Icehart dispelled the outer layer of wards that protect Ishgard, and now you must defend the remaining wards on the Steps of Faith.

Requirements

This quest is available if you have completed the quest An Allied Perspective.

Starting the Quest

Talk to Marcelain in the Coerthas Central Highlands to begin the quest. There will be a cutscene.

Speak with Marcelain

There will be a glow around Marcelain, indicating an instanced battle. Check on him and there will be a cutscene, and then the battle will ensue.

Solo Duty: The Steps of Faith

When the battle begins, attack the Horde Wyvern, then attack the remaining enemies.

Whenever you see the message "Vishap makes ready to breathe fire", go to the left or right wall of the bridge.

Attack the Horde Armored Dragon that appears.

After it is defeated, you will be stunned, and Vishap will start casting Cauterize. Move to the north end of the bridge to get out of the range of the attack. When a knockback marker appears, make sure that you are to the north of it, so you will be knocked away from the range of the Cauterize attack. If you get hit by Cauterize, you will fail the duty.

Afterward, start attacking Vishap. When he casts Fireball, make sure to spread apart so you are not overlapping your circle with other NPCs. During Body Slam, make sure you will not be knocked into any of the circle attack markers. Sidewise Slice is a frontal cone attack, and Seismic Shriek damages all players.

Vishap will become untargetable and cast Flame Breath. Go to the left or right wall of the bridge to avoid damage. After that, resume attacks on Vishap. When Vishap becomes untargetable again, run north away from the dragons, then when they become targetable, attack them and avoid the circle attack markers. If any are attacking you directly, focus on them first.

When the dragons are gone, there will be a knockback marker. After you are knocked back, resume attacks on Vishap. Earth Shaker is a narrow frontal cone and a circle attack beneath Vishap. Earthrising begins with circular markers with arrows them. Make sure not to stand in front of where the arrows are pointing, as there will be a series of circular attacks in that direction.

After the second ward falls, run north away from the untargetable dragons. When they become targetable, attack them while avoiding the circle attack markers.

After the dragons are defeated, there will be a knockback marker. After you are knocked back, resume attacks on Vishap. There will be a forward knockback indicator. Make sure not to be knocked into any of the circle attack markers. When Vishap starts casting Fire Breath, go to the left or right wall of the bridge to avoid it. Vishap's Earth Shaker attack will start with a narrow frontal cone, followed by two side cones, so stand on one of the side cone indicators, then as soon as the middle cone disappears, move to where it was.

Vishap will begin casting Scorching Breath. Stay out of the path of this attack. You have to defeat Vishap before the Knight's Resolve gauge becomes empty or you will fail the duty.

Afterward, there will be a cutscene.

Speak with Alphinaud

Talk to Alphinaud to proceed. There will be a cutscene.

Speak with Minfilia

Go south to reach Mor Dhona, or just teleport to the Revenant's Toll aetheryte. Go south from the aetheryte and enter the Rising Stones. Go into the Solar and talk to Minfilia to complete the quest.

Next Main Scenario Quest

After you complete the quest, talk to Minfilia to accept the next quest: Administrative Decision. There will be a cutscene.