Thancred Waters was not a mage. Nor was he really good with these sort of things. But somehow, this Minfilia figure had talked him into this - with instructions from Urianger, delivered by an oddly swift Moogle. (Almost as if Urianger had already written down the instructions? But that was impossible… unless it was another study of his. The nature of Primals had fascinated him for a long time, after all. What made a being a Primal, and that kind of thing.)

Still, Minfilia had gone off to gather more crystals - not far, of course. Just enough Lightning Shards to keep the half-Primal Fordola pyr Lupis calm and placid. The Mythril Sand was a bonus, which would help conduct the magic. It was something that Fordola would need to use - what was it meant to do? The notes were messy, incomplete. A lot of it must have been in his mind.

If Thancred did not trust Urianger, he would not be doing this. As he continued to carve the patterns into the ground with a dagger which had been supplied. It was odd to the touch - metals Thancred had never quite felt, the blade made of an odd gold. He couldn’t use these as weapons, but to carve these symbols? It was fine.

Soon, Minfilia returned - with a sackful of crystal, looking exhausted. “Thank you, Thancred,” she whispered as she slid down next to Fordola. Laying the crystals out, the half-Primal seemed to relax. No longer shuddering.

Now that she could, Minfilia began to scatter the dust on the symbols. It gleamed oddly, magic already seeming to surge from the influence of Ifrit. Thancred backed away, warily, as they looked at the results of their work. It sure looked impressive - lighting up the area around their subject. Minfilia looked to Thancred, gently. He knew what that look meant - get out of there, it was dangerous.

He’d need to trust in Minfilia, and that Minfilia would do what she needed to do if this didn’t work. Even if they didn’t know what working was. And thus, he left the two ladies - sitting just outside, feeling a dread building in his stomach. Why was he so worried about Minfilia? Damnit, he couldn’t explain it!

Minfilia, meanwhile, approached Fordola. Put a hand to her, gently. Before handing her the words she had to speak. It was not in Eorzean, but a pronounciation guide had been included. Fordola snorted a little, looking to Minfilia. “You’re really tryin’ to help your enemy. You’re fuckin’ weird, you get that?”

…Quietly, Minfilia nodded, before stepping back. Fordola recited the words, the magic circle and equations beginning to light up - and a light pillar suddenly enveloped Fordola. Brighter then anything they’d seen - almost as bright as the sun above. It was cold, chilling, and all that could be heard was a horrific scream.

It felt like an eternity until the darkness vanished. Until the marks had been blown away, filled with mythril and a gold-like substance… and ice? Something cold, something colder then the air around them. Minfilia rubbed at her eyes, feeling a sickness to the pit of her stomach, but she could not explain it. She barely noticed that where Fordola had been, the figure had changed. That this strange ice had covered the crystal-filled rock - well, all the crystals had dulled. As if the very energy had been pulled though these odd lines.

But where the half-cursed being had been, there was now a tiny Ifrit. Around the size of a chocobo chick, and with those bright green eyes - not to mention the tattoo. The icy marks seemed to fade from them, as the tiny being stood. Stared around, before staring at themselves.

Fordola couldn’t seem to word her thoughts - her gaze turned from herself, to Minfilia, who stared. Minfilia eventually took a step forward, then another - getting out a few lightning shards she’d kept in her backpack. Just in case. Without thinking, Fordola began to bite at them, hungry - but it was not all-consuming. In fact, she stopped after a few. “…this is really fucking weird, you understand, right?” Fordola finally managed to whisper.

Minfilia dropped to her knees, even as the ice burned at her with its cold. “Do you have your mind? Did this… work?”

Fordola nodded, and Minfilia let out a sigh of relief. “But you’re… tiny. And— you’ve lost your form. Oh, Twelve, I’m so sorry…”

Minfilia could feel herself shuddering again. Before she put a hand to the tiny Ifrit, and began to stroke her. Fordola tried not to relax too much, but it was sort of nice. She then, however, turned her head. Huh… “Did ya leave a crystal over there?” she asked, tail beginning to swing. It felt… warm. Firey. But she was already full. Minfilia approached it, the tiny Ifrit crawling up her…

And as she put her hand to it, all went blank.

Darkness consumed, but it was not frightening. Minfilia opened her eyes, barely noticing she was clinging to herself.

Hear… Feel… Think…

The voice echoed around her, and Minfilias’ vision focused. Hydaelyn— it was Hydaelyn, in front of her. Hovering, gentle, but truly there. Unable to speak, Minfilia listened.

Crystal bearer…

I am Hydaelyn. All made one.

The voice was in another tongue, but it was comforting. Calming - like the voice of a mother. It almost seemed like wisps of her touch moved towards Minfilia, kindly.

