My back hurt as I awoke dizzy. Remembering I had placed stoneskin upon my back, I now knew why I was still alive. As I opened my eyes I looked around to see a pitch dark. Feeling around I struggled to find where I was. Suddenly I remembered the man in red armor.
"Nero!"
To my surprise my collar was still inactive as I summoned forth my staff and lite up the room its static charge. As I found a door I began to ready an attack against it. Suddenly, the entire room around me began to quake and threw me to my arse. The door sprung open to reveal Nero holding his arm limping. He let go of his hammer like weapon and fell to the ground.
Stepping slowly towards him I sighed as I heard him gasp for breath.
"You just could not die could you?"
He held up a remote I knew all to well and smiled at me. Quickly gaining his footing he rested against a wall holding himself up.
"I had planned on keeping you as a pet if thing went well. However I foresaw this ending far in advanced. This place is going to fall and it will be Baelsars own fault. You are going to help me get out of here alive and safe."
"And if I just happen to come to my senses and say no?"
"Then I activate your collar and we both die here."
His face remained without emotion, holding the remote in his hand desperate.
"If I help you, then You help me in return."
He became agitated at my request and held the remote up.
"Go ahead use it if you really want Nero. You are at my mercy as well as I am yours."
He remained steady until he understood the situation. Relaxing his hand he sighed aloud.
"What is it You would want?"
"I think you know."
"Quite.... very well help me up and let us away from this place."
Helping him to his feet I walked with him as we struggled together down a corridor.
"What in the hells happened to you?"
Looking at him, I saw many wounds across his body. I stopped and placed him against a wall quickly trying to patch him up.
"Their is no time for this!"
"Shut up Nero"
Tearing up my garlean outfit I dressed his wounds around his chest and back.
"I fought against the claimed Warrior of light with some help from his friends."
"Make you think twice before crossing him again?"
"Not likely."
"Stubborn Garlean."
I tightened a dressing around his wrist and he squirmed in pain.
"I wanted you for myself."
"I know."
"Do you know why?"
"I can only imagine as another weapon."
"No, well.... not Only that. If I conquered you, it would be something I had forever over Cid!"
"Your spite for him has always been unhealthy Nero."
"I did not ask for Your analysis Doctor."
Sighing I finished covering what I could. Picking him back up, we began to walk further down the long hall.
"Where are we anyway?"
"Ventilation shaft, their is a door a little further. I can activate it and open it up."
"Then what?"
"Then we use your little lifepod to escape. I suspect you kept it close by."
"That won't fit two of us!"
"Then I suppose we will have to get nice and comfortable.-"
The room began to shake uncontrollably ground us.
"Quickly!"
We sprinted towards a the side as fast as we could when a sudden flash of light burst behind us! The blast sent us both flying into the door hard as we laid against it for a long moment until the light dissipated.
"Grrrrnnnn..."
Groaning I grasped my head in pain trying to regain my vision.
"What in the seven hells was that!?"
Pushing himself up Nero remained sitting suffering from the same effects as I.
"Ultima-"
Before he could finish the ground around us began to shake and collapse.
"Oh shite-"
The edge began to fall with us. Looking out over us I noticed one of the giant airship on fire heading down. Grabbing onto Neros hand, I awaited until it finally collided against us pushing us forward and grabbing onto it.
"ARE YOU INSANE!?"
"JUST A BIT!"
The airship continued to descend while the debris we used fell swiftly to the grounds below us. My arm began to feel weak with Nero holding on. I charged my body with Titans strength and felt better, until I realized I was now counter balancing the airship. Pulling him up to the grip I smiled at him and let go all together.
"EIDOLON!!"
Nero frantically grasped at me as I fell. My smile remained upon him as I removed my Titan strength and weight summoning my staff. Concentrating as I summoned forth Ifrits fire and surrounding my body, I began to propel myself, slowing my fall. Pressing the remote for my small craft I awaited as I watched it approach me swiftly descending with me. Opening the door to the inside I shifted and grabbed upon the panel.
Removing my fire around me I pulled my body into the pod and took my seat. Gasping the controls I pushed to balance as fast as possible. Finally soaring again, I came close to Nero smiling. His face was in disbelief as he starred upon me in the airship.
