The Resistance Army Fleet
The Flagship Garland

Resistant A

Squads Flametongue and Ogrenix are away!
All ships reporting in.
They’re breaking to begin ship-to –ship maneuvers against us.

Resistant B

All hands, full ahead flank!

Attendant

We shall make ready to repel their attacks.
Counter-air, track them as though they were the enemy.

Resistant B

Counter-air, to your stations!

Resistant A

A dispatch from Naldoa Command, Excellency.
The sky pirate has left Archadian airspace.
He makes for Balfonheim with the Lady Ashe and her party.

Ondore

It is good to know the Lady still lives, but what of our bid for the Stone?

Attendant

With the Stone or without, our Resistance should prove an even match for the Imperial army.
These weeks of training have honed our edge.

Ondore

I pray ’tis sharp enough.

Southeastern Archades
Balfonheim Port – The Reddas Manse

Ashe

They choose to supply the Resistance, yet raise not a sword in aid.
What city could do this?

Reddas

A city of men without countries.
Pirates of the sea and of the sky.
Few are they who would fain lay down their lives for a friend, let alone a king.

Ashe

The Marquis – he is set on war?

Reddas

The time approaches when he must make his position vis-λ-vis the Empire clear.
When he helped you off the Leviathan, he spited the Judges full sore.
He cannot sit in idleness and expect to avoid a reckoning.
The Marquis shares my distaste for war…yet if it comes to it, he will show no quarter.

Reddas…

Ondore

For the time being, we will continue to train the Resistance army.
Enough power on our side…and even Vayne may see the appeal of the treaty table.

Reddas

Yet Vayne holds the nethicite.
What makes you think he would treat when he holds such power?
Power enough to sink the Leviathan.

Ondore

All the more reason for me to support your infiltration of the capital.
You said it yourself: the nethicite is a powerful weapon.
I would have you acquire it for me.

Reddas

I have not said I would give you…the Midlight Shard.

Ondore

If there is no Stone, I would have to look elsewhere for aid.

Reddas

Then you would ally with Rozarria.

Ondore

As I must.
Failure is not an option.

Basch

It’s just what Vayne wants.
He lures the Rozarrians and the Resistance to the field, then crush both with the nethicite!

Balthier

I think not.
Cid has the Stone.
We grab it and smash it to pieces with the Sword of Kings.
Vayne will be left holding nary a thing.
Time is short.
We follow Cid.
He’s heading towards Giruvegan.

Ash

Giruvegan.

Fran

It is told of in a song of my people.
“On the farthest shores of the river of time…shrouded deep in the roiling Mist…the holy land sleeps: Giruvegan.”
“Who knows the paths?
The way to its doors?”

Reddas

Then you seek the Jagd Difohr.
Deep within the jungle of Golmore, in a corner of the Feywood, a Mist-storm surges and seethes.

Vaan

Then that’s it.
Let’s go!

Penelo

Right.

Balthier

Not coming, Reddas?
Forget your precious nethicite already?

Reddas

Cid’s words rang hollow to me.
I will follow another course.

Balthier

Ah, another lead then, is it?
You’re well informed.

Reddas

I could well say the same to you, pirate.

Vaan

Hurry it up, or we’ll leave without you.

Reddas

Ah, Vaan!
I’ve had some of my men check on this Feywood.
Best ask what they’ve found.

Vann

OK!
Thanks for the help, Reddas.

Reddas

Fly first, ask questions later.
Your apprentice is more pirate than you.

Balthier

I don’t have an apprentice.

Reddas

Princess Ashe!
I would hear your heart.
If Doctor Cid has spoke the truth, you may well be rewarded with more nethicite in Giruvegan.
Tell me: do you still desire the Stone?

Ashe

I desire its power.
I want…yet I also fear.
I must protect Dalmasca.
I can’t afford to fear anything.

Reddas

Do not forget Nabudis.
That is my only counsel for you.

The Port at Balfonheim

Saccio Lane

Rikken

Ah, our guest. If you’ve finished talking with Lord Reddas, I suppose you’ll be wanting to hear about the Feywood.

Elza

Rikken! Why must we aid these people? They seek only to further their own ends, and care little for our lord’s wants, if at all!

