Light of Dawn

by Senigata

Summary:

Warrior of Light. It was a title bestowed upon a hero of great courage, blessed by the light of the Mothercrystal. Behind every title though, there was a person. This is her story.

Notes:

Hello, hello! Welcome to my little foray into the Final Fantasy XIV fandom. Previously I wrote mostly for the VII fandom, but after getting hooked on the game the ideas just wouldn't leave me, so this project was started out of pure self indulgence and grew quite a bit. And now I've written enough to be able to post. So I hope you'll find a little bit of enjoyment out of this.

Chapter 1: Cover

Notes:

Cover art by the talented Hugo you can find over yonder

Chapter 2

 

Book 1: A Warrior Reborn

 

---

 

A New Scion

 

The Warrior of Light...in the future, they will most likely tell stories about her. How she’s a living legend, the savior of Eorzea. But stories like that have a tendency to forget that even legends tend to have humble beginnings. And as it just so happens, so did she.

Who would have thought that things were going to unfold the way they did after this adventurer joined a certain organisation?

- from the notes of Cid Garlond

 

---

 

Her eyes roamed the hallway while she followed the eager steps and friendly voice of the little Lalafel dressed in pink as she showed her around her new...what could she call it? Workplace? Secret club?

When she arrived in Ul'Dah just weeks prior, S'eni never imagined that she would join a group that had made it its calling to bring peace to Eorzea.

But then again she supposed it wasn’t that different from being part of the Adventurer Guild.

She was shaken out of her musings when the smaller woman stopped in front of a room and pushed the door open.

“And this is where you'll be staying,” the Lalafel said, turning toward S'eni with a smile. The room was pretty small, much smaller than her guest room in the Quicksand, with a bed, a table, and a chair. The other woman’s smile fell a little. “I’m sorry, but this is sadly all we can afford even with the donations we receive.”

S'eni shook her head. “That’s alright. I’m an adventurer after all. I've spent some nights on the road.” With a smile, she added: “I like how cosy it feels. Thanks...uh, Tataru, was it?”

“That’s right.” Tataru grinned.

“Sorry, I'm legit terrible with names,” S'eni admitted sheepishly. “I’ll probably take a while to get everyone’s down.”

Yet she couldn’t shake this feeling of familiarity that surrounded some of the other Scions. It started when she had met Thancred, but she was pretty sure she never met the guy before.

Maybe it was because of the Echo?

“Don’t worry, everyone here is quite the character in their own right. You'll have them remembered soon enough.” Tataru's eyes widened all of a sudden and she did a little jump that made her look downright adorable. “Oh no! I forgot to arrange the documents for Minfilia! Excuse me!”

S'eni barely managed to step aside as the Lalafel dashed out of the room. Looking after her, she ran a hand through her blonde hair before chuckling.

At least things wouldn’t be boring.

Might as well explore a little, S'eni thought and left the room, closing the door behind her. While wandering around, she couldn’t help but take note of all the people gathered here, from all corners of Eorzea, not bound down by affiliation to one nation.

It reminded her...

A sharp pain shot through her head, like a piece of hot iron being jammed up her spinal cord and right into her brain, making her hiss out and stumble against the sand-colored stone of the wall next to her.

The sounds of battle all around her, the smell of fire and blood.

Screams, death, destruction.

A giant ball of crimson illuminating the night's sky.

Everything was—

“Are you alright?” a husky voice asked, and S'eni felt herself return to the here and now, the pain she felt reduced to a dull ache in the back of her mind. Taking a few shaky breaths, she slowly nodded, turning her head to find herself looking into a pair of mint green colored eyes, slit pupils scanning her for wounds.

“Y-yeah,” S'eni replied, slowly pushing herself off the wall.

“Is that so?” the other woman, a Miqo'te as well, asked, quirking a white eyebrow and not sounding even remotely convinced.

“I’m fine, really,” she assured her. “It’s the Echo, I think. It gives me visions. I guess I'm just not used to it.”

The look in the other Miqo'te’s eyes changed from one of slight concern into one of curiosity, and she raised a tanned hand to rub her chin. “I see...”

Taking a deep breath, S'eni started to feel like herself again and smiled. “Still, thanks for the concern...”

“Y’shtola, we were introduced earlier, remember?”

“Y’shtola. And I’m terrible with names,” S'eni said, tapping her head as she started to walk down the hallway again. “But I'll try to commit it to memory!”

“S’eni Gata,” Y'shtola called after her, making S'eni halt in her step at the sound of her full name. Apparently, she had no trouble remembering names. Looking over her shoulder, she saw the other woman walking towards her. “Care to join me for a cup of tea? You look like you are in need of a little pick me up.”

She would be lying if she said she didn’t. “Alright. Lead the way.”

The hint of a smile formed on the other woman’s lips before walking ahead.

 

---

 

A soft sigh escaped her once the fruity taste with just a slight hint of spice made its way down her throat and into her belly, its warmth spreading throughout her whole body and making her relax.

“Good, isn't it?”

“It’s delicious!” S'eni exclaimed, her ears doing a little wiggle. The two of them had sat down at a table nestled in the back of a large room that looked like it also doubled as a warehouse. Around them, other members of their organisation were keeping themselves busy with work or conversation.

“It's a favorite of mine,” Y'shtola said, raising her cup to her lips and taking a long, appreciative sip from it.

“I can tell,” she chuckled. “Hmm. It’s not Ul'dahn tea, is it?”

“It’s from Gridania. A special brand made by the botanist guild. I know someone there that sends me some once a moon.”

“Well, give them my thanks.”

“So tell me,” the other woman said after another sip, placing the cup down on the table. “These visions that you're experiencing, of what nature are they?”

S'eni looked at her, an unreadable expression on her face. Truth be told she was expecting that question after the scene in the hallway.

“I think it’s visions from the past? It’s hard to put into words. One moment I'm here and the next I'm somewhere else.”

“I see...”

“Sorry. Maybe when I get more of a hang for it I can understand them more clearly.”

“There’s nothing to be sorry about. It just piqued my curiosity. From what little understanding I have of it, Hydaelyn's blessing manifests differently. Take Minfilia for example.” Y'shtola pointed to the other side of the room where said woman was currently engrossed in a conversation with another member of the Scions. “She has none of your combative abilities.”

“She has the Echo as well?” S'eni asked, a frown forming on her face.

“That’s right. But perhaps that is something better talked about between the two of you.”

“Hm.” She hummed in response. The leader of the Scions must have felt her staring, as she turned her head to look in their direction, eyes immediately finding S'eni's. There was a tingle of...something in the back of her mind, like a hand trying to reach out to her, but slipping through her fingers at the last moment.

What did that mean?

But before she could ruminate about it, another voice joined them.

“Ah, so this is where the newest member of our illustrious organisation has vanished to. And here I was so looking forward to showing you around, but it seems our dear Y'shtola has had the pleasure already.”

It was none other than Thancred. Now that was a name that she came to remember quickly. He was quite the...memorable character.

“There isn’t a lot to show around, you know that as well as I do,” Y'shtola replied drily, once more taking a sip from her tea while he sat down to join them.

“I wasn’t merely speaking of the Waking Sands though. Vesper Bay has many beautiful sights to offer that I'm sure would be to your liking, S'eni,” he said, brushing some of his white hair out of his eyes in a very charming manner as he leaned towards her. “The setting sun is especially beautiful to behold. If you would like I can show you the spot where to best watch it.”

“If you can stand the smell of fish that’s been lying around all day that is,” Y'shtola commented.

A frown formed on the man's face but was gone once more in the blink of an eye, replaced with a smile of perfectly white teeth.

“So what do you think? Care for a stroll around town?”

S'eni raised her cup to her lips, taking a sip and enjoying the flavor for but a moment longer, before replying: “As charming as the invitation is, I have to say no. You see, I promised myself long ago to not go for men that resemble my father.”

After saying those words, the corners of her lips curled into a smile of her own. Thancred recoiled backwards as if she had just slapped him, the smile dropping instantly.

“F-father? Surely you jest...”

Instead of responding with words, S'eni's smile grew bigger and her ears did a little wiggle.

“Ah, how cruel fate must be,” Thancred said almost theatrically, hand moving to his heart as if struck a mortal wound. “Another fair lady whose tongue is as sharp as she is beautiful.”

“Or it just so happened that age has finally caught up with you, friend,” Y'shtola said from behind her cup.

He sent the other Miqo'te a glare that soon after turned into a smirk. “My dear Y'shtola, it is age that separates cheap swill from fine vintage, as I'm sure you know.”

If looks could kill then Thancred would have caught fire and burned to ash in an instant at the scathing look in Y'shtola's eyes, and S'eni noted that his smirk was wavering just a little.

“My, how time flies. I just remembered that there are important matters that need to be attended to. If you'll excuse me.”

The two women watched as Thancred made his hasty exit to wherever that business may be.

With a huff, Y'shtola put her cup away. “He’s such a boy wearing a man's guise.”

“So like my old man,” S'eni chuckled, resting her face on the palm of her hand, a finger tapping against one of the markings on her cheek. “He never learned to act his age either.”

Releasing a sigh, the other woman shook her head, leaning back into her seat and folding her hands in her lap. “One of these days he will bite off more than he can chew.”

“That just means you get to tell him 'I told you so' when it happens,” she said with a wink.

The corners of Y'shtola's lips quirked upward. She was just about to say something when a shadow fell upon them. They turned their heads to see an Elezen standing there, tall even for his kind and clad from head to toe in long robes. His face was obscured by a large hood and a pair of red goggles.

“Mine apologies, but I requireth thine counsel on recent matters regarding the Sahagin,” he said to Y'shtola.

“It seems my teatime is over,” Y'shtola said in return. With another sigh, she picked up her cup one final time to drain it of the last of its contents, before rising to her feet. “Lead the way, Urianger.”

Urianger turned his head to look at S'eni now, inclining his head in a little bow, then turning around to leave again.

Weird guy , she thought.

Y'shtola followed the Elezen, but stopped after only a few steps, turning around to face her again.

“I think we might get along, S'eni,” she said, mint green eyes locking with cherry pink colored ones. “Enjoy the rest of your tea.”

Sending her a small smile, Y'shtola turned on her heels and followed Urianger. S'eni watched her leave, a finger circling over the rim of the cup resting in front of her before grasping it and bringing it back up to her lips.

Tataru was right, quite the characters indeed, she thought to herself.

As the Miqo'te enjoyed the rest of her tea in silence, she didn’t notice a pair of eyes resting on her; watching her from across the hall.

A look of sadness crossed those steel-blue pupils belonging to none other than the Antecedent, followed by a heavy sigh.

“S'eni...”

 

Notes:

Alright, feel free to lambast me for the name here. I made this bed and am ready to lie in it.

Now with that out of the way: this is a chronicle of my character's journey. Sometimes it will be scenes that takes place more in between and sometimes it will feature scenes from the game's story. In the latter cases you will likely find some discrepancies in dialogue, which is because I've decided to mostly base this on the dialogue from the language I'm playing the game in, namely German. I thought that might freshing things up a tiny bit.

Anyway. That's it for now. I endevor to keep a regular schedule for this, so expect updates two times a week unless I say otherwise.

See ya.

Chapter 3

Notes:

Double feature today because it's the first day of posting.

Oh yeah. For anyone that's interested how she looks like click here

Primal Consequence

 

Ifrit. The Lord of the Inferno.

I only saw him once, and thankfully not even remarkably close enough that his influence could spread to me. But she? She danced with that beast more than I care to count.

And even though she herself was immune to the primal's influence over mortals, that very first encounter still left its mark on her.

 

---

 

The sound of wood creaking and groaning echoed through the halls of the Waking Sands, occasionally accompanied by a shout as fists and feet mercilessly pounded on a singular training dummy, straining the screws that attached it to the stone floor with every blow.

Sweat glistened on S'eni's brow and she brushed it away with the palm of a glove-covered hand before resuming her assault. Her body felt hot, muscles aching under the intensity of her training. She could already picture Chuchuto's scolding, telling her that she was overexerting herself.

She was probably right about it too, but it helped her think.

And there was a lot she had to think about.

"Whether she intended to or not, Minfilia neglected to tell you something. Something I think would be best you heard from one of us," she heard Thancred's words echo in her mind.

A punch shook the dummy.

"It concerns the tempered abductees that were rescued...I'm sorry to report that all are to be put to death, the Flames with whom you were imprisoned included."

Another punch.

"Needless to say, this information must not be made known to the public."

And another.

"I swear to you we wouldn't do this if there were any other recourse, but once a man is tempered, he is tempered for life. His very existence lends strength to the primal whom he cannot choose but to worship."

A kick.

"And so we Scions continue our fight, that no more innocents need to be sacrificed. I hope that you'll continue to stand with us, S'eni."

With a shout, she grabbed the dummy's 'head' and slammed her fist into it.

 

Face obscured by a helmet. Fingers digging painfully into its side.

Walk free...

An anguished cry, followed by a gurgling sound.

Walk free...

Empty eyes staring back through the cracked steel, blood dripping down the sharp blades embedded inside the lifeless skull.

Walk free...

A sickening sound as the claw was removed; the corpse collapsing on its own weight.

Another soldier, a rifle, a gunshot.

Believe...

 

With a start, S'eni let go of the dummy, stumbling away from it. Her hand shot up, cupping her forehead as her feet somehow managed to carry her to one of the benches before collapsing on top of it.

Another one, she thought as the pain that accompanied her visions was slowly subsiding.

Was it a bad sign that she was starting to get used to it?

Probably...

Removing her hand, she let out a weary sigh. This whole situation with Ifrit had seriously drained her.

But she supposed Thancred was right, there was only one way and that was to continue forward and fight.

Her eyes dropped down to her gloved hands, little droplets of sweat drying on the well-worn leather. She turned them around, looking at the plates grafted on them, taking in every little scratch and dent on the dull metal.

The leather scrunched a little as she balled her hand into a fist.

They had served her well, helping her take down even the likes of a primal.

Of course, she thought. The power of the Echo might have done its part too.

It certainly had helped her not become a thrall to one.

Another sigh escaped her and she let her shoulders slump as she made to rise to her feet, her head turning left—

"Hello there!"

-only to nearly jump out of her skin, tail and ears shooting up straight at the appearance of a grinning face, half-obscured by a protective mask that covered her eyes.

"Y-Yda!?" S'eni exclaimed. Where in the Seven Hells did she come from?!

"You remembered my name!" was the other woman's reply, her grin growing even wider; if that was even possible at all.

"How long have you been sitting there?" she practically demanded, hand placing itself on top of her chest to calm her beating heart.

"Since you were laying in on that dummy." Yda pointed at the one in question.

"Oh..." she must have been so absorbed in her thoughts that she hadn't noticed her entry. That also meant she saw her having another vision. A sort of awkward silence set in between them, with S'eni staring at her, while Yda was still grinning. "So, uh..."

"You're a member of Ul'dah's pugilist guild, right?" she was asked before being able to address the Adamantoise in the room.

S'eni found herself blinking rapidly. So she wasn't going to ask about her little episode just now?

Fine by me.

"...I am." S'eni nodded slowly.

"That's incredible!" Yda leaned towards her and she found herself backing away a little as she found her personal space sorely invaded. "So that means you're studying under the Holyfist, right?"

"Yes."

Well, as much as she could with things being as they were with the old man. But that was a worry for another day.

"No wonder you're so skilled. He's a legend!"

S'eni couldn't help the chuckle escaping her. The only thing he was probably legendary for these days were his skirt-chasing ways.

Pointing at the weapons hanging at either side of the other woman's hips, she said: "And you're a pugilist as well."

"Uh-huh!"

"I didn't know Sharlayan trained in the arts as well. But I guess I should've known that the place famous for knowledge would also have studies on how to beat someone up."

"Yeah, something like that!" Yda said, a note of...something she couldn't place entering her voice for barely a second before returning to her usual cheer. "But anyway, it's no wonder you beat Ifrit as soundly as you did with the Holyfist as your teacher."

At the mention of the fiery primal, S'eni's expression darkened. It didn't escape Yda's notice, who tilted her head in question. "Something wrong?"

S'eni shook her head, then just sighed and let herself slump back against the wall. Who was she even kidding?

"This whole thing with Ifrit...it leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. I may have beaten him, but innocents are still being put to the sword. I know it's not my fault, but I still wish I could have done something," she finally admitted, eyes landing on the floor. "It's silly, I know."

"It's not silly at all," Yda said, that strange tone back in her voice. "Sometimes things are beyond our control..."

She was just about to reply, when the other woman suddenly rose to her feet and stepped in front of her, holding out her hand. S'eni looked at it, cocking an eyebrow, before turning her gaze upward.

"You need to unwind, don't you? Come, I'll help you!"

She looked at the other woman, taking note of the sincerity in her voice, and couldn't help the smile forming on her lips. With a nod, she reached out and grasped Yda's hand.

"Alright. What do you have in mind?" S'eni asked after she was pulled to her feet.

"Oh, you're going to like this," Yda replied with an eager grin. "You and I are going to beat each other up!"

"Eh?"

 

---

 

S'eni breathed evenly, her eyes closed as she stretched her arms forward then over her head, arching her back with a satisfied grunt before letting them flop down to her sides. She then started to hop, focusing her weight on the balls of her feet while she did so.

Opening her eyes, she looked towards Yda, who was doing her own little warm-up regiment, mostly consisting of squats.

Once both of them were sufficiently warmed up, they walked towards one another with slow and precise steps; neither giving themselves away to the other.

It was as they only stood a few feet apart that S'eni spoke up.

"Not to complain," she said, taking on a firm stance, her fists raised and ready. "But why are we outside?"

They were standing in the yard in front of the Waking Sands, the sound of the waves coming from the nearby sea and the people further up mixing in the background. Their weapons lay discarded near the building's steps, both having agreed that it would be best to train without them. Nothing giving them an edge; just pure skill.

"More space," she said simply. "And the last time I broke something Papalymo never let me hear the end of it."

S'eni watched Yda as she brought her arms up, doing a little flourish not unlike that of a dancer in a graceful manner almost uncharacteristic for the other woman, before snapping into a firm stance herself.

Her eyes narrowed as she scanned her opponent. Yda was about half a head taller than her, something that would give her a slight edge over her. Their skills, she surmised, were roughly on the same level, but one could never know what ace someone could have up their sleeve.

Both of them exhaled, and the battle began.

Yda was the first to strike, aiming a punch at her face that S'eni slapped aside, followed by an upward angled elbow strike that she side-stepped. Using the momentum from the near-miss, the other woman whirled around to hit her in the stomach. S'eni managed to catch the fist, twist the arm upward and slam her shoulder into Yda. The other woman stumbled backwards but managed to catch herself and kick at her.

S'eni snaked her left arm around the other's leg, holding her firmly in place, and started to push forward to force her onto the ground.

"Got you!" Yda shouted as she jumped and twisted herself in the air to hit S'eni squarely in the face with a plated boot, sending them both tumbling to the ground.

That...hurt! S'eni pushed herself off the ground, wiping at her lip to inspect it for blood, before facing Yda once more, who had gotten back on her feet as well.

With a grin, the other woman beckoned her forward. The corners of S'eni's lips quirked upward to mirror the expression.

This was going to be fun.

Now it was S'eni's turn to attack. She threw a left punch that was swiftly blocked, then whirled around in an attempt to slam her right fist into the side of Yda's head, only to meet thin air as the other woman bend backwards. Catching her off guard, Yda shot forward with a punch of her own.

Quickly, S'eni found herself on the defensive again, dodging and blocking as many blows that she could while trying to ignore the few smaller ones that managed to grace her. Closing her eyes, she focused on nothing but the woman in front of her, moving through the forms that she had been taught until she started to once again keep up with the increasing speed of Yda's blows.

There!

S'eni stepped sideways, her hand shooting up to grab Yda's wrist as she tried to strike at her, and immediately slammed her elbow into her chest then upward against her chin. The other pugilist's head snapped back, leaving her open for S'eni to grab her other arm. She crossed it with the one she was still holding and pushed them down to unbalance Yda.

Without letting her recover, S'eni attacked her with a flurry of light blows to the chest, before striking her in the face with her open palm. The force of the blow knocked her a few feet away.

Yda's hand went up to her face, which was already starting to turn red where she had been hit, then returned her attention to S'eni, who shuffled a little in place and brushed her thumb against her nose in a taunting manner.

"Already done?"

"Oooh, I'm only getting started!" Yda replied with a wide grin, palming her fist.

They stared at one another for a few seconds before rushing forward.

The sounds of their battle echoed throughout Vesper Bay, catching the attention of some of the inhabitants who were curious as to what the source of all this racket was. Over time the crowd grew larger and larger until it felt like the whole town had amassed there to spectate.

One clever little Lalafel merchant even started a betting pool for the Masked Avenger and the Miqo'te Master.

But the two paid them no mind, their focus solely resting on one another as they gave no quarter.

Yda leaped at her, rotating her hips to aim a kick at her head that S'eni ducked out under. The momentum of the attack made her spin in the air as she fell, enabling her to roll off the ground and launch herself legs first towards S'eni. She brought her arms up, but the sheer force still sent her flying.

Shifting her weight as best as she could, S'eni rolled backwards into a somersault before landing on the ground, feet wide apart and her weight resting on her hand.

Not wasting any time, S'eni dashed forward, attacking Yda with a series of punches that were each slapped aside, but left the other women wide open for the foot that was hooking itself behind her leg and pulled it out from underneath her.

Yda let out a surprised yelp as she fell onto her back, staring up as S'eni raised her leg to bring it down on her. With the reflexes of a Coeurl, the other woman kicked her leg out and slammed it into S'eni.

With a cry, S'eni fell face first—

"Oof!"

—right onto Yda's stomach, knocking the wind out of her.

They remained lying on the ground for a bit, and the onlookers were starting to chatter amongst themselves what that meant for their bets, until S'eni's shoulders started to shake, followed by muffled laughter.

Yda soon joined in and S'eni pushed herself off to lie down on the ground. Above them, the sky was a clear blue, not a single cloud marring the beautiful view.

And for the first time since Thancred had told her the news, S'eni felt lighter.

"Yda..." she said after her laughter subsided. "Thank you. I needed that."

"Don't mention it," Yda replied, raising her hand in a thumbs up, before letting it slump back down.

The two women stared up at the clear sky as tiny footsteps started to approach them and their view was soon blocked by the upside-down face of Papalymo as he glared down at them.

"Hello Papalymo," Yda said with a grin on her lips while S'eni gave him a friendly wave.

"Are you two quite finished?" he asked. He hmpfed when both of them simultaneously nodded. "Good. Then get back inside! Minfilia wishes to speak with us."

"Tell her we'll be there shortly," S'eni said and pushed herself into a sitting position.

With a final shake of his head and a snort, he turned on his heel and made his way back to the entrance of the Waking Sands, muttering: "By the twelve, why do I always have to deal with this?"

Watching the Lalafel as he left, S'eni rose back to her feet and dusted herself off before holding out her hand to help Yda up.

"You know," S'eni said as they headed back inside. "We really should do this again someday."

"I'm already looking forward to it!"

The crowd, realizing that the fight truly was over, started to disperse and go back to what they were doing before all of this.

"And what about our money?"

Chapter 4

Notes:

Something that probably will go without saying, but the story is gonna contain spoilers of pretty much the entire main story. Just figured I should still mention it.

Oh yeah, for anyone wondering, S'eni is pronounced according to Seeker of the Sun naming conventions, so Soo-Eh-Ni, like Y'shtola is pronounced Yash-Toe-Lah (even if only the Japanese and sometimes the German dub seem to do that).

La Noscean Night

 

It wasn't just the primals that were a major problem. There were also the Ascians, manipulating things from behind the scenes; all to further their own goals.

And it didn't matter one single bit how many innocents were suffering because of it...

 

---

 

The night was quiet, or at least as quiet as it could be in a town where people came and went, and alcohol flowed as freely as the waters surrounding Limsa Lominsa. S'eni's ears twitched at the sound of music in the distance, and she released a little sigh at the fresh breeze caressing her skin.

She was seated in a corner of The Bismarck, the city's well-known restaurant, overlooking the bay in which ships were sailing in and out of at every hour of the day.

Truly, it was a city that never really slept.

Unconsciously, her fingers started to drum in rhythm to the music and a tiny sigh escaped her at the feeling of the fresh sea breeze caressing her skin.

It carried something nostalgic with it, reminding her of the winds of home, but also different, yet strangely familiar in other ways.

But before she could mull that over, someone approached the table, placing a bottle of wine and a wine glass in front of her. A pretty Miqo'te girl, with long scarlet hair and eyes as round as the moon on this evening.

"Thanks," S'eni said with a smile, taking the bottle and sending her a little wink, before uncorking it and pouring herself some. She watched the waitress go, chuckling at the little wiggle her ears did. After putting the bottle back down, S'eni took the glass and raised it to her lips.

The earthy, dusty taste and strong fruit flavor filled her mouth, making her taste buds stand at attention. She swirled the wine a little before swallowing.

"I confess I didn't expect to find you here," a familiar voice said no sooner than she lowered her glass.

"I could say the same to you, Y'shtola," S'eni replied as the woman in question stepped into view. "Ah, but I forgot: 'Limsa Lominsa has the pleasure of being under your care'."

Y'shtola released a little huff, but still sat down opposite of her when she motioned for her to do so. S'eni took another sip while the other woman looked at her, the question in her eyes going unspoken.

"I needed to unwind. These past couple of days have been something, to say the least," she said, placing the glass on the table.

"Yes, I have heard about what transpired in Little Ala Mhigo."

S'eni nodded, a frown forming on her face as she leaned back in her chair. "By the time I managed to gain their trust it was already too late."

She couldn't blame the people of Little Ala Mhigo for their mistrust, but at the time she had been more than frustrated considering what was at stake. In the end, a lot of young Mhigans lost their lives. Or worse.

"Desperation drives people to extreme measures," Y'shtola said. "And makes you susceptible to the sweet words of a master manipulator."

"Lahabrea..."

"That's right." The other woman nodded.

S'eni sighed, visibly deflating a little. "But as bad as the whole situation with the Mhigans turned out to be, it was nothing compared to what happened in Gridania."

"Gridania?" Y'shtola asked, her ears perking up at this new information.

"I was investigating another sighting of Lahabrea, which led me to Fallgourd Float. It turned out that he was somehow connected to a string of mysterious deaths that had been happening recently." S'eni grabbed the glass and took another sip. "Each victim had her face torn to shreds."

The other woman's face darkened, but she didn't say anything, waiting for S'eni to continue her tale instead.

"The only lead I could find on the latest victim was a button with the sigil of a lily engraved on it, but it was enough to go on to find out who was responsible for the murders and where to find her." she ran her free hand over her face. "Turns out the lady of Haukke manor was disfigured five years ago and sought to find ways to restore her beauty. And as just so happened, a few fellows wearing masks had a way to do so."

"The entire place was crawling with demons and the undead; her included. All of that just to be pretty again." With a sardonic smile, S'eni threw back her head and emptied the rest of the glass in one gulp. "Like you said, desperation drives people to extreme measures."

"I can see why you would need a drink after that," Y'shtola said, as S'eni refilled her glass.

"Actually," she replied, turning to wave the pretty waitress over once more as she passed by. "I'm having dinner."

"Somethin' else I can get ye?" she asked.

"A glass for my friend here, and something to eat. Whatever she wants." S'eni looked back towards Y'shtola. "My treat."

The Archon raised an eyebrow but didn't comment further, instead turning her gaze towards the waitress. "Some grilled Dodo, please."

"Gotcha!" the waitress said, writing the order down on a little note. Making to turn around, she sent S'eni a friendly smile before heading back inside.

"You know that wasn't really necessary," Y'shtola said.

"Maybe." S'eni shrugged. "But I was taught that it's rude to have someone watch while you eat without offering them some."

Her lips curled into a smile and she leaned forward, resting her cheek on the palm of her hand. "So tell me, why Limsa Lominsa?"

"You mean why it has 'the pleasure of being under my care'?" the other woman asked with dry amusement. She turned her eyes away, looking out towards the bay that S'eni had been watching just a few moments ago. "I like the climate."

"That's it?" S'eni asked, a look of disbelief on her face.

"I also appreciate that the people here speak their minds. It's an honesty that I can very much relate to."

"Yes, I've noticed that you tend to be blunt, to say the least."

Y'shtola's lips quirked upward and she tore her eyes away from the bay to come to rest upon S'eni's. Steps approached them, shortly followed by a wine glass being placed in front of her.

"Thank you," the other woman said to the waitress.

"Yer orders shouldn't be long," the waitress told them, before heading over to the next pair of customers.

"So the climate and the people?" S'eni asked after they were once more alone, watching as Y'shtola took the bottle of wine and gave it a quick sniff, before pouring some into her glass.

"The quality of their shoe craftsmanship is also very good," Y'shtola replied, placing the bottle back down onto the table.

S'eni couldn't help the snicker that escaped her.

"What?"

"Shoes? Really?"

"I don't see what's so funny about that," Y'shtola said.

"It's just that when I look at you, the first thing that comes to mind sure isn't 'this woman loves shoes'," S'eni said with a grin.

"I could say the same of you." The other woman raised her glass and pointed at her. "How many pairs of earrings does that make now?"

S'eni's hand shot up almost reflexively, fingers touching the cut aetherial sunstone dangling from her ear. "You got me there," she replied with a chuckle. "I guess we all have our feminine fancies."

"Indeed we do." Y'shtola took a sip of the wine. Her expression grew serious. "But Limsa Lominsa has its own share of problems."

"The pirates that don't want to play along?"

"Yes. But there's also the ongoing conflict with the Sahagin and the encroaching on the territory of the Kobolds. It makes the threat of their primals an ever-present one," Y'shtola explained.

"I see..." Having to deal with one primal was already hard enough, keeping an eye on two sounded downright impossible. "Not an enviable task."

"And one I shall hope you will assist me with when the time comes," Y'shtola said, raising her glass. With a quirk of her lips, S'eni raised hers as well, clanking them together.

The pretty waitress returned soon after, carrying a plate in each hand with practiced dexterity.

"Here ye go," the waitress said, placing the plate with the delicious-looking tenderloin in front of Y'shtola. That smile from earlier returned to her features, as she placed the plate with a very sizable grilled trout in front of S'eni, leaning down a little while doing so to send her a wink.

S'eni's ears moved upward and she couldn't help the little sway her tail did when she took notice of the playful curve the other woman's held as she walked back inside.

Huh... Blinking, she returned her attention to Y'shtola, who was looking at her with a quirked brow but otherwise didn't say anything as she grabbed the cutlery that came with the plate.

Deciding that it was probably for the better not to pursue this particular topic, S'eni grabbed her own cutlery. She placed the knife just behind the gills and started to cut into it, her nostrils flaring at the delicious smell. With practiced ease, she cut off its head, then placed her fork on top of it to hold it in place as she used her knife to cut the belly open from head to tail.

"You certainly know what you're doing," Y'shtola commented while S'eni deboned the fish.

"Fish," she said pointing with her knife at her dish, then tapped it against her glass. "And wine. The foods of my people."

That managed to get a chuckle out of the other woman.

Ah, so she does laugh. S'eni thought in amusement.

The rest of their dinner passed in relative silence, with only a few words passing between the two of them in regards to the other dishes.

Once they were done, S'eni paid for both of their meals and gave the pretty waitress a little tip on top of that.

"Not going to stay a little longer?" Y'shtola asked after the waitress had left again.

S'eni shook her head. "No. I should get back to the Waking Sands. I haven't reported Minfilia of what happened in Gridania yet and I don't want her to get worried."

And from what she learned of the woman, she tended to worry, even if she was good at hiding it at first glance.

Both women got up from their seats and headed towards the Mizzenmast Inn, where Y'shtola was sleeping for the night.

They were just walking over the bridge leading to the Mizzenmast when the other woman spoke up.

"What happened?" she asked.

"Hmm?" S'eni turned to look at her.

"You have a limp."

"Oh..." she looked down at her right leg. "Well, the lady of the house deigned it necessary to toss me across her chambers. I guess I landed a little unlucky. Don't worry, I'm sure it'll fix itself right up overnight."

"Let me see," Y'shtola said. When S'eni was about to protest, she shot her a look that didn't leave any argument, and she subsequently found herself pushed on a nearby bench.

"Take off your boot and roll up your pants," she practically commanded. After S'eni did so, Y'shtola placed a hand underneath her knee and another on her calf, gently raising and lowering it.

"Tell it to me straight, am I going to lose it?" S'eni joked.

Y'shtola scoffed. "It doesn't look broken, so nothing a simple cure spell won't fix."

The other Miqo'te raised her hand from underneath her knee and let it hover over the exposed part of her leg, a warm light emitting from its palm that chased away the pain.

"There. You're going to make it."

 

Pain. Blood flowing from a deep wound.

A pair of hands holding her down, a comforting voice amidst pained cries.

"Hold her still!"

Warm light. Pain fading fast.

"You're going to make it."

 

It was over in the blink of an eye, the sharp pain that had shot through her brain already pulsing back into a dull ache, yet it still left her reeling, making her lean back against the solid stone of the bridge. Thankfully, Y'shtola was busy giving her leg one last once over so she didn't seem to have witnessed her little episode, and by the time their eyes met once again, S'eni already felt like herself.

"Thanks," she said to Y'shtola, moving her leg while offering her a smile. "Feels good as new."

"No thanks necessary. Just don't let it become a habit."

"I can't make any promises, I'm afraid."

Continuing on their way, the two soon after arrived at the Mizzenmast Inn and Y'shtola turned towards S'eni.

"I have to admit this was quite fun. I'm glad I chanced upon you," she said.

"Glad to be chanced upon then! And, well, thanks for listening."

The other woman's lips curled into a full smile. "You're welcome. Give my regards to Minfilia."

"I will," S'eni said, then closed her eyes to concentrate, floating in the air for a moment before teleporting away.

Y'shtola remained where she was standing, looking at the place where S'eni had just stood moments ago, before turning around and heading into the inn, the look on her face having become one of deep thought.

 

 

Notes:

I always found it hilarious that Y'shtola has a fondness for shoes. It seems to be so unlike her, and I guess that's why it's is so weirldy fitting.

Anyway, more to come.

Chapter 5

Notes:

Another double feature because this one connects directly to the last one. Also it's a shorty.

So a little fyi, if I had to pick a voice for S'eni it would probably be Jennifer English or Marina Inoue, depening on the dub. Leaning more towards the latter because Ai Kayano is just pure sex. But feel free to read her in any voice you like.

Nocturnal Visit

 

Minfilia Warde. Antecedent of the Path of the Twelve, founder of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn and blessed by Hydaelyn.

An Ala Mhigan refugee like so many others, but unlike the vast majority of them, wished for more than just a liberated homeland. Her wish was for all of Eorzea to know peace, and the conviction inside her heart was strong enough that she persevered while others belittled her. Until finally, after years of hard work, she had managed to earn the respect of the Eorzean elite.

It was something one had to admire.

And pity...

 

---

 

S'eni was lying on her bed, eyes staring up at the stone ceiling above, a frown on her face. After she had returned to the Waking Sands, she had reported all of what had happened in Gridania to Minfilia.

The news had greatly troubled the other woman, that much had been apparent, but with no further leads to go on, there was nothing else they could do but call it a night.

"We will just have to wait until another lead springs up. Get some rest. You above everyone else deserve it," she had said to her.

That had been an hour ago, and while she felt utterly exhausted, sleep seemed to elude her. This whole Ascian situation, as well as those confusing visions, made her mind run well past what she knew was good for her.

"Come on, girl. You need to sleep," she chided herself, rolling onto her side and slamming her eyes shut. But she only lasted for a few minutes before grabbing her pillow and flinging it across the room with a growl.

Jumping out of her bed, she padded over to her desk and sat down, taking a match to ignite the candle inside the lamp standing next to a book that rested on top of it.

With light flooding the room once more, S'eni turned her attention to the tome in front of her, opening it up at the page she had last read.

She had started reading it a week ago, after having received it from Urianger during a quiet moment.

"If thou desireth to learn more about the nature of the Echo, then this tome mayhap hold the answers thou seeketh," he had told her. "May it help on thine quest for knowledge."

S'eni had to shake her head. She liked Urianger well enough, but he was hard to talk to sometimes, often using more words than were strictly necessary to explain something.

Individuals bestowed with the power of the Echo have reported to be able to see memories of others, bearing witness to events that happened in years, even decades past as if they were present themselves; like a silent witness watching from afar, she read in her mind, tapping a finger on the desk. That read very similar to most of her visions, where she felt like part of it, yet always as a spectator.

But what about those other visions that haunted her?

The ones that lasted only a moment, yet struck with the intensity of a frenzied Behemoth.

Leaning back, S'eni stared back up at the ceiling, watching the shadows dance across with the flicker of the flame. She placed a foot against the base of the desk and started to rock her chair back and forth in hopes that it would jog her brain.

But try as she might, she couldn't make rhyme or reason of it all. Was there something different about her?

Y'shtola did say the Echo could manifest differently within an individual...

S'eni's musing came to an abrupt end when a knock sounded on her door. Taken completely by surprise, her foot slipped just as she was rocking backwards. She waved her arms around, trying desperately to regain her balance, but it was already too late and she tumbled onto the floor with the grace of a wet sack of popotos, doing a little roll before coming to lie face-first on the brand new carpet she had just bought the other day.

Seven hells!

"S'eni?" a voice called through the door, a hint of confusion in it.

Minfilia?

Pushing herself up, she spat out some lint before calling back. "Come in!"

The door opened and Minfilia stepped in. She had shed her usual outfit for something more comfortable and her hair hung loosely around her shoulders.

"I saw light burning and—why are you on the floor?" she asked as she saw the Miqo'te sitting on the floor.

"Not important!" S'eni replied immediately, jumping to her feet and putting the chair back into place in record time. "You were saying?"

Minfilia blinked once, her eyebrows slowly rising, but thankfully didn't pursue the question. "I saw light from underneath the door and was wondering if you were still awake."

"Yeah, I couldn't sleep," S'eni said. "Too many things going through my head right now."

"I understand," Minfilia replied. "With everything going on, I find it hard to sleep as well."

"Is that why you're wandering the halls this late?"

The other woman nodded. "I was going to take a walk, in hopes the fresh air would ease my mind." With a smile, she added. "Would you like to accompany me?"

S'eni looked at her, then towards the book resting on her desk, then back at Minfilia.

Smiling, she nodded. "Sure."

She grabbed her boots and put them on, before leaving her room with the other woman, careful not to disturb any other member of the Scions that had decided to stay here for the night as they headed outside.

The usually busy Vesper Bay was empty, its inhabitants all having turned in for the night, and it was mostly silent apart from the sound of the sea pervading the air.

They walked up the stairs into the direction of the main plaza, where the statue of Syndicate member Lolorito Nanarito stood for all to see. S'eni had to wonder what the man himself would think of the fact that his likeness more often than not served as a place for birds to crap on.

She very much doubted that he would be amused.

Minfilia walked over to one of the benches and sat down on it, turning her gaze upward towards the night's sky.

"Five years..." S'eni heard her mumble as she sat down next to her.

"Hm?"

"Nothing." Minfilia shook her head a tiny smile, turning to look at her. "I've been meaning to ask this for some time now, but how do you feel about the work we're doing?"

S'eni's ears rose together with her eyebrows. She hadn't expected a question like this. Crossing her arms, it was now her turn to glance at the stars above, and she had to wonder what secrets they might hold.

"I think what we're doing is good. With the state Eorzea is in, it needs someone like the Scions," S'eni said after a while. "But I would be lying if I said these past few weeks haven't been sobering."

"I know. Believe me, these past five years have taught me many lessons in that regard," Minfilia replied, her face becoming serious. "The wounds Eorzea suffered were not just physical. And the road to recovery is a slow one."

"And then there are people who want to make a profit out of that suffering." As she had seen more than once now.

"Yes." Minfilia looked over towards the statue. "There are..."

A moment of silence passed between them until Minfilia spoke up again. "Thank you..."

S'eni tilted her head questioningly.

"For standing by our side."

She was about to retort with a little joke but stopped when she saw the sincerity reflected in those steel-blue eyes. Her lips curling into a smile, S'eni nodded. "You're welcome."

"And if there's anything I can help you with, please do not hesitate to ask."

For a second, she considered asking her about those other visions she had been having, but Minfilia already had enough on her platter and S'eni didn't want to add to that. Another time.

After a few more minutes of simply enjoying the night's air, the two rose to their feet and headed back to the Waking Sands.

"You know," Minfilia said once they arrived at S'eni's room, stifling a yawn. "I think this really helped. I should be able to sleep now."

"Me too."

The other woman gave her a small smile. "Maybe we can do this again sometime. Next time you can tell me a little bit about yourself."

"There's really not a lot to tell I'm afraid," S'eni replied with a shrug. "You'd probably find it all pretty boring."

"Let me be the judge of that," Minfilia said and raised her hand in parting. "Have a good night."

"Good night." S'eni watched her walk down the hallway and turn around the corner, before heading back inside. Her eyes immediately landed on the book resting on her desk, but she only shook her head and instead made for her bed, kicking off her boots and leaving them carelessly lying on the ground.

Her head had barely hit her pillow when, finally, fatigue started to get the better of her and she fell into a well-deserved sleep.

Not far from her, the Antecedent was leaning against the inside of her door, eyes closed tightly. A sigh made its way past her lips.

"What am I supposed to do?" she asked in hopes of receiving an answer.

But none came.

Notes:

That's it for this week. See you on monday!

Chapter 6

Coastal Errands

 

Before the Warrior of Light and others blessed by Hydaelyn, it was up to regular folk to fight against the primals. Soldiers and sellswords, many of which would give their lives to give Eorzea a few more moments of peace.

There was one particular group of sellswords that had made a name for themselves by not only beating one but two primals in their heyday.

What was their name again?

 

---

 

The Costa del Sol deserved its name. Clear water that sparkled in the sunlight, clean sand that invited one to just lie down and relax, and a breathtakingly beautiful sunset to top it all off.

S'eni had to hand it to Gegeruju, he managed to turn unusable farmland on the east La Noscean Bloodshore into a little paradise.

Just sitting here made a wave of nostalgia wash over her.

It would be perfect if not for the Castrum looming in the distance atop the Agelyss Wise, reminding everyone of the ever-present threat of the Garlear.

Turning her eyes away from the monstrosity of steel, standing out like a sore thumb, S'eni looked at the Roegadyn chef standing opposite of her while he placed a plate in front of her.

"I hope ya like it," he said with his deep voice, a broad grin on his face.

Lowering her eyes, she looked at the plate. It looked good. She took the offered fork and gathered some of the food on it, slowly guiding it to her mouth and taking that first taste.

Her taste buds immediately cried out in delight, and S'eni felt as if her soul was transcending at the taste of all these exotic flavors. Reality came apart and she took a small glimpse at existence in its pure, unadulterated nature, and, for that smallest of moments, comprehended its fleeting nature, before coming back to the here and now.

By the twelve, this was some good bleeding food!

The chef looked at her knowingly and, with a satisfied nod, gave her a thumbs-up before attending to another guest.

Taking another bite, S'eni cooed in delight. Yes, this truly was a fruit of labor.

Her labor.

For as good as it tasted, there was the lingering bitterness of having to travel all across Eorzea to gather all these ingredients just to have the Company of Heroes run an elaborate test.

S'eni's ears twitched when she heard small steps approach her, and she turned to see Shamani Lohmani approaching her. The blond Lalafel reached a hand out in search of a stool and, once he had found one, climbed on top of it.

"I hope you're enjoying the festivities," he said, inclining his head into her general direction.

S'eni inhaled deeply. "I suppose."

The older man, though it was honestly hard to tell with a clean-shaven Lalafel, released a chuckle. "Let me apologize in the name of the Company then. I know it was deceptive of us, but I hope you can still understand our reasoning."

"I do. I really do," she admitted after taking another bite. "It's still frustrating. But I'll get over it."

"Good! Now, how about some wine to wash it all down?" Shamani snapped his finger and the cook returned with a bottle that he promptly uncorked to generously fill a glass for each of them. The plainfolk vintner grabbed his glass, a grin splitting his face, and held it out in her direction. "To the Titan's Bane!"

S'eni grabbed her glass and clinked it against his, before bringing it to her lips. The taste was as marvellous as the meal.

"Aaah," Shamani sighed out in appreciation. The grin on his face then fell, replaced by a solemn expression. "When you face the Lord of Crags, don't think of Limsa Lominsa, Eorzea, or anything beyond his chamber. Think of the men and women fighting by your side."

"Fight for them, and they will fight for you," he said, taking off his shades and revealing the silvery-white eyes that had been robbed of their light. "Remember that no great victory was ever achieved alone."

"I will," S'eni said with an expression that mirrored his, even if he could not see.

The Lalafel only smiled and put his shades back on.

After having finished her meal and drink, S'eni rose to her feet to walk around, taking the time to talk with the rest of the Company and receive their encouragement; acting as if she was already the victor. And while she assumed that Ifrit's defeat by her and her comrades' hands had been part of the stories they must have heard of her, she would rather not ride the Chocobo before it was hatched.

Once she had managed to pry herself away from the festivities to look for her wayward companion, who decided to not participate. She found Y'shtola a good distance away from everyone, lounging in one of the many beach chairs and watching the setting sun.

"Decided you have had enough?" Y'shtola asked as she approached.

"You could say so," S'eni replied, sitting down on the chair next to her. She took off her boots and placed them on the ground.

"You're kind to indulge them, even if this banquet is just as much for them as it is for you."

"Don't get me wrong. I'm just as frustrated as you are here. But even if this entire thing has been a giant pain in the tail, I really can't fault them for it, I suppose."

"I don't deny that they mean well, but it's not the time for celebration," Y'shtola said, finally turning her head to look at S'eni, her mint green eyes almost glowing in the sunset's light.

"Yet-" S'eni's lip quirked upward and she pointed at the empty plate and glass resting between them. "—You seem to be enjoying the food."

"I would loathe for all your endeavours to have been in vain," the other Miqo'te replied dryly.

"Glad to be of service then." They both released a chuckle.

S'eni's looked out towards the horizon, where the sky was slowly turning dark as the sun made its descent. A few clouds were marring the otherwise beautiful view.

In the distance she could spot a ship as it passed by, heading towards distant shores, and she couldn't help but smile while she nestled into the beach chair.

"So what do you think of our dear Company of Heroes?"

"You mean aside from wasting our time on an elaborate test?" Y'shtola released a huff, before continuing. "I believe they're good people, and their experience with Titan will be of great use, I'm sure. When the good captain makes good on his promise, that is."

After she said those words, Y'shtola glanced over to the rest of the banquet, where Wheiskaet currently engaged in a friendly wrestling match with U'odh Nunh.

"Whenever that might be."

S'eni could only shrug.

"But while we're here, why don't you tell me about your heroic labours?"

"You mean, tell you about all the hoops they made me jump through for your amusement?"

A little smile was all that Y'shtola gave as an answer.

And so she told her. How she fought and slew a giant Adamantoise to get its egg despite Landenel telling her that it was folly to do so, followed by a retelling of how she had to first prove her worth to the Drake tribe before U'odh Nunh even considered telling her where to find her prey.

"I think I made some of the hunters a bit jealous when I returned. It was quite the sizeable catch if I do say so myself," S'eni said.

"I believe you earned a bit more than just ire if the look our dear Nunh gave you earlier is anything to go by."

Yes, she had noticed that too, but it was not a topic she was particularly interested in pursuing, so she continued with the next stop of her tale, where she had to reclaim the home of Brayflox and her fellow goblins from the claws of a dragon only to be nearly knocked out by the stench of the cheese afterwards.

Part of her was still morbidly curious how it was made.

Then came the last part, the one where she had managed to rediscover a grapevine thought lost in the Calamity with the help of a poor imperial deserter from Dalmasca that wanted to repay the kindness shown to him.

"That was a stroke of luck indeed," Y'shtola commented after she was done. Her expression then became thoughtful. "Dalmasca you said?"

"Mhm." S'eni nodded. "I heard stories of it when I was a kid. Do you know anything about it?"

"Only that it fell to the Garlean empire thirty years ago and its royal family died. A once proud kingdom becoming just another province."

"I can't imagine what it must feel like for him, being sent to the other side of the world in a war you don't even want to fight," she said, crossing her arms.

"All the more reason for us to do our part to keep Eorzea safe."

S'eni hummed in agreement, eyes once more returning to the Castrum in the distance. Conflict was all but assured. She could only hope they would be prepared when that time came.

Her attention was drawn away from the Garlean outpost when, all of a sudden, a cold breeze caressed her neck, making the little hairs on it stand on end. Closing her eyes, she tilted her head upward and sniffed the air.

"Something the matter?" Y'shtola asked.

S'eni opened her eyes again and looked towards the sky, frowning. "A storm's coming."

"I don't see anything."

"Not yet, but you can smell and feel it in the air. Trust me on that."

"Very well. Then I suppose it would be best to tell our host and the Company that the banquet is being cut short," Y'shtola said, starting to rise to her feet. "Maybe we can get the captain to make good on his promise before seeking shelter still."

A chuckle escaped S'eni. Leave it to Y'shtola to immediately take advantage of it. Grabbing her boots, she started to put them on when the other woman's next words made her freeze up.

"I don't envy the ships that have to travel through it. Let's hope the sea doesn't claim any victims tonight."

 

Thunder crashing in the distance. Rain pelting sharply against her skin.

"Look out!"

A sudden wave knocking her against a mast.

White hair entered her vision, followed by familiar mint-colored eyes.

"Hurry back to your cabin, friend," she said. "Lest you become the sea's next victim."

 

Within the blink of an eye, S'eni was back in the here and now, a boot in her hand while her mouth hung agape.

Was that Y'shtola?

But before she could think about what she just saw, S'eni heard her name called out by none other than the woman herself. Slowly, she turned to look at her.

"Are you coming?" Y'shtola asked an eyebrow cocked in question.

"Y-yeah," she managed to say, nodding her head almost automatically while turning her attention back to putting her boots back on. Once she had done so, S'eni followed after the other Miqo'te, a deep frown forming on her face.

She really needed to have a talk with Minfilia once she got back to the Waking Sands. But for now—

S'eni took a deep breath, letting the salty air calm her nerves, before joining with Y'shtola, who had already started talking with Wheiskaet.

—she needed to focus on the task ahead; stopping Titan.

If only she could have foreseen the events that were about to unfold for her and the rest of the Scions...

 

Notes:

Ah, don't we all remember all the hoops we had to jump through to unlock the first battle against Titan? That was fun...

More to come soon. See ya!

Chapter 7

Notes:

A chapter today, since I'm not sure if I'm able to upload on Friday.

Now, a small promotion. I commissioned an artwork of S'eni a while ago and thought I might as well share it with you all. Here ya go
It was drawn by the very talented Hugo-the-starving-artist, whom you can find here on twitter. Please check out his profile, he's very awesome. :)

A Friend amidst the Cold

 

After Titan was defeated, the Scions fell prey to the forces conspiring against them. It was over before they knew what happened, and by the time the Warrior of Light arrived on the scene, all she could do was count the dead and seek refuge in a church.

There she found...me. Or who I thought I was at the time. Memories are funny, but I'll get to that later.

After the dead were given a proper burial, and young Master Alphinaud was able to jog some of my wayward memories, we decided to travel together.

Our travels took us right into Coerthas, and let me tell you, the snow wasn't the only cold reception we were given.

 

---

 

A sigh passed her lips as S'eni flopped down at the table inside the room that had been provided to them as the hour had grown late. Closing her eyes, she rested her forehead on the rough wood.

She was utterly exhausted.

The Holy See of Ishgard definitely earned its reputation of being untrusting of outsiders. And just when it looked like they might have finally made progress, the one lord that had been willing to help them on their search was being accused of heresy.

Why can't things ever be simple? She asked herself.

"Cheer up, friend." Her ears twitched, prompting her to look up to see Cid as he took his seat opposite of her, running a hand through his white beard. "At least we're out of this blasted cold, and we made an ally too."

That was true.

The man in charge of Camp Dragonhead was oddly welcoming of them despite being strangers and had been quick to invite them to stay as guests of House Fortemps after he had read the letter from Lord Francel.

"Things can only go up from here, you mean?" she asked.

He only shrugged, a wry smile forming on his face. "A nice meal would be a good start, don't you think?"

As if on cue, the door opened to reveal none other than Alphinaud, carrying a tray with three bowls and loaves of bread on it. Steam was rising from them, and S'eni could smell the scent of herbs in the air.

"With regards from Lord Haurchefant and the kitchen staff," he said, placing the tablet on the table.

"Hah!" A grin split Cid's face as he took the offered bowl and spoon.

"Thank you, Master Alphinaud," S'eni said when she received hers. It was a rich, creamy-looking stew that made her mouth water.

"Please, just call me Alphinaud. I believe we're past formalities by now," the younger man said with a smile while sitting down.

S'eni mirrored the expression and nodded, taking a spoonful of the stew. It was heavy and savory, the fatty meat blending with the herbs in a tasty mix of homely warmth.

"Now that we have a quiet moment, we should discuss how to proceed next," Alphinaud said after his first spoon.

"It would probably be a good idea to make ourselves useful somehow. A military camp like this always has something that needs to be done or is in need of fixing," Cid replied, grabbing one of the small loaves of bread and tearing a piece out that he dunked into the stew.

"I agree. Lord Haurchefant has shown us great kindness today, and it can only help to get into the good graces of his troops." Alphinaud looked at S'eni. "What do you think?"

"Mhm," She hummed around a spoonful of stew and nodded again. It beat sitting around and twiddling their thumbs while the young lord did his inquiries.

While Alphinaud and Cid continued to talk, S'eni quietly watched her companions, cherry pink eyes focusing on the young Elezen.

When she had first met the boy, she couldn't get a handle on him, his calm and mature behaviour belying his age of 16, but now that she had spent the last few days in his company, S'eni was starting to get a feel for him.

He was smart, well-spoken, and charismatic on top of that, but there was also the hint of a big ego that you would expect from a confident boy his age.

Her eyes moved over to the older man.

Now Cid was more complicated, given that he had no memories other than his name and skills. How strange that must feel, to have large chunks of your life simply missing. She could tell he was frustrated by it.

But regardless of that, he seemed to be an honest and good-natured fellow. Yet she couldn't shake the feeling that there was something she was missing here...

S'eni shook her head. She could think about that some other time, for now, she needed to stay focused on the task ahead.

After they had finished their meals, the three of them decided it would be best to retire for the night. The first to fall asleep had been Cid, who was out shortly after his head had come to rest on the Chocobo down pillow. Alphinaud was soon to follow, his soft breathing joining together with Cid's snoring as it echoed through the room.

Only S'eni remained awake, lying on her side and looking at the flames dancing inside the small fireplace that provided them with warmth. Now that they were having a moment's respite, she found her mind wandering back to a few days ago when she had returned to the Waking Sands, only to find corpses strewn across the hallways.

The sight had made her blood run cold, and she fully expected to find Minfilia dead as well when she entered her office. But only Noraxia was there. As the dying sylph was lying in her arms, the Echo had given her a vision of what transpired. And while it was a relief to know that Minfilia and the others were alive, being prisoners of the Garleans was little better.

Yet, there was still a glimmer of hope. She had to hold onto that.

With a sigh, S'eni looked over her shoulder to make sure her companions were well and truly asleep, before rising from her bed.

Leaving the room, she made her way down the hallway and left the building. A shiver went through her as she stepped into the cold night, her breath forming little clouds with every exhale, and she looked around for a moment until she had found what she was looking for.

Camp Dragonhead was almost empty, with only a few soldiers manning the walls and gates, stoically standing guard even in this cold. The snow crunched under every step she took as she walked towards the corner of the camp where the troops would train during the day.

Coming to stand in front of one of the dummies, S'eni reached her hand out, running it over every cut and stab mark that had been left in it by diligent training.

Not perfect, but it would have to do.

After doing a few warm-up exercises, she moved into position and closed her eyes, breathing just like Widargelt had shown her, focusing the flow of aether throughout her body on the chakras within her and opening her mind to the gathered knowledge inside the soulstone, passed on for generations between the disciples of the Fist of Rhalgr.

Everything was silent. Only the sound of her breathing could be heard.

Inhale. Exhale.

Inhale. Exhale.

Inhale. Exhale.

Then, from one second to the next, she finally reached it; that one moment of absolute emptiness.

Her eyes snapped open.

Her right arm shot forward, hitting it against its side. She immediately followed with a strike from her left before slamming her open palm right into its center. The impact rattled it in place, making the snow on top of it fall around her feet.

Next, she attacked with her left. She twirled around upon contact and used the momentum to hit the dummy with the back of her hand, then followed up with a high kick to its head.

S'eni leaped backwards, rotating herself into her initial stance, ready to strike again.

The corners of her lips curled into a smirk, before advancing on the dummy once more.

She attacked it relentlessly, each motion as graceful as floating water, but as powerful as a crashing wave. To the onlookers on top of the walls, who had come to see what the ruckus was all about, it seemed as if she was dancing; striking and kicking it then moving to do so again from a different direction, always in motion like the cold winds of Coerthas.

Whirling her arms, she struck the dummy in a downward motion, making her crouch low and spreading them like the wings of a Zu. At almost blinding speed, S'eni shot forward, slamming the lower part of her palm against its head.

A loud wooden crack echoed throughout the entire yard.

Spinning away from it, she used her momentum to whirl into the air. Her heel smashed into its side, with a force so great it made the pole give way and send it flying across the camp. It landed in the snow and came skittering to a halt in front of a pair of plated boots.

Standing there, was none other than Lord Haurchefant, his mouth slightly agape as he stared at her. His eyes then travelled down to the dummy in front of his feet.

Her ears shot up in surprise, and she could feel the wave of embarrassment as it washed over her when she finally noticed the audience on top of the walls.

The sound of footsteps made her look away from the guards to see the camp's captain walk towards her, carrying the broken dummy under his arm. His face was the same mask of neutrality when they had met earlier today.

"L-Lord Haurchefant!" she exclaimed, her face heating up at the possibility that she had just angered their new ally. "Please, let me take that!"

Not even waiting for a reply, S'eni grabbed the dummy and tried to put it back in place by fitting the broken edges together. To her credit, it lasted for about five seconds, before falling into the snow.

By Azeyma! She really should have taken that offer from the carpenters guild when she was in Gridania.

"That was..." the Ishgardian knight said, and S'eni closed her eyes, ears already falling flat on her head, at the impending lecture. "Marvelous!"

Huh? Turning to face the man, she was more than surprised to see that the corners of his lips had risen into an excited smile.

"Never in my entire life have I seen someone move the way you just did. Such grace and strength would rival even that of a member of the Temple Knights that has dedicated his entire life to the martial arts!"

"I, uh, thank you?" S'eni replied with a dumbfounded look.

The guards on top of the walls, seeing as the spectacle was over, returned to their posts.

"So please tell me, who taught you?" he asked, curiosity shining in his eyes.

"I studied under Hamon Holyfist in Ul'dah."

"Hmm..." his hand came up to stroke his chin. "Yes, I can most definitely say that I have never heard that name before."

She felt herself having to snort back a laugh, the crestfallen look on her former master's face immediately springing to life in her mind at the words coming from the young lord. When he looked at her in question, she waved him off.

"But I've taken up some additional studies, ones that I'm not allowed to tell. Trade secret," she added.

Not entirely true, but Widargelt probably wouldn't be very amused if she went around saying she was a disciple of the Fist of Rhalgr when she had essentially just started.

"I see." He nodded, before smiling once more. "It seems my intuition was correct though. You are more than just a simple adventurer. But do tell, why are you out here this late?"

S'eni opened her mouth but quickly closed it once again, looking up at the guards on top of the walls. Lord Haurchefant's eyes followed hers.

"Why don't we head back inside?" he offered. "Surely you must be getting cold."

Maybe there was something about the man that was different from the other Ishgardians, or maybe it was because she was getting damned cold, but she found herself nodding. "I'd like that."

Walking away from the training ground, S'eni was led back into the main building of the camp where she had met the man earlier today. Unlike then, it was now empty.

"We should be safe from any prying ears," he said, sitting down at one of the tables instead of his desk, motioning for her to take a seat as well.

"Thanks," she said and sat down. "It's not like it's a deep dark secret, but I don't need to walk around tomorrow with everyone whispering behind my back."

And now that she said it, they would probably still do so after the show she had given them. Gods dammit!

"I'm afraid my men are indeed a curious lot. It happens when there are so many travellers passing through here as they do," he admitted. "But in any case, what caused you to still be up and about? And training no less?"

Her eyebrows rose, and she couldn't help a little smirk. "I see where they get it from."

"Hm. Guilty as charged, I suppose."

S'eni's expression became serious and she crossed her arms. "Just worries, honestly. I know it probably sounds stupid. Things haven't been going exactly in our favor recently."

"Yes, young Master Leveilleur indicated as much when he and I talked earlier."

"Mmh." She nodded. "We lost some people, others were captured, and now we're kind of just scrambling around."

She closed her eyes for a moment and found herself back in Vesper Bay, carrying the bodies of her fellow Scions towards the Chocobo carriage that would deliver to their resting place.

His face darkened visibly at her words. "I'm sorry. I know how hard it is to lose people, but that still doesn't make it any easier."

Shaking her head, S'eni continued. "We travelled from Thanalan to Gridania in hopes of finding Cid's airship, and from there we came here. And you know how things have gone here."

"I do," he said, a frown marring his features. From out of the corner of her eyes, S'eni saw his gloved hand tighten a little.

"You seem to have things keeping you up as well," she pointed out.

He looked at her for a moment before chuckling. "You're quite perceptive. But yes. This whole situation with Francel bothers me. Him? A heretic? Preposterous!"

"You know him well, then?" S'eni asked.

"One could say without him I wouldn't be where I'm now." Tapping his fingers on the wooden table, he shook his head.

"If there's anything we can do, just say the word," she offered. The Elezen looked at her, his eyebrows rising, before releasing a chuckle.

"Thank you," he said. "But Francel bade me to assist you in his stead, and that is what I shall do."

Silence set over them for a moment, before he rose back to his feet and walked over to his desk. "And I think I have an idea."

She watched him as he sat down and grabbed a few sheets of parchment, starting to write on it immediately. "What are you doing?"

"The High Houses might not be able, or willing, to aid you in your search, but I do know a few people that might be able to help you while I'll make some personal inquiries of my own," he said over the scratching of his quill. "These missives should help you convince them that it was I that sent you."

He stopped for a second. "This will take a while, but they should be ready by tomorrow."

Taking that as her cue that their little talk was over, S'eni rose to her feet. "Guess I'll try to get some sleep then. Sounds like tomorrow will be busy."

"That it will."

"Thank you, Lord Haurchefant."

He looked up from the parchment, lips curling into a smile. "Please, just Haurchefant is enough."

"Alright...Haurchefant." S'eni returned the expression. "Good night."

"Have a good night," Haurchefant said and returned to writing, the sound of the moving quill accompanying her as she left.

Returning to their room, she found her two companions still very much asleep and quietly walked over to her bed. After lying down, she pulled the covers over her body and closed her eyes.

Sleep still eluded her for a little bit longer, but eventually, she managed to fall into the first dreamless sleep in days.

 

Notes:

And enter everyone's favorite bro, Haurchefant. He'll be showing up again at a later date.

See ya!

Chapter 8

Meeting the Family

 

Ah, The Enterprise. Safe to say it took quite a while to find her, but eventually we did. And while my memories still hadn't come back, just seeing her was balm for my soul.

But the old girl had taken quite the beating during the Calamity and she was in no shape to get to the Howling Eye, so we stopped in Gridania once more to get all the necessary repairs done.

That took quite a while too…

Nothing's ever easy, eh?

 

---

 

Gridania. Known for its leather- and woodwork, as well as its policy of living in harmony with the Black Shroud, or Twelveswood as the locals call it. A mosaic of beautiful waterways and wooden buildings you would find nowhere else in the world.

One couldn't help but stop to take it all in.

That was—

S'eni released a weary sigh and flopped down on a nearby bench.

—if you weren't sent all across Eorzea again.

After their adventures in Coerthas, which had taken a great many twists and turns but also earned them new friends, Alphinaud, Cid, and herself had found the Enterprise and brought her back here.

But that was where the good news had ended, as the old airship was in further need of repairs. Which wouldn't have been bad by itself, if not for their need to find a corrupted crystal that was just right to dispel Garuda's barrier.

Her first stop had been in Thanalan, which included exposing herself to the energies of a cluster of corrupted crystals, and turned out to be a huge waste of time, as that particular crystal would only strengthen the barrier.

She swore she would have some serious words with Hahasako if she grew a second tail due to this.

The second stop was La Noscea, which saw her facing off against a siren on the dreaded Isles of Umbra. Also a waste of time. Well, perhaps not entirely. She was sure to have saved some lives by chasing away that siren, so there was at least that.

After that, she was sent back here to hunt a spriggan that had eaten what she was after.

By the time she had finally gotten the crystal, S'eni realized that she had travelled one big circle. It must have reflected very openly on her face, as Alphinaud and Cid shared a sympathetic look before telling her to take it easy while they handled the rest.

Closing her eyes, she listened to the ripple of the stream passing underneath the walkway she was sitting on, letting it soothe her aching spirits.

Maybe she should just rent herself a room at The Roost and take a long, hot bath?

Yes, that sounded absolutely delightful right now. But she also didn't want to get up from her seat, as it was quite comfortable.

What a dilemma.

Her ears twitched when steps resounded on the wood underneath her feet, and S'eni cracked a curious eye open when the person in question walked past her. She was just about to lazily close it once more when a glimpse of white hair and tan skin caught her by surprise.

Jumping to her feet, S'eni called out. "Y'shtola!"

But she was already realizing her mistake even before the woman in front of her had fully turned around. This wasn't Y'shtola.

"Ah—I'm sorry!" she said immediately, embarrassment clear in her voice. "I mistook you for a friend of mine and—"

Whatever she wanted to say came to an abrupt stop as a pair of mint green eyes, almost glowing in the light, came into contact with her own.

Just like hers.

The other miqo'te tilted her head, a questioning look on her head. "You know my sister?"

Hearing her speak was enough to get S'eni out of her stupor. She nodded. "Yeah, I d—wait, sister!?"

"Yes, Shtola is my older sister."

S'eni blinked at the other woman. She didn't know why she was surprised; Miqo'te families always tended to be on the larger side, so why should Y'shtola be an exception?

But the family resemblance was clear as day, so no wonder she had mistaken them. But now that she was getting a good look at her, S'eni could spot the differences.

Her nose, for starters, was different. Her skin was also slightly fairer than Y'shtola's, and she wore her hair in a different style.

After another awkward pause, Y'shtola's sister spoke up again. "...I'm assuming she never told you about me then?"

"I...no." S'eni shook her head. "No, she didn't."

"Typical Shtola..." A sigh escaped the other woman. "I'm sorry, but I'm on my way to a meeting. If you would like to talk, then we can meet later at the Carline Canopy. Let's say in two bells' time?"

"Sounds good," she replied and found a smile forming on her face.

Giving her a nod, Y'shtola's sister turned on her heel and continued on her way.

That was...interesting, S'eni thought as she sat back down. The smile on her face turned into a worried frown as her thoughts drifted towards Y'shtola, whose fate she wasn't sure of, and couldn't shake the feeling that she had just made a terrible mistake.

 

---

 

The Carline Canopy was Gridania's biggest tavern, famous for its glass stained windows that illuminated the large wooden room in various colors as the sun's rays shone through them, giving it a soothing quality that was topped off by the sound of the nearby waterwheel.

S'eni was sitting at one of the many tables, throwing the hammer she was holding into the air and catching it.

After her run-in with Y'shtola's sister earlier, she couldn't bring herself to relax and quickly found herself aimlessly wandering around town. Her feet had carried her over to the building that housed the carpenters guild and, since she needed something to keep her mind off things, had decided to give it a try now. Which was in no way at all related to how she had embarrassed herself at Camp Dragonhead.

Turned out, she had quite a knack for it.

S'eni put the hammer back into her pocket and leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table. Was she being stood up?

Might actually be for the better, she thought. That way she could at least avoid having to lie through her teeth. But she couldn't help but feel curious. This was Y'shtola's sister after all...

Just as she was thinking this, the woman in question was walking right through the front door. She looked around for a moment before spotting S'eni and walking towards her.

"I'm very sorry, I got held up by one of my colleagues," she said and sat down opposite of her. She raised a hand and waved one of the waiters over. "The usual, please."

"Frequenting the place, I see," S'eni pointed out.

"I suppose I do," the other woman replied with a chuckle. "I hope you didn't have to wait long?"

"Not like I had much to do."

"I don't know if that's a good or bad thing, to be honest—Ah, I just realized we haven't even introduced ourselves," she said. "I'm Y'mhitra."

"I'm S'eni. And I apologize in advance if I don't remember your name the first time." Though oddly enough she has been getting better about it. Maybe one of the perks of the Echo?

"That's alright," Y'mhitra said. "Then that must mean you're the new member of the Scions that Shtola mentioned."

S'eni's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "She wrote you about me?"

"Actually," Y'mhitra said, stopping for a moment to receive her glass and thank the waiter. "I write her, and occasionally she writes me back to placate my worries. Shtola never writes me out of her own volition. But the last one I received did mention that the Scions received an exceptional new member as part of telling me to stop worrying about her. And that said member was a fellow Seeker of the Sun."

Chuckling, she nodded. "Yes, that sounds like her."

"So tell me, what is she up to?"

There it was, the moment that she had been dreading ever since she had met her earlier. Feeling her tail stiffening, S'eni leaned back and crossed her legs to hide it.

"I haven't been in contact with her for a while," she replied, eyes avoiding the other woman's.

It wasn't a lie per se. The last time she had seen her had been after the battle with Titan. It was also what gave her the faint hope that Y'shtola was alright, as she had sent S'eni ahead to report back to Minfilia.

"I see," was all Y'mhitra said, taking a sip from her glass. Her eyes widened as if realizing something and for a second she thought she had been found out. "Oh! Would you like to have something to drink as well?"

"I'm good," S'eni replied with a small smile and a shake of her head, breathing an internal sigh of relief. After a moment of silence, she decided to change the subject and satisfy a bit of her curiosity at the same time. "But can I ask you something?"

"Go ahead."

"Why is it that you don't have a tattoo?" she asked, pointing at her neck. "Y'shtola and the others have one."

"That's simple. I'm not an Archon." Seeing the confused look on her face, Y'mhitra continued. "Anyone that has reached a certain degree of expertise and made a great contribution to one's chosen subject is granted the title of Archon."

"Huh..." So that meant that Y'shtola, Papalymo, Urianger, Thancred, and even Yda were all experts in one subject or another. It...kind of made her feel dumb all of a sudden. "And what's your subject?"

"I'm part of a group called the Sons of Saint Coinach. We made it our goal to uncover the secrets of the Allagan Empire."

"So you're ah, what's the term, an archaeologist?"

"That's right. Many of my colleagues are currently in Mor Dhona. I was meeting with some of them earlier to exchange our findings."

"And you're not with them?"

"Let's just say I'm pursuing my own research right now," Y'mhitra replied with a little smile.

"Hm. You know, I've been around a lot of ruins myself recently. I'm helping a military historian on my off time."

"Oh?" The other woman tilted her head. "It's quite fascinating, isn't it?"

"I found it quite enlightening." In more than one way, as these sights of great battles had served to open the chakras within her. "But it's also a bit sad, knowing what happened there."

Shaking her head, S'eni forced a smile to keep her dark mood at bay. "So I'm guessing being a scholar is the family occupation?"

Y'mhitra let out a little laugh. "Yes, every single one of us. Our youngest sister only recently finished her apprenticeship."

"Eager to join her older siblings, I take it?"

"Jhimei has always been a bundle of energy, and I'm sure she will put that to good use in her own pursuit of knowledge." The other miqo'te looked at her with curiosity in her eyes. "And what about you?"

"I'm afraid there's not a lot to tell there. I'm one of sixteen siblings, most of which are fishermen, and I just so happened to become an adventurer."

"Oh please, there has to be a bit more than that," Y'mhitra said.

"Perhaps. But an adventurer needs a bit of an air of mystery, don't you think?" S'eni asked and sent her a little wink that made the other woman chuckle.

"I suppose you're right," she conceded.

S'eni was about to reply when she spotted Alphinaud hurriedly making his way towards them.

"S'eni," he said as he stopped next to her. His eyes fell on Y'mhitra, before landing on her again. "Pardon the interruption, but Cid is finished with the preparations."

"I'll be right there," she told him. Looking at the other miqo'te, she shrugged. "Duty calls."

"Don't let me keep you. Perhaps we can do this again some time. We could even try to drag my sister here too," Y'mhitra offered.

"Yeah..." S'eni replied, forcing another smile. She raised her hand in parting and turned around to follow Alphinaud when Y'mhitra's voice made her halt in her tracks.

"Here!" Pulling something out of her pocket, the other woman tossed it over to S'eni, who moved her arm to catch it.

A small bag.

"Could you give that to her when you see her?"

"I will," she promised with a nod, before leaving.

As Alphinaud and her made their way to where Cid was waiting, S'eni felt her fingers tighten around the bag, her knuckles turning white.

She just hoped she could keep that promise.

 

 

Notes:

Well, it's not Friday but I still managed to post some.

So a little fun fact, in the German dialogue, Y'mhitra talks like U'odh with the whike stretched r thing he has going on, which I find kinda funny.

Hope you enjoy the little XV easter egg there too. See ya.

Chapter 9

Snowy Reunions

 

The fight against Garuda was as fierce as expected, but what we didn't expect was for her to rise again after being struck down by our warrior. But that wasn't even the worst of it when Gaius himself appeared, bringing with him his newest weapon, Ultima. Blasted Nero! I hate to admit it, but he outdid himself with restoring this ancient war machine.

It did short work out of Garuda and her summoned brethren, leaving us no choice but to flee.

But not all was lost and upon returning to the Waking Sands we were reunited with two missing friends. And that was not the only reunion to happen, either.

 

---

 

Five years ago, Coerthas had been renowned for its lush pastures, perfect for the breeding of Chocobos that had been one of the Holy See's most prosperous industries. But all of that changed during the Calamity, when the flow of aether had been disrupted, turning the once green highlands into the frosty tundra it was today.

The freeze, as the locals called it, had killed whole herds of black sheep and Chocobos, leaving the entire populace destitute and the Holy See in an economical crisis that the nation was slow to recover.

To S'eni and her two companions though—

"Sooooooooo coooooooolllldddd," Yda groaned, hugging herself.

-it was just damned cold.

"I agree," Y'shtola chimed in, ears resting flat against her head to protect them from the cold wind. "I don't enjoy the cold."

"Wasting time lounging around Costa del Sol sounds so much more appealing now, doesn't it?" S'eni asked her friend with a teasing grin.

"Very much."

"And you were here for days you say?" Yda asked, trying as best as she could to keep her teeth from chattering.

"You get used to it...Eventually." Though today seemed to be especially cold, with the harsh wind from the northern mountains only adding to it.

But despite freezing, S'eni couldn't help but feel elated. When Alphinaud, Cid, and herself had returned to the Waking Sands, it was like a great weight had been lifted off her shoulders upon seeing Yda, followed by another wave of relief when she learned that Y'shtola was alright as well.

From there, their group had returned to Coerthas to find information on their friends and possibly formulate a plan from there. What they didn't expect was to find additional information about two of Cid's engineers, Biggs and Wedge, who had escaped the Garlean clutches and were apparently on the run.

Deciding it was best to search for them separately, S'eni had eventually found the Lalafel of the two hiding underneath a bridge, shivering and looking worse for wear. After she had brought him to Monument Tower, where he could rest and warm himself at the fire, she immediately headed back out to keep looking for the Roegadyn.

That's where she had caught up with Yda and Y'shtola, and together they were making their way towards Whitebrim, where Biggs might have possibly fled to.

"I don't think I want to get used to it," Yda replied.

"If we had the time we could have gone to Camp Dragonhead. I'm friends with the knight in charge there," S'eni said. After their brief conversation, the two of them had struck up a friendship real fast as they worked together to clear Lord Francel's name of these false charges against him. "I'm sure he would have lent us some warm coats."

"Ooooh, that sounds so good. Maybe Biggs headed there!?"

"Let's just focus on finding Biggs," Y'shtola then said, effectively ending the conversation.

After a bit of silence that was only broken by the wind and the sound of the snow crunching under their shoes, Yda let out a frustrated groan.

"That's it!" she exclaimed, halting in her tracks. Upon turning to face her, S'eni and Y'shtola watched as she started to do squats. The two of them shared a look.

"What are you doing?" Y'shtola asked.

"Can't you see?" Yda asked right back. "I'm warming myself."

"We don't have time for that!"

"And we won't be any good to Biggs if we're frozen stiff!"

"Say something!" Y'shtola looked at S'eni, eyebrows drawn in annoyance.

"Well..." she replied with a small smile and a shrug. "She isn't wrong."

The other Miqo'te released a sigh before turning to look at Yda once more. "I'm starting to realize how Papalymo must feel."

"There there," S'eni said, giving her friend a friendly pat on the shoulder.

"We really can't afford any—" both of their ears shot up at the same time. "Did you hear that too?"

"Yeah." Shouting. Still a good distance away, but unmistakable. Looking at one another, they nodded and started to sprint into the direction of the voices.

"Wha—Hey, wait!" Yda called out, all but stumbling forward as she tried to dash after them mid squat.

Following the sound, they soon found the person they were looking for, surrounded by a squad of Garlean troops. From the look of things, the Roegadyn was in no mood to come quietly.

Careful not to be caught, the three of them hid behind a rock formation behind the Garleans.

"Our orders are to take you back, dead or alive! Which will it be, engineer?" S'eni could hear the squad leader say.

"Why don't you come and find out, tin-head?!"

"This isn't good!" Yda said, peeking out from behind the rocks. "We have to do something now!"

"Yda is right. He will die if we don't do something."

"Three archers and one pugilist," S'eni counted. "Yda, you take the one on the left, I'll take the two on the right."

The other woman made an affirmative sound.

"Then I will take care of the leader," Y'shtola said.

"On three. One...two...three!" Simultaneously, Yda and S'eni jumped out of hiding and dashed towards the group of soldiers. Their approach didn't go unnoticed, and the soldiers all turned around to see what the noise was.

"He's not alone! Kill them all!" the squad leader shouted, but it was already too late. Jumping high into the air, S'eni dove down leg first into one of the archers, slamming her foot right into the soldier's face and sending her sprawling into the snow, knocked out.

She had barely touched the ground, before whirling around and punching the other soldier's chest three times in rapid succession, knocking the wind out of him and leaving him open for a palm strike that sent him flying backwards.

"S'eni, behind you!" Glancing behind her, she spotted the squad leader as he was about to strike her when all of a sudden a rock hit him in the side of the head, cracking his helmet and hurling him against the rock wall next to them. He didn't get up again.

S'eni looked over to Yda, who had made short work of the archer on her end, and gave her a thumbs up that the other woman answered in kind. She then turned her attention to Biggs, who breathed out a sigh of relief.

"Thanks. And not a minute too soon," he said.

"Are you well enough to walk?" Y'shtola asked, her wand still glowing faintly with aether as she approached.

"Yeah." Biggs nodded but immediately started to slump down. S'eni stepped forward to help steady him.

"Easy there," she said with a smile.

"He's been out in the cold for too long," Y'shtola observed.

"Then let's get him to Monument Tower. Wedge is already waiting there, and I'm sure Cid won't be long."

At the mention of Cid's name, Biggs looked at her in startled surprise but didn't say anything.

"Cid will be so happy to see Biggs and Wedge again! Aww, I love reunions!" Yda said, walking up to Biggs and steadying his left.

S'eni's ears caught another sound in the distance, causing them to shoot up to hear better. Y'shtola's did the same.

"What's wrong?" Yda asked.

"It seems our battle didn't go unnoticed," Y'shtola said.

Soldiers, fast approaching, as well as the telltale sound of...

"Vanguards? Seriously?!" S'eni looked at Biggs. "What did you two do?"

The Roegadyn only chuckled in response.

"Let's better make haste then."

 

---

 

By the time they had made it back to Monument Tower, the four of them had been thoroughly frozen and were all but jumping at the offered blankets.

The reunion between the three engineers was about as heart-warming as expected, and S'eni couldn't help the smile as they proudly proclaimed that Garlond Ironworks was back in business.

But not everything was all cheer, as Minfilia and the others were still in need of rescue. For now, though, they would rest.

S'eni looked over to the three men, who were huddled together and adamantly whispering to one another, no doubt discussing possible plans for their task ahead. Her gaze then turned towards Yda, all rolled up in her blanket and having fallen asleep not too long ago.

"She's been through a lot recently," she said to Y'shtola as she sat down next to her, blanket tight around her shoulders.

"We all have been," the other Miqo'te replied. "But Yda is strong. She won't be so easily defeated. And knowing that there's still hope for the others gives her strength."

"Tell me though," she continued after a moment of silence. "How have you been?"

"After I returned to the Waking Sands, I didn't know what to do. So I did as Noraxia told me and took shelter in the church of Saint Adama Landama," S'eni said. "I...helped put the others to rest. It was the least I could do since I wasn't there to protect them."

"It wasn't your fault. None of us foresaw this attack, so don't blame yourself," Y'shtola said.

"I know," S'eni said, locking eyes with her friend, who sent her a small smile. As cherry pink came to rest upon mint green, she remembered something. "Oh!"

Hand moving into the inside of her jacket, she reached into the pocket she reserved for items she wanted to make sure not to lose and pulled out the bag that she had been given not too long ago. She inspected it for a moment, making sure that it was still intact, then held it out towards Y'shtola.

"While we were preparing for the battle with Garuda I met a certain someone," she told her.

"So you have met Mhitra," Y'shtola noted, taking the offered bag and looking at it. "And what embarrassing family story did she tell you?"

S'eni chuckled and shook her head. "I promise you no stories were being swapped, though it seems your younger sister wishes you would write more often."

"Duly noted. Excuse me for a moment." The other Miqo'te rose to her feet and walked over to Abelie, the Elezen woman who had provided them with their blankets. They exchanged a few words, before heading up the stairs together, leaving S'eni to wonder what that was all about.

Her confusion only lasted a few minutes, as soon enough Y'shtola returned with two steaming cups in her hands.

"Thanks," she said as her friend handed her one of them before sitting back down. Raising the cup to her lips, S'eni took a sip, closing her eyes as the fruity and spicy aroma enveloped her mouth, before flowing down her throat and spreading warmth throughout her whole body.

An appreciative sigh made its way past her lips.

"You know, I promised your sister I would give this to you when I saw you again." Closing her eyes, she smiled. "I'm...glad I could keep it."

"I'm glad you're alright too," Y'shtola replied, nursing her cup in her hands. "When I returned to the Waking Sands and only found Yda, I feared the worst."

With a sigh she shook her head and took a sip of her tea, savoring the taste for a moment before swallowing. "I threw myself into finding out what happened, in hopes I could find information on you and the others. If I had known it was as simple as asking Mhitra I might have written her for once."

S'eni let out a little laugh. "Something to consider for the future."

"Perhaps," Y'shtola replied with a small smile.

S'eni turned her gaze towards Cid and the others, who were still deep in discussion, their eyebrows furrowed in thought.

"We'll get the others back. I promise," she said.

"Already making promises again?" Y'shtola asked with a hint of amusement.

"One I intend on keeping," S'eni replied with a smile and held a cup out towards her friend's. "Let's show the Garleans they picked a fight with the wrong people."

The other Miqo'te looked at her for a moment, before smiling and clanking their cups together. "Indeed."

A comfortable silence set over them while they drank their tea. S'eni found her eyes drawn to the flames in front of them and she listened to a concert of murmurs and light snoring.

Taking a sip, she found herself frowning as a question arose in the back of her mind.

If Minfilia, Tataru, Urianger and Papalymo were at the Castrum, then—

Where in the seven hells is Thancred?

 

Chapter 10

Questions

 

While the mission to rescue our friends had been a success, the revelation that the Ascians had taken possession of Thancred and were working through him was a blow that wasn't so easily recovered from.

But there was no other way but forward as only moments after, we received word that Gaius had issued the Alliance an ultimatum: surrender or face the wrath of his war machine.

It took Minfilia and the Warrior of Light's intervention, but instead of giving in to his demands, the Alliance decided to stand and face the Black Wolf of Garlemald head-on.

 

---

 

S'eni watched from the back as the leaders of the alliance talked with one another, discussing potential strategies and troop positions. Her arms were crossed in front of her chest while she leaned against one of the pillars, focusing on one particular individual standing there with them; Minfilia, who was currently talking with the Sultana.

The other woman had a polite smile on her face, one that mirrored the young Sultana's, but S'eni could see the exhaustion that was buried deep behind those steel-blue eyes.

Minfilia must have noticed that she was being watched, as her gaze briefly flickered over to S'eni and her smile grew a little. She said something to Sultana Nanamo, who gave her a nod, before walking towards her.

"It's amazing, isn't it?" she asked. "The alliance once more working together for a common goal."

"And it only took the threat of either subjugation or destruction to make it happen," S'eni replied, releasing a sigh when she saw Minfilia frown upon her words. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to badmouth Raubahn and the others. I know it's not that easy."

"I understand where you're coming from, believe me. Politics...were never my strong suit. I had to learn and adapt. The reality is that while ideals are all well and good, you need more than that to see them realized," the other woman said and looked over to Raubahn and Merlwyb, each pointing at the large map of Aldenard spread out in front of them. "Five years is a long time. Families were torn apart, lovers and friends lost, leaving only the survivors and their grief. But I feel that today Eorzea has finally awoken from the shock of the Calamity and taken its first steps on the road to recovery."

Closing her eyes, Minfilia fell silent for a moment. "Yet I can't help but think of those whose fates still remain unclear; vanished amidst the fires of Carteneau, faces forgotten as if they had never existed in the first place."

S'eni opened her mouth to reply when the all too familiar sharp pain shooting through her head made her gasp out. Not again!

 

Footsteps echoing down the hallway. A set of double doors closing behind her.

A blonde woman sitting behind a large desk, thoughtful face framed by her bangs.

"I'm delighted to see you again. As you may have heard I have many questions." The serious look giving way to a welcoming smile. "Ah, but I'm forgetting my manners. We haven't been properly introduced yet. I'm Minfilia, acting Antecedent of the Path of the Twelve."

Minfilia's steel-blue eyes coming to rest on hers. "And you're..."

 

"S'eni!"

From one moment to the next, she returned to the here and now like so many times, the vision in front of her making way for another, more concerned Minfilia.

"Are you alright?" the other woman asked her, gently holding her by the shoulders.

"It's—" S'eni shook her head. "It's nothing. Just the Echo is all."

"Are you sure?"

No, she wasn't. But there was no time for her personal problems right now.

"Yeah," she lied, averting her gaze and instead looking over to the others in the room, who thankfully didn't notice her little episode.

Minfilia looked unconvinced, and S'eni could tell she wanted to say more, but her friend only bit her lip and looked over to where Nanamo was currently in talks with Kan-E-Sanna.

"Why...don't you head back to the Waking Sands? Take a rest?" she suggested. "The Twelve know you need it the most out of all of us."

"Maybe you're right," S'eni said. She did feel pretty exhausted. "But you should follow your own advice as well. I know this whole thing with Thancred is hard for you."

She didn't know the specifics, but she could tell that the two of them were close.

For a moment, her friend let that inner exhaustion show and gave her a nod, before slipping that mask of confidence back on. "I will."

"Promise?"

Minfilia chuckled. "Promise."

Offering her a small smile, her friend gave her shoulders a little squeeze before heading back to the others. Taking a deep breath, S'eni turned around and left the chamber.

Once she had stepped outside, she walked down the royal promenade and the steps of Thal until she had arrived back outside. Her eyes landed on the people of Ul'dah, who were doing their best to act like everything was fine. Like they didn't just receive Gaius' ultimatum. All just to cling to that last shred of normalcy.

S'eni stopped as she passed by a lone woman, sitting in a corner, head hanging low and a bowl filled with a few coins in front of her. When the woman noticed her presence, she tilted her head upward to meet her gaze, eyes full of fear and uncertainty.

Offering the woman a small smile, S'eni knelt and reached into her pouch, producing a few Gil that she put into the bowl. It wasn't much, but enough to buy a warm meal.

"Thank you," the woman mumbled and lowered her head again.

Rising once again, she turned to leave but stopped when she spotted a familiar blond Lalafel standing not far from them. She walked over to him, her smile growing, and inclined her head. "Papalymo."

"S'eni," he greeted her back. "I see even current circumstances are not keeping you from doing a good deed no matter how small."

"As much good as it does." She shrugged. "I was expecting you to be back in the Waking Sands."

"I wanted to see how things were faring here." He motioned his hand for them to walk together and S'eni fell in step next to him. "I'm glad to see that things are calmer this time around."

"This time around?"

"Five years ago, during the battle at Carteneau, riots had broken out. The entire city was in chaos. All while the Immortal Flames were fighting to keep the city free from Garlemald," Papalymo said with a huff. "Who can say what would have happened if not for the Sultana pleading with the citizens personally."

"That was very brave of her." But that shouldn't surprise her. The young Sultana seemed to enjoy a little adventure

"She's a good woman, living in a Grass Viper's nest. But never mind that, how are you?"

"You're the second person to ask me that today," S'eni replied, her gaze moving across the many market stalls.

"And what is the answer I shall receive?"

Releasing a sigh, S'eni let her shoulders slump. "I want to lie down," she replied earnestly.

"Then let us return to the Waking Sands," he said with a smile and pointed at the local Chocobo stables not far from them.

Renting two of the flightless birds, they were soon off towards Vesper Bay.

She liked Chocobos. They were such loyal creatures, and their feathers were just so fluffy. Running a hand through them, she elicited an appreciative "Wark!" from it that made her smile.

Closing her eyes, S'eni cleared her thoughts and let herself simply enjoy the feeling of the sun on her skin and the wind in her hair, pretending, if only for a moment, that everything was normal just like the citizens of Ul'dah did.

She must have dozed off because when she opened her eyes once more they had just arrived at their destination.

After getting off the Chocobos, they sent the cheerful birds back on their way home and entered the Waking Sands, where they were immediately welcomed by Tataru.

"S'eni, Papalymo!" she all but jumped off her chair and walked over to them. The Lalafel woman's expression darkened when her eyes landed on S'eni. "You look exhausted. Come, I'll make you some of my special tea."

"Thank you, but that's not really necessary."

"Please. It's the least I can do for saving us." Tataru lowered her gaze to the floor. "...And for helping put our friends to rest."

S'eni looked at her for a moment. Tataru was a kind soul, who always wanted to make herself helpful. This entire situation must have been harder on her than anyone else.

The corners of her lips curled into a smile. "How could I say no to that?"

Looking back up, the other woman gave her a grin. "You can't. One cup of Tataru's special tea coming right up!"

"Make that two, please," Papalymo said. "And could you bring it to the solar?"

Tataru turned to look at him and nodded, before wandering off to prepare the tea, leaving S'eni and Papalymo alone. The older Lalafel looked up. "I'm sorry, but there is something I need to assure myself of."

"Lead the way," S'eni replied with a little shrug.

She followed him into the solar, where he immediately made a beeline for the desk, or rather what was behind it on the wall. A broken staff.

"Thank Thaliak..." Papalymo said with a sigh of relief as she joined him. Upon noticing her curious look, he went on to explain. "This staff belonged to my teacher."

"Master Louisoix, right?" she asked. "Y'shtola mentioned that name."

"Correct. He was our leader in the Circle of Knowing and the one that led us here years ago. His was one of the many lives that were lost five years ago. Only his staff, the Tupsimati, remained."

"Sounds like he was a good man," S'eni commented.

"He was an inspiration to all of us." Shaking his head, he turned to fully look at her. "I have been meaning to thank you for our rescue as well."

"Don't mention it. You guys would have done the same if it had been me."

"That may be true, but where you succeeded we might have failed, so don't sell yourself short, S'eni," Papalymo replied.

"Hm." Was her only reply, her eyes coming to rest once more upon the shattered staff. As she looked at it, she felt something stir in the back of her mind. A tingling sensation, shortly followed by another spark of hot pain.

 

A cave, illuminated by the light of aetheryte crystals.

A man, his stern-looking face drawn into a smile.

"Where men go as one, there is life. And where there is life, there is cause for hope." his voice grows warm. "If I can but see you to a new future, I should want for nothing more."

 

As the pain receded, so did the vision, leaving her feeling even more exhausted than before, and she stumbled back against the desk.

"S'eni!" Papalymo exclaimed and took a step forward, but was stopped by the hand she was holding out.

"It's fine! I'm just...tired is all." The words sounded hollow even to her own ears.

That was the second time in one day. This couldn't just be the Echo!

"I'm sorry, but I need to lie down," she said after pushing herself away from the desk. "Can you tell Tataru to just bring the tea to my room?"

"Certainly."

As she walked towards the double doors, S'eni could feel his gaze burning into her back and she had barely grasped the door handle when he called her name. Turning her head, she glanced over her shoulder at him.

"Say..." he said, rubbing his chin in thought. "Have we met before?"

"I..." S'eni turned her gaze back to the door, her tail curling itself around her leg as she spoke her next words. "...don't know."

She didn't wait for his reply, opting to instead retreat to her room. Once she had closed the door behind her, she slid down to the ground and squeezed her eyes shut, fingers digging into the side of her head.

What was happening to her?

 

Notes:

Hm Hm Hm, things are coming a head, aren't they?
Next update is gonna be a double feature, so I hope you're looking forward to that. Until then!

Chapter 11

Notes:

As promised, a double feature today. A slightly longer AN at the end of the next chapter too.

Answers pt. 1

 

Memories are an interesting thing. They are powerful, yet delicate at the same time.

Sometimes you can remember the smallest thing from your childhood and at the same time not remember what you ate last week.

Sometimes you lose them completely and it's only by the gentle guidance of a friend's hand that you recover them.

And sometimes they get locked away to the deepest recesses of our minds...until we're strong enough to face them once again.

 

---

 

"Corporal, is the squad ready?" a Flame Sergeant asked one of his soldiers.

"We're only waiting for the signal, sir."

"Think we can make it?" a soldier asked one of his fellows.

"Of course! We're led by the Bull of Ala Mhigo, and we got our new hero too!"

"I hope you're right..."

These and many other conversations echoed through the Ceruleum processing plant that served as the Immortal Flame's impromptu military base for the final phase of Operation Archon.

With the death of Rhitahtyn sas Arvina only hours earlier, the forces at Castrum Occidens have been throw into disarray, cutting off Castrum Meridianum of any reinforcements and robbing Gaius of one of his strongest officers.

They were as ready as they would ever be. It would be over soon, one way or another.

S'eni stood on the western platform, leaning against the railing. Her eyes darted over to the monster of a Castrum in the north, before returning them to the blue fog of the Ceruleum fields.

A shiver went through her, and she could feel that all too familiar tingling in the back of her mind. But this time it was like a siren's call, beckoning her to look westwards.

Why? She wondered. But if she expected an answer, she didn't get one. What's going on?

Getting some rest had helped her after those two visions she had received, but while she felt physically in top form, her emotions were all over the place.

She felt afraid.

S'eni wanted to laugh at herself. She had faced down primals, beings that could twist a person's very soul. Yet standing here, she couldn't stop her arms from shaking.

The sounds of steps on the metal platform made her nearly jump out of her skin and she had to gather all of her willpower to somewhat calmly turn around. A silent breath of relief escaped her when she saw Minfilia approaching.

"So here is where you were hiding," the other woman said with a smile as she approached her.

"Yeah." S'eni nodded and turned around once more, hands gripping the railing. "I needed to be alone."

"I can only imagine. A fierce battle awaits." Minfilia took her place right next to her, looking out into the Ceruleum fields as well. "Are you prepared?"

"I'm as ready as I'll ever be," she replied.

"And yet you sound unsure."

"It's not that." She shook her head. "I...I can't explain it."

"Is that why you're looking out into the distance?"

"I don't know..."

A moment of silence passed between them, and they could hear the chatter amongst the troops as they were slowly preparing for the assault. Somewhere further in the back, Raubahn was issuing commands to the officers.

It won't be long now.

"Say, do you know what lies in that direction?" Minfilia asked all of a sudden. "Beyond the fields and even the river coming after?"

"No."

"The Carteneau flats."

S'eni felt her grip on the railing tighten and she managed to tear her gaze away to look at Minfilia, whose smile had given way to a serious expression. "The place where so many gave their lives for their home, and others were lost and forgotten."

Minfilia turned her head to look S'eni directly into her eyes, and she felt herself flinch back, the tingling in the back of her mind growing stronger.

"I've been meaning to ask, but where were you five years ago?"

It was a simple question, harmless in nature, yet it felt like a vice around her throat.

"I-In my village of course." Why was she so nervous all of a sudden?

Turning fully to face her, Minfilia took a step closer. "Are you sure?"

"Of course! Where else would I've been!?" she narrowed her eyes, the sudden nervousness giving way to a spike of anger. "I left my village a couple of moons ago to become an adventurer! I wanted to join the Pugilist guild, but before that—"

Wait, no. That wasn't right. After leaving home she had headed directly to Ul'dah, hadn't she?

Hadn't she?

S'eni nodded to herself. Yes, of course, she had. Straight with the first boat that had left. She had later taken a Chocobo carriage that took her the rest of the way.

But... A voice that sounded like her own echoed through her mind. There were no ships heading towards Thanalan the day you left...

What!? No, that couldn't be right, she was sure of it!

There was something that you wanted to see first. It was very important to you.

Something she wanted to see first...

What was it?

What was it!?

She cried out as the all too familiar pain once more reared its ugly head, returning with a vengeance. S'eni's hands immediately shot up to grab her head as she was struck with a ferocity that made her double over.

Minfilia stepped forward and grabbed her shoulders tightly, holding her as steady as possible while staring at her with deep, sad eyes.

"I'm sorry, but I've been silent for too long. You're wrong, S'eni. You weren't at your village five years ago," she told her. "You left it, on a ship heading towards Limsa Lominsa."

S'eni wanted to tell her that she was wrong, but no words came as she parted her lips, the pain that was burning like a wildfire across her brain robbing her of her voice.

"Hear..."

Hot tears were pricking at her eyelids as the other woman cupped her cheek and locked their gazes. "You were passed out when I first met you, so I left you a message to come seek me out at the Waking Sands."

"Feel..."

"You were there, at the battle of Carteneau!" Minfilia looked pleadingly at her. "Please, you have to remember!"

"Think..."

Throwing her head back in a silent scream, the world exploded into white as the pain reached its peak before S'eni felt herself slipping into blissful darkness.

"Thou hast grown strong, my child. Strong enough to finally remember that which thou hast forgotten."

 

---

 

Quiet conversations and the creaking of wood pervaded the air as the ship was rocked back and forth by waves. The sound of the wind, although dulled, could still be heard clearly as well.

And she was pretty sure someone was singing.

"To all of my children in whom Life flows abundant."

But maybe it was also the imagination of a tired mind, as a yawn escaped her no sooner than a Lalafel close to her released one as well. Closing her eyes, S'eni buried her face in her knees.

"To all of my children to whom Death hath passed his judgment."

What luck for her to get caught up in a sea storm on her first journey!

"The soul yearns for honor, and the flesh the hereafter."

If her father were here, he would probably just laugh and call it her first adventure.

"Look to those who walked before to lead those who walk after..."

Papa... she thought, before shaking her head and trying to get some sleep instead. Perhaps they would arrive in Limsa Lominsa by the time she woke up.

She was just about to nod off when a voice startled her.

"Hear..."

Looking around, S'eni looked for the speaker but only found the other passengers, quietly talking amongst themselves.

"Feel..."

She jumped a little. There it was again. It sounded like the voice of a woman.

"Think..."

Blinking, she slowly stood up and looked around. The singing returned soon after, and S'eni felt her eyes drawn to the door of the large cabin. Almost on their own volition, her legs carried her over, passing the other passengers who only gave her quick curious glances, before minding their own business once more.

She walked through the lower deck, the voice guiding her like a siren's call towards the steps that lead to the upper decks, where a strange mist wafted down into the ship.

Taking the steps, S'eni soon found herself surrounded by dark clouds. High above her, a bright light broke through them. Balls of fire rained down from it, crashing into the ground all around her; a sight that made the little hairs on her neck stand on end.

"Look out!" a voice called out and she whirled around just in time to be caught by a sudden wave as it washed over the deck, sending her flying back against a mast and replacing the almost frightfully tranquil vision with the blazing storm raging in the skies.

A groan escaped her and raised a hand to rub the saltwater blurring her vision out of her eyes. White hair entered her sight, shortly followed by a pair of almost glowing mint eyes.

A Miqo'te, like her.

"All hands to foredecks!" she heard a sailor shout.

The other woman checked her over for any visible injuries before looking at her face once more.

"Hurry back to your cabin, friend," she told her. "Lest you become the sea's next victim."

The sailor turned to look at them, pulling on a rope with all his might. "She won't hold much longer!"

She couldn't just return inside. She had to help.

Pushing herself off the ground, S'eni hurried towards the foredecks.

An amused sound escaped the other woman. "A brave one..."

They had just made it up the next set of stairs where they found absolute chaos as the entire deck was swamped with Aurelias and the crew doing its best to fend them off.

"Gods forfend," the Miqo'te woman murmured as she looked out to the sea, while S'eni didn't waste any time to grab the hora resting at her sides and join the fray.

First adventure indeed, S'eni thought.

 

---

 

Her boots echoed down the hallway while her eyes roamed the sand-colored stone of the walls.

So this is the Waking Sands, S'eni thought to herself. It certainly earned its name in color, if nothing else.

Turning her gaze back in front of her, she spotted three people, two Hyur men, and a Lalafel woman, holding a conversation. Upon noticing her approach, they turned to face her

"Might ye be here seekin' Minfilia?" the bespectacled man with the goatee asked.

"Aye, welcome to the Waking Sands," the one with the hat next to him said. "An 'aven for those who've chosen, or been chosen to walk the glorious Path of the Twelve."

"Ah!" the Lalafel woman spoke up, a smile forming on her lips. "You must be the one the Antecedent spoke of. Lady Minfilia will want to hear more of your recent 'awakening'."

She looked at her two companions, who gave her a nod before going on their way, then returned her gaze to S'eni. "She awaits you in the Hall of the First Step. Please, this way."

The woman led her through the hallways to a set of double doors. S'eni reached her hands out to open them, but stopped herself and looked at her momentary guide.

"Go on," she said with a giggle. "She won't bite."

Breathing out a chuckle, S'eni stepped through the door. It was a pretty big chamber, enough for a group of people to stand and still leave enough room for some more. At the other end was a large desk and sitting behind it was a young woman, her thoughtful face framed by blonde bangs.

So this was the woman who had left her that note.

"I'm delighted to see you again," she said, her gaze almost piercing as she turned it towards S'eni. "As you may have heard, I have many questions."

The other woman's expression then turned warm, a welcoming smile forming on her face.

"Ah, but I'm forgetting my manners. We haven't been properly introduced yet. I'm Minfilia, acting Antecedent of the Path of the Twelve." Steel-blue eyes came to rest upon cherry pink. "And you're S'eni, I was so bold to inquire about your name."

"That's right," she replied, eyeing her warily.

"There's no reason to be cautious. We don't mean you any harm, quite the opposite," Minfilia assured her, rising to her feet and walking out from behind her desk. "From your expression, I can see you haven't heard about us...which is to be expected. We're an underground organization dedicated to the documentation and research of divine intervention, or "miracles" if you will."

"We have walkers in each of Eorzea's city-states who investigate and report such phenomena." Her smile widening, she pointed at the door. "Tataru is one of many serving as our eyes and ears."

"Alright," S'eni said, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "And what does that have to do with me?"

"You have a rare and special gift, S'eni Gata, and that has led you here to us," Minfilia replied. "Tell me, did you have any strange visions of moments long past?"

Arms flopping down to her sides, S'eni's eyes widened in surprise. How did she know? "I...yeah." she nodded.

"That, my friend, is your gift. What you possess is a rare talent that we have come to call the Echo," the other woman explained. "We believe that it's somehow connected to the recent surge in strange phenomena happening all across Eorzea."

Her eyes dropped to the ground as she absorbed these words. Echo? Strange phenomena?

She had no idea what that meant. All she had wanted was to become an adventurer and see the world, and now she felt like she had been thrust into something far greater.

"And...what now?" she asked after a moment of silence.

"The Path of the Twelve is a place of study, as well as a refuge for those like us. We aim to uncover the meaning behind these strange events while offering protection and guidance to those who hear the Echo." Minfilia's expression became serious. "But that's not all. My fellow walkers and I believe that this power was given to us for a reason."

"A reason?" she asked, eyebrows rising.

The other woman nodded. "Yes. We offer those who have been touched with the means to use their power for good and to bring peace to Eorzea!"

Peace for all of Eorzea, S'eni thought. A tall goal if she ever heard one.

"So what do you say, S'eni, now that you know who we are?" Minfilia asked, reaching out to place a hand on her shoulder. "Will you consider joining us?"

Her first instinct was to say no. Leave and pretend this never happened, but something in the way Minfilia had said these words made her hesitate and truly look at the other woman, who couldn't be much older than she was.

And then there was this whole Echo thing that she didn't understand and all, and this Path of the Twelve might help her get some answers.

Releasing the breath she didn't know she was holding, S'eni nodded.

Minfilia smiled. "Then let me be the first to welcome you as our newest walker, S'eni!"

Despite the uncertainty of the situation, she couldn't help but smile upon hearing those words.

 

 

Chapter 12

Answers pt. 2

 

The crypt of Xandes was draped in an aetherial glow as she knelt in front of the divine symbol of Thaliak, the Scholar. It was the last stop on her pilgrimage across Eorzea to pray to the Twelve for the salvation of the realm from the descending Dalamud.

Her eyes were closed, shielding them from the blinding light coming from the crystals in front of her.

It was meant to end with the death of Nael van Darnus, yet the red moon of Allag still descended upon them and according to Gaius the VIIth Legion, instead of breaking apart, had entrenched itself near Mor Dhona.

She didn't like to listen to the Black Wolf's words, but like had Y'shtola said to her when she told her about their meeting, he had no desire to see Eorzea destroyed; if only to conquer it himself.

And with her friend relaying this information to the leaders of the Alliance the battle was soon to begin.

As she finished her prayer, the crystals' light pulsed like the beating of a heart, before dimming to its natural glow. Opening her eyes, S'eni rose to her feet and stared at the sigil of Thaliak in front of her.

She just hoped the Twelve had heard her prayer.

Hearing the sounds of footsteps made her turn around and she saw Louisoix and Urianger approaching her. The older Archon raised his staff as it started to glow in the same almost blinding light as all the other sigils had done.

It didn't last long, and by the time S'eni had come to stop in front of them the glow was gone once again and Louisoix lowered the Tupsimati.

"The light of hope waxeth ever more bright..." Urianger said in that poetic way of his.

"Aah. I feel it! There can be no doubt; the gods are stirring." Louisoix looked around, closing his eyes for a moment before resting them on her. "Your presence is a boon to the realm, S'eni. Thanks to you, we may yet still prevail. All that remains now is for those in Eorzea to join as one in prayer. In doing so, the gods will surely descend."

"Master, forgive me mine impertinence," Urianger interrupted the older man. "But the VIIth legion yet stands betwixt us and our objective."

Louisoix looked at his student for a second, then back towards her. S'eni shrugged. She had been about to point that out as well.

"Gods forbid I forget that detail!" he nodded. "Aye, we must secure suitable grounds for the summoning, though I feat it means throwing the entire might of the alliance against the empire."

"So what happens next?" she asked.

"I will prepare to receive Dalamud, while Thancred and the other shall marshal the will of those that abide in this land and by the grace of the Twelve deliver Eorzea from her doom and into a new era of peace and prosperity."

Urianger turned to look at her, inclining his head, before speaking. "Dire though they seem upon first hearing, the words of Mezaya Thousand Eyes are, in sooth, a promise of salvation."

He walked past her and S'eni glanced over her shoulder to see him look at the sigil of Thaliak. "Yet whence that salvation wouldst come, no man could say. Only now, as the shadow of Dalamud loometh large, doth the truth wax plain to sight."

"What do you mean?"

"The valiant blades of which the seventh verse spoke betoken than thee and thy fellow adventurers," he replied. "Though heavens spew crimson flames, and hells seep black dooms, by thy hands shall Eorzea look upon a new dawn."

Turning around on his heel, the Elezen offered her a graceful bow before wordlessly taking his leave. She watched him go, his words echoing inside her mind.

By my hands, she thought and looked at them. When she had left her home, she never would have thought that she would ever face a primal, much less defeat an imperial Legatus, and now she and her comrades were to usher in a new era for Eorzea?

It was quite a heavy burden.

Her musings were interrupted when Louisoix spoke once more. "Urianger speaks true. Like him, I harbor no fear for the preservation of Eorzea. Your presence alone serves as ample reassurance."

"Louisoix..." The older man gave her a kind smile and nodded.

"Where men go as one, there is life. And where there is life, there is cause for hope," he said in a kind, grandfatherly tone. "If I can but see you to a new future, I should want for nothing more."

She stared at him for a moment, before smiling herself. "Don't go dying on me now."

He laughed at her words. "Do not worry, I have no plans on dying just yet. I have two adorable grandchildren that I have to tell stories about the Warriors of Light to, after all."

His expression then turned serious and he motioned for her to walk with him.

"S'eni, as the others and I prepare for the hour of reckoning, you join forces with your comrades and the Alliance's troops at the summoning grounds on the southeastern expanse of Mor Dhona, and prepare to repel the VIIth imperial legion."

"Mhm." She nodded.

Once they had stepped out of Xandes crypt and into the open, Louisoix turned to look her in the eye. "Go well, S'eni. The blessing of the Twelve be upon you."

"And when this is over, the first round will be on me," she said, palming her fist.

That kind smile returned to his features. "I shall look forward to that."

 

---

 

S'eni ran across the battlefield, the sounds of combat and cries of pain echoing all around her. Explosions shook the ground as magitek armors and magic clashed against one another, condemning multiple poor souls to a fiery end.

Above them, looming ever closer, was Dalamud. It was now close enough that one could see the patterns that marked all Allagan technology, glowing an ominous blue as bits and pieces were coming off of it that descended all across the continent.

The smell of smoke and blood invaded her nostrils as she stared up at it.

How long is this going to take!? S'eni asked herself when the sounds of plated boots made her snap her attention to the legionary running towards her. Raising the claws she was holding in her hands, she blocked the blade coming at her.

She pushed him back with a cry, immediately going into the counter offense and swiping a claw across his throat. Blood gushed out of the wound, splattering her face and armor, but she had no time to lament her enemy's fate as one of his comrades came at her right after.

With trained reflexes, S'eni lowered herself to the ground and swiped the legs out from under him, plunging her other claw into his chest.

A cry made her glance over her shoulder to see another legionary run at her, his sword gleaming in the light of Dalamud as he prepared to bring it down on her. Pulling her weapon out of the corpse in front of her, S'eni managed to bring her hands up to block the strike, wedging the blade between the edges of her claws.

She struggled against him, gritting her teeth as he pushed down with all his might. With a cry she pushed back and managed to turn around, twisting the weapon out of his grip in the process and flinging it away. Completely open, he had no chance as she grabbed the side of his head and only managed a startled scream before she plunged the blades of her weapon through his helmet and into his skull.

His body twitched for a few seconds, lifeless eyes staring at her through the cracked helmet, before collapsing under his own weight as she removed her claw with a sickening sound. Dead like so many others on this cursed day.

Gods... S'eni closed her eyes for but a moment.

A mistake.

The sound of a gun going off made her whirl around, eyes opening wide, just in time for the bullet to penetrate her armor and enter her body in a small explosion of blood, knocking her to the ground.

Flaming hot pain shot through her, making her cry out, and she felt her blood gushing out of her wound like the water of one of Gridania's many springs.

Maybe it was the adrenaline coursing through her body, trying and failing to dull the pain, but somehow she managed to angle her head so she could look at the one that had shot her, the muzzle of his gun still smoking and once more taking aim at her to finish the job.

All of a sudden, a shield came spinning through the air, knocking against the rifleman and throwing off his aim at the last second, causing the bullet to bury itself into the ground next to her head.

A vision of curly red hair entered her vision, running towards the legionary and catching the shield as it flew through the air, before running him through with a sword.

"Get her out of here!" the woman shouted towards the other two that joined, a Lalafel woman with strawberry hair and an older Hyur, holding up her shield to protect them as they made their retreat.

She felt herself being lifted off the ground, watching as the Lalafel's hand was engulfed in flames before shooting a huge ball of fire into a group of Garlean troops heading their way.

"I've got ye!" S'eni heard him say while she was carried off to the spot their company had entrenched themselves near where Louisoix was still preparing the summoning.

"S'eni!" a voice called out as she was carefully placed on the ground, soon followed by kind brown eyes and full blonde hair. A hand moved to hover over her injury, shortly followed by the tell-tale glow of a cure spell.

As the spell did its work, S'eni cried out again, body twisting and turning as it tried to remove the foreign object nestled deep inside her flesh.

"Hold her still!" Two pairs of hands grabbed her, pushing her shoulders down to the ground. Another hand placed itself on her forehead, its warmth soothing.

Her cries were growing louder and louder as the pain intensified, seconds feeling like an agonizing eternity until they abruptly died down when the bullet was finally removed.

A wave of relief washed over her as the pain started to fade, being replaced by the pleasant warmth of healing magic, and she felt herself grow slack as it knitted her flesh back together.

"You're going to make it, S'eni."

A weak, bloody smile was her reply. Slowly, she felt her strength returning to her and pushed herself back up.

"Careful there," she heard her friend say.

"I'm fine! We need to push back the VIIth legion!" Jumping on a nearby rock she looked out towards the battle, where the Garleans were giving as good as they got. They needed to get the upper hand, and fast!

"There!" a member of their company shouted, pointing at Dalamud. The ominous blue glow was growing brighter by the second, and from one moment to the next a large piece came loose and fell right into the middle of the battlefield, sending a shockwave of dust across the flats that made them cover their eyes and nearly knocked her back down to the ground.

Pulling her arms away from her face, S'eni stared at the Allagan moon, eyes growing wide as the blue gave way to a fiery orange and—

"Gods forfend!"

—it started to fall apart and a pair of giant wings pushed their way through the top. Little by little, as if hatching from an egg, the form of a dragon revealed itself to them.

Everything was silent for a moment, both sides too shocked at this sudden turn of events, before the dragon opened its maw and let out an ear-piercing scream. What remained of Dalamud exploded, sending a rain of destruction in every direction that shook the very earth.

Screams echoed through the air as people on both sides started to run for their lives, trying to get as far away from this monstrosity as possible.

"No..." she could only look on in disbelief as this dragon, this primal, flew across the sky at blinding speed, laying waste to everything around them.

"WATCH OUT!" the voice of one of her fellow adventurers called out as some of its fiery rays were heading directly towards them. They tried to get behind cover, but it was too late.

Or so it seemed, when just before they were hit, a bright blue dome of aetherial light surrounded them. Turning around in surprise, she saw Louisoix, the Tupsimati glowing in his hand, and grimacing in concentration as he tried to keep the barrier up for as long as possible.

But even for him, the sheer destructive energy was too much, and the dome shattered into a million pieces, the resulting shockwave knocking everyone back.

A loud growl pervaded the air and a gust of wind knocked the wind out of her as the dragon fully turned its attention on those that would dare to try to escape destruction.

It was at that moment when it happened.

To the east a giant pillar of light shot into the sky, piercing the very cloud, followed by another in the south and a third one in the west.

The Twelve!

The light gathered all around them, creating a storm of aether, and Louisoix raised his staff high into the air. The aether glowed, then took the shape of giant spears that shot towards the primal.

It screamed as the spears formed a barrier around it, encasing it layer upon layer until it was surrounded by a sphere of pure magical energy.

Come on, come on! S'eni pleaded in her mind, scrambling back onto her feet as she saw each of the Twelve's symbols rise in the sky around the sphere. Clenching her hand, she prayed to Azeyma herself to get them out of this.

Their triumph was close at hand when suddenly the sphere exploded and the symbols of their gods dissipated into aether.

She dropped to her knees, watching as the flare of destruction the dragon used to break free grew larger and larger until it looked like the entire sky was burning. One of her comrades started to sob, and she too could feel hot tears starting to run down her face.

Everyone...I'm sorry... she apologized in her mind, hoping that at least Y'shtola and the others would survive. Heat licked at her skin as destruction crept closer and closer.

Papa...

A bright flash followed by a startled cry awoke her from her stupor, and she found herself surrounded by bright light. As she glanced over her shoulder she saw each of her comrades vanishing one by one until only she remained.

Eyes widening in realization, she looked up to see Louisoix, kneeling high above, resting on his staff while his outstretched hand weaved an arcane pattern. His eyes found hers, and S'eni could see the same kind smile he had given her earlier this day.

"If I can but see you to a new future, I should want for nothing more." She heard his words echo inside her mind and she stretched her hand out towards him.

"Louiso—"

And then, nothing.

 

---

 

T he clearing was absolutely quiet, not a sound was heard bar the chirping of the birds flying through the sky, and the sun was shining brightly above.

A sudden flash and the sound of a body dropping to the ground disturbed this idyllic scenery, scaring away little animals that were partaking in nature's offerings nearby.

It became still for a moment, then a groan echoed through the air as cherry pink eyes were opened to glaring sunlight.

Shielding her eyes, S'eni slowly pushed herself off the ground, taking a look around.

Where was she?

She rose to her feet and almost fell back down as the world around her started spinning, and her hand gripped her head at the gods awful headache she was having. Breathing in and out, the world became a little less dizzy, and she took her first steps. Once she was sure that she was steady on her feet, she left the clearing.

S'eni found herself soon wandering through a veritable sea of trees that could only be the Black Shroud. How in the seven hells did she end up here?

But that wasn't important right now; she needed to find-

What did she need to find?

Water a voice in the back of her mind all but screamed and she only now realized how thirsty she was.

Luckily for her, a spring was soon found and she had to hold herself back from straight-up diving into it. Gathering as much water as she could, she greedily drank it all up, then dipped her hands back in. She repeated it a few more times until she felt her thirst quenched for the time being.

Releasing a sigh of relief, she looked down at her reflection inside the water and immediately frowned when she noticed that her face was covered in...something.

Taking a closer look, she startled backwards. Was that blood!?

Looking down at herself, she saw the armor she was wearing was covered in it as well. Her heart skipped a beat, before hammering up to her ears as panic started to overwhelm her. Why was she covered in blood!?

Breath growing wild and hands shaking, her fingers started to claw at the chest piece in a desperate attempt to get it off. After multiple tries, she finally managed to pry it off of her and tossed it as far away as possible.

Pain shot through her head, but she ignored it and instead dove back towards the spring, gathering water and rubbing it all over her face to get rid of the blood.

Images flashed inside her mind, of soldiers fighting and dying.

No no no no! She gathered more water, rubbed more fiercely. Need to get it off!

Of fire all around her.

Get it off!

Of a giant dragon looming above her.

Get it off!

Of a kind smile as the world was about to come to an end.

GET IT OFF!

The pain grew in intensity, her entire brain consumed by the flames inside her mind, and she grabbed the sides of her head. Crying out, S'eni's head snapped upward, her eyes wide and unfocused as more and more images flooded her mind, becoming a kaleidoscope of moments that spun around and around.

Around and around

Around and around.

Until finally, it exploded into millions of pieces, and the pain was gone.

...

...

...

S'eni blinked once, twice, before looking around. What was she doing here?

Her eyes landed on the spring in front of her. She stared at it for a moment, tilting her head to the side, before reaching out and gathering some of its water to drink. She wasn't particularly thirsty, but it couldn't hurt.

She still had some ways to go after all!

As she was wiping excess water from her mouth her ears perked when an unmistakable sound echoed forwards. The "wark!" of Chocobos.

Jumping to her feet, S'eni ran towards the sound and soon found herself on a road built between the trees. She looked around for the source of the noise and spotted a Chocobo carriage as it slowly travelled towards her.

"HEEEEEEYYYYY!" she shouted, jumping and waving her hands.

With some luck, she could catch a ride with. Honestly, she should have just bought a passage when she had arrived on the mainland.

That way she wouldn't have gotten lost on the way to Ul'dah!

 

---

 

The warm feeling of hands cupping her face was the first thing she felt as she came to, holding her like a mother would hold her child or a sister would hold a dear sibling, filling her with a sense of security.

Slowly, she opened her eyes, blinking a few times to focus her vision. The blurry silhouette hovering above gave way to Minfilia, looking down at her with concerned eyes.

"S'eni!" her friend exclaimed. "Thank the Twelve!'

"Minfilia..." S'eni replied, a smile slowly creeping onto her features. "...you grew your hair out."

A gasp escaped the other woman, and she removed one of her hands to cover her mouth. "Do you really-?"

"Remember?" she asked right back, getting a nod in return. "I do. How we met, the battle, everything."

Minfilia breathed out a laugh, brushing the tears away that started to pool in her eyes.

Using her elbows to prop herself up, she looked around. They were still on the platform, but Minfilia had been quick-thinking enough to pull her into a quiet corner, lest any of the soldiers gathered around might have spotted their new hero collapsed on the ground.

"Are you alright?" Minfilia asked as S'eni rose to her feet.

"I'm fine. Better than fine actually," she replied, looking at her friend as she stood up as well. Their eyes met for a moment before Minfilia looked away while biting her lip.

"I'm sorry...I-I didn't know what else to do..."

"It's alright, you're not at fault," S'eni said, taking a step towards her friend and placing a hand on her shoulder. "My memories were lost, hidden deep inside of me because I couldn't handle what happened, and it's only thanks to you that I remember now. Thank you, Minfilia."

After saying those words, she offered her friend an earnest smile. Minfilia returned the smile and moved in to hug her.

"Welcome back," the other woman said.

"It's good to be back." Closing her eyes, she moved to return the hug. She had been asleep, trapped in a dream of her own making; but she was back now and—

"Excuse me!" a voice called out, making them pull apart and look towards its source. It was a young officer of the Immortal Flames, standing to attention. "The assault is about to begin and General Raubahn wishes to speak with you."

—there was still much to be done. "Tell him I'm on my way."

The officer saluted her in the customary way of the Flames before marching off. S'eni turned towards Minfilia, giving her a little shrug.

"Duty calls," she said.

Minfilia giggled. "That it does."

"We'll catch up when this is over," S'eni promised and started to follow the officer, but stopped after only a few steps when her friend called after her and glanced over her shoulder.

"May the light guide you on your way."

S'eni looked at her for a moment before releasing a chuckle and sending her a wink. As she started to leave once again, she raised her hand in a wave. "I'll try to not damage Thancred's pretty face when I beat that Ascian out of him," she said, a grin splitting her face at the chuckle that escaped her friend.

Heading towards where Raubahn was waiting for her, S'eni nodded at a group of troops as they saluted her, then turned her gaze towards the Castrum in the distance.

"Live, adventurer, and we may well meet again," she heard the words Gaius had said to her five years ago echo inside her mind.

You got your wish, Gaius, even if you might not remember. But this ha s gone on for long enough.

It was time to end this.

 

Notes:

So first off, this was initially one chapter, but I decided to make this a two parter for ease of reading for any of you that might be reading on mobile.

Alright, so this here was a little experiment. Dunno if I succeeded entirely, but I liked the idea. So one day when I was planning this thing out, I learned of the whole Legacy thing that players taking over their characters from 1.0 into ARR received, like the small difference in cutscenes, the fact that people bar Minfilia forgot about the Warrior of Light ect. It intruiged me, but obviously never having been a Legacy player myself, my experience with the story was slightly different. Then I got the idea into my head to essentially combine it and have her own memories be affected as well. I can't deny that I got majorly inspired by FF VII in that regard, but I guess that, in a way, is also very in the spirit of XIV, which likes to reference and reinvent/tweak themes from all over the franchise.

Anyway, I hope it's enjoyable for what it is, and don't worry. More to come.

Until then!

Chapter 13

A Realm Awoken

 

Victory at last. It tasted as sweet as I imagined it would. It was by no means an easy one, but when we saw the Praetorium go up in flames, everyone knew that the Black Wolf of Garlemald and his Ultima Weapon had been defeated.

As we waited for our hero's triumphant return, something peculiar happened. Like a veil that had blocked the view on the sun, the shadow that had obscured everyone's memories was torn away, and with an explosion that shook the earth underneath our feet, the friend that had been lost for five long years had finally returned.

 

---

 

The stars were glittering all across the night's sky over Vesper Bay on this quiet night, with only the sea breeze serving as company to S'eni as she stared up at it.

A sigh escaped her, followed by a smile, and a wave of fatigue washed over her, calling her to bed to get a well-earned rest. But she didn't want to sleep, not yet.

Her thoughts went back to five years ago when all of her comrades had disappeared one by one. Had they returned, just like her? And if so, would they hear about what Eorzea had done today?

These were questions she had no answer to, but if there was one thing she was sure of, it was that they were alright, wherever they may be; their faces were no longer forgotten.

It was too bad, really. They missed quite the victory bash. Well, for as long as it lasted anyway.

Shortly after the leaders of the Alliance had declared the Seventh Astral Era, a deafening roar had shaken the very earth underneath their feet; a primal.

After that, no one was in any mood to celebrate anymore and the Scions had officially started their investigation into the matter, but aside from some aether readings they weren't able to do much at the time and decided to return to Vesper Bay to recuperate.

And now she was sitting here, all alone on the rooftop of the Waking Sands, looking at the stars. That was until her ears perked up at the sound of familiar steps coming from behind her.

"Can't sleep?" she asked, turning around and smiling at the not unwelcome intruder.

"I could ask you the same," was Y'shtola's reply.

"Hmm, in my case it's more of a don't want to, yet."

"I see even being the Warrior of Light does not rid one of some childish notions." The corner of the other Miqo'te's lips quirked upward. "But yes, I suppose I can't sleep. There's a lot to think about."

"About the primal?"

Y'shtola nodded. "That too. But there's also the matter of remembering things I did not even realize I had forgotten."

"Oh, believe me, I can relate," S'eni replied, tapping her temple.

"I believe your case is a tad different than ours, but I suppose it's similar enough." Her friend stepped up next to her, mint-colored eyes going toward the stars above. Her bangs were moving in the wind. "It's strange. I forgot your face, your name, but whenever we talked I had this strange feeling that I couldn't shake off. Like a part of me still remembered you somehow."

"You're not the only one. Before I got my memory back, Papalymo asked me if we had ever met before."

"Seems like you have left quite the lasting impression on all of us," Y'shtola commented, with amusement in her voice.

"I don't know about that. I'm just me, always have been."

"Don't sell yourself short. The things you have done, past and present, are feats no ordinary person could hope to achieve."

"That was mostly because of the Echo," S'eni replied.

"Maybe so," the other Miqo'te said. "Yet it still takes courage to do so, and that courage is yours and yours alone."

S'eni didn't know how to reply, so she didn't, and instead moved to rest her hands on the railing in front of her. A slight wince crossed her features as she put too much weight on her right hand and the pain shot up her arm.

"What's wrong?"

"It's nothing."

"Show me your hand."

"Really, it's fine. It doesn't even hu—" whatever excuse she wanted to give died on her lips as she turned to face Y'shtola and saw her narrowing her eyes in a glare that left no room for argument on the matter. Heaving a sigh, S'eni held out her right hand.

She winced once again as Y'shtola removed her glove.

"I should have noticed you were favoring your left hand," Y'shtola muttered while examining her hand. "It's slightly swollen. Does it hurt when I do this?"

After asking the question, she gently pressed her thumb into her palm.

"Yeah," S'eni replied, her voice strained.

"Honestly..." Y'shtola shook her head, letting her other hand hover over hers, before casting a spell. Tingling warmth started to spread through her fingers as the white glow of the healing magic engulfed them, slowly taking the pain away like the caress of a warm summer breeze on her face.

S'eni couldn't help but watch Y'shtola, eyebrows drawn in concentration.

"Remember how we first met?" she found herself asking.

"I do now."

"You called me a brave one."

Y'shtola let out a huff, never taking her eyes off what she was doing. "If I knew back then that I would find myself piecing you back together I would have called you reckless instead."

"And yet that recklessness saved Eorzea." She grinned, lifting her uninjured hand and extending two fingers. "Twice!"

"And there it is: the start of an overinflated ego, five years in the making."

"Hey, Cid's words, not mine!"

They both shared a laugh.

"There's something that I find curious though," Y'shtola asked after a moment of silence. "Since you wanted to become a member of the Pugilist guild, why did you take a ship headed for Limsa Lominsa and not Thanalan?"

S'eni looked out towards the stars once more, a thoughtful expression on her features.

"My apologies, I shouldn't have asked."

"No, it's alright." The corners of her lips curled into a smile. "It's really nothing special, I just wanted to see the place my father was from."

She returned her gaze towards Y'shtola and did a little shrug. "My father was a seaman, born and raised in La Noscea. Maybe he was a pirate too; his stories tended to change depending on how much wine he had."

Chuckling, she continued. "He always told us stories of his adventures, as he liked to call them, but he would always say that his fondest memories were from there. When I was a child, I always liked listening to his stories, so it was only natural I wanted to see what the outside world looked like."

"Outside world?" Y'shtola asked.

"I'm from the Cieldalaes. My tribe has a village on one of the isles. We're fishermen by tradition, but we also make wine out of the many fruits growing there, so we have healthy trade relations with some of the neighbouring islands and beyond," S'eni explained. "It's not that big a village, the most notable thing we have is an old temple we use to pray to Azeyma, so the days when a ship came to trade goods were always the most exciting to me; strangers from places my father had seen."

"So always the little adventurer at heart?"

"Yeah." She huffed out another laugh, the look in her eyes turning wistful. "And as I grew older my desire to see what was beyond the sea grew with me. My father must have noticed because one day while training with my sister he took me aside to 'teach me how to really fight'. He was the strongest man I knew."

"Is he...?"

"Mmh." She nodded. "Undefeated by any would-be Nunh, until sickness claimed him."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"It's alright. He didn't want for us to mourn him, and when he finally passed, I didn't see any point in sticking around. I took the next ship heading to Limsa Lominsa and I think you know the rest of the story from there," S'eni said.

"I do," Y'shtola replied. "Thank you. For telling me."

"Well, just repay me with some embarrassing kid stories the next time we're having tea and we're even."

"Duly noted."

Cherry pink eyes locking with mint green ones, a comfortable silence set over them, the sound of the soft sea breeze the only thing disturbing the quiet as it made their hair dance gently in the wind. Another smile formed on her face, one that her friend soon mirrored.

They remained like this for a while, until S'eni moved her gaze to look at the hand that Y'shtola was still holding, the spell having long since ended. Following her eyes, the other Miqo'te slowly let go of her, taking a step back.

"Thanks. Feels as good as new," S'eni said after flexing her fingers a little.

"I couldn't very well let the hero of the realm walk around with an injury that might have impeded on her ability to save it time and again," Y'shtola replied, amusement once more twinkling in her eyes.

"Then I thank you, mighty Y'shtola Rhul, for you have saved the Warrior of Light from her aches and pains." She did a bow reminiscent of Urianger, then sighed as she came back up. "That's going to take some getting used to."

"I'm afraid that's what happens if you save Eorzea twice. As you pointed out yourself."

"I know I know..." another laugh was shared between them and they turned towards the starlit sky. As she watched them twinkling in the distance, it made her wonder what secrets they were holding. Were they watching them as well right now?

"I...should go back," Y'shtola said after a while. "And I suggest you do the same. There's still much to be done for us."

"Alright. But I think I will stay for a bit longer," S'eni replied.

"Very well. Good night."

"Good night."

Closing her eyes, she listened as her friend's step echoed behind her. Y'shtola was just about to round the corner when S'eni called out. "Shtola, wait."

She turned around, opening her eyes once more to see Y'shtola look at her, lips slightly parted in surprise.

"I changed my mind. You're right, we should get some sleep," she said and walked towards her. The look of surprise gave way to one of curiosity. "What?"

"I don't remember giving you permission to call me that."

"Really? After all we've been through?" S'eni grinned. "I even met your sister."

"Honestly..." Y'shtola put a hand on her hip and shook her head. After a short pause, she chuckled. "Very well, have it your way, Eni."

Together, the two of them walked towards the door that led inside. After Y'shtola had walked through, S'eni stopped in the doorway to give the stars one final, lingering look, before following her friend.

 

---

 

Ah, but this wasn't the end of the story. In fact, it was only the beginning. Many more adventures awaited the Warrior of Light, both great and small; some of which I had the pleasure of accompanying her on.

Suffice to say she saved Eorzea more than just two times.

Notes:

And here we are, the end of 2.0.

So funny story, I actually came up with her backstory while joking around with some friends and I showed them screenshots of her in the Moonfire Faire outfit. Lore wise it doesn't really say if there are Miqo'te on the Cieldalaes or not, much less a tribe, but the idea just didn't want to leave me so I've decided to just go ahead with it. I hope it'll add more to her character as the story goes on.

Anyway, next update soon.

Chapter 14

Blossoming Bond

 

It was some time after the investigation into that mysterious primal, which had turned out to be none other than Bahamut of all things, that I came to assist the Sons of Saint Coinach with their planned expedition into the Crystal Tower in Mor Dhona. As fortune would have it, we were receiving the help of none other than our great hero.

But the Sons received additional support from the Students of Baldesion who had sent one of their historians as an Observer. A young man by the name G'raha Tia.

 

---

 

Conversations pervaded the air inside The Seventh Heaven as people from Revenant's Toll, as well as beyond, gathered together in the evening hours to enjoy a few drinks or play a couple of games to relax after a day of hard work while listening to the music by the famous Wandering Minstrel himself that was gracing the town with his presence for a couple of days.

Sitting at one table in a far corner of the tavern were Cid and S'eni, deep in conversation. His lips were slightly parted as he listened to what she told him, a mug filled with ale held in his hands.

"Wait wait, so you're telling me it was truly Louisoix?"

"Yeah." S'eni nodded, nursing her mug. "I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw him."

"Unbelievable..." Cid took a sip. "And it was him that stopped Bahamut two years ago?"

"Mmh." She had wondered just how Bahamut had been defeated back then since she and her comrades had been sent away by the Archon, but she never imagined something quite like this.

But even in his death throes, the ancient Primal had been strong enough to force Louisoix under his control so that like the Phoenix that her old friend had become he would be resurrected.

Thankfully Alphinaud, Alisaie, and her had managed to break Bahamut's hold over him, setting him free and giving the family a few precious moments before Louisoix could finally pass on in peace.

"What a guy," Cid said. "He truly was one in a million."

"He was," S'eni replied, the corners of her lips rising in response to the image of Louisoix looking at her just as he was dissipating while giving her that same smile from two years ago. She raised her mug and held it towards Cid. "To Louisoix."

"To Louisoix," he echoed and clinked their mugs together.

Raising her drink to her lips, she took a large sip from it, before lowering it back on the table. A small cheer made her glance over to the table not far from them where an Elezen man had just won a round of dice and was smugly gathering his winnings. With a chuckle, she let her eyes wander around the tavern until she spotted a familiar head of red hair walking in through the door, the ears on top of it wiggling slightly at the change in sound level compared to outside.

He looked around for a moment before his gaze found their table and made his way over to them. Noticing her look, Cid followed her gaze and saw their new arrival approach them as well, making him raise his hand in greeting.

"G'raha Tia," he said.

"Master Cid," G'raha Tia greeted him back, then inclined his head towards her. "S'eni."

"Coming to join us in a well-earned break?" Cid grinning.

"Actually, I'm here to deliver a message from Biggs and Wedge. They seem to be in need of assistance," the male Miqo'te said.

"Well well," the engineer replied dryly, raising his mug to his lips and draining it in one impressive go. "There truly is no rest for the righteous, is there?"

The last part was directed at S'eni, followed by a wink that made her chuckle. The older man rose to his feet, straightened out his jacket, and put a few Gil on the table.

"Now let's see what the problem is. Thanks," he said and clapped G'raha Tia on the shoulder as he walked past him and towards the door. They watched him go until he had left before S'eni turned her attention to the man still standing there.

"So are you going to sit down or is there another important task waiting already?" she asked, making him turn his mismatched eyes towards her. He blinked, then realization dawned on his face.

"Ah, no, I don't have any pressing matters to attend to. I was actually on my way to retire for the evening when I ran into Biggs and Wedge."

"Well, have a seat then." With a smile, she pointed towards the empty space opposite of her. While he sat down, S'eni waved one of the barmaids over, who started to collect the Gil and empty mug.

"What'll it be?" the young girl then asked G'raha Tia.

"I'm having what she's having," he replied.

"Going with the safe pick I see," S'eni commented.

"I'm afraid I'm not much of a drinker, to be honest." He shook his head. "So yes, I took the safe option."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that. I can hold my liquor very, very well," she said, raising her mug to her lips and taking another sip. She had to grin inside when she saw the dawning realization on his face that he might have made a mistake.

"Oh..."

"Don't worry. It's light," S'eni assuaged him, putting her drink back down. "So, G'raha Tia—Ah, or is that Archon G'raha Tia?"

She pointed at her neck for emphasis.

"G'raha Tia is fine," he replied. "What is it you would like to know?"

"I wanted to know what it is that the Students of Baldesion do," she said. "I heard the name spoken by one of my friends before, but I never got around to ask. So why not do so when I have one sitting right in front of me?"

"That's tricky to answer. Our organization isn't focused on one field or another. We study and research many fields, like the nature of the Umbral Calamity phenomenon," he told her. "And I just happen to specialize in the history of the Allagan Empire. It's not the first time I worked with the Sons, though our last endeavour was a rather fruitless one."

"Hmm," she hummed. "So you're saying the Students have their fingers in many pies."

G'raha Tia chuckled at that. "In a way."

The barmaid came back with a newly filled mug that she placed on the table in front of him. "Here you go."

"Thank you," he said and took his first sip, letting out a hum.

"So what was it that turned out to be a fruitless endeavour?"

"We were trying to locate Azys Lla."

S'eni tilted her head to the side. "What's that?"

"Just a floating continent that the Allagan's created," G'raha Tia said, a grin forming on his lips at the look she gave him. "Surely it's not a surprise after all you have witnessed inside the labyrinth, never mind Dalamud."

No, she supposed it wasn't. Still, it was amazing to imagine it though. "So you couldn't locate it?"

"Sadly no." He shrugged. "But that's how it goes in archaeology. Now the Crystal Tower is looking much more promising."

"Even if we'll shut it all down again," S'eni pointed out.

"Yes. But we of NOAH are going to document all our findings, and besides that: the experience alone is invaluable!"

"Well well, aren't you excited," S'eni said, a smirk dancing at the corners of her lips.

"I'm sorry, I probably got ahead of myself there," he said, sounding a little embarrassed. "I—"

"Have an affinity for the Allagan Empire, I know." Now it was her turn to grin. "It's alright. You're not the only scholar I know."

"The Circle of Knowing, right?"

"Yes. And one of Rammbroes fellow Sons." She took another sip. Perhaps she should pay Y'mhitra another visit when this Crystal Tower business was concluded, and drag Y'shtola with her as well.

"You seem to have a talent for surrounding yourself with intellectuals."

"Yeah, and maybe one day it will even rub off on me," S'eni said, and released a chuckle.

"There are other areas that no one else has the ability to reach you, so don't fret if our scholastic talk is sometimes hard to comprehend," G'raha Tia said with a smile. He took another sip and nodded. "This is a great brew, I have to say!"

"The Students also dabbling in brewing?"

"Actually no, it's part of why I'm not much of a drinker. Though I heard Master Baldesion himself isn't someone to say no to a glass or two." He then leaned back in his chair, his red and green eyes coming to focus on her.

"Yes?" she asked after a moment of silence that was only interrupted by another cheer from the table close by.

"I'm trying to imagine all the things you have experienced and done. I don't want to sound rude, but it's hard to believe just looking at you."

"Not larger than life enough to be 'The Warrior of Light'?" S'eni asked, raising her hands to form quotation marks.

"Well...yes. When you hear Warrior of Light, you think of someone clad in mighty armor and a gleaming sword at their side, not someone looking so...normal."

S'eni looked at him and wordlessly raised the mug to her lips.

"You, my friend," she said after swallowing. "Are bad at complimenting a lady."

"Wha—Oh no no, I didn't mean it like—"

"Calm down, I was joking." She watched him as he released a short "Oh" before continuing. "And honestly I prefer it that I'm not immediately recognised. That way I can just go on regular old adventures, like exploring an ancient tower full of deadly traps."

Sending him a wink, she emptied her mug and rose to her feet.

"Where are you going?" G'raha Tia asked.

"I'm getting myself another, why? Want one too?"

"I think I'll pass." He raised his mug and swayed it a bit. "I still have this one."

S'eni did a small shrug and headed towards the bar. "A refill, please," she said to Alys, the woman running the Seventh Heaven, and one not to be crossed. Tales of her kicking out unruly patrons were only second to Rowena's debt collecting in Mor Dhona.

"Coming right up!" the blonde Hyur said and took the mug from her hand. While waiting, S'eni turned around and looked back towards her table, where G'raha Tia was slowly working on his drink.

He was an interesting guy, but she supposed she met a lot of interesting folks these days. Like Haurchefant who, for all his knightly bearing, turned out to be a bit of an oddball. Or Eorzea's self-proclaimed master criminologist and his assistant.

And of course, all of her friends amongst the Scions were characters in their own right indeed.

Yes, he fit right in, she felt.

"Here," S'eni heard from behind her and turned around to receive her freshly filled mug back, but halted when she saw the other woman holding one more item in her other hand. A bottle of wine, which she placed on the counter in front of her.

"What's that?"

"A little thank you from a mutual friend," Alys said and pointed behind S'eni. Looking over her shoulder, she saw the Wandering Minstrel looking at her, a smile on his lips. "For all the inspiring tales you have given him, he said."

"Huh..." She watched him bow his head, a knowing look in his eyes, before starting up another song. "Alright then."

She wasn't going to say no to a present like that. Taking the bottle, as well as her drink, she headed back to the table.

"Ale not enough?" G'raha Tia asked as soon as she arrived, pointing at the bottle in her hand.

"Hah, no." She sat down again. "A gift."

"Looks like a pretty good vintage if the bottle is anything to go by. You should keep it for a special occasion."

"Oh?" she tilted her head. "You got one in mind?"

"Well," he said, a small grin on his face while he crossed his arms. "Once NOAH is done with its mission we can use it to toast to our success."

"Hmm." S'eni placed the wine on the table and looked at it for a moment. Slowly, a smile crept onto her features.

"You know, that's a good idea!"

 

---

 

The Crystal Tower stood proudly in the distance, its glow unmistakable even in bright daylight.

S'eni sat atop the highest building in Revenant's Toll, her feet dangling lazily over the edge as she looked out upon the ancient structure. Below her, the people went about their daily lives, coming and going; not knowing what had happened inside that tower that loomed even over the Keeper of the Lake.

She grabbed the yet untouched bottle that was resting next to her and started to uncork it.

And it was for the better, really.

With a pop, the cork came loose and S'eni took the glass that sat on the other side of her, pouring some of the bottle's content into it. The wine was a deep red color and had a rich bouquet.

Staring at it for a moment, she thought back on the evening that she had received it. Hard to believe that had only been a moon ago. So much had happened.

"Well, I suppose we promised," she said, raising her glass while cherry pink eyes came to rest upon the Crystal Tower once more, its gates now closed until the time was right; fallen into a long deep sleep with all its marvels.

And at the center of it all: G'raha Tia. "Here's to you, G'raha. I hope you're having a good sleep while we're toiling our asses off."

Throwing her head back, she emptied the glass in one gulp, enjoying the taste for a few seconds before swallowing. Releasing an appreciative sigh, she nodded to herself.

Definitely a good vintage.

She needed to give the Minstrel her thanks the next time she saw him.

The sound of a familiar voice made her look down to see Y'shtola carrying in a small crate while chatting with Yda, who herself hauled around a much bigger one. A smile forming on her lips, she rose to her feet.

Time to get back to work. Moving into their new headquarters wouldn't happen by itself after all.

Besides, it would be a waste to drink all this wine on her own.

 

 

Notes:

ENDWALKER HYPE!
And I suppose this an oddly relevant chapter now too lol.

Chapter 15

Travellers from the Far East

 

After our victory against Gaius, we all had been prepared for the inevitable counter-attack from Garlemald, but to our own surprise, there was none. It was only later that we learned that Emperor Solus zos Galvus, the founding father of the Empire, had died at the age of 88.

Without having declared a successor, a battle over the throne broke out that had given us precious time to rebuild.

We were not the only ones that took advantage of the chaos as, far in the east, a small kingdom had risen up to gain back their freedom. Sadly, their battle was not as successful as ours and some of them were soon forced to flee to distant shores.

At the time we couldn't foresee what a pivotal role the arrival of these poor refugees, these Domans, would play in the future.

 

---

 

The sun stood high in the sky over the desert of western Thanalan and S'eni had to shield her eyes as she looked out towards the distance, keeping them peeled for anything that could spell trouble.

"Wark!" Turning her head right, she looked at the cheerful face of the Chocobo that was drawing the carriage that she was walking next to. She couldn't help but smile, and it took all her willpower not to reach out and stroke the big bird. It wouldn't do for their little caravan to come to a stop just because she was in a petting mood.

"You seeing anything?" the Hyur coachman asked her.

"No, all clear," she replied. Aside from the Wandering Eye that she had to slay everything was going smoothly.

"Well, come take a seat then, it won't do us any good if you end up exhausted from walking," the man replied with a grin.

"Don't worry. I'm tougher than I look," she replied, palming her fist.

"I don't doubt that, but a little rest can't hurt now, right?"

S'eni considered his words for a moment, then nodded. "I suppose you're right."

Letting herself fall back a little, she grabbed onto one of the handles at the backside and pulled herself onto the carriage. She looked over her shoulder past the other two carriages, just to make sure that nothing was following them.

Again, nothing out of the ordinary.

Turning around again, S'eni found herself the object of two pairs of eyes, filled to the brim with curiosity. It was Yozan and Koharu, the two children that had already eagerly asked her questions shortly before their journey began.

She raised her hand with a smile, gently pushing past them to sit down, keeping it there until she was properly seated before lowering it to receive the onslaught of questions.

"Why do your eyes look like that?" Koharu asked.

"What's up with your ears?" Yozan asked.

"And your tail!" the girl added.

"Yozan!" a Doman by the name of Hozan, and appropriately Yozan's father, said in a chiding tone. "Didn't I tell you not to bother her?"

"It's alright," S'eni said, looking at the man. "I was overly curious as a child too, so I don't mind."

She turned her attention back to the children. "I'm guessing you don't have any Miqo'te where you're from?"

"What's that?" Koharu asked.

"Me!" she pointed at herself with a giggle. "I'm a Miqo'te."

"Miqo'te..." Yozan repeated.

"That's right."

"Do they all have eyes like you?"

"Some do, others have full and round eyes," S'eni explained, leaning towards the girl and exposing her teeth. "They also have fangs to bite naughty children with."

She playfully snapped her teeth together, causing Koharu to giggle. As she leaned back once more, her ears did a little wiggle at the excitement of the kids. The reaction was almost immediate.

"Do it again!" Yozan exclaimed.

"Hmm?" S'eni tilted her head with a playful smile. "Do what?"

"What you just did with your ears."

Next to them, she could hear Hozan release a sigh, while the elderly Homei, who had watched the entire spectacle, simply chuckled.

"Ooooh, you mean this?" She wiggled her ears once again, albeit with a bit of effort this time, eliciting exciting gasps from both children.

"If you like that then watch this," S'eni said, raising the upper end of her tail and curling it as if to wave at the children.

"See?!" Koharu asked Yozan. "Just like Yugiri's!"

Lowering her tail again, S'eni crossed her arms in front of her chest and watched the children discuss with one another for a moment, before turning her gaze towards one of the other carriages where a certain masked woman was sitting and conversing with one of the Domans.

It was obvious that there was way more to the woman than she was willing to tell at this very moment, and she couldn't shake the feeling that this also applied to some of the others.

Just looking at how Hozan was holding himself, the almost indiscernible way his shoulders were stiffened, told her enough to know that he knew at least how to fight and was more than prepared to do so if need be.

A secret for another time, she thought as her attention was drawn back to the children. S'eni watched them as they whispered to one another, then asked. "So what's Doma like?"

The kids stopped what they were doing and looked at her in unison. "Doma is...Doma," Yozan said.

"Uh-huh!" Koharu nodded in agreement.

Well, that tells me a lot. Turning her head, she looked at the two older men. It was Homei who answered her.

"We're a kingdom in the east of Othard, the continent to the east, in the lands of Yanxia. It's a fertile place with tall mountains and situated at what we call the Ruby Sea."

Her ears perked up at the latter name, drawing giggles from the kids. "Ruby Sea..." she murmured. "That means Doma lies close to...what was it called...Hin...gashi?"

"Oh, so you heard of it?" Homei's eyebrows shot up in surprise, and even Hozan now looked intrigued.

"My father was a seaman. He saw a lot of the world," she told him. "He once told me of a city far in the east that was a place of trade and where every woman was a great beauty."

That made the older man laugh. "That can only be Kugane!"

"Kugane, huh?"

"It's the biggest trade port in the entire east," Homei said. "And while it's indeed true that there are many beauties there, none can compare to the ones from Doma."

"Father..." Hozan muttered with a shake of his head.

"So, S'eni—I can call you that, right?" after she nodded, Homei continued. "What can you tell us about this Revenant's Toll we're headed to?"

"They have rising stones!" Yozan chimed in.

She released a laugh at how matter-of-factly he said that. Perhaps she should have told the kids something else earlier. "The Rising Stones is the name we have given our base there. Don't worry, it will be one of the first things you're going to see," S'eni assured them, then moved on to answer the elder man's question. "It's a town under the management of the Adventurers Guild and its inhabitants are an open and friendly sort."

A pained expression crossed her face. "Just don't lend yourself money from a woman named Rowena unless you're prepared to pay that back threefold in labor."

She was just glad she had more than enough Gil so that when she had to interact with the woman or any of her employees, she could just pay upfront and leave again.

One thing S'eni had to admit though: Rowena had excellent taste in clothes and jewellery, and she could already tell that one day she would give in to the temptation to buy herself a pair of earrings.

Shaking her head, she continued. "I can't really speak for Doma, but believe me when I say Mor Dhona will be like nothing you've ever seen."

"Hoho, now you're making me as curious as the children," Homei said.

"Look forward to it then," S'eni replied with a grin. She certainly was looking forward to their reactions. Unless they too had a giant tower made of crystal reaching for the very heavens and a gigantic corpse of a dragon standing vigil, she would swallow her words then.

"But before that—" leaning backwards, she rested her elbows on the backrest and stuck her neck out to look into the direction of their first destination as it grew closer and closer. "We'll make a stop in Ul'dah."

 

---

 

It was a couple of hours later when the caravan had finally arrived at the Gates of the Sultana. Originally built as a back entrance for the city guard and to help with the tide of refugees after the Calamity, the gates now saw many travellers and merchants as they headed to and from the city.

The Brass Blades standing guard didn't pay them any mind, only really acknowledging them when S'eni raised her hand in greeting as she walked by.

As soon as they stopped at the local Chocobo stable, Yozan and Koharu all but jumped out of the carriage to join up with their friends and take a look around.

"Stay in the vicinity, we're only staying a little while!" Hozan called after them, receiving a small chorus of affirmation in return. Shaking his head, he looked towards S'eni. "Thank you for accompanying us."

"It was no problem, really," S'eni assured him with a wave of her hand.

Giving her a grateful smile, he bowed in a way she had never seen before, then went to join his fellow Domans. She watched him for a moment until she felt a presence behind her. Turning around, she found none other than Yugiri standing there.

Silent one, aren't you? She wondered to herself.

"I would like to thank you as well," the other woman said. "You have nothing to gain, yet you still help us."

"It would be wrong to just sit idly by," S'eni said.

The Doman woman looked at her, the mask she was wearing obscuring her face in a way that she couldn't tell what she might be thinking about.

"You are as honorable as you are kind," Yugiri said, bowing in the same way that Hozan had done just a moment ago. "I swear to you that my brethren and I will repay that kindness in whatever way possible."

Taking a few steps towards her, S'eni placed a hand on the other woman's shoulder, causing her to jump a little and look up into her smiling face.

"Don't worry, there's a lot to do around these parts. I'm sure your help will be more than welcome," she said and gave her shoulder a friendly squeeze before letting go. "I wanted to meet Alphinaud in the Quicksand to talk about our next steps. Would you like to accompany me?"

Yugiri made a small sound of affirmation and nodded. After telling the rest of the refugees where they would be, the two of them walked through the busy streets of Ul'dah.

"Is it always like this?" Yugiri asked her.

"Yes. Ul'dah is Eorzea's biggest trade hub," S'eni explained. "Money makes the world go around and counts doubly so for Ul'dah. Its motto isn't 'For Coin and Country' for nothing."

"I see..."

They had just entered Emerald Avenue when a young man crossed their path. He almost bumped into Yugiri, but the woman was certainly quick on her feet and stepped out of the way. Her hand then suddenly shot forward and grabbed his wrist.

"What the-!?" he exclaimed, trying to pull his arm free.

"I don't have anything to steal," she told him before letting go, making him stumble to the ground. Scrambling to his feet, he shot them a glare, then ran off. The Doman turned her masked gaze back towards S'eni, who could only shrug.

"That's the downside of Ul'dah, I'm afraid," S'eni said. "But I've got to say that was pretty impressive."

"Pickpocketing is the same no matter where you are in the world," was Yugiri's simple reply.

The rest of the walk towards the Quicksand was uneventful, but S'eni couldn't help but shoot her newest acquaintance a few glances from out of the corner of her eyes the entire time, something she was sure Yugiri was noticing, yet chose not to comment on.

What is it that you're hiding? She wondered. But as much as she wanted to ponder it, she found herself once again dropping that thought as they stepped up to the double doors leading to Ul'dah's famous tavern, where Alphinaud was surely waiting for her with new instructions on how to proceed from here.

Either way, she could tell that it was going to be interesting.

Chapter 16

A Brave Undertaking

 

But with all the little successes we had, it still wasn't all sunshine and roses in Eorzea as each member of the Alliance struggled with their own internal problems that plagued them. And so it was, after the battle with the newly summoned Leviathan and the pacification of Ramuh, that Alphinaud came up with a bold idea, to found a Grand Company that wasn't tied to a single nation, but spanned the whole realm instead; to protect Eorzea from any threat.

He dubbed this new company: the Crystal Braves.

 

---

 

A round of cheers and applause echoed through the Rising Stones as Alphinaud concluded his inauguration speech, marking the official foundation of Eorzea's newest Grand Company whose sole purpose was to serve and protect the entire realm.

The first members of these Crystal Braves stood proudly in the center of the hall, dressed in ultramarine uniforms, looking every way an official unit. After a few moments of cheer, they dispersed to mingle with the other people that had gathered here on this momentous day.

Standing further in the back, S'eni had watched the entire display with her arms crossed in front of her chest. Her eyes landed on Alphinaud as he was talking with a delegate of the Ul'dahn Syndicate, a proud smile on his face.

One of them must have said something funny since they were soon sharing a good-natured laugh that caused the frown on her face to deepen.

Lowering her arms back to her side, she walked past the tables into the area that served as their storage area. There she found Thancred and Y'shtola, sitting at one of the tables and having a conversation.

The self-labelled bard was the first to notice her approach, giving her one of his charming smiles, but quickly dropped it when he saw her expression.

"My, you look like you just lost a lot of coin in Triple Triad," he commented as she sat down.

"Are you alright?" Y'shtola asked.

"I'm fine. Just..." S'eni shook her head. "It's nothing."

"That usually means it's not nothing," Thancred pointed out.

Releasing a sigh, S'eni rested her elbows on top of the table and looked back over to Alphinaud, who was now conversing with Riol, one of the people she had recruited for this endeavour.

She should be happy. This was a good thing for Eorzea.

And yet she wasn't.

Y'shtola followed her gaze. "Are you worried about him?"

"Yeah," she replied. "I know he's a smart kid, but that's also the thing; he's a kid."

"He shares the same ideals as his grandfather," Thancred then said, making them go silent for a moment.

He did. But Louisoix left a hole that was not easily replaced, and she wondered if that final meeting the twins managed to have with their grandfather wasn't the reason for Alphinaud's current decisions.

Crossing her arms once more, S'eni leaned back in her chair. "I can't help but think back to five years ago. Back then ideals were essentially all we had, and in the end it didn't get us far."

"I think the young master is very much aware of that," Y'shtola said.

"I concur. He knows that without political alliances he won't get far. But—"

His eyes scanned the room before finding the person he was looking for: the Syndicate delegate.

"—the quality of some of those leave much to be desired of, I have to say."

"It's the sad reality of things that the Syndicate holds the true power in Ul'dah," the other Miqo'te stated.

"And we all know who else is part of it," S'eni pointed out. Almost collectively all three of their expressions darkened.

Teledji Adeledji.

At first, she had thought the Lalafel to be oddly benevolent, being one of the few to speak out in favor of letting the Domans stay in Ul'dah. But that image was rather quickly shattered when it came to light that it was him that orchestrated the recent refugee riots in the city and it made S'eni wonder if the Domans being refused to seek sanctuary wasn't part of his plan from the very beginning.

All of that just to get his grubby little hands on the Carteneau Flats and whatever it was that had been unearthed there.

And yet, despite the evidence they had gathered, they were not ready to move against him. His influence was still far too great.

"The timing couldn't be any worse." S'eni sighed.

Y'shtola hummed in agreement. "With the war of succession in Garlemald over, the empire is sure to eventually turn their attention back to us. Never mind the ever-present threat of the Ascians."

"And then there's the fate of the Students of Baldesion..."

An entire island...just gone. She didn't even want to imagine how devastated G'raha would have been if he were awake.

Moving her gaze, she looked around until she found Minfilia, in the midst of a conversation with someone S'eni didn't know. She knew the other woman had friends within the Students, so it couldn't be easy for her. Yet here she was, putting on a brave face because there were other, more important things that were happening right now.

She suddenly rose to her feet, heaving another sigh, making her two companions look at her.

"I need a drink," she said. "You two want something too?"

"A glass of wine perhaps," Y'shtola said after a moment of consideration.

"Sure. Thancred?"

Tapping his finger on the table, he rose to his feet as well. "I'm afraid I'll have to pass. I think a little mingling is in order."

He gave both of them the smile that he always had when he was up to something, before walking over to the other guests, no doubt to work some of his conversational magic.

"It seems you made him worried now," Y'shtola said with a hint of amusement, to which S'eni could shrug.

"Any particular wine?"

"Surprise me."

For the first time since the beginning of the ceremony, the corners of her lips quirked upward.

"Famous last words," S'eni said teasingly and walked over to the bar, which was currently manned by F'lhaminn.

There was little one could say to describe F'lhaminn Qesh other than the word striking. Though her days as the Songstress of Ul'dah were long since over, she still retained that beauty and grace that had made her famous, combining both features of the Seeker of the Sun and the Keeper of the Moon in a way that made heads turn and hearts skip a beat.

