A "brief" history on the Father of Fomicry.

[glasses_gleam]

Before crimson ran everywhere like an overflowing wellspring; there was white.

Keterburg, The Silver World.

A landscape of ice and snow, where Rem's life-giving rays truly cast their world in silver as it washed over Undine's iciness. In this harsh landscape, a prodigy was born. One that was perhaps a blight on the entirety of Auldrant; or perhaps the masterstroke of Fate to overcome it's shackles.

Born Jade Balfour, he and his sister Nephry grew up amidst the biting cold in the town, but were content as most children were. Soon they were joined by a friend in their playing as the town was small; Saphir Wyon Gneiss. Jade quickly fell into habit of abusing the boy for he was quite timid and let him have his way in everything.

It didn't help that Jade was for the most part cold and lifeless, almost like the snow around him. He seldom smiled, and as soon as he was able, started reading on Fonic Artes. He spent much time study when not playing with Saphir and Nephry, and soon started testing what he learned.

The only available targets were the small monsters that roamed outside the town, and Jade soon became a vicious killer. His sister hated it, and Saphir was quite terrified everytime Jade would force him to go outside with him. This continued until Jade's parents died unexpectedly.

This left himself and Nephry orphaned, and while they were taken in; this only drove Jade to further isolation, during which time he developed his most dangerous technique; Fonic Sight. A simple boy of only 9 had learned that like most; the eyes were power Fon Slots, the most powerful in the body. Developing a way to open the slots, this allowed him greater power, for slightly less control, and as a result of the process; his eyes turned from a shade of chocolate brown to a deep rich red. This did not cease his lust for killing, and only seemed to magnify it. Just one of many things he learned on his own that the rest of the world for the most part found too dangerous to use; Fonic Sight often killed or blinded those that applied it to themselves, even if they were well-trained. As he researched more powerful artes to use; he turned to his friend Saphir.

A prodigy like himself, Saphir's tastes lay with Fontech. While the boy could likely be a Fonist as well; he preferred his toys, and in this Jade devised an idea when Nephry came to him in tears over her doll that had broken. Working with the other boy; they came upon the idea of Fomicry. While this was mostly Jade's idea, he did require Saphir's assistance with extracting the data from the doll, and thus the first replica was created.

Upon presenting it to his sister, she panicked and ran. Unsure what had occurred, as he only wanted to give her the doll she wanted back, Jade was undeterred.

An interesting thing then happened; a Prince moved into the town. Being unabashedly nosy; Jade took Saphir with him to investigate, and upon discovering there was no way in, used his friend as bait to gain entry to meet the Prince. Doing so, it was decided that both Jade and Saphir would become the other boy's link to the outside world.

The third boy, Peony, became fast friends with Jade and Nephry. While he approached Saphir often, and the boy accepted; it was clear he was jealous over his friendship with Jade, and therefore had a bit of a strained friendship. This continued on quite well and happily, they even snuck Peony into school with the aid of their beloved teacher, Gelda Nebilim.

Sadly; all things were not meant to last. In his youth; Jade was quite arrogant, and even when he did, rarely, make a mistake; he was reluctant to acknowledge it and would try to pass the blame. Despite his talent and strengths with fonons, Jade himself was not a Seventh Fonist, something that one could only be born as, and despite Professor Nebilim took him under her wing to try and teach him humility, Jade's hubris came to a head one day when he tried to use a Fonic Arte with the seventh fonon.

He lost control of it completely, and the result caused an explosion that set his teacher's house on fire. With Saphir's help, he and Jade pulled her body away from the wreckage. She was very week and badly burned, barely holding on to life.

Here, Jade made a fateful decision that would haunt both him and Saphir for most of their adult lives. Knowing she was dying, he approached his friend with the idea of using Fomicry to revive her. While hesitant, Saphir agreed as it was was perhaps the only chance they had. As weak as she was, and this being their first field test on a living being; she died once the data extraction was completed.

Now, having no way to turn back, they initiated the process. It worked, almost perfectly. It looked exactly like their teacher to the smallest detail. However, the problem lay in their rush. Not having had the time to research the effects of what would happen, there were two problems they could not have foreseen; one, her replica had no memories of her past life as a teacher. She was essentially a blank slate. The second problem was that while the first through sixth were used, her replica lacked both the first and the sixth, making her unstable in many aspects.

She became a deranged killer, murdering many fonists in the area and taking their first and sixth fonons. Eventually she gained the full attention of the Malkuth Empire, who sent an entire battalion to face her, hardly any survived, Field Marshall McGovern lost his eye, but they did finally manage to seal her in a spot on Mt. Roneal. A Desolate and hopeless spot known later on as Nebilim's Crag.

Shortly after Nebilim's replica starts her rampage, but well before her capture and sealing; Jade's talents were at last recognized and he was adopted by the noble Curtiss family of Malkuth. Religious as they were; Jade was forced to endure the Pilgrimage for the Order of Lorelei, as well as learn many other new things as he adjusted to a family life. He was then assigned to the Imperial Research Institute on Fontech and Fonic Artes, It is implied Saphir joined him on his own merits and together they started research on Fomicry.

Shortly after, he was enrolled into Grand Chokmah's Military Academy, to which Saphir also gained entry on his own merits. Here they researched when they weren't attending classes, and after graduating focused exclusively on their studies. Together they were able to create stable replicas made only of Seventh Fonons. While they had varying successes; they still could not transfer memories.

Around this time rumors started being passed around about Jade and his lackey bringing back the dead, eventually earning the teen the his famous yet dubious title of "Necromancer". Several times Peony visits to check on Jade at the behest of his sister, who was worried about him. While the visits go fairly well, nothing changes.

Soon, Jade got his first taste of actual combat, having been put in the Battle of Rotelro. Kimlasca seemed favored for victory here; led by a hero of his country and master of Lanvaldear-style archery. Only through Jade's intervention had they won; a blinding flash that had actually caused the other man to lose his eyesight changed the course of the battle into a win for Malkuth.

However, while these small skirmishes were won here and there, the Hod War, or perhaps better known by a small few as the War of Glory was not. Perhaps by having found a Fonstone Fragment, or perhaps an innate sixth sense, the military withdrew from the Isle of Hod, leaving it ripe for invasion. In their haste they had not the time to take the Fomicry machines, which resulted in the great calamity, the literal Fall of Hod.

