Not five seconds later, the newly-reconstructed crystal starts glowing, and a flash of light deposits the Azure Dragoon at its feet. "A very multidisciplinary man, our Warrior of Light is," she says.

"I'm an arcanist by formation, as you well know."

Another flash and the Lord Commander of the Ishgard Temple Knights joins their little reunion. He smiles warmly at Otohiko. "I had faith in your success."

The over-six-feet-tall au ra grins at him. "We have more people coming, yes?"

"Yes. I believe your friend Alphinaud and a few Temple Knights are coming. You will heal?"

The Warrior of Light grabs the ornamented book at his hip, opens it, and starts writing on it with the pen attached to his hair. The process lasts less than three seconds, and once he's close to done the air around him glows, three translucent spheres rotating around him as he finalises the diagram, and a final infusion of aether into the book and a gesture causes a small fairy with green-golden butterfly wings to spring into existence there. "Count on it."

More flashes of light herald more arrivals—another five people in total—and then at Lord Aymeric's signal they advance. They need to find the Lady Iceheart and their only advantage is that they are fewer in number than the band of heretics she is leading in this retreat.

The sound of voices echos down the icy passage.

"—provisions first, we can't very well eat the crystals."

"No, but they'd sell better."

"To whom? The Ishgardians will be at every—" the female voice stops. ".... Nevermind. Damn it. Damn it, we're out of time, how did they—? Run."

"... Ma'am—"

"Did I stutter? Go. I've a plan. I'll catch up."

The last part is certainly a lie, but the part about having a plan is only about... half of one. She has half of a plan. It counts, right? Right.

"It's been an honor serving with you, ma'am—"

"Waste time on sentimentals and so help me I will forcibly feed you my greatsword before the fanatics get the chance."

"I, uh. Y-yes ma'am. Running now."

They reach her.

Lord Aymeric had something clever and gallant to say when he finally encountered Iceheart in person for the first time, sitting artfully atop the crates of crystals like they didn't just bust her unexpectedly. Instead, what he says is "—you? You were dead!"

Lady Iceheart—or Vethrione Laivane, once-paladin of Falcon's Nest—sits artfully atop her stolen crates of aether crystals. She looks to all the world like she was expecting them, though the haphazard way the crates are arranged gives away her surprise. Her greatsword rests easily in her armor-clad hands, bladed edge resting on the floor, evoking the Ishgardian statues of yore.

"Only left for it, thank you. You." Her cool gaze turns upon the present Scions. "You're responsible for this nonsense, aren't you. The fanatics are never this crafty."

...oh shit why is she hot.

    Alphinaud was momentarily taken aback by Aymeric's outburst but he recovers quickly enough. "Lady Iceheart! Stop what you're doing! Primals are not the answer!"

Otohiko for his part has his book ready. He manages to make it look way more impressive than it should by rights look.

"Taking that as a yes. Congratulations, fanatics, your fools find your lies sweet indeed. Scions must make such lovely pets."

Then her mask of icy assurance evaporates like mist in the midday sun, and all that's left is pure incandescent fury.

"You have no idea what you're doing. Any of you. You'd fuel the fires of another thousand years of a very stupid war in ignorance and blind faith and the arrogance that you know what my plan even is. You should not have come here. I was just going to take my people and go, it's not like crystals are portable. But—fine."

"You want to back the scary heretic into a corner? Fine. Let's see the bed you've made for yourself."

The power of the crystals starts swirling around her, and she smiles pleasantly at her guests. Yeah that does not look like someone that is going to stop what she is doing.

...Otohiko adopts a very weary look for a split second before steeling himself, and when Alphinaud catches a glimpse of his face he pales, too.

This will be a hard one.

He starts casting—

But the Azure Dragoon is faster, and an infusion of aether to her feet makes her jump twenty feet into the air and towards Iceheart, lance at the ready—

Swirls of icy wind send them flying back before they can interfere, and frozen crystals begin to form at the Lady Iceheart's feet. A vicious blizzard begins to form around her, stopping all attempts to interrupt her summoning.

"We whom gods and men have forsaken shall be the instruments of our own deliverance," she says, standing and looking towards the heavens. And now for the really crazy part. "Partake of my flesh—fill this vessel with your light! Walk among your brothers and sisters once more!"

The ice crystals around her rise past her feet and begin to envelop her.

"O Saint Shiva, still the hatred within our hearts, and bless us," she is swallowed by a great icicle, but her voice echoes all the same, "with eternal grace!"