Fly Free, My Pretty

Quest giver: Yda
Location: The Rising Stones (X:6, Y:6)
Quest line: Post-Dragonsong Main Scenario Quests
Level: 60

Experience: 5,000
Gil: 615
Previous quest: The Greater Obeisance
Next quest: The Far Edge of Fate
Patch: 3.56

Main Scenario Progress: 378 / 853 (44.3%)

Heavensward Progress: 137 / 138 (99.3%)

“

Yda's eyes shine with rekindled determination.

— In-game description

Rewards

Steps

Speak with Cid in Mor Dhona.

Defeat Grynewaht.

Defeat imperial forces.

Defeat imperial soldiers with the Red Baron.

Defeat Grynewaht.

Speak with Cid.

Speak with Cid in Omega Control.

Speak with Cid at the airship landing in Gridania.

Journal

After the briefest of discussions, the contingent for the Omega expedition is decided, with Cid and Nero providing the technical expertise, while you, Yugiri, Gosetsu, and -- most unexpectedly -- Yda supply the steel. Make your way to the northern bank of Silvertear Lake, where the Excelsior is waiting, and inform Cid of your readiness to depart.

You arrive in Carteneau to find that Nero spoke the truth when he declared that you were not the only ones with designs on the slumbering relic. Challenged by a brutish Garlean soldier named Grynewaht, you are soon embroiled in a skirmish with imperial forces. Rather predictably, Nero abandons you without hesitation, employing a teleporter to travel deeper into the facility, and Cid duly pursues him, leaving you to see to the small matter of winning the battle.

With a helping hand from your favorite former tribunus, you eventually rout your adversaries, and press on into Omega's control room. There you find Cid and Nero hard at work priming the relic for action, but it is Yda who finally takes it upon herself to press the launch button. Even as Omega takes flight, you cannot help but wonder if you have made a terrible mistake...

Initially, all seems to be proceeding as planned, but just as you begin to breathe a little more easily, the signal emanating from the weapon falls silent, prompting Cid to reengage its stasis systems. Struggling to hide his concern, he immediately resolves to head for Gridania to find out what has become of Omega and its target.

After a journey spent contemplating all manner of apocalyptic eventualities, you are relieved to find Gridania exactly where you left it. Trouble Cid for his thoughts on what could have become of Omega.

Still baffled by the Allagan relic's sudden failure, Cid suggests a firsthand inspection. Perhaps the waiting Alphinaud knows something that might be of use to your investigation...

Solo Duty Walkthrough

Upon speaking with Cid for the first time, you will enter a solo duty.

You will fight alongside Yda, Yugiri, and Gosetsu in the Cartenau Flats against Grynewaht and his imperial soldiers.
The fight will start with you and your allies beating down a lone Grynewaht. Continue to attack him until he summons imperial soldiers to his side.
Grynewaht uses two special attacks throughout the fight:
- Augmented Uprising is a fan-shaped frontal AoE.
- Augmented Suffering is a circular AoE covering the area immediately around him. Melee fighters should watch out for this.
Grynewaht's attacks will damage and kill his own soldiers, so use your positioning to your advantage.
When Grynewaht's health drops to about 50%, a cutscene will play. Afterwards, you will be equipped with a set of magitek armor known as the Red Baron. This armor has four attacks you can use:
- Magitek Cannon is a circular AoE that deals moderate damage. Use this as your primary attack.
- Photon Stream is a straight-line AoE that deals moderate damage. The area covered by this attack is smaller than that of Magitek Cannon, so it is not preferred.
- Diffractive Magitek Cannon is an enhanced version of Magitek Cannon that will kill regular imperial soldiers with one hit. Save this for especially large groups surrounding your allies. Has a 10 second cooldown.
- High-powered Magitek Cannon is an enhanced version of Photon Steam that will kill all enemies with one hit. This is best saved for the giant-sized Imperial Colossus enemies that appear. Has a 10 second cooldown.
After a number of imperial soldiers are defeated, they will flee and you will dismount the armor. Fight Grynewaht a final time, shaving off his health while avoiding his usual attacks. He will also use one new attack called Aerial Bombing, in which he shoots four projectiles into the air. The first three projectiles are placed randomly on the field, but the fourth will always center on you. Dodge accordingly.

Dialogue

Speak with Yda

Yda: So we have to wake Omega up, right? When do we start? 
Alphinaud: Yda, you... Are you sure that's...? 
Yda: I'm sure, yes. I won't lie and say I'm completely fine, but I'll feel a lot better if I'm doing something useful. 
Alisaie: Very well. I will remain here and continue coordinating our efforts with the Alliance. Alphinaud, mayhap you could return to Gridania and assist Y'shtola and Krile? 
Alphinaud: A fine suggestion. 
Cid: The rest of us will form the Carteaneau expedition party. Nero and I will focus on rousing Omega, while [Forename], Yda, and our Doman friends take care of security. The Excelsior is by the lake just outside town. We'll leave as soon as everyone is ready.