Rikken

These people? I see only a boy. And it’s by Lord Reddas’s command. If you have concerns…

Raz

I’ve got me a nose for ill intent. I’ll take the measure of ’im.
Arrr… Aye… Not bad at all! He measures up quite nicely. This one means no harm to Lord Reddas.

Elza

Measure!? You barely measure up to his waist, and that’s counting the parrot.

Rikken

Your concern’s duly noted. I, for one, plan on following Lord Reddas’s orders.

Elza

Do as you please! But know that no good will come of this.

Rikken

I apologize. Pay her no mind. Now, where was I?
Ah, yes. South of the vast Golmore Jungle in Kerwon there lies a place known as the “Fey wood.”
The Mist there is far denser than most, and even should you make it through that, there’s no guarantee you’ll make it past what lies beyond.

Raz

Aye, he speaks of the hidden trial of the Feywood, which must be passed to open the gate to the holy land of Giruvegan.

The Ancient City of Giruvegan

Gate of Earth

Ashe

On the farthest shores of the river of time, shrouded deep in the roiling Mist.

Penelo

What is it, Fran?

Fran

The Mist runs thick here.

Vaan

Like on the Leviathan?

Fran

Do not worry.
I will behave myself.
The Mist here is cooled.
I sense something like the shadow here.

Balthier

Venat.
It appears Cid has yet to arrive.
We’ll lie in wait for him here.

Penelo

So we’re not going inside?

Balthier

Not unless you want to end up twisted.
Like the old man.

Penelo

What is it?

Vaan

She can see him.
Let’s follow her.

The Haalmikah Water-Steps

Penelo

I can’t shake the feeling we’re somewhere we’re not meant to be.

Vaan

Yeah, it’s exciting.

Penelo

Exciting?

Basch

You are not troubled by the unknown?
Who can say what lies ahead?
We may encounter the very creators of nethicite.

Vaan

Yeah, I don’t know what we’ll find.
I like it better that way.

Basch

You’re sounding more the sky pirate every day.

Penelo

I’ve never seen this much Mist.
Are you all right?

Fran

I am fine.
Thank you.

Ashe

Is that nethicite?

Fran

I wonder.

Ashe

With that much nethicite in one’s grasp –

Fran

You could destroy all of Ivalice.
If you wished it.

Empyrean
Way Stone

“By this path, and no other, reach ye the Round of the Undying, walk of the Chosen.”

Ashe

[Touch the device]

Ashe

Where is everyone?

Gerun King

Fear not, princess of Dalmasca.
We Occuria have chosen you, and you alone.
Ashelia B’nargan Dalmasca.
We see your heart desires power, and power most holy shall we grant.
Seek you the Sun-cryst, slumb’ring star.
In tower on distant shore it dreams.
The mother of all nethicite, the source its unending power.
The Dynast-King, his fallow shards, coarse trinkets cut from Sun-cryst’s light.

Ashe

Such power exists?

Gerun King

In times that are long passed away, we thought to save this Ivalice…and chose Raithwall the Dynast-King.
He took the sword and cut the Cryst.
Three Shards he took from its gilt grasp.
And so became the Dynast-King.
His words and deeds run through your veins.

Ashe

That’s why I was given it – the Sword of Kings.

Gerun King

The treaty held with kings of old is but a mem’ry, cold and still.
With you we now shall treat anew, to cut a run for hist’ ry’s flow.
Now take this sword, this Treaty-Blade.
Occurian seal, mark of your worth.
Cut deep the Cryst and seize your Shards.
Wield Dynast-King’s power!
Destroy Venat!

Ashe

But Venat –
Venat is an Occurian.
A being like you.

Gerun King

Venat is a heretic!
The nethicite is ours to give, to chosen bearer or to none.
The heretic trespassed and set the rose of knowledge in Man’s hand.
With imitations they profane, it is anathema to us.
We give you now the Stone and task.
Administer judgment: destroy them all!

Ashe

Judgment?
Destroy them all?
The Empire?

Gerun King

The humes ever skew hist’ry’s weave.
With haste they move through too-short lives.
Driven to err by base desires, t’ward waste and wasting on they run.
Undying, we Occuria light the path for wayward sons of Man.
Oft did we pass judgment on them so that Ivalice might endure.
Eternal, we are hist’ry’s stewards, to set the course and keep it true.
The chosen is our hand, our fist, to let live some and crush the rest.
Princess, you have been chosen.
Take revenge against those who stole your kingdom. Fulfil your role as savior.
Attain to your birthright!

