Introductions with Alyx went better than Zion had hoped, and the elven member ended up leading the girls on a tour through the city. Zion took his leave, promising to meet them back at the guild before it got too late.

From there, he left to meet up with his evening meeting with Mavik, this one taking place on the very wall he had left them to. He ran across the rough stone, its solid feeling giving him comfort as he went. Once he got to the wall above the main entrance to the city, he found Mavik. The man was leaning on the parapet, his eyes taking in the view of Tidus.

“It's hard to believe that in just a short time, this view will be gone, overrun with the bodies of hideous monsters. It's a travesty,” the guild leader said, sounding tired, his face sagging from the weight of sleepless nights.

“I take it you have news from the scouts. Is it what we feared?” Zion probed, joining him in gazing across the horizon.

“Aye, Zion, it is,” Mavik confirmed, turning toward him. “The beasts have already begun to move, and their numbers have increased, more so than the scouts have hope of counting.”

“Does that mean you plan to enact the hit-and-run plan?” Zion leaned against the wall, his eyes glancing heavenward as his mind raced. “I just got my two teammates back, so we could assist with it once I have them up to speed.”

“That would be very much appreciated, Herald. I fear by the end of this, we will be singing the praises of your party,” Mavik's words were tired, his age showing truly in the dimming light of the sun. “We will start sending teams out to harass the building forces, enough so we can have more time to prepare.”

“How long does my team have to prepare?”

“Teams will start going out two days from now,” Mavik answered, gripping Zion roughly around the forearm. “No heroics, Herald. No straying to stop the war before it starts. Tidus nor Nifell at large can stand to lose you before the thick of war.”

He let go of Zion's arm and let out a long sigh. “What level are you now?”

“Fifteen, sir. Gained the last level after taking on the dungeon.”

“Upgrades?”

“Three of them. I got the last one today with level fifteen,” Zion answered, accessing the changes and sending them to Mavik.

Ability Upgraded:

Ability: Arnace Edge has been upgraded.

Upgrade Effect: Absorbs 4% of mana cost. Absorbed mana is no longer returned to the caster but is now infused into the blade itself. When the mana refund has been met, Arcane Edge will activate again, doubling the effects of the ability. Cost increased to 140 mana.

Ability Upgraded:

Ability: Sundering Slash has been upgraded.

Upgrade Effect: Sundering Slash no longer loses power over the distance it travels. Cost increased to 50 mana.

Ability Upgraded:

Ability: Burst Bolt has been upgraded to Mana Missile

Upgrade Effect: Bolts may now be sent out in waves of three or condensed into one larger missile. The larger missile will contain the same power as three bolts.

"I followed your advice and rounded my resolve to thirty, allocating the rest to acuity. Now, I'm just one point away from the threshold. It gave me four hundred mana!" Zion exclaimed, his excitement palpable.

Mavik nodded with satisfaction. "The bonuses from stat distribution increase with each tier. At Braid, you'll get a hundred mana per acuity point. It should be a big focus for you, as the more damage you can deal, the faster combat should end."

"The upgrades are indeed wonderful and will aid us in clearing out mobs during our guerrilla tactics. Thank you again for sharing your status with me, Zion. It's a personal matter, and I'm humbled that you deemed me worthy. I'll do what I can to lead you through this tier," Mavik responded, his posture assuming that of a seasoned military general.

Zion nodded appreciatively. "I understand, Mavik. Rest assured, if I fail, it won't be due to slacking. My team will be ready. Just keep working on the defenses, and I'd recommend expediting the stockpiles. It sounds like this might happen sooner than we were expecting."

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Zion returned to the guild hall, once again using his cloak's powers to descend rather than taking the stairs. He made a point not to glance around for any potential spying eyes.

Upon arriving, he headed straight to Eva and placed an order for a new shield, needed by next week, as well as a new mana accessory. With a promise from Eva to do her best, he waited in the tavern for his group, engaging in conversation with everyone he could.

When his companions arrived, they exchanged smiles, and mirth followed in their wake. Zion was relieved to see that the camaraderie remained strong in his absence, giving him hope for the future.

He waved them over, and the four of them indulged in ribs and mead, celebrating their reunion and the growth of their party. They raised a toast in Jura's name, with Zion recounting stories of their fallen comrade's sacrifices. Alyx, being who he was, shed tears after the story was told.

