The night over Alexandria should have been quiet.
The moon hung high, its pale glow washing over cobblestone streets and the great castle that crowned the city. Torches flickered along the walls, and patrols of armored women marched with steady rhythm, swords and shields clinking in unison. Their discipline had guarded Alexandria for generations, an unbroken wall of steel and tradition.
Children slept in their beds. Merchants slumbered in their stalls. The kingdom breathed in peace beneath the watch of its queensguard.
But then the sky split open.
A roar unlike any thunder cracked across the heavens, and the stars vanished in an instant, smothered by clouds of fire and smoke. The moon's glow faltered. From the darkness above, something vast moved—wings like black mountains blotting out the light.
Bahamut.
The dragon king soared over the city, his massive form dwarfing even the castle towers. His wings beat like storms, each gust rattling rooftops and shaking windows. His golden eyes burned with ancient fury, and his maw glowed with the promise of annihilation.
Then came the tearing of space itself—rents of shadow ripping through the sky, bleeding foul energy. Through those wounds in the world came the monsters.
The streets erupted with chaos.
---
Screams pierced the night as mothers grabbed children, and soldiers shouted orders over the clash of steel. From the rifts poured beasts twisted in form—hulking things with clawed arms, fanged horrors slithering across stone, winged shadows that shrieked as they dove.
They fell upon homes, ripped through market stalls, and smashed into phalanx lines with savage force. The smell of burning wood and blood filled the air.
The women of Alexandria—warriors trained since childhood—rushed forward in gleaming armor. Captains barked orders, voices hoarse but resolute. Shields locked into walls of steel, swords raised in perfect unison.
"Hold the line!" one captain roared. "For the Queen! For Alexandria!"
The clang of steel rang through the streets. Sparks flared as blades struck monstrous hides. Shields splintered beneath relentless claws. The cobblestones turned slick with blood, crimson running into the streams that wound through the city.
But for every beast cut down, three more emerged from the portals. The soldiers fought valiantly, yet the tide pressed harder, endless.
The city teetered on the brink of collapse.
---
High above, cloaked in the veil of the Aetherveil, Sirius stood at the ship's viewing deck. His cloak stirred faintly in the unseen wind, his gaze unblinking as he traced the threads of fate below.
Thousands shimmered before his sight—threads of citizens, soldiers, innocents—and all trembled with fear. But one flickered strangely, corruption knotting through its weave, twisting like a parasite.
Sirius exhaled slowly. "Chaos has made its move. If we do nothing… Alexandria falls tonight."
Beside him, Aether's crystalline voice resonated. "Shall I descend, Master?"
"Yes," Sirius replied, his eyes never leaving the burning streets. "Bring us over Alexandria. Prepare for deployment."
---
Within the chamber, the five chosen heroes gathered—Zack, Aerith, Galuf, Noctis, and Reks. Their trinkets pulsed in time with Sirius's voice, carrying his words directly into their hearts.
"Listen well," Sirius began, his tone calm but edged with urgency. "A Chaos agent has been summoned. Bahamut himself has been unleashed upon Alexandria. The people are in peril. You must fight."
The five exchanged looks, their breaths heavy with the weight of the moment.
Aerith's hands tightened on her staff, knuckles pale. Her mind flashed to the memory of Cleyra's fall, of Bahamut's flames consuming everything. Her lips trembled. "Bahamut… again?"
Zack clenched his fist, forcing a grin though his jaw was tight. "So round two, huh? Fine. This time we don't let him win."
Galuf's gravelly voice rumbled, steady but grim. "Then this is where our training is tested. No running, no retreat."
Reks swallowed hard, his young face pale. His shield felt impossibly heavy, but he forced his voice steady. "We'll protect them. We have to."
Noctis remained silent for a long moment, his head lowered. When he finally raised it, his eyes gleamed cold and sharp, like conjured steel. "…I'll do my part."
---
Sirius's voice pressed on.
"You will deploy to different points of the city. Each of you has a role.
Zack—north. Stop the monsters overrunning the upper districts.
Noctis—west. Guide the civilians to safety, carve them a path.
Reks—main gate. Anchor the defense. Be their wall.
Galuf and Aerith—east. Protect the wounded, shield the soldiers, and keep hope alive."
He paused, his gaze narrowing as if seeing each of their threads tighten. "You are not merely fighting. You are saving lives. What you do tonight will be remembered—not only by Alexandria, but by fate itself."
---
Silence weighed heavy. Then Zack swung his sword over his shoulder with a smirk. "Fate or not, saving lives? That's enough for me."
Aerith chuckled softly, though her eyes were shadowed. "Always making it sound so simple…"
Galuf grinned despite the tension. "That's youth for you. But he's got the right spirit."
Reks raised his shield, his arm shaking but steadying as he met their gazes. "Then let's stand together—even apart."
Noctis gave a short nod. "…Together."
---
The Aetherveil shuddered as it descended, hidden from mortal eyes. Through its portholes, the five saw Alexandria in ruin—soldiers fighting torchlit battles, civilians running, smoke curling from shattered rooftops.
And above, Bahamut circled. His roar shook the heavens, his shadow eclipsing the moon. Fire gathered in his throat, the promise of annihilation.
The five tightened their grips on weapons, breaths steadying as Sirius's final words echoed.
"This is what you trained for. This is why I chose you. Go now—save Alexandria."
---
Aether's voice filled the chamber, calm but reverent. "Deployment ready. May the veil guide you."
Beams of shimmering light descended, piercing the smoke. One by one, the five stepped into them, vanishing from the chamber.
And as they landed—north, west, east, and at the gate—the soldiers of Alexandria looked up. Battered and bloodied, their arms faltering, they saw strangers descend like omens of salvation.
Hope flickered where despair had ruled.
The night the sky cried fire had begun its true battle.