Speak with Cid in Mor Dhona

Cid: We haven't far to go - with any luck, we'll be in Carteneau before Gosetsu graces the deck with his dinner. Once there, however, we had best be on our guard. Given that Eline Roaille was still active when Omega was discovered, we can be sure that the Empire has long been aware of its existence. And if Nero deemed it the obvious solution to the threat posed by this new primal, it is not impossible that Garlemald might do the same. Have your weapons ready and your wits about you. Something tells me we're flying into a fight.

Nero tol Scaeva: Now where was the...? Ah! I've enabled the teleporter. One brief jump, and we shall arrive in Omega's control room. 
Cid: How convenient. ...You've been here before. 
Nero tol Scaeva: Of course. 'Twas no easy task threading a path through all the skirmishers... But how could I ignore the existence of such a fascinating toy! You may trust that my preliminary examination was suitably thorough. 
Cid: Trust? Aye. I trust your appetite for technology. 
Grynewaht: I chase down a suspect airship, and who should I find but the traitor, Cid Garlond! Searching for something, engineer? Something big? It's close, isn't it!? Bwahahahaha! It's like all my namedays have come at once! 
Nero tol Scaeva: Of all the scouts the Empire could have sent... Take care of that brute, will you! (Nero teleports away)
Cid: Godsdammit, I can't let Nero tinker around in there by himself. Sorry to leave you to it - but I daresay you'll manage without me. This clod has no idea who he's dealing with...
Gosetsu: I am Gosetsu,samurai of Doma! You will rue your choice of opponent this day!

Mid-Battle

Grynewaht: Surrender! We have you outnumbered! 
Yda: Wouldn't be the first time! 
Nero tol Scaeva: Are you still playing with those soldiers? <sigh> I suppose I can lend you one of my toys - but only if you promise to give it back. Behold! The Red Baron! Now end this nonsense! 
Grynewaht: What the - ? No one told me they'd have magitek armor! Er...forward! For the Empire! 
Gosetsu: The honorless cur thinks to abandon his men! I shall see that he shares their fate! Pray attend to the rest of his minions!

Nero tol Scaeva: Temporal stasis disengaged. All systems operational - Garlond?
Cid: All clear on this side! It's waking up...
Nero tol Scaeva: Remarkable! Omega's sensors immediately detected the presence of the cocoon even at this distance! They must have been set to scan for sources of energy exceeding certain magnitudes.
Cid: I still don't see any means to control the machine directly. It seems to have been designed to act wholly autonomously... Hmm. Once we release the Omega, we can be fairly certain it will attempt to capture the primal at Baelsar's Wall. Assuming its mission is successful, our only option at that point will be to reengage its stasis system and put it back to sleep.
Nero tol Scaeva: And should the machine happen to misbehave, we'll simply initiate an emergency shutdown. I confess, we don't yet have a complete grasp of its capabilities, but I'm certain the details will not elude us for long.
Yda: Well...I understood less than half of that. So - my question to you is: are we doing the right thing?
Warrior of Light: (What will you say?) (Well, what do you think? / Is there any other way?) -> Well, what do you think?
Yda: What do I think...? All right. Step aside, Cid. Is this the thing I need to press?
Cid: Uh...yes. That's the one.
Yda: You gave too much for us to waste this chance, Papalymo. So this is for you...and me. (Yda slams red initiation button)
Nero tol Scaeva: Hahahahahahahaha! Yes! Fly free, my pretty! Show us what you can do!
Cid: The launch sequence has begun. Omega is loose.

Cid: Hm? Omega has stopped transmitting. Btu that shouldn't be, I- I didn't engage the stasis system.
Gosetsu:' And what does this signify? I have little understanding of these contrivances...
Nero tol Scaeva: The launch went exactly to plan, but all signals emanating from Omega have ceased. This may indicate any number of things, but we will need to join the Scions out in the field if we are to ascertain which one. 
Cid: Right, I've ordered the malfunctioning beast to go to sleep. That should prevent any unfortunate mishaps. I suggest we make our way back to Gridania. (Yda's mark on her neck disappears).
Yda: Omega destroyed the cocoon... Papalymo's spell is fading. It was bound to his aether, you see...and if the connection is broken...

Speak with Cid in Omega Control

Cid: I'm not sure why we lost contact with Omega, but I mean to find out. Let's be on our way. w

Speak with Cid at the airship landing in Gridania

Cid: One moment everything was functioning perfectly and the next it wasn't. It makes no sense. We need to see what happened for ourselves, and soon.