This is a continuation of the previous nightmare. Please go back and read part 1 if you have not.
Darkness floods my vision and I shut my eyes tightly to try to protect myself. Slowly I crack them back open to find myself no longer falling, but laying on the ground of Ultima Thule. I sit up disoriented, looking around to get my barring. Ahead of me, I see all the scions standing with Meteion hovering above them.
What is going on?
I stumble to my feet and work my way towards them. I try to listen to what they're saying, but everything is muffled as if I was underwater. As I approach the group, Estinien steps forward towards one of the dragons.
Wait... I know what happens next. I start to try and move faster to reach out to him. I am suddenly locked into a spot unable to move forward. In front of me, I watch as darkness starts to swirl around him.
No. No. This can't happen again. I can't lose them!
I start thrashing and screaming as the darkness swirls faster then quickly dissipates. Estinien is gone leaving just an empty space in front of us. I look around to the other scions trying to tell them that we need to turn around. I open my mouth but nothing comes out. It is like my vocal chords cannot vibrate enough to make a sound. I watch as they talk to each other and then take off into the distance. A path had opened on the horizon and we can only journey forward.
I can't stop screaming and trying to move, but I'm stuck and losing consciousness. My vision goes black.
I come back to and we are standing further along to a different area of Ultima Thule. In front of me are the scions along with the Ea. They are shifting back and forth almost in a floating manner. The conversation is still muddled and muted. I wrack my brain to try and remember what they are talking about. While I'm shifting through my memories, Y'shtola steps forward and darkness envelops her.
Oh no. I can't do this.
I try to step forward again only to be held back by invisible hands.
"You can't save them" a ghostly voice whispers into my left ear. I flinch and turn to the side to find nothing there.
"You will lose them all" the voice says again, this time to my right side. Turning again quickly, I am greeted by empty space. Nothing is there.
I turn back to the scene in front of me to see Urianger and Y'shtola disappear along with the darkness. I close my eyes and fall to my knees.
"Stop doing this... I can't... I can't..." I start to cry, tears rolling down my cheeks as I scrunch my eyes closed as tight as I can. Maybe if I close my eyes, I will open them and this will all have been a dream. We will be back in Old Sharylan sitting and eating food, laughing at a joke G'raha Tia has told everyone.
"You will lose everything" the voice says right in front of my face.
"Stop this right now!" I scream reaching out to hit whatever is taunting me. My hands are met with empty air.
Slowly I open my eyes and see I am no longer with the Ea. Standing in front of my, G'raha Tia, Alisaie, and Alphinaud are speaking with M0-17. G'raha turns to me and asks me to promise him that I will take him to Ishgard, tell him stories of my adventures and one day, make new stories with him. I reach out to try and grab his hand, but he steps back and walks towards the Centerion. Darkness springs out and he is swallowed up in it.
"You won't get to keep those promises" the ghostly voice sneers into my ear.
"Why are you doing this?" I scream as G'raha disappears leaving only empty space. More tears slip down my cheeks and I shut my eyes tightly. "I don't want to see this. Make it stop. Stop this!"
A disorientating laugh echoes all around me as darkness swirls around me as the world shifts. In front of me I see Alisiae dragging Alphinaud into the distance. Darkness instantly swirls around them and they are gone before I even have a chance to stop it. I collapse onto the ground curling into a ball.
"You are alone. No one to save you. No one to help you." the ghostly voice berates me.
Slowly I open my eyes to find myself surrounded by flowers all alone. I stand up and walk to the edge of the flowers to see a clear drop off into a never-ending void. I sit down unable to hold back any tears. Inside my jacket pocket there is a softly pulsing glow. Reaching in, I find Azem's crystal. It starts pulsing and I suddenly I know what I need to do. I stand up and go to turn around to walk away from the edge. In front of me is a black bird leaking darkness. It swoops forward grabbing the crystal out of my hand and continues rushing behind me.
"Hey! Give that back!" I turn reaching out to grab it back. I watch in horror as the bird lets go of the crystal over the edge. I scramble to the edge and see it disappear into the emptiness that extends into nothing.
"This is how it happened! I saved them! I brought them back!" I scream falling to my knees. Wisps of darkness swirls around me.
"You are alone. No one to save you. No one to help you. No remaining hope."
I fall forward, unable to breath. The one hope I had to bring everyone back is gone. I crawl close to the edge staring down at where the crystal disappeared, my tears flowing down into the void.
"You failed them" the voice sounds right behind me. I sit up feeling a presence behind me. Refusing to turn around, I just sit quietly crying. I feel a hand on my back gently pushing me forward.
"You. Failed." the voice punctuates each word with a more forceful push and I tumble into the void.
I am alone... I failed...
Zoei awakes with a start, panting and covered in cold sweat. She looks around trying to get an idea where she is. It is dark, a slight rocking motion moving her side to side. She is alone. Panicked she stumbles out of bed and rushes towards the stairs she sees on the side of the room. Light shines down as she takes the steps as quickly as she can, bending forward to use her arms to help climb faster.
She breaks through to the top of the ship and squints looking around. To the side she sees all the scions chatting among themselves with the rising sunshine framing them from behind. Looking to the other side she sees Nori walking up to her.
"Sleep okay short stuff?" he inquires laughing slightly at her disheveled appearance.
Zoei darts as fast as she can and jumps at Nori not caring if he catches her or not. Landing into his middle, she grabs ahold of him and laughs while crying slightly. He is solid and real. Shocked, Nori stumbles back wrapping an arm around her back to hold her steady. He then notices her rough appearance; tear stained face, sweat soaked clothes, a crazy look in her eyes.
"What's wrong Zoei?" he asks, concerned.
Zoei shakes her head. "Nothing is wrong. You're all here." She starts laughing and steps back looking around at everyone bustling about the ship.
Nori looks at her with a skeptical look on his face when something catches his eye off the bow of the ship.
"Hey! Turn around Zoei... You're gonna want to see this!"
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