Once they had eaten their fill, Zion suggested they continue their discussion in his room for more privacy. He swore he noticed Eva's eyebrows shooting up from across the guild hall at the suggestion.

Once they entered the room, Zion observed his party: Camila, fierce and swift, now standing upright with a serious expression; Beth, solid as ice but radiating warmth, seated on his bed; and Alyx, steadfast and careful, contemplating their next move.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I have some news from Mavik," Zion began, catching all three of their focused gazes. "We're starting to fight earlier than planned."

"What does that mean?" Camila asked, her earlier nonchalance replaced by concern. "Are the enemies advancing their timeline?"

Zion shook his head as he took a seat. "No, but they're mobilizing sooner than expected, and we need to delay them as much as possible. That's why we're planning to employ guerrilla tactics."

"It sounds risky, Zion," Alyx remarked, resting his chin in his hand. "Sending out multiple parties, risking crucial assets—if something goes wrong, it could seriously set us back. Is it worth the gamble?"

“Yes,” Zion said flatly. “The town needs more time to prepare. If we start getting hit now, there's no way supplies will last for a siege.”

"Why couldn't we just resupply with the travel pillars?" Beth asked, sitting up on the bed now. "If we use them, the supply issue would be moot."

"Won’t work," Camila answered before Zion could, her eyes thoughtful. "If this goes as we all think, then multiple Spheres are going to be hit all at once. The travel pillars are amazing, but there's no way they could handle the evacuation loads and resupply loads at the same time."

"Camila’s right. Once things go south, the only option for the pillars is escape, and even then, nothing is guaranteed."

"Then I guess it's settled then," Alyx said, looking at all of them. "Time to bring the fight to the evil bastards that started this."

"It is, but first, I got something I need to get off my chest before we go out as a party again," Zion said, giving Alyx a thankful smile. "It concerns you both."

"What is it, Zi?" Beth asked, her brow furrowing with concern. The nickname made his heart flutter and felt so appropriate for what was about to be said.

Zion took a couple of deep breaths before answering, ignoring the sliver of doubt that welled up inside of him. “Back in the dungeon, when we were talking about our pasts, well, about everything, I left something out.” Another deep breath in, unwelcome memories out. “My mother was Mara.”

Silence took over the room then, and Zion could swear you could hear the dust fall to the floor. Both girls looked at him in shock, and he couldn’t tell whether it was angry shock or just honest surprise. Even Alyx had his mouth hanging open when he made his confession, telling Zion all he needed to know about his mother's history in Tidus.

Beth was the first one to break the silence, but she didn't use her words. She ran to him and threw her arms around him. Her hug felt warm, like a shield against the oncoming tide of bad thoughts. She hugged him so tight, and he rested his head on her shoulder, returning the embrace.

“Zion, you should have told us, you lughead,” Camila told him, coming forward and flipping him on the forehead. “That's way too much to hold in, especially after hearing our backstory. How have you been holding this back?” Her head was tilted in loving concern, her normal spunk replaced by worry.

He cried then and just let the tears fall. Camila's hand found his shoulder and squeezed, and Beth squeezed him tighter with each sob.

Alyx cleared his throat but looked away nervously; his words sounded strained when he finally spoke. “This feels very personal, something I shouldn't comment on, but I feel the need.” He looked at Zion then, a fire burning in his eyes. “I can't imagine the pain you went through from the numbskulls that populate this world. But know that here in Tidus, we talk about your mother as a hero. She did what no one else dared, and they talk about how she failed.” He shook his head in disgust.

“Why don't they talk about how no one else stepped up? Why don't they mention that the Thread mages didn’t step up in Gaza, but the String-tier Mara did? We were taught here that it’s because they don't want to take the blame for failing her. For failing Gaza. It's much easier to say that she bit off more than she could chew rather than say we didn’t have anyone with enough balls to step in her place. Don't let your head fall, Zion; Mara was a great mage and a credit to your lineage.”

Zion was throttled by the rage in Alyx’s words. The elf was shaking from head to toe, and Zion was sure there was more to that story. He hoped to hear it soon.

“Thank you all,” He said simply, clinging to Beth for a while. He would prove Tidus and its teachings true. He would stand up for this Sphere and make sure it didn’t fall. And when he stood victorious in the closing dust, he would proudly claim his heritage.