It wasn’t that Urianger did not expect guests in the Waking Sands. It was simply that he already had a guest, even before Minfilia and her crew came to visit. More then one, but only one of them was examining his body, giving him little kisses as he remained still. Touched him, both above and under his robes. Stroked his slightly furred ears, a frown on his face, ice almost spreading though those same ears. “Your tail…”

Urianger shook his head quietly. “It is as I said before, Thancred. It shall not grow back - simply remain as a sign of the drapraved multilations Man is able to give.” Urianger was, after all, more fae then man. His words betrayed the soft gaze he gave from behind his goggles, relaxing into the touch of one of his beloved. His dear knight, and his dear king, in one. “I’ve not found a solution for your touch yet,” Urianger then mumbled. It may be comfortable to him, but it made him feel…

“You mean that fucked up touch that makes him feel like a corpse?”

The two lovers looked over, to where the voice came from. Fordola, leaning against one of the walls. “Yeah, you’d better fix that if you wanna not freak people out.” She was one to talk, mind you - as she shifted, the ground sizzled slightly in her grumpiness. She had only arrived recently.

Thancred managed to snort. “Not as much as your heat. If Minfilia wasn’t fireproof, you’d burn her pretty quickly.” It was said with a little affection - sure, Thancred was uncertain about Fordola, but at the same time… well. The heart wanted what the heart wanted. It’s what he told himself, and what seemed to make everybody happy. Still. “And besides. Corpses aren’t this cold for long.”

“Aye,” Urianger said, a little smirk crossing his own lips. “The consumption maketh sure of that. And wards placed to prevent Voidsent.” Satisfied he’d quietened Fordola, Urianger went back to inspecting his beloved. Fingers stroking his body. “Hm. Perhaps if we could meet with the Lord of the Gigas and—”

“—no.”

It was a firm no, something Thancred rarely gave. “I’m not allowing anybody any control over my body. No pledges, no— nothing.” Not after Lahabrea…

As if on cue, the door opened a little. Zale - Lahabrea - had arrived, carrying supplies. “Has Moenbryda returned yet?” he asked, voice full of as much concern as he could muster. “She was still weak, and…”

Thancred noticed right away a shadow hiding behind Zale. Eyes focused, until he could tell… Alphinaud? Alphinaud had followed. “Finally. You’ve been harder to find then me on a good day, you know that?” Thancred said relieved. “No, Moenbryda isn’t back yet. Did you get the book?”

Zale nodded, before looking down a little at Alphinaud. “I found the boy in Ul’dah looking for similar things.” A pause, a deep sigh. “He knows.” As Zale ushered in the shaking youth, Thancred and Urianger quickly untangled, and Fordola raised an eyebrow.

Alphinaud was quiet, so quiet, but he stepped inside. He looked as if he’d not slept ever since Sharlayan fell. His gaze was haunted, his dark skin paled. Fordola, however, could feel something else. His very aether felt… weird. Perhaps it was because of her connection to Ifrit, but she could feel it far too strongly.

“Hey, can stress fuck with aether?” Fordola asked, her tone more serious then intended. The group looked around, and were surprised when Zale replied.

“Yes, it can. Where I came from, there was once a time where stress and distress caused our innate magic to go out of control. Our aether was found to have been overcome with such feelings - even if it’s not known how or why, even now.” A pause. Fuck, wait, his backstory he’d made up— “At least, that’s what I was taught. It is why many of my generation had limited aetherial manipulation abilities. For most of those who survived that incident were those who were… weaker, in a way.” There. That should make these non-Ancients believe that he wasn’t telling them about events from the ancient, ancient past. His eyes betrayed how calm he sounded - there was a sorrow unspoken.

Thancred looked up, then back to Alphinaud. Zale continued, putting a hand behind Alphinauds’ head. “I’ve made sure he’s not going to do anything reckless.”

“…it’s not reckless,” Alphinaud mumbled back. Thancreds’ ears perked up, listening further - Alphinaud was mumbling, quieter then most could hear. But Thancred could read lips. A handy skill. “We’re already spread too thin…”

Something to talk about when the boy wasn’t as shaken as—

—the door opened again, Moenbryda in the lead of the group. Minfilia and Bolormaa following, G’raha and Cordis talking in the very back of the group. “Hey. We finished… oh.”

