Minfilia Warde had never felt somewhere so… damp, yet homely. A lot of the structures underneath Nym had pieces of Nymian buildings mixed in, of course, whatever fell from the flood. But everything was still so… moist. Moss and vines covered much of the rocky walls.

But as she walked downwards - crawled, sometimes, behind the Kobold known as La Mi - the ground thankfully became firmer. Firm dirt had been turned into bricks, and small bombs had been turned into lights - were they safe, she wondered? They had to be. Kobold were smart, after all. Finally, Minfilia could stand - and Fordola let out a few coughs, dust kicked up into her bag. She was calm, though, as Minfilia gave her scratches with those damned long claws. They got under the scales nice.

The cavern had opened into a massive… opening, Kobold having dug out a settlement down here. A few houses - well, doors with heavy metal gates - lined the sides, but from all appearances, this place seemed to be dedicated to the ruins above. Many Nymian artifacts were laid out in the town square, Minfilia eying them. She had heard that some had gone missing from Camp Bronze Lake and near there - so this is where they’d gone. The Kobold didn’t just want to rip apart the floating isles, the ruins.

They wished to understand. Minfilias’ gaze turned to a small commottion, though - another entrance, some Kobold dragging another bloodied one in. But the bloodied one seemed… distant, eyes having turned a soft gold. La Mi looked to Minfilia, then to the others, and rushed over. “The sickness, illness, curse! Where did this happen?”

Another Kobold chirped, angry. “The Hovel. We were resting, napping, recooperating - and then the illness came—

La Mi! You are injured! Are you safe?”

La Mi chirped. “An Overdweller mended me. Aided me, saved me. And the Overdweller wants to meet with us all. But we must take Qa Mi to the Overdweller Healer.”

Minfilia wandered over, her hands beginning to spark with her magic, but La Mi clicked at her. No. “…Pardon me. An Overdweller healer?” Minfilia whispered, as Qa Mi was loaded onto a mock stretcher - it was modified, so that it had wheels to push it around. They were heading to an isolated tunnel.

La Mi looked up at her. Paused. “The Overdweller Healer came a little ago. Wanted to find a cure. Manages to save them from the sickness - and likes us. Might be a scary, frightening, tough Overdweller - but is one of us.” La Mi almost sung her praises, as La Mi then paused. Quiet. “Need to wear a mask. The sickness is dangerous.” As La Mi spoke, she slipped on one of the heavy metal masks, with glass over any openings. Minfilia paused, shaking her head - before slipping out the light armour mask she had not put on earlier. It covered her mouth and nose, at least? That should be enough.

Together with the Kobold, she entered the room. She had been invited, after all. But she did not expect to see who she did, looming over the currently-empty bed, glaring up with eyes too blue and feathers seeming to cover her shoulders now. Not speaking as the Kobold delivered Qu Mi, and snarling as they didn’t leave her alone straight away.

Alisaie.

Alisaie was working with these Kobold? Something was wrong, though, as she seemingly was sniffing the sick Kobold. Before, with fingers that almost looked like claws, she ripped above their flesh - drawing out a sickly green blob of… something. And devoured it, violently, before seeming to come to her senses. Looking down at the sick Kobold, Alisaies feathers turned back to hair, her fingers grew shorter, her gaze calmed. 

With a soft sigh, Alisaie slumped down. She was covering herself as she mumbled. “They’re cured. No closer to finding a cure?” she asked, not even noticing Minfilia. The few Kobold spoke to Kobold, but there was no good news. Alisaie snarled to herself, and the Kobold backed away. “This one’s fixed. You can take them to the main ward.”

The other Kobold left, but Minfilia didn’t - quietly waiting until it was just the three of them. Fordola popped her head out, tail swishing - before suddenly, Alisaie looked in the direction of the tiny Ifrit. “—You.”

Alisaie then noticed Minfilia, and her whole demeanor seemed to change. Sitting up, she patted the spot next to her - her eyes seeming to smile the smallest bit. “Minfilia— it’s been a while.”

“It has!” Minfilia said, trying not to sound too enthusiastic. Still, she sat next to Alisaie. “I thought you’d be staying with Alphinaud…?”

“Pah,” Alisaie snorted. “He has his ideals, and I have mine. But… I have people to save. And to do that, I need to help these Kobold. I came here soon after we last met, Minfilia.”

