Well, breaking into the Binding Coil was easy, just ask the worlds primal itself to help you there. Now the place is absolutely dangerous even to a Primal. Wendigo got his guts gouged out by a defense system designed after a dragon, and it wasn't pretty. Although the outpost up top of anyone had stupid ideas, let just say, they no longer exist. They're currently spilling out on the ground in chunks. Yeah, Wendigo went topside and ate any idiot thinking to use things down here. Good idea honestly, just Wendigo didn't play nice, he showed them what a primal can do.
While we explored this place, we found some of Bahamut's wings in corrupted crystals. Yin and Yang were rather helpful in destroying those and storing them in a safe storage item they made using the crystallized corruption. When we would free his wings from the corrupted crystals, his muscles visibly relaxed, according to Wendigo. I'll trust the monstrous cannibal's judgment, as he should know his thing, given he eats stuff alive. Now coming upon a Ragnarök Starship, from the ancient kingdom that built Bahamut's prison, that was in rather excellent condition even when buried so far underground.
I may have asked Hesita if she could space it after giving me a way to get on and off it. She was curious why I wanted such a ship so were the others, as the people who built it were monsters. While they may have been monsters, they were technologically advanced as all get out. So if the ship could be fixed, we'd have a battleship on our side for threats that get too rowdy. Which was fair and given I'm from just as advanced people, and have Wendigo, we both could definitely make the systems our bitch. So no suddenly undead ruler of a destroyed civilization whipping out his dick and fucking us. We shall do the fucking instead.
Wait, there is one still alive, actually. Therefore, we can't turn the ship's main functions on, just enough functions to commence a hostile take over and rewrite the systems securely. Anyway, with the ship now ripped from its tomb and displaced into space, after using it as an elevator. The ride down was rather tame, whatever came to kill us was rapidly scrapped. Those dark matter creatures from the rest of the ship were friendly, though, one gave me a shoulder mounted weapons system from a corpse.
So, I'd rather tame the whole ship part that was for the most part infested by the creatures, they're nice. The new shoulder cannon was cool, though. It linked up to my goggles once Wendigo helped make it work, and I learned its functional operations and parameters. It has a fucking miniature black sun as the core power, so it shoots very dangerous dark matter beans or bullet hell. We reached the valley below eventually and found one of Bahamut's hands. His hand was either buried in the earth, crystals, or just sort of there.
Along with a deranged dragon, who Tiamat said was named Twintania. Seeing the big bitch, we all stared at her, and she stared back at us. The dragon ever so slowly rolled over onto its back, presenting its stomach like a dog. Regardless of active enslavement, the big lug recognized a horrible decision to avoid. Walking over to the Drake, cowed into being a big puppy, I searched its body for the control device.
Finding it eventually embedded in its reverse scale, I grabbed the scale and ripped it out. It was extremely painful as the dragon shrieked in pain, but I got the ESU, along with its bits that drilled into the dragon's bodily control system. Will probably need to do surgery to make sure it's really alright later, but the dragon shuddered. Blinking its eyes as if seeing normally for the first time, it looked around at us all.
Looking at Tiamat the longest with a low cry, the dragoness cooing back to the dragon for about three minutes. When she finished, the dragon got back onto its feet and growled. Chuckling, I drew my Hive Launcher and let my Guillotine Gun Scythe materialize. Strapping the HL to my right arm and fingering the launch systems a bit, I found a balance to hold my scythe and fire when needed.
Lacron and Nero also materialized which brought our party up to three undead, two wolves, two deities, a dragon, and a human. We probably looked like some weird ass dungeon and dragons party, in a dungeon to fight and free a dragon. Oddly amusing, those line up for this situation. Thinking about it, I summoned Shun and his family, as more firepower is never overkill. The Carbuncles all sat ready for orders while Shun perched his fat ass on my head. With now eight new additions, we all marched on towards the depths.
Any dragon we meet along the way, were either freed or put down like rabid animals. Dalamund's ADS were very much bullied by everyone. Everyone essentially trouncing the machines. Getting shocked by them pissed most off, so they went to town on them in petty revenge. All the broken defense systems though were sent to my new ship as either spare parts or to be added onto it. Going to need a lot of TLC to fix that thing up before it even re-enters orbit safely after all. We did find the rest of Bahamut's limbs though and got rid of those corrupted crystals on them. Which have been amassed slowly in storage as they will get purified later on while on the ship. As they frankly will make a good source of fuel once tampered with to become self-repairing Aether producing generators.
Which I can use them to create either several hundred small Aether Generators or several big ones. Along Primal Idols for my contracts, so why waste the goods? With everything that can be considered a side quest done, our now small army advanced upon the main area. Standing in our way, towering way above us, was the sixty feet tall Primal Phoenix Louisoix. Talons lightly clicked and scratched at the ground as the borderline white flamed phoenix looked at us all. His beak opening and an aged voice coming out. Fire wisps dangerously off the Primal with each word spoken.
"Five Primals, thirty Dragons, eight Amethyst Carbuncles, a Hyur, two Undead, twenty Dark Matter Stalker's, and one Dark Matter Queen Stalker. A rather interesting bunch you are, you're not working for Garlean either. Curious."