The exact details of what happened are known by very very few; Vandesdelca Musto Fende was attached a machine that could generate an artificial hyperresonance. A phenomena that can breakdown and reform the fonons in matter. It did of course require a Seventh Fonist, which Van was, to be attached. Unfortunately something happened that those outside the Order of Lorelei had not foreseen.

Countless years ago, in the far flung past of the Dawn Age; technology covered the world with mechanical works that those years later can still only make feeble grasps at. In this past age was the birth of the Seventh Fonon by a device that literally incorporated all of Auldrant into it's design and function. Placing key structures at the planets most powerful Fon Slots, the Sephiroth was created, and with it the Planet Storm, absorbing memory particles and fonons and sending them through the Fon belt that naturally encircles the planet made massive increases in fonons and the power of Fonic Artes and accompanying Fontech. So great was it that a war for control was waged.

As is in the case of war; some of the strongest and greatest advancements were made, but using all these super weapons so thoughtlessly without consideration of the strain on the world's memory particle and fonon supply damaged Auldrant down to it's very core. The operation of the Planet Storm became skewed, and due to the strain on the system, the core of the planet began vibrating abnormally. In this vibration, toxins were produced, and the land knew of the deadly poison, miasma. Unable to turn off the Planet Storm due to their selfish needs and trappings of modern society, Auldrant's people suffered and died and the land grew weak and blighted.

Yulia Jue, the genius of the Seventh Fonon and first Scorer the world knew came forth. Many despised her gifts as unnatural, but it was impossible to deny her power over the Seventh Fonon was what gained her the pact with Lorelei; source of the Seventh Fonon that ended the war in the first place.

Thus, when she Scored the future of the planet 2000 years ahead and wept, she and her disciples warned the warring lands to cease their fighting lest miasma cover the whole of the land quickly. At last did the warring truly cease allowing for her next proposal; the Float Project.

Many betrayals happened, but those are for other Tales. In summary, using the power of the ten Sephiroth, the crust of Auldrant is lifted into the air, supported by the pillars of the planet's power and thus it escapes the fate that befalls the rest of the land below; a place of death, the poison and vibration from the core transforms what is left into a churning sea of toxic mud, and the only haven is Yulia City, founded by Yulia Jue herself and the survivors of the raising of the lands left below; they are assimilated into the fledgling Order of Lorelei, and begins to help Auldrant shape it's future after Yulia disappears to live in peace.

What happened when Van was forced into a hyperresonance from the machine was the power of it hit the Sephiroth that kept Hod aloft. It took several days, but eventually Hod fell, disappearing as far as all knew into the sea, but instead falling into the Qliphoth.

After this, Jade who had ignored his friend's attempts to contact him, began visiting his home of Keterburg again, and send letters, something the man became notorious for failing to do for many. Peony for his part continued trying to dissuade Jade from continuing his Fomicry research.

In this Jade learns Peony and his sister have become lovers, and while he does not approve entirely; feels it is not his place to stop what had formed between his friend and his blood.

Later, Peony was called back to Grand Chokmah to begin preparations to be Emperor. Jade that year tries a replication experiment involving himself and is gravely injured. Peony attacks Jade on his sickbed, literally, and in doing so in such a distraught way makes Jade realize that if he did die, he would affect Saphir, Peony, and Nephry very much with his passing.

Here, Jade severed ties with Saphir. Shortly after his new realization; he finally grants Peony's request with his help, putting a ban on Fomicry and all research pertaining to it.

Saphir, unwilling to let their teacher remain dead and hating the changes Jade is exhibiting, stubbornly refuses, and finds himself looking at Jade's back as the man bids him goodbye and tries to move on with his life, leaving his friend mired in the past.

Watching his friend leave and assume another name, and almost totally change his identity, becoming known as "Dist" Jade hears tell the man joined the Oracle Knights, and his life goes on with more tragedy.

Nephry informs Peony her Score says she will marry another and breaks up with him. Knowing it affects his friend greatly, Jade covers for the Crown Prince while he journeys to try and repair things. Knowing he failed even before he returned, Jade can only continue his career and try to support his friend as best he can as soon enough, Peony is crowned Peony Upala Malkuth IX, Emperor of Malkuth.

Soon after, the Battle in Northern Chesedonia occurs. Jade does marvelously, almost completely wiping out the Kimlascan forces, until the Oracle Knights intervene, showing support for Kimlasca. Still, it is a victory for him.

Life continues as it does, until Peony approaches Jade about peace talks with Kimlasca. Apathetic to the idea on a personal level, Jade does it because it is His Majesty's wish, and it will improve life for the citizens of both countries.

Traveling to Daath, he somehow strikes the heart of the Fon Master, undisputed leader of the Order of Lorelei. Being a very gentle soul, his power is oft usurped by other forces in the Order, and he wants to make a difference in the world at last. Convincing his Fon Master Guardian, Anise Tatlin to accompany him; Ion flees with Jade, having now had the rank of Colonel for quite some time, to the Tarturus to begin the journey to Batical, capitial of Kimlasca.

Though...Fate intervened, as it often liked to with it's whims. A strong Seventh Fonon signature was detected on the landship's scanners, and Jade changed course to investigate. Along the way the Dark Wings were spotted and he gave chase to them, only to watch them blow up the Rotelro Bridge, and cut off his means of investigating the fonon signature, or so he thought.

It just so happened that shortly after he arrived in Engeve to discuss matters with the village leader, Rose, that the sources of the fonon signal, in the form of a young man and woman, almost literally fell into his lap. After amusing himself by teasing the boy a bit, he followed them the next day into the Cheagle Woods.

That, and he needed to find Fon Master Ion; who had gone into the woods alone despite his frail constitution. After watching a pitiful confrontation with the Liger Queen that had taken residence there; he escorted them back to the Cheagle Elder to have the matter of food thieves in Engeve cleared up.

Apparently Luke, the young man, had been blamed for it and in a selfish fit had gone to prove he wasn't the thief. While he was still more amused by this, he had them quickly arrested as soon as they reached the mouth of the woods.

Aboard the Tartarus he informed them they were the source of the fonon signature he'd been tracking and questioned why they had been in Tartaroo Valley. While he found their story questionable, he knew it was at least plausible, considering Luke was hardly a threat to the Empire or His Majesty. After having his identity revealed to him, Jade and the others agreed it would be best for Luke to accompany them back to Baticul to aid in the safe delivery of the peace offer.

