that they're nothing more than reconstruction tools. He also tells him of Yotsuyu's disappearance, prompting her arrival in full garb and ready to reassert her authority as acting viceroy. However, Hien calmly tells her that she's going back to Garlemald and that her former position is no longer recognized. However, Yotsuyu is nonplussed and vows to crush everyone in Doma, as was ordered by Zenos. The crates suddenly open, revealing crystals inside: everyone realizes, to their horror, that they were brought over to facilitate a summoning! Using the aether from the crystals and the mirror provided by Asahi, Yotsuyu transforms into a frightening new primal - the Kojin's goddess of the moon, Tsukuyomi. Asahi forces his men to abandon everything and retreat, proudly declaring that a Doman citizen had performed a summoning in violation of his agreement with Hien, and calling off the prisoner exchange. Hien is forced to realize he can't face her, but has everyone retrieve their countrymen while leaving the Warrior of Light to the beast. A titanic battle ensues and, weakening, Yotsuyu realizes her new powers come from her own suffering, allowing herself to be struck by phantasms of her parents, Imperial soldiers, and her brother. When a spectre of Zenos prepares to cut her down, however, a vision of Gosetsu, still calling her "Tsuyu", holds Zenos at bay: the kami had spared her life for a reason, and Gosetsu is determined to save her. However, she finds herself unworthy of his care and prepares to die for her sins in battle. With Tsukuyomi defeated, the Warrior goes to attend to her, only for Asahi to return, shooting her. As he approaches Tsukuyomi's body, he gloats at the ruined peace between Doma and Garlemald and that the Warrior of Light can't harm an ambassador without making things worse. Asahi soon turns his attention to the fallen primal and begins kicking her, cursing her for being chosen as viceroy over him. However, Yotsuyu finally gets her revenge, skewering her brother with the last of Tsukuyomi's strength. As her power fades and Yotsuyu returns to normal, she notices the Warrior isn't happy. When they tell her that Tsuyu would be missed, she realizes that happiness was never meant to be. With her last breath, she wonders if the persimmon she gave Gosetsu was as sweet as he remembered.
As Asahi tries to cling to life, the Warrior gets another Echo vision. In it, it is discovered that Asahi had been acting under orders from who appears to be Zenos himself, who gives him the means to make Yotsuyu summon an eikon: a mirror that had been taken from the Kojin. "Zenos"'s plan was to stop the teachings of the Populares and force ongoing war. As the vision ends, Asahi croaks out that Zenos would come for the Warrior before dying. At that, Hien and the others return, Gosetsu in tow. He spots Yotsuyu's body and mourns in anguish, uncertain why they were spared, only to suffer again. With Gosetsu gone with Yotsuyu's body, Hien realizes their negotiations are ruined. However, Maxima, one of Asahi's subordinates, returns as he felt something seemed off by Asahi's actions. The Warrior tells Maxima about the vision, which confuses both men - how could Zenos be alive and why would someone who'd despise eikons want one summoned? Maxima realizes it's a good idea to investigate these claims. Hien asks if its possible to continue the prisoner exchange, which Maxima confirms they shall. However, Alphinaud surprises everyone when he requests to join Maxima back in Garlemald; he fears that an Ascian is waiting in the wings and they need help to get rid of it. The Warrior of Light gives their blessing as Hien charges him as emissary of Doma. With everything settled, the group prepares to receive the rest of the conscripts who couldn't escape in time. In the Enclave, the heroes watch as the conscripts are reunited with family and loved ones and give thanks to them all. To their shock, they're joined by Gosetsu, who has shaved his hair off. The old samurai realizes he's no use as a samurai any more and he seeks to travel the world in his last days, giving prayer to those who have left the world in suffering. With Hien's blessing, the old man goes forth. Within Hien's manor, Hien explains that Gosetsu had a wife and daughter who died during the Garlean occupation, and that his caring for Yotsuyu in her amnesiac state was because he saw his daughter in her and took her under his wing as a surrogate daughter.
With everything settled in Doma, Alisaie and the Warrior of Light return to Rhalgar's Reach and Lyse. They tell her of Zenos' possible return, which she hopes is a joke. When Thancred arrives, he suggests heading over to his grave and making sure his body is still there. The four arrive at his grave - left unmarked to prevent its desecration by vengeful Ala Mhigans - and, to their horror, discover that it is indeed empty. Some distance away, a katana-wielding soldier smirks at this revelation and walks on. As the Scions muse these turn of events, Thancred believes Alphinaud's theory of an Ascian riding in Zenos' body to be true. As Thancred and Lyse deal with the revelations, Alisaie and the Warrior of Light discuss things with Y'shtola. She also believes that Alphinaud is correct over the Ascians being involved, though she can't help but feel that his decision to go into enemy territory was foolish, with Alisaie similarly worried. In the Imperial capital, the Emperor scolds "Zenos" for his actions, who in turn assures Varis that everything is going according to plan. At Baelsar's Wall, the katana-wielding soldier strikes down a Roegadyn soldier and steals a Magitek Armor — seemingly the real Zenos, as he seeks to find the one who stole his body and put him down.
As they wait, the Scions discuss the trip to Doma and Thancred's investigations, all of which proved a lot of his theories. This makes Alisaie worry for her twin more. Elsewhere, Alphinaud goes to meet Maxima, curious as to where they were. He learns they are over the Burn, an area completely devoid of aether rumored to have been caused by a rapid succession of primal summonings. However, their musings are interrupted as Magitek craft attack the airship, sending it crashing. Alphinaud is knocked out, but recovers and goes to help the wounded. They are soon attacked by other Imperial soldiers, claiming the prince can't let them live. As they are overwhelmed, a mysterious Garlean along with two others arrives and aids in striking down the attackers. Alphinaud and Maxima thank their rescuers, but the warrior initially refuses to reveal his name, though he does reveal that he is hunting down Ascians and that he knows of the Scions. The man, calling himself "Shadowhunter", tells the group they need to leave, either with him or alone. The group decides to join him. Perhaps true to his claims, the stranger is seen to carry many Ascian masks on his person, but there is one strange outlier: the faceplate previously worn by Gaius van Baelsar himself...
Back at the Rising Stones, Alisaie can only hope for Alphinaud's success, though Thancred suggests heading on from the west. When Alisaie suggests coming along, the others stop her. Reluctantly, she lets the others handle things while she waits on the sidelines...
In the meantime, the Warrior gets roped into other adventures. Joining the Garlond Ironworks (now with Cid's old rival Nero among their ranks) and Midgardsormr, they track down the whereabouts of Omega and fight against digital recreations of warriors both real and fictional. With the help of a chocobo created by Omega known as Alpha, the Warrior defeats the robot (revealed to be from another world entirely), while Midgardsormr returns to his slumber and Alpha sets out to explore the world.
Next, the Warrior is invited to join the Majestic Imperial Theater Company to explore the mythical land of Ivalice. During their journey, the Warrior fights Ivalice's goddess, Ultima, and a member of the theater company, Ramza, sacrifices himself to ensure that Ultima wouldn't do anymore damage to Hydaelyn. Lastly, the Warrior, along with Soroban, are recruited to reunite the Four Lords to help seal away the demon Koryu. After Koryu's defeat, Soroban is trained by one of the Four Lords, Genbu, in order to join their ranks.
As the Scions wait on pins and needles for any news of Alphinaud's status, word reaches them that the Eorzean Alliance plans to hold a meeting on the next course of action against Garlemald and the Ascians. Not long after, they learn that Thancred has returned from his reconnaissance in Garlemald: according to Thancred's findings, there is in-fighting as rebellious factions form within the empire. Nonetheless, "Zenos" continues to walk around in plain view, lending further credence to suspicions of Ascian involvement. As for Alphinaud's situation, all Thancred has to go on is a distorted linkpearl message with only two discernible words: "The Burn".
At Alisaie's suggestion, the Scions report the situation to Hien, and discuss with him how they may reach the Burn. All the while, the Warrior of Light meets with Y'shtola, who reports that objects of worship, such as the mirror used to summon Tsukuyomi, can allow primals to be summoned, even in the absence of faith for the primal. This makes them incredibly dangerous.
As the discussion of the Burn progresses, Hien suggests using flying mounts to conduct a search in the Burn. Unfortunately, there is no sign of Alphinaud. There are, however, signs of a battle between a rebel group and the Emperor's personal guard.
After returning to Doma, Lyse arrives with big news: Ala Mhigo requests to officially join the Eorzean Alliance! All of the leaders of the Alliance plan to hold a meeting to induct Ala Mhigo. Inspired by the Eorzean Alliance, Hien seeks to found his own Doman Alliance to aid in the war effort against Garlemald: the dangers posed by the Empire were too great for the peoples of Doma to stand against divided.
After gathering some initial support for a Doman Alliance, Hien is formally invited by Lyse to join in the meeting of the Eorzean Alliance, but he expresses concerns about protecting Doma from Garlean invasion in his absence. Hien, Y'shtola, and the Warrior of Light make for the Azim Steppe, where an aetheric artifact is found, which may be Allagan in origin — one which Y'shtola believes may have been created to allow Azys Lla to take flight using aether from the Burn. Such an artifact could be used to route power to create a protective barrier at the Burn, where aetheric concentrations were now practically absent.
There is but one complication: the artifact is worshipped by followers of Nhaama, particulalry the Dotharl tribe, who were keen to keep outsiders at bay. Their consent was necessary to utilize the artifact.
With that, the Warrior of Light and their allies go to Sadu to ask for her consent. Sadu agrees to allow them to use the artifact, but only one condition: she wants a duel with the khagan, the Warrior of Light. Although Y'shtola is perplexed by the warrior people's love of fighting, there is naught to do but accept her condition.
As the duel between the Warrior of Light and Sadu reaches a fevered pitch, Magnai and his tribe arrive to interfere. Y'shtola and Hien hold him and his men at bay to the Warrior of Light and Sadu could continue their duel unimpeded. After Y'shtola overpowers Magnai and the duel between the Warrior of Light and Sadu concludes, Magnai begins to believe that Y'shtola may be his "Naahma". Y'shtola declines his love proposal, leading to taunting from Sadu and renewed hostilities between her and Magnai. Y'shtola and Hien wisely decide to let them settle the score without them and, with Sadu's permission, Y'shtola uses the Allagan artifact to send aether to the Burn and help form the foundations of Doma's defenses. However, Y'shtola expresses concerns that the aether surrounding the artifact appeared to have gone inert before the artifact was reactivated.
With the matter of Doma's defenses settled for now, the Warrior of Light and Y'shtola accompany Hien to Ala Mhigo, where the Eorzean Alliance has convened. After officially welcoming Ala Mhigo into the Alliance, the discussion turns to dealing with Garlemald and the Ascians. Thancred proposes waging a war of subterfuge in lieu of a direct assault; he, along with some Doman shinobi, could sneak into the Empire and spread rumors (or rather, the truth) of "Zenos" being an imposter. Such rumors would demoralize and divide the people, making it easier for the Alliance to deal with "Zenos".
As the proposal is met with unanimous approval, however, the Warrior of Light's head begins to pound, and their sense of their surroundings fade. Then, they hear a strange voice...
...that way...sorrow...History...must be changed...Ahead lies a Calamity...Ahead lies Light, expunging all form and life...Twin dooms only you can forestall...only you...Let expanse contract, eon become instant...Throw wide the gates that we may pass!
When they come to, the Warrior of Light finds that the other Scions present, save for Y'shtola, had a similar phenomenon occur to them. Then suddenly, Thancred loses consciousness.
In spite of the best chirugeons' efforts, Thancred would not awaken. Kan-E-Senna believes the Scions might have been "called", their souls contacted by some outside force. Thancred fell comatose, likely due to his heightened aetheric sensitivity from being possessed by an Ascian in the past.
With nothing to be done for Thancred, Y'shtola and the Warrior of Light return to the Rising Stones and report what happened to Urianger and Alisaie. Y'shtola and Urianger exchange notes, discussing reports that minor aether outages have occurred scattered throughout the realm. However, they are called once more by the mysterious force, and Y'shtola and Urianger also fall comatose.
After having Y'shtola and Urianger taken into medical care, Alisaie has the Warrior of Light accompany her to Limsa Lominsa, where she arranges a meeting with Ga Bu, the young kobold who had once served as a vessel for Titan's summoning. His condition has not improved since last they met: he remains trapped within his own mind, unable to perceive the world around him. Alisaie confides in Ga Bu and the Warrior of Light her fears of being unable to help her friends in their most dire times of need, but discussing her fears and anxieties helps to renew her resolve. Her spirits lifted, she vows to find a way to revive her fallen friends.
Back in Garlemald, however, the situation grows increasingly perilous as Emperor Varis is confronted by another Ascian: none other than Solus zos Galvus, the founding emperor of Garlemald. Solus tells Varis that the sole reason for the Empire's existence is to sow chaos, and he would make sure Varis ensure the balance of Light and Darkness is not disrupted, much to Varis's chagrin. Meanwhile, Alphinaud and Shadowhunter arrive at a rebel camp, only to find everyone there dead. Shadowhunter realizes that the Empire has begun to use a deadly new weapon: "Black Rose", a bioweapon that kills quickly and painfully. Shadowhunter is troubled by the brutality shown, realizing that the Ascians are responsible.
Alisaie and the Warrior of Light receive much needed guidance from Krile on how to proceed with attempting to help the comatose Scions: enlisting the aid of Matoya and her Crystal Eye once again. The three travel to Matoya's cave, where they entreat her aid. When Krile attempts to find signs of the souls of the afflicted Scions with the Crystal Eye, however, she cannot find where they are: the aetherial trail of their souls ends abruptly. Alisaie is devastated at the thought that their souls are gone, not unlike the Ananta broodmother's daughter. Matoya, however, assures Alisaie that there is hope still; the broodmother's daughter was already dead, but the Scions still live. Ergo, their souls must still exist somewhere, just not on this world.
With their attempts to aid the comatose Scions at a standstill for the time being, Alisaie receives a message over linkpearl from Lyse: Garlean defectors have come to Ala Mhigo with important news. Alisaie and the Warrior of Light make ready to meet with Lyse while Krile remains to find a new means to aid their comrades. Before they leave, however, one of Matoya's magicked brooms falls inert. While Matoya is able to get it to move again, it has been losing its power more often; a worrying effect of the supposed Aether thinning throughout the realm...?
Alisaie and the Warrior of Light meet with Lyse at the Ala Mhigan capitol, where Maxima, a Populares who had accompanied Alphinaud towards Garlemald, awaits. Maxima explains that their ship had been attacked by Garlean troops, but they were saved by a mysterious third party, led by a man who called himself "Shadowhunter". Their journey towards Garlemald led to a resistance camp where all the occupants were dead, by means unknown. With that, Maxima and his comrades evacuated to Eorzea while Alphinaud and Shadowhunter pressed on.
More worrying, however, is news of how Garlean troops are marching on Ala Mhigo, intent on retaking it. With Ala Mhigo's defenses still in a vulnerable state, they would need aid from their allies in Doma.
As Alisaie and the Warrior of Light prepare to leave for Doma, they are once again assailed by the mysterious voice. Both are unscathed by the experience, thankfully, and meet with Hien, who has created an eastern alliance of his own, banding together the kojin, the tribes of the Azim Steppe, the Confederacy, and the peoples of Nagxia and Dalmasca. Hien, however, is reluctant to spare any troops until he is certain the Doman border along the Burn is first secured. To that end, he invites Alisaie and the Warrior of Light to accompany him to see the activation of the barrier, dubbed "Seiryu's Aegis".
To the delight of all present, the activation of the barrier proceeds smoothly. An opportunity to test its effectiveness unexpectedly arrives when a small imperial airship approaches it. The ship hits the barrier and is forced to land.
From the ship emerges an unsettling sight: Shadowhunter, with a comastose Alphinaud in his arms. Hien has the barrier lowered while she and the Warrior retrieve Alphinaud. Shadowhunter explains that he had suddenly fallen unconscious, but still lived; it seemed that nowhere was safe from the voice calling the Scions' souls, not even as far as the Burn...
It is then that Shadowhunter greets the Warrior of Light as though they were old acquaintances. The Warrior of Light sees the masks that Shadowhunter amassed, but one of them stands out: the mask worn by the Black Wolf of Garlemald.
This could only mean one thing: the man known as "Shadowhunter" is known other than Gaius van Baelsar!
Gaius explains that his motive for escaping the destruction of the Praetorium, and his subsequent quest for revenge against the Ascians, was the realization that he had been manipulated by the Ascians into activating the Ultima Weapon. Not long after, he learned that the Ascians had long manipulated the Empire. As a proud Garlean patriot, he could not let that stand, so he abdicated his rank within the imperial army and set himself to excising the Ascians and destroying them.
Gaius explains that there is a hierarchy within the Ascian ranks; those with white masks are subject to those with red masks, but even among the red masks, those originally from "the Source" stand above those who leave for Hydaelyn. Of the red masks, he knows of the existence of three: the late speaker Lahabrea, the emissary Elidibus, and "Emet-Selch", of whom nothing is known. He also reveals the existence of Black Rose, the bioweapon used on the Garlean rebels, but assures the heroes that he and Alphinaud had managed to lay waste to the production plant; even as a Legatus, Gaius disapproved of the weapon and refused to have it used, since such a weapon was not one of conquest, but genocide. With a common enemy, Gaius and the Warrior of Light set aside their differences for the time being as Alphinaud is taken back to Doma.
Little do they know, Emperor Varis, under the watchful eye of "Solus", managed to build a new Black Rose production plant, with the weapon scheduled to be ready for use by the time the imperial forces reach Ala Mhigo. Varis had also created Allagan cloning facilities to create bodies for the Ascian posing as Solus, whose timely "demise" which had once thrown the empire into civil war was in fact by design, all as part of his plot to dispense with the "fraudulent existence" of the world...
After parting ways with Gaius, Alisaie and the Warrior of Light learn that Emperor Varis himself requested to parley. The leaders of the Eorzean Alliance, along with Lord Hien, Alisaie as a representative of the Scions, and the Warrior of Light go to meet with Varis, in the hope that they could stop a war from breaking out.
When the parley begins, tensions flare as Varis calls out the Alliance and their allies on their hypocrisy, having used conquest against the Beastmen to achieve their own ends in their own lands, while refusing to be subject to the Empire in the same way as a means to achieve peace. After taking a moment to recess, the leaders collect their wits and think of a new approach: give Varis an opportunity to explain what it is, exactly, he wants.
When the parley reconvenes, the leaders apologize for their earlier rudeness and ask Varis what it is he seeks. Varis gladly answers that the Garlean Empire was founded by the Ascians, and what he wants is to unite all peoples of the world as one, and initiate a "Rejoining" — the Ascians' euphemism for their Calamities — so they would have the power to throw off the yoke of the Ascians and claim the world for mankind. What Varis suggests, however, is unconscionable; such a Rejoining would be disastrous, with countless lives lost, and even threaten to destroy the world itself!
There is no longer avoiding the inevitable; it has come to war...
Thankfully, the Ala Mhigan line holds, and the Garlean invaders are repelled from the Ghimlyt Dark. Unfortunately, just as the heroes breath easy, the calling voice strikes once again, this time drawing away Alisaie's soul. With nearly all of the chief members of the Scions comatose, there is naught to be done but wait and hope that Krile and Matoya find anything that can help...
... but time is not on their side. As the Garlean forces regroup, "Zenos" takes the field...
Sometime later, the Warrior returns to the Rising Stones and speaks to Hoary Boulder, who confirms that the Scions still haven't wakened from their mysterious spell. They are soon joined by Maxima, who wants to see Alphinaud's condition and thank the Warrior of Light for stopping the Garlean assault. Maxima soon leads the Warrior down to Silvertear, where they are reunited with Cid. Though Maxima professes admiration towards Cid as all Populares do because of his defection with Garlemald, Cid is quick to dismiss such a thing. Both men are troubled by the revelation that the Ascians are behind Garlemald's creation, though. Before things can be pondered further, a message is brought to the Warrior that Raubahn wishes to meet with them in Ala Mhigo for planning. Cid offers to take the Warrior there via the Excelsior.
At the Alliance base, Raubahn explains that the Alliance seems to be slowly gaining ground and they wish to make a decisive push to gain breathing room. However, this plan is stopped when a soldier runs in, warning that the Garleans are breaking through to the east, lead by "Zenos". Raubahn realizes the entire thing was just to bid their time until he arrived. He tells the soldier to call for reinforcements and warns the Warrior that he might have to join in. The Warrior reassures him that they'll be by his side as well. However, the Warrior is hit by another vision, begging them to "throw wide the gates". Despite this and Raubahn's worries, the Warrior is still willing to fight.
At the border, Hien, Lyse, Yugiri and other soldiers confront and battle "Zenos", holding the line until the Warrior of Light arrived. Despite their might, "Zenos" is still quite powerful and knocks them aside as the Warrior finally arrives. They defeat "Zenos", but the mysterious voice calls to them at the worst time and "Zenos" seemingly strikes them down in their weakness. The Warrior seemingly wakes on a mysterious platform where they're confronted by a hooded figure — the voice that had been calling to the Scions. He informs the Warrior that the immediate danger has passed, but warns them that the war they fight will only lead to oblivion and they must take another path. The figure tells the Warrior to go to the Crystal Tower, that a beacon will be found there.
