DISCLAIMER:
The following is a crash course for the plot of Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn.  IT CONTAINS SPOILERS, it does not have any sort of personal insight, and is mainly meant as a tool for those who have skipped, forgotten, or want a refresher on the major plot points of the Realm Reborn narrative.

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Enjoying Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn? Perhaps you would like to learn more about the series up to this point and catch all the little (and sometimes not so little) references to the series’ larger history? You might want to check out my Final Fantasy Retrospective series where I am replaying the entire franchise from the start live on Twitch with both archived VODs and edited videos on Youtube.

What You Need To Know From 1.0

In the last days of the Sixth Astral Era, the Garlean Empire launched a full out assault on the continent of Eorzea.  The Allied Forces consisting of the three Grand Companies attempted to repel the invaders only to learn that the true plan that in order to end what the threat of the Primals forever they would need to use the power of the ancient Allagan magic Meteor. (Lore Note: The Allagan Empire was a technologically and magically advanced society that ruled Eorzea during the Third Astral Era.)

Spurred on by the mysterious beings known as Ascians, Nael Van Darnus led the VIIth Legion to Carteneau where they waged a bloody battle to cast Meteor and drop the moon, Dalamud, on the continent ending all life and the Primal threat.  However, upon its descent it was revealed the Dalamud was no natural moon but a massive prison for the Primal, Bahamut.

This effort was thwarted by the sage Louisiox and his disciples, who called upon the power of their gods, The Twelve, to help stop Meteor and Bahamut.  Though the Battle took the lives of many, including Louisiox, Bahamut was cast down and the VIIth Legion annihilated thus severely crippling the Garlean Empire.  The destruction wrought by Dalamud and Bahamut caused mass upheaval in the land, altering the landscape and weather.  This event became known as the Calamity. This began the Seventh Umbral Era.

A Realm Reborn (2.0)

Five years after the Battle of Carteneau, the Warrior of Light, destined to be the champion of the Mother Crystal Hydaelyn and received her Blessing of Light, arrives in one of the three city states of Gridania, Ul’dah or Limsa Lominsa.  After performing heroic deeds locally, the Warrior gets noticed by one of the members of an organization called The Scions of the Seventh Dawn – a third party apolitical organization made up mostly of Louisoix’s disciples aimed at stopping the Primals and creating peace.  The Scions invite the Warrior in to the organization and explain that they have the gift of the Echo.  An ability that allows the Warrior to see and even in some cases interact with the past and to know the hearts of others.  It also renders them immune to the brainwashing enslavement that Primals use called ‘Tempering’.  Because of this gift, the Scions send you to help track down and ultimately defeat the Primal Ifrit.

Defeating Ifrit gains you to notoriety and fame across the Grand Companies who court you for membership.  It also arouses the attention of the Ascians who view you as a threat to their unknown plans.  There is also news that the Garlean Empire has returned under the banner of Gaius Van Baelsar in an attempt to conquer Eorzea. As you continue your quest with the Scions, you learn of the nature of the Primals: that they are summoned by the prayers and sacrifice of crystals by their followers – usually beast tribes – to aid them against, more often than not, the Grand Companies.  The kobolds are threatened by Limsa Lominsa’s intrusions into their territory so they summon Titan, requiring you to beseech aid from the Company of Heroes that once felled Titan long before.

Next, the Ixal summon Garuda but before even having the chance to investigate the Garlean Empire re-emerges to assault the Scions of the Seventh Dawn at their own headquarters and injures, kills, or captures the majority of its members.  Forced to choose between stopping a Primal or helping your friends, the Warrior of Light pursues Garuda.  In need a mode of transportation to breach the Howling Gale where Garuda dwells, the Warrior and Louisoix’s grand-son Alphinaud reunite with Cid Garlond, a Garlean that joined the Eorzean Allied Forces during the war with his homeland but went into hiding after his airship – the Enterprise – crashed in the frozen wastes of Coerthas.