S'eni couldn't help but feel just a tad self-conscious as she approached her and her tail did a little flick as those round pink eyes came to rest on her.

"S'eni," F'lhaminn greeted her pleasantly. "What can I get you?"

For a second she didn't know what to say but managed to catch herself quickly enough to not come off like a little girl interacting with her first crush. Clearing her throat, she said. "Two glasses of wine, please."

"Of course. Which one do you want?"

Putting a hand on her hip, she tapped her foot in thought. "Can you recommend one?"

"We still have some Thavnairian red left," F'lhaminn suggested.

"Sounds fancy. I'll take it."

The older Miqo'te adjusted the pair of glasses resting on the bridge of her nose, then turned around to look through the bottles resting on the shelves behind her. When she didn't find what she was looking for, she knelt and checked underneath the bar before emerging with a little triumphant "Aha!", a reddish-brown bottle in her hand.

She took two wine glasses and placed them on the countertop, before uncorking the bottle and pouring its contents into them.

"Here you go," she said with a little smile and handed the glasses to her.

"Thanks!" S'eni replied with a little grin, slapping herself mentally when her tail did another little flick.

Returning to Y'shtola, she placed the glass on the table in front of her friend, then sat back down.

"Interesting," her friend said, taking a small whiff of the wine.

"By recommendation from F'lhaminn," she replied before raising her glass. "To a bright future for Eorzea."

"And to your worries being unfounded?" the other Miqo'te asked a hint of amusement in her voice.

"Especially that!"

They both took a sip and S'eni found herself doing a double-take at the taste of foreign spices that were mixed into the fruity taste.

"Mmh, pretty good," she said after lowering her glass. A grin once more splitting her face, she looked at Y'shtola. "So, Shtola, what's your sister up to?"

Her friend just sighed. "Still bothering me with questions about when the three of us would meet up."

S'eni could only snicker at that, earning herself a not too subtle glare. Taking that as her cue, she steered the conversation away from that particular topic, choosing to instead focus on a more idle one to talk about.

She was listening intently to the recounting of a conversation her friend had with Papalymo about their recent venture into the Sylphlands when a person approached their table; Minfilia.

"I'm sorry to interrupt," she said, an apologetic smile on her face. "But there's something I need to discuss with you, S'eni."

Sharing a look with her fellow Miqo'te, S'eni downed the rest of her glass and placed it on the table. "No rest for the wicked," she said, a small smirk forming on her lips before rising to her feet and nodding to her other friend. "Lead the way."

Giving Y'shtola a small wave, and earning one in return, S'eni followed the Antecedent in the solar, where she had no doubt the next task was already waiting for her.

She really should take some time off one of these days.

 

Notes:

Short one, but an ever so important point in the story as we're inching closer to the end of ARR, isn't it?

More on Friday. See you then!

Chapter 17

Frosty Diplomacy

 

The Crystal Braves didn't waste any time to assume their duties, with the assistance of our very own Warrior of Light of course.

It didn't remain unnoticed for long, as soon after a representative of our reclusive neighbors to the north reached out to have an audience with the young commander of the new Grand Company. After two decades of near silence from the Holy See, this small meeting would lay the groundwork of events to come.

To nobody's surprise, our heroine was right along for the ride.

 

---

 

S'eni couldn't help but smile as Alphinaud and her stepped onto the grounds of Camp Dragonhead. It felt like so long ago as the young Elezen and her, together with Cid, had used this place as their impromptu base of operations while looking for the engineer's lost airship. It felt a little silly since she had passed through here on her little recruitment binge for the Crystal Braves.

Though, unlike the first time, she came a little more prepared, wearing a nice thick coat to protect her from the elements.

"Thank you for accompanying me here," Alphinaud said, hands buried in his coat.

"I could hardly refuse when I was being asked for," she replied.

"You could have refused," he pointed out. "But I won't lie in saying that your presence might not have any impact on these talks, and I believe indulging the wishes of this Aymeric can only be advantageous."

"Unless—" She raised her hand, index finger extended. "He isn't impressed by what he sees."

"I find that hard to believe. I doubt there's anyone that will find you...lacking."

Stopping in front of the large doors leading into the camp's main building, S'eni turned to face Alphinaud, planting a hand on her hip. "Are you insinuating something, Commander Leveilleur?"

Taken aback by her words, the young man could only stare at her, his mouth opening but no words leaving it. When he did finally manage to speak he stumbled over his words.

"Wha—No no, I didn't mean it—what I wanted to say is." Slamming his mouth shut, he shook his head. "We should get inside!"

He turned towards the doors and pushed them open, quickly stepping inside.

Huffing out a chuckle, S'eni shook her head and followed him. Even when they were commanders of their own Grand Company: boys would be boys.

Inside, they were greeted by the ever-familiar sight of the knights of House Fortemps, some of them sitting and chatting, some were standing around a large table where a map of the Central Coerthas Highlands were spread out and others were gathered in a corner going through their rigorous training regime...topless?!

Before S'eni could think about that last part the two were spotted by Haurchefant, who was handing one of his subordinates a letter.

"Ah, S'eni," he said, a wide smile forming on his lips. "Ever the welcome sight!"

"It's good to see you too," she replied, mirroring his expression.

Turning towards his subordinate, he nodded and sent him along, then turned his full attention onto her. "Our hearths have been stoked in preparation for your arrival. It wouldn't do for our guests to catch a cold."

"That is very much appreciated. Twelve know I will never get used to this cold."

As if only now realizing that Alphinaud was there, Haurchefant turned his head to look towards the young Elezen, his face taking on a more neutral expression. "Ah...Master Alphinaud. An honor, as always."

"Likewise, and please forgive us for taking you up on your hospitality once more," the younger Elezen said. "I fear we have relied a little too much on it while you assisted so generously on our search for the Enterprise."

"Nonsense!" Haurchefant replied good-naturedly. "Any debts incurred have long since been repaid. Besides, who can say what the future may bring? House Fortemps may even seek the help of your Crystal Braves."

The knight moved his gaze between the two of them before continuing. "In any case, I'm simply delighted that the Holy See is finally granting you an audience. No doubt your discoveries at Snowcloak helped to justify the decision. The recent surge in heretical activities is a grave concern. But on that note: Ser Aymeric arrived here earlier, and I'm to tell you that he's eager to meet you at your first convenience."

Haurchefant looked at her, a bit of concern in his eyes. "No doubt your travels here have left you weary, so if you wish to rest first please feel free to do so."

"As inviting as that sounds, I think it's best if we proceed with the meeting," Alphinaud said, to which S'eni nodded.

"I'll kick back a little after our business here is concluded," she said. "No need to delay."

"Then please follow me," Haurchefant said and stepped out from behind his desk. He led them outside and around the corner towards a door nestled into the very back of an alley where a lone knight was standing guard.

"Tell Ser Aymeric that his guests are ready to speak with him," he commanded the saluting knight. After the man had all but dashed off, Haurchefant placed his hand on the door and pushed it open.

"Don't fret," he told them with a smile as he waved them inside. "Just state your case with confidence and clarity."

 

---

 

It was later that same evening when S'eni found herself sitting in front of the fireplace inside one of the rooms that had been provided to Alphinaud and her so that they could rest from today's events.

The talks with Ser Aymeric went well, despite the adamant refusal from the Holy See to return to the Alliance and the citing the Ixal in the area a Gridanian problem, but at the very least they managed to secure the supplies from House Fortemps to Revenant's Toll in exchange for keeping an eye on the Keeper of the Lake, whom Ishgardian astrologists foresaw would soon rise from the dead.

All in all the Temple Knight wasn't how she expected him to be, making it clear that Ishgard's policy was not fully his personal opinion; something she had found to be quite rare in Ishgardians.

Then there was this strange woman that hovered behind him all the time. She seemed almost conflicted when S'eni had looked at her.

But as well as the talks had gone, trouble always seemed to find them and news arrived no sooner than their talks had ended that the latest supply caravan had been attacked by heretics under the leadership of someone called Iceheart, who was intent on summoning a primal. Which, of course, made it their business.

Tomorrow, Alphinaud and her would head towards Whitebrim Front to talk with Lord Drillemont and see what information he could provide. The young commander himself was most likely speaking with some of his Crystal Braves via linkpearl, surely walking a hole into the carpet from all the pacing.

But, she supposed, that was what being a leader was like. And telling him to relax would probably just fall on deaf ears.

Stretching her arms out and releasing a pleasant groan, S'eni leaned back and closed her eyes. She on the other hand was more than ready to call it a night—

Her ears twitched as a knock sounded on her door.

—or so she thought. With a sigh, she jumped out of her rather comfortable chair and headed towards the door.

"This better be good..." she muttered to herself before opening the door, revealing none other than Haurchefant standing there. "Oh, and here I thought the next crisis came knocking."

The knight chuckled. "I assure you it's nothing of the sort, my friend."

"What brought you here then?"

"Well..." he said, but hesitated for a moment. "Actually, I was hoping we could catch up a little earlier, but with all that has happened, there wasn't time. So I was wondering if perhaps now would be a good time."

S'eni blinked and tilted her head to the side. "So...you want to catch up?"

"If you're not too tired, that is."

"No no, I'm still good." It wasn't entirely the truth, but he was right in that it had been some time since they last managed to talk. "Come in."

But Haurchefant remained where he was, his brows rising together with the corners of his mouth. "I'm doing my final rounds around camp so...last chance to drop out."

Turning her head into the direction of the fire, the ghost of a pained expression flitted across her features before her shoulders dropped with a sigh and she walked over to grab her coat.

What she wouldn't do for a friend...

After putting it on, S'eni returned to Haurchefant, who patiently waited for her. "Alright, let's go."

Together, they left the building and started their round around Camp Dragonhead.

"So tell me, how have things been since we last met?" he asked her. "Admittedly it's only been a couple of weeks, but knowing your lifestyle it had to be eventful."

"Not as much as you might think. I was mostly helping the Crystal Braves," she replied. Of course, trying to find a Garlean spy was rather eventful in itself, but considering what she got up to sometimes it was rather low on the scale of things. It was sadly also strictly confidential, so it wasn't something she could just talk about nilly-willy. "A few odd jobs on the side, and no primal slaying I'm afraid."

"Now I'm equal parts glad and disappointed to hear that." They shared a laugh.

"I'm guessing you on the other hand have been busy with the heretics and this Dravanian war?"

"Moreso the heretics than the dragons, but you heard Ser Aymeric earlier. Things could very well become worse each passing day."

"I know that feeling. I'm sure you've heard of the unrest in Ul'dah," she said.

"Yes, that news has reached even us."

"We can't be too sure when something like that will happen again, and then there's the Ascians of course..." she breathed out a sigh, watching it form a cloud that rose high into the air. "Guess we have enemies that lurk in the shadows in common, don't we?"

They walked up the stairs that lead to the camp's aetheryte resting in the center. Stopping in front of the large crystal, S'eni turned to look up at the night sky, the view of the stars blocked by thick clouds stretching out as far as the eye could see, promising more snowfall soon.

She frowned.

"What's on your mind?" Haurchefant asked upon noticing her expression.

"No matter what good we accomplish, there's always something," she replied after a moment of contemplation. "Isn't there?"

He hummed. "That may be so, but there will always be brave souls that keep fighting the good fight. Like you."

Upon hearing his words, S'eni turned her gaze towards him to meet his smiling face.

"No matter the odds, I've seen you beat them time and again. So I'm sure that whatever it is that awaits us tomorrow, or the days beyond, you will prevail, S'eni," Haurchefant told her.

Maybe it was the resolution in his voice or the sincerity reflected in his eyes, but she couldn't help the smile forming on her lips.

"Ah, now there's an expression much more fitting." His smile grew. "A smile better suits a hero, does it not?"

S'eni scoffed. "Seriously? And what playwright did you steal that line from?"

"I assure you that was very much of my own imagination."

"By the Twelve! You really are an odd one."

"Not the worst I've been called, and well worth it if it means I managed to cheer you up."

Releasing a little laugh, she nodded. "You did. Thank you, Haurchefant."

"Anytime," he said before a shiver went through him. "My, it's colder than usual tonight. I think it's best if we finish the rest of my round and get back inside."

"I couldn't agree more."

The two of them turned around to walk down the other set of steps on the opposite side, falling in step next to one another. They had just made it halfway down when S'eni remembered something.

"Can I ask you something?" she asked.

"Of course, my friend."

"What was going on with those knights earlier? The ones doing squats while topless?"

Haurchefant stopped mid-step to meet her eyes staring expectantly at him. But instead of answering her, he simply laughed and resumed his walk, leaving her standing there with a dumbfounded look on her face.

"Hey! I was being serious!" she called after him, following hastily. "Haurchefant, answer me!"

Meanwhile, far away from Camp Dragonhead, past the clouds that were covering the entire region of Coerthas, the faint echo of a cry traveled amongst stormy winds; bringing with it a call to war, and grim tidings for the days ahead.

Notes:

Haurchefant's a funny guy, isn't he?

Chapter 18

The Greatest Challenge

 

Things came to a head soon after as not only this so-called Shiva was summoned, but the other Beast Tribes had summoned their own primals as well, almost as if it was their very intention to spread everyone as thin as possible, leaving the Scions open enough for a surprise attack by a lone Ascian that was only defeated by the great sacrifice by one of their friends.

Then came the Dravian horde, attacking Ishgard with such ferocity that for the first time in decades the Holy See was forced to accept outside help, led by none other than our brave heroine.

After the horde had been repelled, hopes had been ignited that perhaps Ishgard might yet still re-join the Alliance, so a grand feast was to be held in Ul'dah, in celebration of this victory...

 

---

 

The streets of Ul'dah were as busy as ever, or perhaps even more so, as the royal banquet that would soon be held had brought even more merchants from far and wide to peddle their wares.

A time for celebration indeed, as Ishgard had answered Sultana Nanamo's invitation as well. But celebration couldn't be any further from her mind right now. The guilt over Moenbryda's death was still gnawing at her.

If only she had...if not for Midgardsomr...

"Could it be, thou thinkest her special? Hydaelyn, thou wishest me to grant her power?" she heard the ancient dragon's voice echo in her mind. "Very well, then I shall test thee!"

He had taken away the blessing Hydaelyn had bestowed upon her, leaving her unable to summon her powers and strike down Nabriales on her own.

All that just for a test!

"Make thine destiny, special one. Break free from mine claw with thine own strength. If thou truly hath special power, thou can end the battle of judgement. This shall be thine trial. I shall watch...listen...and wait."

Curse that damned dragon! Even now she could feel his gaze burning in the back of her mind.

Watching her.

At least she still had the Echo and her regular powers, she doubted that she would be of great use to everyone with only her fists at her disposal.

You could always use your feet too, if all else fails, the little cynical part of her mind told her.

"Eni?" A familiar voice shook her out of her musings, making her look up into the mint-colored eyes of Y'shtola sitting opposite of her. "Are you alright?"

S'eni shook her head with a sigh and looked around. They were sitting at a table in front of a small restaurant, having met up earlier for lunch. Her eyes landed on her food, looking inviting, yet barely touched, bar a few prods with her fork.

The sound of a cup being placed on the table made her look back up. Her friend's eyebrows were drawn in concern. "Is it because of Moenbryda?"

"Partly," S'eni admitted.

"I see." Y'shtola crossed her arms and went silent for a moment. "You know nobody blames you for what happened."

Even though they should. Urianger and Yda had lost an important friend, yet neither even thought of blaming her.

"Moenbryda..." the other Miqo'te said. "She made a choice at that moment. She knew the price and paid it willingly, just like Master Louisoix did. She would not wish for you to be sad, but rather to continue on the path ahead with your head held high."

Sighing, she finally speared some of the food with her fork and put it into her mouth. It was delicious. "You really think so?" she asked after swallowing.

"Well I might not have known her as well as Urianger, but I can assure you he would tell you the same," Y'shtola replied, raising the cup back up to her lips. "Just more flowery."

She felt the corners of her lips crack upwards. He would, wouldn't he?

"I just don't...feel very much like the Warrior of Light right now," S'eni said.

"Says the woman that defended Ishgard not too long ago," her friend pointed out.

"Which I didn't do alone, thank you very much."

"She talks back!" Y'shtola exclaimed dryly.

Shooting the other Miqo'te a glare, she was met with a small, encouraging smile that made her release a sigh and take another bite. Y'shtola was right. She wouldn't get out of this mess just by moping.

"You're right. I need to look forward," S'eni said, offering her friend a full smile.

"Good, then you can look forward to the actual reason why we're here while you eat."

S'eni blinked once, twice, before groaning. She completely forgot about that!

"I've changed my mind, I'd rather curl up in my bed and pretend the world doesn't exist!"

"That won't do. You're the guest of honor, and I'm afraid a special pair of earrings won't be enough this time."

"I never asked to be the guest of honor!"

"You probably should have thought about that before saving the realm twice," Y'shtola said, amusement clear in her voice. "Now eat up, that dress won't fit itself for you."

Grumbling under her breath, S'eni put another bite into her mouth. After they were done with their meal, the two of them made their way towards the Steps of Thal. As the guest of honor, nothing but the best would do for the Warrior of Light, so the Sultana had arranged for her to be fitted with a suitable dress at the famous weaver's guild.

The sound of weaving and sewing pervaded the air as the members of the guild worked tirelessly to provide the citizens of Ul'dah, and beyond, with the highest quality clothing that was sought even in the far east.

With a sigh of resignation that earned her an amused look from Y'shtola, she stepped up to the reception.

"Greetings, welcome to the weaver's guild," a young Lalafel woman greeted her politely. "What can we do for you?"

"I'm here to get my dress fitted," she said. "The Sultana's orders."

"Ah!" the receptionist smiled. "So that means you're the Warrior of Light. It truly is an honor. Please follow me."

Walking out from behind the corner, the smaller woman led them to a man standing in one of the corners and overseeing everything from afar. He was a Roegadyn and dressed in some of the finest clothes S'eni had ever laid eyes upon. On his head rested a weird-looking hat.

"Redolent Rose," the receptionist called out, making him turn towards them. "The Sultana's guest has arrived."

"Thank you," he said to her, before turning his gaze towards them, eyes landing on Y'shtola first. "Would that be you? My, your style is a little...average, but I have to admit your taste in shoes is impeccable."

"I'm afraid my friend here is the one," the other Miqo'te said evenly, leaning against the railing separating the work area from the visitors, brushing the man's comment aside.

He then looked at S'eni. In less than a second, he had crossed the distance between them, belying his huge stature and making her jump in surprise. His eyes narrowed for a moment as he sized her up. "You...what's your name?"

"S'eni."

She watched him take a step back, staring at her with now widened eyes, releasing a breath as he did so.

"Incredible..." Redolent Rose then shook his head. "No no no, that won't do. That won't do at all!"

S'eni was about to ask the Lalafel woman if he was alright, but only found an empty spot where she had been just a moment ago, then glanced at Y'shtola, who simply shrugged, before focusing on the Roegadyn again, who had started pacing up and down.

"Uhm, excuse me?" she asked, furrowing her brows and putting a hand on her hip. "Can we just get that dress fitted?"

Upon hearing her words, he snapped around and pointed at her. "I'm sorry, but that won't be possible."

"Come again?"

"When I was told a guest of the Sultana would arrive, I had picked out an exquisite dress, but now that I'm seeing you in the flesh I've realized that I had been wrong to choose beforehand, and that simply. Won't. Do." He snapped his fingers and two female members of the guild, a Hyur and Elezen, practically appeared out of nowhere and flanked her on each side.

"What in the—" S'eni exclaimed as she was grabbed by them and dragged off into one of the separate rooms. "Hey! Let go of me! Shtola!"

But her friend only chuckled under her breath and followed idly after them. Once the door was closed, the ladies started to undress her.

"Fashion is an art. A lovely dress, a stylish ensemble, it all can make a difference not only for oneself but for others as well," Redolent Rose said, walking around the room like he was an actor on a stage. "But to create art, one must suffer. Tell me, are you prepared to suffer?"

"No!" S'eni exclaimed, her ears pulling back against her head while trying and failing to get rid of the seamstresses as their dexterous hands moved all over her. She was just about to give them a piece of her mind when one of them silenced her with a well-manicured finger and a "Tut tut".

She looked towards Y'shtola for support, only to see her sitting on a very comfortable-looking chair with a subtle smirk on her face. Realizing that any battle was now futile, S'eni released another sigh.

"Fine, fine," she said and stopped her struggling, standing completely still so the women could do their work. No need to extend her suffering beyond the absolute minimum.

It didn't take long until she was dressed down to her underwear and standing on a stool, squirming a little under all the eyes focused on her. The guild master stared at her, his eyes roaming her body, yet there was no desire in them. It was more like a painter staring at a canvas.

"Now what should we go with?"

The young Hyur woman was the first to reply. "Something clean perhaps?"

"No, no. Cotton won't do!"

"Something that's soft and shiny?" the Elezen asked.

"Hmm." Redolent Rose rubbed his chin. "Satin..."

"No, it needs to shimmer," the Hyur then threw in.

"Shimmer. Yes! That's it!" the Roegadyn exclaimed and clapped his huge hands together, before pointing at two of the guild members.

"Get me the Nagxian silk dress! The red one with the white inner lining!" he told them. Like soldiers following the orders of a beloved commander, they headed off and returned shortly thereafter with the desired dress.

Redolent Rose inspected it for a moment, shooting S'eni a few glances in-between, then nodded. "Let's see how it fits," he said, sending her a smile.

Putting on the dress with the help of the two ladies, she was then asked to turn towards the large mirror to her left, and what she saw made her jaw go slack. The dress lacked sleeves, showing off her shoulders, and flowed down to her ankles, with slits on both sides of the front, revealing her legs in a way that was elegant yet sensual at the same time. A gold trim adorned its seams and white silk adorned the inside of the skirt.

She looked...nice, she had to admit.

"Yes, I knew it! Almost a perfect fit," Redolent Rose said as he approached her. "We need to adjust it a little bit, but that's child's play."

As the two seamstresses approached her once again to take more precise measurements, S'eni turned her gaze towards Y'shtola, who was walking towards her.

"What do you think?" she asked the other Miqo'te. "Too much?"

Her friend looked at her with a thoughtful expression, before smiling. "It looks good on you."

"Really?" lowering her gaze to look at herself, she felt a little self-conscious all of a sudden. "You're not just saying that?"

"Am I the type to dispense pointless flattery?" Y'shtola asked right back, earning herself a short laugh from S'eni.

"No, I suppose not," she replied, mirroring her friend's expression.

"It does miss a nice pair of shoes."

"Good thing I know someone with impeccable shoe taste, right?"

After they were done checking what adjustments needed to be made, S'eni was allowed back into her regular outfit.

"It will take a few days, but I'll be making the adjustments personally so there's no need to fret," Redolent Rose assured her. "Come the night of the banquet you will look absolutely stunning, everyone will have eyes only for you."

"Lucky me," she replied dryly as they headed back to the front. Saying their goodbyes, the two of them left the guild. Once outside, S'eni released a relieved sigh, letting her shoulders slump a little.

"Was it really that bad now?" Y'shtola asked.

"How about we get you a dress too?"

"I believe I shall pass."

"Figured as much." They both chuckled. Straightening her shoulders again, she tilted her head. "So...shoes?"

The smile on the Miqo'te's lips became noticeably wider. "Are you sure?"

"No, but better to get it all over with."

"Alright, follow me then."

As they made their way towards the Gold Court, S'eni closed her eyes for a moment. Despite everything that happened, despite still blaming herself for Moenbryda's passing, a tiny part of her was actually starting to feel a little excited about the banquet.

It might actually turn out to be an enjoyable evening!

 

Notes:

Getting there...

Also anyone that can guess the dress gets an imaginary cookie.

Chapter 19

Before the Dawn

 

I think there's little that needs to be said about how that banquet turned out. But those traitors would all be getting their punishment in due time. With the corrupt Brass Blades and Crystal Braves searching Ul'dah for Alphinaud and S'eni, and the other city-states not being safe either, I took them to the one place their influence would not reach.

 

---

 

The sound of the engine echoed through the interior of the Enterprise, serving as a companion to S'eni as she stared at the ceiling above her. She was lying on the sole bunk, offered generously by Cid after he had seen how exhausted she was from narrowly escaping Ul'dah.

But rest wasn't something that came easily to her right now. Whenever she closed her eyes, the images from a few hours ago immediately came to haunt her.

The Sultana's eyes, growing wide before collapsing right in front of her, poisoned by the people conspiring against them.

Raubahn's bloody arm as it hit the floor, severed by Ilberd, whom they all had thought a friend.

Her friends, one after another staying behind to guard their escape until it was only her left.

Gritting her teeth, she balled her hand into a fist, ignoring the pain as her nails dug into her skin. Damn Teledji Adeledji! He had played them all like fiddles.

The only solace she could take was that he couldn't enjoy his victory. Raubahn had seen to that before Lolorito had shown his true colors.

But what good did that do when the others were missing, or perhaps even worse?

Shtola, she thought. She hadn't wanted to leave her, but the look in those mint green eyes, as they stared into hers, had left no room for argument.

"Dammit!" she slammed her fist against the wall next to the bunk. The airship started to shake, and for a moment she thought she might have hit a little too hard, but when the shaking intensified, she realized that they were slowly descending.

Getting up from the bunk, S'eni crawled towards the hatch leading up to the deck, very glad of the fact that she was lithe and in shape as the place was clearly made with maintenance in mind and not for sleeping, bar some emergencies where there was no place to stay for the night.

She could faintly hear the voices of her two companions as she climbed the small ladder, before pushing the hatch open. As soon as she had done so, a cold wind blew into her face, causing a shiver to run through her body and staining her cheeks pink almost instantly.

"Ah, S'eni," Cid called out to her when he saw her climb outside. "Did you manage to get some rest?"

"Not really," she replied. Her eyes landed on Alphinaud, who was looking out into the distance. He was taking what had happened especially hard. "We've arrived, I take it?"

"Yes." The engineer nodded. "I'm sorry that I can't get you closer than this."

"It's alright."

He frowned. "You sure?"

Noticing the look he was giving her, S'eni glanced down at herself. She was still wearing her dress. It somehow had survived the entire ordeal.

"I'll manage," was all she said.

After landing, Alphinaud and her stepped off the Enterprise and onto the snowy ground of Coerthas.

"Thank you, Cid," the young Elezen said.

"Don't mention it. If you need anything else, you know where to find me." Giving each of them a final nod, he took off again.

Once the Enterprise had vanished into the night, the two of them looked at one another.

"We should head to Camp Dragonhead and speak with Lord Haurchefant," Alphinaud said, lowering his gaze. "...Perhaps he will know what to do."

S'eni nodded and turned her gaze up ahead. Camp Dragonhead was still a good distance away. She could only hope her toes wouldn't freeze off.

The track through the snow was thankfully uneventful, but the closer they got, the colder it seemed to get and by the time the fort was starting to come into view, she was hugging herself tightly and trying with all her might to keep her teeth from chattering.

"Only a little more," Alphinaud managed to say through gritted teeth.

As they approached the gate ahead, one of the two knights standing guard called out. "Halt! Who goes there?"

Doing as they were told, Alphinaud and S'eni stopped, both visibly shaking from the cold. The Fortemps knights stepped forward, their spears held firmly in case either of them tried anything funny. The one that had called out to them had taken a torch to get a better look at these strangers traveling in the dead of the night.

"By Halone, it's you!" he exclaimed as soon as he saw their faces, before turning towards his fellow knight. "Tell Lord Haurchefant that Master Alphinaud and the Warrior of Light are here!"

The other knight nodded, then rushed inside.

"My apologies," the man said. "We can never be too careful around these parts. Let's get you out of the cold."

"T-t-thank you," S'eni stammered.

After being ushered inside, they were met halfway by Haurchefant and the other knight, both carrying blankets and hurrying towards them.

"S'eni!" upon reaching her, he wrapped the blanket around her shoulders and picked her up to quickly get her inside, where Alphinaud and her were placed in front of a warming fire.

As the warmth slowly crept back into her limbs, she sent Haurchefant a grateful smile.

"I have heard news from Ul'dah and was fearing the worst. It warms my heart to see you and Master Alphinaud unharmed," he said to her.

"It's good to see you too," S'eni replied, pulling the blanket tightly around her.

"Lord Haurchefant," Alphinaud spoke up after he finally stopped shaking, his eyes never leaving the ground. "May...may we request asylum?"

The older Elezen looked at him, his expression growing serious. "I will make the necessary inquiries. In the meantime, please rest."

Glancing at one of the present knights, he gave him a silent order in the form of a nod, making him salute and walk away, before leaving for the back himself.

Not long after, the knight returned with two bowls of hot soup that he handed them. With a "thank you", S'eni took the offered bowl, feeling welcomingly warm in her hands and smelling delicious. It was only now that she realized how long ago it was that she had something to eat.

Taking the spoon out of the bowl, she dug in, letting out a sigh of relief as its warmth started to spread from her belly outward. Next to her, Alphinaud was a little bit more hesitant in taking the soup but found himself giving in nonetheless.

"At the very least we're out of the cold, that's something. Right?" she asked him.

"Hm," was his only reply, staring into the bowl as if it held all the answers.

A frown formed on S'eni's face. She wanted to cheer him up, but couldn't find the words. They had all been blind to the corruption inside the Crystal Braves, despite knowing that Teledji was up to something. Wilred's death should have been a warning.

And now it had all come crashing down on them.

The bowl in her hand groaned as she gripped it tightly. If she got her hands on Ilberd and the rest of those traitors—

But for that you need to actually get to them first, a voice in the back of her mind reminded her.

Easing her grip, she let out a sigh and went back to eating instead.

A heavy silence fell over them, and only the crackle of the fire disturbed it until Haurchefant's return. As soon as S'eni saw him, she knew that he wasn't bearing good news.

"I'm afraid the situation has become more complicated," he said, sitting down next to them.

"Complicated how?"

"Ishgard has weathered another assault, and word is that several wyverns managed to enter the city proper. The Temple Knights succeeded in slaying them, but the intrusion prompted orders to further strengthen the guard and to place it under a perpetual state of high alert," Haurchefant told them. "Luckily, Ser Aymeric has returned safely from Ul'dah and is leading the defense himself."

He then sighed. "As for your asylum, I'm loath to say no progress will be made until the threat to Ishgard has diminished."

That's what she had been afraid of, but where else were they to go?

S'eni looked over to Alphinaud, who was staring blankly ahead.

Looking between the two of them, the older Elezen rose back to his feet, prompting her to look up at him. He was smiling now.

"But don't despair. You're not without allies." He pointed at himself. "You're more than welcome to shelter here for as long as you wish. Think of it as your new headquarters—the 'Falling Snows' or some such."

Despite herself, S'eni found herself chuckling at the name. He was such an odd one. "Thank you, Haurchefant. I mean it."

"You fought to preserve the honor of my dear friend—now it's my turn to repay that debt in kind." He gave her a nod, his smile widening. "Frivolities aside though, any who come here in search of you will receive no aid from House Fortemps. Agents of Ul'dah will find every inquiry dismissed and request for entry rebuffed until their master will acknowledge your innocence. For once the Ishgardian reputation for inhospitality shall work in our favor."

The older Elezen once moved his gaze between the two of them. "But let's not dwell on that. How about we go and meet your companions?"

Her eyes widened in surprise and even Alphinaud perked up for a moment, looking up at Haurchefant, his mouth agape.

"I apologize for not saying so sooner, but I felt it more important to make sure of your well-being. They were the ones delivering the news of what transpired. I imagine they will be glad to see you."

Their soup now entirely forgotten, the two of them rose to their feet, eager to see who of their friends had managed to get here ahead of them.

 

---

 

S'eni exhaled through her nose as she stepped into the room that would be her home for the foreseeable future. It reminded her of the room that she had shared with Alphinaud and Cid what felt like ages ago now. There was a fireplace, a table, and two beds.

"Almost looks like the Waking Sands, doesn't it?" the friendly voice of Tataru asked before the smaller woman stepped up next to her.

"Yeah," she replied with a small smile.

She couldn't describe the relief she had felt when she had laid eyes on Tataru and Yugiri earlier. When the Crystal Braves had tried to capture her, the Lalafel had run away as fast as her short legs could carry her and was ultimately saved by the Doman woman. Together they had fled to the Waking Sands, where Urianger was hiding everything with a special spell he had come up with, before heading this way.

But if that wasn't surprise enough, then laying eyes on Yugiri's face for the first time sure was. She had never in her life seen someone like her, with horns and scales that weren't unlike a dragon's. Yet, as Tataru had said, she was very pretty indeed.

There had been no time to dwell on that though, as Yugiri had soon after taken her leave, swearing to them that she and her ninjas would do everything in their power to keep an eye out for their missing friends and keep them informed on the happenings of the city-states.

Walking towards one of the beds, Tataru took off her hat, letting the long hair she had pulled up underneath flow freely past her shoulder, and climbed on top of it.

"Hmm, seems comfy enough," the smaller woman said after sitting down and bouncing a few times.

A chuckle escaped S'eni. Tataru always was a bundle of optimism. Most of the time anyway.

"Minfilia told me many times: As long as we stand fast against despair, the beacon of hope will never be lost. Be it in the snow or in the clouds, we will see that the dawn's light shines again!" she recalled her words from earlier. They had been enough to even lift Alphinaud's spirits again.

Yes, they would not give up. They would find Y'shtola and the others and clear their names.

But before that, they would rest.

As she walked over to the other bed, she stopped when she saw something lying on it; a change of clothes. She also found a pair of boots resting next to the bed upon further inspection.

"Do you want me to give you some privacy?" Tataru asked as she picked up a comfortable-looking wool jacket.

"It's fine," S'eni said with a smile, putting it back on the bed. "We're both girls here."

She dropped the blanket still wrapped around and proceeded to undo the lace buttons that formed a nice golden pattern on the dress.

"Oh my!" the other woman exclaimed. "You look beautiful in that!"

"Hm? Oh, yeah I suppose so," she replied, looking down at the dress. While it had remained relatively unscathed, there were smudges of dirt all over it, and the shoes were absolutely ruined. "Looked better earlier tonight."

"I can clean it up later if you want, it'll look brand new."

"That's really nice of you, but you don't need to go through all that trouble. I doubt I'll get the chance to wear it again." After undoing the buttons, she pulled off the dress and let it drop to the ground before turning towards the new set waiting for her.

She started with the wool stockings, followed by a simple skirt that ended mid-thigh, a warm-looking undershirt, and ending with the jacket. It wasn't exactly the most colorful set, and the jacket was a little too large, but it would do.

Rolling up her sleeves a bit, S'eni sat down on the bed and put the boots on. Unlike the jacket, they fit perfectly. While she was binding the bootlaces, Tataru had gotten up from the bed and gathered the discarded dress and folded it up, apparently still adamant to clean it for her.

Once she was done, she rose to her feet and walked over to the door.

"Where are you going?" Tataru asked.

"Just going to say thank you to our host, I won't be long," S'eni replied before leaving. Her feet carried her back to the conference room of what had now officially become The Falling Snows, where she found Alphinaud and Haurchefant still where Tataru and her had left them; deep in discussion.

After his mood had improved, the young Elezen had wasted no time asking the knight questions about some of the finer details regarding Ishgardian politics, and while Haurchefant was no expert, he knew enough to be an ample source of information.

She cleared her throat, making them turn their heads towards her.

"I hope I'm not interrupting?" she asked.

"Of course not," Haurchefant replied.

"We were almost done anyway," Alphinaud added, then stifled a yawn.

"How about we continue at a later date?" the knight suggested. "It's getting late and you all have been through so much tonight."

The younger Elezen nodded and rose to his feet. "You're right. Good night, Lord Haurchefant, S'eni."

He gave each of them a nod, before walking past her to his room.

"That goes for you too, my friend," Haurchefant said to her, getting up as well and gathering the mugs they all had drank from earlier.

"Don't worry, I can hear the bed calling already," she told him as she walked up to the table. "I just...wanted to thank you again. For everything."

The Ishgardian knight looked at her for a moment, his face that same mask of polite neutrality that he had worn when they first met, before breaking into a smile.

"It's only right to help a friend. There's nothing to thank me for," he said. "Consider yourself guests of House Fortemps until your innocence has been proven. And come morning, I shall write a letter to the count himself to petition your case once things have calmed down somewhat."

"What makes you so sure he'll agree to it?"

"Aside from aiding Ishgard in battling the Dravanians?" he asked while slowly walking towards the door leading outside. When she nodded in response he gave her a little shrug. "Count Edmont also happens to be my father."

At that revelation, S'eni could only stare at him in disbelief.

Seeing her expression, Haurchefant released a laugh. "Well, I think that's one too many revelations for tonight, so I shall take my leave. Good night, my friend."

She could only watch as he left through the door, completely speechless. Haurchefant was the son of such an important figure?

Huh. She remained standing there for a few more moments, letting this new fact sink in, before deciding that, indeed, it was probably time for her to head to bed.

 

---

 

Later that night, as S'eni and Tataru were both sleeping, utterly exhausted from the night's events, a small shape appeared from the darkness inside the room.

Tiny wings flapped in the air as it flew over to the sleeping Miqo'te, stopping right above her and remaining there without making a sound.

And as Hydaelyn's chosen, the Warrior of Light, slept, Midgarsormr watched...listened...and waited...

 

---

 

Book 1 - A Warrior Reborn - End

 

Notes:

And this concludes the first part of this story. Next week we start our adventures in Ishgard, so let's see how that will turn out, shall we?

Also, I want to let you all know that each kudos and comment means a lot, so thank you for enjoying my story!

Until next week!

Chapter 20

Notes:

Back again. Now without further ado, let's dive right into the part of this story.

 

Book 2: Ever Heavensward

 

---

 

First Impressions

 

When I first laid my eyes on the Warrior of Light, I have to admit I was very much surprised. All the tales of her heroism by my son had painted an image in my mind that was a bit more, dare I say, larger than life.

I certainly did not expect the Miqo'te that stepped in front of me, unsure of her new surroundings. But when I saw the look in her eyes, distant, yet full of determination, I knew that this truly was the woman that had led a company of adventurers to repeal the Dravanians.

I still remember my first conversation with her quite well. It was shortly after I had welcomed her and her companions.

- From the memoirs of Count Edmont de Fortemps

 

---

 

The room was filled with pleasant warmth from the fireplace as S'eni stood in its center, looking around in amazement at what she was seeing. The walls were painted a deep red, with elaborate white patterns accentuating them, and every part of the furniture, from the table, the chairs, to the bedside table, looked like pieces of wooden art only a master of the craft could produce.

Thick curtains were half covering the windows and the sunlight shining through it highlighted the elegant pattern woven into them.

Walking across the soft carpet, she couldn't help but run her fingertips across them. A fresh smell entered her nostrils, telling her that they had been washed not too long ago.

It was a bit much, she had to say. A definite improvement over their quarters in Camp Dragonhead, but still...

She turned on her heel to look at what must be the comfortable-looking bed she had ever laid eyes upon.

What did Haurchefant tell his father for him to invite them into his manor?

Or perhaps he was just a nice guy. He seemed friendly enough when they talked earlier; such a stark contrast to most other Ishgardians.

Guess I now know where Haurchefant got it from, she thought as she walked over to the bed and threw herself on it back first.

So soft... It was like she was lying on a cloud. Alright, maybe that was a bit of an exaggeration on her part, but there was just something different about it compared to the beds she was used to.

A smile forming on her lips, she closed her eyes and let herself simply enjoy this feeling. Maybe a nap wouldn't be such a bad idea?

She could feel herself drift off when, all of a sudden, the blanket on which she was lying started to sink, pulling her down like a pool of quicksand until she was lying awkwardly in a 'hole', her legs dangling in the air.

"What the-!?" she shifted around in place, trying to get back up, but only made herself look like a fish flaying about on solid ground.

The muffled sound of boots on the carpet echoed towards, shortly followed by a gloved reaching out. Not thinking twice, S'eni grabbed it and let herself be helped back onto her feet, all the while glaring at the bed.

"It seems the servants have added a few too many layers of blankets," the baritone voice of Count Edmont said. "My apologies."

"I guess I should have paid better attention," she said with a smile, looking at the older man. "Thanks."

A small pause followed their exchange in which they simply looked at one another.

...

...

As if she had just been poked in the butt by a Tonberry's knife, S'eni jumped away, ears shooting up straight in surprise. "Count Edmont!?"

"Yes?" he asked.

"What are you doing here?" she asked and immediately slapped herself mentally for the stupid question. "I-I mean is there something you need?"

She saw the Elezen's moustache quirk as the corners of his lips rose slightly. "I just happened to walk by and noticed that the door was open."

"Oh..." S'eni blinked, then cleared her throat. "Uh, well, thank you, again."

"You are welcome." Count Edmont looked around the room. "A plethora of sheets aside, I hope everything is to your liking?"

"Yes..." she took a look around once more. It would be a while until she got used to this.

"It pleases me to hear that. Is there anything else that you require?" he rubbed his chin. "A change of clothes perhaps?"

S'eni looked down at herself. She was still wearing the clothes she had received at Camp Dragonhead a while ago, a rather drab look for where she was right now.

Still, she shook her head. "No, that's alright."

It would be wrong to ask any more of him.

But shortly after those words had left her mouth, her stomach started to cry out for attention.

"Hmm, something to eat then."

"I'm sorry!" she said, her cheeks heating up in embarrassment. "The last time I ate was early this morning before training."

"I see," the older man said, nodding to himself. "We cannot have that. Please, follow me."

Turning around, Count Edmont walked towards the door, leaving her with no other option but to follow him.

"Really, you don't have to do that," S'eni protested.

"Nonsense!" Count Edmont replied. "No one has ever gone hungry inside these walls, and I certainly will not have it start now with an esteemed guest and friend of my son."

S'eni could only stare at the man, a polite and honest smile on his face that reminded her of Haurchefant, and any further protest died away with the sigh passing her lips.

"Then it would be rude of me not to accept," she replied with a grateful smile of her own.

Their steps echoed down the hallway, accompanied by the rhythmic tap of his walking cane, which seemed to be mostly an accessory instead of an actual aid.

Without saying any more words, the two-headed towards the manor's kitchen. Inside they found a young Elezen woman, humming as she busied herself with peeling some popotos. Her voice was just reaching the highest note, when Count Edmont cleared his throat, causing her breath to hitch in surprise and the vegetable in her hand to soar through the air before bouncing on the ground and coming to rest in front of their feet.

Whirling towards them, her eyes became wide as she saw who was standing at the door. "C-c-count Edmont!"

Jumping off the stool she was sitting on, she hurried over to them, picking up the popoto and brushing it off, then took a step back to bow in front of the man. "W-what is it you require?"

S'eni was having a major case of deja vu while Count Edmont simply chuckled. "Something to eat for our guest would be greatly appreciated."

"Of course." The other woman turned towards her, head still bowed slightly. "Is there something particular you wish to eat?"

Thinking for a moment, her eyes landed on the bucket filled with already peeled popotos and her stomach growled once more. It's been a while.

"Some mashed popotos would be nice," she said.

The young cook maid raised her head and blinked. "Really?"

"Oh yes." S'eni nodded eagerly. While the foot at Camp Dragonhead wasn't bad, it was more geared towards nutrient efficiency, and mashed popotos, as simple of a dish it was, would be downright luxury there.

"There you go," the Count said. "We will be waiting in the dining room."

"As you wish." The Elezen woman bowed one final time, before getting to work.

Following Count Edmont, she was led into the manor's dining room, where she sat down at the long table in the middle. The older man followed suit, but instead of taking what must be his usual seat at the head, he sat down opposite of her.

"So S'eni—is it alright if I just call you that?" he asked her.

"Of course."

Nodding, he continued. "You were mentioning training. My son told me you prefer to fight with your fists?"

"That's right," she replied with a smile that soon turned a little proud. "Not to brag, but I'm a disciple of the Fist of Rhalgr."

"You are a Monk?" His eyes widened slightly. "I thought they were all wiped out by King Theodoric."

"You're very well informed."

"The Gates of Judgement were not always as closely shut as they are now," he answered lightly.

"True. And yes, I'm a Monk, and my teacher has managed to escape the purge. He's striving to revive the order," S'eni explained. She wondered how Widargelt was doing these days. Perhaps she should pay him a visit once her name had been cleared.

"An honorable goal. Amongst the Temple Knights we have a few that dedicated themselves to the way of the fist as well, but I am sure compared to you they would seem like amateurs."

She shook her head. "I'm still far from being a master."

"Well, I hope you will do me the honor of giving me a demonstration of your abilities one day. Perhaps against one of our knights. I am sure they could all learn a great deal from it."

"I'd love to. Some of the ones at Camp Dragonhead have joined me in my daily training already."

"And I am sure it was an enlightening lesson for everyone. I just hope you did not go too hard on them," Count Edmont said.

"Don't worry, they're very capable themselves. I learned a great deal of how knights fight from them," she replied, earning herself a chuckle from the man.

"I am glad to hear that."

"You care a great deal about your troops, don't you?"

"It is only natural," he replied, before frowning. "Or at least that is how it should be. Some of my peers have the tendency to look down on their lessers."

"But you don't," she noted. Count Edmont smiled, his gaze moving away from her and his next words sounded almost wistful.

"Let us just say I learned from the mistakes that I made in my youth."

S'eni tilted her head questioningly but decided not to press the issue. A moment of silence passed between them before he landed on her again.

"So, my son told me you are an adventurer. Would you tell me about some of your exploits? I heard you even ventured into Dzemael Darkhold and the Aurum Vale."

The corners of her lips curling upward, she nodded and proceeded to tell him about some of her exploits.

She was just telling him about her return to Sastasha, when the cook maid entered, a plate with mashed popotos in one hand, and a spoon in the other.

"I hope it will be to your taste," she said after placing both on the table in front of her. The scent of the popotos, combined with the herbs added to it, entered her nostrils and it took all of her willpower to not inhale the food in one go.

"Thank you," S'eni said.

The woman bowed to her and Count Edmont, then headed back to her duties.

"Well, I suppose I should leave you to eat in peace," the older man said and rose to his feet.

"I don't mind the company," she replied lightly.

"No, I should get back to work. But thank you for the pleasant conversation. Enjoy your meal." Giving her a friendly nod, he left as well. The tapping of his walking cane echoed down the hallway for a few more moments before fading away into silence.

Breathing deeply, S'eni took the spoon and started to eat. As simple as a dish that it was, it was absolutely delicious to her right now, and she savoured every bite like it was going to be her last meal ever. But eventually, even the slower pace only delayed the inevitable, and her meal was gone.

While putting the spoon down, her ears perked up as they caught the sound of steps approaching. Just as she turned her head to glance over her shoulder, Firmien, the Fortemps' steward entered the room.

"Ah, Mistress Gata, there you are!" he said, and S'eni felt one of her ears twitch in confusion at being called 'Mistress'. "I was looking for you. Master Alphinaud wishes to ask if you would like to accompany him and Mistress Tataru on their tour through the city."

"Hmm." She tapped her fingers on the desk. It would probably be a good idea to familiarize themselves with Ishgard if they were to stay here for Twelve knows how long. With a nod, she said. "Tell them I'm coming."

Bowing his head, the man turned on his heel to leave but stopped himself, turned back around, and picked up the plate and spoon. "My lady," he said before really leaving this time.

Blinking once, twice, S'eni released a sigh and shrugged.

This really would need some getting used to.

 

Notes:

It's Count Edmont, everyone! A round of applause!

One thing I always found strange in the game was that while we're taken in as guests of House Fortemps, we don't have a room inside the manor. So I took some liberties in that regard here.

Anyway, more soon.

Chapter 21

Ishgardian Courtesy

 

The arrival of our new guests was not looked upon favourably by everyone, and despite the Warrior of Light lending her aid to the Ishgardian cause by assisting my sons, tempers soon flared and her two companions were accused of heresy by a member of the Heavens Ward.

After proving their innocence under the Fury's gaze, the situation had calmed down somewhat, but as our history had shown, distrust is not so easily shed.

Things could not remain as they were at the time, so I devised a plan that I hoped would calm the waves and convince the lords and ladies of our guests' sincerity.

 

---

 

An assortment of people were gathered in Fortemps manor, speaking amongst themselves in hushed voices and dressed in the finest clothes. Servants were walking around, being largely ignored by everyone present until one of the men and women had a craving for hors d'oeuvre or a glass of wine, before vanishing from their perception once more.

In one corner, a noblewoman laughed at something someone said, hiding the expression behind the back of her hand like a true lady would; in another two young noblemen were bragging to one another about their recent exploits.

And in the middle of it all, stood S'eni. Heaving a sigh, she looked down at herself. She too was wearing a dress in the style of an Ishgardian lady. Deep green and red, it covered her almost from head to toe, leaving only a little skin exposed from her neckline to accentuate the snug fit around her chest. Its long sleeves grew wider the further down her arms they went, stopping just shy of her wrists to show off the nice-looking white frills that adorned them.

When Count Edmont had first approached them with his idea, they all had readily accepted, and S'eni wasn't foolish enough to think she wouldn't have to dress up for this.

The irony of taking part in another banquet didn't escape her though. Ah, no, not a banquet. What was it called? A soirée?

She didn't really know what the difference was.

Turning her head, she spotted Alphinaud standing next to Count Edmont and his eldest son, Artoirel, doing what he did best: socializing.

He was certainly doing a much better job than she did right now. But she also wouldn't know what to talk about with the lords and ladies of Ishgard if they were to approach her, so she was quite content just standing around and occasionally receiving a few cursory stares in her general direction.

"My lady," she heard a voice say from next to her. Turning her attention to the source, she found one of the Fortemps' manservants standing there, holding a tray with drink and food skillfully in his hand. "Something to eat or drink?"

Her gaze landed on the wine-filled glasses, and her mind immediately flashed back to that night in Ul'dah and the look in the Sultana's eyes before she collapsed on the ground from the poison.

Closing her eyes, she shook her head to dispel the image. Surely nobody would try to poison her here, right?

She reached out towards one of them, but as soon as her fingertips brushed against its stem, S'eni pulled back and went for one of the hors d'oeuvre's instead. "Thanks," she said to the manservant, who went back to see if any of the other illustrious guests wanted to quench their thirst or quell their hunger.

Watching him go for a moment, she then turned her eyes towards the food she was holding between her fingers. It was a cracker covered in cream cheese and on top of it resting a small amount of caviar. The tiny eggs were colored a rich black and their smell reminded her of the sea.

With a shrug, S'eni popped it into her mouth and started chewing, her eyes moving around a little as flavors started to mix.

"The cracker and cheese get in the way of the caviar," she murmured after swallowing.

Her ears perked up at the sound of steps that were approaching her and, as she turned her head, soon came face to face with two young ladies, each in beautiful dresses and not the tiniest speck of make-up out of place. One had long dark hair flowing down her back, the other wore her blonde hair in a braid that was thrown over her shoulder. Both were Elezen of course.

"You are the one called Warrior of Light, are you not?" the dark-haired one asked.

"That I am." S'eni nodded. The other one gave her a once-over.

"I have to admit I expected someone... different," the blonde said. "Taller perhaps. A Hyur, or even a Roegadyn."

"You're not the first to be surprised," she replied evenly, resisting the urge to frown.

"I am sure. But forgive me, I meant no offense. We simply do not see many Miqo'te around these parts."

"I heard there were some living in the Dravanian Hinterlands," the first one threw in. "How someone could live so close to the dragons I have no idea."

Seemingly ignoring her friend's comment, the blonde smiled politely, before asking. "Where do you hail from?"

Her eyes darted between the two of them as she tried to decipher what it was they could possibly want after having ignored her until now.

Were they trying to find something they could use against her? To accuse her of heresy?

Or was just being paranoid here?

For a moment, she looked around for the manservant in an attempt to have an excuse to leave and get more caviar, but he had long since vanished.

Ah, seven hells.

"I'm from the islands in the southern seas," she replied.

"Oh my!" the black-haired one exclaimed, a note of amusement entering her voice. "I have only read about them during my studies, but to think I would meet someone from there. Now you have to tell us more."

"Not a whole lot to tell." S'eni shrugged, which went unnoticed due to how her dress was fashioned.

"Is it true that the sand there is as white as the snow of Coerthas?"

"On some islands," she replied. "The island where I lived was one of those. It's because of the coral reefs surrounding them."

"That sounds amazing," the blonde said.

"Maybe when you've never seen them before. But growing up there, it wasn't an especially special sight. To us, it was just sand." Yet after saying those words, she couldn't help the small fond smile forming on her face as she remembered the feeling of the sun-warmed sand under her feet and the sea breeze caressing her face.

Things were so much simpler back then.

"Us?" the blonde asked.

"My tribe. Our village is situated near the coast. Every day some of us would go out to fish," she explained.

"A fishing village?" the smile of the noblewoman grew. "How charming. Then that makes you an actual hero of humble beginnings."

Looking at each other, the two women burst into giggles that they hid behind the back of their hands, causing a frown to form on S'eni's features. Were they making fun of her?

Crossing her arms in front of her chest, she was about to ask what was so funny, when another set of footsteps approached them.

"Humble beginnings indeed, but her actions speak for themselves. If not for her, we might not even have this conversation at all. Don't you agree?"

The two of them immediately stopped giggling and straightened up before turning towards the source of the voice.

"Lord Haurchefant!" the black-haired one said, a hand going up to rest atop her heart and the most polite smile forming on her lips as she did so. "We were not expecting your company tonight."

"I was held up in my duties," he replied. "But that way I can claim to be fashionably late."

Both ladies giggled once more, but it was soon replaced by a heavy silence that lasted for a few moments as Haurchefant and the ladies stared at one another, their polite expressions never wavering for a second until the blonde spoke up again.

"It was a pleasure seeing you again, Lord Haurchefant. If you would excuse us."

"Of course. Have a nice evening."

The two ladies curtsied to him, as well as to her, before hurrying away as fast as possible as decorum allowed.

"Thanks," S'eni said as soon as they were out of earshot.

"Don't mention it," he replied, the smile on his face becoming more genuine.

For once, Haurchefant was not wearing the chainmail that she was accustomed to but was dressed much like his father and brothers in fine clothes befitting a member of House Fortemps. She had to admit he looked quite handsome in them.

"Care for some company? Perhaps my presence will keep people from asking any awkward questions."

"Please!" she nodded all too eagerly. "That way I have at least someone to talk to."

Haurchefant chuckled and stepped up next to her.

"So how have you been since we last saw each other?" he asked after a moment.

"Oh, you know how it goes, helping around where we can try not to be accused of Heresy again, the usual." As lightly as she was saying that, the entire thing had made the three of them tread more carefully from then on. And the revelation by the Archbishop that the Ascians were lurking about didn't do anything to quell their worries.

"Never a dull moment with you, I see. And how's our mutual friend?"

A smile formed on her lips at the question. "You'll be delighted to know that Zack is doing very well."

"Zack?" he asked, his eyebrows rising.

"Can't have him carry me around without giving him a name."

Zack, in this case, was the black Chocobo that Haurchefant had gifted her some time ago over her victory during the trial. The big bird had been a great help to her ever since, no doubt that due to her friend's training.

...Even if the squatting was a bit strange.

"Well, I suppose so," he said, nodding to himself before grinning. "Nevertheless, I'm glad that he is doing good, not that I ever expected that he wouldn't, under your care."

"He's a well-behaved one. Almost a little bit like an eager puppy." They both shared a small laugh. Her mood visibly improved, S'eni moved her gaze across the people gathered here. "I'm guessing this isn't your first time attending one of these given the reaction those two had earlier."

"Correct. Though not as many as you might think. The late lady Fortemps made sure of that."

Yes, she could imagine having her husband parade his illegitimate son around amongst their peers wasn't exactly high on her list of desires from what Artoirel had told her.

"I don't blame her for it," he said, looking across the room as well. "I should be thankful. I find these things dreadfully boring. My calling has always been that of a knight, not someone to brush elbows with the nobles."

"You and me both, really," S'eni sighed. Her dealings with the leaders of the Eorzean Alliance were never this stiff.

Haurchefant hummed to himself. "I suppose neither of us wants to be here then." A moment of silence passed before he turned towards her. "In that case, let's get out of here."

She glanced at him, cocking one of her eyebrows. "You think that's a good idea?"

"Not at all. But we can always get scolded later. So what do you say?" as if to underline his question, he held out his hand towards her.

Looking from his eyes to his hand, then back again, S'eni slowly reached out and took it.

 

---

 

"And then Y'shtola said: 'Enough, if this isn't the real Thancred, then I believe we have found a suitable replacement'," S'eni said before bursting into laughter as she recounted the events that had befallen her and the others in the Sylphs' forest. That was a day they wouldn't be forgetting for a long time. After calming down a bit, she took a generous sip from the mug she was holding.

The sweet taste of mead touched her tongue, before traveling down her throat and warming her up from the inside, coloring her cheeks a healthy pink.

Sitting in front of her was Haurchefant, holding his mug and chuckling at her story.

"I see her tongue is as sharp as any Ishgardian blade," he said.

"It is!" she grinned. "And once her patience runs out you better watch out not to get cut!"

After sneaking out of the manor, Haurchefant had taken her to the Foundation, and from there to the Forgotten Knight, saying that it would probably be more to her liking than having to deal with the nobility. And how right he was!

The people had been confused when they saw them enter at first, but that lasted only a short moment until they realized that it was just Haurchefant and her. Apparently, her friend was a regular visitor whenever the opportunity presented itself.

"I shall try to keep that in mind," Haurchefant said before drinking from his mead.

At his words, the grin dropped from her face, being replaced by a worried frown. She missed her, and the others. Every day she prayed for a sign that they were alright.

Picking up on her mood, her friend was quick to assuage her, his smile never once wavering. "I'm sure they're all right. From your tales alone I can tell their skills far outmatch those of your enemies. And if that wasn't enough then your friend Thancred was sure to charm some of them to your side."

She huffed out a chuckle, shaking her head. "You are an endless spring of optimism, has anyone ever told you that?"

"What can I say?" he shrugged. "That's my gift, I suppose."

"Haurchefant Greystone, the Warrior of Smiles."

"Has a nice ring, doesn't it? Perhaps I should call myself that during this year's Starlight Celebration." This time both of them laughed, and S'eni felt her spirits lift almost instantly at the image of him dressed like the Saint of Nymeia himself while manning his desk back at camp.

Raising her mug back up, she emptied the rest of it in one large gulp, then turned her head towards Gibrillont. "Another, please!"

Haurchefant eyed the empty mug for a second, before looking her in the eye. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Gibrillont's mead packs quite the punch, and you just had your third."

"Don't worry, I can handle my liquor," she placated him with a little grin that earned her a raised eyebrow.

"I think it would be better to stop," he said and raised his hand to signal the proprietor to ignore her order.

"Whoa, hey!" S'eni exclaimed and reached for his arm to pull it down. "I said I'm fine."

"Alright." His smile returned and he dropped his arm. "Then I'm sure you won't mind walking over to Gibrillont to save him the trouble of walking all the way over here."

"Hah! That's child's play," she said and grabbed her mug, rising to her feet. "I could dance on a needlepoi—"

But she had just risen in full when the world around her started to spin and forced her to sit back down. She closed her eyes, hand coming to rest on her forehead. After taking a few deep breaths, she opened them again.

"Yeah, I think I had enough," S'eni conceded to Haurchefant, who waved at Gibrillont while looking at her with a smile that said 'I told you so.' "What did he put in that stuff?"

"I'm afraid that's a secret he shall take to his grave," he said and took a sip. "But there's nothing better to make you truly unwind after a hard day of training."

"I'm sure," she replied dryly. Over the next couple of minutes, S'eni watched him as he slowly finished his drink, before rising to his feet and putting a few Gil on the table.

"Perhaps we should go back, by now most of the guests will have left," he said. "Do you think you can stand?"

Taking a deep breath, she slowly got back up while holding her hands out to keep herself balanced. When the world did not start to spin again, she exhaled and nodded. "Good to go."

"Well then, ladies first."

Together, they slowly ascended the stairs and left the Forgotten Knight. As soon as they stepped outside, the cold night air hit her right in the face and she could feel herself sober up a little despite the warmth still radiating from her belly.

The streets of the Foundation were largely empty as they walked through it, only the guards, as well as a few citizens, crossed their path on their way to the Pillars, no doubt returning home to warm themselves at their hearths. For once, the sky was clear, revealing the almost endless sea of stars and waxing moon for everyone to see, and as soon as they had made it to the upper ward of Ishgard, S'eni couldn't help but pause to take it all in.

"I always loved watching the stars," she told Haurchefant when he stopped as well. "Ever since I was a little kid. Sometimes I would sneak out past bedtime just so that I could watch them a bit longer."

She lowered her gaze from the sky and let it roam across the city below, entirely dark save for a few blots of light coming from the buildings and scattered torches, not unlike the stars above.

It was a breathtaking sight.

Yet looking closer, S'eni could see the scars of the recent assault that marred the city, a sign of the war that was raging against an ancient foe that she couldn't even begin to fathom.

She was an outsider after all; the war didn't concern her. But Ishgard had helped them when they needed it most, so it would be wrong to ignore it, wouldn't it?

Tearing her gaze away from the sight, she looked back towards Haurchefant who was waiting patiently for her. Smiling, she walked over to him and gave him a playful punch on the arm.

"Let's go," she said. "Wouldn't want to keep everyone from giving us a lecture."

 

Notes:

Man, Haurchefant is such a great guy, isn't he?

Chapter 22

Unlikely Alliances

 

Not long after that evening, the situation took a turn for the worse, as not long after they had left to save Flame General Raubahn from his impending execution, news came that the Dravanian horde was gathering its forces for another assault on the city.

But instead of fleeing like I had urged them to, they came up with a daring plan to avoid any further bloodshed on both sides. They did not know that the decision they made that day would be the first broken piece of a moment built on a millennium of lies, that would serve as the stepping stone to lasting peace.

 

---

 

Darkness.

She was surrounded by nothing but darkness. The crippling pain in her chest that had struck her just mere moments ago was slowly ebbing into a throbbing ache with every second that passed.

As her eyes opened, darkness slowly gave way to a familiar image. Six crystals surrounded her, their once bright light taken away and turning them into a dull grey, making them no better than the rocks they now shared their color with.

They just floated there, as if to mock her.

"Make thine destiny, special one," she heard Midgardsomr's voice echo all around her. "Break free from mine claw with thine own strength. If thou truly hath special power, thou can end the battle of judgement."

All of a sudden, an almost blinding light surged out from underneath her, concentrating in front of her for a moment before shooting towards one of the crystals.

It absorbed the light, welcoming it with open arms like one would an old friend, and soon after it started to pulse in a bright blue as its power slowly returned.

"S'eni." A voice echoed in the distance. Calling her. "S'eni!"

 

---

 

"S'eni!" Her eyes shot open and she jumped a little as she returned to the here and now. Alphinaud stood in front of her, concern reflecting in his eyes and his gloved hand resting on her shoulder. "Are you alright?" he asked.

That was...unexpected, she thought, taking a breath before nodding.

The young Elezen didn't seem fully convinced. "A long journey is lying ahead. If you need a rest just say so."

"Don't worry, I'm fine. Really," she assured him, the corners of her lips curling into a smile. "Let's go, we don't want to keep the other's waiting."

The others in this case being the esteemed Azure Dragoon, Estinien Wyrmblood, and none other than Lady Iceheart herself, whom the three of them had come here in hopes that she would help them in parlaying with the dragons.

Accepting her words, Alphinaud nodded and turned around to follow the other two. S'eni released another breath, a cloud of warm fog forming instantly, and looked around.

Snow as far as the eye could see. If one thought the Central Coerthas Highlands were bad they have never seen the western ones. Cold, inhospitable, and roaming with monsters looking for their next meal.

Truly the perfect place for the heretics to hide.

Marching down the hill, S'eni frowned as the feeling of being watched overcame her, and she turned slightly to glance over her shoulder. Her eyes scanned the area for a moment but could find nothing besides the dissipating residue of the purple smoke they had used to call Iceheart to them.

She shook her head and resumed her walk to where the others were waiting for her.

"Are we done staring at the air?" Estinien asked as soon as she had caught up with them.

"Yeah," she replied. The famous Azure Dragoon was an imposing figure in his black Drachen scale armor and abrasive in nature, bluntly saying things that she was sure had offended more than one noble in the past. It was refreshing, in a way. Even if he could do with toning it down just a little.

"Then let's not waste any more time." He crossed his arms in front of his chest.

She was about to retort when Iceheart approached her. With her pale skin and long silver-white hair, you could easily confuse her for a mirage created by the snow. But that beautiful exterior was hiding tremendous power not only of the Echo but of a primal as well.

"Your name is S'eni, yes?" She asked.

"That's right."

"Then please address me as Ysayle, if you wish."

S'eni nodded with a smile. "Alright, Ysayle. Nice to meet you and, you know, not fight each other."

"It's strange, isn't it?" the Elezen woman then asked. "That fate brought us together. Never did I think that I would walk alongside the Warrior of Light."

A sigh escaped her, followed by a small smile forming on her lip. "But I suppose history is full of such alliances. Shall we make our way to Dravania then?"

"Sounds like a plan," S'eni said, burying her hands into the pockets of her coat. "Can't wait to get out of this weather."

"Yes, the cold around these parts is quite unrelenting. I would rather be under the canopy of the Chocobo Forest as well."

Her ears perked up. Chocobo Forest?

"Then I would say we better make haste," Alphinaud cut in, obviously not remotely comfortable with the cold as well. "Please, lead the way."

"Very well," Ysayle said and turned around. As she passed Estinien, the Dragoon let out a snort before following soon after.

For a while, the sound of the snow crunching under their boots was the only companion, as a heavy silence set in between the four of them and S'eni found herself watching the Elezen woman. Her thoughts went back to what she had told them, the story of Shiva and Hraesvelgr, and how it was the woman's sacrifice that had brought a peace that lasted for two centuries only to crumble away in the face of a great betrayal.

Whereas if you believe the Holy See, it was Shiva who was the betrayer.

But she supposed it was like Estinien said, it didn't matter what version you believe in; ending this conflict before even more innocent blood would be shed was what mattered.

Yet—

Her eyes flicked over to the Dragoon.

—opinions were clearly differing on how they were to accomplish that. She just hoped it wouldn't come to blows because of it.

Either way, it was going to be an interesting journey.

 

---

 

The Dravanian Forelands were a sight to behold indeed. She had been expecting quite a bit, yet she still couldn't help but feel amazed at the size of the trees that were towering over them, their foliage so thick there was barely any sunlight passing through the leaves.

It was no wonder the local hunters managed to hide from the dragons here.

After they had arrived, Ysayle had wasted no time leading them to the settlement of Tailfeather, where they decided to rest and gather some information before continuing onward further west, to the foothills of Sohm Al.

As she walked around the hunter's village, S'eni perked her ears as she heard the familiar sounds of Chocobos in the distance. It was too bad that Zack wasn't with her, he might have liked it. But then again, wild Chocobos were apparently quite aggressive, so perhaps it was for the best.

Let's see how the others are doing, she thought to herself and headed back the way she came from, passing a few hunters that were going out on their next tour as she did so.

The first of her companions that she encountered was Estinien, sitting on the steps of one of the huts and looking about as cheerful as always with a face half obscured by his helmet. It made her wonder if he ever took it off.

"I see you're already done too?" she asked him as she approached.

"They're all saying the same thing: head west, be careful of the Gnath because they're very territorial," he replied, taking a bite off a piece of jerky he was holding.

"Do you know anything about them?"

"No. But that doesn't really matter. We're not here to deal with some local beast tribe. And if they get uppity—" he nodded towards his spear. "they'll face the consequences."

"Let's hope it won't come to that," she said, crossing her arms. Estinien just snorted and took another bite. "Do you know where the others are?"

"Last I saw, Alphinaud was at the south end."

"And Ysayle?"

"Talking with Marcechamp," the Dragoon said, and S'eni frowned at the tone in his voice.

"It wouldn't hurt to be a little more civil, you know?"

"I'm not here to play nice, I'm here to end this war. One way or another." He spit an especially tough piece of jerky into the grass. "I only promised not to harm her."

"Still, she's helping us here. Not going out of your way to antagonize her would go a long way."

"Duly noted."

Feeling dismissed by the man, S'eni let out a sigh and left, heading towards the south part of the settlement. It didn't take long for her to locate Alphinaud, standing at the edge of Tailfeather facing slightly westward and looking out into the forest, a thoughtful expression on his face.

He didn't even seem to register her as she approached.

"Gil for your thoughts?" she asked, making him jump and turn towards her.

"S'eni," he said after the initial moment of surprise passed. "Is there something you need?"

"Just wondering what's on your mind."

"Ah. It's nothing of consequence." He turned back towards the direction he was facing. "It's just...Sharlayan lies in that direction. The colony that is."

"The one that was abandoned years ago, right?" Y'shtola and the others had told her a little about it in the past.

"Yes. Alisaie and I were born there, but as you can imagine we don't recall anything about it. Now being so close to it feels strange," Alphinaud said.

A smile forming on her lips, S'eni stepped close to him and patted his shoulder. "Let's go check it out when everything's over," she said.

"I doubt there is anything but abandoned ruins there."

"So? It's still better than never having seen it all, right?"

The young Elezen chuckled. "I suppose you're right. Yes, let's do that."

"That's the spirit!" She gave him one more pat, then pulled her hand back. "I'm going to head back. Are you coming too?"

Alphinaud nodded. "Yes. We should probably discuss our next steps anyway."

Together, they headed back to the center of the settlement, where its Aetheryte was located. There they found Estinien and Ysayle, apparently just having had another argument if their body language and the metaphorical thick cloud of animosity hovering above them were anything to go by.

"Alphinaud, S'eni," Ysayle greeted them. "Then we're finally complete."

"I'll take it, that means we're heading out?" S'eni asked.

"Indeed. We will follow the forest trail until we reach the remains of an old statue called the Stained One, but we will have to pass through Gnath territory to get there, so we should remain on our guard. From there we will head straight towards Anyx Trine and when we reach there...please let me do the talking."

Alphinaud and her looked at each other, before nodding in agreement. They then turned to look towards Estinien, who threw up his hands.

"Fine. Whatever," he said.

After giving the hunters their thanks for their hospitality, the four of them left Tailfeather, heading westward.

As soon as they stepped out of the forest and into the open, S'eni found her eyes drawn skyward, to the towering peak that casts its shadow over the entire forelands; Sohm Al.

What awaited them there, she did not know. But hearing the roar of dragons in the distance, she knew that the hardest part was yet to come.

 

Chapter 23

Above the clouds

 

After conquering the perilous mountain path, the four companions had arrived at the peak of Sohm Al. Awaiting them was a string of pearl-like islands, floating above a sea of clouds; a domain in which dragon and man once lived in harmony that no mortal had stepped foot on for a thousand years.

Yet it was there, on this seemingly final step of their journey, that they found themselves struggling. By accident, they encountered a particular creature that, despite initial wariness, would assist them in reaching the great wyrm Hraesvelgr.

All it took was the help of distant kin from deep within the Black Shroud.

 

---

 

The sound of a multitude of tiny wings flapping pervaded the air, accompanied by the excited chattering of high-pitched voices that belonged to the citizens of Moghome as they conversed with one another and the group of outsiders that had gathered here.

Sitting a little further away from the hustle and bustle, S'eni let out a chuckle as she watched Kuplo Kopp almost dance around the air in barely contained excitement. Next to him stood Kan-E-Senna, a polite smile on her face.

To think there would be a village of Moogles up here, surprises never ceased to happen.

Dipping her hand into the bag at her side, she pulled out the newly repaired horn that would allow them to call Hraesvelgr. One step closer, she thought.

They had come pretty far in a relatively short amount of time. Now all that remained was to talk with the great wyrm and, hopefully, convince him to help in ending this war. The alternative, well—

S'eni raised her gaze and looked over to Estinien, who stood far apart from the rest of them, arms crossed in front of his chest.

—she supposed he would like the alternative above all.

Shaking her head, S'eni put the horn away and rose to her feet. She looked back over to the others, where the Elder Seedseer was just saying her farewells to Chieftain Moglin. A shiver ran down her spine as she remembered her encounter with the summoned King Moogle Mog; they looked way too much alike.

Or maybe that was just her.

She walked over to Moghan, who had kindly offered to be their guide. In exchange for being allowed to live here, Hraesvelgr had asked the Moogles to keep watch over the old fortress that resided in his domain and served as a meeting place with the great wyrm.

He jumped a little when she approached him, still a little nervous about having all of them run errands for the village to keep them busy. "Well, uh...I'm sure you're eager to be on your way!" he said, hovering from side to side and making his pom pom sway a little. "Oh, did I mention your friend is looking for you, kupo? If not: Alphinaud is waiting for you! I'll just be outside, stretching my wings!"

Without even giving her a chance to respond, Moghan zipped past her and out of the cave. She did a little shrug, before turning to see what Alphinaud wanted. She found him talking with Ysayle.

"Ah, S'eni."

"You wanted to talk?"

"Yes. As best as I can tell, we have all we need for our trip to Zenith, so we shouldn't linger any longer," Alphinaud said. "And the Elder Seedseer and her retinue will be traveling back to Gridania, it would be rude to not give them our thanks before we go our separate ways."

"I agree."

Smiling, he inclined his head. "Shall we then?"

They walked over to Kan-E-Senna and Kuplo Kopp as they were taking their leave. Seeing their approach, the Padjal raised her hand to tell her personal guards to stop for a moment.

"Alphinaud, S'eni," she said. "I humbly thank you for this most enlightening experience. Were it not for you, the existence of these Moogles might never have been revealed to us."

After saying these words, the Elder Seedseer gave them a respectful bow.

"It's us who should be thankful, Elder Seer. If not for your diplomacy, they might have never chosen to reveal themselves to us," Alphinaud replied and, ever the little diplomat that he was, bowed in return before turning towards Kuplo Kopp. "And it was your presence that ultimately won us their trust. It must have taken a large amount of courage to leave the Twelveswood, and we are glad you did."

"It was my pleasure, kupo!" their furry little friend replied, doing a cute little mid-air jump his kind was somehow able to do. "I've made so many new friends, and have so fantastic tales to tell my kinsmoogles back home."

"And it is home that we must return to now," Kan-E-Senna said, her gaze moving between Ysayle, Alphinaud, and S'eni. "May you ever walk in the light of the Crystal, my friends."

Alphinaud nodded. "Safe journey, Elder Seedseer. We must be on our way as well. Hraesvelgr awaits."

Their respective groups turned towards the exit and started to walk. S'eni too was about to follow, when Kan-E-Senna's voice made her stop.

"S'eni, a word if you please?"

"Of course," she replied.

"Please keep an eye on your companion, Ser Estinien—" her gaze moved over to the Azure Dragoon, having quietly headed over to the exit by his lonesome. "I sense a great storm of anguish raging beneath that stoic facade."

S'eni frowned. So she had noticed it too. "I will."

The Padjal gave her a firm nod before turning to leave with her escort.

S'eni lingered for a moment longer, before too leaving the village to join her companions waiting outside.

"Are you all ready, kupo?"

"We are," Alphinaud replied.

"Alright. First things first, we need to make for Asah. Oh...and watch out for rampaging dragons. Hm." He tilted his head a little. "Maybe that should have been the first thing..."

A sigh passed her lips.

 

---

 

As it turned out, Moghan had not been kidding when he warned them about the dragons, as they had been ambushed twice on their journey, and even he seemed to be surprised by the sheer ferocity they were showing. In the end, they had all but made it safely to the ruins of Asah, but that was sadly where the good news ended.

No sooner than they had arrived, their furry little guide looked up and scanned the sky before telling them, much to their frustration, that with the winds howling as they were, it would be nigh impossible to reach out to Hraesvelgr.

So with no other option left to them, their group decided to set up camp in a clearing southeast of the great wyrm's palace to wait until the wind died down.

S'eni was just returning to their chosen campsite after having been urged by Estinien to make sure that Alphinaud was going to be alright while he was gathering firewood, as the young Elezen seemed to be distracted and nightfall was fast approaching.

"I see I was right to worry about the boy's safety," he said after she told him about the beasts she had slain, crossing his arms in front of his armored chest. "Once he returns we can see to our supper."

Estinien turned his head to look towards Ysayle, who was attending to a pot not far from them, filling it with ingredients for a stew.

It didn't take long for Alphinaud to return with a sizable amount of firewood, and soon enough a fire was lit and their stew cooking. As their supper was cooking, the last of the daylight gave way to the night, revealing to them the beautiful sea of stars, looking even more magnificent than that time in Ishgard.

The stew itself was simple, yet very filling, just the right thing after a hard day of travel.

Once they were all done, the five of them had huddled close to the fire, listening to the crackling sounds it made and letting its warmth shield them from the chilly winds of the Churning Mists, sharing a quiet conversation before deciding to call it a night.

But as her companions all drifted off into sleep one by one, S'eni found herself still wide awake, staring into the dancing flames. She knew she should be resting as well, but there was a storm raging inside her mind just like the winds howling around them.

After a while of just lying around, she pushed herself off the ground and, making sure she didn't disturb any of the others, walked away from camp.

Her feet carried her northward and up a hill that overlooked the entire area to the south. Sitting down at the edge, she pulled a knee up against her chest and simply watched. Stretching out before her were the islands floating next to Eorzea's highest mountain, connected to each other like an intricate necklace made of rock and shaped by the ages. Spread out across them were the ruins of history past, standing silent witness to all that had happened over a thousand years ago.

It was like Estinien had said earlier, how can one deny that man and dragon once lived together in peace when all around them were the remains of that time.

To be amongst the first people to lay eyes on them after so long was truly humbling in a way. Her thoughts turned to her more scholarly-minded friends and she tried to envision each of their reactions. Thancred would most likely act rather blasé; Yda would be excited after an initial moment of surprise; Papalymo would look upon it with his usual calmness and Y'shtola...would try to uncover every secret the Churning Mists had to offer.

A fond smile formed on her lips as she imagined her friend going around, interrogating the Moogles and most likely not even hesitating to ask Hraesvelgr some questions if she was here.

Twelve, she missed her. All of them, really, but Y'shtola she missed the most. Part of her wished she hadn't listened to her and remained with them. But when she remembered the look in her friend's mint green eyes, she knew that she wouldn't have let her; would have knocked her out if need be.

Because if there was one thing that Y'shtola Rhul was, it was stubborn.

Just be alright, Shtola... S'eni called out in her mind, hoping that her friend could somehow hear her, wherever she was.

The sound of something snapping pulled her out of her musing and she immediately shot to her feet, whirled around, and raised her fists, ready to strike. But instead of one of the local monsters or dragons, she found none other than Ysayle standing there, her pale skin and white hair almost glowing in the moonlight.

With a relieved sigh, S'eni dropped her arms and relaxed.

"I'm sorry," was the first thing Ysayle said. "I didn't mean to startle you."

"It's fine," she replied. "I should be the one apologizing for waking you."

"Don't be. We all have things keeping us awake at night." The Elezen woman walked over to S'eni, joining her as she sat back down. A moment of silence passed between them before Ysayle continued. "What troubles you?"

"Lamenting on the past, I suppose."

"Do you wish to talk about it?"

She chuckled, shaking her head. "That's alright. I have more than enough ears to talk to about my worries, I don't need to add another pair."

Placing her palms on the grassy ground, she leaned back a little and looked out at the vast landscape in front of her once more.

"It's amazing, isn't it?"

"Yes. And to think it was the love between a dragon and an Elezen, and the sacrifice she made, that created this. It feels a little unreal."

"Does it now?" Ysayle asked, an amused tone emerging in her voice. "As much as unlikely alliances are part of history, so are tales of great love."

"Hm. I guess? Can't say it's something I'm awfully familiar with."

"Have you never been in love?"

"Going all in with the personal questions, aren't we?" S'eni asked, the corners of her lips quirking upward. She raised her hand when the other woman was about to reply, telling her that it was fine. "Let's just say I've got experience, and none of it lasted long."

It certainly wasn't the kind of love that made her want to spend the rest of her life with them.

"I see. But I suppose that's alright. Love is a strange and powerful thing. Sometimes we find it quickly, and sometimes it takes us years or even decades to find."

"Like Hraesvelgr and Shiva?"

"Yes." The Elezen woman nodded, brushing some of her hair behind her ear.

"Speaking from experience?"

That got a chuckle out of her. "I'm afraid my experiences are rather similar to yours."

"Ah, and here I was hoping for some wise counsel," S'eni said jokingly. "Guess that's just part of the Echo as well."

They shared a laugh at that before falling silent once more and simply staring out into the distance. After a while, Ysayle got back up and looked at her.

"We should return to camp. It's getting late and an important day awaits us tomorrow, my friend."

"Yeah, you're right," she said, rising to her feet as well.

By the time they had returned, what little fire had been left had died, leaving only a few glowing embers in their wake. After bidding Ysayle good night, S'eni laid down on the grassy ground and stared up at the stars above them, letting their glow calm down the last vestiges of the storm inside her mind.

When the fatigue started to finally set in and her eyes started to drift shut, she felt her mind return to what Ysayle had said.

Love, huh? Were her last thoughts before her consciousness faded and she slipped into a pleasant dream where she was greeted by a pair of striking, mint eyes.

 

Notes:

Hm hm hm. Gotta work that ship tag, don't I?

Chapter 24

The Things that Shaped Us

 

Nidhogg was dead; slain by the hands of Ser Estinien and the Warrior of Light after the talks with Hraesvelgr had ended in failure. But it was not just tidings of triumph that returned from atop of Sohm Al. With them came the shocking truth about the war that has lasted for a thousand years.

None of us could believe it, most of all Ser Aymeric who had almost immediately rushed off to confront the Archbishop. With the lord commander all but assuredly being declared a heretic, there was little choice than to gather forces for the inevitable attack on the Vault.

In need of allies, the Warrior of Light and her companions ventured into the Brume in hopes of contacting the revolutionaries' leader: the Mongrel.

 

---

 

Her shoulders slumped a little as she stepped back into the Forgotten Knight, partly glad to be out of the cold evening air, and partly frustrated by the lack of information she had acquired. Heading up the stairs from the entry that connected the tavern to the Brume, she didn't take long to spot Alphinaud and Tataru, sitting at one of the tables.

"From the look on your face, I take it you didn't find out much?" was the first thing Alphinaud asked when she approached.

S'eni simply shook her head, sitting down next to Tataru. The Lalafel reached out a tiny hand and gave her arm a reassuring pat.

"Don't worry, I'm sure eventually they're bound to reveal some information."

"I know, it's just that time might be running out." Being the Archbishop's son would only give Aymeric so much protection, after all.

"At the very least he should be safe for the night," Alphinaud reassured them. "Either way there's nothing we can do now but to call it a night and try our luck tomorrow."

"Yeah." She nodded.

Hearing footsteps approaching, the three of them looked up to find Gilbrillont heading towards them.

"I'm afraid we're closing for the night," he told them.

"I see. We'll take our leave then," the young Elezen replied and rose to his feet, shortly followed by Tataru and S'eni doing the same.

The proprietor inclined his head towards them. "But please do come back tomorrow, there should be more mulled wine by then."

The last he said while giving S'eni a pointed look that made her frown. She had already suspected that there had been more to the little errand he had sent her on earlier.

A Hyruan girl that fell in love with the Elezen baron she served, but got thrown out when she became pregnant and died soon after giving birth, she thought to herself while they left the Forgotten Knight. It wasn't much, but it was a lead, and one Gilbrillont was subtly supplying her with without breaking his rule of discretion.

So she would have no other choice than to return here as early as possible tomorrow.

The walk back to the manor passed in relative silence, each of them being engrossed in their own thoughts. This entire situation had grown much more complicated than either Alphinaud or her had expected, and even if they wished it was not the case, they were completely alone in this endeavour.

Their allies in the Alliance weren't able to lend them a hand, as this was an internal issue, and that didn't even include the fact that they had their own problems to deal with; first and foremost Ul'dah, which was seeing the return of their Sultana to her rightful place and had all their hands full with rooting out the last of the conspirators, with the help Lolorito of course, the conniving snake that had gotten away with it all.

But such was politics. In the end, what mattered was that Sultana Nanamo was alive and well.

As they returned to the manor, they were immediately ushered inside by the knight on guard duty. Silence greeted them as the doors closed once again, the light inside the room dimmed aside from a few lamps that were kept on for their return. With the fireplace not burning, the air was only marginally warmer than outside, urging the three of them to hurry towards their rooms and under the safety of their beds.

After bidding her friends good night, S'eni headed into the direction of her room, eager to dive into bed, under thick layers of warm blankets.

On her way, she spotted some light coming from one of the rooms, its door ajar and illuminating the otherwise dim hallway. Curiosity getting the best of her, she walked over and peeked inside. There she found Haurchefant, sitting in front of the room's fireplace and staring into the flames, deep in thought.

S'eni watched him for a moment, her eyebrows drawn into a frown as she mulled over what to do. Eventually, she raised a ginger hand and rapped her knuckles against the doorframe.

Turning his head, he looked in her direction just as she was opening the door further to reveal herself, a smile crossing his features. "Ah, you're back."

He made to get up, but she gestured for him to remain seated and walked over to him instead.

"Can't sleep?" she asked.

"Let's just say I found it rude to go to bed while you were still out there," he said as she sat down in the armchair next to him. "How did your search go?"

"Not as good as I hoped, but not as bad as I feared, I guess."

"Hm." He nodded.

"Alright," she then said, resting her chin on the palm of her hand. "What's really on your mind?"

Haurchefant chuckled. "I guess I can't get anything past you."

"Had to happen after all the times you've done it to me. Now come on, out with it!"

She watched him look back at the flames, their rhythmic motions reflecting in his eyes as they danced to a silent song. "I'm thinking about Lord Aymeric. Not about his well-being, although that does concern me as well, no it's about what Lucia said. That he's the Archbishop's illegitimate son."

He became silent for a moment, then continued after a sigh passed his lips.

"Him and I, we're not so different. Two bastards of highborn fathers. Not even remotely a novelty in Ishgard," he said. "Yet somehow we had the fortune to become more than the circumstances of our birth."

Hearing his words, S'eni's mind immediately went back to the story she had heard earlier; of another bastard child that the father would rather have starve in poverty instead of taking responsibility like Count Edmont had done. It could have easily been the other way around if his father had been a different man.

"I'm sorry, that probably must sound silly, especially in the current situation," he said, looking back at her with a crooked smile.

She shook her head. "Not at all. If you think about it, I'm a bastard too. At least from Ishgard's perspective."

"Oh?"

"I have fifteen siblings. Almost all of us come from a different mother, and our father wasn't married to a single one of them. So if we want to get technical we're all bastards since we're all born out of wedlock."

"But that's normal in your culture, isn't it?"

"It is. My point still stands though."

"I see. Well, I suppose looking at it that way we both are indeed bastards." His brows furrowed then. "But fifteen siblings? That sounds..."

"Strange?"

"I was thinking more along the lines of 'strenuous'."

S'eni stared at him for a few seconds, a dumbfounded expression on her face, before bursting into laughter.

"It's true!" she exclaimed after her laughter subsided again. "There's a reason a tribe Nunh has to be strong."

"And I take it your father was more than up to the task?"

"He was," she said, a fond smile forming on her lips. "Not only strong but honorable as well. In his own rogue-ish way."

A chuckle passing her lips, she leaned back into the backrest. "He wasn't one to ignore someone in need. A bit like your father in that regard."

"Father..." Haurchefant said. "Never made me feel less than his son. He raised me, fed me, and gave me the chance to be who I am today."

"You mean a weird guy helping a random adventurer and her friends whenever possible?"

Now it was his turn to laugh, full and clear.

"I suppose that too," he admitted. "Just like yours taught you to go out of your way to help all sorts of people with their problems."

"I guess we both lucked out, didn't we?"

"Indeed."

In the end, they were both shaped by their father's actions.

Neither of them said something for a while, deciding to instead simply enjoy the company of a friend on a cold night. Eventually, though, Haurchefant broke the silence.

"S'eni..."

"Yes?" she asked, turning her head.

He looked at her, eyes harboring something intense that she couldn't fully identify, and his lips curled into that genuine smile that was just so him. "...I think it's best if you go to bed. A lady needs her beauty sleep."

She couldn't help but grin. That was also so very much like him. She could tell that he wanted to say something else, but he was right in that she was starting to feel pretty tired, so she decided to drop it. For now.

"Alright," she said, rising to her feet and stretching herself a little. "Good night, Haurchefant."

"Good night, S'eni. And thank you."

"Anytime." She reached a hand out and squeezed his shoulder, then left.

As she walked back to her room, she couldn't stop wondering what it was that he had actually wanted to say to her, but nothing came to mind.

I'll just have to ask him when this is over, she thought and entered her room.

 

---

 

The next day found S'eni and the others back inside the Forgotten Knight. While Alphinaud and Tataru were discussing their next steps, she headed over to Gilbrillont who, like always, was tending to the bar. Behind him she saw a pot resting on the stove, clouds of steam rising from it and filling the tavern with a pleasant aroma.

"Need some more mullet wine delivered?" she asked, giving him the same pointed look he had given her yesterday.

"That I do," he said and went to fill up a bottle. After corking it, he returned and handed her the bottle, its warmth even radiating through her battle-worn gloves. "As it turns out, even a penitent can appreciate a fine wine. There's a man named Gerraldieux, tending to the poorest in the Brume. Please be so kind and bring this to him."

"Will do," she promised, giving him a nod, before heading down the stairs leading to the Brume. As soon as she had stepped outside, S'eni took a deep breath and looked down at the bottle of twice mullet wine in her hand.

Let's see how the actions of your father have shaped you, Mongrel...

Notes:

Man, Haurchefant really is a great guy, isn't he?

Chapter 25

Notes:

Well, I think we all know what's coming now, so let's just head on right in.

Those who Remain

 

I still remember it very clearly, like it was only yesterday when the Warrior of Light and her allies attacked the Vault on that late afternoon to rescue Ser Aymeric and bring the Archbishop to justice.

We all knew what was at stake; knew the consequences of our actions not only for ourselves but for all of Ishgard. Yet not even the Fury herself could have prepared me for the news that arrived after the battle was over.

To serve; to protect; to sacrifice. These were a knight's calling.

Haurchefant's calling. One that he upheld until the very end, giving his life to protect someone dear to him.

Even as I write these words, the pain of that day still resonates deep within me, like an old wound that would fade but never truly heal until I will breathe my last.

Blinded as I was by grief, I had not considered how she must have felt at the time.

 

---

 

S'eni...didn't know what to do. All the words she wanted to say were stuck inside her throat. The leather of her gloves scrunched as she balled her shaking hands into fists. Her eyes closed shut, she gritted her teeth painfully, and she could only listen while Count Edmont mourned the loss of his son.

Each sob was like a knife, wedging itself deep inside her, but instead of pain, there was only numbness left in its wake, spreading through her entire body.

After agonizing moments that felt like an eternity, she heard steps on the carpeted floor, followed by a voice.

"Father..." Somehow managing to open her eyes again, S'eni saw Artoirel kneeling next to his father on the ground, his hand placed on a shaking shoulder. The count didn't react, didn't even seem to notice the presence of his oldest son. They were soon joined by the Firmien, kneeling on the other side of the man.

Together, they managed to lift Count Edmont to his feet and walk him slowly towards the back. As they reached the double doors, hurriedly being opened by young Honoroit, Artoirel gave them all an apologetic look that belied his own sadness before walking through.

It was time for them to leave. But her legs refused to move, keeping her rooted to the spot. Her eyes were focused on the count's walking cane that he always carried around, now lying discarded on the ground.

A hand on her arm made her jump and she sharply exhaled the breath that she didn't know she was holding as she found herself able to move once more. Slowly, she turned her head to look at the owner of the hand.

It was Alphinaud.

"Let's go," he said, his eyes downcast. Not trusting herself to speak, she nodded, and, together with Tataru, they left.

The news of what had transpired inside the Vault had traveled fast, leaving the streets of the Pillars mostly empty. As the three of them gathered in front of the manor, none of them spoke. Tataru was still silently crying, and for once even Alphinaud seemed to be at a loss for what to say.

Minutes that felt like an eternity passed, with only the cold evening wind as their companion, but she didn't even register it even as her cheeks were starting to grow pink. Eventually, though, her friends managed to compose themselves and Alphinaud began to speak.

"I think we should—"

"No!" S'eni cut him off, making the young man look at her in shock. Her mouth opened and closed a few times as she looked between him and Tataru. "I—I'm sorry!"

Shaking her head, she turned around and ran.

"S'eni!" she could hear the Lalafel cry after her, but she was too fast for her two companions to catch up to. Her feet carried her past the Saint Reymanaud Cathedral and through the Jeweled Crozier, brushing past the few people that were out and about right now.

Only when she had made it down into the Foundation, did she allow herself to slow down and catch her breath. S'eni felt the drumming beat of her heart inside her chest as she looked around. She was near the Skysteel Manufactory.

She raised a shaking hand to run it through her hair, only to notice that she was still balling both of them into fists. Closing her eyes, she took a slow deep breath, holding it for a moment before exhaling again, then starting anew.

Inhale. Exhale.

Inhale. Exhale.

Just like she had been taught.

Little by little, S'eni felt a calm spread throughout her entire body, easing, if not quelling, the storm raging deep inside her.

With a final exhale passing her lips, she opened her eyes once more and uncurled her now steady hands, looking at them. There were deep marks in the leather resting against her palms and if not for the sturdy material, she was sure she would have drawn blood as her nails dug deep into her skin.

She raised her gaze up at the darkening sky, watching as the first stars started to twinkle into existence and hoping for an answer to be found there.

But there wasn't.

Releasing a sigh, she looked away and began to walk down the street leading past the manufactory towards the Holy Stables. Upon arriving, she saw that the yard usually filled with Chocobos being trained was lying empty. The birds had no doubt been put inside during the unrest Hilda and her people had started hours earlier, to serve as a distraction for their attack on the Vault.

It didn't take long for her to find what she was looking for, having been here rather recently, and soon enough she was standing in front of the stables reserved for the Chocobos of House Fortemps. Warmth flooded from the inside as she pushed the doors open, and a chorus of curious chirps echoed in her direction as multiple fluffy feathered heads peeked out from their stalls to see who was making noise.

They looked at her as she passed them, a few of them clicking their tongues in a friendly manner to get her attention, and while she would have otherwise loved to shower them with it, she was here for a very specific one. A black Chocobo that was nestled in the back, that started to chatter in excitement at the sight of her; Zack.

While others would give their steeds exotic and powerful sounding names, she had opted for something simple and easy to remember. Besides, he seemed to like it.

"Hey, big guy," she said, reaching her hand out as he lowered his head to pet him. A little smile formed on her lips at the cooing sound he made. "I'm sorry that I couldn't take you with me. Next time you're coming too, I promise."

"Wark!" was his excited response.

"That's what I like to hear." S'eni chuckled, giving him one last pat before reaching into the bag at her hip, pulling out a handful of his favorite greens. "Attention!"

Zack immediately straightened up, his wings resting against his side and raising his head like a disciplined soldier. Waiting for a moment to see if he would grow impatient, she eventually tossed the vegetable into the air where it was swiftly caught by his beak.

"Good boy." She took a step closer and started to stroke his neck while he ate. Despite not having been trained by her, he was as obedient as they came. All thanks to his original trainer.

Her expression darkened once again as her thoughts returned to Haurchefant, how eager he had been when he presented Zack to her only minutes after her victory in trial by combat. Not even the scolding he received by the knight on guard duty, for bringing a Chocobo to the Sacred Tribunal, could deter his high spirits.

And now he was dead.

A soft bump against the side of her head pulled her out of her reverie and made her look up into Zack's round, dark eyes.

"Kweh..." he lowered his head to gently brush it against hers.

The corners of her lips curled into a sad smile, before circling her arms around his long neck and burying her face into the plumage at its nape. She closed her eyes, letting the warmth he was radiating wash over and comfort her.

"I must be such a sorry sight," she murmured. His only response was to coo once more, causing the feathers against her face to tickle her. Despite herself, she released a little laugh and she could feel her spirits being lifted a tiny bit.

Bless this Chocobo.

She remained like this for a while longer before letting go, looking at him with a grateful smile dancing on her lips.

"Thank you," S'eni said as she took a step back. Her hand reached back into her bag and produced another vegetable that he eagerly ate up. With a sigh, she turned her eyes back to the stable doors. "I have to go. There's something I need to do, but I'll promise to be back soon, and then we're going on a ride."

"Wark!"

"Good." She gave him one final pat goodbye, then left the stables. As soon as she was outside, her eyes turned eastward.

Like the Pillars above, there were hardly any people about as this very eventful day was coming to an end, most of them opting to stay at home if they could, though even with the commotion earlier there were still a few brave ones about that wouldn't be deterred out of having a drink at the Forgotten Knight; or perhaps they just didn't have any other place to turn to.

S'eni stopped when she arrived at the Congregation of the Knights Most Heavenly. Her ears twitched a little as she picked up the hustle and bustle from the inside, the Temple Knights still loyal to Ser Aymeric no doubt being busy now that their commander was back with them.

As she entered, she spotted a group of them huddled around a large table, Lucia at the head and giving out instructions. The tall woman had just given two knights an order when she looked up to see who had just entered. Their eyes met for a moment and she gave S'eni a respectful nod.

Deciding not to bother Lucia in her duties until she absolutely needed to, S'eni started to look around. It didn't take long for her to find what she was looking for, as the two Fortemps knights standing guard stood out in their houses' colors amongst the white and blue of the Temple Knights.

"I wish to see him," she said after she came to a stop in front of them.

"I'm sorry, but we were strictly told—" he was cut off by a hand being placed on his shoulder, making him turn to look at his fellow knight. The other man simply shook his head before nodding towards the door. A frown formed on the first one's face and lowered his gaze to the ground for a moment, before nodding and opening the door for her. "Very well. But please, don't disturb him."

"I won't," she promised and stepped inside. After the door closed behind her, she looked around. It was a regular-sized chamber reserved for officers, with a table, a chair, and a bed. On any other day, the room would have a warm feel to it, she was sure, but the sight of what was lying on top of the bed made the entire room feel freezing cold even by Ishgard standards.

A blanket was placed on top of him, respectfully covering him from head to toe, but even with his face obscured, S'eni could tell the expression on it; serene, almost as if he was sleeping. Just like when he had slipped away as she held his hand.

Pulling over the chair, she sat down next to the bed. After a while of simply looking at his form, she released a shuddering breath and spoke.

"What should I do now?" She asked him, her fingers digging into the blue fabric of her cuirass. "I don't know what to do! Some kind of hero I turned out to be!"

Again, someone had to sacrifice themselves because she wasn't strong enough.

She grit her teeth, slamming her eyes shut to suppress the burning feeling inside them.

Everyone was leaving her. Like an avalanche, memories of her friends crashed down upon her, forcing themselves into her mind.

Thancred with two easy to impress ladies on each of his arms listening to his every word.

Papalymo and Yda bickering as they did so often.

Minfilia's eager expression as she passionately talked with her.

Y'shtola with a cup of tea giving her one of those rare, genuine smiles.

Shtola… if only she was here with her. But she wasn't; maybe she was already dead too...

No, no, she can't—

A feeling suddenly came over her, like a hand placing itself onto her shoulder. Her eyes shooting open, she looked behind her. Nothing, yet the feeling remained, wrapping itself around her like a warm blanket on a bitter, cold night.

"A smile better suits a hero," it echoed deep inside her mind. His last words to her, before the light, had forever left his eyes.

Ever since they had become friends, Haurchefant had never stopped believing in her, supporting her whenever he could, even going so far as to give her shelter when she was wanted for a crime she hadn't committed.

Even in his last moments, he encouraged her to never stop looking forward; to never give up.

And...that was what she would do. She owed him that much.

She wouldn't let his sacrifice be in vain.

Just as suddenly as it had come, the feeling dispersed once again, taking with it that weight that had threatened to crush her.

Slowly, she started to rise back to her feet and looked at Haurchefant. Closing her eyes, she raised her hand and uttered a silent prayer. Upon opening them again, she turned around and walked over to the door.

"For those we have lost..." S'eni found herself saying as her hand came to rest on the door handle. "For those we can yet save."

Sending Haurchefant one final look, she left the room. Once outside, she looked at each of the two knights, only now recognising them from her stay at Camp Dragonhead. "Thank you," she said to them.

They nodded, then, just as she was leaving, the one that had remained silent the entire time spoke up.

"Make them pay for what they've done!"

Glancing over her shoulder, she looked him in the eyes and gave him a resolute nod, her jaw set. "I will."

After saying those words, she headed back to the main hall where she ran into Alphinaud.

"S'eni!" he called out to her, eyes lighting up upon seeing her, but swiftly averted his gaze. "I'm sorry. Haurchefant was a dear friend to you. I should have realized you needed a moment to yourself."

"Don't worry. I'm al—" she shook her head. "No, that's a lie. I'm not alright, but we have more important things to do. What brings you here?"

"I wanted to see how Ser Aymeric is doing and speak to him should his wounds permit it." The young Elezen looked at her with searching eyes. "Since you're already here, would you like to join me?"

"Yes, I do."

"Very well, then let's go."

Giving him a nod, S'eni fell in step next to him as they headed towards the Lord Commander's chambers.

It was time to learn what the Archbishop was planning.

 

Notes:

Haurchefant's death is probably one of the most important moments from the game, so it was only natural to feature a chapter on that as well.

So long my friend, dead but never forgotten.

Anyway, that's it for this week. Next week...well I suppose we can look forward to next week.

See ya!

Chapter 26

The Light of her Eyes

 

The hunt for the Archbishop and his Heaven's Ward, now turned primals, continued and their goal was clear: Azys Lla.

At the time we had no idea what they wanted to achieve there, nor did we know the location of this ancient, Allagan ruin, but with the Ascian's involvement, we knew that there was no time to waste.

Young Alphinaud and the Warrior of Light, together with their friend Cid Garlond, chased them deep into the Sea of Clouds where, after many struggles, the way to Azys Lla revealed itself. Yet, as it turned out so many times with places of Allagan origin, getting inside proved to be another challenge by itself.

It was at that time when a glimmer of hope appeared in the form of a friend returned.

 

---

 

The calming patter of water followed Alphinaud, Tataru, and S'eni as they returned from Lotus Stand, having just finished their audience with the Elder Seedseer to ask the Elementals for aid in locating Y'shtola.

When she had first heard that neither her, Thancred or Minfilia had been among the bodies discovered in the watercourse underneath Ul'dah a wave of relief had washed over her, only for the worry to return almost instantly as Urianger told them the spell that Y'shtola had used to get away had trapped her within the Lifestream, floating adrift somewhere within the Twelveswood.

"Contrary to its name, the Lifestream is more akin to a raging torrent. Linger overlong in its midst, the aether that formeth one's soul shall be scattered, never to be reformed," he had said.

Time was of the essence.

Thankfully, Kan-E-Senna was all too willing to try and beseech the Elementals, but for them to find Y'shtola in the Lifestream they needed someone whose aether was similar to her own.

As fortune would for once have it, she knew exactly the person that fit the description. And apparently so did Tataru.

"If I remember correctly, Y'shtola's sister is called Y'mhitra and is a member of the Sons of Saint Coinach," the Lalafel said.

"That's right," S'eni replied.

"Oh, you know her?"

"I do." She turned her head to look at Alphinaud, curiosity clear in his eyes. "We met while Cid was preparing the Enterprise."

"I see. I have to admit I always marvel at the number of acquaintances you have." A smile formed on his lips. "But I suppose that's an adventurer's life for you."

Tataru grinned. "Well then, that should make things easier!"

"Alright." Giving them a nod, she gestured for them to follow her. "She's usually at the Apkallu Falls. Let's try looking for her there."

Making their way into Old Gridania, they didn't take long to locate Y'mhitra, standing in front of the falls, just like she predicted. She was staring at the falling water, eyebrows drawn and a hand resting on her hip like it always did when she was deep in thought.

S'eni noticed her ears twitch as they approached her, making Y'mhitra look in their direction. Her eyes grew when they fell upon them.

"S'eni?!" she exclaimed, turning to fully face her, before hurrying over to meet them halfway. "Thank the Twelve! When I heard that the Scions were being pursued I tried contacting Shtola and you, but I couldn't find a single trace of you two."

The other Miqo'te looked her over as if to check her for wounds, before breathing a sigh of relief. "I'm glad you're alright."

"Hello to you, too," S'eni replied with a smile, but then grew serious. "I'm afraid we'll have to catch up later."

"What do you mean?"

"Lady Y'mhitra, it's an honor to meet you. " Alphinaud cut in, bowing politely. "My name is Alphinaud Leveilleur, and this is Tataru Taru. We too are Scions."

Y'mhitra looked between the three of them, before focusing her gaze on S'eni. "What's going on? It's about Shtola, isn't it?"

"Mhm." S'eni nodded and began to tell her what had happened after they had made their escape into the watercourse beneath Ul'dah. A look of startled surprise crossed her features when she mentioned how Y'shtola had used the forbidden Flow spell to escape the traitorous Crystal Braves and that she was now trapped in the currents of the Lifestream.

"Now I know why I couldn't reach her. A forbidden spell!" the other Miqo'te buried her face in the palm of her hand. "Oh, Shtola...How could you be so reckless?"

"That's why we wish to ask for your help," Alphinaud said. "For the Elementals to find Y'shtola they need to be presented with aether akin to hers."

Removing her hand, Y'mhitra nodded. "Of course. We were born of different mothers, but we share our father's blood. I hope it will be enough for the Elementals."

"Don't worry," S'eni said, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I'm sure it will."

At least she hoped so.

The journey to Evershade was a quiet one, none of them saying anything as the fear that they might already be too late grew with every step as they came closer to the meadow that was home to the ancient guardian tree.

As they arrived, they found the Elder Seedseer waiting alongside her two siblings and her personal guard, standing in the shallow waters surrounding it. The elder Padjal's gaze landed on Y'mhitra almost instantly and she offered her a bow in greeting, before addressing them all.

"Then we are complete." She looked at her siblings. "Raya-O, A-Ruhn. Let us begin."

The two younger Seedseers nodded in unison, then followed their sister to the foot of the tree.

"Oh, great ones," Kan-E-Senna began, raising her staff into the air. "We have come to you with a humble plea. Let a drifting soul return; lead her to us."

S'eni watched as each of the three Seedseers staves started to radiate a light of pure aether.

"Please, Y'shtola..." Tataru said next to her, hands folded in prayer. "Please come back to us..."

Her heartbeat going quicker with every second that passed, she curled her hand into a tight fist. Shtola...

She had to come back!

Then, out of nowhere, a twinkle appeared in the air, followed by another, and another, until there looked to be a cluster of dazzling stars hovering above.

"I have her!" Kan-E-Senna suddenly called out, raising her head. "Now!"

Raya-O-Senna and A-Ruhn-Senna raised their staves to join that of their elder sibling. A blossom of blinding blue light appeared above them, making her raise a hand to shield her eyes. Little by little, a shape started to form, revealing arms, legs, and finally that oh so familiar face, as the light started to pull away while she was slowly lowered to the ground.

When the light had fully faded, Y'shtola was lying in front of the Seedseers, like a baby freshly born into the world.

"Shtola!" Y'mhitra ran towards the group, slipping down onto the ground next to her sister after one of the Elder Seedseer's guards had covered Y'shtola's body with a blanket.

Not being able to take it anymore, Tataru started to head over as fast as her short legs could manage and it took S'eni all of her willpower to not do the same. But Kan-E-Senna raised a hand to stop them.

"A room has been readied at the Roost," she said, then glanced over her shoulder at her guards. "Take her there, swiftly."

With a nod, one of them picked Y'shtola up and started carrying her out of the meadow, Y'mhitra not once leaving her sister's side and soon being joined by Tataru. Releasing the breath she didn't know she was holding, S'eni followed suit, falling in step next to Y'mhitra as soon as she caught up with her and glancing over at her friend's face. She looked almost as if she was asleep.

Relief started to flood her very being, and she offered a silent thank you to the Elementals for returning Y'shtola to her.

 

---

 

It was late afternoon when S'eni walked through the hallway of the Roost, the sound of her boots reverberating off the wooden floor.

As soon as they had arrived at the Carline Canopy, their group was already awaited by two members of the Conjurer's Guild, who took Y'shtola and placed her inside the room having been arranged for her.

Then the waiting game had started, as nobody knew when exactly she would regain consciousness once more.

While Y'mhitra had gone to join Y'shtola and put her own conjuring skills to good use, Alphinaud had gone to the Lotus Stand to give his thanks to the Seedseers. With only the two of them left, Tataru had requested for her to go on a small errand. She didn't mind, as it gave her something to focus on.

By the time she had returned, the Lalafel had welcomed her back with the news that Y'shtola was awake.

Now, holding the two packages she had retrieved, she came to a stop in front of the door where her friend was waiting for her.

As Alphinaud reached out to knock on the door, S'eni found the tip of her tail curling itself around her lower leg and she had to force herself to pull it back into place.

Stop being nervous, she berated herself. It's just Shtola.

"Come in," that familiar, husky voice called out, and despite what she had just told herself, she couldn't help the little flutter her heart did when the door finally opened and she saw her sitting on the bed; alive and well.

"Y'shtola!" Tataru exclaimed, running towards their returned friend. Wrapping her tiny arms around her as best as she could, her voice grew thick and tears started to trickle down her cheeks. "I'm so glad you're back!"

"Tataru..." S'eni heard Y'shtola say while placing the items she was carrying onto the nearby table, smiling at the fondness in her voice as the other Miqo'te was consoling the Lalafel.

She waited until Tataru was calm again, before approaching the bed, and her smile grew wider as Y'shtola turned to look at her.

"You're safe..." Her friend said, a relieved breath passing her slightly parted lips. "Thank the Twelve."

"I'm glad to see you well again," Alphinaud said. "Do you feel strong enough to talk?"

"I am, Master Alphinaud." Y'shtola looked at her sister, offering her a small smile. "Would you give us a moment, please?"

"Of course," Y'mhitra replied and rose from her chair. Walking past them, she sent S'eni a grateful smile, before leaving the room.

"Well then," Alphinaud began when the door closed. "Tell us what happened. The tunnels were completely collapsed."

And so she did. While Y'shtola recounted what had happened, S'eni decided to watch her friend. She must have been rather obvious about it since the other Miqo'te shot her a glance, the corners of her lips quirking upward in amusement, and she couldn't help a silent chuckle.

For a brief moment, their eyes met—

What in the Seven Hells?!

—and the smile on her lips fell.

Eyes that were once a mint green were now a silvery white, like the morning mist, touched by sunlight. Beautiful in their own right, but so very different.

What happened to them?

She was startled out of her musings by Y'shtola's next question. "What about the others?"

"They remain unaccounted for. You're the only one we managed to find," Alphinaud replied, his eyes downcast. "It was all my fault. My Crystal Braves pursued you that night. I destroyed the Scions of the Seventh Dawn."

"No, Master Alphinaud." Y'shtola shook her head. "You were the one to keep the light of hope alive. If the others were here they would surely agree."

"Don't worry, the others are alive and well, I'm sure of it." Tataru then said. "We'll find them!"

Sighing through his nose, Alphinaud nodded. "You're right, Tataru. Let's find our friends and rebuild the Scions."

"That sounds better already," Y'shtola said with a smile. "Then it's time for me to get back up."

Using her hand to push herself off the mattress, Y'shtola slowly rose back to her feet, taking a deep breath to gather herself.

"I have a change of clothes for you. I made them myself while we were staying in Ishgard," Tataru said with no small amount of pride in her voice and for a moment S'eni even forgot about Y'shtola's eyes.

First Alphinaud, now Y'shtola. Was she the only one that didn't get a change of clothes from Tataru?

With a smile on her face, Tataru turned towards Alphinaud, looking expectantly at him. For a moment, the younger man didn't seem to realize what she meant, before his eyes widened and he took an involuntary step back once it finally dawned on him.

She felt a corner of her lips curl up into a small smirk; it couldn't be easy being the only guy here. Raising her hand, she beckoned him towards the door. "Well, come on. Let's give her some privacy."

The other two's giggles echoed after them until they were out of the door.

Together, they headed down into the Carline Canopy, where they found Y'mhitra sitting at one of the tables.

"Let me guess, my sister is already up and about?" she asked them as they sat down.

"You know how she is," S'eni replied.

"I do." Y'mhitra shook her head. "I wish she would take it a little slower. But I suppose there's no time to lose, is there?"

"I'm afraid not," Alphinaud said.

"Don't worry. We'll keep an eye on her," she promised the other Miqo'te.

"Thank you. I know she can take care of herself, but—Ah, never mind."

"So, Y'mhitra. Why is it that you're here in Gridania and not with your fellow Sons?" the young Elezen asked, clearly wishing for the conversation to head in a more relaxing direction. Not that she could blame him there; they could all use it.

S'eni listened to her for a while, but since she largely knew the reasons already, found herself slowly tuning the conversation out and her mind began wandering. It didn't take long for her thoughts to return to the sight of Y'shtola's eyes.

She couldn't have been the only one to notice the drastic change in color. There was no way that Y'mhitra wouldn't be able to tell the difference.

On top of that, there was something oddly familiar about it; a feeling, tickling in the back of her mind. Closing her eyes, S'eni tried to reach out to it, mental fingers tracing over her memories, inching closer and closer...

All of a sudden, the image of a blond Lalafel sprang up in her mind, sitting next to her and talking amicably with her. A hand rose to remove the shades resting on his small nose, revealing to her a pair of silvery white eyes.

The realization hit her like a Goobbue's punch, knocking the wind out of her with a sharp breath. Opening her eyes wide, she immediately glanced over to Y'mhitra, thankfully still talking with Alphinaud, and the words she had said only a moment ago now rang much differently inside her mind.

She...she had to talk to her. Now.

"Hm? Where are you going?" Alphinaud asked as she rose to her feet and started to head towards the door leading to the Roost's rooms.

"Checking how long they're going to take," S'eni lied.

Taking two steps at a time, she headed upstairs and down the hallway, forcing herself to slow down lest she ran over one of the other guests.

As soon as she had arrived at Y'shtola's room, she raised her hand and knocked.

"Yes?" the muffled voice of Tataru called out.

"It's me," S'eni replied. A moment passed, and the small woman opened the door a gap.

"Y'shtola is still getting dressed."

"Yeah, I figured as much." She bit the inside of her lips. "Would you mind giving us a moment?"

The Lalafel gave her a curious look but nodded. "Sure. I was getting quite thirsty anyway."

"Thanks," she said, giving the smaller woman a smile. As the door opened further, she noticed Y'shtola standing by the bed, dressed in a pair of black shorts and an equally black undershirt.

Tataru let her pass, before leaving the room and closing the door behind her. As soon as it was shut, S'eni leaned her back against it.

"So," Y'shtola said after a moment of silence, placing a hand on her hip while turning to look at her. "What is it you want to talk about?"

"...You lost your eyesight." It wasn't a question.

Her friend sighed. "I guess it was a fool's errand to hope you wouldn't pick up on it. The one time for you to be so perceptive too."

"When were you planning on telling us?"

"I wasn't." S'eni opened her mouth to protest but was silenced by Y'shtola's hand. "Because I'm fine. I can still see, just not in the way others do."

"How?"

"I can see the aether of people and things. It's hard to put into words..." she then pointed towards the vase resting on top of the window sill, filled with purple violas. "Take these flowers for instance. I know they're flowers and can even make out their shape, but I couldn't tell you what color they are."

"That's sad…"

"It is what it is."

"So that means when you look at me—"

"I see you, shining bright like a beacon. Your aether like nothing else I have ever seen."

S'eni crossed her arms. "But can you see my face?"

"I can make out enough to hold a proper conversation," Y'shtola said, bridging the distance between them and locking eyes with her. "Right now I'm looking at your eyes, and I can tell that you're frowning."

"Shtola…"

"I'm fine," she insisted and walked back towards the bed to put on the coat that Tataru had made for her. After putting her arms through the sleeves, she sighed. "Eni...Just trust me."

S'eni felt her fingers dig into her arms as she squeezed tightly, eyes never leaving the other Miqo'te while she was buttoning up her coat. Eventually, though, the tension left her and she let her arms fall back to her side, exhaling through her nose.

Pushing herself away from the door, she walked over to her friend and, after a moment's hesitation, placed a ginger hand on her shoulder. "You know I do," she said, biting her lip and averting her eyes. "I'm just...worried."

After fastening the decorative clasp over her chest, Y'shtola turned around and gave her a warm smile, reaching out to return the gesture. "And I'm glad to hear that. It shows that despite everything that happened, you're still very kind."

Her eyes flickered back up, coming to rest on Y'shtola's. Their light was gone, but the look inside them still spoke of that remarkable intellect that was just so her.

Without thinking, she slipped her hand from the other woman's shoulder, took a step forward, and gathered her in a hug. A surprised yelp escaped Y'shtola and for a moment she was too stunned to even move, her arm hanging almost comically in the air before moving to return it.

"It's good to have you back," S'eni breathed out, her head coming to rest on the other's shoulder.

"It's good to be back," Y'shtola replied.

Feeling herself relax for the first time in a while, she closed her eyes and held onto her, simply letting herself enjoy the presence of her friend. She breathed in her scent, like a spring morning after a rainy night. Instinctually, S'eni felt herself squeeze her a little as if to remind herself that she was indeed here; that this wasn't a dream.

Gentle fingers brushed over her back, making her smile.

They remained like that for a few moments longer before stepping back and looking at one another.

"So," Y'shtola began, taking a few additional steps back. "How does it look?"

S'eni looked her friend up and down, taking in her new appearance. It suited her, but—

"It's missing something," she said and glanced over at one of the packages resting on the table. The one from the leatherworker's guild. Following her eyes, Y'shtola turned to look as well, and together they headed over to take a peek inside.

"Oh my..." the other Miqo'te said as soon as the lid had come off, revealing a pair of black thigh-high boots. Reaching a hand out she ran her fingers across them.

A low whistle escaped S'eni. "Another pair for the collection?"

"First pair actually, but I have been meaning to get some for a while now." Y'shtola picked the package up and carried it over to the bed.

A chuckle escaped S'eni at the sight of her friend taking in her new pair of boots with the same appreciation a gourmet would have for an excellent dish and fine wine. Guess who else hasn't changed?

"Well, I take that as my cue to leave."

"Tell the others I won't be long," Y'shtola said while slipping one on.

"Will do." Leaving the room, she gave the closed door a long look, before starting to head down the hallway.

Y'shtola was strong, even with the loss of her regular sight, and she knew without a doubt that she could take care of herself. But she also was very stubborn, and sometimes a little too proud to ask for help.

A little smirk formed on her lips.

But what kind of friend would she be, if that stopped her from helping her anyway?

 

Notes:

Ayyyyy, Y'shtola is back. Applause.

Her blindness is such an odd thing, because she seems to not be blind at all most of the time. She can actually still read books and that one Tales from the Storm side story had her 'see the fire in Lyse's eyes', so clearly she can still make out little details as well. So I guess I'll just roll with that.

Chapter 27

Home of Scholars and Sages

 

Reunited with her friend, the Warrior of Light and her companions soon travelled westward into Dravania once more. Their destination: the abandoned colony of Sharlayan, where knowledge gathered over generations remained buried even to this day, lying forgotten after the great exodus many years ago.

It was that knowledge which they hoped would be the key to entering Azys Lla and to stop whatever scheme the Archbishop and the Ascians had conceived.

 

---

 

She didn't expect to be back in the Dravanian Forelands so soon after their initial journey to parlay with the dragons. Hells, it almost felt like yesterday that they had climbed atop Sohm Al.

But there was something...different in the air, she could feel it. Uncertainty seemed to pervade everything. Was it because of Nidhogg's death?

What do you think, Midgardsomr? She asked in her mind. The ancient wyrm remained silent. Yet ever since Sohm Al, she could feel his presence more keenly, just like in the days after he had first sealed away Hydaelyn's blessing; watching her in interest as she loosened the grip of his claw little by little.

S'eni looked around as their group entered Tailfeather. If the hunters had taken note of the change, then they managed to carry it off well, going about their business like it was any other day and only sparing them a few glances until they recognised Alphinaud and her.

"The last time we were here, Estinien and Ysayle were with us," Alphinaud mused as they reached the Aetheryte. He looked at her. "It wasn't long ago, but I still find myself feeling a little nostalgic."

She chuckled, giving the young Elezen a nod. A weary sigh made them both look towards their other companion.

"A long soak in the Lifestream followed by a long journey..." Y'shtola said, walking past S'eni and lowering herself to sit down at the base of the giant crystal. She shook her head, her now free flowing bangs moving with the motion. "I wouldn't recommend it to anyone."

"Are you alright?" she asked, a concerned frown forming on her face.

"Just a little fatigued," the other woman admitted. "But I can feel my strength returning to me. Not much longer and I'll be back to my former self."

"I guess we'll be taking a break then," S'eni said. Putting her hands on her hips, she looked around a little, wondering if it might be alright to bother the hunters for a meal for Y'shtola. But knowing her, she would probably say no anyway. Still, it might be worth a shot.

As she searched for one of the hunters to ask, her eyes fell on something else that made her pause. Domesticated Chocobos.

The corners of her lips rising in a smile, she said. "I've got an idea."

"Oh?" Y'shtola tilted her head a little. "What is it?"

"Just something that might make the rest of our journey easier." Turning her head, she glanced at Alphinaud. " I was thinking maybe we should ask Marcechamp to lend us some Chocobos."

"That's an excellent idea, S'eni!" he said, eyes lighting up. "We would be saving a considerable amount of time that way. I'll go ask him right away."

"I—" she started, but Alphinaud had already begun to walk towards the hunter's hut. "—could have done that too..."

Looking at Y'shtola, she earned herself a shrug, then released a sigh before sitting down next to her.

"So I take it no complaints on your end?" she asked.

Y'shtola cocked an eyebrow. "Why would there be? It's a sensible plan."

"You know exactly why." A grin splitting S'eni's face, she playfully nudged her friend with an elbow.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Yeah, right."

With a huff, the other Miqo'te shook her head again. "You're impossible."

Her grin turned into a smile and she bumped her shoulder into Y'shtola's. "That's why you like me..."

Y'shtola didn't look at her, but she could still see the corners of her lips as they curled upward. "Perhaps."

They shared a little laugh, before letting a comfortable silence set in between them. Soon enough, Alphinaud returned to them, but the expression on his face already told her that things didn't go as planned.

"Marcechamp agreed, but there's a problem," he told them.

The two women shared a look. "Well, what's the problem? Do I have to run some errands?"

That was usually the case.

He shook his head. "They can only spare one Chocobo."

"Hmm, that's unfortunate," Y'shtola said, crossing her arms.

"Not really," S'eni replied and got back to her feet. Walking past Alphinaud, she gave him a little clap on the shoulder before putting her thumb and index finger between her lips and blowing.

A loud whistle rang through the air, echoing far and wide into the distance, and the hunters that had largely been paying them no mind turned to see who had made the ruckus, some of them even sending her impressed looks.

A moment passed, but nothing happened.

"What—" Y'shtola began, but found herself shushed by S'eni who perked up her ears.

Another moment passed.

"Wark!" they all turned to look into the direction the cry came from to see a black feathered Chocobo running towards them at top speed.

For a second, it looked like S'eni was about to be run over, but the Chocobo came to an abrupt halt and slid the rest of the distance, right into her waiting arms.

"Hey, big guy!" she greeted him, immediately starting to ruffle his feathers and receiving coos of delight in return.

The others could only stare at the display in front of them.

"W-where did he come from?!" Alphinaud asked in shock, mouth agape.

"Oh he's been with us the entire time. I let him roam, but he's never too far away," she explained, then returned her attention to Zack. "Isn't that right?"

"Kweh," the big bird replied, earning himself another pat before S'eni turned to fully face her friends again.

"He's strong enough to carry two of us," she explained.

"Ah, I see..." the young Elezen said. "Then I suppose I will go and get the Chocobo."

After he had left, Y'shtola slowly rose back to her feet and walked over to them, eyes focused on Zack.

"You have your own Chocobo," she said matter-of-factly.

"Not just any Chocobo. A black Chocobo!" S'eni replied with an enthusiastic grin, taking a step aside and posing like an Ul'Dahn merchant revealing the newest addition to his goods. "He can fly!"

An awkward silence set in, only to be broken by Zack walking a couple of steps away from them. After a short moment, he started doing squats on the spot.

"What is he doing?" Y'shtola asked, eyebrows rising.

"He does that sometimes. His..." S'eni cleared her throat. "His name is Zack."

"I...see. He seems energetic."

"Oh, he sure is." Walking over to him, she made him stop his little exercise by putting a hand on his back. Not a moment too soon either, as Alphinaud was arriving on top of the Chocobo so graciously loaned to them.

Climbing on top of Zack, she reached her hand out towards Y'shtola, smiling. "Shall we then?"

Her friend mirrored the expression before taking the offered hand and letting herself be pulled up.

S'eni took hold of the reins, looked over to Alphinaud and exchanged a nod with him. "Hold on tight," she told Y'shtola, who circled her arms around her waist.

And with that, they were off.

 

---

 

The Dravanian Hinterlands were as beautiful as she had imagined. Situated in the westernmost part of Abalathia's Spine, it was filled with lush greenery thanks to the Thaliak River that flowed through it, splitting the entire landscape into two.

And in the midst of it all, the colony of Sharlayan.

Having lost most of its former glory in only 15 years, the smooth, domed buildings and decorative towers made of tan stone that remained were nevertheless a sight to behold and made S'eni wonder how their distant island home must look like if this once prosperous city was just a colony.

But while these glory days were now over, as Y'shtola had put it—

A loud bang echoing through the air, followed by a cloud of dark smoke made her look to the right where a group of goblins was tinkering with what she assumed was a machine.

—it was certainly not lacking in keepers.

To say that they were surprised when they found out who was now calling the abandoned colony their home, was to say Coerthas was a little cold. That they were working together with a group of treasure hunters turned settlers was just the cherry on top of the cake that this entire revelation was.

After the initial shock had worn off, they had agreed to fulfil a few tasks for them in exchange for their help to clear the path leading to the other side of the river and their destination, the cave of Master Matoya.

Currently, they were in the midst of deactivating a group of golem sentinels that were prowling the area and getting in the way of the expansion plans. Luckily they were constructed by the Sharlayans in such a way that a simple command could disable them, and it just so happened that Y'shtola remembered it.

Or so she claimed.

"Noughts and Crosses," S'eni said to one after she approached it. The walking construct slowly turned and stared at her with its glowing gaze, before the light faded and it collapsed onto itself. She looked at the pile of stones, kicking one just to make sure, then turned her eyes towards Y'shtola. "...I was actually expecting it to malfunction and attack me."

"I take it you have been burned more than once in that regard?"

"You should come join me and my fellow guild members," she replied as they began to walk towards the next golem. "Then you can see first hand how quickly things can go sideways."

"Perhaps when my interest is sufficiently piqued," Y'shtola said lightly. "But you can rest assured that everything will work as intended around here. Unless someone has started to tinker with things they shouldn't have."

The other Miqo'te sent a look towards the group of Goblins that seemed to have managed to get things under control again.

"Still mad?"

"I'm not mad." Y'shtola shook her head with a sigh. "It's like I said, it feels like having strangers take over your home in your absence. Yet I can't truly fault them for it."

Approaching the next Golem, the other Miqo'te said "Noughts and Crosses" and continued on her way, not even waiting for a reaction, instead letting the sound of collapsing stone speak for itself.

"In a way, I'm glad that these empty halls will serve as someone's home once more. It's a complicated feeling."

"I'm sure it is."

After deactivating two more golems, they made their way back to the Cenotaph, towering over everything even in its broken state. There they found, amongst the goblins and treasure hunters, Zack prowling about, clicking his tongue while digging in the dirt for something.

The people around him gave him some amused looks but otherwise didn't do anything as he wasn't getting in the way.

"That reminds me," Y'shtola started, watching as he plucked a bug from the ground. "I haven't asked where you got him from yet."

"While I was away on some errands, Tataru and Alphinaud were accused of heresy and I served as her champion in trial by combat," S'eni explained, feeling her mood darkening. "Afterwards, Haurchefant gave him to me as a present."

A little smile formed on her lips, but it soon fell at her friend's next words.

"Tataru has told me what happened," Y'shtola said. "I'm sorry. I know you two had been friends for some time."

"Yeah..."

The two fell silent, choosing to instead watch Zack some more. After apparently either having had his fill or due to slim pickings, he headed over to the remains of a wall. They watched as he proceeded to spread his wings before taking off into the Hinterlands.

"Is he really going to be alright?" the other Miqo'te asked.

"Oh yes. You've seen how easily he could carry us around. Believe me, you don't want to be hit by a kick from those legs." She chuckled, feeling her spirits lift once more. "Guess all those squats are good for something."

"He must have had a good trainer."

"The best."

"Do you...want to talk about it?"

"Not really, but thank you," S'eni said gently. Walking over to the wall that Zack had just flown over, she made sure that it wouldn't collapse anymore than it already was before climbing on the rubble and looking out into the distance.

She could see the entirety of the Dravianian Hinterlands from here. Sitting down, she waited for Y'shtola to join her before speaking. "It must have been amazing back then."

"It was," Her friend replied. "And I suppose it will be again. Only this time it will be called Idyllshire."

Idyllshire. It was a simple name, but it held within it a dream of home.

"So, where will we be going once we cross the river?" S'eni asked.

Y'shtola looked out towards the western bank and pointed towards the buildings there. "We will travel through the Answering Quarter to the swampland and from there we will head towards the mountains."

"Answering Quarter?"

"It's where the majority of our education took place." A look of melancholy crossed her features. "I spent many hours a day there, always learning, even after I became Master Matoya's apprentice. Well, if I had the time that was."

"I don't even know her and she already sounds like a handful." That earned her a chuckle from Y'shtola.

"Oh most definitely. The first few months were the hardest, but I adapted soon enough. In the end, I learned a great deal from her and walked out of her cave an Archon, eager to join my fellows." The other Miqo'te turned her head towards S'eni and furrowed her brows when she saw her starting to count on her hand. "...What are you doing?"

"Trying to figure out your age," she replied nonchalantly. The glare that her friend sent her made her pause for a second. "What? I lost 5 years of my life. I'm 27."

Y'shtola only shook her head and sighed, muttering. "Impossible..."

"Whatever." S'eni decided to dismiss the issue and pointed forward at the large dome of light right in the middle of the river. "What's that?"

After ignoring her for a moment, the other Miqo'te relented and turned her gaze the way she pointed. A frown formed on her face. "...I have no idea. That wasn't here 15 years ago."

S'eni watched her narrow her eyes, clearly trying to decipher whatever it was with her new eyesight, but gave up after a while.

"Want to check it out?"

"Yes, it worries me a bit to be honest. But we don't have the time to spare. It will have to wait until after more pressing matters have been taken care of," Y'shtola said. "Thankfully whatever it is seems to be dormant."

"Maybe Matoya will know something about it?" S'eni offered.

"Perhaps."

"S'eni! Y'shtola!" Looking over their shoulders, they saw Alphinaud heading towards them, a satisfied expression on his face.

"Seems like everything went well on his end too," she said, rising to her feet and offering her friend a hand to help her up.

Taking the offered hand, her friend nodded. "Indeed."

After climbing down from the rubble, the two met him halfway. "I saw your handiwork on the way here. That ought to take care of the golems. I say we go and tell Slowfix that we're done with his task."

"Yeah." S'eni nodded. "But I can already tell there's more work waiting for us."

"Adventurer's intuition?" Y'shtola asked as they started to make their way to where the leader of the Goblins was waiting.

"That's right!" she replied with a little wink. "So we should better get this over with before this turns into another Company of Heroes situation."

Her friend released another sigh at the mention of that incident. "Yes. Yes, we should."

Alphinaud could only tilt his head in confusion.

Chapter 28

Onward to Azys Lla

 

Returning to Ishgard with the knowledge they acquired in the Dravanian Hinterlands, they wasted no time to put them into practice. To build that which would open their way to the floating island of Azys Lla and to bring those to justice that had eluded it long enough.

As the hour of departure drew closer, so did the time to bid farewell.

 

---

 

It was odd.

If one looked at the people of the Pillars they would hardly think there was a crisis going on. That was if one didn't bother looking beneath the surface. But paying enough attention would reveal the stiffened shoulders of the young nobleman walking with his lady love or the subtle shaking of the hand of an older lady as she raised a handkerchief to her cheek.

There was uncertainty in the air, not unlike in the Forelands, seeping into everyone and everything.

Change was coming. Everyone knew it.

The foundation of their 1000 year old society had cracked, and now the mold that had gathered over time was crawling inside, threatening to tear it all down.

How Ishgard would look once the dust had settled, that was something only the Ishgardians could decide. But with people like Ser Aymeric guiding them, there was hope for a better tomorrow.

Even now, as a fight with his own father had become inevitable, his conviction remained true.

"By consorting with Ascians and acquiring primal powers, my father has made himself an enemy of all that is good and right in the world," his words from earlier echoed in her mind. "Do whatever you must to end his madness, and may the Fury watch over you."

Never once had his eyes wavered from hers as he told her that.

Yes, he would be a guiding light to the people. She was sure of it.

Her thoughts returned to present, more immediate concerns, as she walked up to Fortemps Manor.

With them leaving soon for what she hoped was the final battle, Alphinaud had suggested to her to visit those that would stay behind and bid them farewell. One by one she had received encouragements and exchanged promises to be careful, until she had finally arrived here.

The knight on guard duty gave her a solemn nod and stepped aside to let her pass. After a moment of hesitation, she stepped inside.

She had barely closed the door behind herself, when she was greeted by a maid, who then proceeded to call Firmien.

"Mistress Gata," the family's steward said as he entered the room. "It is good to see you. Your presence has been sorely missed since...that day."

He averted his eyes, but she could still see the sadness in them. As a former knight, it had been him who had taught Haurchefant how to wield a blade. The loss of his former student must weigh heavy on him as well.

Shaking his head, he offered her a polite smile. "You are here to see the count, are you not?"

"Yes," she replied.

"Please, follow me."

As they entered the manor's main room, they found Count Edmont standing there, seemingly lost in thought and S'eni couldn't help but feel nervous. After Haurchefant's death, she had avoided him and the rest of his family, which had been rather easy since they had been traveling all over. The last time she had seen the man was shortly before they had found Y'shtola again, and they were all too focused on other things to dwell on what happened.

But now, facing him once again in the vicinity of his own home, inside the very room they had told him about the death of his son, she felt a nervous shiver run down her spine.

"Mistress Gata is here to see you, my lord," Firmien said, making the other man turn around. A moment of silence that felt like an eternity passed. What should she say to him? What would he say to her?

"S'eni..." he finally said. "Thank you for paying me a visit. It soothes me to see you...and I am sorry."

Why was he apologizing? There was nothing to be sorry for.

She was about to tell him that, but he stopped her with a raise of his hand. "Firmien, would you be so kind?" he asked.

"Of course, my lord."

After the steward had left, Count Edmont continued. "Please forgive my behavior from last time. I was so overwhelmed by the grief over my son's death..." he closed his eyes and breathed deeply through his nose. "It will haunt me for a long time, I am sure. But I have resolved to be strong, like he would have wanted me to."

"Count Edmont..." she lowered her gaze to the floor, where not too long ago the older man had been crying for his son, and bit her lip.

She could still hear his tearful voice calling out "My son..."

S'eni jumped at the sudden weight on her shoulder and raised her eyes to find the count's gloved hand resting on it. Traveling up his arm, her gaze landed on his. She expected sadness in it, and there was, but it also held something else, much more warm and for a moment she was filled with a nostalgic feeling; of nights together with her siblings, full of stories.

Despite herself, she could feel the corners of her lips rising ever so slightly into a tentative smile. Giving her a calm nod that she responded with in kind, he removed his hand once more.

The door opened and Firmien returned, holding something in his hands. She recognised it immediately, the vision having burned itself into her mind.

Haurchefant's broken shield.

"It feels as if it were only yesterday when we first met. You were a fugitive seeking asylum and now you bear the hopes of our nation on your shoulders," Count Edmont said as he turned towards the other man to take the shield into his hands. "When Haurchefant asked me to invite you into Ishgard and serve as your guarantor, he was full of praise. That you were the truest of friends...that you were carrying the fire of hope inside you."

He turned around, looking her in the eye once more. "Only now do I realize how true his words were. You brought hope to Ishgard. We were trapped amidst a raging storm, but now the sky is finally growing clear."

For the first time since that fateful day, his lips curled into a small smile, and he handed her Haurchefant's shield.

"Here...a memento," he said as she took it. "It would have been his wish to fight at your side. Now go, do what must be done, and be careful. I do not wish for you to share his fate."

S'eni looked at the shield in her hands, holding it as if afraid to break it even further, and nodded. "I will," she promised.

His smile widened.

As she left Fortemps Manor again, she felt that the weight on her shoulders had grown a little lighter.

 

---

 

Returning to Ishgard's airship landing, S'eni found everyone waiting as Cid, Biggs and Wedge were still preparing for the journey ahead. Alphinaud was in deep discussions with Aymeric, about what, she didn't know. But knowing him, it could very well be about Ishgard's future inside the Eorzean Alliance.

Estinien, like so many times before, stood apart from the rest, arms crossed in front of his chest and lips curled into a frown.

Meanwhile Y'shtola was standing near the airship, watching in amusement as Biggs and Wedge started one of their usual arguments.

Passing by the others, S'eni walked over to the other Miqo'te, making her turn towards her. Silvery white eyes landed on the shield that was slung over her shoulder, but she did not comment on it and instead asked, "Said your farewells?"

"Mmh." she nodded and turned towards the Enterprise.

Not much longer.

"It's strange..." Y'shtola said, returning her gaze back to the airship as well. "Up until recently Ishgard has kept its gates firmly shut to outsiders, and now they are finally reaching out to the other city-states. And it's all thanks to you. You are truly a beacon of hope for all of us."

"Spare us the hyperbole," another voice cut in before she could reply. "People like us don't fight for praise."

"Estinien," S'eni said in greeting and turned around to look at the Dragoon, his armor still stained a deep crimson from when he had struck down Nidhogg.

"Hm? Aren't you allowed to thank your savior?" Y'shtola asked, placing her hands on her hips, a smirk dancing across her lips.

Estinien snorted. "It's too early for any show of gratitude. Before us lies a battle that will end a war lasting a thousand years."

They stared at one another and even through the helmet, S'eni could feel the intensity of his gaze.

"At Azys Lla, I will put an end to everything," he finally said.

A frown formed on the other Miqo'te's face. "I want to neither doubt your resolve, nor the severity of the situation. But you have to be careful-that eye harbors a power fuelled by the insatiable hatred of the dragon it belonged to."

"Save your concerns," he said dismissively. "I will consume the Eye before I let it consume me."

Having said what he apparently wanted to say, the Dragoon left.

"What a charming fellow," Y'shtola commented as they watched him leave.

"You'll get used to it. Eventually," S'eni replied. "But if I ever become like him, I don't know, just throw me off a cliff or something, please."

Her friend hummed. "Duly noted."

A familiar hooded figure entered her field of view, passing by Estinien and walking towards them in hurried steps. Urianger.

What's he doing here?

"How fortunate, thou hast not yet set forth," he exclaimed, stopping in front of her.

"Urianger, what brings you all the way here?" she voiced her thoughts.

"'Cross sand and snow have I journeyed, that I might deliver this gift unto thee." Reaching into the bag at his side, he produced—

"White auracite..." Y'shtola said, a look of surprise on her face. "Where did you find it?"

"It lay amongst Moenbryda's last effects. 'Twas by pure chance that I hap to spy it. Let no man claim that my dear friend ever erred for lack of foresight..." holding the auracite out for her to grasp, he looked away, his expression darkening. "In the place whither thou goest, servants of Darkness lie in wait. I beseech thee, strike them down and avenge her."

For a moment, S'eni didn't know what to say. This was so unlike Urianger, who was usually so composed that she thought nothing could phase him, but now she could feel the anger resonating from deep within him.

Taking hold of the auracite, she stepped forward and placed her other hand on his arm, seeking his eyes beneath his red tinted goggles.

"I promise," she said before stepping back and placing it inside her own bag.

He didn't reply in words, but instead bowed respectfully.

"Hey, everyone!" Cid's voice called out, making them all turn towards him. The smirk on his face could only mean one thing...

It was time.

 

---

 

The wind blew through her blonde hair as the newly dubbed Enterprise Excelsior cut through the sky at top speed. After the final preparations had been completed, they had wasted no time to get on board and, after receiving a final farewell from all their friends, left Ishgard in the direction of the Sea of Clouds towards Azys Lla.

After watching the floating isles pass by them for a while, S'eni walked over to the ship's stern, giving Biggs and Wedge a friendly smile as she passed by them, and sat down.

She took the shield still slung over her shoulder and placed it next to her, then closed her eyes and rested her head against the wall behind her.

Minutes passed in which she simply listened to the wind, letting it assist her in reaching that meditative state that she had been taught. Bit by bit she felt the chakras inside her open up, light and shadow alike, until they were in perfect harmony and a wave of tranquillity swept through her very being.

And for just one moment, right here, right now, she was filled with absolute peace.

She knew that it wouldn't last, that once she opened her eyes again, the burden, albeit lighter, would return once more. But it helped her carry it until her duty was done.

After drifting across the sea of calm for a little while longer, S'eni exhaled deeply, returning to the immediate present. Slowly opening her eyes, she was greeted by the all too familiar sight of Y'shtola.

What was unusual though, was the way she looked at her, eyes slightly widened and lips subtly parted in a way that still betrayed surprise.

"Yes?" S'eni asked, tilting her head a little, a small smile forming on her lips.

Releasing a shallow little breath, the other Miqo'te's expression returned to normal and she replied, "Your aether..."

"What about it?"

"The way you controlled it. I have never seen anything like this before."

"I'm a Monk. We channel our aether through the chakras in our body, remember?"

"Yes, but to actually see it is simply fascinating."

"Oh? Does that mean I'll be your next research project?" she asked teasingly as her friend sat down next to her. "I can direct you to a researcher that specialises in chakra."

"Well, if you're offering, I suppose I can put you on my list of projects," Y'shtola replied lightly. "After present discoveries and the one in the Hinterlands of course."

"Pity, and here I thought our friendship would mean more than that. I guess I was wrong," S'eni said with a mock sigh, before releasing a chuckle. "But seriously, if you have any questions, feel free to ask."

Y'shtola nodded. "I will."

Silvery white eyes turned slightly, looking past her at the object resting next to her. "I take it that was Lord Haurchefant's?"

Glancing over to the shield as well, S'eni took it and placed it on her lap. She put a hand on the unicorn emblem of House Fortemps and nodded. "Yeah."

The other woman didn't say anything, choosing to instead wait for her to continue.

For a second, the face of a certain blond knight flashed in her mind. "I'm going to kill him," S'eni said eventually, running her fingers across the broken edges of the hole that Zephirin's attack had left behind in it. "Him and all the others."

"They're primals now. They cannot be allowed to roam free," Y'shtola said in a matter of fact tone. "But this goes beyond that. It's personal."

Y'shtola's gaze came to rest on her once more. "Just don't let it consume you."

Releasing a deep breath, S'eni put the shield away. "Yes, I know. And I won't. Promise."

"Good. I would loathe having to throw you off a cliff so soon."

That brought a smile back on S'eni lips. "Thank you. That means a lot."

Y'shtola mirrored her expression. "You're most welcome."

They shared a little laugh, before turning to look forward. Her eyes landed on Estinien, standing at the starboard, looking more tense than usual.

"He's lived for revenge for so long...Do you think he'll find a measure of peace after all this is over?" S'eni asked.

"I don't know. That is something only he can find out for himself."

"Mmh. I guess you're right."

"I'm more worried about the Eye. I fear it might have been a mistake to use it to fuel the ram. Estinien is underestimating it," Y'shtola said. "He didn't see what I did, how much it seethes with hatred."

"Then we have to be careful in his stead."

S'eni's eyes shifted away from the Dragoon towards the sky. "We're closing in."

"How do you know?"

"The clouds," she replied, rising to her feet, watching as the clouds started to slowly shift from their natural white and grey into the strange green that seemed to envelope all of Azys Lla.

"Now that you mention it, the aether in the air is changing too." Getting back to her feet, Y'shtola joined her as she walked up to Cid at the helm.

S'eni looked out into the distance, but could see nothing other than clouds as far as the eye could see. Yet not far from them, Azys Lla was waiting.

A vision of reddish brown hair and mismatched eyes entered her mind. A friend who had once told her about this ancient, floating island over a drink; who had not hesitated to sacrifice himself for a greater cause.

Then, from one moment to the next, something appeared in the distance, standing out like a sore thumb in this sea of clouds. It looked almost tiny from a distance, but the closer they got more and more did it reveal itself to be an unnatural monstrosity of floating mass, created by a seemingly all powerful empire that now laid in ruins, yet still managed to threaten the people of this world long after its death throes.

I hope you don't mind us going on ahead, G'raha.

Turning her head to look at Cid, she shared a silent nod with the engineer before stepping back again.

This would end today.

Chapter 29

Ever Heavensward

 

It was a bright and sunny day, such a rarity in the snowy mountains of Coerthas. Five years ago this was a beautiful place, filled with grass as far as the eye could see, and the sun was a much more frequent companion.

But S'eni supposed—

She looked across the snow covering the cliff of Providence Point as the sun reflected off it in sparkles of light.

—this was also quite beautiful.

In the distance, Ishgard stood tall and proud, looking almost like it was floating on a sea of snowy mist.

But as beautiful a sight it was, it was not the reason why she was here.

The corners of her lips curled up into a smile as her eyes landed on a small pillar of granite amidst the white.

"Quite the view you got," S'eni said, stopping a few steps away from it. Her eyes landed on the name inscribed in the stone.

Haurchefant Greystone

"I'm sorry I didn't come here earlier. Things have been quite busy as you can imagine. But I'm here now." She fell silent for a moment and closed her eyes, imagining him standing there with that smile of his. Taking a deep breath, she continued. "We stopped them. Thordan and his Knights of the Round are dead, but I suppose you never had any doubt about that, right?"

Her eyes shifted away from the gravestone and towards the city in the distance.

"Ishgard is re-joining the Eorzean Alliance today. Everyone is most likely celebrating right about now," she told him.

A momentous occasion. Not too long ago, the possibility of Ishgard returning had been almost absurd, and now here they were.

She just wished he could be here to see it with his own eyes. Him...and Ysayle too.

Just after they had broken through the barrier around Azys Lla, the Garleans had shown up in one of their airships, firing at them with everything they had. They might not have made it if not for Ysayle showing up when she did and using all of her primal powers to cripple the Gration enough for them to get away at the cost of her own life, her body shattering into a million shards of pure light.

Another friend that had paid the ultimate price for something she believed in.

And then there was Estinien who, in the end, had been possessed by Nidhogg's vengeful spirit and was now out there, biding his time.

Peace was not yet assured for Ishgard.

But whatever the future held, she would be there to protect it. Just like he would have done.

The sound of boot-crunched snow made her turn around to see Alphinaud and Tataru making their way towards her.

"There you are," he said as they stopped next to her. His eyes landed on the grave and he closed them for a short prayer. "A noble monument, for a noble soul."

Carrying a bouquet of flowers, the Lalafel walked forward and placed them in front of the gravestone, offering a prayer as well as she did so. "From here he can watch over all of Ishgard..." she said and stepped back.

I guess it's my turn now, S'eni thought to herself and took the shield that had been slung over her shoulder this entire time. She knelt to the ground and rested it against the stone, placing it in such a way that anyone who would come to visit could see the emblem of House Fortemps. Thank you, Haurchefant. For everything. Rest well, my friend.

A minute of silence passed before Alphinaud spoke once more.

"It's been a long and arduous journey, and we have lost much along the way. Yet whatever comes we must stay true to our purpose and press on. For our friends."

"That's right! It's time we got back to rebuilding the Scions." Tataru exclaimed, raising a finger. "Which means we're going to need money. Lots of it!"

S'eni chuckled. "Already planning on running me ragged, huh?"

The Lalafel simply looked at her with a wide grin on her face, causing all three of them to burst into laughter.

"We should head back," Alphinaud said after they had calmed down once more.

"Yeah." S'eni nodded and gave the grave one last smile. "Let's go."

 

---

 

Fortemps Manor was quiet as S'eni entered, something that did not surprise her much since everyone was most likely still at the celebration of Ishgard's return to the fold. Even the staff had been given time off to bear witness to it.

As she headed down the hallway towards her room, she looked around at the deep red walls that had become so familiar to her. It had not been long, but this place had become a home to her.

She would miss it when the time came to move on, and not just because the beds were some of the comfiest she ever slept in.

But she supposed that was just how things went. She was an adventurer and a Scion after all.

S'eni felt herself coming to a stop when her eyes landed on the door of a certain room, one that would forever stand out to her. His room.

Slowly walking towards it, she was surprised to find the door ajar the same way as it had been that night. And just like back then, she couldn't help but take a peek inside.

There she found Count Edmont, sitting in the chair that had once been occupied by Haurchefant, a thoughtful expression on his face as he stared up ahead.

Not wanting to intrude, S'eni took a step back again, but the older man took her entirely by surprise and called out to her. "S'eni, is that you?"

"Yes," she replied after a moment of hesitation.

"Please, join me," he invited her in. The tone in his voice was welcoming and she found herself unable to refuse. As she sat down next to him, she saw that he was nursing a glass of wine in his hand.

"You were missed at the ceremony," Count Edmont said.

"I thought it would be fine to sit this one out. There's no need for the Warrior of Light today. Alphinaud should be there by now, doing what he does best."

"You were visiting Haurchefant then I take it?"

"I did. It's a beautiful spot," she said. A look of concern entered her eyes as she glanced at the wine glass, already half-drunk. "...How are you feeling? We haven't seen each other since our return from Azys Lla."

"If you are concerned about me drowning my sorrows I can assure you that I just needed a little refresher," he said and raised the glass, a kind smile forming on his features. "But thank you. It truly means a lot."

Exhaling through his nose, he looked around, slowly as if to take it all in. "My late wife never forgave me. Not for having an illegitimate child, that had been something she was raised to expect, but to take him into our home and raise him. She loved me and our sons, but she never loved Haurchefant," he told her, raising the glass to his lips and taking a sip. "To never be able to mend that rift is one of the things I will forever regret. But never mind that, I am sure the stories of an old man like me must be boring to you."

S'eni shook her head. "Not at all."

Count Edmont chuckled. "Still. I do not wish to linger on regrets and mistakes today, so might I ask you for a favor?"

"Anything," she replied.

"Tell me how you and my son met. He told me all about it, but I would like to hear your version of it."

A smile forming on her lips, she nodded and started to recount the day Cid, Alphinaud and her arrived in Coerthas in search for the engineer's missing airship, how their search lead them to Lord Francel and got them caught into a conspiracy woven by an impostor that ultimately lead them to Camp Dragonhead where Haurchefant had entered her life.

It soon turned into them swapping stories about him, both their voices filled with a fondness for him.

"One thing that still confuses me is, why in the seven hells did he have his men train while stripped down to the waist?" she wondered.

"Oh, that is because he did so himself," Count Edmont said with a light shrug.

S'eni blinked once then tilted her head. "Seriously?"

"Very much so. He frequently trained in the gazebo."

"Huh...wait, that gazebo?" she pointed in the general direction of where it was located next to the manor in full view of the entire neighborhood.

"To the delight of many noblewomen," he said, making her slump back into her chair and shake her head. He was such a weird one.

Their quiet moment came to an end when steps echoed down the hallway in a hurry, followed by a voice calling out, "S'eni! S'eni!"

"Tataru?" the Count and her shared a look, before she turned her head and called back. "In here!"

She watched as the Lalafel nearly ran past them but managed to come to a halt and burst into the room, a panicked look on her face. "Oooh, it's terrible. Absolutely terrible!"

"What's terrible?" S'eni asked.

"Y'shtola just contacted me via linkpearl. A primal has appeared in the Dravanian Hinterlands!"

A look of shock crossed her features at the Lalafel's words, before becoming one of determination. "Tell her I'm on my way."

Tataru nodded, her hand already going to her ear to relay her message.

"I'm sorry," S'eni said, turning towards Count Edmont. "But—"

"Duty calls, I understand. There are more important things than talking to an old man," he replied, his smile returning. "No rest for the righteous, right?"

"And for the wicked," she added with a wink. All but jumping out of the chair, she hurried over to the door.

"S'eni!" the older man called out, making her stop just shy past the door frame. "Be careful."

Her lips curling into a smile, she nodded. "I will."

And with that, she was off, Tataru hot on her trail as fast as her tiny legs could carry her.

The Count remained where he was, eyes turning to the glass in his hand. Raising it to his lips, he emptied the rest of it and slowly rose to his feet as well, taking the walking cane that was resting next to the chair as he did so.

He gave the room one last look, before leaving as well, closing the door behind him carefully as if not to disturb anyone.

Releasing a deep breath, Count Edmont started to head down the hallway and towards his study.

He had lived a long life. Perhaps it was time to write some of it down.

Yes—

The Elezen smiled and started to hum to himself.

—That was a fine idea indeed.

 

---

 

And so ends a glorious chapter in their tale. However, tumultuous days still lied ahead of Ishgard.

After a thousand years under the rule of the church, the people take their first tentative step into the unknown. And though they see a glimmer of peace upon the horizon, Nidhogg's vengeful shadow still remains to darken the way.

Be that as it may...

So long as the young knight commander and his heroic companions are there to guide them, the people may yet hope.

Hope that one day, true peace would return to Ishgard, and that man and dragon may live in harmony once more.

Let the deeds written in these pages never be forgotten, so that they may inspire generations yet to come to strive ever heavenswards.

 

Notes:

[cue Dragonsong]

A slightly shorter one, but one I felt that needed to be done. It's also the reason why I more or less used Edmont's memoir entry as it was in the game here. Because it felt right.

More to come soon.

Chapter 30

Someone Else's Dream

 

While the people of Ishgard enjoyed a brief respite from a thousand years of struggle, the Warrior of Light did not remain idle. The next adventure was already waiting for her in the Dravanian Hinterlands, where a primal had been awoken.

My knowledge of these events is limited to what she had told me after the fact, but though they might seem like a simple footnote, they were of no less consequence for not only Eorzea, but herself as well.

 

---

 

A weary sigh escaped S'eni as she rested on the grassy ground of Bigwest Shortstop, the back of her arm covering her eyes. She listened to the sounds all around her, eager talk mixed with the crackling of the fire as well as garbled Goblin-speak.

What a day.

When she had first arrived here, the first thing she had seen upon arriving in the Hinterlands had been this steel giant rising from the Thaliak, one of its legs having breached the dome above it and placing itself on solid ground, looking a bit like a drunkard trying to get back on his feet after stumbling.

It was not until she arrived in Idyllshire and talked to Slowfix and Y'shtola that she learned that this was the primal.

"The primal is bleeding the land dry. If it continues, this entire region will become a barren wasteland in a matter of moons," Y'shtola had told her.

So their course of action was all too clear, keep the primal in check and find a way to cut off the flow of aether. For the latter, her friend had immediately gone to enlist the help of Master Matoya, while she was to join Cid and discuss further matters with him.

As it turned out, it was the Goblin group called Illuminati that summoned the primal and if they were to stop them they needed to get inside the colossus and somehow shut it down. Which proved to be difficult already.

Thankfully, unexpected help arrived in the form of a treasure hunter called Mide who offered her assistance in exchange for something she was seeking inside.

Removing her arm, S'eni glanced over to the woman in question, having a pleasant conversation with Roundrox. At first, she had been surprised at seeing someone like Yugiri in the Dravanian Hinterlands, but that quickly shifted to amazement as the Au Ra managed to decipher the code the Illuminati were using and opened the way inside that way.

From there, things had become quite hectic as they ventured into the steel giant quite a few times until they found and shut down the core. And while the Illuminati had taken the chance to attack the Shortstop while they were inside, fortune had been on their side and what they were looking for was still secure, giving them a much-needed reprieve.

For now.

The sound of steps approaching her made her sit up to see Cid, Biggs, and Wedge walk towards her.

"You look tired," the Garlean engineer said with a little grin.

"Well, it was a busy day," S'eni replied, rising to her feet. A small throbbing started to form, just underneath her forehead, but she shook it off.

"It was," he said, his face then growing serious. "And we can't let our guard down. We may have stopped their primal and taken their prize, but they'll be back as long as this thing remains."

"Yeah, I agree."

The grin returned. "But until then, get some rest. You've earned it."

A chuckle escaped her. "As you wish, Master Garlond."

With a laugh, he clapped her on the shoulder and bid her good night, before leaving with the other two.

Closing her eyes, she stretched herself. Rest was sounding very appealing right about now. But she supposed it would be rude not to say good night to the other two members of their motley little crew.

As she approached Roundrox and Mide, the two turned towards her. The Au Ra had a little smile on her face and she could tell even through the mask that the Goblin girl was beaming.

"I see you're in high spirits," S'eni said.

"Pshkohhh... Roundrox is happy. Many friends worry, think of Roundrox. Uplander is one. Roundrox thanks kind uplander!"

The girl's cheer brought a smile to her face.

"Let me chime in as well, S'eni," Mide then said. She was a pretty woman, her face almost flawless apart from the scar marring her left cheek, and despite the woman's smile, it was like her eyes held a permanent sadness inside. "Roundrox's home needed protection and you provided it. Not many would do so, much less in the face of a primal, so you have my thanks as well."

"You could say taking care of primals is a bit of a calling." S'eni shrugged. "So all in a day's work, really."

"Mide helped Roundrox too! Uplanders have good hearts, and kind," the Goblin girl said, turning to look at the other woman.

"Only so many of us find machina pretty, my dear." Mide's smile grew and she knelt down to pat the girl's head. "We have to stick together, don't we?"

"Did Mide always like whirlycogs and bittybops?"

The Au Ra's expression fell and her hand went to touch the scar just below her left eye. "Not like you, Roundrox. My love, he adored these things. Inventing, building, and tinkering with them."

"...Mide always touches hurtmark when remembering," Roundrox noted.

"Do I?" Mide asked. "I suppose I do."

She watched as the Au Ra closed her eyes for a moment, before exhaling.

"Those times were something else. My friends and I, we were lost in our dream. We wanted to put back the pieces of our broken world with logic, reason and technology. And we were certain we could do it too," the other woman told them. "I hadn't much skill with thinking up things or making them, but I helped in my own small way. That feeling of aiding in someone else's dream, sharing it, washes over you like a wave of happiness. I've never felt that way since. Now it all seems so far away, even the memories feel like I dreamed them, rather than lived them..."

Hearing those words, S'eni couldn't help but frown as she felt something stirring deep inside her. To aid someone's dream...

But before she could dwell on it, Mide spoke up once more.

"Well enough of that. Roundrox is right, S'eni. You're a kind soul. Please, keep an eye on our girl until next time." Giving the Goblin girl another pat, the other woman rose to her feet, bid them good night, and left.

Mide... S'eni thought as she watched her walk away. Once the Au Ra was out of sight, she turned towards Roundrox, who was already busying herself with her collection again.

"Don't stay up too long," she told the Goblin girl, earning herself a little nod, before leaving as well.