Suddenly, the Warrior finds themselves back in Ishgard, in Fortemps Manor. With Aymeric by their side, he explains that before "Zenos" could deal the final blow, Estinien arrived and rescued the Warrior, taking them back to the Manor. "Zenos"'s weakness has also inspired renewed unrest in Garlean territories, and the Imperial Court is also growing restless. Aymeric bids the Warrior to rest up for awhile, then do what needs to be done. Before leaving, the Warrior meets up with Count Edmont, who expresses relief of the Warrior's safety. Returning to the Rising Stones, they're greeted by Tataru, who breaks down into tears in relief and confusion. After explaining what was going on, Tataru realizes that the other Scions might be at the other world, but with "Zenos" too powerful, she demands that the Warrior not face him again, not without the other Scions. This is something the Warrior agrees with. Tataru ponders the meaning of a beacon at the Crystal Tower, but realizes it had been sealed off, though she's certain Cid and those studying it have a way of finding that beacon.
In the Imperial Palace, "Zenos" questions Varis why he was pulled back from the front. Varis explains that, with rumors of him being possessed, he couldn't risk fighting for the throne a second time. In turn, Varis chastises "Zenos" for failing to strike down the Warrior. When "Zenos" asks for the whereabouts of Varis' grandfather, Varis dismisses it as he thinks he's off doing Ascian-type things. He also tells Zenos that Garlemald will win this war through the strength of man. As "Zenos" leaves, a scientist approaches and tells Varis that preparations to make the Black Rose is now ready at his command. Varis contemplates this... as it seems something is deadly wrong with him.
Before leaving to find the beacon, Tataru gifts the Warrior with a brand new outfit.
Back in the battlefield, the real Zenos realizes the Warrior must be called elsewhere and bids them a wonderful journey while he prepares to fight to regain his body.
In Silvertear, the Warrior of Light gazes at the silent Crystal Tower...
IN THE MIDST OF A REQUIEM OF HEROES,
A VOICE RINGS OUT ACROSS TIME AND SPACE...
IN FIELDS OF TRANQUIL LIGHT,
SOW YOU SEEDS OF DARKNESS
As Lyse deliberates how to proceed from here, the Warrior of Light earns a much appreciated respite. They are approached by Arenvald, a former Scion and Resistance soldier, who suggests going on an adventure. He had an idea of what kind of adventure to undertake; with the aid of the Warrior of Light and Alphinaud, he means to find the Mad King's Trove, a cache of riches that Theodoric took from the political enemies he had killed.
The trio set out for the Ala Mhigan Quarter to ask those who had lived during Theodoric's reign if they had any information pertaining to Theodoric's treasure. The Warrior of Light gains a clue from the Mad King's former scribe, who recounts how, in the twillight years of his reign, Theodoric found a creative and disturbing new way to dispose of his enemies; having the court thaumaturge to place a curse on them, transforming them into vile monsters, and casting them into "the darkness below the palace".
The Warrior of Light relays this tale to Alphinaud and Arenvald. Alphinaud thinks he might have an idea, based on this clue, as to where the treasure may lie. Before he reveals his idea, however, he asks Arenvald what he truly sought in finding the Mad King's Trove.
Arenvald confesses that while he did seek adventure, he had a more personal reason for seeking out the Trove: he was born the bastard son of an Ala Mhigan woman and a Garlean soldier. His mother held him in great disdain and would always check his brow for a Garlean "third eye", one day taking a knife to his brow, leaving a scar that he conceals with war paint. Eventually, she abandoned him, and Arenvald was forced to do whatever it took just to survive. The things he had to do to get by haunt him, and he eventually made his way out of Ala Mhigo, taking up a career of adventuring in Eorzea and eventually coming into the employ of the Scions. If he could find the Mad King's Trove, he could spare his countrymen from the same fate that had befallen him in his youth.
Satisfied with Arenvald's answer and sympathetic to his plight, Alphinaud takes his companions out to Loch Seld to explain his idea: in the Sixth Umbral Calamity, a city known as Skalla was flooded and destroyed. It now sat at the bottom of Loch Seld. The "darkness below the palace" the scribe mentioned to the Warrior of Light wasn't a reference to any subterranean prison in the Ala Mhigan palace, but rather, the ruins of Skalla which laid even further beneath the palace. Furthermore, the political enemies that Theodoric cursed had been banished to the ruins to protect his treasure.
Together, the Warrior of Light, Alphinaud, and Arenvald delve into the Drowned City of Skalla. At the heart of the ruins, they uncover the legendary mad king's trove; there was even more treasure than the legends had foretold, more than enough to help Ala Mhigo's poor! The trio of adventurers report their findings to Lyse when she comes to the Ala Mhigan quarter to convene a delegation of Ala Mhigan leaders to discuss policy.
The joyous news, however, is interrupted by reports of an angry mob convening outside the prison where Fordola was being detained. Several Ala Mhigans, many of whom lost loved ones to Fordola and her men, had formed a lynch mob, hell-bent on butchering the Butcher. Accusations fly towards Lyse for keeping her alive. The situation is defused, thankfully, by Raubahn, who explains that exacting revenge against Fordola may provide temporary satisfaction, but Ala Mhigo should set a better example than the Garleans that had ruled over them, and give Fordola a chance to answer for her crimes.
Afterwards, Arenvald asks for a chance to speak with Fordola, since their circumstances are not dissimilar. Raubahn gives Arenvald permission, and are joined by the Warrior of Light and Lyse.
In her cell, Fordola claims that it would've been better to let her die at the hands of the mob. Lyse, however, reminds her that she promised that she would let her live long enough to see Ala Mhigo free. Fordola spits this statement back in Lyse's face; after all, she killed not only Lyse's soldiers, but her own men, and deserved to be put to death. Arenvald shoots back that Fordola didn't come so far just to give up.
As Arenvald and Fordola argue, the Warrior of Light has a vision from the Echo of Fordola's past. Fordola's parents were imperial sympathizers during the occupation of Ala Mhigo, earning them the scorn of their countrymen. Before she could understand what their decisions in the name of survival meant, she was exposed to the ugly truths of the occupation when an angry mob gathered to stone her. Her father shielded her with his body while her mother begged nearby Garlean soldiers to help them, but to no avail. In the end, Fordola's father died when he was struck in the head by a large stone from the mob. This incident would shape her into a cold and callous young woman who knew all to well that citizenship in the empire meant naught unless one was born a full-blooded Garlean. Resentful towards both the Empire for their prejudices towards Ala Mhigans and to her own countrymen for the death of her father, she would enlist in the military with her friends, the same ones she would later sacrifice, to make others respect and fear her until they were free.
After having the vision, Fordola claims her death would serve to unite the people of Ala Mhigo. Arenvald fires back that Fordola had every opportunity to end her own life after she was imprisoned, but that suicide would not have served her anything as opposed to being executed. Fordola then turns to the Warrior of Light, snapping at them and stating that they could know nothing about her just by peeking into her past. She prepares to use her Resonant powers, but suddenly, the Echo gives her visions of the Warrior of Light's past. She witnesses the hardships they had endured; their fight with Gaius, the betrayal of the Crystal Braves, the deaths of Haurchefant and their other friends, their struggle to save Estinien's soul, the trials they faced in liberating Doma, their showdown with Zenos and Shinryu... She is taken aback at all that had happened to them, and can't understand how they have the strength to persevere. With that, Lyse tells Fordola that she still has time, and she must decide how to use it, before she and her companions take their leave.
As the Warrior of Light and their allies search the laboratory where Krile was held, they realize that Fordola had similar powers to those of other Echo-enchanted individuals - in particular, Krile, who could sense the faintest traces of a person's aether - but could not control her power; she was constantly peering into the souls and seeing the memories of those whom she and the Skulls had victimized. Inundated with such hatred on a daily basis from angry crowds to her prison guards, it's little wonder that she would wish for death.
Fordola would have to continue waiting for her execution, however, for the experiments the Garleans had conducted on Krile and Fordola are most troubling. If any word of the experiments had made it back to the empire, it could lead to legions of imperial soldiers who were given the powers of the Echo. The Alliance would need to consider how to react to such a possibility.
As Alphinaud, Arenvald, and Lyse make preparations to retrieve Theodoric's treasure, Pipin approaches the Warrior of Light with a summons by the Sultana.
In Ul'dah, the Warrior of Light meets with Nanamo, who is concerned for Raubahn's future; though he is ever loyal to her and has called Ul'dah his home, he would doubtlessly wish to remain in his homeland of Ala Mhigo to help rebuild the nation. Nanamo claims she would welcome whatever choice Raubahn made, and only wishes for him to not have any lingering doubts with his decision. She still worries about how he could make such a decision, since she relies so much on his counsel. Resolving to become more independent, Nanamo offers the Warrior of Light a chance to accompany her as she travels across the realm to put things in perspective.
As the Warrior of Light walks the realm with her, Nanamo confides in them her lingering doubts and regrets. In the years since the fall of Ala Mhigo and the Calamity, the divide between the rich and poor has grown wider, a discrepancy for which Nanamo felt responsible. She had lost her parents in a landslide when she was young, and was thrust into the throne without any idea on how to govern, simply acting as a puppet for the Monetarists. Whether her parents were victims of an accident or an assassination was not known, and even if their deaths was determined to be intentional, she would only be able to have the ones hired to carry out the assassination brought to justice, not the ones who orchestrated their deaths. She had resolved to take power from the Monetarists and place it in the hands of Ul'dah's people, a decision that turned out to be ill-fated if the attempt on her life and the Crystal Braves' betrayal was any indication.
At the coliseum, Nanamo recounts the tale of how she first met Raubahn; she had been invited to observe a match where the famous Bull of Ala Mhigo was forced to fight several gladiators at once, a ploy by a gambling ring to have Raubahn killed in an inconspicuous way. Even before Nanamo learned of the plot against him, she determined that she would not watch such an injustice brought against Raubahn and used what authority she wielded to demand Raubahn fight in an honorable one-on-one duel. In gratitude, Raubahn pledged to be Nanamo's blade after his victory. Nanamo had been so used to being manipulated by the Monetarists that she never could have imagined Raubahn was sincere in his vow...
The Warrior of Light receives a vision from the Echo of the last battle Raubahn fought at the Coliseum, five years after he met Nanamo. After winning his match, Nanamo approached Raubahn to announce to all that, with the fortunes Raubahn had amassed, he not only had enough money to buy his freedom, but also to take a seat in the Syndicate. In turn, Raubahn made good on his promise to her years ago and vowed to serve as her blade. After the vision ends, Nanamo further explains that there while she had many friends and allies, there was none she could confide in about politics and how to govern than Raubahn, who had served to help her counter the interested of the Monetarists.
With many refugees returning from Ul'dah to their homeland, Nanamo seeks a means to provide housing and supplies to Ala Mhigans using Ul'dah's vast riches. To this end, she travels to the Manderville Gold Saucer, a massive entertainment establishment, to seek the advice of Godbert Manderville, the Gold Saucer's proprietor famous for his generosity and his goodwill to refugees. When Nanamo proposes using Ul'dah's wealth to provide the Ala Mhigans with shelter and employment, however, Manderville disagrees with her; to provide unconditionally to the Ala Mhigans would not only serve to make them reliant on charity, but also foster resentment among the citizenry of Ul'dah for spending the nation's money on improving the lot of foreigners. Instead, her efforts should be directed towards helping the Ala Mhigans achieve self-sufficiency, and in so doing, help to not only turn a profit for Ul'dah, but also strengthen relations between Ala Mhigo and Ul'dah.
To better understand how to make her acts of philanthropy profitable, advice from successful businessmen would be a boon. To this end, Nanamo tasks the Warrior of Light with consulting Hancock, of the East Aldenard Trading Company, in Kugane. Hancock suggests consulting with Lolorito, and arranges for a meeting at the Waking Sands. Nanamo is less than enthused with the idea of dealing with the Monetarists, Lolorito most of all, but resolves to not live in fear of him and try to work with him.
Together, Nanamo and Lolorito meet at the Waking Sands, alone save for the Warrior of Light. Nanamo approaches Lolorito with her face concealed by a mask like his own. Seeing the difficulties in dealing with someone veiled behind a mask, Lolorito sheds his, so the two may negotiate. They eventually come to an agreement; Lolorito would have the East Aldenard Trading Company help to set up a salt industry in the saltery around Loch Seld, generating revenue for the Ala Mhigans with a portion of profits going to Ul'dah.
With the deal struck, Nanamo has the Warrior of Light convey the developments to Lyse. Lyse is onboard with the idea of Ul'dahn aid, as is Alphinaud, albeit on the condition that Ala Mhigo play a key role in stimulating the salt economy, so as to keep Lolorito's influence in check. After helping to lay the foundation of the Saltery's rebuilding, the Warrior of Light is summoned by Raubahn for their advice concerning what to do with Ilberd's conspirators. Afterwards, Raubahn admits that he felt partially to blame for Ilberd's actions; had he been more vocal about his support for Ala Mhigan liberation, things could have been different. Nonetheless, Ala Mhigo was free, and Raubahn was ready to return to Nanamo, for he had promised to be her blade and would keep his vow.
Trouble looms afterwards as the Qalyana tribe of the Ananta, the ones responsible for summoning Lakshmi, demand to be allowed to attend the summit of Ala Mhigan leaders. A compromise is reached with Lyse and Raubahn's aid; the Qalyana would have to relinquish crystal jewelry before entering talks, and in return, they could keep their weapons, with armed guards keeping the peace. Raubahn feels uneasy with the Qalyana, who were under Lakshmi's thrall, being allowed to enter the palace, and arranges for increased security with the Scions.
Within the palace, talks seem to start well enough, as Lyse promotes the idea of a republic in which all of the leaders of Ala Mhigo, from Resistance veterans, beastman tribal representatives, and village leaders. Just as the foundation of the republic seems to be set, however, the Qalyana representative demands all present pledge fealty to Lakshmi. Immediately afterwards, she summons Lakshmi. With the other leaders in danger of being enthralled, and many guards already under Lakshmi's control, the situation grows dire; even with the Warrior of Light and Arenvald using their Echo to keep Lakshmi's influence at bay, they were fighting a losing battle.
As all seems lost, however, help arrives from the most unexpected of sources; Fordola! Using her artificial Echo, she helps to keep Lakshmi from enthralling the representatives and slay the primal. After the battle ends, the Warrior of Light receives a vision from the Echo of what had transpired shortly before; Lyse had fallen back from the palace and made her way to Fordola's cell. Time was of the essence, and Lyse laid a sword at Fordola's feet with a choice: die as Zenos had, or fight for Ala Mhigo.
When the representatives return to the throne room, they are shocked to see Fordola. Fordola receives a vision of their past from the Echo, of the husbands, wives, and children her Skulls butchered. When her visions end, she lays down her sword and requests to be returned to her cell. As she walks past the representatives, one speaks out and says that he does not forgive her, but he thanks her for saving them. Fordola, touched by gratitude she was not expecting, sheds a single tear before leaving.
With the danger subsided, it comes to light that the Qalyana had been able to smuggle crystals into the conference with the aid of city guards who had already been enthralled. Y'shtola offers to use her ability to see the differences in the aether of those under a primal's thrall to prevent another such incident.
Afterwards, the conference continues. When the discussions conclude, Raubahn meets the Warrior of Light on the roof of the palace at night. Ala Mhigo would adopt a representative government inspired by the Houses of Lords and Commons from Ishgard, and with his work complete, he would return to Ul'dah. As the Warrior of Light leaves Raubahn to his introspection, they pass by Nanamo, who approaches Raubahn with a royal decree; effective immediately, Raubahn is relieved of his command over the Immortal Flames and his seat in the Syndicate. Raubahn is shocked, but Nanamo explains, with tears in her eyes, that she could see the pain in Raubahn's eyes when he spoke of returning to Ul'dah while his heart yearned to remain in Ala Mhigo. She wanted Raubahn to be happy, and thus freed him of his obligation to her. The two make the announcement concerning Raubahn to the Scions afterwards, with Pipin taking over his father's duties in the Syndicate, leaving Raubahn free to remain in Ala Mhigo. With Ala Mhigo's military consisting largely of disparate militias, Lyse believes Raubahn's military experience would be invaluable.
All the while, Gosetsu finally returns to civilization, albeit finding himself stuck in Kugane with nary a coin to his name. His misfortunes are exacerbated by his watching over Yotsuyu; having lost her memories, "Tsuyu" now seemed almost childlike in demeanor. Nonetheless, Gosetsu vows to persevere so that he could reunite with his lord.
Meanwhile, in Garlemald, a soldier laments the death of Zenos, only to be reprimanded by his superior; how dare he believe the chest beating of savages when Zenos is alive and well! As the soldier recovers and apologizes for doing so, a figure in white watches in trembling rage...
Returning to Rhalgr's Reach, Lyse tells the Warrior of Light the leaps in progress towards Ala Mhigo's reconstruction, with Raubahn as leader of the Resistance military, though the Qalyana has hit a snag as their new leader ended up being the broodmother's half-dead daughter, meaning they really have no leader. However, the talk is interrupted by the arrival of Alphinaud and Alisaie, who tells them that Hancock needs to see them right away in Kugane. Though Lyse wishes she can go, she wishes the twins and the Warrior of Light luck. In Kugane, the three are met by Tataru, Hancock, Yugiri and Soroban, the latter there on other business. As Kugane explains, there was a sudden contingent of Garlean soldiers arriving, rumored to be searching for Yotsuyu. The others can't believe their ears that the Witch of Doma might still be alive. Hearing of rumors of a Roegadyn man with a woman resembling Yotsuyu makes the others believe Gosetsu is alive as well. Hancock tells them that he has the best informant money can buy and requests they go meet him. To Alisaie's annoyance, the informant is the treacherous Namazu, Gyado, who quickly acts nice when Alisaie threatens to go tell Lyse. Gyado tells them that while he hasn't seen the two, he knows that a pawnbroker bought a very well-made katana. Wanting to know if it's Gosetsu's, Yugiri and Alphinaud go with the Warrior of Light to confirm if the weapon is Gosetsu's. Alisaie, meanwhile, sticks with Gyado.
Finding the pawnbroker, Yugiri confirms that the weapon is Gosetsu's. She wants to buy it back, but she doesn't have the coin. The Warrior of Light tries to, but she refuses his payment. However, Alphinaud decides to ultimately pay for it, as a gift from the Scions. Learning that the two went to a teashop next, the trio head over to it and learn they were already on their way to the Ruby Sea. Reuniting with the others, Alisaie reveals that the gathering of Garlean soldiers are on a secret mission and believed to be following Gosetsu's trail. Before they head off, Alphinaud gives Tataru the bill for purchasing the katana, which leaves her incredibly frustrated. Arriving at the Ruby Price, their plan is sidelined when they hear explosions. Going to investigate, they find the Garleans attacking a Confederate stronghold. Realizing their targets might be there and, if not, their allies are in danger, Alphinaud tells Alisaie to stay back with Soroban to prepare the boat for a retreat while the others head off to aid the Confederacy.
Heading towards land and fighting their way up, the heroes are shocked at the sight of both Gosetsu and Yotsuyu. Driving off the Imperials, the heroes ask for how the two of them survived. Gosetsu explains that, when Doma Castle collapsed, the two were swept to sea, but fate seemed to smile on them as they found a sturdy door that allowed them to use it as a makeshift raft, sending them to an island. While Yotsuyu's kimono had a special Garlean-devised weave that protected her from Hien's blade, it provided little protection from the fall, rendering her amnesiac. He admits he wanted to strike down Yostuyu, but just didn't feel right doing so. With the danger passed, the group reunites with Alisaie and Soroban, the former warning "Tsuyu" that she has her eyes on her. Arriving on land, Soroban bids everyone farewell, though lets the Warrior of Light know of his business venture, suggesting they take it up to help refill the Scions' coffers after Alphinaud's purchase. To his horror, Alisaie lets him know that a sword like that costs the same to buy a house and fully furnish it.
Returning to the House of the Fierce, Hien welcomes back Gosetsu with open arms. After telling Hien of how he survived and returned, their attention focuses on Yotsuyu. They know that the Imperials will be gunning for her as she has secrets within. Hien requests Yugiri to put her under the protection of another shinobi, but Tsuyu panics, leading Gosetsu to join them. Elsewhere, Hien lets the Scions know that Doma's rebuilding is moving quickly and soon their countrymen can return to their homes if they so wish. However, Alisaie's concern over Gosetsu and Yugiri taking so long leads to them returning unable to find the shinobi they were looking for. In concern, the Scions agree to help find the missing shinobi. Finding him, he reveals that he was her "courtesan", sold to him by her adopted father. He noticed the soulless gaze in her eyes, but the men enjoyed her anyhow. When she became acting viceroy, he joined the Liberation Front as atonement, though he admits he's just a coward. Gosetsu and Yugiri agree to have him placed in another position at the moment before they return to the House.
