That's the way I see it, as well, at the moment. However, there's enough resistance to my impression of Elidibus that I continue to doubt and attack my own views. If it's wrong, I'd rather it fell apart quickly and helped me get on to something better, lol.
Aye, it's hard to gauge. Unleashing Ultima, at least, didn't seem like an attack on anything but Hydaelyn's protection, shattering the "shield of Light" with the "hammer of Darkness" and leaving you vulnerable. After Gaius fails to take you out and he steps in, though, he does appear to change gears (from toying with you earlier) and at least declare intent, saying that the Castrum will be your tomb. I'd prefer harder evidence that he never really expected you to die before leaping to that conclusion, though. He was pretty convincing.
EDIT: Retroactive donning of the Darksteelfoil Hat.Originally Posted by Lahabrea (2.00; The Ultimate Weapon)
If the "logic" of Elidibus about equilibrium cannot be trusted (and, again, I just can't hop on board with that premise while the conclusion seems to be hitting the RESET button on Creation) perhaps they're referring to the cycle of the eras itself; that Hydaelyn's interference in Zodiark's first coming (which I assume is the world their souls ascended from) has sent a ripple through the universe where the "unworthy" mortal element has spent ~10,000 years rocking the boat of a new Creation in a way that they feel will inevitably capsize; annihilating even the "spark" in the Darkness from which a new Genesis could be formed.
If so, pretty much everything they say finally makes sense. They think things were better off under the "old order" and that the inheritors of the universe are going to ruin it, so they join up with the bitter, exiled god - the "true" god - and give the mortals the nudges they need to fulfill their destiny as awful custodians of the planet, aiming to burn out Hydaelyn and hit the reset button. But... the fall of Zodiark's first coming and the subsequent rise of mortals happened for a reason. Theoretically, if we cast down the Ascians, prevent His resurrection, and stop rocking the damn boat, the Seventh Astral Era can last for all time with the reins of history in the hands of man. (Until a subsequent expansion.)
Okay, so maybe that's a pretty big leap, as well. I kinda let that get away from me for a minute there.
I didn't see it as implying anything too meaningful, myself. Nabriales stated pretty clearly that he felt he was much more qualified to sit at Zodiark's right hand than Lahabrea was. How could he see him as anything but an inferior servant? Seizing Tupsimati and initiating a Rejoining all by his lonesome was a great way to say, yeah, but look what I can do - I'm not wasting any time; I'm just winning. Incidentally, it was also a great way to get himself treated to the business end of an auracite Pink Floyd laser show, which is decidedly not winning.