Walking towards Idyllshire, she could feel the throbbing under her forehead starting to spread, making her grimace. Great, she thought to herself. Just what I needed. A headache.

She really needed to lie down. And get some food.

Upon arriving, S'eni spied a familiar figure, dressed in white, leaning against the Cenotaph. A smile formed on her lips, and for a moment she felt a little better.

"Taking a break?" she asked as she approached her.

"Actually, Matoya chased me away, saying something about how I shouldn't bother an old woman like her at this late an hour," Y'shtola replied with a little shrug.

S'eni chuckled. "Sounds like her."

Her first meeting with Master Matoya had been quite an eye-opener. Never in her life had she met someone as grouchy as her friend's old mentor. With a sharp tongue that was only rivalled by her intellect, it was clear as day where Y'shtola had picked up a lot of her qualities.

She liked her.

"So instead you decided to bother me?" The corner of her friend's lips curled up into a little smirk.

"In a manner of speaking. But yes, I was waiting for you, and in the meantime, taking a look at your work," Y'shtola said and nodded up ahead. Following her eyes, S'eni turned her head and looked out towards the Thaliak, where their current problem was sleeping. "I have heard you managed to stop it, if only temporarily."

"Yeah, no time to pat ourselves on the back," she replied. "Who knows when the Illuminati will become active again."

Her friend frowned, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "Indeed."

A moment of silence passed between them where they looked at the primal, half expecting it to jump up and run rampant now that they said it out loud. Thankfully, it remained still.

"You know," S'eni started. "I'd like to think I'm pretty experienced when it comes to primals now. I've fought a fiery demon, a giant water snake, a mad harpy, a stone giant, a protective thunder god, and a battle-loving...war bug?"

She shook her head. "And that's not even counting the Moogle king and a group of people turning into an ancient king and his knights. Yet this—"

S'eni pointed at the giant structure made of steel and gears. "—this really beats it all."

"And yet again, you persevered," Y'shtola said with obvious amusement in her voice, and a smile dancing on her lips as S'eni turned to look at her once more. "For now at least."

Oh, she was sure things were bound to get worse before they got better.

Their attention was drawn away from their primal problem by a growl coming from her stomach.

"Sorry," she said a little sheepishly. "It's been a while since I ate."

"Well, then I suppose supper is in order. As it happens I wanted to get some myself."

Together, they stepped through the gate and into Idyllshire proper where the day's work had come to an end, its residents having come together to celebrate the evening. She noticed Slowfix standing at his usual place, tinkering with something. From an outsider's perspective, it seemed like nothing was out of the ordinary with him, but she could practically feel the worry resonating from him.

"He's still on edge," she noted.

"I can't really blame him. This place has become their home after all. And now it's being threatened," Y'shtola said. "All things considered, I would say he is surprisingly calm right now."

"Then perhaps we shouldn't mention that his daughter narrowly avoided an Illuminati raid earlier."

"I concur."

After receiving their meal which consisted of bread, sliced, dry sausage, cheese as well as a warm drink to keep the night's chill at bay, they sat down a bit away from the hustle and bustle of the evening.

Putting some sausage and cheese onto a slice of bread, she looked around. Idyllshire had come quite the way since their last visit. Ruins were slowly turned into homes and broken walls were replaced with new, sturdy ones. Even the Cenotaph was slowly being repaired.

"It's impressive," she said and took a bite out of her food.

"It is." Y'shtola nodded.

"I just wish Minfilia could see it. This was always what she wished for. For everyone to work together and create something lasting."

"We will find her and the others, don't worry," her friend said, raising her steaming cup to her lips. "I spoke with Tataru the other day, and we might already have a plan."

"Oh?" Her ears perked up at those words. "And what would that be?"

"We're trying to contact someone that might be able to help."

"Someone I know?"

"I doubt it. But we will let you know once we receive word back. Until then we have our work cut out for us," Y'shtola said and took a sip of her drink.

"Yeah." She nodded. "I want to show this place to Minfilia, so we better make sure it's still standing."

Silence setting over them, they quietly ate their supper, listening to the sound of someone playing a lute in the distance. S'eni was the first to finish, practically inhaling her food, yet she still felt rather hungry and found herself glancing at her friend's plate.

Something that did not go unnoticed by Y'shtola, who raised an eyebrow, then slowly pushed her plate forward. "You can have the rest, I'm not particularly hungry."

She looked at the plate, then towards Y'shtola's face, then back towards the plate. "A-are you sure?" she asked

The other Miqo'te gestured toward the food. "Go ahead."

And so she did. While she was happily eating, she missed the smile that Y'shtola was hiding behind her cup.

After they were done, the two of them decided to call it a night and headed towards Midnight Dew to be shown to the lodging they had been offered.

As much as a corner in a half-finished house with a simple partition giving some privacy could be called such.

In the middle of it all stood a singular cot.

"I'm sorry, but this is pretty much the best we can do," the Roegadyn woman said. "Most of us have to bunk together."

S'eni and Y'shtola looked at one another before the latter returned her gaze to Morning Dew. "It will suffice."

"Alright. Good night then." With a friendly little wave, the former treasure hunter left. Once they were left alone, S'eni released a sigh and rubbed her forehead.

"What's wrong?" Y'shtola asked. "I saw you touch your temple a few times on the way here. Are you having another vision?"

"It's just a headache." She shook her head, grimacing a little. "I was hoping getting some food would make it better but now that I'm winding down it's only getting worse."

"You should have said something," her friend chided and walked over to one side of the cot. "Sit down."

"It's alright. Nothing some sleep won't fix," she insisted.

"Eni. Sit down." The tone in Y'shtola's voice brooked no argument. Knowing that she had lost this particular battle, S'eni walked over and did as she was told.

"Honestly," her friend muttered and put her hands on either side of S'eni's head and tilted it upward, not unlike a hairdresser.

"Are you going to cut my hair now?" she asked with a little smirk dancing across her lips.

"Oh hush you."

Y'shtola's hand came to rest upon her forehead shortly followed by a soft glow emitting from her palm. Waves of warmth started to spread from her touch throughout S'eni's entire head, slowly washing away the pain and making her eyelids flutter shut.

A sigh of relief passed her lips as not only the pain, but all the stress built over the course of the last few days started to evaporate into a blissful feeling, like floating on a cloud caressed by the sun.

Silence set over them as the magic did its work and S'eni felt her thoughts drift to earlier tonight, Mide's words echoing in the back of her mind.

Aiding someone else's dream... In a way that was what the Scion's were doing with their shared dream of a peaceful Eorzea, a spark ignited in their hearts by Louisoix and Minfilia, something they believed in. Yet...was it truly what each of them dreamed, or did they have their own, much more personal goals?

"Shtola?" She found herself asking after a moment of contemplation.

"Yes?"

"What is it you dream of?"

"Where did that come from?" the other woman asked right back.

"I just realized I never really asked what it was you want out of your life," S'eni replied.

Y'shtola didn't respond immediately, choosing instead to focus on the task at hand. After a while, she finally said, "I wish to unravel our world's secrets. A rather lofty goal I suppose, but one I endeavor to stride towards nevertheless."

S'eni hummed. "I can't say I'm surprised."

"Yes, I'm remarkably predictable."

"That's not what I meant," she said, her lips curling into a smile. "It suits you. If anyone can do it, it's you."

"I will take that as a compliment then," Y'shtola replied. "How is your head feeling?"

"All better."

"Good."

The warmth started to recede before the hand resting on her forehead slipped off, leaving a tingling feeling in its wake. Slowly, she opened her eyes to come face to face with an upside-down Y'shtola, cherry pink looking into silvery white.

"Thanks," S'eni said after a moment of silence.

"No thanks necessary." The other Miqo'te's hand landed on her shoulder and gave it a small pat. "But I think it's time to call it a night."

"Agreed." She scooted forward, trying to make as much room as possible, and proceeded to lie down. The cot bumped a little as Y'shtola joined her and it took them a bit until they had found a way for both of them to be somewhat comfortable.

With her back resting against her friend's and her tail curled around herself, S'eni stared at the cracks in the wall and stifled a yawn as the fatigue finally started to catch up with her.

"Are you going to tell me as well?"

"Hm?"

"What you are dreaming of, I mean," Y'shtola clarified.

She had to think about that for a moment, but the answer was honestly all too clear.

"Go on adventures and see the world," she replied with a chuckle. The feeling of shaking shoulders against her back made her turn her head a little to try and glance at Y'shtola, but even without seeing her, S'eni could tell she was quietly laughing. "What?"

"Aren't you already living your dream then?"

She blinked once, then joined her friend in laughter. "I guess I am!"

"I hope that means I can rely on your future assistance then, O adventurer?" Y'shtola asked after their laughter subsided.

A warm smile formed on S'eni's lips and she gently bumped the back of her shoulder against the other woman's. "Like you have to ask."

"Hm, I suppose you're right." Shifting a little, Y'shtola rested her head on her forearm. "Good night."

"Good night," S'eni replied and closed her eyes, letting the soft breathing coming from behind her lull her slowly to sleep.

 

Chapter 31

Child of Baldesion

 

While unrest was brewing in Ishgard over a thousand years of lies and true peace was still ever fleeting, the Warrior of Light, having set out on a diplomatic mission with the dragons, soon found herself returning to the settlement of Idyllshire as word came of another that would join her cause to find those that were lost amidst the chaos of that fated night in Ul'dah.

---

 

The sound of rumbling stone pervaded the air and the ground underneath their feet shook as Matoya's cave sealed itself once more behind them, finishing with a booming sound, not unlike the slamming of a door.

"That went surprisingly well," S'eni said to break the ensuing silence. Their group had come here in hopes of using the old witch's Crystal Eye to find their missing friends. The old woman had agreed with only little complaints after they had explained their reasons.

"Indeed, though I feel it was because she wanted to get rid of us as quickly as possible," Y'shtola replied, tapping her knuckles gently against her cheek in thought.

Not like she could fault the old Hyur for that, they really only came to her when they needed her help, or to say it in her words: saving this, preventing that, or mending the godforsaken other.

"Maybe one day we should just come to visit her for tea?" S'eni offered.

The other Miqo'te glanced at her. "And make her think she was good company?"

Looking at her friend, she couldn't help but dread the day the Echo would give her a glimpse into the past of those two.

Thankfully, she was rescued from that trail of thought by the soft voice of their newest companion.

"You were right, Y'shtola," Krile said, making S'eni turn her gaze towards the Lalafel, who had an amused expression on her face. "The stories are indeed all true."

She had only heard of her from Minfilia in the past, that she was a dear friend and that they were in regular contact. In the aftermath of the destruction of the Isle of Val, the Antecedent had tried her best to quell her worries, but those close to her could still tell how much it ate away at her. All the greater had been her relief when news came that Krile had survived, but to think it was because of the Echo...

"Be that as it may," Alphinaud then said, "We should waste no time and head for the Forelands. The hunters of Tailfeather know the lands well, I say we begin our search there!"

"I concur. Thancred may be a capable warrior, but he was wounded the last time I saw him," Y'shtola pointed out. "Should he have encountered any beasts after he emerged, he would be hard-pressed to repel them."

"Lead the way, then, Alphinaud," Krile said, a teasing smile forming on her lips. "Since you're so eager to take charge."

A sigh escaped the young Elezen, his shoulders dropping for but a moment before straightening out once more, and began to walk. With a giggle, Krile started to follow him, while S'eni and Y'shtola shared a shrug, then did the same.

As the group made their way through the Answering Quarter, S'eni found herself looking eastward towards the Thaliak where Alexander still remained underneath the barrier, now frozen in time so that it could harm no one ever again.

They had just made it past the Quickspill Delta when she stopped in her tracks and turned to fully face the primal made of steel and gears. A mechanical being that was able to break the barriers of time itself.

It truly had become worse before it had gotten better, and again it took a person's sacrifice to stop it once and for all.

Mide... S'eni thought, her expression growing pensive. The Au Ra had been at peace as she threw herself off the ledge inside Alexander's control room, and now she was trapped inside with the person she loved above all, frozen until they would one day emerge in the past to start the cycle anew.

It was not unlike G'raha Tia, who was sleeping until the people of Eorzea had advanced enough to once again open the gates of the Crystal Tower.

Two friends that she had only known for a short period of time, and would never see again...

But they both had smiled in the end, and she supposed that was something to be glad about.

Her ears perked up a little when she heard familiar steps approaching.

"Who would have thought that what happened with Travanchet would come back to haunt us like this?" S'eni wondered aloud.

"It was certainly unexpected. I'm loathe to admit that with everything that happened since then I had practically forgotten about it," Y'shtola replied, stopping right next to her.

Five years ago, when she had first set foot into Limsa Lominsa, S'eni had encountered the Elezen mage who had been behind the Sahagin attacks on Lominsan ships at the time. He had later stolen the magical horn that Y'shtola had been seeking and vanished into the shadows, only to emerge in distant lands and give it to a young Au Ra that would bring it here, to summon a primal like no other.

Whatever it was the Ascian had planned at the time, it was over now.

Still...

"If you could turn back time to change something, would you do it?" S'eni asked Y'shtola.

"I believe I gave you my thoughts on the matter, that it would be folly to do so."

"Just humor me, please."

Y'shtola grew silent and for a moment only Alphinaud and Krile's chatter could be heard in the distance.

"No...I wouldn't," she finally said, prompting S'eni to look at her. "My mistakes are what shaped me, and will shape me going forward. But I admit the temptation would be hard to resist."

"I don't know if I could resist," S'eni admitted. There were so many things she wished she could undo and she would be lying if she claimed Haurchefant's death hadn't flashed across her mind's eye when she first realized the primal's capability.

Closing the gap between them, Y'shtola put a comforting hand on her arm. "You're stronger than you give yourself credit for. You have proven that time and again."

S'eni did not respond with words, instead moving her hand to come to rest upon Y'shtola's and giving it a squeeze. Her lips curled into a smile that the other Miqo'te mirrored, and cherry pink eyes came to rest upon silvery white ones that returned her gaze with a warm confidence.

They remained like this, neither looking nor moving away from each other, until Alphinaud's voice called out to them, making S'eni suck in a hard, shallow breath at the sound of her name. Her gaze lingered for a moment longer before she slowly separated herself from Y'shtola, who turned away but still held a subdued smile on her face.

"We're coming!" S'eni called back, ignoring the warm tingle that went through her, and offered her friend a grin. "Let's go, before Thancred is going to find us instead."

"Yes, I would rather not give him the chance to gloat," Y'shtola said as they moved to catch up to their friends, leaving another closed chapter of their journey behind.

 

---

 

After returning to the Forelands, their group had wasted no time to head towards the distant Chocobo Forest that the hunters of Tailfeather called their home. It was an area that Alphinaud and S'eni had grown very familiar with during the travels they had undertaken here, and while they did not know every little tree, they had soon enough learned which ways to go to avoid some of the nastier inhabitants of the area.

"If I were to find myself in unfamiliar wilderness," Alphinaud said as they walked along the path that would lead them straight to the hunting outpost. "My first instinct would be to seek out signs of civilization."

"In normal circumstances, perhaps, but in his wounded state he may not have wanted to risk any contact with strangers whose allegiance were unknown to him," Y'shtola replied

S'eni hummed in agreement. "Being on the side of caution sounds like the smart thing to do after what happened."

"I suppose you're both right..."

"Still..." a thoughtful look formed on the other Miqo'te's face. "Even if Thancred chose to remain in the forest, the hunters would have stumbled across his trail."

"Tailfeather doesn't strike me as an isolated outpost, though," Krile then said, the settlement now being visible in the distance. "Merchants and traders must pass through this area reasonably often, in which case we'll need to provide a more detailed description if we want to find Thancred."

"Don't worry, Krile," Alphinaud said, stopping in his tracks and turning around. His hand went to his pocket from where he pulled out a few folded pieces of paper. "I have already prepared several sketches of him for that purpose."

Holding out her hand as he unfolded one, Y'shtola took the sketch to inspect it. "This...this is impressive," she exclaimed, prompting S'eni to take a step closer and peek over her shoulder.

What greeted her was an almost life-like recreation of Thancred's face, right down to the minute detail of the way his brow creased whenever he was being serious, and she couldn't help the low whistle that escaped at the sheer amount of skill she was seeing here.

"You drew him from memory?" Y'shtola asked as she handed the sketch back to him.

"A skill I acquired some years ago for reasons I can't remember," he replied with a shrug.

Now this sounds like some of the most humble bragging if I ever heard it, S'eni thought to herself, but knowing Alphinaud he was completely serious in what he was saying.

As the group slowly closed in on Tailfeather, the young Elezen addressed them once more. "I say we split into pairs. Y'shtola and I will inquire at the outlying encampments, while S'eni and Krile will question the residents of Tailfeather. Afterwards, let's regroup at Loth ast Vath to share our findings."

With everyone agreeing to his proposal, Alphinaud handed Krile and her a sketch each before leaving together with Y'shtola.

"My he certainly has matured, hasn't he?" Krile asked her as they headed into Tailfeather. "Hard to imagine he was once a boy who practiced drawing for hours to impress young ladies."

S'eni turned to give the Lalafel a look, who returned it with a grin on her face.

"Believe me, he still has his boyish moments," she said, mirroring Krile's expression. "Especially when he says a little too much without realizing."

"Anyways, we better get started," the smaller woman said as they stopped in front of the Aetheryte. "Find me when you've finished making your rounds—Excuse me! But have you seen this man before?"

S'eni watched as Krile walked over to the hunter she had just called out to, then turned to look at the sketch in her hand. "Let's see if we can find out where you're hiding, shall we?" she asked the drawn face of her friend.

The first few hunters she asked didn't recognize the face, nor had they heard anything about a man hiding out in the woods. One even went so far as to say, "Nobody but us and the Chocobos around here."

She then decided to ask Marchecamp instead. If anyone had picked up any rumors about Thancred, then it would be him. And as luck would have it, he had heard a story the other day about a Hyuran vagabond slaying a Bandersnatch, the description of which fit the self-declared bard perfectly.

"That reminds me, Grimold mentioned somethin' as well. Why don't you try askin' him?"

After being told where to find the man, S'eni headed over to him to ask what he knew.

"I saw that one bloke a while back. Didn't get a good look at his face, but it could've been him," Grimold said after she showed him the sketch. Leaning back, he narrowed his eyes a little while trying to remember. "That was beyond the forest, along the river to the west of Tailfeather. I remember thinking he wasn't much of a hunter. The lad was making no effort to hide his tracks. That, and he was carryin' an axe instead of a bow."

"Along the river to the west..." S'eni murmured, turning slightly to look in the direction. From the description Marchecamp had given her that could only be Thranced, but... "...an axe?"

"An axe, clear as day."

"Hm." She nodded and smiled at him. "Thank you."

He waved his hand. "It's nothin'."

Folding the sketch up, she put it into her pocket and headed back to the Aetheryte to meet up with Krile, who was already waiting for her.

"Finished?" the Lalafel asked.

"Yeah. Apparently, a Hyuran vagabond has made a bit of a name for himself around these parts," S'eni replied.

"Hmm, yes, I've heard similar things." Her thumb and index finger coming to rest on her chin, Krile nodded. "I think we've learned everything we can, then. Let's see what the others have found out."

With that, the two of them left Tailfeather behind in the direction of the Smoldering Wastes. Walking through the forest, S'eni watched as a smile formed on Krile's lips while she closed her eyes and took a calm, deep breath.

"Enjoying the scenery?" S'eni asked, receiving a nod in return.

"We had forests like these on the Isle of Val. My grandfather and I used to take walks together when I could manage to pry him away from his work," Krile said, fondness evident in her voice, but also a twinge of sadness.

"I'm sorry. For what happened."

"Don't be." The Lalafel shook her head. "I came to terms with what happened. My grandfather wouldn't want me to dwell on what happened and instead look forward. And right now that's finding Thancred."

"Sounds like a good man," S'eni said.

"Absolutely. He took me in when I was an orphan, raised me as his own, and gave me a name." That amused look from earlier returned. "Don't tell me you thought my parents named me Krile Baldesion."

"Well, I admit it was a little strange, but I didn't want to assume," she replied, the corners of her lips turning into a small grin.

"Meanwhile, I knew almost instantly who you were," Krile said.

"Oh?" S'eni tilted her head.

"Minfilia mentioned you a few times in our talks."

That made her blink in surprise. "She did?"

"Very much so. Said how it was thanks to you that Eorzea has found new strength and unity," the other woman explained.

"That's not true," she replied with a shake of her head. "She was the one who convinced the leaders of the Alliance to rally together."

"That may be so, but it was your bravery that set an example, and now you've paved the way to end a thousand-year-old war." A smile formed on Krile's lips. "I can already hear her praises."

S'eni released a sigh and, despite herself, returned the expression. "Well," she then said. "I suppose we just have to find her so we both can."

"We will," Krile assured her.

With a flick of her tail, her eyes took on a mischievous glint. "And in the meantime, you can share some stories about her. I think that's only fair after she told you about me."

The Lalafel chuckled. "Alright. Where shall I begin?"

"How about how you two met?" S'eni suggested.

"That was back when the Students were researching the power of the Echo, it honestly still feels like yesterday..." and so Krile told her how it was during the time of intense research of the Echo that Minfilia and her had met, becoming fast friends over their shared, yet so very different powers that Hydaelyn had bestowed upon them. That story soon turned into another, and after that into a swapping of stories that left them both smiling fondly.

"You know," she said after they emerged from the forest and headed in the direction of Loth ast Vath. "I had the pleasure of meeting other Students in the past."

"That doesn't surprise me, our organizations are close allies after all," Krile replied.

"Yeah. Haven't talked much with them at the time, but I Iater worked closely with G'raha Tia during the expedition into the Crystal Tower—hm?" she stopped mid-step and glanced over her shoulder when she noticed that the other woman had come to a halt.

"You know Raha?" Krile asked, her face growing serious. "Do you know where he is? Is he well?"

Her expression turning into a frown, S'eni spun around to face her. So she doesn't know yet...

Not that it was much of a surprise, she supposed, what with all that had happened.

A moment of silence passed before she spoke. "He's...sleeping in the heart of the tower, keeping it sealed until the day we're ready to open it once again."

The look on Krile's face became one of confusion. "What do you mean?"

And so S'eni told her everything. How they had ventured deep inside the Crystal Tower where they not only found Emperor Xande alive and well inside a clone body but also learned of his pact with the Cloud of Darkness to return the entire world to nothing. During their effort to stop this from happening, they had learned that G'raha was a descendant of the Allagan royal bloodline, giving him the ability to control the tower, and in the end, sealed himself away in hopes of one day fulfilling the wish of Princess Salina that the tower would become a symbol of hope for the people.

"Oh, Raha..." Krile muttered as S'eni finished her tale, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. "Thank you for telling me this."

"I'm sorry," was all S'eni could respond with.

"No. If nothing else, I should be glad that he's alive somewhere, even if I might not see him again in my lifetime." Opening her eyes again, the Lalafel looked out into the distance.

Another moment passed before S'eni knelt next to Krile and placed a comforting hand on her back. Slowly, the smile returned to the other woman's face. "Minfilia was right."

"About what?" she asked.

"That you're a kind person." Krile turned her head and nodded. "Don't worry, I'm alright. And right now focusing on Thancred is more important. Let's go."

Returning the nod, S'eni rose back to her feet and together they resumed their walk towards their destination, to meet up with their friends and hopefully get closer to finding the one that was still missing.

 

 

Notes:

Aaaand introducing Krile to the story. I'm sure a lot of you know her. She'll be around.

Chapter 32

Simmering Embers

 

As the Scions returned, they found not a city filled with hope, but one that had been set aflame by those who would suffer not the leadership of one they viewed as a scheming kinslayer.

With another missing friend having returned to them, they scoured the city in search of the people who clung to the lies that they viewed as truth, and would even step over the bodies of innocent children to see their order restored.

 

---

 

Peace, she had come to learn, was something fragile. It needed to be nurtured and kept safe, like a newborn baby, and any misstep could spell its doom and turn former friends into bitter enemies.

Sometimes it was out of sheer greed, jealousy, or lust for power, as they had seen with the history of a thousand years ago. And other times it was simply the fear of change; change of the status quo that had served as the rock in the raging sea.

And as she watched those of the perpetrators that had survived the battle being taken away in chains, S'eni could only wonder what was going on in the minds of these men and women.

Shifting her gaze away from them, it landed on Aymeric who, despite his wounds, had nevertheless risked his life to save the lives of those that had been held hostage and was now speaking to the people, rich and poor alike, that had gathered here. At his side stood Lucia, subtly watching out in case his wounds would start acting up and ready to intervene on his behalf should it be necessary.

Amidst the crowd, one person stood out the most to her. A young Elezen girl whose life had nearly been lost if not for the timely arrival of Vidofnir.

A dragon saving the life of an Ishgardian; it was an image that she was sure no one would forget so soon.

"That was too close for comfort," S'eni said, turning her head to look at the approaching Y'shtola.

"Indeed it was," the other woman agreed. "I confess I was just about to try and teleport the girl away before Vidofnir arrived. Thank the Twelve I didn't."

"Yeah. I doubt she would have appreciated being spit out of the Lifestream in the middle of nowhere, as naked as on her nameday." A grin formed on her lips at the glare that her friend sent her.

"I won't be living this one down all too soon, will I?" Y'shtola asked with a sigh.

"Give it a few more weeks," she replied with a chuckle.

The other Miqo'te simply shook her head at that. A moment passed and the expression on her face turned into a thoughtful frown, making S'eni drop her grin.

"What is it?"

"It's about Thancred," Y'shtola said. "Now that you have spent some time with him, tell me...does he seem different to you?"

"You mean aside from the obvious?" She tapped the spot under her left eye, the same that Thancred was covering due to an injury that he took. At the other Miqo'te's nod, S'eni crossed her arms and pursed her lips in thought.

She had noticed that something was different about him, and not just the injury or the more rugged look from his time in the wilderness. No, it was something deeper than that, hidden from the naked-eyed but still there. And while she couldn't see it, she could feel it.

"Yeah. I can't really put it into words, but..."

"So you sense it too," her friend said. "It's a subtle change. I didn't notice it at first myself, but upon closer examination, I could see it: his aetheric flow has been irreparably disrupted."

S'eni frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Simply put, Thancred may no longer be able to manipulate aether," Y'shtola explained and she felt her eyes widen in shock at this revelation. But now that she had said it, it started to make sense.

"That would explain why he decided to stay where he was instead of heading towards the next Aetheryte once he was healed."

"Yes. He would have had to rely entirely on traditional means of travel. And when he learned that a nearby beast tribe was planning on summoning a primal it might have seemed more sensible for him to wait." The other Miqo'te rubbed her chin thoughtfully, before raising a finger. "But this is still nothing more than speculation. Please, don't tell anyone until I have managed to gather further proof."

"Don't worry, I won't," S'eni promised and turned her head into the direction Thancred had left in earlier, her frown deepening. "I suppose now is the waiting game?"

"I'm afraid so, and possibly at the worst time if Vidofnir's warnings are to be taken seriously."

"Hm." After the dragon had appeared in their time of need, she had swiftly presented them with tidings from her father, that Nidhogg's shade had sung to his horde before taking off to skies unknown. Sooner or later, he would strike, and with the current civil unrest in Ishgard, S'eni wasn't sure if they would be prepared for it.

And that was on top of their recent encounter with their newest adversaries.

"Mark our faces well, Warrior of Light. We are the Warriors of Darkness, walkers of a different path. And we shall meet again."

There is always something, S'eni thought to herself. Sometimes it felt like whenever they took a step forward they also took two steps back. A sigh escaped her before facing her friend again. "What are you going to do now?"

"I will join Krile and assist her in the search for Minfilia. She may have charmed Master Matoya for now, but who can say how long that will last," Y'shtola said with a shrug, a hint of amusement returning to her voice.

"Alright," she replied, feeling the corners of her lips quirk upward. "Just contact me if you need any help."

Her friend returned the expression. "Don't worry, I will make sure to call upon you should she have any chores left she wishes to push on us."

They both chuckled at that.

"Stay safe," S'eni said.

"You too."

After watching Y'shtola walk away, she remained a little while longer, before leaving as well into the direction of her next destination, the Brume.

She had managed to get a glimpse of the situation earlier today when they had confronted the one that had set the fires, the smell of burned wood and ash hanging in the air.

Now seeing it all revealed the full scale of the damage, and even now, well into the evening, the fires were still going. While the situation was under control now, it was still far from over.

By Azeyma... S'eni thought and raised a hand to her face to shield herself a little from the heat wafting towards her.

It didn't take long for her to find the person she was seeking, standing in front of a house that had completely burned to the ground, her voice echoing even over the sounds of people rushing about to salvage what was still salvageable.

"Hilda!" she called out as she approached the woman. Upon hearing her name called, Hilda turned her head in S'eni's direction.

After a moment of surprise, the half Elezen gave two of her men further instructions, then walked up to meet her. "If it isn't the woman of the hour. Here to lend a hand?"

"I am," S'eni replied.

Hilda's face was covered in dirt and her eyebrows were drawn in a clear sign of fatigue. A relieved sigh escaped her. "Good. There are still fires to the west that need to be put out. Aymeric sent some of his knights to help, but everyone is starting to get tired and the entire area is just kindlin'," the other woman said. "Havin' the hero of Ishgard herself help might raise their spirits enough to see this through."

Palming her fist, S'eni nodded. "Tell me what I should do."

"Grab those buckets over there, fill them with water and haul them over as quickly as possible!" Hilda pointed at the buckets in question in front of the nearby well connected to the cities water system, then into the direction the other two had left to.

Doing as she was told, she had just made it past Hilda when the other woman's voice made her stop for a brief moment.

"And once this is over, the first round's on me!"

"Let's not count the Chocobos before they're hatched!" S'eni replied and started to run.

 

---

 

A drink sure sounds nice right about now, S'eni thought as she stepped through the lower entryway of the Forgotten Knight. The first thing she noticed was the people. There were far more than usual that had decided to take shelter here, some sitting at the counter eating the free meals that Gilbrillont offered the poorest of the poor, while others were sitting huddled together on the floor and giving one another some comfort in these trying times.

Many of them had lost everything today.

It had still taken well into the evening until the last fire had been put out and...it didn't look good. Once the dust had settled there would be a lot that needed to be reconstructed and she could only hope that it would happen as quickly as possible.

Wiping the sweat off her brow, S'eni walked past the people and up the stairs, trying and failing to suppress the twinge inside her chest.

A sigh escaped her at the sight. It was downright packed, filled with people that were either looking for a stiff drink to try and relieve themselves of the stress this day had brought, or simply drowning their sorrows.

Looking around, S'eni found Gilbrillont tending to one of the latter, a young Hyur who clearly has had too much, whom he was helping up into one of the free rooms. She raised her hand when his eyes landed on her for a brief moment and the Elezen nodded towards the bar.

She walked over to one of the empty spots and waited for his return a few minutes later.

"You look like you just walked through one of the seven hells," he commented as he took his usual place behind the counter.

"Feel like it too." And smelled like it as well, if her nose wasn't playing tricks on her.

"Then I suppose you want something to drink." A little frown formed on the Elezen's features. "Please, just don't overdo it like some of these poor souls."

"Don't worry, I wasn't planning to," she assured him.

"So what will it be?"

S'eni pondered her options for a moment, tapping her foot on the ground. "Give me...something hard."

With a nod, Gilbrillont turned around and pulled out a bottle from behind him, pouring some of its contents into a glass that he placed in front of her. "Limited refills on that," he said, shaking the bottle a little.

"Alright alright," she replied, her lips curling into a little smirk as she took the glass. "Oh, yeah, Hilda said to put it on her tab."

The half Elezen had been downright exhausted by the end and had told her to have a drink on her own.

"You helped a lot of people today, so it's on the house," he said, placing the bottle back.

"Won't say no to that," S'eni murmured while Gilbrillont was going to attend another customer, turning around on her heel and raising the glass to her lips to take the first sip.

The effect was almost instantaneous, hitting her like a one ilm punch straight to the face and creating a pleasant buzz at the edge of her mind. Exhaling deeply, she felt some of the tension leave her body and started to look around if there was still a place left where she could sit down.

As her eyes roamed the tavern, S'eni spotted a familiar face sitting at the very back and her eyebrows rose in surprise.

It was Thancred. She thought he had already left for the Rising Stones, but here he was, having a drink. Noticing that he was being looked at, he turned his head and focused on her with his uncovered eye before waving her over.

"I take it Tataru convinced you to stay a little longer?" she asked upon arriving at his table.

"She wouldn't take no for an answer," he replied, an amused smirk forming on his lips. "She certainly has become quite headstrong in my absence, hasn't she?"

S'eni chuckled. "That she has. Picked up some tricks around here too."

"I'm sure." Thancred pointed at the empty space in front of him. "Have a seat."

"So you decided to come here?" she asked while sitting down.

"The place came highly recommended. Though I suppose on any regular day it's much less dreary," he said, taking a sip from his mug.

"Yeah." She took another sip as well. "Today wasn't exactly a regular day."

"I certainly didn't expect my return to proper civilization like this. But then again, I might not be sitting here at all if not for your efforts. Ishgard sure has become more welcoming."

"Yes. You should've been here when we first arrived. The weather wasn't the only thing that was frosty," S'eni said.

"I wish I was..." both frowned at his words, and an awkward silence settled itself over them as they stared into their drinks. After a moment of listening to the sounds around them, she let her eyes flicker over to her friend, taking in his features.

Despite being unkempt and unshaven, the longer hair and stubble on his chin didn't take away from his natural handsomeness, and she was pretty sure many easily impressed maidens would be drawn to him even more by his grizzled looks. But there was definitely something different about him, and not just what Y'shtola had told her earlier.

He seemed...older, or perhaps that was the wrong way to put it. It felt like some of that rogue-ish charm that always surrounded him had given way to a seriousness that was almost out of character for him.

That night in Ul'dah had left its marks on all of them.

"I assume you're enjoying the view with the way you're staring?" he asked her all of a sudden, raising his gaze to look at her.

Well, not all of his charm was gone, at least.

"Don't flatter yourself too much," she shot back, hiding the smile forming on her lips behind her glass.

With a chuckle, Thancred took another sip from his mug. "So what is it? You look like you have some questions on your mind."

Her smile faded and she waited a moment before asking, "Are you alright?"

He cocked his eyebrow. "If this is about my eye, I can assure you I had plenty of time to compensate for my injury."

"Yeah, I saw. You held your own pretty well earlier."

"And you, from what I can tell, have only improved," Thancred pointed out. "I have never seen techniques like that before from the Pugilists in Ul'dah. Monks clearly are on a whole different level. Watch out, if Yda sees them she will undoubtedly want you to teach her."

A little laugh escaped her at the mental image and she couldn't help but smile fondly. The times the two of them had spent training at the Waking Sands seemed so long ago now.

"Who knows?" S'eni shrugged. "I might actually do so."

Widargelt would surely be thrilled to have another disciple join their ranks."Of course we need to find her and Papalymo first, but don't worry. As soon as I return to the Rising Stones, Riol and I will try to see if we can find their tracks." he raised his mug to his lips and emptied the rest with one large gulp before placing it on the table with a satisfied sound. "And on that note, I should probably be on my way."

"Are you sure?" she asked with a frown as he got up. "It's getting late."

"Very. I got ample rest and Revenant's Toll isn't too far away after all." Reaching into his pocket, Thranced placed a few Gil on the table and gave her a little wave before starting to walk off.

Her frown deepened and her eyes came to rest on the coins in front of her. If what Y'shtola had said about him was true, then he would have to walk the entire way, and no way was he as rested as he claimed after the day they had.

Making up her mind, she nodded to herself.

"Thancred," S'eni called out to him and her ears picked up the sound of him turning around. Reaching into her bag, she pulled something out and tossed it towards him.

"Gysahl greens?" he wondered out loud.

"There's a black Chocobo at the stables. Just tell them I sent you and they'll show you to him." Crossing one leg over the other, she turned her head to look at him. "His name is Zack and he'll get you to Revenant's Toll faster than you can imagine."

Thancred stared at her for a moment, his face an unreadable mask, before his lips curled into a smirk. "Finally got one of your own?"

"He was a present, but yes. Don't worry, he'll find his way back to me."

"Well, how could I refuse such an offer?"

"You can't. Say hello to the others from me," S'eni said and raised her glass.

"Will do." With a chuckle, Thancred tossed the greens into the air and caught them, then turned around and left with a wave of his hand.

She watched for a moment as he climbed the stairs before returning to drinking, taking her sweet time and letting the liquor do its work in relieving the stress of the day. Once she was done, S'eni placed the glass on the table and rose to her feet.

I should get some sleep, she thought and started to leave as well.

She took a deep breath as she stepped outside. The smell of burning wood and ash still hung in the air, serving as a silent reminder of what had happened today.

Tomorrow, she knew, would be another day of struggle for the people of Ishgard, threatened by enemies from within and without as they tirelessly worked towards the future.

And all she and her friends could do was to be vigilant and support them as best as they could.

 

Chapter 33

Fragility of Hope

 

At long last, the day had arrived where dragon and man would take their first tentative step towards peace, fought for not only against ancient lies and the misguided of faith but also ordinary people whose pain over the loss of their loved ones drove them to extreme measures.

A peace that would not have been possible without a group of brave outsiders, who fought for what was right even as the weight of their own loss seemed to overwhelm them.

And yet...things would still take a dark turn...

 

---

 

Opening her eyes, S'eni was greeted by the sight of her ceiling, its pattern having grown familiar to her over the course of her stay. A groan escaped her and she stretched herself a little before slumping back into the sea of blankets.

These past few days had been draining, to say the least. And if she could, she would be staying in bed all day.

But today was important and she couldn't miss out on it.

Still...

A few more minutes can't hurt, she thought to herself as her eyes fluttered shut once more and drifted off into that dozy state between sleep and wakefulness, where time seemed to slow to a crawl and a minute was like an eternity unto itself.

Just when it seemed that her conscience was tipping over into slumber once more, the vision of a woman appeared in front of her, clad in a white dress, with long, flowing blonde hair and glowing, crystal blue eyes.

Minfilia.

Her lips parted, and words started to echo from deep within her mind.

"We are the Word of the Mother."

Reaching her hand out to try and grasp her, S'eni found herself unable to move from the spot and could only watch as her friend started to float away from her.

"Blessed child, go forth and seek..." a cracking sound echoed through her mind as fine lines started to spread all over Minfilia's body, like a spider web. Light started to shine from within her, growing brighter and brighter until she burst into shards of pure crystal, leaving only the echo of her words behind. "...seek."

"Minfilia!"

She shot forward with a start, eyes wide open once again and her arm stretched out. After blinking a few times, S'eni realized that she was in her room, and all she was reaching for was the air.

With a shaky breath, she let herself fall back onto her pillow, covering her eyes with the back of her arm. She remained like this for a few minutes before throwing the covers off her and getting out of bed.

Whatever little bit of sleep that had remained was gone now.

As she stepped out of her room, S'eni found that everyone was quite busy, no doubt because of today's events.

Peace, huh? She wondered. It felt almost a little surreal, but it was finally happening.

Despite the general busyness, she managed to get a hold of a servant to ask to draw a bath for her and, after freshening up, had a quiet breakfast alone before leaving.

S'eni was greeted by a bright and sunny day that warmed up the usually cold air of Coerthas to be pleasantly fresh. She remained standing there for a moment, closing her eyes to enjoy the feeling of the sun on her skin, letting it improve her mood a little, before starting to walk down the Last Vigil.

She looked around a little and spotted some of the nobles heading the same way in hurried steps, undoubtedly making for the conference as well. More importantly, though, she caught sight of a familiar figure in the distance leaning against the stone platform at the bottom of the stairs.

Y'shtola.

Her friend must have spotted her as well, as she pushed herself off and started to walk towards her.

A smile forming on her lips, S'eni waved her hand. "Come to see the ceremony as well?" she asked once they were close enough.

Y'shtola nodded. "Krile is here too. She's looking around the market. When we heard that you hadn't arrived yet, I decided to wait for you."

"Thought I might get lost without your guidance?" she chuckled.

"No, I'm aware you can find your way around," the other Miqo'te said. Placing a hand on her hip, her brows creased. "...How are you doing? We haven't seen each other since..."

The smile on her lips fell, turning into a frown. "Master Matoya's cave," S'eni finished. When they had all learned of Minfilia's fate. That she had become one with Hydaelyn, to serve as her voice.

They had taken that news about as well as expected, and the old witch's harsh words, while ringing with truth, had done nothing to improve their mood. In the end, they had all gone their separate ways to reflect.

"I'm good," she lied. The look she received told her that Y'shtola was absolutely not convinced. "...fine. I just can't get the sight of Minfilia out of my head. And the worst part is that I can't even tell F'lhaminn about it because Alphinaud made me promise not to."

Running a hand through her hair, she slumped back down onto the stairs and closed her eyes. Her friend sat down next to her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Thancred is taking it the hardest. You should've seen him lay into Emmanellain. I've never seen him so angry before," S'eni told her after a moment of silence.

"We all are. I...can't help but feel responsible for this. It was my spell that caused it."

She shook her head. "It was Minfilia's choice."

"Still, that doesn't make it any easier."

"It doesn't..." Opening her eyes, S'eni looked at the people as they passed by. Today was the beginning of a new future for them and they walked towards it with open eyes, free from the lies that had once clouded them. Those that had given their lives in centuries upon centuries of war would not return, and that loss would forever be keenly felt, yet Ishgard still marched forward.

Reaching out with her hand, she let it come to rest on top of Y'shtola's, looking ahead for a moment longer before turning her head to meet the other woman's gaze. Neither of them said a word because they didn't need to. They knew that Minfilia would want them to carry on in her stead.

And that's what they would do.

After sharing a nod, S'eni felt a smile creeping back onto her features that Y'shtola returned with one of her own, and she gave her hand a gentle squeeze as a warm feeling spread throughout her body.

They remained like that for a little bit, before her friend's smile grew and her eyes narrowed ever so slightly in that very familiar way.

"Thancred also told me what happened at Falcon's Nest the other day."

And there it is, S'eni thought. "And now you want to take a good look at me?"

"Indeed. It must have been quite a drug to knock you out, and on top of that you didn't exactly hold back during the grand melee yesterday," Y'shtola said. "I would rather not chance that there might be some side effects."

A chuckle escaped her. Now how could she refuse that?

Oh yes, she couldn't!

"Fine," S'eni said with a mock sigh and her smile widened. "But can it at least wait until after the ceremony? I think we're already running late as it is."

"Oh?" Y'shtola looked at her, eyebrows rising in surprise. "Being so cooperative usually isn't like you."

"By the Twelve you're right! Something must be wrong with me!" With laughter passing between them, the two of them rose back to their feet and started to head towards the Jeweled Crozier to meet up with Krile. She was relatively easy to spot, her bright yellow coat standing out amongst the taller citizenry of Ishgard, and much to her surprise she was not alone. At her side stood Alphinaud.

She had only briefly seen him yesterday evening after they had returned from the grand melee but didn't have the chance to talk with the younger man. He seemed to be in higher spirits, so that was something.

"Krile, Alphinaud!" S'eni called out to them, waving her hand to further get their attention as she and Y'shtola approached the duo.

"There you are!" the Lalafel exclaimed. "And here I thought you were planning on sleeping the day away. Though I'm sure Y'shtola would've seen to your quick awakening if that had been the case."

The last words were followed by a little smirk sent into the direction of the other Miqo'te, causing her to cross her arms and turn her head a little. S'eni could only furrow her brows in confusion when Krile giggled.

"Anyway," the smaller woman then said. "You're quite the talk. If it's not the ceremony, it's your participation in the battle yesterday. Quite the spectacle I'm told."

Alphinaud nodded. "They say you duelled General Raubahn within a ring of flames. I never thought of him being so ostentatious, to be honest."

"He isn't known as the Bull of Ala Mhigo for nothing," S'eni replied with a grin. "And I think we've both been itching for that fight for a while."

"I wish I could have seen it," His expression grew serious and he averted his eyes. "But I needed time to myself. To think, and to reflect. Still do."

She shared a look with the others before stepping forward and putting her arm around his shoulder. He turned his head towards her with a look of surprise, but it soon turned into a smile that mirrored her own and he gave her a nod.

"There's a lot that I feel I must say," he said after she let go of him once more. "But it's nothing that can't wait until after the ceremony. So let's make for Falcon's Nest, I say."

"Hear hear," S'eni replied, and with that, they headed down into the Foundation and from there towards their destination.

 

---

 

Falcon's Nest was packed as their little group arrived, people of all walks of life, from high standing nobles to the regular folk, had gathered here today to bear witness to the end of a thousand years of bloodshed.

"Over there," Krile said after a moment of looking around and pointed in the direction of Thancred, who had chosen to stand a bit apart from the crowd. Noticing them as well, he turned his head and raised his hand in greeting as they walked over to him.

"Not a moment too soon," he said. "They just finished the preparations. Now we're only missing the guest of honor and given her sense of impeccable timing I doubt we'll have to wait much longer."

Coming to a stop next to him, S'eni leaned against the wall behind her and let her eyes roam around.

"It's just like Ser Aymeric hoped," she heard Alphinaud say. "Ishgard's success at the grand melee has restored the people's faith. The look on everyone's faces, it's still nervous, but one can see the hope reflected in their eyes as well."

She hummed in agreement while turning her gaze, coming to rest on Emmanellain and Honoroit standing not far away from, and she couldn't help but smile. The last time they had been here had been a total disaster, the young noble's hasty decision having only fanned the flames that had already been burning and turning a situation from bad to worse.

His young attendant, loyal almost to a fault, had gotten injured in the process and spurred in him a change of heart that made him want to better himself. If he continued on the way he had started to walk now, she was sure that he would do his family proud.

Your little brother is finally growing up, Haurchefant.

Turning her head to the side, S'eni felt her smile fade as she caught sight of purple hair that she wouldn't forget all too soon; the woman that had drugged her, her hands held in chains and a Temple Knight keeping careful watch next to her.

"Noticed her too?" Thancred asked her in a low voice.

"So she survived..." she murmured. The last time she had seen her, they had been unsure if she would even live through the night.

"She's a hardy one, I will give her that." He crossed his arms. "And apparently asked to be here."

S'eni looked at him in surprise at that revelation, before turning back towards the young woman, and she found herself wondering what she must be thinking right now. The vision she had received from the Echo that day had shown her the pain and anguish that had driven those people.

Was she here to get a measure of closure, perhaps?

But before she could contemplate that further, a roar echoed through the air, signalling the arrival of Vidofnir and drawing her attention up to the scaffold where Ser Aymeric was standing.

"It begins," Y'shtola's words pierced through the excited chatter coming from the crowd as the sound of flapping wings drew closer until the dragon's form appeared over the walls of Falcon's Nest, circling around before landing on the scaffold.

Everyone grew silent, their eyes all locked onto the white dragon above them as she looked around for a moment before facing the approaching Knight Commander. "Long it hath been since our peoples met thus, children of Thordan. Even by our reckoning," she finally said.

"Vidofnir, daughter of Hraesvelgr, we bid you welcome and thank you for answering our invitation," Ser Aymeric replied, his arms rising into a welcoming gesture.

"Our sire bade us hearken unto the whispers of our hearts. They spoke to us of a paradise lost─of bonds of brotherhood which they yearn to see restored."

"Our hearts, too, yearn for it. Let us proclaim this wish for all the world to hear; so that these bonds can finally be restored." He turned and took a few steps towards the edge to properly face everyone that had gathered here.

"Brother and sisters! Today you shall bear witness to a moment of glory in our shared history." Ser Aymeric paused for a moment, closing his eyes. "The friendship in which dragon and man were once united was destroyed by a betrayal that haunts us to this day. It caused suffering and painful losses on both sides, making us commit ever greater atrocities. Even now we can scarcely overcome them. Yes, the wounds they have caused run deep, and may never fully heal, and we are not here to deny them. But all of us, who have been mourning for so long, let us pause for a moment and look beyond our pain."

Opening them once again, he let his gaze wander over the crowd. "The dead will not return. But we are here, alive! Let us put an end to the bloodshed, so that our children and children's children will not have to suffer the same as we did."

S'eni smiled and nodded. Those were exactly the words that everyone needed to hear.

"Betwixt our peoples yawneth a divide deeper than the deepest abyss, wider than the widest sea," Vidofnir said. "Generations will live and die until this divide is bridged. Knowing this, doth thy heart yet yearn for peace, son of Thordan?"

"It does," Ser Aymeric replied with a smile. "We shall look upon the mistakes of the past to learn from them, and upon the times where the peace we yearn for was reality."

Turning around, he faced the large veil hanging behind him and raised his hand. As he lowered it back down, so did the veil drop unceremoniously to the ground and a round of gasps pervaded the air with even Vidofnir seeming to be caught by surprise.

S'eni felt her jaw grow slack as her eyes looked upon a beautiful relief featuring...

"Father and his beloved. As they were so long ago. Happy and at peace..." turning her gaze away from the sight, the dragon's crimson eyes landed on the Knight Commander once more. "The dream they shared shall be ours once more."

One by one the crowd started to clap and cheer; it was finally done.

She turned her head to look at Y'shtola, sharing a smile with her, when all of a sudden another voice called out.

"Never!"

Before anyone knew what was happening, a crimson shape jumped high into the air and descended upon Vidofnir, shortly followed by the dragon's cry of pain as a spear was plunged deep into her flesh, splattering blood everywhere.

"Estinien!" Alphinaud cried out as S'eni pushed herself off the wall and started to run for the stairs that lead up to the scaffold.

By the time she had made it to the top, Ser Aymeric was launching an arrow at the possessed Dragoon, who simply dissolved it with his hand before it could do any damage and jumped back up into the air where he landed gracefully on top of the wall. He was shrouded in an aura of maliciousness and two bulging crimson eyeballs protruded from his body, twitching and turning as they looked down on them with pure hatred.

When his lips parted to speak, his voice rang with a twisted echo.

"Child of Dravania! Art thou grown so forgetful that thou wouldst forsake kin, and consort with the spawn of Thordan? That thou wouldst dare contemplate peace!" he spat out the last word. "Hearken unto me, all of you! The final chorus is nigh, and all will be held to account! All will bathe in the flames of retribution! Till the coming of that day, look you onto your sins and despair! For none shall escape my wrath! None shall escape my revenge!"

Spreading his arms, he ascended into the air as the aura around him grew in intensity and the Wyrm's eyes started to glow. An inhuman cry echoed through the air and from one moment to the next, Estinien vanished in a cloud of dark red miasma, leaving behind only the towering form of Nidhogg where he once was.

"Oh no..." S'eni could only watch as the black Wyrm gave one final roar, before flying off, leaving behind only silence as he vanished into the skies.

"The hells take that Wyrm! We will never know peace while he lives!" an angry voice called out, breaking everyone's stupor.

"There'll be no end to this war till Nidhogg is dead and gone!" a woman joined in.

"So let's kill the bastard and be done with it!" Another man shouted. "Death to Nidghogg! Death to Nidghogg!"

He was soon joined by another, and another, and another, each and everyone crying for the Black Wyrm's death as fear gave way to anger.

Tearing her eyes away from where Estinien had only been mere moments ago, S'eni barely registered Lucia calling for a healer as she turned towards the relief of Hraesvelgr and Shiva.

And as the shouts grew louder and louder, she could only stare at the symbol of Ishgard and Dravania's hope and dreams, stained with blood.

 

Notes:

Not exactly my most favourite chapter, but I kinda felt that this part needed to be included. So I tried to put a spin on it. The speech Aymeric gives for example is more based on what he says in the German version of the game.

Now the next chapter I like more and hope you'll be looking forward to as well. :)

Chapter 34

End of a Song

It was over.

After a long and arduous battle, Nidhogg had finally been vanquished, slain by the very woman who had become a symbol of hope for all of Ishgard as she arrived on white wings to turn the tide.

No words could do justice to what she and her allies had accomplished that day. Almost single-handedly, they had brought an end to a circle of violence that for so long had dictated the lives of dragon and man alike, and as the dust was finally settling, we all could feel it in our hearts.

Peace at last.

 

---

 

Cold brushed her cheeks and her breath came out as little puffs of smoke as her steps echoed through the air. It was late in the evening, a time where everyone was usually back in their homes, slowly bidding the passing day good night to welcome the next.

But not tonight.

Tonight, the streets were filled with people even now, cheering and crying while music and song wafted from every corner of the city as they celebrated the end of a war that had been part of their lives since ages past.

Young or old, rich or poor, on this night it did not matter. Everyone came together as one.

And while everyone was celebrating, her friends included, she had used the chance to quietly slip away, heading down alleys she knew would take her to where she wanted to be without drawing too much attention to her.

She needed to be alone right now. To think.

Stepping out of the alley, S'eni entered the Brume. The area was still dealing with the effects of the fire that had destroyed countless homes and it would still be a while until Ishgard was fully rebuilt, but at least for tonight, its residents too would join in on the celebration and let their worries be for another day.

As she walked through the streets, she stopped when she heard two voices coming from above, making her look upward where she found a boy and a girl sitting atop the walls, looking up at the sheer endless sea of stars and the bright full moon floating amongst it. They didn't notice her, too caught up in their own little world, their words holding within them that awkwardness of young love.

She couldn't help but smile as they exchanged a promise for the future, one they were now finally free to realize without fear of what might come.

Not wanting to intrude any longer, S'eni quietly continued onward, making for the set of wooden stairs that lead up into the Foundation, away from Saint Valeroyant's Forum where the majority of the people had come together.

She watched the crowd for a moment, before turning towards her actual destination: the Arc of the Worthy.

The knights that were usually guarding the gates were absent tonight, but she doubted it would matter anyways as hardly anyone would brave the Steps of Faith after today's battle.

After stepping through the gates, she walked along the stone walkway that connected Ishgard with the central highlands. A thin sheet of powdery snow covered it, having been carried here from the mountains by the wind that was blowing even now, making her pull her jacket close against her. The pale moonlight made it glow an ethereal blue.

S'eni stopped in front of the tower that Nidhogg had thrown at Hraesvelgr during the battle and was now blocking the path, taking a moment to look at it before starting to climb over it.

After landing on the other side, she let her gaze wander around, taking in all the signs of the battle that had raged here earlier. Large gashes where Nidhogg had buried his claws into the solid stone, caved in parts of the tower where he had rammed against it, and char marks from his fiery breath that were noticeable even under the dusting of snow.

Walking over to the claw marks, she ran her fingers over the edges. That had been a fierce fight, and not one she wished to repeat anytime soon.

After Nidhogg had fallen, the rest of his brood had quickly retreated back to Dravania, the death of their sire having shaken them to the core. She doubted they would be too much of a threat now, and Vidofnir had told them she would keep a close eye on them before returning to Anyx Trine following her father's departure.

She rose back to her feet and turned to face the spot where it had ended, where Alphinaud and her had managed to wrestle Estinien free from Nidhogg's control. The wyrm's pure hatred had almost overwhelmed them, but just when she had thought that it might already be too late, that they might not be unable to save the Dragoon, after all, a warm presence had arrived to help them, adding much-needed strength to theirs.

You were here the entire time, weren't you? S'eni asked in her mind, remembering how that very same feeling had come over her as she had sat beside his body on the day he died and offered her comfort. You and Ysayle.

Closing her eyes, she let herself recall the smile his ghostly presence had given her as if to tell her that everything would be alright, and she felt her lips rise into one of her own.

"Thank you," S'eni said, her words echoing into the night before being carried away by the wind. She remained like this for a while, simply listening, when her ears perked up at the sudden sound of boots connecting with stone behind her.

"Shtola," she said simply while opening her eyes again, recognizing the familiar footsteps immediately.

"And here I thought you would celebrate all night. You have certainly earned it." the other Miqo'te's voice answered back. "And yet I find you here."

S'eni laughed, turning to face Y'shtola. "No one forces you to follow me, you know?"

Her friend's shoulders rose in a little shrug. "In that case I can leave again."

"No," she said, smile widening. "Stay."

Y'shtola mirrored her expression and walked up next to her.

"I guess I wasn't as stealthy as I thought I was."

"I can assure you everyone else is still very much busy enjoying themselves." Y'shtola put a hand on her hip and looked out into the distance. "It's a beautiful view. Something I would not have associated with Ishgard at all in the past."

"Well, if the weather allows for it anyway," S'eni replied lightly before a thoughtful expression formed on her face. "Do you think Ishgard can do it?"

"I don't know," her friend replied truthfully. "This is something fully in the hands of Ishgard's people. They will be the ones to decide their future from now on, not ancient lies and religious dogmas."

She hummed. "I suppose that's true."

"But they have people like Ser Aymeric, Hilda, and the Fortemps to help guide them. And of course there's their savior, the Warrior of Light herself, to serve as the most shining of examples," Y'shtola said, adding just the right amount of amusement to the last sentence.

"Don't let Estinien hear you say that." S'eni chuckled.

"I'm very sure that he will think twice on what he calls hyperbole after today."

"You make it sound like I did it all on my own. I doubt I would have been able to do it without Hraesvelgr's eye," she said and a small frown formed on her face. "I need to return it to him soon."

She could still feel his powers course through her, and it frankly unnerved her a little. As if he could see all she was doing right now.

The other Miqo'te turned and gave her a long look. "Yes, I can see part of his aether inside you. And as intriguing as that is to watch, I don't think it's wise to keep it for longer than strictly necessary."

"Guess I know where I'll be going tomorrow," S'eni said with a shrug of her own. "Want to accompany me? I'm sure you would find the Churning Mists fascinating as well."

Y'shtola seemed to consider it for a moment, before shaking her head.

"I'm afraid I will have to decline. Krile and Thancred are planning on trying to find more leads on our so-called Warriors of Darkness and I offered my help," she told her, obviously not pleased at all, that she couldn't take a look around the place where dragon and man once lived together.

"They haven't shown themselves since we encountered them," S'eni mused. She had to admit she had almost forgotten about them with all the things that had been happening.

"That may be so, but we need to remain vigilant, since they made it all too clear they are opposing us."

"Hmm. What is it they're planning?" she wondered, crossing her arms in front of her chest. A sudden gust of wind blew past them and she felt a shiver run through her.

"Perhaps instead of pondering out here in the cold we should head back?" Y'shtola offered.

"Yeah." S'eni nodded. She had done what she came here to do anyway.

Climbing over the collapsed tower once again, the two of them made their way back to the city gates.

After walking through, they started to make their way back to the Pillars, this time taking the direct way through the Arc of the Humble instead. Just like the Saint Valeroyant Forum, the plaza dedicated to Saint Reinette was filled with people, the music they were playing greeting them before they even took the steps that lead up it.

For a mercy, the crowd that had gathered here was much smaller and didn't seem to recognize her, or they simply didn't care as they were too overjoyed that the war was finally over. Letting herself come to a stop, S'eni watched as some of them danced, while others clapped and sang alongside the melody the instruments were playing.

Maybe it was because the mood was downright infectious but an idea suddenly sparked inside her mind and the corners of her lips curled into a grin. Glancing over to Y'shtola standing next to her, she extended a hand, palm upwards.

The other Miqo'te eyed her hand for a moment, before shifting them up towards her face. "What?"

"Care to dance?"

"A dance?" Y'shtola asked with a raised brow.

"You said it yourself: I earned myself some celebration." S'eni tilted her head a little to the side. "Well, I'd like to dance!"

"Don't force yourself to stop on my account."

"Oh, live a little! Especially after a battle like today," she said, motioning towards her hand with a nod.

Crossing her arms in front of her chest, the other woman simply stared at her as if she had suddenly grown a Garlean's third eye.

They remained like this for a moment, neither budging. In the meantime, the song that was currently playing came to an end and another was started. As the first notes started to echo towards them, S'eni rolled her eyes and grabbed Y'shtola by the wrist, dragging her towards the rest of the dancers and eliciting a surprised noise from her.

Silvery white eyes glared at her, but she ignored them as she slid her hand behind Y'shtola's back. With a sigh of resignation, her friend let her hand come to rest upon her shoulder. "Honestly..."

"Just follow my lead," S'eni said with a bright smile, gently grasping the other hand and taking her first step left. At first, their movements were stiff and awkward, Y'shtola's reluctance still not fully gone, and they nearly stumbled into a dancing couple as a result, but little by little they fell into step with one another and moved as gracefully as the rest of them.

"I didn't know you could dance," her friend noted as they pulled apart for a moment.

"We actually danced a lot back home. A little differently than on the mainland, but I picked it up pretty fast," she replied, closing the distance again. "I'm pretty good with my hips."

To make a point, she let her hips playfully sway from side to side, earning herself a little chuckle.

"Oh? Is someone actually starting to enjoy herself?" S'eni asked, a teasing tone entering her voice.

Y'shtola huffed, shaking her head, but there was still a small smile starting to form on her lips. "You're impossible."

And as the song came to a close, she did not immediately walk away and instead stayed even as the next one began.

Stepping apart alongside the other dancers, the two of them started to bounce on their heels and clap their hands, the song rapidly gaining in momentum when the singing started.

It was a simple song, easy to dance to, and S'eni soon found herself swept along with everyone else and started to sing. She was an average singer at best, but that did not dissuade her at all, if anything it made her want to try her very best to keep up with the rest. Even as she made mistakes that earned her a few good-natured laughs and amused looks, she still sang along with them.

Another laughter caught her attention over the din of everyone else's, subdued but still loud and clear to her ears. Turning her head, she saw Y'shtola, the hand hovering slightly in front of her face lowering to a lovely smile on her lips. Her hair was slightly tousled up from the dancing and her eyes glowed as the light from a nearby lantern hit her just right.

She looked absolutely beautiful.

S'eni sucked in a sharp breath, lips parting slightly as her already quickened heart skipped a beat, and she found herself rooted to the spot, hands dropping mid-clap.

Warmth started to spread throughout her entire body when the realization hit her like a Chocobo's kick: she was attracted to her.

A moment passed before the smile on Y'shtola's face faded, replaced by a frown, and she took a step forward. "Eni?"

A hand being placed on her shoulder broke the spell, making her blink a few times. "Huh?"

"Is everything alright? Did you just have a vision?" her friend asked.

Something like that, S'eni thought, tongue darting out to lick lips that had gone dry. She took another deep breath in an effort to calm herself, then shook her head. "N-no. It's nothing. Just...tired I guess," she replied.

Once again, Y'shtola didn't look convinced, but thankfully the song was coming to a close around them, giving S'eni the perfect chance to change the topic.

"This was fun, but I think we should go back. The others are bound to have noticed both of our absence by now," she said, averting her eyes and ignoring the heat on her cheeks as she started to walk past Y'shtola towards the steps leading up to the Pillars.

The other Miqo'te remained standing where she was for a moment, watching as S'eni left with the frown on her face deepening before she slowly started to follow.

"Eni..."

 

Notes:

[cue Only the Dead]

And finally, it hit her lol. About damn time!

This scene was actually one of the first ones that I came up with when I began writing this story. This, and another one that will be posted in the not too distant future. I hope you're looking forward to it, because I certainly am.

Until then, see ya!

Chapter 35

A New Ally

 

As different as a Coeurl kitten and a Hoarhound pup, that was how Master Louisoix once described his grandchildren to me. An apt description. Where Alphinaud was calm and collected, Alisaie was willful and had a temper to match.

But as much as they might differ and no matter how often they would bicker, both of them had inherited his sense of justice which had ultimately brought them to Eorzean shores.

Just as it had once brought us here.

- From the notes of Papalymo Totolymo

 

---

 

A series of steps reverberated off the wooden floor as their group left the room, shortly followed by the sound of the door falling shut behind them, leaving only Tataru to help Alisaie into her freshly tailored clothes.

When word had come from House Fortemps that Thancred had arrived with someone injured, S'eni had not expected the Elezen girl, nor that she had run afoul of the Warriors of Darkness.

Just before passing out, Alisaie had managed to share vital information about the Warriors' next steps with them, which had led Alphinaud and her to the mountains of Xelphatol, where Garuda was to be summoned.

Thankfully they had managed to stop the Ixal before they could fully summon their primal, putting an end to this part of the Warrior's plans. But that seemed to be almost insignificant to their ultimate goal, the Ardor. The calamitous destruction so great that it would break the barriers between planes, all for one goal.

To save their world by re-joining it with the Source before being swept away by an uncontrolled flood of light.

It sounded far-fetched, downright crazy in fact, same with their claims of being Hydaelyn's blessed as well. But after what Minfilia had told her about the nature of their world, S'eni knew that it was the truth.

Which meant that things had just gotten a whole lot more complicated. Again.

A sigh escaping her lips, she started to walk down the hallway, listening idly as Aymeric and Thancred were discussing their plans to investigate the Gnath's crystal supply up ahead. Her eyes came to rest on Alphinaud in front of her, looking deep in thought, no doubt thinking about what they had learned as well.

There was also another thing that bothered her. Who was that other man that had been there? An Ascian?

His stature alone gave him away as an Elezen, but something about him was...odd. She couldn't quite put a finger on it though.

Who are you? She wondered to herself.

A hand placing itself onto her shoulder startled her out of her train of thoughts and it was only her training that made her not jump at the sudden contact. Turning her head, she came face to face with a familiar pair of silver-white eyes.

Her heart started to go quicker when she looked upon Y'shtola, and for a moment she had to wonder how it had taken her so long to realize just how beautiful her friend was, before managing to snap out of it.

"Y-yeah? What is it?" S'eni asked.

"I was calling you, but you weren't responding," the other Miqo'te said, removing her hand and leaving a pleasant tingle in its wake.

Get a grip, S'eni! You're a grown woman, not some silly maiden! She berated herself, taking a deep breath and shaking her head. "Sorry, I was thinking over what happened earlier."

"I can imagine. It's a lot to take in."

"Hm." She nodded. "Anyway, was there something you wanted to ask?"

"Nothing in particular, to be honest," Y'shtola said. "I was actually hoping to catch up a little. We haven't seen each other since you left for Sohm Al."

That was true, wasn't it?

After their celebration, she had left first things in the morning to return Hraesvelgr's eye to him, and she would be lying if she claimed her little personal revelation the night prior didn't have a hand in her decision to leave pretty early.

Closing her eyes for a moment, she stopped in her tracks before letting her lips curl into a smile. "I'd like that."

They left the hallway and sat down in a quiet corner to talk more privately. S'eni watched a few knights pass them by, then turned her head towards Y'shtola. "So how have things been going for Krile and you?"

"Not as well as we had hoped," Y'shtola replied, crossing her arms as she leaned back into her chair. "We even tried using Master Matoya's Crystal Eye to find them, to no avail."

"She let you use it again?" Now that was a surprise if she ever heard one!

"Yes, believe it or not, but she has not yet grown tired of Krile yet." A chuckle escaped her friend.

"Where's Krile anyway?" she asked.

"She should be arriving shortly. When I heard about Alisaie, I hurried on ahead to see if I could help."

S'eni looked down the hallway. "I'd say you did a great job. Already up on her feet and all."

Y'shtola shook her head. "Most of it was done by the Congregation's chirurgeons. All I did was make sure she would actually stay in bed."

She was tempted to point out that a certain someone had the tendency to skip out of her sickbed too, but decided against it.

"I was told you were already here when she arrived?" the other woman asked.

"Oh yeah, I was having dinner with Aymeric when the news arrived."

A moment of silence passed before Y'shtola replied. "Oh?"

Upon hearing her response, S'eni looked back at Y'shtola, who was turning head with an unreadable expression on her face. "I didn't know you two were close," she added, her eyes shifting towards where Aymeric was currently talking to Lucia, most likely giving her some orders before he headed out with Thancred.

"He invited me to share a drink with him before the whole thing at Falcon's Nest happened." S'eni shrugged. "Turned into dinner."

"I see." Silvery white eyes came to rest on her once more, a small smile forming on her friend's lips. "And what have you been up to?"

She chuckled. "Where do I even begin?"

"The beginning, naturally."

"Alright, so I had just arrived in the Forelands..."

And so she told Y'shtola how some rather aggressive monsters had started to overrun Sohm Al since no one was guarding it, leaving it up to her and some fellow adventurers to clear the path to the Churning Mists once more. After she had handed Hraesvelgr his eye, she had travelled to Limsa Lominsa, where another adventure had soon awaited her in the form of Kobolds that had taken over the recently cleared Pharos Sirius, leaving Maelstrom command no other choice to ask her for aid.

"...and after that had been taken care of, the Grand Storm Marshal himself asked if I could train with some of his elite soldiers."

"And how did that turn out?" her friend asked, amusement ringing in her voice.

"He essentially threw me at them to give them the beating of their lifetime. I think they rather enjoyed it too."

"Not every day you get to test your skills against the Warrior of Light herself no matter how it turns out," Y'shtola pointed out.

"I suppose—hm?" her eyebrows rose in question when she noticed her friend looking past her and she followed her gaze to see not only Tataru but also Alisaie, now dressed in a tan coat with black accents and white boots, walking down the hallway.

And not for the first time she found herself wondering if Tataru was also going to make her a new set of clothes one of these days.

"I apologize for keeping you waiting," the young Elezen girl said as she approached them.

"Don't worry, it wasn't too long," S'eni replied.

Giving her a nod, Alisaie turned towards Tataru. "Thank you, Tataru."

"A pleasure," the Lalafel replied with a bright smile. "If there's nothing else, I'll be returning to my post."

After watching her leave, Y'shtola soon rose to her feet as well. "I believe I shall be on my way as well and see if Krile has arrived."

"Alright," S'eni said. "If you two need any help, I'm just one linkpearl call away."

"The same applies to you," Y'shtola replied with a smile, then turned her gaze towards Alisaie. "And you try not to overdo it. The poison may be gone, but your body still needs rest."

The Elezen girl crossed her arms. "I feel fine, but your concern is duly noted."

Y'shtola's eyes moved back towards S'eni, silently telling her to keep an eye on Alisaie, to which she responded with a shrug that she hoped would convey that she intended to try, at the very least.

The nod she received told her it did.

After bidding them goodbye, the other Miqo'te started to walk away. S'eni wanted to follow but stopped herself, quietly berating herself to stop acting like a lovesick maiden. She let her gaze linger until Y'shtola was out of the door, before turning it towards Alisaie.

It had been quite a while since she had last seen the girl. In the wake of their descent into the Coils, and the release of Louisoix as well as the subsequent defeat of Bahamut, Alisaie had once more taken to the road, endeavouring to grow strong on her own to see her grandfather's dream realized.

"How about we go and find your brother?" S'eni suggested, rising to her feet.

"Yes, he's most likely wondering where we are by now."

"So how was your journey?" she asked as they started to walk towards the exit. "Current situation aside, that is."

"To be honest, I wasn't planning on seeking you out just yet," Alisaie admitted. "When I set out, I had grand ambitions, and I promised not to disappoint you after all. Please forgive me if I should fall short on that."

A smile formed on S'eni's lips. "I can already tell that you grew much stronger than before."

"And you will find," Alisaie said, mirroring the expression with a note of self-assurance. "That I have learned a few tricks as well."

They found Alphinaud waiting outside, still very much the epitome of patience, and his eyebrows rose a little at the sight of his sister as they approached him.

"Tataru never ceases to impress," he said, rubbing his chin. "Though for a moment I was afraid she might have made you an outfit identical to mine..."

"Thank the Twelve she didn't!" The Elezen girl replied. "Mother and Father were a little too fond of making us wear matching clothes."

Alisaie's lips rose into a little smirk. "Remember that time at the Studium when that girl of yours sneaked up behind me and whispered—"

"Alisaie, please! She wasn't my—" Alphinaud cleared his throat. "Can we not have this conversation in front of S'eni?"

S'eni couldn't help the little snicker that escaped her at the younger man's expense and Alisaie too released a chuckle.

"Have it your way. Another time, perhaps."

A sigh made its way past Alphinaud's lips and he muttered something before straightening himself once again. "Let's depart for the Waking Sands and see if Urianger can be of assistance. We can catch up more on our way there."

This was going to be interesting, S'eni was sure of it.

 

---

 

Coming back to the Waking Sands felt a little bit like coming home from a long journey. For the longest time, this place had been home to the Scions, the place from where they had operated and tried to bring unity to an Eorzea that had been ravaged by the Calamity and faced internal and external threats.

Even before the Calamity, the original Waking Sands in Ul'dah's merchant wards had served as a place where people like her had gathered to use their newfound gift for something greater.

Now, these halls were largely empty, serving only as a place where the more research-minded could withdraw to go about their work and delve deep into their tomes.

And right now, they were looking for one such individual. Urianger.

Having always preferred the company of dusty tomes to people, he had essentially become the unofficial steward of the Waking Sands, and it didn't take their group long to locate him, sitting at his usual spot, bowed over a book with a steaming cup of tea at his side.

"Urianger!" Alphinaud called out to get his attention. "I apologize for calling upon you without notice."

"Master Alphinaud," Urianger said, a note of surprise in his usually calm voice. He rose to his feet and bowed to them in greeting. "Would that the Scholar had seen fit to grant me knowledge of thy coming. What bringeth thee here this day?"

"The Warriors of Darkness have returned, but please let us explain."

After they told him of their encounter at Xelphatol and what they had learned, Urianger gave them a solemn nod.

"...I too have heard tales of primal beings rising up and being struck down by forces unknown. Alas, this serveth but to spur the Beast Tribes to pursue their goals with redoubled fervor."

"And eventually seek a new, stronger god," S'eni said, crossing her arms. "We can't let that happen."

"Then we have two objectives at this point." Alphinaud raised his hand and extended a finger. "First we need to identify and remove the source of their crystals."

A second finger joined the first. "And secondly we take direct action to prevent any further summoning rituals in the future. Which is easier said than done, I suppose. We were lucky enough to find out about the Ixal's before they could realize them."

"And we're too few to keep watch over all the tribes like we did in the past..." she frowned. If only Papalymo and Yda were with them...

"Then thou wert wise to come hither, for this very day did I receive tidings most troubling from La Noscea," the older Elezen then said. "O'Ghomoro stirreth, and there are whispers that the Lord of Crags neareth his return. Mere rumors, but in light of thine discoveries..."

He let his bespectacled gaze move between the three of them. "...thou canst ill afford to turn a deaf ear to them."

Awfully convenient timing, isn't it? She wondered. But she supposed it shouldn't come as a surprise when the Ascians were involved.

"You're right, we must find out if they're true or not ourselves." Alphinaud turned to look at her. "We should consult the troops at Camp Overlook. They should know more about this."

S'eni hummed in agreement.

After thanking Urianger for his help, they made to leave, when Alisaie, who had been silent this entire time, spoke up. "Urianger, is there anything else you would like to say?"

"Alisaie?" Alphinaud asked, but his sister simply ignored him and instead took a step closer to the older Elezen and looked him in the eye.

"I'm only asking because usually you're much more verbose." Urianger simply returned her look.

"Nothing? Very well, then I would like to make a request. The Warriors of Darkness spoke about how the Ardor had the power to break down the barriers between planes and re-join our worlds." The younger woman placed her hands on her hips. "I would like for you to research this for us, seeing how I'm nowhere near as well-read as you are, I wouldn't know where to start. Though I heard stories of a book, The Gerun Oracles, perhaps you could start there."

The two of them stared at each other for another moment, before Urianger bowed his head. "...by thy leave."

Taking a step back again, Alisaie turned on her heel and looked at her brother. "Camp Overlook, was it? Let's go."

Not even giving Alphinaud a chance to respond, the Elezen girl all but pushed him towards the exit, ignoring the words of complaints that he directed at her.

S'eni watched the two of them as they walked away, then glanced over at Urianger, a pensive look forming on her features, before slowly following after the two of them.

What was that about?

 

Chapter 36

Freedom's Toll

 

Desperation is the gateway to many tragedies. It makes us susceptible to sweet promises whose price we don't even realize and begets cruelty upon cruelty until we are just one look in the mirror away from those that made us go to such lengths in the first place.

To the people of Ala Mhigo, seeing their homeland restored was everything. And some of them would stop at nothing to see this dream realized.

For them, there was only Liberty or Death...

 

---

 

There were many things that came to mind when one thought of Southern Thanalan, and most of them rather unflattering. These scorched plains, serving as the gateway between the Sagoli Desert to the south and the Grand Wake to the east, were home to a variety of dangerous creatures that made even the most experienced adventurer tread with care.

If it wasn't for the ancient ruins scattered all across the area, she doubted Ul'dah would even have any interest in it at all.

But even in this inhospitable area, people have thrived, be it the local Miqo'te hunting on the dunes, the Amalj'aa that viewed the area as hallowed ground, and, above all, the denizens of Little Ala Mhigo.

And it was the latter that had brought them here today.

After their investigation into the rumors of Titan's summoning, which had sadly turned out to be true, they had received news that shipments of crystals had been delivered to the refugee settlement and from there into the hands of the Ala Mhigan Resistance.

Further inquiries in Little Ala Mhigo had revealed that a new group simply called the Masks had surfaced some time ago and had quickly become a leading faction inside the Resistance under their charismatic leader, the Griffin. They were the ones that received the recent shipment of crystal, but to what end, no one knew.

But what they did know was that the Griffin would soon be giving a speech at the Sunken Temple of Qarn.

And as luck would have it, S'eni knew her way around the area well enough to guide Alphinaud and herself there without any serious trouble from the local fauna.

"An impressive sight," Alphinaud said as they came to a stop in front of it, letting his gaze come to rest on the walls and pillars of this once great temple. "It's a shame Alisaie isn't here."

S'eni hummed, lightly kicking away a few rocks from a fallen golem. Alisaie had decided to stay behind and wait for Thancred, who had yet to join them. Though she had to wonder if that was the only reason, as the girl had been acting strange earlier ever since they had talked to Urianger.

Had something happened between the two of them?

But she supposed that had to wait for now.

"You were here before?" he asked.

"Yeah, the Immortal Flames were recruiting people to explore the temple at the time," she replied. "We managed to clear the place of monsters and traps."

Which, she supposed, was what made it possible for the Griffin to hold his speech here in the first place.

Heading inside, their steps echoed down the long tunnel leading into the temple, soon joined by voices coming from further up ahead.

"Has it already begun?" Alphinaud wondered out loud.

A sizable crowd greeted them as they stepped into the temple proper, eagerly listening to a man standing on a broken wall, covered from head to toe in armor and his face obscured by a mask.

The Griffin.

"Brothers and Sisters," the man called out to the crowd. "Twenty years have passed since our home, Ala Mhigo, was occupied by the Garlean Empire. We were easy prey, weakened by battle and our city thrown into chaos after Theodoric's death. The tyrant's reign had barely ended when a new evil took its place; subjugation by the Garleans."

A murmur passed through the crowd.

"Not a day has passed since escaping, that I don't think of my lost homeland or the people that I left behind. I'm sure many of you feel the same."

Another murmur, and this time S'eni could spot some of them clenching their fists or starting to shake with anger.

It became quickly apparent that the man was charismatic and knew exactly how he had to appeal to his fellow Ala Mhigans, who were listening to every word of his speech.

"Those who are willing to fight by my side, raise your voice!" the Griffin shouted, raising his fist high into the hair. "The power to lead us to victory is ours, I have seen to that. Soon, the Ala Mhigan standard shall be raised over the mountains of Gyr Abania once more!"

As the crowd started to cheer, S'eni and Alphinaud shared a look, and a frown formed on the young man's face. "Power to lead us to victory...Sounds quite ominous, doesn't it?"

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" she asked right back.

"I'm afraid so..." the frown gave way to surprise. "Wait, isn't that-?"

Following his gaze, she turned her head to a sight that made her eyebrows and ears shoot up. Standing in a corner were a Hyuran woman and a Lalafel man, watching the crowd with interest.

Noticing that someone had spotted them, the two turned around and a surprised gasp escaped the woman. "What are you two doing here!?"

"Yda! Papalymo! Thank the Twelve you're alright!" Alphinaud called while walking towards them and S'eni felt a smile form on her lips at the sight of her friends.

"This is quite the surprise," Papalymo said as they came to a stop. "I certainly did not expect to find you here."

The Lalafel glanced over his shoulder at the crowd, still listening to what the Griffin was telling them, before continuing in a hushed voice. "The time and place could not be any more inconvenient though. Might I suggest we go somewhere else to talk?"

"Good idea," S'eni said and together they left the same way they had entered. They barely had stepped outside, when she found herself suddenly engulfed in a tight hug by Yda, being almost lifted off her feet from the sheer ferocity of it, and she couldn't help but laugh. "Whoa, easy there. I missed you too!"

"Of all the places to meet," Yda said. "This has to be fate!"

"Or just our own brand of coincidence," she replied with a chuckle and returned the hug.

"I can't tell you how glad I am to see you both alive and well," Alphinaud said after Yda and her stopped hugging.

"The Crystal Braves never had any real chance of capturing the Scions, not with how divided they were and distrusted by the better part of Eorzea," Papalymo replied.

The young Elezen frowned. It was obvious that he still felt conflicted over what had happened with his Crystal Braves, but he had come to accept it. "What have you two been doing all this time?"

"Repaying a favor. We had no choice but to flee from Ul'dah, and we would not have been able to without the aid of some old friends from the Resistance."

Yda nodded. "That's right. They smuggled us out of the city and sheltered us in Little Ala Mhigo. Obviously, we couldn't just let that go unacknowledged, so we offered to help them out with their operations."

"When we learned that the Scions' names had been cleared and that General Raubahn had been reinstated, we were trying to make contact with you. But having discarded our linkpearls. It did not help that we were embroiled in a rather delicate operation at the time, so I had no choice but to entrust my letter to a courier," the Lalafel explained, his brows furrowing as he looked between Alphinaud and her. "And from the look on your faces, I take it you never received it."

"No," S'eni replied "Up until now we had no clue where you two were."

"We thought that might happen. While the Masks are happy to spread the word amongst the Ala Mhigans, they're pretty strict about communicating with outsiders." Yda raised a hand, index finger extended. "Also rumor has it that the Griffin doesn't want us meddling in his affairs."

"The Griffin distrusts the Scions?" Alphinaud asked, rubbing his chin. "Interesting. It's well-known that we're no friends of Garlemald. One would think the man we saw call for people to join his cause would welcome our help."

"Ah, the man you saw inside was not the Griffin," Papalymo then said

"What do you mean?" S'eni blinked.

"He's an impersonator, and a talented instigator at that. I would not be surprised if he was the one responsible for the majority of public appearances," he explained. "The Griffin is an extremely cautious and distrusting man. Even when we participated in a raid under his command, we were not to approach him."

"It's hard to know what to make of it," Yda commented. "The secrecy, the impersonators, the masks..."

They all looked at her, eyebrows rising almost simultaneously.

"What!? It's not as if I'm making all of you wear one, and mine only covers half my face." The other woman waved her hand to dismiss the issue. "Anyway. When we heard that the Griffin was giving a speech, we decided to use the opportunity to get a better sense of him."

"For all the good it did," Papalymo said. "But tell me, what brought you two here?"

"It's a long story, but shipments of crystals have been smuggled out of Ishgard into Little Ala Mhigo and from there to the Resistance," S'eni told him. "And with what we've heard inside...we believe they're planning a summoning."

Yda took a step back in shock while Papalymo narrowed his eyes.

"The Resistance would never even entertain such a ridiculous plan, but the Griffin...I can't say with confidence what he would do." He crossed his arms in front of his chest. "But the speech today was not the first time to reference a 'power' capable of defeating the Empire, that much I can say."

"Whatever it is, we'll find out together. And if anyone tries to stop us, they'll get a few kicks!" Yda proclaimed, punching the palm of her hand with her fist.

"Indeed," the Lalafel said, then paused for a brief moment. "...If you'll have us."

"Like you have to ask." A grin formed on S'eni's lips. "Just like old times, eh?"

 

---

 

The first time she had been in Ala Mhigo, its inhabitants had been distrustful and frankly quite rude. The Ala Mhigans were proud people, and the loss of their homeland was weighing hard on them. It was little wonder that they had treated her just like the outsider that she was. But little by little, she had managed to not only earn their respect but also their trust.

"You want to buy what!?"

Though she supposed that didn't make a strange request any less strange.

"Two pairs of clothes for both of us. And rub some dirt on them while you're at it," S'eni repeated to the man sitting on a crate in front of her, a man by the name of Talebot that peddled his wares around these parts. Amongst his goods: cheap clothes.

Before parting with Papalymo and Yda, they had hatched a plan to get into contact with the Griffin's double. A plan for which Alphinaud and her would disguise themselves as a pair of adventurers that were down on their luck and looking for a cause to fight for.

Talebot looked between the two of them with critical eyes before shaking his head. "I don't know what you're up to, but I don't want any part in it!"

"Too bad," S'eni said lightly, pulling out the sack of Gil she had been given, throwing it up into the air a few times. "You came greatly recommended by Papalymo."

After saying the last part, she tossed the sack toward the man, who caught it with both of his hands. To his credit, he still looked a little conflicted.

"Well, you're the ones with the Gil, and seein' as you're friends with Papalymo..." he put the sack into his pocket and got off the crate to open it, pulling out what they were looking for.

"There you go, tunics and slops for both of you, tailored and, uh—" He dropped the clothes on the ground and used his foot to drag them through the dirt before handing them over. "—treated to your liking. Now off with you, before someone sees us together."

"Well, they do say clothes maketh the man..." Alphinaud said as they walked away from the merchant, eyeing the tunic in his hand. "Anyway, I will go ahead and change. I say we meet at the spot that Papalymo marked on our maps."

"Sounds good to me," she replied. After watching as the young Elezen left, she started to look for a quiet spot where she could change as well.

Which was easier said than done. Little Ala Mhigo was a tight-knit community and not just because of the similar backgrounds of its residents, but also because of the general lack of space inside the caves.

She was just about to simply head outside and change there when she finally found a little corner that was suitable enough for her needs. Pulling off her jacket, S'eni placed it on a nearby rock, soon followed by her pants and boots, leaving her only in her underwear.

As she bent down to pick up the first piece of her disguise, a ringing sound echoed from one of her pockets, making her reach inside and pull out a small pearl with golden edging around it. Putting it inside her ear, she pressed her index finger against it to answer.

"Yes?"

"Eni, It's me."

"Shtola?" she asked in surprise. Her tail curled happily at the sound of her friend's voice and she had to give it a gentle slap to make it stop, silently berating herself. Stepping further into the corner, she lowered her voice. "Is something the matter?"

"I just wanted to hear how things are progressing on your end. It's been a while since Thancred informed me about the Ishgardian crystal shipments," Y'shtola said.

"And since he's still going to be a while you thought to satisfy your burning curiosity by asking me," S'eni pointed out, a chuckle escaping her. "What if I was in the middle of a fight to the death?"

"I'm sure you would have managed," came her friend's dry reply. "But since you clearly aren't, I take it you made some progress."

"Tsk. And here I was hoping you just missed my voice," she said, her tail doing a playful little flick while bending down to pick up the tunic once more. Her fingers had just curled around the fabric when she froze mid-motion, eyes widening. Did she just...?

A laugh came from the other end. "Well, it's good to hear that you're alright."

Releasing an inward sigh of relief at her friend's nonchalant reply, S'eni straightened up and cleared her throat. "Anyway, we managed to locate the people the crystals were bound for, a Resistance group called the Masks."

"The Masks..."

"The name fits, they all wear them—hold on." Taking her finger off the linkpearl, she quickly pulled the tunic over her head.

"What are you doing?" Y'shtola asked.

"Putting on my disguise. Alphinaud and I are pretending to be new recruits to find out more."

"Hmm, a good plan."

She couldn't help the grin forming on her lips. "Wait until you hear who came up with it."

"Oh?"

"Papalymo. Turns out Yda and he have been with the resistance the entire time." Silence came from the other end "Shtola?"

"Yda and Papalymo, you said?" the other Miqo'te replied after a few seconds.

"Yeah."

Silence again.

"You're mad, aren't you?" S'eni asked, picking up the pants and starting to put them on as well.

"I'm debating some choice words that I will have with them once this is over."

"Don't be too hard on them. They actually tried to reach out." She grabbed one of her boots and turned them over a few times. It looked worn enough to not stand out too much from her disguise.

Y'shtola huffed. "Fine. At the very least I'm glad to hear they are alright."

Now it was her turn to laugh. "I'll let them know," S'eni said, putting on her boots again. "Listen, I need to go. Alphinaud is most likely already waiting for me at the meeting point. I'll contact you again later."

"Very well. Krile and I are returning to the Rising Stones for the time being." A slight pause. "...Be careful."

"Aren't I always?" she asked with a smile even if Y'shtola couldn't see.

"That's precisely why I'm saying it."

After exchanging goodbyes with her friend, S'eni pulled the linkpearl out from her ear and put it in the pocket of her new pants. She gathered up her usual clothes and left the corner.

As she made her way to the main entrance of Little Ala Mhigo, she ran across Gundobald and asked if he could perhaps spare a burlap sack for her. He gave her a strange look at first, but quickly complied with her request when he realized what this was about and she placed her belongings inside before continuing on her way.

Arriving at the settlement's Aetheryte, S'eni found Alisaie sitting on a nearby rock, arms crossed and still waiting for Thancred.

"...he hired a Chocobo porter, didn't he?" the Elezen girl asked after noticing her, followed by a sigh. "Was the Aetheryte not to his liking?"

"It's a little more complicated than that, but that will have to wait until later," S'eni said and held the sack out towards Alisaie. "Can you keep an eye on this?"

"Of course. Hatching a plan?"

"Executing it," she replied. "Thanks."

Making to leave, she stopped herself upon realizing that she missed something and reached out towards her ears. An adventurer down on her luck wouldn't be wearing pretty earrings after all.

After handing them to Alisaie, she said a quick goodbye to her and headed out to join Alphinaud.

As S'eni walked through the sun-scorched plains of Southern Thanalan, she didn't notice a figure standing atop a cliff overlooking the entire valley. A man, dressed in long, dark robes and half of his face obscured by a veil. His calm, silver eyes followed her every step until she vanished into the distance like a desert mirage scattered in the wind.

Sighing through his nose, he turned his head to look into the direction of Zahar'ak, where he knew that a certain group of otherworldly travellers were currently setting the stage for their battle with the Warrior of Light.

"I beg not for thy forgiveness, only for thy understanding..." he murmured, before too walking away and vanishing with a gust of wind.

 

Notes:

Just a little message for all of you that left me a comment: Thank you. They're always appreciated and I'm really glad that you're enjoying my story. :)

Chapter 37

Moving Forward

 

Man above all is a creature of habit, seeking stability wherever we can. A daily routine is already enough to give us a feeling of security, that everything is alright.

Relationships are much the same, they give us stability in a turbulent world, and solace in moments of weakness. But they are also the most prone to change. And change can be a scary thing.

It pulls us out of that secure environment that we built and tosses us into the unknown. But as scary as change can be, it can also be beautiful.

All it takes is just a single, brave step.

 

---

 

A sigh passed S'eni's lips as she looked up into the sky of Mor Dhona, its color shifting from bright blue to a pale violet as the sun began its slow descent to usher in the evening.

In the distance, the Crystal Tower stood tall, its aetheric glow-giving light even in the darkest of nights, and on some days she would joke to herself how it was the sleeping Midgardsomr's bedside lamp.

But today the sight just reminded her of the people she had parted with. G'raha, Haurchefant, Ysayle, Mide...

...and now Minfilia too.

Closing her eyes, she saw the image of her friend, smiling brightly at her before vanishing into blinding light to a distant world in need of salvation.

"It's a strange feeling. I've watched you depart so many times, my heart filled with worry, and always have you returned triumphant," she had said. "Now I'm the one to head on an adventure into the unknown. Someday, when I have managed to free this star from Her sorrow, I will repay you in kind."

"Are you doing alright, Minfilia?" she found herself asking, knowing that no one would be answering.

Twelve, she missed her.

They had been through so much and even if her own mind had robbed her of those memories for a while, she would always hold them dear to her heart.

In the end, it was just like Thancred had said: it was her own choice and all they could do was to accept it.

Opening them again, S'eni let her eyes roam the sky for a little while longer, wondering if Minfilia was seeing something similar right now, before rising back to her feet.

Well time to get back, she thought to herself and made her way over to the steps leading down from the wall that faced, glancing over her shoulder to give the Crystal Tower and Midgardsomr each a final look. "I sure would like to sleep day in and out too."

But, there truly was no rest for the righteous.

As she walked towards the Seventh Heaven, S'eni spotted the form of a familiar Lalafel in the distance, dressed in dark robes that made his blond hair stand out all the more. Papalymo, heading towards the local market where merchants were selling their last few wares before packing up for the day.

Curiosity getting the better of her, she followed him, always staying away enough so that he wouldn't notice her until he stopped at one of the stands. He exchanged words with the owner, but over the sound of everyone gathered here, it was almost impossible to hear.

She felt her foot connect with something and she looked down to find one of the sticks she occasionally saw the Doman kids play around with lying discarded on the ground.

Kids. With an amused shake of her head, S'eni picked it up, then returned her gaze to Papalymo.

She felt her eyebrows slowly rise in surprise when she saw the person behind the stand hand him a tasty-looking Pastry Fish.

Who would have thought that he had a sweet tooth?

Her eyes shifted down to the object in her hand and a small grin formed on her lips when an idea sprung up in her mind. Slowly, she made her way towards the stand, careful as to not alert the Lalafel who was taking his first bite out of his tasty morsel.

Like a Coeurl stalking its prey, she closed in further and further, never once letting her little friend out of sight, until she was finally close enough, raised her arm—

"Got you!"

-poked the tip of the stick into his back.

The reaction was instantaneous as Papalymo released a surprised yelp and jumped, throwing the pastry in his hand into the air. It would have nearly dropped to the ground if not for S'eni's fast reflexes.

"I think you lost something," she said, the grin on her lips widening as he turned around to glare at her, and held out his snack back towards him.

"Hmpf. Very funny." Papalymo took the Pastry Fish from her hand and inspected it, shaking his head as he did so.

"Sorry, I couldn't resist." Giving him a shrug, she turned to the stall owner, who was having a little chuckle and handed him a few Gil. "Can I have one too?"

"Sure thing."

After having been handed her own Pastry Fish, S'eni immediately took a bite out of it. She could barely stifle the moan that wanted to escape her as the rich flavour of almond mixed with apple set her taste buds alight and she could practically hear her body cry out at the sheer sweetness of it.

If sin had a taste, she was sure this would be it.

Opening the eyes she didn't even realize she had closed, she turned them towards Papalymo, who was looking at her with a raised brow.

"Is there any specific reason you deigned to surprise me?" he asked.

"Not really."

"I figured as much." Heaving a sigh, he rolled his eyes and gestured towards a nearby bench. "Since you're already here, why don't you pay me some company?"

After sitting down, they quietly nibbled on their snacks and watched the people as they came and went.

"This town has seen so much growth in these past years, and even in the time we were away, it's hard to believe this used to be a camp."

S'eni hummed before swallowing. "A lot of it is thanks to the Domans. They were more than eager to repay our kindness."

"Indeed." He nodded.

Her eyes fell on a group of kids playing in the distance, causing her to smile. "So have Yda and you settled back in alright?" she asked.

"Oh yes. Not to talk bad about our friends in the Resistance, but there is nothing like sitting in a comfortable chair with a good book," the Lalafel replied.

"And delicious Pastry Fish."

"Hmpf. That too," he conceded.

His eyes came to rest upon her and S'eni could see herself reflected in the smooth glass of his monocle. After a moment of silence, he said, "I want to thank you again. For entrusting Tupsimati to me."

Minfilia had given her what remained of Louisoix's broken staff before leaving for the First. She would be lying if she claimed that it hadn't weighed heavily upon her, so when Papalymo had asked for it she had readily agreed to it.

Who else to keep watch over it than Louisoix's finest student?

"You're welcome," she said, a smile dancing across her lips after wiping some crumbs away with her thumb.

Once they were each done with their pastries, Papalymo and her started their way back to the Seventh Heaven.

"So what about Yda?" S'eni asked. She actually hadn't seen much of her around in the past few days since they all had gotten back together. Not even for a quick training session.

A sigh escaped him. "I'm afraid her time with the Resistance has only further opened her eyes to the plight of the Ala Mhigans."

"I can't blame her. They have it rough..." She couldn't even imagine how it must feel, to have one's homeland taken away. She was an island kid. All she had ever known for most of her life was the warm breeze in her hair, the glistening sea in front of her eyes, and the sand underneath her bare feet.

Meanwhile, people like Yda, Minfilia, and other young Ala Mhigans had grown up far away from their place of birth, a free Ala Mhigo only something they might remember from distant memories if at all.

"I wish there was something we could do."

"For Yda or Ala Mhigo?" he asked, causing her to stop in her tracks.

"Both, I suppose," she replied after a moment of consideration.

Papalymo shook his head. "The situation in Ala Mhigo is a delicate one. One misstep will only further the suffering for the people yet still remaining."

"I see." And if what she had heard was right, then the governor that replaced Gaius was far worse than the Black Wolf.

"As for Yda..." They started to walk again. "Be there for her. In trying times it's our friends that give us the most support, as I'm sure you know yourself."

That brought the smile back to her lips and she nodded. "Yeah."

"So why don't you and her just beat yourself silly one of these days?" he offered as they stepped up to the double doors leading into Revenant's Toll's famous tavern. "That ought to do the trick."

"Sure. But only if you serve as judge over who's better."

S'eni simply chuckled in response to his groan while stepping inside. The Seventh Heaven was already well patronized, in no small part because the famous Wandering Minstrel had returned to town, bringing with him songs new and old alike.

Her gaze wandered over to the man, sitting at the seat he always frequented when playing music, and raised in greeting when his bespectacled eyes met her. He smiled and did a little flourish in return, before letting his fingers come to rest upon his harp.

With dexterous fingers, the first few gentle notes started to echo through the entire room, soon followed by his melodious voice as Papalymo and her were walking into the back.

"Sing a song of dawn.

Dawn, the day reborn.

Breathe deep of the dawn before the storm."

 

---

 

The Rising Stones was filled with people, their conversations echoing through the halls as the doors closed behind S'eni and she couldn't help but smile. Even with the change of structure in their organisation, it was good to see there were still many that fought for a peaceful Eorzea.

The only one missing was Urianger, to no one's surprise. Even if they didn't hold any hard feelings towards him for his bold plan involving Minfilia, she knew that a part of him still felt guilty about it.

Besides, all this still didn't change his love for tomes, so in a way nothing had really changed from before.

"I don't know about you," she said to Papalymo. "But I'm quite thirsty. Care to join me for a drink?"

"I will have to pass. I wanted to discuss the finer points of the discoveries Coultenet made while in Radz-at-Han."

"Alright, don't let me stop you." Waving her hand a little, she left him to his endless pursuit of the arcane and started to make her way towards the bar. F'lhaminn was standing behind the counter today and the older woman greeted her with a kind smile as she sat down.

Despite the obvious sadness about her daughter's departure, F'lhaminn still endeavored to do her part for the Scions, keeping watch over the Rising Stones and making sure that everyone had what they needed, giving their headquarters that necessary touch to feel like home. Something that everyone, including herself, was truly glad for.

These days she also had taken to teaching little Koharu how to dance, a task that apparently consumed quite a lot of time as the girl was not the most gifted in that regard despite her natural dexterity.

"S'eni. What can I do for you?" F'lhaminn asked, straightening the pair of glasses atop of her nose.

"A drink," she replied. "Hmm, surprise me."

"In that case..." The older Miqo'te placed a glass on the counter before turning around to grab a bottle out of one of the cabinets. Uncorking it with a loud thump, she poured its contents into the glass before pushing it towards S'eni.

"Well then." She took the glass. "Bottoms up!"

It hit her almost as soon as the sweet and acidic taste touched her tongue, a vision of shrubs planted along the edges of a beautiful beach, their heart-shaped leaves bearing clusters of tiny fruit ranging from lime green to a rich burgundy. But it was the hint of pineapple that filled her mind with the carefree laughter of days past; the taste of home...

Her eyes landed on F'lhaminn. "That's—"

"Our ship made a stop at the Cieldaleas to pick up some wares and I chanced upon a lovely young woman selling her goods at a local market," the other woman explained, her smile growing. "The resemblance was so striking I actually thought it was you for a moment until I spotted the subtle differences."

"One of my sisters," S'eni said, a fond look entering her eyes, and part of her wanted to ask which one, but she doubted F'lhaminn inquired her name.

"Have you thought about going back for a visit?" the older Miqo'te asked.

"There's still so much going on," she said with a shake of her head. "Perhaps when things have calmed down a bit I will."

"Well, until then you can have a little bit of home right here." F'lhaminn patted the bottle before placing it on the counter.

"Yeah. Thanks, F'lhaminn. It means a lot." S'eni smiled at her and raised the glass back to her lips. As she enjoyed the wine, she let her eyes wander around a little.

Like Papalymo had said, she found him standing at a corner with Coultenet, the Elezen Thaumaturge looking quite excited as they talked.

Not far from them she found Thancred and Riol sitting together over a couple of drinks; from their expressions alone she wagered they were discussing their still missing traitors. A little project they had started not too long ago.

Laughter made her turn around and she saw Hoary Boulder and his brother as they demonstrated some of the finer points of fighting to a pair of Doman boys.

She let herself watch this little scene for a moment, before shifting her gaze to the right where she found Yda and Y'shtola sitting together at a table, quietly conversing with one another. As if they had a will of their own, her eyes came to rest upon the other Miqo'te, watching Y'shtola's lips as they curled into a small smile behind the cup of tea she was holding, and S'eni felt her heart skip a beat.

Gods, she had it bad, didn't she?

Managing to tear her eyes away from her friend, she silently started to berate herself while staring deep into her glass.

She was no stranger to relationships, even if they had been flings more often than not, and she was certainly not shy about making her interest known.

But this was Y'shtola.

"What is troubling you, dear?" F'lhaminn's voice startled her out of her thoughts. Raising her eyes, she spotted a little, knowing smile on the older woman's lips that told S'eni she already knew.

"I once loved someone deeply, back when Minfilia was still a child," F'lhaminn said as she turned around to grab a dishrag and started to clean a glass. "There is someone you feel strongly for too, isn't there?"

"It's...complicated," was S'eni's murmured response.

"Of course it is. Feelings are always complicated. They are beautiful and scary. To pursue them takes courage. Sometimes they end in incredible heartache too." F'lhaminn turned around to look her in the eye. "But there is nothing worse than regret. There are a lot of things I regret never being able to tell Nielle, but the time I spent with him I will cherish forever."

The freshly cleaned glass was placed in front of her. "Don't regret not giving it a try."

S'eni returned F'lhaminn's look for a moment longer before averting her eyes. "What if she says no?" she asked in a low voice.

"Then you will at least have closure, but you won't find out by sitting here," the older woman replied, smile returning, and nodded in the direction of the table. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Yda rising to her feet to join Hoary Boulder, leaving Y'shtola alone.

S'eni bit her lip, watching her friend as she enjoyed her tea, knowing that once the cup was empty Y'shtola would get up and walk away. Slowly, her eyes moved towards the glass, back to Y'shtola, then to the glass once more.

Exhaling through her nose, she reached for the glass.

After taking it, she picked up her own, as well as the bottle, and walked over. A part of her mind screamed out to turn back again, but she managed to ignore it. "Mind if I sit down?" S'eni asked her.

"Of course not," Y'shtola replied. A white eyebrow rose in question when her friend noticed what she was carrying and a note of amusement entered her voice. "Are we celebrating something?"

"Well, as it turns out F'lhaminn got me wine from back home, and an entire bottle is a bit much for me. So I was hoping you could help and keep me a little company."

Y'shtola eyed the wine for a brief moment, before smiling. "I'd like that. Just let me finish my tea."

Finishing the last contents of the cup, her friend took the offered glass and let S'eni pour a generous amount of wine into it before raising it to her nose to take a little whiff of it. "I admit I have been a little curious after you told me all about your village's wine."

"Well, I hope it's to your liking then," S'eni said. "If not then it's all because I didn't help make this one."

Sharing a little laugh, they clinked their glasses together and took a sip. A comfortable silence set over them as they drank, and if the look on Y'shtola's face didn't tell her that she quite liked the wine, then it was the fact that she soon asked for a refill.

"Hey, Shtola?" she asked after lowering the bottle.

"Yes?"

Now or never. Cherry pink eyes coming to rest on silvery-white ones, S'eni's lips parted—

The doors slammed open with a loud bang, soon followed by Tataru crying out, "By the Twelve, what happened to you!?"

And as everyone rushed towards the entrance, the words she had wanted to say were soon forgotten at the sight of a Miqo'te woman as she lay bleeding on the ground.

 

Notes:

Well, shit. Wonder what gonna happen next?

Chapter 38

Notes:

Alright folks, slight spoiler warning: this chapter will include smut, so for any of you that don't particularly enjoy that kinda stuff there will be a break line preceeding it so you can simply end the chapter there.

Now without further ado, let's begin.

Solace

 

Partings are part of life. Be it lifelong friends going their separate ways or a father dying surrounded by the people he loves, they are always profound and shape us.

And they are never easy.

When Master Louisoix died, all we had was the oath we had sworn together and the wise words he had taught us over the years.

"Every battle requires sacrifice, every victory has its price."

I have decided to walk this road a long time ago, and am ready to pay its toll.

For every ending, every parting, marks a new beginning.

 

---

 

A blanket of silky clouds covered the sky, blocking out what little light the pale, waning moon offered tonight. The ever-present sounds of the wildlife had given way to an eerie silence, and only the rustling of the leaves above kept S'eni company as she walked deep into the Central Shroud.

In the distance, the Aetheryte of Bentbranch Meadows served as a guiding light in the dark for every wanderer that found themselves in these parts of the woods, but she barely paid it any mind as her feet carried her across the Matron's Lethe.

Upon reaching the top, S'eni turned around and cast her eyes eastward, where even now thick clouds of smoke rose from the iron monstrosity that marked the border between the Black Shroud and Gyr Abania, Baelsar's Wall.

Illuminated clouds painted a ghostly shade of gold and blue that could be seen even from here, making it easy to spot the glowing sphere hovering above this monument of tyranny.

It was a sight that was all too familiar to her. She had seen it once before, on that night five years ago over the Carteneau Flats when it looked like the world was about to end.

Deep within this cocoon-like barrier of pure aether, a creature of hatred and destruction was being kept at bay but—

The leather of her gloves crunched as she balled shaking hands into fists.

—the price!

Gritting her teeth, S'eni whirled around and continued on her way with hastened steps.

Soon enough she found herself standing in the waters surrounding the ancient Guardian Tree, looking around the oldest arbor inside the Twelveswoods. The last time she had been here, she had felt n immense joy at the fact that Y'shtola had returned, but tonight...

Her eyes came to rest upon the tree itself and she started to slowly walk over to it. One of her hands reached out to place itself upon its bark. Even with her gloves on, S'eni could feel that it was strong and sturdy.

With blinding speed, she punched the tree with a force that would have knocked down lesser opponents with a single strike, yet did not even cause it to flinch.

Yes, it would do.

Another punch soon followed, and another, and another, increasing in speed and ferocity each.

Releasing a shout, she pulled her fist back—

 

 

---

 

A loud crack echoed through the air as her fist smashed into her opponent's jaw, sending him sprawling to the ground. The sword he had swung towards her just a second ago arched through the air before falling to the battlefield below.

Lowering her arms, she glared at the figure lying in front of her. It was none other than the leader of the Masks, the Griffin himself, Ilberd Feare.

She should have known his traitorous hide was behind this.

"Give up, Ilberd. You've lost!" she told him as he slowly pushed himself onto his knees, breath coming out in ragged gasps

"Hah, don't bother!" he spat, looking at her with absolute disdain in his eyes. "It's already too late. You can only watch while my plan comes to fruition."

Beneath them, the battle was coming to an end. The disguised Ala Mhigans were finishing off the last of the Magitek weapons the Garleans had stationed there and soon shouts of victory filled the air.

For a moment, S'eni thought that it was over, that they could take Ilberd into custody and somehow salvage this entire situation without any more bloodshed.

...then she saw the smirk on Ilberd's face and knew instantly that this was far from over. "What have you done!?"

But his smirk only grew. Instead, it was the metallic roar of Magitek that answered.

Her head snapped to the side and she could only watch as an Armored Weapon came running across the wall before jumping the celebrating Resistance members like a hungry predator.

Shouts of victory soon turned into ones of battle as the Ala Mhigans made for battle, but their valiant efforts were for naught as two more of these mechanical monsters soon joined the fray. Cries of pain joined the screeching of metal, creating a symphony of death that echoed through the air until only silence remained.

Eyes widening in horror, S'eni slowly let her gaze return to Ilberd.

Why...

"S'eni!" Papalymo's voice called out, making her glance over her shoulder to see him running towards her with Yda and Alphinaud at his side. "Thank the Twelve, you're alright!"

"Let's get out of here. Yugiri is calling the airship to pick us up," Alphinaud said.

Ilberd began to laugh, making her look back at him. "Who do we have here?" he asked while pushing himself back onto his feet. "If it isn't Commander Leveilleur."

"So you were the leader of the Masks!" The young Elezen stepped forward. "Stop this madness, Ilberd! Don't you see what you have done?! You claim to fight for freedom, but all you're doing is bring death. Tell your troops to retreat!"

"Retreat? At the moment of triumph?" Ilberd scoffed. "You're such a pathetic leader, Alphinaud."

His face splitting into a grin, Ilberd reached into the bag resting on his lower back and pulled out a pair of crimson eyeballs that S'eni had hoped to never see again.

"Nidhogg's eyes! But they vanished in the Sea of Clouds!" Alphinaud exclaimed. "Ilberd, don't! The power of dragons isn't meant for mortals."

"Spare me your words! Ala Mhigo has suffered enough. My brothers and sisters vegetate in the slums of Ul'dah. Just like the indifferent Eorzean's, they accepted their life in disgrace, forgot their pride!" the ice surrounding Nidhogg's eyes cracked a little under the force of his grip. "It was only thanks to Lolorito's money that a few of us had weapons to fight back at all. But I...I will give my people their pride back—no matter the cost. If the power inside these eyes is not for mortal hands, then I will cast aside my soul. Better to become a monster than to live in disgrace!"

"You can't be serious!"

"With the screams of those nobody wants to hear, with the longing of those that don't fear death, with our despair and the hate towards the Garleans, I will call upon a new god. A god without need for prayer!" Ilberd exclaimed.

"A god without need for prayer?" Papalymo asked.

"You want to fight the Garleans with a primal!?" Alphinaud yelled. "Don't be a fool, Ilberd. The cost is too high!"

"Not a primal—A force of nature stronger than any primal in existence. Stronger even than the black beast that brought about the Calamity." With a final, dark chuckle, Ilberd raised his hands as the aura of a thousand years of hatred started to melt away the ice.

"Not on my watch!" Yda exclaimed and dashed forward, raising her brass knuckles to strike at him. But before her blow could connect, Ilberd jumped away with a force that would impress even a Dragoon, landing gracefully on top of a nearby strut.

"For the freedom of Ala Mhigo and the end of Garlemald!" Ilberd shouted at the top of his lungs before jumping off. His mad laughter filled the air as he plunged to his death. Then, absolute silence.

For a moment, it seemed like nothing was happening when all of a sudden an explosion shot towards the sky, nearly knocking them all off their feet. A gasp escaped S'eni as she saw as it absorbed the aether of the corpses scattered all around the area, pooling together to form what looked like a pulsing egg suspended high above their heads, ready to give birth to a creature of pure destruction.

Alphinaud stared at it in horror. "By the gods..."

"His death completed the ritual," Papalymo said. "The primal is taking shape."

"Is there nothing we can do to stop it!?" Yda turned to face the Lalafel.

He paused for a moment before walking towards the edge. "There is one thing."

"What are you doing!?" she demanded.

"The seal that Master Louisoix used at Carteneau," he replied, voice growing resolute. "It's our only hope."

"That's impossible. We would need hours if not days to gather the necessary aether!" Alphinaud shouted.

"Ah, Alphinaud. Master Louisoix taught his finest student more than you know," Papalymo replied, reaching into his coat and pulling out the piece of Tupsimati that S'eni had entrusted him with.

"Papalymo, don't you dare. I know the seal's price!" Yda cried out.

A sound coming from the distance caught S'eni's ear and she turned to see the airship that Alphinaud had mentioned coming their way with Hilda, Yugiri, and Thancred aboard.

"It's time to leave!" the Au Ra called out as Hilda landed close by.

"Go!" Papalymo ordered. "Get to safety. The further away the better!"

Yda shook her head. "No. If you're staying, so am I!"

"Yda, there's a path you have to walk, and it must not end here. Not like this," the Lalafel told her. He cast his eyes toward them. "Get her away from here, please."

Before anyone could react, Thancred had jumped off the airship and threw Yda over his shoulder, carrying her kicking and screaming away from their friend. With a strangled sound, Alphinaud followed suit, leaving only Papalymo and S'eni behind.

"Go, S'eni. This is a battle you can't win!" his voice breached no argument.

Upon hearing his words, an image flashed before her mind's eye; of a man that had given the last of his power to get her to safety and did so with a grandfatherly smile on his face.

"Forget it," she said with a shake of her head. "I'm not letting you do this alone!"

"I knew you would say that..." he muttered.

His arm jerked upward and a bolt of lightning shot forth, hitting her squarely in the chest and flinging her through the air towards the airship. A pained gasp escaped her as she landed on the deck.

"Hilda, get us out of here!" Thancred shouted.

Pushing herself onto her elbows, S'eni could do nothing but watch as the sealing spell started to take shape around the yet-to-be-born primal, trapping it underneath layer upon layer of ancient magic.

And as the distance to Baelsar's Wall grew, she knew that she had just lost another friend.

Papalymo was gone.

 

---

 

With a final shout, S'eni's fists slammed into the Guardian Tree and remained there, watching as drops of blood cascaded down the bark and seeped into the ground. Her breath came out in ragged gasps and she had to grit her teeth at the pain shooting up her trembling arms.

Slowly, she pulled her hands back, a sharp hiss escaping her as she uncurled them. The leather of her gloves was ripped apart, exposing bloody knuckles that pulsed with her heartbeat.

Her ears shot up at the sound of steps in the water. Any other time she might have been alarmed, but she knew exactly who this was and so simply closed her eyes.

"Did you really follow me all the way out here?" she asked, voice utterly tired.

"I was worried. You might fool the others by putting on a brave front, and I commend you for doing so, but you can't fool me."

"Lucky me." She heard Y'shtola's steps approach her through the water, but didn't turn to face her until the other woman practically demanded her doing so, hands immediately taking hold of hers to remove her gloves and inspect beaten and bruised knuckles.

"You probably made the Elementals quite angry with that outburst," her friend said, her hands starting to glow in that tell-tale way of a cure spell.

"They can get in line."

"Eni..."

"What!?" S'eni scowled. "Forgive me, but I just lost another friend only a few bells ago!"

Y'shtola didn't answer, focusing her attention on mending her wounds instead. After she had done so, S'eni pulled her hands away.

"I'm just—" she let out a weary sigh. "I'm just so tired... Tired of losing people."

"I understand, believe me, I do."

S'eni didn't answer and instead looked at her hand. One by one, the images of the people she had lost were flashing in her mind, each another knife that wedged itself deep into her heart.

A hand placed itself onto her shoulder and her head jerked into the direction of her friend, looking at her with a concerned look.

"Shtola, I—" she broke off as her throat seized up, eyes burning with unshed tears. Without thinking, she rushed forward and buried her face into the other Miqo'te's shoulder.

Y'shtola let out a gasp of surprise at the sudden contact and S'eni felt her stiffen as the dam she had tried to hold together up until now finally broke. Only when her fingers started to dig deep into the white fabric of her friend's coat did Y'shtola start to move again, arms shifting to pull her closer while her head came to rest against S'eni's.

It felt good, to finally let it all out. All the pain and anguish that she had buried deep inside of her because she needed to be strong, a hero, was washed away by hot tears and with every minute that passed, the burden that had threatened to crush her under its weight became lighter and lighter, until her sobs finally subsided.

She let herself remain in Y'shtola's arms for a moment longer, before slowly pulling back and giving her a watery smile, brushing the last few droplets out of her face. "I'm sorry. I know crying won't change anything."

"But it made you feel better, didn't it?"

"Yeah..." S'eni nodded. "Thank you, Shtola."

The smile that formed on Y'shtola's lips made her want to say so much more but...not here...

"I-I think we should head back."

"And I think you're right." Y'shtola chuckled, then reached a hand out to brush a strand of hair out of S'eni face. "There. Can't have the Warrior of Light return all dishevelled now, can we?"

Blinking once, twice, S'eni looked at her friend, before chuckling as well. "I suppose you're right."

Together, they left the Evershade, heading back towards Gridania in comfortable silence. Just as they were about to enter through the gate, S'eni stopped to look eastward one final time, silently vowing that she wouldn't let Papalymo's death be in vain, before heading into town.

Being as late as it was, it was no surprise that nobody was out and about, but with the threat looming nearby it felt even more empty than usual, and if not for the soft sound of the wind and the gentle flow of the water, there would be nothing but silence.

Entering the Carline Canopy, they made for the Roost. There they found the person manning the night desk having nodded off and, sharing a shrug, decided to be as silent as possible as they climbed the stairs.

"Well, here we are," S'eni said once they reached Y'shtola's room.

"That we are."

Neither of them moved from their spot, simply looking at one another. S'eni once again could only wonder how it had taken so long for her to realize how utterly beautiful Y'shtola was, and she found herself reminded of the words that F'lhaminn had told her what felt like a lifetime ago, but had not even been a day ago.

Yet as her lips parted, she found herself unable to say the words she wanted to say. Exhaling through her nose, she averted her eyes.

"We should get some sleep. Good night," she said hastily, whirling around to leave for her room, but was stopped by a hand grasping her own. Slowly, S'eni turned around once more to see Y'shtola fixing her with an intent look. "Shtola?"

Silvery white eyes lowered themselves to their hands for a moment, before coming to rest on cherry pink ones.

"Whenever things become too much to bear," Y'shtola said, gently running a thumb over her knuckles. "I want you to share that burden with me."

S'eni stared at her friend, eyes widened in surprise as her heart started to beat like a drum. Her mouth opened and closed a few times, but she didn't know what to say. So she didn't and instead simply stepped forward, pulling Y'shtola close and resting their foreheads together. The other woman's breath tickled her face, making her close her eyes.

Her lips screamed out, begging her to just take that final step, but she managed to stop herself to offer one final chance of retreat. "Please stop me before I do something stupid."

She did not need to see to know that Y'shtola's lips were forming a smile. "And what if I don't want you to stop?"

Breathing out a laugh, S'eni closed the gap. "I'll do this," she whispered, capturing Y'shtola's lips in a kiss.

It was slow and gentle, like petals brushing against skin, yet made her senses still go alight in a rush of pleasant warmth that left her fingers tingling as they cupped Y'shtola's cheek.

Soon enough, their lips became bolder, seeking more and more of one another as their kiss deepened and S'eni couldn't help the moan that escaped her at the arm that wound itself around her waist, slowly pulling her along until the other woman was resting against the door.

Breaking the kiss, they stared at one another through half-lidded eyes as Y'shtola reached behind herself and opened the door, before leading them both inside.

 

---

 

The door had barely closed when their mouths came crashing back onto one another's, and this time it was Y'shtola who moaned as S'eni slipped her tongue past eager lips to invite hers to a sensual dance. A surprised noise escaped the other woman when she whirled them around and pushed her against the wall next to the door, causing the plants decorating it to shake violently.

"Shtola..." S'eni murmured against Y'shtola's lips, reaching a hand out to undo the clasp that kept her coat closed and pushing it open, granting her access to a slender neck that she wasted no time to bury her face into, trailing kisses and little bites all across the tattoo that covered a good portion of it and eliciting the sweetest of sounds out of her.

Fingers burying themselves into her hair, S'eni found herself pulled back and into another short, hungry kiss, before being pushed away slightly. "This—" Y'shtola murmured through kiss swollen lips while reaching out towards the front of S'eni's jacket and started to undo the buttons one by one, "—needs to be off."

As soon as the garment had hit the floor, the other Miqo'te started to remove her coat, letting it slide off her body and revealing the dark top that hugged her curves in just the right ways underneath.

A heated chuckle escaped her as she spotted two rather noticeable outlines on the fabric and she moved in once more, meeting Y'shtola's lips halfway. Her fingers started to roam across the hem of the top, playfully letting the tips dip underneath before pulling away again.

S'eni hummed deep in her throat when she felt Y'shtola's hand wander across her torso, gently raking her nails across her side and ribs before moving down. Her breath hitched as warm fingers slipped underneath the waistband of her pants and a moan soon ripped through her when the other Miqo'te started to caress her through the thin fabric.

Breaking away from the kiss, she pushed her fingers underneath Y'shtola's top and pulled it high above her breasts, freeing them from their confines and revealing them in all their luscious glory.

The other woman let out a breathy sigh as a trail of butterfly kisses was planted all over her bosom, leaving not a single part untouched until there were only her nipples left, eagerly waiting for their turn.

"Yes..." Throwing her head back, Y'shtola released a moan of delight when S'eni's lips closed around a hardened, dark brown nub and she started to flick the tip of her tongue across it. "Eni..."

The sound of her name on those beautiful lips made her groan out and push her hips forward to grind herself against Y'shtola's fingers, but all it did was only stroke the fire burning deep inside of her.

Gods, she needed more!

Stepping backwards, S'eni somehow managed to guide them towards the bed even with her face pushed into a smooth pair of breasts, sending a silent prayer towards Menphina that all the rooms of the Roost were arranged similarly. They tumbled on top of the bed in a pile of limbs and their lips met in another deep, almost desperate kiss, before pulling apart.

One by one their clothes were abandoned, discarded onto the ground without a care. As soon as the last piece of constrictive underwear had been removed, S'eni turned her attention back towards the other woman, having just managed to pull off her second boot. Y'shtola's hands were just going towards her shorts when S'eni jumped forward and tackled her onto the mattress, hovering over her like a hungry predator and letting her eyes roam.

From that pretty face framed by white hair, down her shapely curves, towards that part of her body that yet remained hidden from her eyes, and back up again where she was greeted by a playful little smile.

"Is it all you hoped it would be?" Y'shtola asked, causing the corners of S'eni's lips to curl upward.

"That. And more," she breathed out.

"Hm. I have to say I like what I'm seeing too." The other Miqo'te hummed, reaching a hand out to cup one of her breasts and earning herself a little moan, before moving higher and letting it come to rest on her cheek. "I believe I'm quite lucky."

Placing a kiss into the palm of Y'shtola's hand, S'eni lowered herself on top of her and claimed her lips once more. Slow and sensual, it was no less passionate than their last kisses. Hardened nipples dug into soft skin as they rubbed against each other, the noises they produced becoming the song to which their tongues danced.

They pulled apart with a little smack, a thin string of saliva between them that glistened in what little light the lanterns outside the windows were offering, and she looked at her newfound lover with heavy eyelids; a silent promise of what was to come. Sparks of excitement shot through her spine right up to the tip of her tail at the way Y'shtola bit her lip in response.

Slowly, ever slowly, S'eni travelled downward, taking her time to adore every inch of skin on her way, stopping only to give each nipple a teasing suck before moving on again, not even speeding up as the heat between her legs became almost impossible to bear.

No, she wanted this to last, to savor every last second of it.

Eventually, a pair of black shorts entered her vision and she slid her hands down Y'shtola's sides, making her raise her hips and adjust her tail as fingers curled underneath their waistband and started to pull down.

S'eni swiftly discarded them like the rest of their clothes and returned her attention to the task at hand. Y'shtola's legs parted in invitation as she started to plant kisses on the inside of her thighs, revealing to her glistening folds crowned by carefully trimmed white curls that contrasted beautifully with her brown skin.

Stopping just shy of her sex, cherry pink eyes darted up to seek out silvery-white ones, holding her gaze for an agonizingly long moment before finally moving in.

Moans of pleasure filled the room as the tip of her tongue brushed across sensitive flesh, every single one of them urging her on further and further. A pair of feet came to rest upon her back, gently keeping her in place and caressing her while she lavished the other woman with affection.

"Eni..." Y'shtola managed to say, pushing her trembling hips forward and gripping the sheets tightly, but S'eni barely registered it as she started to lose herself to that one, singular goal, striding towards it with every lick and stroke.

Fingers digging into soft skin, S'eni held Y'shtola in place when she started to shake all over and her voice rose higher with every second, heralding her approaching climax. She couldn't help a little smirk forming on her lips and shifted upward, focusing all of her attention to that sweet spot to drive her lover closer to the edge.

And with one, final brush, Y'shtola seized up, toes curling and back arching as her name passed those lips one last time before being drowned in ecstasy.

Never had her name sounded any sweeter than in this moment.

S'eni didn't let up, wanting to prolong Y'shtola's orgasm for as long as possible. Even after it had subsided, she continued for a little bit longer until she had her fill before crawling back up and watching as the other woman was slowly catching her breath.

Eyes cracking open, Y'shtola gave her a tired but very much satisfied smile.

"Enjoyed that, I take it?" she asked.

"Very much so," Y'shtola replied, snaking a hand around the back of her neck and pulling her in for a kiss, tongues immediately seeking out one another to resume their dance.

A jolt of surprise went through S'eni when she found herself flipped around, but it only lasted for a second as soft fingers closed around one of her breasts and gave it a firm squeeze.

Breaking their kiss again, Y'shtola slipped off to give herself better access and leaned in close to S'eni's ear, her hot breath causing it to twitch.

"Your turn," her lover whispered, brushing a finger against the pink nipple that ached for attention and drawing a gasp out of her. She repeated the motion a few times before releasing her grip and letting her hand start its journey downward, warm fingertips leaving a tingling trail in their wake that made the little hairs on S'eni's arms stand on end and caused a shiver of excitement to go through her.

Her legs parting almost on their own, S'eni watched in anticipation as Y'shtola's palm passed over blonde curls and dipped downward.

"Enjoy..." Y'shtola breathed out, slipping two fingers past velvety folds. S'eni's eyes slammed shut, lips parting as a moan ripped through her at the sensation of being filled, and she buried her face into the other woman's neck.

Gods, it truly had been a while.

They remained like this for a moment, letting her get used to the feeling before Y'shtola started to move her fingers in a slow and even rhythm, gently massaging her insides. Every stroke sent sparks of pleasure up her spine, making her tail twitch.

Planting a kiss on top of her head, the other Miqo'te started to speed up her rhythm, drawing out further sounds of pleasure from her.

"Shto...la," S'eni managed to say between moans, hand grasping Y'shtola's arm and her mind growing fuzzy as a thumb moved to gently rub against her sweet spot.

Soft words entered her ears but she couldn't make any of them out, the last vestiges of reason leaving her while she inched closer and closer to that feeling of pure bliss that welled up inside of her, turning them all into white noise. All, except one.

"Eni." Thick with desire and affection, it was the final push she needed to truly come apart. A cry of ecstasy tore through her as she came, immediately swallowed by a pair of lips pressing down upon hers, and her body began to shake while waves of orgasmic pleasure washed over her. Wrapping her free arm around her, Y'shtola pulled S'eni close, holding her tight until her spasms started to subside.

They kissed for a few moments longer, before pulling apart and simply holding one another. Neither said a word, but they both shared a loving smile as they nestled deep into the blanket and somehow managed to share the pillow.

As they leaned back into one another, tails wrapping around the other's, S'eni let herself immerse herself in that feeling of happiness and, even if only for a short, fleeting moment, pretended that the world was alright.

 

Notes:

Well, here we are. When I set out to write this story, this part was one of the first that I planned out. From the very beginning, Papalymo's death was meant to serve as a catalyst for them to get together. I can only hope it's as enjoyable to read as it was to write. But don't worry, the story is far from over.

So until then, have a good one!

Chapter 39

Resolve

 

I won't even pretend that you are not going to read these once I'm gone, so just let me cut to the chase.

My road has ended, but you have so much you still need to do. It won't be easy, nothing ever is, and there will be obstacles you will have to overcome. But I have faith that you can do it.

You're my partner after all.

In the case that you should ever falter though, don't be afraid to rely on our friends; to rely on her.

For as heavy as the burden might be, you don't have to carry it alone.

- From the notes of Papalymo Totolymo

 

---

 

Soft breathing pervaded the air, slow and even, as two bodies laid side by side on the bed, their heads nestled on top of the singular pillow and their intertwined bodies partly covered by a blanket that had come loose.

Slowly, one of the bodies stirred, at first just a twitching of eyebrows when a stray sun ray came into contact with closed lids, then a tilt of the head to get away from it, only to be followed by a groan.

Ears moving around, S'eni started to wake up, cracking open one of her eyes and immediately closing it again while turning her head away from the sunlight. She remained like this for a moment in the vain hope of falling asleep again but the warm breath tickling her face only made her wake up further.

Opening her eyes again, she was greeted by a sight that made her smile. Y'shtola, her hair tousled up and her lips slightly parted as she slept. Gingerly, S'eni reached out her free hand to brush some of those pearl strands out of the other woman's face.

Beautiful, she thought to herself, smile growing as eyes wandered over partly covered curves, and she had to force herself not to lean in and claim Y'shtola's very inviting-looking lips.

The expression on her face fell when other, much more unwanted memories from the previous night resurfaced in her mind. With a sigh, S'eni untangled herself from Y'shtola, being careful not to wake her, and slipped out of bed.

She padded over to the middle of the room, feet digging into the green carpet as she closed her eyes and started to deeply breathe in and out.

Inhale. Exhale.

Inhale. Exhale.

Inhale. Exhale.

Raising her arms, S'eni began moving through the motions and forms that had become second nature to her, each of them helping her ease her mind into that state of calmness that she would need for what was lying ahead of them.

After shifting out of her final stance, she let herself stand on her tiptoes, raising one of her legs to her hip and extending a hand straight forward and remaining there for a long moment before returning to her initial position, opening her eyes once more and looking out of the window, watching as the people of Gridania went about their daily lives.

It reminded her of when Gaius had delivered his ultimatum to the entirety of Eorzea. The people did not give up, even if only to cling to a sense of normalcy for as long as possible.

A soft moan made her look towards the bed where Y'shtola was starting to wake up, hand reaching out to touch the space she had occupied not too long ago.

"Eni?" Y'shtola asked and looked around, eyes staring straight ahead in a way she had only seen once before.

"I'm here," she replied, walking over to the bed.

The other woman turned her head in her direction and S'eni watched as focus returned to those silvery-white eyes.

"Sorry if I woke you up." She sat down on the edge of the bed while Y'shtola pushed herself up.

"No, it's alright." Y'shtola shook her head before turning her gaze over to the window. "Looks like we slept in."

"Not exactly surprising, don't you think?" S'eni asked, causing a little smile to form on her lover's lips.

"Indeed." Brushing a hand across her hair to smoothen it down, the other woman moved to sit next to her. "But we should get ready before the others come looking for us. Krile wanted to meet up with me, and I don't know about you, but I certainly can live without her teasing."

"I suppose you're right about that," she said with a chuckle.

"What are you going to do?" Y'shtola asked after she rose to her feet and started to gather up her underwear.

"Meet with the others," S'eni replied and joined her. A small sigh passed her lips. "Even if part of me wishes we could just hole up in here and pretend the world doesn't exist."

"I'm afraid we have no time for such pleasant luxuries. As enticing as they are."

She hummed in agreement.

After getting dressed, the two remained standing where they were and looked at each other. S'eni was the first to move, circling her arms around Y'shtola's waist and pulling her close.

Without a word, their lips met in a soft kiss, a silent promise to one another to be careful out there.

Together, the two left the room and walked downstairs. They had just stepped outside the building when a voice called them from a distance.

It was Alphinaud, walking towards them in hurried steps.

"There you are!" he said as he approached them, his eyes moving towards S'eni. "I was looking for you, but when I knocked on your door there was no response."

She shared a silent look with Y'shtola.

"I...needed someone to talk to and Y'shtola offered a willing ear," she told him. It wasn't strictly a lie, after all.

"I understand." He frowned. "I think we are all still reeling from what happened on Baelsar's Wall. But that is also the reason I was looking for you."

"Oh?" S'eni tilted her head.

"The leaders of the Alliance wish to speak with us," Alphinaud told her.

Immediately, her face became serious. "When?"

"As soon as we're able to."

"Then you two should waste no time," Y'shtola said.

"Alright," S'eni said with a nod and punched her palm. "Let's go."

 

---

 

The Rising Stones were almost entirely empty. Everybody that was ready and able had headed out towards Gridania to see if they could somehow help with their newest primal problem or, in the case of the Doman Shinobi, to keep an eye on Garlean movements outside the Grand Companies eyes.

Only Tataru had remained, manning her desk in solemn duty when they returned.

The meeting with the leaders of the Alliance had started out rather bleak, with no one really knowing how to proceed as the primal, while confined, was anything but helpless and would shoot anyone out of the sky that dared to get close.

But before they had known it—

"Hmm, interesting," a voice next to S'eni said, making her look at its owner; Nero tol Scaeva.

—unexpected help had arrived, bringing with him a plan that was as dangerous as it was brilliant.

Activate Omega and let it fulfil its duty like it had done in the past with Bahamut. Cid had protested vehemently at first, but given the severity of the situation and the fact that, like it or not, Nero had helped them out with the Crystal Tower, he relented in the end.

And so their next steps were all too clear.

"So this is your headquarters?" Nero asked as the two of them returned from the little tour he had insisted on receiving from S'eni, running a hand through his blond hair and clicking his tongue in disapproval. "I expected a little...more from the gathering place of the famous Circle of Knowing. Not even a single bit of Magitek? You can't be serious..."

A mixture of amusement and condescension entered his voice, his eyes wandering from S'eni, over to Cid and Alisaie, then to Yugiri. "Eorzea truly is as backwards as they say in Garlemald."

That was the last straw for Tataru.

"How dare you talk like that about our home!" the Lalafel exclaimed, taking Nero a little by surprise and making him look at her, the sheer difference in size almost comical as Tataru glared at him. "I'll have you know that we do have modern Magitek here. Wedge built me a kettle that makes water boil real fast. I bet you don't have something like that in Garlemald!"

Nero simply looked at her, blinking slowly, and S'eni couldn't help the chuckle that escaped her while the others simply shrugged.

The sound of the door opening made her turn around and she saw Alphinaud and Yda walking towards them. Upon seeing the other woman, S'eni stepped forward to place a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

"No," Yda admitted, shaking her head. "But I've come because I don't want to just sit idly by and watch as the time Papalymo has bought us runs out."

"Where are the others?" Alisaie asked her brother.

"Y'shtola, Krile, and Thancred have decided to stay behind and keep an eye on Baelsar's Wall. So it's just us," he replied.

Silence set over the group, everyone except Nero growing serious. This was their only shot at stopping another Calamity from happening. They couldn't afford to fail.

The door to the Rising Stones opened once more, soon followed by a loud voice that pierced the silence.

"Greetings!" the voice said, making them all turn around. A Roegadyn stood in the entrance, huge even by the standards of his kind, his head looked almost too small for between his large shoulders. What stood out most about him though, were the clothes he wore. Robes that S'eni had never seen before.

"Who is that?" Alisaie voiced the question that everyone was thinking.

"Is this the Rising Stones? Are you the Scions of the Seventh Dawn?" the man asked. "A man by the name of Urianger sent me this way."

His eyes then widened and a huge smile formed on his lips. "Yugiri! It really is you. Thank the heavens, my search is at an end!"

With a speed belying his great stature, the man stomped towards them like an excited bull and S'eni had to pull Alphinaud out of the way for him to not be run over.

"Gosetsu!?" Yugiri exclaimed, speaking for the first time since their meeting in Gridania. "What are you doing here?!"

"I have sailed all the way from Doma to search for you. The last bit I actually rowed myself!" The excitement on his face dimmed a little as he frowned. "I managed to arrive at port, but then I collapsed from hunger. Thankfully Urianger found me and provided me with food and drink. When I asked about my fellow countrymen, he told me that you all found a new home in Revenant's Toll."

A questioning look formed on S'eni's face and she shared a look with Yda and Alphinaud before giving this Gosetsu fellow a once over. His clothes certainly had seen better days, torn edges telling stories of a hard journey. But it was the thing that rested on his side that really caught her attention. A scabbard, long and smooth, holding within it a curved blade from the looks of it.

Her eyebrows rose, but whatever she wanted to say was stopped by his next words.

"Get your things, Yugiri! Our lord is in grave danger. We have to return to Doma as swiftly as possible!"

Her gaze moved towards Yugiri, who had lowered her eyes to the ground, obviously conflicted. Then, with a deep breath, she returned her gaze to the Roegadyn in front of her.

"As much as I would like to go with you, Gosetsu, I can't,'' Au Ra said. "I still have a duty to fulfil here."

"Your duty is to serve our Lord!" Gosetsu exclaimed, clearly taken aback at her response. "What could be more important to protect our lord from harm?"

"Our lord tasked me with the protection of the refugees and to see them to safety. The Scions of the Seventh Dawn helped us and offered us sanctuary," Yugiri replied, the smallest hint of steel in her voice. "I would lose my face if I did not repay that debt first."

"Hmm...yes, that is true..." Gosetsu admitted.

"That aside, this threat we are facing also endangers our people. There is not only my honor at stake, but also the lives of those that I have sworn to protect. If I return now, our lord would rightfully sentence me to death."

The tense moment was broken by a pair of hands clapping. "I hate to interrupt, but can you save this talk for later?" the former Tribunus asked. "The Empire is also looking for Omega and certainly won't wait for us."

"The Empire!" Gosetsu's head snapped towards Nero and he growled before focusing his eyes on Yugiri once more. "Yugiri, does your task lead you into battle against our sworn enemies?"

Yugiri nodded.

"Well, why have you not said so from the beginning!?" Like a switch had been flipped, the Roegadyn's cheer returned. "If there are Garlean skulls to be crushed then I will gladly assist you. To battle!"

And as Gosetsu's loud, booming laughter echoed throughout the Rising Stones, S'eni found herself looking at Yda.

"Well, he's spirited at least," the Pugilist said with a small shrug.

Spirited indeed.

 

---

 

In front of her eyes, the Carteneau Flats stretched out far and wide. Even before the Calamity, the area had only served as a frontier along the borders of Thanalan and Mor Dhona, but now it was a testament of the destruction from five years ago, a giant scar upon the land filled with outposts from each Grand Company and Allagan ruins that had been unearthed in the wake of Bahamut's apparent destruction.

And in the center of it all; the Omega Weapon.

Being here again felt strange. This was where they had desperately fought to stop another Calamity from happening, only to fail in the face of a primal that had overshadowed everything she had fought at the time. It was only thanks to the sacrifice of a friend that she had survived, and now another sacrifice had brought her back here again.

The irony of it tasted all too bitter.

Turning away from the sight, S'eni looked over to the others. Cid was busy flying the airship, following the directions that Nero was giving him, while Yda was staring up into the sky and Yugiri inspected her blades. Her gaze then shifted over to their newest addition, sitting on his knees with his eyes closed. The blade that had rested on his hip was now placed in front of him.

"Yes?" he asked. "Is there something you wish to ask?"

"You're a Samurai, aren't you?" she asked after a moment of silence.

"Indeed I am," Gosetsu replied, opening his eyes and looking at her. "So you have heard of my kind?"

She nodded. "My father once told me stories about warriors dressed in robes that devoted their entire life to the sword."

"He must be a well-traveled scholar then."

A little chuckle escaped her at the mental image of her father as a scholar. "Well-traveled perhaps, but far from a scholar," S'eni said and sat down opposite of him. "His travels took him to all sorts of places, amongst them Kugane."

"I see..." Gosetsu paused for a moment to take in her appearance before continuing. "I apologize but I cannot help but notice your lack of weaponry. Does that mean you are a disciple of the fist?"

Her lips quirked upward. "So you have heard of my kind?"

The Roegadyn laughed at that. "I might have listened to a few stories on my journey, but you and your friend over there are the first I have encountered in person. Just looking at you, I can tell that you are a great warrior indeed, and I am honored to head into battle alongside you."

He finished his words with a deep bow of his head.

"Prepare for landing!" Cid's voice called from the front and S'eni rose back to her feet as the ship started its slow descent. Walking over to the two Garleans, she looked at former Tribunus and received one of his smug little smirks as the Allagan ruins that were their destination came into view.

After the airship had landed, their group walked towards an old terminal next to a large platform that had been built inside the rock.

"There," Nero said as he started to tip on it. "That should do it!"

The terminal started to glow a bright blue as it sprung to life.

"The transport device is ready and will send us right to Omega's control center."

"That was fast," Cid noted and fixed Nero with a look. "Admit it! This isn't your first time here, is it?"

"No, but on my last visit I was rudely interrupted by the ruffians from the Alliance. Today, though, I want to see this beauty from up close. Everyone ready?"

The sound of boots on metal then echoed towards them from behind, soon followed by a booming voice that made everyone turn around.

"There! The traitorous Cid Garlond. It told you it was his airship!" It was a Roegadyn, dressed in green armor and a large Magitek hammer on his back, accompanied by a troop of Garlean legionaries. "And his presence here can only mean one thing: Omega is nearby."

He let out an ugly-sounding laugh. "Today must be my lucky day."

"Garlean troops, of course. Keep them busy," Nero told them, turning to use the terminal, and from one moment to the next was gone.

Typical, S'eni thought.

"Damn it! We can't leave him out of our eyes. I'll follow him while you take care of the Garleans!" Cid exclaimed and followed suit.

"Well," S'eni said to Gosetsu as the rest of them stepped onto the platform. "The honor's all mine."

The Samurai sent her a small smile before growing serious and taking a step forward to address their enemies. "I am Gosetsu, a Samurai hailing from Doma and I offer you my greetings. May this be an honorable battle!"

His large hand moving to the hilt of his blade, he unsheathed it within the blink of an eye and gripped it with both hands.

"I'll take care of the big one," S'eni said as she entered her battle stance.

"Then we'll take care of the rest!" Yda replied.

And the battle began.

Homing in on her designated target, S'eni dashed forward at blinding speed, dodging the first strike of his hammer and slamming her fist into his side. A gasp escaped him as the force of the punch sent him stumbling back but otherwise left him unharmed through his heavy armor.

"Not bad," he admitted. "But not enough to beat me!"

Raising his hammer, the Garlean Roegadyn swung it in a wide arc towards her head, but S'eni simply took a step back to dodge it.

Strong, but not exactly smart, she thought to herself as she dodged the next couple of attacks, each of which would have been able to do some serious damage, but were utterly predictable to any seasoned warrior. And on top of that—

Ducking underneath another strike, she jumped up and somersaulted through the air, slamming her foot right into his chin and sending him flying.

—he left himself wide open.

"Grynewaht!" one of his fellow legionaries shouted and ran towards her, his blade gleaming as it swiped towards her. Whirling around, she grabbed his arm and twisted it, making him drop the weapon before throwing him over her shoulder into the next legionary that wanted to take a shot at her as well.

"S'eni!" she heard Yugiri shout just before the sound of something heavy being swung through the air reached her ears. S'eni barely managed to raise her arms, crossing them in front of her face to block the incoming attack. The impact made her slide backward and she gritted her teeth at the pain shooting through her arms, but thankfully her gloves had taken the brunt of the damage.

And I just got them earlier as well, she thought, shaking her hands a little before returning into her stance, eyes narrowing into a glare as they fixed onto her adversary, a huge grin splitting his face at the hit he had landed on her. She had to give it to him, he was faster than he looked.

Running towards the other, they resumed their dance once again.

Around them, S'eni's friends were busy fighting the other Garlean troops, but for every soldier that fell, another two seemed to spring up, making it more and more difficult to keep up.

Sparks flew through the air when his hammer smashed into the platform of ancient Magiket underneath their feet, making him raise his arm to shield his face.

There! Her fist shot forward, striking him in the chest, followed by a series of spinning kicks that made the air ripple around as she let her aether flow through the chakras in her legs. At the height of her momentum, S'eni jumped high into the air, pulling her legs up before pushing them out once again and creating an explosion of wind that pushed both of them backwards.

After landing back on her feet, she soon found herself joined by Yda, Gosetsu, and Yugiri as the arriving reinforcements began pushing them backwards.

"There's no end to them!" Yda said through gritted teeth, gripping her brass knuckles tightly.

"Better give up while you still have the chance," the Garlean Roegadyn said as he got back onto his feet. Behind him, more and more legionaries arrived. "You're outnumbered!"

S'eni was just about to retort when the linkpearl in her ear chimed. Pressing her finger against it, she was surprised to hear Nero on the other hand.

"How long do you intend to waste your time with this rabble?" he asked. "Here, I will send one of my toys to help you."

Following his words, the sound of an engine starting up made her head jerk to the side where a red-painted Magitek Reaper shot high into the air before landing next to her.

"Try not to make any scratches, will you?"

Her only reply was a silent smirk.

"M-Magitek Armor!?" the Roegadyn exclaimed as S'eni started to climb it. "Nobody said anything about that! Men, take it out!"

After giving the order, he grabbed his hammer, glared in her direction, and started to make a quick getaway, leaving his troops to deal with this unexpected problem.

But as valiantly as they fought, they were no match for the Reaper, and the ones that were left standing soon joined their leader in retreat.

"Hmpf, the coward got away," Gosetsu said when she had jumped off the Armor once again, wiping his blade on his sleeve before returning it to its scabbard.

"I'm sure it was a lesson he won't be forgetting anytime soon," S'eni said good-naturedly. She then turned towards the terminal. "But I think we have more important things to do."

Sharing a nod, they all walked towards it and teleported to their destination one by one.

Like all Allagan ruins, the insides were a glowing mass of steel, adorned with symbols whose meaning she did not understand. As they entered the round chamber, the first thing she noticed were the eye-like orbs of Magitek that surrounded them and part of her could not help but feel watched by them, as silly as that sounded.

Up ahead, Cid and Nero were already waiting for them at what appeared to be the main console.

"Temporal stasis disengaged...all systems operational," Nero said, looking up from his notes. "How does it look on your end?"

The console let out a chime of affirmation.

"All clear as well. Omega is waking up."

A mechanical groan echoed through the entire structure as mechanisms that had laid still for centuries were starting up once again. They watched as the ground opened up and another console took the place of the one the two men had just used.

The huge button on it started to glow an ominous red and a holographic display appeared in front of them.

Omega, S'eni thought as she took in the quadrupedal form.

"Remarkable," Nero breathed out with obvious glee. "Barely awake and it's already detected the sphere! It must have been set to for sources of energy exceeding a certain magnitude!"

"Omega is an autonomous weapons system. Unlike Ultima, it has no direct means of control," Cid explained to them. "Once released, it will try to capture our new primal. Assuming it's successful, our only option will be to try and re-engage the stasis system and put it back to sleep."

"And if that doesn't work we'll simply initiate an emergency shutdown," the former Tribunus threw in.

"And how would you do that?" S'eni asked, crossing her arms in front of her chest while looking at him.

That ever so punchable smile returned. "I'm certain we can think of something."

"Well I only understood half of that, but it sounds dangerous," Yda then chimed in. "Do we really want to risk it?"

S'eni turned her head to look at the other woman. "What would you do, Yda?"

She did not need to see Yda's eyes to know that they were widened in surprise. "What...would I do?"

The corners of her lips ever so slightly curling upward, S'eni nodded. Of all of them, Yda was feeling the loss of Papalymo the most, so it felt only right to have her weigh in on the matter.

The other woman chewed on her bottom lip, shifting from one leg to the other before releasing a deep breath and taking a step forward.

"Alright, let's do this. Step aside, Cid," she said and brushed past him. "Is this what I need to press?"

"Uh, yes. That's the one," was all he could say in return as she stepped in front of the console.

Yda fell silent for a moment, looking at the button that would unleash Omega on the world once more.

"You gave too much for us to waste this chance, Papalymo. So this is for you..." the Pugilist raised her fist above her head and held it there- "...and me."

-before slamming it down upon the button.

And with blaring alarms, Omega was awoken.

 

---

 

The sun shone brightly on the bright blue sky as birds flew past the green canopy of the Eastern Shroud, their chirping a calming song after the battle that had taken place here.

After Omega had been activated, it had immediately headed towards Baelsar's Wall, arriving just in time for the primal to break free.

S'eni had only heard reports of what happened after that, but from their position in the control room, she knew that the ancient weapon had done what it was created for and subdued it, before entering stasis and vanishing somewhere into Gyr Abania. But that would be a worry for another day.

Today, they would breathe easy, having averted another Calamity.

"Ah, there they are," Alphinaud said next to her, making S'eni look away from the sky and into the direction he was pointing to. A wave of relief washed over her when she spotted a familiar figure dressed in a white coat, standing next to Krile at the foot of the tower near the Garlean border fortress. Eyes coming to rest on Y'shtola's, she forced herself not to rush forward and gather her in a tight hug, choosing to instead send her lover a smile that she mirrored as they approached.

"Thank the Twelve you're alright. I was already fearing the worst when I heard the reports," Alphinaud said, a relieved smile on his face.

"The battle took place far beyond the ground, it was the area beyond the wall that took the brunt of the damage," Y'shtola explained. "Our side remained mostly unscathed. Save for a few uprooted trees I suppose."

"I've never witnessed a battle like this before. It was almost like a nightmare. Ilberd's primal had the appearance of a colossal dragon, a being of pure violence and hatred," Krile said.

Alphinaud nodded. "That doesn't surprise me. Ilberd used Nidhogg's eyes for the summoning. Its entire reason for existence was the destruction of the Garleans."

"Omega was no less impressive. A true battle of giants. I'm no stranger to the works of Allag, but the ferocity it displayed defied any."

"...Where is Yda? Have you spoken with her?" the young Elezen asked after a moment of silence had passed between them.

"On top of the platform. We decided not to disturb her, but perhaps some company would do her good after all," Y'shtola said.

Together, the four of them ascended the tower, finding Yda standing on the far side of the platform facing Baelsar's Wall, staring up into the bright blue sky, lost in thought.

For a moment it seemed like she did not notice their presence until she spoke. "Papalymo's light is gone. It was all that was left of him...farewell my friend..."

"Yda..." was all Alphinaud could say.

"I don't regret doing it. It had to be done," Yda said. "I knew that the sealing spell would drain away Papalymo's life, and that it would buy us only a little bit of time."

Biting her lip, S'eni closed her eyes and felt her fists clench tightly at the vision of their fallen friend flashing through her mind.

It was the sound of a clasp being undone, slowly followed by moving fabric that made her open them once more to a vision of long, blonde hair pulled into a ponytail and she couldn't help the almost inaudible gasp that escaped her when Yda turned around, revealing her face for the first time since they had known one another.

"Yda...I'm so sorry..." she heard Y'shtola say.

Yda only shook her head. "I can't hide inside Papalymo's little shadow anymore, nor behind this mask," she said, holding the object in question up. "Twenty years ago, when the Empire invaded Ala Mhigo, I was still just a child, barely five summers old. My father was one of the rebel leaders that rose to fight against King Theodoric. I also had an older sister. She was strong, cheerful and brave, and always knew what had to be done."

Turning her head, she glanced over her shoulder at the Garlean fortress. "When the Garleans came, my father went to war against them, while my sister took me to safety. I can't remember a lot from that time, only that we ran and ran until we reached the Sharlayan colony."

"But even so far away from home, she never gave up. Never stopped believing in the liberation of Ala Mhigo. So one day she approached Master Louisoix and was inducted into the Circle of Knowing." A fond, yet sad smile formed on Yda's lips. "I was so proud of her."

A confused frown formed on S'eni's face as she listened to her friend's story. Her sister...

Her eyes widened when realization hit her like a Chocobo's kick and she shifted them towards the other woman's neck, where the tattoos that had marked her as an Archon had vanished shortly after the battle concluded. But it was Y'shtola who gave words to her suspicions.

"Why did you start to wear your sister's mask and use her name?" the other Miqo'te asked. "So you could be like her?"

A look of surprise darted across Yda's features, before turning into a self-deprecating smile. "Y'shtola...you knew I wasn't Yda, didn't you?"

"We all noticed right away," Y'shtola said with a little shrug.

"How childish of me to think I could fool the Circle of Knowing." She sighed. "Yda died six years ago while trying to smuggle refugees out of Ala Mhigo. She was overwhelmed while protecting a little girl. My strong sister..."

"Why didn't you tell us?" S'eni found herself asking.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have kept it from you. My real name is Lyse," the other woman said. "Papalymo gave me her mask as a keepsake, but I had a different idea. I wanted to take my sister's place as his partner. I knew that I couldn't replace her, but I wanted to make myself useful and to keep all the good she's done alive. He agreed to help, of course, but it was never truly what he wanted for me."

The look of sadness in Lyse's eyes gave way to one of resolve. "In his final words to me, he told me there's a path I have to walk. The Archon mark he gave me is gone, and with that my final excuse."

"Whatever I choose to do now, I do as Lyse...and I choose to continue my family's fight, to free Ala Mhigo and make it the country that Yda and my father always wanted it to be."

Sharing a look with the others, S'eni bridged the gap between Lyse and herself and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"And what friends would we be, if we let you walk that path alone?" she asked her friend, letting her lips curl into a smile.

"Thanks, S'eni..."

"Just don't expect me to hold back the next time we fight."

Lyse chuckled. "I wouldn't dream of it."

A comfortable silence set over the group. Everything that needed to be said, had been said, and now all they could do was walk forward.

As their group started to leave, S'eni stayed behind a little longer, casting her gaze towards the sky above Baelsar's Wall and sending out a silent prayer for their fallen friend.

You can leave the rest to us...

Turning around, she saw Y'shtola leaning against the wooden railing, watching her while she waited. Wordlessly, S'eni walked over to her, eyes coming to rest upon silvery-white ones, and they remained like this for just a moment before moving to embrace one another.

Leaning in close, she gently nuzzled Y'shtola's cheek, drawing out a little smile from her. And as their lips met in a soft kiss, S'eni knew that no matter what was lying ahead, they would face it.

Together.

 

Notes:

Lots of actual game story in this one, but I feel it's needed because too much gets introduced in this part of the game to simply gloss over. I hope I could still make this entertaining enough. Next update will be more fun, I promise.

Also: @Forgotten_Folklore: Well she certainly won't be inviting him over for tea, that's for sure lol.

Chapter 40

Notes:

Not a lot to tell on this end, except that I've got some fan art commissioned that I'd like to share with you.

Here we have a piece of S'eni by the very talented StrawderryST, please check out her profile.

And here we have a little piece of our two ladies looking very appropiately dressed for the season by Perlmuttt

I'll be sure to share should I get some more commissioned.

Pleasant Company

 

The Answering Quarter, as Y'shtola had once told her, was the center of education and other scholarly pursuits back when the people of Sharlayan had still resided here. Much of its former glory had been lost, but there was still knowledge to be found and secrets to be uncovered in these abandoned halls.

And even if she would hardly call herself a scholar by any stretch of the imagination, S'eni could feel a certain luster coming from this place on some days.

A crack of thunder rang out in the sky above, making her look up just in time for a drop of water hitting her right between her eyes. She blinked and for a moment nothing happened before an endless cascade of rain followed that left her soaked to the bone within seconds.

Today wasn't one of those days.

With a groan from deep within her soul, she continued to walk up the path leading to Idyllshire.

She had just passed underneath the Cenotaph into the town proper when the sound of laughing children echoed her way and she turned her head to see three of them running down the street. As they passed by her, one of them jumped into the puddle that had gathered right in front of her and splashed her for good measure.

Well, I guess I can't get any wetter than this...

"Stop running! You might hurt yourself," a voice called out and S'eni saw a Miqo'te woman walking towards her with hurried steps. It was Zhloe Aliapoh, the owner of the local orphanage, Menphina's Arms, which she had opened after working off her debt to Rowena.

Upon spotting her, Zhloe halted in her steps, a friendly smile that revealed her fangs forming on her lips. "Oh hello, S'eni. How are—" she paused when she took in her appearance. "Oh my, are you alright?"

Aside from being thoroughly soaked, her clothes were also dirtied and torn in a few places, and her hair was disheveled enough that even the rain did not seem to be able to put in place.

"Been better," S'eni said. Not willing to elaborate, she changed the topic. "How's Menphina's Arms doing?"

When S'eni had first met the woman, things hadn't looked good and the orphanage had been on the cusp of closing, but the wish to create a place of safety and love for children, that had no one else, made her persevere. Now Zhloe was keeping the place afloat by using the skills she had learned at the House of Splendors to sell rarities all over Eorzea, with just a tiny smidgen of help from her.

"We're doing good!" Zhloe replied, cheering up even more and brushing a wet strand of hair out of her face. "Actually I had another idea that I might need your help with but I really need to go, so another time?"

"Yeah, another time," she agreed.

Giving her a friendly wave, the former trader turned to walk over to the playing children, calling out their names to get their attention. S'eni watched her for a moment, before continuing onward.

It was easy enough to find her target. Not only was Midnight Dew rather tall, but Sawney was also already standing with her, his bright, rather poofy hairstyle standing out amidst the rain.

"Ah, and there she is," he said as S'eni approached. "If not for her we wouldn't have been able to acquire our treasure."

"S'eni!" the Roegadyn woman said, a wide grin splitting her face and she raised her hand in greeting. "Of course it was you. Who else would've been able to manage where some of our best were having a tough time."

S'eni simply hummed, partly glad the other woman didn't comment on her appearance. Earlier she had been approached by a group of treasure hunters to help their venture into Saint Mocianne's Arboretum to retrieve an especially valuable treasure for the people of Idyllshire and, being who she was, had accepted.

In the end, it had boiled down to her and some fellow adventurers playing decoy for the wildlife that had taken over the abandoned halls.

And by the gods, there was a lot of it!

"So what's this treasure you were looking for?" she asked after looking between the two of them.

His lips forming a wide grin, Sawney reached into his pockets and pulled out two bags, filled to the brim with—

Her eyebrows shot up. "Seeds?"

"Not just any seeds. These are crops the sages cultivated especially for this area," he told her. "With these, we should be able to secure a steady supply."

Sawney turned towards Morning Dew. "I should get started on planting them. So if you'll excuse me."

S'eni watched him leave in silence, not knowing what to say to that.

"Thank you for helping us," Morning Dew said, making S'eni look at her. The former treasure hunter clapped her on the shoulder. "Tell you what, as soon as the first harvest is ready I'll let you know. We can sample it together."

Closing her eyes for a moment, she sighed through her nose, before letting her lips curl upward. "I'd like that."

She worked hard for this, might as well take her up on the offer.

"That's the spirit!"

"Have you seen Shtola?" she asked after receiving another clap on the shoulder.

"Y'shtola? Last I saw she was at the House of Splendors."

"Thanks." Giving the woman a wave goodbye, S'eni made her way to Idyllshire's branch of Rowena's ever-growing business.

A breath of relief escaped her as she stepped inside, happy to be out of the rain. Raising her tail, she started to shake herself to free it of the water it had involuntarily soaked up, spraying it all over the stone walls, before walking further inside.

She found Y'shtola sitting at one of the tables, reading a book. But what really caught her eyes was the half-eaten piece of cake resting on a plate in front of her lover, the strawberry on top looking ever so inviting.

"Ah, there you are," Y'shtola noted as S'eni sat down in the chair opposite of her, turning a page. "I was wondering where you were."

"Let's just say something came up," she replied.

"Oh?" Looking up from her book, the other Miqo'te's eyebrows furrowed as she took in her appearance. "You look dreadful."

