Dawn

The path behind had been arduous and fraught with peril. We had traveled from every corner of Vana'diel and back again many times over, chasing after the secret of the Keeper of the Apocalypse. Our path would lead us through Emptiness into the ancient city of the Zilart, Al'Taieu, to confront the final threat to Vana'diel's future.

Nag'molada had gone insane over attempting to open the Gates of Paradise. He stood in the Empyreal Paradox and demanded the Twilight God tell him the truth over the creation of the world. Selh'teus' warning came too late to save him, and Nag'molada was consumed by the truth of creation. Thus empowered, the Twilight God Promathia fully awakened and stood before us.

Our battle took place malms above the surface of the world. Above our heads, stars danced and comets cut across the threshold of the welkin. A single crystal stood out, nearer than anything else, as our one gate back to our homelands. Beneath our feet, we could see the entirety of our home continents. It served as a constant reminder of everything and everyone we were fighting for.

Selh'teus pierced Promathia with his radiant spear, while Prishe turned to me with a grin and shouted, "C'mon, Kaerwyn! Time to laugh in the face of oblivion!" and charged right in dropkick Promathia fearlessly. Having no time to be stunned, or to consider our fates among the fury of three immortals locked in battle, we, Lordstorm the paladin, Kael the black mage, Zephiris and Malachi the dragoons, Zadine the monk, and myself, the white mage, all rushed forth to prove the will of mortals to continue living is immeasurably powerful.

Our battle was epic. Each of us fell numerous times, left dying and weakened on the ground, staring down into the land we may never see again. Each time, we found the strength through our friends to rise again and engage he who was set on exterminating us.

As the fight drew on, we fell more and more often, stumbling in our attacks and ability to protect those around us. Even immortals such as Prishe and Selh'teus were wearing down, fraying at the edges as Promathia spread his Malevolent Blessings upon us and pulled comets and meteors down from the sky unto us. Promathia was turning the very heavens against us.

A final desperate act, a paladin charging Promathia with his shield to bash upon his feet, stunned the God of the Twilight long enough for everyone to regain their wits. Promathia began to engulf Prishe in Emptiness, until She pulled the Black Magicite out of her chest and impaled Promathia with it. An enraged and confused Twilight God began an new attack, gathering energies that paled anything used before.

A sudden sensation, a momentary twinkling in the breast occurred, and the purifying lights of Holla, Dem, Mea, Vahzl, and Al'Taieu shined forth from me. They shot straight heavenward, creating a vortex among the stars that even Promathia fell to his knees over. A single drop fell from the rift in the sky, rippling across his face and form. The God of Twilight had ceased his attack, and continued kneeling as the energy dissipated, flushed out of him.

A divine voice asked simply, "Canst though... hear me... Promathia?"

As a new wave of energy, benign and serene, began shining from Promathia, he heard him whisper back, "I hear thee... Altana..." before dissolving into a beam of light streaking upwards into the rift.

Many drops began falling upon us all at this point. Too weary from our battle, we accepted them on us. Each one present was cleansed the moment we came into contact with it. Prishe giggled at the phenomenon, "Heh heh, look at that. The tears of the Goddess." All of us were too stunned to make any comment. Prishe continued a monologue, sorting out all had happened, while the rest of us simply looked to each other, thankful to be still living.

It was silent. We stood looking among ourselves, into the heavens, and below our feet to our home. It was Prishe who first broke the silence, "It's time we went home. The apocalypse is over."