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One thing that's interesting about this cutscene, this line especially:
https://scontent-a-lga.xx.fbcdn.net/...43&oe=54BEC4CE
Now, "the gifted"...remember the MSQ from 2.1 of a similar (or maybe the same) name? I'm sure he's talking about the PC (you) here. So the Ascians are doing something to make us stronger, and I don't think this is just through "normal" combat. Perhaps we, unknowingly, gain a great deal of strength/power with each Primal we kill? The others were discussing the 5 we've killed before Elidibus enters...and the next piece of dialog is Lahabrea saying that even he is doing everything he can to accomplish this goal (which at the same time is confusing since he spent a very important part of the 2.0 story trying to kill us...) and we know he's been greatly involved in at least teaching how to summon Primals...
Of course, the question is, why is it we need to be made stronger by the Ascians' hands? Are we going to, as of right now unknowingly, bring about the rebirth of Zodiark? And...what is this *final* key and what/where are the rest of them?
I feel Shiva is going to answer a lot of questions for us as she's dying (and hopefully won't get cut short like a certain someone in SCoB). We'll find out soon enough...
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It might not be that the Ascians are making us stronger, but that they are pushing the beat tribes to summon their primals with more power, hence the HM and EX versions. We are getting stronger as a result, we HAVE to get stronger to face the power of the primals. What does this have to do with anything? The Primals being summond disrupts the flow of aether, which is basically the lifestream of Hydaelyn (The World). The more crystals used to summon the Primals the stronger they are and the larger the effect the summoning has on the aether, which may be what is weakeneing Hydaelyn (The Mothercrystal) allowing her to be corrupted. What Lahabrea might have meant when he said he is doing everything he can is keeping the beast tribes focused on their tasks and perhaps teaching them how to summon stronger versions of their Primals.
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You know what? This question has bothered me as well... as a matter of fact, it got to a point that after finishing the original 2.0 storyline, I yet again started wondering if (by some weird happenstance) Gaius was actually our Hyur Warrior of Light gone back in time by 30 years to become a Garlean.
Perhaps he realized that the war with the "darkness" couldnt be won and in frustration, he sends himself back in time to join the young Garlean Empire. After rising significantly within the ranks, the Ascians approached him for his abilities and gave him sone of this "gift" you are referring to. This will then explain how they became allies, at least to a degree. Spiffy, innit?
But never mind me... this is just crazy talk.