The process of forming the contract was surprisingly simple. There were no ancient rituals or binding parchments, only a wondrous resonance. As Ashem and Feo Ul joined hands, a soft, warm light enveloped them both. As their aether pulsed in perfect harmony, the pact was silently sealed.
And, as expected, when Ashem began to glow, so did Leo.
Once the light faded, Leo was surprised to find a new, subtle connection humming in the back of his mind—a direct link to Feo Ul. He could feel her presence, a tiny, buzzing ball of joyful energy.
"Eh?!" Feo Ul's bright, curious eyes widened as she zipped over to Leo. "I can feel you too!"
Ashem just sighed. "Theoretically, we're the same person. I guess that means it's a buy-one-get-one-free contract."
"Oh, this is simply marvelous! My lovely saplings!" Feo Ul's initial shock melted into pure elation. She flew several excited circles around their heads. "Quickly, give me a task! I cannot wait to see another world!"
The Crystal Exarch smiled. "Then I shall trouble you with an important one. Please go to the Source and let Ashem's friends, the Scions of the Seventh Dawn, know that she is safe."
Ashem nodded, her eyes sparkling with relief and anticipation. "I'm leaving it to you, my lovely branch."
"Leave it to me!" Feo Ul cheered. "Yay! Off I go!" She transformed into a brilliant ball of light and vanished, her tinkling laughter the only trace she left behind.
"She is a pixie," the Exarch explained. "A rare and mysterious creature of magic. Most of them live in seclusion, but Feo is... different. She has a deep curiosity for this city." He smiled. "You can travel between worlds on your own, but with her help, many trivial matters will become much simpler." He then turned his gaze toward the top of the Crystal Tower. "Now, if you will follow me to my office. There are things we should not discuss in the open."
The Crystal Tower was the pinnacle of the Allagan Empire's wisdom, and the Exarch's office was at its very core. As they ascended, Leo took the opportunity to observe his surroundings with wide-eyed interest. The walls and floors were constructed from crystal that emitted a soft blue light, accented with intricate patterns of inlaid gold. The entire space felt elegant, mysterious, and profoundly magical.
At least, it did until Leo saw the elevator.
And the automated security cameras. And the doors that hissed open with biometric scanners. And, most absurdly of all, a hangar bay containing what were unmistakably several small spaceships.
Okay, Leo thought, his brain starting to ache, is this a high-fantasy world or a sci-fi future? Pick a lane!
Mordo, having traveled extensively with the Ancient One, maintained his characteristic calm, accustomed to such impossible sights. Ashem, too, was unfazed. She patiently explained to Leo the glorious and tragic history of the Allagan Empire—a civilization that had once used astonishing "magitek" to lift entire continents into the sky, only to be wiped out in a sudden calamity. The same kind of "Umbral Calamity" that Ardbert and his friends had nearly triggered on her world.
Soon, amidst Leo's ongoing culture shock, the Exarch led them into a special room. The walls here were not crystal, but a seamless, inky black, covered in glowing patterns of planets and star charts, as if the entire universe were condensed into this single observatory. In the center of the room stood a huge, crystal display, like a silent, unlit mirror.
"Welcome to the Stellar Room," the Exarch said. "This is where I do my work. No one can disturb us here." He looked at Ashem. "It was here that I researched the spell to summon you." He took a deep breath. "Now, I must explain what became of the other Scions, and the true nature of the threat we face."
"Let's get straight to the point. Your friends did indeed arrive here. But as we discussed, the flow of time between worlds is… inconsistent. They did not arrive recently." A deep note of apology entered his voice. "The Ancient One can predict this flow, but I cannot. Your companion Thancred was the first to arrive, five years ago. Urianger and Y'shtola came three years ago. The most recent, the twins Alphinaud and Alisaie, have been here for a year."
Ashem's face went pale. A year. They had been trapped here for a year.
"I only ever intended to summon you, the Warrior of Light," the Exarch continued, his voice full of regret. "But I do not have Leo's innate talent. My complex spell was unstable. Instead of pulling only you, it latched onto those closest to you. The summons were accidents, and therefore incomplete. They are currently incorporeal—ghosts, for all intents and purposes, unable to return to the Source on their own."
"But that's not a problem anymore," Leo said, a confident smile on his face. "We can open a portal that connects worlds. We can send them back."
The Crystal Exarch smiled, a flicker of relief in his eyes. "Exactly. I tried for years to find a way to return them, but I never could. Your arrival has changed everything. However… their situation led to a discovery that changed our priorities." His expression grew grim. "Urianger told us of a vision he saw while traveling the rift between worlds. You have both seen this place—a chaotic nexus where past and future can be glimpsed. What he saw… was the future."
He paused, letting the weight of his next words settle. "In that future, the Source and the First will merge. This Rejoining will trigger the Eighth Umbral Calamity on your world. Countless people will die. Your friends, the Scions… and you, Ashem, the hero they call the Warrior of Light… none of you survive."
Leo and Ashem looked at each other, a cold dread washing over them. It was the same vision Ashem had seen.
"The consequences were too catastrophic to ignore," the Exarch said. "So your friends began a new quest, here on the First: to find a way to prevent the Rejoining. Though their bodies on the Source lie in a coma, their souls are still here, fighting alongside us."
"And the conclusion we reached," he said, his voice firm, "was this: if we can prevent the destruction of the First, if we can stop the Flood of Light, then perhaps the Rejoining can be averted. And if the Rejoining is averted, the Eighth Umbral Calamity will never come to pass."
After hearing the full explanation, Mordo, who had been listening in silence, finally spoke, his brow furrowed in a deep, troubled line.
"So, Crystal Exarch," he asked, his voice low and serious. "You intend to change the future?"
Plz THROW POWER STONES