Upon arrival, they're let known of a new development from the Empire as an aircraft has just arrived at a nearby Castrum. Hien recruits Yugiri and the Warrior of Light to find out what's going on and asks the twins to aid in calming the enclave. Arriving at the Castrum, the trio are shocked at the sight of a smoke signal, which Yugiri mentions was used in former times to signal peace. Hien decides to humor them and honor their request, letting Yugiri send up a signal in reply. An aircraft soon arrives and lands with three figures stepping out,the leader being Asahi sas Brutus, ambassador of Garlemald and stepbrother to Yotsuyu. However, he's here on a mission of peace; as a member of the Populares, who seek reform within the Empire, he has been granted permission to speak on Emperor Varis' behalf in wanting peace. Despite possible misgivings, Hien agrees and leads the contingent to the Doman Enclave, where the group, along with the twins, discuss the idea of peace. Asahi reveals that Garlemald wishes peace and only demands that Doma polices people in trying to summon eikons. While Hien points out that the eikons are summoned due to fear and the Kojin are actually quite peaceful when left alone, he agrees to these points. Asahi realizes the irony of how the Empire ends up creating the eikons by their actions, especially when Ala Mhigo is mentioned, but bemoans that another faction, the pureblood Populares, makes it hard to bring about these changes. Hien is wary of all of this, leading to Asahi suggesting a prisoner exchange - Asahi is willing to release the Domans that had been forcefully conscripted into the Garlean military in exchange for the Garleans detained in Doma. This would also include Yotsuyu. Hien decides to ponder all of this for the moment. With the Garleans away, the Warrior of Light and the twins discuss the situation, Hien realizing that Yotsuyu in her present condition is in no state to be given away: even if she was privy to important Imperial secrets, none could hope to glean them so long as she was amnesiac.
As Alisaie and the Warrior of Light plan to wander the Doman Enclave, they are approached by Yugiri and Asahi, the latter wanting to speak to the Warrior and as such wants them to tour the liberated homeland, leading to all four doing so. At the ruins of Doma Castle, Asahi laments its senseless destruction thanks to Yotsuyu's actions. As they head for the village of Namai, they find Isse and his sister under attack by Red Kojin. The four spring to their rescue and felling the attackers. Isse and his sister thanks them as Alisaie muses as to what prompted them to attack. Asahi figures it's desperation from Yotsuyu's disappearance and another bit of Garlean mismanagement. He proclaims that the only way to fix things is from within, which the Warrior agrees with. Returning to the Enclave, the Warrior of Light and Hien discuss what to do about the Red Kojin, which they believe is simply making sure they don't get enough aether to perform another summoning. Before confronting Asahi, Hien has one last act to perform. He reveals that he had Tsuyu brought to the Enclave in secret and, confronting her, Hien draws his blade, telling her that her current state doesn't excuse her crimes and that she should be at the bottom of the river. However, Gosetsu convinces him to spare her, that it was probably the kami's will to give her a second chance. Regretfully, Hien backs down and decides that, if Yotsuyu regains her memories when the time comes to exchange prisoners, she will go back with them and if not, she spends the rest of her days as Tsuyu. Leaving the two alone, Hien discusses to the Warrior that Gosetsu is acting weirdly and realizes he's probably feeling his injuries and age, making them realize that they need to make a world where he need not raise a blade again.
Meeting up with Asahi once more, Hien agrees to Asahi's conditions only if he does the same to his. Much to Asahi's annoyance, he agrees, if only to make up for the earlier attack. Asahi does request to see Yotsuyu, with Hien giving his permission. After awhile, Asahi returns, apologizing for the length it took. Sadly, Yotsuyu doesn't recognize him, resigning him to leave her in Doma's care. Hien does thank Asahi for his earlier heroics and Asahi tries to brush it off as the acts of someone trying to make up for past mistakes. With that, they take their leave, Hien and the others joining them to bid them farewell. However, before he leaves, Asahi talks to the Warrior of Light in private... and his affable demeanor completely shatters, snarling to the Warrior that there will be a "reckoning". Struck with an Echo-induced vision, the Warrior sees Asahi confronted by members of the Liberation Front, who are furious at him abandoning his homeland in favor of the Garleans. Before they can kill him, they are struck down by Zenos. Asahi tells him of Lord Kaien, Hien's father, and watches starstruck as he goes to slay him. Returning to the present day, Asahi, enraged at the Warrior of Light for taking Zenos away, attempts to goad the Warrior of Light into striking him, knowing that they cannot do so without risk of ruining the prisoner exchange. As Asahi leaves, the Warrior tells Hien and the others of what they saw. Asahi's loyalty to Zenos and his revealing his true nature for a brief moment are cause for concern, but in the interest of seeing the conscripted Domans returned to their homeland safely, Hien has no choice but to play along with Asahi's game for the time being.
Returning to Kugane, the Warrior of Light and the twins appraise Hancock and Tataru of the situation. Alphinaud apologizes for his frivolous spending, though she assures him that Soroban's new business venture just might solve the problem. However, Alphinaud wants to find out what Garlemald is doing so they can have an advantage in the coming prisoner exchange...
On Asahi's airship, the ambassador muses how easy it was to set up the prisoner exchange and that his master's plan is proceeding apace. Back at the Enclave, Tsuyu looks at a strange mirror that Asahi left with her during their brief meeting. In the Imperial Capital, it seems Zenos is truly alive...
Soon, the Scions get word of everything moving apace within Doma and the prisoner exchange being underway. Worried about Yotsuyu's state of mind, they head off to the Enclave to ascertain her state of being. However, arriving at the Enclave, Hien tells them of Gosetsu and that he had recently collapsed, most likely from his condition. They find Gosetsu in Tsuyu's care, the latter forcing Gosetsu to get out of his clothes to take a bath. As Tsuyu cleans Gosetsu, she sees the gunshot wounds she inflicted on him as Yotsuyu, and suffers a flash of memory of doing so. As the trio discuss Gosetsu and Tsuyu with Hien, Yugiri approaches the four to lend credence to Tsuyu's loss of memory. With that, Hien decides that it's time to settle that matter with the Garleans, opting to bring her to Asahi out of sight of others. However, as they prepare for everything, Hien comes running - Tsuyu has disappeared, a skiff captain telling him that he carried a mysterious passenger from the Enclave.
Hien, Alphinaud and the Warrior of Light head on with the Warrior talking to the Namazu in Yazuka Manor. One of the Namazu tells the Warrior that a fair-skinned figure might have wandered northeast. Upon finding her bamboo hat, the Warrior is joined by Hien and Yugiri, Hien realizing to his horror she might have wandered into Namai. As the Warrior heads into town, they find Tsuyu entering the town, looking for a persimmon for Gosetsu, confused as to why the citizens are running in complete horror. As Hien and Yugiri join the warrior, Isse finds Tsuyu and is terrified of her appearance, his appearance triggering another memory. As Hien tries to calm the populace, Tsuyu realizes that what was said was true and tearfully begs for forgiveness. The populace is calmed, though, when Isse's sister approaches her, gifting her with a persimmon, realizing this woman isn't the same monster that tormented them before. Hien tells the villagers that she's to be known as "Tsuyu" and that she will remain under his care until her memories return, finally quelling the anger.
With Yotsuyu safe, the group heads for the Castrum to meet with Asahi. After confirming that the Garleans brought the prisoners, Hien reconfirms Yotsuyu's mental health. However, Asahi is undeterred, bringing out two guests - Yotsuyu's adopted parents. This triggers her memories of their anger, along with that of young Asahi. Hien realizes something's up as Asahi continuously taunts Yotsuyu. It seems not to work as Yotsuyu drops and finds the persimmon and remembers she needs to give it to Gosetsu. Asahi seems to give up and let her stay in Doma, though he whispers to her that he plans to get her out soon. As they leave, Alphinaud is wary of Asahi, though doesn't speak much about it. Back at the Enclave, Hien and the others go to tell Gosetsu of Tsuyu's fate. Gosetsu tells Hien that he had seen Tsuyu very upset and Hien tells him that it was because of Asahi's attempt to rattle her memories by using her adopted parents. Alphinaud mentions the mysterious crates of boxes, prompting everyone on their guard. Bad news soon arrives - Tsuyu has gone missing again. As the Warrior of Light searches the Enclave, they hear a weak cry of help. They find Yotsuyu's parents lying on the ground, the mother dead and the father dying. Another Echo vision strikes and they see Yotsuyu having reached the spot where they are now. She had regained her memories and, in her grief, planned to take her own life, unworthy of Gosetsu's kindness. However, she's stopped when her parents arrive. Her mother berates her for not dying and being forced to return to Doma before her father decides to use her looks to sell her back into the same business she had been given off to when she was younger. Yotsuyu finally snaps and returns to her old persona, vowing to get revenge against the world and brutally cuts down her parents in revenge. Hearing clapping, she is confronted by Asahi, who is overjoyed at her return. Though Yotsuyu isn't as joyful, Asahi tells her he has the means to bring about her vengeance as the vision ends. Hien arrives and learns what had transpired, forcing everyone on their guard to hunt down Yotsuyu before she can act again.
Arriving at the shores near the Castrum, Hien plans to keep going with the exchange, but being on the lookout for anything Asahi or Yotsuyu might do. At the meeting, Hien spots a bunch of containers and asks about them. Asahi tries to reassure him that they're nothing more than reconstruction tools. He also tells him of Yotsuyu's disappearance, prompting her arrival in full garb and ready to reassert her authority as acting viceroy. However, Hien calmly tells her that she's going back to Garlemald and that her former position is no longer recognized. However, Yotsuyu is nonplussed and vows to crush everyone in Doma, as was ordered by Zenos. The crates suddenly open, revealing crystals inside: everyone realizes, to their horror, that they were brought over to facilitate a summoning! Using the aether from the crystals and the mirror provided by Asahi, Yotsuyu transforms into a frightening new primal - the Kojin's goddess of the moon, Tsukuyomi. Asahi forces his men to abandon everything and retreat, proudly declaring that a Doman citizen had performed a summoning in violation of his agreement with Hien, and calling off the prisoner exchange. Hien is forced to realize he can't face her, but has everyone retrieve their countrymen while leaving the Warrior of Light to the beast. A titanic battle ensues and, weakening, Yotsuyu realizes her new powers come from her own suffering, allowing herself to be struck by phantasms of her parents, Imperial soldiers, and her brother. When a spectre of Zenos prepares to cut her down, however, a vision of Gosetsu, still calling her "Tsuyu", holds Zenos at bay: the kami had spared her life for a reason, and Gosetsu is determined to save her. However, she finds herself unworthy of his care and prepares to die for her sins in battle. With Tsukuyomi defeated, the Warrior goes to attend to her, only for Asahi to return, shooting her. As he approaches Tsukuyomi's body, he gloats at the ruined peace between Doma and Garlemald and that the Warrior of Light can't harm an ambassador without making things worse. Asahi soon turns his attention to the fallen primal and begins kicking her, cursing her for being chosen as viceroy over him. However, Yotsuyu finally gets her revenge, skewering her brother with the last of Tsukuyomi's strength. As her power fades and Yotsuyu returns to normal, she notices the Warrior isn't happy. When they tell her that Tsuyu would be missed, she realizes that happiness was never meant to be. With her last breath, she wonders if the persimmon she gave Gosetsu was as sweet as he remembered.
As Asahi tries to cling to life, the Warrior gets another Echo vision. In it, it is discovered that Asahi had been acting under orders from who appears to be Zenos himself, who gives him the means to make Yotsuyu summon an eikon: a mirror that had been taken from the Kojin. "Zenos"'s plan was to stop the teachings of the Populares and force ongoing war. As the vision ends, Asahi croaks out that Zenos would come for the Warrior before dying. At that, Hien and the others return, Gosetsu in tow. He spots Yotsuyu's body and mourns in anguish, uncertain why they were spared, only to suffer again. With Gosetsu gone with Yotsuyu's body, Hien realizes their negotiations are ruined. However, Maxima, one of Asahi's subordinates, returns as he felt something seemed off by Asahi's actions. The Warrior tells Maxima about the vision, which confuses both men - how could Zenos be alive and why would someone who'd despise eikons want one summoned? Maxima realizes it's a good idea to investigate these claims. Hien asks if its possible to continue the prisoner exchange, which Maxima confirms they shall. However, Alphinaud surprises everyone when he requests to join Maxima back in Garlemald; he fears that an Ascian is waiting in the wings and they need help to get rid of it. The Warrior of Light gives their blessing as Hien charges him as emissary of Doma. With everything settled, the group prepares to receive the rest of the conscripts who couldn't escape in time. In the Enclave, the heroes watch as the conscripts are reunited with family and loved ones and give thanks to them all. To their shock, they're joined by Gosetsu, who has shaved his hair off. The old samurai realizes he's no use as a samurai any more and he seeks to travel the world in his last days, giving prayer to those who have left the world in suffering. With Hien's blessing, the old man goes forth. Within Hien's manor, Hien explains that Gosetsu had a wife and daughter who died during the Garlean occupation, and that his caring for Yotsuyu in her amnesiac state was because he saw his daughter in her and took her under his wing as a surrogate daughter.
With everything settled in Doma, Alisaie and the Warrior of Light return to Rhalgar's Reach and Lyse. They tell her of Zenos' possible return, which she hopes is a joke. When Thancred arrives, he suggests heading over to his grave and making sure his body is still there. The four arrive at his grave - left unmarked to prevent its desecration by vengeful Ala Mhigans - and, to their horror, discover that it is indeed empty. Some distance away, a katana-wielding soldier smirks at this revelation and walks on. As the Scions muse these turn of events, Thancred believes Alphinaud's theory of an Ascian riding in Zenos' body to be true. As Thancred and Lyse deal with the revelations, Alisaie and the Warrior of Light discuss things with Y'shtola. She also believes that Alphinaud is correct over the Ascians being involved, though she can't help but feel that his decision to go into enemy territory was foolish, with Alisaie similarly worried. In the Imperial capital, the Emperor scolds "Zenos" for his actions, who in turn assures Varis that everything is going according to plan. At Baelsar's Wall, the katana-wielding soldier strikes down a Roegadyn soldier and steals a Magitek Armor — seemingly the real Zenos, as he seeks to find the one who stole his body and put him down.
As they wait, the Scions discuss the trip to Doma and Thancred's investigations, all of which proved a lot of his theories. This makes Alisaie worry for her twin more. Elsewhere, Alphinaud goes to meet Maxima, curious as to where they were. He learns they are over the Burn, an area completely devoid of aether rumored to have been caused by a rapid succession of primal summonings. However, their musings are interrupted as Magitek craft attack the airship, sending it crashing. Alphinaud is knocked out, but recovers and goes to help the wounded. They are soon attacked by other Imperial soldiers, claiming the prince can't let them live. As they are overwhelmed, a mysterious Garlean along with two others arrives and aids in striking down the attackers. Alphinaud and Maxima thank their rescuers, but the warrior initially refuses to reveal his name, though he does reveal that he is hunting down Ascians and that he knows of the Scions. The man, calling himself "Shadowhunter", tells the group they need to leave, either with him or alone. The group decides to join him. Perhaps true to his claims, the stranger is seen to carry many Ascian masks on his person, but there is one strange outlier: the faceplate previously worn by Gaius van Baelsar himself...
Back at the Rising Stones, Alisaie can only hope for Alphinaud's success, though Thancred suggests heading on from the west. When Alisaie suggests coming along, the others stop her. Reluctantly, she lets the others handle things while she waits on the sidelines...
In the meantime, the Warrior gets roped into other adventures. Joining the Garlond Ironworks (now with Cid's old rival Nero among their ranks) and Midgardsormr, they track down the whereabouts of Omega and fight against digital recreations of warriors both real and fictional. With the help of a chocobo created by Omega known as Alpha, the Warrior defeats the robot (revealed to be from another world entirely), while Midgardsormr returns to his slumber and Alpha sets out to explore the world.
Next, the Warrior is invited to join the Majestic Imperial Theater Company to explore the mythical land of Ivalice. During their journey, the Warrior fights Ivalice's goddess, Ultima, and a member of the theater company, Ramza, sacrifices himself to ensure that Ultima wouldn't do anymore damage to Hydaelyn. Lastly, the Warrior, along with Soroban, are recruited to reunite the Four Lords to help seal away the demon Koryu. After Koryu's defeat, Soroban is trained by one of the Four Lords, Genbu, in order to join their ranks.
As the Scions wait on pins and needles for any news of Alphinaud's status, word reaches them that the Eorzean Alliance plans to hold a meeting on the next course of action against Garlemald and the Ascians. Not long after, they learn that Thancred has returned from his reconnaissance in Garlemald: according to Thancred's findings, there is in-fighting as rebellious factions form within the empire. Nonetheless, "Zenos" continues to walk around in plain view, lending further credence to suspicions of Ascian involvement. As for Alphinaud's situation, all Thancred has to go on is a distorted linkpearl message with only two discernible words: "The Burn".
At Alisaie's suggestion, the Scions report the situation to Hien, and discuss with him how they may reach the Burn. All the while, the Warrior of Light meets with Y'shtola, who reports that objects of worship, such as the mirror used to summon Tsukuyomi, can allow primals to be summoned, even in the absence of faith for the primal. This makes them incredibly dangerous.
As the discussion of the Burn progresses, Hien suggests using flying mounts to conduct a search in the Burn. Unfortunately, there is no sign of Alphinaud. There are, however, signs of a battle between a rebel group and the Emperor's personal guard.
After returning to Doma, Lyse arrives with big news: Ala Mhigo requests to officially join the Eorzean Alliance! All of the leaders of the Alliance plan to hold a meeting to induct Ala Mhigo. Inspired by the Eorzean Alliance, Hien seeks to found his own Doman Alliance to aid in the war effort against Garlemald: the dangers posed by the Empire were too great for the peoples of Doma to stand against divided.
After gathering some initial support for a Doman Alliance, Hien is formally invited by Lyse to join in the meeting of the Eorzean Alliance, but he expresses concerns about protecting Doma from Garlean invasion in his absence. Hien, Y'shtola, and the Warrior of Light make for the Azim Steppe, where an aetheric artifact is found, which may be Allagan in origin — one which Y'shtola believes may have been created to allow Azys Lla to take flight using aether from the Burn. Such an artifact could be used to route power to create a protective barrier at the Burn, where aetheric concentrations were now practically absent.
There is but one complication: the artifact is worshipped by followers of Nhaama, particulalry the Dotharl tribe, who were keen to keep outsiders at bay. Their consent was necessary to utilize the artifact.
With that, the Warrior of Light and their allies go to Sadu to ask for her consent. Sadu agrees to allow them to use the artifact, but only one condition: she wants a duel with the khagan, the Warrior of Light. Although Y'shtola is perplexed by the warrior people's love of fighting, there is naught to do but accept her condition.
As the duel between the Warrior of Light and Sadu reaches a fevered pitch, Magnai and his tribe arrive to interfere. Y'shtola and Hien hold him and his men at bay to the Warrior of Light and Sadu could continue their duel unimpeded. After Y'shtola overpowers Magnai and the duel between the Warrior of Light and Sadu concludes, Magnai begins to believe that Y'shtola may be his "Naahma". Y'shtola declines his love proposal, leading to taunting from Sadu and renewed hostilities between her and Magnai. Y'shtola and Hien wisely decide to let them settle the score without them and, with Sadu's permission, Y'shtola uses the Allagan artifact to send aether to the Burn and help form the foundations of Doma's defenses. However, Y'shtola expresses concerns that the aether surrounding the artifact appeared to have gone inert before the artifact was reactivated.
With the matter of Doma's defenses settled for now, the Warrior of Light and Y'shtola accompany Hien to Ala Mhigo, where the Eorzean Alliance has convened. After officially welcoming Ala Mhigo into the Alliance, the discussion turns to dealing with Garlemald and the Ascians. Thancred proposes waging a war of subterfuge in lieu of a direct assault; he, along with some Doman shinobi, could sneak into the Empire and spread rumors (or rather, the truth) of "Zenos" being an imposter. Such rumors would demoralize and divide the people, making it easier for the Alliance to deal with "Zenos".
As the proposal is met with unanimous approval, however, the Warrior of Light's head begins to pound, and their sense of their surroundings fade. Then, they hear a strange voice...
...that way...sorrow...History...must be changed...Ahead lies a Calamity...Ahead lies Light, expunging all form and life...Twin dooms only you can forestall...only you...Let expanse contract, eon become instant...Throw wide the gates that we may pass!
When they come to, the Warrior of Light finds that the other Scions present, save for Y'shtola, had a similar phenomenon occur to them. Then suddenly, Thancred loses consciousness.
In spite of the best chirugeons' efforts, Thancred would not awaken. Kan-E-Senna believes the Scions might have been "called", their souls contacted by some outside force. Thancred fell comatose, likely due to his heightened aetheric sensitivity from being possessed by an Ascian in the past.
With nothing to be done for Thancred, Y'shtola and the Warrior of Light return to the Rising Stones and report what happened to Urianger and Alisaie. Y'shtola and Urianger exchange notes, discussing reports that minor aether outages have occurred scattered throughout the realm. However, they are called once more by the mysterious force, and Y'shtola and Urianger also fall comatose.
