It had been quite the adventure. Hours passed, and Cid waited as his body recovered. As the sun set, Cordis gave him a little forehead kiss, before standing up. “I have to go.”

Cid felt the clicking, and knew he couldn’t protest. Alexander was telling him what was right. Another moment where he cursed the being who consumed his very being. Cordis was being shady, as his smile shifted. From gentle love to a polite confusion. Before he simply walked away, no more words shared.

Cid didn’t have long to linger, long to ponder the situation. His linkpearl suddenly lit up - and as he answered, Bolormaa was oddly subdued for somebody who was in her element. “Cid, we— we found something. Well, someone. I think you need to come see this.

Don’t worry! It’s safe!” Of course, Cid couldn’t find words - but gave a grunt in reply. Standing, he looked to where Cordis had gone. No, no sign of the Viera. Brushing one hand though his hair, Cid walked over to Biggs and Wedge.

And soon, they were off. As the moonlight hit the path, it felt different. The air stiff, the relics beginning to glow deeply. It was beautiful, in a way. Well, it would be, if Cid did not hear the clicking at every moment. Alexander was curious, too curious. Though the clicking, Cid could see movements of people he’d never seen before. A young woman and a man with strange devices, shielding themselves from the lasers without disabling them. A foppish man in clothes far too fancy leading them, seeming unafraid. This was recent, Alexander whispered. And yet, Cid could not give more answers.

As they went into the labyrinth, Alexander went quiet, and Cid could think for himself again. The path laid out by the two adventurers was comfortable, safe. But there were scars in the very building. Rubble lined the path, impacts and craters having to be avoided. Again, Cid heard the whispers of his Primal. These were even more recent. So there were multiple things coming and going?

Descending, that was when the Ironworks arrived at the stairs outside of the labyrinth. Bolormaa came rushing up, wiggling as always. “You’re here— all of you! Sorry we couldn’t show you the whole place - you would have loved it! There was a system of electrical circuits which were meant to keep a Behemoth controlled but they didn’t quite work and instead it attacked us! And - and they had Voidsent binded to the tower! G’raha thinks they were summoned by now-gone Evokers, but I insisted there must be runes carved into the floor!

So we began to look over them, and—”

“Bolormaa,” Cid began, trying to hide his frustration - a bit of sourness from Alexander still whispering to him. A sickness building in his chest. He’d listen later, sure, but he’d come here for… “What did I need to see? Is this place safe yet?”

“Oh.”

Bolormaa lowered her gaze a little, before bouncing up again. Her mood couldn’t be ruined. “Yes, it’s safe. We killed everything. Except— we found somebody here already.”

Somebody, Cid repeated in his head, quietly. Stepping forward, the night sky and the Crystal Tower now visible. There were stairs up there, the exit to this place. But his gaze lowered, to where G’raha and the one already here was.

Oh, godsdamnit. That silhouette was far too recognizable. Even if he’d removed his helmet and his shoulder pads, Cid would always know Nero Scaeva from his body language. Running up, Cid felt a sinking feeling in his chest. Why would Nero still be wearing his imperial armour? A coat was draped over them, barely hiding them - unless…

No, Cid couldn’t continue that train of thought - as if Alexander was hiding it. Instead, he stopped to one side of Nero - G’raha on the other, Bolormaa and the others following. Nero was staring up at the tower, eyes glazed over. Nothing seemingly behind them, as his lips moved.

No words came out. Cid looked to the Miqo’te on the other side. “Can you hear anything?”

G’raha shook his head. “We found him here like this. Thought the Ironworks would have an idea,” the red-haired Miqo’te admitted, dragging a hand though his hair in frustration. “He’s Garlean, isn’t he?”

Cid looked back at Nero. Nero didn’t react. Was that kinder than how he’d reacted last time? Cid still wished, deep in his heart, that Cid did not see him like such - a thrall, a failure. (He was glad Nero was alive. But… ) Before Cid could linger too much, however, a voice knocked him out of his thoughts.

Wedge was looking down at a small device they’d brought in. “There’s a lot of interference - Chief, what should we do?”

It took a moment for Cid to reply - Alexander whispering again - before he gave a smirk. “Remember the disrupter we built in? It should be fine.

G’raha, was it?” G’raha felt his ears prick up. “Get back, we haven’t tested how this sounds to Miqo’te.”

Before anybody could scramble away, Wedge pressed a button on the machine - and there was a loud burst of static. It was not simply G’raha who flinched and covered his ears - everybody fell to the ground, covering their ears, magic flickered though the ground. Runes and glyphs lit up for a moment, almost seeming to turn into chains focused on Nero.

The static faded, and Nero fell to his knees. Still not moving. His breath was still as always, his eyes now dulled. The group looked around at each other.

Biggs spoke up, finally breaking the awkward silence. “We’ll get him out of here, then?”

Nodding, Cid looked to Nero quietly. “We all have questions.

…Make sure he can’t run.”

Now, Cid knew a few things about Nero. And one of the things he remembered? He’d actually never seen the man asleep. Back in the academy, he assumed that Nero simply woke early and went to bed late. But now, he looked over the man they’d laid in the moonlight. Wedge and Biggs were discussing how to strip him of his armour, in case it was armed. Meanwhile, Bolormaa and G’raha were busy gushing about their adventure to each other.

Yet, Nero did not feel like he was out cold, or asleep. His eyes were shut, true. And yet, he felt like he was still taking in information, never sleeping. Hands twitching, third eye gleaming ever-so-slightly wrong.

Cid couldn’t speak on that, of course. Unconsciously, one hand went to his own third eye, before pulling his goggles up to hide it again.

