Every day, for most of it, Belias was waiting for a familiar flap, looking up to the skies. Even though now he had to do his other duties - making sure the Gigas did not strike, speaking with some of the men, and also making sure that Penono was not stuck in one of her Echo-based seizures. Why would she have such, he wondered - unless her very soul was burned by what he could not prevent.

Thankfully, this day, he heard the flapping of Chlodebaimt.

And then the crashing of Chlodebaimt, into one of the rocky walls.

No scream, though. That was a good thing. He wasn’t too hurt— but had he truly managed to transport Ramuh? Belias held Minfilia in one arm as he ran though the corridors, growling under his breath. There were a few places he could have crashed.

It seemed he was correct the first time, though. The selfsame window to the outside world he’d carved over Silvertear Lake. Fordola was prodding at the former Ishgardian, and another was there, snuggled up in thick black robes. First of all, Belias placed Minfilia down. He placed his head to Chlodebaimt, gently checking him over.

“—your leg,” Belias said - not bringing up the rest he could see. Chlodebaimt had fully crossed over, from Elezen to dragon. His skin had been lost, replaced by the fuzzy brown fur that protected him from the elements - spotted like some form of coeurl. His wings were large, his horns threatening, but Belias knew the truth. This man was soft-hearted. As a dragon should be, he believed, even though he had watched the Dragonsong War for a time.

His leg, however, had bruises and bloodied fur. Belias began to pick though it, Chlodebaimt giving a weak little whine. “Don’t…”

“Explain,” Belias demanded. Chlodebaimt curled up a little.

But his eyes held a bitterness that any of them could recognize. “I— it was faster to fly over the snow. But I was seen.” Chlodebaimt lifted his head, looking out outside. “I didn’t see them in time. I— nearly fell from the sky.”

“Here’s the weird thing,” Fordola added, having moved to sit next to Minfilias’ form. “It wasn’t Ishgardians.” Fordola had always been observant. “It was Ixal. Those bird men? Dunno why they’d be attacking dragons. Dragons could gobble them up - like - straight away!”

Chlodebaimt gave her a dirty look, before Belias lifted him. “You shall be going to be tended to. Then, I shall have a full report.” Before the Ishgardian could protest, Belias had begun to carry him off. He looked to the group, however. “Fordola. Make sure Ramuh is comfortable. I shall return with Lightning.”

He was gone, and Ramuh uncurled from their robes - looking up at Minfilia. “She’s really frozen, huh? This is a bugger of a thing.” The sylph-looking being touched her foot, tapping it a few times.

Fordola let out a sigh of relief. “Isn’t it? Things are getting weirder, too.”

Ramuh sighed, looking at her. “I know. The War of the Primals is going to get worse before it gets better, I think. And I still need to reply to Uriangers’ latest letter.”

Stretching, Fordola gave Ramuh a look. “That reminds me - how’s Kurin goin’?”

“Oh, he’s going,” Ramuh replied. “Do you think he’s really from another star? I mean, I’ve heard of such—”

Fordola looked up to Minfilia, trying to keep her in the conversation, even if she couldn’t reply. “We’ve been dealin’ with people like that for a while. So probably? It’s hella weird, though.”

“I wouldn’t put it like that.”

The group turned, at Lightnings’ voice. She stood there, Belias blocking her in. “This world is born on visitors.” Ramuh stared upwards at Lightning, their red mask gleaming. Lightning looked down, a slight pity on her lips, before she shook her head. “You’re who they brought?”

Ramuh nodded, hovering slightly. “Just tell me what to do! Minfilia made me safer for my people. I need to repay it.”

Quietly, Lightning seemed to be in deep thought. “You… Primal are sustained by the prayers of your followers. Is that right?” Ramuh confirmed with a nod, and Lightning gave them a little look. Something was beginning to make sense to her, and her alone. “This is immoral. But it’s our only chance.”

Ramuh continued to look to her for guidance, and Lightning tried not to disassociate. “A Focus— it’s the mission that our Gods gave us. It’s as simple as that.” Ramuh looked up at Minfilia, and closed their eyes. Minfilia continued to watch, silently - before Ramuh floated up to her.

There was a quiet rumble beneath their robe, and a quiet sadness. Minfilia could feel it, as the Primal reached out. “I know you’re immune to being touched,” Ramuh whispered, “but I hope this works.”