A Light there once was that shone throughout this realm… yet it hath since grown dim.

And as it hath faltered, so hath Darkness risen up in its stead, presaging an end to Life.

The touch, though, was unlike Her voice. It was still… it was stilling, Minfilia feeling herself relaxing to it. It felt strange - but that was how Hydaelyn was, wasn’t it? A God would not feel like Man - however they interacted with the world. Minfilia couldn’t help it, though - she moved closer to the crystal, to the soft blue aura. It called to her. 

For the sake of all, I beseech thee: deliver us from this fate!

The power to banish the Darkness dwelleth in the Crystals of Light. Journey forth and lay claim to them.

By thy deeds shall the Crystals reveal themselves to thee.

That made Minfilia pause, as the voice did not waver. The Crystal she picked up… a Crystal of Light? Had it been carved by saving the woman within Ifrit?

…had this happened before, with Primal? Had they dropped these before when they fell? Something to investigate. That could be something she could do… if the Scions accepted the idea.

Only believe, for the Light liveth in thy heart.

Go now, my child, and shine thy Light on all creation.

Minfilia could not get close enough, as she felt the vision fading. No—! She had to get closer, even as she noticed others Warriors being sent away, and being pulled. She had to get closer to Hydaelyn—

Minfilia woke up on the ground, the tiny Ifrit standing on her stomach, growling at Thancred - who’d drawn his weapon, standing dangerously. As her eyes snapped open, she could feel the tiny claws digging into her exposed stomach.

“—didn’t hurt her!” Fordola protested, tail standing right up.

Thancred was about to speak, before his eyes darted to Minfilia. “Minfilia— are you okay? I heard you fall, and—”

“‘twas a vision, Thancred,” Minfilia replied softly, as she sat up. Oww… she must have fallen a bit roughly. “But it seems we have succeeded.”

A little nod. “The aether levels have gone back to how they were before there was a summoning,” Thancred admitted. “From all outside appearances, Ifrit is… gone.

But we have instead sealed it… like Dalamud sealed the Dreadwyrm.”

Fordola tsks. “So I’m some sort of living seal for this Eikon, then. Joy. Long as it keeps me alive, though.” Slowly, she laid in Minfilias’ lap - curling up. “But I made an agreement. ‘m alive, so ‘m your captive now.”

Captive… well, that was one way to put it. Minfilia put one hand to the tiny Primal - her other hand still gripping the Crystal of Light. “This appeared after we sealed Ifrit. I think… I think we need to do it to other Primal, Thancred.”

Thancred didn’t say anything. But his expression said everything - his flat expression which gave her pause. And yet, Minfilia slowly grabbed her knapsack - huh, had her fingernails been this long before? They seemed to trace across the canvas a bit more then she expected. Would Fordola try and eat the Crystal of Light? Hopefully not, as she put it in - before looking to Fordola. “Before we explain ourselves, you’d better stick in here.”

Fordola did not struggle, slipping in and curling up again - grumbling all the while. “And Thancred - I think you’d like to know why I’m certain. Yet, that will need to wait for Yda and… Bolormaa? For them to be around as well.”

Thancred offered his hand to help Minfilia up, but gave a sigh. “I think Bolormaa’ll be disappointed we didn’t fight Ifrit,” he admitted. “She loves to fight.”

“Oh?” Minfilia asked, falling in line behind Thancred. Leaving the altered shrine behind.

“Bolormaa is a Xaela, as you might have guessed - she’s actually an Archon, believe it or not. After Louisoix… passed, she was one of those who came to Eorzea.

But she still follows her own traditions. And one of those is to not only not fear death, but to seek the strongest foes they can. With her Echo, she would be able to fight a Primal without the fear of enthrallment…”

Oh. Minfilia listened, interested. “And now she’s a Scion of the Seventh Dawn. That is the name of your organization, correct?”

“Yes - though a lot of us just call ourselves Scions.”

Ah… the Scions. They likely called themselves that because they were descended from the Archon. They were no longer rulers, but instead heirs to Louisoixs’ legacy. And now they grew… well, she assumed they grew. Oh, how little Minfilia knew.

“I hope you can accept my desire to join the Scions, then.”

It was the first time Minfilia said she wished to join - and Thancred lowered his head a little. Of course this confusing woman wanted to. And she’d proven herself, so…

“We’ll need to ask our leader, you understand. But I’m certain you’ll be accepted.”

It felt so relaxing to return to the wagon, and Minfilia felt tiredness overtake her. Yda was back already, as was Bolormaa. Thancred gave a lazy wave of his hand, and right away, Yda perked up. “Soo… got th’Primal located?”

“Sort of,” Minfilia said. “Thancred… could you explain? I don’t think they’ll believe it, coming from my lips.”