In the process of searching for the airship, the Warrior of Light inadvertently gets involved in the complicated and fanatical theocratic politics of the northern nation of Ishgard and earns the loyalty & friendship of House Fortemps in the process. You find and repair the airship and do battle with the vicious Garuda but find that victory is short lived as the Garleans arrive headed by Gaius who mocks Garuda and her Ixal followers, as well as the other beast tribes (many of which are hostages of the Ixal to force them to worship their ‘god’).  What results is the kobolds and the amal’jaa summoning their primals as well, and Garuda, Titan and Ifrit all assaulting the Garleans.  Which is exactly what Gaius wants as he unleashes their newest discovery: an ancient Allagan machina known as ‘The Ultima Weapon’.  The Ultima Weapon swiftly kills and absorbs all three Primals, fueling the machine to full power.  Gaius departs with what he came for – a fully charged super weapon to conquer Eorzea with.

The threat that the Garlean Empire poses can no longer be ignored.  Alphinaud, Cid, and the Warrior of Light petition the aid of the Grand Companies to unite in a grand assault to stop the Ultima Weapon.  The offensive is dubbed ‘Operation Archon’ and has the forces split to assault several Garlean strongholds at once to cripple their generals and the forces they command before going after Gaius himself, all the while attempting to break into the Eorzean headquarters of the Garlean invasion and free the Scions of the Seventh Dawn, where it is revealed that the Ascians are behind the stirring of the Garleans to invade.  That the Ascian pulling the strings is named Lahabrea, and even worse that the Ascians have no true physical form and possess mortals as hosts – in this case, it’s Thancred, a loyal founding member of the Scions!

The final assault begins and the Warrior of Light not only defeats Gaius’ inner circle of Nero, Livia and Rihtahtyn, but also stops Gaius and the Ultima Weapon he pilots.  In his defeat, Gaius curses Lahabrea who appears and the two clash, resulting in Lahabrea unleashing the spell Ultima, a power that rivals Meteor in destructive potential.  This wipes out the Ultima Weapon and Gaius, but not the Warrior of Light who is protected by the Mother Crystal, Hydaelyn, who has been gently guiding you your entire journey as Her champion.  The ultimate battle is then fought between the Warrior of Light and Lahabrea – still possessing Thancred.  You defeat the Ascian, driving him away with a blade of pure light bequeathed by the Mother Crystal herself and rescue Thancred.  The Garleans have been defeated, an Ascian driven back into the shadows, and the Grand Companies stand at an unprecedented time of unity and mutual respect.  The base Main Scenario ends with Minfillia, the antecedent of the Scions declaring that the Seventh Astral Age has begun.

A Realm Awoken (2.1)

With the Seventh Astral Age upon them, the Scions of the Seventh Dawn are at a juncture.  Due to the events of the battle with The Ultima Weapon and Operation Archon, the Scions – who once stood as a clandestine organization known only to the heads of the Grand Companies and a few others – have been ousted into the public.  This poses the issue of how to maintain neutrality among the three city-state nations (a necessity considering how often they admonish the Grand Companies’ actions that provoke the Beast Tribes into summoning Primals).  Alphinaud and others suggested relocating their headquarters from the shores of Ul’dah to another location. Namely Mor Dhona, a government-less stretch of land just outside of Carteneau and south-west of Coerthas.  Minfilia is apprehensive however, since Ul’dah was her adopted home.  To assuade her fears of abandoning her home, the Warrior of Light reunites Minfilia with her adopted mother F’lhaminn who helps convince Minfilia that this is the right choice.

The Scions must also deal with a more confusing problem.  In the Twelveswood surrounding Gridania, the moogles have begun to stir.  They have apparently through sheer will summoned their greatest ‘King’ from the Aether in much the same way that a Primal is summoned.  But is this Moogle a primal?  What if pure faith and devotion is all that’s truly required to summon something out of the Aether?  Regardless, the Good King and his Mog-Guard pose a threat to the entire Twelveswood and the other moogles wish for the Scions help in stopping them.

