The roar of waterfalls echoed endlessly around the cliffs of Daguerreo. Mist rose like veils of silver in the morning sun, spilling across bridges of ancient stone that stretched into the library fortress carved into the rock. The place was older than memory—its mechanical lifts and vast halls of books whispered of a civilization that had long since vanished.
And outside, near one of the lower bridges, five figures had made camp. For three days they waited.
Zack groaned loudly, leaning back against a boulder while tossing pebbles into the stream. "Three days. Three! We've been sitting here with waterfalls for company, and not a single sign of Aether. I'm starting to think she ditched us for a better crew."
Aerith sat nearby, weaving a braid into a loose strand of hair, her eyes crinkling with amusement. "You just miss her voice calling you master."
Zack straightened immediately. "Hey, you miss it too."
Aerith lowered her gaze, smile hiding at the corner of her lips.
Galuf leaned against the stone rail of the bridge, stroking his beard as if pondering the mysteries of the world. "Back in my day, if your airship was late, you didn't whine—you read a book! Or wrestled a monster! Or walked uphill both ways in the snow while Exdeath chased you."
Reks blinked, tilting his head. "…Did that really happen?"
Galuf smirked. "Twice."
The young soldier frowned, deciding it wasn't worth pursuing.
Meanwhile, Noctis sat cross-legged, resting his blade across his knees, the mist curling around him like pale smoke. His expression was unreadable, but his voice cut through the chatter. "Three days is too long. Sirius said she'd be back soon. Something happened."
The group fell into silence, the weight of his words sinking in. The roar of the waterfalls pressed into the pause, steady and eternal.
Then Aerith clapped her hands lightly. "Well, worrying won't change anything. Let's eat first. We'll train after."
---
Meals had become a ritual in the waiting days—Aerith preparing what they'd bartered for in Daguerreo's markets, Galuf always insisting on seasoning it "the proper way," Zack sneaking extra helpings, and Reks quietly polishing his shield in between bites. They made do, laughing when Galuf's stories grew taller by the hour, groaning whenever Zack tried to practice sword forms near the fire and nearly clipped Aerith's braid.
It wasn't home, but it was something.
And then the air shifted.
A vast shadow passed over the cliff face, dimming the morning light. Mist churned unnaturally, as though the waterfalls themselves bent aside.
Zack's eyes darted upward first. "Uh… guys?"
The others followed his gaze. Above the endless spray, the faint outline of something enormous shimmered. Crystalline sails flickered in sunlight before vanishing, the air rippling as though reality strained to conceal the shape.
Reks shot to his feet, pointing. "It's her! Aether's back!"
Aerith gasped, her hands clasping together. "Finally."
Noctis rose smoothly, relief flashing across his calm face.
Even Galuf cracked a grin. "About time. I was about ready to build my own airship out of books and waterfall spray."
---
The Aetherveil descended in silence, unseen by Daguerreo's scholars and wanderers but undeniable to the five waiting below. The ground thrummed faintly beneath their boots, a vibration like a second heartbeat.
Then, through their trinkets, her warm voice rang clear.
"Greetings, my masters. It has been three days since I last departed. I have returned to retrieve you."
Zack threw his arms skyward. "I knew she missed us!"
Aether's tone softened, almost amused. "I was tasked with important work. But now, I am here. Please prepare for lift."
---
Light bloomed around the group, forming a circle etched with glowing runes. Mist swirled inward, drawn into the pattern as aetheric energy rose like a tide.
"Whoa!" Zack yelped as his body lifted from the ground. He spun clumsily, arms flailing. "I didn't sign up for acrobatics above a waterfall!"
Aerith clutched her dress as her feet left the stone, her laughter ringing above the roar of water. "Just relax! It's not that bad."
Galuf floated upward with calm dignity, stroking his beard. "Hah! Reminds me of the first time I botched a teleport spell. Only with fewer missing eyebrows."
Reks's eyes widened as Daguerreo shrank below them. He gripped his sword tightly, though his lips curved into a smile. "By the gods… we're actually flying."
Noctis crossed his arms, pretending composure, but the grin tugging at his mouth betrayed him.
Higher they rose, past mist and cliff, until the light engulfed them fully. In a blink, they were standing inside the Aetherveil's docking chamber, boots settling on smooth crystalline flooring.
---
And there, waiting for them, was Sirius.
He stood near the viewing deck, cloak draped across his shoulders, eyes steady as he counted them one by one. His presence carried weight—calm, unshakable, yet somehow lighter now than when they had last seen him.
Zack wasted no time. He jabbed a finger. "Hey, Sirius! Where did you disappear to this time, huh? Off on some secret mission? Or maybe a vacation while we've been stuck in a library town eating soup?"
Aerith swatted his arm lightly. "Zack…"
Sirius tilted his head, lips curving in the faintest smirk. He gestured toward the wide starfield beyond the viewing deck. "Vacation? No. I was looking outside the ship. In a faraway place."
The five froze, their expressions flat.
"…Seriously?" Zack groaned.
Aerith pressed a hand to her mouth, trying not to laugh. "Sirius is always serious."
The pun landed. Silence stretched—until Galuf burst into roaring laughter, doubling over. "Rally-ho! That's the best thing I've heard in weeks!"
Reks chuckled, though his gaze lingered on Sirius with quiet curiosity. He wondered, not for the first time, how much of Sirius's words were truth and how much was deliberate misdirection.
Noctis shook his head slowly, a rare smile breaking across his features. "Unbelievable."
---
Sirius let their laughter fill the chamber before speaking again. His voice, though calm, carried something beneath it—a note of resolve only he understood.
"What matters is that I have returned. And so has Aether. We are whole again."
The ship hummed in agreement, her crystalline walls glowing faintly as Aether's voice chimed. "Welcome back, my masters. It is… good to hear your laughter again."
For the first time in three days, the five felt whole once more—the ship had returned, their strange family restored. And Sirius, as mysterious as ever, stood ready to lead them.
None of them knew what Sirius had seen in another world—the girl with rose-colored hair, the brand upon her arm, the trembling hope he had quietly steadied. None of them knew of the shimmering thread of fate already tied to theirs.
For now, only laughter echoed through the crystalline halls of the Aetherveil, carrying them onward into skies without end.