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[Coming back to reality from the black pitch of unconsciousness was unpleasant to say the least. Joints creaked, his eyes couldn't focus, and that nasty gunshot wound in the back stung like nothing else. The Crystal Exarch should count himself lucky that he isn't bleeding out.

When the room does stop spinning he'll find himself on a couch in a vast room. The walls and floor are made of polished wood trimmed here and there in designs of gold and black. Large windows don't let in much light, but are nearly floor to ceiling. Speaking of the couch, it was really high off the floor and two times too large. He'd nearly have to jump down to reach the ground below. After some inspection it seems all the furnishings in this room are the same size --- two times too large. Who lived here? A race of incredibly tall hyurs?

He'll be able to feel that he is far, far away from the Crystal Tower. That'll make things difficult. Well, up and at 'em, Exarch. No time for napping!]

[The bullet had struck crystal, which is both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, his actual organs didn't take (much) piercing damage. On the other hand, the crystal that blunted the blow very much cracked, and that crack has spidered through much of the parts of him that are crystal, and that feels terrible. Kind of like he'll shake apart if he moves too much.

Not that refraining from moving is really one of his options. It doesn't take long for him to work out an idea of what must have happened, although his memories stop at the sharp crack and sudden burst of pain that faded into unconsciousness near instantly. There are really only so many things that could have happened, and any of them mean he doesn't have the luxury of sitting still.

The height is intimidating, but he starts to carefully ease himself off the edge of the too-large couch, bracing himself for a jarring landing when he slips off entirely.]

[The floor has a little give under his feet, not much but enough to soften the impact by just a fraction. No one else is in the room. There are double doors and a pair of windows as the only visible exit to this place.

If he listens carefully, he can hear footsteps in the hallway beyond.]

[The landing still... really sucks, but he manages to keep from yelping. His feet, at least, are still entirely flesh, so he can creep to the doors in relative silence, listening closely. Since he can't imagine he has much chance, with windows sized for giants.]

[The footsteps are coming to your very room, Exarch. You have about half a minute to prepare, hide, bar the doors, whatever you see fit before the doors will swing open of their own volition.

And if the doors are not barred, this asshole will step through in that slouching walk of his.]

[What can he do, what can he do...

His mana is far too drained for him to waste trying to pull his invisibility glamour nonsense, even if he thought it would work on Emet-Selch. Barring the massive door, too, is likely beyond his abilities without magical aid, even if he weren't in such terrible physical condition as well. He can't even reach the doorknobs. Also, Ascians teleport. He doubts his chances with the windows are much better.

So the Crystal Exarch spends what time he has seating himself comfortably on the opulent floor, back (painfully) up against one of the couch's legs, waiting for Emet-Selch with what dignity he can muster.]

[Holding a hand up upon seeing the Exarch, well, not quite up and about, but about.]

Awake, are you? Well, you certainly did take long enough. I truly hadn't expected the blow to take you out for that long, but we are far, far away from your precious tower, aren't we? Hmmm.

No matter. You and I have a lot to talk about.

[there are a lot of ways he could respond. "upset" is really underselling his feelings on Emet-Selch's interruption, but throwing a fit won't get him anywhere. there isn't time for his personal feelings, not when his hero's very soul hangs in the balance because of him.]

...How long have you known?

Not for very long I must admit. You should be really proud of yourself to kept it a secret for so such a time. And I wonder how events would have unfolded had you been forthright with our hero. It surely would have made my plans and schemes more difficult.

But you didn't, so here we are.

Tell me, Exarch. How did you do it? How did you trick time to bend to your will?

[Even with his hood, he's always been fairly expressive. Without it, the flinch is undeniable, and his ears flatten. It's true that his strategy clearly didn't pan out.]

I'm afraid that isn't my story to tell. To you least of all.

Don't be so difficult. You completed a feat nigh thought impossible.

[Walking up to where the Exarch is sitting until they are about four feet apart.]

You should be proud. Truly, you should. But make no mistake, I will learn how you achieved this feat.

[mmmMMMMMM not moving.]

It's... passing strange, hearing praise from you. But I won't aid you in turning such a feat to your own ends.

[Kneeling then.]

I had only the highest expectations from you, all of you. Though you did let me down in the end. It really can't be helped, being as broken and fragmented as you are.

Tell me, what do you think I would do with such knowledge? I've told you my motives and my aspirations. It shouldn't be too difficult to puzzle out.

Naught that won't be helped by turning back the hands of time, surely.

[he sighs. it's not unreasonable, but the Exarch just seems... tired.]

I've seen the results of Light's victory here, you know. You desire such a Rejoining, and I cannot allow it to come to pass once more.

You think too small, Exarch, too small indeed.

Your words do ring true. I do desire a Rejoining --- of this world and all the others until our task is complete. However...

... what if the paradise was never to be sundered in the first place? What if your life was never fractured into ten and four pieces? Then you could spare the sufferings of not only the First but of all other Rejoinings prior.

Would that not be a result to strive for?

[that's... a concept. he pauses, seriously considers it. he feels like he's failed and he's been fucking shot and undoing everything seems monstrously unfair but also was exactly his aim in a much smaller scale anyway, so is it really going much further to stretch it to such extremes?]

...It sounds like a dream. What steps would need be taken, to avoid the sundering in the first place?

[Considers this for a moment. Look, time travel brings up a lot of possibilities.]

It was Hydalean who split the star. Prevent her manifestation, and the world will never know being sundered.

She was summoned to counter your god, correct? What was the reason for his summoning, then?

To combat the annihilation of our star. In order for us to survive we had to write the laws of reality anew. No magic we employed could stem the chaos that was unleashed. Only by summoning Zodiark, by His Grace, was the fate of our people saved.

[Ah, if he was not Tempered he could suggest stopping the source of the destruction of Amaurot. Though even they did not know the source. But Zodiark would demand not to write out his existence from time.]

...Then, wouldn't finding a way to circumvent the problem in the first place be more effective? Getting gods involved always makes a fine mess, and clearly Zodiark was not uniquely unproblematic.

The Convocation of Fourteen could not find a solution to the chaos without Zodiark. And try, we did. Sequestering ourselves and formulating plan after plan. Our only path to salvation lies with Him.

Then I fail to see what good turning back the hand of time would do you.

[us? you.]

Preventing Hydaelyn's manifestation is one thing, but the situation that drove those who summoned her into it... They didn't agree that Zodiark was their salvation. They can't have. And that sort of desperation leads to primals every time.

Then it is a chance to try again. A chance to see if we can truly see eye to eye. They are my kin and can be reasoned with.

[Or maybe just temper the whole lot of them kicking and screaming.]

Primals can be handled. Can be dealt with one after another. So long as it isn't Hydaelyn and Her wretched ability to enervate.

Forgive me if I'm unconvinced. Not that I disbelieve that your kin could be reasoned with. Rather the opposite, really. You are Tempered, are you not?

This is an answer you already know. Yes, I am tempered. There was no avoiding such an outcome.

You fear I will make a poor decision. Going further back is not a plausible solution. Without Zodiark and his abilities to write the laws anew, our star dies. In such an event both of us lose.

So many spoilers, beware!

SOOOO MANY

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i remembered i marked this for spoilers so i'm using my damned icons

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