"Thanks. I feel dreadful too." A wry smile formed on her lips and she reached across the table to take hold of the fork, cut off a considerable chunk of the cake with it and guide it to her lips, letting out a little coo at the taste. After swallowing, she placed the fork back.

"What happened?"

"Saint Mocianne's Arboretum happened. But I don't really want to talk about it," S'eni said and closed her eyes as she leaned back in her chair.

"Are you alright?" A note of concern entered her lover's voice, making her smile turn more genuine.

"Just tired, is all," she assured her. "How are things on your end?"

"We're almost done," Y'shtola replied.

The reason they were here at all was to take care of what was left of the Illuminati in the area after the whole Alexander situation. They had been asked to assist the local adventurers in this endeavor because they already had ties with the community and as a Sharlayan herself, Y'shtola could give them information on any potential findings they might make.

And since the Alliance was still preparing their move into Gyr Abania, they were left with time to spare, as frustrating as that was.

"With the Arkhitekton now free, I sincerely doubt the Illuminati will stick around for much longer and simply cut their losses to cause trouble somewhere else," the other Miqo'te told her. "This book is actually from there."

Cracking an eye open, S'eni looked at the book Y'shtola was holding up. "A book on the nature of Aetheryte's?" she asked.

"Indeed. Not an especially rare find, mind you, but still interesting. You should give it a read sometime."

She shook her head. "Thanks, but I doubt I'll even understand half of what's written in it."

"I disagree," Y'shtola said. "You're more intelligent than you give yourself credit for."

"Still, me? A scholar?" S'eni asked, closing her eyes again and lowering her head to rest on the table. "No, that ship sailed a long time ago."

The table vibrated slightly as the book was placed on top of it, soon followed by a warm hand coming to rest on her hair. She couldn't help that little purr from deep within as a finger started to rub behind her ear.

"What would the Alliance think if they saw the mighty Warrior of Light brought to her knees by a single, bad day?" Y'shtola asked with warm amusement.

"Warrior of what?" S'eni asked right back, letting out a little chuckle. "I need a break."

"Then I suppose we shall call it a day."

"Yay..."

"In fact, I just had a thought of something that might help you relax." Hearing her lover's words, she lifted her head off the table to look at the other woman.

"And what would that be?"

Instead of replying with words, Y'shtola picked up the fork, speared the strawberry with it, and put it into her mouth, smiling as she chewed.

 

---

 

When Y'shtola had said she thought of something to relax, S'eni had expected a nice hot bath and afterwards simply lounging around the bed together until they fell asleep. She had received the first, thanks in no small part to the Goblins having worked day in and out to provide the settlement with warm water, but instead of a bed, Y'shtola and her had left Idyllshire as soon she had bought a new change of clothes from Rowena.

Thankfully, the rain had broken by then and now they were standing in front of the rock formation that was hiding the entrance to a certain Archon's cave.

"Can't say I expected this," S'eni said.

"You were the one that suggested we should have tea with her," Y'shtola replied with a shrug.

"That's true, I suppose..." she watched as the other woman reached a hand out and muttered something underneath her breath, causing the rocks to move aside and reveal to them the way into Matoya's abode.

As soon as they had stepped inside, the rocks slipped back into place, making sure that no one uninvited would bother them.

The irony that they were most likely uninvited themselves was not entirely lost on her.

Walking deeper into the cave, S'eni could hear a sigh echoing their way, followed by the slow, rhythmic tap of the old woman's staff on the wooden floor, and she could practically hear the rolling of her eyes within it.

Master Matoya awaited them at the large desk that seemed to be the center of this very cave. The books that were scattered around it the last time she was here were still lying around carelessly, and she had to pay attention not to step onto them. No need to draw even more ire from the old witch.

"Oh for the love of—" Matoya said, voice scratchy from old age and years of shouting at her fellows. "Can't an old woman have some peace and quiet these days?"

"You had over a decade to yourself," Y'shtola pointed out.

"And I'm starting to miss those years dearly." The old woman's eyes shifted over to S'eni.

"It's been a while, Master Matoya," she said in a friendly tone and, since the flight part of her fight or flight reflex had long since died a hero's death, couldn't help but add, "You shouldn't get so agitated at your age. It's not good for your heart."

Y'shtola snickered into her hand while Matoya glared at her in a way that told her, that if the Archon was a few decades younger, she would be receiving far, far worse than a simple tongue lashing. After she apparently had her fill of imagining S'eni to combust, the old woman released another sigh.

"Hmpf. So what is it this time, Shtola?" Matoya asked again.

"Actually, we are just visiting," Y'shtola replied and placed a hand on S'eni's shoulder. "Eni mentioned some time ago that you were rather vexed at the fact that no one ever comes around for tea. And though the reasons for why that is are plenty indeed, here we are."

For a moment Matoya actually looked taken aback, but her face soon returned to the perpetual scowl that was most likely the cause for many of those wrinkles.

"Impertinent as ever, I see. Fine, tea it is." The old Archon tapped her staff onto the ground and a pair of Poroggo's came hopping towards them. Without having to tell them, they started moving some of the scattered books aside and fetched two more chairs that they placed at the table before scurrying off once again.

"Shtola," Matoya said just as they were sitting down, making the other Miqo'te stop. "You remember where the stove is, I take it?"

Raising her eyebrows, Y'shtola looked at her former teacher, before shrugging. "How could I forget?"

Her lover shot her a quick glance, before heading towards the part of the cave where presumably the kitchen was.

Now alone, Matoya and S'eni stared at one another, neither saying a word, with only the sound of one of the magical brooms sweeping across the floor breaking the silence. As the seconds stretched into minutes, the older woman's fingers started to drum on top of the table, the expression on her face becoming thoughtful.

"So you and her, hm?" It wasn't a question.

S'eni blinked. "Come again?"

"You can spare me the act. I know what's going on between you two." Matoya rolled her eyes.

Upon hearing those words, a frown formed on her features. Had Y'shtola told her?

No. They had explicitly agreed to keep their relationship a secret for now. There was already enough going on without having to burden the others with the nature of their feelings for one another.

"How?" she asked.

"Hmpf, did you think I wouldn't notice when I've known Shtola since she was a little stray?" Matoya shot back. "The first time you two walked in here I could already see that annoying spark between you, and now she calls you 'Eni' in front of me. Shtola isn't one to drop tribal letters so casually."

"Oh..." That made sense, she supposed. It would be weird if Matoya didn't pick up on subtleties like that with her favorite student.

"She used to be such a shy one when she was younger, and now here she is, a fine young woman, with even someone walking by her side." The old Archon let her gaze wander in the direction of where Y'shtola had vanished to, letting it linger there for a few seconds before returning it towards S'eni. Narrowing her eyes a little, Matoya gave her a once over. "I suppose she could do worse. At least you're not a dunderhead like most."

"Uh, thank you?"

"Believe me, it's a compliment," Matoya replied, the wrinkly corner of one of her lips rising.

S'eni stared at the older woman, a dumbfounded look on her face. It took her a moment to recover from the fact that she was having a talk like this with Master Matoya of all people, but soon enough she mirrored the older woman's expression.

"Are you now going to tell me to take care of and to never hurt her, or else?" she asked.

The old woman snorted. "No. As reckless as that stubborn girl can be, she can take care of herself, and I expect her very much to make you regret any foolish decisions as well."

"Yeah," S'eni chuckled. "She would absolutely do that."

"Absolutely do what?" Y'shtola asked, returning from wherever Matoya kept her kitchen, holding a tray with a steaming pot of tea and cups for each of them.

"Nothing that concerns you," Matoya said. "Took you long enough."

Y'shtola cocked her eyebrow in a clear sign of disbelief, then shot S'eni a questioning look only to receive a little smile and shrug in her return.

"What little was left of your tea has seen better days. Fortunately for you, I always have some of my personal stash with me," the other Miqo'te said, placing the tray on the table and pouring each of them a cup before sitting down next to S'eni.

"Hmpf, let's see if it's any good then," the old Archon replied as gnarly fingers took hold of her cup.

With tea now served, they fell into pleasant conversation, as pleasant as they could be with Matoya anyway, who wasted no opportunity to throw in comments as they shared stories with her.

Once in a while, S'eni could feel the old witch's eyes coming to rest on her as they talked, and if she didn't know any better, she could have sworn to see something akin to approval in them.

Probably just her imagination, though.

 

Notes:

Matoya cleanses the soul, doesn't she?

Anyway, I figured I wouldn't immediately jump into Stormblood and did a couple of sort of interludes I suppose? You know a bit more light hearted character interaction before things are getting serious again. Hope you'll enjoy them.

Have a nice weekend!

Chapter 41

Notes:

A short one this time around.

A Night Out

 

A cry echoed through the air, followed by a grunt and the sound of a body hitting the ground.

Lowering her leg, S'eni watched as Lyse got back to her feet before rushing forward. She stepped back, arms raising to block each and every swipe and punch the other woman threw towards her with perfect precision before slamming the palm of her hand into Lyse's chest and pushing her back again.

With gritted teeth, the Pugilist feinted a kick, then sent a sudden punch towards S'eni's face that was caught by a quick hand, fingers tightly circling around the other woman's wrist. She tried again with her other fist, only to join its twin in capture.

"Too slow," S'eni said, a small smirk forming on her lips, but was soon wiped away when Lyse's forehead cracked against hers. A painful grunt escaped them and they both stumbled backwards from the impact, hands shooting towards their heads.

Almost simultaneously, they managed to regain their wits and dashed forward, both throwing a punch that connected harshly with the other's cheek. They remained like this for a moment, neither moving a muscle while knuckles pressed deep into skin and they stared at each other, before jumping back.

S'eni moved her arms, letting them flow like water as she returned into her initial stance, and eyed the other woman. Just as she was about to go on the offensive, the door swung wide open, making both turn their heads to see Alisaie and Y'shtola walking into the room.

"Ah, it's you two," the young Elezen said. "And here I was wondering what the commotion was about."

"I'm sorry!" Lyse said, dropping her stance. "We weren't too noisy, were we?"

"Don't worry. You could only be heard down the hallway. And the one after," Y'shtola added with amusement in her voice.

The Pugilist brushed a few locks of hair behind her ear, an embarrassed little grin forming on her lips. "Oops."

Standing up straight again as well, S'eni gave the others a shrug.

"So, any particular reason you two are beating each other up, or just the usual?" the other Miqo'te asked.

A sigh escaped Lyse and she dropped her gaze down to the floor, drawing a plated foot across it. "I...needed some distraction. All this waiting around leaves me anxious. Part of me just wants to climb over Baelsar's Wall right now, but I know we have to wait for the Alliance."

S'eni hummed, crossing her arms in front of her chest. Gathering the necessary troops for the foray into Gyr Abania took time since the City-States still had their own problems to deal with and thus couldn't just rally all at once, making securing the breach in the wall all the more troublesome.

For a small mercy, the destruction that Omega and Ilberd's primal had caused with their battle had hit the Garleans hard enough to be able to strike back, but for how long that was going to last nobody knew.

"Yes, I don't like all this waiting either..." Alisaie said, a note of frustration in her words. As always, the politics behind it all bothered the younger woman to no end.

Silence draped over their group like a blanket, and S'eni found herself looking from Lyse to Alisaie, a worried expression forming on both of their faces, before coming to rest on Y'shtola. Her lover was calm on the outside, but she could tell that deep down she was bothered by it as well.

Putting a hand on the back of her hip, she tapped her foot a few times and let her gaze turn towards the window, the last few rays of the setting sun casting their light inside and giving the room a slightly orange hue.

It looked like a beautiful evening.

An idea then sprang up in her mind.

"Seems like we all could use something to take our mind off things," S'eni said, earning herself the attention of the others. Her lips curled into a smile. "And I already got an idea."

 

---

 

Limsa Lominsa at night truly was something else. Maybe it was the sound of the waves or the smell of salt in the air, perhaps even that seafarer's blood coursing through her veins, but being here felt a little bit like being home again.

A cool breeze passed by them as they walked along the upper decks, the sun having now made way for the moon, shining down onto the bay below. In the distance, a bell could be heard.

"So, where are you taking us?" Alisaie asked, looking around.

"Well, since we all seem to be in need of relaxation I figured what else could be more relaxing than a nice dinner?" S'eni replied, guiding their group around the corner and revealing to them the wooden bridge leading to Limsa Lominsa's most famous restaurant.

"The Bismarck?" Lyse asked, a look of surprise on her face that then turned into a frown. "Wait, but don't you need to make reservations in advance?"

"Let's just say—" S'eni tapped her nose and sent her friend a wink. "—I got my ways."

And indeed, they did not have to wait long for a table of four, situated at the edge of the canopied platform and giving them a beautiful view of the sea.

"I can't help but feel impressed at the number of connections you have," the Elezen girl said after they had sat down and were each handed a menu. "And maybe just a little scared."

S'eni chuckled, then turned towards the waitress to order them a bottle of wine while they decided on their meals.

"And here I was wondering when you would start to abuse the fact that you're the hero of the realm," Y'shtola commented dryly as her eyes looked over the menu. "It took longer than expected."

"Is that a complaint I hear?" she asked teasingly. "You certainly didn't complain the last time we were here."

Though to be perfectly fair, that had been a stroke of dumb luck on her part for having come on a particularly slow evening.

Giving her a sideway glance, Y'shtola simply smiled in response.

"So, uhm, since you two have been here before." Lyse bit her lip in thought as looked over the menu. "Anything you can recommend?"

"The fish is pretty great, as expected, though I think I'll go with some Antelope tonight," S'eni replied. "Oh, before I forget. No need to hold back. It's my treat."

"That's very generous of you," Alisaie noted.

She shrugged. "I'm not spending my money on a lot of things anyway."

"Aside from your ever-growing collection of earrings," Y'shtola pointed out.

"Guilty as charged."

The waitress returned, bringing with her a bottle of wine and four glasses that she placed on the table. S'eni noticed the young Elezen eye the bottle warily but didn't comment on it until after they had ordered their meals.

"I take it you've never drank before?" she asked her, taking the bottle and uncorking it.

Alisaie shook her head. "I'm not opposed to it, but I also never really saw the point. Now my dear brother on the other hand..."

"Yeah. A good diplomat knows how to hold his liquor." After pouring herself a glass, S'eni held out the bottle towards her. "No pressure."

The younger woman's eyes shifted between S'eni's face and the bottle a couple of times before her lips curled upward and her hand grasped the offered wine. "Ah, why not?"

"Well then," S'eni said once all their glasses were filled, raising her glass in a toast. "Down the hatch!"

Taking a sip, she let out an appreciative sigh at the hint of oak against her tongue, then turned her attention to Alisaie, the younger woman's face twisting a little at the taste. "Not good?"

"An acquired taste, I would say."

Their dinner arrived soon after and they fell into pleasant conversation, the mood from earlier being lifted as the warm food and wine mixed pleasantly inside their bellies.

"She really thought I was him, can you believe that?" Alisaie huffed, waving her fork around a little before piercing it into her gratin. "We don't look that alike."

"If it is any consolation, Master Matoya thought Alphinaud was you at first," Y'shtola replied while dunking a piece of meat into the sauce.

The Elezen girl made an annoyed sound and put the cheese-covered popoto into her mouth.

"You know this is actually pretty nice," S'eni said while swirling her wine glass. "It being just us girls I mean."

Downing the last of its contents, she smiled at the others. "We should do this more often."

"Yeah," Lyse agreed, mirroring the expression. "I'd really like that."

"It's a promise then!" Grabbing the bottle again, she poured herself another glass.

After finishing their meals, and another bottle of wine, the four of them left the Bismarck, a comfortable silence surrounding them as they made their way back to the Mizzenmast.

"Gods, I'm tired," Alisaie said when they arrived at the set of stairs leading to the Lower Decks and the city's Aetheryte. "I think that was a little too much wine for me."

Next to her, Lyse stretched herself and nodded in agreement. "I'll be sleeping real good tonight."

A small, almost shy smile formed on the Pugilist's lips. "Thanks, I...really needed that."

"Anytime," S'eni replied and gave her friend a friendly pat on the back.

"Well, I don't know about you. But I will be returning to the Rising Stones," the youngest of them said, turning to head downstairs.

"Wait, I'll come with you," Lyse said, then gave Y'shtola and S'eni a look. "You coming?"

The other Miqo'te shook her head. "I think I will take a little evening stroll. It has been a while since I have last been in Limsa Lominsa."

"I'm not particularly tired myself. So mind if I tag along?" S'eni asked, well aware of what the answer would be.

"Not at all."

"Alright, you two. See you tomorrow then." Giving them a final wave, Lyse turned around to join Alisaie.

Now on their own, Y'shtola and her made their way to the Hyaline and from there they headed down to the docks, taking their time and simply enjoying the other's company.

As they walked along the pier, S'eni closed her eyes for a moment before speaking. "Things are going to be busy very soon."

"Indeed," Y'shtola agreed. "I suspect it will only be a matter of days now."

"Do you think the Alliance can really do it? Liberate Ala Mhigo?"

"I don't know. But it's too late for doubts. All we can do now is to see this through."

"I suppose you're right," she said, reaching out a ginger hand towards her lover's. A smile danced across her lips when Y'shtola took it and gave it a little squeeze.

They would see this through, for Lyse.

And for Papalymo.

Staying at the docks to look out towards the sea for a little while longer, the two of them resumed their walk until they arrived at the Aetheryte plaza. But instead of approaching the large crystal, Y'shtola made a turn for the Mizzenmast once again.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"Getting us a room at the inn," the other Miqo'te replied matter of factly.

S'eni blinked once, twice, as she watched her lover walk inside the tower, before releasing a chuckle and following her.

 

Chapter 42

Hour of Departure

 

S'eni woke up to the feeling of a warm body resting against her. Soft, rhythmic breaths against her ear made it twitch, and the feathery light touch of fingertips brushing against the skin just above her belly button made her release a content sigh.

"Morning," she murmured.

"Good morning," Y'shtola replied, her voice just a little above a whisper and smile evident in her tone.

She let herself enjoy this sensation for a moment longer, letting it chase away the last vestiges of sleep, before turning around and opening her eyes to silvery white ones watching her intently.

"Slept well?" she asked, mirroring the expression on her lover's face.

"Very much so."

"Hm. I slept amazing."

"Oh?" Y'shtola tilted her head a little. "Any particular reason?"

A pleasant shiver went through her as a single fingernail drew a path along the length of her spine. "Yeah. Let me show you," S'eni said and circled an arm around Y'shtola to pull her into a morning kiss.

After separating again, she buried her face into the nape of her lover's neck, nuzzling the sensitive skin there.

"We should probably return to the Rising Stones soon," Y'shtola said after a couple of more minutes of just lying there.

"Let's just stay here," S'eni mumbled in return. "The others can handle a day without us."

"Very enticing," The other Miqo'te admitted with a smile "But I'm also certain that they are wondering where we—what are you doing?"

"Giving you some incentive," she replied between butterfly kisses. Moving her hand, she gently pushed Y'shtola into the mattress and started her journey.

"A nice warm bed..." A kiss against her jaw.

"...food delivered to our room..." A kiss on the front of her neck.

"...laundry service." A kiss on her collarbone

A mixture of hum and sigh passed Y'shtola's lips. "Those are all very good points."

"And I haven't even gotten to the best part," S'eni said before diving down between her breasts to resume the attention she had given them the night before.

The hand that had been resting on her back was slowly moving its way up to bury itself into her hair, gently pushing her towards an already hardened nipple.

With a little smirk forming on her lips, S'eni leaned in—

A rhythmic chime went through the room.

—and released a groan. She turned her head to glare at the table where their discarded linkpearls were lying.

Y'shtola released her grip, gently tapping her shoulder, and S'eni rolled onto her side with another, more agitated groan.

"This better be good," she muttered, resting her cheek on the palm of her hand with a pout while watching her lover walk over to the table, her tail thumping against the mattress in annoyance. She took just a little solace at the sight she was being offered.

"Oh, hush you," Y'shtola said and picked up her chiming linkpearl. Putting it into her ear, she pressed her finger against it to take the call. "Yes, what is it?"

A short moment passed, then the other woman's expression darkened, making S'eni furrow her brows and sit up.

"I will be there shortly. Thank you." After ending the call, Y'shtola turned towards her. "That was Alphinaud. General Raubahn has contacted him and officially petitioned our assistance."

Looking at Y'shtola, she exhaled through her nose, the mood now thoroughly gone. So it began.

Another chime broke through the silence, this time from her linkpearl, and S'eni got out of bed to pick it up and put it into her ear. While she listened to Alphinaud repeat what he had just told Y'shtola, her lover began to get dressed and was already back in her underwear by the time the call ended.

Without saying a word, S'eni started to pick up her clothes as well. The frown that had formed during her conversation with Alphinaud deepened and she found herself looking out of the window as a sudden wave of...unpreparedness overcame her.

She had known this was coming, had expected it, but now she found herself at a loss.

"Eni," Y'shtola said, making S'eni turn towards her. She had just put on her boots and was now grabbing her coat, stopping just for a moment to look her in the eye. "There's still time if you have something you need to do. I doubt the others will hold it against you if you say a few goodbyes before joining us."

S'eni stared at her for a moment, before closing her eyes and smiling. Yes, there was someone she should say goodbye to.

Y'shtola really knew her, didn't she?

"Thank you, Shtola," she said and resumed getting dressed.

"Just don't take too much time." Her lover's lips quirked upward and she sent S'eni a wink. "I can only keep Lyse and Alisaie from running off for so long."

A little laugh passed between them.

 

---

 

Snow crunched under her feet as she marched along the path leading up to Providence Point, leaving behind footprints that would soon be covered up once more by the fresh sprinkle of snowflakes from the clouds above. A sharp wind passed her by, making her pull her ears close to her head but still push on ahead, not stopping until she arrived at that one, special cliff that overlooked all of Ishgard.

Her eyes immediately landed on the granite pillar at the very center of it, and her lips curled into a smile when she spotted the flowers lying in front of it, almost buried underneath that cold, white blanket.

"Hey, Haurchefant. It's been a while," she said as she approached the grave, picking up the shield that had fallen to the side and brushing the snow off before putting it back into place. "Yes, I know. I should probably visit you more often, but you know how busy it can get for me."

Reaching into the snow, S'eni pulled the flowers out and placed them on top of it. "But you're obviously not wanting for visitors anyway."

Her smile widened a little as she imagined his reaction, before walking past his grave and sitting down behind it, looking out towards Ishgard.

"A lot has happened since my last visit, and I wish I could tell you all about it, but sadly I'm short on time. The others and I are going to venture into Gyr Abania soon, to join the Alliance's effort to retake Ala Mhigo," she told him. "Yeah, I know. Took them long enough. But the time has finally come, after 20 long years."

She fell silent for a moment, listening to the wind and taking in the sight in front of her; the city that her friend had loved so.

"So I'm afraid you'll have to keep watch over Ishgard on your own for a bit. But don't worry, once we're done I'll come back and tell you everything. Promise."

S'eni remained there for a while longer, letting herself reminisce about the times they had spent together, before rising back to her feet. Brushing away the snow from the top of his grave, she then raised her hand in silent prayer.

After she was done, S'eni let herself look out towards Ishgard once more, a thoughtful expression forming on her face. Closing her eyes in concentration, she slowly started to float and teleported away.

 

---

 

The greeting she received at Fortemps Manor was as warm as the fires that kept away the cold day in and out. The young knight standing guard outside, the maid that greeted her, and finally Firmien as he came walking into the room, each welcomed her with a smile.

"Mistress Gata, what an unexpected surprise!" the old steward greeted her.

"Hello, Firmien. How are you?" she asked.

"I am well, thank you for asking." He bowed his head. "It has been quite a while since you have paid us a visit. Have you already eaten? I can have some prepared for you."

"That's not necessary," S'eni said. "I'm actually rather short on time since I'll be heading to Baelsar's Wall soon."

The older Elezen's face grew serious. "Yes, Count Artoirel has left to join the effort as well."

"I see, well I suppose it's a good thing I wanted to speak with the older Count then. If he isn't too busy that is?"

"Not at all," Firmien replied, his cheer returning. "These days he spends a lot of his time writing in his study. I am sure he will be delighted at your visit. Come along."

The old steward led her through the hallways that had become so familiar during her stay at the manor, causing just the tiniest hint of nostalgia to well up inside her, to the former Count's study. He rapped his knuckles against the door, waiting for the familiar, baritone voice to reply.

"Misstress Gata has come to visit you, my lord," Firmien said as he opened the door.

"S'eni?" the older Fortemps looked up from the book in front of him, a smile forming on his lips when he saw her and rose to his feet. "Come in, come in!"

After she stepped inside the room, the old steward gave each of them a bow before leaving again, closing the door behind him.

"Count Edmont," she said in greeting. "Ah, or is that just Lord Edmont now?"

He chuckled. "I suppose the latter would be appropriate, but I believe formalities are hardly necessary anymore, so just Edmont will be fine. What brings you here?"

"The Scions have been petitioned by the Alliance to assist in the Ala Mhigan campaign and I..." S'eni lowered her eyes to the carpeted floor. "...wanted to say goodbye. After everything you've done for my friends and I, it felt wrong not to do so."

Not a word passed between them until a hand placed itself onto her shoulder, making her look back up into the kind eyes of the older man.

"You have done so much for the people of Ishgard, myself included, that I could ever repay you for, so hearing those words warms my heart. Ever since Haurchefant died, there has been a hole deep inside of me, but whenever I see you, I can feel a small portion of it being mended." Edmont told her, giving her shoulder a little squeeze. "Be careful, S'eni. I know you are strong, but you are not invincible."

"I will be...I promise."

Giving her a nod, his smile returned. "And never forget that there will always be room for you at our table and, should you choose it, a home waiting for you."

Her eyebrows and ears shot up at the man's words, and she could do nothing but stare at him. Eventually, though, the surprise gave way to a grateful smile and, without thinking, she stepped forward. A sound of surprise escaped the Elezen, but he did not shy away as she hugged him, her head coming to rest just underneath his chest.

"Thank you," she said, her voice nothing more than a whisper.

The hand that had previously been on her shoulder loosely came to rest on her back in an attempt to return the gesture as well as their height difference permitted.

They remained like this for a moment, before S'eni stepped back, her hand moving to the back of her neck and her expression turning embarrassed. "I should go. The others are already waiting for me."

"May Halone watch over you," Edmont said.

Sharing with him a final nod, she walked over to the door. Her hand had just grasped the handle, when she paused to look over her shoulder, watching as the older man sat down behind his desk to resume writing.

"Writing a novel?" S'eni asked.

He chuckled. "My memoirs."

"The Life and Trials of Edmont de Fortemps?"

"Actually I was thinking of having the title be 'Heavensward'. What do you think?"

Her lips turned into a warm smile. "I think that's a wonderful title."

With those words, she stepped through the door and closed it behind her, leaving the former Count to his writing. And as her footsteps echoed down the hallway, the scratching of a quill soon filled the study once more.

 

---

 

So begins another journey for the Warrior of Light and her companions. One of war and strife, but also of liberty and hope, that would see them travel beyond the borders of Eorzea to the distant lands of the Far East, carrying with them the fire of revolution.

Unwavering even in the face of the greatest of odds, she walked ever forward into the eye of this storm of blood.

- From the Memoirs of Count Edmont de Fortemps.

 

---

 

Book 2 - Ever Heavensward - End

 

Notes:

And with this we say goodbye to the Heavensward segment of the story. Next week we're heading into Stormblood, so stay tuned.

Have a nice weekend!

Chapter 43

Notes:

Well without further ado, let's head into Stormblood.

Book 3: In Crimson It Began

 

---

 

The Resistance

 

I still remember crossing the border, the feeling it evoked as me and my fellow Scions, the Warrior of Light among us, took our first steps into Gyr Abania. The last time I was here, I had been hiding out and helping the resistance in any way I could. Now I have returned to make the dream my father and sister had a reality.

The promise of a new beginning. But one that could only be bought with flames and blood.

- From the diary of Lyse Hext.

 

---

 

Shouts and the sounds of footsteps and clanking weaponry pervaded the air as orders were given and executed, an endless string of noises that travelled far and wide along the entirety of Baelsar's Wall.

Soldiers from the Immortal Flames, the Maelstrom, the Twin Adder as well as the knights of Ishgard had gathered here. It was a sight no one had thought possible not too long ago, and now here they were, working in unity.

All for the purpose of ending the Garlean tyranny over Ala Mhigo.

"Dismissed," S'eni said to a group of scouts after relaying the orders General Raubahn had given to her, receiving salutes from each of their respective Grand Companies in return.

Her membership in her Grand Company had always been more pro forma than anything else, but as the former gladiator had pointed out with no small amount of amusement, she still was a soldier.

It still felt weird being saluted whenever she passed by soldiers, but S'eni supposed she would just have to deal with it for the remainder of this endeavor.

She watched the scouts leave for a moment before letting her gaze wander around Castrum Oriens, watching as her friends helped where they could before they would leave on their first official mission: contacting the Ala Mhigan resistance.

Her eyes then fell on Lyse, standing by the gate and looking out into the woods beyond, shifting from one leg to the other, lost in thought. She didn't even register S'eni's approach until her hand had placed itself onto her shoulder.

"Wha—oh, S'eni!" Lyse exclaimed, a hand placing itself over her heart.

"Gil for your thoughts?" S'eni asked, but the other woman just shook her head.

"Just...thinking I suppose."

"About the Resistance?"

"That too, but I know that dwelling on things won't do anything right now," her friend said. Taking a deep breath, she clapped herself on the cheeks to psyche herself up. "Ready when you are."

"Good, we will be relying on you to guide us after all," the all too familiar voice of Y'shtola said as she approached them with Krile at her side. The corners of her lips quirked up into a small smile. "We wouldn't want to get lost in enemy territory now, would we?"

"Don't worry, we won't," Lyse replied with a chuckle.

They were soon joined by Alisaie and Alphinaud after the latter had gone over the finer details of the Alliance's proposal, and without further ado left Castrum Oriens behind.

"I learned a route that should allow us to avoid imperial patrols," Lyse told them while walking ahead.

As they followed her, S'eni spotted something from out of the corner of her eyes and turned to see a giant tower looming in the distance. At the very top, she could make out the banner of the Garlean Empire waving in the wind.

"What's that tower?" she found herself asking.

"That belongs to Castellum Velodyna. That's what they decided to call the old bridge after they fortified it," Lyse explained to her, before scoffing. "I call it a big eyesore. Honestly, you can see that damn banner from malms away."

After a while, the woods gave way to smooth sandstone walls embracing the groves of trees that were growing along the shallow riverbed. In the distance, the roar of waterfalls flowing into the canyon below could be heard.

The scattered remains of Magitek Armors and other imperial weaponry served as signs for the battle between Omega and Shinryu, as the Doman Shinobi had come to call Ilberd's primal, and it now didn't surprise her that, at least for now, the Garleans were staying put. These losses would take time to replace.

Eventually, their group stopped in front of a huge rock formation and Lyse turned around with a big smile. "We're here. The Resistance is on the other side of this pass."

Alphinaud crossed his arms, eyebrows creasing as he frowned. "A pass? All I see are rocks," the young man said. "I take it there is some sort of trick to it?"

Next to her, Y'shtola scanned the rocks in front of them.

"Indeed there is," she said. "A glamour to be precise."

"Good eye, Y'shtola. That's right!" The Pugilist's hand went to her pocket, pulling out a small sack. She had just reached inside when she seemed to remember something. "Oh yeah, my friend Naago, the messenger that came to the Rising Stones, is part of this faction, so they know us, but they can be a bit jumpy so let me lead the way and, uh, perhaps keep your weapons where they are?"

"Easy enough," S'eni replied, a grin splitting her face while she punched her palm, earning herself a couple of chuckles from the others.

Turning towards the rocks, Lyse pulled out a handful of dust from the sack and blew towards them. The stone began to ripple like the surface of a lake on a rainy day, twisting and turning, before dissipating into thin air and revealing to them the way to their destination; the Resistance's hideout.

 

---

 

Rhalgr's Reach was nothing short of spectacular. Nestled between the two areas the locals only called the Fringes and the Peaks, it served as the perfect base of operations. And though these ancient temple halls had seen better days, they still stood tall and proud, like the people that had gathered here, all under the watchful eye of the Destroyer himself.

Sitting on the remains of what used to be a pillar, S'eni looked up at the statue of Rhalgr that had been carved into the mountain a long time ago, and she couldn't help the feeling of awe at the sight of it.

This was once the home of the Fist of Rhalgr, where monks had come together to strengthen their bodies and minds, and reach ever greater heights.

She had only heard about it from stories that Widargelt had told her, but to be standing on these hallowed grounds now...it was truly humbling.

If time permitted, she would love to explore the temple in its entirety.

But for now, S'eni thought and rose back to her feet, brushing some sand dust off her pants as she did so, before starting to walk. We have our work cut out for us.

Their talks with the leader, Conrad, had gone moderately well. He had accepted the Alliance's proposal, but that was also where the good news ended, as he could only speak for the people of Rhalgr's Reach but not for any of the other factions.

He had assured them that he would do his very best to appeal to the rest of the Resistance but had made it firmly clear that he couldn't guarantee universal support either.

On top of that, many of their veterans had followed Ilberd's call to arms and as a consequence gave their lives in his twisted ritual, leaving Conrad's faction in dire need of fresh recruits.

And that's where they came in.

While Alphinaud had left to return to the Rising Stones to recruit willing members of the Scions to join, she and the others had stayed behind to assist in any shape or form. And by the gods was there work aplenty.

Her first order of business would be to join Alisaie and M'naago to deliver Conrad's formal reply to General Raubahn. With the wounds of the Ala Mhigan Miqo'te not yet fully healed, it seemed like the safest approach.

Passing by tents that served as the living quarters of the Resistance members, S'eni headed towards their meeting place and found the two of them already waiting for her.

The last time she had seen M'naago, the woman had been bleeding all over the Rising Stones' floor, barely managing to stay conscious and her skin grown pale from blood loss. She looked much better now, the natural brown on her skin having returned to full color and bright, orange eyes no longer clouded by pain.

"Ah, there she is," Alisaie said.

"Sorry, you two. I couldn't help but take a look around again." S'eni offered them a little grin. "I hope you didn't wait too long?"

M'naago shook her head, making her messy ponytail wave around with the motion, before smiling. "Not particularly. Are you two ready?"

S'eni and Alisaie shared a look, then nodded.

"Great. Before we leave though, I'd like to thank you again for patching me up after I was." The other Miqo'te bowed her head. "If not for you I wouldn't be standing here right now. So...thank you."

"Just tell it to the two that actually patched you up after we've come back and it's all good," S'eni said with a little wink.

The Ala Mhigan released a chuckle. "I plan to, but with how things are looking right now they're most likely busy."

"Is it really that bad?" Alisaie frowned.

"I'm making it sound worse than it is, but medical supplies are hard to come by even with the merchants sympathetic to our cause. So people with knowledge in healing magicks are more than welcome," M'naago explained.

Putting a hand on the back of her hip, S'eni started to tap her foot in thought. This wasn't good. If their supplies were already this tight, then they would surely not last long in the battles that would start sooner rather than later.

An idea then sprung up in her mind. "Then how about we ask the Alliance if they could spare additional medical supplies while we're there?"

"That's a great idea, S'eni!" Alisaie's expression brightened. "I'm sure General Raubahn would be willing to help as well."

"We'd truly appreciate it, and it would go a long way to convince the other factions too, I'm sure," the other Miqo'te said.

S'eni gave her a thumbs up. "It's decided then!"

After leaving Rhalgr's Reach behind, they began their march back to Castrum Oriens, following a different route than the one Lyse had shown them earlier that, according to M'naago, would let them reach their destination much faster.

"You sure know your way around," the Elezen girl commented while looking around. "I can't make heads or tails from these hills."

"Well, if you grow up hunting these lands you'll learn to tell them apart," M'naago replied and tapped the side of her head.

"So your tribe has claimed these parts as your hunting grounds?" S'eni asked.

"Technically the lands over there." The Ala Mhigan pointed into the distance, past the hills to the south that you could only reach by passing over the canyon. "But with the Empire being who they are we had to expand beyond our territory. Has made us butt heads with one of the Ananta tribes in the past too."

"Lyse told me there are quite a few of our kind within your faction of the Resistance. Is your entire village part of it?"

"No. I'm the only one. Many of the J tribe are part of it though."

"I see," S'eni said. "Sorry if I'm prying a little."

"It's alright," the other Miqo'te assured her with a chuckle. "We don't exactly see a lot of the S tribe around here either, much less the esteemed Warrior of Light."

"Did you hear that?" Alisaie asked with a playful tone. "Your reputation precedes you."

"Great..." was S'eni's dry reply.

"You defeated the Black Wolf, there's hardly anyone here that hasn't at least heard of you. Yda, I mean Lyse, also spoke very highly of you all."

"Well, with an endorsement like that, I suppose I can't slack off anymore," she joked, making them all laugh.

All of a sudden, M'naago stopped in her tracks and held up her hand.

"Quiet!" she told them, ears standing at attention. "Hear that? A ceruleum engine backfiring. That means Imperials."

Face growing serious, S'eni let her own ears stand up straight and tilted her head a little. It took her a moment, but she could hear faint sounds as well. "Yeah, I can hear it too."

"By the gods, your senses are something else. I didn't hear a thing!" Alisaie said while holding a hand to her ear.

"When you grow up in these parts, you learn to discern the sounds that could mean life or death." M'naago grew quiet again for a moment. "From what I can make out...we have a seven-man patrol, augmented with a single Magiket Armor. Wide search pattern, divided into three teams...and they shouldn't have noticed us yet."

S'eni looked at the other Miqo'te, visibly impressed that she could make that out.

"Alright, so how do we proceed?" she asked.

"It's risky, but I think we should split up. Take them by surprise at the same time and keep them from calling reinforcements."

Alisaie hummed. "Three teams, three of us. That should more than suffice. Where are they?"

"You go north," M'naago told the younger woman, pointing into the direction she should head to. "You should see them long before they see you. I'll go take care of the ones to the south. The Armor should be to the west. That one's for you, S'eni."

"The hardest one, huh?"

"That's what happens when you make a name for yourself pummelling primals into the ground," the young Elezen said with a little shrug.

"We attack in five minutes." M'naago held up her hand in emphasis. "We'll rendezvous on the west bank afterwards. Questions? No? Let's go then."

After splitting up, S'eni followed the Ala Mhigan's instructions and could soon hear the tell-tale sounds of a Magiket Armor from behind one of the many hills. She climbed it as stealthy as possible and kept her head while walking towards the edge.

It was a Magiket Predator, and from the looks of things, it had seen better days. Most likely an older model the Garleans had dug out from the furthest corner of their armory. Piloting it was a lone soldier and as luck was having it, he was just turning the war machine around and about to pass by her.

She waited for just the right moment...and jumped!

"What the-!" was all the soldier managed to exclaim before being cut off by her arm wrapping itself tightly around his neck. The Predator swerved and crashed into the stone next to them, letting out a metallic groan before stumbling in the other direction. Gasping for air, the Garlean reached for the dagger at his side and tried to stab her but S'eni pulled him backwards, almost lifting him out of his seat as she did so, placed her other hand against the side of his head, and twisted.

With a sickening crack, he went limp inside her arms, the dagger in his hand clattering against the Predator's hull before falling to the ground.

The Magitek Armor took a few more steps, then stopped, and S'eni breathed out through her nose. Letting go of him, she watched as he slumped back into his seat, then reached past him to remove the machine's identification key to shut it off.

After jumping down, she looked around for a moment to see if there were any reinforcements, before heading towards their designated meeting point.

She was the first to arrive, but it didn't take long for Alisaie and M'naago to arrive, neither worse for the wear.

"Looks like everything went according to plan," the other Miqo'te said. "Not that I'm surprised, the three I faced didn't exactly put up much of a fight."

"I was a bit surprised with how easy they were to deal with." Alisaie crossed her arms.

"That's because most of the soldiers we get out here are conscripts from other provinces with little training. It's grim work, but they would do the same to us if our roles were reversed."

Hearing those words, S'eni frowned. That was sadly the truth, and one they had better get used to.

But as they started to resume their march, she glanced over her shoulder into the direction where the Predator was standing and felt her mind wander back to that lone Dalmascan conscript living in a shack in the La Noscean wilderness, separated from his loved ones to fight in a war he never wanted and living day in, day out with only his painful memories as company.

Nobody ever said it was going to be easy...

 

Chapter 44

Notes:

I want to thank you all for the kind comments and I'm really happy that you like my story. :D

And to answer Matthew216's question, I've actually been wondering how to properly integrate that one way or another, but haven't found a satisfying way yet. But who knows? I might yet pull through on that end!

Crania Lupi

 

I still remember the peaks of Gyr Abania, standing tall and proud. Silent watchmen that would remain even long after we were gone.

Ala Ghanna had been home a long time ago but I was so young, I could barely even remember anything from it. But yet here we were, seeking allies in the fight against the Empire. But instead we found people that had lost all the will to fight and accepted their lot in life.

At the time I was frustrated, had asked myself how they could just take it all lying down.

I didn't know at the time that it wasn't just the Garleans that tyrannized them, but their fellow Ala Mhigans as well...

 

---

 

If she had to say one thing about Gyr Abania, then it was that she had never seen anything like it before. While not as hot as the desert of Thanalan, the climate was still warm enough to make the grass underneath her feet crackle with every step.

It was a beautiful landscape nevertheless, the trees that were growing around these parts so unlike the ones at the border to the Black Shroud, each branch growing high into the air and carrying a crown of red tipped leaves. Bunches of wildflowers sprouted from the dry soil, thriving in this arid environment just like the people that called these lands home.

Still—

S'eni glanced towards Meffrid, clothed in a long-sleeved, green, and brown gambeson.

—how he wasn't breaking even the slightest sweat was a mystery to her.

Noticing the look she was giving, the Ala Mhigan turned his head and simply shrugged, the corner of his lip quirked upward.

She let out a small huff and mirrored his expression.

It was good to see him again, and in such high spirits too. The last time she had seen the man was when she had helped him and his fellow Ala Mhigans in Gridania, having just been rejected by the Elementals and one of them sick and dying. He had been full of anger and struggling to retain his sense of purpose back then, but now he almost seemed like a changed man, fighting once more for the freedom of his people.

A sigh turned her attention away from him and towards Lyse, walking slightly in front of them with her eyes cast forward and fists clenched.

They had come to this area in hope of replenishing the troops the Resistance had lost, but had only found rejection and scorn from the inhabitants; those that Lyse's family had once called neighbours.

S'eni couldn't even begin to imagine how that must feel.

But she had no time to muse, as a large structure of sun-baked stone appeared in the distance. The Ziggurat.

Just as they had been about to leave town in defeat, a woman had appeared calling for help. She had told them that her brother, a man of the name Wercrata, had been abducted by Qiqirn bandits just as they were going to deliver this month's tributum and that they were going to kill him.

That was obviously something they couldn't just let happen and had promptly agreed to help.

"There it is!" Lyse exclaimed.

While closing in as fast but also as careful as possible, the first thing that S'eni noticed was a complete lack of guards. In fact, there was absolutely no sign of the ratmen aside from a few huts and a crudely constructed fence surrounding the ancient ruin.

"Kind of odd, isn't it?" she asked.

"Yes," Meffrid agreed. "Maybe the rest are out hunting. The Qiqirn have appetites that can put anyone to shame. But I have no doubt that the slightest ruckus will make them come rushing back. They have good ears."

The familiar sound of a Chocobo then caught her ears and she followed it around the Ziggurat's corner to find the fluffy feathered bird tied to a post, trying to make itself look as small as possible while shaking.

"Shhh." She slowly approached it, gingerly reaching out to brush a hand across its plumage. "It's alright. Nobody's going to hurt you."

It took her a moment, but she managed to calm the Chocobo enough for it to straighten itself, and she now noticed the bag that was tied to its harness.

"That must be Wercrata's," S'eni told the others.

Lyse was about to respond when a loud scream cut her off.

"That came from the top!" Meffrid drew his blade.

Not wasting any time, they ran up the huge set of stairs leading through the structure to the top of the Ziggurat where they found the missing man surrounded by a group of Qiqirn. Their arrival hadn't gone unnoticed and the apparent leader of the rat-like beastmen turned around to face them, baring his teeth from his long snout.

"Who dares to loot our man-flesh!?" he snarled while pointing his dagger at them. "Ours to eat! Ours to eat!"

The other Qiqirn joined in on his little chant, before running towards them.

"Great..." S'eni muttered.

"Just kill them quickly before any more show up."

Luckily for them, the only thing the Qiqirn had going for them were numbers and not necessarily skill, so they didn't last particularly long against the three of them.

Once the last of the ratmen had collapsed, S'eni turned towards the man that could be no other than Wercrata, still cowering on the ground.

"I've gone to bed hungry for months. I'm nothing but skin and bones! I hardly make a—" he yelped and almost jumped out of his skin when Lyse put a hand on his shoulder. It took him a few seconds in which he stared between them when realization finally struck. "W-wait... you're not here to eat me?"

"Your sister sent us," Lyse replied, rising to her feet and offering him a hand.

"My sister? Oh thank Rhalgr she's alright," Wercrata sat and let himself be helped back up. "And you came all the way here to rescue me...To think there are still good people left..."

"We should go before more of them come. Do you still have the tributum?" Meffrid asked.

The man's eyes widened at his words. "The tributum! I have to go!"

Lyse stared at him as he started to rush towards the stairs. "Right now? In your condition?"

"You don't understand, we were given a warning last month for being short! If I don't make it in time, there's no telling what will happen to me and my sister!"

After saying those words, he dashed off.

"And there he goes," S'eni said with a shrug, before following him with the other two. By the time they had made it down the stairs, he and his Chocobo were well on their way.

"I'm glad we saved him but..." the other woman chewed on her lip. "I've got a bad feeling about this. I think we should go after him."

"Wait, you're not thinking of stopping him, are you?" Meffrid asked. "You heard what he said, if he doesn't pay then they'll make him and his sister pay another way."

"I know, and I don't plan to, I just...want to make sure he gets there safely."

The older man looked at her for a moment, before nodding. "If that's all, then fine. Let's see if we can pick up his trail."

Which was luckily rather easy, since Wercrata's Chocobo was shedding. It wasn't long before they had caught up with him, staying behind a considerable distance to keep out of sight. They followed him until they arrived at an old, collapsed bridge and moved behind cover when they noticed a group of four people heading towards Wercrata.

"Who are they? Imperials?" Lyse asked in a low voice.

"Worse. That's the Wolf's Skulls. Listen, no matter what happens, stay hidden."

"What?"

Taking a peek, S'eni saw that the name was fitting, as three of them wore white masks reminiscent of skulls that concealed their entire faces. Only one of them, a red-headed woman, didn't wear one, and from the way she stayed behind while the others approached Wercrata made her think that she was the leader of this lot.

"Hey, you there! Halt!" one of them called out. "What are you doing here? Explain yourself!"

"F-Forgive me, I-I only came to deliver the tributum," Wercrata stammered.

"Oh? A very likely story!" the soldier scoffed. "Only a fool would dare and come this late. A fool...or a Resistance spy."

"What!? No no, you've got it all wrong. I got ambushed by bandits on my way here, I swear!" Panic entered Wercrata's voice and he took a few steps forward, only to receive a punch to the jaw that knocked him to the ground.

"I said halt!" the Skull spat and walked over to pick up the small sack the other man had dropped as he fell. "This is supposed to be your tributum capitis? Do you seriously expect us to believe this is a fifth? Where's the rest?"

"T-T-T-That's all I have, I swear—" he was cut off by another of the Skulls kicking him.

"Spare us! You came late, you lied to us about the bandits and now you want to cheat the Emperor of his due." One by one, the soldiers surrounded the defenseless man and began to beat him.

Almost simultaneously, S'eni and Meffrid's hands took hold of Lyse's shoulders as she made to jump out of hiding.

"Don't!" Meffrid hissed. "If you help him now you'll condemn him and his family to hard labour if they don't outright execute them."

"But this isn't fair."

"I know," S'eni whispered. "But we've got to be smart about this."

Her friend growled, but relaxed. "Those cowards."

Relentlessly, the Skulls punched and kicked poor Wercrata, hurling any insult they could think of as they did so. It was when one of them started an angry rant, that the suspicions that she had ever since laying eyes on their leader, were confirmed.

The Skulls were Ala Mhigans.

"No matter how hard we work and toil our asses off, it's because of fools like you that we're still distrusted and have to patrol this godsforsaken wasteland. Stupid dogs that bite the hand that feeds them pining for the old days!"

"That's enough!" the woman finally spoke. "Lord Zenos is expecting our report!"

One of the Skulls gave Wercrata one last kick, before joining the other two and their leader, leaving him lying in the dust, beaten but thankfully alive.

Meffrid released a deep breath. "At least they haven't taken him. Come, let's head back."

The three of them slowly rose to their feet, turned around and, after one last lingering look from Lyse, left, careful not to make their presence known.

On the collapsed bridge, the red haired woman stopped in her tracks and glanced over her shoulder, scanning the area with keen eyes for a moment, before resuming her walk.

 

---

 

While the days in Gyr Abania tended to be very warm, the nights, as they had learned, could rival those of Thanalan. And though they had nothing on the cold nights she had spent in Coerthas, S'eni still found herself sitting close to the fire in front of the tent that the people of Rhalgr's Reach had so kindly offered the members of the Scions, saying that it was the least they could offer them for the help that they had provided.

Stretching herself and letting out a groan when she heard a satisfying little pop, she picked up some wood and threw it into the flames in front of her before she cast her gaze across the old temple complex.

Like her, everyone else had come together in front of their fires, to eat and rest from a hard day of work; a momentary respite, for tomorrow there would be more to do.

Unlike her, the others decided to mingle a little. Krile was sitting with the healers she had come to know during their stay here, while Alisaie had decided to converse with some of the warriors.

Alphinaud she found not far from her, sharing a conversation with some of the Scions he had managed to recruit for their campaign, chief among them Arenvald, a young man of Ala Mhigan and Garlean heritage who also possessed the Echo.

Her eyes then came to rest on Lyse, who was huddled together with M'naago. The cheer had returned to her face from earlier today, but it was obvious that it was still weighing on her friend.

What a day... S'eni thought, a sigh that turned into a small puffy cloud of warm mist passing her lips, and she closed her eyes to listen to the soft crackling of wood.

She remained like this, trance-like, until a presence sat down next to her. She opened her eyes once more to a steaming bowl of stew, wordlessly being held out to her.

Lips curling up into a smile, she took it. "Thanks."

"I could hardly keep you from the fruits of your labour," Y'shtola replied, making her chuckle.

"I just gathered some herbs, you know. Ahelissa was the one doing the cooking." S'eni grasped the spoon and stirred the stew a little, watching the steam rise into the air before dissipating. "At this point, I'm thinking it's just compulsive behaviour."

Now it was the other Miqo'te's turn to chuckle. "And one we are ever glad for."

With another sigh, she took a spoonful of stew and put it into her mouth. It was nothing special and still a little bland even with the herbs added to it, but it warmed her from the inside and made the hunger she only now realized she was feeling lessen.

"So how was your day?" she asked after a few more spoonfuls.

"Busy. The recent battle left quite a few wounded to take care of, though I suppose it could be far worse. The supplies you brought back with you have already seen good use."

"Raubahn hardly needed any convincing for that."

"Still, it was you who suggested it, I'm told," Y'shtola said. Her lips then quirked upward. "Which reminds me. I'm to tell you that, and I quote, 'it was an honor to give these Garlean bastards what they had coming' alongside you."

"It was all thanks to Pipin. He came up with the strategy," S'eni replied.

To raise morale, the Flame General's son had proposed a joint venture between the Alliance and Resistance, in this case to destroy a prototype Magitek Armor that had recently been delivered to the Castellum. The operation had been a rousing success and while it had not given them much of a tactical advantage, its symbolic value was immeasurable.

"Be that as it may, your presence undoubtedly was invaluable, my dear Warrior of Light."

"Well, I did defeat quite a few of them. And destroyed their prototype before it could blow up in our faces." Her brows furrowed. "...And apparently got someone with a grudge on me."

"What do you mean?" Y'shtola looked at her questioningly.

"Just ran into someone I know..."

She hadn't expected to run into a certain Roegadyn from Carteneau, much less that he would be the one leading the squad, and just like back then, his running capabilities were second to none.

"Hmm, that is quite the coincidence," the other Miqo'te said after S'eni had told her of her encounters with him. Dry amusement then entered her voice. "Keep that up and you will soon find yourself with a rival."

"Oh yeah, my nemesis has finally arrived, clad in green armor." They both laughed at that.

Resuming eating, S'eni's eyes landed on Lyse once more, who seemed to have cheered up a little, since whatever M'naago was saying was making her laugh.

"I heard about what happened," Y'shtola said after following her gaze.

"Word travels fast around here, huh?"

"It does. Especially if it involves the daughter of a well-known revolutionary having her first encounter with a band of Empire-sworn Ala Mhigans."

"I can't imagine how she must feel," S'eni said with a shake of her head.

"Lyse isn't naive, I'm sure she was expecting something like that," the other Miqo'te pointed out. "20 years is a long time. Long enough for a new generation of Ala Mhigans to be shaped into loyal servants of the Empire and Gaius van Baelsar knew that."

"Hm. He was a shrewd one, I'll give him that."

Despite everything that happened, it was hard not to respect the man, and he did help them put a stop to Nael van Darnus five years ago, selfish an act as it was.

Part of her wondered how this entire conflict would be looking if he was still the viceroy of Ala Mhigo, but she supposed that didn't matter anymore. He was dead, together with his ambitions.

S'eni was pulled out of her musings by Y'shtola's voice humming a melody, and she turned her head to see her lover's eyes looking up at the statue of Rhalgr, keeping watch over them all.

Her lips then parted and she began to sing a few words.

"Though storms of blood approach ye,

Hells open, Heavens weep,

No goodly soul need ever fear

The measure of His Reach."

After the last note, the other Miqo'te shifted her silvery-white eyes towards her.

"I didn't know you had such a lovely singing voice." S'eni grinned.

"How very charming," Y'shtola replied with a faint smirk dancing across her lips and an ever so slight narrowing of her eyes.

"The anthem of Ala Mhigo?"

"Very astute."

"Well, not just air inside here after all," she joked and gently rapped her knuckles against the side of her head, drawing out a small chuckle from Y'shtola. "Lyse told me of something similar that's inscribed in the stone at the foot of the statue."

"Yda taught it to me once." They both grew somber at the mention of Lyse's sister. S'eni never truly met her, but it was easy to tell that it was a loss that was only all too keenly felt by everyone.

"Were you two close friends?"

The other woman nodded. "Almost out of necessity since we were both the only women in the Circle of Knowing. Not that I had many female friends, or friends in general, before that. Being Master Matoya's student doesn't do one a lot of favors in social situations. It took me a while to get used to, but we became fast friends."

"I wish I could've met her."

"You two would have gotten along great." Y'shtola's smile returned.

S'eni mirrored her expression. "You think so?"

"Very much so."

A comfortable silence set over them and S'eni returned to eating, the stew almost having gone cold by now. After she was done, she placed the bowl on the ground and closed her eyes with a sigh, enjoying the feeling of being full while fighting off a yawn.

It took all of her willpower not to simply lean over and rest her head on Y'shtola's shoulder, so she did the next best thing and scooted closer, reaching a hand out and looping her pinkie and ring fingers around her lover's.

Warmth began to spread inside her chest as she felt Y'shtola do the same, hooking their fingers together in a tiny embrace.

"Tired?" Y'shtola asked when she stifled another yawn.

"Just a little," S'eni replied.

"Perhaps you should call it a night then."

She considered her words for a moment, then shook her head. A little reluctantly, she untangled their fingers again and rose to her feet.

"I think I'll take a little walk." S'eni looked at her and put a hand on her hip. "Care to join me?"

Her tail did a little swish to emphasize her question.

A white eyebrow quirked upward and she rubbed her chin, before nodding and standing up as well. "I'd like that," Y'shtola said, shifting her weight from one leg to the other and pushing out her hip a bit.

"Shall we then?"

Together, they walked away from their tent and down the Reach, passing by the other people that had gathered around the fires in search of a spot where they could share a moment of togetherness for themselves.

The two did not notice the pair of curious light blue eyes, watching them as they left, before shifting away from them once more.

 

Notes:

Jeez, lewd hand holding alert!

Anyway, I wish you all having an awesome weekend.

Chapter 45

The Scars we Bear

 

After initial hiccups, things had gone rather well. The effort of the Alliance and our faction had breathed new life into the Resistance and those that had been lost at Baelsar's Wall were slowly replaced by those that followed the call.

Eventually, we were ready to deal the Garleans another blow, one that we hoped would be the beginning of our march on Ala Mhigo.

But...things would turn out much differently...

 

---

 

It was a quiet night. Only the wind as it blew through the canyon could be heard as S'eni and the others knelt on the cliff overlooking Castellum Velodyna, their presence additionally concealed by a large rock.

Next to her, Alisaie and Alphinaud were looking expectantly at Pipin as he looked through the spyglass at the imperial bridge fortification.

The three of them had volunteered to take part in this reconnaissance mission, to assess the situation before their joint strike.

"Everything quiet?" S'eni asked in a low voice, receiving a hum of confirmation in return before being handed the spyglass. Looking through it, she spotted guards on each side of the bridge, soldiers patrolling the Castellum's compound, and a few Magitek weapons too. Add to that an unknown quantity of troops that would be inside the huge tower itself, but there couldn't be too many of them.

"The disposition of the Garlean forces are exactly as expected," the Lalafel said as S'eni handed the spyglass to Alphinaud.

"Then everything can proceed as planned."

Pipin nodded, his hand going towards his ear to press against his linkpearl. "I'll notify father and—"

The sound of an explosion in the distance cut him off.

"That sounded like cannon fire!"

"Over there!" Alisaie exclaimed and pointed in the direction of— "Oh gods, it's Rhalgr's Reach!"

Oh no... S'eni jumped to her feet as she saw thick plumes of smoke rising high into the air.

Upon hearing that, Alphinaud's hand went to his linkpearl, but pulled away from it almost immediately with a grimace on his face. "Someone's jamming our communications!"

She tried to do the same, but received only static in return.

"A coordinated attack?"

"Too early to draw conclusions. Let's return to the Reach!"

Not wasting any time, they ran back into the direction of Rhalgr's Reach, eschewing all caution they had shown on the way here. If this truly was an attack by the Garleans it didn't matter anyway.

S'eni forced herself to speed up at the thought of their friends, of Y'shtola, fighting down there alone.

Please be alright, Shtola!

They had just passed the river into the Striped Hills when she spotted a group of people heading their way from the direction of the Reach.

It was Krile and Arenvald, together with a group of injured Resistance members.

"Krile!" Alphinaud cried out.

"Alphinaud!" A look of relief formed on her face. "Thank the Twelve you're alright."

"We heard cannon fire and saw the smoke. What's going on?" he asked.

"The Garleans. They were all over us before we knew what was going on. It was pure chaos." Krile explained. "Lyse and Master Kemp rallied the guards and bought us enough time to get some of the injured to safety but..."

The smaller woman shook her head.

S'eni let her eyes wander over everyone gathered here, coming to rest on M'naago who was leaning on Arenvald's shoulder for support.

"Is that everyone?" she asked.

"Yes. The rest are still inside."

"Dammit! If we lose Rhalgr's Reach it'll all have been for nothing!" Pipin said.

Alphinaud looked towards Arenvald. "Can you guide these people to the Wall?"

"Yes, leave it to me," the young Ala Mhigan replied.

"Good." Alphinaud turned to face them. "Our friends are waiting for us. We might not be able to fight back the Garleans alone, but we will rescue as many people as possible."

"If we can hold long enough until Father arrives with reinforcements we might yet still turn the tide in our favor," the vice-marshal told them.

"Let me join you," Krile said. "I did what I could for these people and you'll undoubtedly be in need of a healer."

The young Elezen looked conflicted for a moment, before nodding. "I fear you're right. Come, there's no time to lose."

Looking out towards the smoke rising in the distance, S'eni narrowed her eyes and balled her hands into fists, before joining the others as they ran towards the battlefield.

What awaited them was a bloodbath. The bodies of the fallen and wounded were scattered about as the few that could still stand either fought or fled as fast as they could into their direction, and the scent of fire and blood hung in the air, mixing into a nauseating stench.

"Gods help us, they're killing everyone!" one of the stragglers called.

S'eni rushed towards the enemy, Pipin right at her side. Jumping into the air, she knocked her heel into the back of a legionary's neck just as he was about to bring down his sword on an unfortunate Resistance soldier, sending him sprawling to the ground.

"Are you alright?" she asked as she helped the soldier back to his feet.

"I..." He shook his head. "The imperials came from out of nowhere...started cutting people down left and right..."

"It's alright. Go, get to safety!" S'eni pushed him behind her as more Garlean legionaries came rushing towards them.

"Run!" Pipin shouted to the other stragglers after cutting down a legionary and moved to cover their escape together with S'eni.

Joined by their friends, they made short work of the Garleans, then moved deeper inside.

Almost flying down the huge set of stairs, S'eni landed on top of a Garlean soldier, knocking over two more in the process. He tried to swipe at her with his blade, but she brought her fist crashing down upon him and he grew slack.

"S'eni!" Alphinaud exclaimed as he sicced his Carbuncle towards a Garlean Signifer, causing the fireball he had aimed towards her to hit one of his comrades instead.

"Godsdammit!" Alisaie slashed her rapier across the chest of a legionary, then whirled around to shoot a blast of lightning towards an approaching Magitek Reaper, taking out its pilot and making it short circuit in a cloud of blue smoke.

After taking care of these troops as well and freeing the surviving prisoners, they rushed past the Starfall towards where they had been told Lyse and Conrad were last seen fighting. They had just made it to the tents when a howl went through the air, and from seemingly out of nowhere a group of wolf-like people appeared, dressed in Garlean, their predatory eyes gleaming a bright gold as the flames of the nearby fires illuminated them.

"What the—Beastmen!?" Alphinaud's eyes widened in surprise, jumping to the side as one of them thrust their polearm towards him. "What are these doing here?"

"Obviously—" Alisaie said as she parried a swipe. "Fighting for the empire!"

"And quite fierce at that!" Pipin added, using the back of his sword to pull the legs out from underneath one of the wolfmen before bringing the blade down upon him.

S'eni had just felled one of their archers, when an especially large one advanced upon her, brandishing a sword not unlike the one Gosetsu had carried. Its blade was smooth and curved, the reflection of the fire on it making it look like it was ablaze.

She dodged backwards, feeling the wind of the strike against her cheek amidst the heat of the fire, then ducked underneath the next, her fist shooting out to punch him in the gut, but all she received was a loud growl in return. His knee shot forward, pushing her into one of the broken pillars behind her.

Her hands shot up, barely managing to catch the sword between the palm of her hands, the edge of its blade dangerously close to her forehead, and she knew it was only thanks to her gloves that she wasn't missing part of her skin right now. The two of them struggled for a few seconds, but in the end S'eni managed to push him to the side.

It was then that she spotted a familiar shape dressed in white in the distance, lying on the ground completely motionless. Time slowed to a crawl and her heartbeat up to her neck as from one moment to the next the heat of the fire vanished, replaced by a freezing cold that made her body grow numb.

"Shtola..." she breathed out.

In an instant, the numbness was replaced by burning white fury, and every thought inside her mind was replaced by one single question: Who did this!?

Barely paying any mind to the recovering beastman, she slammed her palm into his chest, sending him flying into a burning tent before breaking into a sprint.

"S'eni!" one of her friends shouted, but it was drowned out by the sounds of battle and her own rage. She didn't slow down even as a group of Skulls came running towards her.

Was it you!? S'eni demanded when the first of them came at her, arm raised to strike her with his blade but she caught it like it was nothing.

A scream pierced the air as his arm snapped underneath the force of her punch, but was silenced almost instantly when her fist slammed into his face, leaving a huge crack on his skull-shaped mask as he spiralled down to the ground.

Or was it you!? In the blink of an eye, she was on the next, delivering a series of strikes that knocked the wind out of him. Her ears perked at the tell-tale sound of a spell flying through the air and she grabbed the Skull's shoulder to whirl him around to take the brunt of the fire spell.

As he began to burn, S'eni kicked him away from her and into his compatriot, making them both tumble to the ground and giving her enough time to bridge the gap. The mage had just managed to get his burning friend off him, when she took hold of his head and started to slam the back of it against the hard stone underneath them, only letting go again when he stopped struggling.

She rose back to her feet and looked around for more of them until her eyes landed on a familiar shock of red hair.

"You..." S'eni said and stalked towards her.

She barely took notice of the Skull that was running towards her from the side and her fist shot out towards him, smashing into his throat. He stopped in his tracks, hand going up to his throat as he croaked and she wrestled the blade out of his hand to toss it into the chest of the next Skull that came running, never once letting her prey out of her sight.

"You damned savage!" the other woman shouted, running towards S'eni to meet her halfway.

She dodged the first few swipes of the Skulls' blade, then smacked the blade aside to punch her in the face. The redhead stumbled back for a second, gritting her teeth, then resumed her attack with even more ferocity.

The other woman raised her blade for another strike, but slammed her shield into S'eni's face instead. World spinning for just a moment, a sharp pain flashed across her cheek, soon followed by the warm sting of blood.

With a growl from deep within her throat, S'eni shot forward and swung her fist up towards the redhead, sending her flying in a huge explosion of chakra.

A gasp escaped the Skulls' leader as she landed harshly on the ground.

Wiping some of the blood off her cheek, S'eni walked over to the woman, who was scrambling back to her feet, glancing towards Alphinaud and Krile as they came running towards Y'shtola for a moment before coming to rest upon her opponent once more.

No, you're not the one either.

"Who in the seven hells are you!?"

Even if she wanted to answer her, another presence soon joined them, and she turned around to see a figure dressed from head to toe in heavy armor striding towards, the horned helmet almost looking like a scowling skull. On his hip rested a strange, almost barrel-like scabbard with two swords in it, while the third, covered in blood, was in his hand.

And she knew that he was the one.

"Lord Zenos!" the redhead exclaimed.

"See to your men, Pilus," was all the man, Zenos, said.

"I—" she hesitated for just a moment. "As you command, my lord!"

As the woman rushed off, S'eni turned fully around to face him, eyes narrowed into a glare, and she could have sworn she just heard him chuckle.

"Your friends were disappointing," he said, raising his blade towards her. "But you...you will entertain me, won't you?"

They stared at one another, neither moving nor saying a word, only the sounds of the battle in the distance and her friends' frantic words breaking the silence between them.

A drop of blood dripped down to the ground—

They exploded towards one another.

—and the battle began.

 

---

 

S'eni's eyes shot open and she released a sharp breath. Almost instantly, her face twisted into a grimace at the soreness on her cheek and for a few seconds, her fatigued mind did not fully register why that was until she was awake enough to realize that her face was resting on soft linen sheets on an otherwise not very comfortable bed. She raised herself off the bed enough to turn her head around then let herself plop back down with a small sigh.

As she tried to move her hand to touch her cheek, she found that it was holding onto another hand, fingers firmly intertwined, and her eyes slowly travelled up the owner's arm towards her beautiful face.

Shtola... S'eni sighed again and forced herself to sit up, releasing a groan as her whole body ached. But that was nothing compared to the beating that her pride had taken.

Zenos had absolutely beaten her. Even though she apparently lasted longer than the others by his own admission, she was still left lying in the dirt by the end of it and could only watch as he walked away in disappointment.

The only solace she took from it was that the bastard broke his sword taking her down.

Two more times and he's all out of swords. Maybe I can beat him then, she thought sardonically, then shook her head. No use feeling sorry for myself, I just have to get stronger I suppose, but still...

"...what a monster," she said out loud.

It was little wonder that a mage of Y'shtola's capabilities stood no chance to him.

After an Alliance conjurer had healed her enough so that she could stand again, she had all but stumbled towards her lover's fallen body before sinking to the ground next to Krile and Lyse.

Much to her shame, S'eni hadn't even taken notice of her other friend until she had told them that Y'shtola had defended her from Zenos. But even then she didn't find the strength to respond, instead focusing every ounce of it to hold Y'shtola still enough so that Krile could stop the bleeding and, after that, carry her into what was left of Rhalgr's Reach's infirmary.

She supposed she needed to talk with Lyse later, assure her that it wasn't her fault, but for now...

With another sigh passing her lips, she looked around the steely walls of the room that had been prepared for Y'shtola here in Castrum Oriens.

While the Reach wasn't outright destroyed, it was effectively lost to them with its secret exposed, so the Alliance and what was left of Conrad's faction had retreated here to lick their wounds.

If nothing else, this place had more than enough space for the wounded...and the fallen.

Her eyes landed on Y'shtola's form once more, chest rising and falling underneath the white sheets. Ignoring the sudden pain shooting up her side, S'eni rose to her feet and untangled their hands to reach out and brush a few strands of white hair out of the other's face.

With the blood that had covered her lips washed off, it almost looked like she was asleep, but the paleness of her complexion served as a stark reminder of the wound she had received.

But she was alive...Thank the Twelve, she was alive.

S'eni moved her hand to cup Y'shtola's cheek, running her thumb across the markings on it, before leaning down to press a kiss on her lips. She let them linger there for a moment, as if hoping that it would wake her up, but the sound of someone clearing their throat made her pull back and whirl around.

Krile was standing in the doorway, looking at her with her light blue eyes.

"Krile!" she exclaimed. "T-this isn't—"

"—what it looks like?" the Lalafel finished, eyebrows rising, and closed the door behind herself.

Realizing that further denial would just dig herself deeper, S'eni shook her head and flopped back down onto the chair. "No, it's exactly what it looks like."

"I figured as much," Krile said while walking towards them. "I saw the two of you leave the other night, but didn't think too much of it, but when you decided to carry her all by yourself, the pieces started to come together—may I?"

S'eni scooted the chair away to give Krile enough space so that she could take a look at Y'shtola. She watched her pull the covers away, revealing the bandaged torso of her lover to her, before starting to examine her.

"Hmm, good..." the Lalafel murmured after a few moments, then proceeded to cover her up once more.

"How long do you think she'll be unconscious?" she asked.

"I honestly can't say. She lost a lot of blood and her body needs to heal. We've done what we could with magic and potions. All we can do now is let her rest," Krile explained and turned around. Her eyes widened. "S'eni, you're bleeding!"

"Hm?" Following the other woman's eyes, she spotted a bloody stain growing on the side of the shirt she had been given, making it cling to her side. So that's what the pain had been. She shook her head dismissively. "It's nothing."

"It's not nothing," the other woman said and took a step forward. "Let me look at it!"

Having painstakingly learned in the past that resistance was futile when a healer made demands, S'eni started to unbutton the shirt and let it slide down her arms, revealing her bare chest and the cut just underneath her left rib cage.

Krile didn't even so much as blink at her state of undress and raised her already glowing hand towards her wound.

"You know, the last person to see me like this was Shtola," she commented as the healing spell slowly did its work.

"It's an honor," Krile replied dryly.

"So was I that obvious?"

"If you're asking if the others have figured it out as well, then most likely not. I just happen to pick up on things. And don't worry, your secret's safe with me."

S'eni's lips curled into a small smile. "Thanks, Krile."

The Lalafel simply mirrored her expression then focused all of her attention on the task at hand. After a few more minutes, she was done. "There, that should do it. Try to take it easy for a bit, though. Can't have you overstrain yourself."

"I'll promise that I'll try," she said and began buttoning up her shirt.

"Good." Krile looked over to Y'shtola again. "I can tell you want to stay at her side, but just sitting here won't do you any good. How about I'll watch her for a bit in your stead while you get some fresh air."

She wanted to protest but knew that what the other woman said was right, so she nodded and slowly rose to her feet. "Yeah, I think I'll do that," she said and began walking towards the door, stopping for a few seconds to look back towards Y'shtola, before leaving.

After she stepped outside of the building, S'eni let her eyes wander a bit, taking in all the soldiers going about their business even after the defeat their endeavour had suffered. She walked a few steps until she was out of the building's shade and closed her eyes to soak up the sun, letting its rays warm her body.

She felt better almost instantly.

Remaining like this for a few more moments, she began to walk around aimlessly, not knowing what to do. That was until a soldier from the Immortal Flames approached her with hastened steps, his right fist coming to rest against his left shoulder in the Grand Company's salute.

"Lieutenant Gata!" he greeted her.

"What is it?" she asked, not really in the salute back.

"General Raubahn is asking for you to join him in his council."

She supposed it was time to actually talk about the beating they received, wasn't it?

"Tell him I'll be there as soon as possible."

The soldier did another, this time properly executed, salute and turned on his heel to leave, but stopped himself. "Pardon me, but would you possibly know where I can find Mistress Hext? I've been tasked to inform her as well."

"Lyse? No, I haven't seen her..." S'eni frowned. "But I might have an idea. Tell the General that we both will be joining him shortly."

"Right away, Lieutenant!" and with that, he hurried away. She watched him for a few seconds before turning around to head to the only place she could think of where Lyse might be hiding out if she hadn't left the Castrum; the hall where they had placed the fallen.

The first thing she noticed as entered were the bodies, each placed on the ground as respectfully as possible and covered in blankets that stood out in the almost morbidly dim lighting. And standing amidst this field of blankets was Lyse, her back turned towards S'eni.

Lowering her head, she uttered a silent prayer for the departed, before walking towards Lyse, whose gaze was lowered to the body lying in front of her.

"I saw it happen. When that woman cut down Meffrid," her friend said. "A single strike and that was it. Everything he fought for. All his hopes and dreams for the future, gone in an instant."

S'eni didn't respond. Meffrid had been a good man, who had fought tooth and nail to help his people even when Gridania had turned their back on them.

"He had family, you know?" Lyse then asked. "A wife and a child who will never see him again. And the worst part? It wasn't a Garlean who did it, it was an Ala Mhigan."

Tearing her eyes away from Meffrid's body, Lyse now turned to look at her, blue eyes filled with both rage and sadness alike. "Gods help me if I ever—" but she cut herself off, biting her lip and shaking her head.

Reaching a hand out, S'eni placed it on top of the other woman's shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. "It wasn't your fault."

"Yeah...I know..." Lyse released a sigh. "But you didn't just come here to see me mope around. Did something happen?"

"Raubahn wants to speak with us," she replied.

Her friend looked around the room one final time, then nodded. "We shouldn't keep him waiting then."

Without another word passing between them, the two left the building, leaving those that had fallen to be prepared for their final rest.

 

Notes:

Man, that fight against Zenos was some next level bullshit, wasn't it?

Chapter 46

City of Golden Fortunes

 

After an arduous journey, we had made it to Kugane, the only port in all of Hingashi open to outsiders. From there we hoped to secure us a passage to Doma; to assist our friends in liberating their home and hopefully spread Zenos' XIIth Legion thin enough so that the Resistance could rebuild in the meantime.

But as always, things were never that easy, and we found ourselves in a foreign country with limited resources.

It was then that we were offered assistance from a rather unlikely source...

 

---

 

A pair of cherry-pink eyes stared back at S'eni, partly covered by damp hair, as she looked into her reflection in the water. She released a breath, making the image ripple, then distort entirely as she raised a hand to splash her face, letting it rest there for a moment before leaning back against the edge of the, what was it called, furo?

Either way, it was doing wonders for her after their journey to Kugane and she couldn't help the appreciative sigh escaping her as the hot water relaxed her muscles.

She let her eyes roam across the bathroom, completely made up of expertly crafted wood that would make even Gridania's carpenter guild raise their eyebrows in amazement. The traditional form of Hingashian bath, she had been told.

It was definitely something S'eni could get used to, even if the whole washing herself before getting into the water was still a bit weird.

A little slice of the Seven Heavens in a distant land.

The only problem, though, was the owner.

Almost as soon as they had set foot into Kugane, they had been approached by a fellow named Hancock, who had told them that he belonged to the East Aldenard Trading Company and was there to bid them welcome. That in and of itself was already strange, given the secrecy of their journey, but on top of that, the company belonged to someone that the Scions, and herself in particular, had a rather difficult relationship with.

Lolorito Nanarito.

Obviously, that didn't exactly make any of them warm up to him and neither were they inclined to accept his invitation. But the lack of knowledge about the area, as well as the fact that the Garlean Empire had an embassy in town, made them accept in the end.

Being a de facto embassy in its own right, the East Aldenard Trading Company building, or the Ruby Bazaar as it was called, offered more than just offices to work in, but also room and board for any guest and potential customer that visited these mercantile halls.

And here they were now, partaking in the hospitality and support offered by a man that had once used them as scapegoats for his schemes. That aiding the Doman Liberation Front also filled his pockets was undoubtedly sheer coincidence!

Adversity really made for strange bedfellows, she supposed.

Dispelling these thoughts, S'eni closed her eyes and let herself enjoy the relaxing hot water for a little while longer, before ultimately getting out and grabbing a nearby towel to dry herself, giving special attention to her tail. After she was sufficiently dry she put on a thin-looking robe and left the bath.

Unlike the bath, the rest of the building was more of a traditional Eorzean design with a few Hingashian touches here and there, creating a mixture that was familiar yet exotic.

Her room in turn was also arranged in such a fashion that much more closer home but richly decorated with all sorts of furniture you would only be able to find in Kugane. Walking over to the bed, she lied down on it and stared up at the ceiling.

After arriving and discussing their plans, they had decided to rest for the day before going out to search for information regarding Yugiri and Gosetsu in the morning, leaving her with a considerable amount of free time now.

Might as well make use of it, she thought to herself and sat up. Her eyes landed on the box resting on the table nearby and she rose back to her feet to take the lid off.

Inside she found folded robes, like Hancock and many of the Hingashians they had encountered wore, colored deep red and black; a kimono if she recalled right.

As she placed the lid on the table, S'eni noticed the letter lying next to the box, written in rather large handwriting. Picking it up, she began to read.

I'm ever so sorry, but your clothes were in such a bad condition that it would be almost impossible to restore. Please use this in the meantime while we make arrangements for an outfit more fitting of your rather active lifestyle.

- Hancock

It honestly didn't come as a surprise. After her encounter with Zenos already having done a number on them, and having had no time to find a suitable replacement nor materials for Tataru to repair them, they had been dealt their figurative deathblow during their little encounter on their journey across the sea.

And with the way the locals had stared at her, it was most likely for the better to just toss them.

She was just about to put the letter away when she noticed more words written on the back.

"You may put it on like this," she read aloud, then looked at the rather detailed instructions. "Huh..."

Well, here goes nothing I guess... Following the instructions, S'eni began with the short-sleeved underrobe, then proceeded to put on the kimono itself, which was already way more complex than she expected, before finishing off with the sash which she bound around her waist and tied into a bow.

Once she was done, she turned towards the mirror by the wall and looked at herself. It wasn't exactly the loosest fit and she doubted if she got into a serious fight that the entire thing wouldn't come apart.

That the entire outfit also seemed to be a perfect fit, right down to the hole for her tail, was slightly concerning, but all in all, she had to admit that she liked it.

She looked...nice.

After giving herself a final once over, she grabbed the sandals that came with the kimono and put them on, wiggling her toes a little to get a proper feel for them, then left the room.

S'eni headed downstairs and into the direction of where she knew Hancock's office lied.

Coming to a stop in front of the richly decorated door, she gave it a knock and waited for a short moment until she was asked inside.

"Ah, S'eni I see you have found our small present. Apologies once again for the inconvenience, but I assure you I've already contacted our finest seamstresses," he said upon seeing who was walking in, a grin so wide splitting his face that the red shades he wore were riding up a little. It was just the right amount of friendliness and shiftiness that one would expect of a crafty merchant. The only thing that was missing was him rubbing his hands together. "But if I may say so, you look absolutely stunning. I wouldn't be surprised if a local lord realized his deeply hidden passion for Ijin just by looking at you."

Well aren't you a charmer, S'eni thought to herself and managed not to roll her eyes. For all his mannerism though, he seemed to be earnest in his cooperation with them, offering them considerable information on the political situation of the area.

Besides, Tataru seemed to have taken a liking to him.

His grin turned into a much more subdued smile. "So what brings you here? Anything I can be of assistance with?"

"I wanted to take a walk around town. Would you be so kind as to tell the others should they ask?"

"Of course," Hancock replied. " Kugane has many sights to offer, some you've already seen on our way here. I'm sure you'll enjoy yourself. But—"

"No fighting in Kugane. Don't worry, I know how to behave," she assured him.

"And I never doubted that." His grin returned in full force. "Should you wish to acquire something, you can exchange your Gil into Koban at the entrance."

"You know, I think I might do that." If she was already having a look around, she might as well treat herself to something.

"Excellent. Ah, and before you go, we've placed your Chocobo in our stable as you wished," he told her. "He's a lively one for sure and he's getting along swimmingly with our small flock."

That was honestly a relief to hear. She had felt quite bad about him being confined on the ship with only a little bit of flying around on their journey here. Perhaps she should take him along? He might appreciate a walk around town as well.

After saying goodbye to Hancock, she did as he had suggested and exchanged some of her money into the local currency, then left for their stables.

Given the size of the Ijin District, it wasn't exactly the most spacious, but it was enough to serve as a home for a couple of the fluffy feathered birds. Spotting Zack was easy enough, his dark feathers standing out amongst the rest.

Her eyebrows rose in amusement when she stepped up to his box and found him engaged in what looked like a conversation with his neighbour, exchanging excited "Warks!" with the only other Chocobo that stood out amongst their fellows. Pink-colored feathers gave it a rather exotic look, and S'eni found herself wondering what caused it to develop such plumage.

But questions like that could wait, she was here for Zack after all. Rapping her knuckles against the wood to get his attention, she found herself squarely ignored. Only after repeating the motion and loudly clearing her throat did her faithful Chocobo take notice of her and walk over, letting out a cheerful "Wark" while lowering his head to nuzzle against her.

"Nice to see you too," she said with a little dry tone in her voice and reached out to pat him. "Come on, let's take you for a walk."

At the sound of those words, Zack straightened up almost immediately, giving her the much-needed space to open his box. She released a chuckle when she saw Zack turn towards his new friend and flap his wings one last time, before joining her.

"Kweh," the pink one chirped and did a little flourish in return.

She gave the Chocobo a little wave, then took hold of Zack's reins and guided him out of the stable. Once outside, they left the Ijin District.

The broad street that led into Kogane Dori was bustling with people. Merchants hawked their wares to curious customers, both local and foreign alike. S'eni looked up to see a paper lantern above the entrance of a shop, painted with symbols she didn't understand. Despite this, despite the new scents and language, there was something familiar in this merchant's quarter, complimenting the innate exotic atmosphere.

Aside from a few curious glances, they were both largely ignored by the people gathered here. Only two individuals, dressed in red and white, looked warily at her as they passed by, each lazily resting a hand on the grip of the sword at their sides.

Walking over to one of the stores, S'eni took a look at the assortment of jewellery on sale but found that everything was costing way more than she was currently carrying on her person, and while she was very much tempted to do so, she didn't want to go back to exchange more money just for this absolutely lovely pair of earrings that she was looking at right now.

Oh well, I suppose it's not meant to be yet, she thought to herself with a small inward sigh. She gave them one last glance before continuing on her way. Perhaps when their business in Othard was concluded.

Passing by what Hancock had told them was a renowned theatre, S'eni turned right and towards the bridge leading to the city's Aetheryte, or Tenkonto as they called it.

While not as bustling as Kogane Dori, the plaza too was filled with people, some just passing through on their way to one of the other districts, others sitting down to enjoy the scenery with a cup of tea. Here too men and women dressed in that red and white assemble patrolled around, keeping an eye out on the Aetheryte as well as unruly patrons that had a little too much to drink at the nearby Shiokaze Hostel.

Feeling a little bit thirsty herself, S'eni wondered if she should pay it a visit as well, but decided against it since Zack would most likely have to wait outside. So instead she walked over to the roofed stand from where the people were getting their tea from.

"Irasshaimasen!" the young lady standing behind the counter greeted her. "What can I get you? Though I'm afraid I can't offer anything for your feathery companion here."

"Don't worry, he'll have his fill later." S'eni chuckled and gave her Chocobo a pat while he looked around curiously. "Hmm...Something you can recommend?"

"If this is your first time drinking Hingashian tea then I recommend the Tencha, one of our green teas. It has a very mellow flavour that goes great with our dango."

"What's that?"

"A local sweet. Very delicious."

"Alright, then I'll have some of that," S'eni said.

"You can take a seat over there," the other woman said after she had paid, pointing in the direction of one of the red benches nearby. "I'll be along shortly."

As she sat down, her hand came to rest on Zack's wing when he squatted down onto the ground next to her. Idly stroking his feathers, she cast her gaze across the area, taking in all the sights and people nearby.

Had her father sat here all those years ago too?

S'eni still remembered the stories he had told her and her siblings, of this place that was so vastly different from anything he had seen in his time on the sea. She had to admit her youthful mind had painted a much more fantastical image, but the reality was no less beautiful.

That her father hadn't run afoul of the local authorities was also a small miracle.

Soon enough, the young hostess came over to her, holding a tray with a cup of still steaming tea and a plate with three skewers with what looked like glazed dumplings.

"Thank you," S'eni said and raised the cup to her lips, blowing on the tea to cool it down a little before taking her first sip. A little hum escaped her at the grassy taste. She liked it.

A familiar clicking of a beak made her glance to the side and her hand shot forward to swipe at Zack's head just as he was about to steal one of the skewers.

"No!" she pointed her finger at him as he drew back and looked at her with his big round eyes. "Let me first see if they're any good."

Taking one of the skewers, S'eni bit off a dango. The taste was a pleasant mix of rice and sweetness and it was nicely chewy with a spring in each bite. After swallowing, her eyes returned to the Chocobo, looking at her expectantly.

"Fine," S'eni said with a little sigh, and pulled one of the dumplings off the skewer and tossed it into the air, where it was caught by his beak. "You know, Shtola would say I'm spoiling you. And she'd be right."

Her face darkened at the mention of her lover's name and her mind flashed back to Y'shtola's unconscious form as it was lying on that bed inside Castrum Oriens.

Gods, she wished she could be with her right now. But S'eni knew that being here was the only way they even had a sliver of a chance of winning. Still...not even knowing how Y'shtola was doing right now, if she had regained consciousness or not, was downright killing her.

A soft bump against her head pulled her out of her thoughts and she turned her head to look into Zack's large eyes. The corners of her lips curled into a small smile.

"Yeah, I know. Moping around won't make her get better nor is it going to help me right now. I just miss her, you know?" S'eni received another head bump, making her laugh. "Alright, alright. I get it!"

Pulling the last dumpling off the skewer, she held it up towards him. "I won't tell if you won't."

"Kweh!"

"Good." S'eni tossed it into the air and watched as he plucked it out mid-flight, before grabbing her cup once more and taking a long sip. Maybe I should buy some for Y'shtola back home.

After enjoying the rest of her tea and dango, S'eni and Zack continued on their walk, taking in some more sights before returning to the Ruby Bazaar. She had just returned him to the stable and was stepping out when a voice called out to her.

As she turned towards it, she saw Lyse waving her hand and heading her way.

"There you are, Hancock told me you were going for a—whoa!" her friend skidded to a stop and took in her appearance. "...Well that's different."

"That bad?" S'eni looked at herself.

"N-no, quite the opposite, actually..."

"Alright. I'll take your word for it." She chuckled. "So Hancock...?

"Hm? Oh! Yeah, Hancock told me you were going for a walk. Figured I might take one too, or else I'd go mad from staying indoors," Lyse explained. "I heard there's a garden in the area, just past the..."

The other woman became silent again and S'eni followed her gaze until her eyes landed on the Garlean consulate.

Releasing a sigh, Lyse dropped her hand. "Anyway, want to come along?"

She looked at her friend for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah, I'd like that."

Together, they made their way towards the gardens, doing their best not to pay attention to the guards in front of the consulate even as they were watched in return.

Once past, they stepped into a compact, yet very beautiful landscape, as if someone had taken a piece of nature and had planted it right here in the middle of town. Trees with almost deliberately shaped branches holding leaves like living jade surrounded a small pond over which a vermilion-colored bridge arced, giving everything an idyllic air in which one could simply let themselves relax for hours on end, she was sure.

The two walked onto the bridge and stopped at the highest point of the arc. As they stood there, neither of them saying a word, S'eni noticed Lyse's eyes glancing over to where the Garlean consulate was and she frowned. Her gaze shifted towards her friend's hands resting on the bridge's railing, gripping it tightly.

It was frustrating, having their enemies so close by but not being able to do anything about it. But for Lyse, it must be downright unbearable, especially after what had happened at Rhalgr's Reach.

"It's hard to keep yourself in check, isn't it?" she asked.

"I just can't stop thinking about what happened," Lyse admitted and lowered her head. "And how weak I was..."

S'eni sighed through her nose and rested her arms on the railing, looking up into the sky.

"Do you want to be stronger?"

"...yeah."

She closed her eyes for a moment, wondering what Widargelt would say to what she was about to propose. But given D'zentsa and O'tchakha, she supposed she already knew.

It had been nagging at her for a long time now. At first, she had thought it was the fancy techniques she had acquired in Sharlayan, but the more and more she had advanced on the path of the Fist, the more she had come to recognize them; the fundamentals of the Fist of Rhalgr.

How Lyse had learned them, she could only speculate, but that didn't matter right now. What mattered was her friend, and how she could help her.

"Then I'll teach you what I know."

The other woman's head snapped towards her, eyes widening in surprise. "A-are you serious? Me?"

"Yes. I can't teach you everything but what I can, I will."

Lyse bit her lip, shifting from one leg to the other, then back again, before slowly nodding. "Alright. When do we start?"

"Right now," S'eni replied, turning around to walk over to the trees.

"Really? But won't we get into trouble if people see us fight?" Lyse asked as she followed.

The corner of her lips rising into a smirk, she glanced over her shoulder at the other woman and motioned for her to sit down. "Then it's a good thing you're learning how to meditate then."

Lyse blinked once. "Oh."

"And one more thing," she said as her friend sat down into a cross-legged position.

"Yeah?"

"It's Master while we're training."

"Yes, Master." Lyse grinned.

"Good." She gave her a firm nod. "Now close your eyes and follow my instructions..."

 

Notes:

Chocobos are love, Chocobos are life.

Taking some small creative liberties here since I always found it strange that Lyse was using Monk techniques despite never really being one. And since our dear WoL is one in this fic, I figured it was fitting enough to explain that little detail.

Anyways, I hope you're all going to have a great weekend. See ya.

Chapter 47

For who shall Mourn

 

After reuniting with Gosetsu, we made for the Ruby Sea with the help of a Kojin named Soroban.

The open sea, a city underwater, and even a primal were the things we encountered there. It was also there, that we had our first encounter with the appointed viceroy of the Empire. A woman whose eyes held only hatred and whose actions were fuelled by cruelty as she ruled over a broken people.

Only when we set foot into Yanxia itself, did we come to understand just how broken...

 

---

 

Steps echoed through the air as S'eni walked through the set of caves that served as the hideout of the Doman Liberation Front. The House of the Fierce as Gosetsu had called it. To say that it was in a sorry state was an understatement to say the least.

The Front as it were, were perhaps a handful of brave souls whose spirits still longed to free their homeland, not even remotely enough to take back a country so fiercely under control as Doma.

And with the greeting they had received in Namai earlier, S'eni wasn't so sure if there would be any more than that.

"Never again, do you understand!?" the words of that young man from earlier echoed in the back of her mind. "We've had enough of you and your kind! Whatever it is you're plotting, leave us out of it!"

She could tell that he was scared and couldn't even blame him after seeing the viceroy in charge of Doma in the flesh only a couple of hours ago.

Yotsuyu... The woman was as cruel as she was beautiful, and by the gods she was painfully beautiful. Her eyes held a coldness that could rival that of Coerthas itself, only lighting up when she could make the people under her rule suffer.

S'eni was sure that there was a story to it all. There seldom wasn't. But there were more important things to worry about right now.

Namely how they would proceed now.

As she walked into the main hall, her eyes fell onto the large Aetheryte at the center of it, its glow missing and bits and pieces broken off it. In front of it stood Alisaie, arms crossed and tapping her foot.

"How's it looking?" S'eni asked.

"As you can see, they went to great lengths to disable it. Apparently, in the last days of the rebellion, they feared Zenos might send unattuned conscripts this way," Alisaie explained. "It's hardly irreversible, though. They have the materials here but lack the proper knowledge. Now if my brother were here..."

Alphinaud for his part had stayed behind in Kugane to see if he could coordinate some help from the Alliance.

"Alright." S'eni nodded. "So that's some good news then."

The young Elezen responded with a rather humourless chuckle before walking away, muttering something under her breath.

She watched her for a moment, then shrugged and did the same, heading over to where Lyse was currently sitting with a member of the Liberation Front.

"S'eni," her friend greeted her. "You should hear this. He was just telling me about Zenos."

Eyebrows rising in interest, S'eni sat down next to her friend. The man sitting in front of her looked between the two of them.

"First you should understand that it wasn't a matter of numbers. The bulk of the XIIth legion didn't take to the field. It was all Zenos' stratagem that won the war," he told them, then proceeded to go into detail how it had first looked like they had him cornered and were about to send him back to Garlemald, when all of a sudden the roles were reversed and they became the ones being cornered. "He then stood before us, alone and unarmed. He beckoned us to come and fight for our lives. One by one my comrades charged...and one after another...He made us watch, do you understand?"

"Gods..." S'eni breathed out. She was beginning to understand just who it was with whom they were dealing with.

"What kind of monster enjoys killing people?" Lyse's eyes were widened in horror.

"I don't think there was any joy in it. A challenge had been issued and he accepted. And when he found us no challenge at all, he left. To find a new battle. A new challenge. The hunt as he calls it. A hunt without end."

Her face darkened and she found herself thinking back to when he had left her lying in the dirt, carelessly dropping his broken blade to the ground as he walked away.

Bored.

But as much as her pride had been bruised by it, it was nothing compared to what he had done to Y'shtola. And for that, he would pay.

Looking at the man in front of her, his eyes far away as they relived the horror of those days, she gave him a nod. "Thank you for telling us. That couldn't have been easy."

"It wasn't," he admitted. "And I doubt it will ever be."

Taking her leave again, S'eni then made her way to the part of the House of the Fierce where she knew Yugiri would be. She found the Shinobi standing in front of a big table, bowing over a map of Yanxia.

"Yugiri," she said in greeting, making the Au Ra look at her. The corner of her lips twitched and she had to force herself not to smile when she saw just how much she looked like that older woman from Sui no Sato that had asked if she knew her daughter. Perhaps, when things were quieter, she should tell Yugiri that her parents missed her.

"S'eni. I hope you managed to get some rest."

"More or less." She shrugged. "Just heard a little story about Zenos. And here I thought the Resistance got hit hard."

"We lost a lot of good and brave people back then. Nevertheless, it's good that you have spoken with someone that was there. One must first know their enemy to defeat him," Yugiri said and turned back towards the map. She tapped a finger on where the House of the Fierce was located. "Just like the Resistance, we are struggling. We are outnumbered and weakened, yet with your help I believe there's nothing we can't achieve...I only hope our predicament hasn't shaken your commitment."

S'eni walked over to the Au Ra and placed a hand on her shoulder. A smile formed on her lips when Yugiri looked at her. "I've been in worse situations. What are a few bad odds?"

The other woman mirrored her expression. "Well spoken."

"So, what's on the agenda?" she asked.

"I have been away from Doma for some time now and the search for Lord Hien commanded my full attention since I returned," Yugiri said. "Perhaps it would be a good idea to see the reality of Doma with my own eyes. After all, didn't my lord command me to?"

After they had arrived, Yugiri had been quick to inform Gosetsu that Lord Hien was alive and well, but refused to return unless the people of Doma were willing to fight. If they hadn't, then he would offer them his head instead.

"Then let's do that," S'eni said, punching her palm.

A knock against the doorframe made them turn around to see Lyse standing there. "I'd like to come too if that's alright."

"Of course," the Au Ra replied. "I would be glad to have your company, and your perspective."

Together, the three of them left the House of the Fierce the same way they had arrived, through the hidden underwater tunnel. Though with the blessing they had received in Tamamizu that was hardly any issue at all. Being able to breathe underwater sure had its perks.

"You know," Lyse said as they emerged from the spring on the other end of the tunnel, grabbing her ponytail and wringing it out as soon as they stepped onto land. "I get the feeling this isn't the most practical of entrances."

S'eni hummed in agreement, shaking the water out of her tail.

Meanwhile, Yugiri strode over to a set of shrubs and reached inside, digging around for a moment before pulling out a large sack. "Don't worry. We will use these," she told them as she walked over to them, opening the sack to reveal to them sets of plain clothing that each of them could wear.

"Ah, good thinking. As expected from a Shinobi," S'eni commented, then pointed at the clothes currently clinging to her body. "But where are we going to put these?"

The Au Ra nodded towards a set of rocks. "We can change over there. By the time we return they should be dry again."

As soon as they stepped behind the rocks, S'eni and Yugiri began to undress. Only Lyse hesitated.

"Uh, is this really alright?" she asked as S'eni dropped her black scarf and red haori into the grass.

"Hm?" S'eni glanced over her shoulder, hands already undoing the waistband of her pants. "Oh, don't worry. We're all girls here, you don't have anything I haven't seen before, right Yugiri?"

"Very much so," the Shinobi replied, not the least bit concerned about her own advancing state of undress.

"See?" Dropping her pants, she bent over to step out of them, entirely unaware of the pair of blue eyes moving down her form, before snapping back up.

"Yeah, uh, right!" Shifting from one leg to the other, Lyse began to undress as well.

After putting on their new clothes, they came out of hiding and began making their way up the path leading away from the spring.

"This should help us to not stand out too much," Yugiri said.

"Really? Because I don't know about you but—" She pointed towards her ears and tail. "I'm definitely going to stand out. There weren't any Miqo'te living in Doma last I heard."

"There aren't. That's why we will pose as traveling merchants."

"Well, I'm not really the merchant type, but I'll try!" Lyse said.

"Just try to mimic Hancock. That ought to work." S'eni gave her friend a wink. A thoughtful look crossed her features then. "Though without any wares to present we'll have a hard time convincing them..."

Her face lighted up as an idea sprang up in her mind. Pressing her thumb and index finger together, she put them between her lips and whistled loudly.

Almost instantly, that familiar "Wark!" echoed back towards her and not long after, Zack came flying down from a nearby cliff.

"You...brought your Chocobo?" Yugiri asked, clearly taken aback.

"Uh-huh. And a good thing too," S'eni replied, reaching for one of the bags tied to his saddle. "These are going to be our wares."

"That's a good idea!" Lyse commented as she was handed one of the bags. She opened it and peeked inside before pulling out a stack of cards tied together with a small ribbon. "Triple Triad cards?"

"It's a long story." And not one she had any desire to reiterate. Instead, she looked her Chocobo in the eyes. "Now let's do this and I'll see if I can't arrange a little bit of alone time with that lady friend of yours."

"Kweh!"

"Good." S'eni tugged on his reins and began leading him up the pathway. When their group arrived near Namai, she gave Yugiri another one of her traveling bags.

"Alright," Yugiri said after inspecting the contents. "Let's begin."

Almost as soon as they entered the village, all eyes were on them and hushed whispers began to pervade the air.

"We should split up. That way we will cover more ground," Yugiri whispered.

S'eni nodded, then put on her friendliest, most charming smile and raised her hand in greeting. "Greetings good people of Doma! Might I interest you in some of my wares?" she called out.

The reactions were only more hushed whispers followed by everyone going back to what they were doing. Sharing a look with Zack, she shrugged and walked over to a woman that was sweeping her doorstep.

"Hm?" the woman looked up from what she was doing, tilting her head to the side and narrowing her eyes slightly. "Hey, weren't you the one who came with the General earlier?"

Uh oh, S'eni thought. Someone actually paid attention to more than Gosetsu. Better think fast!

"General?" she asked with added confusion in her voice. "I'm sorry, but the only General I keep company with are the items I peddle!"

She laughed at her very terrible joke. The woman simply raised an eyebrow.

"My mistake then," she said and began sweeping again. "We don't see your kind around here often. Guess it's hard to tell you apart."

Actually it wasn't, but S'eni wasn't going to tell her that. "So would you like to see what I have to offer?"

The woman shook her head. "While it warms my heart to see you merchant folk return, you can undoubtedly see that we don't possess much. And what little we do, we need to survive."

"Has it always been like this?" S'eni asked.

"It wasn't much better before, but it's only gotten worse since the rebellion..."

"I see. Have a good day then."

After bidding her goodbye, she began to ask around the rest of the village, with very much the same result as far as peddling wares went. But she did manage to at least acquire the information they were looking for, and a little more on top of that.

So they were from here, she thought to herself and glanced over her shoulder at the wolfman she just spoke with. The same kind as they had encountered at Rhalgr's Reach.

She met up with Lyse and Yugiri at the outskirts of Namai. And from the looks on their faces, they had encountered very much the same reactions that she had.

"I expected frustration and even disillusionment, but not this much," Yugiri said after S'eni told them the words she had received. "With things as they are now, I doubt I can convince Lord Hien to return, and without him..."

The Au Ra shook her head. "No. Let's not lose hope just yet. The situation in Namai may look bleak, but perhaps not elsewhere. I say we talk with others outside of the village."

"If you say so," S'eni replied, not entirely convinced by the notion but also not yet willing to simply give up.

"Then it's decided. Lyse and I will look for farmers in the east. I'd like for you to look south."

"Alright." Watching her friends leave, S'eni turned around to head southward, Zack dutifully following by her side. They had just left the vicinity of Namai behind when a high-pitched scream echoed towards them from further south. Someone's in trouble!

Breaking into a sprint, she soon saw the source of the scream, a girl being attacked by two large caterpillars.

"Oh no you won't!" S'eni shouted as one of them poised to strike the girl with one of its sharp horns and sent it flying with a swift kick. Wasting no time, she dispatched the other one as well, before turning towards the cowering girl.

"Are you alright?" she asked, holding out her hand.

Realizing that she wasn't about to be caterpillar food, the girl raised her head and blinked a few times. Her eyes then landed on S'eni. "Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you! If you hadn't come along I don't know what I would've done!"

"What is a girl like you doing all alone out here anyway?" She couldn't be much older than Yozan and the other kids at Revenant's Toll.

"Looking for flowers," the girl replied while S'eni helped her up. "I need some for my parent's grave. The ones my brother and I usually gather are yellow. Because it was my mother's favorite color. You haven't seen any, have you?"

"No." She shook her head, then smiled. "But how about I'll help you look? That way any nasty critter will think twice before hassling you."

"That would be really kind of you, uh..."

"I'm S'eni."

"Soo-eh-ni..." the girl repeated, clearly having trouble with such a foreign-sounding name. "I'm Azami."

"Nice to meet you," S'eni said, then turned her head to look towards her Chocobo, currently busy plucking something off the ground. "And this is Zack."

A look of amazement formed on Azami's face, showing her once again that the fluffy birds were entirely foreign to this region.

"Want to ride on him?" she asked the girl. "I'm sure you'll easily spot the flowers from up there."

"I don't know..." Azami looked unsure of the prospect.

"Don't worry. He's a friendly one. Back home he was playing with kids around your age all the time."

"If it's really alright, then yes!"

Chuckling to herself, S'eni helped Azami onto Zack's saddle and together they began their search for the yellow flowers they were looking for. It didn't take particularly long to find them and S'eni picked up a few especially pretty looking ones to hand over to the girl.

"Thank you so much." The girl beamed. She then became a little shy, dropping her gaze onto black feathers. "Um, if you have some time to spare, would you like to come with me? I'm sure Mother and Father would like to meet you too."

"Well, how could I decline such an invitation?" S'eni smiled.

Azami brightened up immediately. "We buried them on a cliff west of the village. I'll show you!"

Following her instructions, they headed through the farmland surrounding Namai, built into terraced paddies to make the most of the land that they had. S'eni watched as the people worked in the water, tirelessly try to provide for themselves and their loved ones even in these trying times.

Soon enough, they had reached the cliff. Blades of grass that moved at the slightest gust of wind covered almost the entirety of it. A few rocks and a singular large tree broke this deep green pattern, making for a beautiful landscape that was sadly disturbed by the buzzing of the Magitek coils that had been grafted onto the inside of the three masterfully crafted portals of red stone nearby, creating barriers to keep undesirables out.

The Dairyu Moon Gates, as she had been told.

"Over there!" Azami pointed towards the tree, where a small hill of dug-up earth rose from the ground, slowly beginning to be covered by grass as well. Coming to a stop nearby, she helped the girl off Zack. "Just give me a moment and I'll introduce you."

She watched as Azami put the flowers on top of the grave, then raised her hands in prayer. After she was done, she turned towards S'eni and waved her over. "They loved to meet travellers and hear stories of faraway places. Maybe you could tell them about your home?" the girl asked.

But before S'eni could respond, a voice called out, a note of panic in it as it drew close. "Azami! Are you there? Azami!"

Turning around, she spotted the form of a young man running up the path. The very same young man, who had told Gosetsu and the rest of them to leave Namai in peace. Isse, if she recalled correctly.

"There you are, you had me—what in the—" his eyes widened. "Get away from my sister!"

"Don't be so rude, Brother!" Azami chastised him as he rushed over to her. "She saved me from monsters. And helped me pick flowers?"

But Isse didn't listen to her and instead put himself between her and S'eni, pushing the girl behind his back.

"Go back home. Now," he told her.

"Y-you're scaring me..."

"I said go! Stay inside and lock the door until I return!"

Azami looked between S'eni and her brother as they stared at one another, before doing as she was told.

"Don't think I'm ungrateful. She's the only family I have. If you saved her, then thank you," Isse said once Azami was out of earshot. He then shook his head, his brown hair moving with the motion. "But it changes nothing. I asked you to leave and now I'm doing it again. I promise I won't be reporting you to the Garleans, but I'm begging you to just leave us alone!"

S'eni's face darkened at his words, but she found herself unable to reply and instead looked at the grave. "Your sister said your parents were buried here..."

"Yes. They both believed in the rebellion and left to fight for King Kaien. They came home on a cart driven by imperial soldiers, " he told her. "They demanded that the families of the insurgents present themselves, or they'd burn down the village. So we did."

She could tell that he didn't want to but he still continued. "They beat us in the village square, while we were begging for mercy, and made us denounce our parents. Say they deserved to die. Then one of them leaned close and whispered to me what he'd do to Azami if they had to come back."

S'eni's head snapped towards him, a look of horror on her face. "Those—" but whatever she wanted to say died on her lips when she saw the look in his eyes.

It was the same look Conrad had when he was about to truly give up in the wake of their defeat at Rhalgr's Reach.

"Whatever you came here to do...leave us out of it. If you want to fight the Garleans, then go and fight them on your own," Isse said, looking her dead in the eye. "You can't help us. No one can. And this is all we've got. Don't take it from us."

With these words, he turned around and left, leaving S'eni to her thoughts. It seemed they had underestimated the suffering these people had gone through.

A deep sigh passed her lips and she turned towards Zack, who tilted his head at her.

"Let's go back to the others," she said, gently took hold of his reins, and began walking back to meet up with the others.

Was this it? Was their mission to liberate Doma ending right here in this small village?

Or was there still a way for these people to regain their fighting spirit?

...

...

...

Little did she know, that one such way was on its way to Namai, dressed in black and gold uniforms.

 

Chapter 48

Notes:

Here we go, the next chapter. And as it so happens, I've come bearing (very self indulgent) gifts again. This time of the spicy kind, so a NSFW warning for both!

First we have this little piece by Misakuh.

And I wager anyone who has made it this far might recognize this one by the amazing Centaurii2.

Please check out their profiles. :)

Rekindled Flames

 

When I saw the people of Namai, I was reminded of my own home. Too afraid to fight and clinging dearly to what little they had left. But Yugiri didn't want to accept defeat just yet.

It was then, that a group of Garlean soldiers came to the village to take conscripts for their planned retaliation of the Confederacy's assistance they had given us earlier.

Yugiri and S'eni pursued and freed them. A single act of kindness that was met with anger, confusion, and shame.

But it would not be for nothing, as it was this one act that set sparks inside the hearts of the people of Doma that would see their young king return and set his people finally free...

 

---

 

Lighting cracked across the sky, followed by the deafening clap of thunder that echoed far and wide. Rain cascaded down upon them, as if even the heavens themselves had taken notice of this raging battle and wished to set the stage.

The sharp whistle of a blade passed by S'eni as she dodged a series of swipes aimed at her, before whirling into the air and slamming her heel into the side of the ornamented helmet of her opponent. A faint "Hmpf" echoed from within the grim metal visage as an armored hand grabbed her leg and flung her away.

Twisting mid-air, she landed on her feet and slid backwards on the soaked soil before jumping back towards Zenos with a force that would have put Estinien to shame. She brought her hands together, letting her aether flow through her arms and into her palms.

As she was about to collide with him, she pushed her hands out in a beam of bright blue aether. His blade glowed an ominous red as it arced upwards to block her attack. Sparks of color flickered like glowing rain in the storm, merging into a flash of white that dimmed the lightning as it violently exploded outward, sending S'eni flying through the air.

A cry of pain escaped her as she crashed into the small, rocky knoll behind her before tumbling down into the muddy ground. She managed to push herself upward with shaky hands, blinking her eyes a few times to clear her blurring vision and found Zenos towering not far from her like nothing had happened.

"Aah, now I remember you," he said, pointing his sword at her while taking a few steps. "The champion of the savages. Well, no matter..."

He raised his sword, the aura around its blade intensifying once more like burning bright flames, and S'eni could only stare at it as he readied for the killing blow.

Then, all of a sudden, a piece of one of the ornamental horns decorating his helmet broke off and fell onto the ground in front of his feet.

"Hm?" Zenos lowered his weapon once more and reached out to remove his helmet. His cold eyes looked at it in fascination for a moment before coming to rest on her. The corners of his lips curled up into something resembling a smile. "Oh... how right I was to spare you."

He carelessly dropped his helmet to the ground and bridged the remaining distance until he stood directly before her and his gaze came to rest upon hers.

"Listen, hero. Endure. Survive. Live," he said, his usually bored voice taking on a hint of...excitement. "For the time between seconds. For the sole pleasure left to me in this empty world—live!"

She glared up at him in defiance even as her vision began to grow blurry once more. Her lips parted, ready to tell him where he could stick his pleasure, when a small hand placed itself on her shoulder—

"Are you alright?"

—and pulled her back to reality.

 

---

 

"Are you alright?"

S'eni blinked rapidly, looking around in momentary confusion as her mind returned to the here and now, the vision of the old and abandoned manor giving way to the simple houses of Namai.

Her eyes landed on the hand on her shoulder then shifted towards the familiar face of its owner.

Azami.

Exhaling deeply, she nodded slowly. "Yeah."

"Are you sure?"

S'eni couldn't help but smile at that and reached out to place a hand on the girl's head.

"I am," she replied and gently stroked her hair. "Thanks to the bravery of your brother and the others."

She cast her gaze across the village square where the people of Namai were busily walking around and talking with members of the Liberation Front that had gathered here. Her eyes landed on Yugiri, talking with a young maiden, a fresh bandage on her left arm from where she had been wounded by Zenos.

The villagers had come in just the nick of time, distracting the imperials long enough for Alisaie and Gosetsu to get them out of there.

They knew the danger yet they still had come to repay them, and in turn the fire had returned to their eyes.

You were right to believe in them.

She was drawn out of her thoughts by the sound of steps hastily approaching and she turned her head to see Alphinaud and Lyse as they came running. Removing her hand from Azami's head, she gave the girl a smile.

"Excuse me for a moment," S'eni said and rose to her feet to meet the two part way.

"S'eni!" Alphinaud released a sigh of relief. "Thank the Twelve. When I heard of your plan to assassinate Zenos, I feared we would need to get ourselves a new primal slayer."

Her eyebrows rose at his words and a little smirk formed on her lips. "And here I thought you'd miss my company. Oh, how little did I know."

"Wha—Of course we would have missed—I was just—"

"Relax. I was just joking." S'eni chuckled, then grew serious. "I know it was dumb and beyond reckless, but there was something I wanted to pay him back for."

"I understand what you mean. Losing against him at Rhalgr's Reach couldn't have been easy, but that's all the more reason we need to be careful. What would our friends back home say if something happened to you?"

She was pretty sure that if Y'shtola found out she got seriously injured trying to avenge her, she wouldn't let her hear the end of it. And if she died...well, she wouldn't put it past her lover to find a way to bring her back just long enough to give her an earful too.

"Don't worry. It won't happen again," S'eni promised. "And thank you. Alisaie told me it was you who took control of the situation."

"I'm sorry we couldn't be there," Lyse then chimed in. "Alisaie made me swear to stay behind. Probably thought I'd hurl myself at Zenos as soon as I'd lay eyes on him."

"And would I have been wrong?" the young woman in question asked as she approached them, Yugiri and Gosetsu following behind. Lyse just looked at her in silence. "...What?"

The Pugilist then turned her head to share a look with S'eni and shrugged.

"Anyway, now that we're all here, maybe it's a good time to discuss where we go from here," Alisaie said, earning herself a round of nods.

As they discussed their next course of action, it became quickly apparent that they needed to find Lord Hien. Since the Empire's forces had been largely withdrawn over the last year, as Alphinaud stated eagerly, Lord Hien's assistance in rousing the people of Doma would be essential.

So their new plans were all too clear. Yugiri, Gosetsu, Lyse, and S'eni would head onto the Azim Steppe to find the rightful king of Doma, while Alisaie and Alphinaud would remain behind to bolster and train the troops for the coming battle.

"Normally I would suggest heading out at once but given the battle earlier and that we will have to cross many malms to the Azim Steppe, we should all get some rest and leave early tomorrow," Yugiri suggested.

"You mean you and S'eni should rest," Alisaie replied, eyebrows raising as she crossed her arms.

The Au Ra reached out towards the bandage on her arm and nodded. "...Yes."

"Then I suggest we should return to the House of the Fierce," Alphinaud said.

They were about to depart when S'eni felt someone taking hold of her hand. Turning around, she saw that it was Azami.

"If you're tired you can stay with my brother and me!" the girl said.

"Shouldn't you be asking him for permission first?"

"I'm sure he won't mind."

"Hmm..." S'eni looked over to the rest of her friends in hopes of a little help, but only found varying degrees of amusement reflected on their faces.

"Well, I suppose it couldn't hurt to have someone stay here in case the Garleans get any funny ideas," Alisaie said, the corners of her lips rising ever so slightly. Alphinaud simply nodded in agreement.

Shaking her head with a smile, she turned back towards Azami and leaned down a little bit to be more on eye level with her.

"Alright, lead the way then."

The girl beamed and tugged on her hand. S'eni looked over to her friends and gave them a wave of her hand before following along as she was guided past Namai's silo up the pathway leading towards one of the terrace fields. Taking a set of wooden stairs, they soon stood in front of a humble home that still loomed spacious enough to house a family.

And now only Isse and Azami inhabited it...

"This is it," Azami said as they stepped through the door.

The insides consisted of a single, large room. There wasn't much furniture, a desk and a few chairs, a cabinet and a hearth. In the back of the room, there was a raised area where S'eni spotted a few beds, separated from the rest via a room divider.

It felt a little cluttered, but very homely.

They walked over to the table and sat down and S'eni couldn't help but chuckle as Azami shifted around in her chair, clearly wanting to ask something. So she made the first step instead.

"Yes?" She tilted her head a little.

"Could...could you perhaps tell me a little about where you're from?" the girls asked. "You didn't get to when we visited Mother and Father, but I'd still like to know."

"I'd love to," S'eni replied with a smile. "Now where to begin...well, I'd say it's 'different' but I think that goes without saying. The place where my friends and I come from is called Eorzea on the continent of Aldenard far, far in the west. But unlike Doma we're not a kingdom but various city-states."

She proceeded to tell her about the various members of the city-states, watching in amusement as Azami's eyes widened with every city and the stories she told about them.

"So they're just like these Confederacy people I heard some of the villagers talk about?" the girl asked after she had just told her about Limsa Lominsa.

"Yeah. Though they're only after Garlean ships these days. And then there's Ala Mhigo. Just like Doma, it's been under Garlean occupation for a long time," S'eni told her. "And just like here, we're trying to liberate it."

"Is that why you're here?"

"Partly. And because we want to help our Doman friends." She leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms. "And I promise we won't leave before you guys can live in peace again. Now, how about I tell you about Revenant's Toll? It's where a lot of Domans are living right now."

Azami's eyes positively lighted up at that.

It was when she told a rather cautious tale about Rowena, that the door opened and Isse walked in. The room grew quiet as S'eni and he stared at one another. A moment passed, then the young man turned towards his sister.

"Azami, have you offered our guest something to eat yet?" he asked.

"Oh no!" Azami's hands shot up to her mouth and she all but jumped out of her chair. "I'll make something!"

As the girl ran towards the hearth, Isse sat down at the table, looking at her for another moment before breathing out a sigh.

"I'm sorry. For what I've said to you."

S'eni shook her head. "It's alright. I understand where you were coming from. I think I would have done the same if I were in your shoes."

"Still...if not for you and the Shinobi, I would have simply accepted our lives as it were, living day in and out in fear for what might happen to Azami or myself," he said. "I can't say a part of me isn't still afraid, but I've made up my mind. So thank you...for not giving up on us."

Following his words, Isse bowed his head as deeply as the table allowed. She reached across the table and patted his shoulder, making him look up.

"Then let's start over," she said with a smile. "My name's S'eni. Nice to meet you, Isse."

Rising once more, he slowly mirrored her expression. "Nice to meet you too, and welcome to our home."

"So where was I..." S'eni said as she turned towards Azami, who was starting a fire inside the hearth. "Oh yeah! So Rowena said..."

While the food was being prepared, she shared a few more adventures she had in Eorzea, like her seemingly fated encounters with the Manderville family. Soon enough though, they were sitting together and eating a simple, yet filling stir fry of rice and a few other ingredients they could afford to use.

After they were finished, and she was telling them another story, a chiming sound rang through the room.

"What's that?!" Azami asked, startled by the sudden sound.

It was coming from S'eni's pocket.

"Ah, sorry, I kind of forgot I had this with me," S'eni said and reached inside, pulling out a small, ornamented pearl. She had taken it out when Yugiri and her had gone to try and kill Zenos. "It's a communication device."

Did one of the others want to ask her something?

"I should probably take this. Might be important. While I'm at it, I think I'll take a little stroll too," she told the siblings and rose to her feet, sending Azami a playful wink. "We girls need to pay attention to our weight when we get a certain age."

Once outside, S'eni put the linkpearl into her ear and began to follow the path up to the paddies, pressing a finger against the small device when she was well out of earshot.

"Yes?" She frowned when the first thing she heard was something akin to a rush of wind, and she wondered if perhaps it had been damaged in the struggle earlier, until a voice, faint but distinct and growing stronger, rose above the noise.

"Eni." Her heart skipped a beat, followed by a warm rush that took her breath away, stopping her in her tracks.

Eyes growing wide, S'eni's lips parted to form her lover's name. "Shtola..."

A wave of relief washed over her, causing her knees to grow a little weak and making her lean against the rocky hillside.

She was awake.

"Thank the Twelve," she said. "How are you? Is everything alright?"

"I'm...well." A cough followed. "As well as I can be I suppose."

Her voice was a little raspy and she could hear the hint of frustration even over the background noise the distance caused.

"How long have you been awake?"

"A week. I wanted to contact you as soon as I heard you had left for Doma, but I was strictly told to rest." Another cough, then a "thank you" followed by the sound of her drinking. "Krile actually took away my linkpearl to make sure I didn't get any funny ideas until she was sure I had gotten enough."

"Is she with you right now?"

"Yes, and positively glaring at me too." S'eni could practically hear the smile forming on her lover's lips. "She also told me that she knows, but refused to elaborate. Care to explain?"

Her ears pulled back a little and an embarrassed smile formed on her lips.

"She kind of walked in on me kissing you while you were still unconscious," she said, scratching the markings on her left cheek with a finger.

"...romantic." was Y'shtola's dry reply.

"Sorry..."

"It's quite alright," the other Miqo'te assured her. "Krile promised not to tell anyone until we are good and ready."

S'eni could faintly hear something being said in the background. "What was that?"

"Something I deign not to reply to." After a pause that could only have been an intense glare sent towards a certain Lalafel, Y'shtola sighed. "And how are things on your end? I was told leaving for Doma was your idea."

Now it was her turn to sigh. "Could be better."

S'eni then told her about everything that happened since they arrived, including their failed attempt at taking Zenos' life. And as predicted, Y'shtola's response came rather swiftly.

"That was beyond reckless."

"I know..."

The other Miqo'te huffed. "Well nothing for it now, I suppose. But it's little wonder he could break through my spell if even you couldn't defeat him."

"Yeah, it's unbelievable how powerful he is," S'eni said as she reached the paddies, casting her gaze across the field of growing rice.

"You said he told you to fight and survive. Do you have any idea why?"

"I think he wants me to grow stronger so we can have a real battle." she scoffed. "Guess he took a liking to me. Don't know if that's good or bad."

"Hard to say. He seems to be a rather unpredictable man," Y'shtola said.

"Mhm. How are things over in Eorzea?"

"Well, considering I'm all tied up in bed, my knowledge isn't the most accurate, but I have heard the Resistance is slowly rebuilding itself with the help of the Alliance. It helps that so far, the Garleans seem not inclined to retake Baelsar's Wall, which seems to make much more sense now I suppose."

"That's good," S'eni said and lied down on the grass, staring up at the sky above, the first stars beginning to glimmer in the distance as the sun slowly set. "Gods, you don't know how good it feels to hear your voice."

Warmth entered Y'shtola's voice. "I feel the same."

A smile formed on her lips and they both went quiet for a moment, taking solace in the fact that they both were alright, even if they were quite literally continents apart.

The comfortable silence was broken by faint words being spoken on the other end.

"I'm sorry, but I have to go. Krile said I need more rest and I'm for once inclined to agree," her lover said and S'eni could hear a note of fatigue entering it.

"Alright. I should get some rest as well. We'll leave bright and early in the morning," she replied and began to rise once again.

"Very well, have a good night then...and Eni?"

"Yeah?"

"Please be careful."

"Don't worry, I will," S'eni replied, her voice turning into a breathy whisper that told the other woman just how serious she was this time. "Promise."

After saying a final goodbye, she removed her finger from the linkpearl, ending the call. The smile on her face grew and she began to make her way back.

Tomorrow would be a busy day.

 

Notes:

Ha, I bet you thought just because Y'shtola got the Tifa treatment from Zenos that she wouldn't show up. But as it turns out, linkshells have insane range, but interference can become a problem from a certain point onward. So...here we are.

Also that Zenos battle sure was some kinda bullshit, wasn't it?

Have a nice weekend!

Chapter 49

Plains of the Sun

 

We left Yanxia as the first lights crept over the mountains, travelling across the coast of the Ruby Sea until we reached the path that would lead us further inland and into the Azim Steppe.

I still remember the surprise I felt at seeing this great emptiness of grassy plains, its inhabitants beholden only to themselves and their gods.

Finding Hien seemed almost impossible at first but ended up rather simple.

Well, by our standards anyway.

 

---

 

A vast, almost endless, sea of green stretched out as far as the eye could see, flowing gently back and forth in emerald waves as a gentle wind blew across it. Above their heads, the sun shone brightly, wrapping them in a pleasant warmth that she knew could turn harsh in an instant with just a small shift in weather.

Primal and untamed, these lands were not made to be inhabited, S'eni could tell. And yet, the nomadic tribes that lived here had not only managed to survive these conditions but also thrive in them.

It was something that deserved respect.

But as fascinating as the scenery was, her eyes were soon drawn to the man seated near the edge of the hillside that overlooked Reunion, legs crossed and shoulders relaxed. To the left of him laid his sheathed blade.

For a moment, it almost looked like he didn't notice as they approached him. Only a subtle shift of his head, making his messy ponytail dance a little, served as proof that he was indeed acknowledging their presence.

"Oh merciful Kami!" Gosetsu exclaimed. "My lord Hien!"

As soon as he had said those words, the old Samurai dropped to his knee alongside Yugiri.

"Ah, you arrived sooner than anticipated," Lord Hien said, taking hold of his sword and turning it in his hands. "So...my blade—"

He unsheathed it. "—or my head? Which do my people want of me?"

"The people of Yanxia remain loyal to Doma. I have seen the fire in their eyes. They are ready to fight," Yugiri said, not taking her eyes off the ground underneath them. "Return with us, my lord, and lead them to freedom."

"Then nothing less than liberty will suffice? A pity. It will certainly be more difficult than to deliver my head," he said and sheathed his blade again. "But if my people wish to pursue an impossible dream, then how could I deny them?"

Slapping his thigh, he quickly rose to his feet and turned around.

"Yugiri! Gosetsu!" his eyes turned towards Lyse and S'eni. "And...uh..."

"The Scions of the Seventh Dawn, my lord," Yugiri explained. "True friends that offered their help when we fled to Eorzea and journeyed across the sea to fight alongside us against the Empire. Their many deeds have made them heroes—"

"I understand, you don't need to say anymore," Hien interrupted her, a small chuckle escaping him. The Doman prince then looked between the two of them. "May I ask your names?"

"I'm Lyse."

"And I'm S'eni," she added.

"I have seen you help Cirina, S'eni. I owe her a great debt, so for that you have my thanks," he said and bowed his head. "There is no doubting your strength nor character. It will be an honor to fight alongside you."

"It was nothing," S'eni said, shaking her head.

"S'eni here has made it her calling to help people, you know?" Lyse explained to him with a chuckle. "Isn't that right?"

Not being able to refute that, she shrugged. Compulsive behaviour for sure...

"Now." Hien returned his attention to his two retainers and smiled. "Rise, my friends, and tell me about the situation in Doma."

Doing as they were told, Yugiri and Gosetsu explained what had happened ever since their journey across the Ruby Sea, with Hien listening intently to their every word.

Once they were done, he nodded before addressing Yugiri.

"You heard my decision. I want you to return to Yanxia and prepare our forces for my return. As for our guests..." he looked towards Lyse and her. "I would ask for you to remain here with me. I believe you will be of great help in the coming days."

"As you command, my lord, but..." the Shinobi's brow creased in confusion. "How much longer do you intend to stay?"

"Oh, only until I have won the Naadam," he replied, crossing his arms in front of his chest with a confident little grin. "I plan to return with a Xaela army."

S'eni's eyebrows shot up in surprise. This, she hadn't seen coming at all.

 

---

 

The Mol, as she was told, were one of the fifty tribes that roamed the Azim Steppe. Being a rather small one, they were content with their humble lot in life, spending most of their days hunting, gathering and taking care of their tiny herd of sheep; their few horses and even fewer of these giant birds that they call Yol.

It was little surprise that Mol Ilho, their chosen home for this time of year, was little more than a few yurts. Situated far north from Reunion, it was nestled between the side of a mountain and a series of rocks that served as a natural barrier against the predators that called these plains their homes just like the Au Ra of the Xaela did.

And if it wasn't for their gods decreeing that the Mol should take part in this year's Naadam, S'eni was very sure they would simply continue as they always had.

Under normal circumstances, they would not stand the slimmest chance to win this battle ritual. Which was precisely the reason they would fight alongside them.

In a bid to repay his debt to the Mol, as well as convincing the rest of the Xaela to follow him into battle, Hien wished to lead them to victory. An offer that, after initial protests, had been graciously accepted by the tribe's Khatun, Temulun.

A frown formed on S'eni's features as she looked up at the passing clouds in the sky, the words that the older woman had spoken to her echoing in the back of her mind.

"A singular radiance. Shimmering. Like a jewel of the Dusk Mother, blinding in its brilliance. Stars flicker and flock to you. Before such gathered light, even the secrets of the gods may be laid bare," she had said, looking her deep in the eye. "Some are fated to rise in grace and glory. Others to falter and fade, though not from memory. Both will be your strength and salvation when the end approaches. Cherish the stars and the light they bring you in the dark. For you are a traveler, are you not?"

She had to introduce her to Urianger when this was over. They both would get along famously with how they presented her with cryptic words whose meaning eluded her.

The sound of laughter pulled her out of her musings and made her look to the left. A smile formed on her lips when she spotted Lyse, playing with the children of the Mol, who had quickly taken a shine to her.

It was good seeing Lyse in high spirits. Ever since Papalymo's death, there had always been a shadow that seemed to surround her, having only gotten worse since their defeat at Rhalgr's Reach. Their training together had made it a little better, but it was only now, surrounded by these children as they played a little Xaela game, that she seemed to be herself again.

A voice drew her attention away from them and she glanced over her shoulder to see someone come out of the yurt behind her, holding multiple leather pouches stacked on top of one another. And from the looks of it, was about to drop them too.

All but jumping to her feet, S'eni bridged the gap just in time for this carefully struck balance to be broken and placed her hand on top of the stack.

"Careful there," she said. "Here, let me help you."

Taking two pouches, the face of the one carrying it revealed itself to S'eni. It was Cirina, the Khatun's granddaughter and the one that had led them to Hien earlier today.

"Thank you," the young Au Ra said, blowing a loose strand of red hair out of her eyes.

"The beverage for the feast?" she asked.

"Hmm?" the other woman looked at her questioningly and she shook one of the pouches, creating a sloshing sound. "Oh! Yes, it's just milk though. Warmed up it tastes delicious and will keep the chill away at night. We also make milk tea with it."

"From your sheep I take it?"

Cirina shook her head. "Our mares."

"Oh..." S'eni glanced down at them.

"Is that...a problem?"

"Oh, no no! Don't worry," S'eni assured her with a smile. "I just can't say I ever had horse milk before. So where do you need them?"

"Follow me."

As she was led by the young Au Ra, she found herself halting in her tracks for a moment and looking out at the horizon. "Hey, Cirina?"

"Yes?"

"What's that?" She pointed towards a bowl-shaped structure far to the south, looking colossal even from this distance. Pillars of stone protruded from the ground around it, giving it the look of a goblet held in a gigantic hand. "I've already noticed it back when we arrived in Reunion, but I never got to ask."

"That's the Dawn Throne," Cirina said after looking towards where she was pointing. "It's a sacred place where only those that have claimed victory in the Naadam are allowed to reside. These past few years that have been the Oronir."

"Hmm, I see. So the winner is allowed to settle down for a year then?" S'eni asked as they began to walk once more.

"In essence. Though there have been times where the winning tribe has waived this right."

Arriving at what seemed to be the center of Mol Ilho, she spotted the cooking fire that had been erected there. The slightly grassy smell told her, that the fruits of their labor were being put to good use.

"You can put them down here," Cirina said, placing her pouches on the ground next to the fire.

After doing so, S'eni watched the young woman remove the lid from the large pot above the fire and look upon its contents before reaching into a nearby bag and pulling out a bundle of herbs.

"Need some help?" she asked as Cirina placed them on a flat stone and pulled out a knife.

"That's kind of you, but you did enough already. You should rest for your trial," the other woman replied.

"Chopping some herbs isn't going to knock the wind out of me." S'eni winked. "And I doubt I would stand much of a chance tomorrow if it did."

Cirina chewed her bottom lip for a moment, then nodded. "Very well, then I will accept your kind offer."

Taking the knife that the Au Ra handed to her, S'eni knelt in front of the stone while Cirina went to attend the pot. She arranged the herbs, holding them in place with her other hand, and began chopping.

"You're very good at this."

"Well, when you grow up in a village, you learn how to do your chores," she said.

"What was it like, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Not too different from how you live actually. Though, unlike the Xaela, we're not nomadic," S'eni explained. "I lived on an island, far out on the sea. Each day, my sisters and I would go out to the sea to fish or take care of the crops we could grow on our soil. Obviously cooking was also something each of us had to do."

After she was done cutting, she scraped the herbs into a small bowl that she handed to Cirina.

"Some more?" she asked, hand already halfway to the bag.

"Hmm. Just a tiny bit."

"Alright." Taking a small bundle, she placed it on the stone and resumed cutting. Both fell silent for a moment, focusing on what they were doing instead. It was only when she handed Cirina the refilled bowl, that S'eni spoke up again. "You know, this reminds me of another Xaela I knew. Back then the only other Au Ra I had met was Yugiri, so I was pretty surprised when she showed up."

It was only after Idyllshire had grown, that she met more of them, having come from far and wide to seek work and a new home in this blossoming city.

And from what Krile had once told her, there were even some Au Ra all the way back in Sharlayan!

"What was she like?" Cirina asked, gently stirring their food.

"Intelligent, and very kind." S'eni smiled when memories of Mide talking with Roundrox surfaced in her mind. "But with a large burden resting on her shoulders."

Putting the knife away, she looked up at the sky. "She only vaguely talked about where she was from, but I realize now that she was talking about the Azim Steppe."

"Do you know which tribe she belonged to?"

What was the name the legend had mentioned again?

"I think it was...Hotgo." The gasp that escaped Cirina made S'eni turn her gaze towards her. "What is it?"

The young Au Ra had stopped stirring and stared into the pot for a few seconds before turning her head to return her look. "The Hotgo tribe...doesn't exist anymore. They were attacked by the Dotharl a few years ago and killed to the last."

S'eni could only stare at her upon this revelation.

"Your friend must have left them just shortly before it happened."

She didn't know how to feel about that. Mide had sacrificed herself to stop Alexander and be together with the person she loved most, frozen in time. The irony of it all, that they were destined to be the first of the Hotgo, when they were also possibly the last, left a slightly bitter taste behind.

"Yeah...I suppose she did."

At least she could take solace in the fact that Mide and Dayan would lead a good life.

S'eni watched the Au Ra while she cooked, switching the topic to a more cheerful one while trying to tickle a few hints about what this so-called trial entailed, but found her to be surprisingly tight-lipped about the topic. After a while, Cirina turned towards her with a smile that told her that dinner was ready.

"Would you be so kind to tell Hien and the others?" she asked.

"Sure."

As she headed over to where she had last seen her friends, she turned her eyes back towards the horizon, where the sun was slowly descending behind the wide mountain range, wrapping the endless sea of grass in gold.

It was a beautiful sight that could almost make one forget that this was a land where man had best tread carefully—

She turned away from the sight.

—and where only the strong survived.

 

Notes:

I always figured that it must be quite the kick in the teeth to learn that the Hotgo tribe got wiped out after doing the Alexander storyline.

Chapter 50

Notes:

Here's a little moment between S'eni and Y'shtola by Perlmuttt. Who knows, this might actually be a scene that will happen in the future. :)

The Rule of the Steppe

 

To be accepted as warriors of the Steppe we each had to take part in a trial that would have us retrace the footsteps of a great and ancient warrior called Bardam. Reaching the place was a challenge in and of itself, but it was still nothing compared to taming a Yol in battle.

After successfully completing the trial, we were about to return to Mol Iloh on top of our tamed birds, when we were approached by warriors of the Oronir, who demanded we should accompany them.

Sensing an opportunity, Hien agreed. But little did we know that the leading Khan had specific things for us in mind.

 

---

 

A sigh escaped S'eni, as she stared into the water in front of her. Small ripples danced across its surface as a wind blew past her from the south. It was deep. So deep that she could barely make out the plants growing at the bottom of the lake.

Turning her head, she looked at the guards standing in front of the gate leading to the top of the Dawn Throne, watching her every move. One of them held a little smirk on his lips.

When the Oronir had practically ambushed them outside of Bardam's Mettle, she didn't exactly expect that they would be running errands once they arrived here. But as new warriors of the Steppe, it was apparently expected of them to pay tribute to the Khan.

And in her case, that meant diving deep into a lake and gathering plants.

She sure had to swim a lot these days...

Ah, Seven Hells... she thought to herself and began to strip down to her underwear, not feeling any desire to run around in soaked clothes again. After she had dropped everything onto the stone walkway that led across the lake, she sent the two guards a glare.

"If I find even one thing missing I'm going to take it out of your scales, understood?" Not waiting for a response, she dived in.

As soon as she had entered the water, S'eni became increasingly glad for the Kojin's blessing since even a good swimmer like her would be hard-pressed to scour this lake without having to come up for air multiple times. Something she was sure the Oronir themselves were very much aware of.

Well, they were in for a surprise.

Now, where is that swordgrass? She asked herself while trying to recall the description that she had been given. Long, narrow, white stems...there!

Swimming over to them, she pulled out a handful of them. It didn't take long for her to find the next bundle, as they seemingly grew in abundance down here, but it still took her a while until she had gathered the necessary amount and by the end had done one huge circle around the Dawn Throne.

With a loud splash, S'eni emerged once again, making the guard that had come over and looking down into the water jump and whirl around towards her.

"What?" she asked while pulling herself out of the water. "Never seen a Miqo'te having a swim before?"

He simply looked at her, dumbstruck.

"Yeah, figured as much." Shaking the water out of her tail and ears, she gathered her things, did a little check that nothing was gone, then marched over to the gate where she was silently allowed to pass.

After heading up the stairs, S'eni stepped out onto the grassy ground that had been planted on the Dawn Throne and cast her gaze over the area in search of a very specific Au Ra.

Baatu.

Luckily, he was not standing too far away from her, talking with one of his fellows. When he noticed her walking over, he stopped what he was saying and turned towards her.

"She returns," he said, taking in her appearance until his eyes landed on what she was holding in her hand. "And with swordgrass too."

"Yes," she replied and slapped the still dripping bundles into his hand. "And now she would like something to dry herself with."

Baatu looked at her, then down to the swordgrass, then towards the Oronir he was just talking to before sending him away with a nod.

"You have braved the depths of Azim Khaat. Well done," Baatu said, shaking the swordgrass a little before putting it into a bag. "Your tribute is accepted. Meet me in front of the palace once you made yourself presentable again and we shall meet our most radiant brother."

With that, he turned around and left.

Watching him for a moment, S'eni dropped her things to the ground and simply waited, choosing to ignore the looks she was receiving; especially those of the women, who sized her up as if she had just challenged them to a duel to the death.

The Oronir soon returned with a blanket made out of woven fur that he handed to her. After drying herself as thoroughly as possible and putting her clothes back on, she made her way over to the palace where Baatu was waiting for her.

Let's see what else the Khan has in mind for us...

 

---

 

The clacking of Gosetsu's geta echoed through the air while they walked down the steps of the Dawn Throne. Not a word was spoken between him and S'eni. Occasionally, his eyes shifted towards her and his brow creased at the clenching and unclenching of her fist, yet he still held his tongue until they had reached the gate that would them outside once more.

"Are you... alright?" he asked her.

"I'm fine," she replied curtly and kicked the doors open, causing the two guards from earlier to jump and point their spears towards them.

Raising her hand to brush aside the one pointing at her, she sent them a glare but otherwise ignored them as she walked past them.

"Are you sure?" Gosetsu raised his eyebrows as she began to shake.

How dare he...

How dare he...

She whirled around and it was only through the Samurai's sheer strength that she was being held back.

How dare Magnai call her unfeminine!

"You seem quite upset," he said dryly, his large hands holding her in place even as she struggled against him.

"Let go of me! I'm going to tear every scale off his body!"

"I am afraid I cannot let you do that!"

They wrestled for a good few minutes, almost looking as if they were having a comical dance with one another if not for S'eni growling and hurling insults at a certain Khan all the while until finally, she had calmed down again.

"Fine, let's go," she said, turning around when Gosetsu finally let go of her. S'eni stomped away from the Dawn Throne, rubbing one of her earrings. "Not feminine, pfah!"

Back at the gate, the two Oronir just looked at each other and shrugged.

She should actually feel glad that she wasn't a potential prospect to be his 'moon', but dammit if it wasn't vexing!

Once they had put some distance between themselves and the giant monument, and she had further calmed herself, S'eni turned towards Gosetsu. "So, where do we begin?"

After the four of them had completed their tasks, they had immediately received their next and final one, to act as spies. And to make sure that they wouldn't get any funny ideas, Hien and Lyse were to remain behind as leverage.

The older man pulled out a map and unfolded it.

"According to this, we have to travel southwest from here until we reach the desert. There is a colossal wreck that should prove as a good vantage point here—" he tapped on the location. "It is not far from Dotharl Khaa."

"Hm, not exactly around the corner though..." she said, drawing a finger along a potential route. "Should we fly?"

"That would certainly be the quickest way about it, but would also draw attention to us. Even if we would just travel halfway, the Dotharl would be bound to spot our Yols in the distance."

"Yeah, you're right. But traveling the entire way on foot would take a long time." S'eni put her hand on the back of her waist and tapped her foot in thought. "How about we travel to Reunion first then?"

"Reunion?" he asked. "But that is in the opposite direction."

"Yes, but it's nearby and we might be able to get our hands on some less conspicuous mounts, which would shorten our travel time considerably," she explained. Sadly, she had left Zack with Alphinaud and Alisaie since she thought they could be in need of a swift pair of legs if they needed to reach Kugane, but she doubted even he would be strong enough to carry her and someone as massive as Gosetsu at the same time.

"Ah, I see. That does indeed sound like a reasonable course of action. To Reunion then!"

Not wasting any more time than necessary, they began their journey across the area that the Xaela of the Steppe called the Sea of Blades.

"I do hope we can be quick about this," Gosetsu said after a while. "It is clear they expect us to never return and keep my lord and Lyse as slaves. I shall enjoy disappointing them."

"They are an arrogant lot, I'll give you that. They believe it's their duty to protect and guide all other Xaela," S'eni replied and went to explain what Hien and she had learned earlier from that elder. How Azim and Nhaama created the Raen and Xaela respectively to wage war in their stead and how when their children had grown past their hatred and came to love one another, so too did their gods. But the two gods, being of the sun and the moon, would have to forever be apart. Until one day, Azim created an avatar of Xaela likeness to walk amongst his beloved's children; the first of the Oronir. "But Hien believes that will make them reliable allies. If we can convince them we share a common enemy."

"I hope my lord is right then. But before that, we will have to win the Nadaam."

"Yeah."

"That was a fascinating tale though."

And one that made her think. It was an odd coincidence that the sun god of the Au Ra and the sun goddess from Eorzea had rather similar names.

Perhaps something that she could ask her Sharlayan friends about at a later date.

While not a particularly long journey, it still took them a while before they arrived at the Azim Steppe's sole trading hub. Just like on the day of their arrival, the stands were filled with merchants from throughout the entire Steppe, peddling their wares and offering regional delicacies.

Thankfully, the rations that they received from the Mol for their trial managed to keep their hunger at bay or S'eni would be very tempted to buy some of the food right now.

"Hmm, now who here might be willing to part with two of their horses?" Gosetsu wondered, letting his eyes wander across the market.

"Let's just ask the people in charge," she replied and walked over to a woman dressed in long robes and a mask covering the lower half of her face.

A member of the Qestir tribe, the ones who founded and ran Reunion.

As S'eni approached her, she could see the Au Ra's eyebrows rise for a moment before drawing together in a silent question. She offered her a bow in return, then asked her in the only way they would appreciate.

In silence. After all, as Cirina had explained on their first day, spoken words were lies to them.

'Telling' the other woman that they were in need of two horses, S'eni watched her eyes dart towards Gosetsu for a moment before nodding and leaving towards the largest yurt.

The woman soon returned with a man who she assumed must be Qestir's current Khan. Upon coming to a stop, he looked at her with welcoming eyes filled with interest. But his expression soon grew serious as S'eni told him their reason, waving a hand in the direction of the Dawn Throne for emphasis.

A moment passed in which the Khan looked her in the eye, silently judging her intentions. Eventually, he too nodded, then gave the other Qestir a look.

With a smile, S'eni turned towards Gosetsu, who had a more than confused look on his face. "They agreed to lend us two horses. Under the condition that we bring them back safe and sound."

"How?! They did not utter a single word."

"Sometimes words aren't the only way to tell someone what you're thinking," she replied with a shrug.

After receiving the horses, Gosetsu and her began to ride westward. It felt a little weird at first, since she was so used to ride on Zack, but she soon got the hang of it and slowly, brought it to a steady gallop alongside her comrade that swiftly carried them away from Reunion across the grassy plains in record time.

They were passing by the Dawn Throne and turning south where the grass began to turn into sand when the distant sound of thunder made her ears perk up and she looked out towards the horizon. There, in the sky above the desert, she spotted clouds, having gathered together into a wall of dark gray and greens.

A flash of lightning made them light up and S'eni began counting the seconds until the roar of thunder reached them.

It was still far away, but with how the wind began to pick up and delivered that clean, sharp scent to them, it was only a matter of time before it closed in on them.

"Of all the things," Gosetsu muttered as he brought his horse to a stop. "It seems like the Kami have deigned to challenge us as well."

"We should find shelter," she said, already looking around for something that might protect them from the elements. Her eyes landed on the cliffs east of them and the corners of her lips curled upward when spotted what seemed to be a cave nestled into the side of the mountain. "There!"

"Good eye!"

Not wasting any time, they spurred their horses towards the cliffs, always keeping an eye on the approaching storm. They eventually found a small mountain path leading up the side of the cliffs but were forced to dismount and gently lead the horses along it.

With every flash of lightning, the roar of thunder drew closer and closer, and they had just barely made it inside when the sun was blotted out by the ominous squall line that rolled over the turquoise sky like a blanket, followed by a sheer endless torrent of rain.

S'eni observed the storm for a moment before plopping down onto the ground. "Well, looks like we'll be here for a while."

"Indeed," Gosetsu replied, though she could hear the note of frustration in his voice. If they were lucky, the storm would only last for a few hours. Still more than enough time to finish their mission.

She watched the Samurai guide their surprisingly calm horses away from the entrance, then joined her on the ground as well, removing his sword from his side and placing it in front of him. Pulling out a small wooden box that he put next to it, he opened it and began to spread out its contents around himself. A small flask, a few wiping cloths, a small hammer, and some sort of ball-looking thing on a stick.

After he had done so, he grabbed his sword and unsheathed it, taking a long look at the blade. Letting out a hum, he used the hammer to remove the hilt and took one of the wiping cloths to carefully run it across the edge.

"Looks almost like you're performing a ritual," S'eni said, watching in fascination as grabbed the ball-looking thing and tapped it along the blade, applying what seemed to be some sort of powder.

"It is, in a way. A Samurai and his katana are tied to one another. We live and die by it, so we also learn to take care of it." He examined the sword before turning it and repeating the process on the other side. "To die because of a blade that has dulled from mistreatment would be shameful indeed."

"It looks well used," she noted. "How long have you owned it?"

Gosetsu stopped what he was doing for a moment, closing his eyes instead. "Ever since I became a full-fledged Samurai and pledged my services to Doma, back when these bones were still young."

S'eni let out a playful scoff. "When were you ever young?"

He laughed at that, the sound echoing off the walls and even drowning out the thunder for a bit.

"Believe it or not, but I too have once been a spry young man, hot-headed and eager to serve my king." Gosetsu's expression then became one of contemplation. "But even the mightiest warrior cannot defeat time, and I sometimes find myself wondering what will break first. This blade...or this body?"

"Gosetsu..."

"Ah, do not pay attention to the ramblings of an old fool." He waved his hand and grinned. "There is still quite a bit of energy left in me!"

Wiping the powder off the blade, Gosetsu then took the flask and dribbled some of its contents on it before using the other wiping cloth to apply it evenly across its entire length.

After he was done fully cleaning it, he inserted the blade back into its hilt and nodded in satisfaction.

She watched as Gosetsu sheathed his sword once again and began gathering the utensils he used to clean it with in the same, almost ritualistic, fashion he had taken them out before. In a way, it reminded S'eni of her meditations. Where a Samurai used their blade to fight for their lord, a Monk's body was their weapon, and meditation was their way to keep it sharp.

Turning her gaze away from the older man, she looked out towards the sky, where cascades of rain were soaking the dry soil and not looking like they would end anytime soon.

Yes, perhaps a little bit of meditation would be good right about now.

Crossing her legs, S'eni closed her eyes and began to breathe deeply, letting the clean scent of the rain help her find her center and drown out everything else.

Inhale. Exhale.

Inhale. Exhale.

Inhale. Exhale.

And then...absolute tranquillity.

 

Notes:

Ah don't you worry Little Sun, you'll be getting what's coming to you soon enough...

I find it hilarious that the WoL, by virtue of being a 'silent protagonist', just seems to get other people or even animals that don't talk either. Wonder if that could be applied to a poker game?

Well, in any case, have a nice weekend! :)

Chapter 51

The Eve of Battle

 

Not long after we were released by the Oronir, the Nadaam began. It was a fierce battle and one that truly showed just how strong the warriors of the Xaela were. In the end, though, it was neither Magnai, nor Sadu, nor anyone else that claimed the ovoo, the spot upon which the victor would be declared for all to see. It was S'eni, the Warrior of Light and now also the Khagan of the Steppe.

With the tribes united and rallied to our cause, there was nothing else to do but to return to Yanxia and to prepare...

Prepare for the battle that would see the Garlean Empire driven out and the people of Doma finally free after 25 long years.

 

---

 

The House of the Fierce was largely quiet as she stepped out of the little corner that served as her room. It was little more than a bunk against a chipped wall and a blanket hung up to give a little bit of privacy. Pulling the blanket back into place, she could hear the occasional whisper and snore drifting towards her.

Quietly, as to not disturb anyone, S'eni made her way down the hallway into the direction of the main hall. She was just about to step out of the broken doorway when she bumped into Lyse.

"Sorry, I wasn't—Oh S'eni," her friend said. "Still awake?"

"I could ask you the same," S'eni replied with an amused tone.

"Yeah, well, I was helping the people of Namai..." the expression on her friend's face became one of embarrassment. "But, um, they threw me out. Told me I should get some sleep. Big day and all."

Lyse sighed and looked past her down the hallway, where the people of the Liberation Front were resting. "Not long now, eh? I'm a bit nervous, to be honest. Something is going to change tomorrow. Really change. And when the dust has settled, we'll see what we've won...and lost..."

S'eni wished she could tell her that everything was going to be alright tomorrow, but they both knew that was a lie. People would die tomorrow. So instead she reached a hand out and put it on top of Lyse's shoulder.

Her friend's blue eyes filled with warmth and a smile danced across her lips.

"Thanks, S'eni...Let's give it our best tomorrow." A yawn then forced its way past her lips. "Alright, yeah, I think I had better get to bed. You should probably too, Warrior of Light."

"Don't worry. I will," S'eni promised with a chuckle.

"Well, good night then."

"Good night." She watched her friend leave for a moment before continuing on her way.

Moonlight shone through the large hole in the ceiling of the main hall, wrapping itself around the repaired Aetheryte and mingling with its own soft, blue glow, making the few torches that had been lit around the hall almost obsolete.

As she walked around the main hall, she noticed that light came out of the room they had gathered at earlier to discuss their plans come morning. The corners of her lips curled into a smile when she peeked inside.

The twins were sitting at the planning table, leaning against one another and both fast asleep.

Looking around for a moment, she managed to find a blanket and place it around their shoulders before leaving them to their sleep of the righteous.

Leaving the main hall in the direction of the second entrance, S'eni could hear two familiar voices talking to one another, filled with merriment that could only be caused by one thing: a good drink.

So she wasn't at all surprised when she found Hien and Gosetsu sitting at a table and sharing one. Or a few.

"Oho, another restless soul," Hien greeted her and waved her over. "Come, have a drink with us!"

She considered his offer for a moment, then shrugged. "Sure, why not? What are we drinking to?"

"To freedom!" With a grin on his face, he grabbed a glass and filled it with a generous amount of wine, handing it to her as she sat down.

They raised their glasses and each took a healthy sip. A breath escaped her as the alcohol began to work its magic almost instantly, calming her down and making her belly feel pleasantly warm.

This was some strong stuff.

"What's wrong, Gosetsu?" she asked when she noticed the old man's expression.

"He still isn't on board with the plan."

"Ah." It didn't surprise her in the least that the old Samurai was against flooding Doma Castle, but as Hien had said, it could always be rebuilt so long as Doma's people lived.

"No." The Roegadyn said, shaking his head. "I have accepted your decision. But sitting here, drinking. It makes me recall the many things we have lived through."

He emptied the glass and refilled it again.

"In all my years of service, there are but two failures that haunt me to this day. The first was our defeat 25 years ago. I considered taking my life to atone for that, but it was your father that stopped me. 'Live, Gosetsu. For my unborn child, Shun.' he had said." The older man released a deep sigh. "The second, of course, was the betrayal of that command when I could neither protect Lord Kaien nor you during the rebellion. Yet all of you...saw fit to grant a failure such as me a second chance. To serve a higher purpose. Thank you...for pitying this old fool..."

After saying that, he bowed his head so deep S'eni was afraid he might knock it against the table and from the way his shoulders were shaking he was about to cry.

"Now now. Save your tears for tomorrow, we will have ample cause to shed them, be it for joy or despair," Hien said, then shook his head. "Bah! Even that sounds morose. We shouldn't think too much of the destination and instead welcome whatever comes with open arms."

"Then let's drink for whatever tomorrow may bring."

"That's more like it!" The young king refilled both of their glasses and clanked them together. "We have you to thank for coming this far. All debts will be repaid, my friend, you have my word."

They once more raised their glasses to their lips, but stopped almost simultaneously and looked at one another. So they both had noticed. With a shrug, he turned his head towards the shadows, where a certain Au Ra was lurking.

"If you have no intention of sleeping, Yugiri, then you might as well join us," he said.

The Shinobi stepped out of the shadows, looking a tad embarrassed to be found out.

"Forgive me, my lord. I did not mean to...If that is your will."

As Yugiri walked over to them, S'eni poured her friend a glass and handed it to her with a little smirk. "Well, bottoms up," she said.

"Well then—" Hien turned towards her with an expectant smile on his face. "—I think it's time I heard some of these tales that seem to surround you."

"Sure," S'eni replied, running a finger along the edge of her glass while enjoying the slight buzz she was feeling. "Now what would be a good one..."

She didn't exactly want to start off with ending a war that lasted for a thousand years. That might just temper expectations for tomorrow.

"Why not the time you fought Leviathan?" Yugiri suggested.

"Ah, yeah, that's a good one. So it began just after Yugiri and I had arrived in Revenant's Toll..."

She told them how the Sahagin, with the help of an enthralled group of pirates, had gathered a large amount of crystals to summon forth their primal and terrorize the seas they claimed as their own. How they tried and failed to stop them and thus were forced to come up with a rather bold plan to deal with the Lord of the Whorl. Of course she didn't leave out the not inconsiderable assistance that Yugiri had provided during the whole situation.

In the end, Leviathan had been defeated. Not an easy task at all.

Though now that she thought about it, the Kojin's blessing would help a lot if she had to fight Leviathan again.

After she was done with that story she regaled them with their misadventure in the Sylphlands. None of them walked away from that one feeling smart and Y'shtola was still bristling in annoyance way after they had left that place again.

"What a curious tale," Gosetsu said. "It was fortunate you and your friends know each other so well as to see through such disguises."

"Yeah." S'eni emptied her glass and a grin formed on her lips. "Maybe when everything's over, Doma could send an emissary to the Sylphs. They could teach your Shinobi a thing or two."

Yugiri's eyes widened as she nearly choked on her drink and Gosetsu's booming laughter began echoing through the air. Wiping the corners of her mouth, the Au Ra sent a glare towards her.

S'eni's grin grew and she held up her hands as if to surrender herself.

"And I suppose that's my cue to leave," she said and rose to her feet.

"Off to bed?" Hien asked.

She shook her head. "Not yet. But I figured if I still want to take a walk I should probably do so before it gets too late. And I think it'll help me sober up."

"Very well. Be careful though."

"Don't worry. I won't go far," S'eni promised and, with a small wave of her hand, left her friends to their drinking.

A soft, yet warm, breeze caressed her cheek as she stepped outside, making her pause and close her eyes to enjoy the feeling for a bit before continuing onward. While one couldn't see them, S'eni knew that there were lookouts nearby, keeping watch over their sleeping comrades for the big day ahead of them.

Walking down the hill, she stopped in front of the pond there and sat down on the ground to untie her sandals. After placing them next to her, S'eni took off her black-colored tabi before dipping her feet into the water.

She released an appreciative sigh as the pleasantly cool water soothed the little aches that had built up over the course of the day and looked up at the starlit sky.

Such a beautiful night...

S'eni enjoyed the sight for a little longer before lowering her gaze once more and letting it come to rest on the yellow lights dancing across the pond's surface, like tiny stars that had been pulled from the endless sea above and were flickering in and out of existence.

Almost on its own volition, her hand reached into her pocket and pulled out the small pearl inside of it. She rolled it between her thumb and index finger, absentmindedly feeling the engravings on it.

She raised her linkpearl, stopping just shy of her ear and keeping it there for an agonizingly long moment before finally giving in to desire and popping it in with her finger.

Long seconds passed and she was about to pull away again when her call was accepted.

"Yes?" Y'shtola's voice broke through the static, sounding quite groggy but still making S'eni's heart do a little flutter. "Who is there?"

"It's me," she replied, a small smile forming on her lips as her cheeks flushed. "Sorry, did I wake you?"

"Eni?" The grogginess was gone in an instant, followed by the faint sound of rustling sheets. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes, don't worry. I just wanted to check in, I suppose. But if it's a bad time—"

"No no. It's fine," Y'shtola interrupted her and released a breath. "I was just napping anyway."

"Healer's orders?" S'eni asked, not being able to stop herself from chuckling at her lover's weary sigh.

"Very much so. I know Krile means well, but I believe she is a little excessive."

"Getting a taste of your own medicine for once there."

"I'm not that bad."

She simply let her silence be her answer.

"Fine. Perhaps a little," the other Miqo'te said with a huff. S'eni grinned, but kept herself from saying that it was more than just a little because she then would most likely have to admit that she quite liked that side of her. "On that note, you will be delighted to hear that I was allowed to walk a few steps today."

"Oooh, keep that up and you'll be jumping in no time!"

"Yes, and once I do, I shall frolic through the fields." She dropped her dry tone. "But I doubt you hearing every minute detail of my recovery was the reason for your call."

"No. But it does me good to hear it nonetheless," S'eni admitted. Maybe it was the alcohol still coursing through her system, or maybe it was the fact that they were heading into battle tomorrow that made her say her next words. "...I miss you."

Y'shtola released a sigh. "I miss you too..."

To hear those words from someone like Y'shtola, who kept most of her feelings close to her chest, made her feel incredibly happy.

They went silent for a moment and S'eni simply enjoyed the warmth coursing through her before her lover broke it again by clearing her throat, something that made her lips form an affectionate smile.

"So, how have things been on your end?"

"Well..." she raised a foot out of the water and watched the moonlight on her wet skin. "I...might have become the new leader of the nomadic tribes of the Azim Steppe."

She didn't need to see Y'shtola to know that she was blinking at that.

"Only for a year though," S'eni added and dipped her foot back in.

"Whenever I think you can't surprise me anymore you prove me wrong every time."

"Is that a good or bad thing?"

"I will leave that up to your imagination," her lover replied.

"Alright. I will do that then," she replied with another chuckle. "And how are things in Gyr Abania?"

"The Resistance is recovering well, or so I'm told, and the Alliance is still holding Baelsar's Wall, though not for lack of trying from the Garleans," Y'shtola explained. "It's actually the reason why I and many of the other wounded will be transported to Revenant's Toll tomorrow. Krile thinks it's not safe for us here, and I'm inclined to agree."