After having Y'shtola and Urianger taken into medical care, Alisaie has the Warrior of Light accompany her to Limsa Lominsa, where she arranges a meeting with Ga Bu, the young kobold who had once served as a vessel for Titan's summoning. His condition has not improved since last they met: he remains trapped within his own mind, unable to perceive the world around him. Alisaie confides in Ga Bu and the Warrior of Light her fears of being unable to help her friends in their most dire times of need, but discussing her fears and anxieties helps to renew her resolve. Her spirits lifted, she vows to find a way to revive her fallen friends.
Back in Garlemald, however, the situation grows increasingly perilous as Emperor Varis is confronted by another Ascian: none other than Solus zos Galvus, the founding emperor of Garlemald. Solus tells Varis that the sole reason for the Empire's existence is to sow chaos, and he would make sure Varis ensure the balance of Light and Darkness is not disrupted, much to Varis's chagrin. Meanwhile, Alphinaud and Shadowhunter arrive at a rebel camp, only to find everyone there dead. Shadowhunter realizes that the Empire has begun to use a deadly new weapon: "Black Rose", a bioweapon that kills quickly and painfully. Shadowhunter is troubled by the brutality shown, realizing that the Ascians are responsible.
Alisaie and the Warrior of Light receive much needed guidance from Krile on how to proceed with attempting to help the comatose Scions: enlisting the aid of Matoya and her Crystal Eye once again. The three travel to Matoya's cave, where they entreat her aid. When Krile attempts to find signs of the souls of the afflicted Scions with the Crystal Eye, however, she cannot find where they are: the aetherial trail of their souls ends abruptly. Alisaie is devastated at the thought that their souls are gone, not unlike the Ananta broodmother's daughter. Matoya, however, assures Alisaie that there is hope still; the broodmother's daughter was already dead, but the Scions still live. Ergo, their souls must still exist somewhere, just not on this world.
With their attempts to aid the comatose Scions at a standstill for the time being, Alisaie receives a message over linkpearl from Lyse: Garlean defectors have come to Ala Mhigo with important news. Alisaie and the Warrior of Light make ready to meet with Lyse while Krile remains to find a new means to aid their comrades. Before they leave, however, one of Matoya's magicked brooms falls inert. While Matoya is able to get it to move again, it has been losing its power more often; a worrying effect of the supposed Aether thinning throughout the realm...?
Alisaie and the Warrior of Light meet with Lyse at the Ala Mhigan capitol, where Maxima, a Populares who had accompanied Alphinaud towards Garlemald, awaits. Maxima explains that their ship had been attacked by Garlean troops, but they were saved by a mysterious third party, led by a man who called himself "Shadowhunter". Their journey towards Garlemald led to a resistance camp where all the occupants were dead, by means unknown. With that, Maxima and his comrades evacuated to Eorzea while Alphinaud and Shadowhunter pressed on.
More worrying, however, is news of how Garlean troops are marching on Ala Mhigo, intent on retaking it. With Ala Mhigo's defenses still in a vulnerable state, they would need aid from their allies in Doma.
As Alisaie and the Warrior of Light prepare to leave for Doma, they are once again assailed by the mysterious voice. Both are unscathed by the experience, thankfully, and meet with Hien, who has created an eastern alliance of his own, banding together the kojin, the tribes of the Azim Steppe, the Confederacy, and the peoples of Nagxia and Dalmasca. Hien, however, is reluctant to spare any troops until he is certain the Doman border along the Burn is first secured. To that end, he invites Alisaie and the Warrior of Light to accompany him to see the activation of the barrier, dubbed "Seiryu's Aegis".
To the delight of all present, the activation of the barrier proceeds smoothly. An opportunity to test its effectiveness unexpectedly arrives when a small imperial airship approaches it. The ship hits the barrier and is forced to land.
From the ship emerges an unsettling sight: Shadowhunter, with a comastose Alphinaud in his arms. Hien has the barrier lowered while she and the Warrior retrieve Alphinaud. Shadowhunter explains that he had suddenly fallen unconscious, but still lived; it seemed that nowhere was safe from the voice calling the Scions' souls, not even as far as the Burn...
It is then that Shadowhunter greets the Warrior of Light as though they were old acquaintances. The Warrior of Light sees the masks that Shadowhunter amassed, but one of them stands out: the mask worn by the Black Wolf of Garlemald.
This could only mean one thing: the man known as "Shadowhunter" is known other than Gaius van Baelsar!
Gaius explains that his motive for escaping the destruction of the Praetorium, and his subsequent quest for revenge against the Ascians, was the realization that he had been manipulated by the Ascians into activating the Ultima Weapon. Not long after, he learned that the Ascians had long manipulated the Empire. As a proud Garlean patriot, he could not let that stand, so he abdicated his rank within the imperial army and set himself to excising the Ascians and destroying them.
Gaius explains that there is a hierarchy within the Ascian ranks; those with white masks are subject to those with red masks, but even among the red masks, those originally from "the Source" stand above those who leave for Hydaelyn. Of the red masks, he knows of the existence of three: the late speaker Lahabrea, the emissary Elidibus, and "Emet-Selch", of whom nothing is known. He also reveals the existence of Black Rose, the bioweapon used on the Garlean rebels, but assures the heroes that he and Alphinaud had managed to lay waste to the production plant; even as a Legatus, Gaius disapproved of the weapon and refused to have it used, since such a weapon was not one of conquest, but genocide. With a common enemy, Gaius and the Warrior of Light set aside their differences for the time being as Alphinaud is taken back to Doma.
Little do they know, Emperor Varis, under the watchful eye of "Solus", managed to build a new Black Rose production plant, with the weapon scheduled to be ready for use by the time the imperial forces reach Ala Mhigo. Varis had also created Allagan cloning facilities to create bodies for the Ascian posing as Solus, whose timely "demise" which had once thrown the empire into civil war was in fact by design, all as part of his plot to dispense with the "fraudulent existence" of the world...
After parting ways with Gaius, Alisaie and the Warrior of Light learn that Emperor Varis himself requested to parley. The leaders of the Eorzean Alliance, along with Lord Hien, Alisaie as a representative of the Scions, and the Warrior of Light go to meet with Varis, in the hope that they could stop a war from breaking out.
When the parley begins, tensions flare as Varis calls out the Alliance and their allies on their hypocrisy, having used conquest against the Beastmen to achieve their own ends in their own lands, while refusing to be subject to the Empire in the same way as a means to achieve peace. After taking a moment to recess, the leaders collect their wits and think of a new approach: give Varis an opportunity to explain what it is, exactly, he wants.
When the parley reconvenes, the leaders apologize for their earlier rudeness and ask Varis what it is he seeks. Varis gladly answers that the Garlean Empire was founded by the Ascians, and what he wants is to unite all peoples of the world as one, and initiate a "Rejoining" — the Ascians' euphemism for their Calamities — so they would have the power to throw off the yoke of the Ascians and claim the world for mankind. What Varis suggests, however, is unconscionable; such a Rejoining would be disastrous, with countless lives lost, and even threaten to destroy the world itself!
There is no longer avoiding the inevitable; it has come to war...
Thankfully, the Ala Mhigan line holds, and the Garlean invaders are repelled from the Ghimlyt Dark. Unfortunately, just as the heroes breath easy, the calling voice strikes once again, this time drawing away Alisaie's soul. With nearly all of the chief members of the Scions comatose, there is naught to be done but wait and hope that Krile and Matoya find anything that can help...
... but time is not on their side. As the Garlean forces regroup, "Zenos" takes the field...
Sometime later, the Warrior returns to the Rising Stones and speaks to Hoary Boulder, who confirms that the Scions still haven't wakened from their mysterious spell. They are soon joined by Maxima, who wants to see Alphinaud's condition and thank the Warrior of Light for stopping the Garlean assault. Maxima soon leads the Warrior down to Silvertear, where they are reunited with Cid. Though Maxima professes admiration towards Cid as all Populares do because of his defection with Garlemald, Cid is quick to dismiss such a thing. Both men are troubled by the revelation that the Ascians are behind Garlemald's creation, though. Before things can be pondered further, a message is brought to the Warrior that Raubahn wishes to meet with them in Ala Mhigo for planning. Cid offers to take the Warrior there via the Excelsior.
At the Alliance base, Raubahn explains that the Alliance seems to be slowly gaining ground and they wish to make a decisive push to gain breathing room. However, this plan is stopped when a soldier runs in, warning that the Garleans are breaking through to the east, lead by "Zenos". Raubahn realizes the entire thing was just to bid their time until he arrived. He tells the soldier to call for reinforcements and warns the Warrior that he might have to join in. The Warrior reassures him that they'll be by his side as well. However, the Warrior is hit by another vision, begging them to "throw wide the gates". Despite this and Raubahn's worries, the Warrior is still willing to fight.
At the border, Hien, Lyse, Yugiri and other soldiers confront and battle "Zenos", holding the line until the Warrior of Light arrived. Despite their might, "Zenos" is still quite powerful and knocks them aside as the Warrior finally arrives. They defeat "Zenos", but the mysterious voice calls to them at the worst time and "Zenos" seemingly strikes them down in their weakness. The Warrior seemingly wakes on a mysterious platform where they're confronted by a hooded figure — the voice that had been calling to the Scions. He informs the Warrior that the immediate danger has passed, but warns them that the war they fight will only lead to oblivion and they must take another path. The figure tells the Warrior to go to the Crystal Tower, that a beacon will be found there.
Suddenly, the Warrior finds themselves back in Ishgard, in Fortemps Manor. With Aymeric by their side, he explains that before "Zenos" could deal the final blow, Estinien arrived and rescued the Warrior, taking them back to the Manor. "Zenos"'s weakness has also inspired renewed unrest in Garlean territories, and the Imperial Court is also growing restless. Aymeric bids the Warrior to rest up for awhile, then do what needs to be done. Before leaving, the Warrior meets up with Count Edmont, who expresses relief of the Warrior's safety. Returning to the Rising Stones, they're greeted by Tataru, who breaks down into tears in relief and confusion. After explaining what was going on, Tataru realizes that the other Scions might be at the other world, but with "Zenos" too powerful, she demands that the Warrior not face him again, not without the other Scions. This is something the Warrior agrees with. Tataru ponders the meaning of a beacon at the Crystal Tower, but realizes it had been sealed off, though she's certain Cid and those studying it have a way of finding that beacon.
In the Imperial Palace, "Zenos" questions Varis why he was pulled back from the front. Varis explains that, with rumors of him being possessed, he couldn't risk fighting for the throne a second time. In turn, Varis chastises "Zenos" for failing to strike down the Warrior. When "Zenos" asks for the whereabouts of Varis' grandfather, Varis dismisses it as he thinks he's off doing Ascian-type things. He also tells Zenos that Garlemald will win this war through the strength of man. As "Zenos" leaves, a scientist approaches and tells Varis that preparations to make the Black Rose is now ready at his command. Varis contemplates this... as it seems something is deadly wrong with him.
Before leaving to find the beacon, Tataru gifts the Warrior with a brand new outfit.
Back in the battlefield, the real Zenos realizes the Warrior must be called elsewhere and bids them a wonderful journey while he prepares to fight to regain his body.
In Silvertear, the Warrior of Light gazes at the silent Crystal Tower...
IN THE MIDST OF A REQUIEM OF HEROES,
A VOICE RINGS OUT ACROSS TIME AND SPACE...
IN FIELDS OF TRANQUIL LIGHT,
SOW YOU SEEDS OF DARKNESS
Shadowbringers (5.0)
The Warrior of Light, at the behest of Tataru, learns that their friends from Garlond Ironworks have made significant progress in studying the Crystal Tower, having found a way into a trench at the foot of the tower. The two travel out to the excavation sight in search of something — anything — of note.
The Warrior finds a beacon in the dig site. At that very moment, the voice that had plagued them and the Scions rings out, the clearest it has been! As the voice calls to them, their consciousness fades. They soon find themself drifting through the rift between worlds, visions and voices of the people they met in the past drifting by...
When they finally come to, the Warrior finds themself in a strange land, the sky above them cloaked in blazing light. A nearby peddler asks what they would be doing out at this hour of the night — a strange query, considering how bright it is outside. The peddler directs them towards a settlement called the "Crystarium", where they may seek shelter. Upon reaching the city's gates, however, they are stopped by a guard who appears like a Viera, who questions them about their origin. Her suspicions are allayed, however, by a familiar hooded figure who vouches for the Warrior — none other than the voice who had called the Scions, the leader of the Crystarium himself, the "Crystal Exarch".
After taking a tour of the Crystarium and meeting the people who help to maintain its many facilities, including a meeting with the curious and impish pixie Feo Ul to assist in ferrying their belongings between worlds, the Warrior meets with the Exarch within a Crystal Tower alike in appearance to the one in Mor Dhona. The Exarch explains that this world is not Hydaelyn, but rather one of its thirteen reflections: specifically, the "First". A great crisis threatens this world as the balance between the powers of Light and Darkness has been gravely disrupted, such that much of the world has been completely destroyed by a Flood of Light. The selfsame light has given rise to a new breed of seemingly angelic monsters known as "sin eaters", most of whom feast on the aether of their victims, while the more powerful in their number are capable of corrupting the aether of their victims and transforming them into yet more sin eaters. Only the region of Norvrandt remains, thanks to the Oracle of Light — who the Scions knew as Minfilia — arriving to stop the Flood. The Warrior of Light from Hydaelyn — also known as the "Source" — is the only one capable of saving the First from the coming apocalypse, and in so doing, forestall doom in the Source. It was to that end that the Exarch attempted to summon the Warrior to the First, although his initial attempts met with limited success as he only managed to summon the souls of their allies in the Scions, for whom he helped fashion artificial bodies. Because of the strange way in which time moves in the First compared to the Source, many of the summoned Scions have been stuck in the First for years. It was only when the Warrior came to the trench beneath the Source's Crystal Tower that he succeeded in summoning them properly, body and soul.
For the moment, the Scions have spread out through Norvrandt in the hopes of doing what they can to aid the people in wait for the Warrior: Alisaie had left for the desert region of Amh Araeng, while Alphinaud went to surveil the islands of Kholusia. Y'shtola was abroad in the dense jungles of the Rak'tika Greatwood, with Urianger in the mysterious and abandoned land of Il Mheg. Thancred's whereabouts where unknown for the time being.
At present, the Exarch suggests the Warrior seek out Alphinaud and Alisaie.
Upon concluding your tour of the Crystarium, the Exarch encourages you to retire to your personal room at the inn before departing on your journey to reunite with the Scions. Upon arrival, a shadowy figure is heard musing on the state of the world. The figure is shocked to realize that you are capable of hearing them, dispelling the shadows, and revealing Ardbert, the Warrior of Darkness you encountered so long ago! His spirit has been wandering the world unseen since his return from The Source, unable to be seen or heard, but able to bear witness to the result of he and his comrades’ actions on The First and the resulting devestation from the dominance of Light. Shaken and alone, condemned by those he attempted to save, Ardbert is highly cynical and wishing he could move on to finally be free of his torment…
In their excursion to Amh Araeng, the Warrior accompanies a Crystarium merchant, Cassard, to the city of Mord Souq, home to a beast tribe known as the Mord — a race that is known in the Source as Kobolds. To gain acceptance in the city, the Warrior of Light partakes in a ritual known as the "cracking of the coinpurse", where newcomers partake of the wares of the city's vendors. With a highly valuable Voeburtite gold coin, the Warrior samples some of one Mord's culinary "delights".
Afterwards, the Warrior accompanies a young woman named Tesleen, a friend of Alisaie, to an "Inn". The location, known as the "Inn at Journey's Head", is not so much an inn as it is a hospice. As the Warrior learns, those who have been attacked and corrupted by sin eaters tend to be turned out and ostracized out of fear of the monsters they would become. Thus, the kind-hearted people of the Inn provide shelter and care to these victims, and when their time comes, to euthanize them with a poisoned last meal so they may die before turning into a sin eater and know a measure of peace. Alisaie had offered aid to the Inn as a protector, lending her martial prowess to fend off monsters and sin eaters alike.
It is during one of her patrols that Alisaie and the Warrior reunite. Though their reunion is joyous, it quickly turns to tragedy when a young boy who was being cared for at the Inn disappears. The Warrior and Alisaie join Tesleen to search for the boy. Even though they find him and save him from a group of sin eaters, Tesleen sacrifices herself to protect the boy, taking a blow from a sin eater that corrupts her aether. So powerful was this sin eater that the transformation is nigh instantaneous, the Warrior and Alisaie helpless to do aught but watch as Tesleen is horrifically "reborn" as a monstrosity and flies off with the sin eaters to parts unknown.
After returning the boy to the inn, Alisaie elects to return to the Crystarium: perturbed by Tesleen's sordid fate, she decides to aid the Warrior and take a more proactive role in trying to save the First.
The Warrior's next destination is Kholusia, a sparsely populated island to the southwest of the Norvrandt mainland. Over the horizon in Kholusia stands the opulent spires of Eulmore; upon their reunion in a small fishing town, the Warrior learns from Alphinaud that Eulmore is a massive city-state that offers sanctuary from the ravages of the Flood of Light. There are, however, caveats to their offer of safety and shelter: only a select few are actually allowed inside, the requirements for entry always changing with the whims and requests of Eulmore's elite. Those hoping to gain entry gather in Gatetown, a shantytown near the gates into the city; many who take up residence here have waited for years to gain entry, surviving in the meantime off scraps of "meol", meaty foodstuff that Eulmore's representatives hand out to keep the people of Gatetown complacent.
In the hopes of learning more of the city's inner workings, Alphinaud has arranged to purchase some pearls from a local beast tribe known as the Ondo — similar to the Source's Sahagin — in exchange for produce. The plan is derailed, however, by a blue-haired Mystel youth named Kai-Shirr, who steals the produce in the hopes of using Alphinaud's plan to get into Eulmore himself. Realizing how desperate Kai-Shirr is to reunite with friends who were accepted into the city, Alphinaud instructs Kai-Shirr in how to complete his deal with the Ondo, and elects to look for another way in.
Not long after, the Warrior and Alphinaud rescue a young man washed up on a shore near Eulmore. After caring for him, the young man, named Tristol, explains that he was admitted into Eulmore on the merit of his artistic skills. In Eulmore, residents are divided into two classes: free citizens, and the bonded. Free citizens represent the upper crust of society, the nobles and aristocrats who gave up their riches to stay in Eulmore; while the bonded are servants who tend to whatever desire their patron free citizens desire. So it was that Tristol was bonded to a couple to paint pictures for them, only for his artistic creations to fall short of their favor. Eventually, it came to be too much for Tristol, who asked of the city's ruler, Lord Vauthry, to be allowed to leave. His wish was granted, albeit by means of being tossed into the ocean and nearly killed.
Tristol offers his weathered brush to Alphinaud as proof of artistic merit to help him and the Warrior get into Eulmore. With the Warrior posing as Alphinaud's artistic assistant, the two manage to gain purchase into Eulmore when a request is made for Tristol's replacement, and the pair are bonded to the Chai family — the doting albeit naive Dulia-Chai, and her demanding yet devoted husband Chai-Nuzz. As Alphinaud paints for the Chais, the Warrior roams the city, learning what they can.
Eventually, the citizenry are offered a chance to see a "sinner" punished for crimes against the city. Alphinaud and the Warrior follow the crowd to the throne room of the grotesque and corpulent Lord Vauthry, who appears to somehow pacify sin eaters, keeping them as pets and concubines. There they bear witness to Kai-Shirr, the same young man who they helped get into Eulmore, bleeding from his wrist. When Vauthry learned that Kai-Shirr entered the city fraudulently, he demanded an offering of flesh to feed the Sin Eaters in order for the youth to stay. Shocked at the brutality and cruelty Vauthry imposed on the youth, Alphinaud calls Vauthry out before he and the Warrior leave with Kai-Shirr; Vauthry in turn throws a childish tantrum at the offense, calling the guard on Alphinaud and the Warrior. Alphinaud suggests Kai-Shirr return to the Crystarium, where he can be given shelter in exchange for honest labor; Kai-Shirr declines, but wishes the pair luck as they depart for the Crystarium together.
With Alphinaud and Alisaie reunited, the Exarch goes further into his plan to dispel the Light afflicting Norvrandt. At the heart of the influx of Light are the Lightwardens, the strongest sin eaters in the realm. Defeating the Lightwardens would restore the night in each area they reign over. Unfortunately, it wasn't as simple as slaying them, as just doing so would normally cause the Warden's aether to be absorbed by the nearest living being, who would in turn become a new, stronger Lightwarden. The Exarch, however, believes that the key to victory lies with the Warrior's blessing from Hydaelyn...
It is then that reports reach the Exarch of a large swarm of sin eaters descending upon the town of Holminster Switch, with a Lightwarden present among their number. The Warrior, Alphinaud, and Alisaie go to reinforce the Crystarium soldiers and deal with the Lightwarden.