Reluctant at first since they would not inform him why, Luke fon Fabre, a son of a noble house, and third-in-line for the throne of Kimlasca agreed to follow. Accompanying him somewhat unwillingly, Tear, a member of the Order of Lorelei who had for unknown reasons been trying to assassinate the spoiled teen's sword instructor; Van Grants. After an argument with the revelation that she was Van's sister, they got back on track since Tear wouldn't talk about why she was trying to kill her brother.

Pleased by their agreement, Jade was more than happy to discuss in detail the reason why he had wanted their cooperation and had a group meeting involving himself, Anise, Ion, Luke, and Tear, who revealed she was under direct command of the Grand Maestro Mohs of the Order, and this was why she was outside Daath. She would not reveal what her orders were however.

It seemed like they had traveled any distance at all when the landship was attacked.

Luke was pinned to the wall with a scythe at his throat, his attacker revealing himself as Largo the Black Lion; one of the six God-Generals of the Order of Lorelei's Oracle Knights.

Letting down his guard a bit so they wouldn't kill Luke, Jade found himself hit with a fon-slot seal, almost totally cutting off his fonic artes. Even still, he wounded Largo almost fatally and made the very large man retreat. Anise broke from them to rescue Ion, and Jade was left with Tear, a competent soldier, and the spoiled heir to the throne.

At least now he was more on par with them in terms of abilities, something which amazed Luke, begrudgingly, and frightened Tear as she knew tales of the Necromancer. Thus they disabled the Tartarus so they could take back Ion and perhaps gain some vengeance for the Colonel's lost crewmen.

Even with most of his abilities sealed, Jade kept constantly working on the fon-slot seal, which he equated to a lock with a combination that changes every so often when asked about it. Despite the handicap though, he was enough of match for them to force them into a hostage situation with the sudden appearance of Luke's servant; Guy Cecil.

Making a getaway with Ion, they made plans to rendezvous with Anise at the meeting spot of St. Binah. This was now the home of a retired Field Marshall McGovern and his son Glenn, who was in charge of the outpost in the city. Finding the Malkuth military being antagonized by the Oracle Knights' presence, they learned Anise had moved on and therefore made plans to do so as well, only to find the God-Generals plotting infront of the gates to the city, perhaps on purpose, but at least the group learned to identify five of the six God-Generals; Largo the Black Lion(who had survived the encounter with Jade but was currently very weak), Sync the Tempest, Arietta the Wild, Dist the Reaper(the very same Dist who was once Saphir, Jade's friend), and Legretta the Quick. After they departed, Luke, Tear, and Jade recalled the short encounter with Asch the Bloody aboard the Tartarus, the last of the six God-Generals.

Jade suspected this was a trap, but kept it to himself as they had no choice but to advance for the Kaitzur Checkpoint; the next meeting place for Anise. Passing through the receded bed of the Fubras River, as the bridge to Akzeriuth was ruined recently, they were met by Arietta and almost lost Ion again until a crack in the ground occurred, spraying the group with a blast of miasma. Protected by Tear's Fonic Hymns they drug an unconscious Arietta out of harm's way at Ion's request and continued on.

Having to endure questions from the Colonel on the matter of her Hymns, Tear finally stated they were Yulia Jue's Hymns she'd sang as part of her pact with Lorelei. Revealing that she was told her family is descended from Yulia and this is why she can sing them with effect, understanding the meaning behind the Hymns, but only some of them.

At last however, they finally arrive at the Kaitzur Checkpoint, to a distraught Anise who can't cross the border without a passport; a problem which befalls all of the group. As they are suddenly attacked by Asch who apparently had some grudge against Luke, Van intervenes. During a tense moment where Tear is threatening him again, Van explains he's been searching for Ion; who Daath merely states is missing as he left without approval of Grand Maestro Mohs for the peace talks. He also passes blame as while the God-Generals are normally under the man's control in his role of Commandant of the Oracle Knights, he claims Mohs is at work here, which Tear refuses to believe, but perhaps it is Luke's steadfast conviction in the man that makes the group follow along with Van.

Moving on to Kaitzur proper, a port with a fast ferry, they hear the sounds of battle and discover Arietta got around them and attacked the port, stealing the chief engineer and threatening to kill him unless both Ion and Luke come to nearby Choral Castle.

Learning that it was once a summer home for the Fabre family, Jade is interested in the fact that this is where Luke was found when he'd been abducted 7 years ago. While Jade had theories one what had happened as to why the young noble had been taken and then found later with no memories of his past, he kept them to himself, only denying Malkuth's involvement.

Heading further in, they discover a fontech machine that strikes a deep chord with Jade, and not a good one either. Refusing to reveal anything until he was certain, they ascend to the roof where Luke is swept away by one of Arietta's pets and handed over to Dist. Descending to rescue Luke, Guy arrives first attacking Sync who had a fondisc with data from the machine, that he and Dist had attached Luke to, on it. Stealing the disc, Sync is forced to retreat when he loses his mask and the rest of the group arrives. Freeing Luke, they ascend again and face off with the God-General.

Winning the fight, Jade is again about to kill her as he tried at the Fubras River, only to have Ion stop him once more. Van and a garrison arrive and take Arietta into custody for a formal hearing at Daath. Boarding the ferry once it is at last fixed Jade cryptically states that Luke may one day come to hate him later when the red-head approaches him while they sail. They arrive in Chesdonia only to be attacked again by Sync shortly after arriving and clearing things with the Kimlascan Consulate. Forced onto the ferry for Baticul quickly, they relax thinking the danger is again behind them.

Jade reviews the data on the fondisc, which had been read and printed in Chesedonia, he comes upon the theory of Isofons, which he explains are frequencies generated by an individual person's or object's fonons. He reads of the frequency here and it is known to be Lorelei's frequency which makes Jade all the more curious. Again they are attacked, and head out on deck to discover Jade's hypothesis on their assailant was correct.

The meticulous yet silly attacks were the work of the Colonel's self-proclaimed arch-nemesis; Dist the Rose. At least, that was how Dist had planned to introduce himself, Jade instead cutting in with "Dist the Runny" which infuriates the other man, and when he protests, claiming to be "Dist the Rose", Anise corrects him on his name, reminding him he is officially known as "Dist the Reaper". Becoming enraged on the name and again correcting them, he launches into monologue on being Jade's former friend, to which Jade claims he doe snot know him at all, upsetting the man again, and even more so when his former friend chides him; reminding him that his nose runs when angry.

