Spoiler The moon had been glowing red from some days now, I had always made a point of checking it as I wandered in my daily quest from Black brush to Halatali, which was a camp at the time. The maps were vast and the journey, was long, but interesting, I always made a point of skirting around the high grounds. I only first noticed it when the citizens of Ul'dah began to comment on it, usually too immersed in my own business to observe the celestial bodies.

(you can see them in the back ground http://www.ffxivinfo.com/images/screenshots/ffxiv-652.jpg and here is a map of all Thanalan http://www.ffxivinfo.com/images/maps/ffxiv-maps-thanalan.jpg )

As time passed I noticed Garlean air ships, small groups, maybe two or three pass over head. I was first made aware of their presence by the deep groaning of their passage, catching me by surprise as I exited one of the caves mentioned before. The sun was blinding, white washing for a moment, but they hung there, high above churning onward to the north. They moved with purpose, and many speculated on it, it took days to determine and prove, communicating with colleagues in the Shroud and Vylbrand to find they were all moving towards a central point. I'd like to make a point that this drew a lot of people to different places, at least that I observed. There was (for me) little reason to explore the areas outside of Thanalan, it held everything one might need, I would visit the cities perhaps occasionally, but rarely made a point of exploring the lands around them beyond express need.



In my curiosity a few comrades and I followed the airships northward from Camp Black Brush one day, finding them passing even beyond our reach. Mor Dhona was a different place at the time, filled with Toads and Hydras far overpowering anything but the strongest of groups, and the rewards were minimal, most people simply skirted by. We had killed The Primals, the Good king, Even Nael in his insanity was nearly brought low though we never were able to deal the final strike. But the world began to change in those days, The stones scattered about Eorzea, perhaps you know them in their dormant form, began to glow, illuminating and drawing people towards them, I made a pilgrimage to Halone in honour of my sister. Thaliak as well, and Nald'Thal within the Ossuary and Sacrarium (which was still open at the time.)



The sky was filled with the aurora borealis regardless of the day. As time passed the whole world became bathed in a faint red glow, the moon casting its shadow on us. Like my Garlean goggles had tinted the world. Time passed, the moon grew slowly, or at least that’s what some felt. Others, a certain detective in La Noscea had a differing ideal, but he vanished due to some circumstances I won't divulge. Then things accelerated, like a disease entering its final stages the warping of Eorzea quickened, the Aether became tainted, appearing yellow and spewing forth voidsent. A great Demon floated above them unlike anything known at the time that seemed impervious. I still have an unaspected void crystal from the time. Normal Aetherytic crystals that had been drained by the Demon who seemed fixated on the Aether networks.

Much happened in the intervening days, its hard to capture it all. Ul'dah was a different place, the main gates had always been closed requiring the use of the side doors, but in the final moments, when the Garleans made their assault on the great city? Even the gates that, up to that time had held back the Amalj'aa buckled. War was upon us, and the fights were brutal.