In the battle that follows, Alisaie lays Tesleen's sin eater form to rest, and the Warrior of Light slays the Lightwarden. As expected, the Warden's aether was absorbed into the Warrior's body. However, they did not transform into a new Lightwarden. Instead, with a hand raised high, the Warrior fires a beam into the air, cleaving apart the Light blanketing the region of Lakeland and revealing behind its torn veil the long-forgotten night sky!
With the return of night in Lakeland, the people of the Crystarium celebrate, for the long-awaited Warrior of Darkness said to save the realm from ruin has at last come. As the Warrior returns to the Crystarium, Ardbert appears to them again, warning them that they could lose everything if they continue down their newly-forged path. Meanwhile, in the fields of Lakeland, a blonde-haired girl admires the night sky, and forges ahead toward the Crystarium to seek out the Warrior of Darkness…
Back on the Source, Estinien – conscripted by Tataru and Krile to aid while the Warrior and the Scions are on the First – mounts an attack on an Imperial base in hopes of destroying the Black Rose. Instead he finds the Shadowhunter – Gaius – and his team who just destroyed the production facilities. The Shadowhunter invites the dragoon to join him as they make their way to Garlemald itself.
Soon, the Eulmoran army, led by their general Ran'jit, arrives at the Crystarium for a twofold reason. One is to investigate the death of the Lightwarden of Lakeland. The other is two capture the Oracle of Light—none other than Minfilia herself. However, it's not the Minfilia the Warrior of Darkness knows; instead, it's one of many reincarnations she took after stopping the Flood of Light with the Warriors of Darkness. This new and younger Minfilia was imprisoned by Eulmore, but she was rescued by someone: Thancred. While the Warrior of Darkness and the Levilleurs are keen on meeting up with Thancred and Minfilia, the Exarch advises them to let the Crystarium's people handle this affair.
The Crystarium promptly prepares a plan of attack: while their flying beasts, the amaro, distract Eulmore's airships, the Crystarium will attack the city's army with sleeping powder while the Crystarium Guard—led by their captain, Lyna—would swoop in and save Minfilia. With the Warrior of Darkness, Alphinaud, and Alisaie by their side, the Crystarium's plans go smoothly at first, it's after Minfilia is rescued that the plan hits a major roadblock.
Awaiting the Warrior and their allies is Ran'jit. The Eulmoran general makes quick work of the Scions and the Crystarium Guard, before confronting the Warrior themselves. Despite putting up a valiant effort, the Warrior finds themselves overwhelmed by Ran'jit's sheer power. But before Ran'jit can capture both the Warrior and Alphinaud (whom the general recognizes as the artist Vauthry wanted returned), Thancred arrives to rescue his allies. As Thancred manages to help the Scions escape, the Crystal Exarch manages to distract Ran'jit enough to prevent him from catching up to them.
Thancred leads the party to the region of Il Mheg, home of the fae. He explains that after he lost Minfilia, the Exarch gave him new instructions in case things went bad: seek out Urianger, and kill the region's Lightwarden. Apologizing, Minfilia reveals her reasons for leaving Thancred; she was instructed by a mysterious voice to seek out the Warrior of Darkness.
As Thancred chastises Minfilia for wandering off, they find themselves under the spell of the local Pixies. Using a looking glass plant, Thancred reveals the invisible fairies for all to see. In order to convince the Pixies to stop bombarding the Scions with things to entertain them, the Warrior summons Feo Ul, a Pixie they befriended at the Crystarium. Feo Ul manages to convince the pixies to stop their mischief—but the Pixies ask to have Alphinaud and Alisaie in their custody until the Warrior finishes their business with Urianger.
Eventually, the Warrior of Darkness, Thancred, and Minfilia reunite with Urianger. With no hesitation, Urianger shares with the three a vision that he had: the Eorzean Alliance managed to slowly gain the upper hand against Garlemald. In their desperation, the Garlean Empire unleashes the Black Rose on Eorzea, managing to destroy nearly all of the realm's population. That event would become the Eighth Umbral Calamity. Urianger spent his time on the First researching how the Black Rose was so potent, and came to a conclusion.
On the Source, there are two poles for all magic: Astral, representing change, and Umbral, representing stasis. The First does not have such terms, and instead change and stasis are represented by Darkness and Light, respectively. If the Light aether is being drawn to the Source in the midst of a rejoining, the potency of stagnating magic would be enhanced, and that would lead the Black Rose by killing everyone by stagnating the flow of aether.
After Urianger finishes his story, Thancred shares one of his own. When he brought Minfilia to the Wall, the place where the Flood of Light stopped, he was contacted by the original Minfilia. Possessing her reincarnation, Minfilia makes it clear to Thancred that she won't be returning. Instead, she'll either continue to reincarnate or use up her remaining power to give her reincarnation the choice to follow her own destiny. Upon hearing that, Urianger begins to note that the younger Minfilia needs to make her decision soon…
Eventually, the Warrior's team return to the pixies, and Urianger offers them gifts in order to convince them to give them access the the castle where Il Mheg's Lightwarden awaits. While the pixies accept Urianger's offer, they reveal a shocking truth about the Lightwarden: the Lightwarden is actually the pixies' king, Titania. After slaying the previous Lightwarden, Titania turned into one themselves, forcing the Pixies to seal them away. In order to gain entry into the castle where Titania's housed in, the Warrior needs four relics acting as keys. The Pixies hold one, while the other three are held by the other fae of Il Mheg: the Fuath, the Nu Mou, and the Amaro.
After obtaining the first relic from the pixies, the Warrior of Darkness and their allies head to the Fuaths' underwater kingdom of Dohn Mheg to obtain the second relic. After giving the Fuath a good show through combat, the Warrior is given the second relic. However, the Fuath have other plans and try to drown the Warrior and turn them into a Fuath. As the Warrior manages to escape and reunite with their allies, they learn the Eulmore's armies have begun to enter Il Mheg. While the Pixies begin to distract the Eulmoran forces, the Warrior's team head to the domain of the Nu Mou.
While the Nu Mou are willing to lend their service to the Warrior, they're still worried about them planning to release Titania from their prison. But after learning of the Warrior's resistance to corruption and a few words of power like "roll over" and "beg", the Nu Mou begin to reconsider. As the Nu Mou begin to discuss their stance on helping the Warrior, Minfilia begins to lament that Thancred hates her because she reminds him of the Minfilia that he knew. Eventually, the Nu Mou ultimately decide to help and give the Warrior of Darkness their relic.
Finally, the Warrior heads to the Amaro—the same race used as mounts for the Crystarium—to obtain the last relic. The keeper of the relic, Seto, declines to give the Warrior the relic out of concern for their safety. However, Seto decides to put the Warrior to the test by having them fight waves of Sin Eaters and recovering a medallion at the bottom of a lake. After the medallion is retrieved, Seto explains that it was a gift from his old master—and his dearest friend—none other than Ardbert himself. Upon noting that the Warrior shares nearly identical souls with Ardbert, something that's uncanny to the Amaro, Seto gives the Warrior the last of the relics.
As Ran'jit arrives to turn the tide against the Pixies, the Warrior's comrades head to stall him as much as they can. With Feo Ul joining them, the Warrior of Darkness delves into Titania's castle to put an end to them. After the pixie king is slain, Feo Ul happily reveals the true purpose of the four relics; they not only act as keys to the castle, but they're also gifts for the new king of the pixies, who would be the one who removed the old king. That would be the Warrior themselves, but since they're mortal, the title of Titania goes to Feo Ul instead. As friend and foe alike notice the outcome of the Warrior's battle with Titania, all of Il Mheg's fae—emboldened by the crowning of a new king—turn the tide against the Eulmoran army, forcing Ran'jit to retreat. Returning alongside the Warrior, Feo Ul decrees that since the Warrior of Darkness helped them all, the fae will gladly answer their call in exchange for returning the night to Il Mheg.
Returning to the Crystarium, the Scions learn that Eulmore has exhausted all of their armies to Il Mheg, meaning that the Crystarium was free of any attack. However, someone was waiting for them: a man that observed the Scions' progress from afar. Urianger swiftly identifies the intruder—the leader of the Garlean Empire himself, Solus zos Galvus. Acknowledging that name, Solus insists that the Scions call him by his actual name: Emet-Selch, an Ascian with the same standing as Lahabrea.
Emet-Selch explains that he became frustrated that the Scions were putting the Rejoining at risk. Initially, he considered allying with Eulmore to do away with the Scions easily, but then he settled upon another idea he hadn't tried—instead of killing the Scions, he could cooperate with them instead. Emet-Selch would not interfere with the Warrior of Darkness and their journey on the First, even giving them his aid when the time comes. In exchange, he'd learn what motivates the Warrior down their path and even tell the party about the Ascians' history. With that, Emet-Selch takes his leave, leaving the Scions to contemplate Emet-Selch's offer.
As the Warrior rests after the adventures in Il Mheg, Ardbert returns to talk to them. Ardbert begins to question the Crystal Exarch's motives and if they could trust him; after all, Ardbert and his team trusted the Ascians, and that only led to Ardbert losing everything. The Warrior consoles him, convincing him that he hasn't lost anything. After all, there's still his old friend, Seto. Getting sentimental upon thinking about the Amaro, Ardbert asks the Warrior to share some of their stories with him. The two warriors spend the night doing just that.
The next morning, the Scions are once again met by Emet-Selch, who tries to convince them with his offer; he'd observe and give advice to the Scions, while the Warrior will slay each Lightwarden and see if they're worthy of learn the truth about the Ascians. However, Thancred bluntly gives him his answer: they will not accept. Resigned to being a mere observer, Emet-Selch warns the Warrior that they'll have to make decisions that would warrant them to reconsider…
Afterwards, the Crystal Exarch proposes that the Scions split up to cover more ground and search for the remaining Lightwarden. While Alisaie and Alphinaud return to Amh Araeng and Kholousia, respectively, the remaining Scions head to the Rak'tika Great wood to meet with Y'shtola. But since the Exarch and Y'shtola haven't been in speaking terms lately, the Warrior is directed to a church containing a gift for Y'shtola, while the Exarch prepares to have an audience with Lord Vauthry.
As the Warrior searches for the Exarch's gift, Urianger begins to relay some more information about the First. Before the flood, the people of the First worshipped the Light, giving the Sin Eaters their name; they would devour those who committed sins against the Light. As the world began to turn away from worshipping the Light, they turned to worshipping the Darkness instead. Thus, a new group was formed: the Night's Blessed. While they inhabit the Rak'tika Greatwood for the most part, they had multiple churches beforehand, including the church where the Scions happen to be in. Eventually, the Warrior received the Exarch's gift for Y'shtola—a tablet from the ancient Ronkan Empire, who granted the Amaro the ability to speak in Il Mheg.
Once the Warrior of Darkness, Thancred, Urianger, and Minfilia arrive at the Rak'tika Greatwood, they are again met by Emet-Selch. As Thancred and Emet-Selch begin to argue, the Scions and their unexpected guest arrive at some barren ruins—and are immediately ambushed by the Night's Blessed. The faith accuses the Scions of being Sin Eaters, not helped with Emet-Selch casually teleporting away. However, someone arrives to voice for them: Master Matoya, or as the Scions know her as, Y'shtola. Although she recognizes Thancred, Urianger, and Minfilia, she has trouble recognizing the Warrior of Darkness due to the massive amount of Light inside them. After learning from Urianger about the Warrior's presence, a relieved Y'shtola invites the Scions to the Night's Blessed's base of Slitherbough.
As the Scions settle in Slitherbough, Y'shtola reveals that she quickly lost her trust in the Crystal Exarch due to his enigmatic personality. However, she's still willing to give the Exarch another chance with the tablet he wanted to give her, since it could still provide clues in hunting down the region's Lightwarden, located within the ancient Ronkan capital of Yx'maja. As Urianger deciphers the tablet, the Warrior and Minfilia make themselves comfortable in Slitherbough, befriending Y'shtola's right-hand man, Runar. But when the search for a heartstone (a gemstone given to each member of Night's Blessed to be used in their funeral rites) is called off due to Sin Eaters prowling the Greatwood, Minfilia decides to prove herself by finding it herself (stemming from Minfilia beginning to question her future earlier), with the Warrior tagging along.
With the Warrior of Darkness backing her up, Minfilia manages to successfully obtain the heartstone and deliver it to Runar. After the following funeral ceremony, Y'shtola gives her allies an update on the tablet. Apparently, the tablet is a treaty agreement from the Ronkan Empire, and it could be what the Scions need to gain access to Yx'maja. But since Y'shtola needs Ronkan texts not in her possession, the only choice is to delve deep into the caves of the Children of the Everlasting Dark, a rival sect to the Night's Blessed.
Deep within the cave chambers, Y'shtola continues to work on translating the tablet, while Ardbert gives the Warrior a history lesson of Norvrandt. Returning to Slitherbough, Y'shtola resumes deciphering the tablet alongside Urianger. However, the two Scions have an argument out of concern for the Warrior: Y'shtola is concerned that the Warrior is actually being tricked into slaying the Lightwardens so the light can build inside of them. However, before the argument can go any further, they are interrupted with dire tidings; Eulmore has invaded Rak'tika. Meanwhile, the Exarch and Vauthry have a war of words: while Vauthry believes that the Sin Eaters are necessary for people to seek refuge in Eulmore so he could reign over them, the Exarch is determined to rebuff him, believing that people can build toward a better future, with no worries about the Sin Eaters nor Eulmore.
But even with the Exarch's words, Vauthry already put a contingency plan in motion to ensure that the sin eaters are protected—Ran'jit declares to Y'shtola that Rak'tika is under Eulmore's control now, and the Children of the Everlasting Dark has taken charge of the forest. Because of this, the Night's Blessed are offered to join their rivals or be branded traitors of Eulmore. The people of Rak'tika had until Ran'jit returns to the greatwood to make their final decision in the matter. However, the Scions and the people of Rak'tika decide to refuse Ran'jit's ultimatum and kill the region's Lightwarden. With the tablet fully deciphered, the Warrior heads to Yx'maja to plan their next move.
Using the royal crest of Ronka, the Scions convince the ancient city's guardians, the viis of Fanow, to help them in their cause. They learn from the viis that the local Lightwarden was sighted near Rak'tika Falls. The only passage to the falls is the Qitana Ravel, which is currently sealed by Ronkan Magicka. In order to undo the seals, the Warrior needs to solve the riddles of a nearby pyramid to reverse the aetherial flow back to the Ravel. Unfortunately, the Eulmoran forces have returned, poisoning Slitherbough and making their way to Yx'maja. As Thancred, Minfilia, Urianger, and the viis fight Ran'jit's army, the Warrior and Y'shtola head to the pyramid to try and unlock the Ravel.
It becomes a race against time as Ran'jit's forces manage to slip by the viis and enter the pyramid, but the Warrior manages to successfully break the seals leading into the Qitana Ravel. However, a trap is triggered within the pyramid, and Y'shtola falls into a bottomless pit of darkness—but not before giving the Warrior an antidote to heal the Night's Blessed. Before Ran'jit can make another move, Thancred and Urianger manage to knock the general into the pit as well. After mourning the loss of Y'shtola, the Scions deliver the antidote to the people of the greatwood.
As the Night's Blessed learn of Y'shtola's fate, the viis arrive with someone they found wandering in the forest: Emet-Selch. In order to gain a sense of trust from the Scions, Emet-Selch brings Y'shtola back from the Lifestream. With Y'shtola safe and sound, the Scions head to the Qitana Ravel and successfully slay the Lightwarden there. With their mission complete, the Scions prepare to leave the cave, but Emet-Selch uses this time to explain the mysterious mural within…
Once, there was a world with no problems whatsoever. That is, until a great calamity befell the world and threatened to destroy it. In an act of desperation, the people of this planet summoned what they called "the will of the star" to end the calamity—Zodiark. Many people rejoiced, but others became distrustful and summoned another being to keep Zodiark in check—Hydaelyn. The following battle between the two deities ended with Hydaelyn dealing a blow to Zodiark so powerful, it split the world into 14 pieces. As for how Emet-Selch knows all of this, the race the summoned Zodiark and Hydaelyn were the Ascians themselves, and he's determined to bring the world he once knew back.
Before Emet-Selch leaves, Thancred questions him on how the two deities acted as if they were summoned. Emet-Selch's answer stuns everybody as he departs:
"But, they are Gods after a fashion, yes. The eldest and most powerful... of Primals."
With the true purpose of Hydaelyn and Zodiark still affecting them, the Scions leave Rak'tika and return to the Crystarium, meeting with the Exarch (greatly drained of his energy due to maintaining his illusion during his meeting with Vauthry). It's during this time that the Warrior of Darkness learns that the Light aether isn't being dispelled; rather, it's being absorbed into the Warrior themselves. Back on the Source, Gaius and Estinien learn that a certain general has disappeared from the Ghimlyt Dark without warning, prompting concern about another player entering the game. As the two continue the investigation, a certain soldier watches, wishing to meet with the only person that makes him whole: his eternal friend and enemy...
That night, the Warrior awakens to an unpleasant sight: a band of Sin Eaters attacking the Crystarium. As the battle continues with Lyna being injured, the culprit behind the attacks is revealed to be Eulmore, as penance for the Crystarium rejecting Vauthry's beliefs. As the battle concludes with the Sin Eaters being driven off, the Exarch reveals to the Scions that Vauthry has the power to mind control people. That's exactly what he's been doing with the citizens of Eulmore, and what he tried to do to the Exarch during his previous meeting. Going back to the topic of the Lightwardens, Alisaie reveals a potential hiding spot of one hidden in an abandoned mine in Amh Araeng. But since it would take ages to find it, Minfilia decides to try and summon the older Minfilia to help them.
Realizing this, a returning Emet-Selch declares that the power of the Oracle delves deep within the younger Minfilia; the only way to awaken this power is both Minfilia to fuse together in body and soul. Doing so would consume one of the two Minfilia, leaving either the younger or older one left. Despite Thancred's doubts, the younger Minfilia is determined to take that chance, wanting to do all she can to help the world, and the Scions make preparations for Amh Araeng.
The Scions split into two groups once arriving at Amh Araeng. While Alisaie, Alphinaud, and Y'shtola head to distract the Eulmoran armies in Mord Souq, the Warrior, Minfilia, Thancred and Urianger arrive at Nabaath Araeng. There, the learn from the local Mord that the only way forward is to use an old trolley system that used to function at a nearby mine. Said trolley system hasn't been activated in ages since the Talos, golems made out of stone and aether, became defunct while the company that made them has left a long time ago.
Settling in the settlement of Twine, the Warrior's party tries to get a Talos working again after Twine's leader, Magnus, declines due to drowning his sorrows. While they fail, another villager notes that the Talos' heart may be damaged; in order to repair it, they'll need to obtain a mineral called leonine within the local mines. As Thancred looks back on his time with the original Minfilia, the Warrior obtains the needed leonine—and a message from Magnus' deceased wife. With the leonine in hand, the Talos gets back up and running again. However, after Magnus curses his wife for dying over the Talos, Minfilia runs off crying, while Urianger tries to comfort her. While Minfilia states that Thancred hates her, Urianger rebuffs that he should be the one to hate; he was the one that instigated the conflict with the Warriors of Darkness in the first place.
At the Crystarium, Emet-Selch talks with the Crystal Exarch, having an innate curiosity for him. Not only does the Exarch not sleep, but since he helped the ancient Allagan Empire rise to powers he knows that the Crystal Tower can't just pull someone into another world. However, the Exarch cryptically hints that he hides history not even Emet-Selch himself knows of...
While Urianger goes to meet with Alisaie and Y'shtola, the other Scions head to the southwest region of Amh Araeng. However, Ran'jit, having survived the attack in Yx'maja, awaits them there intending to take Minfilia. As the Warrior of Darkness and Minfilia rush to safety, Thancred distracts Ran'jit by fighting him alone; the following battle forces Ran'jit to retreat. As the Warrior and Minfilia reach the Wall, they're given another Echo-driven vision: when the original Minfilia gathered the aether of Ardbert's allies to stop the Flood. However, Ardbert is not sacrificed due to it not being his time yet; he'll have to depend on someone else to help save two worlds.
As the vision comes to an end, the younger Minfilia comes face-to-face with her older self. Making her decision, the younger Minfilia decides to go through with obtaining the strength and power needed to protect the world, no matter the risk. With that, both Minfilias are consumed in a bright light. When the light fades, only one Minfilia remains: the younger Minfilia, albeit with some slight adjustments. These changes, the younger Minfilia suggests, were gifts from the older Minfilia in order to allow her to be her own person moving forward. Both the Warrior and Minfilia eventually reunite with the other Scions, with Thancred relieved to see the younger Minfilia safe. When Y'shtola states that this new, fused Minfilia would need a new name, Thancred chooses a name that means "blessing" in the Fae tongue: Ryne.