“Because they’re high up on the rungs of leadership?” Minfilia asked, bowing her head a little, placing a hand to her chest. “Did you hear anything about Titan—?”

At the mention of Titan, Alisaies’ expression grew dark. Her eyes almost seemed to have black sclera, under the dim lighting. “I did. Those of this Dig opposed it. Not to spare those damned pirates, but because they wanted aid with this illness.

But now Titan is summoned. And now other Kobold’ll learn, and Titan will become their ace in the hole. It’s fucked up, isn’t it?”

Alisaie tried not to spit. Minfilia sighed. “I will be sealing Titan away - but that’s not why I’m here,” Minfilia admitted. “I wish not to inform them of my ability, however. I am worried it would sour negotiations to know I can stop their superweapon.”

“How so?” Alisaie, honestly, wasn’t that into negotiations. But she was a little curious.

“To many of the Kobold, Titan may be seen as their only defense against Limsa Lominsa expanding. However, to us, it’s a larger threat. If they know that Titan is useless, they may try and seek a stronger force - and try and summon an even elder Primal. Perhaps Hashmal, for example? And I doubt that even I could negotiate with such a being.”

Alisaie listened, her eyes closing. “You’re so damned idealistic, Minfilia. I suppose that’s why… well.” Minfilia tilted her head, and Alisaie gave a small smile - showing her shark-like teeth. “That’s why you’d begin somethin’ that became the Scions. And why Louisoix loved you.”

“You know that?!” Minfilia then asked, her voice raising - her whole body shuddering for a moment. “You remember—?!”

Alisaie looked down at herself. Eyes seeming to flicker open and closed, thoughts bubbling up in her mind. Hundreds of them in a moment - before sighing a little. “Minfilia… I— can you keep a secret? You and your little minion.”

Fordola nodded. Minfilia nodded. And Alisaie closed her eyes. “It’d come up eventually.

I lied.”

“About what…?” Minfilia asked, feeling her heart twisting up.

“I wasn’t forgotten like you were. I— I’m not meant to exist.” Alisaie said, before shifting slightly, to look right at Minfilia. “I’m from another world.”

“Like Lightning?” Minfilia asked, her voice breaking. Why would Alisaie lie like she had? (She would have accepted her either way.) Alisaie shook her head, pain slipping into her voice.

“Sort of - I’m guessing. I don’t know who Lightning is.” Alisaie, honestly, had not heard the stories. She was… more concerned with her own goals. “But not exactly. I… come from another Eorzea. There, Alphinaud is my twin brother. But something bad happened, and I’m one of those who set out to save everybody.

But—” she said, trying to catch her breath, trying to slow the tears she now felt, “I arrived in the past of Eorzea. I’m from a few years in the future.”

“What happened…?” Minfilia was still a bit doubtful, to be sure. But before Alisaie could answer, Fordola finally spoke up.

“This is not th’place. Plus, you might just be fuckin’ with us. But do we really want those dirty moles t’overhear?”

Alisaie flicked Fordola - but not with her fingers. No, what seemed to have been her ponytail flicked the sealed Primal, moving like a whip. Her eyes narrowed. “You’re just like any Garlean, girl.

But— you’re right. I’ll be heading out to the ruins later. I’ll tell you everything then.”

Minfilia shuddered a little, before nodding. Of course she was roped into going to the ruins as well - why wouldn’t she be? She was the Warrior of Light. Quietly, she bit her lip, as Alisaie stood. “I’m going to La Mi - to learn what she’s learned during her time above-ground. Come with me.”

Fordola hid in her bag again - as Alisaie left, Minfilia looked into it. “She hates me,” Fordola stated. “I could feel it. Couldn’t you?”

“You did doubt her,” Minfilia stated. “I think it’s better to not doubt until somebody gives reason for such - or if it’s a political thing. And Alisaie hadn’t given us reason to doubt… but…”

“If she’s lied before, she might still be lyin’?” Fordola ended Minfilias’ sentense, before popping back into the bag.

La Mi had come to give Minfilia a tour - grinning a little, bandages still a little tight. The Kobold gave her a smile, tail swishing, holding out a claw. “An Overdweller custom, yes? Holding paws?”