Thinking he has a minor victory when he snatches the disc from Jade, Dist only becomes angrier when Jade says it is of no consequence; having memorized the data earlier, and attacks the group at last.

Attacking them with a fontech robot, he is defeated and cast into the water. While there is a minor pause for concern; Jade assures them it will take much more to kill Dist than just that.

Baticul, City of Light. Finally here, they launch right into trying to start peace talks with His Majesty the king. Luke does so forcefully enough he interrupts a discussion the King, his uncle, was having with a visiting Grand Maestro Mohs; who was claiming Malkuth was preparing for an attack on the kingdom.

Agreeing to see them later, the King dismisses them, and they explore Baticul, and visit Luke's Manor. Here they meet Princess Natalia Luzu Kimlasca-Lanvaldear, first in line to the throne succeeded by Luke's parents, and then Luke himself. Of note to Jade is that he recalls Luke's servant, Pere, but can not remember the exact place. Pere claims not to know the Colonel.

After meeting Luke's mother, Jade and everyone leaves to meet again the next day before the King. As Jade predicted; Van was captured for suspected involvement in Luke's second disappearance.

However the primary matter of business is to discuss how to prove how interested Kimlasca is in peace. The mining town, Akzeriuth is need of assistance, and Malkuth is totally cut off from it from their side of the national border. Agreeing to send assistance, they do so in the form of Luke, making him Goodwill Ambassador. Acting very egotistical already, this only makes things worse in Jade's eyes as the young man agrees with Guy and Tear accompanying him to both assist in the mission as well as having more orders from Mohs.

They are joined by Anise, who is begging them to help her look for Ion. The Dark Wings, seen earlier in the city cooperating with Oracle Knights had taken the boy and likely turned him over already. Van offers to be a decoy for the group to escape out the of the city by land with himself going by ferry to distract the God-Generals who were lying in wait outside the city.

Taking a path to the abandoned factory Guy had explored when they were young, they encounter Natalia, who had distracted the guard to allow them entry in the first place. Apparently gaining entry into the party by blackmailing Luke in some way, Jade find himself quite amused with how haughty the man tries to act, and how terribly it backfires with the rest of the group.

After escaping the factory they unfortunately find themselves face-to-face with the Tartarus, the God-Generals having been waiting in this location to collect Ion. Luke in a fury rushes Asch, and as the two clash in the rain, the other red-head's styling is washed away, revealing a part that looks exactly a mirror of Luke's further more, with his face now properly framed by the mess of red; it was quite clear the other man looked exactly like Luke, enough to be a brother, or a twin.

Sync calls to Asch who rejoins him aboard the landship, displaying that they had Ion as they left the group behind. Their only choice is to cross to Chesedonia since the decoy failed anyway, and board a ferry to Kaitzur. Along the way they promise to search for Ion as they were all heading the same way.

At the Oasis, Luke is mysteriously contacted by Asch through some mental link, claiming Ion is at the mn Ruins and that if he wished to save the boy he needed to hurry. Moving on after Jade demonstrates his knowledge of everything, or his ability to ask nearby merchants, they arrive at the site and descend underground.

Along the way, Jade explains what happened when Mieu enters a concentration of second fonons and gains the ability to break rocks by saying the Socerer's Ring had used the crystallized fonons to carve a new fon verse onto it and stated there was room for one more verse to be inscribed. He also jokes that despite claiming being old the rest of the time he's still quite young and has far to go to develop his personality and things to learn.

To which end he was devoting himself to driving the rest of the group crazy, especially by cutting into Luke when the young man's ego grows to large occasionally.

At the base of the ruins they found Ion, just as Asch promised, along with the red-head himself, and Largo and Sync. Stating the Fon Master was in the middle of an important ritual and would not be interrupted the group of six faced off against two of them, Asch staying out of the fight to keep watch on Ion.

The group wins some how, but Asch and Luke square off, finding themselves evenly matched as they mirror eachother's moves and Luke can't understand why at first.

Dismissing it as merely training in the same style, Sync stops the clash by offering them the deal of ending the fight and releasing Ion. Not willing to deal at first the God-Generals make it clear that they're deep underground and despite dying as well would have no qualms about burying everyone under the ruins.

Luke deals at everyone's urging and they depart for Chesedonia, arriving without incident.

This does not last long as while they make for the inn to rest, something occurs with Luke and he almost attacks Tear before passing out. After conducting an examination to the best of his abilities in their spare facilities of the inn room, Jade hints at knowing more than he's revealed so far, but states he does not want to inform the group and when pressed as to why says that Luke should be the first to learn of matters that concern him.

Despite this, Jade hides the truth again when Luke asks what's been going on and passes it off as Dist merely having done something to the young man at Choral Castle and stating he'll have the other man remove it when they catch him.

Meeting at the Malkuth Consulate they learn Van has moved ahead of them and will be arriving with a full vanguard unit. They have to move fast now as Van's too early in his movement, and they are now burdened with Ion as the boy requested to accompany them to report to Peony directly on the Akzeriuth Rescue Operation.

Guy collapses then attacks Luke, and everyone panics until Jade identifies the source; Sync had struck Guy on the arm in an earlier encounter, and stated the scar left behind was apparently a Curse Slot. Ion supplements this by stating the Curse Slot is a Daathic Fonic Arte applied to one's fon slots and reads information from the brain, using a person's memories to control them.

While the thought of a doctor occurs, it is dismissed by Guy, and Ion confirms the power is directly related to how close the user is to the victim. So they leave Chesedonia quickly, leaving Jade with more questions and more answers he keeps from the group.

At the Deo Pass, the way to Akzeriuth from the Kimlascan side, Luke complains about wasting time in the desert.

As Ion is Anise's charge, she becomes quite angry at the implication that Ion isn't important, which Luke confirms his meaning by saying Ion wasn't even needed anymore. Taking a moment aside with the young girl, Jade asks her feelings on the matter after Luke is reprimanded and they are continuing on.

Just as he also continues teasing the group and pressing them on when they become distracted by their little side chats, and does his part to keep everyone's mind off of Luke's growing arrogance and on the task at hand at least until they are finished with aiding the people of the mining town.

They are stopped near the exit by Legretta, who has ties to Tear, and chides her as such for spending time with "those people".