However, all is not well.  Minfilia is also contacted while packing the Tupsimati (the shattered staff of Louisoix that adorns the wall of Minfilia’s office) by a new Ascian garbed in white named Elidibus who calls himself ‘The Emissary.’  Elidibus states that he knows that Minfilia too possesses the Echo and that understanding the true power and potential of this ‘gift’ is perhaps the key to creating a peace between the Ascians and the mortals.  Minfilia refuses to want to make any sort of bargain with an Ascian, and attacks only to be stunned by a blade of dark magic.  She recovers when the Warrior of Light finds her, but this worrisome news of a new Ascian is only met with mroe bad news revealed by the Scion’s chief researcher, Urianger: they have lost contact with the Students of Baldesion – an order of scholars that are close allies and trusted advisors to the Scions’ and who reside on the Isle of Val between the Scions’ native land of Sharlayan and Dravia, the homeland of the dragons.  The chapter ends with the Scions relocating to Mor Dhona and taking up residence in The Rising Stones, a base hidden behind the Seventh Heaven inn in the town of Revenant’s Toll.

Through the Maelstrom (2.2)

It would seem that the Garlean Empire is in a moment of strife. In the wake of the second failed invasion of Eorzea, a battle of succession broke out in the Empire and the fate of the Emperor in its wake is unknown.  However, in the wake of the struggle, one of the Empire’s conquered territories – the Kingdom of Doma – attempted to break free of their imperial overlords.  The plan was folly however as the Empire was not as divided and weakened as it had appeared, leaving only a few thousand survivors of the entire land of Doma alive, exiled and stuck on boats until they reach Eorzea.  There the leader of the Doman Exiles, Yugiri, a strange hooded ninja with horns and a tail, begs the Scions for aid.  The Scions assist by helping Yugiri gain audience with the leaders of the Alliance.  However, each one falls on deaf ears.  While the Alliance was quick to lend any and all aid to Operation Archon, they now refuse to lend any stating that the resources are better used to tend their respective city-states’ own needs.  However, a member of the Monetarists that aid the Sultana Nanamo in ruling Ul’dah by the name of Teledji Adeledji pledges his own support from his coffers to provide at least some food and blankets to the refugees despite the lack of profit from it.

Meanwhile, the mystery of the echo’s true potential grows as an investigation into the possibility that the Ascian’s are spurring the Sahagin of La Noscea to summon Leviathan with the promises of immortality.  Indeed, upon attempting to stop the summoning, the head priest of the Sahagin is killed but uses the Echo to possess another Sahagin and turn it’s form into the high priests.  Indeed it seems the Echo is more powerful than previous thought.  But the revelation is short lived as Leviathan springs forth and devours the priest to fuel its power.  Thus begins the struggle to stop Leviathan, a Primal who commands the very sea and can summon tidal waves that will level cities.  The plan is to use a crystal powered device to neutralize the attack, but it would take two whole ships worth of crystals to do it.  Fashioning a massive ship from several others, you create both the vehicle and the device to stop Leviathan.

The fate of the Isle of Val is revealed as well.  Urianger reports that the entire island, and all of the Students of Baldesion have vanished from existence.  The leading theory as to their demise?  Ultima.  Suspicion falls heavily on Ascian involvement.

The chapter concludes with the Doman refugees finding a new home in Revenant’s Toll where they can stay in exchange for work, and the reveal that perhaps Teledji Adeledji has more up his sleeve than he’s showing as when asked by his aide what the next step will be, he only responds: “Revolution.”