Minfilia walked past the many sights, taking them in. What she thought were homes were more like shared areas - one full of rocks as tribute, another full of rocks for processing, and… hm. Minfilia stopped in front of one - full of plants she recalled seeing before the Calamity. A sort of short bush, with a quite potent sort of deep purple carrot connected. Carrot were common in Thanalan - and even in Gyr Abania, but she hadn’t seen this strain grow anywhere but the now-vanished beaches of La Noscea. She had also heard they were common before crystal covered the land near Silvertear. Her expression softened. “Pardon me, La Mi - what is the purpose of this room?”

La Mi looked over, and then gave a look to the room. And chirped. “Yes, yes! These plants bring the tastiest, divine, flavorsome grubs and worms… so we grow them here. ” Even as La Mi spoke, her body shuddered in pleasure, her teeth seemed to shine. “Want some?”

While Minfilia shook her head, she looked to the carrots in deep thought. “You have quite the supply, here. Do you think it’s possible to grow more? A lot of land has been stolen from you for farm lands, after all… and if the kobold could instead sell carrots to people…”

“Sell?” La Mi asked, before pausing. “Yes, I know what selling is. But Overdwellers see us as monsters. Blind, eyeless, unseeing! But— what could they give? In exchange?”

Alisaie seemed to come out of nowhere as the two spoke, quite suddenly looming. “Land. Not just land, though.” While Alisaie was thinking, Minfilia could see how the ponytail-like whip on her head now twitched - she hadn’t noticed it before. “While La Noscea seems to be one of the more prosperous city-states, even they suffer from starvation - what, with more and more people movin’ into the town. And unlike other city-states, trade is harder. Food is more important then you’d expect.

Still—” Alisaie said, pacing, before Minfilia took over talking - her own mind racing with ideas.

“That won’t stop them from needing more land to allow people to live. However, I have recently heard of a residental district for adventurers. Is that true, Alisaie?” Minfilia asked - Alisaie confirming it. “I feel that a compromise could be made with that. Perhaps allow those who require it rooming in some of the homes. I know such would be shot down in Ul’dah, but this is an emergency situation.” The emergency of Titan, of course. Minfilias’ thoughts drifted slightly, and she got a small smile. “Or perhaps some districts can be reserved for adventurers, and others for residents? With such, they’ll have all the room they’ll need.”

Even now, Minfilia had doubts. It’d be a fine balancing act. La Mi, however, smiled a little - before pausing. “Cannot negotiate now. No. Not while studying the illness. But… afterwards, we can take it to a higher dig. One who didn’t touch Titan. Those who did… have grown sicker. A scary sickness.”

Enthralling. Minfilias’ expression grew dark. “Those who have grown ill from Titan - I don’t know if there’s a cure. If there is, not even us Overdweller know it. I… am sorry, but the only way to aid them is—”

“—shut up,” Alisaie suddenly snarled. “There has to be a cure. And even if there isn’t… I won’t let you do what the Scions do to them.”

“Their very presense— I know it’s painful, Alisaie, but they help sustain the Primal.”

Alisaies’ hairwhip twitched. “And your method means that they can’t summon ‘em again.”

La Mi squinted at them, before pawing at Minfilia. “Is… is this true? You can stop a summoning?”

Argh. Minfilia didn’t want that known. Her voice dropped, and she smiled a tiny bit. “…In a way. Pray, I cannot give the details. It is a dangerous task, and—” Minfilia was suddenly on the ground, being gripped by the scholarly Kobold, who was eying her and looking all over her.

And… smiling? La Mi was smiling? “It’ll stop that sickness! Yes, yes, then we can find a safer method! Lord Titan won’t need to feed on us! A promise, a proposal, a miracle!” Unlike Alisaie, it seemed that La Mi… accepted it? Perhaps because the method hadn’t been taught. The Kobold paused, before their tail began to swish again. “A meeting! Yes! We will organize a meeting! It will take time!”

“—Me and Minfilia will go to the Wanderers’ Palace, while you’re organizing that,” Alisaie stated without asking Minfilia. “To find if we can cure the Tonberry illness. Or at least find more information.” Hastily, Alisaie pulled Minfilia up - La Mi falling backwards.

It seemed that they’d be talking while exploring ruins… Minfilia sighed to herself a little, but didn’t say anything more. That was their duty now.