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The Ultimate Weapon 
WATCH THIS ONE
Hello everyone and welcome back. Last time, Ginger beat a crystal out of Garuda. But she's not dead yet.
Why do you not tremble at my might? Why do you not beg for mercy!? Why do you not DIE!?
We've done it!
Squaaak! Impossible, it is! Garuda, kill you all!
Is that all!?
Someone new enters the battlefield. The camera pans over...
Oh fuck.
Imperial Will
O Lady of the Vortex! O mighty Garuda!
Of all primals, the most terrible. I say again...IS-THAT-ALL!?
Ah, Cid, my boy. You look well-for one who has forsaken kin and country. I wonder, what else you will forsake before the day is done.
What!?
What exactly did you hope to accomplish here this day?
I...
The Ixal charge at Gaius...
Gaius uses the gun built into is armor.
There was a scene at the end of 1.0's MSQ where Gaius ambushes the player character in the wilderness. Give that a watch. As powerful as Ginger is, Gaius is still well out of her league.
Garuda is still recovering from Ginger yoinking her crystal for herself.
...Is that all? IS THAT ALL!? Insolent mortal! I shall make you suffer! That foul stench... I see now... She has touched you! Very well...
Seven hells, does she still mean to fight!?
Garuda shoots out two whirlwinds.
And she tortures the captive amalj'aa and kobolds into summoning their own gods respectively.
What is she- Twelve preserve, she cannot mean to-
Ginger is badass, but she can't take on Ifrit and Titan AND Garuda AND Gaius at the same time.
No... No, this is all wrong...
Stop gawping, boy! We must run!
Ginger abandons the battlefield with them because fuck that.
Gaius, meanwhile, does not give a single fuck.
Surrender yourselves unto me... I would feast upon your aether. NONE SHALL STAND AGAINST THE WIND!
Do you remember way back when, when Gaius was first introduced? The game specifically cut to this thing flying across the sky behind him.
BEAR WITNESS TO THE GLORY OF THE EMPIRE!
The mysterious mech does an airdrop on top of Ifrit, who narrowly dodges out of the way.
It grabs Ifrit...
And disperses its aether and then absorbs the primal's essence for itself.
Next up is Titan.
Titan tries to punch, but the weapon grabs its fist.
Two-for-two now.
It is you who will suffer, Garuda! Ancient Allag had ways of dealing with your kind. Now, look on their ultimate weapon, eikon, and despair!
Garuda takes to the skies...
But doesn't rise high enough. The mech can jump, so it easily plucks her from the sky like a fruit on a tree.
It opens its maw...
This thing just bit off Garuda's head in a single blow, doing what Ginger going all-out could not do.
Magnificent! It exceeds all expectation!
Meanwhile up on top of this thing's escort...
With each primal it consumes, it grows more powerful. A marvel, is it not?
Such is the fate of those who oppose the Empire! There will be no Warriors of Light to save you this time. If your leaders are as wise as they are reported, they will surrender.
Your skills are impressive, but they will not be enough.
Ultima Weapon takes to the skies and flies off.
Twelve have mercy! What chance have we against such an ungodly creation!? And who was that armored devil!?
That was Gaius van Baelsar, legatus of the XIVth Imperial Legion, and supreme commander of the Garlean invasion force in Eorzea.
Of course, the Black Wolf-how could I not realize? Grandfather mentions him in his journal!
I was never so naive as to think the man would abandon his ambitions, but these developments are beyond my worst expectations... What have you been doing these past five years? How could something of this magnitude have escaped the Alliance's attention?
We heard no whispers, saw no signs. In the wake of the Calamity, the Empire seized land and built outposts, but that was the extent of their aggression.
Damn it, Gaius, where in the seven hells did you find that thing?
It has been a day of unexpected developments, but the fact remains: Garuda is no longer a threat. While I take no comfort in the manner of her downfall, it does mean that we may safely put the matter of the primals to one side-for the time being, at least.
Which just leaves the matter of Gaius's new toy.
Indeed. That weapon poses the greatest threat to Eorzea. It must be destroyed. But first, we must needs find out all we can.
Let us make for Vesper Bay. We shall rebuild the Scions. All is not yet lost, my friend-for we bear the light, and shall surely lead our people from the darkness.
We're in Ul'dah.
Well, that was an experience I would rather not have again. Something has been troubling me, Ginger. Shortly before the Black Wolf took center stage, when Garuda attempted to claim you as her own, I could have sworn I saw...
Ah, but I'm sure I was mistaken. In times of great stress, the evidence of the eye is apt to be misread by even the most inquiring mind. Forget I mentioned it.
Returning to the subject of our earlier discussion, we may consider the matter of the primals closed until further notice. No beast tribe will dare summon their god so long as that weapon exists. Truly, a more effective deterrent I could not imagine. It almost seems a shame to plot its destruction...
I'm actually going to call this update there. That's the end of the Corrupted Crystals arc!
NEXT TIME: We start rebuilding the Scions