Defenders of Eorzea (2.3)

Alphinaud, frustrated with the selfish actions of the Grand Companies in the wake of a supposedly ‘united’ Eorzea, takes it upon himself to see to the formation of a brand new Grand Company that holds no loyalties to any one city-state and instead draws from all lands to form a group devoted to peace keeping and protecting Eorzea: The Crystal Braves.  Using the renown of the Warrior of Light as a draw for recruitment, he meets with many setbacks and disappointments but ultimately fashions together a proud group, many of which the Warrior encountered throughout their journeys.

The situation in Ul’dah begins to unfold as General Raubahn reveals that there have been increasing riots among the refugee populations in and around the city.  Raubahn strongly suggests that Teledji Adeledji is behind these uprisings, hoping to pass the Carteneau Reclaimation Bill.  A piece of legislation that would turn the remnants of the Carteneau Flats into a refugee settlement and open it to businesses like Adeledji’s to help rebuild.  Harmless in appearance if it weren’t for the recent discovery of an Allagan device in the wreckage of Dalamud that would equal or surpass the Ultima Weapon: Omega.  Sultana Nanamo and Raubahn both suspect and fear that Teledji is attempted to force the bill through in a bid to salvage Omega for himself to unknown but likely dire ends.

Finally, another Primal has apparently been summoned.  This time it is Ramuh, the Lord of Levin.  Strange since the matter of the Sylphs was settled back during your first visit to the Twelveswood that the Touched (Primal Blessed and far more hostile) Sylphs wouldn’t summon Ramuh unless their home was infringed upon. However, despite the Primal being supposedly summoned, the Sylphs seem to be making no move to attack outside of the Sylphlands.  The Sylphs were reasoned with before, perhaps the Lord of Levin can be reasoned with? The entire team of Scions save Minfilia venture into the Sylphlands to find out, including Urianger who wishes to learn more about how Primals being summoned affects the Aether.  While the Touched Sylphs attempt to deceive you into leaving by taking on different shapes and forms including the Scions, the Warrior and his friends meet with Ramuh who refuses to trust mortals until tested by combat.  However, upon besting the Primal in a fight, he consents his blessing to the Warrior of Light and the Scions to be the arbiters of peace between mortals and the Sylphs in the Black Shroud.

Urianger’s research with Ramuh turns out to reveal a theory as to how the Ascian’s are able to be quasi-immortal.  Normally, the Aether flows between its own plane (the Aetherial Plane) and the physical world.  Here it gives life to everything, and when something dies it flows back into the Aether.  Primals are Aetherial beings of godlike power summoned using crystals of concentrated Aether to sustain a physical form.  The Ascians however seem to exist outside of the cycle, in some unknown dark place.  If they die, they use the flow of Aether to leave the mortal plane, but do not continue the cycle and instead return to their own native plane.  Because of this, it is theoretically possible to trap an Ascian in Aether form after losing its physical body but before departing the physical realm.

Dreams of Ice (2.4)

This chapter opens with an internal concern of the upmost secrecy for the Crystal Braves: a Garlean spy known as Ivy has infiltrated the Grand Companies and is using blackmail to subvert Eorzea. Teaming up with Alphinaud’s trusted second in command of the Braves, Ilberd, and utilizing the stealthy rogue like skill of the Domans, the Warrior of Light cuts through to the center of the plot and finding out that Ivy is none other than Eline Roaille – Flame Marshall and right hand to General Raubahn.  The infiltration is so deep that she was part of it since the formation of the Immortal Flames.  Indeed it comes to light that she was a triple agent as she was also peddling information to Ul’dah’s Monetarists the entire time, as well as the Heretics of the Dravarian Horde (Dragon worshipers.)  Eline also reveals that the war of succession has ended in Garlemald and there is a new emperor on the throne: Varis Zos Galvus.

Speaking of the Dravanian Horde, the second half of the story in this chapter involves Ser Aymeric of Ishgard who comes bidding aid to the Scions to help with their now missing supplies as a result of Ivy’s tips to the heretics.  It would seem that a heretical movement led by the mysterious Lady Iceheart has interrupted trade routes from Coerthas to the south – namely Mor Dhona and Revenant’s Toll – using Ivy’s intel.  The opportunity is seized by the newly formed Crystal Braves to test their mettle under the watchful supervision of Alphinaud and the Warrior of Light.

