The morning air outside Lindblum was calm, the sky clear except for a few pale clouds drifting lazily overhead. The five heroes had just finished their breakfast when their trinkets began to pulse in unison, the familiar warmth vibrating through their palms.
Zack stretched, balancing his Buster Sword across his shoulders. "Well, that's our babysitter again," he joked.
Galuf stroked his beard. "Sirius only calls when it matters. Let's listen."
The crystal glow deepened, and Sirius's voice resonated through their minds, firm but measured.
"I need to borrow Aetherviel for two or three days."
The five froze.
"…Borrow?" Noctis muttered, one eyebrow arched. "You mean… the whole ship?"
"Yes," Sirius replied evenly. "I need Aether's help for the next member."
The words carried weight, but also hesitation. A small lie, hidden in truth. The heroes didn't need to know his real intent—not yet.
Aerith tilted her head, her expression gentle. "Why not just bring us along?"
Sirius's answer was quick. "Because this task requires discretion. You've carried too much already. Rest, train, and keep honing your strength. This, I must handle."
Reks frowned, uneasy. "You're sure about this?"
"Yes," Sirius said firmly. "Trust me. It's for the best."
The silence stretched before Galuf finally broke it with a sigh. "Fine. Take her. But don't you dare scratch her hull!"
Zack snorted. "Yeah, I'm with the old man. You break it, you fix it."
Aerith smiled faintly, though her eyes lingered with concern. "Be careful."
"Always," Sirius promised, before the trinkets dimmed.
Moments later, Aether's voice filled the air around them. "Understood. Master Sirius, I will rendezvous shortly." The crystalline hum of the ship began to fade as she prepared to disengage.
The five watched as the shimmer of light above them blinked out, leaving only blue sky.
"Well," Zack said, clapping his hands together, "guess that means we train."
And so, they did.
---
While the five threw themselves against wandering monsters in the forests and plains—testing magic barriers, refining their coordination, and laughing between bruises—Sirius stood silently on the ridge above the Black Mage Village. His cloak rippled faintly in the mountain breeze, his glowing eyes surveying the huts and winding paths below.
The mages had grown used to him, though their wary glances never truly faded. Today, however, Sirius stood taller, a rare smile tugging at his lips.
"Our lift is coming."
The words confused them. Several cloaked figures tilted their heads, their glowing eyes narrowing.
"Lift?" one asked, voice uncertain.
Another mage whispered, "What does he mean?"
The air shimmered before they could ask further. Clouds split with a soft vibration, and from the sky descended a vast form.
The Aetherviel appeared slowly, its Veil fading as prismatic sails shimmered into sight. The hull gleamed like polished mithril, its elongated body cutting across the horizon with silent majesty. Even drained of full power, it radiated awe.
The mages gasped, stumbling back.
"A… ship?" one whispered.
"But not like any ship I've seen," said another, clutching his cloak.
Their glowing eyes reflected the crystalline light as the vessel hovered just above the treetops, massive and weightless.
"Master," Aether's voice rang out across the village, calm and warm, "I am here."
The sound alone made the mages flinch, for it was not human yet not wholly mechanical—it was alive, and it spoke like one of them.
---
Sirius stepped forward. "Before we board," he said, turning to the cluster of mages, "there are those who will stay."
No. 288 and the two who guarded the chocobo egg stepped forward, their cloaks brushing against the grass.
"We've decided," 288 said, his tone calm but resolute. "We'll remain."
Sirius nodded once. "Then so be it."
He raised a hand, golden light spilling from his palm. The energy washed over the three, wrapping them in a shimmering veil. The chocobo egg pulsed faintly in its shell, responding to the blessing.
The guardians stared at themselves, touching their cloaks where the light lingered.
"What… is this?" one whispered.
"Protection," Sirius said. "From harm, blade, beast, or spell. Nothing will touch you here."
288's glowing eyes studied him. "…Why grant us this?"
"Because you chose to guard what others cannot," Sirius said simply. His gaze softened. "That deserves more than words."
The two guardians clutched the egg tightly, murmuring thanks. 288 only nodded, though his silence carried weight.
---
Then Sirius turned to the forty mages who had chosen to follow him. Their glowing eyes flickered with fear and hope, staring between him and the towering ship above.
"You will have a mission," Sirius told them, his tone sharpened. "One day, a child will return here. A Black Mage, carrying questions. When he asks why the others are gone, you will not speak of me. You will not speak of the truth."
The mages shifted uncomfortably.
Sirius's eyes glowed brighter. "Instead, you will tell him this: Kuja discovered the village. He promised more years of life, more time, if you joined his war. The others agreed. And so, they left."
A ripple of unease spread through them. The name carried weight—dark, dangerous.
"Kuja…" one mage whispered, trembling.
"Why him?" another asked sharply.
Sirius did not falter. "Because it is the lie he will believe. Sometimes, lies are gentler than truth."
288 narrowed his gaze, studying Sirius. His silence held questions, but also understanding.
---
Sirius finally raised his hand. "Aether. Give us a lift."
The ship responded instantly. Beams of light cascaded down like pillars, lifting the forty mages gently into the air. Their cloaks fluttered, their glowing eyes wide as they rose toward the ship's open bay.
They whispered to each other in awe, their voices filled with reverence. "We're… flying."
Zack, Aerith, Noctis, Galuf, and Reks were not there to see it, still training in the wilds, but Sirius imagined their amazement mirrored here in these wide, trembling eyes.
One by one, the mages disappeared into the ship's shimmering bay until only Sirius remained.
---
He turned once more to the three who stayed behind.
"You have your mission," he said quietly.
288 inclined his head. "We understand."
The two guardians clutched the egg close, nodding.
Sirius's gaze softened for the briefest moment before he stepped into the light and vanished into Aetherviel.
---
When silence returned to the village, 288 lingered in the square, staring at the place where the ship had disappeared. Then, slowly, he turned and walked back to the graveyard. His cloak brushed against the earth, his staff clicking against the stones as he stood before the resting places of those who had already stopped.
He lowered his head. "The deal is done," he murmured.
The two guardians watched from afar, holding the egg between them like the most fragile treasure in the world.
And above, the sky remained still, as if the great ship had never been there at all.