Reminding the God-General she is under orders from Mohs, she asks what the other woman is doing, kidnapping Ion and traveling to the Sephiroth. This launches an odd discussion in which Legretta denounces the Score saying people are enslaved to it.

While not overly religious himself, Jade does agree, but on the other admits relying on the Score makes life easier, though Scores other than Yulia's are vague and hard to understand. Still, a small bit of Legretta's speech rings true to the man; the worst of those that rely on the Score feel compelled to ask even what they are to eat for dinner rather than make a choice on their own.

Thus the group faces off with the lone God-General, and after losing she beseeches Tear to leave them and that "reject", indicating Luke and join with Van and the God-Generals.

This confirms Jade's worst fear and he accuses the woman. Confirming only slightly that they resurrected the technology he forbade years ago. For perhaps the first time in a long while; Jade is truly shocked when Ion interrupts him saying there are some things that are better left unknown. Luke tries and fails to break into the conversation as he wants to know as they're discussing things about him, but Jade ignores him in favor of asking if Dist was the originator of the idea to use Fomicry.

Legretta brushes him off saying that it doesn't matter as their hand had been played and leaves with Jade angrily declaring it would over his dead body they would use his creations for their twisted purposes.

Leaving Luke to his further temper-tantrums, they at last arrive in Akzeriuth. The initial assessment is even worse that Jade had theorized, and Luke's attitude does little to help matters, being reluctant to lift a finger.

Finally gaining his agreement to at least search the entire town to see how dire the situation is they descend into the mine. There they are stopped an Oracle Knight named Hyman who claims he is the one that told Grand Maestro Mohs of the Seventh Fonstone of Yulia. Ion quickly requests for Tear to confirm it's authenticity as they move further in.

Eventually they find survivors, but no sign of the vanguard nor Van. As more of them split off, Jade, Luke, and Ion move further in, despite more of Luke's headaches. Detecting something is amiss above, Jade leaves Ion in Luke's care and races back up the tunnel to determine what's occurred.

Running into Tear back up the tunnel she informs the Colonel the Vanguard was wiped out by the Oracle Knights that had captured the Tartarus, Jade theorized because it was to stop the group from saving Akzeriuth. Tear quickly corrects him saying they had intended on capturing her and taking her away, which confuses Jade at first until she reveals Asch, who joins them in returning down the tunnel, informed her Van plans to destroy Akzeriuth.

Arriving as the mine is collapsing around them, Tear confronts Van who says he wants her to live until she realizes the ugliness and folly of the world, and reminds her to use Yulia's Fonic Hymns to save herself.

While the "hero" passed out, either from exhaustion or shock, Jade and the others got to watch the grim spectacle in detail. As the mine broke apart, bits of Akzeriuth became exposed in the gloom around them as they fell. Disoriented upon the landing, they quickly discovered they were the only survivors, and all around them lay the Qliphoth.

Luke awoke and found the others in states of lament or curiosity; Jade himself pondering over the power of Yulia's Hymns. Then they got to witness the last survivor of Akzeriuth; a small boy having been protected by his father and now on a floating board with the corpse. With the distance too great they scrambled for a solution, only to watch the boy slide off the boy and sink as he pleaded for help and sank into the toxic mud.

Their survival was the only priority now and Jade directed them onto the Tartarus as it still worked, and was now free of the Oracle Knight's hold. Tear directed them to the sole city in the mess, and Jade did of course comment his desire on having things explained once they were safe. Meanwhile, everyone lamented the child's death and their own powerlessness to stop Van.

This only led to questions on the man's intentions and what he could have possibly gained from the town's destruction. A while after, still having not found a trace of life nor this city Tear spoke of, they moved out onto the deck briefly for a look. Here, they questioned their location and Tear, with some assistance from Ion explained the nature of the Qliphoth, and the Outer Lands they fell from.

They also pointed out that Akzeriuth was destroyed when Van had Luke stand near the Passage Ring, the machine that made made the Sephiroth pillar support the land, and use his hyperresonance, destroying the machine and making the pillar disintegrate as the focusing device for the fonons no longer existed to concentrate them.

Luke, couldn't cope with what he'd done, Jade and perhaps the others knew this, but to see him deny and pass the blame so weakly, childishly... infuriated all of them. They pointed out that perhaps if Luke had at least tried discussing things with the group beforehand, they could have saved the people, but in his arrogance and wish for glory had not.

Luke denied his place in the fault of events again, and this reminded Jade of himself when he'd been younger. Irritated beyond all measure with the fact Luke couldn't accept responsibility, he retreated into the Tartarus to avoid lashing out. The others followed suit as Luke tried implicating them and simultaneously pass the blame off himself onto other people.

At last they arrived in Yulia City. Being directed to the mayor by Tear, they missed Asch's initial entrance. They also missed Asch's fight with Luke and the replica's collapse from shock and grief. They did at least converse with the gruff redhead before he made plans to return to the Outer Lands. Using the Sephiroth of Akzeriuth, they planned to launch the Tartarus back up.

Finding the original gruff, but capable, Jade settled into teasing him just as easily as the others while they made their way back to the former pillar and explained how the Sephiroth worked, and that the plan was to briefly stimulate the fon slot to push their way back out with memory particles. Tensions start rising between Asch, Guy, and Natalia, which Jade reminds Anise to keep out of to keep things stable for the time being.

With the next step to travel to Belkend to trace Van's steps they encounter Spinoza, the one that had helped Van kidnap Luke. It is here that the rest of the party finally learns Jade's true nature; the man who proposed the principles of Fomicry. Instead of losing ground upon the accusation from the other scientist Jade merely says he will not deny it, being fully aware of what he had done, and this being why he finally banned it entirely.

Turning the accusation around, he reminded Spinoza the technical and ethical complications, to which he claimed he had only been trying to help with Van's Preservation Project, and upon being pressed to the nature of it, fled.

Thankfully their luck turned as the heard the scientists mention "Ortion Cavern". Jade knew right away from the...tacky name, that the owner was Dist, and he had apparently shared Fomicry technology with Kimlasca, as well. The reason for the cavern's important was Fonimin, an essential mineral for Fomicry research.

Traveling there, they found Dist's research lab, abandoned, but calculations still running. Apparently it seemed Van's plans revolved around resurrecting Hod as a replica island.