With Ryne guiding them, the Scions make their way to Malikh's Well, a mine with Amh Araeng's Lightwarden in it. Thanks to Ryne's newfound abilities, the Scions manage to successfully slay the Lightwarden and restore the night to Amh Araeng. However, when the Warrior goes to absorb the light from the Lightwarden, they suddenly begin to feel a tremendous amount of pain in their body. Returning to the Crystarium, the Warrior begins to feel the pain again during a conversation with Ardbert. When Ardbert tries to help them, it only triggers a reaction from both of them—perhaps the Warrior of Darkness is the very person Ardbert needs to depend on…
The next day, the Scions turn their attention to the final Lightwarden: the one residing in Klolusia. Learning that his plans are nearly undone, Emet-Selch is still not concerned; the fate of the First would only be delayed from its inevitable fate. Returning to the story of the Ascians, Emet-Selch tells the Scions that when Hydaelyn dealt the finishing blow to Zodiark, it didn't just break the world. It split it—everything in the world, from the people, to the flora and fauna, to the landscapes, were divided 14 times. Thus, each of these shards are just a fourteenth of their overall being, from strength, to intelligence, to soul.
Out of the Ascians, only three were spared from that fate. This allowed them to still hold onto their full being from before Hydaelyn split the worlds; while remaining Ascians are just sundered pieces awakened to their true nature. To that end, Emet-Selch reveals the true purpose of the Ascians' goal: to see the world return back to what it was before Zodiark and Hydaelyn.
Just then, Lyna arrives with grave tidings—Vauthry has been taking the time to reinforce the defenses of Eulmore. This leads the Scions to guess that the remaining Lightwarden is hidden within the city itself. Ready to see if that's indeed the case, the Scions head to Kholousia. Arriving at Eulmore, the Scions see Vauthry's powers at work as the city's citizens begin blindlessly praising his name. According to Kai-Shirr, who acted as a spy for the Crystarium regarding happenings in Eulmore, Vauthry went on a rampage that resulted in a "sticky" wind covering Kholusia and submitting nearly everyone in the region to Vauthry's control. The few exceptions included newcomers to Eulmore and Kai-Shirr himself.
As for the "how" regarding resistance to Vauthry's control, the answer comes from the very meol that people were served at Eulmore's gates. It's not just food; but it's also the flesh of sin eaters! Because of this, consuming the meol would ensure that people would gradually transform into sin eaters themselves. As Alphinaud puts it, Eulmore is turning people into sin eaters, than slaughtering them to turn even more people into sin eaters. Aghast at this revelation, the Scions decide to put an end to Vauthry and the Lightwarden within Eulmore's bowels.
The Scions and the Crystarium Guard storm the city, fighting the transformed people of Eulmore, until the Warrior of Darkness stands alone against Ran'jit, who willingly served Vauthry all this time. After a fierce battle, the Warrior finally manages to defeat Ran'jit once and for all, killing him at long last. Eventually, the Scions confront Vauthry in his throne room, where Ryne discovers a horrifying truth about him: not only is he a hybrid of both man and sin eater, but he is the very Lightwarden the Scions were after!
As Ryne says this, Vauthry manages to finish consuming the last of his meol, fully transforming into a sin eater. Knocking everyone in the city unconscious, Vauthry decides to relocate is paradise to the highest mountain in Norvrandt: Mt. Gulg. With Vauthry eluding their grasp, the Scions decide to focus their attention on the Eulmoran citizens. With the help of the Warrior and Ryne, the citizens become free from Vauthry's control. Alphinaud speaks to the treated masses, desiring for a new beginning in Eulmore, one free from the control of Vauthry. This speech wins the support of a vast majority of the citizens, who become ready to help the Scions put a stop to Vauthry's plans.
In order to get to Mt. Gulg, everyone focuses their attention on the Ladder. The Ladder was a massive elevator used to reach the mines in the upper mountains, but it was deactivated when Vauthry took over and had the Talos who operated it rust away. However, Dulia-Chai reveals that Chai-Nuzz is the heir to the very company that made the Talos and moved out of Amh Araeng. While hesitant, Chai-Nuzz decides to do the best that he can to aid the Scions. While the Ladder is being worked on, Emet-Selch visits the Warrior of Darkness, reminiscing about the world he remembers and reminding them that each Ascians have friends, family, and loved ones that he's determined to bring back. Upon hearing this, Ardbert actually begins to sympathize with Emet-Selch and his motives, noting how it feels to lose everyone you love and wander an eternity by yourself.
Eventually, the Ladder is completed, and the Warrior, Alphinaud, and Alisaie scale it to the top. As Alisaie and the Warrior are joined by the Crystal Exarch on the path to Mt. Gulg, they learn that an aerial assault would be pointless; their machina would be easily overcome by Vauthry's sin eaters. After the Warrior's team report their findings to everyone else, an offhand comment by Dulia-Chai prompts Y'shtola to propose an outrageous solution—instead of bringing the mountain back to the ground, why not bring the ground back to the mountain? But doing so would necessitate the construction of a Talos bigger than anyone could imagine. However, Chai-Nuzz states that such a Talos could be created, but he'd need a massive amount of resources and an army of people to help him (unless people can wait a few decades)... something that the Scions are willing to give him.
The Crystarium. The fae of Il Mheg. The Night's Blessed. The miners of Amh Araeng. All of the people the Scions helped in Norvrandt lend their aid to help Chai-Nuzz construct the massive Talos. Eventually, the place where the Talos would be constructed is set: Amity, a village of Eulmoran exiles and rejects that is perched on top of the Ladder. Eventually, everything is almost set in place for the Talos to be activated. All that remains is the heart, the key component for any Talos. With the aid of the dwarves of Tomra, the Warrior manages to obtain the supplies needed for the Talos' heart, and construction on it begins in earnest.
As the people of Norvrandt continue to work tirelessly on the massive Talos, the Crystal Exarch has a heart-to-heart with the Warrior. He reveals that he had to fuse with the Crystal Tower itself so he could live long enough to see his plans through—but more importantly, he reveals that he has an "inspiration" that he desperately wants to go on adventures with, but is torn on keeping his secrets from them. Meanwhile, Y'shtola confronts Urianger, asking about a backup plan of his in the case that the Warrior fails to contain the light of the final Lightwarden. However, Urianger refuses to explain anything, relying on ignorance to help that plan succeed.
Meanwhile, on the Source, Elidibus reports to Emperor Varis in Zenos' body. Elidibus reveals to the Garlean emperor that Emet-Selch is preparing for another Rejoining on the First—and even better, the Warrior and the Scions are all on the First as well leaving the door open for the empire to launch their attack on Eorzea. However, another figure pipes up, wanting to learn more about the Warrior's whereabouts. Putting the pieces together, Elidibus learns that the person is none other than Zenos, using the power of the Resonant to possess a random soldier—and he's bent on getting his own body back…
Back in Kholusia, the Scions and the people of Norvrandt put their plan into motion. The massive Talos that the people of the region constructed rises from the mountain, grabbing Mt. Gulg. As sin eaters try to destroy the Talos, the fae of Il Mheg arrive to fight them, allowing the Scions to scale the Talos' arm and arrive at Mt. Gulg itself. The Scions fight their way up the mountain, before finally confronting Vauthry at the peak. Vauthry, determining the Scions will never yield, summons a wave of sin eaters to deal with them. The Scions begin to hold the line against the sin eaters while the Warrior of Darkness confronts Vauthry alone. Halfway through their battle, though, Vauthry fully transforms into his true Lightwarden form: Innocence. But even Innocence's power isn't enough to defeat the Warrior, and Vauthry is finally defeated.
As the Warrior of Darkness begins to absorb Vauthry's light, they have an Echo-based vision: Emet-Selch meets with the mayor of Eulmore, and offers for the mayor's unborn son to gain the power of a Lightwarden—the person that would later become Vauthry himself. But the vision is abruptly interrupted when the Warrior loses control of the light inside them. As if on cue, the Crystal Exarch appears, revealing his true plan: to have someone absorb all the light from the Lightwardens, then steal it for himself so he can escape the dying First. As the Scions begin to confront him, Urianger asks them to give him a chance, allowing them to learn that the Exarch intends to throw himself and the Crystal Tower into the Rift as an act of sacrifice.
Just then, a gust of wind blows off the Crystal Exarch's hood, revealing his true identity at last. After spending countless moons waiting to use the Crystal Tower's power, G'raha Tia says his farewells to his inspiration as he prepares his sacrificial act…
...but is shot from behind by Emet-Selch, who knew the Exarch was from the Source this entire time. After all, he had a hand in building the Allagan Empire and the Crystal Tower; since the Allagan bloodline doesn't exist on the First, only someone from the Source could control the Crystal Tower the way G'raha does. Emet-Selch begins to vent his frustrations at the Scions—not only is Vauthry dead, but his attempt to make humanity his allies also backfired thanks to the Warrior failing to contain the light. Before leaving, Emet-Selch offers the Warrior one final chance to join him beneath the Tempest so they could finish their imminent transformation into a sin eater and destroy the First…
When the Warrior comes to back at the Crystarium, Ardbert reveals some ill tidings. While Ryne is doing her best to temporarily halt the surging light, all of Norvrandt has been covered in perpetual light again due to the uncontrollable aether the Warrior had. However, as Ardbert has seen first-hand during the construction of the giant Talos, the Warrior has become someone he can fully believe in, and someone whom he'll support no matter what.
The Warrior explores the Crystarium and talks with the people there, letting them know about the Crystal Exarch's whereabouts and learning what they actually think of him. Eventually, Lyna gives them a key to a secret locked room within the Crystal Tower. Upon entering, the Warrior has another vision. In it, a conversation between G'raha and Urianger reveals that G'raha arrived from the Source 200 years into the future, way after the Eighth Umbral Calamity wreaked havoc on the World. However, thanks to Cid's notes, G'raha managed to use the Crystal Tower to travel through time and space into the distant past, where he'd try to avert the forthcoming calamity on the First. Urianger was asked to disguise all of this as a vision the latter had in order to protect G'raha's identity and true motives. After the vision, the Warrior and Ardbert decide that it's time to rescue G'raha and stop Emet-Selch once and for all…
With the Scions rejoining them, the Warrior heads to a mysterious island in Lakeland to find a way beneath the Tempest. However, as Urianger points out, this is no ordinary island: it's the First's version of the Vanu Vanu's primal, Bismarck. After some convincing from Feo Ul, Bismarck agrees to take the Scions beneath the waves to their destination. Along the way, they meet a community known as the Ondo, who mistake the Scions as emissaries of a mysterious race known as the Ancients.
As it turns out, the Ondo were refugees of the Flood of Light who found shelter at the ruins of a strangely-modern city constructed by these Ancients. As Y'shtola points out, these ruins aren't native to neither the First nor the Source. Instead, using the paintings from the Qitana Ravel as proof, Y'shtola reveals that the ruins are from a city predating even the sundering of the world—an ancient Ascian city! After earning the trust of the Ondo, the Scions are pointed to the ruins of the City of the Ancients, where Emet-Selch awaits...
When the Scions arrive at the City of the Ancients, they're met by a sight unlike anything they've ever seen before. A vast metropolis greets them, filled to the brim with magic. Entering the city, a towering giant greets them, welcoming them to the capital city of Amaurot. Here, Emet-Selch and the Convocation of Fourteen are preparing to hold a meeting dealing with the Final Days. As the Scions explore what's hypothesized by Urianger as a memory before the sundering, they learn that the Final Days were brought upon by a mysterious sound emanating from the planet's core. This sound caused the Ancients' creation magicks to go wild, causing the destruction of their world. As for the Convocation of Fourteen, they consist of the wisest individuals in existence; among their ranks include their speaker, Lahabrea, their emissary, Elidibus, and Emet-Selch. This group is currently planning to create a new god-like entity to rewrite the laws of the universe—not too dissimilar to the ways Beast Tribes summon their Primals.
An Ancient named Hythlodaeus reveals more about the Convocation—at the time of Zodiark's summoning, there were only thirteen members, with the fourteenth member's whereabouts unknown. Using their knowledge as a memory, Hythlodaeus also reveals the true cost of the summoning—half of the Ancients' society willingly sacrificed themselves to summon Zodiark and halt the Final Days. But since there was still the matter of the damage that was done, half of the remaining population sacrificed themselves to allow Zodiark to restore the land to its original state. Lastly, the Convocation began plans to wait for the planet to teem with enough life so that they could sacrifice part of it to restore all those who sacrificed themselves.
However, that extreme plan divided the Ancients' for the first time in their history. Many people wanted the world to be left to the next generation, and have them decide what to do with the planet. To that end, they summoned Hydaelyn to keep Zodiark in check, resulting in the battle that would ultimately sunder the world. Hythlodaeus warns the Warrior of Darkness that Emet-Selch is determined to bring everyone whose lives were lost in summoning Zodiark back—no matter what the cost. Before the Warrior leaves, Hythlodaeus notes Ardbert's soul resting within the Warrior—nothing new, since both of them were one during the time of the Ancients.
At last, the Scions confront Emet-Selch within Amaurot's capitol building. The devotee of Zodiark confirms what Hythlodaeus said about him: he intends to rejoin all of the shards on the Source to free Zodiark then sacrifice all life on the rejoined planet to bring back all of those who were sacrificed. To that end, he also intends to use the Crystal Exarch's knowledge of time and space so he could expedite the Joinings. When the Scions still stand their ground against him, Emet-Selch decides to have them see for themselves what the Ancients had to go through—and opening the building's doors, he invites the Scions to get a first-hand look at the Final Days.
With Emet-Selch as their guide, the Scions traverse through the now-doomed city of Amaurot, fighting apocalyptic beasts terrorizing the city and even getting a look at the ruined planet from above. Eventually, the Scions confront Emet-Selch directly, but their attacks do nothing to the Ascian as he counters with more powerful attacks of his own. Eventually, the Warrior of Darkness prepares to battle him… but all of the light they've accumulated during their journey through Norvrandt begins to surge within them, preparing to transform them into a sin eater. However, with Ardbert's encouragement, both Warriors of Darkness decide to fight Emet-Selch together.
As a shocked Emet-Selch watches, the Warrior of Darkness dispels the light surrounding them, ready to defeat him once and for all, and confirming to Emet-Selch that the Warrior is a fellow ancient. As the Crystal Exarch summons heroes from beyond the rift to aid the Scions, Emet-Selch, furious at his plans beginning to unravel, decides to throw away both his title and rank, reintroducing himself with his actual name—and Hades charges himself at the Scions of the Seventh Dawn, determined to save his world, no matter what.
As the Warrior fights Hades for the fate of the world, the Scions manage to weaken him with white auracite, allowing the Warrior to deal the finishing blow. With all of their strength, the Warrior summons Ardbert's axe, now made entirely out of light and drives it straight into Emet-Selch, defeating him at long last. Realizing that his plans have been undone and he's about to die, Emet-Selch only gives the victorious Warrior one final request before fading away:
"Remember… Remember us. Remember that we once lived."
As the Warrior begins to become exhausted from the battle that occured, the Scions learn that their aether has returned to normal as a result of using it all up against Hades. If that wasn't enough, Ryne notes that the cracks formed from the Warrior absorbing the light have all been repaired—thanks to the Warrior expunging it all with Ardbert's axe. As the Scions have a moment of respite, G'raha arrives and reminds them that they still have work to do—his original plan was to reunite their souls to the Source when he sacrificed his life to dispel the light. But since he's still alive, the Scions are still stranded on the First. Thankfully, the Scions are okay with that, meaning they could relax and prepare their proper goodbyes before leaving. However, G'raha sends the Warrior back to the Source alone, so they could reassure Tataru and Krile about the Scions and their current status.
Back in Garlemald, Estinien and Gaius' journey deeper into the empire is met with utter shock as Zenos, now with his body back, stabbing his sword into Emperor Varis' chest. It turns out that Elidibus fled Zenos' body, allowing the crown prince to regain control of it and kill his own father. Then, with his father out of the picture, nothing can stop him from hunting his friend and enemy and using the powers of Hydaelyn and Zodiark for their ultimate duel.
As Estinien clashes with Zenos, Elidibus stands alone on the Moon and confirms to himself that Emet-Selch, like Lahabrea before, is no more. While he's uncertain on what Zenos will now do, he's still determined to keep the Warrior and the Scions stranded on the First. Thus, Elidibus begins his final contingency plan: since the Warrior is now a Warrior of Darkness, the plan should have them fight their natural enemy... the Warrior of Light.
The Warrior finds a beacon in the dig site. At that very moment, the voice that had plagued them and the Scions rings out, the clearest it has been! As the voice calls to them, their consciousness fades. They soon find themself drifting through the rift between worlds, visions and voices of the people they met in the past drifting by...
When they finally come to, the Warrior finds themself in a strange land, the sky above them cloaked in blazing light. A nearby peddler asks what they would be doing out at this hour of the night — a strange query, considering how bright it is outside. The peddler directs them towards a settlement called the "Crystarium", where they may seek shelter. Upon reaching the city's gates, however, they are stopped by a guard who appears like a Viera, who questions them about their origin. Her suspicions are allayed, however, by a familiar hooded figure who vouches for the Warrior — none other than the voice who had called the Scions, the leader of the Crystarium himself, the "Crystal Exarch".
After taking a tour of the Crystarium and meeting the people who help to maintain its many facilities, including a meeting with the curious and impish pixie Feo Ul to assist in ferrying their belongings between worlds, the Warrior meets with the Exarch within a Crystal Tower alike in appearance to the one in Mor Dhona. The Exarch explains that this world is not Hydaelyn, but rather one of its thirteen reflections: specifically, the "First". A great crisis threatens this world as the balance between the powers of Light and Darkness has been gravely disrupted, such that much of the world has been completely destroyed by a Flood of Light. The selfsame light has given rise to a new breed of seemingly angelic monsters known as "sin eaters", most of whom feast on the aether of their victims, while the more powerful in their number are capable of corrupting the aether of their victims and transforming them into yet more sin eaters. Only the region of Norvrandt remains, thanks to the Oracle of Light — who the Scions knew as Minfilia — arriving to stop the Flood. The Warrior of Light from Hydaelyn — also known as the "Source" — is the only one capable of saving the First from the coming apocalypse, and in so doing, forestall doom in the Source. It was to that end that the Exarch attempted to summon the Warrior to the First, although his initial attempts met with limited success as he only managed to summon the souls of their allies in the Scions, for whom he helped fashion artificial bodies. Because of the strange way in which time moves in the First compared to the Source, many of the summoned Scions have been stuck in the First for years. It was only when the Warrior came to the trench beneath the Source's Crystal Tower that he succeeded in summoning them properly, body and soul.
For the moment, the Scions have spread out through Norvrandt in the hopes of doing what they can to aid the people in wait for the Warrior: Alisaie had left for the desert region of Amh Araeng, while Alphinaud went to surveil the islands of Kholusia. Y'shtola was abroad in the dense jungles of the Rak'tika Greatwood, with Urianger in the mysterious and abandoned land of Il Mheg. Thancred's whereabouts where unknown for the time being.
At present, the Exarch suggests the Warrior seek out Alphinaud and Alisaie.
Upon concluding your tour of the Crystarium, the Exarch encourages you to retire to your personal room at the inn before departing on your journey to reunite with the Scions. Upon arrival, a shadowy figure is heard musing on the state of the world. The figure is shocked to realize that you are capable of hearing them, dispelling the shadows, and revealing Ardbert, the Warrior of Darkness you encountered so long ago! His spirit has been wandering the world unseen since his return from The Source, unable to be seen or heard, but able to bear witness to the result of he and his comrades’ actions on The First and the resulting devestation from the dominance of Light. Shaken and alone, condemned by those he attempted to save, Ardbert is highly cynical and wishing he could move on to finally be free of his torment…
In their excursion to Amh Araeng, the Warrior accompanies a Crystarium merchant, Cassard, to the city of Mord Souq, home to a beast tribe known as the Mord — a race that is known in the Source as Kobolds. To gain acceptance in the city, the Warrior of Light partakes in a ritual known as the "cracking of the coinpurse", where newcomers partake of the wares of the city's vendors. With a highly valuable Voeburtite gold coin, the Warrior samples some of one Mord's culinary "delights".
Afterwards, the Warrior accompanies a young woman named Tesleen, a friend of Alisaie, to an "Inn". The location, known as the "Inn at Journey's Head", is not so much an inn as it is a hospice. As the Warrior learns, those who have been attacked and corrupted by sin eaters tend to be turned out and ostracized out of fear of the monsters they would become. Thus, the kind-hearted people of the Inn provide shelter and care to these victims, and when their time comes, to euthanize them with a poisoned last meal so they may die before turning into a sin eater and know a measure of peace. Alisaie had offered aid to the Inn as a protector, lending her martial prowess to fend off monsters and sin eaters alike.
It is during one of her patrols that Alisaie and the Warrior reunite. Though their reunion is joyous, it quickly turns to tragedy when a young boy who was being cared for at the Inn disappears. The Warrior and Alisaie join Tesleen to search for the boy. Even though they find him and save him from a group of sin eaters, Tesleen sacrifices herself to protect the boy, taking a blow from a sin eater that corrupts her aether. So powerful was this sin eater that the transformation is nigh instantaneous, the Warrior and Alisaie helpless to do aught but watch as Tesleen is horrifically "reborn" as a monstrosity and flies off with the sin eaters to parts unknown.
After returning the boy to the inn, Alisaie elects to return to the Crystarium: perturbed by Tesleen's sordid fate, she decides to aid the Warrior and take a more proactive role in trying to save the First.