Moenbryda hadn’t expected the group to be this big. Zale… especially not Zale. But she couldn’t drop her facade. “So… d’you think it’s safe to chat with everybody here?” she said, flopping next to Urianger. The others stood around, as Thancred and Urianger both stood.

Urianger lowered his head - trying to avoid seeing Fordola crashing into Minfilia, the two of them beginning to pepper each other with kisses, filling the room with soft laughs. (Such lovebirds.) “Of those in this room, many would have to be informed of the progress of this investigation. The Warrior of Light was the one we asked for help, and it was Lady Alisaie who suggested both Minfilia and Bolormaa to become allies.”

“And then I invited Raha, since it’s Allagan,” Bolormaa added. “And he’s a master of Allagan things.” Firm nod!

Urianger took her comment into consideration. “He would know the risks of allowing this knowledge free, as a fellow Archon, as well. Alphinaud…

Alphinaud, I believe we can trust you as well.”

Alphinaud nodded quietly. “Pardon me,” Zale replied, “but this news - it won’t shake him too much, will it?”

“…Hm.”

That was not a good sound from Moenbryda. Both her and Zale locked eyes again, and Zale began to slightly put down the book he got. He spoke to Moenbryda, not to the others - Lahabrea, speaking right to Mitron. “If I ever speak of what may be said about this mysterious quest, you may cut my tongue out and rob me of what little I have left.”

Moenbryda gave him a look - before her gaze softened. “He sounds serious. So I think we can let him stay.”

Urianger almost spoke up, saying it wasn’t her place to decide - until Fordola brought up a good point. “Oi. Where’s Alisaie, anyway?” she asked, as Minfilia pulls her lips away from her. With a deep sigh, Minfilia looked to the group.

“Before we talk, we should make sure we’re all comfortable. It was… quite the surprise.”

Moenbryda had made the group promise not to interrupt as the group talked about the Coils of Bahamut. Each of them talking about what they saw. Cordis talking about the monsters, the terrible dragon trapped down there - and how even now, Bahamut likely lives. G’raha and Bolormaa spoke of the Allagan infastructure, and how it could prove many other theories - such as the mythical floating continent. How Dalamud was beautiful, in a terrfying way. Like the Crystal Tower, G’raha made sure to point out. Minfilia was quiet, letting Moenbryda finish first. How she escorted Alisaie, and… how she saw Louisoix.

(As Moenbryda said that name, Zale noted the tone of voice. That same tone that Mitron would use for Loghrif. So that’s what this was about.) Alphinaud tried to speak up, but that was when Minfilia began to talk.

About Alisaie. About Twintania speaking, a tongue that was full of bitterness and anger. Calling G’raha Allagan, and claiming they would not be a thrall of Ascian nor Allag, before killing itself.

But Alisaie… “Alisaie overworked herself, and her aetherial imbalance threatened to kill her. Another ally of hers came to save her, and they fled.”

She was finished, and expected many questions. But she did not expect for Alphinaud to sound so angry. “…Why?”

Why? “Why is she overworking herself? Is she still pretending to be part of House Leveilleur?” That made everybody look at him. “I— the final letter from home. I got a reply to my question.”

Urianger crossed his arms, in thought. “I did find it queer that I did not recall her once the cloud of amnesia faded - once we remembered people like our dear Minfilia, and the Warrior of Light, Cordis.”

“That’s because she’s trying to use us,” Alphinaud said bitterly. “I don’t know why she decided she should find the truth about Bahamut. And about our grandfather—” As Alphinaud shuddered in anger, Urianger placed a hand to his head gently. “—I’m scared.”

“If I may?” Minfilia said quietly. “I… She…”

“She what?!” Alphinaud snarled.

“She’s worried about you,” Fordola said quite firmly, “because she’s from another world. Like th’Void? Except they still have their minds.”