"Yeah. It was only a matter of time anyway. And it's a better place to recover than a Castrum."

Y'shtola sighed once more. "At least I shall have something to read."

"You mean all the books you've read at least a hundred times already?" S'eni's eyes rose back up to take note of the moon's position. It was getting late. "Listen, I wish we could talk more, but I need to go. It's actually quite late here. And I think I kept you from your nap long enough."

"I feel like all I'm doing these days is sleeping, so I very much appreciate the distraction."

"So I'm a distraction now?" they both shared a little laugh.

"The best kind," Y'shtola replied, her voice just above a whisper with an audible smile in it.

"I'll be back soon," S'eni said. "I promise."

"I will hold you to that." A yawn escaped her, serving as proof that despite her words, her body was still recovering. "Good night, Eni."

"Good night, Shtola."

After their connection was cut, S'eni exhaled through her nose, pulled the linkpearl from her ear and put it back into her pocket. Rising to her feet, she put on her sandals once more and began to make her way back to the House of the Fierce, stopping halfway to look into the direction of where Castle Doma was located.

They had done everything they could. Now all there was to be done was winning...

 

Chapter 52

Back to Familiar Shores

 

After 25 years, Doma was finally liberated...

The people that had suffered so much under the rule of the Empire had earned their freedom with blood, tears, and sacrifice; that of Gosetsu above all, who had stayed behind in the collapsing castle to ensure our escape.

But we had no time to lament his loss. While the war for Doma was now over, the one for my home was still raging on.

So with promises of support from Hien, we left for Eorzea, where news of recent events were already waiting for us.

 

---

 

The cries of seagulls rang through the air as the ship swayed on the waves. Up and down, back and forth, remaining strong and steady, but ultimately at the mercy of the endless blue spreading out as far as the eye could see.

A strong wind blew from the south, offering them a helping hand on this last leg of their journey. But as all eyes were directed northward, S'eni was sitting on the stern and looked out towards the horizon, her hair dancing in the breeze.

There, far in the distance, lied the Rhotano Sea and within it, a series of islands that had once been all she had known of the world. The Cieldalaes.

Home.

She had watched them from a distance as their ship had passed by, and even now, with the largest of them having vanished beyond the horizon like the setting sun, she couldn't look away.

It reminded her of that day five years ago, when she had left with the first ship that was willing to offer her passage for what little Gil she had managed to scrounge up. Back then, she had been practically glued to the stern as she silently watched the archipelago become smaller and smaller with each passing moment. Only when the day began turning into night and the worsening weather forced all the passengers under the deck, had S'eni finally looked away.

And never looked back...until now.

Her ears perked up at the sound of approaching steps and she glanced over her shoulder to see that it was Lyse.

"Come to check up on me?" S'eni asked, a small smile forming on her lips.

"Yeah, you've been here for a while now. Thought I'd come looking before the others form a rescue party," Lyse replied and sat down next to her, moving her legs through the railing to let them dangle over the edge. "Everything alright?"

She hummed. "Don't worry. I'm fine. Just nostalgic, I suppose," she said. At the other woman's questioning look, she pointed towards the horizon and added, "I grew up on one of the islands in that direction."

"Oh, you're from the Cieldalaes?"

"Uh-huh. But shhhh." S'eni raised a finger to her lips. "We wouldn't want to reveal all of the mysteries revolving around the Warrior of Light."

They both burst into laughter.

"So what was it like?" her friend asked. "Growing up there, I mean?"

"Compared to now? Very boring." her smile grew. "But it was home. And with everything going on these days I guess I just can't help but think about it."

"Do you regret leaving?"

"Not at all," S'eni replied with a shake of her head. "Ever since I was little, I wanted to see what was out there. To see the world and go on adventures."

She reached a hand out towards the sky, closing her hand as if to grasp it. "All the things I've experienced, good and bad, and all the people I've met since...I wouldn't trade them for anything..."

Dropping her arm, S'eni turned her head to lock eyes with Lyse.

"Besides—" she brushed her fingers over her newest pair of earrings; two beautifully shaped teardrops made of red jade. "—I'd never be able to get my hands on these if I stayed there."

Her friend shook her head. "I don't know who's worse. You with earrings or Y'shtola with shoes."

"Oh, I would say we're roughly equal."

"Yeah, that sounds about right," Lyse chuckled.

A call from the crow's nest made them both look up.

"Well, I guess it's time to return to the present," S'eni said and rose to her feet, offering a hand to help Lyse up.

Midships, they found Alphinaud, Alisaie, and Yugiri with the rest of the passengers of the East Aldenard Trading Company vessel that Hancock had offered them for their travels back. And free of charge to boot, citing their 'opening up new trading opportunities' as more than enough payment for many ships and then some.

"Ah, there you are," Alisaie said when she noticed them approaching. "My dear brother here was starting to get worried."

"Sorry, I just needed a little time to myself," S'eni replied and shared a grin with Lyse.

The younger woman simply raised an eyebrow before turning her gaze back forward where Limsa Lominsa was slowly coming into view. "I don't know about you, but it feels good to be back."

"I agree," Yugiri said. "While Doma is my home, I will freely admit that a part of me has grown fond of Eorzea over my stay here. So to return fills me with joy as well."

"Especially with all the good news you're bringing along," S'eni added and gently nudged her with an elbow.

A small smile formed on the Au Ra's lips. "Indeed."

With the wind on their side, it didn't take long for the ship to draw close to Limsa Lominsa and soon enough they were entering the all too familiar port.

"Here we are, home at last," Alphinaud said after they stepped off the boat, a small measure of relief in his voice at being back on solid ground. Or as solid as possible given the city's unique nature. "And quicker than I expected."

"That's because of the absence of otherworldly interference this time around," Alisaie noted.

The younger man paled visibly.

"I-I would be glad if we never spoke of that again." He cleared his throat. "Nevertheless, we have returned, richer in experience and most importantly, triumphant."

"And with Doma freed, it is time we turn our attention to Ala Mhigo," Yugiri said.

"Not that I'm going to complain about that, but perhaps you should pay Revenant's Toll a visit first?" Lyse suggested. "I'm sure Hozan and the others will be thrilled to hear what we've accomplished and they should hear it from you."

The Shinobi nodded. "I shall do that. Thank you."

"I see I'm just in time," another voice then said and they all turned to see none other than Admiral Merlwyb Bloefhiswyn herself walking towards them, flanked on both sides by two Maelstrom soldiers.

"Admiral!" Alphinaud exclaimed. "What brings you here?"

"The East Aldenard Trading Company informed me of your impending arrival," Admiral Merlwyb explained. "I have tidings that I thought would be best shared in person."

"From Gyr Abania?" Lyse asked, her expression turning serious.

"Aye." the Admiral nodded, then proceeded to tell them how the Alliance and Resistance had fared in their absence. Most of it wasn't any new information for S'eni, since Y'shtola had brought her up to speed not too long ago, though she didn't like how they had seemingly entered a stalemate and that the Resistance had only middling success in their endeavours.

"It was complications from one such mission that made me seek you out." the Roegadyn woman's face became grim. "While transporting the wounded from Baelsar's Wall to the Rising Stones, Krile Baldesion was taken prisoner."

A gasp of surprise escaped Lyse and S'eni felt her heart begin to hammer in her chest. But it was Alphinaud who had the strongest reaction.

"Krile!?" He all but shouted, taking a step towards the Admiral. "Do they know where she's being held?"

"They don't. But your comrades were informed at once, and I'm told Thancred is already in Gyr Abania looking for her."

Alphinaud's eyes darted back towards them and began to pace back and forth.

"How could this have happened?" he asked, more himself than anyone else. After a few seconds he stopped. "We have to find Thancred at once—No, no. Krile taught me better than this. It would be unwise to act before getting the full picture..."

Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he looked at the Admiral once more. "Thank you for informing us. We will leave for Castrum Oriens at once. If you would excuse us, Admiral."

As they began walking down the docks, S'eni found herself rooted to the spot and her hand unconsciously moved towards her pocket.

Admiral Merlwyb hadn't said anything about any other prisoners or dead but...she had to make sure.

"I'm sorry," she said, making the others stop. "But can you guys go on ahead? I want to go to the Rising Stones and check on Shtola."

"Hmm, yes. She would have undoubtedly been there as well..." Alphinaud said. "Very well, please do. We shall meet with Thancred in the meantime."

Looking at each of her friends, S'eni nodded and began teleporting to Mor Dhona.

 

---

 

Revenant's Toll was as lively as ever, people coming and going, merchants plying their wares and the sound of kids laughing in the distance. It was a sight that gave her comfort. That despite everything that was happening, Revenant's Toll would be Revenant's Toll.

The same applied to the Seventh Heaven which was already filled with a decent number of customers that were all turning to look towards her when she all but slammed open the double doors leading into the tavern.

"Oh, S'eni. You're back!" Alys greeted her, wiping the counter with a rag.

"Sorry, no time. We'll catch up later," S'eni replied hastily as she made a beeline for the doors leading into the back.

As she entered the Rising Stones, she felt herself relax a little at the familiar surroundings and voices echoing through the large room, and despite her anxiousness right now, she couldn't help a smile.

Her appearance did not go unnoticed though and soon enough a loud voice was calling out to her, followed by thundering steps rushing towards her. She had barely time to turn towards the sound, when she found herself picked up into a bear hug.

"S'ENI!" Hoary Boulder shouted. "YOU'VE RETURNED!"

The Hellsguard broke out into laughter as he moved around, making her look like a doll in his giant arms.

"H-Hoary!" she managed to say as she tried to put a little distance between her face and his armor. "I'm glad to see you too, but could you let me go?"

But he didn't seem to hear her with how glad he was to see a good friend return.

Thankfully for her, wherever Hoary Boulder was, Coultenet was not far and so the Thaumaturge was quick to come to her rescue.

"I am as happy as you are to see her back, but perhaps you should let her have some space, my friend?" he asked the Roegadyn.

"Eh?" Hoary Boulder looked at his best friend for a moment before realization struck him. "Oh, of course! Sorry about that, S'eni."

He placed her back down on the ground.

"Thanks," she said to the Elezen, who gave her a polite smile in return.

"I take it the others have returned as well?"

"Yeah. They're on their way to Castrum Oriens to talk with Thancred about Krile."

The two men shared a look, their expressions turning serious. "Yes, we heard about what happened. We were busy with a mission of our own at the time so it was only well after the fact that we learned of it," the Hellsguard said, crossing his arms. "Godsdamned bastards!"

"Don't worry, we'll get her back," S'eni promised.

"If you need help, you know where to find us!"

A smile formed on her lips, glad to see the two of them still being the same as ever. "I know. Listen, I've come to check on Shtola. Can you tell me where she is?"

"Y'shtola? She is in her room," Coultenet told her. "I believe she is actually having a visitor right now..."

A visitor? S'eni wondered as she pushed past the two of them. "Thanks. We should have another sparring match soon, Hoary."

As she walked down the main hall, she passed by Alliane and her grandfather Isildaure, sitting together with Homei, and she gave them a small wave before heading down the hallway where the Archons' rooms were located.

She was just rounding the corner towards her lover's room when she bumped into the person that could only be the visitor Coultenet had talked about.

Y'mhitra.

The frown that was on the other woman's face brightened almost instantly when she laid eyes on her. "S'eni!" she said. "I didn't think you would be back already."

"Y'mhitra," S'eni greeted her back. "Just stepped off the ship, actually. How are you?"

"I'm fine, all things considered. Everyone is on edge about what is happening in Gyr Abania these days, but for us of the Sons, research never rests."

"And..." she looked past her lover's sister. "How's Shtola?"

"Stubborn," Y'mhitra replied, her frown returning and a hand placing itself on her hip as her tail wagged in annoyance. "Which means she's well on her way to recovery. You wouldn't even think she was seriously hurt with the way she's acting."

"Yeah, that's Shtola for you." S'eni chuckled.

Y'mhitra sighed and glanced over her shoulder. "Well, you probably want to speak with her, and I should be on my way anyway. But before I go, can I...ask you a favor?"

Hearing the tone in the other Miqo'te's voice, she became serious. "Of course. Anything."

"Please, keep an eye on her, will you? I know she's strong, but even someone as strong as her needs someone at her side." Y'mhitra took a step forward, placing a hand on S'eni's arm and letting her eyes come to rest upon hers. "And I know no one more capable than you."

S'eni could only stare at the other woman, mouth slightly agape and unable to look away from the gaze that reminded her so much of Y'shtola's back when she could still see normally. It was filled with concern and...something else, and she found herself wondering: did she know?

But she supposed it didn't really matter, because her answer was obvious.

Looking deep into the other's eyes, S'eni gave her a strong nod. Y'mhitra looked at her for a moment longer before releasing a breath through her nose and stepping back once more.

"Thank you. I can rest a little easier now," she said, smile returning. "Anyway, I should go. Let's meet up the next time you're in Gridania. You know where to find me. Maybe try and drag Shtola with you too!"

After exchanging good-byes, S'eni resumed her walk towards Y'shtola's room. With every step that she took, her heart began to beat faster and faster, and she was surprised that she managed to stop herself long enough to knock before stepping inside.

She hadn't even made it fully past, when her eyes landed on Y'shtola, sitting at the sole table inside the room with a book in her hand. Her hair was slightly unkempt and she was dressed in the most unflattering of bedclothes, but when those silvery-white eyes flickered into her direction at the sound of the closing door, there was only one word that came to mind.

Beautiful.

"Eni?" Y'shtola's looked at her in surprise. "You have returned.."

S'eni didn't reply as she practically flew across the room, her hurried footfalls muffled only slightly by the red and gold patterned carpet. The surprise gave way to confusion as she braced herself against the table, looked at her—

"Eni? What—"

—and dipped down to claim her lips with her own.

A startled noise escaped Y'shtola, and she stiffened up for just a fraction of a moment, before her shoulders relaxed once more and she leaned into the kiss.

There was a thump next to them but S'eni paid it no mind when the feeling of a warm hand snaking itself around her neck made her skin tingle in a million wonderful ways.

The lingering taste of tea, fruity with just a hint of spice, clung to Y'shtola's soft lips, its familiarity welcoming her home and filling her with desire to seek out more of it. But alas, those pleasant distractions would have to wait for another, more appropriate time.

Their lips separated with a small noise and she moved to rest her forehead against Y'shtola's.

"I'm back," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I can see that." Y'shtola chuckled and in a much lower voice said, "Welcome back."

They remained like this for a moment and S'eni couldn't help the purring sound escaping her at the feeling of nails gently caressing the back of her neck. Eventually though, and much to her loathing, they separated.

"Are you alright?" she asked as soon as she stepped back, taking a moment to look her over. "Admiral Merlwyb told us you were attacked and that Krile was taken prisoner."

"Yes. Thanks to Arenvald and his companions," Y'shtola said. "They protected us during the ambush."

"I'll have to thank him later then." Kneeling down in front of her lover, S'eni placed a hand on her knee. "What exactly happened?"

The other Miqo'te's face darkened. "The Skulls. They attacked us after we reached the Black Shroud. Most likely using a path across the Wall that nobody knew about."

"The Skulls...do you think they were after the wounded?"

"No." Y'shtola shook her head, eyes narrowing slightly. "They would not have gone to this length just to kill a handful of wounded soldiers that aren't in fighting shape. No, I believe they were there for another reason."

"Krile."

"Precisely. I don't know for what purpose though. All I can say is that they retreated as soon as they had taken her."

S'eni frowned. If the Garleans had sent troops to capture Krile, then that meant they had some sort of plan for her.

Not on her watch.

"I know that look. You're already trying to come up with a way to rescue her. And knowing you, it's something reckless again."

The corners of her lips curled upwards. "Guilty as charged. But before that we'll have to figure out where exactly they've taken her."

"I'm sure between you and the others it won't be long before you find her. In the meantime I shall wait with bated breath while I keep to my bed."

"Shtola."

Y'shtola sighed and waved her hand. "Don't mind me."

Looking at her lover, she could tell that she was frustrated about being confined to the Rising Stones instead of fighting alongside them. An idea sprang up in her mind and she felt her smile grow as she reached towards her pocket while holding out a hand.

"Give me your hand," she said. The other woman raised an eyebrow but otherwise complied.

Pulling her other hand back out of her pocket, she produced a small chain-like object and began to put it on Y'shtola's wrist.

"Before we left Kugane, I had another look around the market and found this. It reminded me of your hair, so I bought it," S'eni explained, a little embarrassed at the reasoning. The small clasp closed with a little 'click' and she pulled her hands back. "I hope you'll like it."

Y'shtola raised her hand to look at the bracelet made of woven silver that was separated every inch by milky white, oval-shaped jade. She ran her thumb across one of the gems before smiling.

"Yes, I do like it." The smile then turned into a little grin as she reached out and tapped one of S'eni's earrings. "I see you have not forgotten to buy yourself a present too."

"Yeah, well, I just can't quit I suppose." They shared a laugh.

"Interesting outfit as well," Y'shtola said and gently pulled at the end of her scarf.

Rising to her feet, S'eni took a few steps back and did a little twirl.

"What do you think?" she asked with a giggle. "The old one didn't make it, but I have to say I really like this one too. Breathable, but keeps you warm during chilly nights. And most of all: durable."

She gave the fabric a strong pull.

Y'shtola looked her over, tilted her head once, then nodded with a hum.

"It suits you..." the other woman said, slowly rising to her feet as well and walking towards her. For a moment, S'eni was worried that she might be pushing herself, but that was quickly dispelled when she saw how steady Y'shtola was on her legs.

Stopping in front of her, Y'shtola gave her another, much slower once over and reached out to trail her fingers across the hem of her haori. "...but it's quite a lot to unpack, don't you think?"

Silvery white came to rest upon cherry pink, and before S'eni could even utter a word, she found herself pulled into another kiss that made her toes curl.

A soft sigh escaped her when Y'shtola's hand moved to cup her cheek, her thumb gently stroking across one of her face marks, and she let her eyes flutter close to let herself immerse in this feeling.

One of her arms was just about to wrap itself around her lover's waist when a knock resounded off the door.

Breaking the kiss, they looked at one another through half-lidded eyes, and S'eni cursed under her breath.

"I guess time's up," she said.

Y'shtola didn't look any more pleased than she was. "I suppose so."

Another knock soon followed, and they took a step back from one another before the other Miqo'te told whoever it was to come in.

The door opened to reveal Clemence, one of the Scions' other healers, standing there.

"I'm sorry for the intrusion Y'shtola, but it's time for your daily—Oh hello, S'eni," the young woman said, her lips curling into a smile. "I heard Hoary Boulder say that you were back."

"Hey." S'eni raised her hand in greeting. "And I'm sure most of the Rising Stones already heard."

"True." Clemence giggled.

"Anyway, I should be on my way. The others are probably waiting for me," she said and turned towards Y'shtola. "Well..."

"Say hello to the others from me," Y'shtola said, the corners of her lips quirking upward. "And do stay in touch."

The last she said while pointing at her ear.

Mirroring her lover's expression, she sent her a little wink. "Will do," she said and began walking towards the door, stopping only as she passed by Clemence to say a swift goodbye to her before leaving the room.

S'eni had just closed the door behind her and was beginning to head down the hallway when the healer's muffled voice made her pause.

"Why is there a book lying on the floor?"

With a grin splitting her face, she released a snicker and continued on her way.

 

Notes:

Giving a little love to some of the minor Scions who might not be as larger than life than our main cast, but who are always fun to talk to nonetheless!

Also @musicismylife118 and ComradeFox: thank you for your nice comments :)

And that's it for this week. Have a good weekend!

Chapter 53

Amidst the Peaks

 

With Thancred slipping behind enemy lines to search for Krile, it fell upon us to create a distraction for him to use. And what a distraction it was.

Soon after our return, we managed to win a decisive victory at Castellum Velodyna, forcing the Empire to retreat and leave the Fringes in our hands. Things turned complicated when one of the Ananta tribes, the Qalyana, summoned forth their primal in response to the death of the broodmother's daughter, but I think at this point it goes without saying that our dear Warrior of Light had the situation well in hand.

While we were taking care of that, the good fortune that had struck our campaign continued, as the Alliance and Resistance had taken Ala Ghiri in the meantime with not a single life lost.

...If only it had continued that way.

 

---

 

Laughter echoed towards S'eni as she walked out of an alley nestled between two buildings and she spotted a small group consisting of Alliance and Resistance troops sitting nearby, trading jokes with one another.

She watched them for a moment, occasionally chuckling when one of them told an especially funny joke, before moving on.

It was good to see that spirits were high, especially after the catastrophic defeat they had suffered at Rhalgr's Reach. The liberation of Doma and the victory at Castellum Velodyna had done wonders for everyone's morale.

And now with Ala Ghiri in their hands, they had acquired a strategic base of operations on the only route leading towards the Lochs and within them, Ala Mhigo.

Nestled against the cliffs of Wightrock, the former trade hub was surrounded by a thick wall that had originally been built to protect its citizens from the dangerous wildlife. Now that very same wall made it an ideal place to hunker down and defend from any attackers, something the Garleans had known quite well from their years of occupation.

Which made it all the more strange that they had chosen to abandon it without as much of a fight.

But as Raubahn had said, one didn't look a gift Chocobo in the beak, and there were no signs of traps nor sabotage in the town proper.

Still, he didn't wish to sit idle either and thus had, almost as soon as she and the others had arrived, taken to the field once more. Their target: Specula Imperatoris.

S'eni stopped to look upon the large watchtowers looming in the north, overlooking almost all of Gyr Abania.

If all was going according to plan, the assault would begin within the hour. Not that she would be taking part in it, as her orders had been explicitly clear.

Stay behind in reserve and take out any troops that might be dispatched in response. So effectively guard duty.

She knew it was the Flame General's way of making sure she was getting enough rest after all she had done up to this point, but it still annoyed her a little that she had to remain in Ala Ghiri while Lyse and Alphinaud were heading into battle.

Oh well. Nothing for it I suppose, S'eni thought with a sigh of resignation and continued on her walk. Maybe she could find herself a quiet corner and call Y'shtola to pass the time...

While mulling over the possibility of a chat with her lover, she didn't register the sound of soft steps as they approached her from behind.

Only when she felt fingers brushing against her right arm did she move to whirl around, but it was already too late by then as her arm was swiftly encircled by another and she was about to curse her lack of attention when a voice, like honey, spoke up next to her ear.

"Oh my, such strong arms," the person, a woman, said and began to run her other hand across the limb in question. "You must be an exceptional warrior..."

Turning her head in the direction of the woman, she found a pretty Miqo'te attached to her arm, a smile on her painted lips. S'eni blinked once and, not sensing any danger, slowly gave her a friendly smile in return.

The floral scent of perfume invaded her nostrils as she opened her mouth to speak. "Can I help you?"

"Hm." The other Miqo'te hummed and looked her up and down. "I'm sure there's a lot you can help me with."

Before S'eni could answer, another Miqo'te appeared seemingly out of nowhere and looped an arm through her other one.

"Oh my, what have we here...?" Two fingers came to rest underneath S'eni's chin and guided her head towards another pretty face framed by long brown hair with wine-colored tips. "Such a pretty face. We rarely get those around these parts."

S'eni's ears perked up at that. Wait a minute, are they...

"Tell you what, I'll make you an especially good price."

...Yes, they are...

The Miqo'te to her right gasped at those words. "No fair, Ghonako. I saw her first!"

"You shouldn't have dragged your feet then," the one on her left replied and pressed herself against S'eni, her arm coming to rest in between an ample bosom.

"Oh no no no. First come, first serve!" the one to her right followed suit. The two prostitutes then began glaring at one another and tried to pull her in one direction or the other.

They did so for a few seconds before facing S'eni. "Let's have her decide then."

Their hands sliding seductively down her arms, they held one of S'eni's hands each as they stepped in front of her, giving her a seductive look through half-lidded eyes.

She looked between the two of them and let out a silent breath of relief for the chance to straighten this out.

"Listen, I'm really flattered," she said. "But I'm—"

"Not interested," another voice chimed in.

Almost at the same time, the three of them turned their heads to S'eni's left and found none other than Alisaie standing there, hands planted firmly on her hips and eyebrows furrowed.

"Well well, another pretty face. But I'm afraid you're a little too young for what we have to offer," the one called Ghonako said and waved her hand in a dismissive manner. "Come back in a few years, little one."

The other one giggled at that.

Uh oh... S'eni thought as she watched as Alisaie gritted her teeth and a look of righteous indignation entered her eyes. That was the wrong thing to say.

"I said—" The young Elezen took a step forward. "—she is not—" her hands balled into shaking fists. "—interested!"

By the time Alisaie had nearly reached them, it seemed to dawn on the two that they might have pissed off the wrong person and scurried off, but not before one of them sent S'eni a little wink.

She watched as they escaped down an alley, then turned to look at Alisaie who had come to a stop next to her, and glared after them.

"The nerve of some people." The younger woman huffed and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"Now now, calm down," S'eni tried to placate her. "No harm done here."

Alisae looked at her for a moment before shaking her head with a sigh. "You're too nice, you know that?"

"I'll have you know I was about to tell them no myself," she said.

S'eni was just glad her young friend interrupted them when she did instead of a few seconds later or else she might have found herself in that awkward predicament of explaining what she meant with "But I'm already taken". Krile finding out about Y'shtola and her by accident was enough.

"Didn't look like they were the type to take no for an answer..."

"Oh come now." She frowned. "Girls got to make a living somehow and I doubt 20 years of occupation left them with a lot of options."

Another, softer, sigh escaped Alisaie. "Yes, I suppose you're right."

"So, did you just chance upon me, or were you looking for me?" S'eni asked, the corners of her lips curling into a smile.

"Actually, I was," the younger woman replied. "Arenvald wanted to coordinate our search of the surrounding area."

"Alright, then let's not keep him waiting."

They found their fellow Scion in the center of town together with his two companions, V'mah Tia and J'moldva. The latter was leaning on her spear, while the former was sitting on the steps leading to Ala Ghiri's Aetheryte and sharpening his blade.

Upon noticing their approach, Arenvald raised his hand in greeting. "Ah, you've found her."

"Yes. Interacting with some of the locals," Alisaie replied.

"I see. I suppose it's a good way to earn the people's trust."

S'eni had to force herself not to grin at how far off the mark he was, but only partly succeeded, so she walked up and gave his armored arm a playful slap.

"So what have you three been up to?"

His green eyes looked at her past his blond bangs and he smiled.

"Searching for stragglers mostly. Nothing as grand as you defeating another primal," he replied.

"Looks like we're all looking for them today. Who knows? Maybe you'll be the one slaying primals tomorrow. Arenvald the Warrior of Light," she said and gave him a little nudge. "You're already wearing the shiny armor."

A chuckle escaped him. "I think I'll pass."

"Well, shall we begin now that we're all here?" Alisaie asked.

The five of them huddled together and Arenvald pulled out a rather detailed map of the Peaks. Though on closer inspection, she noticed that it was an older one, from before the occupation.

"We have a large area to cover," Arenvald said and circled the area of Wightrock.

"And a lot of spots to hide," S'eni pointed out.

"Exactly. It's why I think it would be best if we split up."

"Hm. One group searches to the west and the other to the north." the young Elezen suggested.

Arenvald nodded. "V'mah, J'moldva and I will head west."

"Then Alisaie and I will go north. Sounds like a plan."

After discussing what they should do if either group ran into unexpected trouble, they headed out.

"He's grown quite a bit, don't you think?" S'eni asked Alisaie after they had split off, watching the young man and his companions for a moment before turning her gaze up ahead.

"I'm afraid I don't know him as well as you do, so I can't judge," the younger woman replied. "The few times I spoke to him before were when I was paying Urianger a visit at the Waking Sands."

"You should have seen him when he first joined the Scions. A kid that didn't know his place in the world and utterly confused because of the powers he had just awoken to." She still remembered how two of the senior members at the time, A'aba Tia and Aulie, had taken him under their wings. Their deaths at the hands of the Garleans some time later had been hard on him, but if they were here now, they couldn't be more proud of him, she was sure.

"I will take your word for it then." Alisaie smiled.

While the lands north of the Razor Mountains were arid and dry, there were still little signs of greenery here and there, and even flowers sprouting from the ground. Everything south from them though was dry, dusty, and mostly dead. Yet the people living here had carved an existence for themselves, just how the Xaela had done on the Azim Steppe, and that deserved deep respect.

As they wandered this area, they kept their eyes peeled. Every little noise could mean an ambush by Garlean troops. But so far, all they encountered was the local wildlife that called these mountains their home.

"At this point—" Alisaie said and a rock shot forward from her magical focus, slamming into the Pantera that had attacked them and felling the beast, shattering its huge tusks in the process. "—I believe they have been eaten."

"Now wouldn't that be something." S'eni walked over to it and knelt to pick up one of the broken canines, looking it over for a moment before tossing it away. "No, I don't think we're that lucky."

"One can still hope..." her friend then grew quiet, making her glance over her shoulder to see Alisaie look northeast.

"Worried?" she asked.

"A little perhaps. But both Lyse and my dear brother are strong, and they have each other to rely on." Alisaie tapped her foot a few times. "Bah! This is getting us nowhere. I say we split up to try and cover more ground!"

Giving S'eni not even the time to respond, the young Elezen marched off, leaving her to only chuckle and shake her head.

Guess she's more worried than she claims. She thought and rose to her feet to continue on her way.

A while passed with nothing happening at all aside from another Pantera trying, and failing, to make her into its meal, and she was just about to turn around to go look for Alisaie when a sound made her ears perk up.

Voices.

Her hearing wasn't as keen as M'naago's, but she was beginning to learn, and if she wasn't wrong then they were coming from...

There!

Using the rocky terrain as cover, she followed the voices until she found their owners, two Garlean soldiers, on top of a nearby hill and looking out into the distance.

And as luck would have it, facing directly away from her.

"Can you tell me why exactly we just up and left Ala Ghiri?" she heard one of them ask.

"All I know is that it was orders from the Legatus himself," the other replied.

"And now we're stuck out here." He tsked. "Shame. The place had some upsides to it."

"Oh please, you're just annoyed because you actually have to work instead of whoring around. Now keep your eyes peeled!"

"Whatever."

While they were busy talking, S'eni used the chance to sneak up to the hill and take cover behind a rock just a few steps behind them.

"Say, what do you think of that woman?" the one that was obviously not keen to being out here asked after a bit of silence, taking a few steps forward.

A sigh. "Which woman?"

"You know. The Ala Mhigan."

"Fordola?" a moment passed before the legionary shrugged. "She and her Skulls seem like good attack dogs."

"Yeah. A feisty one. Makes you wonder if she could put that energy to use elsewhere."

"I swear you're such a needy bastard."

The first one let out a dirty laugh and moved closer to the edge. "Hey, can't blame a guy for wondering. There's just something about that attitude of hers...makes you want to put her in her place."

He then began to list all sorts of things that he wanted to subject her to, making S'eni's face contort in disgust. But it kept his comrade distracted long enough for her to sneak up on him, push him to the ground and slam her fist into the base of his skull. He instantly went limp.

Leaving him lying there, she proceeded to sneak up to the remaining one.

"I'm telling you, all that she needs is for someone—"

He turned around and found himself face to face with her.

"—break her in?"

His eyes widened in shock but it was already too late as she struck him in the chest in rapid succession, each blow accompanied by a crack, before kicking him over the edge.

She jumped down after him and walked over to where he was lying. He stared up at her, his blood-covered lips parted and chest rising and falling unevenly as he tried to breathe.

Kneeling, she gave him the finishing blow.

S'eni looked around and strained her ears for a moment to see if anyone might have been nearby to hear this exchange, then breathed out through her nose when everything was quiet.

Well, that's that...

Rising back up, she began to head eastward in the direction that Alisaie had left in earlier. It didn't take too long to find the younger woman, standing over a pair of slain legionaries.

"Ah, S'eni. Give me a moment," she said as she saw her approaching, a finger on the linkpearl in her left ear. "Can you repeat that? Yes...Understood, keep me informed."

"I guess Arenvald and the others found some Garleans too?" S'eni asked after the call ended.

"That too, but this was actually about something else. Remember the pair that's been spying on us since the Fringes?"

"Yeah. A Hyur and Lalafel, right?" The pair had been tailing their forces for a while now, but even from the distance they were keeping all the time, it was easy to spot the imperial uniforms they were wearing.

So far they hadn't tried anything funny, but that could always change.

"Yes. I told him to keep an eye on them for now. For all we know they might be saboteurs."

"Maybe," S'eni said, but she had the feeling something else was going on here.

"Anyway." Alisaie shook her head. "How about you? Any troubles?"

"Just a pair of legionaries. They've been dealt with."

"Good. Then I suppose our troops' flank should be secure. Now, all we—"

A large explosion echoed through the air and they both whirled around just in time to see Specula Imperatoris' main tower collapse.

"Oh no!" Alisaie exclaimed, her hand going for the linkpearl once more. A brief moment passed before she let go again with a frustrated sound. "I can't get through. I don't know if we're being jammed or—we have to go. They need our help!"

Not waiting for her response, the Elezen broke into a sprint.

"Alisaie, wait!" S'eni shouted and ran after her. As she followed her friend, her eyes came to rest upon what remained of the tower as smoke began to rise high into the air. She grit her teeth, steeling herself for what was to come.

War always came with a cost, and the price of freedom was steep...

 

Chapter 54

The Oaths that spur her Onwards

 

"Lead them to victory. To freedom." Those were Conrad's last words to me before he died in my arms, leaving me in command of the Resistance's forces. I'm not Conrad, or my father, or Raubahn. I'm myself, and I suppose that would just have to do.

After licking our wounds, we began our counterattack, blissfully aided by their main cannon having been disabled. We found Fordola in the control room, but just as we were trying to capture her, she escaped with the help of some new, unknown power.

Once Castrum Abania was in our hands, everything went quickly. And while our gathered forces amassed in the Lochs, the Scions moved to rescue Krile from deep within Ala Mhigo's residential area.

There, we found Fordola...and finally beat her.

But the true battle had yet to begin.

 

---

 

The hum of Magitek pervaded the air as she stood in the center of the large hall that had once been a temple of the Fist. Now these halls that must have once teemed with disciples old and young were empty and draped in the ominous red light of the construct in front of her, covered from top to bottom in rows of cylindrical pods.

S'eni shifted her eyes over to the singular open pod where Krile was currently seated, looking utterly exhausted, with Alphinaud not moving an inch from her side.

She shuddered at the thought of what her friend must have endured in there. Not to mention all the other poor souls still stuck in there.

Maybe...

"I know what you're thinking, but it's already too late," Thancred said while stepping next to her and crossing his arms. "Krile was the last to be placed in there and had the Echo on her side."

"Yeah...I figured as much," she replied, balling her hands into fists. All that just to give pure-bloodedGarleans the ability to wield aether. And—

She glanced over her shoulder to look at Fordola as Lyse hoisted her to her feet by her bound hands and began pushing her towards the exit.

—apparently more.

Whatever it was that they had done to her, it had made her frighteningly powerful in a very short amount of time. Almost like...

"The Echo..." she mumbled.

"What was that?" Thancred asked.

"Nothing." S'eni shook her head.

"Well then." He uncrossed his arms and looked towards Alphinaud and Krile. "As happy as I am to see Krile again, I think it's best if we leave and let the Resistance handle the rest here."

"Hm. Raubahn and the others will want to know what transpired." And about that ominous power Zenos seemingly acquired according to Fordola.

They walked over to the two of them.

"Krile, are you alright?" she asked.

"I should be fine to walk," the Lalafel said and slowly rose to her feet with Alphinaud's hand. "Just don't ask me to cast any healing spells."

"Don't worry, we should be fine. And if all else fails, Alphinaud can carry you."

"Inde—wait what?"

A giggle escaped Krile at his reaction. "Alright. Let's go. I've seen enough of this place to last me two lifetimes."

As soon as they had stepped out, S'eni took a deep breath, glad to be out of that suffocating place and Krile too began to look much more lively as they walked through the streets of Ala Mhigo's residential district.

The soldiers of the Resistance had fully taken control of the area by now and were patrolling in search of any Imperial troops that might have escaped. Here and there, a few brave citizens had stepped out of their homes to see what the entire fuss was about.

"What's happening? Is there going to be an attack soon?" she heard a woman ask.

"Please, get back inside. It's not safe," a Resistance soldier replied.

"No way!" a burly man all but shouted. "Give me a weapon! I'll make those bloody bastards pay!"

Others were soon joining him in his demand, eager to finally take the fight to those that had oppressed them for so long.

"They certainly don't lack in spirit," Thancred noted. "If only that alone was enough to win a war."

"Yes. As it stands, a lot of them would most likely get in the way rather than be of help," Alphinaud said. "We were lucky that our attack has gone unnoticed by the main force inside the city proper."

"If they aren't just pretending," S'eni then said and their expressions darkened at the same time.

For all they knew this was all part of what Fordola called the royal hunt.

A moment of silence passed before he spoke up once more. "Nevertheless, there is still much that needs to be done. Once the Alliance has breached the main gates, the Resistance will push through the entrance here."

"Then I'll remain here," Thancred said. "My search led me into the city proper, and my familiarity with their defenses might prove useful."

"Very well, I shall instruct Arenvald and his unit to support the Resistance as well." He turned to look at her as Thancred turned a corner to look for M'naago. "They were tasked with securing the Aetheryte if I recall correctly, so we should head there."

And that's exactly where they found the three of them. Almost as soon as he laid eyes on Krile, Arenvald practically threw himself onto the ground in front of her.

"Thank the gods, Krile," he breathed out. "It's so good to see you. I was fearing the worst..."

The smaller woman smiled and began to stand on her tiptoes to pat the much larger, but also younger, man on the head. "It wasn't your fault, and you came to save me—all of you. Thank you."

Arenvald smiled.

"Now, what of Y'shtola and the other wounded? Have they made it to Mor Dhona alright?" Krile asked in a more serious tone.

"They're all safe and sound."

"Ocher Boulder and Clemence are seeing to them," S'eni added with a smile of her own. "Y'shtola say hello by the way."

"Does she now?" The Lalafel gave her a knowing look. "Glad to know you checked up on her."

S'eni narrowed her eyes at her friend's insinuations but otherwise didn't say a word. Luckily for her, Alphinaud was already addressing Arenvald, so neither of them really paid attention to their little exchange.

"We will leave for Porta Praetoria to join the main host. I would have your unit remain here with Thancred to support the Resistance."

"Understood! We won't let you down."

The young Elezen gave him a long look. "...And don't do anything reckless. We both are far too young to die."

"Right right—" Arenvald nodded. "No noble sacrifices. Got it!"

Alphinaud then turned towards Krile and her once more. "Well then, let's be off."

 

---

 

If there was an area that truly represented the harshness of Gyr Abania, then it had to be The Lochs. Dry and arid as the rest of the region, it was surrounded by mountains to the west and north, while the south and east were home to steep cliffs that lead into the land below, obscured by thick clouds.

And at the center of it all, white fields of dried salt glowed in the bright afternoon sun and the hot air rippled over the lake that gave this area its name, Loch Seld. A remnant of the Sixth Umbral Calamity, it once served as the source of one of Ala Mhigo's greatest exports as well as a natural line of defense since it forced anyone that wished to attack head on to traverse the large stone bridge leading up to the city's main gate.

S'eni watched as the Alliance's vanguard began to make its way across it.

"Not much longer." She looked up and over her shoulder to see Lyse approaching her. Her friend smiled at her and sat down on the ground next to her. A sigh passed her lips as she turned her head to look out towards Ala Mhigo. "This is it. I still can't believe it."

"Well, you better believe it. Because it's very real," S'eni said with a little grin.

"I know," her friend chuckled. "I pinched myself a couple of times to make sure I wasn't dreaming."

Lyse's smile fell. "I just wish Meffrid and Conrad could see it."

"I'm sure they are with us in spirit. Like Yda." She pointed at the Ala Mhigan dress that the other woman was wearing right now. That seemed to cheer her up once again.

"Yeah. You're right."

Silence set over them for a moment while they listened to orders being given below them.

"You did really well against Fordola, by the way," S'eni then said.

"I couldn't have done it without you," Lyse replied, waving off her praise. "And if not for your training I doubt I would have stood a chance at all."

"Still, you learned quickly. You've been a good student."

"Thank you, Master." They burst into laughter.

"What do you think is going to happen to her?" she asked after they had calmed down once more.

"I don't know." Lyse's ponytail danced a little as she shook her head. "She has a lot of things to answer for. The blood of many people, even that of her own comrades, is on her hands. All I can promise is that she will receive a fair trial."

"I'm glad you managed to hold back. It's all too easy to get swept up by vengeance." Her mind wandered back to Estinien, who had spent most of his life seeking vengeance on Nidhogg. Even she had not been immune to that desire in the days after Haurchefant died, so for Lyse to withstand it with her wounds still so very fresh was admirable.

"If we want to build a better Ala Mhigo for everyone, we have to break free of this cycle. But I'm getting ahead of myself here. We still have to take care of one thing," her friend said and returned her gaze towards the city, standing tall and proud. Her eyes came to rest upon the palace at the very top, overlooking everything.

S'eni followed her gaze, expression darkening as she recalled what Krile had told them earlier; about the experiments that had been done to the former leader of the Skulls.

Just what are you planning, Zenos? She found herself wondering.

Footsteps made both of them turn around and they saw Alphinaud walking over. "The main host is moving out," he announced.

As if on cue, a horn was blown. It began.

"We better not keep them waiting then," S'eni said and rose to her feet.

"I should get back to the residential area as well." Rising as well, Lyse dusted herself off a little. "Thancred and the others are waiting—hm?"

The other woman paused when she saw S'eni hold out her arm, fist closed.

"Well, don't leave me hanging." she nodded towards her fist.

Lips curling into a smile, Lyse extended her arm and bumped their fists together. They remained like this for a moment, looking into one another's eyes, before moving in for a hug.

"Thank you, S'eni. For everything. I don't think I could've ever done this without you," Lyse told her, voice barely above a whisper.

"I would've been a pretty lousy friend if I had let you do this all on your own."

A small laugh escaped her friend, followed by a nod and a squeeze. "Be careful."

"You too."

Without any other words exchanged between them, they separated, and after one last, lingering look, Lyse left.

Turning her head towards Alphinaud, she shared a nod with him. "Let's go."

As the two moved to join up with the main host, S'eni found herself looking up towards the palace high atop Ala Mhigo, her eyes narrowing with determination.

 

---

 

As the Alliance prepared their final assault on Ala Mhigo, a lone figure stood upon the walls of the royal palace. Where the rest of the city was awash with soldiers giving and receiving orders and the metallic groan of Magitek echoed through the streets, this spot, at this very moment, was absolutely calm.

A sudden gust of wind made long, blond hair flow in the air and light blue eyes narrow ever so slightly as they looked out past the fields of salt where the savages were amassing. From here, they looked nothing more like bugs to be squashed, cattle to be slaughtered.

They did not understand him.

But among them was one that did, one woman that shared his love for battle, if she admitted it or not.

His eyes turned away and towards the Royal Menagerie; the perfect stage for their final contest.

Zenos smiled, turned away, and began walking back inside at a leisurely pace. He was in no hurry after all.

As he reached the throne room, he was met by one of his officers. Another one that would not, could not, understand him.

"My lord, your orders?" he asked while saluting.

"Prepare the city's defenses, we shall await them with all we have to offer," he replied.

"As you command. Shall...shall we send out the Ferae Dominatea?"

He considered for a moment.

"Savages against savages...it might make for an amusing distraction for her. Very well."

Another salute, and he was left alone.

Slowly, he walked towards the throne and sat down, crossing his legs after he had done so.

"Will you fall before we even get the chance to meet one more time, or will you cut a path of destruction through the entire city just to sink your claws into my flesh?" Zenos wondered aloud.

Only silence answered him.

Closing his eyes, he rested his chin on his fist and smirked.

"Let the hunt begin."

 

 

Notes:

A little in between update before Friday. Nothing to see here. :)

Chapter 55

In Crimson It Ended

 

Liberty or Death, what would it be?

This was the question I've been asking myself ever since I read those words written on the wall of Raubahn's old house. My father's words.

In a war such as this, there was little else one could hope for. Even as Hien arrived with reinforcements and we managed to breach into the city proper, this question still lingered on my mind.

And when that dragon, that primal, rose up high into the sky above the palace, I was convinced that the answer would be death.

But...death didn't come, and as I watched the creature that had taken Papalymo away from us fall apart as it plummeted towards the palace, I knew that she had won.

That we had won.

 

---

 

Quiet.

Everything was quiet.

No cries, no fanfare, even the wind seemed to have stopped at the sight of what had unfolded only moments ago.

Tiny particles of aether were raining down from the sky, like snowflakes glowing in the morning sun, flickering bright between dancing petals then dissipating into nothingness. Blue gave way to a deep red as the sun began its descent, as if to pull the curtains on this macabre stage that had been set just for her.

And in front of her, lying in a field of beautiful red, white and pink flowers, was Zenos.

S'eni released a deep breath, and sound returned. Footsteps echoed from behind, soon followed by Lyse's voice.

"S'eni, are you alright!?" she asked as Alphinaud and her came to a stop.

"Yeah." S'eni nodded, but didn't take her eyes from the sight in front of her. The other woman followed her gaze.

"Zenos!"

The body stirred at the sound of his name, releasing a groan. A shaky hand grasped the discarded sword that lay in between the flowers, using it to help drag himself to his feet as he spat blood from his mouth.

His breath came out in painful gasps as he began to speak.

"...The hunter has indeed—" a violent cough. "—become...the hunted..."

Zenos turned his eyes to the sky, where the last flickers of aether were fading away. "And yet...I feel only joy. Transcendent joy that I have never known before..."

"Joy? Is that what this was all about!?" Lyse demanded. "Do you know how many people died just so you could feel something!?"

"Stupid woman. Life demands sacrifice. Men die so that others may live...and those that survive are stronger for it..." he told her. "But your understanding is of no consequence. To have stood upon this great stage of fools...to have played my part to perfection...Ah, how long my heart has longed for a moment of such clarity...of such life. No other moment shall compare to this...so none shall ever follow..."

With an expression of satisfaction forming on his face, Zenos raised his blade to his neck.

"Coward!" Alphinaud cried.

"Oh no you won't!" Petals whirled into the air as Lyse lunged forward, but S'eni knew that it was already too late. From the moment she had followed him into the Royal Menagerie, she had known that only one of them would leave here alive.

Zenos' eyes found hers and his blood-stained lips curled into a genuine smile. "Farewell...my first friend...my enemy..."

One stroke, a gush of crimson that stained the flowers around him, and it was over.

Zenos yae Galvus was dead.

None of them said a word until Raubahn, Pipin and Hien arrived on the scene.

"What happened?" the Flame General asked.

"Zenos is dead. By his own hand," Alphinaud replied in a somber tone.

The older man looked from Alphinaud towards S'eni and she nodded. He returned it and breathed out, "It's over then...and justice has been done."

"No..." Lyse then said, standing over Zenos' fallen body, her hands balled into fists. "There's no justice in that sick monster's end."

"When I think about how many of our friends had to give their lives because of his madness I..." the young Elezen cut himself off, shaking his hand.

"We've won. Forget him," Raubahn said. "Right now we should think of the living instead of the dead."

Hien then spoke up. "Stand tall, Lyse! Now is the time to raise a cheer for all that have fought for freedom! One loud enough that even your comrades in the heavens can hear it!"

Silence once more draped over them like a blanket. Slowly, S'eni walked over to her friend and placed a hand on top of her shoulder. A moment passed before Lyse moved to gently cover it with her own.

"You're right," Lyse said and turned around, facing her with a smile on her face. "Thank you, S'eni. Without you...well...you know."

She mirrored the other woman's expression. "Hm. I know."

"So let's go and celebrate Ala Mhigos freedom together!"

More people came running into the Royal Menagerie, Arenvald right at the helm. The young man stopped short when he saw Zenos' corpse before grabbing the horn hanging by his hip and blowing into it.

A loud cheer soon echoed throughout the entire city, signalling the end of the battle.

"Well, time to meet the good people of Ala Mhigo, Commander Hext," S'eni said, her smile growing into a grin.

"Yeah." Lyse laughed. "I suppose it is."

Together, they headed up the stairs to the part of the gardens that lead into the former royal quarters, where they were met by Thancred and Yugiri and the rest of the Alliance leaders. No one spoke, exchanging smiles instead, and the group moved over to the nearby balcony overlooking the city, where soldiers as well as citizens had gathered in the street.

A few seconds of silence passed and then every Ala Mhigan raised their voice as one into a mismatched choir of young and old, deep and high.

S'eni looked around as the people sang the anthem that hadn't been heard in 25 long years and her eyes came to rest upon Lyse, who was raising her hand towards the sky.

Are you seeing this, Papalymo? She asked her departed friend. You can rest easy now...

She took a step back and, with one final smile, slipped away.

This was a moment for Ala Mhigo. She was sure they could spare some time without the Warrior of Light right now. Lyse and the others could scold her afterwards.

Her eyes roamed the smooth sand-colored stone of the palace walls as she walked back the same route she had fought her way through earlier. On her way, she passed soldiers as they moved through the halls, some of them taking care of any wounded or fallen, even the Garleans.

A similar sight awaited her in the inner courtyard, with Alliance troops tearing down the barriers and powering down the artillery that had been placed around the area to stop the advancing assault. She gave the Griffin statue in the center of it a passing glance while heading into the direction of the entrance.

Outside, blue smoke rose high into the air from destroyed Magitek all over the city and she took a moment to look upon the giant scorpion-shaped one that she and her team had destroyed earlier.

Note to self: no attacking while the tail's up, she thought to herself. With her luck, she would undoubtedly run into one of these in the future again.

Leaving the palace grounds behind, S'eni made her way to the main street and from there, past the market stands, towards the city gates. As she stepped through the large hole in them, she found herself greeted by the sight of the Maelstrom's cannons and a few of the Grand Company's soldiers guarding the rear, who were a little surprised at her appearance, but otherwise didn't comment when she began heading down the stairway.

She was halfway down when her ears perked up at the sound of footsteps echoing towards her from down below and she found herself stopping in her tracks as she spotted the source of the sound. A lone figure making its way up the stairs. Dressed in an all too familiar white coat.

For a moment she thought that she was hallucinating, that it was simply a mirage caused by the air dancing across the dried salt flats.

But when the figure stopped on one of the landings, a pair of eyes, shining like pale moonstones, rose up to look at her and S'eni knew that it wasn't just a figment of her imagination.

Releasing a mixture of a breath and laugh, she broke into a sprint, practically flying down the stairs that separated them. When she reached her, S'eni all but tackled Y'shtola, making her stumble backwards as she threw her arms around the other woman's neck.

"Well, that's certainly a greeting," Y'shtola said, amusement clear in her voice and hands coming to rest upon her back.

Closing her eyes, S'eni rested her head on her lover's shoulder. "Shouldn't you be resting?" she asked.

"Do you really think I could just sit back after I heard what was happening?"

She smiled. "No, I suppose not."

"But I see you have managed to come out ahead yet again."

They remained like this for a little bit and S'eni breathed in Y'shtola's scent, letting it chase away the last vestiges of battle stress that had remained until now, and she felt herself relax as the arms around her back pulled her a little closer still.

Eventually, though, they stepped back.

"What about Lyse and the others?" Y'shtola asked.

"All safe and sound. And most likely still celebrating too."

"And Zenos?"

"Dead," she replied.

Y'shtola said nothing for a moment, instead calmly looking from her towards the city, then nodded. "I suppose that was the only realistic outcome."

Silvery white eyes shifted back towards S'eni and immediately began scanning her in that telltale way she always did when checking her for wounds.

"Heh, you'll be pleased to know that I'm absolutely—Hey!" S'eni was interrupted by Y'shtola's hand reaching under her haori.

"Fine?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "What is this, then?"

Pulling it open, the other woman revealed a cut on her left side, the blood almost unnoticeable on the color of her clothes.

"I—huh." S'eni blinked and tilted her head. "Didn't even notice that."

"Honestly," her lover muttered and placed her hand on top of the wound, shortly followed by that soft, warm glow and a tickling feeling as her flesh was mended.

"Should you be doing this already?"

"I will have you know that Clemence gave me permission to take walks these past days."

A small smirk formed on her lips. "That doesn't answer my question though."

Y'shtola didn't reply.

Instead, she slapped her side, making her yelp out at the sudden, short pain, before resuming healing her once more.

Once she was done, the other Miqo'te pulled her hand back. "There. Thankfully it wasn't too deep."

"Thanks," S'eni replied earnestly. She then took a step forward and planted a kiss on her cheek, followed by a playful smile. "Now what would I do without you?"

"Run around beaten and bruised, apparently." Y'shtola smiled.

They shared a laugh.

She wanted nothing more than to hug Y'shtola once more and give her a real kiss, but standing in the middle of a giant staircase atop a salt lake was hardly the most romantic setting, so instead, she said, "I was going to go back to Porta Preatoria, but if you want we can still go and join the others."

The other woman looked past her towards Ala Mhigo once again before shaking her head. "I believe we can let them celebrate a little longer."

"Alright. So...you're allowed to take walks?" S'eni asked as they began to walk down.

"Yes. I'm allowed to take walks," was Y'shtola's dry response, and S'eni had to giggle at the image of Clemence telling her that in the same tone that always fell flat on the ears of the woman's sister as well.

"And do those walks include Gyr Abania as well?" The look that she received was answer enough, drawing out another giggle. "How did you even know what was going on?"

"Well since a certain someone forgot to keep me informed—"

"Yeah, sorry about that. Things got pretty hectic all of a sudden."

"—I had to rely on Alisaie and whatever chatter I could make out from the others. I was just about to go out for a walk when news arrived that a primal appeared over Ala Mhigo."

"And then you ran to grab your staff and came all the way out here to make sure I was alright?" S'eni grinned.

Y'shtola turned her head slightly and brushed some hair out of her face. "I...might have teleported to Castrum Oriens and demanded a Chocobo, yes..."

"Aww, Shtola..." she moved in to gently nuzzle her neck. Her lover cleared her throat.

"In any case, I'm happy to see that everything has turned out fine. Though I suppose the real work has only begun for Ala Mhigo's people."

S'eni hummed and nodded. While the city has been liberated, Gyr Abania would need time to heal and rebuild. And that was something only its people could do, not them.

"I suppose that means the Scions' official mission is over, doesn't it?"

"Indeed."

But...

"What do you think Lyse will do now?"

"That's something that she will have to figure out on her own."

"Yeah..."

As they fell silent, S'eni looked up at the sky where the warm colors of the sunset faded to a deep indigo. Gingerly, she reached her hand out to take hold of Y'shtola's, smiling softly when their fingers slowly embraced.

"I do believe you owe me a few tales of your exploits in the Far East," her lover said, her own lips curling upward.

"Alright. Where do you want me to start?"

"As much as I would like to know how you are now apparently able to breathe underwater, I feel the beginning is more appropriate."

"Alisaie told you that, huh?" S'eni chuckled. "So we were crossing the sea..."

And as she began to tell Y'shtola the story of their journey to Kugane, which had been an adventure in itself, she gave her hand a little squeeze and returned her gaze back towards the sky, where the first stars began to faintly twinkle into existence.

It was going to be a beautiful night.

 

---

 

In crimson it began, and in crimson it ended...and then we were free…

 

Notes:

And this conclused the story of 4.0. Next up are gonna be a few breather chapters. But until then, have a nice weekend!

Chapter 56

After the Storm

 

Things changed afterwards. I knew that with Ala Mhigo now free I could no longer remain impartial. So with a heavy heart I made the choice to leave the Scions and focus all of my attention on rebuilding the home that so many people had given their lives for to see finally free.

Gods, I promised myself I wouldn't cry.

But even apart, we would still be comrades. Friends that would always be there for one another. And despite not being able to see us as often as we could before, we still managed to spend some time together.

Like that one time we were out for tea, waiting for our hero to arrive.

 

---

 

Idyllshire was as lively as ever. S'eni walked through the streets, a smile forming on her lips as she watched the people going about their business. It honestly was good to be back here after everything in Gyr Abania and Yanxia.

Not too long ago, this place had been nothing more than empty ruins, barely holding together as the elements had taken their toll on them for years upon years. And now it was a thriving city of individuals of various backgrounds that had come together from far and wide to make this place their home.

Her smile grew at the sight of Stickqix, chief of the Goblin craftsmen, walking in the direction of his workshop alongside some of his non-Goblin colleagues, discussing one of their newest projects.

It was proof that with unity, everything was possible, and she hoped that Ala Mhigo and Doma too would be restored through the unity of their people.

"Whoa!" escaped her as a couple of kids ran past her a little too close, pulling her out of her thoughts and almost making her drop the crate she was holding. S'eni watched them for a moment before shaking her head.

Good to see that the little ones were as spirited as ever, too.

Adjusting the crate in her hands, she followed after them. Not out of a desire to scold them, but because was headed in the same direction as them. By the time she had reached their shared destination, the kids had already headed inside.

As she opened the door, she was met with the usual sight of people sitting about the local tavern, simply called The Hard Place. It was run by a rather eccentric guy called Adkiragh, always dressed in the finest clothes one could imagine, which wasn't necessarily strange if not for the fact that they were colored in a rather garish gold and he was wearing a huge swine head mask.

But she supposed it was exactly that eccentricity that made him allow Zhloe to open up Menphina's Arms in the cellar of his tavern and operate her own business ventures from within its halls as well. So even if he was a little strange, he had a good heart.

And he was hardly the only strange person she had encountered in her life.

Making her past the bar, where said owner was currently talking with one of the regulars, she headed over to her. Zhloe was standing behind her own little counter and she saw a smile forming on the Keeper of the Moon's lips when she noticed her approach.

"Ah, S'eni," Zhloe greeted her.

"Hey," she replied and placed the crate on the counter, giving it a little tap with her hand. "I got what you were asking for."

"Oh, and so fast too. You're really the most reliable." The other Miqo'te opened the crate to take a look, then nodded in satisfaction, smile turning into a broad grin. "Great. That should be more than enough, let me just..."

Zhloe turned around and opened one of the drawers, pulling out a couple of scrips that she then handed to her. "Thank you so much."

"Anytime," S'eni said and put them into her bag, right next to the sacks of currency she had received from the Vanu Vanu and the Vath the other day. "But can I ask why the urgency? I thought Menphina's Arms was doing great."

"Oh no no, it's nothing like that," Zhloe assured her with a wave of her hand. "You see the Moonfire Faire is taking place soon and I wanted to take the little ones out to La Noscea for it, but then I remembered that none of them have any swimming clothes. But thanks to you, I can buy those and then some!"

"The Moonfire Faire, huh?" So it was that time of the year already.

"Anyway," the other woman then said as she lifted the crate off the counter. "I better take these into the back. Again, thank you, S'eni."

"Don't mention it. Just enjoy your time at the beach." With a smile and a wave goodbye, she left Zhloe to her work and the tavern towards her next destination, Rowena's House of Splendors.

Or rather, one of the side entrances where a singular stand was located. And behind its counter was Khloe, Zhloe's younger sister. A chuckle escaped S'eni at the sight of the girl striking a rather authoritative pose on top of the wooden step stool that she used to make up for short stature.

It was pretty obvious she was trying to emulate 'Auntie Rowena', though the woman would never be caught dead with a cute little Chocobo plush doll resting on her counter.

As she approached the young girl, S'eni reached a hand into her bag and pulled out a book in a simple leather wrapper. "Hey there, little one!" she greeted her, a grin splitting her face.

"Hello, Miss Adventurer!" Khloe's ears perked up and she eagerly leaned forward. "What kind of stories did you bring today?"

"Have a look." She placed the book on top of the counter and the young Miqo'te immediately opened it to look through the pages. Crossing her arms, she watched as her eyes grew and began to sparkle with every page that was turned.

When she was done, Khloe turned those large eyes towards her and clapped her hands in excitement. "Amazing. With this I can come up with lots of interesting tales!"

"Glad to hear!"

"For that you deserve an extra big reward." Hopping off the stool, the girl vanished underneath the counter. She emerged again holding a couple of tablets imprinted with red and blue metal and placed them in front of her. "There!"

How Khloe managed to convince Rowena to part with these Allagan Tomestomes for her little endeavour, S'eni didn't know and she certainly wasn't going to ask. She had already been roped into far too many of the woman's business endeavours and she would rather not end up on her bad side.

Gerolt served as a good reminder of that fact.

As she pocketed the Tomestomes, a look of surprise entered her eyes when Khloe also handed her two envelopes. She took them and opened one.

"Coupons for Gold Saucer Points?" she asked. And not a small amount either.

"Uh-huh." The girl nodded. "Auntie Rowena went there the other day and came back with a whole bunch of them, so she gave some to me."

"Huh." S'eni blinked and closed the envelope again before putting both into her bag. "Well, I won't say no to that."

Khloe for her part was already turning her attention back to the book, eagerly looking through it and undoubtedly spinning one of many stories she would tell her friends. With a smile, S'eni reached out and gave the girl a pat on the head, making her look up.

"Next time I'd like to hear one of your stories, too," she told her with a little wink.

"Sure!"

After leaving the girl to her business, S'eni headed down to the market, going over her mental list of tasks. Alright, that takes care of their errands, which means...

A little smirk formed on her lips.

...only one left.

As she arrived at the small market, she immediately sought out the stall selling fruits from all over Eorzea and bought a basket full of Fairie Apples before heading out into the Hinterlands.

She made her way through the Answering Quarter, following along the path that she had grown rather familiar with until she arrived in front of a certain cave, hidden away behind a solid rock wall that she swiftly opened just like Y'shtola had shown her.

Just like the last time S'eni had been here, she was greeted by the unique smell of wet stone, moss, mushrooms and what she really hoped was some sort of incense while she walked down the small path leading into the main part of the cave that Master Matoya called her home.

She found the old woman at her usual place, sitting at the singular large table inside the cavernous room, surrounded by stacks upon stacks of dusty, old tomes whose smell added another layer to this already exotic mix. And at the center of this scholarly chaos, a pair of piercing eyes glared at her.

"Oh, it's you again," Matoya said in a not too pleased tone.

"Master Matoya!" S'eni greeted her while walking towards her, stopping for a moment as one of the magical brooms, which kept at least a modicum of cleanliness to the place, whizzed past her before stepping up to the table.

Matoya looked at her for a few seconds longer, then back down to the open tome in front of her.

"What do you want?" the older woman asked, turning a page.

"Oh nothing, really. I was in the area and thought I might pay you a visit," S'eni replied and raised the basket she was holding. "And I brought a little something."

As she placed it on top of the table, Matoya looked up once more to glance at the contents. "Apples," was all she said.

"That's right. I figured a woman of your proud age could use a few more vitamins in her diet." Sitting down opposite of her, she reached out and took one of them, rubbing it against the fabric of her top before biting into it. Delicious!

Matoya snorted. "How very kind of you."

"So how have you been?" S'eni asked after swallowing. "It's been a while since we've last seen each other."

"Enjoying my solitude until just now." The old Archon shook her head with a sigh. "Did Shtola already grow tired of frolicking through the fields with you or why are you bothering me?"

An amused smile formed on her lips at the mental image and she shook her head. "No, we're still doing good."

"Hmpf. So where is she then? I would have thought you'd have the sense to bring Shtola along."

"Last I've seen her, she was headed for Limsa Lominsa," S'eni replied and took another bite.

After the liberation of Ala Mhigo, things had quickly settled back into the old routine for them. And while their duties, and her occasional adventurer business, didn't always allow for Y'shtola and her to spend their time together, they made the effort to at least talk to each other via linkpearl every day, conversing sometimes deep into the night.

Like for example yesterday where they were discussing their planned outing with Lyse and Alisaie in—

Oh shit...

—Limsa Lominsa. Today.

Her realization must have been written all over her face, as Matoya cocked an eyebrow and asked, "Hmm, something the matter?"

"Yeah. Sorry, gotta go!" S'eni replied, all but jumping out of the chair and immediately teleporting away, leaving Matoya to stare at the spot where she had been standing just seconds ago.

The older woman shook her head once more, muttering something under her breath, and she moved to return her attention back to the tome when her eyes came to rest on the basket that S'eni had left behind. A moment passed before her wrinkly hand grabbed one and she bit into it with a loud crunch.

"If nothing else, she's got good taste," she said between bites.

 

---

 

As soon as she arrived in Limsa Lominsa, S'eni all but ran into the direction of the place that Y'shtola had told her about yesterday, a nice little patisserie that also served some of the best tea in the city according to her, and it was only her trained reflexes that kept her from running over anyone that crossed her path.

How in the seven hells could you forget, S'eni!? She berated herself, tossing the apple she was still holding unceremoniously over the edge of one of the many wooden walkways that coiled around Limsa Lominsa's decks.

Thankfully, the directions that her lover had given her were quite detailed, so it didn't take long for her to find their rather unassuming meeting place. And there she found them, sitting at a table with a beautiful view of the Rhotano, and having already started without her it seemed. Slowing down, S'eni made her way towards them, her heart doing a little flutter as she watched Y'shtola's ears perk up before glancing into her direction with a faint smile.

"It would seem our gathering is finally complete," the other Miqo'te said and all three of them turned to face her. "So, shall we order more of everything?"

"Hey." S'eni waved at them and moved to sit down in the empty chair between Lyse and Y'shtola, giving the latter a quick thank you as she poured her a cup. "Sorry. I hope I'm not too late?"

"Not at all. Lyse here only arrived a few minutes ago as well," Y'shtola said and placed the teapot back.

"Ah, good. So what did I miss?" she asked. Silence met her question as the others looked at one another, then began to laugh. Eyes moving between the other ladies, S'eni tilted her head to the side in confusion, but decided to not ask about it and instead focused on getting herself a slice of that mouthwatering looking vanilla tart.

A tiny moan escaped her when the rich taste of vanilla mixed with that of the jam and berries into an explosion of pure sweetness that she knew was absolutely sinful. After swallowing, she took a sip of the tea that undoubtedly Y'shtola had picked out for them as it went perfectly with the tart.

"Well, someone's sure enjoying it," Alisaie commented.

"Not as much as her it seems," S'eni replied and pointed her fork at Lyse's plate where a resounding two slices were waiting to be eaten, and if the crumbs were telling her anything, she already had finished one.

"And you can be assured every last one is sorely needed," Y'shtola said before turning towards the approaching waitress.

"Really?" S'eni looked at her friend with a frown. "Did something happen?"

"Everything's alright, don't worry," Lyse said, another forkful of delicious tart already partway to her mouth. "Apparently I just work, worry, and think too much."

"If you say so. But you know you can always ask us for help, or even just to lend you an ear," she told her, earning herself another set of laughter from Alisaie and Lyse. "What?"

"Y'shtola essentially told her the very same thing already," the young Elezen explained, lips curling into a grin.

"That so?" S'eni turned her eyes over towards her lover, who had gone back to drinking her tea after the waitress left and was hiding her amused smile behind her cups. "Well, I guess that means my job here is done and all that's left is to dig in."

To emphasize her point, she took a pastry from the stack of trays and placed it on her plate before giving the slice of tart her full attention.

"So," Y'shtola began after a few moments of silence, taking one of the delicious-looking cookies and taking a bite out of it. "What kept you, O Warrior of Light?"

"Oh, this and that," S'eni replied through a mouthful of tart.

"Ha! See?" Alisaie smirked. "I told you."

"Hmm, indeed." Y'shtola popped the rest of her cookie into her mouth, wiping away some stray crumbs with her thumb when she stopped for a second and sniffed the air. "...strange."

"What's strange?" Lyse asked.

"Nothing." The other Miqo'te shook her head. "Must have been a sudden spur of imagination."

Despite those words, S'eni could see the question burning in her lover's eyes and there was absolutely no doubt inside her mind that she would ask it as soon as the opportunity presented itself.

Soon after, their next order arrived, providing them with more sweet delights that the patisserie offered alongside their delicious tea, and she made sure to try at least one of each, once again very much glad for her active lifestyle.

Their conversation soon turned into rather idle chatter, talking mostly about what they had been up to since they had last seen Lyse.

It was good seeing her again. She knew that what her friend was doing was important not only for the people of Ala Mhigo, but herself as well, but the Rising Stones felt a little emptier without her presence. But like Papalymo had said, there was a path only she could walk and she had chosen it.

As the saying went, time really did fly as they were having fun, and as the afternoon passed into early evening and their bill had been paid, it was time to say goodbye once more.

"This has been really fun," Lyse said as they stood inside Limsa Lominsa's airship landing, stretching her arms high above her head with a satisfied groan. "And sorely needed."

"Well, you know where to find us." S'eni smiled.

"Yeah." The other woman mirrored her expression. "I know."

"And you're sure you two don't want to come along?" Alisaie asked.

"I think I will remain in Limsa Lominsa for a little bit longer," Y'shtola replied.

"Hm, same. It's been a while since I was here without just passing through," she concurred.

"Very well, I will tell my dear brother that you won't be around the Rising Stones in the immediate future."

After exchanging goodbyes with them, their two friends boarded the airship and before long were taking off into the direction of Gridania.

"So, here we are," she said and turned to face Y'shtola. "Alone at last."

"Indeed we are." The other Miqo'te smiled. "But are you sure you don't want to return to Master Matoya instead?"

S'eni raised her sleeve to her nose and took a whiff of the smell of Matoya's cave that still clung faintly on her. "So you noticed, huh?"

"Hard not to recognise it when my own clothes have smelled that way for years on end." Y'shtola chuckled.

"It is a peculiar smell, isn't it?"

Leaving the landing, they moved towards the lift to take them down to the Drowned Wench.

"How is she doing?" Y'shtola asked as the doors closed. "I take it she is her usual surly self?"

"Of course," she replied. "Not a single kind word coming out of her mouth even when I brought her some apples."

"Apples, really?"

S'eni shrugged. "I thought it was a nice gesture."

The lift stopped and they stepped out, immediately turning left to head into the direction of the Aftcastle. There, they sat down on one of the benches and looked up into the sky.

It was a nice day all around. Warm and sunny, with only a few clouds here and there drifting through the sky. Her eyes came to rest on a particular one that almost looked like a Lalafel floating lazily in the waters of eastern La Noscea.

She was then reminded of the conversation that she had with Zhloe earlier and a thought came to her.

"Hey, Shtola?" she asked.

"Yes?"

"Do you have anything planned for the next few days?"

"Barring any potential emergency that could always arise, not really," Y'shtola replied, brows furrowing in question. "Why?"

"Oh, I just thought it would be nice to take some time off. You know, just the two of us," S'eni said.

The other woman considered her words for a moment before smiling. "I'd like that."

"Well that was easy. And here I thought I'd need to get a little more convincing than that."

"Oh? And how would you have done that, I wonder?"

"Hmm, I don't know..." she scooted a little closer, reaching out her hand to slide over Y'shtola's arm and her voice growing low. "Maybe continue where we left off the last time we were here..."

"Perhaps—" two fingers moved under her chin and tilted her head so that their eyes met. "—I should take my words back then."

But before her lover could pull her in closer, S'eni slid away once more, playfully wagging her finger. "Ah ah ah. You already agreed, so no take-backs "

Raising her hand, Y'shtola giggled into her fist and shook her head. "Seems like I walked right into that trap," she conceded. "And what is it you have planned, my dear Warrior of Light?"

"Oh." S'eni crossed her arms in front of her chest and looked back up to the sky, the corners of her lips curling upward. "I've got a few ideas."

 

Notes:

I dedicate this chapter to all those who are always doing their weeklies :p

Chapter 57

Four-sided Circle

 

Warm wind wafted onto her face as she looked out towards the horizon, leaning against the starboard of the airship carrying them across Southern Thanalan, and she closed her eyes for a moment to enjoy the feeling of it caressing her cheeks and blowing through her hair.

The sea was in her blood, always was, and always would be, but it was moments like these that made her very much understand Cid's love for airships.

Opening her eyes again, she watched the vast openness of the Sagolii Desert, the scorching yellow sand almost appearing a bright white in glaring sunlight from above.

And far in the distance, behind a series of mountains, she could spy the first hints of their destination, the Manderville Gold Saucer. S'eni watched for a bit as more of the giant Cactuar, which served as its mascot, revealed itself before stepping back and walking over to the bench where Y'shtola was currently reading a book.

Sitting down next to her, she found her attention drawn to a small family sitting nearby, the two children barely able to contain themselves while the parents simply watched in amusement. A grin split her face.

"Someone is certainly excited," Y'shtola commented.

"The little ones, or me?"

The other woman turned a page but stopped halfway for a second to shoot her a smile. "Both."

S'eni chuckled and leaned backwards, crossing her arms lightly.

"Well can you blame me? It's been a while since I've truly kicked back and relaxed." She leaned over and gently bumped her shoulder against Y'shtola's. "And with such pleasant company too."

Now it was Y'shtola's turn to chuckle.

"No need to flatter me. I agreed to this, didn't I? Even if I can't say that this was what I imagined."

"Not a big fan?"

"I don't know, to be honest. I have never been here before," the other woman explained. "So this should be an interesting experience either way."

"Don't worry," S'eni said with a smile and gently patted her arm. "I'm sure we'll find something for you to enjoy."

Leaning in to plant a kiss on her lover's cheek, she felt herself being stopped by a finger on her lips that then pointed over to the family.

"Not in front of the children," Y'shtola playfully chided, making them both laugh.

The airship shook a little as it made a swerve and they both turned to see the Gold Saucer coming into view in all of its glory.

"Well, here we are," S'eni said.

After landing, they got off the airship with the rest of the passengers and stepped into the richly decorated and garishly illuminated halls waiting for them. As they followed the hallway, they were greeted by a pair of beautiful women, dressed in bunny-themed clothes that accentuated their good looks.

"Welcome to the Gold Saucer," they both said simultaneously and bowed with practiced ease. "Please, enjoy your stay."

"I can certainly see the appeal for certain visitors," Y'shtola said dryly after they passed them.

"There's also some nice games, but if it's the costumes you're after then I'm sure we can arrange something," S'eni said, stepped in front of her and struck a little pose, raising her hands in a cute paw gesture and letting her tail swish playfully from side to side.

"Promises, promises..."

With a giggle, she turned around and stopped short when she nearly collided with a Cactuar wearing a suit and top hat. Señor Sabotender.

"Oh, sorry. Didn't see you there," she said, her lips curling into a friendly smile.

He looked at her with its single eye, then raised his arms and scurried off in typical Cactuar fashion. S'eni had to hand it to the person inside that costume. It couldn't be easy to run around like that all the time.

They stepped up to the counter, where a young man dressed in a white suit stood and smiled politely at them.

"Welcome to the Gold Saucer," he greeted them. "What can I do for you?"

"I made reservations for a room," she replied.

"Of course." He pulled a book out from under the counter and opened it up. "Under which name?"

"S'eni Gata."

He looked through the list, repeating her name a few times and turning a page before letting his finger come to rest upon it.

"Here you are—oh..." his brows furrowed, looking from the book towards her, then back down again. Clearing his throat, he took a step back and said, "Excuse me for a moment, I need to make a quick inquiry."

Not waiting for her response, he walked off with a hand going towards his ear. S'eni shared a look with Y'shtola and shrugged.

He returned not long after, the polite smile back on his face. "I am very sorry about the wait."

"Everything alright?" she asked.

"Oh yes, everything is in order. Your room is being prepared as we speak," the attendant said.

"Eh?" S'eni tilted her head. She supposed it was a bit on short notice, but what was there to prepare for in a simple room for two?

If he picked up on her confusion, he didn't show it. "One of my colleagues will come fetch you when it's ready. In the meantime, you can enjoy the Gold Saucer's many games or participate in one of our events."

"Hm, guess we'll do that. Oh! That reminds me." She reached into her bag and pulled out the two envelopes that Khloe had given her, handing them to the attendant. After receiving two sacks with quite a large amount of GP, she turned towards the other Miqo'te and handed her one.

"So, how about we go have some fun?" S'eni asked with a grin.

Y'shtola looked at the sack in her hand then let the corners of her lips quirk upward. "I suppose there's nothing for it."

"That's the spirit!" She put an arm around her shoulders and they both headed in the direction of the crossing that would lead them to the true heart of the amusement park.

People of all ages roamed around, going to and fro the various games that were offered to them, talking and laughing without a care in the world. S'eni had to admit that it was hard to not get swept up in the atmosphere and if not for Y'shtola holding her back, she would already be rushing towards something that caught her eye.

"So what shall we do first?" Y'shtola asked, calmly looking around Event Square, eyes coming to rest on the large stage for a moment. "I wonder if they perform plays here. It's been a while since I have last seen one."

"I don't think the Gold Saucer really is the place for plays. Maybe for concerts—Hey, wait." S'eni looked at Y'shtola. "You like stage plays?"

"I enjoy watching them from time to time."

"Oho." She put a hand on her hip. "So which kind do you like? Tragic romances like 'I want to be your Canary' or rather epic tales like 'The Legendary Hero Alfred'?"

"Seems like a certain someone isn't a stranger to them either," her lover noted.

"Back when I first started out, I occasionally found myself with more free time than I knew what to do with and since I had nothing else to do and the Gil to spare..." She still remembered the first time she had sat in Mih Khetto's Amphitheatre, back at its original location, before the Calamity.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a loud crash echoing towards them and they both turned their heads to see a young man standing in front of what looked like a punching game, where one had to hit the target as hard as they could to earn rewards.

"I believe we may have found something to start with," Y'shtola said.

"Cuff-A-Cur, huh?" S'eni read out loud as they walked over. "Sure, why not?"

She hadn't seen that the last time she was here, but she also didn't have that close of a look around back then. As they approached one of the machines, she stopped for a second when she saw the shape of the target. A miniature Gilgamesh.

A chuckle escaped S'eni, making Y'shtola look at her, but she simply waved her hand. "Long story, maybe I'll tell you later. So let's see...1GP..."

She put one of the coins into the machine and shortly after it sprung to life with a rather silly recreation of the strange warrior's laugh.

Well then... S'eni thought as she pulled her fist back. ...nothing personal.

With speed and precision acquired from long hours of training, she struck the mini Gilgamesh squarely in the chest, making him shoot backwards and slam against the back wall of the machine with a crash. The lights on top began to blink and a loud, blaring sound began to echo through, drawing the attention of people nearby. A small hatch opened and a generous amount of GP flowed out.

"That was easy," she said and began to gather up her prize.

"I believe this has less to do with it being easy and more with you being incredibly capable," Y'shtola pointed out.

"Now who is flattering who?" S'eni grinned.

After trying a few more times with the same results, and even Y'shtola giving it a single go as well, they continued onward to try out a few more games, all of which didn't prove too much of a challenge for either of them until—

"What in the seven hells!?"

—she had found her match.

For what felt like the hundredth time, but was honestly just the tenth, S'eni watched as the toy moogle, which was supposed to grab one of the many prizes, rose back up from its slow descent with empty paws.

Her hands curled into fists and she threw the fuzzy little toy a glare so intense it would have made a primal step back in fear, before slapping one of the two large buttons. "This thing is rigged!" she declared, running a hand through her hair in frustration.

Next to her, Y'shtola had calmly watched every try, gently rapping her knuckles against her cheek in thought. "May I?"

She looked at her lover for a moment, then stepped back with a huff. "Be my guest."

Y'shtola let her eyes wander over the machine's contents, balls of various sizes and each holding a mystery, before having them come to rest on a particular one. She pulled out a coin and put it into the slot.

S'eni could only watch as the other Miqo'te guided the toy moogle above her desired prize, lowered it down and successfully got hold of the ball in one fell swoop, making it look like the easiest thing in the world.

"H-How?" she wanted to know as the ball was dropped into the prize hatch.

"You were an ilm off," Y'shtola explained and reached out to take it.

"Huh..."

"I admit it is rather unfair, since you have to be very precise." The ball was opened with a little click, revealing...more GP. Y'shtola held them out towards her, but she simply shook her head.

"To the victor the spoils." S'eni smiled. "Buy something nice with it."

After this little exercise in patience, the two of them decided that they had played enough games for now and headed to the Manderville Tables to relax a little while watching the other customers play some Doman Mahjong, a rather recent addition that seemed to fascinate Y'shtola a great deal.

She had seen the game being played at the House of the Fierce a few times, but it had confused her a great deal back then. Maybe she should give it a try?

While mulling that thought over, S'eni noticed a Lalafel approaching them, dressed in a suit that looked just like the one the young man from earlier wore.

"Mistress Gata?" he asked.

"Yes?"

"Your room is ready."

She shared a look with Y'shtola and rose to her feet. "Well, then let's see what they had to prepare."

Returning to the Entrance Square, they boarded a lift and headed up. In retrospect, the fact that they were leaving quite a few floors behind should probably have tipped her off, but it was only when they walked down a rather empty hallway towards a large set of double doors, that she began to suspect that something was amiss here.

The Lalafel attendant placed his hands on the doors and pushed them open to reveal one of the most luxuriously decorated rooms she had ever laid eyes upon. Walls painted a rich burgundy that reminded her of Fortemps Manor; a fireplace to warm up in the cold desert nights and a bed so large it could fit four people on it were only some of the things that caught her immediate attention.

"The Sultana Suite," he said, but S'eni could only stare with wide eyes, her mouth agape. It wasn't until Y'shtola's soft fingers came to rest underneath her chin to close it, that she regained her ability to speak.

"T-There must be some sort of mistake here. I didn't order this," she stammered. All she had asked for was a bedroom for two for a few nights when she had contacted— "...Oh."

—Godbert.

"I assure you, no mistakes have been made. Master Godbert himself has arranged for this. We just did not expect you to arrive so early, for that please accept our humblest apologies." He gave her a deep bow, his face the perfect mask of professionalism.

"Uh," was all she managed.

He rose back up and pointed to another set of doors to the right. "You will find the bath beyond there. Now, if you would please excuse me, I will leave the ladies to their privacy."

Not really giving her any time to respond, he walked past her with busy strides, closing the door behind him and leaving the two of them alone. While she had 'talked' with the attendant, Y'shtola had already begun to look around the room. The corners of her lips were curled up in obvious amusement.

"I take it I'm correct in my assumption that you're acquainted with Godbert Manderville himself?" she asked.

"...Yeah," S'eni replied, rubbing a hand over her face in resignation over this entire thing. "I'm friends with his son, Hildibrand. Maybe you've heard of him?"

"No. Never heard of him."

That...didn't really surprise her. For all his bluster as a self-styled agent of inquiry and Eorzea's greatest detective, he was anything but competent in the pursuit of his chosen profession. But what he lacked in brilliance, he made up for with heart, and more than once he had given people back the hope that they thought lost. Even if sometimes rather unwittingly.

"I met him five years ago in a rather strange turn of events and we reunited not long after Gaius was defeated," she told her, looking around the room now too. "I got tangled up in his newest investigation shortly. We ended up saving Ul'dah from becoming a city filled with undead."

Y'shtola stopped what she was doing to turn around and stare at her with a look of disbelief on her face. "You're joking."

"Told you it's a long story."

"Unbelievable..." her lover muttered. "Now you absolutely have to tell it to me."

"Believe me, it's even more absurd than you think." S'eni exhaled through her nose. "Anyway, I doubt we can do anything about the room now, so how about we just make the best of it while we're here?"

"I shall try my very best to bear all this luxury," was Y'shtola's dry response, turning towards the doors in the back. "Starting with a bath."

A chuckle escaped S'eni as she watched her head into the bathroom. Walking over to the bed, she plopped down on top of it and cast her gaze across the room. Her eyes came to rest upon the large set of windows offering a great view across the Sagolii Desert and she could already tell that once evening approached, that the view of the sunset would be magnificent.

She kicked off her boots, letting them land on the nice-looking rug in front of the bed, and lied down, her hands brushing over the soft sheets covering the equally soft mattress. A smile formed on her lips as the faint sound of running water pervaded the air.

Yes, this might actually not be too bad.

Stretching herself, S'eni nestled deeper into the mattress and closed her eyes. Maybe I'll take a little nap in the meantime...

But before she could pursue that endeavour, a knock resounded off the double doors.

...Or not, she got off the bed again, walked over to the doors and opened one to reveal a woman dressed in one of those bunny outfits. But unlike those from earlier, her's offered more cleavage and the ears resting on her head were floppy.

"Yes?" S'eni asked.

The woman smiled brightly and offered her a bottle of wine. "Please accept this as a token of apology for the inconvenience."

Her first instinct was to ask what inconvenience she meant, but kept herself in check and decided to simply accept it even though this entire place in itself was already an apology for the wait.

"Thanks," she said as she received the bottle. "You wouldn't happen to know where the glasses are?"

A pretty little giggle escaped the bunny girl and she pointed past her towards one of the cupboards.

"Should there be anything else you desire, please feel free to call." With a bow that was just as practiced as her colleagues', the woman left again.

Closing the door again, S'eni looked at the bottle in her hands before heading over to the cupboard that had been pointed at and taking out two finely blown wine glasses. She placed them on the nearby table and, after uncorking the bottle, poured some of the velvety red wine into them.

With a glass in each hand, she walked over to the bathroom doors and pushed them open with her back. The scent of rose greeted her as she turned around while saying, "A little present for—"

Her words died on her lips at the sight of Y'shtola's naked form sliding into the foamy bathwater. Seeing her like this wasn't exactly anything new anymore, but she doubted she would ever grow tired of how beautiful she was.

Y'shtola for her part simply looked at her, a smile dancing across her lips as she leaned back and let her arms come to rest on the edge of the bathtub, clearly enjoying the little reaction she had caused.

"A little present for...?"

As if a spell was broken, S'eni mirrored her lover's expression and bridged the gap between them. "For the inconvenience of waiting," she finished, handing her a glass.

"How very considerate."

They clinked their glasses together and took a generous sip each. With her attention no longer drawn to Y'shtola, she looked around the bathroom. Smooth, white marble adorned with gold made it look lavishly classy, and she could only wonder, as she looked into the polished mirror, just how much Gil it must have cost to build all of this.

Actually, it was probably better if she didn't know.

"So, are you going to just stare at yourself?" the other woman asked, her knee surfacing through the foam for a second as she crossed her legs. "Or are you going to join me?"

Her eyes shifted down to the creamy smooth marble edge of the bathtub and the steaming, bubbly water inside, looking at it for the shortest of moments before wordlessly handing Y'shtola her glass and beginning to undress.

Once the last of her garments had hit the ground, S'eni walked towards the edge with a teasing sway in her hips. Her tail rose to her back as her toes came into contact with the pleasant heat awaiting her, remaining there until she slowly slipped inside, then sinking beneath the water as her body relaxed almost instantly. A sigh passed her lips.

Y'shtola let out a chuckle and handed her the glass once more. "Adorable."

"What is?"

"Your tail going in last."

"Yeah, well..." a smirk formed on her lips. "We can't all be as cool and composed as the mighty Y'shtola Rhul."

She downed the rest of the glass and placed it on the floor before closing her eyes. "Ah but since we're on the topic—" she raised a finger. "—I think it's really cute how yours stiffens whenever you find something that truly fascinates you."

A small splash of water was the only reply she received. Cracking an eye open, she spied Y'shtola's foot as it slid back into the water and her arm shot forward to take hold of it.

"Oh my, what do we have here?" she asked with a playful tone, her grip tightening a little as the other Miqo'te tried to escape. "Is someone in a playful mood?"

She raised the foot out of the water, placed the tips of her fingers on her sole—

"Eni, don't you dare—"

—and began tickling her.

For a few seconds, Y'shtola managed to hold her composure, face twitching involuntarily as she tried to wrestle free of her grip. But S'eni was by far the stronger of the two and as the seconds of relentless tickling passed, so too did her lover's composure and she burst into laughter, the sound echoing loudly through the room as Y'shtola twisted and turned.

She watched in glee as the other Miqo'te's chest rose and fell out of the sloshing water, fingers twitching as they tightly held onto the edge as she was reduced to nothing but a pile of laughter. After a few more, sweetly torturous seconds of this, S'eni decided that she had enough and released her grip.

As soon as she was released, Y'shtola slumped back, lips still twitching a little bit while trying to catch her breath.

"Everything alright?" She asked, reaching out to grab the glass that had dropped into the water during all of this and placing it outside the tub, then put her hands on the edge to lean over her.

But Y'shtola simply ignored her, turning her head slightly to the side to face away from her.

"Aww, come on." Her lips forming into a pout, she leaned in close, putting a hand on top of her lover's shoulder. "It was just a little joke."

She received a sideway glance in return.

S'eni gently ran her thumb across soft skin. "Let me make it up to you."

"And how do you intend to do that?"

"Hmm, I can think of a few things," she replied, a small smile forming on her lips while her other hand came to rest on Y'shtola's other shoulder and began to massage them.

Seconds passed and she watched as her lover tried, and very much failed, to keep her stony expression before letting the corners of her lips curl upward and turning to face her once more. Arms moving to circle around her neck, Y'shtola pulled her closer until their lips were only a hairbreadth apart.

"Honestly..." she huffed out and captured her lips in a deep kiss.

After separating again, S'eni let her head come to rest just slightly above Y'shtola's chest, releasing a content sigh at their closeness. "Let's just stay like this for the rest of the day."

"As lovely as that sounds, I would rather not have my skin be as wrinkled as Master Matoya's for many decades to come."

They shared a laugh.

"Fine. Then let's stay like this for as long as possible."

Y'shtola hummed in agreement, then added, "You owe me a glass of wine."

"There's still a bottle waiting outside for us to finish."

"Very well. Perhaps you can also tell me that story then."

"Alright, but now—" she pressed a kiss against Y'shtola's skin. "—bath time."

 

Notes:

Poor Hildibrand. The only other Scion to know him is Urianger of all people. But nevermind that, I suppose. He is a hero of a very different kind of adventure after all.

I hope you're all gonna have a great weekend!

Chapter 58

A Wave of Fun

 

In many ways, Costa del Sol truly was a perfect recreation of the south sea isles. Clean, pale yellow sand, deep blue sea water sparkling in the sunlight, and trees, tall and slender, with beautiful green feather-shaped fronds crowning on top of them. All that and more had turned this once abandoned farmland into a little paradise where one could just kick back and let their soul swing freely, like the trees in the sea breeze.

For the right price of course.

While the use of the beach itself was free, and everyone was welcome to do so, the resort and any of its amenities were not. So for anyone wanting to spend a few days of relaxation in the area and make use of one of the many south sea huts built alongside the wooden walkways as well as partake in the delicious foods, Master Gegeruju made sure that the price for such luxuries was very much felt.

And he was definitely not wanting for patrons.

Especially not during this time of year, where the resort village was once again serving as the site of the annual Moonfire Faire, hosted and paid for by the Adventurers Guild.

Having once been a clever way to recruit adventurers to stop an incursion of Bombards five years ago, the festival itself now served as a way to promote the guild, offering fun games and prizes to all those who participated.

Though from what some of her fellow adventurers had told her, the previous years had always seen some sort of unbidden surprise rear its head to disturb the festivities.

S'eni felt almost a little sad to have missed that.

But as far as she could tell, this year's festivities would be peaceful.

Opening her eyes, she raised a hand to shield them from the sun and looked out towards the water, where people were splashing about and simply enjoying themselves on this bright summer day.

She turned her gaze towards her right where Y'shtola was lying on a beach chair, one leg crossed over the other and dressed in a nice-looking black bikini. Her eyes were closed and her lips were just ever so slightly parted in that way that told S'eni she had dozed off.

A small smile formed on her lips when her eyes fell upon the bracelet on Y'shtola's right wrist, resting lazily on her stomach, before closing them once more and putting her hands behind her head while releasing a little sound of contentment.

Just as she was about to return to basking in the sun, her ears perked up at the sound of approaching footsteps. But it wasn't until they stopped in front of her, that she cracked a single eye open to see a young man standing there. A rather handsome Hyuran, with long blond hair, sun-kissed skin and what she assumed was meant to be a charming little grin on his lips.

"Yes?" she asked. "Can I help you?"

"Actually—"

"Could you maybe move a little to the side?"

"—Ah, of course." He took a step to the right so that he wasn't blocking the sun anymore. His eyes shot towards Y'shtola for a brief second before landing on her again and clearing his throat. "Are you new here? I don't think I've seen you at previous Moonfire Faire's before."

"It's my first actually," S'eni said, lightly crossing her arms.

His grin grew. "Well, that's just perfect. You see me and my friends—" he pointed into the direction of the water, where two other fellows, a very muscular Roegadyn and a Lalafel, were standing and watching them. "—we've been coming here for years now and we know the entire beach like the back of our hands. If you want, we could show you some of the best spots where one can have a little fun without anyone knowing."

Ah, so that's what you want to play at. Perhaps a younger and more naïve S'eni might have fallen for that routine, but those times were long over.

"Sorry, but I'm already here with her," she said and inclined her head towards Y'shtola, hoping that would be enough to get rid of him.

It didn't.

"Is that so?" he asked. "Well, we can take her along then. The more, the merrier, right?"

Brows furrowing, her lips parted to make it clear that she wasn't interested when Y'shtola's husky voice suddenly spoke up.

"Very cute," her lover said, eyes opening to look at him. "But what she is trying to tell you, clearly, is that she isn't interested. And neither am I."

He looked at her with widened eyes, clearly not having expected that retort. His mouth opened and closed a few times to formulate a proper response, making him almost look a bit like a fish, but the glare being sent his way by bright white eyes made him clamp it shut and all but run off.

S'eni watched him hurry back to his friends, who were having a little laugh at his expense as they began to walk away, no doubt looking for a set of more easily impressed girls.

"Honestly..." Y'shtola muttered while sitting up and shaking her head.

S'eni giggled. "Well, thanks for the assistance. I'm sure they'll think twice about who they try to pick up next."

"I very much doubt that. It seems like they are in need of a little more growing up before that happens."

"So boys will be boys?" she asked with a grin, earning herself a small huff from the other woman.

"Indeed."

With their moment of quietness having been disturbed, S'eni, too, sat up and stretched her arms over her head. As she lowered them again, a faint smell of roasted meat and fish entered her nostrils, wafting down to their little corner of the beach from The Flying Shark, Costa del Sol's premier restaurant.

Her stomach released a little growl, reminding her just how much time had passed since their last meal this morning.

"Hungry?" Y'shtola asked, the corners of her lips quirking upwards.

"Yeah." S'eni scratched her cheek with a finger. "Mind if we get some?"

"Not at all. I'm actually quite thirsty, myself."

After putting on their sandals, the two of them rose to their feet and began heading up the beach.

The Flying Shark, easily identifiable by the rather gaudy looking shark in a barrel serving as the sign above the open cabana, was owned and run by Dyrstweitz, a Roegadyn from Ishgard whose family faithfully served House Dzemael. But the calling of a knight had never interested him and so he had set out to hone his skills in the weapons he preferred: pots and pans.

One fateful day after his tenure at the Culinarian's Guild, he came across Gegeruju, who was looking for a cook for Costa del Sol at the time and the merchant had been so impressed by his talents, that he had practically hired him on the spot.

And while there certainly were some misgivings that he would occasionally voice, one could not argue that business was good. Especially around this time of year, when the resort village was buzzing with people.

"Well there's a familiar face," Dyrstweitz greeted her when it was finally their turn. "Last time I saw you, you were runnin' around with that half-crazed inspector. How's life been treatin' you since then?"

"It had its ups and downs," she replied with a friendly smile.

He nodded and looked at Y'shtola. "And you know as well. From the banquet."

"You're very perceptive," the other woman said.

"I pride myself on being able to remember who eats at my table." The Roegadyn's eyes narrowed slightly as he took in her appearance. "Did you do something with your hair?"

A hand going towards her bangs, Y'shtola shared a look with S'eni. "Something along those lines."

"Hmm, I see. Anyways, what can Dyrstweitz get ya?"

"Something light would be appreciated. I want to go for a swim later. And something refreshing to drink for my companion, please."

"Comin' right up!"

A few minutes later found the two of them sitting on one of the nearby benches, Y'shtola sipping on the glass of bubbly lemonade in her hand while S'eni guided a shrimp tempura from the small basket resting on her lap to her lips. She had just taken her first, very delicious bite, when a familiar voice called out to them, making them both turn towards its source.

It was Wheiskaet, former captain of the Company of Heroes turned leader of Costa del Sol's guard.

"Well well, aren't you a sight for sore eyes. Or I suppose eye in my case," he said, chuckling at his little self-deprecation, and inclined his head towards Y'shtola. "Lady Y'shtola. A pleasure to see you again."

"Captain." The other Miqo'te nodded.

"On duty even today?" S'eni asked after swallowing.

"Especially today. The Moonfire Faire draws in a lot of folks and we've got to make sure that everyone can enjoy themselves. Can't have some rowdy lout go cause trouble with children around as well."

"Good to know we're in your capable hands then," she said with a smile.

"Not like you need to be told to behave, eh Titan's Bane?" Wheiskaet grinned. "Though I've been told it's now Liberator as well?"

She grimaced a little at the title, since it made it sound like she had done it single handedly, and took another bite of the tempura. "Stories travel fast."

"Not any day that not only one but two countries manage to free themselves from the yoke of the Garleans. Though—" His face split into a grin. "Let's just say a bird mentioned it to me."

"Riol," Y'shtola commented.

"Didn't take him for a gossip." S'eni popped the last bit of tempura into her mouth, the tail crunching as she chewed.

The former mercenary laughed. "Years of reconnaissance and information gathered does that to you."

That was true, she supposed. No wonder Thancred and him got along so well.

Raising a finger to her lips, she said, "I trust you won't be parading it around? We're here to relax a little."

"Of course. Like I just said, we're here to ensure that everyone has a good time!" He slapped his fist against his armor. "And on that note, I should continue doing my rounds. Enjoy your stay."

Giving each of them a friendly nod, he walked away.

"He seems to be doing well," Y'shtola said.

Picking up on her lover's tone, S'eni's lips curled upward. "Don't tell me you're still annoyed about the goose chase they sent me on."

"It was a waste of everyone's time." She crossed an arm under her chest. "Especially since there was no need to test neither your abilities nor your resolve."

"Aww." S'eni playfully bumped her shoulder against the other woman's. "That's sweet of you. But really, it's fine. Remember, we're here to enjoy ourselves, not holding grudges."

Y'shtola looked at her for a moment, before exhaling through her nose and giving her a small smile. "I suppose you're right."

"Of course I am. I was the one who had to gather it all, remember?" She picked up another tempura but stopped halfway to her mouth to point towards the glass of lemonade. "Mind if I take a sip?"

"Hmm." Y'shtola swirled the glass a bit. "Only if I get a shrimp as well."

"Deal!"

 

---

 

After finishing the rest of her meal, the two of them had headed down to the beach to take a nice, relaxing swim in the sea, which S'eni promptly used to show off the Kojin's blessing to Y'shtola, who became quite fascinated by it and said that perhaps she should also try to acquire it as well. Of course, the situation soon became rather playful and any sudden scholarly pursuits dissolved in the deep blue that she pulled her into.

Once they had satisfied their, or rather S'eni's, need for a good swim, they returned to shore on the Isle of Endless Summer where most of the Moonfire Faire's hustle and bustle was currently taking place. There they ran in none other than Zhloe, Khloe, and the rest of the kids from Menphina's Arms, which had somehow manage to turn into S'eni ending up as the foundation for a sandcastle that children were building while Y'shtola only watched on in amusement as she laid in the sand.

It was hours later when she had managed to get rid of all the sand from her bikini and the light of the setting sun from the west was draping everything into a deep orange, that they were walking down the beach.

"We should do this more often," S'eni said, one of her arms gently looped around Y'shtola's.

"It was certainly a nice change of pace."

They stopped to look out towards the horizon, and she couldn't help but smile at the sight. "It's unbelievable isn't it?"

"What is?" Y'shtola asked.

"How much has changed since we last were here. Eorzea, the Scions..." her smile grew a little shy. "...Us."

Her lover didn't reply, but S'eni knew that she was nevertheless listening.

"We couldn't even remember each other at the time because of Louisoix's spell and my own trauma. I think if anyone told me that back then I would've sent them to get their head checked." In the end, she had been the one that needed hers checked. She chuckled at the sheer absurdity of it. "And now here we are, just the two of us, having a romantic walk on the beach."

"If you put it that way, it does sound quite unbelievable."

"Hm. But it's not bad, isn't it?"

"No." Y'shtola looked at her, lips curling into a smile and the last vestiges of the sun giving her eyes a warm glow. "Far from it, in fact."

S'eni stared at her for a moment, her heart doing a happy little jump at those words, before stepping closer and leaning in. Just as their lips were about to meet, a series of loud high pitched whines made them drawback and look towards the sky, where three bright sparks exploded into dazzling, rainbow-colored stars.

More sparks followed soon after, blooming into colorful flowers of red, yellow and blue and beautiful, prismatic wings that spread out as if to keep the coming night at bay.

A deep breath escaped her as she stared at the fireworks, unable to look away. She continued to watch, spellbound, until a pair of smooth, warm arms wrapped themselves around her waist and soft hair tickled her cheek. S'eni let out a short gasp when she realized Y'shtola was resting her head on her shoulder.

"Let's resume this later," she whispered, her voice just as warm as her embrace.

"Hm." S'eni nodded and leaned her head against Y'shtola's. "I'd love that."

Very much in fact.

 

Notes:

A little nice summer-y chapter to say goodbye to our own waning summer. Also an excuse to have them dressed in bikinis, which is always a plus.

Chapter 59

Cooking Warrior

 

The wind rustled through deep foliage, making the leaves sway in the bright sunlight and creating little patterns on the greens and browns of the forest floor danced to the natural song of the chirping birds, the buzzing bees, and the gentle patter of the nearby stream that pervaded seemingly everything.

An earthy smell hung faintly in the air and the grass was still a little damp to the touch, the last remnants of yesterday's rain that had lasted well into the morning hours.

If one were so inclined, they could sit down in the shade of one of the many trees to just enjoy this simple spectacle of nature and let it carry away all their worries.

But—

"So, why are we doing this again?" S'eni asked and pulled something out from between the blades of grass.

—that wasn't what they were here for today.

"You know exactly why," Y'shtola replied a small distance away from her.

"Yes," she sighed. "I do."

They had arrived in Gridania the previous day and, having been in a more mischievous mood, she had told Y'mhitra about their arrival beforehand so that three of them could spend a nice few hours over a steaming cup of hot tea. There, the other Miqo'te had mentioned that she had finally acquired a more permanent place of residence for her extended stay in the city-state.

After giving her their congratulations, S'eni had soon gotten it into her head to throw a little house warming party with just the three of them and that they could cook something to break in the kitchen that had come with Y'mhitra's new home.

Being the owner, it was upon her lover's sister to decide what dish they would prepare.

There had just been one teeny, tiny problem that had sprung up this morning when the two of them had gone down to the market to buy the ingredients: the key one was all sold out.

So now they were out here near Bentbranch, looking for Chanterelles because some Ul'dahn merchant apparently had a great craving for mushrooms today and decided to buy every last one of them.

She supposed today was just one of those days.

"You know you don't need to be here." S'eni looked the mushroom over to make sure she had the right one, then placed it with the rest in the tiny basket she was carrying and turned towards Y'shtola. "I can do this on my own."

"No. I will stay and help," Y'shtola replied, leaned down to pick up a few as well and walked over to her. The corners of her lips curled into a smile and her eyes narrowed just ever so slightly. "Besides, I'm sure you will make it worth my while later."

"And here I thought you were helping me out of the goodness of your heart," S'eni said.

"Ah, my dear Warrior of Light. Did being an adventurer not teach you that even the tiniest of tasks requires compensation?" As if to make a point, the other Miqo'te let her hand hover over the basket for a few seconds before slowly dumping its contents into it.

"Alright." She chuckled. "And what kind of compensation did you have in mind?"

"Hmm, I believe I shall keep that to myself until our task is done."

"Oooh, mysterious." S'eni grinned.

All of a sudden, their ears perked up at the same time, picking up a very particular and almost unmistakable sound: a loud "Wark!"

Zack's to be precise.

"Well, seems like he found something. Let's go," she said and began to walk in the direction of the sound.

Falling into step next to her, Y'shtola furrowed her brows. "Sometimes I wonder if he is more hound than Chocobo."

"He's got a keen nose for sure." S'eni tapped hers. "I was actually wondering if I could teach him to hunt for truffles. Would be a nice source of extra Gil."

"Hurting for money?"

"Not really, but you never know when you might need it. Some of the things offered on the market boards can be outrageously expensive."

They found Zack near Matron's Lethe, standing in front of a series of large shrubs, digging through the dirt with his talons and beak. When he noticed their approach he stopped and turned around, doing an excited little jump.

"Let's see what you got for us," S'eni said and brushed some of the branches aside to reveal a sizable amount of leaf-like mushrooms. Beaming with pride, she reached up and patted his head. "Good job!"

"Wark!"

As she knelt down to gather them up, Zack then turned his attention towards Y'shtola. Round, black eyes stared at her in a way that could almost be described as expecting and a single white eyebrow rose in silent question as to what he wanted.

A moment passed.

And another.

And another.

Only the rustling of leaves as S'eni picked out some especially good-looking mushrooms disturbed the silence that hung between them. Then, slowly, Y'shtola reached out a hand and gave his neck a little pat.

"Wark!"

The other Miqo'te nodded in return.

"Alright," S'eni said and rose back to her feet. "This ought to be enough!"

Reaching into her bag, she pulled out a handful of greens and tossed them into the air where they were immediately plucked by Zack's beak.

With ample Chanterelles now in their possession, they returned to Bentbranch Meadows to place her loyal Chocobo in the stable, then headed to the Mirror Planks to take a ferry to Y'mhitra's place of residence, the Lavender Beds.

Located at the north-eastern shore of the Mirror, the settlement had been created to accommodate the huge influx of adventurers that had decided to make Gridania their home. Like everything else in the city-state, it was built to be in harmony with the Black Shroud. From the smallest cottage to the largest estate, it was all covered in pleasant greenery, giving everything a relaxing quality that was deeply appreciated after a hard day's work.

"So where exactly does she live?" S'eni asked as they walked across the cobblestone path, raising her hand with a small smile when a familiar face from the guild passed by.

"We need to head north, it's not far from that huge tree over there," Y'shtola replied and pointed at a tree that quite literally dwarfed everything in the area. "It's the one with the lilacs growing in front."

"Didn't know she was into flower gardening."

"We all have our little hobbies."

"Like collecting shoes?" she smirked, drawing out a chuckle from her lover.

"Or earrings."

In the end, finding Y'mhitra cottage wasn't hard at all, not only because of the description given, but also because she was currently standing in her front yard taking care of said flowers.

"Ah, there you are!" the younger Miqo'te greeted them, dusting her hands off from the soil at her fingertips. "I was beginning to wonder if an emergency had come up."

"Something like that," S'eni replied, holding the basket of Chanterelles out towards her.

Taking it, Y'mhitra gave them a friendly smile and nodded towards the door. "Let's head inside then."

Like most houses in Gridania, the inside was made up of largely wood. Deep brown in color and prepared by some of the finest woodworkers the city-state had to offer, its smooth surface reflected the sunlight shining in through the windows. But while the style was unmistakably Gridanian, the furniture was clearly of Y'mhitra's choosing, harking back to her distant home of Sharlayan.

"Please, have a seat," Y'mhitra said and motioned towards a very comfortable looking L-shaped sofa while walking towards another door. "Tea?"

"Yes," Y'shtola replied as they sat down. "Thank you, Mhitra."

Once they were alone in the room, S'eni looked around and found herself finally voicing the question that had been burning on her mind ever since they heard that Y'mhitra had bought a house. "Hey, Shtola. Is your family rich?"

"Not particularly. Why?"

"Because the last time I checked, getting a place here was quite expensive."

"She might not be an Archon yet, but she is still a Sharlayan scholar. Our counsel is highly sought after. I'm sure she had ample opportunity to earn money while she was here," Y'shtola said.

"Huh." S'eni tapped her fingers on the armrest next to her. "The more you know, I suppose."

"I could always put in a good word should you ever desire to pursue academic studies," the other Miqo'te offered. "It's never too late to start studying."

"Duly noted."

Y'mhitra soon returned with a can of hot tea, pouring each of them a cup before sitting down next to her sister. Taking her cup, S'eni inhaled the fruity and spicy scent before blowing on it to cool it down a little.

"So, you like lilacs?" she asked after taking her first sip.

"Yes. I find them rather calming," Y'mhitra replied, leaning against the backrest. She then proceeded to tell them about how she had picked Botany as a secondary subject during her studies and had quickly taken a liking to it. More than once, simply tending to flowers had helped her during times of great stress, and if what she said was true she owed them quite a few passed exams.

By the time the younger Miqo'te was done with her story, they had finished their tea and S'eni began to rise to her feet.

"Well, I guess it's about time we get to cooking, wouldn't you say?" she looked at the other two with an eager smile on her lips.

Silence was the only response as the two sisters looked at one another, then turned their eyes towards S'eni. Y'mhitra's shoulders began to shift awkwardly. "Yes, about that…"

"What is it?"

"Neither of us can cook," Y'shtola replied matter-of-factly.

S'eni blinked once. Twice, then furrowed her brows. "Wait a minute, why did you both agree to this then?"

"You seemed rather excited about the prospect," Y'mhitra replied with a shrug.

"Indeed." Y'shtola nodded, crossing a leg over the other. "And rather adept in the kitchen. To be honest, I wanted to taste your cooking for a while now."

Narrowing her eyes, she looked between the two sisters before letting her shoulders slump with a sigh.

"Fine, I'll do it myself. Consider this—" she pointed at her lover while walking towards the kitchen. "—your compensation."

The smile she received in return, looking just like the one Y'shtola had given her earlier, told her that she was more than fine with that arrangement.

"Has a kitchen but doesn't know how to cook," she muttered under her breath and stepped through the door.

The kitchen was nothing spectacular, but it had all it needed to make a nice home-cooked meal. After putting the rest of the ingredients they had bought earlier onto the table, she began gathering the cooking utensils she needed, surprised Y'mhitra even had them now.

Probably bought them just for this occasion, S'eni thought and began washing and cutting the ingredients. After she was done with that, she put a generous slice of butter into the pot and placed it on the stove, adding the onion and garlic first when the butter had fully melted to cook them for a few minutes.

Then she added the mushrooms and thyme, sprinkling some flour on the former, waiting another few minutes before pouring in the chicken stock and covering it up to let it simmer.

Closing her eyes, she inhaled the fragrance and smiled. She wouldn't call herself an amazing cook, but she was pretty sure none of them would go hungry today.

The sound of the door opening behind her made her glance over her shoulder to see Y'shtola walking in, teapot in hand. "Something smells good."

"Yeah. It'll be a little while still," S'eni replied.

"I see. Mind if I make more tea?"

"Go ahead." She stepped to the side to let the other woman do so. After placing the newly filled kettle next to the pan on the stove, Y'shtola looked at her.

"I'm sorry, by the way."

"Don't worry. I'm not mad. In fact, I should've probably expected it. You Sharlayans have your noses between books all the time, it's little wonder none of you can cook." She chuckled. In fact, she was pretty sure only Thancred and Lyse had any sort of culinary skills, and the former most likely out of necessity than anything else. "Makes me wonder how you and Matoya managed inside her cave."

"There are many uses for familiars."

That was true, she supposed. The old woman seemed to get by just fine with hers.

A teasing little smile then danced across her lips as she looked at her lover. "So, did you have a familiar as well?"

"Well—" Y'shtola mirrored her expression. "Who can say?"

The kettle began to whistle.

"I suppose that is my cue," the other woman said, taking the kettle off the stove to fill the teapot with its steaming hot content. Once done, she took the finely crafted ceramic ware and began to walk past her.

Clicking her tongue with a little grin as the door closed again, S'eni returned her attention to the task at hand. Fortunately, there was not a lot that needed to be done now other than stirring in the milk until it had the right amount of creamy thickness and seasoning it a little bit more as it simmered.

After taking a little taste test, and finding it to her liking, she closed the stove's air vents for the fire to die down and walked over to the door to tell the others that their meal was ready. She had just placed her hand on top of the door handle when her ears perked up at the words coming from the other side.

"So how are things with S'eni going?" she heard Y'mhitra ask.

"I have no idea what you are talking about."

"Please, we may not share the same mother, but you're still my sister. Did you really believe I wouldn't notice how you act when she's around?"

"And how am I, as you put it, acting around her?" Y'shtola asked right back.

"You're less guarded and much more relaxed whenever she's there."

"Is that so?"

"Yes, and before you claim that I'm just imagining things, care to explain your reaction on the day you were pulled out of the Lifestream? The way you only looked at her when they walked through the door?"

Silence followed, broken only by the sound of a cup being placed on a saucer.

"It's obvious you care for her, and I can tell she cares about you too. Would it be such a bad thing to have her at your side?"

More silence.

"Just..." the younger woman sighed. "...think about it, alright? At the very least it would make me rest easier."

"Fine," Y'shtola said with a huff. "I will. Now can we change the subject?"

S'eni couldn't help the chuckle at the irony of the situation. If only Y'mhitra knew...

She waited for a few moments longer, then pushed the door open. "Food's ready!"

 

---

 

It was only later that night when they were both lying in bed and S'eni was staring at the ceiling, that she thought back on that conversation from earlier and found herself asking, "Should we tell the others?"

"About us, you mean?"

She turned onto her side to look at Y'shtola, who was leaning against the headrest and reading a book. "Yeah."

"You heard what Mhitra said then, I take it?" her lover asked.

"I didn't mean to, but yes."

Putting a finger between the pages, Y'shtola closed the book and returned her look. "And now you are wondering if perhaps you would have spared me an awkward conversation with my sister. I can assure you it would have just been replaced with another."

"Hm, but still…"

"Do you want to tell them?"

"I don't know, to be honest," S'eni admitted. "A part of me likes it like this. You know, it being just between us."

"And Krile."

"And Krile." She wisely decided to hold her tongue that Matoya had figured them out from the get-go. "Yet another part wants for the others to know, but I don't know if it's the right time."

The liberation of Ala Mhigo was still rather fresh and she was sure that before long, the Garlean Empire would rear its head once more. And who could tell when they would have a quiet moment again when that happened?

"Then we shall wait until the time is right," Y'shtola said and opened the book once more. "So no need to worry on my part. And for the record, I too enjoy our little secret to its fullest."

Hearing those words, a soft smile formed on S'eni's lips and cuddled up to the other woman, releasing a content little purr as an arm came to rest around her shoulders.

"By the way, what are you reading?"

Y'shtola's glanced at her for a second, before returning to attention to the page in front of her. The corners of her lips quirked upward. "Just a book about Eorzean cuisine. Should I ever desire to have you cook for me again."

"Oh, is that so? Well, I should have you know that I require quite a bit of compensation for that."

"I'm sure we can come to a satisfying arrangement for both of us."

"Maybe." she stifled a yawn and closed her eyes. "But how about we get some sleep for now?"

With a chuckle, her lover placed the book on the nightstand next to her and shut off the lamp.

 

Notes:

And with this we've concluded this little side excursion away from the plot. Next week we'll continue our regular scheduled journey.

Have a nice weekend!

Chapter 60

Shadow of Memories

 

Theodoric's treasury, the summoning of Lakshmi within the palace of Ala Mhigo and Fordola of all people helping defend those she had spent years despising. There seemed to be no end of things happening on our front.

While things had been busy here, tidings from the Far East soon had my friends travel back across the sea. When I first heard what had happened, I almost couldn't believe it.

Memories...make us who we are. So without them, can we truly be someone else?

I wonder what you have to say about that, Eni.

 

---

 

The first time she had laid eyes upon the Ruby Sea, there had been a sense of wonder at the sight of it. From the vegetation of the islands, made up of trees that she had never seen before, to the smell in the air, salt with a hint of sulfur from the oozing volcano to the south. And that didn't even account for the underwater settlements of the Raen and Kojin or the giant tower seemingly piercing the very sky.

It was a place that swore fealty to no one but itself.

Yet, as they stood upon the shores near Isari, it was another sight that drew her attention this time around; that of a beautiful woman, with long raven hair, standing lightly behind Gosetsu's large frame and looking around warily.

Almost like a child.

When they had heard that Gosetsu might not only be alive, but in Kugane, they had wasted no time trying to locate him, especially when they had learned that the Empire was looking for him as well. Little did they know it wasn't him they were looking for.

And while the elegant kimono had been replaced by a rather drab and unflattering and the makeup was gone, there was absolutely no mistaking her.

This was Yotsuyu, and yet she wasn't, as the same miracle that had seen to her and Gosetsu's survival, had also taken away her memory.

Or so it seemed.

Nothing can ever be simple, can it? S'eni wondered.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Soroban speaking up.

"This is where we part ways, my friends," he said to them, his voice carrying that inflection that seemed to be unique to Kojin. "I hope the remainder of your journey passes uneventfully."

He then looked at her. "S'eni, when you are less occupied, I would like to speak with you about my next business venture. It promises to be extremely lucrative and I do not say so lightly. And after the immense sum spent on acquiring a certain sword, it would present a great opportunity to refill the Scions' coffers and return the smile to Mistress Tataru's face."

"Oh come now," Alphinaud then said with a light chuckle. "Tataru was overreacting. How much could a single Katana possibly cost?"

"Far more than you think. A blade like Gosetsu's is worth a fortune, more than enough to buy a house and furnish it," Alisaie replied, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "Which you would know if you had bothered to check the price."

"What? I-I had no idea…" the younger man stammered, clearly taken aback. He too then looked at her, a mixture of embarrassment, hope, and just a tiny bit of fear of Tataru's wrath in his eyes. "T-This business venture—I trust you will listen to his offer? He's been a great help to us, after all!"

Chuckling and shaking her head, S'eni looked at Soroban and said, "I'll contact you."

The Kojin nodded and raised his large hand in silent goodbye before returning to his boat. After he had left, Yugiri called for their attention.

"We should enter Yanxia as swiftly as possible, I shall scout ahead to make sure the road is clear and contact my lord of our coming. Meet me at the outskirts of Namai."

And with those words, she was gone, vanishing in a cloud of smoke.

A surprised gasp escaped Yotsuyu and she looked around with wide eyes. "Where did she go? Does she want to play hide and seek?" all of their eyes landed on her, making the woman hide behind Gosetsu's back once more. "W-What?"

"Nevermind that, Tsuyu. Yugiri is right, we should hurry, my friends," Gosetsu said.

"Then let's not waste any more time. "Alisaie uncrossed her arms, lips curling into a smile. "I'm sure Hien is already eagerly awaiting your return."

As they left the beach to begin their track into the heart of Yanxia, S'eni eyes came to rest upon Yotsuyu's back. She watched her for a time, trying to figure out if this truly was some sort of elaborate trick. But when the other woman began to stare back with large, round eyes, bereft of the cold hatred she had last seen reflected in them on that day in Doma Castle, she began to doubt that this was the case.

 

---

 

A sigh escaped her as she walked through the Doman Enclave. It was impressive, really, to see these ruins partly restored already. It spoke of the strength that the people of Doma had regained and the love for their country. She was sure Hozan and the others would be most delighted to hear of this. But—

She sighed again.

"Another one?" Alisaie asked next to her. "This must be really troubling you."

S'eni just looked at her.

"I get it. We barely manage to save Gosetsu—" the younger woman paused until two citizens passed by, then continued in a lower voice. "—and Yotsuyu from imperial troops. Then, no sooner do we arrive, a Garlean ambassador shows up to talk about peace and prisoner exchange and he just happens to be the former viceroy's step-brother? A little too many coincidences for my taste."

"Yeah..." And then there was that attack by the Red Kojin. While Asahi had valiantly gone ahead and defended Azami and Isse alongside them, it was one more coincidence upon the pile of coincidences and S'eni couldn't shake the feeling that something more than the simple lack of employment had driven them. "Something smells about this entire thing."

"He seems genuine enough about the peace treaty and the prisoner exchange," Alisaie said matter of factly.

She hummed. That he was. But pleasant faces and friendly demeanours could be the ones hiding the sharpest steel.

...Gods when had she become so distrustful?

They came to a stop in front of what she assumed used to be a marketplace of some kind, where a kind-looking Roegadyn woman was handing out food to the people.

Exhaling through her nose, she looked at Alisaie and pointed forward. "How about something to eat?"

"Sure."

After they received their food, a bowl of rice and some dried fish from the One River, nothing special yet still filling, they sat down at one of the few tables that had been haphazardly placed around the area.

"I suppose it will become a little quieter around Revenant's Toll soon enough," the younger woman said after taking her first bite and looking around for a moment.

"It'll take some getting used to not seeing our little Doman Adventurers Guild running through the streets." The Domans had become such a part of the townscape that their absence would be sorely felt. But they deserved to return to their homeland as free people, even if saying goodbye would hurt.

They fell silent for a moment, simply eating and listening to the idle chatter of some people nearby until S'eni broke it once again. "What do you think? About 'Tsuyu', I mean?" she asked while picking at her rice.

"I honestly can't say," her friend replied. "If this is a ruse, it's probably the most elaborate I have ever seen."

"I don't think it is."

"Oh? Awfully sure, aren't you?"

"Let's just say I've got some experience on the matter," she said.

The Elezen tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

S'eni looked at Alisaie. "I lost my memory once too."

She watched as the other woman nearly dropped her chopsticks, eyes growing wide at this revelation. "...Are you serious?"

"Hm." she nodded. "I think you remember what your grandfather said about what he had done at Carteneau. Well, when I re-appeared in the Black Shroud, my mind just...shut off, I suppose, because I couldn't deal with what had happened. So it locked those memories away. Maybe something like that happened to her as well."

Alisaie's mouth hung agape for a few seconds before she closed it and looked down at her half-eaten food. "I-I didn't know."

"Of course not. How could you?" S'eni chuckled. "By the time we were properly introduced my memory had returned again."

After saying that, she went back to eating. Her friend stared at her for a few seconds, before returning to her meal as well. "How did it feel to regain your memory?"

She popped a piece of fish into her mouth.

"Like waking up from a dream. Everything made sense again," she explained.

They fell silent once again, this time not speaking up until they were approached by the Roegadyn woman just as they were about to be done with their meal. "I hope it tasted well enough?"

"It did, thank you."

"Just wait until this place is properly restored, then I'll make you some proper Doman cuisine. But where are my manners? I'm Mitsuba," the woman introduced herself. "And you two must be the ones that returned Lord Hien and helped chase off the Garleans."

"I guess we're not exactly blending in aren't we?" S'eni asked with an amused tone and let her ears do a little wiggle. "Anything we can help you with?"

"Actually, I was just going to give you this," Mitsuba said and placed a small plate on the table, filled with—

"Dango?" Alisaie asked, eyebrows rising in surprise.

"It's not much, but consider it a little thank you for helping us." With that, she left once more to let them eat what little was left of their meal in peace.

When she was done, S'eni took one of the skewers of sweet little dumplings, holding out the plate with the other one towards Alisaie, who raised her hands.

"Oh no, thank you. I'm still trying to recover from Limsa Lominsa."

"Alright, more for me I guess." She raised the dango to her lips but stopped just shy of them to instead stare at the tasty treat, a frown forming on her features.

"What is it?"

Instead of answering, S'eni rose to her feet and began walking off, plate in hand.

"Hey, S'eni!" Alisaie called after her, rising halfway before sitting back down with a huff and crossing her arms in front of her chest. "There she goes again..."

She all but ran back towards the Kienkan, undoubtedly making for a strange sight for any she was passing by. Even the man standing guard in front of Hien's residence, while letting her pass, gave her a very confused look. As soon as she was inside, she looked around rather aimlessly until one of the servants approached her.

"Are you looking for something, my lady?" the woman asked.

"I do. Could you tell me where I can find our special guest?"

"The ambassador? He is currently resting from—"

"No no," S'eni interrupted her. "The other special guest."

Realization entered the woman's eyes, followed by hesitation, but thankfully the entire personnel had been instructed that she and her friends were to be trusted. "I see...follow me, please."

She was led deeper into the residence, into the part usually prohibited by visitors, and stopped in front of a set of sliding doors. "She is in here, together with Lord Gosetsu."

"Alright, I'll take it from here. Thank you," she said with a polite smile. The woman bowed respectfully before going back to her business.

Stepping up to the sliding door, S'eni rapped her hand against the wooden frame and waited for it to open up to reveal Gosetsu's imposing figure, looking much less so in the simple kimono he was wearing now.

He looked around for a moment before addressing her. "S'eni. What brings you here? Did my lord send for me?"

"Oh, no. Nothing of the sort. I've come bearing gifts!" she held up the dango still held tightly in her fingers, as well as the plate.

Gosetsu's expression remained neutral as he stared at her. "So you wish to speak to her?"

"If that's alright with you."

A few seconds of silence passed until he stepped aside to let her in. "Very well. I'm sure she will enjoy your present."

"Thanks," she said and stepped inside. Yotsuyu wasn't hard to find, as she was currently sitting on the floor and reading a book of some sort. "What is she reading?"

"The Tale of Tenzen. A well-known fairytale around the Far East." The Samurai let out a snort with a hint of amusement in it. "Being as she is, I wanted to see if she still retained her ability to read the written word. But as you can see..."

S'eni simply chuckled. Yotsuyu seemed downright transfixed by it, letting out little gasps at what she assumed must be an especially gripping moment.

"That is enough reading for now, Tsuyu," Gosetsu said, gaining the woman's attention. "You have a visitor."

Yotsuyu tilted her head and turned to look at her. "Oh, the lady with the cute ears and tail. Hello."

Her eyebrows and ears rose with comical simultaneity at those words, while the other woman gave her a friendly if a little uncertain smile. Even now, after it had sunk in, it was still hard to believe that this was the very same person that once forced someone to shoot his neighbour and, when he refused to do the same to his elderly parents, had him shot as another example of disobedience; whose pale yellow gaze, that once held a bottomless coldness, was now sparkling with childlike innocence.

"Do we know each other?" Yotsuyu asked, pulling S'eni out of her thoughts.

The corners of her lips curling upward, she walked over to the other woman and knelt down on the floor next to her. "Kind of," she said. "Tsuyu, right?"

A nod.

"I'm S'eni."

"Soo-eh-ni," Yotsuyu repeated, looking almost a little like Azami as she tried to pronounce her name correctly.

"And I know you like these," she said and placed the plate with dango between them. If possible, Yotsuyu's eyes lightened up even more. "Go on, take it."

Not needing to be told twice, the former viceroy grabbed the tasty treat and began to take little bites out of it.

S'eni watched her for a little while, before sitting down as well and finally beginning to eat her own dango.

"The book you're reading, do you like?" she asked.

"Mm-hmm." Yotsuyu nodded again.

"Would you mind telling me a little about it?"

The smile on the other woman's lips grew and she began to tell her the story of this man named Tenzen.

And as she listened to her, S'eni couldn't help but wonder what it would be that awaited their former enemy at the end of this road she was walking down.

Will you be Yotsuyu...or Tsuyu?

 

Chapter 61

Beyond the Moonlight

 

I was told that things had soon turned for the worst in Doma, as the so-called ambassador turned out to be nothing more than a lackey of Zenos and had been planning to sabotage the peace talks all along with a primal summoning of his own making.

She defeated it, of course, but this time victory tasted all too bitter.

After that, they returned to Eorzea, bringing with them news of an even more worrying kind.

 

---

 

The moon hung high in the nightly firmament, shining bright like a beacon in this sheer endless seaming sea of stars. On any given night, she might have actually enjoyed watching it, but...not tonight. Tonight, it just served as a reminder, so she tore her eyes away to look at the actual beacon not far in the distance.

Pharos Polaris, the glowing spire that served as Limsa Lominsa's main lighthouse.

There had always been rumors about just how it was possible that its entire structure emanated its bright blue light, almost rivaling that of the Allagan Crystal Tower, and that the candle keeps were rather tight-lipped about it only poured more water on the rumor mill.

But nevertheless, for many, the sight of it meant one thing: a return home.

Just as it was for them.

"A sight for sore eyes, indeed," Alisaie said from next to her and slumped against the taffrail, closing her eyes and breathing deep.

"Tired?" S'eni asked with an amused tone.

"Well I was kind of expecting to arrive five—" the toll of a bell echoed across the Galadion Bay towards them. "—six bells ago, not in the middle of the night."

"The sea is an unpredictable mistress." As they had entered Eorzean waters, a sudden storm had forced their ship to take a detour on their way to Limsa Lominsa.

"Yes yes, as our dear captain had said repeatedly." the younger woman waved her hand. "In any case, we're finally back. Even if one short from when we left."

"Worried about Alphinaud?"

Alisaie shook her head. "No, he can take care of himself. Even if he's heading into enemy territory with the only trustworthy Populares at his side and the Ascians are once again up to no good."

After what had happened in Doma, Alphinaud had decided to head into Garlemald, officially as Hien's emissary, but in actuality to find out what their enemy was once again planning.

And while Alisaie was usually able to hide her worry rather well, it managed to slip through the cracks every so often. Like now.

Instead of pointing it out, though, S'eni simply gave her a knowing smile that went ignored as the younger woman focused her attention on the approaching city.

Being a center of commerce in its own right, Limsa Lominsa saw ships coming in and out at any time of the day, but as luck would have it, there were no other ships in harbor right now so they could dock with no further delay.

As soon as they had stepped off the ship, stretched herself as if she had just dropped a huge load off her shoulders and let out a yawn. "Gods. I think I will stay here tonight. I take it, you're heading to Revenant's Toll?"

"Yeah." While she was exhausted herself, she would rather sleep in a more familiar bed tonight.

"Must be nice—" another yawn. "—to be able to just teleport whenever it strikes your fancy."

"It has its perks," she chuckled.

They headed up to the Upper Decks and into Drowning Wench, where Alisaie promptly rented herself a room for the night.

"Well, I will be sleeping like a log tonight," the Elezen said as they walked up to the door leading into the Mizzenmast Inn. Stopping in front of it, she turned around to look at her. "Good night then, and don't forget that we wanted to meet with Lyse tomorrow."

"Don't worry. I won't," S'eni promised. "Good night."

Turning on her heels, she began to walk over to the exit but stopped in her tracks when Alisaie called out to her once more. She glanced over her shoulder to see her young friend standing in the doorway, an openly worried frown now marring her features.

"Do you...really think he's going to be alright?"

Lips curling into a smile, S'eni nodded. "Of course. He's just as capable as any of us. Besides, he's your brother, isn't he?"

Alisaie looked at her for a moment, before mirroring her expression. "You're right, of course. Thanks, S'eni."

With a final wave of her hand, her friend stepped through the door.

She remained where she was, eyes lingering on the door for a few more seconds, then stepped outside and began teleporting to her next destination.

 

---

 

Unlike Limsa Lominsa, where it didn't matter if it was night or day to find people out and about, Revenant's Toll was almost deathly quiet, the only sound in the air being those of the few members of the Adventurer's Guild being on guard duty quietly chatting amongst themselves and the wind passing through Mor Dhona from the direction Lake Silvertear. Even the Seventh Heaven, which was probably the single establishment still open this late, had long since winded down and as she stepped inside, it didn't surprise her to see that they too were about to close up.

Mumbling a few greetings and good nights as she passed by, S'eni made her way into the Rising Stones and, after looking around the empty main hall, began to head into the direction of the quarters. Her footsteps echoed through the hallway as she passed by the doors of her fellow Scions, those that were currently there surely fast asleep in their beds right now. Unless it was Aenor of course, but she would rather not think about the last time she had the dubious honor of running into one of the woman's amorous conquests.

She stopped in front of her door, looking at it for a moment, before continuing onward until she found the one she was actually looking for. Reaching into her bag, she produced a small key and slipped it into the lock, unlocking it as quietly as possible. As she stepped inside, her eyes immediately sought out the sleeping form of her lover on the bed and she couldn't help a soft smile forming on her lips.

After locking the door again, S'eni began to undress down to her underwear and slipped into bed behind Y'shtola, circling an arm around her waist and nestling against her. She had just closed her eyes when the other woman began to speak. "You know it's considered quite rude to enter a lady's chamber in the middle of the night."

"I seem to recall that you gave me a copy of your key precisely for this," she replied. "Besides, I'm a lady too."

Ever since a certain encounter that Y'shtola didn't wish to discuss, which S'eni suspected also had to do with the Scions' most promiscuous member, she had begun the habit of locking her door. It was a fact that the two of them had made use of whenever they wished to have a night alone without anyone bursting in unannounced.

The other Miqo'te placed a hand on top of hers and let out a little hum. "You're quite late."

"Storm," was all S'eni said and nuzzled the back of Y'shtola's neck.

"So how did things in Doma go?" She didn't answer at first, choosing to instead inhale that scent that she just couldn't get enough of. "Eni?"

With a sigh, she pulled back and Y'shtola slowly turned around to face her. "Did something happen?"

"A little bit more than something," she replied after a moment of silence. "I don't even know where to begin."

"The beginning," Y'shtola said and got out of bed, walking over to her desk to turn on the lamp there, sleep now entirely forgotten.

Sitting up in bed, she waited for her lover to return to her side, then began to tell her what had happened, beginning with how they had found Gosetsu and Yotsuyu and the subsequent meeting with Asahi. But even the visions the Echo granted her about the imperial envoy did little to prevent the events that would unfold soon after, culminating in not only for Yotsuyu to regain her memories, but also murder her step-parents as revenge for years of torment and turning into the primal Tsukuyomi, goddess of the moon.

All just so that the so-called ambassador of peace could in all actuality stoke the fires of war. In the end, he reaped what he had sown; slain by the very woman he decided to manipulate and discard as she lay dying.

And as what little life she had left slowly faded away, Yotsuyu, the infamous witch of Doma, after a life of misery and pain, had finally found peace.

It was almost right out of a play, if it hadn't been the absolute cold reality.

Sometime during her recounting of these events, S'eni had lied down again and let her head come to rest on Y'shtola's lap.

"She did a lot of horrible things and many would say that she got what she deserved," she murmured, eyes half-closed at the feeling of fingers stroking her hair. "But knowing what I know about her...I can't help but feel bad. Does that make sense?"

"It does. Things are rarely as black and white as we would like them to be. And even after all this time, you're still an incredibly kind person," Y'shtola said.

"Hm. Sometimes I wonder if that isn't actually my weakness."

She could feel the warm smile brush against her ear as the other Miqo'te leaned down to whisper, "Never."

A little laugh passed between them, followed by a moment of silence in which S'eni let herself simply enjoy Y'shtola's closeness, wrapping it around herself like a warming blanket on a cold night until her lover spoke up once more.

"But there is more, isn't there?"

She turned around so that she could look at Y'shtola, eyes seeking out hers. "While Asahi was dying, the Echo granted me another vision…It was Zenos, Shtola. Zenos gave him that mission."

Hearing those words, Y'shtola's face grew serious. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

"But how? You said he took his own life."

"He did. I was there when he killed himself." S'eni ran her thumb across her throat for emphasis. "No way he could have survived that. But there's more. In my vision, he told Asahi just what he had to do to summon a primal."

"...an Ascian."

She nodded. "So now we also have an Ascian running around in Zenos' body it seems."

"That...certainly complicates a lot of things," Y'shtola said, a thoughtful frown forming on her face. "There is no telling what an Ascian could do by impersonating the crown prince. The leaders of the Alliance need to know about this."

"And they will, in good time. Tomorrow, Alisaie and I are going to meet with Lyse and investigate Zenos' grave." Another sigh passed her lips. "Just when things had begun to calm down..."

"We knew that they would eventually try something again. But I didn't expect this."

"What do you think we should do?" she asked.

"I believe investigating Zenos' grave is the right decision. As for now..." Y'shtola rested a hand on her forehead. "...we should do the only thing we can do: rest."

"Hm. You're right."

She slid off Y'shtola to let her once more get out of bed, lying back down onto it while her lover shut off the light. As soon as she returned, S'eni wound an arm around her midriff and let her head come to rest atop her chest.

"Good night," she murmured, closing her eyes. A tired little smile formed on her lips as a pair of lips planted a kiss on top of her head followed by a "Good Night" in return.

And as listened to the rhythmic beat of her lover's heart, S'eni found herself drifting off into a blissfully dreamless sleep.

 

Notes:

And that's it for this week. Next week we'll start off with a little bit of a longer chapter. Until then! o/

Chapter 62

Notes:

And today we interrupt the regular main story schedule by a rather self indulgent chapter.

A little heads up: there be smut in this one.

Homeward Bound

 

They say home is where the heart is, and that certainly is true. For most of my life, Sharlayan had been my home. It's where I grew up and where I met my friends but it never changed where I was from, and once I set foot into Gyr Abania, I knew immediately that this was home.

Home is where the heart is, and that would never change. But sometimes home is simply...where home is.

 

---

 

I honestly have to wonder... S'eni thought as she cast her gaze across the deck, fingers drumming against the side of the barrel she was sitting on. ...if this is becoming a habit.

She watched some of the crew as they went about their business, paying her little mind if at all, as the ship gently swayed on the calm sea. The sun, shining bright above with nary a cloud in sight, warmed the gentle sea breeze caressing her cheek and she closed her eyes to enjoy it for a moment before taking a deep breath.

"Barely back in Eorzea for a few days and already leaving again..." she mumbled.

"Is that a complaint I hear?" the sound of boots on wood moved towards her and she turned to see Y'shtola approaching her with an amused smile. "And here I thought you enjoyed seeing the world."

"I do. Though I can't say I enjoy sleeping on a bunk all the time."

White eyebrows rose up a fraction. "Didn't you once tell Tataru that you slept on the road?"

"Yeah, and believe me, grass can be quite comfortable. Can't say the same thing about a swaying bunk all the time," S'eni said.

"You could have simply teleported ahead, you know," the other Miqo'te pointed out, causing the corner of her lip to curl into a little smirk.

"And have you go through the bunk pain alone?"

"Ah, what would I ever do without you, my dear Warrior of Light?" Y'shtola asked dryly.

"I can think of a few things. Though none of them as fun as when I'm around."

"My, someone sure has grown quite an opinion of herself. Perhaps I should banish you to another bunk for a night to teach you a little lesson in humility."

"And rob yourself of an extra warm pillow?" she crossed her arms, her smirk growing. "Nights at sea can be very cold."

Y'shtola chuckled. "Don't I know it."

S'eni gave her a little wink, then went back to watching the sailors going about their business. As she did so, she couldn't help her mind from wandering and in turn, her expression went from a relaxed smile to a frown.

"Worried about Alisaie?" the other Miqo'te asked, leaning against the taffrail next to her.

She hummed in reply.

After discovering that Zenos' body had indeed vanished from his grave, Thancred had almost immediately set out towards Garlemald while investigating the western provinces along the way. And with Y'shtola heading towards Doma to find out more about the nature of primal summoning in the Far East and lend her expertise on the matter to Hien, as well as her also leaving meant that the younger woman was effectively forced to stay at the Rising Stones and await reports.

"So why didn't you stay? I hardly need a chaperone just because I'm traveling to the Far East."

"Oh, I know. But there's still the matter of the Scions' funds that Alphinaud used to get Gosetsu's Katana back and Tataru has been very urgent about it," she told Y'shtola.

"Surely it can't be that bad to not wait a little while longer?"

Turning her head to look at Y'shtola, a moment of silence passed before she replied, "Our ledger has been in the red since then."

Y'shtola blinked once. "Oh."

As much as she disliked leaving Alisaie, this matter could absolutely not wait any longer. At the very least she could trust Hoary Boulder and the others to keep an eye on her and, if need be, try to take her mind off things.

"So I'm afraid you'll be stuck with me until we reach the Ruby Sea."

"Well..." the other woman's lips quirked upward. "I can certainly think of worse company. Though it does once again beg the question why you didn't teleport ahead."

S'eni mirrored her lover's expression. "And I believe I gave you my reason."

"Honestly..."

A voice then echoed across the entire deck. It was the captain, an older Lalafel that had seen it all and was a little bit rounder than some of his fellows, calling out for the ship to change course and making her ears perk up.

"Hmm, is something wrong?" she wondered and turned to look towards the horizon to check for any dark clouds, giving the air a few good sniffs to determine if there might be a storm brewing. But no, nothing but pleasant weather as far as the eye could see.

"Ah, yes. I was about to tell you when our conversation went into a different direction, but I'm afraid we will take a slight detour on our journey," Y'shtola said with a shrug. "I was only informed about this a few minutes ago as well."

"How long?"

"A day to pick up some additional wares."

"Well that isn't too bad I suppose." This was mainly a trading vessel after all, and one belonging to the richest man in Eorzea at that. If he decided on the fly that he wanted more goods to be sold, then his word was law as far as any of his employees were concerned. "So where are we headed? Limsa Lominsa?"

"The Cieldalaes, in fact."

She nodded with a hum. A little detour to—

All of a sudden, her eyes widened and she nearly fell off the barrel as she whipped her head around.

—"The Cieldalaes!?"

"Indeed," Y'shtola replied calmly.

Almost as soon as that harmless confirmation left her lover's mouth, S'eni felt her palms warm up as her heart began to jump inside her chest. The Cieldalaes.

...Home.

 

---

 

She...didn't know how to feel. Anxiety and nostalgia created a whirlwind that swept through her mind, leaving her torn between marching back onto the ship or down the wooden piers that she hadn't seen in so long.

It really hadn't changed much, despite five years having passed since the last time she was here.

The Turquoise Port, as it was informally called, was where the people from the nearby islands gathered to sell their wares to outsiders as well as one another. Built many years ago by merchants that wanted to make a profit with goods that could only be acquired around these parts so that they could centralize the trade instead of having to seek out each island all the time. Its name came from the colour of the swallow waters upon which the walkways and huts were built upon.

As trade grew, so too did the port, becoming a bit of a town itself, and as such, it also offered various accommodations for the weary sailor arriving here and spending their hard-earned Gil for a night in a solid bed after a few local drinks, letting the soft sound of the waves lull them to sleep before heading back out the next morning.

S'eni had often been here, playing games with her siblings and other children when she was younger, and helping sell their wares as she had grown older. She had loved it because here she could see glimpses of what it was like in the outside world.

She stopped in her tracks when the vision of a little Miqo'te girl appeared on the pier across the water, sitting there with her feet dangling over the edge while looking out towards the vast open sea with large eyes and an equally large smile on her lips.

A hand placed itself on her back, causing her to jump a little and making the image fade away like a cloud of dissipating morning fog. Slowly, she turned to see Y'shtola looking at her with the same expression she had worn since she initially had told S'eni about where they were going. "Are you alright?"

Tongue darting out to wet lips that had gone dry, she gave her a nod.

"Are you sure?"

"...No. It's—" she glanced over to the other side. "—a bit overwhelming if I'm being honest. It's silly, I know. After all that I've been through, this shouldn't make me as nervous as it does."

The hand on her back moved up, coming to rest on her shoulder and pulling her a little closer.

"Not at all," her lover said, a small smile on her lips. "I think it's quite natural to feel that way when returning home after such a long time."

"Was this what it felt like when returning to the Sharlayan colony?" S'eni asked.

"In a sense. Though I also expected to see nothing but empty ruins after such a long time, not a group of Goblins and treasure hunters working together to revive the city, so I suppose it isn't exactly the same."

She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath and holding it for a moment before exhaling again and returning the smile. "Come, I'll show you where we can stay for the night."

They resumed their walk, leaving the piers behind to move towards the center of the port. Voices of merchants plying their wares and those that wished to buy them echoed into their direction and another wave of nostalgia washed over her as she looked around.

Still the same even after five years, she thought to herself. The half-broken ship's wheel attached above the local tavern, the pair of palms that had grown around one another in such a way that made them look like a dancing couple. Even the guy, who could always be seen sitting in the shade of his hut and taking a nap, was still there, though slightly grayer than he used to be.

Now that she thought about it, she never learned his name…

A voice, mixed in with the others but crystal clear to her ears, made her pause midstep, drawing out a "What is it?" from Y'shtola that went largely ignored as she cast her gaze across the marketplace. It soon landed on a single Miqo'te woman behind a stand, a friendly smile on her lips, as she called out to the people gathered around to buy her wares. After making business with an elderly couple, a slightly confused look formed on the woman's features and she began to scan the area.

After a few moments of looking around, a pair of eyes, so much like her own, came to rest upon her, and S'eni's first instinct was to hide behind her lover, but found herself rooted to the spot. Time seemed to slow to a crawl when the other set of cherry pink eyes began to widen and lips formed words that she couldn't make out anymore as the sound of her beating heart grew so loud inside her ears that it drowned out everything else.

Then, after a simple blink of her eyes, everything returned to normal—

"ENIEEEE!" the voice called out.

—and her sister was running straight towards her.

Her body began to obey her once again but she only managed to take a single step back before she found herself tackled to the ground in a tight hug.

"Oh Eni! It's really you isn't it?! Please tell me I'm not dreaming!" her sister begged.

"Neena..." was all S'eni managed to say amidst having to blow blonde hair out of her face as it furiously tickled her skin, but that seemed to be more than enough as the hug became instantly tighter and a torrent of words sprang forth from the other Miqo'te's lips.

A giggle from above made her turn her eyes towards Y'shtola, hiding a smile behind her fist. Her lips turning into a grimace of discomfort, she sent her lover a pleading look that she hoped conveyed, "A little help here?"

An amused twinkle entered Y'shtola's eyes, and for a few seconds it almost looked like she would just let her lie there, before giving her a nod. "I believe your sister wishes to get back up."

"Eh?" Her sister stopped what she was doing and looked up at Y'shtola, blinking a few times. Realization then struck and she began to scramble back off of her. "Oh, I'm sorry, Eni. Here let me help you."

S'eni took the offered hand and let herself be pulled back to her feet, but no sooner did she stand once again, she found herself in another hug. Knowing that she wouldn't be getting out of this anytime soon, she moved her arms to return it, letting out a sigh at the next series of questions.

"Where have you been? What were you doing? Who's that?"

"Neena," she groaned out. "One question at a time."

That also hadn't changed, it seemed.

Gently pushing her away, S'eni looked at her. "It's a bit of a long story, but after I left, I headed to Eorzea. I've been there this whole time, working as an adventurer. And this is—"

"Y'shtola Rhul," her lover introduced herself.

"Oh my, I completely forgot my manners," her sister then said and took a step back to hold out her hand towards Y'shtola in greeting. "S'neena Gata. Any friend of Eni is a friend of mine. You're friends, right?"

Y'shtola shared a look with her. "In a manner of speaking."

"Huh?" S'neena tilted her head, making some of the little braids in her shoulder-length hair sway with the motion. "Anyways, what brings you here? Did you come to visit?"

"Actually...we're only here because our ship is picking up some wares before leaving again," she admitted, averting her eyes.

Her sister deflated a little at that. "Oh…H-how long are you going to be here then?"

"Until noon tomorrow. We were actually just on our way to get a room at the inn."

"What!? No!" S'neena stepped up to her, and S'eni felt herself instinctively stepping back. "You're not going to stay at the inn! You both can stay with us. The trip is short enough that you'll be back in time for when your ship leaves and the others will want to see you again too. So, please!"

With a little noise from the back of her throat, she stared at her sister, unsure what to say. Her eyes darted over to Y'shtola, who once again held an amused look on her face as she shrugged in a way that said, "That is on you."

Releasing a sigh of resignation, she nodded. "Fine…"

"Great! Come, just let me close up shop real quick." Not even waiting for a reply, S'neena took her hand and began dragging her towards the stand. Once there, she was promptly let go again and watched as her sister gathered what wares were remaining and put them onto the small cart that stood nearby. After she was done with that, S'neena looked around for a few seconds before holding a hand to her mouth.

"Anhru! It's time to go back. Anhru!" she called out. "...Where did she wander off to now?"

Out of the corner of her eye, S'eni spotted some movement from one of the other stands and a pair of telling ears poking out from behind it. Large eyes peeked out for a second, then vanished back into hiding.

I guess she means you, S'eni thought as the pair of ears began to twitch when S'neena called out once again and she reached out to tap her sister on the shoulder before pointing at where the little one was hiding.

"Ah there you are. Come here, I want to introduce you to someone." Slowly, the little form of the Miqo'te girl revealed itself to them and S'neena walked over to kneel down next to her. "Anhru. These are my sister, Eni, and her friend Y'shtola. Say hello."

"...'lo," was all S'anhru mumbled before shyly looking away.

The corners of her lips curling into a smile, S'eni walked over to them and knelt down in front of the girl. Now that she had a good look at her, it was all too obvious who she was. "You've become a mother."

Her sister laughed. "Had to happen one day."

"Rahz's?" she asked.

"Yeah. He's still our Nunh." Over the years, many Tia had come to their village to challenge their father, but none ever succeeded. S'rahz had been one of those, but unlike the others, their father had taken a liking to him and allowed him to become part of the village so that perhaps one day he could actually best him in combat. When he died, it was only natural that he would inherit the title. "And Agna is still running the village."

S'agna being their eldest brother, who had already taken care of the village's affairs way before she had left. He had always been good at that sort of thing, and it was reassuring that it still persisted to this day.

After their little introduction was over, S'neena had lifted her daughter up and sat her into the cart as well, before leading them to where the boat was.

"What are you thinking about?" Y'shtola asked S'eni while they walked, keeping her voice low so that only they would hear it.

"That five years is a long time…"

Their boat was waiting for them at the part of the Turquoise Port where all the people from the surrounding islands kept them. It was the same old gundalow that had always been in their possession since she was still a child. Strong and sturdy, it had served them well in all those years, and despite clearly having seen better days, there was absolutely no doubt that it was well taken care of.

As soon as they had gotten onto it, her sister untied it and began to set sail for their next destination.

Home, huh? S'eni thought, releasing a sigh and running a thumb over some little scratches that had gathered in the wood. Y'shtola gave her another concerned look, but she just shook her head with a little smile and turned her gaze towards the distance instead.

The entire ride was silent, with S'anhru just looking at the two of them with quiet curiosity while S'neena was busy steering the boat, which was honestly fine by her. She knew that lots of questions were awaiting her.

It didn't take long for their little corner of the Cieldalaes to come into view, her eyes moving to focus on the temple throning above the entire island, that marked the place where their village lay, and she could feel her heartbeat quicken once more at the sight.

Too late to run now, she told herself.

A little under an hour later, they arrived at the sole pier situated on the beach at the southern edge of the island, the white sand almost glowing in the bright sunlight as blue-green waves licked across its shore. Scattered across it were various small boats, big enough for maybe two or three people, some looking older than others.

She still remembered how she had gone out fishing in one of these, sometimes coming back with a big haul that would feed them for days, sometimes empty-handed and at the mercy of her siblings' good-natured ribbing. And if she wasn't out on the sea, other chores had always been there to be taken care of. Day in, day out.

That had been her life. A simple one; a good one, some would say.

But it had never been enough for her. There had always been that desire to move beyond this little world surrounded by water, a fire burning deep inside of her that had been stoked by every story from her father that she had listened to.

And now she was back on the very spot her journey had started on.

"Alright then," S'neena said after they had stepped off the boat, kneeling down to properly face her daughter once again. "Now, why don't you run ahead and tell everyone that we're having guests today?"

"Mmh!" the little girl hummed and immediately dashed off with the energy only a kid her age could have.

"Is that really wise?" Y'shtola asked as they watched S'anhru head deeper into the island.

"Of course! We make sure that our island's safe," her sister replied and began pushing the cart down the pier. "Now come on, it's still quite a walk and we don't want to keep everyone waiting."

"Sure…" S'eni muttered.

"Oh, come on. I assure you, none of them are mad anymore."

"Mad?" Her lover looked at her, faint amusement dancing across her lips. "What did you do?"

"More like what she didn't do, and that's saying goodbye. From one day to the next, she was just gone. Left a note in her tent saying 'I'm leaving to become an adventurer' and took off with one of the boats."

"Ah, thank you, Neena," she said dryly. "And here I had almost forgotten."

The chuckle from next to her made her send a glare towards Y'shtola.

"Sounds like a certain young lady we know, doesn't it?"

It took her a moment to realize whom she meant and she couldn't help but chuckle as well. "I suppose it does."

"You sure made a lot of friends," S'neena commented.

"Yeah." The corners of her lips curled upwards. "I guess I did."

To reach the village, they had to follow the path through the palm forest that covered most of the island and head up a mountain trail, passing by the waterfall fueling the stream that cut through the trees in snake-like fashion and was their major source of drinking water.

Soon enough, they had arrived at the top and were greeted by the sight of a set of wooden walls that flanked the village's entrance.

And in front of it—

"Oh my..."

—a large crowd had gathered.

It wasn't the entire village but it might as well have been at how her heart once more began to hammer inside her chest. All of her sisters, some of their mothers and, above all and right in front of them, her older brother, arms crossed in front of his chest and a scowl on his face.

"Hey everyone!" S'neena called out, taking a hand off the cart's handles to wave and gesture towards S'eni, apparently completely oblivious to the mood. "Look who's back!"

Silence was the only reply she received as they came to a stop in front of them. S'eni closed her eyes, taking a few deep breaths to calm herself.

Inhale. Exhale.

Inhale. Exhale.

Inhale. Exhale.

She opened them once again and, setting her jaw firmly, began to walk forward until she stood in front of S'agna. He had always been rather tall by Miqo'te standards, but now it felt like he was positively towering over her. His bright, snow colored hair, as gravity defying as their father's, only added to that feeling. Yet, she didn't back down and instead sought out those mismatched eyes, one an emerald green while the other was the same blue as the deep ocean surrounding them.

After a brief moment of staring, he spoke up, his voice deep and rumbling. "You've got some nerve showing up after all this time."

Silence.

"Nothing to say to defend yourself?"

"Only that I was following my dream," she then said.

"Hmpf. Following your dream." His eyes shifted over to Y'shtola, who had chosen to stand in the back but whose narrowed eyes showed that she wouldn't hesitate to step in should things escalate. "Friend of yours?"

"Lover," S'eni corrected him. "We're together."

A murmur went through the gathered crowd and some of her sisters were shooting curious glances at Y'shtola now. S'agna on the other hand returned his gaze to her.

"Huh, so you finally did grow up." From one second to the next, his face was split by a giant grin and before she knew what was happening, she found herself pulled into a tight hug and lifted off her feet. He started laughing and spun her around, her arms going around his shoulders out of reflex until he stopped and said, "Welcome home."

With the tension broken, the others joined them and S'eni soon found herself gathered into many more hugs as every bade her welcome after all these years.

"Sorry, I couldn't resist messing with you. That's what you get for skipping out on us so suddenly," S'agna said while she was essentially being handed off from one family member to the next. He properly turned towards Y'shtola now, who had visibly relaxed now. "The name's S'agna Tia, the one in charge here. And don't let anyone else tell you otherwise."

"You may call me Y'shtola," her lover replied, a slight smile forming on her lips.

S'agna nodded and gestured towards the entrance. "Welcome to our village."

 

---

 

Inside the village, more welcomes had awaited her, which had of course turned into many questions about where she had been and what she had done all this time. Soon after, when she had managed to sate everyone's curiosity momentarily, it was quickly agreed upon that her return should be celebrated, so her sisters and their mothers had begun preparations for a feast in her honor while she and Y'shtola were explicitly told to rest until everything was done.

Seeing how any protests would have fallen on deaf ears anyway, S'eni had decided to pass the time by entertaining the children, of which there were quite a few as she noticed, that had come to check out these new arrivals that they hadn't seen before, and it didn't take long for her to have their undivided attention, telling them some of her more fun adventures, much to the amusement of Y'shtola sitting nearby and watching her.

Once the food was done, the entire village had come together in the center, eating, talking, and laughing, and that wave of nostalgia once more washed over her. It was just like back then…

Afternoon soon turned into evening, and S'eni found herself regaling even more stories as the wine that was passed around did its work to loosen her tongue, telling them of encounters with Sylphs in the Black Shroud, the downtrodden yet still proud people of Little Ala Mhigo and even the snowy plains of Coerthas.

Eventually, though, the interest in her stories waned the more everyone drank and the later it got, and when some of her sisters began to dance around the fire that had been erected, she decided to use that to quietly slip away.

So here she was, sitting underneath a lone palm tree near the temple, a bottle of half drank wine in her hand as she stared at the old building. A wistful sigh escaped her.

"Had enough of all the attention?" her lover's voice broke the silence and S'eni turned her head to see her approaching. The white coat that she almost always wore had been discarded, revealing the black top underneath that hugged her body in just the right way and showed off her shoulders and slender neck.

Gods, she was so beautiful.

"Yeah," she replied, taking a swig from the bottle then holding it out towards Y'shtola as she sat down next to her.

"No, I believe I had enough."

"Suit yourself."

"How are you feeling?" Y'shtola asked after a moment of silence, the laughter and singing of the others echoing into their direction.

S'eni raised the bottle to her lips for another sip, before answering. "Relieved, honestly. I thought they might resent me for leaving, but here they are, welcoming me back with open arms like nothing had happened. Nothing really changed, I suppose. Well, I guess that's not entirely true."

She turned her gaze towards the kids that had long since fallen asleep and were now carried off by their mothers. The sight of it made her smile.

It wavered a little when she realized that their life had indeed gone on without her, just like hers had gone on without them. It was a bittersweet feeling.

Another swig, followed by another sigh, and she looked back towards the temple.

"It's impressive to find such an old building around these parts. You said you worship Azeyma in there?"

S'eni hummed. "No idea to whom it belonged before my tribe settled here. It's been here ever since I could remember and that was as far as I cared. Though now I find myself wondering what ancient civilization it might have belonged to. Must be all that running around through Allagan ruins with you guys."

"I'm ever so glad our scholastic curiosity has rubbed off on you." They shared a little laugh.

Maybe it was because she was being sentimental right now, or maybe she just had too much wine, or even a combination of both, but the words came regardless. "My mother died while giving birth to me."

Y'shtola looked at her, lips slightly parted in surprise. "...I'm sorry."

"There's no need to be sorry," S'eni said with a shake of her head. "You couldn't have known. And I don't even know what she looked like, only stories that my father and the others told me, but that's not really the point. You see, for a while it looked like I might not survive either."

She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath before continuing.

"Papa wasn't really the believing sort of person, but that night he took me into the temple, sat down with me at the altar, and held me close until he fell asleep. The next morning, he woke up to the sounds of my crying. Everyone called it a miracle, and maybe it was, but that was the moment when he decided to give me my name. Eni, a short and strong name, because I had beaten death."

An arm gently wrapped itself around her shoulders and pulled her close, bringing the smile back to her lips.

"Thank you for telling me," Y'shtola said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Yeah, well, next time it's your turn to tell a story."

"I have no recollection of agreeing to something like this."

"Because I just made it up." She laughed and raised the bottle to her lips, but found it snatched out of her hand before it could even touch them. "Hey—"

"I believe you had quite enough of that as well." The other Miqo'te eyed the bottle for a second, then put it away. "And you still have to show me where we are sleeping tonight."

S'eni pushed out her lower lip in a pout but she quickly dropped it as Y'shtola moved to get back up. "I guess you're right."

Rising to her feet as well, they picked up Y'shtola's coat and began to walk towards where her old tent was located. She was surprised to hear that they had still kept it around even after all these years, it had just needed a little dusting off and some airing out according to S'neena, which she had kindly seen to over the course of the day.

Pulling the cover aside, she stepped inside and made a beeline for the small, round table that was placed near one of the tent's corners to turn on the lamp resting on top of it. After she had done so, she turned around to see Y'shtola looking about.

