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Chapter LXXXIV: Reclamation
To leave our headquarters in disrepair any longer would be to dishonor the memory of those who fell there. We have been brought to our knees, but we will rest, rebuild, and rise once more.
With no more Primals to contend with, the Garleans have taken centre stage as our biggest foe. We're out of the B Plot and into the A Plot. However, there's little that an engineer, a scholar, and a single god-slayer can do against an army—especially one with a weapon capable of slaying the Primals quicker than our own slayer. It's time to rebuild our forces.
This update is going to be very cutscene heavy. It's the beginning of the final arc, after all.
It's been a while since we've been to the Waking Sands, all the way over in Western Thanalan's Vesper Bay. The weather is suitably gloomy for our return.
Inside, remnants of the conflict remain but the bodies and blood have been cleared (not that there was actually any blood to begin with due to the game's rating, so maybe it's still there?). The return is... kind of sad actually. There's definitely a sadness in the air here.
Alphinaud and Cid are hanging around outside the Solar.
I... I had no idea, Aggro. I can only imagine how you felt when you returned that day...
Hm. Mayhap it is just my imagination. Come, let us proceed into the solar.
Alphinaud gives us some level 44 tank gloves for joining him into the Waking Sands.
Alphinaud's suspicions prove true when the doors open to reveal Yda inside.
Music: The Waking Sands
Alphinaud! Aggro!
Not that I'm aware of! It's been a while, Yda.
Yda collapses onto the floor in relief before getting back up.
Uh... you know, I wasn't actually here when... I-I was still in talks at the Adders' Nest... The first I knew about it was when I came back, and... and I saw...
Y'shtola is here too?
Yes. But she's not here right now. She's gone to Ul'dah to meet a man who might know what happened to the others. Papalymo and Minfilia weren't among the dead, according to the church. Y'shtola thinks they were taken somewhere.
...Why would he want them?
Because they possess something he desires: knowledge of another power that can be brought to bear against the primals—one that Gaius has yet to harness... The Echo.
Powerful though his Allagan weapon may be, he would doubtless desire such protection. He means to use Minfilia to gain an understanding of the Echo. ... None of which explains how the Empire came to know the location of the Waking Sands in the first place...
Can I count on you, Yda?
For now, I say we rest.
The good news is that Yda and Y'shtola are fine! There isn't much for us to do, so the group sleeps; however, Aggro stirs.
Everyone is resting as the camera zooms slowly towards Aggro.
The screen pulses and Aggro wakes up.
(Soundtrack ends.)
Hear... Feel... Think...
We're back in this realm. A meteor shower is active above Aggro.
This is when we'd begin another cutscene, but for convenience I've just put them together.
Music: Prelude - Rebirth
Next, we're floating in space again.
Bringer of Light... Brave gatherer of the Crystals... thy soul burneth bright!
In front of Aggro is a giant crystal. We've been here before. A long time ago.
I am Hydaelyn. All made one.
Hydaelyn is absolutely massive, and this scene is doing its best to give you that sense of scale.
Hearken unto me now, for the Darkness doth begin to spread. Ware thee the bearer of the Crimson Brand, for he is the Avatar of Shadow, whom death attendeth always. The Crystals shall be thy salvation—thy blade and shield both.
Steel thyself, for at the appointed hour... Thou shalt stare into the Heart of Darkness. Go with caution, my child, but fear not—for I am ever with thee.
If you can't tell by now, we're nearing the finale. We've been warned about big upcoming events by the Mother Crystal, the being whose name the very planet shares. If that isn't end-game stuff, I don't know what is.
(Soundtrack ends.)
Whoever was in charge of directing this quest seems to like the camera passing through doors.
Music: The Waking Sands
Aggro. I see you and Alphinaud are safe. And... and Cid.
Cid nods at her, acknowledging her mild surprise at his appearance.
He would not see us undone so easily. Not now, when the need is so great.
Y'shtola approaches the group.
I know where Minfilia and the others are being held.
Where?
Even under normal circumstances, breaching the defenses of an imperial castrum would be a highly dangerous proposition. But now that Castrum Centri houses prisoners whom the Garleans deem valuable, we may be confident that they have taken additional measures to ensure the stronghold's security.
I believe I know a man who may be able to assist us in this: Lord Portelaine of House Durendaire. He is stationed at the Observatorium in Coerthas. Let us go to him, and beseech his aid.
Well, it's official. The Primal B-Plot is now over—at least for the original chapter of A Realm Reborn. We're back to the feud between Garlemald and Eorzea, and our first step is reclaiming our allies.
Now, let's teleport to the good, old familiar frozen lands of Coerthas. It doesn't feel like it was that long ago we were last there. Portelaine pointed us in the right direction that lead to our success before, so hopefully he'll be just as effective this time too.
Music: Undying Faith
Behind Portelaine is a blue quest marker. Carrilaut offers an optional quest that will unlock the level 44 dungeon. We'll visit this later since it's pretty unnecessary right now. There are faster ways of levelling and it's not exactly one of my favourite dungeons. It's one of the few dungeons from 1.0, but I'll save that chat for another time.
You are an associate of Y'shtola? But of course. Lord Drillemont confided to me that you were a Scion of the Seventh Dawn...
We complete the quest by talking to Portelaine. Once we accept our reward (mathematically calculated gil and exp as usual), a series of cutscenes are triggered.
So... uhhh. I've mentioned this before but an issue happened during recording and I lost the audio for a few updates. I've been capturing footage from the Inns to make up for the lack of audio in cutscenes but the following cutscene isn't available there for some reason. I'll link the silent video anyway. This has a nonzero chance of happening again.
I see. That might explain our scouts' reports... They observed four prisoners being led intro the castrum: a Hyuran woman, an Elezen man, and two Lalafells—one male, one female.
It's them! It has to be! Minfilia, Urianger, Papalymo, and Tataru!
If that scant morsel is of use to you, you may also be interested to hear about a more recent incident.
Incident?
A Roegadyn and a Lalafell, Master Garlond. Neither wore imperial dress, and both seemed disinclined to wait for rescue, hence our assumption that they were prisoners.
Well, I'll be damned... it's Biggs and Wedge! Trust those two rascals to escape... We must find them, Aggro, and soon! The imperials will not rest until they are captured or killed, and if Biggs were given the choice, I fear he'd take the latter.
Freeing those held in Castrum Centri will require substantial planning and preparation. As such, it is an endeavour that will admit some slight delay.
The matter of the escapees, by contrast, will not. Shortly after the prisoners vacated the airship, our scouts observed imperial troops setting off in pursuit. It is likely only a matter of time before they catch them. If you wish to see your comrades again, you had best act now.
The group turns to Aggro.
But Biggs and Wedge are not Scions, nor do they know aught of the Echo. As Lord Portelaine said, this may prove our only chance to rescue them. I say we seize it.
Alright, we're done for this update. It was a bit exposition heavy, but we've made it clear our new goal is the recovery of our allies. First: we recover Biggs and Wedge. Next: we find a way to rescue our allies in an Imperial Stronghold. It's mostly just the main plot from here, everyone! I don't know about you, but I'm quite looking forward to Biggs and Wedge finding out that Cid is truly alive.
Video Summary