The investigation leads to the discovery that Lady Iceheart intends to summon the primal Saint Shiva, who was once a human that fell in love with a dragon.  Her intent as she tells it is to end the Dragonsong War (the ages long battle between Ishgard and the Dravanians), and to impede her would only invite further bloodshed.  She is convinced her actions are what is best for Eorzea as a whole.  With that, she uses an aethercyte to teleport away and destroy the crystal behind her to ensure the Warrior of Light and the Scions cannot follow.

This leads Minfilia to contact her old friend Moenbryda from their homeland of Sharlayan who arrives with the means to not only repair the broken aethercyte to pursue Iceheart, but may also be the final key to actually killing an Ascian: White Auracite, a stone with the remarkable power to temporarily hold and trap vast amounts of Aether.  This allows the Warrior of Light to teleport to the Akh Afah Amphitheatre and face off with Lady Iceheart, who summons the essence of Shiva and turns herself into the primal.  After a fierce battle, Lady Iceheart reverts to her normal self.  She curses the Warrior of Light for being as blind as the Ishgardians and for squandering “Mother’s gift.”  She tells the Warrior to seek out the Keeper of the Lake if they want the truth and then she vanishes into a portal repeating the words repeatedly spoken by Hydaelyn to the Warrior of Light: “Hear… Feel… Think…”

With the threat of Iceheart’s heretics disposed of and the ability of the Garlean Empire to spy on Eorzea cut off, the chapter ends with more questions than answers: Was Shiva a primal that used Iceheart’s body or something else? How was Iceheart able to remain in control while turned into Shiva? Were the Ascians involved? Will the White Auracite be able to re-create the blade of light used to strike down Lahabrea?  The only lead the Scions have is this: The Keeper of the Lake – The mighty wyrmking Midgardsormr that was felled a battle with a Garlean airship during the first invasion of Eorzea, whose ancient body lies in the lake just beyond Revenant’s Toll, and that the Ishgardian Astrologians believe will soon be resurrected.  Ser Aymeric thanks you for your assistance with Iceheart and makes a pact with Alphinaud that the Scions stand guard over the Keeper of the Lake in exchange for renewed and reinforced trade routes for crystal shipments to Revenant’s Toll.

Before the Fall (2.5)

A Brave named Riol has a growing concern about potential corruption in the ranks of the Crystal Braves as weapons shipments keep doing missing. Commander Ilberd requests the Warrior of Light’s aid in investigate missing weapon shipments and chase down the black marketeer that has been hocking them.  Ilberd finally tracks them down but by the time the Warrior of Light arrives, they find Ilberd exhausted and standing in the pool of blood that was the black marketeer.  Wanting to be done with it all, he confiscates the dead man’s crate and tasks the Warrior with delivering it, however upon doing so the Crystal Braves remark that the shipment seems small and Riol is unconvinced that this could possibly be all of it and leaves to investigate.

Meanwhile, the Warrior of Light was beckoned to return to the Rising Stones in Mor Dhona where you find Ser Aymeric’s lieutenant Lucia waiting.  She informs you that the dragon’s roar has gone out across the land and is calling the dravarians to war.  They fear that the Keeper of the Lake has awakened and ask that you investigate it personally.  After battling through the remains of the airship covered in dragons and other beasts drawn to Midgardsormr’s presence, you face off with the wyrmking himself who recognizes you as being the Warrior of Light, Hydaelyn’s chosen.  The mighty dragon states that you should view the truth of things with eyes unclouded and dispels the Blessing of Light put upon the Warrior thus causing the crystals that have been collecting and shining throughout the Realm Reborn story to fade into darkness.  Midgardsormr then takes the form of a small drake and forges a new pact with the Warrior: to come along with them, to offer wisdom and insight, and to “Watch… Listen… and Wait…” mocking Hydaelyn’s words and alluding to some connection between the two.