"So this is where you used to live," Y'shtola said.

"Not exactly impressive, I know," S'eni admitted and began to look around herself. For a long time, this had been her own little world, apart from her siblings, and while it didn't have any of the luxuries you would find in the Eorzean city-states, it had been all she needed.

"Actually, I think it is quite cosy." Releasing a little groan, the other woman stretched her arms above her head, giving S'eni a nice view of her back and neck and making her body heat up in ways that couldn't just be blamed on the alcohol.

Without really thinking about it, she stepped forward, circling her arms around Y'shtola's waist and burying her face in the nape of her neck before beginning to plant feather-light kisses across it.

"Eni?" her lover asked, a note of amusement in her voice.

"Hmm?"

"You're drunk."

"Tipsy," she corrected, letting her lips travel higher and her hands lower. "And not enough to not want you right now."

"They might hear us…" Y'shtola's eyes fluttered closed and she craned her neck a little as S'eni kissed along the outer edges of the Archon tattoo.

"Good. Let them." She slid her fingertips across the hem of the black top, teasingly slipping one underneath, then retreating again. "That way they'll know I wasn't lying."

"You're impossible." Fingers buried themselves into her hair, pulling her back enough for Y'shtola to capture her lips in a deep kiss. Immediately, their tongues sought out one another, tips playfully brushing before pushing in deeper, the residue taste of wine intoxicating her all over again.

Pushing her fingers underneath the top, she shoved it up until her lover's beautiful breasts were exposed and cupped one of them, gently digging her nails gently into soft skin and drawing out a sweet moan that she drank up like she planned to do with the rest of her.

Her other hand, having stroked the other woman's inner thigh, rose higher to brush against the front of her shorts, already radiating with a pleasant heat that made her fingers tingle with anticipation.

With a sharp intake of air, Y'shtola broke the kiss, tongue going for one last flick across S'eni's lips before fully retreating, and she looked at her through half-lidded eyes that told her just what it was she wanted.

She let go of her, planting a few tiny kisses on her neck as she did so, then stepped back to leave her lover enough room to undo the clasps on her boots. A heated chuckle escaped her at the way Y'shtola raised her tail while leaning down to slide the first one off her leg and she proceeded to remove some of her own, far too restrictive clothes now.

After she was done with her boots, the other Miqo'te wasted no time getting rid of her top, discarding it right alongside her footwear. She was just about to reach for her shorts, when S'eni closed the gap once again, pressing her already naked chest into her back.

"Someone is rather eager, I see," Y'shtola teased, letting out a little gasp when soft lips attacked her neck once more, sucking and nibbling on the sensitive flesh.

"You were taking too long with those boots," S'eni murmured, hands roaming across every inch of bare skin they could find, drawing invisible lines like a painter on a silky smooth canvas.

Y'shtola's lips parted to reply, but any words she wanted to say were replaced by sounds of delight as S'eni's fingers slipped underneath her waistband and began to caress her most sensitive area, the moistness already waiting making her groan out and press herself closer against her lover. "Guess I'm not the only eager one here."

A hand grabbed her lower arm, nails digging almost painfully into her skin, but that only made the need burning deep inside of her all the more stronger. Slowly, she guided her lover backwards, towards the bed. Halfway there, though, she tripped, making them fall onto the orange patterned mat that covered the floor in a pile of limbs.

Twisting her body, her lover made another go for her lips, claiming them in a searing kiss and pushing her hips out to seek more of her touch. After breaking apart again, S'eni rolled around to push Y'shtola onto her stomach, lips curling into a smirk as she hovered above her.

"Well well," she drawled. "What do we have here?"

"Hmm. What indeed," the other Miqo'te replied, glancing over her shoulder at S'eni. "And what are you going to do now?"

"Oh, you'll see." Pulling back, she ran a finger down her lover's spine, enjoying the little twitch that her tail did before focusing on that last piece of clothes still remaining on her. She raised her on all fours to give herself better access and pulled it down to her ankles, revealing Y'shtola's glistening sex, eagerly waiting for her.

And it would be quite rude to keep her waiting any longer, wouldn't it?

Hand coming to rest on top of it, she pushed two of her fingers past velvety folds, drawing out a long, throaty moan as she parted her insides bit by bit. She waited for a moment to let her lover adjust before pulling her fingers part way out before pushing them back in, repeating it a few more times until she had found a steady rhythm.

"Eni!" Y'shtola moaned out, pushing her hips backwards.

Her other hand shot forward, grabbing onto one of Y'shtola's shoulders and drawing her up against her, a moan of her own forcing its way past her throat when her hardened nipples came into contact with flushed skin.

Thrusting her fingers as deep as she could, she began to speed up, sparks of pleasure shooting up her spine with every moan that the other woman produced for her, a song of lust that clouded her mind more than any bottle of wine ever could and filled her with one, singular desire.

"Come for me," she breathed out.

And with one, final stroke, Y'shtola threw her head back, lips parting wide and body seizing up as she moaned out her release. S'eni kept moving her fingers for a few more seconds, enjoying the orgasmic shivers it caused, before pulling them out of Y'shtola's dripping sex and holding her close until she slumped against her. Gently, she lowered her back down onto the mat, the tail that had wrapped itself around her waist during the act uncurling almost reluctantly from her as she did so.

Eyes cracking open, the other Miqo'te's chest rose and fell as she slowly caught her breath, the sweat on it glistening beautifully in the light.

Lowering herself on top of her, she kissed Y'shtola, slow and gentle this time, letting out a hum when soft fingers began to caress her lower back. They remained like this for a few minutes, simply enjoying this moment of post-coital bliss, until Y'shtola began to slowly turn them around.

No sooner did she come to lie on her back, did their lips part, and she watched her lover sit back up.

"I believe—" now it was Y'shtola's turn to smirk, sliding her hands up and down S'eni's stomach. "—It is my turn to have some fun now."

Mirroring the expression, S'eni answered her by pulling her back down and crashing their lips together.

The night was not over yet.

 

---

 

"So you really got to go already, huh?" S'agna asked the next morning, as they had all gathered in front of the village.

"Yeah," S'eni replied. "Our ship is waiting. And believe it or not, I actually have an important task I need to do."

"Figured as much. An adventurer like you probably has a long list of those. Not like I could stop you from running off anyway." Her brother let out a deep chuckle and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Very well, but remember that this place will always be your home and you're always welcome here."

He looked at Y'shtola. "The same goes for you too, of course."

"I will," S'eni promised.

"And try not to take five years this time around!"

A grin formed on her face. "Now that I can't promise."

They both laughed.

After exchanging good-byes, she walked over to where Y'shtola and S'neena were waiting for her and, after giving the entire gathered crowd a final wave, began to leave for the beach with them.

As the gundalow set sail into the direction of the Turquoise Port, S'eni found herself staring at the island as it grew smaller and smaller by the minute, and she felt that bittersweet feeling grip her heart once more. For the longest time, this place had been her home; where she was born and raised. And while her brother was right in that it would always be so, she also knew that she would never truly belong here anymore either.

Five years was a long time, and she had moved beyond her tiny village. Just like it had moved beyond her.

But—

The corners of her lips curled into a smile and she turned around to face the distant horizon.

—she supposed that was alright.

 

Notes:

And that's it. Just a little chapter entirely focused on our dear Warrior of Light that I hope managed to flesh her out a little bit more. I'll let you guys be the judge if I succeeded or not. It's probably gonna become non-canon when they decide to actually describe that area of the world map in greater detail, but nevertheless I hope it was enjoyable regardless.

Next chapter we'll continue on our way through the main story. See ya!

Chapter 63

Notes:

Before we start this chapter, I have another piece of artwork to share.

Another piece by ever talented Centaurii2 (warning: can include NSFW art) that you can see over here. A quiet moment after a hard day of adventuring.

Return to the Steppe

 

Alphinaud, as it had turned out, never arrived in Garlemald. His ship went down in the inhospitable wasteland simply called The Burn, a land that had been ravaged by primals in ages past. They found the bodies of members of the Emperor's personal guard, but no sight of him or Maxima.

While it was troubling news, not everything was bad, as Hien, at the suggestion of the Alliance, began to reach out towards the other nations of Othard to form their own alliance. To that end, my friends began hatching a plan to assure the safety of our allies in the Far East.

But to that end, a special kind of diplomacy was needed.

 

---

 

The wind blew across the plains, creating waves of endless green that danced to the howling song it created. High above, the sun shined brightly in perfect alignment to the Dawn Throne in the distance, as if Azim himself had come to bear witness to this moment.

At the part where the grass was slowly turning to sand, stood S'eni, her face a mask of determination and arms raised in a battle stance.

And lying in front of her in the dirt, breathing heavily, was Sadu Heavensflame, Khatun of the Dotharl.

They stared at one another, neither saying a word. Then, from one moment to the next, the Xaela began to laugh. "Yes! This is what I was talking about. Such sweet pleasure, such pure bliss. Today my soul burned bright indeed!"

Her laughter grew louder and, taking this as the sign that their duel was finally over, S'eni lowered her arms. She looked towards the Dotharl that had joined as witnesses to this battle, each giving her a satisfied nod.

"I take it you're satisfied?" she asked, bridging the gap between Sadu and her. For a moment, she played with the idea of helping her up, but given the Dotharl's nature, it would probably be considered an insult.

"Aye." Grabbing her staff, the Khatun used it to help herself stand. "You are the victor, Khagan."

If possible, her grin grew even wider. "Now let's return to the others. By the looks of it, that moonstruck fool has gotten the beating he rightfully deserves."

They both turned to look into the distance, where a large explosion of aether, which she recognized as the same spell that Y'shtola had once used before, signaled the end of their own battle.

"Well, let's see what the Sun has to say then."

Sadu just scoffed at that.

As expected, they found Magnai and Daidukul in much the same position Sadu was in only mere moments ago while Hien and Y'shtola both stood victorious.

"Ah, impeccable timing, my friend," Hien greeted them, sheathing his katana. He smiled at the Khatun next to her. "I take it she has proven her worth?"

"She has! Ahhh, never have I felt such bliss in defeat. It was a battle to burn soul and flesh to ash." Sadu closed her eyes and smiled, as if she had just eaten the most delicious delicacy and wanted to savour the taste for as long as possible. "We will lend you our strength as promised. Nhaama's power is yours to wield. And what does the Sun have to say to that?"

Opening her eyes again, the Xaela woman let them come to rest upon Magnai, her expression becoming just a tad mocking at the sight of him.

"Hmpf. The Sun is not driven by such base motives. But aye, they have been judged..." he pushed himself back to his feet and began to walk forward. "...And found worthy. It is the way of the Oronir to recognise and respect the strong. You have given sufficient proof of your strength. The Sun shall answer your call."

"You have our thanks. We are glad to call you allies," Hien told them.

S'eni watched as Magnai came to a stop in front of Y'shtola, staring at her for several seconds. "You. What is your name?"

Another few seconds passed before the other Miqo'te replied, "Y'shtola Rhul."

A familiar glint entered the Oronir's eyes, one that she had found herself subjected to in the past, even if only for the briefest of moments, and which was still annoying her to this very day.

"Are you...Are you my Nhaama?"

"I beg your pardon?" Y'shtola's drew up her eyebrows in confusion.

"In battle, you shone with all the majesty of the full moon's light, your healing touch the embodiment of the Dusk Mother's love. Long had I wondered if my Nhaama might not be a woman of the Steppe." He opened his arms wide, his voice becoming almost frantic now. "Beholding you, I am all but certain! Now, look into my eyes. Could it be…? Could you be…?"

Silence wrapped itself around the area, even the wind had momentarily slowed down as if it too had been shocked by the words the Khan had uttered. A light pain shot up from her palms as the hands that had hung idly by her sides balled into fists.

The spark of annoyance deep inside her turned into a flame of anger, his words serving as the kindling.

The absolute nerve of that guy!

Gritting her teeth, she began to stomp over to the two of them, intending to teach Magnai a lesson he wouldn't forget so soon when her lover spoke up.

"I'm..." Y'shtola locked eyes with him. "Not interested, Little Sun. Try again when you have become a man."

After saying those words, her eyes narrowed ever so slightly and on her lips formed a smile that cut deeper than any blade ever could.

S'eni froze mid-step, unable to do anything but stare at Y'shtola, her anger fizzling out almost instantly and being replaced with nothing short of amazement.

Magnai, too, could only stare, his usually imposing stature seeming rather small all of a sudden. "Little…?" he asked, voice growing a pitch or two and his arms dropping limply.

In the distance, the cry of a bird echoed through the air, soon joined by another bout of laughter from Sadu.

"Little Sun! Little Sun!" she repeated, a condescending smirk on her lips. "Aww, does it hurt, Little Sun? Do you crave salve to soothe the ache? Fire to sear the wound in your heart?"

That was enough to draw Magnai back out of his stupor and the axe off his back, fire returning to his eyes as he began to advance on the Dotharl's Khatun with murderous intent. Sadu raised her staff in response.

And as the two tribe leaders began a dance that, from the looks of it, seemed all too familiar to them, Y'shtola turned towards S'eni and Hien. "We have wasted enough time already. Cirina awaits our return," she told them and began to simply walk away, not even so much as glancing over her shoulder at the battle going on.

S'eni shared a look with Hien before chuckling and hurrying after her lover.

"Little Sun, eh?" she asked once she had caught up, a grin on her lips.

"I'm no stranger to awkward proposals. Some I could let down gently, while others earned themselves a more direct response," Y'shtola explained.

"Direct is one way to call it." More like severe, but she certainly wasn't going to complain about Magnai having been on the other end of those words.

It did serve as a reminder that she should better tread carefully, lest it would be her bearing the brunt of a different, much less pleasant tongue lashing than usual.

Not like you don't know that already, that tiny voice in the back of her mind said, full of amusement. Right?

 

---

 

After they had returned to Mol Iloh and reported their victory to Cirina, the three of them headed to the House of the Crooked Coin. An interesting name for what was a cavern housing an Allagan artifact, its glowing runed pillars growing throughout the entire mountain like the roots of a giant tree. According to Y'shtola, it was what the Allagan Empire had used to raise Azys Lla into the air all those millennia ago and would more than suffice to support the Magitek barrier they were planning to erect in the Burn. They just needed to redirect the flow of aether into the wasteland.

And now, with the permission earned through battle, they could finally get to it.

"I shall begin at once. You may wish to step back," Y'shtola told them after they had arrived and raised her hands, holding them out towards the artifact. S'eni watched as, after a short moment, the tell-tale glow of aether began to surround the other Miqo'te before flowing into the ancient construct. Several minutes passed until the flow of aether faded once more and Y'shtola slumped backwards. Almost immediately, S'eni stepped up to catch her, hands gently holding her shoulders.

"You alright?" she asked.

Though visibly exhausted, Y'shtola still nodded, giving her a faint smile that she returned.

"Did it work?" Hien asked.

"It did. Aether flows freely to the Burn once more."

"I will not pretend to know what you did, Y'shtola, but you did it!" a grin formed on the young king's face that made his whiskers rise. "Thanks to you and S'eni, we have taken a momentous step securing our defenses. Now, shall we return to the Enclave?"

"We shall. The others may have already returned from their mission and I would like to know how things stand." Y'shtola gently pushed herself off S'eni and took a few steps, albeit a little wobbly on her feet.

"Are you sure?" S'eni frowned. "You look like you could use a rest."

"And I will, believe me. Once we return to Doma."

They began staring at one another, Y'shtola crossing her arms in front of her chest while S'eni placed a hand on her hip. This silent contest of wills lasted for a good minute until the sound of Hien clearing his throat made them look at him instead.

"Might I suggest travelling by Yol then?" he asked, an amused smile playing at the corner of his lips. "That way Y'shtola can rest a little on the way there and we would be much quicker as well. I'm sure that is satisfactory for everyone?"

She glanced back over to her lover, before throwing her hand up with a sigh. "Fine."

In one fluid motion, her hand dived into her back, pulled out her whistle, and placed it between her lips. The high-pitched, clear sound it produced echoed far and wide as the wind carried it across the Steppe. A loud cry answered it, and soon after the sound of flapping wings approached their position.

Hien too pulled out his whistle to summon forth his Yol. After the two majestic birds had landed, they climbed on top of them, Y'shtola taking her place behind S'eni and wrapping her arms around her waist. Once everyone was ready, they signalled their mounts and, with another cry from them, took off on storm-colored wings.

"Yols truly are fascinating creatures," Y'shtola said, raising her voice so she could be heard over the wind. "I really should try to acquire one myself."

"I can turn around and take you to Bardam's Mettle if you want," she replied. "Though I'm afraid you'll have to do it on your own."

"I believe I shall pass for now." They both chuckled.

"So..." S'eni began after a short while of just watching the passing plains, running a hand through white feathers of her Yol's neck. "...Awkward proposals?"

"Why did I know you would not let that go?"

"I guess there were quite a lot of them?"

Her lover released a sigh. "Not as much as you might think there were."

"So not the heartthrob of Sharlayan?" she grinned.

"I'm afraid that title shall solely belong to Thancred," Y'shtola said. "And believe it or not, but my reputation of being Matoya's disciple kept many people at bay even when we reached Sharlayan proper, which suited me fine as I wanted to focus on my studies. Of course, that didn't stop some brave souls from trying, and once I was back in Eorzea that 'protection' was gone entirely."

"Well, can't blame anyone for trying, can I?" her hand left soft plumage and placed itself on top of the ones folded in front of her stomach. "Strong, beautiful, and, above all, smart. One might actually say you're the perfect catch."

"And now she's trying to shower me with compliments."

"Heh, guilty as charged I guess." S'eni then hummed in thought. "I guess I've had some rather awkward ones in the past. Back on the Cieldalaes and when I first came to Eorzea. But in recent days...well I guess our little encounter at the beach counts. Maybe I've just gotten boring—hmm?"

She looked over her shoulder when the other woman giggled. "What?"

"I thought I was the blind one," Y'shtola replied.

"Huh?"

"You are not as boring to people as you might think you are. Quite the opposite in fact. There are many who admire you." her head came to rest against S'eni's back. "Dare I say, it's actually me who has made the perfect catch."

S'eni furrowed her brows, turning her eyes back forward where the mountains that served as the natural border between Doma and the Azim Steppe grew closer with every passing second. She knew of course that people looked up to her, and had been repeatedly told about that. It was something that just came with being the Warrior of Light, she supposed. But...it wasn't like that.

Or was it?

"H-Hey, that was a joke. Right?" she asked Y'shtola. "Right?"

But no answer came.

"Shtola?" She tried to glance back over her shoulder, but found herself unable to as she felt the weight against her back grow as her lover began to shift a little, and almost immediately after, her soft, rhythmic breathing could be heard faintly amidst the wind.

A smile began to form on S'eni's lips and she gently grasped one of Y'shtola's hands to make sure she wouldn't let go by accident.

She supposed she would just have to ask her later.

 

Notes:

Little Sun, Little Sun!

A more lighthearted one to end the week, because coming next week, we'll slowly head towards Shadowbringers, and I think we all know what that means.

Until the, have a good weekend!

P.S. I guess that fan art was unintentionally appropiate now lol.

Chapter 64

Prelude in Violet

 

With nothing stopping the construction of a barrier in the Far East, it was time to focus on the next problem: the Ascian inside Zenos' body. For that, we called in a meeting of all members of the Alliance, Doma and the Scions to hatch a plan.

I have to admit, it was a great feeling. To sit at this table as representative of a free Ala Mhigo.

None of us could foresee what would happen that day...

...or how dire the consequences for my friends would be.

 

---

 

The last time she had been in Ala Mhigo, the city was still reeling from the battle and only a few citizens had been out at once, as if they were afraid that the freedom they had acquired was fleeting at best. That failed meeting with the representatives of Ala Mhigo's people, and the subsequent summoning of Lakshmi, had done little to quench that fear.

But now, the streets were buzzing and people went about their business with an almost carefree attitude, tall and proud as they ought to be.

S'eni just hoped that it would also spell good tidings for today's meeting.

"Something on your mind?" Y'shtola asked from next to her.

"Just thinking how there better be no primal summoning today," she muttered in reply.

"I believe we can rest assured that it won't come to that."

"Maybe. But can you truly discount the possibility?"

"...No, I suppose not," the other Miqo'te admitted. "Especially since strange events have a penchant for following you."

"Now you're making it sound like it's my fault." S'eni stopped for a moment to look at Y'shtola, who just shrugged, the corner of her lips quirking upward.

"You do seem to be at the center of them."

She blinked once, twice.

"Gods, you're right!" she said, hand going up to her temple as she felt the onset of a headache at that realization. "Maybe I should just stay away."

"Too late," Alisaie then chimed in when she and Thancred passed by them. "You're already expected."

"Besides," Thancred added after S'eni and Y'shtola fell into step with them again. "They doubled the security and Arenvald has volunteered to assist as well. Though he seems rather distracted since news of Alphinaud came."

S'eni sighed. Alphinaud was still missing, but at this point, there was nothing else they could do but hope for news of his safety. Alisaie was especially worried, she could tell, despite the brave front she was putting up.

"In any case," Y'shtola said, pulling her out of her thoughts as their group closed in on the set of stairs leading into the city proper. She pointed towards the single Resistance soldier standing guard. "Our escort awaits."

Look alive, she told herself and began walking towards him.

 

---

 

Pleasant chatter echoed through the chamber as everyone sat down at the large table in its center. The twin griffin statues at the far end served as silent watchmen while the soldiers of the Resistance moved around, pouring cups of tea for those that had gathered here today.

S'eni uttered a quiet 'thank you' as she was given hers, taking hold of the demitasse and looking at the elegant pattern carved into the finely crafted metal frame. For a moment, she found herself wondering if the mad king himself once shared tea with his kin from this very set before ordering them all executed or condemned to a fate even worse than death, but she pushed that thought aside and raised the cup to her lips instead.

After taking her first sip of the fruity tea, she looked around. If she didn't know better, this would seem more like a meeting of friends rather than a gathering of the most important people of Eorzea and beyond.

Once they were done, the soldiers placed the tea cans on the table in case anyone wished for a refill later and began to leave the chamber.

As soon as the double doors had closed, Sultana Nanamo turned her attention towards Rauhban and Lyse sitting at the head of the table, a smile forming on her petite lips. "Mistress Hext, Commander Aldynn," she addressed each of them. "It gives me great pleasure to formally welcome the city-state of Ala Mhigo to the Eorzean Alliance."

"The pleasure is ours, Your Grace," the former Flame General replied. "I know I speak for all Ala Mhigans when I say that we are glad of this chance to stand with our comrades of the Alliance."

"And we, for our part, are glad to welcome friends old..." Kan-E-Senna said, turning her head towards Hien sitting to S'eni's left, inclining her head with a polite smile. "...and new."

Now finding himself the center of attention, Hien bowed his head. "Lord Hien, at your service. Please accept my heartfelt thanks for your generous invitation."

"Please, it is us who have to thank you for journeying so far," Aymeric said. "And I would also like to thank the Scions of the Seventh Dawn for their part in bringing us all here together. In times of great unrest, you all have been our steadfast companions."

Sultana Nanamo looked around before speaking up once again. "It only now occurs to me that the last time we have all gathered like this was that fateful night in Ul'dah."

"As I lay in my cell, I never dreamed that I would one day represent my homeland like this," Raubahn said, bringing his attention over to S'eni. "I wouldn't even be alive if you hadn't freed me. You, Yugiri and Alphinaud. If only he could be here with us right now..."

S'eni lowered her gaze to the table, a frown on her face.

"My brother has saved my life so many times. I too owe it to him that I'm sitting here today," Alisaie said. "And until the day he returns, I shall do my best to carry on his work."

"Come then, friends—" The Sultana nodded. "Let us leave the past in the past and turn our eyes to the future. Lord Hien, please tell us how things stand in the East."

Hien then proceeded to tell them about the recent happenings in Doma and the plot to remove any political opposition against the war from within Garlemald. After that, the talk soon turned to the other matter at hand, that being the Ascian inhabiting Zenos' body. What followed was a back and forth of ideas of how to deal with the situation, until Thancred had offered up an idea: dispatch Doman Shinobi into the Imperial provinces and sow the rumor that the crown prince died in the battle of Ala Mhigo and that his corpse was now nothing more than a puppet of a servant of darkness.

"A rumor like this could shake the Empire to the core," Raubahn mused out loud.

"But would they actually believe such an unlikely story?" Lyse asked. "I didn't."

"Ordinarily not, but stories that Zenos did die have already circulated around the Empire," Thancred replied. "But what they believe or don't, isn't of concern. What we want is to create an opening for rival factions in Garlemald to exploit."

"Just like the war of succession that erupted in the wake of Emperor Solus' death!" Hien exclaimed.

Thancred nodded. "The imperial house was plunged into complete disarray until Varis managed to wrestle the crown from his uncle and assume leadership. To avoid another feud, the first thing Varis did was to name Zenos heir apparent. An act that not everyone welcomed. There's no shortage of individuals who aspire to the throne, and news that Zenos is not only dead, but also a puppet to diabolical forces would be too enticing to ignore."

"A second war of succession would weaken the Empire for a long time." the King of Doma leaned back in his chair, rubbing a hand across his chin.

"I know how to infiltrate the Garleans. With a team of operatives from the Alliance the plan should have a reasonable chance of success."

"Doma already has Shinobi in place throughout the provinces." Hien looked at the Alliance's leaders. "We stand ready to act. What do you say?"

"Aye! I'm for Master Thancred's proposal." Admiral Merlwyb punched her palm. "We drag the Ascian out into the light and test the Empire's unity. It was his plot that scuttled Doma's negotiations. If we can eliminate him, there may yet be a chance for peace. Let's wage this war of subterfuge so that we may one day lay down our arms. Gods know, we never will while the Ascians remain."

A round of nods was shared amongst everyone and S'eni turned her head to share a look with Thancred, the corners of her lips curling into a smile to answer the one he sent her.

Her lips parted to say a few words, only to twist into a grimace as a sharp pain began to shoot through her head, as if someone had taken a nail fresh out of the forge and jammed it into her skull. A hiss escaped her, fingers digging into the surface of the table, and her vision began to blur, making her close her eyes.

"That way...sorrow…" a voice called out inside her mind.

When she opened them again, S'eni found herself surrounded by endless darkness.

"History...must be changed…"

"Who are you?" she called back.

"A Calamity is about to happen," the voice replied. "A Calamity of Light, burning all form and life away. Only you can stop these twin dooms. Only you."

"What's the matter!?" Raubahn's voice pierced through the void and for a moment, she could see Thancred, Y'shtola, and Alisaie holding their heads in pain.

"There's...there's a voice…" Alisaie pressed out.

Merlwyb entered her vision. "Are we under attack!?"

"No. I sense...something else," Kan-E-Senna replied.

The images faded and the voice spoke again.

"Let me break the barriers of time, let eon become instant. Open the gates!"

A flash of white, and she was back inside the meeting chamber. The pain, gone; reduced to nothing but a strange tingling in the back of her mind. No, something else. Something much...deeper.

"...Is it over?" Y'shtola asked after a few seconds of silence.

Next to her, Thancred collapsed to the ground.

"Master Thancred!"

 

---

 

An hour had passed since the incident, and multiple healers, even some from as far away as Gridania, had taken a look at him, but all had come to the same conclusion. They had absolutely no idea what was wrong with him. For all intents and purposes, he was the epitome of health, yet remained entirely unresponsive to any attempt at waking him.

Just what in the seven hells is going on? She wondered. Was this an attack by the Ascians? Or something else entirely?

And that voice… Who was that?

"—you experience the same thing...? Eni?"

"Huh?" she was pulled out of her thoughts, turning her head to see Kan-E-Senna, Y'shtola, and Alisaie looking at her, a puzzled expression on her face. "Yes?"

"I was asking if you experienced the voice and headache as well, like someone was taking a tanner's knife and rummaged through your brain with it," Y'shtola said.

"Uh, yes." She nodded. "It was a bit like when I experience an Echo vision, just ten times worse. Or rather...hm...like the headaches I experienced while my memory was gone. But between the pain and the voice, I was in this black void, like I wasn't even at the same place anymore."

The only other time she had experienced something remotely similar was when she had awoken to the power of the elemental crystals, but even that wasn't entirely the same. No...

"...I felt a bit like I was being pulled somewhere."

"I see," the Elder Seedseer said. "Then you have confirmed my suspicions. What you experienced, I believe, was your soul being plucked from your body. Called to be precise."

"Called?" Y'shtola asked.

Kan-E-Senna nodded gravely. "I examined Thancred myself. Try as I might, I could not sense the spark that is his soul within him. That Thancred alone was stricken like this is likely due to his heightened sensitivity to the effects of aether, a consequence of his prior possession by the Ascian Lahabrea, as I am sure you all recall. The owner of the voice reached out to you, called your souls, and in doing so caused you the pain you felt."

"But...if that's true." Alisaie touched her chin in thought. "Where are we being called to?"

"That I do not know," the Elder Seedseer replied. "Yet one thing is plain: whoever waits for you on the other side possesses a power unlike any I have ever known."

"Let me break the barriers of time, let eon become instant..." the voice's words echoed once more through the back of her mind.

But before she could pursue that line of thought further, the familiar chime of a linkpearl came from Alisaie.

The young Elezen's hand immediately went to her ear. "Urianger! Something happened during the meeting. Thancred's collapsed. A disembodied voice suddenly started—" she paused at something that was said on the other end. Her expression grew dark. "What? But that's...We should talk about this in person. …All right. We'll meet you there."

Alisaie lowered her hand again. "He said he heard the voice too!" she told them.

"In Thanalan?" Y'shtola asked. A thoughtful look then entered her eyes. "I already had my suspicions, but if the voice also spoke to Urianger, there can be little doubt. The Scions were targeted specifically. By whom and to what end is the question, one we need to find the answer to as swiftly as possible."

Locking eyes with her lover, S'eni shared a nod with her. "Let's go then."

After a hasty goodbye, and a promise to Lyse to keep her updated, the three of them hurried off towards Revenant's Toll.

 

---

 

By the time they had arrived at the Rising Stones, Urianger was already waiting for them.

"Urianger!" Alisaie called out, running towards him. "Gods it's good to see you."

"Mistress Alisaie." The older Elezen inclined his head in greeting. "Would that our meeting was under happier circumstances. I judged the voice sufficient cause for concern even before thou sent word of its on Thancred…"

"So you really did hear it then?" Y'shtola asked as S'eni and her walked up to them.

"Aye. And all but certainly at the selfsame instant. Alas, pained as I was, I could make little sense of what few words did then reach mine ears."

"Who do you think is responsible?" the other Miqo'te crossed her arms. "The Ascians?"

"That I cannot say. Not when so little is known," Urianger replied. "Ere I indulge in speculation, I would examine Thancred with mine own eyes."

"Then let's return to Ala Mhigo," the Elezen girl said.

"Wait. One other thing," Y'shtola said. "During my visit to the Far East, I observed a strange phenomenon."

"Thou referest, I presume, to the localized reduction in aetheric density?"

White eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Well, that spares me the trouble of an explanation. Yes, I noticed it at two apparently unconnected locations."

"Ah, so that's what you were talking about," S'eni said. Back when Alisaie and her had gone to Doma to meet with Hien, they had found Y'shtola engaged in a conversation with one of the locals about something, and later when they had first arrived at the House of the Crooked Coin she had made note of something there as well.

"Yes, but I wanted to confirm it first before mentioning it to you all," Y'shtola said. "I assume it's not limited to the Far East, Urianger?"

"Indeed not," he replied. "Of late, our agents charged with surveilling the beast tribes have spoken of little else. In every corner of the realm, they tell of places in which the aether hath grown thin. Naturally, my suspicions first turned to primal activity, but the areas thus affected betray no evidence of summoning. I must confess to being quite perplexed."

"The same phenomenon being observed on two continents can't be a coincidence." Y'shtola began to gently tap her knuckles against her chin. "We should investigate this further."

"Indeed. I shall make it my task to—" Urianger suddenly seized up.

"Urianger?" S'eni asked, taking a step towards her friend.

"The voice… It calleth to me once more…"

"What!?"

Gritting his teeth, his hands began to grab his hand, stumbling around before falling to his knees.

All of a sudden, Y'shtola too grabbed her head, letting out a pained gasp.

"Shtola!" S'eni was immediately at her side, taking hold of one of her shoulders to steady her. Silvery-white eyes, narrowed in pain, turned to look at her.

"I...hear it...too."

Before S'eni could answer, she too was hit by a surge of pain, forcing her to let go of her lover and nearly knocking her flat on her back from the sheer intensity of it.

"Only you... Only you..." The voice returned. Calling. Pulling.

"No…" she somehow managed to utter through the waves of pain washing over her mind, trying to reach out to her lover once more. "Shto...la"

"Open the gates!"

Then, from one instant to the next, it was gone again. Exhaling deeply, S'eni looked down at herself for a moment, as if she wanted to make sure she was still where she belonged. A mass of white then entered her field of vision and she felt her heart skip a beat as time seemingly stopped. There, collapsed on the ground lay Y'shtola. Completely still, just like Thancred.

She could faintly hear Alisaie cry out behind her as she slowly sunk to the ground, her hand reaching out towards Y'shtola to try and shake her awake. No reaction.

Another shake. No reaction.

And another. Her breath became quick and shallow.

And another. Numbness began to creep into her limbs.

Only when she noticed Riol kneel down next to her, did she stop, slamming her eyes shut as she turned them towards the ceiling.

Gods, please no…

 

Notes:

It's begun...

Chapter 65

Soul Searching

 

Thancred, and now Y'shtola and Urianger as well. When I heard the news that they too had collapsed, I could barely keep myself from running off to the Rising Stones. But I wasn't a Scion anymore. My duties to Ala Mhigo bound me and I couldn't just abandon them.

So all I could do was wait and pray as the others tried to find a way to return them to us.

 

---

 

S'eni wondered what time it must be. She knew that it wasn't the same day anymore but that was about it. If someone asked her, she couldn't tell them what day of the week or time of day it was. It all just blurred together inside this windowless chamber, its only source of light the lamps on the wall.

A sigh escaped her as she stared at the wall ahead, the pattern on the gray stone, the small uneven gaps and random cracks in it having grown so familiar to her that she could almost make sense out of them.

She blinked, keeping her eyes closed for a moment to soothe the dryness that had begun to plague them. When she opened them again, she tore them away from the wall towards the other, way too familiar sight lying in bed in front of her.

Y'shtola, entirely motionless save for the rhythmic rising and falling of her chest

The hand gently clasping still fingers raised them to her lips, pressing a kiss on their knuckles as if that would make her wake up.

But she wasn't waking up. None of them were.

She turned her gaze towards the right, where her Thancred and Urianger too were lying in bed.

Was she going to be next? Her soul plucked from her body as Kan-E-Senna had put it?

With another sigh, S'eni dropped her lover's hand back onto the bed as the door slowly opened and steps began to approach her. The heavy sounds of the footfalls already told her who it was way before their owner's voice spoke up.

"Mistress S'eni. I see you haven't left their side." It was Ocher Boulder, Hoary's younger brother and one of the Scions' other healers. Looking up at him, she saw a deep frown on the Roegadyn's face. "But you really should take some rest. Clemence and I can take it from here."

She glanced over her shoulder to see the young woman standing near the door, an expression of concern on her face.

S'eni first reflex was to lie; to tell them that she was fine and there was no need to worry, but she knew neither of them would believe her anyway, so she nodded and rose to her feet instead. "Yeah...you're probably right."

"Don't worry. Should there be any change you'll be the first to learn," Clemence assured her. "Promise."

Ocher nodded in agreement.

The corners of her lips curled into a small smile. "Thanks."

After leaving the two to do their work, S'eni headed down the hallway. She had barely managed to make it past the next door, when a wave of exhaustion hit her, and she rubbed her face for a few seconds. She had hardly slept and it was starting to show.

Guess I should change that, huh? She thought and began to head in the direction of her room. As soon as the door had closed behind her, she walked over to her bed and let herself collapse on top of it.

Burying her face into her pillow, S'eni closed her eyes...

...

...

...

...she opened them once again when a knock resounded on her door. With a groan, she sat up, stretching herself a little before slowly getting out of bed. A quick glance over to the chronometer on her desk told her that five hours had passed, and while she was still not at a hundred percent, she felt much more refreshed and good enough to tackle whatever news was waiting for right now.

Opening the door, she found Ephemie standing there.

"Hey, sorry to disturb you," the Elezen said. "But Alisaie and Krile want to talk with you."

What little tiredness remained was immediately dispelled when she heard the second name.

"Krile's here!?"

Ephemie hummed in confirmation. "Arrived an hour ago. Immediately went to check on the others."

S'eni exhaled through her nose. Krile had been busy with the Eureka expedition, something that she knew was very personal to her friend. But with her here, maybe they could make some sense out of this whole calling thing with the help of the unique abilities her Echo bestowed her with.

"Where are they?" she asked.

"They're waiting for you in the main hall."

"Thanks!" Brushing past the other woman, she all but ran down the hallway and into the direction of the main hall.

She found the two of them standing near the bar, deep in discussion.

"...Yes, the Elder Seedseer made a similar observation—ah, S'eni." Alisaie turned to look at her. "Krile was just telling me her analysis."

"What did you find out?"

The Lalafel shook her head. "They're in perfect physical health. For all intents and purposes, they look sound asleep, but I couldn't sense a single trace of 'them' inside their bodies."

"I see..."

"I've also read the report. When you heard that voice, you described it as feeling as if you were pulled somewhere else, correct?"

She nodded. "Yeah."

"Hmm." Krile rubbed her chin, walking up and down a little. "If we assume the aether comprising your essence is being drawn to another place...then it should be possible to follow the trail it leaves behind—"

"—just like with Thancred!" S'eni finished, her face brightening.

"Exactly." The smaller woman smiled.

Alisaie looked between them, then shrugged. "I wasn't there at the time, but I can't imagine it was easy."

"Oh it wasn't, but that doesn't mean it's not worth a try," Krile replied. "Of course for that, I will need to use Master Matoya's Crystal Eye. So I suggest we pay her a visit."

"Alright, let's go then."

 

---

 

"You know, I heard that Master Matoya was a bit of a recluse, but this seems a little...extreme," Alisaie said as the rocks that covered Matoya's cave began to move aside. "Still, I suppose I can overlook her eccentricities if she agrees to help."

"Believe me. You've seen nothing yet." S'eni chuckled.

Walking inside, the first thing that greeted them was one of the witch's magical brooms, ever diligently sweeping the floor free of dust and she couldn't help but smile as it began to scurry in the opposite direction, as if to announce their coming. Of course, their arrival was hardly a silent one, and she soon could hear the familiar exasperated sigh followed by the rhythmic sound of the bottom end of a staff on wood.

"Coming to disturb my peace again, aren't you?" Matoya asked as soon as she saw them. "I hide away in a cave and you people still insist on pestering me with your problems."

"As cheery as ever, I see."

"Hmpf." the old woman looked away from S'eni and towards Alisaie. She tilted her head a little, eyes narrowing as she did so, before raising her eyebrows. "Ah, I nearly mistook you for young...whatshisname there, but I see you're the sister. Weren't you supposed to be the lively one? I've seen happier faces at a rain-sodden burial."

"Well, sorry to disappoint you!" Alisaie scowled. "But the situation is a bit too serious to be joking around!"

"Now that's better! Shtola used to hiss and spit too when she was younger. A young thing like you should be filled with fire and leave the doom and gloom to your elders. Now then, what does this situation have to do with me?"

Krile stepped forward. "If I may, Master Matoya, but we are in need of your Crystal Eye once more..."

She then proceeded to explain the situation to her. While listening, Matoya's face began to darken and her eyes occasionally shifted over towards S'eni.

"And Shtola is one of the afflicted?" the old woman asked Krile, but S'eni could tell she was actually addressing her and replied with a nod.

"Very well then. She may be an ungrateful stray, but she's my ungrateful stray and I'll not see her buried before me." She slammed the pointy end of her staff into the ground with more strength than was expected from an old lady like her, startling all three of them a little, then shuffled off to retrieve the Crystal Eye.

When she returned, she placed the artifact on top of the table and they all gathered around it.

"Right, now let's see...I'll start where our friends collapsed," Krile said and reached her hand out towards the crystal ball. Closing her eyes, she guided some of her aether into it, and from there cast out her senses to follow the trail of Y'shtola and the others. Seconds turned into minutes which felt like hours and not a single sound passed between the four of them bar the occasional croak from the Poroggos and ShhhShhShhh of an enchanted broom passing by.

Then, from one moment to the next, the Lalafel dropped her arm, staring at the ancient crystal of light in pure disbelief.

"What is it? Did you find them!?" Alisaie asked.

"Th-This doesn't make any sense. How's that even possible…?"

"How's what possible!? Krile, what did you see?!"

Tearing her gaze away from the Crystal Eye, Krile stared at them. "The threads, they just ended. And, no, I didn't lose track of them. I followed them as far as they went. It's as if—" she paused for a second to find the right words. "It's as if they were cut off."

"Could their aether have dissipated? If it has—oh gods…" Alisaie's eyes widened in horror. "Their bodies are just husks. It's like with the broodmother's daughter."

S'eni felt a bead of sweat form above her brow as dread began to creep through her at the memory of that poor Ananta girl, nothing more than a living corpse brought back to life by the 'benevolence' of the Qalyana's primal. If Y'shtola was now just like her…

Thankfully, Krile was quick to dissuade these thoughts. "No no, this is different. The girl was already dead, body and soul, when Lakshmi resurrected her."

"Yes, let's not jump to conclusions," Matoya concurred. "If their bodies still breathe and show no signs of wasting, then that means their souls must still be intact somewhere."

"But where!?"

"That's the question, isn't it? Death hasn't taken them to the aetherial sea, yet there are no tracks for us to follow."

Alisaie took a deep breath and slowly nodded. "You're right. We might not have found out where they are, but knowing their souls still exist is a relief. We just have to keep looking."

A linkpearl chimed.

"Please, excuse me." Hand going to her ear, Alisaie walked a few paces away from them before answering. "Yes?"

As the younger woman talked, S'eni found her eyes locked with Matoya's. Old and wizened, they seemed to pierce right through her skin and into her very soul, and it took all of her willpower not to flinch back like a scolded child. But if the witch had anything scathing comments to say, she decided to keep her piece.

Alisaie returned soon after. "That was Lyse," she explained, a sound of urgency in her voice. "Apparently a group of Populares have defected to Ala Mhigo. Maxima, the envoy Alphinaud left with, is one of them! I'm sorry, I know we've barely begun here, but—"

"Go, girl," Matoya interrupted her. "You've made up your mind anyway, and life's too short for dithering."

"In the meantime I'll do some digging and see if there isn't another method to search for the others," Krile said. "If that's alright with you, Master Matoya?"

The old woman snorted. "Do as you like. You know where the books are."

"I do indeed." The Lalafel giggled.

Alisaie then turned to look at her. "Are you coming along?"

"Of course." If Maxima was indeed in Ala Mhigo, then he might have some information on where Alphinaud was. And it was better than to just sit around doing nothing.

Lips curling into a grateful smile, the younger woman nodded and began to turn around when the sound of something clattering made them both stop.

One of the enchanted brooms had just fallen to the ground.

"Bah! The enchantment barely seems to take these days," Matoya grumbled. "I'd chalk it up to old age, but I doubt it's that simple."

With a wave of her hand, she enchanted the broom again and it began to sweep the floor once again.

"Hmm. Before...it happened, Urianger and Y'shtola were talking about a 'thinning' of aether," the Elezen girl explained. "It seems to happen all over."

"Does it now? And here I was prepared to blame it all on that creaking mountain of scrap clogging up the Thaliak." The old Archon's almost perpetual scowl turned into a frown. "I fear something has gone awry..."

"A Calamity is about to happen. A Calamity of Light, burning all form and life away." The voice's words echoed unbidden in the back of her mind.

"In any case, we should be off. Thank you again, Master Matoya," Alisaie said.

Matoya rolled her eyes. "Yes yes, a pleasure to meet you and all that."

Sharing an amused look, Alisaie and S'eni began to leave.

"S'eni." She stopped at the sound of her name, glancing over her shoulder to see the old witch looking at her. A gnarly hand beckoned her.

"Go on ahead. I'll join you soon," she told the younger woman.

"Very well."

S'eni waited until Alisaie had left before walking over to Matoya, feeling a little like she was grabbed by the scruff of the neck and dragged towards a sound spanking the entire time. She stopped in front of the woman, who once more locked eyes with her.

"...How are you holding up, child?"

"I..." she looked over to Krile, who was looking through one of the many stacks of books around the large room, then let her shoulders slump, sighing out, "I don't know what to do."

"Hmm."

"Ouch!" S'eni exclaimed when, out of nowhere, Matoya clocked her on the head with her staff. "What was that for!?"

"And when has not knowing what to do stopped you? Age has not yet made my memory fail so I can clearly remember the day Shtola and you walked into this very cave, the fire burning in those eyes that now look like the ones of a confused child." a harsh sigh passed the Archon's lips. "The way she spoke of you would make one believe that nothing could keep you down, but here you are. What do you think Shtola would say if she saw you like this?"

Rubbing the spot she had just been hit on, she glared at Matoya.

"Well, look there. Seems like you haven't lost it entirely yet. Good. Shtola survived being cast adrift in the Lifestream, didn't she? Her soul is nothing if not resilient, and the same goes for all of Louisoix's students. So instead of worrying, you should focus on what you can do in the here and now."

S'eni gave Matoya a hard stare, holding it for a few seconds before averting her eyes.

She was right, wasn't she?

Y'shtola wouldn't want her to worry over something she couldn't change any more.

Slowly, she nodded. "You're right."

"Hmpf. About time one of you realized that. Now hurry along, I'm sure the world is already in need of saving again."

Feeling her spirits oddly lifted after this exchange, she gave her lover's old teacher a thankful smile and, since she was clearly dismissed, left to join Alisaie.

She may not be able to help Y'shtola and the others right now, but there was something that she could do.

And right now, that involved heading to Ala Mhigo.

 

Notes:

Just leave it to good old Matoya to get her out of that momentary funk. Can't have her like this when shit's about to go down in Gyr Abania after all.

But more on THAT on Monday. Have a good weekend until then!

Chapter 66

A War Reignited

 

As if things hadn't been bad enough, they had quickly taken a turn for the worse, as the seeds of chaos we had planted in the Garlean provinces had been quickly snuffed out like the flame of a candle.

On top of that, Alphinaud too had succumbed to the same condition that plagued my friends and returned to us by someone we had thought dead: Gaius van Baelsar.

But there was no time to ponder on that. With the opposition in the provinces removed, Emperor Varis quickly turned his sight westward, towards Ala Mhigo.

 

---

 

The Ghymlit Dark.

That was the name the people had given the land which served as the single land route between Aldenard and Ilsabard. A name quite fitting, as the mixture of the already harsh terrain and aetheroclimatic conditions had cast the entire area into perpetual darkness that only the bravest dared to cross.

To S'eni though, it felt oddly reminiscent of Carteneau, the sky covered by dark clouds as far as the eye could see, just like on that day. Closing her eyes, she could practically envision Dalamud looming above, closing in on them with every passing second and, if she concentrated hard enough, could even feel the heat of the flames on her skin.

But when she opened them again, all she could see were the trenches cutting through the landscape. And beyond them: the gathering forces of the Garlean Empire. Headed by none other than the Emperor himself.

War again, she thought. Though they technically never stopped being at war, there had been a short time of brevity for them which made it seem like peace was a solution.

However, the last bits of that hope had been crushed entirely by their recent parley with the man.

It hadn't been the first time that she had stood face to face with Varis zos Galvus. She still very much remembered her brief encounter with the man when they were searching for Azys Lla, but it was only today that she truly saw the depth of his character. Imposing, just like his son, but where Zenos was like a chained-up predator looking to sink his teeth in ever stronger prey, his father was much more methodical, having taken great pains to study the history of Eorzea to refute every single of their arguments.

Even their eyes were different, with Zenos' only ever lighting up when he had finally found the challenge he had been looking for, while Varis' held a fire in them, cold still, but burning nevertheless with the righteousness of his cause that didn't waver a single iota even as he told everyone gathered that the Empire was created by an Ascian's hand.

With a sigh, S'eni let herself lie back on the stony ground, grimacing a little as it dug into her back.

Things were only getting more complicated by the day.

She frowned.

Like Gaius suddenly returning to the living as well and hunting down Ascians. She hadn't first recognized the man as he carried Alphinaud's unconscious body towards, having never seen him without his helmet after all, but there had been no mistaking that voice.

S'eni didn't know how to feel about this, but for now there were more important things to worry about.

"Strange bedfellows indeed..." she murmured. Her ears perked up when they picked up the sound of footsteps and she brought her head back to see an upside-down Lyse approaching her.

"Ah, here you are," her friend greeted her, looking down at her with a smile when she came to a stop.

"Raubahn already looking for me?"

"Not yet, but it won't be much longer." the other woman sat down next to her and looked out into the distance. A sigh escaped her. "When will the bloodshed end, I wonder?"

"I don't know," S'eni replied, sitting back up. Her eyes landed on a Garlean airship in the distance. It was small, most likely delivering more troops that would join the battle.

"Yeah...I figured that..." Shaking her head, Lyse tore her eyes away from the sight and looked at her instead. "How are you feeling?"

She chuckled. "Believe it or not, but Master Matoya asked me the same thing."

"What, really?" her friend blinked in surprise. "Our Master Matoya?"

"I know, right. But—" she held a finger against her lips. "—I rather like my tail where it is."

They both burst into laughter and she could feel the past days' tension dissipate, if only a little.

"Honestly? I'm strangely alright," S'eni admitted. "I know I can't do anything for the others. I'm not some Sharlayan scholar. But I can fight and right now that gives me something to focus on."

A purpose.

After all, what good did it do worrying about Y'shtola and the others when there wasn't a home for them to return to in the first place?

"Oh, that's good," Lyse said and she could practically feel the waves of relief resonating from her, only to be replaced by nervousness as her shoulders slumped. "At least one of us is calm. You'd think after all these battles we've had I would've gotten used to it by now. But here I am, still getting jitters."

As if to underline her words, she held up a shaking hand for a few seconds, then let it drop into her lap once more. Lyse closed her eyes, taking a few deep breaths.

Just like S'eni had taught her.

"There, better!" her friend said after opening her eyes again, a look of determination in them. "At least a little anyway."

"Good to see my other lessons stuck," S'eni said with an amused smile forming on her lips.

"Couldn't just take your combat techniques after all."

"You could have. But I'd been very disappointed."

Lyse giggled and looked out into the distance again. "This isn't going to be like Ala Mhigo. Do you think we can do it?"

"No." Lyse turned her head towards S'eni. "I know we can."

"S'eni…"

She shook her head. "Call me Eni. I think by now you've more than earned that right."

Blue eyes widened for a few seconds before filling with a warmth that reached her lips and she gave her a nod. "Alright, Eni. Wow, that feels different."

"Yeah, well, don't wear it out." S'eni grinned.

Heavy footfalls made them glance over their shoulders towards the Resistance soldier hurrying towards them. Stopping a few steps away from them, he saluted before saying, "Commander Aldynn requests your presence, Lieutenant Gata!"

"I'll be right there." she rose to her feet and held out her hand to help Lyse up. "Good luck out there."

"You too!"

Heading back into camp, she quickly found Raubahn standing together with Hien and Alisaie, the latter giving her a nod as she joined.

"Lieutenant," the commander of the Ala Mhigan forces greeted her. "Now that you are here, let's proceed with your and Alisaie's orders."

"What would you have us do," the young Elezen asked calmly.

"The two of you are to join an irregular unit of adventurers and support the main host as we advance forward," he explained. "I talked with Lord Hien and he thinks it would be a good idea for you to accompany the Doman contingent."

Hien hummed in agreement. "They are strangers here, and your presence would do much to raise their spirits."

"We would be honored," Alisaie said and turned to look towards her. "Ready to frighten some Garleans?"

"You bet," she replied, punching her palm.

Raubahn laughed. "What I wouldn't give to join you, but my duties as field commander won't allow. I'll leave the front line in your hands."

Giving each of them a nod, the commander walked away to speak to the troops. Hien too parted with them to discuss further proceedings with Yugiri and the other Domans, leaving S'eni and Alisaie alone.

"Since the others can't be here, we'll have to fight twice as hard," the younger woman said after a moment of silence. "If Alphinaud wakes up and finds that the imperials have won, I would never hear the end of it."

They both chuckled, watching as the gathered troops began to cheer together with their leader before scattering off to their respective posts.

"It's strange…I thought I would be terrified. I should be terrified. But with you at our side, I can't help but feel that everything is going to be alright. So…" Alisaie's expression grew serious. "Don't you dare leave me alone. No matter what happens, we have to survive. Together."

Not waiting for a response, her friend held a fist out towards her.

S'eni looked at her. Really looked at her. Gone was the girl she had seen storming off on that day in Ul'dah, frustrated by the leadership of Eorzea and determined to find her own way separate from her brother, replaced by the woman in front of her, now willing to fight alongside those she had previously written off.

The corners of her lips curling into a smile, she reached out—

"Together," she promised.

—and bumped her fist against Alisaie's.

Little did she know that she had just said goodbye to another friend.

 

Chapter 67

Notes:

I hope you like the main story, because you're getting quite a lot of it in this one.

Requiem pt. 1

 

As fortune would have it, we emerged victorious from our first battle with minimal losses. In no small part of our dear Warrior of Light's presence on the field.

But...Alisaie...

Gods, when would this end?

One after another, my friends were being called somewhere, and I didn't know what to do!

Only she remained. But for how long, nobody could tell.

Least of all her.

 

---

 

She was going to be next.

It was a simple process of elimination, since the others were all gone now; whisked away to some unknown location.

At this point, it was only a matter of time until she would be pulled there as well. Called by that voice.

"The Light...will expunge...all life. Only you...can stop this Calamity. Open...the gates..."

S'eni reached her hand across the table she was resting on, fingers extending as the image of Alisaie entered her vision, trying to desperately reach her while struck by the pain of the calling, only to slip past her grasp as she too fell unconscious.

At this point it was only a matter of when.

Perhaps tomorrow? Perhaps in a week?

Or perhaps right now. She would simply close her eyes, and when she opened them again, she would find herself wherever it was the voice had called them to.

But instead of the unknown voice grabbing and carrying her away, a sudden spike of pain from her hand made her eyes shot open once again, as a rather thick tome had been dropped onto it.

With a yelp of pain, S'eni pulled her hand back and she found herself looking into the face of none other than Master Matoya, glaring daggers at her.

"Seven hells!" narrowing her eyes, she began shaking her hand. "Were you this abusive with Shtola too!? No wait, don't answer that!"

"Unlike you, she didn't lounge around all day doing nothing!" Matoya shot back.

S'eni glared back at the old woman, before averting her eyes, muttering, "Not like I can do much right now..."

She wasn't able to help her friends, and there had been no word from the frontlines after their initial victory, which could either be good or bad. And if that wasn't bad enough, the guild seemingly had no work for her either right now.

Maybe I should take up gardening? She wondered. I heard the Botanist guild is always looking for people.

But she dismissed that thought. The last time she had been in Gridania was when she told Y'mhitra about what had happened with Y'shtola. While her lover's sister didn't blame her, and in fact had immediately made contact with the other Sons of Saint Coinnach to see if they might be able to find something that would be of help, S'eni couldn't look her in the eye right now. Not after the promise she had made to her.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Matoya tossing the tome onto her lap.

"Hmpf, if you have time to complain, then you might as well apply yourself."

S'eni shot her another glare, then turned her attention to the tome. Flipping it open, she skimmed over the first few pages before returning her eyes back to the Archon, a look of surprise in them. "A book on arcane manipulation?" she asked.

Matoya nodded.

"I'm sorry, but it's not exactly my expertise." With a shake of her head, she closed it again and placed it back on the table. "I wouldn't even know where to begin."

"With the first page," the old woman simply said and began walking a few steps to take another book from one of the nearby stacks, looking it over for a moment before placing it back and moving on to the next. "You think Shtola just woke up one day and cast her first spell?"

"No, but she has years of studies and practice," S'eni argued. "Meanwhile, I haven't even so much as held a staff in my hand."

"Are you done?" She clamped her mouth shut. "Good. You might not believe it, but you have the potential. Shtola has seen it, and for once I'm inclined to agree with her. You're unique even amongst those that possess the Echo, I don't know why that is, but I can sense it, and there's no doubt in my mind that if you dedicate yourself enough, then what is written in that book will come as easy to you as swinging around those fists of yours."

Glancing away from Matoya, she let her gaze come to rest upon the black leather cover of the tome. "I don't know…"

"If you don't want to believe in yourself, then believe in those that know what they're talking about."

She sighed through her nose, closing her eyes as she thought back to the times where Y'shtola had encouraged her to broaden her horizons, only for her to wave off the notion every time. Had that just been her lover's way to try and get her to make use of that potential she, and apparently Matoya, were seeing inside her?

Ah, what the hells. Opening her eyes again, she grabbed the tome and opened it once more. If nothing else, it might make her feel a little less useless right now. A smile formed on the old woman's face, but it was soon replaced by her usual sour expression.

"Good. Now get out!" Matoya told her. "It's already bothersome enough that the Baldesion girl constantly walks in and out of my cave without you loitering around."

S'eni rolled her eyes but still rose to her feet. "I'm beginning to see why you and Louisoix argued so often."

"Hmpf. I almost miss those days. He never backed down even when insults were flung and always stayed true to his ideals. Something his grandchildren inherited and proof that intelligence truly does skip a generation, I suppose."

"Hm? What do you mean?"

"Nevermind." Matoya waved her away.

Being now well and truly dismissed, and most likely risking some curses flung into her direction, she simply shrugged and left the Archon to her own devices.

 

---

 

By the time S'eni stepped into the Rising Stones, she had already finished the first couple of pages. Much to her own surprise, she had little trouble understanding the contents and the more she read, the more engrossed she became, barely registering the greetings and responding to them on her way there.

So it was of little surprise when she didn't notice the figure walking towards her and instead bumped head first into them.

"I'm sorry!" she said immediately, stepping back. "I wasn't looking where—Eh? Maxima?"

"Mistress S'eni," the Garlean replied with faint amusement, a hand moving to adjust the glasses resting on his nose. "I was hoping to run into you, but not quite so literally."

She blinked in surprise. "What brings you here?"

"I was told that Master Alphinaud had been brought here and wished to see if his condition had improved, but alas he's still unconscious." he nodded towards the book in her hand. "A fascinating read, I take it?"

"Y-yeah." Feeling a little embarrassed all of a sudden, S'eni placed the bookmark onto the current page and shut the book. "You said you were hoping to see me?"

"Yes. I have heard about the part you played in driving back the Empire's forces...Thank you." he bowed his head. "That you were able to stop them, if only for a short while, gives me hope. I know that must sound strange coming from a Garlean, since we started the war in the first place."

"Not at all," she said, a small smile forming on her lips. After all, it had been him and his comrades from the Populares that had warned the Alliance about the impending attack from the Empire. "You've proven that you truly wish for peace. I'm sure Alphinaud would see it that way too."

At the sound of her friend's name, Maxima turned in the direction of the infirmary that they had placed everyone. "The Populares could not have wished for a more committed ally. It pains me to see him like this, but I take solace in the knowledge that he is well cared for."

"I'll let you know if his condition improves," S'eni offered.

"That would be very appreciated." He looked at her once more. "But I'm afraid as much as I would like to stay longer, I should be on my way. On that note, I actually traveled here with another acquaintance of yours. He's waiting at North Silvertear and I'm certain he would be glad to see you. Should you have the time to spare that is."

"Sure!" She actually already had a pretty good idea who it might be.

A suspicion that proved very much correct when she spotted a certain airship from a distance and none other than Cid Garlond stepping off it as they approached.

"S'eni, it's good to see you," he greeted her. "Been a while hasn't it?"

"Yeah," she replied with a little grin. "How's the search for Nero going?"

The engineer simply grumbled, crossing his arms in front of his chest. The last time they had both seen the former Tribunus had been at Rhalgr's Reach, shortly before he had run off, leaving only the huge bill for all the material costs behind for all the upgrades he had done.

And from the looks of things, he was still at large.

"Nevermind that blasted snake," Cid then said with a shake of his head. "I heard you've been through the mill. You should've called me. Though I suppose tracking down lost souls isn't exactly something I specialise in."

"I'll try to remember it the next time I need help."

He grinned. "Good!"

"So..." S'eni looked between the two Garleans. "Maxima your newest employee?"

The man in question chuckled. "I'm afraid I lack the required abilities to be a member of the esteemed Garlond Ironworks, but it's an honor nonetheless to be traveling in his company. You see, we Populares consider Master Garlond a revolutionary, a man willing to defy the Empire's wishes of subjugation."

"Please—" Cid waved his hand. "—'revolutionary' is a term best reserved for my inventions. I'm just an imperial defector helping another defector, that's all."

"Be that as it may, I'm still humbled to find myself in such distinguished company."

"Speaking of distinguished company. Is it really true, S'eni?" Cid asked. "Is Gaius still alive?"

"Hm. And hunting Ascians these days."

"Rarely has anyone ever seen the Legatus without his mask. To think I walked halfway across the Burn alongside the Black Wolf..." Maxima frowned. "...Commander Aldynn also told me about the meeting with the Empire, though I must confess I still can't believe it. From the very founding of our nation, my brothers and sisters laid down their lives for an Ascian lie."

"For all the Empire's many crimes, even I didn't suspect. If I had, I would've left much sooner," Cid said. "But that's in the past. In the here and now, we've got our work cut out for us in thwarting their plans. Seiryu's Wall was a good start, but we can't rest easy yet. We'll show them what it means to achieve 'Freedom through Technology'!"

Placing a hand on her hip, she gave her friend a grin. "Already got a new venture in planning?"

"Of course. In fact, I might—" he cut himself off when a voice called out to them and he turned his head into the direction it was coming from. "Well someone's in a hurry."

S'eni turned around and spotted a young Alliance soldier running towards them.

"Begging your pardon! I bear a message for the Warrior of Light!" he practically shouted when he stopped nearby, breathing heavily and raising his hand in a salute. "Commander Aldynn requests your presence at Alliance Headquarters in Ala Mhigo. He wishes to discuss matters of strategy at your earliest convenience."

"Ah yes, the inevitable messenger. I knew it wouldn't be long until duty called you away," Cid said, the corners of his lips rising. "Time being surely of the essence, want me to give you a ride?"

"Now how could I refuse that?" she asked right back, mirroring his expression.

"Well, you could always teleport, but would lack company."

After sharing a laugh with her friend, they boarded the Excelsior and only a few moments later, were on their way towards Ala Mhigo.

 

---

 

Alliance Headquarters was abuzz with activity, soldiers, and officers moving to and fro between their given posts. But for all the activity, she could tell that spirits were quite high. No doubt due to their last victory.

S'eni could only hope that fortune would remain to be on their side.

She found Raubahn at the center of the camp, standing in front of the large strategy table and looking at the map spread out across from him.

"Commander," she said, making him glance over his shoulder.

"You're here. Good. I want to discuss our next course of action but let me update you on the Garleans' movements first." He beckoned her closer, waiting until she stood next to him before placing his finger on top of the large red line splitting the map and drawing across it. "We've had multiple skirmishes along the border but neither side has managed to land a decisive blow yet. We assumed that the Garleans would overwhelm us in a straight fight, but we are gaining ground, slowly but surely. The most likely explanation for that is that they have yet to commit all their forces. Still, we're winning, and according to our latest intelligence, Varis has retreated back to Garlemald."

The leader abandoning his troops, or is there something more at play? She wondered. Not that it mattered, she supposed. "So what's the plan?"

"An offensive on the entire front with the aim of pushing it forward and giving us some more room to breathe." He tapped the map. "With any luck we might—"

"Commander!" They both looked up to see a rather distressed-looking soldier entering camp. "The imperials, they've broken through our defenses to the east!"

"What!?" Raubahn exclaimed.

"Our scouts say their forces are led by Lord Zenos!" the soldier reported. "Lord Hien and Commander Hext have taken their troops to provide support, but we don't know how long they can hold out."

"So they've been biding their time until his arrival. Very well, send word to our allies and request reinforcements to the front line!" he ordered and turned towards her. "S'eni—"

"Don't worry, I'll take care of that Ascian," she said, face drawn in grim determination.

"Thanks. You alone are worth over a hundred soldiers."

Giving the older man a nod, S'eni made to head east when—

"Argh!"

–a sudden spike of pain set her brain ablaze once more, forcing her to her knees as that damnable voice pierced her mind like a jagged knife, twisting and turning with every syllable.

"Why won't they open!? Please...I beg you, open!"

"N…ot...no...w." she pressed out through gritted teeth, fingers digging into her skull in an attempt to stave off her blurring vision, and her breath was coming as heaving gasps through her nose. "Not…NOW!"

In an instant, reality snapped into focus, and the pain ebbed away once more, leaving behind a dull ache that clouded her mind for a couple more seconds until it too faded away. Gods, it was getting worse. If this continued… No, she told herself. No time for this. I need to get to Hien and Lyse!

"Are you alright?" Raubahn asked, worry resonating in his deep voice as she pushed herself back onto her feet. "Was it the voice?"

"Yes, but I'm fine," she assured him, wiping the sudden sweat from her brow.

"Rhaglr grant us strength...Give them hell, S'eni."

Without looking back, she began to run.

Wind whipped across her face as she hurried through the trenches, passing by hastily constructed wooden towers to replace those that had been felled in the previous battle and the still-smoking debris of a downed airship that had broken apart mid-air.

Shouts echoed through the area, followed by horns in the distance to rally the forces, and the ever-familiar sounds of battle soon pervaded the air once more as she began to close in on her destination, guided by thick plumes of smoke rising into the air which turned the already dark sky into an ominous pitch-black glowed slightly from the fires raging below it.

Before long, the battle grew fiercer. The Garlean legionaries she came across were quickly dispatched, their bodies left behind without so much as a second glance from her as she ran deeper into the storm raging around her; right into its very eye.

She knew that the she might be too late, had expected it in fact, but she still couldn't stop the gasp escaping her at the sight of Lyse and Yugiri, lying defeated on the ground amongst their troops, and Hien on his knees, his katana the only thing holding him relatively upright.

And a few steps away from him, the towering form of Zenos.

Pushing her worries for Yugiri and Lyse aside for a moment, she barrelled forward. "Hien!"

The young king turned his head towards her, a weak smile forming on his lips at the sight of her.

"Come to...steal the glory...for yourself?" he asked as she stepped in front of him. "Be...careful..."

With that, the last of his strength left him and he fell unconscious, leaving only her and the one pretending to be Zenos standing. Elidibus.

"Ah, the Bringer of Light. It has been too long, has it not?" he asked in Zenos' voice.

S'eni silently glared at him before turning away to check on Hien.

"No words to mark this reunion? Hmm, so be it...Equilibrium must be restored, and only your death will renew the balance."

He was still breathing. Good. And his wounds looked mostly superficial. A quick glance over to her other friends showed no serious wounds on either of them as well.

"We will suffer your interference no longer. You think you know of the dark, but I will show you the true nature of our power. This vessel—"

"Will you just shut up!?" S'eni shouted, rising back to her feet and locking eyes with him through the large crack in his helmet as she walked forward. "You Ascians just talk and talk and talk. Lahabrea was the same. I think we both know how that turned out for him."

Now it was his turn to glare at her.

"So how about we cut to the chase—" her arms moved through the air, as fluid as pure spring water, making it almost look like she was dancing until she snapped downward into a rigid stance, her foot stomping onto the ground and making it crack under the sheer force of it. "—and do what we both came here for."

Wordlessly, he raised the sword in his hand and pointed it towards her.

A moment of complete silence followed, the sounds of the raging battle ceasing to exist as they stared at one another. Taking a deep breath, she held it in her lungs, counting the seconds within her mind, before releasing it again.

Then, within the blink of an eye, they exploded forward, bridging the gap between them and meeting in a storm of blade and fists.

Elidibus swiped at her in a series of blindingly fast slashes that cut the air as she swiftly dodged them, the sharp whistle of the blade always just one step behind her. Crossing her arms, she raised them to block the next strike from above, the metal bits of her arm guards stopping the blade short even as he began to put more strength into it. They struggled for a few seconds, neither of them backing down until, finally, S'eni found the opening she wanted.

Pushing up, she threw him off balance for long enough to vanish from sight, appearing right behind him and kicking him in the back. A surprised grunt escaped him and he whirled around to face her, but she had once again moved away, attacking him from the side this time, before doing it again and again in a ferocious volley of blows that left him staggering.

She had just appeared in front of him again, raising her fist to release an explosion of chakra in an uppercut but found herself snatched and tossed into the air, his blade gleaming with deadly intent as he slashed upward to cleave her in two. Just before it could connect, S'eni twisted around and brought her hands together, shooting a beam of aether onto the ground that pushed her further up and forced Elidibus to shield himself from the blast.

As soon as she landed, she dashed towards Elidibus and somersaulted backwards, the steel-covered tip of her boot hitting him straight in the helmet, making him stumble back and opened him up for the next barrage of attacks that she rained down upon him. After the third strike, he raised his arm and backhanded her hard enough to draw blood from her mouth and nose, putting enough distance between them to twirl the katana in his hand around and stab its tip into the dirt.

Knowing full well what was about to come, she brought up her arms and entered a firm stance just in time for the large shock wave to sweep across the battlefield, whirling up clouds of dust and tiny pebbles that scratched her skin. She grit her teeth, feeling herself being pushed back a few steps, but stood her ground until it passed by her.

Lowering her arms once more, she brushed some dust from her shoulder then wiped the blood from her face. "Was that all?" she asked.

She didn't wait for a response and instead went on the offensive again, continuing their deadly dance. Twirling, crouching, and jumping, S'eni dodged these familiar, yet at the same time strange attacks. It was almost frightening how Elidibus impersonated Zenos even down to his fighting style.

No wonder even the most devoted of servants couldn't see past the deception.

But for as good as he mimicked him, he was lacking that one thing that had made the crown prince such a deadly foe; that pure, unadulterated bestial wildness lurking just underneath the surface, like a rabid Behemoth waiting to be released from its confines. To hunt, to kill, like there was nothing else left in the world.

Elidibus on the other hand was methodical. He fought with purpose. And that—

There! Her leg shot up.

—made him predictable.

Her foot connected with his hand, sending his katana flying. Reaching up, she snatched it out of the air just in time to block the side-way slash Elidibus did while unsheathing one of the other swords at his hip. The metallic groan of sharp steel passed between them as the blades connected, straining slightly as put all the force they had behind them.

"Why...do you persist?" he asked. "Do you not see the futility in this? This vessel's power is transcendent. Without limit!"

"You don't get it, do you?" She pushed him away. A cloud of sparks surrounded them as swords clashed violently with one another in rapid succession.

"You're strong, I'll give you that…" S'eni ducked out of the way, and pushed forward but he blocked her attack, locking their weapons together once more. "…but no matter how much you posture and pretend…"

"You will...never be..." Twisting the blade, she hooked it underneath his and pushed up with all her might. "...Zenos!

Their swords whirled through the air in opposite directions, the metal singing as they descended and embedded themselves into the ground.

His hand immediately went to draw his last katana, but S'eni jumped backwards before he could strike at her. She locked eyes with him once again. "Time to end this."

Pulling her fist back, the air began to ripple as one by one the chakras within her body began to open. Light and shadow, yin and yang, in perfect harmony. Flashes of lightning danced around her, joining together with the swirling orbs of glowing wind into a storm of sheer power that converged on the aether gathering in her fist.

Seeing what she was doing, Elidibus advanced towards her, the ground trembling under the heavy armor that he wore, but it was already too late.

S'eni rushed forward with a cry, zipping past him with incredible speed and stopping a good distance away with her fist extended. A few seconds of silence followed before a large explosion of aether engulfed everything behind her and she could hear the Ascian cry out in pain before that sound too was swallowed up in the blast.

She breathed out, then utter silence. Slowly, she turned around to find him lying on the ground, completely still. It was over...

...or she thought, as all of a sudden, a swirl of red and purple light began to surround Elidibus and he returned back to his feet.

"Your Mother chose her champion well," he said while turning to face her. "Yet for all your strength, you will still fail."

She rushed towards him. "Why won't you stay do—"

Her words broke off, replaced by a cry as pain began to flood her mind once again, and she stumbled to the ground.

"Please...I beg you!"

"N-no..." she replied to the voice, grabbing her head while trying and failing to get back to her feet. "Let...go...!"

"Hm? Someone calls to you...intriguing. But it's too late." Striding towards her at an almost leisurely pace, Elidibus held out his hand to let the fallen katana float back into it.

Somehow, she managed to get on her knee, raising her head to watch her approaching foe through the dark fog that was eating away at her consciousness with teeth of red hot agony.

His sword descended.

 

Notes:

Aww shucks. Anyway, did I mention that I really like Monk's new gap closer from Endwalker? :)

Ah, as a little side not: those of you that are inclined towards FF VII might wanna check my profile on Sunday, as I'll be uploading a little season appropiate one-shot.

Otherwise, we'll see each other here on Monday. Have a great and spooky weekend!

Chapter 68

Requiem pt. 2

 

As the darkness that clouded her mind vanished, S'eni found herself surrounded by a starless void, standing on a large circular platform of light, covered in blue-hued patterns of lines and circles that were a complete mystery to her.

Where...am I? She wondered while looking around. Infinite darkness as far as the eye could see. It vaguely reminded her of the last time she had seen Minfi—

"I've finally found you."

Whirling around, she saw a man standing there, dressed in a robe of red, black, and white. His face was obscured by his large hood, revealing only the lower part of a face covered from one cheek down to the neck with what looked like crystal. In his right hand, equally crystalized, he held a staff.

"You—"

"Please, there is no cause for alarm!" he said, holding out his flesh hand before looking around. "Though I have to confess this was not where I had planned to meet you. But the place of our meeting is of no consequence, just like the war you're waging. Victory or defeat, the path you walk only leads to oblivion."

To oblivion? What did he mean?

But that didn't matter right now.

Taking a step forward, she glared at him. "What did you do with the others!? Where are they!?"

The figure, the voice, looked taken aback for a moment but quickly regained his composure. "Calm yourself. I can assure you they are all perfectly fine, and I will explain everything in good time. But I'm afraid time is what we are lacking right now. This connection won't last for long."

S'eni stared at the hooded man. For all she knew, he could be lying to draw her into a false sense of security, and Y'shtola and the others were his prisoners. But he was most likely the surest way of getting them back.

"Alright," she said, relaxing once more. "I'm listening."

He nodded and a slight smile began to form on his lips.

"The battle is over and the danger has passed," he explained. "But your work is not done. Head to the Crystal Tower. I have left something for you at its base. It will serve as a beacon that will help you on your journey. All you need to do is find it and I will take care of the rest."

His smile widened and she could've sworn to hear a light chuckle in his voice. "Soon we will open the gates...and the path to the First will reveal itself to you."

The First!? S'eni's eyes widened. That was where Minfilia and the Warriors of Darkness had gone to!

But before she could ask him further, darkness began to once more invade her consciousness, drawing her back to where she had come from...

 

---

 

S'eni's eyes opened blearily to an unfamiliar ceiling. Blinking a few times, she released a groan and pushed herself up onto her elbows to look around.

Was this...Ishgard?

The sound of something clattering to the ground made her look towards a young Elezen, who was staring at her with wide eyes.

"Yes?" she found herself asking.

Instead of answering, they darted out of the room, leaving her tilting her head in confusion. She looked at herself for a moment, dressed in a simple linen garb and another quick look around revealed that her clothes were lying on a nearby chair.

Letting out a sigh, she fell back onto the mattress and covered her eyes with her hand.

"The First, huh?" she mumbled. Y'shtola and the others were on the First. Just like Minfilia.

The sound of an opening door made her raise her hand to see none other than Aymeric de Borel himself walk into, the ends of his lips rising at the sight of her.

"You're awake, thank the heavens!" he said, grabbing a nearby chair and dragging it next to the bed before sitting down on it. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I've been run over by a herd of Chocobos. What happened?"

"Do you remember your battle with Zenos?" S'eni nodded. "After you fell unconscious, he tried to seize the opportunity to deliver the killing blow. But before his blade could find its mark, the arrival of another adversary distracted him long enough for you to be spirited away to our chirurgeons. Should you wonder, he already left again. As he seems to always do."

A chuckle escaped her. "Typical Estinien."

"He never was one for emotional farewells. In any case, despite his apparent victory, the battle had seemingly taken its toll and Zenos retreated shortly after your rescue. Seeing this, the remaining Imperial forces pulled back as well, allowing us to re-establish our position." Aymeric placed his elbows on his knees. "Since then, words of renewed unrest in the provinces have reached us, no doubt inspired by the efforts of the Eorzean Alliance and our Far Eastern allies. And neither does the good news end there, as our newest intelligence suggests unrest at the imperial court, which would explain why Emperor Varis and Zenos have abandoned the fight. A ray of hope in these dark times."

She released a breath of relief, glad to hear that things were slightly looking up. For now, at least.

"So what now?" she asked.

"Now you concentrate on your recovery. You have carried the hopes of multiple nations on your shoulders, and I know I speak for everyone when I say we are eternally grateful to you, but no one is without limits. Not even you, my friend. So leave this fight to us. You have more than earned a rest." Rising back to his feet, he began to walk over to the door but stopped in his tracks to face her once more. "Ah, before I forget. I was told to deliver a message as soon as you awoke, a reminder that though many of your allies have fallen ill, you are not alone. Once you are rested, you are to return home, where friends are waiting for you. Now if you will excuse me, I need to return to the front. I hope the next time we meet will be under happier circumstances."

Giving her one last smile, he opened the door and left. Now that she was alone again, S'eni closed her eyes again and let her mind wander back to their mysterious caller.

Just who was that man? Why did he want her to come to the First?

Shaking her head, she climbed out of bed, walked over to the chair and began to change.

The path I walk only leads to oblivion... she thought. What could that mean?

After putting on her clothes, S'eni made for the door and left as well, wandering down the hallways of the Congregation deep in thought.

It was only in the main hall when a familiar voice snapped her out of it. "Well, this is a most unexpected surprise. I thought you were confined to bed."

Despite herself, she smiled warmly at the sight of its owner. "Count Edmont."

"Now, we both know I'm no longer the count," he said as he walked over to her, his expression mirroring hers. "And I believe I also told you that just Edmont would be fine."

"Old habits die hard," she replied.

"That they do." The older man looked her over for a moment. "When I heard you collapsed on the battlefield I feared the worst. But with you already up and about, I see that the news of your defeat had been greatly exaggerated."

"Was cutting kinda close, truth to be told. But anyway, how are you? Is everything alright in Ishgard?"

"The war's effects can already be felt here as well. In fact, Artoirel will soon leave for the frontline as well with a contingent of our finest knights to serve as reinforcements," Edmont said.

"I'm sure that seeing the count of one of Ishgard's great houses serving alongside them will do a lot for the Alliance troops' morality."

"Not as much as yours would, I assure you." The former count chuckled before a look of worry entered his eyes. "I would invite you to stay at our manor until your strength has returned, but I can tell that you are set on leaving already."

"I'm sorry, but there are people that need me," S'eni said and lowered her eyes to the worn wooden floor, feeling a little scolded all of a sudden until a warm hand placed itself on her shoulder and made her look up once more to meet his kind gaze.

"Just remember that our doors are always open to you, so do not hesitate to come pay us a visit now and again," he told her, giving her shoulder a little squeeze.

"I know. And I will," she promised, smile returning. "Would it be alright if I brought someone along as well?"

"A friend of yours is a friend of House Fortemps." Giving her a nod, he pulled his hand back. "Farewell, S'eni. May the Fury watch over you wherever you go."

"Thank you. May she watch over House Fortemps as well."

With one last smile, the older man turned around and began to leave. She watched him until he was gone from her sight, before closing her eyes for a moment and taking a deep breath.

Her friends were waiting.

 

---

 

As she entered the Rising Stones, S'eni was surprised to find it abuzz with talk as, bar from Y'shtola and the others, practically everyone was here. Each of them held a serious expression on their faces, even the usually more carefree Aenor seemed to be focused on the situation at hand instead of either of the Boulder brothers.

It was soon replaced by a look of surprise when, noticing her arrival, they all turned towards her. But it was the figure standing in front of the group, slowly turning around upon seeing the other's expression change.

Large violet eyes came to rest upon her, widening for the fraction of a second before welling up with tears. "S'eni!"

"Tataru…" she breathed out, reflexively going to her knee as the Lalafel rushed forward and all but jumped her in a hug as tight as her small arms allowed her to. "You're back…"

"When I heard that you collapsed like the others, I just couldn't stay in Kugane. Thank the Twelve you're alright!"

"Oh Tataru…" With a fond smile forming on her lips, S'eni reached out to wipe away the tears running down her friend's face.

"What in heavens' name is going on?" Tataru asked after she calmed down once more, taking a step back and wiping her eyes one last time.

She rose back to her feet, looked at the others, and began to explain just exactly what had happened. Her battle with Elidibus, how she was called once more, and her subsequent conversation with the one responsible for it. After she was done, questioning looks were passed between the others and the Lalafel too had a puzzled look on her face.

"So if it was his voice you all heard, that must mean that wherever he is, the others must be too, right?"

S'eni nodded.

"Then it's our only option. Ser Aymeric said that the battle fighting has reached a stalemate, but if that monster running around as Zenos comes back then...you're going to need the others at your side to defeat him. And I forbid you from going to face him on your own, you hear!?" Tataru pointed at her with a mixture of worry and anger. "...Go find the others. Bring them home."

"I will. I swear it," S'eni said. The other woman smiled.

"With that settled, you said that stranger left you a beacon at the Crystal Tower, right? But how are we supposed to find it now that it has been sealed shut? There has to be a way…"

She frowned. That would be a problem she supposed. Ever since G'raha had gone to sleep, no one had been able to make the doors of the tower as much as budge even a little. Even now Rammbroes and his—that's it. "...let's ask the Sons of Saint Coinnach."

"Yes! If anyone would be able to find a way, it's them. I'll contact them right away, Cid too, since we're sure to be in need of one of his inventions if we want to track that beacon down. But don't worry, we'll find it for you. Right everyone?"

A cheer went through the group, and S'eni chuckled at the sudden excitement filling the room as everyone began to chatter and plan. "I guess that means I'll be on resting duty?" he asked Tataru.

"You can bet your tail on that!" her friend replied.

"Yeah, I'd rather not. I like where it is." she sighed. "Alright, I'll rest. Are the others still in the infirmary?"

"Yes," Clemence said. "Their condition remains the same, but at least they haven't gotten worse either."

"Thanks." S'eni watched the others for a short moment longer as they began to make preparations for their newest endeavour, then left for the infirmary.

Silence greeted her when she entered, only interrupted by the rhythmic breathing of her friends as they lay in bed. She looked at each of them, eyes lingering on their still forms for a second before moving on to the next, stopping only when she reached the person that meant the most to her. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, S'eni reached out and brushed some of her lover's hair out of her face.

"I'm coming, Shtola. Just a little longer," she said, pressing a kiss on Y'shtola's forehead in hopes that perhaps she could feel it on the other side.

No reaction.

Exhaling through her nose, she withdrew and reached her hand into her bag instead, pulling out the tome that Matoya had given her and somehow had survived the battle entirely unscathed. She brushed her fingers over its thick leather cover and slowly flipped it open to continue where she had left off

I have some time to kill after all...

 

---

 

When I set out to free Ala Mhigo, I had nothing more than my wish for freedom, the words Papalymo had left to me and, most importantly, my friends at my side. Now the war for our, for Eorzea's, freedom had entered another phase. One in which I couldn't rely on the others; on her.

Because her journey led her to another, far away battlefield. To a world that had lost all hope, silently crying for the one that would put an end to their suffering.

But, that is not my story to tell. Besides, they could explain it all better anyway.

- From the diary of Lyse Hext

 

---

 

Book 3 - In Crimson It Began - End

 

Notes:

For whom weeps the storm
Her tears on our skin
The days of our years gone
Our souls soaked in sin
These memories ache with the weight of tomorrow

 

See you soon. :)

Chapter 69

Notes:

Home
Riding home
Dying hope
Hold onto hope... Ohhh...
Home

Book 4: I am Shadow, I am the Light

 

---

 

Arrival

 

I wandered in a never-ending dream, a nightmare. How long it lasted, I couldn't tell.

Aimlessly one step after the other without goal, without end, in a world devoid of hope.

Then...something called out to me. And I followed.

- A failed warrior.

 

---

 

Wind howled across the crystal-covered valley of Mor Dhona as she stared up at the tower in the distance, standing tall and proud as if it wanted to pierce the very heavens itself, its bright glow standing out even against the clear, brilliant blue sky behind.

Ever since it had suddenly sprung up shortly after the Calamity 5 years ago, it had caught the fascination of scholars and adventurers alike that wanted to uncover the secrets hidden deep within. But it wasn't until rather recently that the gates that had been closed for millennia had finally opened to the outside world.

If only for a little while, until the mysteries it held had forced one of them to follow his ancient heritage and seal it once again from the inside.

Are you dreaming right now, G'raha? S'eni wondered, furrowing her brows. Or will it just feel like only a moment has passed when you wake up again?

Whenever that would be.

"S'eni!"

At the sound of her name, she tore her eyes away from the place where another friend slept a much different sleep and turned around to face the approaching Alianne. "What is it?" she asked.

"They found something!" the Elezen replied. "A hidden path leading to the base of the tower!"

"Finally!" she jogged towards her fellow Scion, patting her arm. "Thanks."

Alianne smiled. "Tataru is already waiting for you at Saint Coinnach's Find."

"Better not keep her waiting then."

When she returned to camp, the entire place was buzzing with excitement at the discovery and she had to look around for a moment to even find her friend amidst everyone gathered here.

She found Tataru standing near the familiar form of Y'mhitra, conversing with the woman until they spotted her approaching.

"There you are!" the Lalafel called out, jumping up and down in excitement.

"Hey," she greeted back. "Rammbroes not with you?"

"He's at the eastern shore where the entry is located," Y'mhitra replied. "The Ironworks and my colleagues are swiftly establishing a survey site so we can begin to look around in earnest. Apparently there's quite a lot of ground to cover."

"Excited?" S'eni smiled.

"A little. My research is slightly different, but studying the secrets of Allag is what we do. Besides—" Y'mhitra frowned. "—if this is the way to get Shtola back I want to help."

"Don't worry. I'll bring her back," she said, stepping closer as she put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I made a promise, didn't I?"

The other Miqo'te's expression brightened once more. "You did."

"Well, then what are we waiting for?" Tataru asked. "Hoary and some of the others are already there. I say we go and help them!"

"Let's go then."

Together, the three of them headed to the northern shore of Lake Silvertear and stepped onto the boat that would take them across it. From there, they wasted no time to begin their descent into the canyons deep beneath Mor Dhona. The first thing she noticed once they reached the bottom, was just how gloomy it was, with the sun above being blocked out by clouds of thick fog and crystal dust. But even with the relative darkness down here, there was no mistaking the giant walls of carved stone stretching out in front of them. And if memory served then this was…

"The Labyrinth of the Ancients…" S'eni murmured. She still remembered their first foray into it. Gods, so much had happened since then that it felt like a lifetime ago.

Casting her gaze around the area, she found Hoary Bolder and Clemence standing together with a couple of people from the Ironworks while Coultenet stood a bit further away with a member of the Sons, apparently deep in discussion already.

"How's it going?" she asked as the three of them approached the former two.

"S'eni!" Hoary called out. "Nothing to report, but I've no doubt we'll find that beacon of yours in no time."

"For my part, I've detected no slavering beasts in the vicinity..." Clemence looked over her shoulder towards Aenor having a look around. "...except my sister, that is."

"Guess we've got our work cut out for us, don't we?" S'eni asked her two companions.

"I'll have a look over there then," Y'mhitra said and pointed up ahead where two of her fellows were moving some wreckage aside.

"Then we'll look over here!" Tataru decided, turning towards her. "Come on, anything that remotely looks like a beacon we'll give a thorough inspection!"

S'eni released a chuckle, feeling herself getting infected by her friend's enthusiasm. "So you know how one looks like?"

"Uh, no. But how hard can it be?"

"Pretty hard if you don't know what you're looking for," a familiar voice said and they both turned to see Biggs and Wedge walk towards them, the former raising hand in greeting while the latter waved shyly at the sight of Tataru.

"You're here too!" Tataru exclaimed.

"Of course! After all, we can hardly just sit by while our friends from the Scions need help," the Roegadyn replied.

"Is Cid coming too?" S'eni asked.

Biggs shook his head. "He wanted to, but Jessie wouldn't let him. I guess that means we just have to double our efforts."

"Make that triple!" Wedge chimed in.

"Thank you so much!" Tataru beamed. "Together we'll find it in no time!"

But, despite her friend's enthusiasm, it became quickly apparent that finding the beacon was going to be more challenging than expected since it could be buried anywhere underneath all the wreckage scattered around here.

I wonder if that was our fault? S'eni thought as she walked a few paces away from Biggs, Wedge, and Tataru. When the expedition had headed into the Labyrinth, things had been anything but calm and quite a bit of the inside had been damaged during their fight against the many guardians that had been awoken when they had broken its barriers.

"Hmm, nothing here," she heard Biggs say. "Hey, Wedge. Think you might be able to squeeze through there?"

"What, are you crazy? No way am I able to fit in there!"

"Then I'll try," Tataru offered.

"N-no! Out of the question," Biggs replied.

"Why? I'm not just a receptionist anymore, you know?"

The corners of her lips curled up into a smile. At least it won't be boring while we're searching I guess.

All of a sudden, her eyes caught sight of something glinting in a pile of rubble underneath a large crystal in the distance and she immediately hastened over to it and began rummaging around until her hand touched something that was clearly not made of stone. It was round, roughly the size of her palm, and looked like a-

A gear?

And not just any gear, but one that she was pretty sure she had seen somewhere before…

"Careful! The Sons haven't made sure it's safe over here yet," Biggs said as he, Wedge, and Tataru headed over to join her. "Hm? Did you find something?"

"Yeah…" she turned around and showed them the gear-shaped object.

"Well look at that. This might actually be what we're looking for."

"Hey, wait a second. Doesn't this look similar to ours?" Wedge pointed towards a symbol delicately painted on it.

"Why would that be on somethi—" Her question was cut off by the sudden pain hitting her like one of Zack's kicks, making her stumble backward and take hold of her head. Vision beginning to blur, she could barely make out her friends asking if everything was alright, but their words were soon drowned out by the voice, his voice, speaking to her, sounding just as clear as the last time they had spoken face to face.

"I've got you this time!" he said. "Eon become instant...far become near…"

"That's it! That must be the beacon!" Tataru shouted.

"Open the gates!"

Her fading vision landed on her friend, looking at her with pleading eyes. "Please bring our friends back and...stay safe."

Then…

…

…

…the pain was gone.

Letting go of her head, she found herself standing in that pitch-black void once again. No voice, no hooded man; just her and tiny motes of crystal floating around her in the soft breeze. She closed her eyes for a moment, letting it caress her cheeks as she took a single, calming breath.

From one second to the next, the wind began to pick up speed and S'eni realized that she was falling.

Holding her hands up to shield her face, her eyes snapped open when a cascade of voices broke the all-encompassing silence, echoing all around as shards of crystals came rushing towards her, each holding an image of moments past accompanying the words spoken.

"Hear...Feel...Think..."

"A brave one..."

"Then let me be the first to welcome you as our newest walker...S'eni..."

"If I can but see you to a new future, I should want for nothing more..."

"Let's continue our journey...side by side, step by step..."

"Oh...do not look at me so..."

Her head whipped around just in time to see Haurchefant's blood-stained face pass by her. But she wasn't able to dwell upon the sudden stab to her heart as more and more memories rushed by her.

Noticing that one of them was coming straight for her, she reached her hand out—

"Dammit, how could we've let it come to this!?"

—and hesitated when she saw the face reflected in it, causing her to overshoot and narrowly miss it, spinning around and watching it disappear into the distance.

What in the seven hells...

A bright light made her glance over her shoulder at another shard, but before she knew what was happening, her mind was overwhelmed by blinding white.

Just before her consciousness faded, an image of a woman, dressed in all white and floating in mid-air in front of a glowing tidal wave, appeared in front of her.

"No...it's not your time yet..."

 

---

 

When she came to, S'eni found herself lying on hard ground, surrounded on all sides by a sea of lavender leaves. Above her, a strange, almost golden sky stretched out as far as her eyes could see, and she had to narrow them because of how bright it was.

"Ugh, my head..." she groaned out, hand coming to rest on her forehead at the hammering pain inside her skull. Like a bad hangover the morning after a wild night. Slowly, she pushed herself onto unsteady feet and began to walk.

At first, S'eni wasn't sure if she was going to get far, but with every step she took, she could feel her headache lessen and her strength returning.

Was this...the First?

She had never seen plants and trees like these before. It was strangely beautiful. But she didn't have time to wonder about the local plant life. She needed to find the one that had brought her here and then find Y'shtola and the others.

First, she had to find out where exactly she was though.

As luck would have it, she soon spotted something not far from her. It was a Chocobo and not far from it, standing in front of a small fire, a man.

Guess I'll ask him for directions, S'eni thought and walked over to them. Hearing her approaching, the man turned around to look at her.

"Hello," she greeted him in a friendly tone.

He didn't respond at first, taking a drag from his pipe instead before addressing her. "You don't look like a merchant to me... What are you doing out here in the middle of the night?"

With a look of surprise, she looked up at the sky, then back towards him. "Night?" she asked. "It's as bright as day!"

The man, a merchant it seemed, began to laugh.

"My grandfather used to make the same joke whenever he was out drinking with his friends," he said.

"I don't think I follow."

He puffed out another cloud of smoke, before lowering his voice almost playfully. "'You want to go home already, my friends? It's not even dark yet!'"

Raising his arms in a sardonic gesture towards the sky, he then sat down on the tree stump near the fire, grabbed the bottle next to it, and took a swig from it.

"A hundred years now. A hundred years without a single dark night..."

"Hundred years..."

"Now don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about." He turned to look at her. "Ah...did one of these creatures hit you over the head perhaps? Don't worry, it'll be alright in no time."

With a friendly smile, the merchant held the bottle out to her.

"Thanks, but I don't think I should be drinking right now," she said with a shake of her head. He simply shrugged and took another swig before rising back to his feet.

"I have to go. But you should get some rest somewhere safe."

Noticing its owner's intent, the Chocobo walked forward, letting out a cute "Wark!" that brought a smile to her face.

"A bit further to the east is a huge tower made of crystal. You can't miss it," he said while kicking some dirt into the fire and pointing in the direction she should go. "There's a city at its base, the biggest in the area. Those still fighting against the Light have gathered there. They call it the Crystarium."

"The Crystarium," she repeated, furrowing her brows. "Thank you."

He waved her off with a little smirk. "Safe travels."

"You too."

Following the way she had been told, she soon stepped out from under the lavender canopy and out into an open field. Without any trees to shield her, the brightness of the sky became even more apparent, and it's been like this for a hundred years now?

Then, beyond a small mountain range, it appeared. The Crystal Tower.

There was absolutely no mistaking it. Same size. Same shape. Tall and proud, looking almost as if it wanted to split the glowing white sky in two.

What...is going on?

Using the tower as her beacon, S'eni walked down the path before her until she spotted what looked like a fortified checkpoint in the distance. Walls of stone and solid towers of wood forming a line of defense together with the hillside terrain. A single soldier stood in front of the open gate, his stance becoming alert as he noticed her. She looked up and noticed that the two standing on the towers were taking their bows in hand.

"Halt!" a voice called out and a woman dressed in the same armor as the guard. With her long white hair and pale, violet eyes, she made for quite the striking figure even without towering over the soldier she came to stand next to like she did. The long ears sprouting from the top of her head into the air only enhanced her height.

A Viera? So they exist here too.

"Who are you?" the Viera asked, arms in front of her chest while looking S'eni over. "And what kind of strange garb is that?"

She blinked once, before looking down at herself. Was there something wrong with what she wore?

"I'm charged with the Crystarium's safety and won't let anyone through that I deem suspicious. So out with it! Who are you and where are you from?"

"I'm called S'eni," she replied. "I'm from the Source."

"The what? Are you trying to pull my leg?" the woman's eyes narrowed. "If you're here to cause trouble then—"

Suddenly, she brandished the chakrams on her side and dashed forward, passing by her and tossing them towards the creature that was flying straight at them, cutting open its neck in an X shape before returning to their owner. The monster managed to keep itself in the air for a few more seconds before falling to the ground. Dead.

S'eni had never seen such a creature before, but before she could take a closer look at it, its white body began to glow then shatter into a thousand particles of aether, leaving behind nothing but a singular ring.

"Looks like some poor soul became its prey. What a terrible way to die…"

An image of the man from earlier holding out his bottle towards her flashed through her mind. The hand in which he held the bottle adorned by the very same ring now lying on the ground. Oh no…

Steps echoed towards them by a voice. "Lyna, did something happen?"

His voice.

S'eni whirled around to see the one who had called her standing there in the flesh.

"Yes, a stray Sin Eater of lower rank. But I took care of it," the woman, Lyna, replied.

"Good work, but be on guard. There could be more," her summoner said, then looked at her, the corners of his lips rising. "And there's my guest. I'll be taking her into the city, if the commander of the guard has no objections, that is."

"One of your mysterious friends, is she? Well in that case I will tell the rest of the guards to grant her access." Lyna turned towards her and bowed. "My apologies, but one can't ever be too careful. Please, enjoy your stay in the Crystarium."

"Don't worry, I've had much unfriendlier greetings in the past," S'eni said.

The hooded man walked up to her. "Come. I'm sure you have many questions, but this isn't the place to ask them."

"Lead the way."

Passing the gate, the two of them walked into silence for a couple of moments, until they had put enough distance between themselves and the guards. "First of all...Thank you. For answering my call," he told her, inclining his head. "I must have made a mistake with the coordinates. You were actually supposed to appear in my study, but the important part is that you're here now."

"Hm. And who do I have the honour of talking to?" she asked.

"Ah, I suppose it is high time I introduce myself. I'm called the Crystal Exarch, and I'm the leader of this city." he gestured towards the tower with his crystal hand. Now that she could get a closer look at him, she saw that a faint glow emanated from it as well as from his neck and left cheek.

"You caused us a whole lot of trouble, you know?"

The Crystal Exarch sighed.

"Yes. And I'm terribly sorry, but I had no other choice. Don't worry, I will explain everything. But first, there is something else you need to know."

"Alright." she crossed her arms in front of her chest. "I'm listening."

"This world suffers. Suffers from the Light."

"Something that happened one hundred years ago, right?" S'eni frowned, as once more the image of that poor man entered her mind. Shook her head to dispel it.

"Yes. One hundred years ago a terrible catastrophe befell this world. A flood of light that left us with less than one-tenth of our land. With it came creatures that threatened the lives of those few that still remained. We call them Sin Eaters. One of them you just met." He looked at her. "That's why you are here and why I learned the art of crossing between worlds. To summon the greatest of all heroes and to free this world from the Sin Eaters, and in turn, save your own world."

"Save my own world?"

"It's confusing, I know," he said with a chuckle. "But it will all make sense soon. Come, I'll explain the rest in the Crystarium."

 

---

 

Stepping through the double doors leading into her room, S'eni immediately let herself slump back against them, closing her eyes with a sigh and trying to process what the Exarch had told her just moments ago.

Three years.

Three godsdamned years have passed for Y'shtola since she had fallen unconscious in the Source.

It was even worse for Thancred, who had been trapped on the First for five years now.

And on top of that, Urianger had seen a vision of the future while being called to the First. A vision in which another Calamity had struck their home and she...had died.

She wanted to laugh at the sheer absurdity of it. But even if she did so, it wouldn't change anything.

The only thing she could do now was to find the others and go from there.

Pushing herself away from the doors, she opened her eyes again and looked around the room she had been provided. Like the rest of the Crystarium, it looked strangely industrial, yet held a homely charm to it. It was also quite spacious, with a kitchen, a large table, and a sleeping area separated by a room partition made of dark steel.

On the bed, she spotted a bundle of clothes as well as a pair of long, thigh-high boots resting at its feet. She walked over to it, running a hand over the fabric.

"I took the liberty of having an outfit prepared for you. Something that will be less of an eyebrow-raiser as you travel through Norvrandt," the Crystal Exarch's words rang through her mind.

"Less of an eyebrow-raiser, huh?" she asked out loud as she picked up a finely crafted gold chain. "...Hm, oh well."

With a shrug, she stripped out of her current clothes and put on her new ones, beginning with the short, sleeveless dark gray top and the black shorts, then moving onto the black and red himation that left part of her torso and her left leg exposed. After putting on the rest of the assemble, S'eni looked at herself in the mirror and flexed her fingers a few times to test out the arms wraps, each held in place by jeweled chains.

All that gold looked quite gaudy, she had to say, but after jumping a few times and striking a kata, found them surprisingly light.

After putting the boots on, and testing their fit, she walked over to the window and opened it, revealing to her a view that she was sure would have been quite beautiful if not for that bright sky which made it impossible to tell what time of day it even was.

How were they even supposed to fix this?

"You...?" startled, S'eni spun around and raised her fists when she saw a shadow standing there. Little by little, the shadows began to peel away, chased away by warm light that revealed the person underneath it. It was a young man, dressed in armour, a bloodied axe resting on his back. A look of surprise formed on his familiar face. "I know you...You're the Warrior of Light from the Source!"

She lowered her fists again, taking in his appearance for a moment before saying, "And you're the Warrior of Darkness."

"Huh? You can hear me!?"

"Yeah." She nodded. "And see you too."

"How's that possible...?" his eyes lowered to the ground. "Warrior of Darkness...yes, that's what I called myself on the Source. My real name, though, is Ardbert."

"What happened to you?" S'eni asked, slowly walking towards him. "The last time I saw you was with Minfilia."

"As you recall, my friends and I were responsible for the Flood. When we arrived back here, it was about to consume the last remaining continent, Norvrandt," he explained, never once looking at her. "Minfilia and my friends, they...they surrendered what little they had left to hold it back and just faded away...leaving me to bear witness."

Her face fell and she could feel her heart sink to the bottom of her stomach at his words. She had suspected that something must have happened to Minfilia when she heard that so much time had passed. Oh no...

She was shaken out of her thoughts when Ardbert spoke up again. "How long has it been...? Do you know how much time has passed?"

"One hundred years," she told him.

"One hundred years..." he repeated. "One hundred long years."

He exhaled deeply and walked over to the table. His hand reached out to grab the cup standing there, but it simply passed through it.

What the—!?

Ardbert looked at his hand, opening and closing it once.

"Whatever I do, nobody sees me. No matter how loud I scream, nobody hears me. I'm nothing but a shade, drift around aimlessly. Alone." He turned around, his blue eyes landing on hers. "But then something called me, pulled me forward, and suddenly I found myself here. Why can you see me? Why are you here?"

"The Crystal Exarch brought me here to save the First," she told him, and just speaking those words reminded her once more what a tall order that was. Saving a world of which not even a full continent remained.

Ardbert let out a laugh at her words, but there was neither joy nor ridicule in it; just emptiness.

"A waste of time. This world is beyond saving, as are those trying to save it. But—that I was lead here, to the one person in this godsforsaken world who can see and hear me, can't be a coincidence." He furrowed his brows and a hint of that determination he had shown in their past battle returned to his eyes. "I have to find out why it was the only one left behind maybe...maybe then I can bring this long journey to an end."

"So what will you do now?" S'eni found herself asking as he began to illuminate the doors.

"I'll be watching you, Warrior of Light. But do me a favour and be careful out there. This world has had its fill of heroes."

Giving her one final glance, he disappeared through the doors, leaving her alone once again.

She watched where he stood for a few more seconds, before exhaling through her nose and turning back towards the open window. Giving the sky one last, lingering look, she closed it.

I should get some sleep.

It was going to be a busy day tomorrow, she could already tell.

 

---

 

Soft blue flames illuminated the cave, offering a measure of light in the dark. A woman sat in front of a table, dressed in dark robes and hunched over a thick tome, her eyes scanning the pages intently.

"There must be something..." she said, turning over to the next page when a wave of fatigue hit her. She tried to blink it away but found that her eyelids had grown heavy enough that she could barely open them again after the second time.

Reaching out for the cup resting on the table and raising it to her lips, she found the tea inside having grown cold.

With a sigh, she leaned back in her chair, covering her face with a hand. "...tomorrow then."

Putting the piece of parchment she used as a bookmark between the pages, she rose to her feet and began to head into the back.

As soon as the door had closed, she made for the bed resting against the wall of this small chamber, hands reaching towards her back to undo the clasps there. She stopped mid-motion when her eyes landed on something on the shelf nearby.

A simple wooden box.

Her hands dropped back to her sides and she walked over, picking it up and slowly opening it, gingerly running a finger over its contents.

Three years now...

She remained like this for a moment, letting her mind wander back to times that brought a little smile to her face that soon fell once more under the weight of the situation.

Releasing another, much deeper sigh, she shut the box again, placed it back on the shelf, and got ready for bed.

As she laid down, she let her gaze wander over to the box one last time before closing her eyes. And as Y'shtola began to drift off, the last thing she saw before her mind's eye was that beautiful smile that she wished to protect.

 

Notes:

First of all: ENDWALKER HYYYYYYYYYPPPPPPPPPPEEEEEEEEE

And with that out of the way, we're finally stepping onto the First. Great Adventures await!

Chapter 70

A small mercy

 

Amh Araeng. The place where it all ended, and my century-long journey began.

Before the Flood, it was known for its Talos construction and mining industry, but also for the dangerous creatures roaming the vast desert.

Today, all that remained was its name, and the few people too stubborn and foolish to leave.

And those who were doomed to die...

 

---

 

The sand crunched under her feet, as she walked across it, looking around the area for any possible danger while simultaneously taking in the scenery.

Gods, what a dreary sight. Sand as far as the eye could see, with only a few solitary plants scattered across the area and mountains surrounding it. It reminded her a bit of Thanalan, but unlike on the Source, where Ul'dah drew people into the desert from far and wide, the only thing waiting here were ruins that were slowly being swallowed by the dunes and the only mercantile endeavour were the settlements scattered throughout the area.

From what she had heard at Mord Souq, the biggest town in the area, run by Kobolds, or Mord as they were called on the First, it was a little better beyond the mountains to the west. Emphasis on little.

Yet, the people kept going, living on even in these conditions.

It was admirable.

A sudden gust of wind sent a shiver down her spine right into the tip of her tail and she resisted the urge to hug herself. She glared at the sky.

Unlike in Lakeland, you could really tell what time of day it was around here even with that accursed sky. A chuckle drew her attention away from it and towards the woman walking next to her; Tesleen, an acquaintance of Alisaie that she had made during her time on the First.

"Yes?" S'eni tilted her head.

"It's nothing," the other woman replied. "Just amazed with how easily I recognized you. Alisaie really told me a lot about you."

She smiled. "I hope only good things."

"Oh, absolutely." Tesleen nodded, shifting the supplies she was carrying a little. "And given your performance at keeping the beasts at bay, I can tell that she wasn't exaggerating a single bit. Though I have to say, I wasn't expecting a Mystel when I heard your name for the first time. It's quite exotic."

As it turned out, the races that inhabited the Source could also be found on the First, but under vastly different names, with Mystel being what her people were called around here. It was something that would take some getting used to and she was pretty sure she had already mixed up some of the names in her mind.

She should probably ask the Crystal Exarch again when she returned, just to be sure.

"It's the name I was given," S'eni replied with a little shrug.

"Ah, I'm sorry. That was rude of me."

"No, it's fine. So what exactly did Alisaie tell you?" S'eni chuckled.

Lips curling into a smile, Tesleen was about to reply when a growling from up ahead made them pause in their steps. It was two coyotes and neither of them looked like they just wanted some head pats.

"Excuse me for a minute." S'eni cracked her knuckles and headed over to the two predators, the gold chains adorning her new outfit clinking slightly with every step she did. Seeing her approaching, they hunched lower before running at her.

The first one jumped, intending on burying its fangs deep into her jugular, but a wide kick catapulted it sideways through the air. As soon as her foot touched the ground once more, S'eni dashed towards the second one and slammed her fist between its eyes. A crack went through the air and the coyote flew backwards, dragging a trail through the sand as it landed. It didn't get back up.

Hearing a loud snarl, she stepped to the side, dodging the next attack, and immediately lunged forward to grab the coyote around its neck. They wrestled for a few seconds until another crack echoed through the air and the predator went limp.

Exhaling through her nose, she looked around if there were any more, then let go of the coyote and headed back towards Tesleen, who was looking at her in awe.

"So, where were we?" S'eni smiled.

"I always thought Alisaie was strong, but compared to you...No wonder in her mind she was never—hmmm. Now it makes sense."

"What makes sense?"

A twinkle entered the other woman's eyes. "It's best if we push on. I need to get these supplements back to the Inn."

Tesleen walked past her, leaving S'eni with a look of confusion on her face and no choice but to follow her. What was that about?

Thankfully, the other coyotes in the area must have taken note of their fellows' demise and stayed clear of them, making the rest of the journey rather uneventful and in time they arrived at their destination. The Inn at Journey's Head.

Belying its name though, it wasn't a building but a formation of large rocks forming into a circle, its large spires visible even from Mord Souq.

"Well, here we are, and I didn't even have to put down my shopping thanks to you. Looks like you escorted me in the end," Tesleen said. "But we should head inside."

As they stepped inside, S'eni immediately noticed the aetheryte in the center of it, something that she hadn't expected if she was being honest. Linen had been haphazardly strung up between the rocks, to shield the people from the bright sky and the occasional rain she wagered, and there were quite a few beds with people in them.

But...something was strange.

"Welcome to the Inn at Journey's Head. It's not much, but it's home to the afflicted and a handful of carers."

"The afflicted...?" she asked, facing Tesleen, who was in the midst of putting down the supplies, only to stop and look at her in surprise.

"You...don't know?" S'eni shook her head. "I don't think I've met anyone besides Alisaie who was unfamiliar with our situation here. Most folk have grown up knowing someone who knew someone..."

"I see...so these people are sick." That explained quite a lot.

"Hm. I might leave out something obvious, so it may be best to have Alisaie explain everything. Now where is she…?" After placing the supplies on a nearby table, the other woman looked around. "I think she might be out on patrol. You could wait, I suppose, but why not go and surprise her? She usually takes a look at things from the watchtower first, so you might be able to catch her there."

"Sounds good. Where can I find it?"

"It's not far. Just head out the south side and you'll soon see it. I'll stay behind in case she comes back while you're gone."

After thanking Tesleen, S'eni followed her directions towards the watchtower in question but, after having a good look around, found no trace of her friend. What she did find though were some rather familiar footsteps that she began to follow north-westward. They led her quite a distance away from the Inn, and after a while she was honestly wondering how much further out they would take her when, all of a sudden, the trail stopped.

Kneeling down onto the ground, she ran a hand along the edges of Alisaie's footprints, trying to figure out where she could have gone. A cry in the distance made her look up to see a Sin Eater flying away. The erratic way it flapped its wings told her that it was wounded.

"Not so fast!" a voice shouted from above and when S'eni looked up, she saw none other than the young woman she was looking for leaping off a nearby building. As soon as she landed on the sand, Alisaie drew her weapon and finished the Sin Eater off without a problem.

"Nice work," S'eni said while approaching her friend.

"It was a small one. They're easily taken care of," Alisaie replied, glancing over her shoulder for a second before returning to watch the fallen creature dissipate into aether. "I always knew you would arrive sooner or later. You really took your sweet time, you know?"

Slowly, the young woman turned around, a smile forming as she breathed out, "Thank the gods you're finally here. How are you?"

"I got dragged into another world, learned of how long each of you stayed here and that we're trying to stop a future in which another Calamity struck the Source," she replied, raising her shoulders and letting them slump back down. "I'm adjusting."

"It's a lot to take in, I know. I can hardly believe it myself. But come, we should speak somewhere else."

Giving the dissolving Sin Eater one last look, the two left, heading back towards the Inn. After a while, they stopped in front of a series of graves, some older with actual headstones and some obviously still quite new, with only simple, long wooden sticks marking the mounds of sands. Undoubtedly of the many people that didn't make it.

"I was worried about the war when I came here," Alisaie said as they came to a stop. "After I was done giving the Crystal Exarch a piece of my mind, he told me that the worst had passed, but who can honestly tell with how time works here."

"Have you been in contact with the others?" S'eni asked.

"I met Alphinaud and Urianger shortly after I arrived. I told them everything that happened up until I was called here. I haven't seen Y'shtola or Thancred yet, but they're in contact with the Exarch so they should know as well."

"Hm. Alright."

With a sigh, Alisaie faced the graves. "Whenever I think of Tataru and the others back on the Source, I want nothing more than to return home. But we don't even know-how. Besides, first, we need to make sure there even is a home to return to and for that we need to liberate this world of the Sin Eaters."

"Well, we liberated two countries in the past. I guess liberating a world is the only logical step up," she said, the corners of her lips rising.

"Glad to see that unwavering optimism is still there. Here, take a look." Alisaie nodded towards the large crystalline wall that she had already seen from a distance earlier. "It's what remains of the Flood of Light. Normally, every life form possesses aether from various elements, but the Flood washed away all other aspects and shattered their aetheric harmony, causing their natural form to break down. Then they either die or...turn into mindless creatures."

"The Sin Eaters."

"Yes, they used to be living creatures, or people like you and I. But now they're nothing more than beasts hunting for aether. For them, we're nothing more than food." The Elezen turned her attention back to the graves. "Or their brood. The stronger Sin Eaters can plant Light inside their victims, corrupting their aether until they too turn into monstrosities. Feed and multiply, there's nothing more to them. Which is why they must be destroyed. Every last one of them."

"Then these graves..."

"Hm." Alisaie nodded. "Here we take care of those unfortunate souls that spend their final days waiting for the change to overtake them. The Inn at Journey's Head."

So the Inn was a hospice...

"...and life was the journey," S'eni mumbled. Now it made sense.

"It's just a matter of time, more for some, less for others, but they all will become monsters in the end. And to add insult to injury, they're feared, cast out of their homes, and sent here to the edge of the world. The only good thing about this place is that it served as a great training ground. Tesleen and the others have also been kind enough to share their knowledge about the Sin Eaters..." Her friend's face then brightened and she gave her shoulder a friendly pat. "Which I can share with you...while you help me finish my patrol."

She released a chuckle. "Of course. Let's go then."

 

---

 

If Amh Araeng reminded her of Thanalan, then she supposed Mord Souq reminded her of Ul'dah, if only because it housed the biggest marketplace in the entire area. Not like that was saying a great deal since it was a far cry from the pearl of the desert back home.

After they finished their patrol, Alisaie and her had helped Tesleen with some of the patients, giving her a little closer look at what the carers at the Inn had to deal with every day.

If what Alisaie had told her didn't already paint a grim picture, then her interactions with the afflicted surely did. These people were clearly suffering. Some of them couldn't even speak anymore or worse, like that boy Halric, didn't even seem to be able to recognise the world around them.

Seemingly having sensed her mood, Alisaie had offered to head out to Mord Souq, an offer she had eagerly accepted. Before they had left though, Tesleen had asked them to fetch something from the market—

She looked at the fruit in her hand.

—a single nectarine.

"Hmhmhm," a voice suddenly echoed in the back of her mind. She was startled for a second until she realized who it belonged to.

"Feo Ul," S'eni said and a light began dancing in the air in front of her for a moment before the Pixie in question popped into existence. A smile of amusement danced across her lips. "Already tired of exploring my world?"

"Not at all! But I would be a very bad branch if I didn't check up on my little sapling now, wouldn't I?"

As a way for her to access some of her possessions on the First, like money, the Crystal Exarch had asked Feo Ul to make a pact with her. In exchange for their help, they would also be able to travel to the Source through her connection with it.

"Did you deliver my message to Tataru?" she asked them.

The Pixie nodded. "What a strange little woman, that one. 'Huh? What manner of creature are you?' she asked. Like she's never seen a Pixie before."

"Probably because he hasn't. As far as I know, we don't have any Pixies on the Source."

"Oh…" Feo Ul deflated just a tiny bit, fluttering over to her shoulder and letting themselves come to rest upon it. "What a strange world…"

"The closest to your kind would probably be the Sylphs living in the Black Shroud, a very large forest."

"Oho, so like Rak'tika?"

"I guess? I'm not really familiar with Norvrandt, as you probably can imagine."

"In that case, why don't you just ask then?" Tiny fingers drew across the pattern of her gold shoulder ornament. "I've been all over Norvrandt and if my sapling wishes to sate her curiosity, I'll be happy to oblige."

"In that case," S'eni hummed in thought. "What do you think of Amh Araeng then?"

"Such a gloomy place. Not a lot of fun to be had here," Feo Ul said and began to flutter around again. Their arms hugged their tiny body. "And way too cold or hot all the time. Also, the sand is rough and gets everywhere."

A little laugh escaped her. "Yeah, that sounds about right."

"Did that satisfy your curiosity?"

"Yeah. For now."

"Well, then I'll be heading over to your world again to see about these 'cousins' you mentioned, but don't hesitate to call me if you need help!" giving her a tiny wave, the Pixie vanished once again.

Now alone again, her eyes landed on the nectarine in her hand, plump and full, and looking absolutely juicy. Rhon Ron had a whole bunch of them for sale. So why only a single one?

As she wondered about that, familiar steps came walking over to her and she looked up to see Alisaie approaching her, holding a jar in her hand. "Done with your errands?" she asked, standing up from the steps she was sitting on and putting the fruit into one of the pouches resting at her hip.

"I am," her friend replied. "Honestly, how much did you spend here? I have never seen a Mord hand out so much for free."

"I'd...rather not talk about it." her stomach was still very much recovering from that ordeal. "What you got there?"

"Just some honeyed worms. No, they're not for me, so don't give me that look. They're an offering of sorts."

"An offering?"

"You'll see," Alisaie said and motioned for her to follow. "Come, there's something I want to show you."

They walked over to the sole tower in town and, after bribing the Mord standing guard with the honeyed worms, headed upstairs. Stepping out onto the platform, S'eni was offered a view over the entire area, the seemingly endless sea of dunes looking suddenly rather small and even the Inn which had been a good distance away from town didn't feel so far away now.

But she quickly realised that Alisaie wasn't here to show her the nice view.

"There," her friend said, pointing over to the remains of the Flood of Light. "See that gap over there?"

"Yeah," she replied, holding a hand up to shield her eyes from the glaring light as she tried to get a better look at what was beyond it. "Is that a plateau?"

"That's right. It's the land left behind by the Flood. Scrubbed entirely clean, empty. Which is where it takes its name from: the Empty," Alisaie explained.

"Have people tried exploring it?" S'eni asked, looking away from the white surface and towards Alisaie. "Maybe there's still something out there."

"I doubt that. Anyone who has ever stepped on it had their aether corrupted by the Light. Nothing survives there."

"I see..." With a frown, she glanced back at the barren white beyond the wall of glowing aether.

"That boy, Halric...he loves to eat nothing more than nectarines," Alisaie then said.

A look of realization dawning on her face, S'eni reached into her pouch and pulled out the fruit. "So it's for him?"

The younger woman nodded. "You heard what Tesleen said. That his time may be near."

Silence set over them for a moment as Alisaie gazed out towards the hospice.

"Sooner or later they all turn into Sin Eaters. Tesleen and the others know that. They're ready to end their suffering before the transformation is complete. One final act of mercy, a little bit of poison in their last meal, that's how it always ends." She released a shuddering sigh. "We fight without end, yet it still isn't enough."

"Alisaie..."

Shaking her head, she looked away from the Inn.

"Remember how I made you promise not to leave me? Shortly after I was the one who left you," Alisaie said. "I felt terrible for abandoning you on the battlefield, so I swore to myself that I would continue to fight here instead. No matter how hard it would be."

She glanced at the fruit in S'eni's hand. "Let's head back. We have kept Tesleen waiting long enough. The nectarine will be a kindness."

As Alisaie began to head back, S'eni remained where she was, looking out towards the white nothing beyond the wall. After a few seconds, her eyes shifted over to the Inn and she wondered for what felt like the hundredth time just how in the seven hells they were going to fix this.

"A kindness, huh?" turning around, she began to follow her friend on her way down, carefully placing the nectarine back into her pouch.

It was quite heavy.

 

Notes:

Okay, real story here: I actually went to Amh Araeng first on my playthrough and I so was not prepared for what was awaiting me there. I feel like while the arrival on the First definitely set the stage for the story, it was Amh Araeng that set the mood for what you were dealing with.

And then I did Kholusia and, well, that's a different can of worms.

Chapter 71

Notes:

Hey everyone! I hope everything's cool on your end. :)

I got another fan art I want to share, this time by Roxe (NSFW warning for the account, but not the pic) which you can see here

City of Final Pleasures

 

This world can't be saved.

Anyone who doesn't realize that is a saint or a fool. Or one of the citizens of this spoony city.

Once, this place fought bravely against the Sin Eaters, now only laughter echoed from its halls towards the coming cataclysm.

An endless parade to escape reality.

Or...was there perhaps more at play?

 

---

 

Tension began to melt away under the hot rain from the showerhead above and steam wrapped itself around her like a comforting blanket on a cold night. A little sigh escaped her as she tilted her head backwards and let it patter down onto her cheeks, washing away specks of dirt that had gathered there, before leaning against the wall of the extravagant shower stall.

Gods this felt good!

It was such a simple thing, but even something as mundane as a shower was a luxury in a world fighting for survival, with the only other place offering similar amenities being the Crystarium.

If possible, she would like to do nothing more than to take her sweet time, but they were here on a mission. After she had arrived in Kholusia, S'eni had quickly managed to locate Alphinaud and, after a heartfelt greeting, decided to help in his endeavour to get into Eulmore, the only other large city still remaining in Norvrandt. But as it turned out, getting into the city wasn't easy, as the requirements were...unorthodox to say the least.

And now, having managed to gain access, it was time to have a look around this place so many people were clamouring to get in.

Taking the provided soap, she began to thoroughly wash herself, making sure to not leave a single spot out. Once done, she turned the water off and reached behind the curtain to take the towel, dry herself and wrap it around her body before stepping out. She looked around the richly decorated room for a moment. Apparently, modesty wasn't something the people in Eulmore were greatly concerned about considering how open the room was and there wasn't any separation between genders.

With a shrug, she walked over to where she had stored her clothes and got dressed again, thankful for the fact that they were still rather clean despite all the things that happened.

Might be some sort of Crystal Tower secret, she thought, snorting at how silly that idea sounded. The great Allagan Empire, provider of long-lasting freshness in clothes. After she was dressed again, S'eni took the small bottle of perfume the lady at the registration had given her and sprayed herself with it, letting out a little cough when she did so a bit too liberally.

In any case, she should be presentable enough now.

As she stepped out into the hallway, she found Alphinaud still standing where she had left him, lost in thought and a look of sheer indecisiveness on his face.

"Hey," she called out, startling him out of his thoughts.

"Oh, you have showered already?" he asked, receiving a nod in return. His eyes shifted away from her towards the doorway leading to the showers and he became visibly flustered. "It's—uhm—quite exposed isn't it?"

S'eni gave him a look, placing a hand on the back of her hip. "You know, Alisaie would've been drying her hair by now."

"...she would, wouldn't she?" Alphinaud sighed. "Very well, I shall try to emulate some of her boldness."

"Just ask yourself what Estinien would say," she said as he began to walk into the shower room.

"Good gods, don't you mention a single word about this to him!"

While he was getting cleaned up, S'eni was having a look around, watching as workers and soldiers moved about. So far there was nothing overly strange. But she knew that wasn't the truth, had seen with her own eyes what happened when someone earned the ire of the elite.

"Be careful what you say or do," Tristol, the man they had saved told them just before leaving. "I wouldn't want you to save my life only to lose yours instead."

"...welcome to paradise, eh?"

Alphinaud soon rejoined her, looking much cleaner and likewise smelling of perfume, as well as having a healthy flush on his cheek.

"Well that was quite daring!" he said.

"You make it sound like you just ran through halls as naked as on your nameday." S'eni chuckled when his cheeks turned a deeper shade of red. As much as he was able to navigate the social and political landscape, he was still very much a boy.

"A-Anyway, I believe we are sufficiently clean now, so shall we introduce ourselves to our patrons?"

After learning the general layout of the city from the guard in front of the stairs leading into the city proper, the two of them headed towards the top floor called the Canopy, where the elite, or rather, 'free' citizens lived.

They then headed towards the Grand Dame's Parlor, following the directions they've been given while looking for the Mystel couple that would be their employers during their stay here, Lord Chai-Nuzz and his wife Lady Dulia-Chai. In the end, they were quite easy to spot.

...if only for the sheer size of the Lady Chai that made S'eni's jaw drop for a second in shock. Back home it was practically unheard of for a Miqo'te to grow so big unless she was blessed with multiple children at once, which clearly wasn't the case here. Her husband, in comparison, looked almost like a twig next to her.

It was also her that first noticed them.

"Ooh, and who do we have here?" Lady Chai asked almost as soon as she spotted them.

"Lord and Lady Chai, please forgive our intrusion," Alphinaud said with a respectful bow. "I'm an artist and was told you were looking for one."

"Aah, you must be the new—" Lord Chai said, only to be immediately interrupted by his wife.

"Oh, goodness me. What a handsome boy! Hair like silk, pearly cheeks.. " she sniffed the air, eyes widening in delight. "...and you even smell wonderful. I approve of this one, dearest, he shall paint us!"

"I, um, y-yes," he replied, taken aback for a second before regaining his composure once more. "Ahem. He certainly makes a more conscientious impression than the last one. What a talentless and rude wretch that was."

Alphinaud and her shared a look.

"Wonderful, wonderful! Welcome to Eulmore...er."

"Alphinaud, my lady. And this is my diligent assistant, S'eni."

"My lord, my lady," S'eni said, bowing as well.

"Oh my, what a pretty thing you are!" Lady Chai brought her ring-covered hands together. "For a moment I thought you were one of the dancers from the Beehive. And such an interesting name."

Somehow she felt oddly flustered at those words.

"I've heard of folk wanting to bring family members along, but an assistant?" Chai-Nuzz asked.

"We are family in all but name, my lord. In times of great hardships, she has always stood firmly at my side and supported me," Alphinaud replied and a small smile danced across S'eni's lips at his words. "No one else understands how I work and it is through her presence that my art will be able to fully capture the beauty of your beloved."

His gaze moved between the couple.

"Of course, once I start painting, I work alone. So I wondered if it would be permissible for S'eni to explore the city for a bit? Out of gratitude for her priceless contributions to my art, I thought it would only be fair to make this humble request on her behalf."

"Oooh, such devotion warms my heart!" Dulia-Chai said. "Of course she can have a look around. She shall be free to explore to her heart's content. Isn't that right, darling?"

"Uh...oh, yes. Yes, of course, dearest. Q-Quite right."

Quite the henpecked one, aren't you? She thought to herself as she once again bowed, saying, "You are too kind. If you would excuse me then…"

Glancing over to Alphinaud, she shared a subtle nod with him, turned around, and walked away.

Time to see what this city was really about.

 

---

 

The more she learned about Eulmore, the more she could tell that something ominous was going on within its walls. At first, the things she had heard from that lady whose attendant she had saved from falling off one of the walkways seemed a bit strange, but not overly so given the state the world was in she supposed. Upon becoming a citizen, the free would relinquish all their property to the city and in turn, could live a life of endless luxury. The bonded served the free but in turn, received access to the same lavish lifestyle in a sort of weird harmonious way.

From there, she had continued her investigation and uncovered that the leader of the city, Lord Vauthry, seemed to be able to influence the Sin Eaters to a degree. Nobody knew how he did it, but they also didn't seem to care for the fact so long as it offered the city a lasting peace.

Then she found out about the ascension.

"As we all know, Sin Eaters exist to devour the sinful, but they also serve to gather the souls of the innocent and shepherd them unto celestial paradise," the gentleman had told her. "It is through Lord Vauthry that we learned of this truth and through his grace, the people of Eulmore are destined to embrace salvation."

The way he and the young songstress in his employ, who had lost her voice, seemed to be utterly convinced of that fact was more than just a little disturbing.

Leaning against the railing of one of the walkways, S'eni closed her eyes. Salvation...

Almost immediately, her mind was attacked by images.

A large Sin Eater, angel-like in appearance looming over young Halric...

Tesleen as she ran up to defend him...

The Sin Eater's blade as it buried itself deep into her...

...and the horrific way her body twisted and turned, liquid light pouring out of her eyes, when she was transformed into a Sin Eater as well.

How could these creatures offer anyone salvation?

Opening her eyes again, she looked around, watching the people of Eulmore, free and bonded alike, go about their business; living a life of blissful ignorance. Such a far cry from the suffering she had seen in Amh Araeng. Even the people living in the shadow of this city in a shantytown made of flotsam were, at the very least, safe from the dangers of the Sin Eaters.

If Alisaie was here, she would be downright furious, and truth be told, S'eni couldn't help but feel a little disgusted as well despite all she had uncovered so far, which she was sure was probably only the tip of the iceberg.

She pushed herself away from the railing and slowly began to head back to where Alphinaud and the Chais were waiting. Entering the lavish interior of the Canopy, she took a long moment to truly take it all in. Laughter, a never-ending stream of drinks, the greatest delicacies that still remained on this godsforsaken continent, and many more things that people elsewhere could only dream of.

A free for all sinfest, hiding something dark and sinister.

No, she was very sure there was no salvation to be found here.

She found Alphinaud in front of a canvas, holding a perfect replication of the talking couple, right down to the beauty mark above Lady Chai's chin.

"Ah, there you are. You were gone for so long, I was beginning to get worried," he said in a low voice. "So what did you uncover?"

Telling him what she found out, she watched as a deep frown began to form on his face.

"So Lord Vauthry boasts some manner of influence over the Sin Eaters. That would explain why citizens revere him as much as they do. But this ascension business...if what that man says is true and so many people have entered the city, then where did they—"

"Hmpf. I take my eyes off you for a moment only to find you chatting away with your assistant. I take it the outline is done then?" Chai-Nuzz interrupted him, rising to his feet and walking over them. He took a look at the canvas. "Wh-what in the blazes...!? It's so...so unflattering. Where is your artistic interpretation? Explain yourself, Alphinaud!"

"Lord Chai," Alphinaud began in his most diplomatic voice. "You stated that this portrait was to commemorate your anniversary. It being a joyous union I thought a realistic portrayal—"

"Realistic!?" the older man fumed. "I don't want realism, I want perfection! A spectacle that slackens the jaws of everyone looking at it and makes them cry out in amazement! Now, fetch a blank canvas and—"

A loud scream echoed through the air.

What the—!?

"Hm, did that come from above?" Chai-Nuzz wondered.

"Ladies and gentlemen, your attention pleeease." They all turned to see the two harlequin women standing at the entrance of the Canopy, dressed in red and blue, a jolly smile on their faces. "A villain most foul wishing to bring harm to our city was on the loose..."

"...But our lord has got him now. And his fate won't be pretty!" the other one finished. "The hammer of justice is poised to come cccrrraaaashing down and any who'd wish to see it fall are heartily invited to join his lordship in the Offer."

Whispers began to fill the hall, as people gathered around, some following the two women while others chose to rather not be involved and went back to more pleasant things.

"I take it this man will face sentencing?" Alphinaud asked Lord Chai after a moment.

"That's right. If you're curious, it might be worth going along for the experience," he replied, returning to his wife's side to calm her down.

"S'eni..." Alphinaud looked at her.

"Yeah. Let's go!"

As they followed the crowd, S'eni didn't notice the man dressed in a dark, fancy-looking coat, across the room, his pale eyes watching her every move. Slowly, a pair of lips curled upwards into a little smirk.

"Hmm. Interesting," he said, observing for a moment longer before following after them at a leisurely pace.

 

Notes:

There's actually a lot to be said about Eulmore, but I feel that should be at a later chapter, so I'll just cut it down to the most important part: Dulia-Chai is a treasure.

Have a nice weekend!

Chapter 72

A Night Returned

 

One hundred years of endless Light. Generations upon generations that have never known a single dark night in their entire lives.

Then, all of sudden, the sky split apart like phoenix wings, revealing that endless sea of stars that people only ever heard about in stories.

After the initial shock had passed, a different story began making its rounds. The legend of a great hero, coming to save this world from the Light.

The Warrior of Darkness.

Ironic, isn't it?

 

---

 

They say one really only comes to appreciate things when they were gone. Friends and family, whose presence was one of life's constants, could be gone from one day to the next, leaving a hole behind that reminded one just how much they meant. A beloved pet or a treasured item could be the same.

And so was the sky.

Looking up into the night's sky and letting her mind simply wander, in a way she had taken such a thing for granted. It was the sky, after all. It wasn't going anywhere.

But having to spend days with nothing but bright glowing white above her had quickly made her miss something so simple, yet precious as night.

And now that she could look upon the star-covered sky once again, there was really only one thing that came to mind...

It was absolutely beautiful.

A smile formed on her lips as she watched the stars twinkle away through one of the crystal domed roofs of the Crystarium, only looking away when the sound of nearby laughter caught her attention. The short time she had been here, S'eni had quickly realized that the people of this city were a determined lot, eager to do their part in fighting the Light. But tonight it was the first time she was seeing them happy.

With almost childlike glee, they were staring up at this unknown, dark sky, unable to look away. She had to chuckle when two men actually collided with one another because they were so transfixed by it.

It hadn't come cheap of course, the earlier attack of the Lightwarden on Holminster Switch had taken many lives and left even more injured and without a home. But that was a worry for tomorrow. Tonight was a time to celebrate that first tentative step on that road to saving their world.

"Want another one?" a voice pulled her out of her thoughts and she turned her gaze towards the woman standing there. It was Cyella, the Wandering Stairs' bar wench.

Looking at her tankard, she considered the offer for a second before pushing it over to the other woman. "Sure, why not?"

The ale was pretty good after all.

"Coming right up," Cyella said, taking it by the handle and returning towards the bar where Glynard was already preparing more drinks. As she watched the Elf fetch her another drink, a set of light footsteps approached her, and she looked up to see none other than her mysterious host walking towards her, the staff he usually carried around with himself nowhere to be seen for once.

"Crystal Exarch," she greeted him. "Come to check up on your people?"

"In part." He chuckled. "But also to see how our hero is doing. Do you mind if I sit down?"

Her eyebrows rose in clear amusement. "Last I checked, you kind of run this place, so not like I could say no."

"Oh, you could." The corners of his lips rose. "But I would probably be very sad for the rest of the evening."

"And we can't have that now, can we?"

As he sat down on the stool next to her, S'eni took in his appearance. In this now newfound darkness illuminated by only a few lights that had been hastily manufactured, the faint glow of his crystalline body parts stood out even more now.

A moment of silence passed between them in which the Crystal Exarch watched the citizens gathered in the tavern, the smile on his lips growing, before turning his attention back to her. "So, how are you feeling?"

"Fine, all things considered, but also pretty beat. I wasn't really expecting to head into battle so shortly after coming back from Eulmore," she replied.

"Yes, the situation changed much more rapidly than I expected," he agreed. "But it also worked in our favour. Saved us the trouble of looking for it. The others will undoubtedly be more elusive."

"Hm." She hummed, shortly followed by a yawn. "Well one thing's for sure. I'll be sleeping like a rock tonight."

"I think tonight we'll all be sleeping the sleep of the righteous."

"Here you go," Cyella's voice chimed in, shortly followed by a freshly filled tankard being placed in front of her. A look of surprise then crossed the other woman's features when she saw who else was sitting here. "C-Crystal Exarch! Now that's a rare sight. Here to celebrate the night too?"

"Actually," he said and began rising to his feet. "I just wanted to wish my friend here a good night. Besides, I'm not much of a drinker. Well then, S'eni, have a good night."

"Don't stay up too long," she replied, taking a sip from her ale.

"Hah, don't you worry. I shall be sleeping in good time." With a final wave, he left. The two of them watched him leave for a moment before Cyella turned towards her.

"Yes?" S'eni asked when she saw the other woman's expression.

"I didn't know you were friend's with the Exarch. Hmm." The Elf stroked her chin. "Could I borrow your time for a moment tomorrow? I'd like to introduce you to some people. Don't worry, there'll be something in it for you."

Considering that offer for a moment, she nodded. "Sure, I'll come by. Unless there's an emergency like today."

"Thanks," Cyella said with a smile. "Enjoy your drink!"

After the bar wench had left again to tend to the next customers, S'eni went back watching the people, letting out the occasional chuckle at their merriment while she drank. Once done rose to her feet as well, but instead of heading to the Pendants, where her bed was already eagerly waiting, she made for the Exedra, deciding to follow Alphinaud's example for a little evening stroll.

It was such a beautiful night after all.

Stepping outside, her eyes immediately landed on the Crystal Tower, its glow wrapping the entire plaza in a blanket of soft blue. It was still so unbelievable that it was here at all, its gate wide open.

One of the first things she had done as the Exarch had shown her around, was to ask what had happened to G'raha, and as the words he had told her echoed in the back of her mind, a frown began to form on her face.

"I'm afraid I found no such man inside the tower when it passed into my care."

Just like the presence of the tower on this world, her friend's absence was a complete mystery, one that the Exarch had assured her they would try to uncover when the immediate threat had been taken care of. But still—

What happened?

With a shake of her head, she resumed her walk. Her eyes shifted away from the tower and towards the steps leading up to it, where the lone guard keeping watch was too busy staring up at the sky to actually pay attention to his surroundings.

A sudden, very familiar ache made her stop in her tracks, her hand shooting up to her forehead reflexively as it turned into a painful throb. The Echo. Within a second, her vision blurred as her mind was flung across time…

 

The tower's gate closed behind the two figures stepping outside, both dressed in plain robes and each carrying an expression of deep thought on their faces. As they began walking down the staircase, one of them spoke up.

"Tell me, Urianger. Is what you saw really true?" Y'shtola asked, looking at her companion.

"Aye." he nodded. "I beheld it with mine own eyes. The Eight Umbral Calamity. And our friend….perished."

She stared at him for a moment, her eyebrows drawn, before turning away and stalking down the stairs.

"Where art thou going?" he called after her.

"The Cabinet of Curiosity," she replied, her face scrunching up and hands balling into fists.

The scene shifted to Y'shtola standing in front of a table, pouring over one of many opened tomes lying about, murmuring softly under her breath as she ran a finger across the words written inside. She stopped, ears perking up at the sound of approaching steps and she glanced over her shoulder to see Moren coming her way, holding a stack of books.

"H-Here. The books you were asking for," he said.

"Thank you. Please put them over there." she pointed next to another stack.

After doing so, the young Hume took a step back and looked at all the books and parchments lying around. "It is rare to find individuals with such a thirst for knowledge, though I can't help but wonder what it is you are looking for."

"Answers..." she replied. "...and the truth."

"The truth you say..."

Y'shtola didn't respond, already having gone back to reading. With every passing moment, her face darkened and soon enough, she slammed the tome shut. "No, that's not it either," she muttered in frustration, putting it aside and immediately taking the next and opening it.

As she began to read, her hands gripped the edge of the table until her knuckles turned white.

The scene changed once again to Y'shtola heading towards the Crystarium's main gate, dressed in a long traveling coat and wearing an expression of determination on her face. She was about to pass through when a voice calling out to her made her stop.

It was the Crystal Exarch. What could be seen of his face from underneath his hood was turned into a frown.

"Are you certain you wish to leave?" he asked her. "I won't stop you, of course, and I apologize if I have somehow offended you. But I assure you that we both wish for the same thing."

A few seconds of silence passed before Y'shtola narrowed her eyes into a piercing glare.

"I am certain," she replied, whirling around and walking away, leaving the gate and the Crystarium behind without looking back. "...just not of your intentions."

Another shift, this time to a seemingly endless-looking sea of trees, their canopies managing to drown out even some of the glaring light in the sky.

Y'shtola was walking down a path, covered by fallen leaves and overgrown with grass that rustled with every step she took. She looked around with calm curiosity.

"So these are the Rak'tika Greatwoods," she thought aloud.

She stopped, pulling a bound leather book filled with notes, and turned a couple of pages until she found a folded piece of parchment. She opened it, revealing a simply drawn map.

After a moment of looking at it and checking her surroundings, she placed it back and resumed her walk.

"Then let's see what secrets may be uncovered here."

 

...and returned again when the pain receded. Opening her eyes, she slowly turned around and looked into the direction of the city gate.

"Shtola..." She breathed out, warmth spreading throughout her body at seeing her lover in any state that wasn't confined to a bed, but her face soon darkened as her thoughts turned to the exchange between Y'shtola and the Exarch.

What happened between them that would cause her to rush off like that?

Before she could further ponder this new mystery though, a sudden wave of fatigue hit her like a herd of wild Chocobos and her body began to grow heavy as the events of today now well and truly caught up to her.

Guess that one was a little too much, she thought and turned around to head towards the Pendants after all.

After a short conversation with the manager, and learned that the rooms have all been equipped with lamps in light of the situation, she entered her room. With a little sigh, she walked over to the window and opened it, letting in the pleasantly cool evening breeze.

She was just about to walk to the bed when a sudden presence from behind her made her glance over her shoulder at the ghostly form of Ardbert.

"Now you are the Warrior of Darkness. Quite ironic, isn't it?" he asked, and it almost sounded like there was a hit of amusement in his voice.

"You do know..." she turned to face him. "...that this is my room, right?"

"I do. That's what makes it such a good place to talk. What would people say if they saw you conversing with yourself?" he shrugged. "They can neither see nor hear me, or did you forget?"

"No. No, I didn't," S'eni replied, sitting down on the windowsill. "So, what is it you wanted to talk about?"

Ardbert seemed to hesitate for a moment before inquiring, "Those twins. I've seen them fight alongside you in the past. Have you known them for long?"

"Yeah. Not as long as the others, but we've still been through a lot."

"Hm. I figured as much. You'd do well to keep an eye out for their safety. It's easy to lose sight of what's important when you set out to save the world."

Looking away from her, he turned his eyes towards the night's sky instead, his gaze growing distant.

"I wonder when it was...that I lost sight of it?" he asked, more so himself than her. "I just got so tired of it all on my journey: the pain of losing friends...to see their memories trampled upon..." He shook his head, meeting her eyes once more. "You should get some sleep. It was a long day and I wouldn't want to deprive you of an actual good night's rest."

Without waiting for a reply, he turned around and left, vanishing through the wall just like last time.

"Ardbert..." when she had first met him, there had been a fire burning behind those blue eyes. A fire so strong and intense that it threatened to burn anyone who dared to step in the way of saving a world that had labeled him and his friends as villains.

And now, as she looked out towards the stars for one last time, she found herself wondering if he would be able to find the answers he sought.

 

---

 

Outside the Crystarium, on one of the many hills of Lakeland, stood a lone girl, staring up at the twinkling sea of stars covering everything as far as the eye could see.

Her short white dress and long blonde hair stood out in the darkness of the night, giving her the appearance of a ghost that would be gone as soon as one averted their eyes for just a second.

"So that's what lay hidden behind the Light all this time," the girl said, a note of awe in her voice at this strange, unknown, and slightly frightening sight

She raised a hand, letting it come to rest just above her heart and holding it there for a long moment. "...She's here. I have to see her."

A pair of glowing, crystal blue eyes looked towards the giant tower in the distance, and the girl began to walk.

 

Notes:

My, I wonder who that person at the end could be.

Chapter 73

The Oracle

 

The Oracle of Light. A symbol of hope, given flesh to fight back that which she is named for.

Over the last century, many have borne that name. Each a young maiden, with golden hair and eyes like sapphire, possessing extraordinary powers that made her immune to the Sin Eaters' corruption.

And every single one of them held the same name...Minfilia.

 

---

 

Il Mheg.

If she thought that Lakeland, with its lavender coloured trees and grass, was exotic, then Il Mheg looked straight out of a fairytale. Which she supposed was rather fitting given those that resided here.

Bright and colourful, flowers in every which way she turned, a large lake and a huge castle on a hill right in the center of it. Yes, this was the Kingdom of the Fairies alright.

Especially now that the fog had lifted and she could actually see it all.

As soon as they had arrived in the area, the Pixies had deigned it necessary to play a few games with them, ones that largely involved for her to do a few inane and suffer a couple of pranks, which only resulted in them wanting to play all the more.

It would probably have gone on forever if not for Feo Ul telling their fellow Pixies off, even if they hadn't been willing at first because, apparently, she hadn't relied on her little friend as much as she should. But after a bit of grovelling on her part, her lovely branch had forgiven her and now they were steadily on track to where Urianger resided.

Though even now, Feo Ul's eyes remained a constant presence in the back of her mind, watching with just a tiny bit of heat in their gaze.

...Yes, she would definitely remember to call upon her little friend when she truly needed help in the future, lest she drew some serious ire.

Her musings were interrupted when she took notice of another gaze resting on her, and she turned her head to see the young girl they had rescued just hours prior staring at her with those large, crystal blue eyes.

The Oracle of Light. Minfilia.

She even had a similar pink ribbon weaved into her hair like the last time she had seen her.

But...she wasn't their Minfilia. That much was clear.

Like having been caught with her hand in the cookie jar, the girl abruptly averted her eyes, directing them back towards the road ahead and causing the corners of S'eni's lips to quirk upward in silent amusement.

She then turned her attention to the only other person with them, Thancred. He was dressed in a long white coat and a set of armor underneath that; while still a far cry from a bulky plate armor, it was still more constrictive than what he used to wear on the Source. With his shaved face and cut hair, he almost looked like how he did before that dreaded banquet in Ul'dah. But it was the hardened look in his eyes as he scanned the area which served as proof that time he spent on the First had only further pushed him away from the womanizer that had once so brazenly tried to woo her in the past.

S'eni would be lying if she claimed it didn't sting a little to see him like that.

It didn't take long for Thancred to notice her looking at him and returned the gesture with a cock of an eyebrow.

"Yes?" he asked.

Luckily for her, she had the perfect excuse resting right on his back. "So, you switched to a Gunblade? Interesting choice," she said.

Thancred glanced at the weapon in question. "I learned how to wield it during my travels through imperial territories. Didn't really make much use of it, though. But when I planned to rescue Minfilia here, I knew I needed a more defensively-minded style. So I placed a special order at the Crystalline Mean and, well, here we are."

"Oho, interesting." She held her hand out. "May I?"

His other eyebrow joined its twin and the corners of his lips rose slightly, before reaching for his Gunblade and handing it to her hilt first.

The three of them stopped and S'eni began with testing the weapon's weight while taking a few steps away from Thancred and Minfilia. After putting enough distance between them, she swung it around aimlessly a few times, then grabbed its hilt with both hands and lowered it in front of her face.

A moment passed and she sprung forward, swiping blade through the air in a series of precise slashes, using the momentum to always feed the next attack until she raised the blade high into the air, brought it down hard and—

Click!

"Hmm." She lowered the Gunblade and looked at the cylinder, giving it a good spin before walking over to Thancred and handing it back to him, saying, "Ammo needs recharging."

"Yes, I used the last one on Ran'jit." Opening the hilt, he unloaded the rounds into his hand and placed them in a small bag. "And I see you're still very good at surprising people."

S'eni just shrugged.

After he snapped the Gunblade close, Thancred placed the weapon on his back again. His face began to brighten.

"It's truly good to see you again," he said.

"I could say the same to you." She playfully bumped her fist into his arm. "Five years, huh? This is like Carteneau all over again."

"Only this time I didn't forget you."

They shared a chuckle while Minfilia could also look between the two of them in confusion.

"Say…" she began as they resumed their walk, face growing serious. "You haven't seen Shtola recently, have you?"

He shook his head. "Haven't seen her at all since she left for the forest and Rak'tika wasn't exactly on our list of places to hide in. It's not exactly the safest of places. But Urianger stays in regular contact with her and last time we spoke, he said she was doing well."

"Ah. Alright," she said, releasing a small sound of relief despite her feeling of disappointment. She was alright. That was going to have to be enough for now.

Soon after, the three of them reached what looked to be the only house that nature hadn't yet claimed standing amidst this sea of bright, colorful flowers.

"I present to you, Urianger's humble abode," Thancred said.

"Humble," she scoffed. "It's bigger than what most people own."

"Well, it did once belong to a noble."

"Hm." S'eni tilted her head. "It's shaped quite oddly, isn't it?"

Though from what Thancred had told her, the previous owner was a collector of many tomes, so perhaps he hadn't been all there in the head when he had this place built.

Thancred shrugged. "Come, let's see if he's home."

After knocking on the large double doors, they stepped inside. The place looked even bigger from the inside, spacious room filled with bookshelves and other scientific objects befitting a scholar. A pleasant aroma hung in the air from the various herbs growing in pots and hanging from the ceiling.

Yes, she could very much imagine Urianger living here.

"Urianger, are you in?" Thancred called out.

A moment passed, then the familiar voice of her friend called back, "Unto a world-weary of heroes, a hero wends her way. The Exarch did send word that thou wouldst seek me out, but ne'er did I imagine thou wouldst arrive so soon..."

S'eni turned to see Urianger walking down the set of stairs leading to the upper floor. His head was uncovered for once, making it easier to see the smile forming on his lips as he looked at her.

"Full glad am I to see thee once more, my friend, and none the worse for thy travails."

"And I'm glad to see you doing alright as well," she chuckled. Guess even time here didn't make him any less eloquent.

"Minfilia," Thancred said. "Could you leave us for a moment?"

"But I—"

He pulled out the bag with the Gunblade rounds and held it out towards her. "Imbue these in the meantime, if you'd be so kind."

Minfilia looked like she obviously wanted to say something, but grabbed the bag and gave a nod instead before walking out. As S'eni watched the girl leave, a frown formed on her features.

"I take it thou hast met with our other comrades already?" Urianger asked after the doors had closed again.

"Yeah. Well, Alphinaud and Alisaie," she replied and proceeded to tell him about what had happened since her arrival.

"That Master Alphinaud and Misstress Alisaie now travel in thy company is of great comfort to me. As for the rest..." his face darkened. "It beginneth in earnest. The hunting of the Lightwardens, and perforce the war with Eulmore. Hark thee, then, to my words and through them behold the vision that I did glimpse—that of the Eight Umbral Calamity."

She nodded, eyes growing hard. "Tell me."

S'eni listened intently as he told her of what he had seen as he drifted towards the First. How the combined forces of Eorzea and the Far East fought bravely against the might of the Empire, throwing themselves into battle and, eventually, turning the tide and pushing the enemy back. The Garleans, fearing that defeat was near, turned towards their newest weapon, the Black Rose.

Once released, it wreaked havoc in all of Eorzea and, much to the Garleans' shock, the provinces of the Empire. None escaped its deadly touch, even the soil of the areas it had been unleashed on became nothing more than barren dirt. Soon enough chaos broke out and the entire world became a battlefield for survival.

And those who would have risen to restore order...dead. Her included.

Even after the Exarch had told her about that fact, and she had time to process it, it was still quite surreal to hear it come from Urianger's mouth. So that's how it happened. Killed by—

"—the Black Rose."

"Thou hast heard the name before?" Urianger asked.

"On the Source, after you fell unconscious. But I thought they managed to sabotage the production…"

"Be that as it may, we must forestall this tragedy, no matter the cost. To that end, I have laboured during my sojourn in this world, discovering in so doing the answer to a pressing mystery. Black Rose's inexplicable potency. Come, I shall show thee."

 

---

 

Well, that was certainly illuminating... S'eni thought as she stepped outside. So the elemental poles were inverted on the First, with Darkness being the pole of activity and growth, while Light was the pole aligned with passivity. And it was the Light flowing from the First into the Source that caused the aetherical thinning that Y'shtola and Urianger had observed in the past, which in turn was the root cause of Black Rose's devastating destruction.

It didn't change their objective at all, but it gave it a much-needed context; quell the Light and avert the Calamity caused by Black Rose.

And for that, they needed to destroy the Lightwardens.

Sounds almost simple now, doesn't it? She looked out towards Lyhe Ghiah, the castle atop the hill in the middle of the lake where Il Mheg's Lightwarden was locked inside. They knew where it was, but getting to it, well, that was another matter entirely.

First they needed to receive the permission of the people of Il Mheg; starting with the pixies.

S'eni looked down at the receptacle in her hand, then tugged it under her arm and made to walk down the small cobblestone path leading away from Urianger's house when her ears caught a sound coming from her right, making her stop.

Rounding the house, she found Minfilia sitting on a small bench, her head lowered and holding a glowing Gunblade round between her fingers. After the glow subsided, she placed it on a small pile of already imbued rounds and reached into the bag to pull out another empty one. Looking at her, it was easy to mistake that she was entirely focused on her task, but the mechanical way in which she did it told S'eni that her thoughts were actually far away.

Her earlier frown returning, she walked over and stopped just a few steps away from her, truly taking in the girl's appearance since they had rescued her.

She couldn't be more than 14, maybe 15 tops, which meant, according to Moren, that Eulmore had discovered her when she was still very small. Locked away at such a tender age.

And from the look of things, these past three years hadn't been easy either, travelling from one place to another, always running away from her pursuers while also carrying with her a burden that no child should ever have to bear.

Just another symbol of how utterly broken this world was.

Closing her eyes for a moment, she sighed through her nose and bridged the gap between them, kneeling down in front of her and letting her lips form a smile. Minfilia's eyes widened and she jumped a little in surprise as she finally noticed her presence.

"Hey," S'eni said. "You alright sitting out here all alone?"

The girl blinked twice, then looked around. "O-Oh, uh, yes. It's actually my favourite spot. I always sit here when we come to visit Urianger. It's where I imbue Thancred's ammunition."

"Hmm, so you two come here often?"

Minfilia gave a small nod. "No one ever comes here for fear of the Fae, so it's one of the best places to hide from Eulmore."

"That means you know your way around here quite well, right?"

"I suppose so."

"Great! Because I don't, and that means..." Her smile widened and she held up the receptacle. "...you can help me."

"Oh...hmm." Minfilia looked down to the Gunblade round in her hand. "I...don't know. I really should finish these."

Reaching out, S'eni picked it up and held it between her fingers. "You can still do that after we're done and it would go much faster with you helping me."

The girl looked conflicted for a moment, eyes shifting between the ammo and her face a few times, before finally relenting. "Alright."

"Good." Taking a few steps back, she let her put everything away and rise to her feet.

"So what do you need help with?"

"Urianger wants me to find a Hawker. Problem is, I don't know what it looks like, just that it should be around here somewhere," she explained.

"I see. If I recall correctly, they like the area near the lake."

"Alright, let's go then."

The two of them headed down the path leading away from Urianger's house and from there headed westward towards the lake, where they began to look around.

From the way Minfilia described it, a Hawker looked much like a Gadfly on the Source, just colored a much more vibrant green, and without her, she might just have thought it would be one and moved on in search for something else.

"Over there! By the tree." Minfilia pointed up ahead, where a single Hawker was buzzing around.

"So, Urianger wants it captured. They're not easily scared, are they?"

"No, quite aggressive actually."

She nodded and held the box out towards her. "I'll get its attention and weaken it, you'll sneak around and capture it from behind. Think you can do that?"

"Yes. Thancred taught me how to fight and hide," the girl replied, taking the offered item.

"Then let's see how good of a teacher he was." Offering her a little grin, S'eni gave her shoulder a pat and began to stalk over to the Hawker, picking up a rock on her way that she tossed at it once she was closer.

Its reaction was almost instantaneous, zipping around then towards her with a loud buzzing of its wings. Like its lookalikes on the Source, the Hawker tried using its nimble body to outmaneuver her, but this wasn't her first dance with its ilk and soon enough she had gotten in a few good hits that made it struggle to stay in the air.

Minfilia in the meantime had managed to close in on the vilekin from behind, holding the box in one hand while raising the lid with the other.

"Now!" Jumping forward, the girl slipped the wounded Hawker into the receptacle and slammed it shut in one swift motion.

"Nice one!" S'eni said, holding her palm up into the air and looking expectantly towards Minfilia, who only tilted her head in confusion. "Come on, don't leave me hanging here."

"Oh..." looking down at her hand, the girl slowly raised it into the air. "Like this?"

Minfilia gingerly clapped her hand against S'eni's.

"That's the spirit!" she chuckled and watched as the corners of her younger friend's lips curled into a faint smile. "Much better. You should smile more often."

Like earlier, Minfilia's eyes widened as if caught at something she shouldn't have done and she dropped her smile, all but pushing the box into S'eni's hands. "I-I think we should head back."

The girl was turning around to leave but stopped when S'eni spoke up.

"Strange, isn't it?" She looked up at the sky covered in Light. "Just a few hours' march away from here you could see the sun hanging high above our heads right now. Say, what did it feel like? To suddenly see the regular sky, I mean."

"I always knew that there was something beyond the Light, but to actually see it…" Minfila replied after a moment of silence, stepping up next to her and looking up at the sky as well. "...It was kind of frightening at first."

"I can only imagine. Knowing nothing but this sight then, all of a sudden, blackest night."

"But it was also...beautiful."

"It is." the corners of her lips rose as she lowered her gaze to the ground and plucked two flowers from it, looking at them before offering one to Minfilia.

"A flower?" the girl asked.

"Uh-huh." S'eni nodded then reached out to place it into her hair.

A gasp escaped Minfilia, hand rising up to touch the petals now resting just above her ear, and her bright blue eyes stared at her in silent question.

"Girls like us should look pretty, don't you think?" she asked, smiling softly and placing the other flower into her own hair.

Seemingly not knowing what to say, her young friend dropped her eyes to the ground, a little bit of red starting to stain her cheeks in a way that made S'eni giggle. She then placed a hand on her back.

"Now we can head back."

 

Notes:

Enter Minfilia, our dear Oracle of Light. I'm sure she doesn't need any introduction.

I hope you liked this little scene here, because it was honestly a delight to write. She's a precious one and needs to be protected.

Well, that's it for this week. See you all on monday! o/

Chapter 74

His Majesty

 

Another Lightwarden defeated, another land freed of the Light.

I wonder what it must feel like to the Fae Folk, to finally have night again. And a new king I suppose, whatever that means for beings trapped in the moment as they are. For all we know, they've already forgotten about it.

Well, not all I suppose. Not the Amaro. Not Seto...

...Nevermind. There was more important things to worry about. Like the appearance of a certain Ascian.

 

---

 

A small sigh of relief escaped her as they set foot into the Crystarium, not just because they had returned from their journey, but also because it looked like the city had been spared Eulmore's wrath after they had escaped Il Mheg.

And she wagered after the thrashing they had received at the hands of the Fae Folk, their newest enemies would heed caution before pursuing them again. At least for a little while.

She certainly was glad that they were in the Fae's good graces. Having them for enemies was a terrifying thought. But she supposed having their newest king as her lovely little branch had its perks.

Though she supposed it was not so little branch now, with how much they now towered over her after becoming the new Titania.

Isn't that right, your majesty? She asked inside her mind, receiving an amused giggle in return.

"My, how formal my little sapling has become," came the prompt answer. "Maybe I should have become king much sooner then. Just remember to call upon your beautiful branch whenever you are in need. Now if you'll excuse me, I just spied the most delightful little thing in your world."