Looking at the Primal, I forced dark energy into my throat and spoke while prepping my weapons. The other's snarling or silently getting ready to murder Louisoix if he gets hostile.
"Get out of the way, Scion Louisoix, we're here to let Bahamut rest and let his forced batteries have a respite. Failure to move shall be met with lethal force, and you are sent to wherever Primals go. Decide now, you oversized grilled chicken."
Louisoix chuckled, spreading his wings before flying upwards and shrinking down. The Primal flew around before sharply banking and going into the Coil Room. Cackling silently to myself at the Scion Saint being reasonable, our makeshift army rushed the chamber. Bahamut roared at us as we entered the chamber and fired off attacks alongside the ADS. Barrel rolling out of the way of beams of light that fired from the Dragon God and defense system. I kept rushing the Primal dragon as our army split up, some perishing instantly to stray attacks. They never even got a chance to scream, they were just erased.
(FFXIV song Answers - Music: Nobuo Uematsu, Lyrics: Yaeko Sato & Michael-Christopher Koji Fox, Vocals: Susan Calloway)
{I close my eyes, tell us why must we suffer
Release your hands, for your will drags us under
My legs grow tired, tell us where must we wander
How can we carry on if redemption's beyond us?}
Glaring at the beams of destructive light racing towards me, I spun my scythe. Dark energy coating the weapon as it parted the attacks. Jumping suddenly due to my instincts screaming at me to dodge, I watched as a beam from Bahamut erased my previous location. Looking towards the Primal, I see its crystallized soul essentially, and I get the feeling on what I need to do.
{To all of my children in whom Life flows abundant
To all of my children to whom Death hath passed his judgement
The soul yearns for honor, and the flesh the hereafter
Look to those who walked before to lead those who walk after}
Darting in a random pattern to confuse the ADS tracking, Lacron came from the Void. Scythe raised and cut captive dragon's down in their prisons. Their prisons forever growing silent as they rest in peace now. Nero, though, is tanking attacks at times by using his hammer to redirect them from wounded members. Louisoix was flying around healing whoever he could, but he can only do so much. Hestia and Wendigo were also preoccupied by the ADS releasing an Anti-Primal Clockwork.
Sliding under a beam of light, I fired my HL when I flipped upwards onto my feet once from the slide. Launching into the air during the process briefly. The rockets launching keep me airborne for a bit and even pushed me a little higher. With a serious attack from Bahamut erasing a whole section of the chamber. The more dragons freed or killed, the Primal does lose strength, but he's no push over. Landing on my feet with a thud, I felt my legs snap violently, holding in the scream, I healed my legs.
{Shining is the Land's light of justice
Ever flows the Land's well of purpose
Walk free, walk free, walk free, believe…
The Land is alive, so believe…}
Getting my feet back in motion, boots stomping on the ground, I bull rushed the crystal. Tanking beams mid-bull rush, sections of my body sported new holes. Bahamut looked at me as if seeing a ghost. That was when I lunged at his primal crystal. Scythe touching it and phasing through it like it's water. The crystallized soul of the Primal reacted, tendrils of light shot from it and pulled me into it rather violently.
Being swallowed by the crystal, I blacked out for a few seconds. Waking up shortly afterward, standing in the air above Eorzea, watching dragons fly freely. Materializing beside me at my height was Bahamut with wings folded around him like a cloak. The elderly dragon looked so exhausted as his scales had cracks and faded colors.
{Suffer (Feel) Promise (Think) Witness (Teach) Reason
(Hear) Follow (Feel) Wander (Think) Stumble (Teach) Listen
(Speak) Honor (Speak) Value (Tell) Whisper (Tell) Mention
(Hope) Ponder (Hope) Warrant (Wish) Cherish (Wish) Welcome
(Roam) Witness (Roam) Listen (Roam) Suffer (Roam) Sanction
(Sleep) Weather (Sleep) Wander (Sleep) Answer Sleep on}
"Thank you for coming, Interloper. Your body was dying when you entered here, but it has stopped for now. You made it so far with my sister helping you… if the wrath could subside even a little, I'd have liked to talk to her."
"You…" realizing I could talk, I continued. "You know you could do so, right? You're going to be free and get some much-needed rest and healing. However, I am fucked sideways like a dumbass getting railed by a combat drone."
"Yes, I will be free, I will get the chance to speak with my siblings, and those who have risked their lives for me. But you have paid a price to grant me this small clarity by heeding my request. When rightfully little Hyur you didn't need to do so, yet you came and now we are here. So let me help you in return, a debt left unpaid is not a Dragon's way, especially if the debtor is willing to die for us."
{Now open your eyes while our plight is repeated
Still deaf to our cries, lost in hope we lie defeated
Our souls have been torn, and our bodies forsaken
Bearing sins of the past, for our future is taken}
Looking at the elderly dragon, he hummed out a thrumming growl. The sound reverberated the space we found ourselves in as the scenery changed. From the skies of Eorzea to a dark space with the scarred soul of Bahamut behind my hole filled body standing there calmly. Scythe in hand with HL a little scorched but intact on its arm. Bahamut closed his eyes and spoke slowly, and his exhaustion showed itself fully.
