Hall of the Light

Acolyte (nu mou to the left): His Grace Anastasis awaits ahead.

Acolyte (nu mou on the right): His Grace the Gran Kiltias is a dreamsage. He has known of your coming for some time.

[The party approaches the Gran Kiltias, who stands silent with eyes closed. Everyone waits patiently, except for Vaan.]

Vaan: Is he sleeping?

[Ashe quickly shushes him, but then another voice speaks. It is the Gran Kiltias, though he does not open his eyes or move his lips.]

Anastasis: No, my child. I do not sleep. I dream. For reality and illusion are a duality, two parts of a whole. Only the mirror of dreams reflects what is true.

Ashe: Anastasis, Your Grace, I am Ashelia -

Anastasis: Lay down your words. Ashelia, daughter of Raminas, I have dreamt your dream. Who better to carry on the Dalmascan line than she who bears the Dawn Shard? Your dream of a kingdom restored is known to me.

Larsa: Gran Kiltias, then give us your blessing. Grant the Lady Ashe her accession -

???: I do not suppose this is something you might... reconsider?

[A dashing, dark-skinned young man in sunglasses walks in with an attendant beside him; the party makes way for them as he approaches Larsa and Ashe.]

???: My little emperor-in-waiting. You called and I have come.

[Larsa reaches out to shake his hand, but the much taller man instead opts to ruffle his hair. Slightly annoyed, he turns to Ashe and gestures.]

Larsa: This is the man I wanted you to meet. Believe it or not, he is a member of the noble House Margrace, rulers of the Rozarrian Empire.

???: I am but one of very, very many. Try as I might, I could not stop this war alone… thus I came seeking Larsa’s assistance.

[He takes off his sunglasses and hands them to the attendant, while he lays his head back and groans as though exhausted, then looks to Ashe again.]

Al-Cid: Al-Cid Margrace, at your service. To think I stand before the Lady Ashe. It is truly an honor.

[He kneels and takes her hand, kissing it. Penelo is covering her mouth in shock in the background.]

Al-Cid: I see it is true after all. Ah, stunning is Dalmasca’s desert bloom.

[Larsa sighs with exasperation.]

Anastasis: In Archadia, Larsa. In Rozarria, Al-Cid. They dream not of war. Should empire join with empire, the way will open for a new Ivalice in our time.

Al-Cid: Hah, Gran Kiltias! You speak much of dreams. But in the real world, war is upon us.

Ashe: Gran Kiltias, I was told my coming here would prevent this war. I was to assume my father’s throne and announce the restoration of Dalmasca… treat with the Empire for peace, and persuade the Resistance to stay their hand. I have not come all this way to be asked to reconsider!

Al-Cid: A word from you and the Resistance would stop cold… and Rozarria’s pretext for joining the war… scattered, off to the four winds. This was what we had hoped. Alas, circumstances change. A full two years have passed since your reported death. Were it to become known you were still alive… I fear it could only worsen our current situation.

Ashe: Because I am powerless to help.

Al-Cid: [shaking his head] Nay, in fact it has little to do with you.

Larsa: Then what? If Lady Ashe were to extend her hand in friendship… perhaps I could then persuade the Emperor. His Excellency will solve things peacefully -

Al-Cid: The Emperor Gramis is no more. His life was taken.

Larsa: [sighing] Father.

[Scene change; Judge Gabranth marches down a corridor filled with soldiers.]

Senator 1: What possible cause could we have to lay hand on the Emperor?

Senator 2: A deception and an outrage! The Senate will not stand for this!

[Judge Gabranth enters the Emperor’s audience room, where Drace, Vayne, Bergan, and Zargabaath all stand over a body, collapsed on the floor.]

Drace: A viper amongst our Senators!?

Vayne: With Chairman Gregoroth as its head. He confessed and passed his own sentence.

Bergan: A viper with many tails. Much of the Senate is culpable.

Vayne: We had to strip the Senate of authority and assign powers of Autocracy to myself -

Drace: Spare me your lies! I see the serpent coiled here before me!

Zargabaath: Drace, you speak too freely!

Drace: Zargabaath! Do not tell me you join in this mummer’s farce!

Zargabaath: With Rozarria poised to invade at any moment, our leader must have a free hand.

Vayne: The once-great House Solidor is now reduced to myself and my dear brother Larsa.

Drace: Surely you would not go so far!

[Drace draws her sword and points it at Vayne’s neck.]

