Tales From the Shadows Updated (SPOILERS ABOUND)

[Rosenstrauch]

At the risk of muddying the time travel waters even further, I've had something floating in the back of my mind for a while that's been bugging me more than usual lately.

So during the quest Crossroads, the WoL witnesses an Echo flashback to the Flood of Light overtaking Nabaath Araeng. In it, Minfilia uses the souls of the Warriors of Darkness to further fuel her attempts to halt the flood. But she pointedly refuses Ardbert despite his desire to sacrifice himself, and this in turn connects back to Ryne's confused attempt to relay Minfilia's wish for the WoL to "meet someone". Minfilia herself alludes to that just before she dies, and it turns out she was referring to Ardbert—the implication being that she had foreseen the WoL and Ardbert's joining during the quest Shadowbringers.

Here's where things get weird: During the quest In His Garden, Moren has this to say:

Ahem. Less than a decade had passed since the coming of the Flood when the Crystal Tower first flashed into existence. Its summoner─the Exarch himself─became known to the refugees in Lakeland soon thereafter.

If we're to assume that moving Syrcus Tower from the Eighth Era to our version of the First is what forked the timeline, and Minfilia holding back Ardbert from sacrificing himself was because she foresaw the WoL's arrival on the First, then I have two three questions.

1. Was she aware that Syrcus Tower would spontaneously appear on the First?
2. If not, was the WoL actually meant to arrive on the First without the Exarch's assistance in the Eighth Era timeline?
3. If so, did something happen to stop the WoL from making the journey?

I can't help but wonder if there's another layer of time travel going on here. To compare this to Dragon Ball Z—particularly the Android saga and its notorious time travel shenanigans—is there a "Cell" out there that acted as the counterpart to our "Trunks" (the Exarch)? Probably not, if only because we're likely done with the First outside of Eden and YoRHa, but I just can't help but wonder.

[Erendis]

Minfilia herself alludes to that just before she dies, and it turns out she was referring to Ardbert—the implication being that she had foreseen the WoL and Ardbert's joining during the quest Shadowbringers.

I do not think she foresaw our joining (as far as I remember her Echo did not give her this ability). She simply must have recognised Ardbert was part of the soul we were and told him to stay because we might need him.

[JeanneOrnitier]

I agree with Erendis, I doubt Minfilia had outright seen the future but instead recognized who Ardbert was and knew he'd be important for WoL to meet again.

[Vyrerus]

At the risk of muddying the time travel waters even further, I've had something floating in the back of my mind for a while that's been bugging me more than usual lately.

At this point Minfilia could see that Ardbert shared in our soul. Not wishing to potentially weaken the Warrior of Light in anyway, she did not consign his soul to the furnace for the fuel necessary to stop the Flood of Light. Not because she could see the future, but because of the potential. It's an Emperor Palpatine (the dictionary picture for preternatural cunning) sort of plan where no matter how it forks, as long as she doesn't consume Ardbert's soul, then the soul can reincarnate eventually. Although, even if she failed, even if the Flood of Light came to pass, then his soul would Rejoin with the WoL's, making us stronger regardless of our location.

So likely, since she knew she could stop the Flood without using his soul, she did. All so that he might be reborn anew someday, able to aid the land in the same way he had been doing. It did not proceed as she had expected, but he was rejoined with us nonetheless.

In the bad timeline we die to Black Rose, but our soul becomes eight times rejoined. It just hasn't come around again in an individual with the right circumstances, from what we were shown. And of course, just like us, that individual will have to grow in power over their adventures before they realize their full potential. And with Midgardsormr waking up, their mettle can be put to the test, whenever they do.