S'eni chuckled, drawing a questioning look from Alphinaud, but she just shook her head. Yes, she supposed nothing really changed between her and Feo Ul. Or was that Titania now?

She had to ask them the next time they spoke.

"The City appeareth unchanged from when last I visited," Urianger commented from next to her as they passed the Aetheryte. "There is the selfsame comforting hum of activity in the air."

"A nice change of pace from the Fae I take?"

"Indeed."

Stepping out onto the Exedra, a drop of water landing on her head made her look up at the cloud-covered sky; a mass of solid dark grey, yet still wonderfully beautiful compared to the glaring light from before. That single drop soon turned into a full shower and she closed her eyes to enjoy the feeling of it on her skin while faintly listening to her friends talk with each other.

Then, from one second to the other, her ears perked up at the sound of slow and deliberate steps, walking towards her.

Opening her eyes again, she turned around to see a man walking towards her, dressed in a rich-looking military coat adorned with gold. A white streak went through his otherwise dark brown hair, combed in such a way that made it look like he had decided to have stylish bangs.

And in the center of his forehead, the pearl-like Third Eye of a Garlean.

She frowned.

"You certainly took your time," the man spoke up, earning himself the attention from the others. "I had half resolved to complete the task myself."

"And you are?" Alisaie asked, but it was Urianger that replied.

"If one were to study the annals of Garlean history, one would find yonder visage on many a page. Though by rights its youth should long since have faded."

"Well, well, we have a historian in our midst. That spares me a lengthy explanation." The man let his pale yellow eyes wander over their group before landing on S'eni. "I am Solus zos Galvus, founding father of the Garlean Empire. And, under various guises, the architect of a myriad of imperially inclined nations."

She knew who he was. Gaius had told her about him.

"And since Elidibus is still traipsing around in Zenos' body that can only mean that you're Emet-Selch," she said.

"Another well-informed one! But please, let me introduce myself properly." he raised his hand and lowered it across his face, revealing the red glowing symbol that marked him as an Ascian. He bowed. "Emet-Selch. Ascian."

"A native of the Source..." Alisaie said.

Thancred's hand reached for his Gunblade. "Equal in rank to Lahabrea. And you came all this way just to introduce yourself to us?"

The red mark faded and Emet-Selch turned around with a flourish, reaching his hands up towards the sky.

"Behold the sky, restored to its former glory! Have you ever seen a more affecting spectacle? Oooh, it's truly, deeply…" His arms dropped. "…Infuriating. Do you have any idea how much you delayed the Rejoining?"

He turned around again and S'eni saw the spark of amusement gone as he glared at them.

"Following the Flood, the First had been moving further towards the Light─towards stasis. The end was in sight! Had mankind continued to live in idleness under Vauthry's rule, all the conditions would have been met…" gritting in his teeth, Emet-Selch became visibly angry now and pointed a gloved finger at her. "But you...you had to ruin it all! Thanks to your meddling, Light's supremacy is in doubt, and our painstakingly laid plans are in tatters!"

"You have to excuse me if I don't feel particularly bad hearing that," she replied dryly, crossing her arms in front of her chest as she returned his glare. "Actually, I kind of like it. Can you say it again?"

"We should be thanking you, really," Thancred said, letting go of his weapon once more. "For confirming Urianger's theories on the inner workings of the Calamity. Now, I suggest you admit defeat and walk away."

"Happy to let me go, eh?" Emet-Selch scoffed. "Because the murderous glint in your eyes tells me something else."

The Ascian sighed and proceeded to rearrange his coat after his little outburst just now.

"Look, it did cross my mind to simply side with Vauthry and kill you all. But that's no different from what Lahabrea did—"he picked some lint from his sleeve and flicked it away. "—and we know how well that worked out for him, don't we?"

She didn't reply. Taking that as a sign to continue, he took a few steps forward until he stood almost in front of her, forcing her to look up at him.

"And so, while it's liable to be troublesome, I have settled on a different approach, cooperation! I will not raise a hand to hinder your hunt for the Lightwardens. If you desire it, I will even lend you my knowledge and strength."

"Since time immemorial, you and your kind have labored to rejoin the thirteen shards, at the cost of countless lives," Alphinaud said. "Do you expect us to believe that your objective has suddenly changed? "

"No. Our objective is the same as it ever was, though I daresay you don't know our motive. A war waged without knowledge of the enemy is no war, it's nothing more than bloodletting. Just once...might we not try to find common ground?" Emet-Selch did a lazy shrug. "For good or ill, I'm immortal. Should I have the inclination, I can always start over. Scheme and conspire to my heart's content. But this time, I thought that I might instead try to see eye to eye. To understand what drives the hero of the Source. To determine if our goals are truly incompatible. So come. Shed your preconceptions and see beyond the unscrupulous villains you take us for. Who knows? We might find ourselves pleasantly surprised, the proud discoverers of a path of cooperation rather than opposition."

Cooperation? Yeah, right. But before S'eni could give him her rebuttal, a card was flung towards him, causing him to disperse in a dark cloud as it connected.

"Thou hast delivered thy proposal, and we would not dismiss it outright," Urianger said. "If I may offer thee counsel, however: to make thy case via an illusion reflecteth poorly upon thy sincerity."

"Hmm, my apologies," Emet-Selch replied and they all whirled around to see him standing a good distance away. "You will have to forgive me if I was a bit overly cautious in the presence of a famous Ascian-slayer. But your counsel is duly noted. Anyway, I take my leave for now. Rest assured, we shall meet again soon."

Turning around, he gave them all a dismissive wave of his hand before vanishing through a portal of darkness.

"Well, that was different," S'eni said after a long moment of silence.

"So that was an Ascian..." Minfilia breathed out.

"That one of Emet-Selch's standing should willingly reveal himself unto us, and at this of all junctures, is...most interesting." Urianger rubbed his chin.

"Yeah. He must've been watching us for a while," she said. But since when? Her arrival? Or even before that?

"Well, we've certainly been given much to think about, but first things first: we should report to the Exarch," Alisaie said and turned towards her. "In light of recent events, I'd say you earned a rest, S'eni. We can handle this little task ourselves, so go on and get some sleep. We'll see you later."

Eyebrows rising, she looked from Alisaie to the others, who all nodded in agreement.

"Fine." she shrugged. "Guess I've been voted off."

Alisaie chuckled and patted her arm before turning around and making for the tower. S'eni watched her friends for a moment longer, then left in the direction of the Pendants, a sigh passing her lips.

Truth be told she was pretty beat. Gaining access to Lyhe Ghiah had been strenuous already, but then having to battle the previous king of the Fae turned Lightwarden on top of that? It was no wonder that the bit of rest they had gotten on their way back to the Crystarium had done little to quell her fatigue.

Yes, sleeping in an actual bed would do her some good.

When she entered the Pendants, she was greeted by the Manager of Suites, "Ah, we've been expecting you."

She blinked. "You were?"

"Very much so. You will find refreshments laid out in your quarters. We hope they are to your liking."

"I see. Thank you."

Almost as soon as she stepped through the doors of her room, S'eni found said refreshment on the table in the form of a can of tea and a basket full of sandwiches that looked absolutely delicious. She took the can and filled herself a cup, inhaling the slightly spicy scent before taking a hearty sip from it and letting out an appreciative sigh.

Her eyes fell on the handwritten missive lying next to the tablet.

I hope the last few days haven't been overly taxing. Please take your rest and recover.

- Crystal Exarch.

"From the Exarch, is it?" Ardbert suddenly appeared next to her. "With that mirror of his, he can watch your every move, you know. He'll probably think you're talking to yourself."

"Well, in case he asks, I'll just say it's my one and only stress relief," she replied lightly and took another sip.

"Heh." he chuckled. "He's keeping you well-fed at least, and judging by his people's faith in him, he seems to be a decent sort. But so much about him remains shrouded in mystery. Like what was he doing back in my day? There was no such person when I was around. I know little more than you do of this city's history and the Exarch's past."

"Yeah, I know what you mean." The Crystal Exarch was very good at deflecting questions of personal nature, and the Echo vision of Y'shtola from a couple of days ago just reinforced that aura of secrecy surrounding him.

"Not that it matters. It's Emet-Selch we should be concerned about," Ardbert said, crossing his arms and frowning in thought. "When our world was about to be consumed by Light, the Ascian in white appeared before us. He said that the only way for us to live on was to bring about the Rejoining. We were so desperate that we heeded words without question, not realizing that the Flood was of the Ascians' own making. They can't be trusted. None of them. But he's right, one shouldn't fight blindly. It's what we did and it-"

He stopped suddenly when she held out a sandwich towards him. His eyes wandered from the food towards her face. "Want one too?" she asked, a playful smile forming on her lips as she bit into the one in her other hand.

"Oh ha ha," was his dry reply. "But I get you, it's not exactly the most appetizing of topics. Hm, that reminds me of that one time my friends and I were forced to collect ingredients for some godsforsaken feast. If it sounds ridiculous, it's because it was."

S'eni's eyes widened slightly at his words. "Huh, that sounds like something I had to do once too."

"What? You too?" he let out a laugh. "Parallel worlds, eh? So what sorts of things did you have to fetch."

"Well, there was the Goblin cheese for which I had to slay a dragon…" She began to tell him about the trials and tribulations of gathering these ingredients, which soon evolved into many other different misadventures that she had been involved in. He listened attentively, nodding and sometimes commenting or asking something. After a while though, there was something that she wanted to know.

"Tell me about Seto," S'eni said, taking another sandwich and biting into it.

"What is there to say, really…He's done some growing. When we were travelling together, he was nowhere near as big. And he couldn't speak obviously." Ardbert's lips curled into a fond smile and he looked out into the distance. "I had no idea how much that medallion meant to him…"

From the way the Amaro had spoken of him, it was evident just how much Ardbert meant to him. If only he knew that the words he told her had also reached his former owner.

"What about you?" he looked at her then. "You must have a friend like him too. A Chocobo perhaps?"

Now it was her turn to smile fondly and she nodded. "Yeah. His name's Zack."

"What's he like?"

"Friendliest Chocobo you'll ever find. Though he still packs a mean kick," S'eni said. "And I suppose he's a bit of a glutton at times."

After having heard Seto's words, she found herself wondering what Zack must be thinking about her. Would he also remember her fondly? Was he missing her?

Though she supposed not a lot of time must have passed for him on the Source. Still, part of her wished he could be here with her, but another part was glad that he didn't have to see this broken world. Guess I just have to make it up to him with some extra fresh greens when I'm back.

They continued to talk a little bit more about their respective partners in crime before Ardbert took his leave once again to let her get some sleep.

And as S'eni laid down on her bed, she couldn't help but think back to something else Seto had said to her.

What did he mean about her soul being reminiscent of Ardbert's?

 

Notes:

Entering everyone's favorite Ascian. In the next chapter, our heroes will finally set foot into the Rak'tika Greatwoods!

Chapter 75

Notes:

[Civilizations intensifies]

I hope you like La-HEE, because where we're going there is only La-HEE.
...
Otamatone instrument for Bard when?

Underneath the Trees' Shade

 

Back in my day, the forest of Rak'tika had already been a place where man tread carefully, where nature ruled and he was barely tolerated on the best of days.

But it was also a place of untold secrets from a past age and those were sometimes even more enticing than any promise of tomorrow.

Today, only those who have decided to worship the Dark walk amongst these trees. As do those bound by duty.

What do I mean? Well, you'll find out soon enough, I'm sure.

 

---

 

Unlike Il Mheg, where the fog had shrouded everything, S'eni could clearly see the sky shift from a beautiful blue into the glaring white of the Light the closer they got to their next destination, and by the time they arrived in the Rak'tika Greatwoods it was so bright that even the dense canopy above their heads barely managed to shield them from it.

Yet despite that, the sight of this arboreal landscape, reaching out like defiant hands towards the very thing that plagued this world, instilled her with a sense of awe and made her wonder if somewhere, deep within this domain of untamed wilderness, there were trees that could even rival those gargantuan ones in the Black Shroud.

But even that seemed to be of little consequence to the burning eagerness deep inside of her.

She was here. Y'shtola was here.

Now she only needed to find her.

"We have arrived," Urianger said as they came to a stop. "Vast though these woods may be, they are, by and large, uninhabitable. Not so the swamps of Citia, however, whose sparse foliage permitted man a foothold."

Almost as soon as he had finished his little explanation, the sound of footsteps began to approach them, and she didn't even have to turn around to know who it was. She had only heard that almost lackadaisical footfall once, but it had already burned itself into her memory.

"Emet-Selch," she greeted him, but he paid her little mind as he walked past them all to stop a few steps up ahead, opening his arms wide.

"'No lands must remain beyond our grasp. Go forth. Conquer. Rule!'" he chuckled. "Forgive me. A sudden pang of nostalgia for those early days. Exploring virgin territories, subjugating primitive people. All for the glory of Garlemald!"

"If you've brought your ivory standard, I'll be happy to tell you where to stick it," Thancred replied in a dry tone.

S'eni could almost hear the Ascian's eyes roll. "Can't we just take a moment to enjoy the view together?" he asked while turning around. "Or would you rather that I keep spying on you from the shadows? More of this and I might actually regret my show of good faith."

His tone alone told her he wasn't taking Thancred seriously in the slightest.

"If..." Minfilia then said. "If you really want to stay, then at least help us fight."

They all turned to look at her in surprise, even Emet-Selch seemed to be taken aback by that notion for all of a second before an amused smile crossed his features.

"Mmh...no." He gave a lazy shrug. "I'm an observer, nothing more. And remember, we Ascians are tied to the Dark. Even as shaded as we are here, I can still feel the Light's presence all too keenly. To accompany you is taxing enough, to fight, out of the question."

"So...you're practically useless is what you're saying," S'eni commented.

"Yes..." Another, now very much open eyeroll. "You might say so."

"Alright." She looked at the others. "He tries something funny, I'll give him a spanking so harsh even his spare body on the Source will feel it."

Thancred uncrossed his arms, obviously displeased, but he still nodded. "Fine, I'll suffer your company, if I have to, but not your commentary."

The Ascian bowed, and they were on their way once more.

"If he never opened his mouth again, it would be too soon," Thancred muttered only a few minutes into their march, making S'eni chuckle.

"Ascians sure love to talk, don't they? Just try to not let him get under your skin."

His eyes narrowed. "Hm. Easier said than done."

Watching him move towards Urianger, S'eni frowned. The time he had spent as Lahabrea's host still plagued him it seemed. She then looked towards their Emet-Selch, walking just a few steps away from her and glancing around with a look of absolute boredom on his face. It didn't take long for him to notice her staring.

"What is it?" he asked. "Do you expect me to entertain you with friendly banter now?"

Her first instinct was to tell him off, but she stopped herself from doing so. She never really had the opportunity to just talk with an Ascian before. Usually when she had a run-in with them in the past it was either manipulation upon manipulation or just open hostilities, and while she couldn't discount Emet-Selch lying, she also felt that she should make use of the opportunity.

Besides, he was the one that offered them cooperation, and that involved talking. "There is actually something I'd like to know."

A sigh. "Oh, very well. Consider it my latest act of good faith. So what is it I may enlighten you with?"

"Why pick this form here on the First?" she asked, pointing at the center of her forehead. "You're kind of standing out with that."

"Well, well, what a curious question. Mortal flesh is nothing more than a vessel in which we Ascians transfer our souls, moulding it as fits the occasion. Or not, if we desire. Be it a year or a millennium, I prefer to retain the same form until my duty is done. So after arriving here, I fashioned some hapless body into the man you see before you," he explained.

"That...sounds gruesome." Her face contorted in mild disgust.

"But as your friend over there can attest, there are those of us who forgo such alterations. Ah, Lahabrea, always the rash one. Jumping from vessel to vessel, never heeding the toll it took on him."

"Elidibus seems to be good at that as well, seeing how he's currently occupying your great-grandson's corpse," she said.

"Hm." was all he deigned to reply to that, effectively ending the conversation, but it still gave her a bit to think about. So changing hosts was taking a toll on them?

That line of thought quickly vanished though, as a feeling of deja vu made her stop in her tracks. She knew this area...had seen it in her vision. This was where Y'shtola had walked. She was sure of it.

Shtola… resuming her walk, she quickly caught up to the others again and fell into step next to Urianger.

"So where exactly are we headed?" He had told her that she was with a group called Night's Blessed, those that worshipped the Dark that had come here to seek sanctuary, but he didn't really say where exactly they were located. What he did mention though was that, to follow this group's customs, had taken a different name.

Matoya.

It was almost like she demanded to be ribbed.

"Two years past, a swarm of Sin Eaters did lay waste unto the Blessed's largest settlement, killing a great many of their priests in so doing. Though some few did survive, they knew not how to go on. Wayward souls in want of a guiding hand. For a mercy, Y'shtola hath provided that which they sorely needed," he told her. "They have since endeavoured to restore their home, and thither shall we bend our steps, to Fort Gohn."

But as they arrived at said Fort Gohn, or rather the burned down ruins of what once clearly used to be it, there were no signs of said endeavour.

"Well, where's this friend of yours we've come to meet?" Emet-Selch quipped.

Minfilia frowned. "There's no one here..."

"Hmm. Mayhap Y'shtola sought shelter elsewhere."

Looking around, her eyes came to rest upon the remains of a watchtower, slowly travelling up the barely standing structure until they reached the top.

The Sin Eaters really had done a number to this place.

A sudden pain then shot through her head, causing a low hiss to escape her as her mind was offered another vision.

 

Fire was raining from the sky, turning the vast sea of trees into a giant blaze that threatened to swallow everything. Scream and shouts, as well as bestial roars and other such monstrous sounds, pervaded the air, only to be drowned out by loud boom of explosions as balls of burning dread struck into the already battered fort.

A figure stood atop the tower, looking at the carnage, face obscured by their hood.

Another figure, Urianger, stepped out onto the platform, stopping a few paces behind the smaller one.

"What sayeth thou, Master Matoya?" he asked, holding up the three worn tarot cards in his hand. "We may accept this fate, or defy it, but we cannot deny it."

"Deny?" the familiar husky voice of Y'shtola replied. "You should know well I'm not one to run from my troubles."

One of the burning trees collapsed under its own weight, crushing a palisade wall and creating a wave of hot air that made Y'shtola's hood blow off her head, revealing pale eyes that glimmered in the light.

"Until our friend arrives—" she gripped the staff in her hand tightly. "—I will hold the line."

Swinging it to the side, she readied herself for the Sin Eaters coming barrelling towards them.

"Eni..."

 

"Now! Surround them!"

As she was flung back into the present, S'eni found their group being encircled from all sides by people dressed in light robes, brandishing bows and staves that they levelled at them. Slowly, she began to raise her hands. Great, just what we needed.

A man approached. He was a Hrothgar, or rather, a Ronso, and very obviously the leader of this band. He looked at them for a few seconds before a look of visible confusion formed on his face.

"These Sin Eaters, they're not like the others!" he exclaimed.

"There's a reason for that," Thancred said immediately after. "Lower your weapons, please. We mean you no harm."

"How is it they can speak?" a man with a bow asked as whispers began to go through the gathered crowd.

"It's a Sin Eater trick. They mean to kill us all!"

S'eni looked around, watching as the confusion on their leader's face passed onto the others. She opened her mouth to say something, to try and explain that they were obviously no Sin Eaters.

Instead, though, she said, "Uh...kupo?"

"...That will seem a lot less amusing when we're forced to kill them," Thancred muttered.

Another wave of whispers passed through their ambushers.

"Oh for the love of…" Emet-Selch turned his head to look at her. "I had hoped that by accompanying you, we might get to understand one another, but all I've come to understand is that you have a knack for inciting the natives. You've committed the cardinal sin of boring me and so I'll retire to the shade."

He smirked and, just before vanishing, added, "Good Luck."

"There! Did you see that one disappear?" someone asked.

Thancred groaned. "I think I preferred Lahabrea."

"Enough. Runar, report," the one voice she should pick out between a thousand others then echoed through the air, and she felt her heart do a little jump as she turned to look at the approaching form of Y'shtola. S'eni exhaled sharply.

Dressed in a long dark robe, consisting of an uneven layered skirt that swung with every step she took and a fur-lined bodice that hugged her body in just the right ways, she was striking a rather imposing figure that was no less beautiful to her. No...she actually looked even more beautiful than before.

Gods she had missed her.

The leader, who was apparently called Runar, turned towards Y'shtola. "We apprehended them as you ordered but...are you certain these are Sin Eaters?"

Y'shtola's eyes narrowed slightly as she turned her gaze away from him and towards them.

"The intense light of the aether I saw was unmistakable. If not Sin Eaters, then what?"

What!? The rush of joy was replaced by confusion and she shared a look with Urianger.

"'Tis passing queer that she should mistake us for the enemy, is it not?" he asked in whisper.

"Yeah, what's going on?"

"Mayhap it hath been too long since last she beheld the radiance of thine aether..." turning his gaze towards Y'shtola, he raised his voice again. "Master Matoya, hath time truly made strangers of us?"

"No, I recognize you Urianger, Thancred." Y'shtola crossed her arms firmly in front of her chest. "And this is Minfilia of the First, which you have mentioned before."

"Just so. And knowing as thou must that we come in peace, might I prevail upon thee to have thy comrades lower their arms?"

"First explain this other presence in your company. The one I don't know." Her heart skipped a beat, a look of shock forming on her face as those silvery-white eyes began to pierce into her like the sharpest of blades. "There's only one manner of creature in this world whose aether is filled with such an abundance of light."

Y'shtola thought she was a Sin Eater!?

Her mouth opened, but no words managed to come out, so it was Urianger who answered in her stead.

"Mine apologies, Master Matoya, but thou art mistaken. Before thee standeth our dear comrade, S'eni. The truest hero among us. Though she only recently arrived here, not one but two Lightwardens have already perished by her most puissant hand," he said and S'eni could see the hard look in her lover's eyes fade as they stared at one another.

"It—"

"Did you really think I was a Sin Eater?" she somehow managed to ask.

Y'shtola recoiled as if she had just been slapped, arms dropping to her side and eyes widening in disbelief. Slowly, she stepped forward, bridging the distance between them until she stood just in front of her.

"Eni...is that really you...?" she asked in an almost inaudible whisper.

"It's clearly been too long...Master Matoya," S'eni replied.

Squeezing her eyes shut, Y'shtola ran a half-gloved hand across her face before saying in a loud voice, "Lower your weapons. I...I made a mistake."

As everyone began to lower their weapons, S'eni and the others lowered their arms as well.

"Please forgive us for this hostile welcome," Y'shtola said, removing her hand and offering them an apologetic smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Come. I will give you a proper introduction to Rak'tika and its people."

"Lead the way," S'eni replied, her lips drawn in a straight line.

Together with the Night's Blessed, they left the ruins of Fort Gohn behind, heading north-eastward where their current settlement was located. S'eni hung in the back, her eyes focusing on Y'shtola while she led the way, a deep frown marring her features.

Was her aether really that similar to that of a Sin Eater?

She still remembered how Y'shtola had once described it. Bright like a beacon, like nothing she had ever seen before.

It seemed like the First had changed that quite thoroughly.

Up ahead, Y'shtola stopped for a moment to say something to that Runar fellow, who gave her a short nod and continued onward while letting herself fall back until she was next to S'eni.

They walked for a couple of minutes with an awkward silence hanging between them, occasionally glancing at the other until S'eni just couldn't take it anymore.

"Listen—"

"I—"

They both blinked, then chuckled, and the awkwardness dissipated a little.

"You first," S'eni said.

"I...wanted to apologize. For thinking you were a Sin Eater. It's just..."

"It's been three years?" she offered, trying to keep her tone light despite this fact having gnawed at her ever since the Exarch had told her.

"...That too. It hasn't been easy, you know?" Y'shtola turned her eyes to the beaten path in front of them, their friends growing smaller in the distance as they slowed down. "I have seen first hand what destruction they can bring."

"Yeah, I have too..."

"I take it you know about Urianger's vision?"

S'eni nodded. "Another Calamity, our world in tatters...and my death."

The other Miqo'te stopped, forcing her to do so as well. "When we first arrived here, I endeavoured to find a way back to the Source as swiftly as possible. But when I learned what was at stake and that the key to stopping it all might be here on the First, I chose to stay. Because the alternative would mean losing you…"

Pale eyes locked onto hers, and for a moment, S'eni couldn't do anything but stare at her. It didn't take long to regain her composure though and she reached out to gently take hold of one of Y'shtola's hands.

"Then I take it you're not tired of me yet after all this time?" she asked, the corners of her lips curling into a smile as she raised the hand to her cheek, brushing her thumb over the intricate silver claw adorning it.

Y'shtola let out a little laugh that was like music to S'eni's ears and shook her head. "I'm afraid not."

Unable to resist any longer, she pulled her lover in close, letting their foreheads come to rest upon one another. "Shtola..." she murmured, eyes slowly closing as she leaned in, but found herself sadly stopped by a finger placing itself on her lips.

"As much as I would like you to continue, and believe me I do, I'm afraid if you kiss me now I will be unable to stop myself, and our friends are undoubtedly awaiting our arrival."

She groaned inwardly, but begrudgingly had to admit that Y'shtola was right. Still...

"Can we at least stay like this? Just a little longer?"

"Absolutely."

They remained like this for a moment longer, just basking in each other's company, and her smile grew when she felt soft fingers dig into the fabric on her back. Eventually though, they separated.

"So, I believe you wished to properly introduce me to the Night's Blessed," S'eni said.

"I did." The other Miqo'te nodded. A frown then formed on her face. "Eni...are you truly alright?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

A look of...something flashed across Y'shtola's face, but it was gone almost instantly. "I suppose you're right."

"Are you alright?" she asked in return.

"Yes. Yes, I am." a small smile. "Now come, it's not much further."

"After you, Master Matoya."

Y'shtola released a huff. "You're not going to let me live this down, are you?"

"Hah, never!"

Resuming their walk, Y'shtola told her a little about these parts of the Rak'tika Greatwoods, which she had grown very familiar with during her two years long stay here. Just like with the Black Shroud, the further one left the beaten path, the more likely they were to encounter the much less friendlier side of nature.

After a while, they came to a stop in front of a long tunnel leading to what she suspected was the Blessed's settlement. Y'shtola turned to face her, tilting her head to the side and raising her hand towards the entrance.

"Welcome to Slitherbough, home of the Night's Blessed."

 

Notes:

Yay, Y'shtola is back! Ah, but I wonder what might have her so worried?

Ok, so as some of you might notice, I modified the dialogue from the Shadowbringers trailer/intro a bit there. Largely because the way that one was framed made it seem like everything that happened was happening at the same time (so Derplander fighting the Sin Eater, the attack on Fort Gohn, and Minfilia being rescued) and so the line Y'shtola said there also sounded as if they were waiting for Derplander to return to them from what he was doing there. But as we know, all that happened before we even arrive on the First so I changed it to make it sound like she was going to hold the line until S'eni actually arrives on the First, since she was hardly "returning" after all.

Chapter 76

Guardians of Ronka

 

Millenia ago, what are now the Rak'tika Greatwoods, was once the heart of the mighty Ronkan Empire. Much like your Allag, Ronka ruled over vast parts of Norvrandt, perhaps even the First. Up until the Flood, finding the secrets of this ancient civilization was the pastime of adventurers and scholars alike.

But with the Flood, many of their ruins were destroyed, and now only the ones in this forest remain largely unmolested, thanks to the efforts of those that have been bound by their duty to the royal family.

The Viis.

 

---

 

Unlike the swamp of Citia, the part of Rak'tika called Yx'Maja was almost entirely free of the Light, as the canopy of the giant trees was so thick that barely anything seemed to pass through it. Only occasionally, when the winds rustled through the leaves, did its glare show itself, reminding everyone that it was still there to torment them.

It was a little ironic that the Lightwarden would be hiding here, where its presence was the least felt. Or quite clever actually.

But that didn't matter. What mattered was that they would find it, and fast. The lives of the Blessed depended on it.

Not long after their arrival, troops from Eulmore had arrived in search of them, delivering an ultimatum to the Blessed and poisoning some of their people to force them to comply.

The Blessed had refused of course and were ready to fight, but the fact was that they would never be able to withstand the assault of a trained army. Thus the only thing left was to go on the offensive and slay that which Eulmore had come to protect.

"Amazing..." S'eni heard from next to her, making her tear her gaze away from the sight above and turn it towards Minfilia instead, who was looking around with wide eyes. "I've never seen a place like this before..."

"Quite a sight, isn't it?" she smiled.

"It is." The girl nodded. "Are there forests like these on the Source as well?"

"Similar ones, but not exactly like these. One I've seen even had people like the Viis guarding it," S'eni told her, earning a surprised look from Minfilia.

"Really?"

She hummed. "And they're just as reclusive too."

Maybe even more so, since she very much doubted that waving an old seal around would make the Viera of Golmore Jungle less unwelcoming to outsiders.

Though I guess... S'eni thought, eyes falling on the path of blue flowers they've been following for a while now. ...we'll have to see if we're truly welcome now.

Almost as soon as they had entered, they had been ambushed by three sentinels and though they managed to stop the fight before it got serious, the leader of that small group was clearly not yet willing to trust them.

Feeling another pair of eyes on her that were obviously not from the Viis making sure they actually followed their instructions, she looked away from the flowers and saw Y'shtola watching Minfilia and her with quiet curiosity.

"Maybe I'll tell you a little more later," she said to Minfilia before heading over towards Y'shtola's side. "Hey, you."

"I see you're getting along with our other Minfilia."

"I suppose." She glanced over to the girl, who was now quietly talking to Thancred, and did a little shrug.

"Don't misunderstand me, I very much think it's a good thing. As much as Thancred is her protector and will do everything in his power to keep her safe, it's abundantly clear that his conflicting feelings make him blind to hers."

S'eni frowned. She had noticed that as well. Maybe she should have a talk with him after they were done here in Rak'tika.

"They say she's the Oracle of Light. A symbol of hope. But when I look at her, all I see is a girl that was robbed of her childhood." A giggle made her look back towards her lover and she was offered a little smile. "What?"

"It's good to see that your kindness is still very much intact. Or is this a hidden maternal streak finally bubbling to the surface?"

She scoffed, but couldn't truly deny the allegation. So instead she shot back with a smirk, "Does that make you the stern aunt?"

"Hmpf, someone has to keep you all in line, don't they?" Her smile grew. "So you better behave yourself or I will have to punish you."

She was just about to ask her just what kind of punishment she had in mind when Y'shtola raised her hand and looked up ahead.

"We have arrived."

Following the other Miqo'te's eyes, S'eni found her previous question about the size of the trees quite thoroughly answered by the sight of the village hanging in the shade of a canopy of branches, its circular platforms built around giant trunks and linked to one another via a series of suspended paths. The light coming from the huts and small domes built on top of them gave it the appearance of something straight out of a fairytale.

"Doesn't look that uninhabitable to me..." she murmured as they walked up the path leading up to the first platform where she found the three sentinels from earlier waiting for them.

When they were close enough, the one wielding a bow stepped forward, her long red hair moving with the motion. "I would see the seal, so that we can confirm its authenticity."

"Straight to the point, I see. Very well," Y'shtola replied and handed the seal over.

They watched as the three Viis huddled together to take a closer look.

"There is no mistaking the crest of the royal family," the sentinel said, turning the seal in her hand a few times and testing its weight. "It is of proper size and one can tell by its weight that it was made of gold. It is genuine."

She turned her attention back towards them. "We have waited for this moment for three thousand years, and now you are finally here. I welcome you, allies of Ronka. I am Almet, chieftainess of Fanow."

"Uimet, her younger sister," the one with the short, purple hair and wielding a spear said.

"Cymet, a pleasure," the polite-looking one with long, flame-colored hair added. "We were beginning to lose hope that you would come."

Y'shtola and S'eni shared a look. "I beg your pardon?"

"These are troubled times for our people," Almet said. "Though I can only imagine what has compelled you to venture into our woods. But you must be tired after your journey. Please, rest for now."

"If you'd like, I can show you around the village," Uimet offered with a grin.

They all looked at one another, then shared a nod. "We accept your gracious offer," Y'shtola said.

"Great! Though I got to warn you. It's a long way down to the forest floor, so watch your step!"

As they began to follow the Vii, S'eni dared a small glance over the edge, only to be greeted by darkness through which she could only faintly see the tree stumps.

Watch your step indeed...

 

---

 

"No, I have not seen the Lightwarden. I patrol the ruins' perimeter regularly, and if it were hiding nearby, I would know about it. I am sorry but that is all I can say."

"I see. Still, thank you."

The Vii nodded her head and S'eni left her to her own devices, letting out a sigh once she was far enough away that her long ears wouldn't pick up on it.

After a little tour through Fanow, they had met with Almet again, but quickly realized that the chieftainess had little to no knowledge regarding the whereabouts of the Lightwarden, as was the case with her sisters. They then received permission to ask the other Viis, with middling success so far.

"Three time's the charm," she muttered as she made her way across another hanging path. "But not exactly when you're looking for something."

Heading into the direction of Fanow's Aetheryte to see if the others were luckier than her, she came to a halt when she spotted a bench nearby. Another sigh escaped her as the aching in her feet made her realize just how long the day had been.

She needed a break.

S'eni walked over and let herself flop down on top of it, immediately leaning against the backrest while looking out into the forest. It was a magnificent sight, she had to admit, and part of her wondered how it must have been before the Flood, but right now, the vastness of the Greatwoods was more of a hindrance than anything since their quarry could be hiding anywhere.

Exhaling through her nose, she closed her eyes to let them rest a little.

...Just for a second.

 

The fire crackled underneath the pot, causing small clouds to rise in the air where they lazily dispersed into nothingness, leaving behind only the delicious smell of the cooking stew in their wake. In front of the pot stood Runar, gently stirring their food while she looked around idly, waiting for it to be finished while faintly listening to the sounds of nature.

"Hmm, strange..." the Ronso said after a moment, looking up from the pot "The others on patrol should have returned by now. Our food will be overcooked if we wait any longer."

He ran a hand through his beard, then turned his gaze towards her. "We just have to start without them. Would you call Master Matoya and the others?"

"Sure," S'eni replied and rose to her feet, heading towards the doors leading into Y'shtola's chambers, where Urianger and her had been holed up ever since they had returned from their recent excursion.

She had just raised her hand to knock, when her lover's voice echoed faintly from the inside. "I tire of these games, Urianger. Why do you pretend you can't see it!?"

Shtola?

"The blessing may spare her the fate of becoming a Lightwarden, but you can't be blind to the corruption. She isn't as she was on the Source!"

Her eyes widened. Corruption?

"I have no proof, but I fear the light pouring forth from the Wardens was not negated at all," she heard Y'shtola say, a strained edge in her voice. "And that it was instead absorbed by her, infusing her with their light."

"Though I have given thought to the possibility, I dare not speak until more is known," Urianger finally replied, in his usual calm tone.

"Enough!" The loud thump of a hand slapping wood filled the air. "By the time you deign to enlighten us, it might be too late. If it isn't already!"

A moment of silence passed, and S'eni stepped closer to the door to better listen, her tongue brushing over lips that had suddenly gone dry.

Y'shtola released a sigh, followed by the sound of boots on wood walking up and down.

"Urianger. I know, after all these years, that you only have the best of intentions in mind. But that doesn't make it any easier to put my trust in a man so infatuated with secrecy," her lover said. "I have had my suspicions ever since the Exarch invited you to speak with you that day, but now I have to ask. The Eight Umbral Calamity and all that followed, all you have claimed to have seen. Did you?"

Seconds passed with none of them saying anything, then…

 

She opened her eyes again, but instead of the refreshing feeling that a short nap would bring, she only felt more drained now at the memory.

S'eni raised her hand to look at it, turning it around and wiggling her fingers a little. She didn't feel any different, but she had no reason to doubt Y'shtola's words. In fact, it would explain why she of all people had confused her with a Sin Eater.

Just what in the blazes is going on?

But she pushed that question aside for now, as she felt a certain familiar presence appearing next to her and she turned her head to see Ardbert sitting there, looking out into the distance as well.

"So you finally met the Viis," he said.

"Past experiences?" she asked while lowering her hand.

"Not these ones specifically, but yes."

"Was that also part of your escort mission?"

Ardbert shook his head. "No, something more personal. For my friend, Lamitt. She was searching for a way to cure a sickness so we looked to the ancient Ronkans, which inevitably led us to Yx'Maja. Our greeting was about as friendly too."

"And did you find what you were looking for?"

"Eventually, but that's a whole story in itself." He shrugged. "And I doubt you'd have the time for it right now."

"Another time then?" she chuckled.

"Another time," he agreed, then turned his attention back to their surroundings. He frowned. "Even here the Flood has been felt. Whole villages lost to the ravages of the Sin Eaters...because of us."

"Ardbert..."

"I know what you're trying to say, but it still doesn't change that we were at least in part responsible." He gave her a small smile. "But thanks, S'eni. It's appreciated."

His eyes then moved past her. "I suppose I'll talk to you later then."

Before she could ask him why the sudden hurry, he had vanished, but she swiftly received her answer by Y'shtola calling out to her.

"Here you are. I was looking for you. Were you able to learn something about the Warden's whereabouts?"

Turning towards her, she managed not to stare at Y'shtola, as her earlier words resurfaced once again in the back of her mind, and shook her head instead.

"No, nothing so far."

"So same as I." Y'shtola sighed.

"Looks like you could use a break as well." S'eni patted the space where Ardbert had been just a few seconds ago.

"It has been a long day, hasn't it?" Sitting down, her lover too closed her eyes and let out a sigh, shoulders slumping a little bit.

S'eni stared at her for a moment, wondering if perhaps she should talk with her about what she had overheard earlier, but decided against it. She trusted Y'shtola, and was sure she would speak to her about it when the time was right.

So instead, she let herself smile.

"How are you feeling?"

"Frustrated," her lover replied. "Our Lightwarden is much more elusive than I expected. And the more time we're spending looking for it is more time for Eulmore to strike."

"Hey," she then said, her hand coming to rest on top of Y'shtola's. "We're going to find it and when this is over, the Blessed can finally pray under the night's sky. It'll be fine."

"I know it will." Opening her eyes, Y'shtola turned her hand to gently take hold of S'eni's, giving it a soft squeeze. "Because you're here now."

They shared a small smile.

"So, since we both clearly need to rest, how about we use the time to catch up?" she suggested.

"Hm, very well." Her lover nodded. "And if you don't mind, I already have a question."

"Sure."

"I couldn't help but overhear some of what you told Minfilia, so I assume you had some dealings with the Viera?"

"Yeah. Well, yes and no. It's a little complicated," S'eni said. "And to keep this from taking too long, circumstances led me to Dalmasca and the Golmore Jungle."

"Sounds like quite a tale."

"Oh it is, believe me."

"Well, then I must ask you to tell me when time permits."

"Don't worry. I will," she assured her. She very much doubted Y'shtola would forgive her if she withheld how they had uncovered ancient Ivalice.

"So how are things in Dalmasca anyway?" Y'shtola asked.

"Not good. Rabanastre is in ruins. In fact shortly after you all collapsed, waves of refugees arrived from there. So don't be surprised to find some more Viera running around when you're back."

"And..." the other Miqo'te hesitated for a moment. "And how's Mhitra?"

"Doing well, all things considered. The last time I saw her was at the base of the Crystal Tower, shortly before I got transported here."

"I see...that's good," Y'shtola breathed out, making S'eni smile once more.

Does someone miss her dear sister? As much as she wanted to tease her about it, there was something else she wished to know though. "So, Thaumaturgy?"

"Ah yes, with all that has happened I didn't get the chance to tell you. It was shortly after I arrived here in Norvrandt that my mastery in conjuring was not enough to protect the people. It was quite a struggle to embrace the change but I would say—" Y'shtola conjured up a small flame in the palm of her hand. "—it rather suits me, doesn't it?"

Looking at the flame for a moment, S'eni reached out with her free hand and extended a finger, stopping just shy of it. She could feel the warmth radiating off it, but knew that it wouldn't hurt her unless Y'shtola wanted it to.

She pulled back again and she watched as a tiny spark danced away from the fire, following the tip of her finger. Opening her hand, she let it come to rest on her palm, where it slowly began to grow into a flame of its own.

Her lover's eyes widened. "Eni…"

"While you guys were all unconscious, I've found myself with no idea what to do. A mutual friend suggested I apply myself a little and, well, here we are," she explained and began moving her fingers, causing the flame to turn to ice. "I think I got a knack for it."

"You never cease to amaze me," Y'shtola said.

"I'm sure I'm nowhere near your abilities," she said with a shake of her head, letting the frozen flame burst into tiny crystals of ice that dispersed in the wind. "But yes, I really think it does suit you. I like the outfit as well."

Untangling her other hand from Y'shtola's, she reached out to run her fingers over the exposed part of her back, causing her to let out a surprised yelp and for the flame to flicker out. She glared at her, to which S'eni simply shrugged as if to say, "Hey, you picked it."

"Hmpf, well I see you also decided on something new." To make a point, her lover pinched one of her chains between her fingers and lifted it, holding it there for a few seconds before dropping it again.

"I'll have you know, I was told it would help me blend in better."

"Um, excuse me?" They both turned their heads to see a Vii standing nearby, an unsure look on her face. "I was told you were seeking information about the Warden?"

"That's right," S'eni said. "Do you have an idea where it might be?"

"Not exactly, no," the woman replied. "But my mother, may she rest in peace, once told me of its appearance in the woods. Before settling here in Fanow, she lived in a village near Rak'tika Falls, until it was destroyed by the Sin Eaters. While out on patrol one day, she spotted a swarm of them, among them one that was different from the rest. It was larger, but what struck her was how its fellows seemed to revere it."

S'eni and Y'shtola looked at one another, before rising to their feet. "Rak'tika Falls, you said?" the other Miqo'te asked.

"Yes." the Vii nodded. "If my mother was still with us I am sure she would be able to help you find it."

"Don't worry. You have given us something we sorely lacked. Thank you." Y'shtola turned towards her with a determined smile forming on her face. "Come, we should meet with the others."

Mirroring her lover's expression, S'eni nodded. "Yeah, let's go."

They had a Lightwarden to find!

 

Notes:

You didn't think I wouldn't have S'eni comment on Y'shtola's new look now, did ya?

Chapter 77

Notes:

Got a little announcement at the end of this one.

Heart's Desire

 

And so night returned to Rak'tika as another Lightwarden falls, offering those who worship the dark their first glimpse at the night they so revered and absolving the Viis of at least some of their long duty.

Yet things can never remain simple, especially not with someone like Emet-Selch. Hydaelyn and Zodiark; the first primals in existence. Hard to wrap your head around. If what he says is true.

He's planning something, I can tell. But what...?

 

---

 

A quiet calm hung in the air.

The noises of the local fauna had subsided, turning into nothing but faint whispers carried by the wind as if the beasts too couldn't believe what they were seeing.

Night had returned.

Tearing her sight offered by the stars above, S'eni turned her attention towards the Night's Blessed who had gathered together to pray for the first time ever in the dark of true night.

Tears were streaming down on some of their faces and even Runar, who was holding his sermon, was close to crying once more.

The Blessed were simple and emotional people, but that was also what made them honest. It brought a smile to her face to see their prayers finally answered.

But it didn't last long and was replaced by a frown instead, the words of Emet-Selch echoing in the back of her mind.

"Zodiark and Hydaelyn. Formed of faith and prayer, of conviction and devotion...the eldest and most powerful...of primals."

Was it true? Was Hydaelyn, the Mothercrystal, a primal?

Then...what would that make her? And Minfilia? And others that could hear her voice?

Were they nothing more than tempered thralls like those of other primals? Was that why they were immune to their powers?

But would she be able to feel doubt like she did right now then?

No, there had to be more to what he had revealed, something he purposefully withheld.

Right?

Her worried musings were interrupted when a soft hand came to rest on her upper arm and she turned her head to see Y'shtola watching the Night's Blessed with a calm expression on her face.

"Remember this sight," she said in a low voice. "This here is proof of your importance as the Warrior of Darkness to these people. Without you, they would still be hiding away in these caves to pray that one day the Dark would return."

"Without us, you mean," S'eni replied, earning herself a small smile from her lover.

"You did the most, and you know it." Y'shtola watched on for a moment longer, before looking away with a sigh.

"We can wait until tomorrow to leave, you know?" she offered.

"No." the other Miqo'te shook her head. "The sooner we return to the Crystarium, the better. I fear Eulmore won't let this defeat go unanswered. But before that, can I speak with you in private for a moment?"

S'eni searched her face, then nodded. "Of course."

"Thank you."

Together, they left the Blessed to their prayers and entered Y'shtola's private chambers. As soon as the doors closed, she spoke up once more, "Eni, I—"

But whatever Y'shtola had wished to say came to an abrupt halt, when S'eni embraced her tightly, burying her face in the crook of her neck.

"Don't ever do something so reckless again!" she said. As she slammed her eyes shut, the image of Y'shtola's smile as she flung herself down that chasm to throw the antidote back up at her flashed through her mind. "I thought I'd lost you!"

If not for her timely use of Flow, she would be dead now. And even then, it had taken Emet-Selch of all people to fish her out of the Lifestream again.

Y'shtola didn't reply at first, too stunned by her sudden outburst, but her arms soon found their way around S'eni to return the embrace. "Forgive me...It was the only thing I could think of to save them."

She released a shuddering breath when she felt Y'shtola's fingers bury into her hair, cradling her head softly.

Y'shtola was still alive, was still here; with her.

Thank the Twelve.

They remained like this for a while, simply holding each other until, finally, S'eni let go of her again. "Sorry, I just…"

"I know."

Clearing her throat, she took a step back. "A-Anyway, you wanted to talk?"

"Yes." The other woman's expression grew serious. "At first I wanted to keep my suspicions to myself, since I had no proof, but after your victory at Rak'tika Falls I'm afraid they have proven true."

"This is about the Light, isn't it?" she asked

Y'shtola looked at her in surprise. "You know?"

"I heard part of your argument with Urianger. I suppose that explains why you thought I was a Sin Eater."

"Indeed. When you defeated the Lightwarden, the light pouring forth from it wasn't negated by Hydaelyn's blessing, but rather absorbed into your being," Y'shtola explained. She looked S'eni up and down. "Though there aren't signs of immediate corruption, one thing is for certain: with every Lightwarden you slay more and more light will get absorbed and the danger to you grows greater."

"Honestly, I don't feel any different," S'eni said, looking at herself, while wiggling her ears and flicking her tail. Still working as intended.

"That may be so, but we can't be certain what happens in the future. Eni..." her lover stepped forward and placed both hands on her shoulders. "If you feel anything strange, anything at all, you must tell me."

Silvery white eyes came to rest upon hers and she couldn't do anything but stare at the open worry reflected within them.

"I will," she promised.

Exhaling, Y'shtola nodded, raising a hand to cup her cheek for a moment before stepping back again.

"You should go join the others. I will be along shortly, once I have gathered what I need and attended this unsightly collection of books." The other Miqo'te sighed and turned around, firmly placing her hands on her hips. "I'd always complained that her cave was such a mess whenever I stumbled over books or scrolls just strewn about and now look at this. Gods, I really am turning into her..."

Feeling the tense air dissipate, S'eni chuckled. "See you soon, Master Matoya."

Another, much more weary sigh followed as she stepped outside.

She let her eyes come to rest on the gathered Blessed once more and her previous smile returned.

After a moment of simply watching, she began to head towards Slitherbough's entrance, where the others were waiting.

"How are things?" she asked as soon as she reached them.

"We took one last look around the perimeter," Thancred replied. "All things considered, Slitherbough remains relatively unscathed."

"Thanks to the antidote, all those who were poisoned will make a full recovery," Minfilia added.

"That's good to hear." They could finally live their lives in peace then.

"Sorry to keep you all waiting," Y'shtola called out as she joined them as well.

"Well that was fast," S'eni said, looking at her in amusement. Y'shtola shrugged.

"I also had experience in cleaning up a certain someone's mess. Shall we be off, then?"

"Art thou certain this is best?" Urianger asked.

"I won't deny that a part of me wishes I could stay. I lived with the Blessed for two years, learned their culture, and even took on Master Matoya's name as my own. I only hope I did honor to it," Y'shtola said, a sad little smile dancing across her lips, but it quickly vanished as she looked towards S'eni and instead was replaced by one of determination. "But now is not the time for doubt or hesitation. Come, let's return to the Crystarium."

Mirroring her lover's expression, she nodded and their group began to leave.

 

---

 

When they arrived at the Crystarium, she could immediately feel that something was different. It was something subtle, which she couldn't really define, though if the tense behaviour of the guards outside was any indication, it must have to do with the Exarch's absence. In a way, he was the Crystarium, even if he himself would claim otherwise. He guided these people with his wisdom, so naturally his leaving, even if only for a short period of time, would leave those relying on him with a sense of unease.

Despite it, though, the city was still functioning as it ever did, with people going about their daily business and S'eni raised her hand to greet some of the more familiar faces as they headed towards the Exedra.

"I'm hardly surprised Alphinaud and Alisaie have yet to arrive," Y'shtola said, crossing her arms in front of her chest while looking around the area. "But I expected the Crystal Exarch to already wait for us like he always does."

"Still don't trust him, do you?" S'eni asked.

"While he has assisted us greatly and shares the same goal as us, he still surrounds himself with too much secrecy. For example, his motives still elude me."

"I understand. He is a mysterious fellow, but to sate your curiosity: shortly before we left for Rak'tika, he received an invitation from Vauthry. So he might still be on his way back from Kholusia."

"The leader of Eulmore?" Y'shtola frowned. "If he was there while their troops attacked Rak'tika..."

"Everyone! It's good to see you!" the other Miqo'te's musings were interrupted by Alphinaud's voice and they turned around to see their friend walking towards them, the Exarch by his side. Her eyes narrowed slightly when she noticed the latter leaning on his staff.

"Alphinaud, it's been too long," Y'shtola greeted him, then gave the Exarch a polite, if curt, nod.

"I assume that you're here means you've brought word of the Warden in Rak'tika?" the young Elzen asked.

"Found and slain," S'eni told him, placing a hand on the back of her hip. "This one was a little trickier to find though."

He chuckled. "As expected."

"With Eulmore sending out their troops into all corners of Norvrandt to protect them, I'm glad to see that their efforts were wasted on the Greatwoods," the Exarch said.

"Believe me, it wasn't for lack of trying," she muttered, taking a quick glance at her lover. "And I feel they'll be trying all the more to stop us from getting to the next two."

"Speaking of Eulmore, how did the meeting with Vauthry go?" Thancred asked.

"Yes, about that. It proved—urgh!" He stumbled forward, hand going to his head, and the only thing keeping him on his feet being his staff.

"Exarch!" Alphinaud was immediately at his side, steadying him. "You mustn't push yourself. Your time away from the tower clearly has taken its toll on you."

"Yes, it seems so…" the Exarch nodded.

"You all must be tired from your journey as well," Alphinaud said. "Why don't we all take a much needed rest and resume this at a later time?"

"I was about to suggest the same." Y'shtola gave S'eni a pointed look. "After our clash with the Lightwarden, you deserve to recuperate."

"It's settled then! We will reconvene in the morning." After a quick goodbye, their young friend began to help the Crystal Exarch back into the tower.

"Guess I'm not getting a choice in the matter?" she asked the other Miqo'te while the others too began to leave.

"No, I'm afraid not," Y'shtola replied with an amused smile. "Hmm. I suppose I shall see if my room is still around."

S'eni watched her lover leave for a moment, before shrugging and releasing a sigh.

With no other option, she made her way to the Pendants and into her room. As soon as she had closed the doors behind her, she looked at herself once again, a frown forming on her face as she walked into the middle of the room.

Ardbert's familiar presence appeared next to her. "So there's Light sealed inside you, huh?" he asked, tilting his head to the side. "You certainly wouldn't know just from the outside. You look the same as ever to me."

"Hopefully it'll stay that way," she replied, looking away from her hands and towards him. "I can hardly stop now that I've started, can I?"

"True. Packing up and going home isn't really an option anymore. If you don't face the music here, it'll only come and find you there." Crossing his arms, he locked eyes with her. "Have faith in your friends. Look out for them, and hope they'll look out for you. What else can you do?"

"Yeah, you're right." she sat down on the small set of stairs.

A moment of silence passed before Ardbert spoke up once more. "Think he was telling the truth? Emet I mean. All that nonsense about Hydaelyn being no different from any other primal…"

"I honestly don't know," S'eni admitted, her gaze dropping to the ground.

"Aah—let's pay him no mind. Lies are the Ascians' stock-in-trade." he moved over to sit down next to her, looking out of the open window. "Villains, heroes, they would make you believe it's all a matter of perspective. Me? I'm no saint or saviour, just another sinner. And I know damn well I'm in no position to judge...But when I saw the people of Slitherbough look up at the sky and celebrate the return of the dark, it felt good. It was moments like that that I cherished. The calm after the storm."

He looked at her, and smiled. "I always took comfort in that."

She mirrored his expression.

"Say, that woman, uh, Master Matoya? Y'shtola? I've noticed that you two seem rather close," Ardbert then said.

"Well, we're together. That's probably the reason."

"Really?" S'eni nodded and he blinked once. "Huh..."

"Is that so surprising?" she asked.

"Oh, no no. It just wasn't exactly the first thing that came to mind when thinking about you."

She supposed that made sense. She certainly wasn't wondering what his exploits in the matters of love were when he appeared in her room.

But... Her smile grew. "What about you then? One girl in every port?"

For a second, he looked downright shocked at the notion, eliciting a laugh from her. "What!? No! I—"

"Relax. I'm just pulling your leg. But really, anyone special you had back then?"

Ardbert grumbled a little and crossed his arms again. "No," he admitted. "At least nothing serious. I guess I was just too focused on the adventure to give it much thought. What companionship I needed, I got from my friends."

"Oh, so no secret romance with one of your friends?"

"Lamitt and Renda-Rae?" his eyebrows rose and he shook his head. "No. We were friends, nothing more."

"Hmm, I see. Though I wonder if they thought so too."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

S'eni shook her head, fighting a grin from forming. "Nevermind."

He sighed. "Sometimes, I really don't get you."

Her lips parted to retort but a knock on the doors made her look over to them instead. "Yes?"

"It's me," the unmistakable voice of Y'shtola called from the other side.

Turning back to her ghostly companion, she found nothing but air where he had sat just a second ago. A little huff escaped her before she called back, "Come in!"

The doors opened and Y'shtola stepped inside, pale eyes immediately finding her. "Are the chairs not to your liking?" she asked, the corners of her lips quirking upward.

"I thought I might change things up a little," S'eni replied while rising back to her feet. "So, is your room still there?"

"It is. Though I have to say, yours is quite larger than mine."

"Really? And here I thought they would all look the same."

"I'm afraid mine lacks this sizable kitchen. And this scenic view." Y'shtola walked over to the window, looking out into the distance for a moment before turning back towards S'eni. They stared at one another in silence until the other woman began to rub her arm awkwardly.

"What's wrong?" S'eni asked, looking at herself again. "Did something change?"

"No, your aether is still the same as earlier. It's...actually, it's rather silly I have to admit."

"Well, what is it?"

"I...just can't relax," Y'shtola admitted. "I have spent so many days out in the wilderness of the Greatwoods that being in a large city again feels strange to me. I know it will pass, but in the meantime, I was hoping we could talk a little."

"You know, Shtola, if you want to stay over just say so," she said, stepping up towards her and giving her a smile. She took Y'shtola's hand and gently ran her thumb across it. "I'm not going to say no."

"I told you it was silly, didn't I?" her lover chuckled and the awkwardness dissipated again, turning instead into a comfortable silence as they both began to look out of the window.

After a moment, S'eni spoke up once more, "You think they'll be fine? The Blessed, I mean."

"They will be now. Thanks to you." Y'shtola smiled.

"Even without Master Matoya's guidance?"

"They don't need my guidance anymore."

"Hmm, I don't know. I'm pretty sure Runar will greatly miss it," she said in a light tone. "Seeing as he's obviously head over heels for you."

Y'shtola released a sigh, but it was filled with fondness. "He wears his heart on his sleeve. A boy in the body of a man if you will."

"I guess..."

Moving her gaze back towards S'eni, the other Miqo'te cocked an eyebrow, shortly followed by the corners of her lips curling up into a small smirk. "Don't tell me you're jealous."

"Jealous? Me? No no." Ah, who was she kidding?

She exhaled deeply, letting go of Y'shtola's hand, and walked over to her bed.

"Fine, I'm a bit jealous," she conceded and sat down on top of it, averting her gaze. "It's been three years for you after all. That's a long time."

"It is a long time. Especially these last two years. Runar has been a steadfast companion in that time. Him and the Night's Blessed, they have become family to me." The mattress shifted as Y'shtola joined her and two fingers were placed under her chin to turn her head. Her lover smiled. "I should feel flattered, actually, but I think it's only fair that you get to feel the way I did in the past."

A look of confusion formed on her face. "You did? When?"

Y'shtola gave her a look before replying, "Remember when a certain Knight Commander invited you over?"

"Aymeric?" she blinked. "But that was just dinner, nothing more."

"Yes, and I'm sure he had absolutely nothing else in mind." the dryness in Y'shtola's voice could rival the deserts of Thanalan.

And just like that, she felt a veil falling off her eyes, and she wanted nothing more to kick herself. A few minutes ago she was still teasing Ardbert, when she herself had proven to be even more blind. She wanted to laugh at the stupidity of it all.

So she did. "Oh gods, I'm dumb aren't I?"

"Well, those are not the words I would choose, but this time I feel I'm inclined to agree," Y'shtola giggled into her fist.

"Ouch." S'eni grinned. "But I guess I deserved that."

"Indeed." After giving her a small wink, the other woman removed her fingers and guided them towards one of her ears instead. "I have noticed in Rak'tika, but it's strange to see your ears so bare."

"Yeah, lost one while fighting the Lightwarden at Holminster. I tossed the other into my pack since it felt weird to just wear one." Which was a shame, because she really liked that pair.

"I see…" Y'shtola pulled her hand back, tapping her knuckles against her cheek for a moment before turning away from her. When she turned back, she had a small box in her hand. "I had actually wanted to wait until a more appropriate time, but I suppose now is as good as any."

After saying that, she held the box out towards S'eni.

Looking from the box, to Y'shtola, and back again, she took it. It was a simple box made of wood, no decoration or anything. But when she opened it, her eyes grew wide at the beautiful pair of earrings inside.

Arranged in a flower pattern were eight deep red gems, lavishly set in bright gold. Three crystal-shaped silver pieces were attached to the bottom.

"During my journey, I came across a gemstone native to the First. I kept it with me mainly so that I might have something to trade with should the need arise, but by the time I had settled with the Blessed at Slitherbough I had another idea. So I asked one of them to fashion a pair of earrings from them," her lover explained. "Whenever I felt myself doubting, I would look at them and think of you."

"Shtola…"

"Put them on." Y'shtola urged her with a smile.

Gingerly, as if to not break them, S'eni took them out of the box and attached them to her ears. Much to her surprise, they were far lighter than their appearance would indicate. "Well, how do I look?" she asked after she was done.

Instead of replying, the other Miqo'te reached out to cup her cheek again. "Not a day has passed in which I didn't think of you. How worried you must be, how much you must be pushing yourself." her thumb brushed against the corner of her lips. "But also how much I missed your smile, or how damned stubborn you could be at times."

S'eni placed her hand on top of Y'shtola's hand. "Pot calling the kettle black, much?"

They shared a little laugh.

"If there is one thing I learned in these three years, it's that absence truly does make the heart grow fonder."

Slowly, they inched closer until their foreheads came to rest on one another.

"Eni…" she exhaled, the soft warmth of her breath tickling her face. "I love you."

"I love you too…"

Their lips finally met.

Eyes fluttering closed, S'eni released a happy sigh as they kissed; soft and warm, filled with the feelings they had just shared, and hidden within, the promise of so much more. The fingers that had rested on her cheek moved to tangle themselves deep into her hair, nails softly caressing her scalp and drawing out a small purr from deep within her.

Soon enough, their lips grew bolder, seeking more of the other. Gods, she had missed this so much!

She wound an arm around her lover's waist, pulling her closer and receiving a pleasant gasp from her that sent a shiver down a spine right into the tip of her tail.

Lowering them onto the mattress, she separated herself from Y'shtola to smile down at her, her eyes coming to rest upon a pair of silvery moons glowing up at her in the light and looking absolutely…

"...beautiful," was all she said, before drifting back down onto waiting lips and letting herself drown in her love.

 

Notes:

Finally, they shared those big three words. And Y'shtola was the one to say them first too, who would have thought?

I've always intended for Shadowbringers to be the start of the "third phase" of their relationship to truly begin. Hope it was a satisfactory moment.

Now to the announcement, I'm afraid it's slightly bad news. Not bad bad, just that I will be slowing updates down to one chapter per week so that I actually don't accidentaly run out of chapters before I can write them. When I started posting this fic I had it all written out until the moment S'eni and Y'shtola got together and I thought that would give me enough breathing room for the rest, but as always life sometimes gets in the way, so I decided to rather post less than post none at all. I hope you understand.

So with that, see you next week. :)

Chapter 78

When it Rains, it Pours

 

A fleeting moment, a small respite for those fighting to save this world.

One by one, the Lightwardens fell, but with every that was struck down grew the ire of the one that wished to protect them.

To him, you've committed a grave sin. And sinners needed to be punished...

 

---

 

Drifting across the border between slumber and awaking, the fog clouding her consciousness began to fade and she cracked open her eyes, raising a still sluggish arm to shield them from the sunlight that shined in from the open window and was reflecting off the polished marble floor.

What time is it? She wondered groggily, glancing around for the chronometer hanging somewhere on the wall but giving up after a few seconds and closing her eyes again. Her ears twitched as a noise from outside echoed through the window, but she paid it no mind, choosing to instead turn away from it and snuggle up to the wonderfully warm body lying next to her.

Smiling softly as the other Miqo'te pressed herself against her, S'eni slid an arm around Y'shtola and caressed the smooth skin of her lower back just above the base of her tail. She listened to the little sounds she produced, letting them guide her back into a state of dozing.

Just as the first faint images of a dream began to pull her past the border once more, the light brush of nails against the back of her neck returned her mind to the here and now. "Good morning," a husky whisper greeted her.

"Mornin'..." S'eni yawned and finally opened her eyes to meet those of her lover. "Slept well?"

Y'shtola hummed, her lips curling into a little smile. "Best sleep in three years."

"I guess relaxing turned out to be not that difficult after all."

"Thanks to present company."

She giggled, leaning in to brush their noses together playfully. "So, since we're awake, anything you want to do on this fine morning?"

"Well, I suppose we should meet with the others to discuss our next steps," Y'shtola replied, drawing out a sigh from S'eni.

"Yeah," she said. "I suppose you're right."

But instead of getting up, she began to stroke Y'shtola's lower back again. "Think they can wait a few minutes longer?"

"Perhaps, but the question is—" smile growing, her lover lowered herself onto her back, pulling S'eni along until she was hovering above her. "—what shall we do in those minutes?"

"Heh, I have a rough idea," she replied and dipped down to plant a kiss on those pretty lips—

"Mmh?"

—only to have them come into contact with two fingers instead. Blinking in confusion, she pulled back and saw Y'shtola's face had grown serious and her ears standing at attention.

"Do you hear that too?"

S'eni perked her ears up and tried to figure out what Y'shtola meant when she heard it, the noise she had heard but her barely waking mind had dismissed.

A commotion. Something was happening. Swearing under her breath, she all but jumped out of bed and started picking up her things. Y'shtola too rose from her position and began to get dressed in a hurried manner.

As soon as they were finished, they rushed out of the room. "Do you think it's Eulmore?" S'eni asked as they descended the stairs.

"Possibly, but we won't know for sure until we ask someone."

Said someone arrived swiftly in the form of the manager of the Pendants, who was coming towards them from downstairs.

"Ah, you're awake I see," the Elezen man said, trying his best to keep his usual calm, but it was hard to miss the edge in his voice. "Though I could hardly imagine anyone sleeping through this commotion."

"What's happening?" Y'shtola asked.

"A host of Sin Eaters is advancing upon the Crystarium," he informed them. "Emergency measures are being taken as we speak. You may rest assured that we are safe so long as we remain underneath the Crystal Tower's aegis, so you may return to your quarters."

"No way." S'eni shook her head. "We'll help."

"Yes, I thought as much. And I can't say your assistance won't be anything but welcome." The manager offered them a grateful expression. "I must inform the other residents of the situation. Good luck."

As he passed by them, taking two steps at a time, she turned her gaze towards Y'shtola. "Let's go."

Leaving the Pendants, the two of them went straight to the Exedra. On their way there, they passed a multitude of people, talking amongst themselves and wondering what was happening while members of the guards did their best to calm them.

"The guard has everything under control, I assure you. Just remain within the city limits and everything will be alright."

"Pah, am I supposed to be afraid of some Sin Eaters!?" Giott, the Dwarf she saw regularly around the Wandering Stairs practically shouted, soon followed by other bounty hunters weighing in, clearly intending to take the fight to the enemy instead of waiting inside.

Arriving at the Exedra, S'eni spotted another squad of guards making for the city gates and was about to suggest Y'shtola join them when a voice called out to them, "S'eni!"

Alisaie.

They turned around to see their young friend running towards them and coming to a stop a few steps away from them.

"I just returned from Amh Araeng and now I find the Crystarium being beset by a horde of Sin Eaters. What's going on!?" Alisaie's eyes then landed on the other Miqo'te. "Y'shtola?"

"It's good to see you again," Y'shtola replied. "But I'm afraid pleasantries will have to wait."

"I agree," Alphinaud then said, appearing practically out of nowhere.

"Brother! Do you have any idea what is going on?"

"I may, but for the moment we'll need to postpone this discussion. The Crystal Exarch is preparing to deploy a barrier as we speak," he told them. "Ensuring that he is able to do so is our first priority."

"What do we have to do?" S'eni asked.

"A number of instruments are placed around the Crystarium that serve as anchors for the barrier. I'm on my way to activate them."

"Very well, I'll take the ones to the south," Alisaie said. She didn't even wait for a reply before her footsteps were fading into the distance.

"Then I'll take the northern ones. S'eni, can you take care of the western ones?"

"Of course. I think I know which ones you mean, above the Aetheryte plaza, right?"

"Yes, thank you." with that he began to run off as well.

"Then I'll go on ahead and help the city guard," Y'shtola said, gripping her staff tightly.

"Alright, see you soon." Giving her a nod, she made to run, but was stopped by a hand on her shoulder. Glancing back, she saw Y'shtola smiling.

"Don't take too long."

"I won't," she promised before hurrying towards her objective.

What a way to start the morning, she thought sourly.

And it had only just begun…

 

---

 

An ear-piercing shriek went through the air as the Sin Eater collapsed in front of her, its arachnoid form twitching a few times before bursting into little shards of light aether. A series of other shrieks, a roar, and even a womanly wail followed it in quick succession and she glanced over her shoulder to see the rest of the Sin Eaters falling to the guard's weapons.

Looking around to see if there were any more of them and finding none in the vicinity, she lowered her arms and closed her eyes, taking a long, deep breath before opening them once more to look up at the sky. The sudden rain that had struck Lakeland during the battle was turning into a soft pitter-patter and the clouds were slowly breaking apart once more, ushering in its slow end.

Looks like these were the last of them, S'eni thought and turned towards the guards.

"I want the swiftest of you to fan out to look for stragglers! If you find them, call for reinforcements." She looked at the broken bodies lying in the grass nearby. "We've lost enough today."

"You heard the lady!" the highest-ranking guardsman, an older Elf, called out to his men. "You three, search the perimeter. The rest, with me!"

She watched him sheathe his sword and walk over to the dead, waving over his fellows to help pick them up.

Time to head back.

Making their way back to the Ostall Imperative, she saw another unit gathering up their fallen with a cart. A solemn duty she had done before too. Victory or defeat, someone would always be lost. It was a bitter feeling.

And it never became easier.

Out of the corner of her eyes, a familiar glow appeared and, turning towards it, she found Ardbert standing on top of a hill, watching as two soldiers were being carried off and looking lost. Their eyes met for a moment and he shook his head, vanishing again.

S'eni sighed and continued onward.

By the time they arrived at the former fortress, named after a famous knight that once fought an army of Sin Eaters here, the clouds had fully dispersed, leaving the area draped in warm sunlight as if to bid them welcome. But the sight and sounds of the wounded were anything but welcome.

"S'eni," Alisaie greeted her, trying and failing to keep the fatigue out of her voice. "How are things?"

"Bar perhaps a few stragglers, they should all have been taken care of," she replied.

"Good. Then we should be safe for the time being."

"And how is it looking here?"

"The wounded have all been gathered and are undergoing treatment. Once they're ready to be moved, they'll be sent to the Crystarium. As for the dead—" she stopped as the cart arrived. "—those who didn't get turned should be all gathered soon."

The Elezen shook her head.

"The others are helping to treat the wounded, but even so we don't have enough hands. I know you're probably exhausted but—"

"Don't worry, of course I'll help." Though she would be lying if she claimed that she didn't want to sit down for a bit. But that could wait.

"Thanks. Here, take these," Alisaie said, handing her some potions and other medical supplies. Her shoulders slumped. "Gods, I'm about to keel over myself. Captain Lyna should be around here as well, maybe go ask her if there is anything else that needs to be taken care of once you've seen to the wounded. We'll talk later."

S'eni watched her friend sprint over to one of the many wounded before proceeding to do the same, but it only took a single glance to figure out that any help was coming way too late for this one. He gazed at her with unfocused, teary eyes, his breath coming out as weak wheezes. His hand twitched and he tried to raise it, but only managed to get it slightly off the ground.

She took it, holding up so that he could see, and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"I...I..."

"Shh, I'm here," she assured him, making sure he knew that he wouldn't go alone into the dark.

His lips parted, but no words came. Only a single, last exhale. Then...nothing.

With a weary sigh through her nose, she placed his hand at his side and reached out to close those dulling, empty eyes, taking a moment to offer a silent prayer for his soul before rising to her feet again.

There was more that needed to be done.

The next two were little better, with one outright refusing her help by claiming that he was going to turn soon, while the other only suffered from superficial wounds but was an emotional wreck, crying about a fellow soldier he had to strike down after transforming. Still, she tried to help them as best as she could.

After helping a few more of the wounded, thankfully in better condition, she managed to find Lyna, sitting on the ground near a set of stairs and nursing her own wounds. The captain looked lost in thought, not even noticing her until she spoke up.

"Oh!" Lyna looked up in surprise. "I-I didn't see you there. Is there something you need?"

S'eni shook her head. "I'm fine. But what about you?"

"Injuries are part of battle and while there's still breath in my lungs, I will see my duties done," the other woman replied and rose to her feet. "Don't pretend you're not of the same mind. You fought well today and saved many lives. Thank you. Unfortunately, this war is far from over. We must replenish our ranks and see to our defenses before they attack again. If you will excuse me."

Offering her the Crystarium guard's salute, Lyna began to walk past her, leaving S'eni to watch her with a frown. But the Vii didn't get far, as only a few steps away, she began to clutch the wound on her leg and doubled over.

"Lyna!" rushing over to her, she dropped down to take a look at her wounds, her hand already reaching for one of the potions Alisaie had given her, but Lyna's words stopped her.

"I'm...fine. Completely...and utterly...fine!" She punched the ground for emphasis. "More than fine. Hale and hearty and still alive to mourn those who are not! Who I failed to protect when they needed me most!"

Her voice began to crack. "We've come so far, so godsdamned far! I could have sworn the end was in sight. And now...now they will never see it..."

All of a sudden, her ears picked up the sound of spinning rotors, and she looked up to see three airships approach their position. A voice began to echo down.

"Impudent worms of the Crystarium."

Vauthry... S'eni's face began to darken.

"The tragedy that has befallen you is one of your own making. Divine retribution for your defiance. The heavens have bequeathed a benevolent savior—Me!" his booming voice said. "I offer you freedom from pain and suffering─a paradise where man and Sin Eater might live in peace and harmony. Why, already our winged brothers and sisters regard me and my people as kin, similar to them in beauty and purity."

She snorted. The irony of him talking of beauty.

"But you, you not only reject my offered hand, but raise your own against my Sin Eaters. It's only right that they would respond in kind. Let this be a lesson to all those who walk the path of sin: the wicked shall not inherit this world!"

Rising back to her feet, she took a few steps forward, gritting her teeth and balling her hands into fists as she glared after the passing airships. That fat, disgusting monster!

No, that won't do any good now... She reminded herself, taking a few calming breaths and tearing herself away from the side to return her attention to Lyna, who had slowly sat up.

"How flattering that he came all the way here just to give his little speech," the captain spat, then released a sigh. "I...apologize for my outburst."

"It's alright. I understand all too well where you're coming from," S'eni said and held out her hand. Lyna looked at it for a brief moment before taking it and letting herself get helped back onto her feet.

"Thank you. And you may rest assured that I've no intention of allowing any of my wounds to affect the performance of my duties. Especially now." Lyne gave her hand a firm shake, lips curling into a determined smile. "If I may, though, could I ask that you seek out Thancred and Minfilia when you return to the Crystarium? They put themselves in danger on my behalf, and I would feel better knowing that they are well looked after. Thancred in particular, sustained quite an injury. I wouldn't be surprised if he were still in Spagyrics."

"Of course, but don't overdo it. Nobody will think less of you for taking a moment to rest."

"I—Thank you. I will."

With a smile of her own, she left the other woman to see if she could help any of her friends, but Urianger and Alphinaued seemed to have things well in hand on their end, so she went and looked for Y'shtola instead and quickly came across her tending to one of the wounded as well.

"Take a deep breath for me," Y'shtola told the guard, the faint warm glow of a cure spell extending from her hand towards him. "That's it…"

S'eni waited until she was done with him before approaching. "Everything under control?"

"As far as we can have everything under control here," Y'shtola replied, standing up and looking at her. " I assume Vauthrys words were heard in the Crystarium as well. Let's just hope they don't incite the unrest he so clearly hopes for."

"Yeah." she nodded. "I'm planning to head back with the next carriage, are you coming too?"

Her lover shook her head. "I will stay here for a while longer to see if I can help."

"Alright…" With a sigh, she cast her gaze around the area, looking at the wounded and the dead. A hand came to rest on her shoulder and gave it a soft squeeze.

"How are you feeling?"

"Honestly? I want to get back to bed and forget this happened. But I know that's a luxury we don't have." she did a little shrug. "But thanks for asking."

"Someone has to look out for you, since you absolutely fail to do so."

"Hmpf. Big words after you had to get pulled out of the Lifestream again," S'eni said and offered her a little smile. A voice calling out signalled that the next carriage was about to arrive. "Well, I better go and help Alisaie get everyone on board."

"Very well. Shall we talk more later?"

"Do you even have to ask?" S'eni asked right back as she carefully helped the man Y'shtola had healed to his feet and began to walk him over to where the others were already waiting for transportation.

Watching her for a few seconds, the other Miqo'te went to help the next of many more wounded. It was going to be a long day, still.

 

---

 

Spagyrics, which was an alchemical term as far as she was aware, was the name given to the Crystarium's infirmary lead by the kind and motherly, or rather grandmotherly given her advanced age, Chessamile who always tried her best to welcome and send off any patient with a smile. Even now, with all the people coming in, that smile was present as S'eni stepped inside, though she noticed that it was beginning to crack slightly.

"Sweetie, are you alright?" the old Elf greeted her.

"Yeah, don't worry. But we have some more wounded that need treatment coming in," she replied.

"I see. You can rest assured that we'll make sure they won't want for care." Chessamile waved over two of her fellow apothecaries and gave them some instructions before sending them on their way again. "You look like you could use a rest though. Do you want me to whip up a tonic?"

S'eni smiled and held up her palms to tell the other woman it was fine. Those tonics smelled really bad. "I'll just lie down a little later. For now, I wanted to see Thancred. I heard he's been wounded."

"Of course. You'll be glad to know that he's well on his way to recovery. He's waiting just inside," Chessamile said and gestured towards the hall where the patients were treated.

"Thanks." Giving her a nod, she headed in. Finding Thancred was easy enough, his white coat standing out amidst the otherwise earthen colors of the infirmary, and he raised his hand in greeting upon spotting her.

"Coming to check up on me?" he asked.

"Did you think I wouldn't after hearing that you got slapped around by a Sin Eater?"

"No, I suppose not," Thancred chuckled. "The Eater unfortunately landed a pretty solid blow, but the healers here have done wonders so I'm quite alright."

His expression grew serious then. "But I'm more worried about Minfilia. She's not taking it well. Could...you perhaps go talk with her? My attempts to reach out to her seems to have the opposite effect."

"And have you actually wondered why that could be?" S'eni asked and crossed her arms. They stared at one another for a long moment, neither saying a word, before her friend averted his gaze. "Thancred…"

"She's gone off to the Hortorium to fetch some herbs for Chessamile. Just...talk to her, will you?"

"Fine." she sighed, shaking her head. "But you know this can't keep going."

He didn't reply.

Leaving Spagyrics, she made her way to the Trivium and from there to the Hortorium, which was the name given to the area of the Crystarium where they grew plants, herbs and crops for their daily needs, as well as trying to find new crossings for each of them. So basically the resident botanist guild.

A calming scent always hung in the air, reminding her a bit of how Gridania smelled after a pleasant warm rain. And in the middle of it, standing near a very exotic-looking tree and staring into a pool of water below, was Minfilia, lost in thought.

Reaching out, S'eni gently poked her shoulder.

"Eep!" Minfilia all but jumped and whirled around, a hand going to her chest. "Oh, S'eni. It's you. What are you doing here?"

"A certain someone sent me to check up on you."

"Thancred...It's my fault, you know. I jumped at the chance to help Lyna, but I was careless. And now…" the girl bit her lip, lowering her eyes to the floor. "It's all my fault."

"Hey, we all make mistakes," she said, placing an arm around Minfilia's shoulder. "The important thing is to learn from them and to not let them drag you down."

"And what if it's worse next time? All I do is make mistakes and put others in danger..."

"That's not true."

"No, it is." Glowing, sapphire eyes locked with hers. "I know that I need to be better, that I'm only allowed to be part of this because I'm Minfilia, and I need to be...more like her."

S'eni wanted to tell her that she was wrong, that the only thing she needed to be was herself, but before she could utter those words, Minfilia stepped away from her and said, "But for now I can at least see these herbs safely to Chessamile. I only need two more, but I need to ask about this one. Would you mind collecting the other?"

Sighing inwardly, she simply nodded and watched as the girl began to visibly cheer up.

"Thank you! You're looking for something with soft leaves and very fragrant, in 'an unmistakably medicinal way,' I was told. We need two sprigs of it. Once you've got them, you can bring them directly to Chessamile. Whoever gets there first can explain that the other will be back shortly!"

Giving her a wave, Minfilia began to jog away, leaving S'eni standing there, the frown on her face growing deeper with every step the young woman took.

For a split second, she caught sight of that pink ribbon woven into golden hair and she felt a twinge of melancholy deep within her chest, grasping her heart firmly as the vision of a kind smile appeared in her mind's eye.

You have given this world a symbol of hope, she thought, looking up towards the dark ceiling, illuminated only by a few lamps. But what about her, Minfilia?

 

 

Chapter 79

Minfilia

 

It's hard, to let go of someone that you care about. I know that, and I'm sure you know that as well. But eventually, the time comes to part and all we can do is to accept the pain and take solace in the memories we shared.

With each step you take on this dried-out soil, you get closer to a crossing. The question is, who will remain, and who will you have to part with?

 

---

 

S he looked about the room, watching in silence as her fellows conversed amongst themselves, some smiling, some more serious, but nevertheless having a good time with one another. United by strange powers and visions, as well as a common goal, they were the walkers of the Path of the Twelve.

S'eni took a sip from the drink she had been nursing for a while, grimacing when she noticed that it had grown warm while she had done so.

It still felt strange to her. To be part of this organisation, to have these powers; this Echo.

This wasn't at all what she imagined when she left home. She thought she would travel around and have adventures, maybe go to distant lands that her father had once been to just to have seen them with her own eyes, and while adventures were pretty much her daily life now, she was also now part of something larger.

Yes, it was strange...but also nice she had to admit.

Lips quirking into a small smile, she began to lean back in her chair, and looked around the room. She wondered what the people of Ul'dah would say if they found out there was a secret organization trying to bring peace to Eorzea hiding away in the Merchant's Ward, posing as a regular business. But then again, this was Ul'dah.

For all I know there's another one just across the street, she thought with a chuckle and began to play with one of the braids in her hair. It had grown quite a bit, maybe she ought to cut it. Or maybe she should try a longer style for a change…

As she mused over the possibilities of a new hairstyle, she didn't notice a figure approaching her until she felt a tap on her shoulder that made her all but jump out of her seat. Spinning around, she saw none other than the Antecedent herself standing there. Minfilia Warde.

"Oh, it's you..."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," the other woman said. "I just saw that you were sitting all alone here and thought I would come over. Do you mind if I sit down?"

"No, go ahead," she replied, pointing to the chair opposite of her.

"Thank you." With a grateful smile, Minfilia sat down. A moment of silence passed before she continued. "So, have you managed to settle in yet?"

"Yeah, I suppose so."

"That's good to hear. And are you getting along with everyone?"

"I guess? I haven't really talked with a lot of them," she admitted. "But that's probably because of my work for the guild."

"Yes. I heard the Adventurers Guild has been receiving more and more requests as of late."

"It's good money." S'eni shrugged and took another sip, but furrowed her brows when she saw the Antecedent frowning. "Something the matter?"

"It's nothing." Minfilia shook her head. "Maybe I'm just being overly worried here."

"You think the increase in work also has to do with all the phenomena springing up all across Eorzea." it wasn't a question.

"Am I really that obvious?"

"Maybe a little."

Minfilia sighed. "Then yes, I do think it's because of that. Every day I receive more reports from our walkers all across the realm. But I can't figure out what could be the cause."

"Could be the Garleans," S'eni offered. "They're clearly planning something."

"Yes. They do…"

Silence followed once more and she watched as Minfilia turned towards the others in the room, observing them. When she had first met her, S'eni hadn't been sure what to think of her, but now she felt like she had a bit more of a grasp of her character.

Minfilia was idealistic, had her heart at the right place, and truly wanted to make Eorzea a better place, yet underneath that was a young woman who was still looking for her place in life.

Just like her.

"Hey, mind if I ask you something?" She broke the silence.

"No, not at all."

"Let's say we achieve our goal tomorrow, what would you do?"

The other woman's eyes widened in surprise and she tilted her head a little. "What would I...do?"

"Uh-huh."

"Hmm." Crossing her arms under her chest, Minfilia looked up at the ceiling, a look of deep contemplation on her face. A few minutes passed before she replied. "I think…I would like to travel...to see the world. Yes—"

Steel-blue eyes came to rest upon her and that bright smile from a few minutes ago returned once more. "—I'd like that."

 

---

 

Excitement hung in the air as she walked through the dusty street of Twine, the only remaining mining town on this side of Mt. Garik, its citizens moving about with a vigor that she was sure had been missing from it for years.

Well, aside perhaps from Thaffe and Jeryk, who seemed to be filled to the brim with it. Especially when it came to the trolley system.

Shortly after arriving in the hills that used to be the home of Amh Araeng's mines, they encountered these two young men with one of their fellows, trying to ambush them because they thought them a group of scavengers. After a few not-so-loving taps and explaining that they were, in fact, not out to steal whatever was left at the Mt. Biran Mines, they were eagerly invited over to further discuss their plans of getting the trolley back to work.

And now that the key component, a Talos, had been repaired, their excitement had quickly spread around.

Not much longer, she thought to herself as she passed two miners. They were mostly just waiting for a few minor repairs to the trolley and a final check of the controls. Then it was off to Nabaath Areng...and whatever was going to happen then.

Turning around, she let her eyes come to rest on the giant wall of crystallized light in the distance, marking where the Flood had been stopped one hundred years ago by Minfilia. Their Minfilia.

And now the girl that bore her name wished to call upon her soul residing deep within herself. To grow stronger, even if it meant to surrender her body and vanish forever.

S'eni didn't like it, but it wasn't her choice to make.

She tore her gaze away from the sight and turned it back towards the tracks leading away from Twine, before beginning to follow them where the others were waiting. Halfway there, though, she found herself stopping when she spotted the object of her thoughts standing at the center of the crossing that would, if all went well, would lead them to their destination.

Even now, after the words that Urianger had said to her, there was an air of doubt around the young girl as she looked out into the distance.

"I only want what's best for her. If only she could see that…" Thancred's words echoed in the back of her mind.

It's because you're not talking to her. She understood his reasoning of not wanting to influence her with his own wishes, but just like she couldn't see what he wanted for her, he couldn't see what it was she wished.

Gods, it was almost like they were made for each other with how similar they were. Truly like father and daughter.

With a huff, she started walking towards Minfilia. It may not be her place but she wanted to talk with her. This time at least, her steps echoed loudly enough off the wooden planks that the girl heard her approaching.

"Oh, S'eni," Minfilia said. "Everything should be ready soon. Then we can finally go to Nabaath Areng and I..."

She paused.

"How are you feeling?" S'eni asked and stepped a little closer.

"I'm fine..."

"...I see." Turning westward, she looked out towards the mountain range. "What do you think the others are doing right now?"

Minfilia blinked once, then followed her gaze. "Keeping Eulmore busy most likely. I hope they're alright."

"Oh, they are. Well, no guarantee that Shtola didn't fling herself into the Lifestream again." She gave the girl a playful wink, earning herself a little chuckle at least. Good.

"You have known each other for a long time. I could tell from the way Thancred spoke of you all."

"That's right. Well I guess it's been more for them. Believe it or not, but it hasn't been that long on the Source since they got transported here."

"Just like Carteneau," Minfilia said, making S'eni look at her. "You said that to Thancred in Il Mheg. What did you mean by that...if you don't mind me asking?"

"Guess Thancred didn't tell you about that." Minfilia shook her head. "Alright. Five years ago, five years on the Source that is, the Eorzean Alliance went to battle against the Garlean Empire at the Carteneau Flats, where what remained of the VIIth Legion had retreated to after their Legatus was killed."

"Were you there too?"

"Yes, with many of my fellows that received Hydaelyn's blessing. We had gone there to stop the artificial moon Dalamud from descending and destroying all of Eorzea. The VIIth Legion wanted to stop us in turn." She closed her eyes as she remembered that day, the heat of the flames, the pain from the bullet...and Bahamut. "Things took a turn for the worse and, in an attempt to save us, a good friend sacrificed himself to send us away. But something had gone wrong and when I woke up again, five years had passed. And on top of that, everyone had forgotten me. Everyone..."

She opened them again, letting them come to rest on those glowing sapphires.

"...except Minfilia. She remembered me even when I myself forgot what had happened."

"She must have been incredibly strong then..." the girl said, averting her gaze.

"She was, yeah. But not in the way you think," S'eni said, placing her hands on Minfilia's shoulders. "She was strong here."

She gently tapped Minfilia's temple—

"And here."

—and the spot above her heart.

"You miss her, don't you?"

"I do." S'eni nodded. "We all do. But that isn't what this is about. When we go to Nabaath Areng, I want you to decide for yourself what is right. And whatever it is you choose, I'll support you."

Minfilia's eyes widened at her words and her lips parted to reply, but were silenced when S'eni placed a finger on top of them.

"Just promise me that, nothing more." Minfilia nodded, making her smile. Giving her a final headpat, S'eni stepped back again.

"Let's go. I'm sure everything will be finished by now." And she was right, as when they arrived at the Mt. Biran Mines, S'eni saw the trolley and Talos just waiting for them together with Thancred and the others.

"There you are," Magnus greeted them. Years ago, he had come to Twine together with his wife trying to get the trolley system back to work in remembrance of their dead son. At first, it seemed to look good, but then his wife died in a mining accident, causing him to abandon his work and instead spend his days drowning his sorrows. But now that the thing his wife had given her life to uncover was beating inside the Talos' chest, he too had regained his purpose. "So what do you think? A little primitive-looking, I'll admit, but Daedalus Stonework has always favored a simple, intuitive design, and that philosophy has served us well enough."

"Looks good to me," she replied. Not that she was really an expert at this whole thing. That was more Cid, Biggs, and Wedge's forte. "So the Talos is just gonna push us all the way?"

The Ronso nodded. "Much of the trolley network used single tracks, making it easy for the Talos to navigate them as needed. He'll get you there in no time. Speaking of which, are you ready to board?"

S'eni looked at Minfilia, then nodded. "We are."

"Alright, then. Watch your step."

One by one, Thancred, Minfilia, and she came onboard the trolley. Only Urianger remained where he was.

"Thou must needs carry on without me," he told them. "The path to Nabaath Areng lieth open. Whilst thou travelest thither to the south, I would apprise Mistress Alisaie and the others of our progress."

Turning his head, Thancred addressed Magnus. "Will the gate close immediately after the trolley passes through?"

"No, it will stay open until someone closes it manually. Built that way to prevent any untimely accidents."

"Then you can and the others can meet us thereafter giving the Eulmorans the skip," he told Urianger.

"Urianger, I…" the Elezen turned to look at Minfilia. "Thank you...for everything you've done for me."

"Remember," was all Urianger said, smiling.

"If you've finished your good-byes, I suggest you grab hold of something. Be a shame if you took a tumble," Magnus said. "The trolley should take you as far as Amh Malik, but the tracks beyond the gate aren't in the best of shape. Should something happen you'll need go the rest on foot...well then, godsspeed!"

And the Talos began to push.

Starting off slow, it soon began to grow faster than she had thought a hulk made of stone like this would be able to, and it wasn't long until the mines had vanished in the distance and the gate was growing closer and closer.

"Head's up!" Thancred called out. "There's the gate."

For a moment it looked like nothing was happening, that they would drive smack dab into it, when all of a sudden, the aether inside the Talos began to glow and the gate began to open.

"Well so far so good…" he said, smiling over his shoulder at them as they were heading down the slope and S'eni mirrored his expression, only to turn into a look of confusion as they reached the bottom. Raising an eyebrow, Thancred followed her look. A person stood in the middle of the track; a man dressed in long robes. "Wait isn't that—"

Ran'jit!

Before any of them had time to react, the Eulmoran general spun around and kicked the trolley with such a force that it was torn from the rails, flinging them high into the air. Using her tail, S'eni twisted midair and managed to land on her feet, immediately rushing towards the old man and exchanging a series of furious blows with him.

Why aren't you dead!? She thought, bringing her arms up to block the kick aimed at her head that still made her slide backwards to where Thancred and Minfilia lay.

"And here I thought we were finally rid of you!" Thancred growled as he managed to rise to his knee. "You're a stubborn swine, I'll give you that."

"My life won't end at the bottom of some pit, not so long as Gukumatz and I are bound," Ran'jit said. "Your deeds in the east did not go unnoticed. I have been waiting here for quite some time, and sure enough, you did not disappoint."

His cold eyes roamed over them.

"Had you only sworn fealty to Lord Vauthry, you would have no cause to skulk about like frightened animals." Minfilia groaned, slowly pushing herself off the ground. "Minfilia, you will remain where you are, while I dispatch these villains."

"No! I won't...! I won't let you!" she cried out.

"You forget to whom you speak! Who armed you? Trained you? Fought and killed a thousand Sin Eaters with you!? And when you were inevitably cut down and lay lifeless in my arms, who sought out your successor to carry on the futile struggle again and again!?" Ran'jit turned his glare to Thancred and S'eni. "And now these mad fools seek to draw you into their senseless battle to destroy the order of this world! Do not let them deceive you, only one can over you and this world a sliver of salvation: Lord Vauthry."

"I don't know about the world...but I never asked to be saved," Minfilia replied, lowering her gaze. "However much it hurts, and however hard it gets, it's my life, and I want to live it on my own terms! And those "mad fools" you want me to abandon? The ones I've traveled with, fought with, and may one day die with, feel the same."

Minfilia... S'eni watched as she slowly managed to get back on her feet.

"So no, I will not be deceived! No matter what you say, I refuse to believe it's all for nothing! They're everything to me. All I have and all I need..." A soft smile formed on her lips. "...and I would gladly do anything for them."

Standing up straight, Minfilia dropped her smile once more as her eyes glared back at their enemy. "I don't need you anymore, so let us through or kill me. Either way, I'm not leaving without them!"

With every word she had spoken, Ran'jit's eyes had grown harder, the uncaring coldness of a man that had seen too many battles turning into anger, and his scarred face twisted into a snarl.

"How dare you! Very well, if you would cast your lot with villains, then you shall share their fate!" he shouted and exploded forward.

"Watch out!" S'eni dashed towards Minfilia, trying to shield her from Ran'jit's coming attack, but knew that she wouldn't make it in time.

Just as his strike was about to land, Thancred jumped in and sent the general flying back with a strike of his Gunblade.

"I've heard what you said. And I'm sorry for all the things I've left unspoken. Now go! I'll take care of this one!"

"Thancred, no—"

"Do what you came here to do." He glanced over his shoulder at them. "I'll not have you waste that newfound resolve on me. S'eni, I'll leave her in your hands."

She nodded, placing a hand on Minfilia's shoulder. "Come, let's go."

The girl looked at Thancred for a moment longer, then gave S'eni a resolute nod, and they both began to run, not stopping once even as the sounds of battle had grown quiet in the distance.

 

---

 

Nabaath Areng. Once a great city, now it was nothing more than a few ruins half-swallowed by sand and crystallized Light. A silent testament of the destruction that the Flood had wrought and an unmarked grave for those poor souls that had fallen victim to it.

"This is the place, S'eni. Where she stopped the Flood," Minfilia said, looking at the derelict brick walls. "The last time I was here, when I felt her presence overwhelming me...I tried to pretend it wasn't happening, to just...turn away. But I can't turn away now. Not this time. For Thancred, you and the others, I have to face her."

"Alright," S'eni breathed out. "So where should we go?"

Minfilia looked around, clearly searching for something, then pointed up ahead towards the former city's main entrance. "That way, I can sense her presence, albeit faintly."

Stepping through the gate, they found themselves on what S'eni assumed must have once been a beautiful plaza, of which only a singular large building and a set of stairs leading up to it remained.

"She was here. On top of that building," the girl said and she followed her gaze up to the very top, having to raise her hand to shield her eyes from the glare of the Light to get a good look at it. A sudden pain shot through her head, causing her vision to blur…

"Is this—"was all she heard before her consciousness was sent adrift.

 

People were screaming, running, and scrambling to get away from the giant wave of pure Light, drowning all in its path and leaving only a scrubbed away, white nothing in its wake.

"Run for your lives! It's the Flood! The Flood!"

"This is the end!"

"Look. Th-There's somebody up there!" a man pointed up towards a lone figure floating high in the air, facing the Flood.

Minfilia. Behind her, five spheres of aether hovered in a half-circle.

Calmly raising her arms, an aetherial glow, almost as bright as the Light she was facing, began to emit from her hands, slowing down the wave, if only a fraction.

One by one, each of the spheres transformed into their original forms. Branden, the former knight. Renda-Rae, the hunter. Nyelbert, the magus. Lamitt, the healer. And finally, Ardbert.

Each of them transferred all of their power to Minfilia, strengthening her. But just when Ardbert was about to do so as well, she stopped him.

"No, stand back," Minfilia told him. "We shall stop the Flood."

"But this is what I want! It's my sacrifice to make!"

"No...it's not your time yet…" she shook her head. "When all hangs in the balance, you must give them hope. Until the day this world truly can be saved."

"Minfilia!" Ardbert shouted.

And everything went white…

 

When S'eni opened her eyes again, she found Minfilia and herself standing in bright, golden light, gently drifting underneath their feet like the shallow waters of beaches back home.

The girl glanced about. "Where...are we?"

The soft noise of steps made them look towards a figure, a woman, dressed in all white and long flowing blonde hair. The Oracle of Light. Minfilia...

"You...You're the real…"

"You have finally found me. A meeting long overdue, and I'm happy to finally be able to speak with you." The Oracle smiled and turned to look towards S'eni.

"It's been a while, hasn't it?" S'eni asked, mirroring her friend's expression.

"It has…" The Oracle nodded and turned her attention back towards the younger Minfilia. "Sweet child...I'm sorry that you had to bear such a heavy burden. You have endured so much pain and suffering, yet you still came. Thank you…"

Minfilia shook her head. "I've lost count of the times I've almost given up. If not for my friends helping me every step of the way, I never would have made it."

"And now you stand here, resolved. Now please...tell me what it is that your heart desires?"

"I…" she hesitated for a moment. "I want to help my friends destroy the Sin Eaters and save this world. The remaining Lightwardens have hidden themselves from us. I thought we might be able to find them with the power of the Oracle…"

"You could," the Oracle confirmed. "Their radiance would be unmistakable. But the power you seek will come at a price. We stand at a crossroads and a decision must be made."

A shadow of doubt cast itself over the young girl's face.

"It's only natural to be afraid. To hesitate. But you have grown stronger and wiser through your trials. And with the love and support of those you hold dear, you have grown to love yourself."

One deep exhale, and the doubt was gone once again, replaced by determination. Minfilia had made her choice. Taking a few steps towards the Oracle, Minfilia locked eyes with the woman she shared her name, her title, with.

"A hundred years ago, the Flood of Light washed away almost the entire world. So many people and places and possibilities—and all those heroes who fought to protect them. Then the Scions came, new heroes from a distant world, trying so hard to help those few of us who remain. And seeing how tirelessly they work, how completely committed they are to the cause...I can't help but believe. I'm still a child, and there are so many things I don't know, but I want to do more than just watch and cheer," Minfilia said, her face growing brighter with every word. "I want to make a difference. I want to help them, as they helped me, and maybe even inspire others to do the same. Coming together, providing for one another, that's the only way forward I can see. And since all our heroes are gone, we'll just have to make heroes of ourselves."

For but a moment, the Oracle looked taken aback, but her smile quickly returned and she placed a hand on top of the girl's shoulder. "That's a beautiful dream. The right dream, and one we share. Even though my power was all but spent stopping the Flood, I prayed that this final act would give hope to those who survived. That hope lives on in you. It comforts me to know that the future is in capable hands."

A bright glow began to wrap itself around the past and present Oracle.

"If you should ever falter, remember that no one, no matter how powerful, is immune to the whispers of doubt and despair. Don't give into them, sweet child, but don't deny them either. Look instead to the light within—"she placed her hand on top of Minfilia's heart. "—so you may continue to serve as a beacon to others."

"Thank you, Minfilia, for believing in us. For believing in me."

The Oracle leaned down to plant a soft kiss on her forehead, the light growing ever brighter, before taking a step back and walking towards S'eni.

"S'eni...I'm so happy to be able to see you again after all this time."

"And now we have to say farewell. For real this time…" she averted gaze, trying to blink away the burning in her eyes. A warm hand cupped her cheek, guiding her back towards those sapphire eyes that slowly began to turn back into the steely blue she had met so long ago when she had first joined the Path of the Twelve.

"Do you remember when I said that it was my turn to head off on an adventure into the unknown?" her friend asked. S'eni nodded. "This is just the beginning of another, even greater adventure. One on which we all will one day embark. I just happen to be the one going on ahead."

The Oracle, no, Minfilia presented her with the same warm smile she had given her so many times whenever she had returned to the Waking Sands and pulled her into a tight hug. Unable to stop herself, S'eni buried her face into the other woman's shoulder.

"S'eni, you have always been the dawn that chased away the dark to me, but not even the most valiant heroes can stand alone. Only together may you change the fate of two worlds."

And as the world around them began to fade away, a final whisper sent her back to consciousness.

"Farewell, my friend."

 

---

 

S'eni jolted awake with a start, finding herself lying on sandy ground. With a groan, she pushed herself onto her back and stared up at the frozen remains of the Flood of Light towering above her menacingly. If, for some inexplicable reason, it would resume its onslaught once more, she would have no way of escaping it.

But it remained where it was even as she blinked once. Twice. Even after the third time.

All because of Minfilia.

...she was gone. Well and truly gone.

Just like Haurchefant, Ysayle, Papalymo and so many others that had given their lives.

And now Minfilia as well.

Raising a hand off the ground, she covered her eyes with it.

Farewell, Minfilia. A lone tear ran down her cheek. You've earned your rest.

A groan from next to her made her uncover her eyes and she slowly began to sit up, wiping at the corner of her eyes while she turned towards their other Minfilia as she began to push herself off the ground as well.

"What happened? I remember speaking with Minfilia...and then..." the girl stopped herself when she noticed the look of surprise on S'eni's face. "Is something wrong?"

"Your hair...and eyes." Golden blonde had turned into red and glowing sapphire given way to a pretty, pale blue. It suited her.

Minfilia took a strand of her hair and looked at it. "A parting gift, I think. Until now, I've walked the path she set before me. The path she set before all the Minfilias," she said. "But she's given me a new path, a new life, that I can call my own. And even though she's gone, I can still feel her...warm and calm and gentle."

Minfilia began to slowly rise back to her feet.

"I also feel the beating heart of the world, the Light that swells within it. And the Lightwardens. Let's hurry back." Minfilia held her hand out towards S'eni. "The others need to know."

S'eni looked from the hand towards the girl's face, then back again before taking it with a smile, letting her help her back onto her feet.

"Alright, but before we go..." she reached out to wipe away the sand sticking to Minfilia's cheek. "There. Can't have you look like you just took a nap in the sand."

"Thanks..." Minfilia then started to look worried. "You don't think Thancred will be angry with me, do you."

She shook her head. "It's what she wanted. He'll understand."

"I'd like to think so too, but—" the girl sighed and turned away. "Would you mind going on ahead? I'll be right behind you. I promise. I just need a moment to think."

Giving Minfilia's shoulder a gentle squeeze, S'eni nodded. "Of course."

She looked up at the spot where one hundred years ago, her friend had given this world a glimmer of hope.

For those we have lost, for those we can yet save.

With a final smile goodbye, she turned around and left in the direction where they had last seen Thancred.

And there she found him as well, together with the others, sitting at the bottom of the stairs of an abandoned mining building and looking like he had been through each of the seven hells. But he had a smile on his face as he talked with their friends, and for the first time since she had reunited with him on the First, the tenseness that had always surrounded him was gone.

Maybe he had finally found a measure of peace.

"Ah, there you are," he called out when he saw her approaching. "We were worried."

"Really?" Alisaie huffed, her arms crossed in front of her chest. "She wasn't the one that got herself nearly killed. It's a good thing Urianger called us when he did. You were at death's door when we found you!"

"But thanks to your timely ministrations, I wasn't obliged to walk through it." He gave a light shrug. "It's like they say: healers have many friends."

S'eni stepped next to Y'shtola and shared a look with her, the other Miqo'te rolling her eyes at his comment while she simply chuckled.

Slowly, he turned his head to look past them and her ears perked up at the sound of steps coming closer. The others, too, began to notice their new arrival and turned to look at her.

"Minfilia...?" Alphinaud asked, his eyes widening in surprise at her changed appearance.

Thancred stared at Minfilia for a moment, then smiled. "You saw her."

"I know I haven't exactly been pulling my weight up till now, but that's all going to change, starting today," Minfilia said, the way she stared at the ground belying the confidence with which she spoke. "I'll do whatever it takes─whatever it takes to make her dream a reality."

He got up from the stairs and walked over to her.

"I can track the Lightwardens now. Maybe even help you fight them—" she fell silent when one of Thancred's hands came to rest on her head and began to stroke her hair.

"I'm glad you're back," he told her, his voice warm.

"You don't have to say that, you know?" Minfilia countered.

"But I want to. We're family. How else would I feel?"

Minfilia inhaled sharply, and S'eni watched as whatever mask of confidence she had built up began to crack and the tears she had held back spilled out from her eyes.

Looking at the scene with warm fondness, she snuck a glance at her lover, whose face held a somber expression. Gently, she reached out and brushed her fingers against Y'shtola's, causing pale eyes to meet hers and the corners of her lips to rise.

"She will need a name," Y'shtola then said.

Alphinaud's eyebrows rose in question. "A name?"

"A name of her own. I won't have her walk in the shadow of another any longer. And I think it's a fitting tribute to our departed friend too. At the mention of Minfilia, I would remember the woman who preserved our fellowship when all seemed lost."

"I agree." S'eni nodded. "I don't know about you, but sometimes I had trouble telling apart which Minfilia we were even talking about."

Alisaie closed her eyes, clearly torn at the notion, but eventually nodded and looked at the young girl. "Do you remember what you were called before you were taken to Eulmore?"

"No. I wasn't very old when it happened," Minfilia replied, wiping the last few tears from her eyes.

"Then we must think of one. Suggestions?" Y'shtola asked.

Almost instantly, they all looked at Thancred.

"If the lady herself has no preference, I believe the honor should fall to Thancred then," Alphinaud said, an amused smile forming on his face while he crossed his arms. "After all they have been through together, he's practically her father."

"Well said, dear brother! I'm so glad you're here to explain things."

The young man looked at his sister. "What do you mean?"

"Oh, nothing," Alisaie snickered.

With the onus having been quite literally forced upon him, Thancred took a moment to think before offering, "How about...Ryne?"

"Ah. 'Blessing' in Fae…" Urianger said. Then from one second to the next, his eyes widened, visibly taken aback. "Wait! Doth this mean thou were listening when I delivered my lectures of the pixies?"

"Not exactly." Thancred waved his hand dismissively. "But that one word made an impression. Of course, if it's not to your liking, I can think of something else."

"Ryne…Yes, I like the sound of it!" she beamed. "Thank you!"

"That settles it, then. Welcome aboard, Ryne!"

"I won't let you down," Ryne promised.

With an affectionate expression forming on her face, S'eni closed the distance between them, let her arm come to rest around Ryne's shoulders, and gave her a gentle squeeze.

Ryne...

A lovely name.

 

Notes:

And with this we say goodbye to Minfilia. I know the fandom usually jokes about returning to the Waking Sands all the time and how she's more often than not in need of rescuing, but at the end of a day, she was a friend (for some actually going as far back as 1.0.) and it's always hard to friends go. I hope I managed to give this a slightly more personal touch over the vents of the game.

Also sorry for posting a few hours late. I actually fell asleep lol. Anyway, hope you guys have a great weekend!

Chapter 80

Burden of Light

 

With the full power of the Oracle, it was a simple matter to find and slay the Warden of Amh Araeng, returning the night to the place where a hundred years ago, the Flood had been halted.

But as you climbed out of that forsaken mine, something inside of you began to rear.

Things were about to change.

 

---

 

Once upon a time, Malikah's Well had been a source of water for the surrounding area. Built originally to serve as a memorial to the deceased lover of the last queen, it had been turned into a mine in more recent years. But even that had stopped when the Daedalus Stoneworks had pulled out of the region, leaving the mining shafts to fall into disrepair.

The perfect place for the Lightwarden to hide—

A hand grabbed onto a platform, swiftly joined by its twin, and with a groan, S'eni began to pull herself up.

—and an absolute bitch to get out of.

"You know what? I think I would've preferred if it remained a well," she said after making it over the edge, sitting down for just a second to take a breather.

"And why would that be?" Y'shtola asked as her hand grabbed onto where S'eni's had been just a moment ago.

"Because that way, we could've just swam back." She offered her hand.

"Need I remind you—" the other Miqo'te grasped it. "—that not all of us are able to breathe underwater?"

"Not my fault you didn't want to visit the Kojin the last time we had the chance," S'eni replied while helping her up. A small smirk forming on her lips, she leaned down to whisper into her ear. "Besides, I wouldn't have let you go without breath."

Y'shtola simply huffed in response, or as well as she could given the circumstances, sitting down as well.

"I, for one, am glad that we didn't have to swim." Alphinaud called out from further left, as he too was pulling himself up, letting himself come to lie on his back. "Though I believe I shall have had enough of climbing for a while after this."

"Then I suggest you hurry up, dear brother!" Alisaie shouted from above, drawing a chuckle from S'eni. At least she seemed spirited.

But as she looked up at the beautiful night's sky awaiting them above, she could see why that was. Now the people at the Inn at Journey's Head had a hope of getting better.

After their group had finally made it back to the surface, which became easier once they had reached the part of the shaft that had working stairs, they spotted a small fleet of airships making its way eastward.

"No doubt retreating in the wake of the Warden's demise," Alphinaud said as he followed them with his eyes.

Yshtola hummed in agreement. "Back to Kholusia. Where the last remaining Lightwarden is hiding."

"Home of our dear Vauthry," Thancred commented, barely able to keep the scoff out of his voice. "Who will undoubtedly do everything in his power to stop us."

"As he should." Alphinaud nodded. "Defeat there will mean the end of his reign as well as his heavenly host."

"In any case, shouldn't this be the moment when Emet-Selch usually chooses to descend upon us?" Y'shtola asked while looking around, but the Ascian was nowhere to be seen. "Whatever will we do without his feigned praise and backhanded compliments?"

"Actually enjoying the scenery in peace?" S'eni grinned.

"Hmm, that sounds lovely."

They shared a little laugh before she turned her to look at Alisaie, who watched the stars with a smile on her face. "Do you want to see how everyone at the Inn is doing?"

"No," Alisaie replied with a shake of her head. "We have more urgent things to do, so for now I'll hope that the return of the night has granted the resident some measure of comfort. And when all of this is over, I'll visit Tesleen's grave and tell her everything. Come, let's return to the Crystarium."

Everyone nodded, and they began to leave. As they walked, S'eni was soon approached by Ryne, who was looking at her with clear worry on her face.

"Are you feeling alright, S'eni?" the girl asked.

"Yes, why?"

"Because after you defeated the Lightwarden, I could swear I saw its aether—Nevermind. I'm still getting used to my power. It's probably nothing." Ryne let out a relieved sigh. "I'm just glad I was right about where the Warden was hiding."

"Only one more left," S'eni said. "Any idea where it could be hiding?"

"Sadly, no. And I can't feel it from here at all."

Walking just a little behind the two, Y'shtola watched them as they chatted, a frown slowly marring her features. "She sees it too, then…"

 

---

 

As soon as they had arrived, Y'shtola had approached Ryne and her, asking to come speak with her for a moment while the others were heading to the Ocular ahead of them.

"So what is it you wanted to talk about?" S'eni asked her as they stood in the Exedra.

"There is something I wish to confirm," Y'shtola replied and turned towards Ryne. "Tell me, have you noticed anything peculiar about Eni's appearance as of late? Anything at all? Speak freely, she won't mind."

Ryne looked over at her and received a reassuring nod in return. "Alright...ever since Minfilia bestowed her power to me, I've been able to see Light inside her...though I didn't think anything of it at first due to all the stories I was told of her," Ryne explained to them. "But after we defeated the Warden, I realized something was wrong. You've absorbed its aether, S'eni. And the Light within you has grown monstrous."

She exhaled through her nose. She would be lying if she claimed that she hadn't been afraid of that.

"Then it's as I suspected," Y'shtola sighed. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm—ugh!" a sudden pain shot through her and her vision blurred.

"Eni!" the other Miqo'te immediately stepped forward to place her hands on S'eni's shoulders and kept her steady until it passed. "If nothing is done, this will only get worse. Ryne, the power of the Oracle granted you a measure of control over the Light, correct? Is there anything you can do for her?"

The girl shook her head.

"Extinguishing it is out of the question. Even at her strongest, Minfilia could only hold it back," Ryne said and began to ponder for a moment. "I might be able to suppress it...but I don't know how long that will last."

"Then we have no choice but to rely on Urianger and his secrets."

"You don't sound too happy," S'eni pointed out while stepping back from her lover.

"Would you be if roles were reversed?" Y'shtola shot back.

No, she definitely wouldn't. "So what now?"

"Now, Ryne and I shall discuss our strategy going forward with the others while you return to your chambers. If the next battle is the last, you will need all of your strength. So until it is time for us to depart, you will rest. Understood?"

Part of her wanted to immediately protest the notion and say that she was fine, but the look in Y'shtola's eyes brooked no argument, so instead she went with something else.

"Why yes, Mother..." she said, giving her an obedient little bow.

"Hah." Y'shtola's lips curled into an amused smile. "None of that cheek. Or I'll take you across my knee."

S'eni took a step forward, eyes locked with her lover's. "Hm. Promises, promises…" she said, before walking past her and into the direction of the Pendants, leaving Y'shtola to shake her head and mutter something while Ryne just looked confused by the whole exchange.

As she entered the building, she was almost immediately greeted by the manager, his high-spirited expression faltering slightly when he took in her appearance. "Is everything alright? You don't seem quite yourself."

"Just tired from the journey is all," she lied. It wasn't like she could tell him the truth anyway.

"Then I'm sure you wish to retire. Your room is ready as always."

"Thanks." Giving him a friendly wave, she made her way up the stairs and into her room. There, she found a sight she hadn't seen since the battle in Lakeland. Ardbert, staring out of the open window.

S'eni frowned. Had he been here all this time?

She watched him for a few more seconds, before walking towards him. "And what do we have here? An intruder," she said in a joking tone.

He turned around, one corner of his lips quirking up slightly. "Someone has to take care of the house, right?"

"I'm pretty sure that's what the staff of the Pendants is for."

"True. Quite a thorough bunch too. Anyways, how did things in Amh Araeng go?"

"We slew a Lightwarden and met with Minfilia." She sat down at the table and began to tell him about their adventure in the southern region. As she told him about their meeting with Minfilia, he began to frown and remained like this until she had concluded her tale.

"I see. Minfilia's gone, then."

"Yeah." S'eni looked down at her hands.

Ardbert's expression turned into a self-deprecating smile. "Which means the reason I suffer this purgatory will forever remain a mystery."

Minfilia had said something to him in her vision, something about how he was to give them hope until this world truly could be saved. But what did she mean by that?

All of a sudden, she tensed up and her eyes went wide, then...the pain from earlier returned a hundredfold. Stars of light exploded in front of her eyes as her entire body began to burn, like a searing hot fire from deep within her; wanting to break free.

"What's the matter?" Ardbert asked, his voice sounding muffled to her ears. She collapsed to the ground. "Hey, are you alright!?"

He rushed over to her, kneeling down to the ground and reaching for her. Just as he was about to touch her, a blindingly bright light began to emanate from his hand, making him double back.

From one second to the next, the pain vanished.

Gasping for breath, S'eni looked at him in surprise and he voiced the very same question she was wondering right now.

"What...What just happened?"

Then it dawned on her. The words Minfilia had spoken to her before she had vanished. Slowly, she pushed herself back onto still shaking legs.

"There...was something Minfilia said to me...that not even the most valiant of heroes can stand alone," she told him.

"She said my time had not yet come. That I still had a role to play..."

"Only together may we change the fate of two worlds. At first I thought she meant my friends and I, but now I think she meant you."

"What!? No—" Ardbert shook his head violently. "No, it can't be. There's only one hero in this room and it's not me. I'm nothing more than a shadow, cursed to wander."

A knock resounded from the door.

She glanced over her shoulder for a second, wondering who it could be, when she turned back again, Ardbert was gone.

"The world honestly lost a Shinobi on you," S'eni muttered and walked over to the doorway, picking up the stool she had fallen off from on her way. As she opened it, she was surprised to find none other than the Crystal Exarch standing there, and if she didn't know better, she would say he looked a bit nervous.

"Ahem. Forgive the intrusion," he greeted her. "Minfilia—that is Ryne, said that she was worried about you. Is everything alright?"

"I'm fine," she said. "Just some pain earlier, and again a minute ago."

"Again? Just now?" He took a step forward. "And did it pass?"

She blinked in surprise, but then chuckled. "Yes, don't worry."

"Good." Lowering his gaze to the ground, the Exarch shook his head. "No, actually it's not good. We're asking too much of you. All these battles against the Sin Eaters are clearly taking its toll on you. It's my fault, and for that I'm sorry. Nevertheless, I must ask one thing of you."

"What's that?" she asked.

"That you survive this, no matter what. When the dust settles, you must return to your world. For the battles to come and the wars yet to be won. Only one Lightwarden stands between us and victory. There's still much we must do to prepare, but for now, I will see if there is something that may remedy the strange affliction which plagues you."

"Once we kill the Warden, will your work also be done?" she asked as he was about to leave.

"Yes, I believe it will." he smiled. "Once the Light has been banished, the people of the Crystarium will be saved. And...someone else I wish to save. In any case, I won't keep you from your rest any longer. Take as much as you like."

Inclining his head, the Crystal Exarch turned around and left. She was just about to close the door when his voice echoed from down the hallway once more.

"Oh, Y'shtola. I...I didn't expect you here."

"Exarch," came the curt reply, followed by passing and coming footsteps. Soon enough, the other Miqo're appeared in her field of vision.

"I seem to be really popular today," S'eni said jokingly, leaning against the door frame.

Y'shtola frowned, eyeing her for a moment. "Did you have another attack?"

"Would you believe me if I said no?"

"No," Y'shtola replied and stepped inside, her hand almost instantly placing itself on S'eni's forehead while the other came to rest on her own. "You have a fever."

"I do?"

"Yes. Most likely a side effect to the Light." After removing her hand, her lover closed the door and all but dragged her over to her bed, making her lie down on it. "Rest."

Again, Y'shtola's tone left absolutely no room for argument, but this time she was actually inclined to follow her instruction, since as soon as her back had actually hit the mattress, a wave of fatigue hit her. She exhaled deeply and closed her eyes, opening them again only when she heard the clatter of a pot and she looked over to see her filling it with water before putting it on the stove.

"I know I called you Mother earlier, but that doesn't mean you have to cook for me—wait, since when do you cook?"

"Living in Rak'tika for two years forced me to adapt quite a bit and in the Night's Blessed everyone has to pull their weight. So yes, I learned how to cook."

"Now I'm intrigued. What's their cuisine like anyway?"

"Well, anything the Greatwoods have to offer. Fish, some meats, lots of herbs, mushrooms, and nuts," Y'shtola explained and began to look through the vegetables and fruits laid out on the table nearby. A courtesy by the Pendants, she was told. "But I'm afraid my skills aren't developed enough to make anything other than stew."

"Aww, and here I was hoping you would repay me for that mushroom soup." S'eni grinned.

An amused chuckle escaped her lover. "It might have been three years for me, but I remember rather well how I repaid you for it soon after."

"Tsk. Oh well."

While Y'shtola was cooking, they passed the time having some idle talk, mostly about food from the First, which, combined with the smell, certainly did the trick of making her hungry if nothing else. When the stew was finally done, she poured some of it into a bowl and carried it over to the bed on a tray.

Sitting up in bed, S'eni took the tray with a little quirk of her lip. "But you're not going to spoon-feed me, right?"

"No, I'm afraid that is still something you shall have to do on your own."

She chuckled and grabbed the spoon next to the bowl, taking her first tentative try of the first meal her lover ever made for her. It was actually kind of sweet now that she thought about it.

"No need to spare my feelings," Y'shtola said after she pulled the spoon back out of her mouth.

"Hmm." S'eni smacked her lips and nodded. "Could use more seasoning, but otherwise pretty good!"

"Hmpf. Of course you would say that. Too much salt isn't good for you, you know." But despite her words, Y'shtola smiled and pulled the chair over from the desk to sit down next to the bed.

A comfortable silence set over them as she ate, taking her time to enjoy this simple but still filling dish to its fullest. Once she was done, the other Miqo'te took the tray again. "Do you want seconds?"

"No, I'm full. Thanks."

Lying back down, she watched Y'shtola put the tray away and place the lid on top of the pot for later.

"Hey, Shtola."

"Yes?"

She scooted over and patted the space on the bed next to her. "Stay with me?"

Y'shtola placed a hand on her hip and pursed her lips. "You really ought to rest."

"I'll rest better with you at my side."

"Honestly…" her lover sighed in warm exasperation and began to turn off all the lights, before walking over to the bed and lying down next to her.

Circling an arm around Y'shtola's waist, S'eni rested her head against her shoulder, a smile forming on her lips when she felt herself being pulled closer and she let her eyes fall close once more.

"Good night, Shtola."

Y'shtola planted a kiss on top of her head. "Good night, Eni."

And as she drifted off into sleep, S'eni found herself dreaming the strangest dream. One of an Ishgard, that was very different from her memory, and of a man seeking something…

 

Notes:

Ha! As if I wouldn't pick the choice that has Y'shtola threaten to spank S'eni. But well, promises promises... ;)

Well nothing else to say here than to wish you all Happy Holidays! See you next week. :D

Chapter 81

Notes:

Last chapter of the year, or first of the new year, depending on where you are. And as it just so turns out, I have just something for the occassion. A little art piece just in time to kiss the year goodbye by Roxe (whom I have linked on one of the previous chapters :) )

Well, let's get this show on the road.

Paradise's End

 

The people of Eulmore have lived in their gilded cage for years, ignoring the outside world while doing nothing than to indulge their own pleasure in their so-called paradise.

A comfortable life. One that offered salvation.

But things like that always came at a price. And you were about to find out just how steep the costs were.

 

---

 

The moment they stepped onto Kholusia, S'eni had known that something was definitely wrong. Like the air was different, filled with a strange kind of warmth. Ryne could sense it as well.

And it didn't take long to find out just what exactly it was that felt off, as the way to Gatetown was scattered with people, walking around as if in a trance. Some of them were downright delirious and she had to knock them out to proceed. But that should only be the prelude to what awaited her at Gatetown itself.

Standing there in the center of the road leading to Eulmore were the good people of this little settlement, staring blankly ahead at the city of their dreams and mumbling something under their breath.

All attempts to interact with them, either by her and the others, or the few Gatetown citizens not struck by this strange affliction, were entirely ignored.

"Strange." S'eni snapped her fingers in front of a young Hume man, his face locked in a weird smile.

"They've been like this since we've arrived," Thancred said from next to her. "A Bomb could go off nearby and they wouldn't react."

"Yeah..." a shiver went down her spine. The last time she had been here, things had already seemed off, but she had just brushed it off because of the nature of the place. But this...was beyond bizarre.

"Come, let's see what Urianger found out. Looks like the gears are turning in his mind."

Together, they walked over to Gatetown's entrance, where their friend was watching the people with an expression of deep thought on his face.

"Strange. Passing strange..." she heard him mutter.

"Found something out?" S'eni asked.

"By their behavior, we may safely assume that they are under Vauthry's mind control. Yet the extent of the effect seemeth to vary dramatically between subjects," he said while looking at those that seemed perfectly fine. "'Tis far too pronounced to be attributed simply to the vagaries of innate magical resistance."

"This is getting curiouser by the second," she heard Alphinaud say and they turned to see him and Ryne walking up the path to Gatetown. He had stayed behind with the girl in case anyone might recognise her and alert Eulmore. As he came to a halt, he sent S'eni a smile. "Thanks for securing the way, we met with no trouble. But given the state of the townsfolk, none of us would have been recognized it seems."

They looked back towards the people.

"Ryne, can you feel something?" Thancred asked.

Ryne closed her eyes, remaining like this for a moment, before looking up at the garish sight of Eulmore. "I can sense a powerful Eater...in the uppermost parts of the city...but, something is different about it. It's...impure. We need to get closer."

"Ooh, so that one's Alphinaud!" a familiar voice called out. "Uh...unless you're triplets?"

"Kai-Shirr! What are you doing here?" Alphinaud exclaimed in surprise as he saw the young Mystel walk up to them with Alisaie.

Back during their first venture into Eulmore, they had met Kai-Shirr as he tried to use their bid to get into the city for himself, stating that he had only wanted to get into the city so that he could be with his friends once again. Alphinaud, being the kind soul that he was, had allowed him to do so. But the entire thing backfired spectacularly, and in the end, they had to save him from Vauthry's cruelty.

Way of a first impression with that potbelly, she thought.

"While scouting the area, I noticed him skulking about. When I confronted him, he called me 'Alphinaud' so I thought it would be best to bring him along," Alisaie explained, a note of annoyance in her voice at being mistaken for her brother again. Something, S'eni felt, could be easily solved if they didn't have such similar haircuts. The subtle difference in their fringes was clearly not enough.

But that was a concern for another day.

"The informant who has been feeding secrets to the Crystarium...that's me," Kai-Shirr said. "See, after you two saved my life, I thought about going somewhere far away. But I couldn't just leave without repaying my debt. So I decided to stay, keep my eyes on things, and whenever I spotted something strange, I shared it with your friends."

"That took no small amount of courage." Alphinaud smiled. "Well done."

"Then perhaps you can tell us what happened here?" Thancred inquired.

"Right, so, an airship flew in a bit ago, and not long after, Vauthry starts ranting and raving. You could hear it all the way out here!" the Mystel told them. "Geezer was going nuts. Shouting and screaming like somebody had nicked his pie!"

"'Tis like the airship bore the soldiers sent to thwart our efforts in Amh Araeng," Urianger commented.

"So eventually the yelling dies down...and then this hot, sticky wind comes blowing through. That's when everyone started to behave funny. Expect me and a few newcomers." He looked over to those not afflicted. "Though even some of them started mumbling about Vauthry after a while, just not as best as the rest."

"Newcomers thou sayeth..."

"Apologies for the interruption, but there's something I need Ryne to see," Y'shtola said while walking over to join them. Reaching into her pouch, she pulled out this strange, bread-like food S'eni had seen the last time Alphinaud and her had been here. "I found this among the townsfolk's food storages."

"Oh, that's just Meol," Kai-Shirr said. "Eulmore hands the stuff out."

Ryne took a look at the Meol and immediately recoiled in disgust. "No! It...It can't be…"

"What is it?" S'eni asked.

"It's a Sin Eater. Meol is made from the body of a Sin Eater!"

A round of surprised reactions went through their group and she heard Kai-Shirr gasp out in shock.

"So it is. That does explain quite a lot," Y'shtola said calmly. "In limited quantities, it may have little effect on an average individual. But if one were to consume it regularly, over a long period of time, I suspect it would do far more than offer simple nourishment."

"That Vauthry wieldeth power over Sin Eaters is known. Could it be that those who partake of their flesh do thereby render themselves susceptible to his influence?" Urianger wondered. "'Twould serve to explain why the town's newer arrivals succumbed less quickly than those raised on a diet of Meol."

What little restraint Alisaie had managed to keep after the reveal was quickly lost after those words.

"He's been rounding up Sin Eaters and feeding them to people!? Altering them with every mouthful, all to stop them from answering back!?" she shouted. "There are desperate souls out there killing themselves to escape turning! This is unforgivable!"

Next to his sister, Alphinaud had grown quiet, looking down at the ground. "These Sin Eaters...What if they are not simply 'rounded up'?" he asked suddenly, his lips in a thin line. He looked at S'eni. "Do you remember what the apothecary told you on our first day here? Many come into the city, but only few ever leave."

Her eyes widened in horror as she realized what he meant and she looked at Eulmore. "Twelve forfend…"

The people that 'ascended', they were being turned into Meol.

Anger welling up deep inside of her, she balled her hand into a fist. Just the tip of the iceberg indeed.

"Let's put an end to this 'paradise'," Alphinaud said. "Vauthry's deeds are beyond justification. Beyond forgiveness. Evil."

"It's highly probable the Lightwarden is waiting for us somewhere in there, and I'm all for going after it. But they know our faces, so the time for stealth has passed," Thancred said and sent S'eni a little smirk. "But we've got you as our battering ram. Now, my friend, if you would be so kind as to lead the charge."

With a nod, she turned in the direction of the city, narrowing her eyes. "Let's go, everyone. This ends today!"

They charged forward.

As soon as they had made it past the wooden bridge that led down in the shantytown at the bottom of Eulmore, the unmistakable voice of Vauthry echoed from high above.

"I can feel it... A dark presence in my domain! It's them! The villains who would sow chaos in my perfect paradise! Keep them away from me! I command you, keep them awaaaaaay!"

A bright, pink glow began emanating from the highest point of the city and a hot, sticky wind, like Kai-Shirr had described, filled the area. Not even a second after, the townsfolk began to turn and shuffle towards them like a horde of hungry undead.

"Tch!" Thancred grabbed his Gunblade. "Using his own people as a shield."

"This area is older than Gatetown. There are bound to be far more people under Vauthry's control," Alphinaud said, opening his tome. "But they don't act of their own free will. We should avoid harming them."

"I knew you would say that," Alisaie chuckled while holding her rapier forward. Glancing at S'eni, she added, "Press on with Alphinaud, we'll hold them off."

She nodded. "Got it!"

Thankfully, the only thing the enthralled townsfolk had going for them were numbers, so fighting through them without causing serious harm was quite easy. Still there were a lot of them, so it took some time until Alphinaud and her had managed to get past the town and into the city, where they were immediately greeted by a familiar sight of the two women dressed in blue and red, both holding their ever-present, creepy smiles on their faces.

"The jesters!" Alphinaud exclaimed.

"Apologies, friends...but you've reached a dead end. And on this sorry track, there's no turning back," the red one said.

"We've got a good life here, see, and we're not about to lose it. But fair's fair─we'll give you a good death," the one in blue added.

The young Elezen narrowed his eyes. "If you would fight us of your own volition then we will not hold back as well."

They began to laugh and raised their weapons.

"This one's a real side-splitter!"

"But at least you'll die laughing!"

The blue jester dashed forward, slashing at them with her blades, the smiles on her face having turned into deranged grins, while the other began to cast a spell. Unlike the poor people outside, these two actually knew how to fight, and were obviously a great team. Any ordinary combatant would have their difficulty with them.

But neither Alphinaud, nor her, were ordinary combatants. They had seen far more battles than most people on the First could claim, so after initially being forced into the defensive, the two of them pushed back.

"Carbuncle, now!" The tiny summon shot a wave of air at the red jester, throwing her off balance just as she was about to cast a fireball at S'eni and hitting her blue twin instead.

With a cry, the other jester dropped one of her daggers, giving S'eni the opening she needed. Thrown a punch at her wrist, she disarmed the other woman completely and began hitting her with a series of blindingly fast strikes that knocked the wind out of her before kicking her in the head with such a force that she collided with the red-dressed one, knocking them both out.

"That takes care of them," Alphinaud said, looking down at the unconscious women.

"Couldn't stand them from the first moment."

"Let's take the stairs to the Canopy."

Halfway up, though, they were awaited by the shuffling and moaning forms of Eulmoran soldiers.

"More of them!" Alphinaud sighed, gesturing his Carbuncle to attack. "Go ahead, leave them to me!"

"Alright!" Jumping over one of them as he made a grab for her, S'eni pressed onward, not stopping even once until she had made it to the Canopy.

S'eni stopped for a moment to look around. What had once been a place brimming with people that enjoyed their lavish lifestyle, not knowing about the corpses it was built upon, was now completely empty. Gone was the laughter, replaced only by a heavy silence that was broken only by the faint sounds of battle from downstairs.

When this was over, the good people of Eulmore, the free and the bonded alike, would have to face the reality of what had transpired here.

Continuing onward, she soon realized that she had been mistaken in her thought that the area was empty. One individual was still inside, guarding the way towards the Crown Lift.

Ran'jit.

Something about him was different from the last time she had seen him in Amh Araeng. His ever-present dragon familiar wasn't floating next to him like it always did and was instead wrapped around his body in a strange form of symbiosis. In his right hand, now covered in black scales, he held a vicious-looking scythe.

"You will find my master in his chamber…" he said, staring at her with cold eyes as he stepped forward. "But only if you kill me today, and you will not."

"You would really go so far for him? For this monster!?"

"You may think me under his spell, but I uphold Lord Vauthry's ideals of my own volition. Man is an inherently flawed creature. In his vain pursuit of righteousness, he only sows the seeds for future conflict. Thus I have chosen to place my hopes upon he who has transcended men. Upon he who is unbound by the vagaries of conscience." He whirled his scythe through the air and took a battle stance. "Enough talk. I am a soldier, and you are my enemy. Come! Let us settle this once and for all!"

Exhaling through her nose, S'eni too prepared for battle. "Have it your way."

She vanished from sight, appearing right in front of him again and slamming her palm into his jaw. He jerked back with a grunt and swung his scythe at her, but she dodged to the side and delivered a volley of punches to the part of his torso not protected by scales.

They're protecting him, but not overly much so. She vanished again, retreating backwards just in time to avoid the wave of crimson aether being sent her way. Sliding back into reality near the Aetheryte, she was forced to dodge once again as another wave of aether was thrown her way, swiftly followed by a third one.

It all turned into a blur, one attack followed the next, fire covering the marble floor and lighting flashing through the air. She dodged as best as she could, counter-attacking whenever it was possible as his attacks turned the richly decorated hall into a no man's land of sheer violence.

"It is time to end this, villain!"

"You call us villains, but who is the one locking up an innocent girl? The one protecting the very things that destroy the world?—" she managed to kick him in the knee, making him lose his guard momentarily, but still long enough to make a grip at the scythe and rip it out of his hand. "—the one turning their own people into food!"

With a cry, S'eni spun around and slashed at him. He tried to get away, but the sharp blade still managed to cut across the scales covering his chest, leaving a large gash in them.

"You speak of peace and salvation for this world, but all I see is death. The only way Vauthry's path leads to is the destruction of this world." She pointed the scythe at him. "And you're nothing more than an old man, too blinded by his grief to realize he has become the very thing he had sworn to fight against."

She raised the weapon high into the air before bringing it down once more, burying its blade into the floor.

"But there's one thing I agree with you: it is time to end this."

"Hmpf, your words have little meaning to me. Ever since I submitted to my master's authority, I have become nothing more than a weapon forged in the fires of war!"

Ran'jit raised his scaled hand, crimson aether surrounding it, and she dashed towards him.

But it was too late, as in front of her, a dragon head made of fire burned into existence, forcing her to stop. Looking around, she spotted three more appearing on every side, surrounding her completely.

Their eyes began to glow—

Shit!

—and they unleashed their attacks.

The entire Canopy shook as the explosion ripped through it, chunks of marble flying about in every direction, ripping apart banners and destroying furniture, and creating a large cloud of dust that filled the entire hall.

Then, silence...

...

...

...

The cloud began to disperse and a blue glowing dome revealed itself, a mosaic of hexagonal patterns flitting across it in waves like visible sound. And in the center of that dome, stood S'eni, now dressed in a long, dark coat and holding her arms out in a horizontal position.

She glared at her enemy. "Did you think you were the only one with tricks up his sleeve!?"

Before he had time to respond, she let the barrier explode outward, then immediately grabbed her staff. Sparks crackled across its head before a ball of lightning shot forth, stopping Ran'jit in his tracks as he made to lunge for her.

Waving her hand, arcane patterns formed on the ground and in the air around her, and she began to rise into the air.

"This is for the Night's Blessed!"

Fog began to swirl around him, turning into hard ice slamming into.

"This is for the soldiers of the Crystarium!"

Balls of fire flew through the air, exploding as soon as they found their mark.

"For the people of Eulmore!"

Another barrage of lightning rained down from above.

"And this—"S'eni raised her staff high into the air. "—this is just for me!"

All of a sudden, clouds formed above their heads, congregating together like a gathering storm, before turning an ominous shade of red. A brief moment passed, then they began to tear apart as a burning meteor came crashing towards Ran'jit.

Another, much larger explosion shook the Canopy, sending waves of arcane heat and chunks of rock flying everywhere. When the dust had settled once again, she found her enemy lying on the ground, or rather whatever was left of it. She walked over to him, a bright glow surrounding her for a brief second as the coat and staff changed back into her usual outfit, and looked down at his broken form.

"Ah...there you are…" he managed to say amid ragged breaths. "my...precious girls…"

He went limp.

S'eni stared at him, shaking her head with a sigh, until the sounds of hurrying steps made her look towards her approaching friends. None seemed any worse for the wear. Good.

"S'eni, are you alright!?" Alphinaud asked.

"Yeah, I'm alright. Not so much the area though…" After this was done, the Canopy would have to receive quite a bit of repairs. At least the Aetheryte and some of the stands further in the back were still intact.

Thancred gave the fallen Ran'jit a short look before turning his attention towards her. "The citizens seem to have calmed down. I assume Vauthry must be otherwise engaged. Let's get to the upper level while we can."

She nodded and they began to rush towards the Crown Lift.

As their group burst into the Offer, they found the chamber in complete disarray, tables turned and thrown around, empty bottles of wine and golden bowls once filled with fruit strewn around. The Sin Eaters in the shape of beautiful women were gone, leaving the place empty for but the singular presence in the room.

Vauthry.

His gargantuan, obese form was turned away from them as he gorged himself on something. His lips smacked and suckled in a way that made her stomach turn.

"Lord Vauthry!" Alphinaud called out to him. "Your reign of tyranny is at an end. For too long, you have preyed upon the desperation of the poor. Now you will answer for the suffering you have caused!"

He ignored them.

"And if you harbor even a shred of remorse, I beseech you to use your powers to restore the balance. For the future of all the people of Norvrandt."

Ryne gasped, taking a step back. "No, it can't be. This is wrong! It's wrong!"

"What is it?" S'eni asked her.

"The Warden—it's not just a Sin Eater. It's a man!"

Eyes widening in shock, she turned to look at Vauthry once more. He was the Lightwarden.

With a sickening sound, Vauthry spun his head around to face them, swallowing his meal before speaking, spit spewing from his mouth. "Remorse? For the future of all? What nonsense is this? There is no justice but mine. No future but mine. No will but mine."

His head twisted back, leaving them all stunned.

"Me? Unseated? No, no, no, no, no..." he grew quiet for a moment, dropping whatever it was that he was holding. "It's impossible. Inconceivable! Absurd! I am a great and wise king. Greatest and wisest! I reign from on high! I will not be brought down by maggots like you!"

At those last words he began to thrash about, hitting the pillowed ground of his platform like a child throwing a tantrum. As ham-sized fists were about to punch a hole into the pillowed floor, he stilled, his heavy panting slowing.

"Ah, yes. Of course," he said after calming down again, sounding like he had the answer to everything. "I can begin again. Rebuild my paradise. Once I finish my dinner..."

His giant hand moved to grasp what he had dropped, which turned out to be a fork with Meol impaled on it. He raised it to his mouth, swallowing it whole, fork and all.

"Oh gods—No!" Ryne shouted. "Thancred, stop him!"

Not wasting any time, Thancred rushed forward, Gunblade in hand, but before he could reach him, Vauthry sprouted a pair of wings and let out an ear-splitting scream that forced them all to their knees.

Vision growing blurry, S'eni could only watch as Vauthry rose into the air on wings far too small for his obese form and flew out of the balcony. For a moment, everything became black, then it was clear again.

Alphinaud shook his head. "Where...where did he go!?"

As if to answer him, the ground began to shake, nearly throwing them off their feet again. For a second, she thought that something inside the city might have collapsed, but soon realized that it was coming from outside.

When it passed again, they swiftly ran out onto the balcony to find—

"What in the heavens!?" Alphinaud exclaimed.

—a floating mountain, held aloft by a bright, golden halo.

"Did Vauthry do that?" Alisaie asked.

"We need to get up there. Fast!" S'eni said, turning towards the others.

"Wait!" Alphinaud interrupted her, his eyes on the ground. "That's Mt. Gulg, the highest peak in Kholusia. It lies on the other side of a giant cliff, and as much as I wish it were otherwise, it is beyond our reach for now. But even if it weren't—there are people here who need our help!"

"Oh, Alphinaud..." his sister sighed.

"Please. If only to tend to their wounds!"

S'eni stared at the young Elezen, then smiled. "Of course. Let's help them."

Alphinaud breathed in relief. "Thank you."

"I don't know if it will work, but if Vauthry's hold over the people is rooted in Light, I might be able to reverse its effects," Ryne said. "Will you let me try?"

"Of course." Alphinaud nodded. "We'd be grateful for all the help you can provide."

"Well then," Alisaie said, looking over their group. "If it's decided, let's all get to work."

As their group began to leave, S'eni looked over her shoulder at the giant mass of stone high up in the air. Her eyes narrowed. Hide yourself away all you want, I'll get to you, Vauthry. And then, we'll settle this.

But until then, they needed to help the people of Eulmore. And there was much to be done.

 

 

Notes:

So funny stuff, while I was writing this story at first, I wasn't in Shadowbringers yet, and I purposefully never saw the intro trailer of it due to not wanting to poentially spoil myself, so when I first saw it, I was completely blown away how they integrated the class change with Poster Boy WOL and felt the desire to do that at least once in my story too. At the time I was leveling Black Mage on the side and decided I might use that one, so I laid some groundwork for it. Of course you probably noticed that she was using a certain non Black Mage skill there, and perhaps I will address that too later lol. But don't worry, she'll always stay a Monk through and through, just with a little side portfolio I suppose. ;)

And since we're already here, I would like to thank you all for giving this story a chance. Every comment, kudos, or even just silently reading it, is truly appreciated.

From my corner of the world: a happy new year! :D

Chapter 82

Notes:

Well I hope you all made it into the new year safe and sound! :D

Once again I have a nice little artwork to present by the talented Centaurii (linked in one if the previous chapaters as well) which I think makes for a nice post New Years piece.

And without further ado, let's continue!

Awaking to Reality

 

So Vauthry was the Lightwarden all along. I can't say I saw that coming despite his powers. Now, he has retreated to Mt. Gulg and there is no way for you to reach him.

I wonder how the people of Eulmore will react once they learn of that fact, having lived there secluded from all the worries and awful truths. A pleasant little dream.

And now...it was time to wake up.

 

---

 

The first time she had seen Eulmore from far away, she had been surprised and perhaps a little awed. A city so grand, if a little garish in design, on a world teetering on the edge of destruction. But that feeling didn't last long, because the closer she had gotten to it, the more the ugly reality had chipped away at it. One such ugly reality were the Derelicts, the shantytown forming a circle around the city's base, offering a home to all those that had either fallen into disfavour or who were turned away at the gates of the city they had wished to enter but were still found lacking in the end.

During her initial visit to Eulmore, S'eni had taken an extensive look around the area, and while life here was anything but comfortable, the people had made it their home and even managed to start families here. Now whatever fragile existence they had made in the shadow of this city had been disturbed.

"O Lord Vauthry...You are...my daily Meol."

"Let's put you to sleep," she said to the old apothecary and began to administer the dream powder Thancred had given her, swiftly moving to catch him when his legs began to give out.

"Mmmmmm...Meol," he moaned before falling into a deep sleep.

"That's another one taken care of." She gently placed his body on top of the carpet belonging to the old man, then looked over at Y'shtola.

"I do believe this has been all on this side," the other Miqo'te said while looking around.

"Then let's head around." Rising to her feet, she walked over to her lover, and together they began to head eastern part of the Derelicts.

"Even after we have fought and subdued most of them, there's still so many left," Y'shtola said.

"It's like Alphinaud said, they've been living off Meol far longer. I'm frankly surprised there are some here not enthralled enough to not attack us."

"Still, Ryne will have much to do down here."

"Worried she might overexert herself?" S'eni asked with a smile.

"No, I'm more afraid of how much time this might take." Silvery white eyes came to rest on her.

Her smile dropped. So that's why she was staying with her instead of looking after the wounded. "I'm fine, don't worry."

"Are you sure?"

"I am," S'eni assured her. "Haven't had another attack since yesterday evening."

She was honestly surprised herself.

Y'shtola looked at her for a few seconds longer, then nodded. "Alright. But—"

"I'll take a break when I feel like it might get too much. I promise." her expression grew warm. "But thank you for being worried. That's sweet."

"Well, one of us has to be worried after all," her lover sighed. Sensing how worried she was, S'eni reached out to take Y'shtola's hand and give it a gentle squeeze, earning herself a little smile. "Come, let's focus on the enthralled for now. The faster we can heal them, the faster we can focus on getting to Vauthry."

For a mercy though, they only found a single one standing in the middle of a road, staring up into the sky like he was moonstruck, muttering under his breath. S'eni approached him, her hand going to the sack of dream powder when he suddenly whirled around, his eyes wide.

"Lord Vauthry! Our Meol!" the man shouted and launched himself at her, but a quickly cast spell by Y'shtola sent him flying to the ground where he remained, calling out for his master while drool ran down his face.

"Thanks," she breathed out and walked over to him, kneeling down to put him to sleep. As she rose back to her feet, S'eni noticed a few pairs of eyes on her, peeking out from one of the windows nearby but swiftly going back into hiding when she looked over.

Children.

She sighed inwardly, glad that they hadn't eaten enough Meol yet to fall prey to Vauthry's influence as well.

"Well, that takes care of the Derelicts. Let's head up and see if there's any more there."

And indeed there were, while working they came across a few more poor souls under the sway of Vauthry's powers, among them a certain young maiden she had met while previously investigating and the master of the young songstress that had lost her voice. She didn't even want to imagine how he was going to feel when he learned the truth about what had happened to the woman he had been so fond of.

After they had taken care of them, S'eni and Y'shtola walked around the Canopy until they stopped in front of a certain establishment.

The Beehive, one of Eulmore's centers of amusement.

Y'shtola cocked an eyebrow at the images of some of the dancers being put on display outside the establishment, but still followed as S'eni walked inside.

Apart from the rich décor and a few scantily clad dancers huddling together with other members of the staff, there was currently little left of the dark and sultry atmosphere, as the music had fallen silent a while ago. In its place though, there was the telltale muttering and moaning from some of the patrons frequenting it.

"Hmm, even here there's some."

"Oh?" Y'shtola placed a hand on her hip. "So you know this establishment I take?"

"Oh yeah, I was here on my first visit to Eulmore," S'eni replied. Her eyes widened when she realized how that sounded. "I was exploring the city to gather information!"

"Of course, and I'm very sure none of these, shall we say, element exposed dancers has caught your fancy at all."

She shot Y'shtola an incredulous look, but the blush forming on her face betrayed very much how right the other Miqo'te was. Just when she was about to come up with an excuse, she noticed the look of amusement in her eyes.

S'eni cleared her throat. "We should put these to sleep."

"We should," Y'shtola agreed, giggling into her fist.

Once these enthralled people had been pacified as well, the two of them left the Beehive again to go look for Ryne. They found her in the Grande Dame Palor, treating a man.

"S'eni, Y'shtola, there you are," Ryne greeted them after finishing. "Have you found more?"

S'eni nodded. "Down in the Derelicts, the Understory and also the Beehive."

"So many of them..." the girl rubbed a hand across her face. "But Minfilia has entrusted me with this power. I won't rest until I've helped everyone."

Y'shtola and her shared a look.

"We can bring the enthralled to you."

"Oh, that would certainly make it easier for me to work. Thank you. I'll do my best to keep pace," Ryne said with a smile.

Thankfully, the Crown Lift had been restored to full working order, so it was only a matter of getting those below inside and riding it all the way back up to the Canopy. It still took quite a bit of time to get them all to Ryne and have her treat them.

By the time she was healing the last of the enthralled, Alphinaud, Alisaie, and Urianger had seen to any wounded and joined them at the Grand Dame's Palor together with Thancred.

"That's the last of them," Alisaie sighed.

"We've done all we can for the wounded," Alphinaud said. "As for the rest..."

They all turned towards the crowd that was gathering nearby, among them the familiar faces of the Chais. And it was also Lady Chai who addressed them first. "U-Um...aren't you Alphinaud? The painter boy?" she asked, worry on her round face. "What in the world is going on?"

"Let me handle this," Alphinaud said and took a few steps forward to address the people. "People of Eulmore. What I'm about to tell you will come as a shock. Indeed, you may be loath to believe it. But if you trust the evidence of your senses it is my hope that you will listen and accept the truth, unpalatable though it may be. Vauthry is a Sin Eater. Everything he offered, everything he promised, was a lie…"

S'eni listened and watched as he told them the full truth of what Vauthry had done. Surprise turned into shock, which turned into horror the more he told them, some of the listeners even sinking to the ground or crying.

"They're not taking it well," Alisaie whispered. "And who could blame them?"

After he was done, one of the citizens, a Mystel woman, asked, "Are you saying we were Vauthry's puppets all this time?"

"When you attacked, you were not yourselves. That is true," Alphinaud confirmed. "But your conduct before that was your own. His unnatural charisma doesn't absolve you of all responsibility. You came to this city of your own free will and gave yourselves over to its pleasures. And in the course of this, if you mistreated those less fortunate than you...that was of your own free will as well. It's not for me to judge you, but for your victims. For history. And for your conscience."

He paused for a moment, looking at each and every one of their crestfallen faces.

"You have dreamed a twisted dream, but now you are awake. You may yet share his world of ours. Join with us and each other so that we might begin anew. We've lost so many already, don't let us lose any more." Alphinaud closed his eyes and sighed, before walking back over.

"I have said my piece. Thank you for giving me this chance," he said, presenting S'eni and the others with a small smile. "There is nothing to be done here anymore. Let's go after Vauthry."

Someone from the crowd suddenly chimed in. "Is there anything we can do to help?" a Hume man asked. "You risked your lives to bring us to our senses, and I for one hope to repay that debt. Begin anew, as you said."

After the initial surprise was gone, Y'shtola smiled. "Vauthry had fled to Mt. Gulg, and we wish to pursue him. Do any of you know the way?"

"The only way to Mt. Gulg is over the Bright Cliff," another citizen replied. "Do you have an airship?"

"It would certainly be the easiest approach, but were we to come under attack whilst airborne, we would have little hope of defending ourselves," Y'shtola said. "If at all possible, we would prefer to travel by land. Is there a way?"

Murmurs went through the crowd until an elderly woman raised her voice. "The Ladder is the only way up and down the cliff. But it hasn't moved in a long time. In the old days, it was operated by the miners who lived at the top. But after the Flood it saw less and less use, and when Lord Vauthry took control, it was abandoned altogether."

"So we somehow need to get the Ladder working again, correct?" Alisaie asked.

"It moves by means of a Talos, if that's any help," the man from before said. "But good luck repairing that…"

"...Talos? Did someone say Talos!?" Lady Chai's ears perked up, and she looked towards her husband. "You know all about them, don't you, dearest? If anyone can get this lift moving, it's you!"

"Um...well...perhaps. B-B-But see here—"

"Oh, yes! If you want the golem restored, you may leave it to my husband!" Dulia-Chai called over to them, and S'eni had to stop herself from chuckling as the woman practically walked all over the man. "He is the heir to Daedalus Stoneworks, foremost makers of Taloi!"

Chai-Nuzz stepped back and waved his hands as all eyes landed on him. "Wait wait! I-I-It's been years since I had anything to do with it. I-I can't just pick up a hammer and get to work!"

"You...you can't?" Dulia-Chai asked, voice on the border of sadness. The effect kicked in instantly.

"N-No, th-th-that's not what I— It's just, I—" he sighed and let his head hang, then turned towards them. "…Alright, I will take a look at the Talos, but beyond that, I make no promises."

S'eni leaned closer to Y'shtola's ear. "Wha-psh!"

"Hush you," her lover whispered back with a playful expression.

"Those with strong backs, come with me," Chai-Nuzz called out to the attendees. "I'll need help dragging the damned thing out of the storehouse…"

As they watched the man leave with a group of eager volunteers, Alisaie approached her brother, giving him a smile. "Well done," she told him, then rushed after the group to help as well.

The young man turned towards them, receiving encouraging nods. His eyes landed on S'eni and he mirrored his sister's expression. "Come, we have work to do!"

That they did.

 

---

 

As the elderly lady had told them, the Ladder clearly had seen better days. Grand, and almost a little majestically, it reached all the way up the cliff, but it was also covered from bottom to top in rust, the lack of maintenance coupled with the sea air having done its work over the years.

But...looking at the people gathered here, citizens of Eulmore and workers from the nearby Venmont Yards that joined the effort, working together with her friends, filled S'eni with confidence that it would be up and running in no time.

At least she hoped so, because for her part she was put on resting duty, despite feeling fine, thank you very much!

"Frown any more, and it will leave marks on your face," Y'shtola said while walking towards her.

"I know, I know. I need all my strength. And I did promise to take a rest." she turned to look at her lover, raising her brows when she offered her a cup. "What's that?"

"Broth. One of the workers is making some for everyone. Take it, it will do you good."

Sighing, she took the offered cup and took a sip. It was a bit thin, but she supposed they had to ration their ingredients outside of Eulmore. Her eyes landed on Chai-Nuzz, working on the two Taloi that they had brought here. "So much for 'I can't just pick up a hammer and get to work', eh?"

Y'shtola chuckled. "With the intensity he works, it's almost as if his reluctance was a lie."

"Maybe." Another sip.

The other Miqo'te sat down next to her on the crate. She held up her hand. "May I?"

"Go ahead."

Closing her eyes, Y'shtola began to cast a spell, the warm glow of aether engulfing her hand. She remained like this for a minute, before lowering her hand once more.

"So, how does it look?" S'eni asked.

"Unchanged. Which may be a blessing, all things considered," Y'shtola replied, frowning.

The corners of her lips curled into a teasing smile. "Now what was that about frowning?"

Her lover just huffed and shook her head. "You're impossible, you know that?"

"Isn't that why you love me?"

"Hmm. No, I don't think so." Y'shtola rose back to her feet. "Anyway, enjoy your meal."

"I will. Don't overwork yourself," she called after the other Miqo'te as she walked over to Urianger, apparently wishing to discuss something with him. S'eni for her part continued to watch the proceedings, idly drinking from the broth until the cup was empty and her stomach was pleasantly warm.

She had just put the cup away, when a voice spoke up, "Would you look at that? The citizens of Eulmore engaging in what can only be described as 'manual labor.' Who would have thought it possible?"

Looking into the direction it was coming from, S'eni spotted someone she hadn't seen in a while. Emet-Selch.

He began walking towards her. "Do you know the most reliable way to deal with those who stubbornly refuse to see reason?"

"I'm sure you're about to tell me either way."

"You conquer them. Crush them under your heel. That was the trusted method of Allag, and one still favored by Garlemald. But conquest is the easy part. The true challenge begins once the dust has settled, quenching the glowing embers of animosity and maintaining a semblance of peace," the Ascian told her. "This requires the conqueror to treat the conquered with dignity, and the conquered to let bygones be bygones. A difficult feat to achieve. But you have managed just that...to my considerable surprise."

She blinked.

He rolled his eyes. "It's a compliment. Take it."

Walking over to her, he surprised her by sitting down on the crate, before looking over to where Urianger and Y'shtola were beginning to infuse the Taloi with aether.

"Ahh, the vibrant energy that fills the air when like-minded souls gather. To think back on that brings a tear to my eyes. Some things truly don't change."

"A tear, really?"

"What? You think ancient beings like us are incapable of crying?" he looked downright offended. "Well, rest assured that if your heart can be broken, then so can mine!"

Then his expression grew serious and a faraway look entered his eyes.

"Back when the world was whole, we had family, friends, loves...We knew peace and contentment, and with our adamant souls, we could live for ages. There was no conflict born of want or disparity. Or differences paled into insignificance next to all we had in common. And then there was Amaurot...Never was a city more magnificent. From the humblest streets to the highest spires, she fairly gleamed…" he glanced back at her. "Not that you would remember any of this…"

She furrowed her brows. "Remember? Why should I be able to remember it?"

"Nevermind. The point is: the world of old was a far better place than what we have now. I believe you would like it, with the things you have witnessed in the past."

They fell silent for a moment, simply watching as the people work.

"Remember, you are of the Source. Unlike the halfmen here, you only stand to gain. Should you survive the remaining calamities, you will become our equal. A complete existence, in a complete world."

A complete existence, huh? She wondered. Was it really true though? Or was it just another elaborate Ascian lie?

It didn't matter in the end, she supposed. Because she wasn't going to doom these people.

"But such talk is a pleasure for later. Back to work, hero," Emet-Selch said lightly and got off the crate, beginning to walk away. He stopped all of a sudden, turning to look at her once more. "Ah, there was one thing I meant to ask."

"Alright, ask away."

"How well do you know the Exarch?" he asked. "Has he ever deigned to show you what he hides beneath his cowl?"

"Not once," she replied, shaking her head.

The Ascian frowned. "Even to you? How very interesting…I shall enjoy working out what it means. Until next time."

Offering her that dismissive wave of his, he walked away, leaving to watch him with a look of contemplation on her face. Why was the Exarch hiding his face?

But her musings were interrupted by Dulia-Chai's cheering. "Ohhh, I knew you could do it! Daedalus himself would be proud of you, dearest!"

S'eni turned around to see the Taloi spring back to life among the people's cheers.

"They're alive," Ardbert said as he appeared next to her.

"Well, hello to you too," she said in return, earning herself a chuckle from him.

"Do you still remember how we first met in this world?"

"Of course. Hard to forget something like that."

"I was all but spent. Up until now, I never really thought about why that was until now. I think it all just got too much." Ardbert looked at his hand. "The guilt of causing the Flood...Knowing everyone hated me...But the worst thing was the solitude."

His eyes found hers. "Time wears you down, but it's the solitude that eats away at you. It was this close to finishing me off. But as bad as it got, and as empty as I felt...I can't even imagine what must be like for Emet-Selch." He then smiled. "So all I can say is this: don't make a choice that will cost you your friends. Nothing is worth that—especially not eternity."

S'eni stared at him, not knowing what to say. He had been through so much. Things she only managed to catch glimpses of. So instead, she mirrored his expression.

Swift footsteps made her look away from him to see the twins coming towards her.

"Good news, S'eni. The Ladder is operating once more!" Alphinaud said.

"The three of us have been invited to do the honors. Are you up for it?" Alisaie chuckled. "Of course, if you're worried the whole thing might come crashing down, we can always find someone else."

"Oh gods." Despite being a terrible joke, she still laughed. "Sure, let's test it out."

"That's the spirit! Come on!"

They walked over towards the giant lift, passing by their friends and the cheering people. Her eyes found Y'shtola's for but a moment, and her lover gave her a nod.

We rode the Ladder too, my friends and I. A long time ago.

The three of them stepped onto the platform, looking around before turning to face the crowd.

We watched the horizon grow and the town shrink below us...

S'eni found Ardbert standing amidst them, watching. A grin began to split her face and she waved him over, earning herself some confused looks from the people standing around him while he gave her a dumbfounded stare that turned into an exasperated smirk, and he began to jog up to them.

...Awed and terrified in equal measure, we ascended without a word.

He stopped next to her, and shortly after the Ladder began to rise.

Remember our journey...and our end. Retread the path. Seek and you may yet find…

 

 

Notes:

Really gotta love the Chais.

Chapter 83

The Crystal Exarch

 

For as long as you have been here, the Crystal Exarch has been a steadfast ally, offering you and your friends all the help he could give. But despite that, he was a man shrouded in mystery. Even the people of the Crystarium didn't know anything about him, where he hailed from or what his name was. He had offered them protection in a time of great need and they respected him for that.

But I can tell that what Emet-Selch has told you was beginning to gnaw on you.

Who was he, really? What was it that he hid underneath that cowl of his?

 

---

 

While the lower part of Kholusia was covered in nice coastal greenery that was perfect to house farmland, the upper part was the exact opposite. Barren and dry, there was only rocky terrain as far as the eye could see.

Perfect, really, for the mining operations that had earned the people their living up here, before the Flood had put an end to it little by little.

Today, only those that had broken their lot with Eulmore had made this area their home. Those and—

"Lali-ho!" a small bearded figure, dressed in chainmail and wearing a large helmet that covered their entire head, greeted them.

—the Dwarves.

With a look of confusion, S'eni turned towards her companion, the Crystal Exarch himself. His shoulders subtly rose and fell. She looked back towards the dwarf.