The Warrior's next destination is Kholusia, a sparsely populated island to the southwest of the Norvrandt mainland. Over the horizon in Kholusia stands the opulent spires of Eulmore; upon their reunion in a small fishing town, the Warrior learns from Alphinaud that Eulmore is a massive city-state that offers sanctuary from the ravages of the Flood of Light. There are, however, caveats to their offer of safety and shelter: only a select few are actually allowed inside, the requirements for entry always changing with the whims and requests of Eulmore's elite. Those hoping to gain entry gather in Gatetown, a shantytown near the gates into the city; many who take up residence here have waited for years to gain entry, surviving in the meantime off scraps of "meol", meaty foodstuff that Eulmore's representatives hand out to keep the people of Gatetown complacent.
In the hopes of learning more of the city's inner workings, Alphinaud has arranged to purchase some pearls from a local beast tribe known as the Ondo — similar to the Source's Sahagin — in exchange for produce. The plan is derailed, however, by a blue-haired Mystel youth named Kai-Shirr, who steals the produce in the hopes of using Alphinaud's plan to get into Eulmore himself. Realizing how desperate Kai-Shirr is to reunite with friends who were accepted into the city, Alphinaud instructs Kai-Shirr in how to complete his deal with the Ondo, and elects to look for another way in.
Not long after, the Warrior and Alphinaud rescue a young man washed up on a shore near Eulmore. After caring for him, the young man, named Tristol, explains that he was admitted into Eulmore on the merit of his artistic skills. In Eulmore, residents are divided into two classes: free citizens, and the bonded. Free citizens represent the upper crust of society, the nobles and aristocrats who gave up their riches to stay in Eulmore; while the bonded are servants who tend to whatever desire their patron free citizens desire. So it was that Tristol was bonded to a couple to paint pictures for them, only for his artistic creations to fall short of their favor. Eventually, it came to be too much for Tristol, who asked of the city's ruler, Lord Vauthry, to be allowed to leave. His wish was granted, albeit by means of being tossed into the ocean and nearly killed.
Tristol offers his weathered brush to Alphinaud as proof of artistic merit to help him and the Warrior get into Eulmore. With the Warrior posing as Alphinaud's artistic assistant, the two manage to gain purchase into Eulmore when a request is made for Tristol's replacement, and the pair are bonded to the Chai family — the doting albeit naive Dulia-Chai, and her demanding yet devoted husband Chai-Nuzz. As Alphinaud paints for the Chais, the Warrior roams the city, learning what they can.
Eventually, the citizenry are offered a chance to see a "sinner" punished for crimes against the city. Alphinaud and the Warrior follow the crowd to the throne room of the grotesque and corpulent Lord Vauthry, who appears to somehow pacify sin eaters, keeping them as pets and concubines. There they bear witness to Kai-Shirr, the same young man who they helped get into Eulmore, bleeding from his wrist. When Vauthry learned that Kai-Shirr entered the city fraudulently, he demanded an offering of flesh to feed the Sin Eaters in order for the youth to stay. Shocked at the brutality and cruelty Vauthry imposed on the youth, Alphinaud calls Vauthry out before he and the Warrior leave with Kai-Shirr; Vauthry in turn throws a childish tantrum at the offense, calling the guard on Alphinaud and the Warrior. Alphinaud suggests Kai-Shirr return to the Crystarium, where he can be given shelter in exchange for honest labor; Kai-Shirr declines, but wishes the pair luck as they depart for the Crystarium together.
With Alphinaud and Alisaie reunited, the Exarch goes further into his plan to dispel the Light afflicting Norvrandt. At the heart of the influx of Light are the Lightwardens, the strongest sin eaters in the realm. Defeating the Lightwardens would restore the night in each area they reign over. Unfortunately, it wasn't as simple as slaying them, as just doing so would normally cause the Warden's aether to be absorbed by the nearest living being, who would in turn become a new, stronger Lightwarden. The Exarch, however, believes that the key to victory lies with the Warrior's blessing from Hydaelyn...
It is then that reports reach the Exarch of a large swarm of sin eaters descending upon the town of Holminster Switch, with a Lightwarden present among their number. The Warrior, Alphinaud, and Alisaie go to reinforce the Crystarium soldiers and deal with the Lightwarden.
In the battle that follows, Alisaie lays Tesleen's sin eater form to rest, and the Warrior of Light slays the Lightwarden. As expected, the Warden's aether was absorbed into the Warrior's body. However, they did not transform into a new Lightwarden. Instead, with a hand raised high, the Warrior fires a beam into the air, cleaving apart the Light blanketing the region of Lakeland and revealing behind its torn veil the long-forgotten night sky!
With the return of night in Lakeland, the people of the Crystarium celebrate, for the long-awaited Warrior of Darkness said to save the realm from ruin has at last come. As the Warrior returns to the Crystarium, Ardbert appears to them again, warning them that they could lose everything if they continue down their newly-forged path. Meanwhile, in the fields of Lakeland, a blonde-haired girl admires the night sky, and forges ahead toward the Crystarium to seek out the Warrior of Darkness…
Back on the Source, Estinien – conscripted by Tataru and Krile to aid while the Warrior and the Scions are on the First – mounts an attack on an Imperial base in hopes of destroying the Black Rose. Instead he finds the Shadowhunter – Gaius – and his team who just destroyed the production facilities. The Shadowhunter invites the dragoon to join him as they make their way to Garlemald itself.
Soon, the Eulmoran army, led by their general Ran'jit, arrives at the Crystarium for a twofold reason. One is to investigate the death of the Lightwarden of Lakeland. The other is two capture the Oracle of Light—none other than Minfilia herself. However, it's not the Minfilia the Warrior of Darkness knows; instead, it's one of many reincarnations she took after stopping the Flood of Light with the Warriors of Darkness. This new and younger Minfilia was imprisoned by Eulmore, but she was rescued by someone: Thancred. While the Warrior of Darkness and the Levilleurs are keen on meeting up with Thancred and Minfilia, the Exarch advises them to let the Crystarium's people handle this affair.
The Crystarium promptly prepares a plan of attack: while their flying beasts, the amaro, distract Eulmore's airships, the Crystarium will attack the city's army with sleeping powder while the Crystarium Guard—led by their captain, Lyna—would swoop in and save Minfilia. With the Warrior of Darkness, Alphinaud, and Alisaie by their side, the Crystarium's plans go smoothly at first, it's after Minfilia is rescued that the plan hits a major roadblock.
Awaiting the Warrior and their allies is Ran'jit. The Eulmoran general makes quick work of the Scions and the Crystarium Guard, before confronting the Warrior themselves. Despite putting up a valiant effort, the Warrior finds themselves overwhelmed by Ran'jit's sheer power. But before Ran'jit can capture both the Warrior and Alphinaud (whom the general recognizes as the artist Vauthry wanted returned), Thancred arrives to rescue his allies. As Thancred manages to help the Scions escape, the Crystal Exarch manages to distract Ran'jit enough to prevent him from catching up to them.
Thancred leads the party to the region of Il Mheg, home of the fae. He explains that after he lost Minfilia, the Exarch gave him new instructions in case things went bad: seek out Urianger, and kill the region's Lightwarden. Apologizing, Minfilia reveals her reasons for leaving Thancred; she was instructed by a mysterious voice to seek out the Warrior of Darkness.
As Thancred chastises Minfilia for wandering off, they find themselves under the spell of the local Pixies. Using a looking glass plant, Thancred reveals the invisible fairies for all to see. In order to convince the Pixies to stop bombarding the Scions with things to entertain them, the Warrior summons Feo Ul, a Pixie they befriended at the Crystarium. Feo Ul manages to convince the pixies to stop their mischief—but the Pixies ask to have Alphinaud and Alisaie in their custody until the Warrior finishes their business with Urianger.
Eventually, the Warrior of Darkness, Thancred, and Minfilia reunite with Urianger. With no hesitation, Urianger shares with the three a vision that he had: the Eorzean Alliance managed to slowly gain the upper hand against Garlemald. In their desperation, the Garlean Empire unleashes the Black Rose on Eorzea, managing to destroy nearly all of the realm's population. That event would become the Eighth Umbral Calamity. Urianger spent his time on the First researching how the Black Rose was so potent, and came to a conclusion.
On the Source, there are two poles for all magic: Astral, representing change, and Umbral, representing stasis. The First does not have such terms, and instead change and stasis are represented by Darkness and Light, respectively. If the Light aether is being drawn to the Source in the midst of a rejoining, the potency of stagnating magic would be enhanced, and that would lead the Black Rose by killing everyone by stagnating the flow of aether.
After Urianger finishes his story, Thancred shares one of his own. When he brought Minfilia to the Wall, the place where the Flood of Light stopped, he was contacted by the original Minfilia. Possessing her reincarnation, Minfilia makes it clear to Thancred that she won't be returning. Instead, she'll either continue to reincarnate or use up her remaining power to give her reincarnation the choice to follow her own destiny. Upon hearing that, Urianger begins to note that the younger Minfilia needs to make her decision soon…
Eventually, the Warrior's team return to the pixies, and Urianger offers them gifts in order to convince them to give them access the the castle where Il Mheg's Lightwarden awaits. While the pixies accept Urianger's offer, they reveal a shocking truth about the Lightwarden: the Lightwarden is actually the pixies' king, Titania. After slaying the previous Lightwarden, Titania turned into one themselves, forcing the Pixies to seal them away. In order to gain entry into the castle where Titania's housed in, the Warrior needs four relics acting as keys. The Pixies hold one, while the other three are held by the other fae of Il Mheg: the Fuath, the Nu Mou, and the Amaro.
After obtaining the first relic from the pixies, the Warrior of Darkness and their allies head to the Fuaths' underwater kingdom of Dohn Mheg to obtain the second relic. After giving the Fuath a good show through combat, the Warrior is given the second relic. However, the Fuath have other plans and try to drown the Warrior and turn them into a Fuath. As the Warrior manages to escape and reunite with their allies, they learn the Eulmore's armies have begun to enter Il Mheg. While the Pixies begin to distract the Eulmoran forces, the Warrior's team head to the domain of the Nu Mou.
While the Nu Mou are willing to lend their service to the Warrior, they're still worried about them planning to release Titania from their prison. But after learning of the Warrior's resistance to corruption and a few words of power like "roll over" and "beg", the Nu Mou begin to reconsider. As the Nu Mou begin to discuss their stance on helping the Warrior, Minfilia begins to lament that Thancred hates her because she reminds him of the Minfilia that he knew. Eventually, the Nu Mou ultimately decide to help and give the Warrior of Darkness their relic.
Finally, the Warrior heads to the Amaro—the same race used as mounts for the Crystarium—to obtain the last relic. The keeper of the relic, Seto, declines to give the Warrior the relic out of concern for their safety. However, Seto decides to put the Warrior to the test by having them fight waves of Sin Eaters and recovering a medallion at the bottom of a lake. After the medallion is retrieved, Seto explains that it was a gift from his old master—and his dearest friend—none other than Ardbert himself. Upon noting that the Warrior shares nearly identical souls with Ardbert, something that's uncanny to the Amaro, Seto gives the Warrior the last of the relics.
As Ran'jit arrives to turn the tide against the Pixies, the Warrior's comrades head to stall him as much as they can. With Feo Ul joining them, the Warrior of Darkness delves into Titania's castle to put an end to them. After the pixie king is slain, Feo Ul happily reveals the true purpose of the four relics; they not only act as keys to the castle, but they're also gifts for the new king of the pixies, who would be the one who removed the old king. That would be the Warrior themselves, but since they're mortal, the title of Titania goes to Feo Ul instead. As friend and foe alike notice the outcome of the Warrior's battle with Titania, all of Il Mheg's fae—emboldened by the crowning of a new king—turn the tide against the Eulmoran army, forcing Ran'jit to retreat. Returning alongside the Warrior, Feo Ul decrees that since the Warrior of Darkness helped them all, the fae will gladly answer their call in exchange for returning the night to Il Mheg.
Returning to the Crystarium, the Scions learn that Eulmore has exhausted all of their armies to Il Mheg, meaning that the Crystarium was free of any attack. However, someone was waiting for them: a man that observed the Scions' progress from afar. Urianger swiftly identifies the intruder—the leader of the Garlean Empire himself, Solus zos Galvus. Acknowledging that name, Solus insists that the Scions call him by his actual name: Emet-Selch, an Ascian with the same standing as Lahabrea.
Emet-Selch explains that he became frustrated that the Scions were putting the Rejoining at risk. Initially, he considered allying with Eulmore to do away with the Scions easily, but then he settled upon another idea he hadn't tried—instead of killing the Scions, he could cooperate with them instead. Emet-Selch would not interfere with the Warrior of Darkness and their journey on the First, even giving them his aid when the time comes. In exchange, he'd learn what motivates the Warrior down their path and even tell the party about the Ascians' history. With that, Emet-Selch takes his leave, leaving the Scions to contemplate Emet-Selch's offer.
As the Warrior rests after the adventures in Il Mheg, Ardbert returns to talk to them. Ardbert begins to question the Crystal Exarch's motives and if they could trust him; after all, Ardbert and his team trusted the Ascians, and that only led to Ardbert losing everything. The Warrior consoles him, convincing him that he hasn't lost anything. After all, there's still his old friend, Seto. Getting sentimental upon thinking about the Amaro, Ardbert asks the Warrior to share some of their stories with him. The two warriors spend the night doing just that.
The next morning, the Scions are once again met by Emet-Selch, who tries to convince them with his offer; he'd observe and give advice to the Scions, while the Warrior will slay each Lightwarden and see if they're worthy of learn the truth about the Ascians. However, Thancred bluntly gives him his answer: they will not accept. Resigned to being a mere observer, Emet-Selch warns the Warrior that they'll have to make decisions that would warrant them to reconsider…
Afterwards, the Crystal Exarch proposes that the Scions split up to cover more ground and search for the remaining Lightwarden. While Alisaie and Alphinaud return to Amh Araeng and Kholousia, respectively, the remaining Scions head to the Rak'tika Great wood to meet with Y'shtola. But since the Exarch and Y'shtola haven't been in speaking terms lately, the Warrior is directed to a church containing a gift for Y'shtola, while the Exarch prepares to have an audience with Lord Vauthry.
As the Warrior searches for the Exarch's gift, Urianger begins to relay some more information about the First. Before the flood, the people of the First worshipped the Light, giving the Sin Eaters their name; they would devour those who committed sins against the Light. As the world began to turn away from worshipping the Light, they turned to worshipping the Darkness instead. Thus, a new group was formed: the Night's Blessed. While they inhabit the Rak'tika Greatwood for the most part, they had multiple churches beforehand, including the church where the Scions happen to be in. Eventually, the Warrior received the Exarch's gift for Y'shtola—a tablet from the ancient Ronkan Empire, who granted the Amaro the ability to speak in Il Mheg.
Once the Warrior of Darkness, Thancred, Urianger, and Minfilia arrive at the Rak'tika Greatwood, they are again met by Emet-Selch. As Thancred and Emet-Selch begin to argue, the Scions and their unexpected guest arrive at some barren ruins—and are immediately ambushed by the Night's Blessed. The faith accuses the Scions of being Sin Eaters, not helped with Emet-Selch casually teleporting away. However, someone arrives to voice for them: Master Matoya, or as the Scions know her as, Y'shtola. Although she recognizes Thancred, Urianger, and Minfilia, she has trouble recognizing the Warrior of Darkness due to the massive amount of Light inside them. After learning from Urianger about the Warrior's presence, a relieved Y'shtola invites the Scions to the Night's Blessed's base of Slitherbough.
As the Scions settle in Slitherbough, Y'shtola reveals that she quickly lost her trust in the Crystal Exarch due to his enigmatic personality. However, she's still willing to give the Exarch another chance with the tablet he wanted to give her, since it could still provide clues in hunting down the region's Lightwarden, located within the ancient Ronkan capital of Yx'maja. As Urianger deciphers the tablet, the Warrior and Minfilia make themselves comfortable in Slitherbough, befriending Y'shtola's right-hand man, Runar. But when the search for a heartstone (a gemstone given to each member of Night's Blessed to be used in their funeral rites) is called off due to Sin Eaters prowling the Greatwood, Minfilia decides to prove herself by finding it herself (stemming from Minfilia beginning to question her future earlier), with the Warrior tagging along.
With the Warrior of Darkness backing her up, Minfilia manages to successfully obtain the heartstone and deliver it to Runar. After the following funeral ceremony, Y'shtola gives her allies an update on the tablet. Apparently, the tablet is a treaty agreement from the Ronkan Empire, and it could be what the Scions need to gain access to Yx'maja. But since Y'shtola needs Ronkan texts not in her possession, the only choice is to delve deep into the caves of the Children of the Everlasting Dark, a rival sect to the Night's Blessed.
Deep within the cave chambers, Y'shtola continues to work on translating the tablet, while Ardbert gives the Warrior a history lesson of Norvrandt. Returning to Slitherbough, Y'shtola resumes deciphering the tablet alongside Urianger. However, the two Scions have an argument out of concern for the Warrior: Y'shtola is concerned that the Warrior is actually being tricked into slaying the Lightwardens so the light can build inside of them. However, before the argument can go any further, they are interrupted with dire tidings; Eulmore has invaded Rak'tika. Meanwhile, the Exarch and Vauthry have a war of words: while Vauthry believes that the Sin Eaters are necessary for people to seek refuge in Eulmore so he could reign over them, the Exarch is determined to rebuff him, believing that people can build toward a better future, with no worries about the Sin Eaters nor Eulmore.
But even with the Exarch's words, Vauthry already put a contingency plan in motion to ensure that the sin eaters are protected—Ran'jit declares to Y'shtola that Rak'tika is under Eulmore's control now, and the Children of the Everlasting Dark has taken charge of the forest. Because of this, the Night's Blessed are offered to join their rivals or be branded traitors of Eulmore. The people of Rak'tika had until Ran'jit returns to the greatwood to make their final decision in the matter. However, the Scions and the people of Rak'tika decide to refuse Ran'jit's ultimatum and kill the region's Lightwarden. With the tablet fully deciphered, the Warrior heads to Yx'maja to plan their next move.
Using the royal crest of Ronka, the Scions convince the ancient city's guardians, the viis of Fanow, to help them in their cause. They learn from the viis that the local Lightwarden was sighted near Rak'tika Falls. The only passage to the falls is the Qitana Ravel, which is currently sealed by Ronkan Magicka. In order to undo the seals, the Warrior needs to solve the riddles of a nearby pyramid to reverse the aetherial flow back to the Ravel. Unfortunately, the Eulmoran forces have returned, poisoning Slitherbough and making their way to Yx'maja. As Thancred, Minfilia, Urianger, and the viis fight Ran'jit's army, the Warrior and Y'shtola head to the pyramid to try and unlock the Ravel.
It becomes a race against time as Ran'jit's forces manage to slip by the viis and enter the pyramid, but the Warrior manages to successfully break the seals leading into the Qitana Ravel. However, a trap is triggered within the pyramid, and Y'shtola falls into a bottomless pit of darkness—but not before giving the Warrior an antidote to heal the Night's Blessed. Before Ran'jit can make another move, Thancred and Urianger manage to knock the general into the pit as well. After mourning the loss of Y'shtola, the Scions deliver the antidote to the people of the greatwood.
As the Night's Blessed learn of Y'shtola's fate, the viis arrive with someone they found wandering in the forest: Emet-Selch. In order to gain a sense of trust from the Scions, Emet-Selch brings Y'shtola back from the Lifestream. With Y'shtola safe and sound, the Scions head to the Qitana Ravel and successfully slay the Lightwarden there. With their mission complete, the Scions prepare to leave the cave, but Emet-Selch uses this time to explain the mysterious mural within…
Once, there was a world with no problems whatsoever. That is, until a great calamity befell the world and threatened to destroy it. In an act of desperation, the people of this planet summoned what they called "the will of the star" to end the calamity—Zodiark. Many people rejoiced, but others became distrustful and summoned another being to keep Zodiark in check—Hydaelyn. The following battle between the two deities ended with Hydaelyn dealing a blow to Zodiark so powerful, it split the world into 14 pieces. As for how Emet-Selch knows all of this, the race the summoned Zodiark and Hydaelyn were the Ascians themselves, and he's determined to bring the world he once knew back.
Before Emet-Selch leaves, Thancred questions him on how the two deities acted as if they were summoned. Emet-Selch's answer stuns everybody as he departs:
"But, they are Gods after a fashion, yes. The eldest and most powerful... of Primals."
With the true purpose of Hydaelyn and Zodiark still affecting them, the Scions leave Rak'tika and return to the Crystarium, meeting with the Exarch (greatly drained of his energy due to maintaining his illusion during his meeting with Vauthry). It's during this time that the Warrior of Darkness learns that the Light aether isn't being dispelled; rather, it's being absorbed into the Warrior themselves. Back on the Source, Gaius and Estinien learn that a certain general has disappeared from the Ghimlyt Dark without warning, prompting concern about another player entering the game. As the two continue the investigation, a certain soldier watches, wishing to meet with the only person that makes him whole: his eternal friend and enemy...