It felt almost absurd, the tiny sylphic Ramuh putting a hand to her forehead. The hand moved down, until it got to her chest. Minfilias’ heart began to beat fast—

—and then her vision blurred.

Minfilia stood deep underwater - the sea curled around her, soothing her pained body. No, this wasn’t water - it was something else, something moving and thick and toxic. But it was calming. Minfilia could see something standing in front of her, something unfamiliar. All of this was, though. That is, until a hand touched her, breaking her out of her thoughts.

Hythlodaeus.

The same man she’d seen in her vision before placed his large hand around her tiny one. “You don’t often see the future, do you?” he asked, looking forward. “The future shouldn’t be seen. It’s changing all the time!”

Minfilia tried to talk, her throat filled with the soothing black liquid. Her voice faded, but Hythlodaeus gave a little sound, a little chuckle. “It’s fitting that one of us tried to show you. We always thought we were the best and brightest. Come, can you walk? I don’t know how long we’ll have.”

No. Her legs couldn’t move, the smothering liquid pooling around them both - sticky, like sap. Hythlodaeus paused, before suddenly lifting her up - as the liquid pooled, he walked her forward. Now she could see a figure - but it was not one she could decipher. It was an Ascian, sure. But their form seemed to crack and waver with the shuddering of the land. That, and they had Miqo’te-like ears. Were there any Ascians who were cat-like?

“My dear old friend - pray, do not live your life in fear of this Focus,” Hythlodaeus said, as the liquid continued to climb, as tendrils continued to curl around Minfilia. Hythlodaeus tried to lift her above it, as they walked towards the illusionary figure. “You’ve always figured out what to do, in the end.

…It’s a pity that another timeline had to falter. Isn’t it?” He said, as he looked upwards - sorrow filling his voice. That, he did not say to Minfilia. That, he said upwards to the sky - empty, no stars nor sun or moon shone down on them. There was only the deep, dark liquid. “You had such a good idea…”

Again, like before, the vision began to fade before Minfilia could get answers. But this gave her one. Somehow, Hythlodaeus - uncle of that other person she seemed to be - could appear in other visions. He seemed to be a friend, at least. Would that she could talk to him.

As Minfilia tried to think, though, she felt herself falling - even within the others’ arms. Hythlodaeus lifted his other arm, putting it over Minfilia in an awkward hug, as the vision broke apart.

When Minfilia regained conciousness, she was on the ground. Not because she’d been left to fall, but because Fordola was right on her chest. Pinning her down, examining her. And kissing her, of course, with that beak of a mouth. Quietly, Minfilia lifted a hand - and placed it over her girlfriend, giving a little chuckle. “I… I’m back, Fordola. My apologies for scaring you.” Fordola continued to bundle, however, checking over every little part of her face. With kisses.

Quietly, she looked up at everybody. Belias cried once again in that firey way - silently. He was not weeping openly, but he was so relieved - a hand of his moving to place under his mask. Lightning had the smallest curve of a smile on her face, and that other person - Snow - was speaking to her. They’d better think of something solid later, or she’ll just go back. But he was keeping himself a little quiet. Penono tottled over, to give a more medical look at Minfilia, even if her eyes had glazed over. Was she seeing a vision?

It was Ramuh that cause her attention, however, sitting and staring at their tiny little hands. Minfilia offered out a hand meekly. “Ramuh,” she said quietly. “Ramuh, is aught wrong?”

Ramuh turned back, looking to her. But there was no answer, until Minfilia spoke next. “Did you see the vision as well?”

Quietly, Ramuh nodded - and spoke in that ancient accent once again. “I think I was meant to be giving it to you. But the interloper…”

“You saw Hythlodaeus too, then.” Minfilia had thought that, perhaps, he was just visible to her. Lightning suddenly looked to them at the sound of his name. Snow didn’t.

“I did. Oh, dear old Hyth, always meddling in his own ways,” Ramuh said, nostalgia in their voice. “I mean, from the little I remember. But he ended up broken up like everybody else. You remember the story I told you, right?”

Minfilia nodded, letting Ramuh ramble. “Though, you know. It would so be him to keep hanging around even after getting all broken up. Or he could be from another timeline.”

That caught Minfilias’ attention, and she spoke up. “You know about other timelines?”

“You didn’t?” Ramuh asked. Before pausing. “Yup, I know of the four main timelines. Well, there’s a lot more, but there’s… like, four which come together. They’re all close and intersecting.