Honoring his promise, Asch took everyone to Daath so Ion might issue a proclamation concerning the hostilities of the nations over the matter of Akzeriuth, as soon as he stepped inside, he was captured, along with Natalia. Had been trying to repair the Tartarus' ability to run on land, but to his dismay found mud from the Qliphoth had gotten inside and ruined it utterly. Anise tapped the man for help to save Ion and Natalia to stop the war, and Jade ran to collect Guy, who'd left the group to wait for Luke at the Aramis Spring.

By the time he arrived, Luke and Tear had already arrived and were traveling with Guy. While a bit reluctant, Jade did join them again, amused by Luke trying to change, but not letting on to this at all. Catching up with Anise in Daath, they made their way deep inside the headquarters they fought their way through the numerous Oracle Knights and at last reclaimed Natalia and Ion.

Now, they were left with a group that distrusted the very same one they looked to as the unofficial leader, as well as those with their own goals that either distracted them or were detrimental to the group entirely. Nonetheless, it was decided that going to Baticul would be unwise as Mohs' would likely denounce their attempts to persuade the king.

So they moved for Grand Chokmah, for the Emperor's help as well as signs of the progress of the Rugnica Continent's collapse. Unfortunately; the Tartarus breaks down during the journey and they are forced to move to a place Jade hasn't seen in some time; Keterburg.

While here; Jade does take the time to explain small things about the area, as he did reveal he grew up here, such as Peony's first love residing there, but not revealing who it was.

Upon meeting Nephry, she is happy to see her brother alive and addresses him so to the group, which Jade shrugs off and explains in detail the situation as it came about regarding Akzeriuth and events after. She is more than happy to see things repaired for them so they may journey to Grand Chokmah, but oddly stops Luke before they leave, and he even more oddly goes back later claiming to have forgotten something.

Apparently she felt the need to share certain...details of his life Jade would rather be unmentioned, catching Luke, he was amused by the attempt to lie, but reassured the redhead his "glory days" as some might call them, were finished. Still, overhearing a conversation he was having with Mieu on the matter slightly softens his heart in regards to Luke.

As it was, he equated his past with Luke's own error in the mining town, and when Luke sees things from his point of view, it does at last make Jade believe Luke has changed, though he wouldn't dare show the redhead nor any of the group such.

Having to cross from land due to Grand Chokmah being impossible to sail into; they make their way to the Theor Forest, where Jade leaves them to attend an audience with Peony. Jade survives a bit of the Emperor's fun at his expense infront of everyone, and they make serious plans to evacuate St. Binah, which has apparently already started sagging, while the Malkuth army holds off the Kimlascan one. Checking in on Guy, who had apparently had his curse slot activated during everyone else's hike through the forest, they discovered he was tired, but fine.

It was also revealed that "Guy Cecil" was an alias for Gailardia Galan Gardios, a son of a noble family from Hod. Jade had of course been onto Guy for sometime, and revealed how he suspected as such to Guy's identity and the reason he became a servant of the Fabre house; revenge.

While very drained from the Daathic Arte, Ion also accompanied them to St. Binah where they met the McGoverns again; Glenn was very reluctant to leave without orders from His Imperial Majesty, despite his father's warnings, with an order from Peony having been delivered, they move into action organizing an evacuation.

As the evacuation is underway, Jade takes a moment to discuss with Anise the matter of Luke's progress, and both remark that apparently he was quite serious indeed on trying to change, and share a laugh before moving everything into action.

Dist takes the opportunity to attack under Van's orders. Another small argument ensues as last time, this time regarding Jade's abandonment of resurrecting Nebilim, and this time when they break Dist's war machine it destroys the gate as it goes out of control, and Dist leaves in a rage.

St. Binah starts sinking, but far, far slower than Akzeriuth, and the idea of flying occurs. Guy directs everyone to Sheridan as they've been researching the idea there thanks to the Order's donation of the technology of an ancient hover drive to share with Kimlasca.

Arriving, they find the hover drive has already been attached to a craft, and it has crashed in the Meggiora Highlands. Unfortunately while there were two drives, the other has been touched at all. So they must rescue the pilot and the drive. Offering, they are giving some devices to steady the aircraft once they make it to it and depart. Fighting their way through, they successful rescue Ginji, the pilot.

He moves off ahead of them with the drive to ready the Albiore II to fly to St. Binah. Spotting by Kimlascan soldiers, their return is a bit rushed as they're assured the aircraft works, and they depart with Noelle, Ginji's younger sister and fly away.

They are quite lucky indeed and save everyone before the city and land around fall, next are laments about St. Binah sinking into the mud of the Qliphoth and totally disappearing eventually. Desperately, Luke begs the group to do something, and Jade reminds Luke not to be childish before the idea of going to Yulia City occurs.

With the Score potentially broken, the Order and the Watchers of Yulia City will be very eager to help put it back on track. Landing, they are welcomed by Tear's grandfather and mayor of the city; Teodoro. Upon agreeing to take the people of St. Binah in; the Elder McGovern, much to Jade's dismay, informs Luke that the Colonel has taken a liking to him, having shown it by scolding him; something Jade simply does not do normally.

Scoffing and moving on ahead Jade assists with getting everyone settled and attending the meeting with Teodoro. He explains the basic premise of using the passage rings and they fly to Shurrey Hill, which had fallen with St. Binah.

Solving the puzzle to unlock the Yulian Seal, which should have been broken already if Van had been there before them, yet hadn't, and activated the ring once more. Next they learned the pillar supported almost all of Rugnica Plains, which meant Engeve would also fall. Flying up the the Outer Lands once more they find both armies fighting, and would surely be wiped out by the fall, which must have been Van's plan.

[Here, things get a bit dicey to cover due to splitting up and such, to sum up very shortly, Engeve is evacuated and escorted on-foot to Chesedonia. An attempt to stop the Kimlascan army was made, but it seems the General had moved to Chesedonia as well to gain approval from the Order for the fighting. Eventually, both groups reunite in the city.]

Here though, Mohs puts a stop to their efforts by denouncing Natalia as Princess, saying she was substituted at birth for the real Princess. As they protest the war because of the falling lands, Mohs shrugs it off saying as long as Malkuth and Kimlasca fight; the Score will be fulfilled and still on track. Ion surprisingly returned to Daath, after relieving Anise of her duties as Fon Master Guardian, to which Jade reminds them means he plans to return later.

They hear news of something happening at the Zao Ruins, and have to ask for shelter for the people of Engeve, so they make their way to see Astor. He informs them Ion already asked, and there was an earthquake, and now Chesedonia is sinking as well. Bringing him up to speed, he gives them his blessing on slowing the descent of the Sephiroth to allow the city to remain unharmed.