The Warrior of Light returns to aid Moenbryda next in testing the white auracite someplace safe in case the built up aether causing a massive explosion of power.  In their remote location of Northern Thanalan, they run across another Ascian calling himself Nabriales who discovers that the Warrior no longer bears the Blessing of Light.  Seeing the opportunity that Hydaelyn’s protection is no longer cast over the Scions, he attacks the Rising Stones to seize the staff Tupsimati and to use its untapped power to bring about “The Rejoining”.  However, Moenbryda and the Warrior interrupt forcing Nabriales to abduct Minfilia, fatally wound Moenbryda and retreat.  The warrior faces off with Nabriales in the Crystalis and defeats the Ascian, who mocks that he can’t be killed.  Moenbryda uses the white auracite to trap the Ascian but without Hydaelyn’s blessing, the Warrior cannot summon the blade of light to destroy the Ascian trapped inside the crystal.  Moenbryda sacrifices her remaining life energy and infuses it with Tupsimati to forge a new blade of light, allowing the Scions to vanquish an Ascian once and for all but at such a great cost.

After the Scions mourn the loss of Moenbryda, the call comes out from Ishgard: the dragons have come to answer the roar.  Alphinaud and the Warrior petition the Grand Companies for aid but find none, further angering Alphinaud that the Grand Companies only care about themselves and not the Alliance.  The leaders respond that Ishgard hid behind their walls when Garlemald attacked, so why should they risk their necks for Ishgard?  Infuriated by the stubbornness and ignorance of a potential united Eorza, Alphinaud leads the Crystal Braves and the Warrior of Light to Coerthas to do battle.  It is there that you once again confront Lady Iceheart who shatters Ishgard’s first wall of magical wards against the dragons and allows the great dragon Vishap to assault the Steps of Faith. While the dragons were repelled, the assault was devastating on the forces of Ishgard that protect the borders.

After returning to the Rising Stones, Minfilia puts upon you two tasks: one is to help Tataru, the lalafel secretary for the Scions who resigns in order to go and train to become a proper adventurer like the rest of the Scions.  The other is to assist a scholar in researching aether flows in the Shroud.  Tataru’s adventures lead her to Limsa Lominsa where she tries and fails to become an arcanist. While the guildmaster states that the lalafel has the potential since she is a master with numbers, Tataru resigns that her skills would best be used as a master secretary and returns to the Rising Stones.  The investigation with the scholar however turns up something far worse: the discovery of the body of Wildred, a young man in the Crystal Braves that had helped out from time to time on your missions.  Wildred had no business being in the Shroud, and upon returning to headquarters you find out why when you speak to Riol again.  Riol has found that the 1st and 3rd divisions of the Crystal Braves have been bribed and bought by none other than Teledji Aleledji, and that Wildred was starting to ask questions about what his comrades were up to leading to his demise.

It all comes to a head as the Warrior of Light is invited to a celebratory feast in Ul’dah along with the rest of the Scions.  When you arrive however, you are momentarily diverted to run a quick errand. Yet another one of the Crystal Braves has gone missing.  While looking for her, the Warrior stumbles upon a small vial and then Laurentius, a reformed corrupt lancer from the Black Shroud that you personally recruited for the Crystal Braves.  Laurentius takes the vial and tells you he will wait for Alienne, the missing Brave, so you can get back to the feast.  Upon returning you are ushered into a private meeting with Sultana Nanamo, where she reveals that she plans to dissolve the Syndicate AND the Sultanate and reform Ul’dah into a democratic republic.  Upon announcing this she sips her wine and begins convulsing in pain – the wine had been poisoned!  The Sultana collapses on the ground just as Teledji Adeledji breaks through the door with his Brass Blades soldiers and declares that you – the Warrior of Light – are guilty of regicide.  You are arrested and dragged away.