Everybody turned to attention. Even Moenbryda, who was busy keeping her eyes on Zale. “So, she might not exist here. But if you suddenly saw somebody who was like family, wouldn’t you wanna help them?”

“What th—” Alphinaud began, before Minfilia interrupted her.

“—Fordola, I promised that I wouldn’t tell her secret—”

“And?” Fordola said, with a shrug. “I never did. Besides, I— okay, fuck. Are we just tellin’ everybody our secrets?”

A pause, nobody stopping her. Fine. “I sort of know this myself? You all remember how I was part of Ultima Weapon, right?” As Fordola spoke, her accent shifted so easily. From Ala Mhigan, to a perfect Sharlayan one. “The souls of us three became one for a bit.” Her accent returned to her regular one. “So, it’s cheatin’, but… I saw her. I saw how fucked she gets trying to help family.”

Wait. Bolormaa hit her tail against the ground. “But I thought that Ultima Weapon was made of Ser Haurchefant, you, and some feral beast. Was that beast from her… home?”

Fordola nodded. “He was. He…

…was the Alphinaud from her home. He was one of the first to turn into a monster. But she kept feeding him, even barely eating enough for herself. And his mind was beginning to return.” Beginning, Fordola made sure to mention. Not returned.

Everybody was staring. Thancred had an eyebrow up. G’raha stared wide-eyed. Moenbryda chuckled to herself, sounding so very unsure. Zale held one of Alphinauds’ hands, as Alphinaud seemed to be barely listening, disassociating.

It was Moenbryda, however, who first spoke up. “…You know, that sounds like you’re just a little hurt in the head, right? We all know that even if there were other worlds, they’d be more like the Void.”

“I don’t know,” Urianger said quietly. “We all know of the Warriors immortal who wander our land. Who is to say they have not caused other lands to be born, those walking ‘tween ours?”

“I have to agree with Urianger,” Thancred said - not letting it slip about the lands with faeries.

No, that was Bolormaas’ job, as she looked firmly at Moenbryda. “I actually went to one. Um, it was when we were going though the Palace of the Dead? We met some nice people and they let us come though. But they were not of here.” A few wags of her tail. “I am more well-traveled then anybody here, and I can confirm that as true.

But… if there is another world, I wonder if there is another Bolormaa.” Her thoughts seemed distracted from the serious subject, but she carried a soft smile on her lips. A happy thought.

Thancred sighed. “I thought you disliked lies and secrets, Minfilia.”

“I do, but, sometimes you need to. For the better good,” Minfilia replied. “Even now, there’s much doubt about this story. And I have little proof. But…”

“But?” Thancred replied, not noticing how deep in thought Urianger was, listening to Minfilias’ wisdom. She took a little after him, huh?

“Prastha. The Miqo’te who worked for the Empire. We’ve not shared any of this with him, but he is from that other world. Thus, would he not confirm our story, if asked? About details we couldn’t have possibly planned with him?”

“…It’s true, they didn’t call him up,” G’raha confirmed. “Or anybody. We spent the trip back here recovering, mostly.”

“…they’re not lying,” Cordis suddenly said, firmly. His eyes looked half-glazed over, having just left an Echo vision. “I… I saw a gate. Alisaie leaving it with a cloaked man and an armoured man. They seemed to be friends.” Or more. Cordis was beginning to fiddle a little, from his place on the floor. He was barely about to speak, himself. The visions were taking more and more out of him, unfamiliar senses pulling at him every time he returned from one. A deep feeling of longing. Yet Cordis continued to speak. “They were… arguing, though. A disagreement…

…ask Prastha about Kujata. Ask him about the beast of Ul’dah, who tries to cross into their home day after day.”

“It’s not just Mor Dhona it tries to enter,” Fordola said, eying Cordis. The Sharlayan accent re-entering her voice, a little frightened. “It’s also been spied trying to get past Gridiana, by Alisaie and me— him.”

As they discussed, Minfilia reached up to her linkpearl - before motioning to quiet them. Their own linkpearls clicked on - a group call, in secret. “…Hello? Prastha, are you avaliable to talk?”