They detour to meet Asch, briefly, who informs them they need to lower the area around Engeve and Rugnica Plains as well as both have started sinking. He questions Luke, but learns nothing and departs with intentions to learn more of Van's plans.

With the knowledge they can control multiple passage rings from one another, they depart for the Zao Ruins, intending to lower both areas slowly. Once in the ruins, Jade hints at being on to Anise having other motives, to which she feigns innocence and runs off, only to come back and tell everyone to hurry up.

Lowering the lands, they learn the Sephiroth is going out of control, and might stop working entirely, causing the land to fall, and the lands they've lowered to sink into the Qliphoth. So it turns to a race of knowledge, they move to Daath now to collect Ion; who is privileged enough to access the Order's highest secrets.

They eventually find him, learn Dist is playing both Mohs and Van for his own ends, and have part of the Sixth Fonstone read for Yulia's Score.

They find the Score is highly off-track, due to Luke being Asch's replica, and having done things the other was supposed to do. Infact Luke is not supposed to exist at all.

Trying to leave Daath, they are instead captured and taken to Baticul. Jailed below, Jade, Anise, Guy, and Tear are surprised when Asch rescues them, and they make their way to Luke and Natalia who were in the process of being offered poison for a painless death. Saving them, Natalia insists on going before the King, who is still being coerced by Mohs into fulfilling the Score, and orders their death. Asch saves them once more, and they escape. Running through the city with the citizens themselves defending the group from the military they leave and depart through the Inista Marsh for Belkend.

Their purpose here is for Jade to interrogate Spinoza, without him running away. Instead, Luke is mistaken for Asch and they are brought before Van and Legretta directly.

Here Van informs them he plans to destroy Lorelei, and man's ability to read the Score, as it is the source of all the problems to begin with. They also learn Van has offered for Guy to join him several times already, and extends the offer again, learning that Van's family served House Gardios for generations.

Asch bursts in and Van again tries to make the redhead follow him, and Asch refuses, pointing to Luke if Van wants a willing pawn. Scoffing at the idea, since Luke can't even control a complete hyperresonance on his own, and further more was only to trick the Order into thinking the Score was being followed, again tries to convince Asch. A fight almost occurs, but doesn't, and everyone withdraws from the lab.

There is a brief discussion on whether it was a ruse and Guy really is Van's spy, but it is decided he is not, to which Anise say everyone in the group is too soft and being so trusting will be regretful for them one day. Noelle is discovered to be fine, having been rescued by Asch, and he hands Jade a book on a history of the Dawn Age; a forbidden text from the Order, which was gathered up and hidden away.

Informing them Ion said it would be useful in lowering the Outer Lands, Asch stays the night with them, only to argue with Luke.

Jade brings everyone up to speed; apparently the core of the planet is vibrating, and this is causing the liquefaction of the land. The source is the Planet Storm, and why it has not been stopped already. Jade has an idea to stop it using the machine from the texts, but all the scientists in Belkend are loyal to Van and Asch's father.

A plan is made with Governor Viridian, and they move to Daath to collect Ion to make use of a passage ring that hasn't been lowered yet; they need him to remove the Daathic Seal in place over the doors of the Sephiroth. WIth difficulty; they leave with him.

After getting the Frequency Counter to measure the core vibration, they move to Tataroo Valley to move into the Sephiroth. Jade also has Luke set up the entire assembly to make it easier to lower the Outer Lands when the time for it comes. With the vibration measured, they move back to Sheridan. Asch meets them there, and they spend a small amount of time together while the mechanics ready the Tartarus for it's final job; to stop the vibration.

But first they must convince the King to stop the war, and head to Baticul to do so. Jade essentially coerces the King's court to not interfere, and he hands the King a letter detailing the crisis. They are instructed to return tomorrow.

Thankfully, despite Mohs and his General's protests, the King agrees to the proposal of peace, and reconciles with Natalia as his daughter, even if she is not his true daughter.

Next they moved to see Peony. Informing him of the location of the talks; Yulia City, it isbrought to their own attention they will need the flightstone; Dist had stolen it when Mohs captured the group.The only way to get it back was to go to Daath and ask Maestro Tritheim his location, and Mohs was once again in Daath, making it very dangerous for the group.

In Daath they recieve a ridiculous letter addressed to the "Jade Gang", inwhich Dist poorly tries to mislead them. Ignoring it they learn his attendant, Reiner knows his whereabouts, and along the way they learn they infact has the flightstone himself. Taking it from him they then move to Chesedonia to ask Astor, the city's leader, to join in the peacetalks, which includes joint research into the miasma.

At the summit; the entire truth comes out by way of Guy wishing to know the truth regarding his family. A similiar peace agreement was made after the Hod War. Hod was thought to have been destroyed by Kimlasca, and Guy's mother had been sent to marry his father as a gesture of peace, she hadn't wanted to help in the invasion, so Duke Fabre killed her. Peony reveals his father, the previous Emperor had been conducting Fomicry research on the island, and when it had been invaded, all the fonic experiements had been shut down, and thus the great plan involving linking Van up the hyperresonance machine. Here, Van's true identity is made known to everyone, and the shocking events halts the summit temporarily.

Thankfully, they are informed both rulers have agreed, and they are to stop the core's vibration, and they leave for Sheridan once more.

Brought up to speed, they are asked to make themselves ready for the five day journey in the Tartarus, and then have a very short amount of time to breach the core and leave before they're crushed by the planet's pressure. The plan is to sail to Akzeriuth, drop the Tartarus in using the neutralizing fonmachines installed, and use a fonic glyph inscribed on the Tartarus' deck to generate a current of rising air, then use the Albiore stored in the hold to get out before they are crushed.

Unfortunately, Spinoza fed all the information to Van, and he was literally on their doorstep when they stepped outside. They had no choice but to flee as most of the engineers in Sheridan were killed covering the escape, and they lost several close friends. Thankfully the Kimlascan forces arrived before the death toll became critical.

They are almost stopped by Van, but Jade and the few suriviving engineers push Luke out of doing something stupid and remind them they have to make it to the core.

They are left unantagonized during the journey but have an intruder, Jade elects to take care of the problem after they finish with the core as they have precious little time as it is. All is successful, but when they step out onto the deck, they find the glyph has been erased, by Sync, the intruder.

