Minstrel's Song from The Rising

[WinterSolstice]

An old despair astride a new-shod mare.

I'd interpret that either as 'the primal threat' with Shiva simply being the newest incarnation of it (also we expect her to drop a new horse)
or
less likely it's Lahabrea with a new physical host

We're getting Shiva in 2.4, so why refer to her when she's being released so soon? They already referred to Shiva in a previous poem.

However it has been hinted that she is behind the Dravinian Heretics in Coerthas...so maybe? Dravinia is at war with Ishgard, so it certainly fits.

[Alberel]

We're getting Shiva in 2.4, so why refer to her when she's being released so soon? They already referred to Shiva in a previous poem.

However it has been hinted that she is behind the Dravinian Heretics in Coerthas...so maybe? Dravinia is at war with Ishgard, so it certainly fits.

Shiva is unrelated to the Dravanian heretics. The events in 2.3 make it pretty clear that her bandit crew are an entirely separate faction.

I'm of the opinion this 'new shod mare' is Lahabrea's new host. The events of 2.5 will likely culminate in us defeating Lahabrea at last and liberating Ishgard in the process. We will NOT be facing Zodiark yet, it's far too soon and there are twelve other Ascians to deal with first.