The other side - Minfilia could tell it was quiet, gentle, and somewhere she did not know. There were the sounds of something dripping. Prastha spoke in that same voice he always used - a little bit scared, but full of life. “Minfilia— Minfilia! It’s been a while. What’s—”

“I need your help confirming something, Prastha.”

Right away, fear entered Prasthas’ voice. “…y-yes?”

Minfilia tried her best to sound calm, but her duty was getting to her. “Tell me of Kujata.” A pause, knowing he’d feel quite alarmed. “Worry not. Whatever you say will not cause me to hurt you or anybody related to your land.”

There was a long silence. Before Prastha spoke. “…I do not know how much you know. But Kujata is the Primal who was once— was once our friend.” Already, Prastha sounded fragile. “Our ally. He had left his post to return to Ul’dah, when the destruction began, and his willpower caused him to change.”

Another pause. “Kujata. I believe it was the name of a beast in La Noscea before? But it was fitting. A monster who we had to keep within their territory. If they returned to their station - to Ala Mhigo - he may have assimilated power with the Primal of there land.”

Every word gifted the listeners with terror. None more then the secret Ascians - Moenbryda and Zale met eyes. Moenbryda - Mitron, in paticular, was realising what this meant, and she struggled to remain quiet. Prastha continued. “It recently nearly got into Mor Dhona. Before us from our home found that this land existed.”

Prastha went quiet. There was a deathening silence. Before he spoke in a whisper, his voice haunted. “…I don’t want to talk about Kujata anymore. I… need a break.”

Before Minfilia could say anything, he hung up.

Urianger spoke first, quietly, to Thancred. “So our theory…”

Thancred shook his head. “As soon as this is done, we’re going to check on Prastha. But…”

“…It’s true,” Moenbryda said, looking from Zale to the quite notably horrified-looking Alphinaud. “So she wanted to…”

Replace her Alphinaud? No, if she was busy trying to help her Alphinaud… “They come from our future,” Minfilia said quietly. “A future where Ala Mhigo is free. But then… something happened in Garlemald.

Alisaie wants to live. But she probably—”

“—Already knows what’s down in the Coils of Bahamut. But she’s still sending you there,” Alphinaud said, his voice growing oddly strong. “For what reason? Is her truth truly so important that she’d risk all of you!?” Alphinaud barely noticed that he had stood, his legs shaking like jelly. “She decieved us all, and now she aims to fight beyond her means - and for what?”

“Bahamut is still waking—” Minfilia tried to interject, but Alphinaud gave an inhuman snarl at her.

“And she could not ask all the Scions to help? All of those with the Echo? I know Bahamut is a risk, but is it better to risk you? Or the newly-returned Warrior of Light?!”

Before Alphinaud could continue, however, a voice rang though the hall. Louder, more authorative then they expected. Zale. “Calm!”

The Hrothgar snapped at the entire room, and silence filled it. Zale continued. “I do not know you nor Alisaie,” he said with a confidence fitting the Speaker, “but you both have fair points. I cannot give Alisaie motive, but if any of us could alter time, would we not use that to seek quicker resolution to disaster?

And yet. Alphinaud, you are correct as well.” Zale held Alphinauds’ hand, gentle but firm. “Her recklessness has left only confusion and anger in its wake.

When she is recovered, I recommend we bring her in, and learn her side of the story. We may also inform her about Fordolas’ state, to see if she is aware that her Alphinaud is still alive. Until then, do not hold malice where there may be simple fear.”

Everybody - except for Moenbryda, who knew why - stared at Zale. Zale slumped a little, letting his tone relax. “…or, that is what I recommend. I— know I am simply a scholar, but…”

“No, that’s… actually a good plan?” Thancred said, a little baffled at how this Hrothgar who had barely spoken before had such skills. “We keep this knowledge, and use it to understand more. If it’s truly possible for them to travel, and they really know the future, then…”

“Even knowing the future might not help,” Minfilia said quietly, “but if she knows that we don’t care…”

Minfilia didn’t know she only spoke for herself. For some of them. Alphinaud continued to tremble quietly, to himself. He… he didn’t get it. He’d agree with Zale, of course, but…