A moment passed, and within that moment, Nero came to. Staring up at his enemy. His rival, Cid. “…fretting over me, Garlond?” Nero hissed out, suddenly feeling the after effects of whatever they used to disable him. Sickness - damned sickness - pushed at the forefront of his head. As if he’d just been on the edge of discovery, and now it was robbed from him! His fingers tensed, as he stared upwards. “Save it. I don’t need some thrall—”

“—What were you doing there?”

Quite suddenly, Nero saw another enter his vision. He swore he had seen them before - the red-headed Miqo’te. Yes… he’d seen him while he was…

…what was he doing? Nero couldn’t admit he didn’t know. Something had called him, and he’d followed. His eyes closed quietly. “You wouldn’t understand, catboy.”

His tail twitching, G’raha leaned closer. “Then— how?” As Nero opened his eyes, he felt something odd. Something else he couldn’t explain. But looking into the others’ face, he almost felt like he needed to tell all.

Not that he would. “Obviously, I walked in.”

“You… walked in.” G’rahas’ disbelief was clear.

Nero chuckled. “Obviously. I don’t think you and yours would understand taking the simple path,” Nero added, before gesturing towards Cid. “Especially not with him.”

Cid grumped, as Nero pointed to him. “It’s not that we had to make it complex, it’s that you’re saying something impossible. If you’d just walked in, you’d be dead.”

“And yet, I’m not,” Nero replied. Anger tickling at his throat. “Or is that what your Eikon tells you?” Nero made sure to raise his voice. Loud enough for everybody to hear. “You little thrall.”

Before Cid could prickle and reply, he felt a dark shadow over him. “Chief. What’s he on about?” Biggs asked, voice a little shaky. “He’s just trying to un-nerve us, right?”

Cid sighed, as he wiped sweat from his brow. How long had he been sweating? “…didn’t want you to find out this way,” he admitted, “and don’t worry. I’m not going to hurt you or anybody.

But— Nero!”

His head whipped around, as Nero attempted to flee. Before he could stop him, Bolormaa was suddenly there - standing in front of the armoured Garlean. “Stay. I have questions, too.” Nero gulped, as he was towered over. Carefully, he backed away. Bolormaa then tilted her head - and got out some sturdy rope. “I did not want to have to do this. Is it okay?” G’raha nodded - it should be okay. But Cid was now distracted. Not only Biggs, but Wedge and even Jessie were with him as they sat in a circle.

“I didn’t quite survive the Calamity,” Cid explained quietly. “A Primal needed a subject they could see the star though, and, well, I was there.

Still don’t know why they chose me, but that’s why I’ve been hesitating sometimes.” Another deep sigh inwards, as Cid looked down to his hands. Wedge shakily put a hand to one of them. “I’ll understand if you don’t trust me anymore. But the Primal - Alexander - isn’t bad. They don’t want to ruin the star - no, they want to see it improve.” Every word out of his word - was it true? Was Cid saying what he thought, or was Alexander controlling his words?

Cid couldn’t say. Nor could he say if the others would think of them as his words. Still downcast, Cid continued. “Alexander - I don’t even know where they are, or if they’re eating aether. But nobody’s reported any Primal like them.” Nor would they. Cid could feel it, in his head - that calming presense, that desire not to consume. They had laid building bricks when they could, and now simply watched. (Not that Cid knew what they’d done.)

There was silence from the Ironworks, uncomfortable silence. Biggs whispered to himself, none of them hearing it. Until Jessie spoke up. She’d been waiting for them to finish up for the night, and they never had. “Do you still see yourself as Cid?”

Cid nodded.

Jessie leaned forward a little. “And you’re not a threat to us.”

Cid nodded again.

Jessie then gave a little smile. “Then there’s no problem. We’ve all got issues - some Garleans have an unhealthy attachment to their Emperor. You’ve got an attachment to some sort of God. So unless that God of yours is going to compromise the Ironworks more then you would, we’re good.”

“A-and - if you’re still Cid in there, then it doesn’t matter!” Wedge added, his hand still gripping to Cids’. Tears falling more then any of them expected.

Biggs wiped his own tears away. “We lost you once, Chief. We’re not going to lose you again.”

As Cid began to get sappy with them, Nero could only watch - his legs now tied together, as Bolormaa worked on his arms. G’raha watched as well, tail very slowly swishing behind him. “What did you see in the Tower?” G’raha then asked, half-looking at Nero. Nero was quiet. “I always wanted to see it, as well - ever since it re-appeared. It’s a beautiful thing… I never thought it’d be real.”

Nero tsked, barely looking at the Miqo’te. His eyes almost seemed to flicker.

“It’s an Allagan relic. What else would I see? Other then something I want to investigate.” A beat. “But I guess I’m not doing that alone anymore, now am I?”

G’raha couldn’t help but smile a little, chuckle to himself. “It seems you’ve been roped into NOAH. Not that I mind - even if you get on Cids’ nerves - I guess - we can always use more help. Especially if they can get past death lasers without turning them off.”

“Actually,” Nero said, “they’d been deactivated before I got there.

I think somebody else has gone though before,” Nero mused. “And broke them on their way out. But they can’t have re-entered - otherwise, all the traps would have been destroyed.” In the back of his mind, Nero could feel knowledge throbbing. There had to be a better reason they couldn’t have re-entered, but it was just out of reach. “Who knows - there might be escaped Allagans wandering! Perhaps I should go look for—”

“I am not letting you free,” Bolormaa said firmly. “Not until we decide what to do with you. Have you forgotten what you did?”

Nero stared quietly, blinking a few times. “Oh… oh, right! Ultima Weapon! I’d nearly forgotten. Oh, don’t worry. ” Relaxing into the restraints, Nero gave a smirk. “I’m not with the Empire anymore. Let’s let bygones be bygones? Besides, the catboy’s right.

We both have the same objective. Why don’t we work together, hm?”