"A life for a life, a debt paid in blood thus blood and flesh be mended and strengthened, continued freedom for freedom, Dragon and Hyur bonded once again. Let the price be paid in full."
The Primal opened his eyes slowly before looking at me and whistling gently. Wind made of light suddenly picking up in the surrounding space before everything went black once more.
{War born of strife, these trials persuade us not
(Feel what? Learn what?)
Words without sound, these lies betray our thoughts
(See what? Hear what?)
Mired by a plague of doubt, the Land, she mourns
Judgement binds all we hold to a memory of scorn
Tell us why, given Life, we are meant to die, helpless in our cries?}
Opening my eyes, I fall from where the crystal should be, Bahamut crumbling into dust as Dalamund tries to contain him. Slowly but surely, the ancient weapon dies as its power source crumbles away. Looking at my body, it's perfectly fine and feels as if it is brand new. Sighing, I slowly got up off the ground and looked around the area after hitting the platform below. Most of the Dragon's that were captive here have died, the Carbuncles are gone, and the friendly Primals look like shit.
{Witness (Feel) Suffer (Think) Borrow (Teach) Reason
(Hear) Follow (Feel) Stumble (Think) Wander (Teach) Listen
(Blink) Whisper (Blink) Shoulder (Blink) Ponder (Blink) Weather
(Hear) Answer (Look) Answer (Think) Answer together}
Rubbing my throat, I feel the scar and know my tongue is still practically gone. However, I don't mind it anymore. I feel at peace as my heart beats, a second heart beats with it in my chest. Thinking to myself I asked a question.
(Bahamut?)
(I am here, weak, but I am free and at peace now without wrath blinding me.)
Hearing the aged dragon, I chuckled softly, wishing him a pleasant nap, I stretched out my body. Scythe moving on its own like a snake, I felt it meld with my spine and transform into something else. Using a destroyed piece of tech as a mirror, I see it had become a more dragon style weapon due to Elder Primal Bahamut having become a part of me. There was a serrated blade tail from my waist that hooked off into a scythe blade after three feet. Guillotine Cannon styled wings forming behind me slowly.
The wings looked like mechanical dragon wings, just where those segment parts between the membrane would essentially have been, had been replaced by gun blade cannons. The end where the hole is on the cannons is where the more guillotine blade is at, compared to the rest being a normal blade. Everything has a black, blue, and red color style with the engravings having gotten more fancy and detailed.
Each cannon had its own wording in Latin from far left to far right, on the left it goes like this. "Angel's herald false promises", "The saints all commit the worst crimes", "Heaven's Gates open to let its armies crusade", "The greed of the righteous sentences them to damnation" on each gun blade cannon.
Fair right to far left, a similar pattern follows, much like the Heavens side. "Demons herald twisted promises", "The sinners all be damned for their hubris and crimes", "Hell's Gates open to let its armies plunder", "The sinners seeking redemption set forth from the Nine Circles" on each of them, both sides having their respective gate as the main carving. With hints at the other gate hidden on each cannon. The tail scythe however had updated its phrase as well.
"Dance in the blood of saints and sinners, oh sinning saint of redemption"
Which was very scarily specifically targeted at me. Lacron and my cloak also changed, gaining more draconic traits. Lacron looked like the floating skeletal half of a Dragonborne in a tattered black scaled cloak. Nero's armor has also slightly been altered to be more like compacted together scales.
{Thy Life is a riddle, to bear rapture and sorrow
To listen, to suffer, to entrust unto tomorrow
In one fleeting moment, from the Land doth life flow
Yet in one fleeting moment, for anew it doth grow
In the same fleeting moment
Thou must live
Die
And know}
Sighing, those of us still alive left this accursed tomb behind. A new day to look forward to as everything will change with Bahamut being allowed a respite. The still living ex-captive dragons had denied going back to their homeland. Instead, they followed Hestia and went to my new Ragnarök Starship and settled there, as they feared their kin wouldn't welcome them or would do something drastic. So they now reside on my ship outside the orbit of the realm.
Hestia likely has turned a lot of the nonessential areas into a more Eorzea-like setting for them. My rather friendly Primal summons and Louisoix all in a way took residence on the starship as well. So that place is now basically a Dragon, Dark Matter Beast, and Primal sanctuary where they won't get hurt or go berserk. As the summoned Primals and Louisoix weren't brought by fanatical and fearful worship, they wouldn't really go ape shit.
Just, it's better safe than sorry, given none wanted to leave this realm because they wanted to make sure me and Bahamut were alright. That's a fairly reasonable and logical fear, as a Human and one of the most powerful Primals have become roommates. Not dismissing Lacron though as he could fly, Nero faded into my shadow while I tested my new Reaper Wings. Flying carefully and cautiously towards Ul'Dal and the waking sands to see my companions.
The sound of Bahamut's heart beating peacefully in my ears made me smile. The old drake seems happy and is enjoying the chance to sleep away his exhaustion.