Vaan

Ashe!
What’s with these Occuria? What gives them the right to tell you what to do?

Fran

Will you take revenge, as they ask?

Basch

We could not see them, but we heard the Occuria speak.
They may be gods, but we are the arbiters of our destiny.
Your Highness, I am against this.
The Empire must pay, but destruction?

Penelo

Um…
Does anyone know what happened to Doctor Cid?
Wasn’t he saying he’d be here?

Basch

He should’ve arrived by now.

Balthier

And I should’ve realized by now.
He’s not coming.
He laid out the bait, and we bit.
Remember what he said?
He wanted Ashe to get the stone.
He wanted that all along.
That’s why he flaunted his nethicite, and reeled us in with stories about Giruvegan.
All to bring Ashe to the Occuria.

Penelo

But wait – if we got a hold of the nethicite, wouldn’t that be bad for the Empire?

Balthier

Maybe he wants to see what happens when foes with nethicite collide?
That’d be just like Doctor Cid.

Ashe

I will search out the Sun-cryst.

Balthier

“History is built by our hands.”
That’s his favorite line.
He’d never stand by and watch the Occuria’s Stones shape things.
So…he was talking to Venat all along.
He wasn’t mad at all then, was he.

The Imperial City of Archades
The Imperial Palace

Larsa

Restore Dalmasca’s sovereignty, and make our amends with Lady Ashe.
It is the only way to avert war!

Vayne

It is a war of necessity.

Larsa

Your Lady Ashe herself is bent on it.
She desires it above all else.
She will not rest until her revenge is full-wrought.
I fear you misread her intent.
She would sooner shun war than embrace it.

Vayne

You are young, Larsa.

Larsa

And you presume beyond your ken!

Vayne

Then let us look closer.
Judge Gabranth!
I would have you seek after the Lady Ashe…and adjudge whether she makes overtures of peace, or war.
Yours shall be the eyes of the Empire.

Gabranth

And should I espy war, I am to put her to the sword.
Is that your wish, Excellency?

Larsa

It will not come to that, I am sure.
I have faith in her – faith in you both.
On you, Gabranth, shall I wager all our fortunes.

Gabranth

As you will.

Cid

That so sweet a child could be your brother is hard to believe.

Vayne

Larsa is as he should be.

Cid

What’s that, Venat?
Ah, taken the bait already, have they? Splendid.
The Occuria have given the Princess her Treaty-Blade.

Vayne

The gods have chosen their scribe, to write history as they deem fit.
Yes, and she with fresh nethicite to aid her.

Cid

Bah, (to) hell with the Occuria and their stones!
What good a power that cannot be harnessed?
Baubles best-suited for study, no more.

Vayne

We conquered two kingdoms, that you might study these “baubles.”

Cid

Oh, I am grateful for the sacrifice.
Without it, manufacted nethicite would have eluded us – an unrivaled weapon I warrant you.
Tell me, Venat.
Have I not been an apt pupil?

Venat

My counsel did but guide your able hand.
Through power of Man, the Stones did you perfect.
Yes. So much accomplished in six fleeting years.
Man’s fervor o’er all obstacles prevailing.

Cid

Our lives are much too short.
You undying might waste long centuries away, but we, I fear, cannot.

Vayne

Just so. Had we more time, we might have ??? on ourselves’ (used) more “prudent” measures.

Cid

Your greatest work still lies before you.
Not lightly will the Occuria allow you to wrest the reins of History from their grasp back into the hands of man.

Venat

Indeed. What claim does Gerun have on history’s reins…seated on throne immortal, rent from time?
For your ascendance, Vayne, I offer prayer.
May you attain all that which is your due.

Vayne

Attain it I shall.
For too long have my deeds gone unrewarded.

Basch

In tower on distant shore dreams the Sun-cryst.
Do these words mean aught to you?

Vaan

Didn’t Reddas say he was going to follow some “other course”?
Maybe he found out something that can help.

Balthier

I’d rather stay out of that sky pirate’s debt, thank you.

Vaan

What’s wrong with Reddas?
I mean If you can’t trust your own kind, who can you trust?

Balthier

You’re an expert on pirating now, are you?