Drace: Vayne Solidor! As Judge Magister and upholder of the law, I hereby place you under arrest!

[Drace gasps; Bergan has drawn his sword and now holds it to her neck in turn.]

Bergan: Vayne did not make himself autocrat. It was the very Ministry of Law which you serve. Do you see it now, Drace? When you bared your sword at His Excellency, you bared your sword at the law.

Drace: You wear the mummer’s motley well, Bergan.

[Slowly, she drops her sword… then turns and slashes at Bergan, who quickly blocks. He reaches around and grabs her around her face, lifting her off the ground, and then throws her across the room. Her sword goes flying.]

Drace: Such strength - inhuman!

Vayne: Zargabaath, take the Alexander. Accompany Bergan and bring Larsa back to me.

[Zargabaath nods and turns to leave. Gabranth steps up.]

Gabranth: Your Excellency, Lord Larsa was placed under my charge.

Vayne: Oh? Perhaps you mistook your orders then. I see no other explanation for why you were reporting on my doings to my late father.

Gabranth: Your Excellency -

Vayne: A hound, begging for scraps at the Emperor’s table. Would you serve another master, hound? You may fulfill your duty as Judge Magister before us all.

[Gabranth looks to Drace, laying on the floor.]

Vayne: She has been tried and found guilty.

Zargabaath: Your Excellency, I beg you reconsider!

[Gabranth slowly kneels to set down his helm and pick up the sword that was thrown from Drace’s hand. He then moves to Drace, kneeling, with sword poised to pierce her armor. He pauses.]

Drace: Do it. I care not.

[Gabranth looks at Drace.]

Drace: Live, Gabranth. Protect the young lord. Protect Larsa…

Gabranth: Forgive me.

Drace: Pray be quick.

[Another long pause; then, he thrusts the sword. Drace stifles a cry, then quickly goes limp. Vayne takes Gramis’s hand and places it on his lap, as if to make him look more dignified.]

Vayne: And so House Solidor lives on.

[Scene changes back to the group in the Hall of the Light.]

Al-Cid: Let us suppose you approach the Empire with a peaceful resolution. The Late Emperor Gramis would have lent you his ear, that much is certain. But we are dealing with Vayne Solidor. Should the Princess return, he would claim her an imposter. All to tempt the Resistance into battle. Vayne wants this war, that much is certain. As our ill luck would have it, the man is a military genius.

Anastasis: The dreams have told me thus. To reveal yourself would imperil us all. I see war, and Vayne’s name writ bold on history’s page.

Al-Cid: Archadia’s banners fly high. They are making ready for the coming war. According to our latest reports…

[He reaches to his left; his attendant has papers in hand already for him; he takes them and reads them aloud.]

Al-Cid: The Western Armada prepares for war, under Vayne’s command no less. The newly formed 12th Fleet has already been deployed. The Imperial 1st Fleet stands ready. They’ll be under way as soon as the Odin’s refit is complete. And there is more: the 2nd Kerwon Expeditionary Force is being called in… to replace the missing 8th, so there will be no gaps. [folding the papers] The largest force ever seen!

Ashe: And then… the nethicite is the coup de grace. [turning to Anastasis] Gran Kiltias, Your Grace. I spoke to you of my succession. Let us put that aside. Should I become Queen of Dalmasca now, powerless as I am, I can protect nothing. With a greater power at my disposal, perhaps then.

Anastasis: It is the nethicite of which you dream?

Ashe: I require something far greater.

[Anastasis now opens his eyes and speaks in his live voice.]

Anastasis: To wield power against power. Truly the words of a hume-child.

Ashe: I am descended from the Dynast-King himself.

Anastasis: Indeed. Then you have but one choice. Seek you the other power Raithwall left.

Ashe: Does such a thing exist?

Anastasis: Journey across the Paramina Rift to the Stilshrine of Miriam. There rests the gift he entrusted to the Gran Kiltias of his time. Seek it out. The Sword of Kings… can cut through nethicite.

[Ashe nods and turns to leave, but Anastasis is apparently not finished.]

Anastasis: Why he would entrust the power to destroy nethicite, the instrument of his greatness… to another and not to his own progeny, I cannot say. Awaken Ashelia B’Nargin and take up your sword, or your dream will remain but a dream.

[Ashe turns and starts to walk. She stops when she sees Larsa, still frozen in shock; she gives him a regretful look, then continues on. The others follow her.]

Anastasis: [falling back into his mediation] My dream too, fades into day.

[Larsa leaves the party.]