Elsewhere in Ul’dah, Alphinaud is called away from making snide remarks about how the Grand Companies are now doting on Ser Aymeric about their eagerness toward forging a treaty with Ishgard and expanding the Alliance now that they have nothing to risk to address urgent Crystal Braves business. However upon arriving, Ilberd – Alphinaud’s most trusted second-in-command – draws his blade and puts it to the young man’s neck.  Outside on a balcony, Thancred is relaxing away from the crowded dinner and begins to hear an uprising in the streets as the Brass Blades begin to take control of the city.

The feast is interrupted by Teledji bursting through the doors, the Warrior of Light tied up behind him, and announces that the Scions of the Seventh Dawn are all under arrest for conspiracy, regicide, and countless other charges.  Raubahn interrupts telling Teledji that he forgets his place, that the Sultana still rules not the Monetarists, and that he can’t use the Brass Blades as his own personal army.  Teledji mocks Raubahn about the general of the Immortal Flames talking about ‘personal armies’ and then announces the death of Sultana Nanamo to the shocked crowd.  Teledji explains that the Scions have consorted with dark magics to ensnare and enslave the Grand Company leaders, turned Ishgard into allies overnight and that Thancred helped the Garlean Empire attack (referring to his time being possessed by Lahabrea.)  The other Grand Company leaders are escorted out by their personal guard before the city erupts in violence, Raubahn on the other hand completely snaps.  He berserks out and kills Teledji only then to be confronted by Lord Lolorito, another Monetarist syndicate member and a rival of Teledji who reprimands Raubahn’s actions, stating that murder is still illegal regardless of who runs Ul’dah.  Raubahn launches at Lolorito next only to be stopped and dismembered by Ilberd.  Ilberd and Raubahn were once staunch allies in the battle for Ala Mhigo when the Empire attacked before the Calamity, but Ilberd is disgusted with how posh and obedient the once fierce Raubahn has become.  Now with only one arm, Raubahn picks up his sword again and tells the Scions to go and that he’ll cover their escape. The Scions are the only chance for bringing the Sultana’s true killers to justice.

So the Scions flee through the streets and hidden sewers of Ul’dah.  All the while, a few of them stopping to hold off enemies while the others flee.  First the pugilist Yda and the thaumaturge Papylmo, then the rogue Thancred and the conjurer Yshtola stand off in the sewers to collapse the tunnels, until only Minfilia and the Warrior of Light remain.  Lastly, Minfilia says Hydaelyn speaks to her and tells the Warrior that her role is to stay while the Warrior goes on.

So at last, outside the city of Ul’dah the only remaining members of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn reunite: the Warrior of Light, Alphinaud, and Tataru.  They are whisked away before the Crystal Braves can hunt them down by Cid Garlond in the Enterprise along with his trusted assistants Biggs and Wedge.  The Rising Stones is now under complete control of the Crystal Braves, the sultana gone, and now the Scions are wanted criminals.  The remaining three flee to the only place that they still have allies: Coerthas and House Fortemps.  They are greeted with open arms, assured that House Fortemps will do whatever they can to see about getting them into Ishgard proper for protection and told that the infamous Ishgardian cold shoulder will now work to their advantage if anyone comes looking for them.  Alphinaud’s despair about not being able to ‘save Eorzea’ as he deluded himself grows until Tataru and the Warrior of Light confront him, that as long the Scions exist, the dawn will come again.  They need only look… Heavensward.

The Story Continues in…  Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward

Enjoying Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn? Perhaps you would like to learn more about the series up to this point and catch all the little (and sometimes not so little) references to the series’ larger history? You might want to check out my Final Fantasy Retrospective series where I am replaying the entire franchise from the start live on Twitch with both archived VODs and edited videos on Youtube.