Crystal Exarch: ...Of course I don't wish to worry Lyna─she has more than enough to worry about already. But I swore that I would return you all home.
Crystal Exarch: All right! Fine. I will henceforth endeavor to take breaks when appropriate. ...While Lyna is watching.
Beq Lugg: Never fear ─ I too will continue to assist the Exarch to the best of my ability. And if that means casting the odd sleeping charm, so be it.
Alisaie:I will accompany my brother, and make sure he doesn't get carried away. You will do as you're told, and get some rest ─ both of you. (Alisaie glancing over and referring to Crystal Exarch)
Alisaie: Honestly, he's a danger to himself. If I were Lyna, I think I would've hit him over the head with a blunt object by now. At least then he'd lie down.
Understanding hurts. He was just a little guy, and was doing his best to save his people, even though he could barely remember them.
Is that enough? I don't know that it's enough...
That does seem the most likely explanation. I've thought about it quite a bit, why would Emet-Selch make a plan to assist me in taking down Elidibus? And the best answer I can come up with, was that it was an act of compassion for his friend. He knew how fraught and lonely their struggle was, and he knew both who and what Elidibus was now and who he used to be. And he would have known how impossible that struggle would have been for Elidibus on his own. Emet-Selch was the ancients' last true hope for restoration; without him the fight would be an exercise in cruelty, for both sides. And so, knowing there was a legitimate chance I could kill him, he put contingencies into place for the constellation crystals to make their way into my hands.
The big outstanding question I have is, was that really him, or was it a shade he had constructed of himself? I lean towards it being a shade, just on the gut-feeling that it would be easier to attach a synthetic entity to the crystal than it would be to summon his soul from the aetherial sea. Also, if his soul could be called so easily, one would think it would be prudent to plan to restore himself to life. But then, there's quite a lot I don't yet understand about life, death, and rebirth in the world of this game... so perhaps there is still a chance it was actually him.
Oh, hi Beq Lugg. Sorry if I don't seem too excited: I've just been through the emotional wringer.
You don't know how big a relief that is to hear.
That is significantly less of a relief. I'd thank you all to stop talking before you give me an ulcer from the stress.
...I will not cry again... I will not cry....
My friends all have business to tie up and goodbyes to say before I take them back to the Source, so off they go. Alisaie invites the Exarch and I to accompany her to see Halric one last time. From there I travel to Eulmore to see Alphinaud and the Chais and continue the Exarch's tour of the realm.
Next stop is Il Mheg, and Urianger, who has found Ardbert's soul crystal, and bids me deliver it to Seto...
Where this beautiful interaction takes place. When he closes his eyes, Seto can sense Ardbert within me. And somehow, Ardbert is able to speak to him, one last time.
And I cry. Again. The crying just won't stop.
In Slitherbough, Runar begs Y'shtola to stay, which isn't possible. But he thanks her for everything, and Y'shtola swears that she will find a way to travel between the worlds and come back again. Because there are too many mysteries here yet unsolved.
On to Amh Areng, where I catch up with Ryne and Thancred on their way back from saying their goodbyes. And hey, a mention of Gaia outside of the Eden raids!
Finally we head back to the Crystarium, where Ryne gives us a truly touching goodbye. And Thancred finally tells her just how proud of her he is. Good man, Thancred.
And then the whole of the Crystarium is there to see us off!
And to give me a final message for the Exarch. They have learned what happened to him, and what is about to be attempted, and they are sending all their love and confidence that he will be fine. I promise to give it to him when he wakes.
And then we are off... to the Source!
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Ah. This is probably a good place to stop this post.
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Okay maybe not just yet.
Yes. That is the perfect image. It will live in my heart as a beautiful memory of Shadowbringers.
I am crawling out of a hole but for a good cause. Not to show my elezen, but to tell you why voting for Gaia in the survey for wanted side stories is a good idea.
a) We already have an inner monologue style from her in game, expanding on it would be in my opinion interesting.
b) EDEN. That's where she comes from, and filling potential gaps or expanding on it (and therefore on her relationship with Ryne) would be very hard to avoid doing, unless...
c) ...her backstory comes into play. We've seen Eulmore from the perspective recently of Ran'jit as a general, of prospective and bonded citizens in 5.0, and partially through the eyes of free citizens through the Chais, but that last category is still worth going into.
If you are not convinced yet, may I interest you in a vote for Cyella, or potentially... Cylva?
If you don't know why, do your role quests. All the Shadowbringers ones. It's worth it. And our best way to potentially learn more about the greatest villain of the First in the time before the flood...
Liveblog react posts are a go! The following was made in real time with events:
Ryne! Baby environmentalist! I wanna give her a hug!
Oh god, Zero, no! Just give them some Scooby Snacks or something!
There's something more poetic about this scene happening in the rain. I feel like after Darkness overtook the 13th, weather just kinda...stopped happening. Like, Zero barely remembers rain and all.
("Small Mercies", Beq Lugg's Tales from the Shadows backstory, shows the tank role quest story from another angle, and why our nu mou buddy hid themselves away for so long, and the backstory for this particular mob as well).