You know this, don’t you, Belias?” Ramuh then said, turning to face Belias. Belias paused, awkwardly. “Belias is a time mage, I’ve heard.”

“…aye,” Belias said quietly, a softness entering his voice for but a moment. “My ex-lover taught me such skills. But I do not use such skills. Manipulating time to correct mistakes in the past — it does not alter where we live. It creates other timelines.” Belias was growing shy, quiet, avoidant. As if he’d tried it before. But of course he did!

“The major timelines come from long ago. I believe… the Allagan Empire.” Belias began, moving as Minfilia tried to get to her feet. “They experimented with time travel. For what purpose, I do not know. I— Belias— recall such vaguely.”

Ramuh was chuckling a little. Lightning gave a concerned grunt, looking to Snow. “You… can protect them, right? I need to find Squall.”

Snow sighed, shrugging. “Nice to know you trust me enough, Light.”

“We don’t have a choice,” Lightning grunted back, giving a soft glare.

As the two talked, though, Ramuh came to sit by Belias as well. He’d sat, so Minfilia could rest in his fur. Oh, it was soft - Minfilia gripped to it, curling up in his warmth. “Anyway, not all timelines survive. But, well. I think the Primals summoned here are like. Souls from my world. Trying to reconnect with who they’re being made from?”

“You’re from another timeline, then.” Minfilia confirmed, and Ramuh sighed.

“Yeah. But, um. We’re all dead. We tried something that seemed to be a good idea at the time, but then it went super wrong. And now we’re just lost souls without bodies. I mean, I was Ramuh before, so I’m still nice and settled.”

A pause, as Ramuh caught their breath. As Minfilia offered a kind hand, and Ramuh took it - putting their sylphic face and their beard in her hand, in her claws. “I was… I think I was a mortal, once. But then the star wanted to awaken the Twelve to protect it. We thought it was Hydaelyn at first, but it was really the star itself. And I was given the new form of Rhalgr. My friends also became Them…”

“…the Twelve are real?” Fordola asked, half-bowing to Ramuh. Her heart still beat Ala Mhigan, and here was their God.

Ramuh put a hand out to try and get Fordola to stop bowing, and nodded. “At least, in our timeline, they were. And we tried to save the star in our own way. Um, but it didn’t work out.” Ramuh had mentioned that before. Before Fordola could speak up, Minfilia put her hand over her mouth. It would be better to let Ramuh tell them when Ramuh was comfortable. “But we were… happy. It was a nice Eorzea.

I miss it.”

“Is that why you were so willing to share letters with Urianger?” Minfilia asked, and Ramuh nodded. “If we can find a way to stop you from enthralling those around you, then… would you like to come and stay with us?”

A pause. Ramuh looked towards Gridiana, but then gave a soft smile. “If my Touched Ones can handle it, I’d love to. Though, where do you mean when you ask that?”

…Huh. Minfilia looked up at the quiet Belias, before pausing. “I suppose this is another home, isn’t it?” She tried to figure out his expression, but Belias did not show either approval or disapproval. That was the good thing about masks. “I… believe it would be easier for you to come here. I have not asked—

—oh dear.”

Minfilia suddenly realised that, during all of this, Papalymo was waiting for her! Well, all the Scions were. Alongside Lutia. She stood shakily, Fordola giving a little squeak - scrambling into her bag. “My apologies, everybody. I was meant to give my report on Titan a while ago! I— I am still part of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn, after all!”

Gently, Belias put a paw to her. “Go, then. We shall learn of what else must be done to aid you, and I shall send Chlodebaimt when he is recovered to teach you. Unless…?”

“Unless?”

Belias curled his hand up. “May I… have an invite to your Linkpearl network?” Chuckling, Minfilia leaned up - placing a hand to hers. She still wondered what the missed call was, but she wouldn’t be able to find it now. After she invited Belias, she looked to where Lightning and Snow had been - and Lightning was gone.

Still, she nodded. “Snow, was it? Pray, tell me if there’s any side-effects from your former condition.”

Snow crossed his arms, giving her a soft look. “Don’t act so… so damned good. You’re the one who got messed up. If you need more info on your condition, you can ask me. I’ll be sticking around here for now.” With a pause, Minfilia gave Snow a slight smile, another nod.

Before she rushed out, to go meet with her Chocobo. Gods, she had abandoned it so swiftly. It would be best if she spent the time riding Lutia - even if it’d take a little longer to return to the Waking Sands.

They could wait, right?