The field outside Gridania had never seen such an army.
Banners from every corner of Eorzea snapped in the wind—Ul'dahn crimson, Lominsan blue, Gridanian green, Ishgardian silver. Guild banners mingled among them: the crossed axes of the Marauders, the shining shield of the Gladiators, the silver spear of the Lancers, the open hand of the Pugilists, the white blossom of the Conjurers. Families too marched beside them, heirs bearing relic blades and ancestral armor.
Never in living memory had Eorzea stood so united.
And yet, their unity faced a nightmare.
The Chaos agent loomed in the distance, its body a seething amalgam of claws, wings, and glowing eyes. Around it surged the horde—beasts of every shape, twisted by corruption. Jackals ran in packs like wolves. Spriggans grew taller than men, their claws dripping ichor. Wyverns flew with tattered wings, vomiting fire tainted black. Sahagin crawled from rivers, armored in scales harder than steel.
When the agent roared, the horde answered as one, their strength flaring as if its breath alone filled them with fury.
---
The Guildmasters stood at the head of their forces.
Jenlyns raised his sword, his voice ringing clear. "Hold the line! Let none pass!"
E–Sumi–Yan lifted his staff, weaving a barrier of light across the front ranks. "The forest watches! Stand firm!"
Hamon Holyfist cracked his knuckles, laughter rolling from his chest. "Break their bones, lads! Break their bones and drink to it after!"
Ywain leveled his spear, his eyes sharp. "Strike with precision! Every thrust must count!"
Wyrnzoen's roar shook the field. "Axes high! Let the sea crash against them!"
The armies bellowed as one, their cries carrying across the plain.
And then the ground trembled with the thunder of corrupted feet. The horde charged.
---
In the chaos, five figures broke from the lines.
Zack led the way, his bastard sword blazing with holy light. "Clear a path!" he shouted, his grin wild.
Aerith followed close, her staff shining with lilies, a barrier blooming around them. "Stay close!"
Galuf ran beside them, fists glowing faintly, his laughter booming. "Hah! Finally, something worth hitting!"
Noctis warped ahead, spear blazing, each leap carrying him through the tide of beasts. He landed, spun, and cut a path for the others.
Reks anchored the rear, shield braced, axe swinging in brutal arcs. "Keep moving! Don't stop!"
The armies watched in awe as the five carved a corridor through the horde, striking with precision, unyielding despite the tide pressing from every side.
They did not pause. They did not falter. Their goal was clear—the Chaos agent at the center.
---
The agent moved as they approached, its form shifting grotesquely. One moment it bore wings like a dragon, another it crawled on claws like a behemoth, then it rose on legs like a giant, its face splitting into a dozen mouths.
It roared, and the horde surged harder.
Zack planted his sword in the dirt, the light around it flaring. "This is it!"
The five formed their circle.
The agent struck first, a claw sweeping wide. Reks caught it on his shield, the impact rattling his bones. He gritted his teeth, shoving it back just enough for Zack to charge, sword flashing in a holy arc. Sparks flew as steel bit corrupted flesh.
Galuf slammed into its leg, fists pounding in a storm of blows, his laughter mingling with his roars. "Come on! Hit harder, damn you!"
Noctis leapt skyward, his spear trailing fire. He came down like a comet, driving the weapon into the agent's shoulder. The ground shook with the impact.
Aerith stood at the center, weaving light around them, every chant a song. Wounds closed, barriers shimmered, and when the agent's roar sent waves of despair through the field, her voice cut through it like spring sunlight.
---
But the Chaos agent was no ordinary foe.
Its body shifted constantly, sprouting new limbs, new mouths, new weapons. A wing swept out, knocking Galuf flying. A maw opened in its chest, spewing black fire that burned even through Aerith's barriers. Reks was driven to one knee, his shield shattering under a crushing blow. Zack barely caught him before the follow-up strike landed.
Noctis warped again and again, each jump faster, more frantic. His strikes bit deep, but the agent barely slowed. He hissed in frustration. "It's like stabbing smoke."
Aerith's hands shook as she poured healing into Galuf, her staff trembling. "Stay with me!"
Galuf coughed blood and laughed, staggering back to his feet. "Takes more than that to stop me!"
Zack roared, his sword blazing brighter, forcing the agent back for a heartbeat. "Don't stop! We can do this!"
But as the battle raged, doubt crept in. The monster was not tiring. Every time they cut it, it reformed. Every time they knocked it down, it rose again, stronger.
---
Behind them, the armies fought desperately. The guildmasters led their guilds in brutal clashes, their shouts echoing across the battlefield. Families poured spells and arrows into the horde. Villagers carried water, potions, bandages. Every soul in Eorzea seemed to be fighting, but still the tide pressed forward.
And above it all, the Chaos agent roared, buffing its army with every cry.
Aerith's voice broke through the trinkets, faint, strained. "We're not enough. Not yet."
Sirius's voice answered, sharp in their minds. "You must endure. This is only one agent. If you fall here, the world will fall with you."
The weight of it pressed heavy on them.
Zack gritted his teeth. "Then we endure."
Reks tightened his grip on his broken shield. "We endure."
Galuf spat blood and laughed. "We endure!"
Noctis leapt again, spear blazing. "We endure."
Aerith raised her staff, light pouring from her hands. "Together—we endure!"
---
The battle raged into the night, the field lit by fire and holy light, screams and chants mingling in the air. The Five stood at the center of the storm, battered but unbroken, fighting not just for themselves but for every soul watching.
And as the moon rose high, the Chaos agent shifted again, its form swelling, its roar shaking the stars themselves.
The true test had only just begun.