That night, the Warrior awakens to an unpleasant sight: a band of Sin Eaters attacking the Crystarium. As the battle continues with Lyna being injured, the culprit behind the attacks is revealed to be Eulmore, as penance for the Crystarium rejecting Vauthry's beliefs. As the battle concludes with the Sin Eaters being driven off, the Exarch reveals to the Scions that Vauthry has the power to mind control people. That's exactly what he's been doing with the citizens of Eulmore, and what he tried to do to the Exarch during his previous meeting. Going back to the topic of the Lightwardens, Alisaie reveals a potential hiding spot of one hidden in an abandoned mine in Amh Araeng. But since it would take ages to find it, Minfilia decides to try and summon the older Minfilia to help them.
Realizing this, a returning Emet-Selch declares that the power of the Oracle delves deep within the younger Minfilia; the only way to awaken this power is both Minfilia to fuse together in body and soul. Doing so would consume one of the two Minfilia, leaving either the younger or older one left. Despite Thancred's doubts, the younger Minfilia is determined to take that chance, wanting to do all she can to help the world, and the Scions make preparations for Amh Araeng.
The Scions split into two groups once arriving at Amh Araeng. While Alisaie, Alphinaud, and Y'shtola head to distract the Eulmoran armies in Mord Souq, the Warrior, Minfilia, Thancred and Urianger arrive at Nabaath Araeng. There, the learn from the local Mord that the only way forward is to use an old trolley system that used to function at a nearby mine. Said trolley system hasn't been activated in ages since the Talos, golems made out of stone and aether, became defunct while the company that made them has left a long time ago.
Settling in the settlement of Twine, the Warrior's party tries to get a Talos working again after Twine's leader, Magnus, declines due to drowning his sorrows. While they fail, another villager notes that the Talos' heart may be damaged; in order to repair it, they'll need to obtain a mineral called leonine within the local mines. As Thancred looks back on his time with the original Minfilia, the Warrior obtains the needed leonine—and a message from Magnus' deceased wife. With the leonine in hand, the Talos gets back up and running again. However, after Magnus curses his wife for dying over the Talos, Minfilia runs off crying, while Urianger tries to comfort her. While Minfilia states that Thancred hates her, Urianger rebuffs that he should be the one to hate; he was the one that instigated the conflict with the Warriors of Darkness in the first place.
At the Crystarium, Emet-Selch talks with the Crystal Exarch, having an innate curiosity for him. Not only does the Exarch not sleep, but since he helped the ancient Allagan Empire rise to powers he knows that the Crystal Tower can't just pull someone into another world. However, the Exarch cryptically hints that he hides history not even Emet-Selch himself knows of...
While Urianger goes to meet with Alisaie and Y'shtola, the other Scions head to the southwest region of Amh Araeng. However, Ran'jit, having survived the attack in Yx'maja, awaits them there intending to take Minfilia. As the Warrior of Darkness and Minfilia rush to safety, Thancred distracts Ran'jit by fighting him alone; the following battle forces Ran'jit to retreat. As the Warrior and Minfilia reach the Wall, they're given another Echo-driven vision: when the original Minfilia gathered the aether of Ardbert's allies to stop the Flood. However, Ardbert is not sacrificed due to it not being his time yet; he'll have to depend on someone else to help save two worlds.
As the vision comes to an end, the younger Minfilia comes face-to-face with her older self. Making her decision, the younger Minfilia decides to go through with obtaining the strength and power needed to protect the world, no matter the risk. With that, both Minfilias are consumed in a bright light. When the light fades, only one Minfilia remains: the younger Minfilia, albeit with some slight adjustments. These changes, the younger Minfilia suggests, were gifts from the older Minfilia in order to allow her to be her own person moving forward. Both the Warrior and Minfilia eventually reunite with the other Scions, with Thancred relieved to see the younger Minfilia safe. When Y'shtola states that this new, fused Minfilia would need a new name, Thancred chooses a name that means "blessing" in the Fae tongue: Ryne.
With Ryne guiding them, the Scions make their way to Malikh's Well, a mine with Amh Araeng's Lightwarden in it. Thanks to Ryne's newfound abilities, the Scions manage to successfully slay the Lightwarden and restore the night to Amh Araeng. However, when the Warrior goes to absorb the light from the Lightwarden, they suddenly begin to feel a tremendous amount of pain in their body. Returning to the Crystarium, the Warrior begins to feel the pain again during a conversation with Ardbert. When Ardbert tries to help them, it only triggers a reaction from both of them—perhaps the Warrior of Darkness is the very person Ardbert needs to depend on…
The next day, the Scions turn their attention to the final Lightwarden: the one residing in Klolusia. Learning that his plans are nearly undone, Emet-Selch is still not concerned; the fate of the First would only be delayed from its inevitable fate. Returning to the story of the Ascians, Emet-Selch tells the Scions that when Hydaelyn dealt the finishing blow to Zodiark, it didn't just break the world. It split it—everything in the world, from the people, to the flora and fauna, to the landscapes, were divided 14 times. Thus, each of these shards are just a fourteenth of their overall being, from strength, to intelligence, to soul.
Out of the Ascians, only three were spared from that fate. This allowed them to still hold onto their full being from before Hydaelyn split the worlds; while remaining Ascians are just sundered pieces awakened to their true nature. To that end, Emet-Selch reveals the true purpose of the Ascians' goal: to see the world return back to what it was before Zodiark and Hydaelyn.
Just then, Lyna arrives with grave tidings—Vauthry has been taking the time to reinforce the defenses of Eulmore. This leads the Scions to guess that the remaining Lightwarden is hidden within the city itself. Ready to see if that's indeed the case, the Scions head to Kholousia. Arriving at Eulmore, the Scions see Vauthry's powers at work as the city's citizens begin blindlessly praising his name. According to Kai-Shirr, who acted as a spy for the Crystarium regarding happenings in Eulmore, Vauthry went on a rampage that resulted in a "sticky" wind covering Kholusia and submitting nearly everyone in the region to Vauthry's control. The few exceptions included newcomers to Eulmore and Kai-Shirr himself.
As for the "how" regarding resistance to Vauthry's control, the answer comes from the very meol that people were served at Eulmore's gates. It's not just food; but it's also the flesh of sin eaters! Because of this, consuming the meol would ensure that people would gradually transform into sin eaters themselves. As Alphinaud puts it, Eulmore is turning people into sin eaters, than slaughtering them to turn even more people into sin eaters. Aghast at this revelation, the Scions decide to put an end to Vauthry and the Lightwarden within Eulmore's bowels.
The Scions and the Crystarium Guard storm the city, fighting the transformed people of Eulmore, until the Warrior of Darkness stands alone against Ran'jit, who willingly served Vauthry all this time. After a fierce battle, the Warrior finally manages to defeat Ran'jit once and for all, killing him at long last. Eventually, the Scions confront Vauthry in his throne room, where Ryne discovers a horrifying truth about him: not only is he a hybrid of both man and sin eater, but he is the very Lightwarden the Scions were after!
As Ryne says this, Vauthry manages to finish consuming the last of his meol, fully transforming into a sin eater. Knocking everyone in the city unconscious, Vauthry decides to relocate is paradise to the highest mountain in Norvrandt: Mt. Gulg. With Vauthry eluding their grasp, the Scions decide to focus their attention on the Eulmoran citizens. With the help of the Warrior and Ryne, the citizens become free from Vauthry's control. Alphinaud speaks to the treated masses, desiring for a new beginning in Eulmore, one free from the control of Vauthry. This speech wins the support of a vast majority of the citizens, who become ready to help the Scions put a stop to Vauthry's plans.
In order to get to Mt. Gulg, everyone focuses their attention on the Ladder. The Ladder was a massive elevator used to reach the mines in the upper mountains, but it was deactivated when Vauthry took over and had the Talos who operated it rust away. However, Dulia-Chai reveals that Chai-Nuzz is the heir to the very company that made the Talos and moved out of Amh Araeng. While hesitant, Chai-Nuzz decides to do the best that he can to aid the Scions. While the Ladder is being worked on, Emet-Selch visits the Warrior of Darkness, reminiscing about the world he remembers and reminding them that each Ascians have friends, family, and loved ones that he's determined to bring back. Upon hearing this, Ardbert actually begins to sympathize with Emet-Selch and his motives, noting how it feels to lose everyone you love and wander an eternity by yourself.
Eventually, the Ladder is completed, and the Warrior, Alphinaud, and Alisaie scale it to the top. As Alisaie and the Warrior are joined by the Crystal Exarch on the path to Mt. Gulg, they learn that an aerial assault would be pointless; their machina would be easily overcome by Vauthry's sin eaters. After the Warrior's team report their findings to everyone else, an offhand comment by Dulia-Chai prompts Y'shtola to propose an outrageous solution—instead of bringing the mountain back to the ground, why not bring the ground back to the mountain? But doing so would necessitate the construction of a Talos bigger than anyone could imagine. However, Chai-Nuzz states that such a Talos could be created, but he'd need a massive amount of resources and an army of people to help him (unless people can wait a few decades)... something that the Scions are willing to give him.
The Crystarium. The fae of Il Mheg. The Night's Blessed. The miners of Amh Araeng. All of the people the Scions helped in Norvrandt lend their aid to help Chai-Nuzz construct the massive Talos. Eventually, the place where the Talos would be constructed is set: Amity, a village of Eulmoran exiles and rejects that is perched on top of the Ladder. Eventually, everything is almost set in place for the Talos to be activated. All that remains is the heart, the key component for any Talos. With the aid of the dwarves of Tomra, the Warrior manages to obtain the supplies needed for the Talos' heart, and construction on it begins in earnest.
As the people of Norvrandt continue to work tirelessly on the massive Talos, the Crystal Exarch has a heart-to-heart with the Warrior. He reveals that he had to fuse with the Crystal Tower itself so he could live long enough to see his plans through—but more importantly, he reveals that he has an "inspiration" that he desperately wants to go on adventures with, but is torn on keeping his secrets from them. Meanwhile, Y'shtola confronts Urianger, asking about a backup plan of his in the case that the Warrior fails to contain the light of the final Lightwarden. However, Urianger refuses to explain anything, relying on ignorance to help that plan succeed.
Meanwhile, on the Source, Elidibus reports to Emperor Varis in Zenos' body. Elidibus reveals to the Garlean emperor that Emet-Selch is preparing for another Rejoining on the First—and even better, the Warrior and the Scions are all on the First as well leaving the door open for the empire to launch their attack on Eorzea. However, another figure pipes up, wanting to learn more about the Warrior's whereabouts. Putting the pieces together, Elidibus learns that the person is none other than Zenos, using the power of the Resonant to possess a random soldier—and he's bent on getting his own body back…
Back in Kholusia, the Scions and the people of Norvrandt put their plan into motion. The massive Talos that the people of the region constructed rises from the mountain, grabbing Mt. Gulg. As sin eaters try to destroy the Talos, the fae of Il Mheg arrive to fight them, allowing the Scions to scale the Talos' arm and arrive at Mt. Gulg itself. The Scions fight their way up the mountain, before finally confronting Vauthry at the peak. Vauthry, determining the Scions will never yield, summons a wave of sin eaters to deal with them. The Scions begin to hold the line against the sin eaters while the Warrior of Darkness confronts Vauthry alone. Halfway through their battle, though, Vauthry fully transforms into his true Lightwarden form: Innocence. But even Innocence's power isn't enough to defeat the Warrior, and Vauthry is finally defeated.
As the Warrior of Darkness begins to absorb Vauthry's light, they have an Echo-based vision: Emet-Selch meets with the mayor of Eulmore, and offers for the mayor's unborn son to gain the power of a Lightwarden—the person that would later become Vauthry himself. But the vision is abruptly interrupted when the Warrior loses control of the light inside them. As if on cue, the Crystal Exarch appears, revealing his true plan: to have someone absorb all the light from the Lightwardens, then steal it for himself so he can escape the dying First. As the Scions begin to confront him, Urianger asks them to give him a chance, allowing them to learn that the Exarch intends to throw himself and the Crystal Tower into the Rift as an act of sacrifice.
Just then, a gust of wind blows off the Crystal Exarch's hood, revealing his true identity at last. After spending countless moons waiting to use the Crystal Tower's power, G'raha Tia says his farewells to his inspiration as he prepares his sacrificial act…
...but is shot from behind by Emet-Selch, who knew the Exarch was from the Source this entire time. After all, he had a hand in building the Allagan Empire and the Crystal Tower; since the Allagan bloodline doesn't exist on the First, only someone from the Source could control the Crystal Tower the way G'raha does. Emet-Selch begins to vent his frustrations at the Scions—not only is Vauthry dead, but his attempt to make humanity his allies also backfired thanks to the Warrior failing to contain the light. Before leaving, Emet-Selch offers the Warrior one final chance to join him beneath the Tempest so they could finish their imminent transformation into a sin eater and destroy the First…
When the Warrior comes to back at the Crystarium, Ardbert reveals some ill tidings. While Ryne is doing her best to temporarily halt the surging light, all of Norvrandt has been covered in perpetual light again due to the uncontrollable aether the Warrior had. However, as Ardbert has seen first-hand during the construction of the giant Talos, the Warrior has become someone he can fully believe in, and someone whom he'll support no matter what.
The Warrior explores the Crystarium and talks with the people there, letting them know about the Crystal Exarch's whereabouts and learning what they actually think of him. Eventually, Lyna gives them a key to a secret locked room within the Crystal Tower. Upon entering, the Warrior has another vision. In it, a conversation between G'raha and Urianger reveals that G'raha arrived from the Source 200 years into the future, way after the Eighth Umbral Calamity wreaked havoc on the World. However, thanks to Cid's notes, G'raha managed to use the Crystal Tower to travel through time and space into the distant past, where he'd try to avert the forthcoming calamity on the First. Urianger was asked to disguise all of this as a vision the latter had in order to protect G'raha's identity and true motives. After the vision, the Warrior and Ardbert decide that it's time to rescue G'raha and stop Emet-Selch once and for all…
With the Scions rejoining them, the Warrior heads to a mysterious island in Lakeland to find a way beneath the Tempest. However, as Urianger points out, this is no ordinary island: it's the First's version of the Vanu Vanu's primal, Bismarck. After some convincing from Feo Ul, Bismarck agrees to take the Scions beneath the waves to their destination. Along the way, they meet a community known as the Ondo, who mistake the Scions as emissaries of a mysterious race known as the Ancients.
As it turns out, the Ondo were refugees of the Flood of Light who found shelter at the ruins of a strangely-modern city constructed by these Ancients. As Y'shtola points out, these ruins aren't native to neither the First nor the Source. Instead, using the paintings from the Qitana Ravel as proof, Y'shtola reveals that the ruins are from a city predating even the sundering of the world—an ancient Ascian city! After earning the trust of the Ondo, the Scions are pointed to the ruins of the City of the Ancients, where Emet-Selch awaits...
When the Scions arrive at the City of the Ancients, they're met by a sight unlike anything they've ever seen before. A vast metropolis greets them, filled to the brim with magic. Entering the city, a towering giant greets them, welcoming them to the capital city of Amaurot. Here, Emet-Selch and the Convocation of Fourteen are preparing to hold a meeting dealing with the Final Days. As the Scions explore what's hypothesized by Urianger as a memory before the sundering, they learn that the Final Days were brought upon by a mysterious sound emanating from the planet's core. This sound caused the Ancients' creation magicks to go wild, causing the destruction of their world. As for the Convocation of Fourteen, they consist of the wisest individuals in existence; among their ranks include their speaker, Lahabrea, their emissary, Elidibus, and Emet-Selch. This group is currently planning to create a new god-like entity to rewrite the laws of the universe—not too dissimilar to the ways Beast Tribes summon their Primals.
An Ancient named Hythlodaeus reveals more about the Convocation—at the time of Zodiark's summoning, there were only thirteen members, with the fourteenth member's whereabouts unknown. Using their knowledge as a memory, Hythlodaeus also reveals the true cost of the summoning—half of the Ancients' society willingly sacrificed themselves to summon Zodiark and halt the Final Days. But since there was still the matter of the damage that was done, half of the remaining population sacrificed themselves to allow Zodiark to restore the land to its original state. Lastly, the Convocation began plans to wait for the planet to teem with enough life so that they could sacrifice part of it to restore all those who sacrificed themselves.
However, that extreme plan divided the Ancients' for the first time in their history. Many people wanted the world to be left to the next generation, and have them decide what to do with the planet. To that end, they summoned Hydaelyn to keep Zodiark in check, resulting in the battle that would ultimately sunder the world. Hythlodaeus warns the Warrior of Darkness that Emet-Selch is determined to bring everyone whose lives were lost in summoning Zodiark back—no matter what the cost. Before the Warrior leaves, Hythlodaeus notes Ardbert's soul resting within the Warrior—nothing new, since both of them were one during the time of the Ancients.
At last, the Scions confront Emet-Selch within Amaurot's capitol building. The devotee of Zodiark confirms what Hythlodaeus said about him: he intends to rejoin all of the shards on the Source to free Zodiark then sacrifice all life on the rejoined planet to bring back all of those who were sacrificed. To that end, he also intends to use the Crystal Exarch's knowledge of time and space so he could expedite the Joinings. When the Scions still stand their ground against him, Emet-Selch decides to have them see for themselves what the Ancients had to go through—and opening the building's doors, he invites the Scions to get a first-hand look at the Final Days.
With Emet-Selch as their guide, the Scions traverse through the now-doomed city of Amaurot, fighting apocalyptic beasts terrorizing the city and even getting a look at the ruined planet from above. Eventually, the Scions confront Emet-Selch directly, but their attacks do nothing to the Ascian as he counters with more powerful attacks of his own. Eventually, the Warrior of Darkness prepares to battle him… but all of the light they've accumulated during their journey through Norvrandt begins to surge within them, preparing to transform them into a sin eater. However, with Ardbert's encouragement, both Warriors of Darkness decide to fight Emet-Selch together.
As a shocked Emet-Selch watches, the Warrior of Darkness dispels the light surrounding them, ready to defeat him once and for all, and confirming to Emet-Selch that the Warrior is a fellow ancient. As the Crystal Exarch summons heroes from beyond the rift to aid the Scions, Emet-Selch, furious at his plans beginning to unravel, decides to throw away both his title and rank, reintroducing himself with his actual name—and Hades charges himself at the Scions of the Seventh Dawn, determined to save his world, no matter what.
As the Warrior fights Hades for the fate of the world, the Scions manage to weaken him with white auracite, allowing the Warrior to deal the finishing blow. With all of their strength, the Warrior summons Ardbert's axe, now made entirely out of light and drives it straight into Emet-Selch, defeating him at long last. Realizing that his plans have been undone and he's about to die, Emet-Selch only gives the victorious Warrior one final request before fading away:
"Remember… Remember us. Remember that we once lived."
As the Warrior begins to become exhausted from the battle that occured, the Scions learn that their aether has returned to normal as a result of using it all up against Hades. If that wasn't enough, Ryne notes that the cracks formed from the Warrior absorbing the light have all been repaired—thanks to the Warrior expunging it all with Ardbert's axe. As the Scions have a moment of respite, G'raha arrives and reminds them that they still have work to do—his original plan was to reunite their souls to the Source when he sacrificed his life to dispel the light. But since he's still alive, the Scions are still stranded on the First. Thankfully, the Scions are okay with that, meaning they could relax and prepare their proper goodbyes before leaving. However, G'raha sends the Warrior back to the Source alone, so they could reassure Tataru and Krile about the Scions and their current status.
Back in Garlemald, Estinien and Gaius' journey deeper into the empire is met with utter shock as Zenos, now with his body back, stabbing his sword into Emperor Varis' chest. It turns out that Elidibus fled Zenos' body, allowing the crown prince to regain control of it and kill his own father. Then, with his father out of the picture, nothing can stop him from hunting his friend and enemy and using the powers of Hydaelyn and Zodiark for their ultimate duel.
As Estinien clashes with Zenos, Elidibus stands alone on the Moon and confirms to himself that Emet-Selch, like Lahabrea before, is no more. While he's uncertain on what Zenos will now do, he's still determined to keep the Warrior and the Scions stranded on the First. Thus, Elidibus begins his final contingency plan: since the Warrior is now a Warrior of Darkness, the plan should have them fight their natural enemy... the Warrior of Light.
A Tale of Two Shadows (5.x)
Endwalker (6.0)
The Void Beyond (6.x)
Returning to the Rising Stones, the Warrior meets with Tataru, who laments the sudden extra time on her hands. However, realizing the Warrior is still itching for adventure, she convinces them to cast off those titles for the time being and go properly visit Thavnair now that the Final Days are no longer threatening it. Spurred on by Emet-Selch's request to find the ruins within the Bounty, they agree. Tataru urges them to wait as she has an outfit she wants to give them and, during the wait, the Warrior ends up taking a small nap, getting a strange vision of a ruined area with a strange creature gloating its return. They soon awaken with Tataru letting them know their gift is ready and go to pick it up, giving them a brand new adventuring outfit that she hopes will lead people to buy outfits from her new store.
Dawntrail (7.0)