Battling with the God-General, his mask at last falls away revealing the ironic truth; he is a replica. A replica of Fon Master Ion. Furthermore, the Ion traveling with them is a replica, and the real Fon Master died, two years prior, and while the details do not matter to Jade, it's learned that this is when Anise became Ion's almost sole Fon Master Guardian, and Arietta was demoted from the position. Watching him drop himself off the side of the Tartarus into the core perhaps gives Jade still more to ponder about concerning the ethics of Fomicry.

Jade, with Luke and Tear's aide, redraws the glyph so they can get away, just barely in time, but not before Lorelei, the embodiment of the seventh fonon contacts them. The event distresses everyone, and they go to Belkend to have Tear examined as she was Lorelei's conduit to contact them with. They discover unfortunately that due to the miasma permiating the core, and therefore the passage rings; Tear is terribly sick. She is this way due to the fact that the very seventh fonons being made by the Planet Storm are contaminated by miasma, and she has absorbed far, far more than any normal seventh fonist would in their lifetime.

Thus it is agreed they will examine the passage rings to determine whether she will have to operate them any longer, and the hope is she will not need to as the stabilization of the core should have allowed the passage rings to remain in tolerance limits. Unfortunately, all the rings do still need to be connected so they can lower the entire Outer Lands at once. Gaining information to their location from the Yulia City researchers that had arrived to aide in the miasma research they fly out.

At the Meggiora Highlands, they encounter Legretta at the location of the Sephiroth, but she does not attack and instead ask Tear to join once more. Here, Guy realizes that light they saw in the core of Auldrant was the Seventh Fonstone, and that Van knew the complete contents of it. It's also confirmed that Van's family, Fende, was a descendant of Yulia's seven sages, and that Tear and Van themselves must be desecents of Yulia herself as they were guarding the Fonstone.

While they have to disable a fontech doll, they make it to the passage ring and set up more commands to link the Sephiroth together. They also measure Tear's intake of miasma to determine whether her operating the passage rings is the true cause. Unfortunately; it is the cause. Spinoza appears, and steals a craft of a friend, Aston, who'd been conducting a test flight.

They give chase and at last catch him. At Belkend, he laments reporting to Van, as he is the cause of most of his friends being killed, and wants to atone, he agrees to help Jade research isolating the planet's miasma. Anise again displays cryptic behavior, and while everyone else perhaps doesn't notice, Jade ignores it, deciding she'll explain when it's relevant.

Learning the last Sephiroth other than Mt. Roneal is located near the cathedral of Daath, they fly in that direction. Here, they encounter an irate Mohs. Van's plans have ruined Mohs', and over half the Oracle Knights have left to join him and the God-Generals, so Mohs is pressed trying to rebuild them. He points the party in the direction of the Sephiroth, vaguely, and they complain about his attitude on the way.

Anise "accidentally" discovers the hidden bookcase they need, and starts trying to quickly hurry them through a transport glyph to an area inside Mt. Zaleho that Mohs has been using. Jade calls her out on this no less than three times perhaps more, and while she can not deny his claims, she doesn't offer to answer when he comments on making her explain to him. He lets the matter go as they have more pressing issues at the moment.

Back at Belkend, it seems Jade's theory of lowering the Outer Lands was plausible; using the dividing line created by the Sephiroth, the plan is to push the miasma back into the core and use the fact that the Qliphoth has solidified due to the core no longer vibrating to keep it sealed away. Tear's symptoms seem to be getting worse, and they get her more medicine and everyone else goes to rest at the inn.

They awake the next morning to find her gone and piece together she went to Ortion Cavern with Asch to stop Van. Arriving they find Oracle Knights moving equipment, while a fight almost occurs, Legretta reminds the Knights that Van said to let them pass. Further in they find Van fighting with Asch who is almost struck down.

They learn of Van's plan fully. He is going to replicate all of Auldrant; as replicas are not in the Score, they should be free of the dark future Van proclaims is written. While there are not enough seventh fonons present to do this, Van intended to strengthen the Planet Storm, but with the groups efforts having removed that option; he instead planned to use Lorelei, the seventh fonon itself.

After he replicated the world, he also intended to destroy Lorelei, preventing the replica's fonons from separating, removing the ability to read the Score, and thus ensuring Auldrant's survival. However, he also comments that he needs Asch, calling Luke a reject when Tear suggests Van intends to use him.

They stop briefly at Sheridan to confirm how committed everyone is to stopping Van, including Tear. Resolved to do whatever it takes, they move for Mt. Roneal, knowing the God-Generals will be lying in wait.

A detour in Keterburg turns out in their favor; Saphir has collapsed, and Jade predictably calls for the Military Police, which Nephry does not entirely approve of. Heading to the inn, Jade interrogates the man, painfully, as he did promise his sister the Military Police wouldn't do anything to hurt the man, but Jade failed to promise such a thing for himself.

Learning from Dist the condition of the area; the earthquakes have led to more avalanches, and a power monster has taken residence in the deepest parts of the mountain, making the monsters more aggressive as a result. At the mountain, they can faintly hear on the wind what sounds like a woman crying, and Jade pauses to recall his teacher.

Moving on, they encounter Legretta, Largo, and Arietta. Fighting until they trigger an avalanche, the group is very lucky but it seems the God-Generals fell into the ravine. Everything else goes well until Luke is finished with the Sephiroth.

It seems Van has reversed the flow of the Planet Storm. If they don't move quickly; everything except the land around the Absorption Gate will fall, and the Tartarus in the planet's core will break apart; causing the land to liquify again. Also important is Ion's health. Each gate they have him open fatigues him all the more to the point where he's holding up a brave front, but he's clearly exhausted.

Unfortunately, instead of dropping him off, they're stranded overnight in Keterburg as the hover drive for the Albiore had temporarily frozen. So they decide to use the time to prepare. Jade takes a little time to himself, and with a few other members, such as Luke when the redhead approaches him. The two take a brief moment to acknowledge that while they originally hated eachother, they've grown to see just how likeable the other is and how one has learned from the other.

Though, Jade never actually expressly states any of this on his part.

He also takes the time to ensure a backup plan, and mails the two monarchs to inform them to prepare; because of Van's interference, the Outer Lands could lower at any time, or in a much worse case fall. The problem is while the entire machine was set to run when they activated the Radiation Gate, they might not have the time.