The trinkets stirred again in the quiet night, faint pulses of light brushing against their skin as they sat within Jahara's huts. The air outside carried the hum of insects, the soft crackle of campfires, the occasional laugh of a tribesman. But inside the small room, silence sharpened as Sirius's voice filled their thoughts.
"Aerith."
A new voice joined the link, bright, clear, and warm as dawn.
"Hello, Sirius."
Her tone was so gentle, so effortlessly kind, that Serah's shoulders eased without thinking. Even Vivi peeked from under his hat, wide eyes glimmering at the unexpected comfort the name carried.
"How are you?" Sirius asked. His voice, usually carved from stone, sounded almost softened.
"I'm good," Aerith replied, a smile in her words. "But you wouldn't call me unless something was wrong."
"You are to join Clive's party," Sirius said. "They will pass near Eryut Village. The Wood will not open for them, but it will open for you."
Aerith's voice lit with curiosity. "Oh, the Viera's home? That sounds exciting. When do I start?"
"The Aetherveil is already on its way."
The group exchanged puzzled glances.
"Aether?" Serah repeated.
Aerith chuckled, light as bells. "Sirius never told you? Well, you'll see soon enough. She's hard to explain until you meet her."
Clive considered. "We'll be on the Ozmone Plain by morning. There's an open clearing there."
"Perfect," Aerith said brightly.
Sirius's tone turned sharp again. "Go easy on them."
Aerith laughed. "You're always serious, Sirius."
But he was gone, leaving only her quiet laughter hanging in their ears. For the first time in weeks, even Vivi allowed himself a small smile.
---
The next morning dawned with heat and wind. The Ozmone Plain stretched like a green sea beneath the sun, grasses rippling with each gust. Clive's party stood in the clearing, weapons strapped, eyes scanning the sky.
Vivi tugged at his hat nervously. "Are… are we sure something's coming?"
Auron gave a grunt, folding his arms. "You'll know when it arrives."
The shadow fell across them then, vast and sudden.
Vivi gasped. Serah shielded her eyes. Mog squeaked.
The air shimmered, and an immense shape slid free of invisibility, bending the sunlight like rippling water. It was an airship, but unlike any that plied the skies of Ivalice. Its hull gleamed with runes that glowed faintly, its edges warping the air around it as though the ship itself were half a dream.
Serah's mouth dropped open. "That… that's no ordinary vessel."
The Aetherveil hovered, but it did not land. The clearing was far too small for such a colossus. Instead, six shafts of light spilled from its underside, wrapping each of them in shimmering radiance.
Vivi squealed as his feet left the ground. Mog flailed his little wings wildly. "Mog did not agree to flying, kupo!"
Serah laughed, hair flying as she rose. "This is incredible!"
Clive steadied Lunafreya with a hand at her back as they ascended. Auron only snorted, arms folded, as if levitation were the most mundane thing in the world.
The lift carried them high until their boots touched the Aetherveil's deck. The polished wood pulsed faintly with runes under their feet, alive as though the ship itself breathed.
"Welcome aboard," Aerith said. She stood at the rail, staff in hand, her white robe embroidered with lilies swaying in the wind. She waved as though greeting old friends.
Another voice resonated through the very planks beneath them, calm and resonant. "I am Aether. This is the Aetherveil. Sirius entrusted me with your safety."
Mog spun in place, pom trembling. "The ship talks, kupo?!"
"Yes," Aether said serenely. "And through me, Sirius may guide you further."
Light shimmered in Aerith's hands. Six slim bracelets appeared, each set with a small crystal that pulsed in rhythm.
"Synchronizers," Aether explained. "Wear them, and I will be bound to you. I can monitor your condition, shield you in battle, and, if needed, lift you to safety."
One by one, they fastened the bracelets. The moment the metal touched their skin, a faint hum brushed against their senses—like a heartbeat not their own, weaving them into something greater.
---
Serah tilted her head, glancing from Aerith to Clive. "So she just… drops out of the sky in a ghost ship, and Sirius tells us to trust her? Who is she?"
Mog pointed an accusing paw. "Yes, kupo. Mog demands an explanation."
Even Auron's rumble joined in. "Why her? Why now?"
Clive met Lunafreya's gaze before he spoke. "Because Aerith is one of us. Sirius chose her, too. While we've fought here in Ivalice, five others fight elsewhere—in Eorzea. When Sirius first called them, they weren't heroes. Just apprentices. A gladiator, a conjurer, a pugilist, a lancer, and a marauder."
Lunafreya's voice flowed like calm water. "But they are not from one place. Each comes from a different world. Noctis—he is of my world. I once walked beneath the same sky as him."
Aerith nodded, smiling gently. "And Zack is of mine. We grew together, though our paths split. We share the same world."
Clive's tone was low, steady. "Reks is of this one—Ivalice. Sirius pulled him from its wars. And Galuf… he's from another place entirely. We don't know where."
Serah's eyes widened. "So there are others. Just like us."
Aerith's smile deepened. "Yes. None of us are truly alone."
Vivi's small fingers tightened around his staff, a flicker of wonder breaking through his usual gloom.