"Well? You going to stare forever and die gauking or are you going to get in?!"
He attempted to gain enough strength to push himself. Struggling at the last moment he nearly fell missing until I pushed my craft closer. Grabbing onto it he shouted aloud.
"GET US AWAY FROM HERE NOW!"
Gazing down I saw the middle of the Praetorium explode. Hoping everyone got away in time I moved us a bit further away while the airship fell to the ground and exploded.
********
We landed in the middle where a battle had been fought. After we felt it was no longer as dangerous we took a look around the area. The explosion took much with it. Many parts of the Ultima Weapon could be seen shattered into thousands of pieces. As I searched around I saw a hand reach up from the scrap. Rushing over to aid, I removed some of the scrap to see him.
"Gaius."
"Grahhhmmm..."
He proclaimed outloud with little care.
"Eidolon......"
I moved my hands to his mask. He quickly tried to grasp my hands. His grip was weak and fleeting as they struggled to stay up. Slowly he lowered his hands allowing me to continue. As I unlatched his mask I carefully removed his helmet and looked upon him.
With white eyes and white hair he kept his gaze upon me. His beard once white, now covered in his blood.
"It was... for you."
"But why?!"
"Because.... I took everything from you...Your family... your home.... and even your life..... I wanted to give you.... a new life to live.... in a way I... suppose I did..."
I remained silent as he continued to speak gibberish aloud.
Blood... midgard..... someone... someone informed me of your mother's... plotted escape... someone close..."
"My mother... please Gaius.."
"Soph....ia....... Wynter........ I am sorry....."
He began to breath slower as he looked away and up to the sky holding my hand.
"This.... is a good enough land to die.....for....."
He let out one last long breath as his eye lids relaxed as did his grip upon my hand. Legatus Gaius Van Baelsar was no more.
**********
Nero continued to search around the area, stopping as he came across what he sought. Glowing and still beating as if unhindered. He cautiously grasped it and placed it in a sealed metal container as to hide its presence from Eidolon. Turning around he looked upon her kneeling over Van Baelsar and walked over.
********
"So ends the tyranny of the Black Wolf. You must be pleased."
I looked over to him with tears in my eyes.
"Death does not Please me Nero."
He shrugged and revealed a container before me.
"This might."
Opening it up for a second for me to see, I felt my body being drained. Quickly he sealed it and placed it does next to me.
"The heart of Sabik. A piece of your own ancestry now in your hands."
"You trust this to me?!"
"Whom else? You would not have I take it would you? I suggest hiding it somewhere you can never even find it... their are other weapons out their. Some just as powerful. Some even more."
He held up his remote to my collar smirking.
"I will trade you remote for remote. You see I am not welcome anywhere right now. I need transportation if I am to successfully get to safety."
Approaching him we traded remotes and smiled.
"Where to now Nero?"
"Tell You my plans? Perish the thought Eidolon."
He sat in the aircraft and sealed the top. Lifting off and disappearing into the night sky. I held the remote in my hand for a moment before crushing it into dust.
********
As I Approached the ceremony, I looked happily over at Thencred, the hero of light and the scions with relief. Seeing them safe meant the world to me. Rather then join them I waved over to Minfilia and walked a little away from the celebration. Gazing upon the fallen ship the Agrius as well as the felled keeper of the lake I thought aloud upon some of Gaius' words.
"Blood of Midgard?"
"Red!"
Looking behind me I smiled as Desdemonda approached. She seemed to be an a rather joyous mood.
"Welcome to the Seventh Astral Era!"
"Heh... a time of peace in the midst of so much aggression?"
"Can you blame them? It will boost their spirits."
"I suppose that is a good enough reason."
Smiling over at her I placed my hand upon her here petting it."
"So Red, what's next?"
"Well... I still need to go get some power from Garuda-"
A extreme roaring sound came from afar and I fell to my knees as I heard it in despair.
"Bahamut!?"
Chapter 40 End
A Realm Reborn End
TOC
http://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodestone/character/2469857/blog/2514726/https://youtu.be/7GhJJ1YJGwQ