Thancred nodded. “Using magic from Urianger, we have… ended the Primal threat without a fight,” he said - looking between everybody. “However, this method may not work for every Primal. It only worked so well because we found this one…

…had the mind of a Garlean soldier.” Thancred paused, giving a deep sigh. When Yda didn’t speak up - he was almost surprised - he continued. “Due to that, we were able to reason with the Primal and try this magic.”

“What sort of magic?” Bolormaa asked, looking a little frustrated. “Did you fight without me?”

Thancred shrugged. “No, no. You don’t really know him, but Urianger is always inventing new spells. And this one… sealed the Primal away. Not like Dalamud, either. More like… well, I’m not an expert. But it’s like the Primal is still around, just not draining aether.”

As Thancred struggled to explain, Yda put on her portable Aetherometer, to scan around the area. Scan around them. And it was true - the levels were normal, even if there seemed to be a pocket of fire aether burning brightly in Minfilias’ sachel. Slipping it down off her face, Yda nodded, as if she understood. “I don’t get it!”

Thancred sighed. “We’ll get Papalymo to explain it later - hopefully, Urianger explained it to him.” Still, he looked to the grumpy Au Ra who was beginning to pace. “And, Bolormaa? Maybe you can still fight Ifrit.”

Bolormaa perked up, tail beginning to swish again. Thancred then looked to Minfilia, softly. “We’ve… kept Ifrit. Not only because we have no clue about how this spell works, but because we can’t just let a Garlean free.”

Minfilia nodded, before she spoke up. “Her name is Fordola pyr Lupis. She was sent here to hunt down somebody in paticular - though I did not get a name at the time. We can ask later. It seems that one of the Paragon turned her into a Primal.

Has this happened before, in the years after the Calamity?”

Everybody paused, thinking. But when there was no answer, Minfilia sighed - putting a hand into her sack, petting Fordola - who was quietly watching and listening. “We shall need to keep an eye out, then, for this happening. It’s quite different then the former summonings - and, yet… I cannot figure out why.”

“You know…” Bolormaa began, looking to Yda, “we fought a Paragon.”

Yda nodded, wringing her hands a little. “Yeah - they took a corpse? So they probably weren’t a super strong one. Don’t worry, they’re gone now.”

Minfilia nodded a little, but her focus had gone to Fordola, who was beginning to rub against her hand. How… cute. So, it was Paragon involvement. Sighing a little, she gave the others a quiet look. “In any case… I also found a Crystal afterwards, and had a vision.

Of Hydaelyn.”

The group went quiet - and then Bolormaa got out a similar crystal, from one of her pockets. “Like this one? I— had the same sort of vision. It’s why I’m sticking with the Scions.”

A nod.

“Did you also see Her?”

This time, Bolormaa had to pause before nodding. “It’s strange. Seeing Her - it means that She’s real. Which I still need to figure out - if She is real, what does that mean for the Dawn Mother and Dusk Father?”

Bolormaas’ belief… Minfilia couldn’t understand how that felt, to have it challenged. Still, she found herself leaning against Thancred a little. “Then we’ll both find what these Crystals are used for, right? As allies.”

Soon, they would set out to return home.

But even as the Scions got ready to set out, the arena where Ifrit had been changed into a small being was being investigated. Nero tol Scaeva slinked in, Livia standing at the entrance. His gaze was focused, beginning to take readings from the area. It was really too bad that the summon had changed - though, on the other hand, it wasn’t a pity that he didn’t need to report that some girl had become Ifrit. (Though he assumed Livia would report such.) He rolled his eyes, taking off his helmet. “Nothing. This ground has no aether in it - worse then the Burn.”

Behind him, Livia barely reacted. “Or your device is broken. I would say the latter was more likely.” Her glare was harsher then any Nero could imagine, but he seemed oddly relaxed.

“Ever the pessimist, Livia. Come, now - I’ll be taking a sample of this rock back. If we can use it, then Lord Gaius will be pleased—”

“—you do not get to please Lord Gaius.” Livia interrupted, as Nero felt her firey breath against his back. “You’ve wasted my time. You’ve wasted his time. If you continue to fail what my lord commands… you will know why they called me the Witch of Dalmasca.”

Even with that, Nero didn’t feel worried. No, he knew she was all bark, no bite. After all, she wasted more time then him. He gave a soft sound, before sighing. “Fine, fine. One bit, and we’ll be going. After all, we’ve got work to do elsewhere. Rumours of those Elementals getting riled up, and all of that? I doubt we’re going to see a repeat of Baelsars’ Wall, but…”

Livia didn’t like it when Nero rambled. (Nero liked it when Nero rambled, but everybody already knew that.) “Yes. We’ll be travelling to collect the next readings - or Lord Gaius will not be pleased.”