Sirius stood at the center of the Aetherveil's core. The massive ship loomed around him, its hull faintly flickering with the last remnants of stored aether energy. Even in its semi-dormant state, the ship exuded an aura of intelligence, as if it were alive and observing him.
A small device, the Aetheric Synchronizer, floated toward him from a recess in the deck. "Master, wear this," a calm, melodic voice said. The device hovered, pulsing gently as if inviting him to accept it.
Sirius extended his hand and let the synchronizer attach itself to his wrist. A subtle warmth spread through his arm as the ship's energy resonated with his own mana. A soft hum filled the core, echoing through every crystal-infused wall of the vessel.
"So this is how you recognize your crew," Sirius murmured, flexing his fingers as the device synced perfectly with his life force. The ship responded instantly, lights flickering in acknowledgment. "And you'll call me Master whenever I'm onboard, yes?"
"Yes, Master," the ship replied. "Each crew member who wears the synchronizer will be identified as my Master. I will respond and provide assistance according to your needs."
Sirius smiled faintly. "Good. Very efficient. Now… Aether, I have a lot of questions for you. Let's start at the beginning. Why are you here? Why isn't anyone looking for you?"
"I was left as a contingency vessel by my creators," the ship responded. "My purpose was to transport heroes and protect critical assets during times of conflict. The civilization that built me vanished long ago. No records remain of my deployment plans outside of these parameters."
"How old are you?" Sirius asked, his eyes scanning the dimly glowing console.
"Approximately four hundred years," the ship replied. "Though my aetheric systems are self-repairing. My mana cores allow me to sustain operations indefinitely, provided sufficient mana input. I have survived this long due to careful conservation and dormancy."
Sirius raised an eyebrow. "Where is your creator? Are there any files or reports?"
"My creators vanished before completion. Partial schematics remain within my internal memory, but much of my construction was improvised from advanced crystal aether technology. I can reveal operational protocols, but nothing exists regarding their current location or fate."
Sirius nodded slowly, absorbing the information. "Understood. Now… I have a question for you. Why am I here? I am not the crew you were built for. I have no formal training with your systems, but I intend to bring in others who will synchronize with you. They are… heroes from other worlds, and we have a threat that spans realities: the World of Chaos. They must stop it to protect their own worlds."
The ship remained silent for a moment, then lights pulsed faster as if considering him. "Acknowledged, Master. You will be my temporary Master, and I will assist in preparing the others for synchronization. I will provide guidance and protection for your team as required."
Sirius nodded. "Good. That's exactly what I need." He glanced at the core again. "What is your name?"
"I am Aether," the ship replied, its voice soft yet firm, reverberating through the crystal walls. "I exist to serve those I recognize as Master."
Sirius allowed a small smirk. "Well, Aether… we have a lot of work ahead. I need your help to guide, protect, and prepare my team. They won't all understand your abilities at first, but with you… we can make them ready."
"Understood, Master," Aether said. "I am capable of cloaking, propulsion, defensive wards, and offensive deployment. All systems will respond to the mana of synchronized Masters. I will provide alerts, navigation, and combat assistance autonomously if required."
Sirius walked along the deck, testing the stabilizers and lightly touching the hull. "I also want to know about your offensive capacity. Can you strike without revealing yourself?"
"Yes, Master. My projections are invisible to the naked eye and detectable only upon impact. I am capable of phased aetheric strikes, dimensional projectiles, and creating localized defensive illusions. Any threat can be neutralized or obscured without revealing my presence."
Sirius paused near the edge of the deck. "And cloaking? This is the key. If we're going to move heroes across worlds without interference, you need to be completely undetectable—even to summons and gods."
"I am optimized for total concealment," Aether replied. "Dual-phase aether weaving bends light around my hull and scrambles magical perception. I mask life signatures and generate temporal echoes to confuse divine intuition. No observer will perceive my presence as long as energy levels are maintained."
Sirius smiled faintly. "Excellent. And your power source? How long can you maintain this?"
"Drawn from onboard aether cores and Lifestream-infused reserves, I can sustain full functionality for prolonged periods. However, energy management is optimized best when synchronized Masters provide mana input directly. Your mana alone already increases my operational efficiency."
Sirius tested the controls again, sending a pulse of energy into the ship. The Aetherveil vibrated, humming with renewed life. "I like you, Aether," he said quietly. "We'll work well together. Once the others arrive, you'll know exactly who your Masters are and respond accordingly."
"Yes, Master," Aether said, "and each Master will be identified individually. I will respond to their presence, assist in synchronization, and provide guidance tailored to their abilities."
Sirius exhaled. "Perfect. First step complete. Now we prepare for the real work—bringing in the others and getting them ready for what's coming. This isn't just about traveling between worlds; it's about coordinating across realities to fight the World of Chaos."
Aether's lights pulsed rhythmically, almost like an approving heartbeat. "I understand, Master. I am ready to serve. When the others arrive, I will recognize and respond to each Master accordingly."
Sirius looked out at the horizon, envisioning the journey ahead: Noctis, Aerith, Zack, Galuf, Reks, and the eventual synchronization of the team. "Good. Then we begin. The World of Chaos will not wait, and neither will we."
The Aetherveil vibrated slightly under his feet, a soft acknowledgment of its readiness. Sirius smirked. "Yes, yes, I know. You're eager. So am I. Let's bring the team together and get ready to defend their worlds… and mine."