"Lali..." she tilted her head. "...ho?"

"What sorry excuse for a greeting was that!?" the Dwarf demanded, jumping up and down in a comical fashion. "Where's your heart, lass!? Your stones!?"

"My what!?"

But he ignored her.

"Come, let's try it again! Lali-hoooooo!" he greeted her once more, shifting his body and raising his hand in the air at an angle.

Sighing inwardly, she began to raise her hand the same way. "Lali-hoooooo!"

The Crystal Exarch stifled a chuckle.

"Hmm. Not bad, not bad." The Dwarf nodded. "But there's room for improvement. Anyway, now that we've observed common courtesy—who are you and what're you doin' here?"

"I'm called S'eni and this is the Crystal Exarch."

Her companion nodded and stepped forward, a friendly smile on his partly hidden face. "We have come to seek the aid of the Tholl family at the recommendation of the denizens of Amity. May we speak with Chief Xamott?"

After arriving at the top of Bright Cliff, the twins and she had scouted out the area and quickly found the town of Amity, a settlement that people who turned their back on, or otherwise 'left', Eulmore. Among them was a certain painter that Alphinaud and her had previously met.

Tristol was obviously rather hesitant to help in their endeavour, especially when he heard that the Chais were involved. But after Chai-Nuzz had apologized for all he had done to him, he had decided to trust them and thus their plan to built a giant Talos to carry them to Mt. Gulg could commence in earnest.

Now all they needed was a heart to bring it to life, which was the reason they had come to Tomra. If someone knew where to find the materials for it, it would be the dwarves.

"Why, yes! You may." The Dwarf thumbed his chest. "I'm Xamott, and I welcome you to Tomra. If it's the folk of Amity that sent you here, you must have quite a tale to tell. Come, let's hear it!"

As the Exarch began to recount the events that had led them here, S'eni watched him out of the corner of her eyes, the expression on her face turning into a frown by the second.

"Even to you? How very interesting…" she heard Emet-Selch's words in the back of her mind.

Ever since he had asked her that question, she couldn't get it out of her mind. It was like fuel being poured on the flames of uncertainty that Y'shtola's mistrust of the man had slowly ignited in her.

Who was the Exarch really?

Maybe it was time to try and find out what was hiding underneath that cowl.

After the Exarch was done, Chief Xamott nodded.

"Well, well! And there I thought those below had no fight left in 'em! That said, it's not like we know how to deal with that floatin' volcano and all them sin eaters neither. If you're serious about restorin' peace to these parts, though, we'll gladly lend you a hand. However!" The Dwarf raised his hand, tiny finger extended. "The kind of ore you seek's precious to us too. If I let you have it only for you to bungle things up and squander it, like, no amount of ale will wash away my chagrin. First, I need to make sure you're worthy─by means of a trial! A trial most tricksy, passed down through the line of Tholl!"

The Crystal Exarch looked at her and this time it was she that shrugged. A trial most tricksy?

"And what would this trial be?" he asked.

Chief Xamott laughed. "Come with me and I'll tell you."

They were led further into the town, earning a series of curious looks and friendly Lali-ho's as they passed by them. When they stopped in front of a large house carved into the side of the mountain, the Chief called over one of the other Dwarves, told him something and sent him on his way before turning back towards them with another laugh.

"As you know, we're a minin' folk. And in the minin' life, danger's a constant companion. So, when we come of age, each of us must prove our readiness to take to the mines. This we do by undertakin' a trial that tests the three traits all good miners can't do without: discernment, diligence, and dexterity. We call it...3-D MineRunner!"

S'eni just stared at him. "Okay."

"Now, look at my helm. Mark its features well. You'll be given a slingshot, which you must use to shoot Dwarves that wear different-looking helmets. I've already made the necessary arrangements. When you're ready to take the trial, report to the observer nearby. Best of luck to you!" Chief Xamott said.

"Would you care to do the honors, my friend?" the Exarch asked. "It goes without saying, but out of the two of us, you're the most suited for it."

"Sure. It sounds easy enough," she said and began to walk over to where the observer was waiting, who also greeted her in the same enthusiastic fashion his Chief did before leading her up to the roof where the slingshot was situated.

The slingshot in question was more of a small cannon and its ammo sacks filled with sand, nothing that would kill but would definitely knock the wind out of you if hit.

All in all, the challenge felt more like a festival game than something that would prepare you for actual dangers.

While she was shooting at the dwarves wearing different helmets, S'eni noticed someone from out of the corner of her eyes. It was The Crystal Exarch, having stepped closer to watch the proceedings with Chief Xamott.

A sudden idea formed in her mind, and just as quickly as it did so, she aimed the slingshot downward and fired.

The sack hit the Crystal Exarch straight in the chest, making him stumble back a little. After collecting himself he stared up at her, the corners of his lips turned downward in disapproval. "If that was supposed to be funny, I don't see the joke!"

Actually, I was hoping to catch a glimpse of your face, she thought. With an apologetic smile, she called down. "Sorry!"

After she was done with the trial, and had passed it with flying colors, she returned to the Exarch and Chief Xamott.

"Impressive shooting, lass! Consider me satisfied," the dwarf told her. "It's plain to see that you didn't come this far by luck alone. So I'll place my faith in you, and help you find the ore you seek."

S'eni and the Exarch shared a nod. Finally some progress.

 

---

 

As it turned out getting that ore, or earthseed as the Dwarves called it, had been another matter entirely as the place where it was most likely to be found was Duergar's Tewel, which was claimed by the age-old rivals of the Tholls: the Goggs.

It didn't surprise her at all that the helmets they wore were the exact kind she was told to shoot, and it quickly became apparent that the rivalry ran deeply...and rather petty.

But in the end, they had managed the ore without anyone being seriously injured, and now that they were back in Amity, S'eni found herself watching as her friends left to work on the Talos together with all the other people from all across Norvrandt that came to join them.

While she...had been told to rest. Again.

And though it annoyed her that her friends were now doing all the work, it might actually give her a chance to speak with their mysterious summoner now that they had a quiet moment. If only she could actually find him...

"...The Exarch?" Dulia-Chai asked.

"Yeah, you wouldn't happen to know where he went?"

"Why yes, he went outside a moment ago, my dear." The Mystel pointed into the direction if the cliff. "I would've thought you'd seen him. He kept me company for a short while, but then he became quite pale. He's clearly been straining himself, the poor thing."

S'eni frowned at that. The fight against the Sin Eaters earlier and the distance to the Crystarium were taking their toll on him.

"Anyway, he excused himself, saying that he needed a breath of fresh air. I offered to go with him, but he assured me he would be fine. I hope he's alright..."

"I'll go take a look. Thank you, Lady Chai."

Following the woman's instructions, S'eni headed towards the cliff. It took her a bit, but eventually, she found the man she was looking for, resting against a rock at a spot where you could see all of lower Kholusia. Fast asleep.

She knelt down in front of him, simply watching him as his chest rose and fell evenly. Hard to believe that this was the man that had all summoned them here. One by one, he had pulled her friends here; pulled Y'shtola here, until it had only been her, waiting and wondering when she would be next. And when it had finally been her time, further secrecy had awaited.

It would be so easy now. Just pull his hood down and reveal that face he kept so guarded.

She reached her hand out...

"My destiny is waiting in the future..."

...and stopped, furrowing her brows. He awoke with a start, looking around for a second before letting his unseen gaze come to rest on her. "Forgive me, I must have fallen asleep."

"Resting your joints, old man?" she asked lightly.

"I needed some fresh air and rest for a moment." He sat up straight with a groan. "But I must have nodded off. It seems I'm more fatigued than I realized."

"Is it really that bad? Being away from the tower?"

He nodded. "The further and the longer I am away, the weaker my body grows. Though I suppose it is debatable if I can still call this my body."

Raising his crystal arm, he looked at it.

"When I turned my mind to the salvation of this world, I quickly realized that I would need more time. More than remained to me," the Exarch said. "So I made myself one with the Crystal Tower and earned eternal life."

His arms dropped back to his side and looked out towards the horizon. "It's been quite a journey. But thanks to you, the end is in sight. My wish will finally be fulfilled. In any case, how is the construction effort going?"

"They're beginning to imbue the Talos with aether," she replied.

"Then this may be the last quiet moment we have for a while. Come, sit with me."

"Alright."

"Tell me, what are you going to do next when this is all over?" he asked her after she sat down next to him.

Her lips parted to answer, but she didn't really know how to respond. He hadn't really thought about what she would do afterwards. "I...think I might take a bit of time off. Rest awhile."

Spent it with Shtola, she added in her mind.

"That would be well deserved. Perhaps roam Norvrandt as a simple sightseer. I'm sure if viewed through such eyes, it would be quite a different experience." His gaze turned towards the bright shining sky above. "But whatever it is you decide to do, I'm confident that you will do well. You will leave countless lives better than you found them, and the souls you touched will never forget your kindness. Then, in trying times, when you question your worth and your choices, they will raise their voices to remind you of the difference you have made. Remember this."

"And what will you do when this is over?" she asked.

He seemed surprised at her question for a moment. "When this is over…" he murmured. "Hmm, I once told you that there is someone I wish to save. I wish I could explain everything to her, but I have good reasons to keep my counsel. I've come to terms that its impossible, but what would I give to just speak with her as friends once more. She would tell me stories from her travels, and I would perhaps share some of my own adventures in Norvrandt.

A chuckle escaped him.

"Though ultimately those would be more about you than me." The Exarch paused for a moment, the smile on his lips turning wistful. "And afterwards we would head off on our next adventure, together...oh how happy that would make me. We would travel the land and cross the sea and take to the skies on the eternal wind. That's...my dream."

"Sounds like a plan if you ask me," she said with a smile of her own.

"Well—" he rose to his feet, dusting off his robes a little. "But before that there is still a battle to be won."

Together, they stepped out from behind the rock, looking up at the floating form of Mt. Gulg up ahead, where their enemy was waiting. Where Vauthry was waiting.

"Thank you for your company, my friend. Let's return to Amity," The Crystal Exarch said and began to walk. "The people of this world have entrusted their hopes to us. We can't fail them."

S'eni nodded and began to fall into step next to him, when her ears perked up as they caught his next words, a barely audible whisper on the wind up here, "...Nor those who roused me from my slumber…"

She stopped, finding herself rooted to the spot and eyes growing wide. Did he just…?

No...It couldn't be…

 

Notes:

And the plot thickens...

Chapter 84

Notes:

Are you ready for some good old fashioned suffering?

We Fall Pt. 1

 

And so the last Lightwarden was struck down...

 

---

 

Light.

Beautiful, bright white light. The very being of the Lightwardens.

Just a few seconds ago, this had been Vauthry, or Innocence, desperately pleading with her to help him. Now this was all that remained.

S'eni closed her eyes and took a deep breath...

...and the Light began to flow into her. It became one with her, its warmth spreading throughout her body, no, her very being. Like soft, caressing hands gliding across her soul, caressing it softly with sharp razor-like claws that were just waiting to plunge deep inside.

When she opened her eyes again, she found herself back in that majestic shrine together with her friends. A heavy silence hung in the air.

Then it happened.

"Look! The sky!" Alphinaud called out.

As they turned their gazes up to the Light, they watched it disperse in a matter of seconds, revealing that beautiful, sheer endless ocean of stars. It was over...

She smiled. But it was swiftly replaced by a grimace as the telltale throbbing pain just beneath her forehead cast her mind into the past.

A man and a woman stood inside the Offer. He was agitated while she was looking at him with the concerned expression of a caring wife.

"Fools! If not for my decisive decision, the city would have been overrun! Razed to the ground!" he complained to her. "Yet they dare to complain about casualties? Spare me! I'll wager they were put up to it by those wretches who seek to usurp me. They're stirring up the citizenry. But if they think I will yield to the likes of them, they are gravely mistaken!"

"To be subjected to such deplorable treatment...such ingratitude!" the man and woman whirled around towards a figure dressed in black robes. "You have my sympathies, sir. You do so much good for this city, and you could do so much more, were you not surrounded by fools..."

"Who are you!?" the man demanded. "You're not supposed to be in here!"

She knew that voice. Emet-Selch.

"My apologies for the intrusion." The Ascian bowed. "But I have come bearing a proposal. One that will ensure the longevity of your reign. Give me your word and I shall bring you a Lightwarden. By giving its power to the child within your lady wife's womb, we shall create a transcendent being─a king to rule over all. And as sire to the king, your authority will never again be in question."

The scene shifted, with the man laughing merrily while his wife was holding a small bundle of joy in her arms, softly smiling.

And in one corner of the large room, a large Sin Eater, lying there like a pet.

"Haha! Amazing! Before my Vauthry, they behave as docile pets! With this gift, my line shall be guaranteed power for perpetuity! We shall rule the whole world!"

"By all means, sir," Emet-Selch said. "United under Eulmore's banner, men will cease fighting and abandon their ambitions. Thus they will grow fat and complacent, and in their sloth seal your supremacy..."

The vision began to fade away...

...and she awoke to pure, unadulterated agony.

A cry escaped her and she stumbled around, nearly toppling to the ground as the fire burning from deep within her returned with the fury of a thousand suns, ripping and tearing at her, trying to escape. To break free once more!

With a vision that was growing white, she somehow managed to look at her friends.

"Are you alright!?" she could Alisaie ask through the fog of pain.

S'eni's eyes landed on Y'shtola, practically shouting at Urianger, who only lowered his head. Her lips parted, and she began to scream.

A blur of white searing hell followed, drowning out everything else. She faintly could hear her friends shouting, but couldn't make out the words as the Light was slowly overtaking her senses.

She fell to the ground.

"The combined power of every Lightwarden is too much of a burden for one soul to bear," a voice cut through the fog of pain and she raised her head to see the robed figure of the Crystal Exarch appear in front of her. The corners of his lips rose together with the staff in his hand. "And so I shall relieve you of it."

Pointing his staff towards her, a ring of magic formed around them and the Light began to flow towards him. Almost instantly, the pain began to subside, if only enough for her to notice the world around her once more.

"What are you doing!?" Alisaie demanded.

"I—" a wave of Light made him struggle for a moment. "I shall direct the Light's power into the Crystal Tower and travel to another world. I have dreamed of this moment ever since I learned of the existence of other worlds. Who would choose to remain in a dying realm? I certainly won't. And so I have used you."

"No...No, I don't believe you! It doesn't make any sense!" Ryne cried out.

"I won't let you do this!" Y'shtola began to cast a spell, but Urianger held out his hand in front of her, stopping her.

"Do not interfere!" he shouted. "Please! I beseech you all! Let him go!"

Her lover's eyes widened and she lowered her staff. "...You knew of this, Urianger. But what he says is impossible. This sort of teleportation stands no chance of success. The Exarch will never live to see another world—and he knows it."

"Then...what does he mean to do?"

"He means to take the Light with him into the rift...where he will die. From the very beginning, he intended to sacrifice himself to save her and Norvrandt," Y'shtola explained.

"And so the hero is robbed of her prize by an opportunistic thief," the Exarch said, focusing his gaze on S'eni. "A paltry way to end this chapter, I admit. But your tale will continue, what role I have had to play will scarcely matter."

No… Gritting her teeth, she raised a shaking arm and held her hand out towards him.

"Don't worry about a nameless Crystal Exarch. I'm content in the knowledge that I fulfilled my dream."

He raised his staff further, intensifying the spell and causing the hood that had obscured his face to blow off, revealing to her those crimson eyes she had last seen the day the Crystal Tower had been sealed.

And with whatever strength she managed to muster, she called out, "G'raha!"

A startled look crossed his features, before turning into a bittersweet smile.

"Thank you, for believing in me and for fighting for this world," he said. "Farewell, my friend. My inspiration."

He closed his eyes, preparing the final step of his spell—

A gunshot rang through the air.

—his staff clattered to the ground, shortly followed by him collapsing in front of her. Standing in the back was Emet-Selch, holding a still-smoking gun in his hand.

"Only those who possess the Royal Eye of the Allagan imperial line are capable of controlling the Crystal Tower. Such individuals do not exist on the First. Therefore it was obvious that the Exarch arrived here with the tower. But what it was he was planning eluded me," the Ascian said as he walked over to G'raha Tia. "To think he went through all this trouble to save a single hero. It's so absurd that it's almost admirable. Alas, it's not your plan that unfolds, but ours."

"You bastard!" Thancred grabbed his Gunblade.

"Ah ah ah." Emet-Selch pointed his gun at the unconscious G'raha Tia. "Your friend is still alive, but whether he remains so depends on you."

He turned his attention towards her. "I'm truly disappointed in you. I thought you would be strong enough for the Light, but now look at you. Halfway to becoming a monster."

"You…" S'eni gasped out. "You created Vauthry!"

He sighed and shrugged. "I'm an Ascian. My goal is to usher in the Great Rejoining. One hundred years ago, I entrusted my comrade Loghrif with the task of increasing Light's sway. He sought to do so by manipulating heroes. When that failed to achieve the desired result, I created Vauthry. But thanks to your meddling, that too ended in failure."

"What did you really want from us?" Alphinaud asked.

"Is that still not clear? Everything I told you was the entire truth. It was a test, to gauge man's potential. I was genuinely interested in you and even considered making you my allies. Provided she could contain and control the Light. If not then she, and by extension, you, would be of no use to me."

"So we've been found wanting. How disheartening," Thancred spat. "But even if we had fulfilled your conditions, there was no guarantee we would cooperate. What then?"

"Then I would have simply killed you all and freed the Light," Emet-Selch replied. "At the very least it would restore the world to the way it was before you went about trouncing Lightwardens. Suffice to say it would have been very inconvenient if it had all been taken away and I would be lying if I said he didn't have me worried there."

"I won't—argh!" she coughed, spitting a white, glowing liquid on the ground. Oh gods, just like with Tesleen.

Emet-Selch looked at her for a moment, then walked over and knelt in front of her. "Hm, you still retain your form and your senses...but you have all but become a Sin Eater. Whether you want to or not, your mere existence will engulf the world in Light. Those in your company will likewise turn into Sin Eaters, and in time you will succumb to your base instincts and hunt and feast on their sweet, sweet aether."

S'eni shook her head. No, she wouldn't, couldn't!

"Those few with the will left to fight will rise up against you. But before your absolute might, they will quickly know despair. 'There is no hope! We are finished! Mankind is finished!' I can already hear them." he smirked. "Ahhh, the irony. What Vauthry achieved through bliss, you will achieve through despair. But...I have overstayed my welcome. Good luck in destroying the world, hero."

The Ascian snapped his finger, causing G'raha Tia to vanish.

"No, Exarch!" Alphinaud called.

"I'll take him as a small token for all my troubles. I didn't expect that I could learn something from man, but I may yet do so from all the knowledge he hoarded for his precious hero," he said and began to float high into the air. He glanced down at S'eni. "I pity you, I really do. Your friends are now your foes. If you don't kill them, they will kill you. When it becomes too much to bear, seek me out in the dark depths of the Tempest. There, you may complete your descent into madness with some dignity."

She crumbled to the ground, gaze landing on her friends.

"I hope you will enjoy your meal...Eater," Emet-Selch gloated as the light faded from her eyes.

Steps echoed towards her and the last thing her mind faintly registered before plunging into darkness, was Y'shtola's voice as she called out, "Eni!"

…

…

…

 

---

 

As the darkness over her mind began to wane, she found herself lying on her bed, staring up at the familiar brick ceiling of her room inside the Pendants.

She was back in the Crystarium?

Slowly sitting up, she looked around until she found the ghostly form of Ardbert standing by the window. He must have noticed her as well, as he promptly turned towards her.

"Ah, you're finally awake," he said.

"Ardbert...ugh." she grimaced at the sudden headache and shook her head. "What...happened after I lost consciousness?"

"After you collapsed, Emet-Selch vanished. Ryne did all she could to keep the raging Light contained. She managed to stop you from turning into a Sin Eater, but..." Ardbert lowered his gaze.

"But what, Ardbert?" S'eni asked, rising to her feet and walking over to him. His eyes found hers.

He nodded towards the window. "Look for yourself."

Closing the little distance that remained, she reached out towards the window, her hand stopping as she was about to grab the handle. She knew that she wasn't going to like it, but she needed to see it still.

She opened the window, and found herself looking at the Light covered sky.

Gods...

"Kholusia, Rak'tika, Amh Araeng, Il Mheg...all of Norvrandt is covered in Light once more. And it's because of you and the power of the Lightwardens you have absorbed."

"I figured as much..." she released a shaky breath, turning around.

"No one but your friends know," he told her. "When they carried you down from the mountain, they told everyone waiting below that they didn't understand why the Light had returned. And now they're traveling all over Norvrandt to calm the people's fears and to find a way to save you."

As he told her that, S'eni looked at her hand and was met with a bright glare emitting from it that made her startle back.

Was this...how Y'shtola had seen her all this time?

And now she was out there trying to fix this? Was there even a chance to do so?

It was Ardbert's voice that pulled her out of her thoughts. "If you feel strong enough, go out and get some fresh air. It's better than stewing in here. Go, it'll do you good."

Part of her wanted to tell him off, to just return to bed and pretend this wasn't happening. But it was, and she couldn't hide from it.

"Alright." She exhaled with a nod and began to leave.

Arriving downstairs, the first person she encountered was the manager of the pendants, who almost dropped the package he was holding when he saw her.

"Oh, you're awake!" he said, placing the object in his hand on the shelf behind him. "You were injured during the foray on Mt. Gulg, yes? I was here at my station when they carried you in on a makeshift stretcher, looking disturbingly pale. And to compound my worry, the sky has...well, I'm sure you've seen."

"I did…" she replied, averting her eyes. How would he react if he knew that it was all because of her?

"It has everyone rather concerned to say the least. Seeing you up and about is the first good news we've had in a while. Assuming you feel strong enough, would you perhaps take a stroll around the city to reassure our anxious citizens?"

She flexed her palms a few times, biting the inside of her cheek. "Sure. Why not?"

As she walked, she encountered many of the people who she had met in her time in the Crystarium. Bragi, who had helped take her up to her chambers and had apparently visited her often while she was out. Chessamile, who told her in that grandmotherly tone of hers how worried everyone had been about her. Moren, who was burying his nose into every tome he could find in hopes that they might pose a solution to what was happening. And Katliss, who together with the rest of the manufacturers were trying to come up with something that would help them defend the Crystarium and the rest of Norvrandt should the Sin Eaters attack.

Everyone was doing their best and not giving up despite what was happening.

And now, standing on top of the tower near the rookery, S'eni found herself wondering if there was even something she could do now.

"The people of this city have spirit, I'll give them that. They've not lost the will to fight." Looking over her shoulder, she saw Ardbert standing there. "I can imagine how torn you must feel, looking at that sky. Knowing what it means to everyone...and that you're responsible."

"They're good people. They deserve to know."

"If you're thinking of coming clean, don't. It might make you feel better, but it would make things a hundred times worse for them. It's best if they don't know."

He walked up to her, coming to a stop next to her.

"You're in a corner, and there doesn't seem to be an obvious way out," Ardbert said. "...But that doesn't mean it's over. No matter how hopeless it seems, you haven't lost yet."

S'eni didn't reply and instead looked up at the sky once again.

"I remember looking up at the sky like this before and being caught up in a strange kind of calm. It was after we realized we were responsible for the Flood. When we resolved to journey to the Source by taking our own lives," he told her. One last sacrifice, one last fight...one last failure. And then the Oracle appeared and...well. You know the rest. There were times in the years and decades that followed when I wondered if we might not have been better off just letting the Rejoining happen. That we'd made one last mistake..."

"Ardbert..." she said.

Turning towards her, he smiled. "But seeing that giant Talos stir to life cured me of any doubts I still had. We always took the burden of fighting upon ourselves. That's what heroes do, isn't it?"

Despite herself, S'eni felt the corners of her lips tug upward. "Yeah...that's what they do."

"Because of that we never had the chance to see anything like that. Our people, coming together as one. To think that their hope still burned so bright... " He looked up at the sky. "...That they were still so eager to live, they would lift up their fellows, one on top of the other, till they reached the sky. No, we made the right decision. And I can finally feel proud of the part we played in helping this world survive."

"I'm sure your friends feel the same."

"Hm. I think so too."

They remained like this for a moment, looking up at the sky with a comfortable silence hanging between them, when S'eni noticed Ardbert move from out of the corner of her eyes and turned to see him hold out his fist towards her.

"Well, come on." He nodded towards it. "Don't leave me hanging here."

With a small chuckle and a shake of her head, S'eni raised her arm and bumped her fist against his. Almost as soon as they had touched, the same bright light from when he had almost touched began emanating between them. What in the—!?

"As I thought. What happened between us was no coincidence. My story may be over, but fate has given me a minor role in yours. I suspected as much the moment I realized you could hear and see me, but it's hard not to doubt yourself when you're the one who caused the Flood...But no longer. The path I once walked is now yours to finish." Ardbert pulled his hand away, causing the light to dissipate again. "For what it's worth, I cast my lot with you. That way I might still be able to do some good. If you need a push, I'll be right there behind you; if you lose control, I'll do my best to stop you."

Eyes growing misty, S'eni looked away for a brief moment before returning them to Ardbert again, her voice just shy above a whisper. "Thank you."

He nodded. "So, let's be about then, hero."

 

 

Chapter 85

We Fall. Pt 2

 

The stairs clanked under her feet as she climbed them, step by step the sound echoed up to her ears, but she barely noticed them. A hard look had formed on her face and her hands were clenched into fists.

"History remembered the Warrior of Light, as I knew it would. And I will suffer no one else to rescue the champion whose star has charted my course. I will see this tale to a happy end, my friend. There has been enough tragedy."

Dammit, G'raha! Only you could come up with something so incredibly stupid! S'eni grit her teeth. One hundred years and this was the best plan to come up with!? Kill yourself!?

The vision she had received had answered many questions, but also gave rise to more. What she understood though was that G'raha had come from a different future where the 8th Umbral Calamity had truly happened, using the Crystal Tower as his vehicle. Ever since then he had worked tirelessly to stop this future from happening and to save her.

So that dream that she had, had been an Echo vision from his past, which had also been the future. Gods, what a mess!

She shook her head, unclenching her fists as she exhaled through her nose. Being angry at him was not going to do any good right now. She could still be angry when she found him.

And for that, she needed to follow Emet-Selch's invitation.

"I need an Amaro to head to Kholusia," she said to the Zun fronting the desk of the Amaro Launch.

He nodded his lizard-like head. "Just a moment, I will saddle our swiftest beast to fly you to the island..."

"Actually, I need it to get to the Tempest. The depths of it in fact." Where the Ascian was waiting for her.

"The depths of the Tempest!? Our Amaro can swim, yes, but reaching the ocean floor..."

"Then getting me as close as possible will have to be enough."

"Are you sure about that?"

"I am," S'eni replied, giving him a nod.

"Very well."

Bright white then flashed before her eyes as a spike of hot pain shot through her entire body. It only lasted for a couple of seconds, but it was still enough to make her stumble forward a little and make the Zun look at her in concern. Releasing a shuddering breath, she shook her head, silently telling him to continue with his work.

Her ears perked at the sounds of steps approaching.

"Ah, thou art here," she heard Urianger's unmistakable voice say and she turned around to see her friends walking over to her.

S'eni's eyes immediately landed on Y'shtola. Her shoulders were tense, and there was clear worry marring her beautiful features. Only when the group came to a stop, did she relax a little, but her pale eyes never let her out of sight for even a moment.

Oh, how much S'eni just wanted to run over and embrace her, but there were other, more important things right now. Her gaze then came to rest on Urianger.

"By thy look, I gather thou hast gleaned that which I came to tell thee," he said.

"I did." She nodded. "And once again, you had me fooled."

Walking over to her, Urianger knelt down in front of her.

"I offer no excuses. When I agreed to aid the Exarch with his plans, 'twas in full acceptance of the condemnation I would face when my duplicity was laid bare...Yet it is not rancor but resolve that I sense in thee. Thou art fully intent upon walking thy path to its end, art thou not?" his eyes found hers. "If thou canst forgive my deception─or, failing that, set aside thy displeasure for a time─I do beg leave to follow thee. What strength and wisdom I possess are thine to command."

S'eni raised her hand. With how tall he was, his head was still at chest height to her. Perfect to slap some godsdamned sense into him for lying to them again.

Instead, though, she placed her hand on top of his shoulder. "No more lies."

"Pray believe me when I say that I took no pleasure in deceiving thee. Indeed, I curse the circumstances which compelled me to do so... But no further secrets lie between us, I swear it."

"Alright..." S'eni sighed. "I forgive you. Let's go."

"I'm sorry but...I don't think this is a good idea," Ryne interjected, making everyone look at her. "Leaving the Crystarium, I mean. With or without Urianger. What I did for you won't last forever. There's no telling when the Light will break free again. Please, you must stay here, at least for a little while longer! We will find a way to cure this, I promise you!"

"How can you make promises!? We don't even know where to start!" Alisaie all but shouted.

"Alisaie, please." Alphinaud reached out to his sister. "You know Ryne was only trying to help."

She brushed him off. "Of course I know! I know it only too well! But making promises you have no way of keeping is not a kindness─it's a lie, plain and simple!" she said, gritting her teeth as her voice began to crack. "We've searched everywhere for an answer and we all came back empty handed! I'm not about to stand in her way, not after failing her in her hour of need. No, the least we can do—"

Tears began to run down Alisaie's face, and this time she didn't resist as her brother moved to comfort her. He closed his eyes for a moment before turning them towards S'eni.

"We will go with you as well," he said. "There's nothing to be gained from standing around."

"I have no intention to wait for your return either," Y'shtola said, walking towards S'eni and coming to a stop in front of her. Silvery white locked onto her own cherry pink, the worry in them giving way to determination.

S'eni's lips formed into a thin line. "I'm a danger, you know?"

"Indeed. But I do believe I speak for us all if I say that I don't care. Where you go, we shall follow and if there's any hope to be found, it will surely be by your side."

"Shtola..." she looked away from her, eyes focusing on the ground instead. A soft hand coming to rest on her lower arm made her look up once more. "Thank you. Everyone."

Y'shtola gave her arm a soft squeeze, a smile on her face as if to ask, "Did you really think I would have let you go through this alone?"

Thancred looked at Ryne. "Do you agree?" he asked.

The girl nodded.

Then, another, more unexpected voice called out, "Is there something we can do to help?"

Startled, S'eni turned into the direction from where it came and saw not one, but an entire group of people coming towards them. Lyna, Glynard, Bragi, Katliss, Chessamile, Moren, and many more, all people that kept the Crystarium going even now.

"We don't know what exactly you're planning, but it's got to import, right?" Katliss asked in good spirits. "So while the Exarch's away, it falls to us to give the Warrior of Darkness a proper send-off!"

"You told them!?" Alphinaud asked Lyna, who shook her head.

"No! Well...not in so many words."

Next to her, Glynard, laughed. "We didn't need it spelled out for us. When the night sky appeared over whichever place you went to, it was harder not to put two and two together!"

Bragi nodded. "I had my suspicions ever since I heard you share the same homeland as the Exarch," the Ronso said. "He has been waiting all this time for a certain someone to arrive...and I knew at once that it was you."

"That's right," one of the Crystarium's guards then said. "I was there when he picked you up at the gate. That spring in his step spoke volumes. I could feel his excitement!"

A murmur of agreement went through the crowd until Moren spoke up.

"We do not fully understand where you or the Exarch hail from, or why you've all done so much to protect us. But we are deeply grateful, nonetheless," he said. "So please, if there is anything we might do to aid you, you need to only name it."

Y'shtola turned towards her once more, the smile on her face now reflecting amusement. "We would be quite a crowd if we took them all with us. What do you say, O Warrior of Darkness?"

Taken aback, S'eni looked at the others, each having an expecting smile on their face, before releasing a chuckle and addressing the crowd. "Leave it to us!" she told them. "We'll see the Exarch home safe and sound!"

A cheer went through the crowd. She watched them for a few moments, clapping and saluting and talking among themselves, and she felt a wave of warmth rise deep inside of her, lifting her battered spirit. As she looked back towards her lover, she received a nod from her, and she found herself wondering if this was what Minfilia had felt in the past whenever she had spoken to them.

While no one was looking, S'eni reached out and took hold of Y'shtola's hand, gently running her thumb across the silver claw adorning her finger. "Let's go."

 

---

 

It became quickly apparent that traveling by Amaro was not the ideal option for their group, as even her ability to breathe underwater would leave her far too exhausted once she arrived where Emet-Selch was waiting for them.

Thankfully, Urianger seemed to have a solution for that problem, though when she asked him what it was, he simply told her that she would see once they arrived at Sullen, a fishing hamlet at the coast of Lakeland.

And now, as they stood upon its docks, S'eni saw nothing but water stretching out before them, reflecting the glow of the Light above as if to mock her about her failings. She looked at Urianger.

"So what am I supposed to look out for?" she asked, shrugging her shoulders lightly.

"There, to the west," he replied, pointing towards a lone isle in the middle of the sea. "That foliage-covered mass hideth the key to our safe descent."

"Alright?" S'eni cocked an eyebrow, but did not further comment until they were well on their way across the water in one of the boats that they managed to borrow from the villagers. "And how is that island going to help us get to the bottom of the sea?"

He smiled. "Mayhaps thou wouldst like to plunge beneath the surface to divine the reason for my insistence."

"Ah," Y'shtola chimed up from next to her. "Now I see what you mean."

"What do you see?" she asked her.

The other Miqo'te giggled into her fist. "And take away from the mystery?"

S'eni looked between the two of them before rolling her eyes with a groan. Without another word, she just rolled backwards into the water. As she swam over to the islands, the first thing she noticed was that it was apparently free-floating, which in itself was already strange. But it was only when she circled around it that something strange caught her eye.

...did that part just...twitch?

Swimming closer, she reached a hand out towards it, brushing away algae and letting it come to rest above a small gathering of barnacles at the tip.

It was warm.

Eyes widening in realization, S'eni swam slowly backwards and took in this so-called isle.

It was some sort of whale!

S'eni rose up and broke through the surface, climbing out of the water where she was immediately greeted by Alphinaud.

"Ah, there you are. Are you done with your investigation?"

"You could say that," she replied, shaking the water out of her ears and tail. "Where's Urianger?"

"If you follow that path, you'll reach the top of the island. He's waiting there."

"Well, guess I'll go talk to him then."

As she made her way up, she ran into Y'shtola, taking in the scenery a little and turning towards her when she noticed her approach, eyes twinkling in amusement. "I take it you have figured out Urianger's little mystery?"

"Yeah. Though I wish he would just say things straight for once." S'eni wrung out a part of her himation. "Mind giving me a hand here?"

Y'shtola eyed her up and down, then held up her hand. In a matter of seconds, the air around S'eni began to heat up and her clothes began to dry.

"I'm surprised you haven't learned a relatively simple spell like this yet," her lover pointed out.

"You know me. I might have focused more on the combat practical part first. Drying clothes wasn't exactly on top of the list," S'eni said.

"Well, you're in luck. It's not unlike conjuring up a flame. I will teach you later, if you would like."

If there even is a later. Instead though, she said, "Sure, Master Matoya."

Her lover huffed. After a few moments, Y'shtola pulled her hand away. "There, that should be enough."

Patting herself up and down, she nodded in satisfaction at the renewed dryness of her clothes. "Thanks. Are you coming along?"

"I think I shall stay here a little longer."

"Alright."

She found Urianger standing in the middle of a grass-covered hill looking about the area. When he spotted her, the corners of his lips curled upward. "Well? What hast thou discerned?"

"That this isn't an island at all. A little bit too alive, but you obviously knew that already," she replied, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"Most perceptive. According to the legends of the Pixies, we are, even now, perched upon the back of an ancient Fae entity."

"A Fae?" S'eni looked down at the grass below them. How long must it have been here for it to have, well, grass grow all over it?

"Its name is 'Bismarck'." Her eyes shot up to him. "Aye, the selfsame title by which we know the great feathered whale revered by the Vanu Vanu of the Source. I would enlist its aid to bear us unto the deep, and thence banish the water with an airy sphere, alike in form to the domes which do shelter the hamlets 'neath the Ruby Sea."

"I see. Yeah, that would definitely save us the trouble of swimming."

He nodded. "And defend ourselves when the hour of battle cometh, as it most surely shall. Now, I must needs ask for silence whilst I make my supplication..."

One by one, the others came to join them while Urianger looked for a spot from which he could talk to the Fae. When he found it, he knelt down to the ground and began to speak, his voice ringing with a revering tone as said those words she didn't understand.

The ground under their feet began to shake, soon followed by a booming voice. Bismarck. They exchanged a few words and a moment passed before the giant Fae replied once more, causing her friend to hang his head.

"I don't need to speak Fae to know that didn't go well," Alisaie said.

"Looks like it." S'eni placed a hand on the back of her hip, tapping her foot a few times. There had to be something—Of course! Looking up, she called out, "We need your help, my lovely branch!"

Almost as soon as the words had left her mouth, a twinkle appeared in the sky and shot towards them, twirling around their group in a few happy circles, then stopping right in front of her.

"My Sune Yak!" Feo Ul said as they popped into existence. "You finally learned to call me at last!"

The Pixie looked around their gathered group. "And where are you all going? On a trip?"

"We're trying to get to the bottom of the Tempest to find the one responsible for all this," S'eni told them.

"I knew you wouldn't give up without a fight!" Feo Ul brought their hands together in a happy little gesture. "Oh, my precious mortal. I shall help you in any way I can!"

With a chuckle, she watched Feo Ul float over to where Urianger was and begin to speak with Bismarck as well. She glanced over to Y'shtola, who looked at her with a curious eyebrow, and gave her a shrug and a little grin in return.

After her little branch was done, they turned towards Urianger, a satisfied grin on their face. "Be sure to scrub this one's teeth for him upon your return. It's only good manners."

"It will be done, Your Majesty." Her friend bowed his head to them. "Our deepest thanks for your timely intervention."

Feo Ul nodded, then floated higher to address them all. "An agreement is reached, and your departure is at hand! You wingless ones best hold on tight!" they said, offering them all a bright smile. "May the blessings of the Fae keep you safe, In Ba!"

Bismarck released a loud whistle that shook the ground underneath their feet and spoke once more. "Guess that's our cue. Thank you, Feo Ul," she said to her little branch, earning herself a giggle before the Pixie disappeared once more.

Slowly, the giant Fae began to move and they hurried into the small cave behind them to not get thrown off as he rose into the air, higher and higher until they had passed way beyond Lakeland into the direction of Kholusia.

When she noticed that they weren't ascending anymore, S'eni rose back to her feet and walked over to the edge of the cave, sitting down there and closing her eyes. The wind tickled her face and she took a deep, calming breath.

She remained like this for a while, listening to what little she could make out of her friends words from out here and over the wind, until she felt a presence sit down next to her.

"Gil for your thoughts?" she heard Y'shtola ask, making her lips quirk upward.

"Isn't that usually my line?"

"I chose to borrow it."

S'eni chuckled and opened her eyes, looking towards Y'shtola. "Just wondering what Emet-Selch is having in store for us. Well, I suppose me, actually. I don't think he's expecting any of you."

"That's too bad for him," her lover said dryly.

"Other than that..." she shook her head. "Nothing. If we fail, that's it. Then all we fought for was for nothing. And I'll be...a Sin Eater."

A deep frown formed on Y'shtola's face.

"I'm sorry," S'eni said. "I should probably try to be more optimistic but I..."

An arm wrapped itself around her shoulder and she let herself get pulled in until her head rested against Y'shtola's shoulder. Closing her eyes once more, she inhaled her scent. Like a spring morning after a rainy night, it soothed her mind, quelling the torrent raging deep inside her soul if only just a tiny fraction.

Right now that was more than enough.

"What did I do to deserve you?" S'eni murmured.

"That's simple. You made me fall in love with you," Y'shtola replied.

"No idea how I managed that, to be honest."

Y'shtola's left hand moved to take hold of hers, giving it a soft squeeze. "By just being you."

Silence wrapped itself around them like a warm blanket and S'eni wished they could just stay like this forever. But she knew all too well that it wasn't possible. A single glance at their joined hands reminded her that time was ever ticking and that she didn't know just how much she actually still had left.

She just hoped it would be enough.

They remained like this for some time longer, until their new flying friend released another loud whistle and she could feel that they were beginning to descend.

Reluctantly, they let go of one another and returned to their friends. S'eni felt a sudden rush of vertigo as the ocean began to grow closer and closer, counting the seconds in her mind until they would break the surface.

She closed her eyes.

 

---

 

In the furthest depths of the Tempest sat a lone figure, looking at the magnificent skyline stretching out as far as the eyes could see, each light like a star twinkling in the darkest light, serving as a guide in uncertain times.

Amaurot.

It was nothing more than a pale imitation, created in a flight of fancy at the bottom of the sea, yet sitting here on the edge of one of the buildings, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of nostalgia.

Laid out next to him were 14 stones, each shaped the same, but holding a unique color and pattern. Absentmindedly, he reached out for a dark purple one, holding it up to look at it, his eyes scanning over the constellation engraved in it even though he knew it by heart.

A loud whistle, almost like a song, reverberated through the water, then from one moment to the next, it was gone and replaced by air.

"Well, that's certainly an entrance if I have ever seen one," he said. He put the stone he was holding inside a bag, then proceeded to do the same with the rest. Only when he reached the final, fourteenth stone, did he pause. It was a warm orange and on it the circular symbol of the sun.

For a brief second, a face flashed in his mind, half-covered by a mask but not enough to hide the smile on its soft features, as bright and warm as the sun itself. Then it was gone again, leaving only the cold stone in his hand. The ghost of a smile danced across his face, before turning into an even deeper frown.

He put it to the rest of them and returned his attention to the skyline.

With a deep exhale, Emet-Selch closed his eyes and let his mind ride on the currents of memory as he had done countless times in these equally countless years.

Riding...home.

 

Notes:

You know, I really like this moment where we set out to leave the Crystarium on our own and just about everyone shows up. I feel like that was the moment where we, as the WoL, have truly become the party leader, with us addressing the crowd and all. It's not a ground shattering scene or anything, but it sort of made everything fall into place and click together.

Anyways, next chapter we'll take a dive into a past long forgotten. See ya.

Chapter 86

Unto the End

 

Deep underneath the sea, Bismarck's breath created a giant dome of air, pushing away the water and revealing to you the Tempest's floor.

Even the blinding Light of the sky couldn't reach this far. You could feel that this was the place where the one who denied the light hid away.

Venture into the Heart of Darkness, the last chapter of your adventure.

Finish it.

 

---

 

They walked through the winding tunnel, the wet crunch of the sand underneath their feets echoing off walls covered in algae and corals. It was strangely beautiful, and perhaps if time had permitted it, S'eni would have taken the time to explore just a little. But time was something she didn't have, even now she could feel the Light deep inside of her burning, wishing to fully break free and twist her into one of its own.

Behind her, she could feel Ryne's eyes on her, ever watchful, waiting in case she needed to use her powers once more.

She just hoped it wouldn't come to that at all.

"There!" Alisaie called from up ahead. "The exit."

"Hm. Well that certainly was an arduous journey. I'm suddenly very glad for the roads our ancestors have built back home," Y'shtola said from next to her. "Thankfully, the Ondo's barrier has kept out much of the local wildlife."

After they arrived in Tempest, they had quickly encountered the Ondo, the First's counterpart to the Sahagin, and swiftly decided to ask for their help in finding the potential whereabouts of Emet-Selch. Of course they had to gather their trust first, but by now that was pretty par for the course she would say.

Once they had curried enough favor and helped them with a ritual, the Ondo had been happy to show and tell them the way to this so-called 'illuminated land.'

"And doesn't look like he's interested in throwing some monsters my way either," S'eni said. "Don't know if that's good or bad..."

"We shall see, I suppose."

She parted her lips to say something, but whatever it was had died on its way to them as their group stepped out of the cave—

"By the gods!" Alisaie exclaimed.

—and a giant city came into view. No...giant didn't do it any justice. Towers of stone and steel, taller than any she had ever seen, were spread out into the distance, forming an overwhelming sea of buildings. The lights shining through their windows pierced the darkness one would expect so deep underneath the ocean, making it an even grander vision.

An illuminated land indeed.

After a moment of shocked silence, Alphinaud finally found his words. "When the Ondo spoke of a city, I didn't think they meant an actual city!"

S'eni could only nod.

"Then...you can see it too?" Y'shtola asked, making them all turn towards her. Her pale eyes were widened. "The remnants we found in the Ondo settlement were solid, material structures. But these...they're an illusion. One on a monumental scale."

Slowly, she turned back to look at the city. "...How?"

"Do you recognise the style of the architecture?"

"Yeah." It was the same as the remnants Y'shtola and her had taken a closer look at while with the Ondo's. "Same as the mural too."

The other Miqo'te nodded. "Indeed. Now look closely. Emet-Selch hasn't simply reclaimed these ruins...he has layered the semblance of an entire city upon them."

Gods... Just how powerful was Emet-Selch?

Lahabrea seemed like a joke in comparison.

S'eni shook her head, chasing away the awe she was feeling at the sight of it. "Nothing for it. That's where we're headed."

"Why don't we have a closer look at that tower to the southeast?" Alisaie asked and pointed in its direction. "We might be able to reach it from the edge of the trench."

Following Alisaie's suggestion, they headed towards the tower, which only grew in size the closer they got, until they stood in front of a giant set of doors.

"Look at the size..." Alphinaud breathed out. "Now I know how Pixies must feel."

A voice suddenly echoed through the air, startling them.

"S'eni Gata recognized...Welcome to the city of Amaurot. Will you be riding the lift?"

"Wh—!?" Alisaie nearly dropped the rapier she had hurriedly unsheathed. "Did the building just welcome you!?"

"Mayhap it is not so passing strange..." Urianger said, a look of quiet fascination on his features. "Did Emet-Selch not invite S'eni to visit his abode? 'Tis plain thy coming was expected."

"Where will the lift be taking us?" Y'shtola asked.

"The lift services every level of Achora Heights, but is presently configured to convey passengers directly to the ground floor."

"Well, there you have it." The other Miqo'te shrugged lightly. "In the absence of a few hundred yalms of rope I believe there is little choice but to accept the offer."

"Hear that?" S'eni asked the voice. "We'd like to ride the lift."

"As you wish. The lift will arrive shortly." A few moments passed until the giant doors opened. Giving each other a look, they all stepped inside and the doors closed once more. "Next stop: Ground Floor. Facilities include the Bureau of the Administrator, the Bureau of the Architect, and the Capitol..."

The ride took only a minute at most, and aside from the voice droning on, passed in relative silence. As the lift came to a stop, the doors opened once again with a chime and the voice announcing their arrival.

Stepping outside, S'eni could only look on with renewed awe. The city had already been gigantic from far away, but now that they walked amidst its buildings, it really hit home just how much.

"Incredible..." Alisaie said. "What did that voice say this city was called? Amaurot?"

Her ears perked slightly at that name. Emet-Selch mentioned it before!

But she didn't get to voice that thought, as Thancred cut in. "Look, over there!" he pointed into the direction of a robed figure in the distance. But...something was odd about it. "Is that...a person? Ah, no, my mistake. It's a giant."

"Giant or not, a resident of this place may have much to tell us. I say we make the first move." Not even waiting for their response, Alphinaud walked over to the giant. "Excuse my boldness but may I ask you a few questions...?"

"Alphinaud, you can't just—" Alisaie groaned and ran after her brother, S'eni, and the others following as well."

The giant figure turned around to face their group. It was dressed in long, flowing robes and its face was obscured by a hood and mask. When it spoke, the words sounded like nothing she had ever heard before, yet still understood it clearly as if she had grown up with it.

"Oh, what adorable costumes. Are you children on an excursion? This district has much to teach you."

Alphinaud seemed to be taken aback to be mistaken for children, but given the size difference, they would most likely seem like children to them. "Ahem. And which district is this, exactly?"

"You must be lost. Poor thing," the robed giant said. "You stand Polyleritae District, where the most vital institutions for the management of this star are located."

"Can you tell us where we find Emet-Selch?" S'eni asked.

"Ah, I see. You've come to marvel at the workings of the Convocation of Fourteen." The figure nodded. "Hm...hardly surprising, I suppose. The whole world holds its breath as the Final Days draw near, and our brightest minds race to implement their plans. Therefore...you must understand that gaining an audience at this time will be next to impossible. You should hurry home now, before your families begin to worry. Do you need me to walk you back?"

"N-No thank you," Alphinaud replied. "We'll be fine."

"Very well. Take care little ones..."

The figure walked away, joining with another one like it..

"What was that about?" Alisaie asked once the giant was out of earshot.

"Shtola." S'eni turned towards her. "Did you notice something strange about them?"

Y'shtola nodded. "To my eyes, they appear as arcane entities. Emet-Selch must have woven them aether like he has done with the rest of the city."

"The Final Days," Urianger said. "Such words well befit the oblivion described to us by our Ascian foe. A catastrophe of unprecedented scale, which did set in motion the summoning of Zodiark...and thence Hydaelyn Herself."

"But...that happened in the distant past, didn't it?" Ryne wondered. "From the way that person spoke, it almost seems like they're rushing to avert it in the here and now."

Realization dawned on Alphinaud's face. "Unless...For them the distant past is the here and now."

"I believe thou hast the right of it, Master Alphinaud. This aetherial Amaurot and its residents appear to be phantoms of a different age. Emet-Selch hath resurrected a memory, a moment in time from before the star was sundered."

"So we find ourselves in a long-destroyed city inhabited by the long-departed," Thancred said, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "An unusual situation to be sure, but we're able to talk with these people. In fact, they seem downright eager to chat. I say we use that to our advantage."

"Sounds like you got a plan already," S'eni said, unable to hide an amused smirk.

The corner of his lips curled upward as well. "Split up, strike up some conversation, and maybe learn where our wayward Ascian is hiding. And while we're at it, it wouldn't hurt to wheedle out a few more details about this Convocation of Fourteen and their impending disaster."

"Alright." She nodded and looked at the others. "Guess it's time to socialize with our giant friends then."

That ought to be interesting...

 

---

 

Just like the buildings, their interior was also massive, which in hindsight made a lot of sense given the size of its inhabitants. But it made certain things much more difficult as well.

Like trying to speak with someone behind a counter.

"Um, excuse me?" she called out, standing on her tiptoes and still not reaching the edge at all.

"Yes?" the echoing voice of these people replied, shortly after followed by a hooded head leaning over the counter. "What can I help you with?"

"I, uh, would like a visitor's writ, perhaps?"

The clerk nodded. "Yes, I can assist you with that. Full name, please."

"S'eni Gata."

The clerk repeated her name once, then began to check what she assumed was a register. A moment passed, followed by a sound of confirmation. "Everything is in order. As your residency was approved by Emet-Selch himself, further forms of identification will not be required. Here are your application documents." Practically out of thin air, the clerk produced an envelope and handed it down to her. It was quite oversized. "Submit them at the Bureau of the Secretariat and the clerk will issue you with a visitor's writ for the Capitol."

"Thanks. Where can I find that?"

"You walk back the way you came, turn east, take the junction south, then continue further east. It is the last building down the road."

"Last building down the road. Got it." Tugging the envelope under her arm, S'eni turned around and left.

While they had spread out to pry the citizens of this conjured-up city for information, they had learned quite a deal about the catastrophe that had struck the world of old. Creation magic running rampant all over the continents and the Convocations effort in trying to stop it.

But they also had learned little else from them, which she supposed was only realistic, since there was doubtless any other topic on the minds of the people back then. Still, Thancred and Ryne found out where the Convocation resided and there was little doubt that Emet-Selch was hiding away there. The problem was, no one could get inside without a writ of permissions.

And since she was the only one whose name was registered here, it fell upon her to get it for them.

Well, at least it's not particularly difficult, she thought while eyeing the envelope.

With the instructions she was given, S'eni swiftly arrived at her next destination. She was greeted by a sight of more of these ancients, some sitting in a row of benches, while others stood in line at the various counters. Looking around for a second, she spotted one where only a single other person stood and walked up behind them.

Soon enough, it was her turn. "Next please..."

Standing on her tiptoes once more, she somehow managed to push the envelope on top of the counter. The clerk in turn took it, opened it up, and began to read its contents. "Visiting the Capitol?"

"That's right."

"Please take a seat over there," the clerk said and pointed towards one of the many benches. "Your name will be called once your application has been processed."

Might as well get a little rest while I still have the chance. She made her way over to the bench, climbed on top of it and sat down, letting herself sink against the large backrest and casting her gaze across the hall.

Hard to imagine that these were what the Final Days looked like. It was oddly calm if one considered that the world was teetering to its destruction. Yet here these people were, standing in line and waiting for applications to be processed.

Though maybe it was one of the ways they coped with it. Pretend it's just any other day; to just keep going.

Maybe these ancients weren't so different from them, then.

A gasp suddenly escaped her as pain once more raked her body and the edge of her visions began to grow white again. Planting her hand next to her, it was all she could do to keep herself from falling sideways...

"...May I?" a voice suddenly pierced through the haze of hot white pain, chasing it away and making her whirl towards its owner. Another ancient.

S'eni looked to the spot next to her. "S-Sure," she replied, exhaling deeply and sinking even more against the backrest while the ancient sat down next to her. A moment of silence passed, before the person, a man she could tell for some reason, spoke up again.

"You are not from our time, are you not?" he asked. "Did you follow in the wake of Emet-Selch?"

She turned to look at him, eyes widening in surprise. "Did you just—?"

"There is no need to be alarmed. I'm nothing but a shade. Here, yet not. I know that my name is Hythlodaeus, and that this city is a recreation. A phantom moment plucked from a time long since gone." He began to rub what little of his chin was visible. "These others seem unaware of their pale existence, but I wonder if Emet-Selch's mind was distracted when it came to my reconstitution. A stray thought would have been enough. 'Hythlodaeus will realize the truth,' for example."

"You really think it's because he made a mistake?" she asked, not even bothering to hide her doubt.

"Even he is prone to mistakes like everyone else. You see...we were once close friends, him and I. Yet in spite of my perception, I play the same role as all the rest: a bit part, meant to bring color and noise to this well-crafted stage. Too much scrutiny, and we shall burst like the fragile bubbles we are." He looked at her and continued in a much lighter tone, "So my presence is nothing to be concerned about. I only wish to share your company while we wait."

S'eni looked at this Hythlodaeus. She didn't know why, but somehow felt that, even above all these other shades that posed no threat to them, she could trust him. With a nod, she said, "Alright. Time flies if you've got company, right?"

"Absolutely."

Silence set over them and they began to watch their surroundings. People coming and going, names being called, and the benches next and behind them slowly emptying.

"...If you've come this far, then you know of the catastrophe which awaits us."

"The Final Days."

Hythlodaeus nodded.

"What began as isolated incidents soon swelled into a world-spanning threat. The Convocation of Fourteen─well, it was Thirteen at the time─endeavored to create a will for our star. They would repair the fundamental laws of order and halt the spread of destruction." His gaze shifted to a line of three standing in front of a counter. "But creation on such a scale required an immense source of power. Of those of us who still lived, nearly half offered up their lives in the name of salvation."

S'eni watched as the first in line began to disappear into thin air...

"Yet the star had suffered. Many species were lost. The land was blighted, the waters poisoned, and even the wind had ceased to blow. So another half of our people sacrificed themselves to Zodiark. To cleanse the world; to ensure that trees and grasses and myriad tiny lives would sprout and grow and flourish."

...the second in line disappeared as well. Tearing her eyes away from the sight, she looked at Hythlodaeus instead, who continued to tell her their story in a solemn tone.

"The cycle of life had begun anew, and we reconsidered the means by which we might protect it. The Convocation decided: we would nurture our world until it was bursting with vitality. Then, when the time was right, we would offer some portion of its energy to Zodiark. In return, He would restore those whose souls had fed His strength, and together we would resume our role as stewards."

S'eni's eyes widened "By the gods, you were going to—" A raised hand made her pause.

"However, there were those who disagreed with this plan. They argued that enough had been sacrificed, that this new world should belong to the newly born lives. These dissidents surrendered their life energies in the creation of Hydaelyn, an incarnation of their opposing belief. And for the first time in history, our people stood divided...You know how this conflict ended, I take it?"

"Hydaelyn won, and the world was sundered into the Source and its thirteen shards," she said. Hythlodaeus nodded, turning his covered eyes towards the ceiling.

"Emet-Selch has ever been a champion for the will of Zodiark. The original plan may have been set back by millennia, but he will not have abandoned his course. He will pay the price for our return by whatever means is necessary. And though he may carry himself with a certain glib ease, he is not one to carry his burdens lightly. In fact, I imagine they have only grown heavier with every passing century..."

He fell silent again, leaning back and nodding. She couldn't help but watch this strange shade of a person that had lived countless millennia ago. Some time ago, S'eni might have scoffed at what Emet-Selch had told them, but now, sitting here, she could feel some of that weight he must have endured.

"I—" she was interrupted by her name being called.

"It seems it is your turn now," Hythlodaeus said. "Go on."

She hesitated for a moment, but ultimately nodded and rose to her feet. "Thank you."

He inclined his head.

Jumping off the bench, she began to make her way over to the counter when suddenly—

"Ah, one more thing. There is someone else with you, is there not?"

She halted in her tracks as Ardbert made himself visible next to her, and they both turned around to look at him with equal surprise. "You can see him...?"

"No, I can see no definite form. Only faintest suggestion of a second soul. I doubt it is visible to anyone but me," he replied. "Otherwise, I assume only you can see and hear this ethereal companion?"

S'eni shared a look with Ardbert, then gave the ancient a nod.

Hythlodaeus raised his fist to his face and began to chuckle.

"Your connection is hardly a coincidence. In our time, the two of you were one. The color of your souls gives it away. A hue that distinctive cannot be mistaken, no matter how thin the soul is spread." Another chuckle. "Hah! This is just the kind of fate I might expect for someone like her. Surely Emet-Selch has recognized the hint of 'her' in you...?"

Her? She wondered, crossing her arms. Who is he talking about? And Ardbert and I were once...one?

Was that what Seto had meant when he said their souls were similar?

"S'eni Gata!" the clerk called her name again, making her glance over her shoulder. When she looked back towards the bench, Hythlodaeus was gone, leaving behind only ghostly words echoing through the hall.

"Farewell my new old friend. May you find what it is you seek."

 

Notes:

Getting there...

Chapter 87

Notes:

Are you ready for the hypest scene in 5.0? I hope you're all having a certain song ready.

Shadowbringers

 

This is it, S'eni thought as they stood in front of the Capitol. The place where Emet-Selch was waiting. She turned towards her friends.

All that happened since each of them came to the First, all of their trials and tribulations, had led to this point.

They were ready.

One by one, her friends began to walk towards the building, each giving her a reassuring nod. Y'shtola's eyes lingered on hers for a moment longer, silently telling her that no matter what, she would be by her side.

Only Ryne remained where she stood, her gaze lingering on the ground.

"What's wrong?" she asked, stepping closer to the girl.

"When Minfilia entrusted me with her power, she warned me that no matter how strong you become, you can still fall victim to despair; you can still feel powerless. And she was right. After you collapsed on Mt. Gulg, my hands wouldn't stop shaking..."

Ryne released a shaky breath.

"Even now, you could be moments from turning, and I wouldn't know how to save you! You, Thancred, the others, you've all been there when I needed help. Minfilia surrendered her life to me. Her legacy. I should be ready to do the same for you! And I want to, I do! But I just..." Her voice began to crack and tears began to pool in those youthful eyes that had seen far too much. "...I'm not good enough. She told me to follow your example, and I've tried, I've really tried..."

Slowly, S'eni reached out to gently brush away the tears that were beginning to run down Ryne's cheek. "Ryne, listen. I'm not asking to be saved."

"But the Light, it─ You'll─"

"Shh..." she gently placed a finger on top of the girl's lips. "Don't be sad. A smile better suits a hero. A dear friend once said that to me."

"I'm not sure I—No...actually, nevermind. I think I'll understand better if I'll try for myself."

The corners of her lips curled upward, and the girl slowly began to return it. "That's the spirit," she said and brushed her hand over red hair. "So how about we go join the others?"

Ryne nodded, eyes filling with determination. "Let's go, S'eni!"

Even amongst the many grand buildings of Amaurot, the Capitol was especially magnificent, making it unmistakable that this was the place where the leadership, this Convocation of Fourteen, gathered.

And of course, it didn't take long for their presence to be noticed.

"And here I thought opening hours were over," a certain Ascian called out, appearing from a gate of darkness and slowly walking over to them with a bored expression on his face that turned into one of annoyance when he laid eyes on S'eni. "Did I not make myself clear? My invitation was for an abomination, ripe with the power to bring about this world's end, not this half-broken...thing. Now what am I to do with you?"

She just glared at him, hands balling into fists. He rolled his eyes.

"And I see you insist on keeping the same familiar company. Are you so lonely without them?"

"It's not her who is the lonely one," Y'shtola shot back. "Not content with recreating this city, you also aim to fill it with those that have been sacrificed to Zodiark!"

"I might have gotten a little carried away in my attention to detail. Added a few unnecessary flourishes. Nostalgia, no doubt." His lips curled into a crooked smirk. "And I suppose there is no point in hiding it now. Yes, once the rejoining of worlds is complete, Zodiark will regain His full strength and shatter His prison. Then we shall offer up the Source's remaining inhabitants in sacrifice, to resurrect our brethren who died to bring Zodiark into existence. But tell me, why are you here again?"

"We came here to stop you," S'eni said.

"Did you now? One last do-or-die attempt to foil my plans before your mind dissolves into madness? How very, very...heroic." he practically spat the last word as he began to bridge the gap between them. "In every single age, there is always someone who wants to stand up to the evil, evil Ascians. Always the same arrogance, the same insistence that the world belongs to them. As if theirs were the only rightful claim, theirs the only existence worthy of preservation!"

His gold-colored eyes locked onto hers, filled with disdain, and she stared back defiantly, gritting her teeth. He tsked and within the blink of an eye stood back at the spot he previously appeared on.

"You think it is unfair that you are subject to suffering? That your lives will be sacrificed for the ancients? Look at me—" he tapped his chest for emphasis, his voice growing heated with every word. "I have lived a thousand of your lives. I have broken bread with you, fought with you, grown ill, grown old! Sired children and welcomed death's sweet embrace! For eons I have measured your worth and found you wanting! Too weak and feeble-minded to serve as stewards of any star!"

His hand turning into a fist, he let his heated gaze roam across their group for a moment.

"How long do you mean to perpetuate this farce? How much more must I endure your bumbling interference?" he asked them. "Let us imagine the laws of reality come undone again, and the world faces true annihilation, do you honestly believe half of your kind would sacrifice themselves to save the other? Of course they wouldn't! And if you had witnessed history unfold as I have, you would reach the same conclusion!"

S'eni averted her gaze, gritting her teeth. He wasn't wrong, and she hated that it was the case. Time and again she had seen conflicts grow from misunderstandings, blood being shed for the smallest of things. So many people she had known that had lost their lives due to conflict.

Haurchefant, Ysayle, Papalymo and so many others...

Her fists unclenched.

Emet-Selch took a deep breath and closed his eyes, visibly relaxing once more. "You can't be entrusted with our legacy. I will bring back our brethren. Our friends. Our loved ones. The world belongs to us and us alone."

With those words, he turned around and began to walk towards the giant doorway at the end of the hall.

"Emet-Selch!" Alphinaud suddenly called out, making him stop. "We understand. Truly. But it makes no difference. The ones you love are in the past. While ours are here in the present. One day, we too will be ashes and dust, but not today. Our time is not yet finished. We share your conviction...and that is why we won't abandon our course!"

"You think we are the same? You think your tattered souls are of equal worth as those I lost?" the Ascian glanced over his shoulder, gold eyes now burning with hatred. "Then come. Earn your place. Prove yourselves worthy to inherit this star."

With a loud, metallic groan, the doors began to open and a wave of heat blew in their direction as a sea of flames revealed itself.

"Behold, the coming oblivion. It was the end of our era, and the beginning of our great work. A fitting backdrop...for your final judgment." He turned towards the fire. "I shall wait within, but don't take too long. There's no telling how much longer our guest of honor will last."

Without sparing them another glance, he walked into the flames and soon vanished from sight.

"Well, you heard him," S'eni said and turned towards her friends, punching her palm. "We shouldn't keep him waiting."

Y'shtola nodded. "Agreed. Your friend may not have the luxury of decades to wait for you this time."

"I can feel it," she heard Ryne murmur as they walked up to the doorway. "Beyond the flames...a Darkness waiting to swallow our Light."

Coming to a stop in front of the fire, S'eni stared into it. She knew that it was nothing more than another illusion created by Emet-Selch. But like this city it was frightfully real. As would be whatever else he had conjured up for them.

She stepped forward...then hesitated, suddenly feeling awfully unprepared. Whirling around, she faced the one that meant the most to her. She might not get another chance. "Shtola, if I—" a finger placed itself on her lips, silencing her.

"Don't," Y'shtola said. "You have weathered the impossible time and again. When things had been at their most dark, you were our beacon of hope. My beacon of hope. This time let me help you brave it and return together."

S'eni looked at her for a moment that felt like an eternity. Uncertainty about what was lying ahead gripped her heart. Yet despite it all, she found herself nodding, making a silent promise.

With a smile, Y'shtola pulled her finger back and, without any hesitation or concern for the others present, closed the gap and captured S'eni's lips in a kiss.

A surprised gasp entered her ears and she noticed Thancred and Urianger smiling at them from out of the corner of her eyes, before closing them and returning the kiss, letting her arms circle around her lover's waist and pulling her close.

When their lips separated once again, she let their foreheads come to rest against one another and gazed into those eyes she had fallen in love with. "Let's go," she said, turning towards the others, smiling at the still shocked expressions the twins were wearing. "Let's show him our worth!"

This time, she stepped into the flames without any hesitation.

 

---

 

What had awaited them beyond the fire was absolute chaos. Fire raining from the skies, creatures beyond anything she could imagine, destruction and loss everywhere.

It truly was the Final Days.

Nevertheless, they pressed on, fighting their way through this apocalypse, slaying every monster wave by bloody wave; all to the narrating voice of Emet-Selch as he watched and judged them, changing the scenery as befitted the tale.

And now, as they stood above the scenery of the burning star that was the origin of their world and so many others, the last of these unholy creatures roared from its four mouths before bursting into aether.

Lowering her fists, S'eni stumbled back a little, gasping for breath and looked at the others, all equally winded as her.

"Is it over?" she wondered out loud.

She received her answer in the form of the sound of clapping hands echoing through the air, soon followed by Emet-Selch appearing out of a portal.

"Well, well, you prevailed..." he said to them, taking a moment to look at their appearance. "Nevertheless!"

Stopping his clapping, he waved his hand through the air, creating a wave of darkness that knocked them all on the ground.

"—Your performance was underwhelming, and I remain unconvinced of your worthiness. Oh, you tower over your misbegotten ilk, no doubt. But should I bring my full strength to bear, well...you would be as leaves in the wind. The gulf between us is a reflection of the disparity between the world as it was...and what it has become."

Next to her, Alisaie jumped back to her feet and towards Emet-Selch, her rapier brandished with the intention to run him through. But before it could find its mark, it was stopped by a barrier forming in front of the Ascian.

"Our worlds may not look down upon our worlds..." Alisaie pressed out through gritted teeth. "But they're still our worlds! Our homes. Full of life and love and hope! And we won't stand by and let you destroy them!"

The young woman began to relentlessly attack the barrier with a barrage of slashes and stabs while Emet-Selch watched her with a bored expression, eventually raising his arm to toss her away with another wave.

"Alisaie!" Alphinaud cried out, rushing over to his sister.

"You are a mistake. For we who have known perfection, the shattered Source and these shards are nothing more than a mockery of the true world," Emet-Selch said, looking at Alphinaud with a smirk. "Your lives are pale imitations, utterly devoid of meaning."

Alphinaud took his sister in his arms and raised her off the ground. "Belittle us all you like, but we will rise again and again, give the lie to your insults with words and deeds. We define our worth, not the circumstances of our creation!"

"Hmpf, more prattle..." the Ascian rolled his eyes and snapped his fingers, summoning forth spears of darkness that rained down upon the twins.

"No!" S'eni shouted as they exploded. When the smoke cleared, she saw Alphinaud lying on top of his sister, covering her with his body. Unconscious, but still breathing. Glaring at the Ascian up ahead, she began pushing herself off the ground, gasping when a sharp, burning pain shot through her entire body. The Light!

"Fool. Who are you? No one. Nothing," he said, looking at her rising form. "Once I have reclaimed my heritage, my first act will be to expunge your stain from history's weave. My world will have no need for heroes."

Ignoring the pain as best as she could, she began to stagger towards him, the white haze of her vision growing brighter with every step she took. She wouldn't let him get away with this!

"Still fighting the good fight..." With a shake of his head, he raised his hand once more and a ball of dark magic shot forth towards her. Just as it was to hit her, a bright blue dome formed around S'eni, shielding her from the attack.

Before Emet-Selch could otherwise react, a burning Flare dropped on top of him and exploded, creating a large cloud of dust.

"It's true that all we hold dear is fated to fade away one day," Y'shtola said. "But that is no reason for us to forsake it!"

"To take what steps we may, and thus mark the road for those who would follow," Urianger added. "To strive for the best of all futures... Be this not also thy purpose!?"

"Do not presume to speak of my future!" Two projectiles of darkness shot through the cloud, knocking both Urianger and Y'shtola to the ground.

"Shtola—argh!" S'eni grabbed her head as the pain turned into nothing short of pure agony and the Light began to burst from her body, forcing her to her knees. Gods...

The Ascian began to laugh. "See? The Light will not be denied! Surrender to your fate, and let the transformation take you! Rise up in madness and fury! Devour the vermin infesting the land which is rightfully ours!"

Thranced jumped past her, bringing his Gunblade down on Emet-Selch, who blocked the strike with a barrier. "Ryne, now!"

Steps echoed towards her as Thancred and Emet-Selch struggled for a few seconds until the Ascian gained the upper hand and let his barrier explode outward, blasting her friend away then hurling another bolt of darkness in her direction

A body dropped next to her. Somehow, she managed to turn her head enough to see Ryne on her knees, clutching her stomach. Slowly, the girl reached a hand out towards S'eni. "Fight it... You have to hold on!" Ryne managed to say before she collapsed to the ground.

S'eni didn't even have time to react as the already unbearable pain increased a hundredfold. Her lips parted, but instead of the scream she so desperately wished to release, only Light gushed forth in a violent stream that she puked onto the ground. She managed to hold herself steady for a few more seconds until her strength gave out and she too collapsed to the ground, her vision slowly fading...

Shtola...Everyone...I'm sorry...

...then there was nothing but endless white...

...

...

...

S'eni didn't know how long she was lying here. Seconds became minutes. Minutes became hours. Hours became seconds. It was all a blur.

She felt cold. So very, very cold...

Was this what dying felt like?

A sudden presence next to her made her stir. "Is that you, Haurchefant?" she asked. "Figures that you would pick me up. Guess I wasn't such a great hero after all..."

"I'm afraid it's just me. And you're not dead. Not yet anyway." managing to raise her head off the ground, she found Ardbert standing next to her, facing forward. "Tell me, S'eni. If you had the strength to take another step, could you do it? Could you save our worlds?"

Could she? She didn't know. It might just be another futile attempt, and what then? She would become a Sin Eater; a Lightwarden to terrorize this world and usher in the Rejoining, and everyone she cared about...dead.

Yet, even if it was only the slimmest of chances, didn't she owe it to Y'shtola and the others, the people of the First, Minfilia, Ardbert, and herself, to at least give it one last try?

Yes—

"What?" the corners of her lips curled upward. "All by myself?"

—godsdammit she would try!

Ardbert looked at her and chuckled, then grabbed the axe on his back and held it out towards her. "Take it," he said and began to glow. "We fight as one!"

Locking eyes with him, S'eni reached her hand out and placed it on top of the axe.

Warmth began to flood her very being, banishing the cold and filling her with a sense of wholeness, like a piece that had she hadn't even realized had been missing finally returned to where it belonged. Strength returning, she felt herself rise to her feet.

The Light exploded, and she was back where had been just a moment ago, glaring at a surprised-looking Emet-Selch. As she spoke, her voice rang together with Ardbert's. "This world isn't yours to end. This is our future. Our story."

"No... It can't be..." The Ascian's eyes widened for a moment, as if he was seeing a ghost, but his composure returned when the Light around her dissipated into nothing. "Bah, a trick of the light. You are a broken husk, nothing more. How can you hope to stand against me alone?"

"She isn't alone." Another look of surprise crossed Emet-Selch's features and he whirled around to find G'raha Tia, beaten and bruised and leaning on his staff. "We stand together!"

"How did─!? ...I'm surprised you can stand at all."

"I could hardly leave matters half finished." G'raha chuckled with a bloody smile and raised his staff. "Eon become instant. Far become near!"

As the staff began to glow a bright blue, seven arcane sigils appeared around her in a circle.

"Champions from beyond the rift, heed my call!" the other Miqo'te shouted and slammed the lower end of his staff into the ground. Simultaneously, bright pillars of aether shot high into the air; guiding lights for the heroes that had answered her friend.

For the first time since she had come to know him, a look of honest panic began to form on Emet-Selch's face. "Damn you. Damn you all!"

"Emet-Selch!" S'eni raised her hand to point to him. "I challenge you! This ends today. One way another, it ends. What path will you choose?"

"Very well, one final judgment. The victor shall write the tale, and the vanquished become its villain!" He began to walk towards her. "Come! Let us cast aside titles and pretense, and reveal our true faces to one another!"

Raising his hand, the Ascian held it in front of his face and violently pulled down, revealing his glowing red symbol once again.

"I am Hades! He who shall awaken our brethren from their dark slumber!"

Darkness shot forth from within him, swallowing everything in sight until only she and the beacons were left. S'eni closed her eyes, and began to breathe in.

Inhale. Exhale.

Inhale. Exhale.

Inhale. Exhale.

And as the first of these brave warriors, from distant worlds she didn't know, stepped through the portal, S'eni's eyes shot open once more, a look of determination on her face.

Let's go, Ardbert!

 

Notes:

Ah, you got me. This entire chapter was just one big excuse to have S'eni and Y'shtola kiss in front of the whole gang. But hey, cat (heh) had to be let out of the back eventually, right?

In any case, next chapter we'll be wrapping up 5.0 in earnest, and I can already promise (and warn) you: it'll be smutty. See ya.

Chapter 88

Notes:

I already did a little warning last week, but I'll repeat it just in case: there's gonna be smut in the latter part of this chapter.

What ISN'T NSFW though is this nice little picture of our leading lady by the very talented Szajnie. Hmm, looks almost like she's going to some banquet or something, doesn't she?

Now without further ado...

Tomorrow and Tomorrow

 

Daylight.

Beautiful daylight filled her vision as the sun began to rise in the east, wrapping the ruins of this once beautiful city in a warm golden embrace as it ushered in a new morning.

Behind her, she could hear her friends, slowly walking towards her, but still keeping their distance.

And in front of her, dressed in the dark robes of all Ascians, was Emet-Selch. He stood perfectly still for a moment, before raising a hand to the large, glowing hole in the center of his torso. Slowly, he removed his hood and looked at her with his golden eyes. The hatred had dissipated, replaced with a melancholy softness uncharacteristic of him.

"Remember...Remember us..." he told her, his body beginning to fall apart. "Remember...that we once lived..."

"...I will," she promised.

He just gave her that crooked smile of his and burst into aether.

And as S'eni watched those tiny particles rise high into the sky, she couldn't help the sudden surge of sorrow that rose up from deep within her.

"It's over. Emet-Selch is no more," she heard Alphinaud say and she turned around only to see him get pushed aside by his sister.

"More importantly. How are you?" Alisaie asked.

They were joined by Y'shtola and Urianger as well, the former gently brushing past the twins to step closer to S'eni. Silvery-white eyes scanned her and grew wide.

"...What dost thou see?" Urianger asked.

"Her aether...it's—" the other Miqo'te reached a hand out to rest it against her cheek. "—it's how it used to be. But how?"

S'eni just smiled.

Keeping her hand where it was for a few precious seconds longer as if to make sure she was truly alright, Y'shtola stepped back again, a thoughtful look crossing her features.

"As a disciple of Zodiark, the Ascian was the Darkness to your Light...Could it be that the Light within you was spent when your strength clashed with his?"

"No...It's more than that," Ryne said, hand held out towards her and eyes closed in concentration. "Your soul was breaking apart under the strain of that incredible flood of aether. Yet now it's...restored. H-How is that possible...I tried to help but...Can you tell us what happened?"

Her smile growing, S'eni glanced over her shoulder towards the battle-axe of pure, white Light embedded in the platform behind where Emet-Selch had stood a moment ago.

Thank you...Ardbert.

She watched it slowly dissipate, then turned back towards her friends. "That's a really long story. Which I'll have to tell you another time, I'm afraid."

They all looked at one another in confusion. "I see..."

A chuckle escaped her and she looked past them towards the only other person in the vicinity, walking towards their group with his head held low and averting his gaze like a little boy that had just been caught doing something he shouldn't have.

"Where to start...?" he asked, more himself than them. "I believe I owe you all an apology. Most of all you..."

Gods, part of her still wanted to give him an earful for his plan. But she supposed that would wait for later. "Well, aren't you looking fresh. Did you sleep well, G'raha?"

His eyes widened at the sound of his name and he released a sob, his crystal hand rising to cover his face as tears began running down his face. When he had managed to compose himself again, he gave her a watery smile.

"Never slept better."

"Well, as happy as this reunion is, I suggest we better leave. Who knows how long this illusion will last," Thancred said and stepped forward, giving G'raha Tia a friendly slap on the shoulder. "Besides, we should have a look at your wounds."

"They're nothing. Just scratches," G'raha Tia tried to assure them even as Thancred was already leading him off the platform.

A hand brushed against hers, and she glanced to the side to see Y'shtola smiling warmly at her. Grasping her lover's hand, S'eni gave it a gentle squeeze, and together they joined their friends.

They had just managed to step off the platform, when the scene began to shift and they found themselves standing in a round chamber. From there it was easy enough to find their way to the Capitol's main lobby, where they could take a look at G'raha's wounds.

"Hmm...'tis passing strange," Urianger said as he looked around. "Thou hast ushered Emet-Selch unto his rest, yet his enchantment still remaineth..."

"With how powerful he was, it doesn't really surprise me." S'eni crossed her arms loosely. "There's still a lot we don't understand about Ascian magic."

"Indeed."

S'eni looked over to where Alphinaud and Y'shtola were treating their newest addition.

"Might be a good time to actually explore a bit, don't you think?" she asked and elbowed him playfully, earning herself an amused chuckle. "A little look around, Master Augurelt?"

"Aye. 'Twould be wise to do so whilst Bismarck's dome banishes the water still."

"Yeah, about that, and I've been wondering that for a while, but how are we supposed to return...? Urianger?" S'eni turned around when she noticed that her friend had stopped all of a sudden.

Her eyebrows began to rise as the pondering look on his features became one of almost comical realization. His eyes found hers, and a few seconds passed before the epiphany struck her as well.

Oh no...

 

---

 

With Bismarck only agreeing to deliver them to the Tempest, the only real option left for them was to swim all the way back to Kholusia. And gods, what a horrible experience it had been...

That she had even pondered to do so when she first endeavored to chase after Emet-Selch and G'raha Tia made her want to slap her past self for doing so. Swimming around the Ruby Sea felt like a nice little workout in comparison.

Thankfully, they had all managed to make it to shore relatively unscathed, even if Alphinaud and, after they actually found him, Urianger were a little out of it for a while. The fatigue she had felt at the time, though, had quickly been chased away by the sight of the beautiful blue sky above their heads.

And now, as S'eni watched the twinkling stars above the Crystarium shine as brightly as the tower itself, S'eni felt herself truly relax for what felt like forever. With a smile, she lowered her eyes to the Exedra below, where the people of the Crystarium were celebrating the second return of the night together with people from all across Norvrandt that had come to gather here.

It was over. They could finally live in peace.

"Excuse me?" her ears perked up and she turned around to see a young boy standing there, looking at her with eyes widened in awe. "You're the Warrior of Darkness...aren't you?"

Well, the secret was out anyway. "Yes, that's right."

His expression brightened at her words and he immediately bombarded her with the next question. "Can you tell me where you're from!? And how you got so strong!? I want to become as strong as you too!"

Taken aback for a moment, S'eni then chuckled and raised a finger to her lips as if to playfully shush him. "I'm afraid the where will have to remain a mystery."

"Oh..." the boy's face fell a little.

"But—" she walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "—to become strong, you need to train every day, but more importantly you need to be brave, and have friends you can trust at your side. Because even the strongest of heroes need people at their side."

"So you have friends too?"

"Hm. The best." Raising her hand again, S'eni ruffled the boy's hair and gave him a little grin. "Now come, tonight's a time for celebration. Neither of us should be all alone up here."

After taking the boy back to his friends, she decided to mingle a little as well, having a few drinks and simply enjoying the merriment with her friends and other people, moving from one crowd to the next. Urianger had just finished listing the names of all the women that Thancred had drunkenly conquered in the past, much to everyone's amusement and the latter's horror, when S'eni caught sight of a certain dark-robed figure leaning against the wall next to Spagyrics' entrance, nursing a glass of her own.

"There you are," she said as she approached Y'shtola, noticing members of the Night's Blessed standing not too far away as well. "I was wondering where—why are they crying?"

S'eni squinted her eyes to make absolutely sure she wasn't seeing things. Yes. Definitely crying.

A sigh, half weary half fond, escaped the other Miqo'te before taking a sip from her drink. "I knew they would be here, but with how crowded the Crystarium is, I thought it was safe to speak my true name. As you know, it's customary not to reveal your true name outside of family and ceremony. When I explained that everyone present were like family, well..."

"The waterworks started?"

Another sigh. "An emotional people, the Blessed."

"But they have big hearts," she said, smiling as she watched them, their tears slowly drying and having fun with all the rest.

"Indeed..." Y'shtola's looked at her. "Eni—"

"Out of the way, please!" a voice interrupted her and they both turned to see two members of Spagyrics carrying a body towards the infirmary. Alphinaud.

"What happened!?" S'eni immediately hurried over.

"He collapsed, but it seems like he's only fallen asleep," was the answer she received as her friend was carried inside, leaving her to stare after them until her lover stepped next to her.

"Hardly a surprise, given how exhausted he was earlier," Y'shtola said, giggling into her fist.

"It was more surprising that we didn't have to carry him all the way here."

They shared a laugh.

"You wanted to say something?" she then asked, giving Y'shtola a warm look.

"Yes, I..." a short pause. "Could we...go somewhere else?"

She only needed to see the look in those beautiful eyes, glowing almost ghostly in the light of the tower, to know exactly what she meant.

"...Of course."

Discretely leaving the Exedra, they headed towards the Pendants, finding the front desk uncharacteristically empty for once, and made their way up the stairs towards her room. The doors had barely managed to fall shut behind them, when Y'shtola moved to embrace S'eni, pulling her close and nuzzling her neck.

"Eni..." her lover exhaled, fingers digging into the fabric on her back.

"Ssh." She kissed the side of Y'shtola's head before gently lifting it so that she could look her in the eye, offering her a loving smile. "I know."

Their lips softly brushed, feather-light, like fingertips on velvet, then pressed against each other tightly, giving voice to their feelings without the need for words.

They were here. Alive.

The kiss soon grew heated, lips parting to let their tongues brush, teasingly first, then with passionate purpose. The residue taste of the drink Y'shtola had clouded her senses for but a moment, long enough for her to only realize that they were walking across the room when the golden chains attached to her belt clattered to the ground.

Letting her hand travel up, her fingertips ghosted across the exposed skin of Y'shtola's back until they brushed against the silver clasp that kept it bound together. With a click, it came undone, making the other Miqo'te release a low sigh, her own hand traveling up to rid S'eni of the rest of her jewelry.

They broke apart for a moment to give Y'shtola enough space to do so, granting S'eni access to the brooch that held the front of her lover's robes together, causing them to slip off her shoulders in a rather seductive manner when she undid it with dexterous fingers and revealing more of that beautiful skin.

No sooner did Y'shtola rid her of the other chains, they closed the gap once again. But instead of claiming kiss swollen lips, S'eni dipped down to bury her face into the inviting cleavage below, drawing out a mixture of a gasp and a giggle from the other woman.

Slipping a hand under her himation, Y'shtola dragged the tip of her silver talon across the skin just underneath S'eni's rib cage, before pushing the fabric aside.

Piece by piece, their clothing fell to the ground, leaving them in nothing but their boots and shorts when they arrived at her bed. Pushing Y'shtola on top of it, she took hold of one of her legs and began to undo the laces holding it close.

"Leylines, really?" S'eni asked with an amused grin when she spotted the pattern carved into the sole and narrowly dodge a swipe with her pillow.

"Hush you. They are of great assistance in battle."

"I know they are." Pulling the boot off, she dropped it to the ground and began to undo the next. "Fancy shoes even on a different world."

"Says the woman with gold on hers," Y'shtola shot back, lips curling into a little grin of her own.

"Point taken." After discarding the other one, S'eni removed her own footwear, tossing it somewhere to the side, before climbing on top of her lover and claiming her lips in another heated kiss.

A soft sigh escaped her as fingers slid across her sides and she didn't resist when Y'shtola slowly rolled them around. Hands traveling upward, the other Miqo'te took hold of her wrists and guided them above her head.

Y'shtola broke the kiss and lowered herself to S'eni's neck, planting her lips against the sensitive skin there.

"Shtola..." S'eni breathed out, craning her neck to grant better access.

All of a sudden, her lover stopped. Before she could ask what was wrong, S'eni felt Y'shtola smirk against her skin, and her wrists were engulfed by the sudden warmth of aether.

"Wha—" She looked up and found her hands now bound together by a string of magic, glowing a faint purple in the moonlight draped room. S'eni tried to wiggle free for a few seconds until Y'shtola rose slightly until she was right next to her ear.

"Looks like—" the other Miqo'te whispered, breath hot with desire. She tightened her hold on her wrists a little and guided them towards the backrest, where the same magic holding them together bound them against the bed. "—I have you now, O Warrior of Darkness..."

S'eni blinked as Y'shtola began to sit up and sized her up a little, before nodding like an artist upon finishing their masterwork. She glanced up towards her hands and gave a little pull. She knew that she was strong enough to break free if she really tried, and she knew that Y'shtola knew so as well. So instead of doing that, she returned the smirk.

"You certainly do. Now what will you do with little old me, I wonder?"

"Hmm. What to do..." Y'shtola extended a hand and ran a finger across the valley of S'eni breasts. Up and down. Up and down. "There's so much I want to do..."

Shifting her hand to cup one, Y'shtola leaned down and planted a little kiss on her cheek just below her face stripes. "I have three years to make up..."

A kiss on the corner of her lips.

"And I intend to make it all..."

A soft squeeze that drew a delightful little gasp.

"...count."

"Does that mean you'll finally make good on the spanking?" she chuckled then released another gasp as her lover gave her nipple a little pinch.

"If you keep that up," Y'shtola playfully threatened and let go of her breast once more, cupping her cheek instead and giving her a deep kiss. Upon separating again, the tip of her tongue darted out to brush against S'eni's bottom lip before starting her journey downward, leaving a damp trail in her wake that cooled S'eni's hot skin as the night's breeze wafted in from the window.

Stopping between her breasts, the other Miqo'te glanced up at her, locking eyes as she began plant open-mouthed kisses on both of them, leaving not a single inch of skin untouched aside from her nipples, hard and aching for attention, making her squirm. Y'shtola kept at it for a little longer, clearly enjoying the frustrating effect she was having on S'eni until, finally, she gave one nub a flick with her tongue, then caught it between her teeth.

The corners of Y'shtola's lips rose and she chuckled as she applied some pressure and rolled the nipple around for a few torturous moments before sucking it fully into her mouth to give it the attention it deserved.

Exhaling her lover's name through parted lips, S'eni arched her back a little, trying to get more of that exquisite sensation. After having had her fill, Y'shtola moved towards the other nipple, giving it the same treatment, then moved back, alternating between the two in new, sweet torture that made the heat between her legs grow almost unbearable.

"You know," Y'shtola said, moving on from her breasts and towards her abdomen, running a hand across its defined form. "A lot of women would kill for one such as this."

"Oh?" S'eni tilted her head. "You too?"

"Now why would I do that," she purred, teasing the sides of S'eni's waist with the palms of her hands, "when I have the one that I want lying right here?"

Y'shtola dipped her tongue into her belly button. S'eni squirmed, held firm by Y'shtola's magic.

"You're in pretty good shape too if you ask me," she groaned, trying and failing to keep her legs from shifting as her womanhood screamed for attention.

"Why, thank you. But I'm afraid compliments will get you nowhere." Y'shtola pushed herself back up, smirk growing, and a hand slowly wandered down to come to rest on her thigh. Caressing it, she occasionally dipped her fingers between S'eni's legs, but always keeping them just shy of that now very restrictive piece of underwear.

A curse escaped S'eni's lips, earning herself a little tut-tut from her lover.

"Patience is a virtue..." Y'shtola's hand shifted upward and pressed against her covered sex, eliciting a moan. "...wouldn't you agree?"

"Y-Yeah..."

Stroking her through the fabric and clearly enjoying the way she squirmed, Y'shtola opened her mouth to undoubtedly tease her some more, when a clattering sound from the table interrupted her.

They both turned their heads to see the teapot that had been standing there lying on its side, and perched next to it, staring at them with its perpetual glare, was a small shoebill. No one made a sound for a moment, then it spread out its wings and fluttered away through the open window, leaving as suddenly as it appeared.

Looking at each other again, they blinked once, then burst into laughter.

"I'm starting to think that thing is following me," S'eni said.

"Perhaps it took a liking to you. Many such cases after all."

"Would explain why it was at the bottom of the Tempest..." she muttered.

"Come again?"

She shook her head. "Nothing."

Y'shtola just raised her brows but otherwise didn't comment. Soon enough, her earlier smile returned. "Now, before we were so rudely interrupted, where were we...Ah yes..."

Pulling her hand back, the other woman removed herself from her and began to take off her shorts. S'eni couldn't help a little smirk of her own when she spotted the dampness between those beautiful legs.

Once they were tossed aside, Y'shtola placed her hands on either side of S'eni's black shorts, running her fingers along the hem and making her bite her lip in anticipation. But instead of doing what she desired, her lover withdrew them and moved to straddle her thigh just above the knee.

"...this is for being so impatient," Y'shtola said and began to slowly rub herself against her skin, closing her eyes and moaning softly.

Another groan escaped her, as she watched Y'shtola start to stroke her own body, arching back just enough so that she could better see her pleasuring herself, skin slightly glistening in the pale light from outside. The warm wetness and the brushing of short white curls against her skin were enough to drive her mad with desire and a tiny part deep inside her lust-addled mind screamed at her to just break free.

But no, she would continue to play this delightful little game...

"Oh...Eni..."

...after all, two could play it.

Shifting her foot a little, she pushed her leg up, causing Y'shtola's breath to hitch a little, before turning into moans again when she started to rock it in tandem with the movements of her hips.

S'eni watched with a smug sense of satisfaction as her lover's movement grew more erratic and she doubled over, managing to catch her fall with her hands at the last second and putting her breasts right on display. Dangling in front of her like the ripest of fruit.

Don't mind if I do, she thought and raised her head, lips encircling Y'shtola's hardened nipple. She suckled and tugged, drawing out another long moan from the needy Miqo'te.

Again and again, her name resounded from those pretty lips, sounding like music to her ears and rising by the second.

Higher.

Higher.

With one last moan, Y'shtola stiffened momentarily before her entire body began to convulse in orgasmic release and she dropped on top of S'eni, who still rubbed her now slick thigh against her to prolong the feeling for as long as possible.

They remained like this until Y'shtola relaxed and she slowly crawled back off her, looking at her with half-lidded eyes through tussled-up bangs, naked chest heaving with every breath she took. An absolutely erotic sight.

Giving S'eni a very satisfied smile, she cupped her cheek and brought their lips together in a short, deep kiss. "Your turn now," Y'shtola then said and lowered herself in earnest, the teasing sound in her voice having given way to warm promises eager to be kept.

Relief flooded her very being when she was finally, finally, freed of her shorts, the fresh air in the room alleviating the ache just a little. But she knew that true comfort would only come in the form of the woman who was lowering her face between her parting legs.

Y'shtola locked eyes with her, holding her intense gaze for but a moment, before leaning in.

"Oh gods..." S'eni's eyelids fluttered close and her toes curled into the sheets. Sparks of hot pleasure shot up her spine as her lover's tongue brushed against her sex, wasting no time with idle teasing anymore and giving her exactly what she wanted.

But she needed more.

With a moan, she pushed her pelvis up towards Y'shtola, who wasted no time taking up the offer, and slipped her hands under S'eni's behind, firmly placing one on each cheek and giving them a squeeze while she continued to eat her out.

A soft, warm fog clouded her mind, making her lose sense of all her surroundings. Only pleasure existed, and the one who gave it to her, whose name became a mantra of lust slipping past parted lips; begging for more and more.

Then, suddenly, Y'shtola pulled away, making her mewl out at the loss of contact. S'eni cracked her eyes open, watching the woman climb back up through the haze in front of her vision. Before she could utter so much as a word, loving lips were replaced by soft fingers pushing inside her wet slit, reducing her once more to nothing but moans.

Cupping her face with her other hand, Y'shtola kissed her. After a short and intense battle of tongues, she broke the kiss once again and brought their foreheads together.

"Don't look away," Y'shtola told her, looking deep into her eyes, and began to massage the small bundle of nerves with her thumb. It was hard, yet she managed to resist the urge to slam them shut at the combined sensation of her insides and clit being rubbed, each stroke driving her further and further to the edge.

"Shto...la..." she somehow managed to say amidst her cries, feeling her reason slipping away into the waves of ecstasy crashing upon her, but not wishing to give in before giving voice to the feelings in her heart. "I...I..."

"I know." Her lover smiled. "I love you too."

With a cry that she was sure could be heard throughout the Pendants, S'eni came, her back arching as far as possible and her entire body shaking from the force of her orgasm. Her mind went completely blank. Everything ceased to exist, only Y'shtola remained as pure bliss numbed her senses for what felt like a beautiful eternity.

When she finally regained control of her body, she found her hands unbound of the spell and immediately slipped her arms around her lover's shoulders to pull her close. Their lips came together again, slow and gentle this time, and she let out a happy little sigh as she felt Y'shtola's tail brush against her own.

They separated long enough to share exhausted, but very satisfied smiles, before leaning back in and letting themselves forget everything else.

Just for tonight, right here, right now, only they existed.

 

---

 

S'eni awoke to a faint sound entering her ears and she groggily opened one eye, then the other when she noticed that the spot next to her was empty. Slowly sitting up, she looked around and didn't take long to find Y'shtola, sitting at the nearby desk, her legs lazily crossed while her feet rested on top of it. In her hand, she held a tome bound in a simple black leather cover.

She couldn't help the smile forming at her state of undress, not even having bothered to put on one of the Pendants' bathrobes to shield her body as she read.

High education had never looked as enticing as this view in front of her.

Glancing over to the window, S'eni saw that it was still dark out, but from the angle of the moonlight, she could tell that it wouldn't be long until daybreak.

She walked over to Y'shtola, who had long since taken notice of her, and put her arms around her shoulders, gently leaning down to nuzzle her hair. "Can't sleep?"

Y'shtola shook her head. "Just needed something to drink," she replied. "I was just about to lie down when I saw this lying on your desk."

She glanced at the open page, recognising the words immediately because she had read them multiple times. It was the tome Matoya had given her.

S'eni didn't need to see it to know that Y'shtola was smiling. "I still remember when I first opened this. My first steps into the arcane."

"Hm. While you all were unconscious, Matoya gave it to me. Well, tossed more like." They shared a chuckle. "Said that if I had time to lounge around I also had time to apply myself."

"I should have suspected it, really."

"I suppose that does make me the disciple of a Matoya now, doesn't it?" reaching out, she ran her fingers along the edge of the page. "Other books soon joined. Thaumaturgy mostly, some arcanism and even conjuring. Anything that might have helped you guys in some way."

"I would say that's incredible, but I believe I'm starting to repeat myself on that front." Y'shtola giggled into her fist.

They fell silent for a moment, the only sound passing between them those of turning pages.

"You're going to leave for the Source soon." It wasn't a question.

S'eni hummed. "Got to let Tataru and Krile know that everything is alright over here and that you're all well. I also need to know how things fare with Garlemald."

"I see..."

She smiled once again. "I'll let Matoya and your sister know as well. I can deliver a message if you want."

"No. That's alright. Letting them know I'm well will suffice."

Hugging her a little tighter, S'eni closed her eyes. "Don't worry. I won't be gone for long. I'll be back as soon as possible," she promised.

"I know," Y'shtola exhaled softly, letting her hand come to rest atop one of S'eni's. "Say hello to Mhitra for me."

Her smile widened. "Just hello?"

"Honestly...I know what you're implying and we shall tell her about us together."

Now it was S'eni's turn to giggle. "If she hasn't already figured it out anyway," she said, then planted a little kiss on top of her head. "Come, let's get back to bed."

Eyes lingering on the pages for a few seconds longer, the other Miqo'te closed the tome and placed it back on the desk.

"Yes, let's do that," Y'shtola said warmly.

 

---

 

When I first met you, you were my enemy. An obstacle in the way of what we perceived as salvation for our dying world.

We both know how that ended: you defeated me, and from that defeat sprang hope. But that hope was not to last, and what followed were a hundred years of despair.

Then, you arrived in our world, and little by little brought it back from the brink and me alongside it.

Thank you. For all you have done.

So, stand tall, S'eni. Never stray from your path, no matter how difficult it will be, and always trust those walking it alongside you.

For your journey, our journey, will never end.

- Ardbert, Warrior of Light

 

Notes:

Man, what a rude bird...

Anyways, with this we're finally done with 5.0. The next few chapters will be a little bit of downtime. You know, give everyone some time to catch their breaths before the ride continues. So I'll see you next week!

Chapter 89

A Much Deserved Break

 

The Crystarium was abuzz as S'eni walked across the Exedra, watching the people go to and fro, some chatting while taking their time, while others were in a hurry like busy bees keeping the nest intact. It was a sight she had come to know quite well in the past.

For a while it hadn't looked like the people of Norvrandt would ever have the luxury of just...living their lives, she supposed. But now, with the bright blue sky crowning above the city, they could finally do just that. No Light to cover up this beautiful sight and the last remaining Sin Eaters hardly posing a threat, their population growing thinner by the day.

Yes, now the people of the First could really live.

She raised her hand in greeting as one of the workers from the Crystalline Mean she had encountered in the past called out to her as he passed, holding a box no doubt filled with materials for the next project.

S'eni chuckled. It was good to be back.

It might have just been a week, but with all the errands she had to do back home, it felt way longer than that, and she was eager to see her friends again. Especially a certain someone...

...who just so happened to come walking out of the Trivium, holding a stack of tomes in her hands.

Eyebrows rising in unison with the corners of her lips, she began to make her way over to Y'shtola, who was facing away from her. She followed her lover as she headed across the Exedra and into the direction of the Pendants, making sure to be as silent as a Ceourl stalking its prey while she crossed the distance between them.

She had just managed to sneak up right behind Y'shtola, raised her arms—

"I'd suggest you consider the consequences before continuing," the other Miqo'te said.

—and stopped in her tracks. With a pout forming on her face, she dropped her arms again. "Really should've taken Yugiri up on her offer for training," S'eni muttered.

"And you really think that would have saved you?" Y'shtola slowly turned around.

"Given me a better chance for sure." She offered her a smile, which her lover returned.

"Welcome back. I confess I wasn't expecting to see you so soon."

"Well, I promised, didn't I?" S'eni shrugged. "And with things as they are back home I thought I would take the chance and actually enjoy Norvrandt as a simple traveler."

"That might actually not be—"

"Wark!"

Turning at the same time, they both spotted a streak of black bounding towards them, expertly dodging and jumping any person that might be in the way. Y'shtola only managed to widen her eyes before she found herself tackled to the ground with a face full of black feathers as its owner eagerly rubbed his head against it.

S'eni didn't even bother to hide her grin as Y'shtola tried and failed to get away from Zack's affections. "Aww, he missed you."

"I can—" Y'shtola blew some feathers away from her mouth, "—tell. A little help, perhaps?"

Snickering, she patted Zack's back. "Come on, big guy. Give her some space to properly say hello."

"Kweh!" After one final rubbing of feathers upon her face, her Chocobo stepped back to give Y'shtola the space she needed. The other Miqo'te glared at him for a moment, but only sighed and shook her head when she received a questioning head tilt in return.

"It honestly shouldn't surprise me that you brought him along this time," Y'shtola said and took S'eni's offered hand.

"With Norvrandt free of the Light I thought it was the perfect time for that. Besides, I really missed him," she replied while pulling her up. Once Y'shtola was back on her feet, she leaned in and gave her a quick peck on the lips before adding, "But not as much as I missed you..."

Her lover was surprised for a second, then chuckled. "Is that so? Then I'm sure you won't mind helping me pick up these books. Seeing as it was your feathery companion that made me drop them in the first place."

Said companion had already walked off a bit again, looking at everything with a natural curiosity.

"What are those for anyway?" S'eni asked as they began picking them up.

"Since you left, we have been looking for a way to send us home, as G'raha Tia's initial plan clearly didn't work out as intended. On my end, I have returned to Rak'tika to see if there might be something of help involving the Ronkan Empire. I actually only returned to the Crystarium yesterday myself," Y'shtola explained.

"Hmm. I see."

After they had picked up the books, they began heading towards the Pendants, earning themselves a few curious looks as the black Chocobo idly followed them.

"So, what are the tidings from the Source? I take it Tataru and the others are well?"

Shifting the books in her arms a little, S'eni nodded. "Yeah. She already knew you guys were alright from Feo Ul. She also told me how things were going at the front. So far the Imperials are keeping to themselves, a few smaller-scale skirmishes here and there, but no large commitment of forces."

"And the Black Rose?"

"Hasn't seen any use yet, thank the gods," she said. "Though I guess even if it did, it wouldn't cause the world to plunge into chaos. Still, I'd rather not see it used at all."

"A small relief, if nothing else," Y'shtola said.

"On a happier note, you'll be delighted to know that Y'mhitra is relieved to hear you're doing alright and that Master Matoya is still as surly as ever." She then smirked. "Oh, and somehow Tataru and Krile managed to find a certain Dragoon and employ his aid."

Y'shtola let out a little scoff. "I wonder how they managed that with how elusive he has been in the past."

"Who knows with Tataru involved?" Their friend could be very scary at times.

Arriving at the Pendants, they brought the books up into Y'shtola's room before leaving the building again.

"I..." S'eni began once they stepped outside, moving over to the waiting Chocobo to stroke his warm plumage. "...also spoke to F'lhammin."

The frown on Y'shtola's face was audible. "How did she take it?"

"Better than expected to be honest. I think deep down she knew even before I told her. Afterwards, we went to the Church of Saint Adama Landama to visit the grave of Minfilia's father. We buried a gem that always meant a lot to Minfilia in it so that a part of her could be with him again." A hand came of rest on her shoulder and she pulled hers away from Zack to place it on top of it.

"I'm sure she would have loved that."

"Yeah," S'eni sighed and smiled, giving Y'shtola's hand a squeeze before turning around. "She would have."

The sound of fast-approaching footsteps made their ears perk up and they turned to see none other than Ryne running towards them.

"Oh, S'eni!" the girl exclaimed when she spotted her and slowed down. "I should have known it was you when I heard about it."

S'eni shared a look with Y'shtola, then asked, "About what?"

"That a Chocobo with black feathers has been seen around Crystarium and—whoa!" Noticing that he was being talked about, Zack was almost instantly in Ryne's face with his round black eyes causing her to back away.

S'eni had to resist a laugh as she placed her hand at the back of her hip and tried to sound as stern as possible. "Zack, that is Ryne. She's a friend. Now give her some space."

"Kweh. Kweh!" He immediately stepped back and stood up straight, but didn't let the girl out of his sight.

"Ryne, this is Zack."

"H-Hello." Careful as to not startle him, even though it wasn't really needed, Ryne reached her hand out and gently stroked him. A little chuckle made its way past her lips when he released a sound of enjoyment at her touch. "I've only rarely seen Chocobos while Thancred and I were traveling, and never a black one."

"There's lots of different colored ones on the Source. Black ones are special because they have the ability to fly. Then there's Red ones..."

"What about them?" Ryne asked, noticing the tone in S'eni's tone changing.

But instead of answering, her eyes took on a faraway look as if she was reliving something she would rather not. So Y'shtola spoke up instead.

"Has your and Thancred's venture into the Empty yielded anything yet?" the other Miqo'te asked.

"Not yet." Ryne shook her head and looked at Y'shtola. "But I know there is something out there. I can feel it."

Hearing that exchange pulled S'eni out of her thoughts. "You went into the Empty?" she asked.

"Yes. With the Light gone, it isn't dangerous anymore, so Thancred and I have been exploring a bit. I want to try and restore it." Ryne gave Zack one last pat before fully turning towards them, a frown on her face. "I just don't know how if I'm being honest."

"If there's anything we can do, just ask!" S'eni looked at her lover, who nodded in agreement.

"Thank you," Ryne said, her smile returning. "For now we've come back to stock up on some supplies. Thancred told me to relax a bit, then I heard about Zack here."

"That means you're free, right?"

"Yes." The girl tilted her head a little. "Why?"

"Then why don't we do something together. Just the three of us—"

"Wark!"

"Yes, you too! So what do you say?"

Ryne seemed unsure for a moment, but eventually nodded. "I'd love to!"

"Shtola?" S'eni smiled.

"Hmm, I had originally planned on focusing on my research, but I suppose I can postpone it for later," Y'shtola said and mirrored the expression.

"Great!" she pumped her fist in excitement. That excitement quickly gave way to perplexion though, as she actually had no idea what they could actually do. Ryne too seemed equally stumped.

Thankfully, Y'shtola wasn't. "I might have a suggestion, if you are willing to go beyond the Crystarium."

"Sure. I'm all ears," S'eni said.

The other Miqo'te's smile grew.

 

---

 

A soft moan escaped S'eni as she lowered herself into the hot water, her eyes fluttering closed while the tension, that she didn't even realize she had been feeling, was washed away by this warm embrace, leaving only relaxed muscles in its wake.

Gods, this was good.

"I can't believe I've walked past this place without ever knowing what it was," she hummed and let herself sink in a little further. A little ripple from next to her made her open her eyes again to see a delicate foot dipped in the water and she followed the leg all the way up to look at Y'shtola, her body hidden by a white towel.

"I came across it once while on my own travels, but dismissed it at the time. I take it, you approve?"

"I certainly do." The towel landed on the ground next to S'eni's and Y'shtola slowly slipped into the water, offering her a nice view. "Very much so, in fact."

"Oh, hush you," her lover said before releasing an appreciative sigh.

She tilted her head back to let it come to rest on the edge and looked up at the bright sunny sky. "Now a nice glass of wine and it would be perfect."

"Is that...what people do in a place like this?" she heard Ryne ask and shifted her gaze towards the girl. She stood a few steps away from them, her hand holding tightly onto her own towel and looking around shyly.

"Only if you want to fall asleep and almost drown," Y'shtola quipped.

"And that's why you always bathe in good company," S'eni replied with a smile before turning her attention back to Ryne, who hasn't moved at all. "Hmm? What's wrong?"

"It's, uhm..." licking her lips once, Ryne averted her eyes. "I've...never bathed with someone before. Thancred always made sure I had my privacy..."

Ah, so that's what it was.

"Don't worry, Ryne, we're all girls here. You don't have anything we haven't seen before. Besides, it's only us in here."

And indeed it was, since apparently today was a rather slow day for the Clearmelt bathhouse. But she certainly wouldn't complain about it.

Taking a deep breath, Ryne nodded and began to remove the towel. Covering herself with an arm as best as she could, she dropped the towel and slid into the water, only removing it until she was properly submerged.

"There, better isn't it?" S'eni giggled. "No need to be shy."

"I'm sorry. I suppose I'm still very bad at interacting with people."

A frown formed on her face as she watched Ryne stare into the water, being once more reminded how the girl never really had a childhood. Years trapped in Eulmore and then always being on the road with Thancred had seen to that.

Moving over, she put a comforting arm around her shoulders. "Hey, don't worry about it," S'eni said in a warm tone. "No one expects you to be a social butterfly from the word go."

"Indeed," Y'shtola agreed, offering Ryne a small smile. "You are still young and have more than enough time to grow into who you want to be."

"See? Sage advice as befitting of Master Matoya." She grinned at the audible huff from Y'shtola and watched the corners of Ryne's lips curling up.

"Thank you." The girl sighed through her nose and began to visibly relax.

"No need." S'eni affectionately leaned her forehead against the side of Ryne's head before pulling back and returning to her initial spot. A comfortable silence began to set in and she closed her eyes once more, idly listening to the patter of the springs as they worked their pleasant magic on her.

After a while, Ryne's voice broke through the silence, barely above a whisper and filled with relaxation. "This really is nice..."

She hummed in agreement.

"I wish we could do things like these more often."

"Why don't we then?" S'eni asked. Cracking an eye open, she saw Ryne looking at her with a questioning look in those big eyes. "How long will Thancred and you be in the Empty?"

"A few days. Maybe a week."

"Then when you're back, we'll do something again. Let's ask Alisaie to join us as well." She glanced over at Y'shtola. "What do you think?"

"That you have already made up your mind and it would be pointless to fight it," her lover simply said.

"See? So what do you say?"

Much like earlier, the girl seemed to be unsure at first, but was quickly won over and chuckled. "Sure! I'll let Alisaie know when we're passing through Amh Araeng."

With a sound of approval, S'eni closed her eye again, her mind swiftly returning to that relaxed state that made her want to doze off just a little and she let her head come to rest on top of Y'shtola's shoulder.

Maybe just a little...

"Wark!"

"I told you to wait outside!" S'eni sat up, leaning over the edge of the hotspring, motioning with her hand to leave. Zack came closer. "Shoo! Shoo!"

Next to her, Y'shtola just giggled into her fist.

 

Notes:

Obligatory Hotspring Episode! I swore to myself I would have at least one chapter like this when I started this.

Oh and Zack's back. *clap**clap**clap*

Chapter 90

A Moment of Mundanity

 

When she had first set foot into Eulmore, the initial image she had gotten of its citizens was a bunch of pampered people and those who served them, living away in their little paradise while the world outside was going to rack and ruin.

Everyone was happy and satisfied; everything was perfect. Until the veil had been torn down to reveal the awful truth that had always lurked underneath.

Then their true character revealed itself and S'eni was happy that the first impression definitely hadn't stuck. In fact, underneath all that pomp, the people of Eulmore were hard-working people in their own right, as the damages done during the battle had largely been repaired already.

And now, as she sat in The Grand Dame's Parlor, twirling her tea with a finely crafted spoon, she found herself smiling.

"Any more and you will make a hole in it," she heard Y'shtola say right next to her ear. Chuckling, she removed the spoon and raised the cup to her lips, taking a few seconds to appreciate the scent of honey and lemon before sipping from it.

S'eni looked at Y'shtola, who was enjoying her own cup of tea, then let her eyes wander across the table, past emptied plates, and towards Ryne and Alisaie having a pleasant chat.

Or rather the latter telling one of the many stories of the embarrassment of Alphinaud. "—you should have seen his eye when he realized how much money he had just spent. As wide as these saucers here. I've never seen him sweat so much in my entire life!"

They burst into laughter. It was a good thing that the young man in question was currently out running an errand or he might have exploded from embarrassment. Tataru had been sulking for weeks after.

But in the end, it had been her who had to do all the heavy lifting to turn the red in their book into a nice black again.

...Yes, next time Alphinaud screwed up like that, it would probably be a very good lesson for him to fix it on his own.

She dismissed the memory, choosing to instead take another sip and simply listen.

"How are things going at the Inn?" Ryne asked after their current topic ended. "We were only passing by so I couldn't really get a good look at the patients."

Alisaie's face fell. "They aren't getting worse, but there are also no visible signs of improvement. Y'shtola, could you perhaps come by the Inn later to examine them? Your unique sight might be of assistance."

"Of course. But for now, might I suggest you try and relax a little?" the other Miqo'te asked. "Your concern is commendable, but that doesn't mean you should forget to look after yourself, which I'm sure everyone at the Inn will agree with."

The Elezen sighed and nodded, smile returning if a little dented. "You're right. After all, that's what we're here for, right?"

"Indeed."

"So on that note..." Alisaie looked between Y'shtola and S'eni before clearing her throat and averting her eyes a little. "...how long have you two been..."

"Together?" S'eni asked.

"Yes."

She looked at her lover, who just shrugged in silent consent while drinking her tea, then said, "Since after what happened at Baelsar's Wall."

"Oh...I see." The young woman's eyes immediately and she all but jumped out of her chair. "Wait since then!?"

S'eni just hummed.

"So...that night in Limsa Lominsa after we met with Lyse?"

"Uh-huh."

"And the time when we returned from Doma and you went to Revenant's Toll?"

"That's right." She nodded.

Alisaie stared at them for a moment, mouth slightly agape in shock. From one second to the next, her eyes narrowed. "Wait, so why didn't you tell us?"

"I assure you we meant no harm," Y'shtola finally said, putting her now empty cup away. "But the situation being what it was, we decided to keep it a secret for the time being."

"And afterwards we just...didn't really have the time to tell you," S'eni added. "Then, well, G'raha summoned us one by one."

With another sigh, Alisaie flopped back onto her chair. Ryne, who had followed this exchange with visible confusion on her face, offered them a smile.

"Well, I'm happy for you two," she said.

The young Elezen rubbed a hand across her face, closing her eyes for a moment, before nodding. "So am I, believe me, I'm just feeling incredibly stupid."

"Thanks, you two," S'eni said. "That really means a lot."

"I'll just take solace knowing that my dear brother was just as surprised. Then again that doesn't really say much." Alisaie waved her hand. "Anyways. I think I shall have more tea."

"Hm. I concur," Y'shtola said.

"Then I'll take one more of those tasty cream rolls." S'eni raised her hand to call over a waiter.

After another round of tea, and an ever so tasty treat, the four of them left the Parlor to truly see what the city had to offer now that normalcy had entered its halls. Eventually, they ended up in a large hallway with various stores that sold everything the heart might desire.

"I heard the Goggs are holding a festival soon and thought I might check it out. Might be a good chance to apologize for the trouble we—" she stopped abruptly as her eyes landed on a row of display cases filled with sets of beautiful earrings, one pair almost prettier than the next.

She walked over to one, placing her hand on top of it and caressing the glass that kept her separated from them. Behind her, Y'shtola only shook her head while Ryne tilted her head questioningly and Alisaie just shrugged.

It didn't take long for S'eni to be approached by a young Mystel woman, clothed in a nice-looking dress. "May I help you?"

"Uh, yeah." She nodded, eyes moving towards the woman for a second before flitting back to the display case. "I'd like to buy this pair—no this—actually, no no, this!"

S'eni pointed at a beautiful pair of emeralds that seemed to glow with a light of their own, attached to gold filament spiraling downward on its velvet cushion.

"A good choice. Just a moment."

Money soon exchanged hands and she was handed a small box with a pair of new earrings to her name. With a satisfied smile, she walked back towards the others.

"And another addition to the ever-growing collection," Y'shtola said, a teasing edge in her voice.

"Right you are." She nodded and opened the box to show them to the others.

"Oh, they're so pretty!" Ryne said.

"And I've got just the outfit to go with them back home."

"Do you now?" The other Miqo'te's eyebrows rose.

"Yeah. I'll make sure to show you...eventually." S'eni sent her a wink.

Ryne leaned in a little closer to get a better look at the earrings. "An outfit to go with them...I honestly wouldn't know where to start. I don't exactly own more than the ones I'm wearing."

"Well we can't have that!" S'eni snapped the box shut and put it into one of her pouches. Her eyes then went to Alisaie and Y'shtola. "You heard that, ladies?"

"Loud and clear," the Elezen replied, lightly crossing her arms and smiling.

"Good." A smirk danced across her face.

"Huh?" Ryne took a startled step back. Any protest she might have had died on her lips, as S'eni grabbed her hand and began to pull her along. With a chuckle, Alisaie followed while Y'shtola shook her head in amusement before doing so as well.

They passed by a multitude of stores until they found one that caught S'eni's eye, offering a wide arrange of outfits that she was sure would include something fitting for her young friend. Like many things in Eulmore, the interior just screamed pomp and held exactly the kind of flamboyance one would expect of a place such as this in this city.

If Redolent Rose was here, he'd be screaming in delight, she thought.

"Welcome," they were greeted by a Hume woman, dressed to the nines as befitting of an establishment like this. "How may I be of service?"

"My young friend here—" she pulled Ryne in front of her, placing her hand on the girl's shoulders. "—is looking for some new clothes."

"Certainly." The seamstress smiled and took a step closer to take a good look at Ryne, who embarrassingly stared back. After a moment, a spark recognition formed in her eyes. "I know you. You are the girl that helped us."

She then looked at S'eni. "And you are the Warrior of Darkness, are you not?"

"Yes." S'eni held a finger in front of her lips. "But let's not make a big deal out of it. Today we're just simple customers looking for nice clothes."

"I see. Very well then. Do you have anything in mind, young lady?"

"Uhm..." Ryne shook her head.

"Then we shall have a look around to see if there is something to your liking." The woman led them through the store, showing them a vast array of outfits, from long dresses to some more unique-looking clothes. Like the ensemble of black and dark purple, a mix of a long coat and a stylish top, adorned with frills. But what really caught S'eni's attention were the shoes.

"By the Twelve..." she murmured as she looked at the long, metal heels attached to them. "You could take an eye out with those things."

"They do look nice," Y'shtola said from next to her, having obviously taken note of them as well.

"Am I hearing interest?"

Her lover smiled. "Perhaps."

"I am afraid this ensemble is not for sale. It is a special order by one of our regulars," the seamstress told them and a small frown crossed her features. "She was actually supposed to pick it up a while ago. I hope she is well."

After a little while longer, Ryne found something to her liking and vanished into the back to change. Y'shtola and Alisaie chose this time to look around a little themselves, even if they didn't necessarily want to buy something, leaving only S'eni for when the girl emerged once again dressed in a nice looking white gown that went down to her ankles, simple in its design but suiting her very well.

For a moment, she found herself reminded of the time she had been in her position, shortly before that godsdamned banquet, but quickly banished that memory and instead began to look her up and down. "Hmm."

"Not good?" Ryne asked, causing her to smile and shake her head.

"On the contrary. You look lovely."

Pink began to stain the girl's cheeks and she lowered her eyes to the ground.

With a giggle, S'eni turned towards the woman. "I believe we have a winner."

"Excellent. Then we shall take her measurements next. Please excuse me for a minute."

As she left to fetch her things, Ryne walked over to the nearby mirror and looked at herself in it, turning to either side and raising her skirt a little. "You don't think it's a bit much?"

"Not at all." She stepped up to her, placing her hands on her shoulders once more while looking at their reflections. "I think it suits you very well."

Ryne didn't look convinced.

"Remember what I told you?" she asked and lowered her arms to hug her closer, leaning down to bring their cheeks together. "Girls like us should look pretty."

A dumbfounded look formed on the girl's face and she blinked once, twice, before bursting into laughter in which S'eni swiftly joined her.

"I see you two are having fun," Y'shtola said and they both turned to see her approaching. Coming to a stop, she gave Ryne a once over, then smiled. "You look good."

"See?" S'eni grinned. "Even Y'shtola thinks so. And she doesn't dispense any needless flattery."

"Yes, I see," Ryne giggled and turned back towards her reflection, looking at it one final time before nodding.

After Ryne had her measurements taken, and the gown was paid for by S'eni, they were told to return in two days and left the store again.

"So what's next?" Alisaie asked as they walked down the hall.

"Now that we have a gown, there is one more thing we need," S'eni replied.

Stopping in her tracks, Ryne looked at her. "And what's that?"

She looked at her lover. "Shtola?"

Y'shtola nodded and pointed over to a store offering a multitude of shoes, an amused look forming in her pale eyes. "A nice outfit needs something to go with."

And as they made their way over to the store, S'eni knew that she would be a good deal of Gil shorter by the end of this day. But the smile on Ryne's face, and the fact that she could simply act like a normal girl her age without any worries, was more than worth it.

Gods, Y'shtola was right! She really was turning into a mother hen!

 

 

Chapter 91

Notes:

Another week, another chapter. Last one for a bit of comfy because next week we'll return to the main plot.
But before we get started here, I have some more art to share!

First we have a picture here that would have been more appropiate a couple of chapters back by Katsuartsu. Slight Echhi warning.

And second we got a very steamy (and very NSFW) by my buddy Roxe.

Please if you have time, check out both of their profiles :)

Now, without further ado, let's proceed.

Three Years

 

The rushing of water pervaded the air, echoing through the cavern as it rushed past her and into the valley below. The sun hung high in the sky, its rays managing to push through the thick canopy and wrapping around these ancient ruins that had long since been reclaimed by nature.

When S'eni had first laid eyes on this sight, standing atop this waterfall, her only thought had been to find and slay the Lightwarden. Now that she actually had the time for it, she could only look at it in awe.

It was beautiful, but also very humbling; a reminder that eventually, no matter how mighty, everything was going to end.

One day, in the far future, people would be digging through the ruins of 'ancient Eorzea' to uncover its secrets. What they would find, only the gods would know, but what she knew was, that it would be up to them to decide if it was a glorious or a cautionary tale that the people of the future would tell themselves.

"Eni." She glanced over her shoulder towards Y'shtola, standing in front of a rock wall further in the back. "Could you help me with this?"

"Yeah." With one last look towards the scenery, where a flock of red-winged birds passed by the giant tree in the distance, S'eni turned around and walked over to the other Miqo'te. "Found something?"

"Perhaps. There's a faint breeze coming from this crack here. I believe it might be a passage that leads down," Y'shtola said.

Reaching out her hand, she held it over the crack. Yes, she could feel it too. "Alright. Take a step back, will you?"

After Y'shtola did as she was told, S'eni entered a firm stance and held her hand against the stone. A moment passed, then, from one second to the next, she shot forward, slamming her fist into the wall and causing it to crumble.

Once the dust had cleared, a hole, big enough for a single person to go through, revealed itself to them. And beyond it, a passage from which the air now flowed freely.

"Impressive, as always," her lover said as she returned to her side.

"Would have been way less impressive if the rock had been any thicker here." S'eni shrugged. "Or if everything came crashing down."

"Well, thankfully neither of these two possibilities came true. Shall we?"

"After you."

With a small chuckle, the other Miqo'te stepped inside, conjuring up a flame to serve as a torch, and began to make her way down. The path soon became steeper, forcing them to grab onto the rocks around them to keep from stumbling downward.

Eventually, a light from up ahead began to pierce the darkness, guiding them forward until they finally emerged from a brush-covered hole.

Y'shtola began to look around, dismissing the fire as she did so. "Hmm, there's a path over there," she said, pointing up ahead before shifting her hand towards the structure in the distance. "And there's the altar we fought the Lightwarden at."

S'eni pulled some leaves from her hair. "Then let's see if it actually leads there."

"Indeed."

They followed the path until they reached a dead-end in the form of half-collapsed buildings covered by one of the many giant roots in the area. With no other way but up, they climbed on top and began to travel across it, walking past even more buildings telling the silent story of the time when this area had still belonged to Man.

"Incredible..." S'eni breathed out while she cast her gaze around. "I wonder how many people lived here."

"It's hard to say. Hundreds. Possibly thousands," Y'shtola replied. "Much of it has been taken by the surrounding swamps. Of course if you're that curious, your ability to breathe underwater will surely be of great use then."

She sent her a grin. "I think I'll pass. With my luck, I'll uncover some floating fortress hells bent on destroying everything."

"I highly doubt that. The Ronkan Empire was powerful, but not as advanced as Allag. Something like Azys Lla was well beyond their capabilities."

"Well, still..." She would rather not tempt fate after what the Goggs had uncovered in Kholusia. She could already tell that was going to be trouble down the line. Hoo boy...

At long last, they arrived back at the altar from where night had been returned to Rak'tika. Not exactly the fastest way, but she supposed it beat having to climb all the way back up.

"Here we are," S'eni said after they had made it down, looking around what must have once been where they held grand ceremonies. She walked around a bit, coming to a stop at the center and glancing down to the symbol underneath her feet. What kind of ceremonies though? Sacrifices to the gods? Weddings?

She supposed those would be questions that they would have to uncover the answer to themselves. "Well, let's have a look around. Maybe we'll find something that might help G'raha."

While he hadn't exhausted all of his options, G'raha had yet to make progress in finding a way to send Y'shtola and the others home.

"Perhaps. We can't truly discount the possibility," Y'shtola said. "Knowledge of the Ancients has been preserved in this world after all."

As they began searching the area, though, it became quickly apparent that anything that might have been of interest had most likely fallen victim to time and the Sin Eaters. Even fanning out and looking through the buildings offered up little else other than the ancient remains of cutlery and patina-covered jewelry that crumbled when picked up.

In the end, S'eni found herself still diving into the water despite what she had said earlier, searching about the murky water for anything of potential significance. But no such luck...

...that was until she passed what she assumed used to be a small plaza or garden perhaps. There, half-buried in silt and algae, something caught her eye. That something turned out to be a stone tablet on closer inspection. With a grin, she pulled it out of the dirt and cleaned it a little before making her way back.

For all she knew, she had just found the Ronkan version of The Raven here, but it was still better than nothing and she was sure that Y'shtola would nevertheless be delighted.

S'eni emerged with a loud splash and held up the tablet as the other Miqo'te approached. "Found something!"

Taking Y'shtola's offered hand, she climbed out of the water and handed the object over, then proceeded to dry herself with a spell.

"I see you have been diligent in your studies," her lover noted while looking over the tablet, picking a small piece of algae she missed off it.

"Like you said, it was rather simple once I got the hang of it," S'eni said, perking her ears as to better dry them. She nodded towards the tablet. "What do you think?"

"I can't say. I will need some time to decipher it." Pale eyes turned back towards her. "We should return for now. I don't think we will find much more for now."

"Yeah, and it's starting to grow late." As she looked about, she could see that the sunlight had turned a more reddish shade, indicating that they had been here quite a while.

Making use of the passage they had uncovered, the two of them returned to the part of the Qitana Ravel above the waterfall and from there began to head back. When they entered the chamber where they fought the Batsquach, S'eni found herself stopping to look at murals on the wall.

They were simple, basic paintings, telling the grand tale of the Final Days, the creation of Zodiark and Hydaelyn and the battle between them.

Her eyes landed on the depiction of Hydaelyn's victory and she frowned for a moment before resuming her walk.

 

---

 

By the time they had left the Qitana Ravel, it was almost dark outside and when they had reached Fanow, night had well and truly settled in, making them accept the Viis' offer of hospitality as traveling to Slitherbough was out of the question now.

"Thank you," S'eni said and took the two offered bowls from the Vii across the counter, the warmth radiating through the wood and the steam rising into the air telling her that it was very fresh. Offering the woman a friendly smile, she turned around and walked over to the table where Y'shtola was sitting, occasionally glancing down at the food she was holding.

It looked good and she found no fault with its smell, but was probably better off not asking what the meat was, given what manner of creatures inhabited these parts of the Greatwoods and how the Viis surely weren't picky about their food.

Yes, sometimes ignorance was bliss.

"Here you go." She placed a bowl on the table in front of Y'shtola, making her look up from the tablet lying in front of her.

"Thank you," Y'shtola replied with a small smile.

Sitting down opposite of her, S'eni took the spoon lying there, dipped it into the food and guided it to her lips. A little bit too bland for her taste, but still good.

They ate in comfortable silence, idly listening to the chatter around them. Planning of patrol routes, the next hunting party, a mother talking about her daughter's progress with the bow, but also talks about leaving the Greatwoods to explore the lands beyond.

It made her wonder if the rules of the Vii were as strict as those of the Viera, where leaving the forests effectively meant banishment.

In any case, now with the burden of their duties having lessened, they at least had the option to pursue whatever they wanted.

Glancing up from her food, she paused mid-chew when she saw Y'shtola trying to eat and decipher the tablet at the same time. A chuckle escaped her, making silvery-white eyes shift towards her.

"Something funny?" Y'shtola asked after swallowing.

"Yeah." Reaching across the table, she brushed a little smudge of sauce at the corner of Y'shtola's mouth away with her thumb. "I'm pretty sure reading while dining is against table manners."

"You clearly have never seen students before."

"Yes, that has been one of the things denied to me in my life." She licked her thumb. "But I think I managed quite nicely."

"One might actually say more than nicely," Y'shtola said and resumed her little show of multitasking.

With a warm smile, she watched her lover, taking in all the little expressions she had grown so familiar with. "You know, that reminds me of that night in Idyllshire. Do you remember?"

"Of course. It's been three years, but I still remember it like it was yesterday."

"In a way we're doing exactly what we talked about back then."

Y'shtola's expression grew warm as well. "We do, don't we?"

After finishing their dinner, they retired to the chambers they had been offered. They had told Almet they would be more than fine with a pair of hammocks but the chieftainess had insisted that as guests they should receive some privacy. And now, lying in bed with their clothes neatly folded on the singular table in the room, S'eni snuggled up to Y'shtola and began to draw lazy circles over her exposed stomach while she read. The tablet had been put aside in favor of a book.

She closed her eyes and released a content sigh before speaking up. "Will you tell me about it?"

"About what?" Y'shtola asked right back.

"Your time on the First. What you did after you left Crystarium."

Y'shtola turned her head towards her, looking at her for a moment, then exhaled through her nose and put the book away. Slipping down, she let her head come to rest on top of her pillow and shifted onto her to properly lock eyes.

"After I left, I roamed the land for a while. Lakeland, Kholusia, Amh Araeng, always looking for a solution to what I believed to be Urianger's vision at the time. It was during that time, that I realized that my Conjury wouldn't be enough to fight back against the Sin Eaters, so whenever the opportunity presented itself, I began to train in Thaumaturgy." A dry little chuckle passed her lips. "Every night I would crawl into my bedroll feeling absolutely drained from it. But eventually, I adapted to it and it became almost second nature. During that time, I also heard stories about the Ronkan Empire, which eventually led me here. And I believe you know the story from there."

"Meeting the Night's Blessed and taking the name Matoya for yourself."

Y'shtola nodded and closed her eyes. "The next two years I dedicated myself to try and find a way to free this world from the Light. I would pour over tomes and parchments every single day. It helped keep my mind in the here and now. But every time I went to sleep, I would see your face."

Reaching out, S'eni gently brushed her fingers across her lover's cheek, making Y'shtola open her eyes once more with a smile. They remained like this for a moment, just holding each other's gaze, until she slowly leaned in and brought their lips together in a soft kiss.

Short and sweet, it was still more than enough to tell the other Miqo'te exactly how she felt. When they reluctantly separated once more, Y'shtola immediately shifted her arms to pull S'eni closer. Snug beside her lover, S'eni smiled into her chest, listening to her breathing evening out, before sleep claimed her too.

They would need all the rest they could get for the things that were about to unfold.

 

Notes:

Hmm. Wonder what's gonna happen next...

Chapter 92

Beq Lugg

 

After the Light was vanquished, Norvrandt entered a short period of peace. Time in which our hero and her companions could rest from the strenuous journey they all undertook. But soon enough, grave tidings arrived from the Source; signs of instability in the Scions' souls, a possibility that never occurred to me at the time of their summoning.

As we deliberated to find a solution, Urianger suggested the method of the white Auracite to house their souls so that they could safely be carried back home. But for that, we needed a way for their souls to safely return to their bodies.

By a stroke of luck, I knew of someone that might be of assistance. A Nu Mou of rather solitary mind.

G'raha Tia, the Crystal Exarch.

 

---

 

Wood creaked underneath their feet as they walked along Sullen's pier. It was a beautiful day in Lakeland, the sun was shining, the trees were dancing in the light wind and even the vegetation on Bismarck, having returned to slumber at what she assumed was his favourite spot, seemed a bit brighter today.

It was the kind of day one would rather spend relaxing or doing other pleasant things. But for them—

S'eni looked between Alisaie, Alphinaud and Y'shtola, letting her eyes come to rest upon the latter.

—time didn't permit such things.

The other Miqo'te turned her head. "What is it?"

"You don't look particularly phased about what I told you all," she replied.

"That's because worrying won't do us much good." Y'shtola raised her shoulders in a little shrug. "Like or not, all we can do right now is focus all our efforts to find a solution before it gets worse."

"Yeah," S'eni sighed. "I guess you're right."

Her lover stepped a little closer and gave her a smile. "Though your concern is very appreciated."

She mirrored the expression and parted her lips when a voice greeted them. "Ah, there you are."

Turning her head, she saw G'raha Tia up ahead, standing near a boat that would carry them to their destination.

"Exarch," Alphinaud greeted him back. For some reason, her friend seemed to prefer being called by his title after all these years rather than his name. "Everything is ready, I take it?"

G'raha nodded. "When you are ready, we will ride it to the opposite shore."

"Strange," Y'shtola murmured, looking out into the distance. "I see nothing but empty sky..."

"Maybe it's hidden somehow?" she murmured right back. If it was, then that must mean this mage they were seeking truly was powerful. Just who was this Nu Mou?

"Now, as I have told you before, I had barely stepped on palace grounds when I was set upon by our host's familiars, and I expect our reception today to be any different," G'raha said. "Which is why I propose we march right through the main gate, weapons drawn."

Alisaie blinked and crossed her arms. "I'm sorry, but aren't we here to petition for assistance? You can't honestly think barging in looking for a fight is going to persuade them."

"Actually, I believe the Exarch is right," Y'shtola said. "They have no doubt poured a great deal of time and energy into their creations. Were I them, I would be most interested to meet with those who could overcome my defenses."

"As would any true seeker of knowledge. And there's little we can say or do to convince them to help us if we know nothing of their character, nor why they chose to hide themself from the world." G'raha turned his attention towards S'eni and punched his palm enthusiastically. "But if we can pique their interest, perhaps we can earn ourselves an audience."

"Go in and make a large enough ruckus to get their attention," she said with a small chuckle. "Sounds simple enough."

"Weapons drawn it is, then," the young woman said with a sigh. A smile then crossed her lips. "Though I must say, Exarch, you certainly seem to be enjoying all of this."

Looking quite surprised at Alisaie's words, he gave S'eni a quick glance before saying, "Do I? Well, I won't deny that I enjoy the thought of fighting alongside you all rather than pacing around inside the Crystal Tower."

"You both seem to be in rather high spirits, if you ask me," Alphinaud then said. "Not that I'm surprised. Your moods seem to always improve when S'eni is around."

Almost instantly, Alisaie was in her brother's face. "What exactly are you implying!?"

G'raha's response was just as quick. "She averted a Calamity, and the Light which seemed destined to consume her has been extinguished. It's only natural we would be pleased to see her."

"Yes, well," Y'shtola said, stepping a little closer to S'eni. "You will have plenty of time to celebrate her good health after we've finished here."

Her lover's voice was laced in dry teasing, an equal teasing smile on her face, but there was also a slight edge to it that made her take a little step to the side.

"O-Of course." G'raha cleared his throat. "Let's proceed to the palace then."

Getting in the boat, they pushed off the pier and began to make their way across the lake towards the distant shore. Yet no matter how close they got, there were absolutely no signs of any palace. Then, from one moment to the next, the air around them began to ripple as they passed through an unseen barrier.

"Wait for it..." G'raha murmured.

Like a heavy fog lifting in the early morning, a great palace revealed itself to them, grander than anything she had ever seen. A true testament to the splendor of the Elves that once reigned over Lakeland. But instead of nobles and kings, only a single mage now resided there, having claimed these empty halls as their own together with all sorts of familiars.

"Sure beats living in a cave," she said, drawing a chuckle from Y'shtola.

They arrived at another pier that clearly had seen better days and, after fastening the boat to it, began to make their way over to the palace front. Stopping in front of a large set of doors, she let her eyes roam over its fine craftsmanship. The gold had obviously lost some of its lustre, but it was still a sight to behold.

S'eni glanced over her shoulder at the others. "Well, let's head in then."

But when she put her hands on the wood and gave it a shove, it wouldn't budge an inch even after multiple attempts.

"Hmm. Strange," G'raha commented, rubbing his chin with his crystalline hand. "The last time I was here it opened without any problems. Perhaps an enchantment. May I?"

"Go ahead."

He tried to open it as well, with the same results, then began to speak a few words in Fae. While the words sounded quite melodious, they didn't offer the desired effect either. He was just reaching for his staff, when Y'shtola brushed past him, raised her hand, and simply knocked.

A few seconds passed before a loud click could be heard from within.

S'eni blinked. "Huh."

"A simple matter of manners, it seems," Y'shtola said while turning towards her. "Lead the way, O Warrior of Darkness."

Placing her hands on the doors again, she looked at her companions again, who each gave her a nod, then began to push.

Time to meet this hermit mage.

 

---

 

As it turned out, there was not even a hint of hyperbole in what G'raha had told them. No sooner had they stepped inside, their host had arrived to tell them to leave before siccing their familiars on them. A warm welcome indeed.

In the end, they had managed to beat all of their familiars, impressing them enough to at least hear them out. Beq Lugg, as they were called, had refused at first, citing that their knowledge had wrought more than enough horror already, but eventually they had given in and joined them all in the Crystarium.

There, G'raha had told them all about their journey and how they all hailed from another world, which made finally convinced Beq Lugg to lend their aid. Fitting payment for saving the world as the Nu Mou would say. They proceeded explain to them, that while White Auracite was a way to carry their souls back to the Source, it failed to account for their current state of their souls.

"In order to maintain a corporeal form, your souls constantly draw aether from your surroundings. This process must be halted, and the resulting surfeit of aether removed," Beq Lugg had explained. "Your minds would ultimately be separated from these faux bodies of yours, rendering you incapable of interacting with the world around you. A cruel fate under normal circumstances, but one which will be rectified upon your return home."

Those words had immediately brought the people from the Inn at Journey's Head to mind, prompting the Nu Mou to wish to see them to see if they could possibly aid them. Alisaie, eager to help those she had come to greatly care about in her time here, had swiftly agreed.

And now, as she stepped out of the Ocular, S'eni couldn't help but audibly sigh through her nose.

"Something amiss?" Y'shtola asked, who was right behind her.

"Nothing," she replied with a slight shake of her head. "Just an adventurer's intuition telling me that quite a few errands will be waiting for me in the not-so-distant future."

"So have we finally reached the point where our mighty Warrior has grown weary of her many and varied tasks?"

The corners of her lips curled upward. "Offering to pick up my slack?"

"And deprive you of that satisfying feeling of a task well done? I think not."

They shared a laugh, but quickly grew serious once more.

"I hope Beq Lugg can find a way to help those people. If nothing else, then for Alisaie's sake," S'eni said.

"I concur. She has given a lot to help them and I would rather see her hopes fulfilled."

Arriving at the stairs, Y'shtola turned towards her. "In any case, I shall leave it in your capable hands."

"Of course you do," she chuckled. "Don't overdo it with the tea while watching Urianger."

The other Miqo'te just gave her that teasing little smile of hers and a wink before proceeding to walk downstairs to join Urianger in his endeavor to create the white Auracite. S'eni watched her until the echoing of footsteps from behind made her turn around to see G'raha and the others walk over.

"I have made arrangements for transportation to Amh Araeng. They are preparing the Amaro as we speak," he said, then offered everyone a polite smile. "I shall see you all when you return. Safe travels, my friends."

With that, he too left to join Urianger, leaving S'eni and the twins with their newest friend. As she glanced down, she found Beq Lugg looking back, their thick tail tapping up and down in a slow and even rhythm.

"Well then, shall we?"

The Nu Mou nodded. "Certainly."

The four of them made their way downstairs and left the Crystal Tower. As they walked across the Exedra, S'eni noticed Beq Lugg looking around the area, their long, droopy ears rising a tiny fraction at something they must have heard.

"If you want, I can show you around after we return," she offered them. "There's lots to see. Like the Cabinet of Curiosity, where all manner of tomes and manuscripts are kept."

Beq Lugg turned their attention towards her, tiny claws going to their round chin to rub it. "Hmm. Tomes you say..." they nodded. "Yes, I do believe I would like to see this Cabinet of yours."

Arriving at the Amaro landing, they were told that only two of the flying mounts could be spared. Fortunately, that was of little problem to them, as the twins could share one and Beq Lugg was small enough to join S'eni on top of the flying mount without much difficulty. Shortly after, they were off in the direction of Amh Araeng.

Once they were in the air, there was little any of them had to do but to leave it all to the Amaro to travel this well-memorized route. They truly were amazing creatures. Loyal and highly intelligent, even those that didn't belong to Seto and his flock, who had awoken to their ancient heritage.

Though who knows? The one Beq Lugg and her were sitting on might just up and start talking too.

Soon enough, the Crystal Tower was only a small vertical line on the horizon and S'eni shifted her eyes down to her companion whose tiny claws held onto the edge of the saddle. S'eni wondered if Beq Lugg knew about the sentient Amaro now living in what used to be part of their home. From what she had gathered they had taken residence inside the abandoned palace shortly after the Flood, holing themselves up to live the rest of their life in solitude.

All because of...

"Can I ask you something?" She broke the silence.

They didn't reply immediately, as if they could tell what she wanted to ask. "What do you wish to know?"

"You said it was your research that caused the plague in Voeburt. What did you mean by that?"

Beq Lugg became silent again, shifting their head so that she couldn't see their face. A long moment passed before they said, "Did your friend the Exarch not tell you? He seems to be quite knowledgeable about me after all."

"He didn't, he only mentioned that you once held a place of honor at Voeburt's royal court."

That seemed to take the Nu Mou by surprise.

"Then how did you know of the plague?"

"I saw it. Well, part of it anyway. You see, I have an ability called the Echo that shows me visions of the past," she explained. "I know it's hard to believe."

"After all that you have told me? Not at all," they said. "And I have heard of such individuals who had the ability to peer into the past. Before the Flood. Tell me, what did you see?"

She proceeded to tell him the story of Branden, a knight who had been tasked with the protection of princess Sauldia. How his failure to do so during one of her many investigations into these strange series of horrific transformations had him stripped of his knighthood and cast out, only to return many months later with a group of loyal companions. How they uncovered that it was the court mage Tadric who was behind this ghastly crime and brought him to justice by the sword. And how, as a final act of spite, the traitor had turned Sauldia into a monster as well, leaving her at the mercy of the one that had once sworn to protect her.

"I see..." Beq Lugg said afterwards, lowering their head. A few minutes passed before they spoke again, releasing a heavy sigh as they did. "During my time at the royal court, I already prefered the company of tomes and flasks over people. I was largely ignored, which suited me just fine as it made me able to focus more on my studies. Only one person, a girl with a curious glint in her eyes, seemed to take a liking to me."

"What was she called?" she asked.

"Pia—Princess Pauldia, Princess Sauldia's younger sister," they replied. "Maybe it was because we couldn't be any different, but we became fast friends and she would visit me frequently, even in the dead of night. Then, one night after Princess Sauldia had been named heir, she came by, uncharacteristically silent and I asked her what worried her so. Marriage. One which she did not wish for, but mortal customs were strange to me, so I did not know how to help her. But Tadric did."

S'eni exhaled sharply.

"He offered to petition the king to abandon his plans, and he did. On the condition that she renounce her title of princess and become one of the court mages or be sent away. But Pia had no aptitude in the ways of magic."

"So did you...?"

"I did." Beq Lugg nodded, the motion barely visible. "I couldn't lose my only friend. It was an act of friendship. In the end, it threw Voeburt into chaos and cost it both of their princesses. The last I saw of Pia was her eyes pleading for mercy inside the castle's gaol. I...do not know what happened to her. I can only hope someone granted her that final mercy."

S'eni frowned and closed her eyes. She knew that name; she had heard it during a visit to the Wandering Stairs. A group of Halldor's hunters had mentioned it in conjunction to a mark they had slayed that day during a venture into Il Mheg.

Opening them again, she reached out and placed a hand on a tiny shoulder. "They did."

Silence set over them, only the wind and the faint sound of a conversation between Alisaie and Alphinaud piercing it. The lush lands of Lakeland had long since given way to the rocky terrain that lead into Amh Araeng, and as soon it appeared on the horizon, her eyes found the wall of crystalized Light.

"A friend of mine once told me something," she said. "Words I will never forget."

"...What were they?" Beq Lugg asked.

"For those we have lost, for those we can yet save. We can't undo the mistakes of the past, but we can try to do better in future."

The Nu Mou stared out into the distance. "Those are beautiful words."

S'eni smiled. "Hm. I think so too."

 

Notes:

So here's a little fun fact: In the German version of the game Beq Lugg's a guy. I wager it has to do with German having no gender neutral pronouns, so the translation team was forced to pick a gender. Same with Feo Ul btw, who is a girl. You won't even believe how many times I accidentally wrote he and she for the both of them lol.

Also poor Pauldia. That was an Elite Mark that sure hit differently.

Chapter 93

A Great Charade

 

With Beq Lugg's assistance, we not only managed to find a way to reverse the effects of those suffering from Light corruption, it also offered us an important clue as to how to deliver the Scions back home.

But further dark tidings from the Source soon arrived to overshadow the good ones, of a new Ultima Weapon, of an Emperor slain and of his son's, his murderer, true return. Safe to say, our hero had quite a lot on her plate.

And that would not be the last of it, as our enemy soon appeared in front of us once more...In the guise of a friend.

 

---

 

S'eni could only stare at the group gathered in front of her, called here by her and the others to tell them the truth of those that history had vilified; of the Warriors of Light that had fought, and died, and in the end offered up their very souls to save the world they loved. Now, as all their backs were turned to her, her eyes shifted over to the figure now commanding their attention, mouth agape in shock.

Standing there was none other than Ardbert. And not only that, he was telling the people that now, that the world had a future, it was their turn to protect it as its future Warriors of Light.

But...that wasn't possible. His soul had merged with hers.

A sudden presence next to her startled her out of her stupor and she turned her head to see Urianger, his face showing only his usual, calm expression. He leaned down.

"From thine own lips did we learn of Ardbert's fate, and by thy countenance, I gather thou art not inclined to recant thy testimony," he said in a low voice and glanced over to Ardbert. "Yet whosoever this man may be, his words hold truth, and resonate with the citizenry besides. For us to voice our doubts here and now would serve but to sow disquiet. 'Twere better we retired unto the Ocular, and there discussed this matter in private."

"Go," Alphinaud told them. "I will stay here and watch."

Exhaling through her nose, S'eni nodded.

She turned around and began walking towards the tower. Y'shtola, who had stood back a bit, had her eyebrows drawn in concern as she fell into step next to her. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, just—" she gave the group a quick glance, then leaned closer to her lover. "This doesn't make any sense."

By the time they had made it into the Ocular, G'raha and Beq Lugg were already watching the scene on that mirror of his. He gave them a silent nod when they approached, before turning his gaze back to the image of the crowd listening to...whoever this was.

"So that is one of the Warriors of Light of the First," he noted. "I haven't had the pleasure of making his acquaintance, but from the looks on your faces, I gather this is no simple case of mistaken identity."

"As far as I am able to discern, that is indeed Ardbert," Beq Lugg said. "It has been a long time, but not that long. Could he truly have been resurrected as he claims?"

"...No, absolutely not," S'eni replied, hands balling into fists as she stared at the reflection. "It looks like him and sounds like him. But it isn't him."

"Ardbert did entrust his very soul unto thee. I see no reason to question thy judgment," Urianger agreed.

"Nor do I," Y'shtola said and looked at her. "Your aether burns as brightly as it did the day you slew Emet-Selch. That alone is proof that he's still with you."

The Elezen ran a hand across the well-trimmed sideburns along his jaw. "Yet that which standeth now before the people is far more than a passing imitation. I am reminded of the Cardinal Virtues...though a sin eater he is not. Which leaveth but one plausible explanation."

"An Ascian," both Y'shtola and her said at the same time.

"Given their fondness for posthumous possession, I would have to agree. From what I understand, the Warriors of Light were laid to rest in Eulmore by those whom they had aided in life. At the time, some few still remembered them as heroes," G'raha explained, turning away from the scene in the mirror. "Needless to say, four of them were subsequently exhumed to serve as the Virtues. And if one knew where to look, Ardbert too wouldn't have been difficult to find."

Y'shtola crossed her arms. "Then if this is indeed the work of an Ascian, my mind inevitably turns to the last Paragon to survive the sundering..."

Elidibus.

"That Zenos hath reclaimed his own flesh is known. Thus evicted from his borrowed form...and cognizant, no doubt, of Emet-Selch's failure here in the First...'Tis quite possible the Emissary chose Ardbert for his next vessel."

But to what end they couldn't tell, nor why he would want the people of the First to become Warriors of Light in their own right. Whatever the case though, they knew that simply speaking out against him wouldn't do them any good. Elidibus was an expert in manipulation, having already managed to do so with the First's finest heroes in the past with nothing but a few pretty half-truths.

No...they needed to be smart about this.

"His performance appears to have concluded," Beq Lugg said, pulling them all out of their conversation to look towards the mirror, where the Ascian was beginning to walk away from the dispersing crowd. "What now? Go back out and follow him?"

"'Twould appear Master Alphinaud already hath pursuit in mind, and I suspect one pair of eyes shall better serve our cause than half a dozen. Let the rest of us maintain an inconspicuous distance. For the present, at least," Urianger replied.

"Hm, agreed," S'eni said, keeping her eyes on the image until both Elidibus and Alphinaud has disappeared from view.

"In any case, you did well to dispel the falsehood surrounding the Warriors of Light," G'raha said. "Even though the appearance of an imposter is a rather curious development."

"I for one would like to know why he urged the people on to be Warriors of Light." Y'shtola looked at her.

"Good question, really..." S'eni put a hand on the back of her hip.

"Ere we take action, we must needs ascertain his intent. Let us pray that Master Alphinaud returneth soon with that most essential knowledge," Urianger said. "For now, I think it best to apprise Thancred and Ryne of our efforts. When we do confront Ardbert, we shall no doubt have need of their strength."

A round of nods.

"Then Beq Lugg and I will continue our research of how we might improve your spirit vessel," G'raha said.

"Hmm, then I think this will be the perfect time to return to Rak'tika," Y'shtola said and uncrossed her arms once more. "Until now, everything we have learned of the Ascians has been handed to us at their leisure. Though I doubt that Elidibus will be as forthcoming as Emet-Selch. Fortunately, I recently received word from Fanow. Remember our little excursion into the Qitana Ravel?"

"Of course," S'eni replied. "Did they find something?"

"They did. The tablet you found made mention of chambers deep within the Ravel and the Vii recently uncovered them. According to Almet, the relics inside tell the story of a great calamity that once befell an ancient civilization."

"That of the Ascians..."

Y'shtola nodded. "Perhaps. It may just lead us to the truths we seek."

"Alright." S'eni smiled. "Care for some company?"

"I wouldn't dream of going without you," Y'shtola replied, mirroring her expression.

After saying goodbye to the others, they began to leave, making their way down the steps of the tower in silence. It was only when they stepped out onto the Exedra, that Y'shtola spoke up once more. "So how are you feeling? Truly I mean."

With a sigh, she looked at the other Miqo'te. "When I get my hands on him, I'm going to beat him out of Ardbert's body. One punch at a time."

Her words elicited a giggle from Y'shtola.

"Good. Your fighting spirit is as fierce as ever, but might I suggest taking some of that energy and guide it towards our investigation?"

Another sigh, this time coupled with a chuckle. "Yes, my lady."

 

---

 

And needed her fighting spirit was, as shortly after they had entered the chambers with Almet and her sisters, Uimet had triggered some kind of trap that awakened the guardian of this place. After taking Y'shtola and the other three hostage for their transgression, it demanded of her to succeed in its trials. First it tested her knowledge, then, when she had freed her friends, the inevitable battle trial followed.

But with their combined might, it stood little chance and was swiftly defeated, congratulating them on their worthiness and delivering them back to where it had taken them.

With a sigh, Y'shtola brushed some hair out of her face. "It sent us back. How polite," she said with a dryness that made Thanalan look wet in comparison before turning towards Uimet. "Now what have we learned?"

"Oh, we were bound to run into a living statue anyway," was all the Vii had to say to that, waving the issue off as she picked up the statue that had caused all this in the first place. "And now we can open the door!"

While she walked over to place it on the opening mechanism, the other Miqo'te just looked over at S'eni and rolled her eyes, receiving a shrug in return.

"At least it wasn't giant rock boulders this time," S'eni just said.

A loud rumble went through the chamber, and they turned around to watch the wall slowly open to reveal a small chamber beyond. Making their way up the set of stairs, the five of them stepped inside and looked around. There wasn't much, a mural of a woman on the wall, and in the very center of it, a large sarcophagus.

"A tomb, just as I thought," Y'shtola said. "Befitting a hero."

Almet looked about for a moment, then her eyes landed on the mural. She gasped. "She is Vii! Could it be the Archmage Tiuna?"

S'eni exchanged a look with Y'shtola. "Who?"

"A legendary hero of Ronka," the chieftainess explained. "The tales tell of how she smote entire armies with a single incantation, so potent was her spellcraft, though she only ever fought in the name of peace."

"I thought them no more than tales. To think she really existed..." Uimet murmured.

"Well, I for one always believed!" Cymet replied in an excited voice.

Now taking a good look at the mural as well, Y'shtola's eyes widened and she began to walk forward.

"Shtola?"

"I wonder..." her lover said and began to translate the words underneath the woman. "By the light...of fallen stars...great power awakens..."

Hearing those words, S'eni stepped up next to her and let her eyes wander over the wall. With staff in hand, Tiuna stood tall and proud underneath a shower falling stars. She...knew that sight.

But it was Almet's words that solidified it. "Tiuna was not only a master of spellcraft. It is said she could see truths long lost and hear the voices of men's hearts."

"She possessed the Echo..." she breathed out.

"Indeed. In which case, none of this is a coincidence." Y'shtola's face grew serious. "Falling stars setting the sky ablaze, and in both this world and the Source, we find individuals awakening to mysterious powers at the sight. We could never figure out the why of it. Now, however...I believe we might."

They both turned their attention back to the mural.

"Does the scene depicted here not resemble the one we saw when we first ventured into the Qitana Ravel?" Y'shtola asked. "And doesn't it also remind you of what Emet-Selch invited us to witness."

"Yeah." She nodded. "The Final Days."

"If what the Exarch's suggest is true, soul and mind share a fragile yet profound bond, might it not be possible for an event to leave such a deep imprint upon the soul that it could be perceived eons later, given a suitable trigger?"

"What do you mean?"

"The Echo defies explanation by conventional aetherological theory. Or shall we say, modern aetherological theory. But if it's a power that once belonged to the Ancients, to souls yet undivided..." Y'shtola paused for a moment, then caught herself with a chuckle. "I'm sorry, it would seem I have entered the realm of pure speculation. And I call myself a scholar."

"I thought making up outrageous theories and proving them is what makes a scholar," S'eni replied with a teasing little grin.

"Yes, I suppose that is true. Nevertheless I shall refrain from making any more wild claims until I have gathered further evidence. Still...I can't help but be reminded of our experience in Amaurot."

"Do you remember what he said before he died?"

"'Remember us'," her lover replied. S'eni fell silent for a moment, feeling her heart grow heavy at the image of Emet-Selch's smiling face surfacing in her mind.

"History is learned, not lived," Almet then said, pulling S'eni out of her thoughts. "We have always protected the tales of Ronka, just as we have protected this place. But we are mindful of what our mothers taught us. We see the past through our own eyes, and speak of it with our own words. Thus do we come to understand it, in our own way. But this is not the same as remembering."

"Your mothers were wise. Though we witnessed the Final Days, our impressions couldn't fail to be colored by our own experiences and expectations," Y'shtola said, a pensive expression on her face. "Those who lived through it would have perceived the event quite differently. We must bear in mind that it's no simple matter to keep the truth alive, or it will die with Emet-Selch and his kin."

Lowering her eyes to the ground, S'eni found herself wondering if they even could keep it alive.

"Remember us..." she heard Emet-Selch's voice echo in her mind. "Remember...that we once lived..."

She had promised him that she would, but now she wasn't so sure if she could keep that promise. A hand placed itself onto her shoulder and she looked up into beautiful pale eyes.

"But we have disturbed Tiuna long enough. Fanow will serve similarly well as a venue for our contemplations."

"Yeah..." She gave the mural one final glance "You're right."

Turning around, they left this ancient hero to her final rest.

 

---

 

After returning to Fanow, and wishing the Vii goodbye, the two of them returned to Slitherbough and, after finally getting to eat Runar's famous stew, they met up with Alphinaud, Alisaie and Urianger just as they were about to leave. When S'eni asked why they were here, Alphinaud told them that he has lost track of 'Ardbert' shortly after they had entered the woods, but that it was evident he would soon come to Slitherbough to preach the truth about the Warriors of Light and the Flood like he had done in other parts of Norvrandt already.

To that end, he would hunt some of the few Sin Eaters still lurking around the areas, earning their trust in the process. Which meant, if they wanted to find him, they just needed to get to a Sin Eater first. And as luck would have it, Ryne had already found one and gone ahead with Thancred.

By the time they arrived to join their friends, the beast had long since been slain.

"If you were hoping to vent your frustrations on our Eater friend here, I can only apologize," Thancred greeted them with a friendly wave.

"Hmm no, that's alright," S'eni said, stopped in front of him, and placed her hand on her hip. "After all, I was raised to yield to my elders."

The corners of her lips curled into a sweet smile just as a little glare was sent her way by her friend, followed by a shake of his head while muttering something under his breath. Chuckling, she looked at Ryne and winked. "Good job."

The girl shook her head. "Oh no, with how few there are now, it took us no time at all to track it down."

"That suits our purpose perfectly," Alphinaud said. "Now we only need to wait for him to arrive."

"Weren't you two meant to be attending the Empty?" Alisaie then asked.

"We were, and we made a certain amount of progress too, as Urianger and S'eni here can attest to," Thancred replied.

"On that note, has anything changed about our sleeping friend?" S'eni inquired. Last time she checked, their attacker was still comatose when she had left.

"Yes, about that..." he began but stopped. "We'll talk more about that later."

Y'shtola looked around their group and smiled. "It's good to have everyone present."

"Indeed!" Alphinaud nodded. "We will be glad for the additional hands should matters escalate."

Urianger's hand suddenly shot up, silencing them, and turned his head slowly. "Our quarry is come."

Following his gaze, she slowly turned around to see 'Ardbert' walking over to them at a leisurely pace. "Hah. It seems I've lost this particular race," he said just as the Sin Eater burst into tiny particles of aether. "Ah, though I suppose it's only fair. When we first met, I was the one who outpaced you. Ravana, was it?"

Almost out of their own volition, her legs moved to meet him, not leaving him out of her sight for a single second. He stopped with a friendly smile on his face, looking over to her friends before letting his eyes come to rest upon her. "But where are my manners? I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you, and I have yet to say a word of thanks!"

She didn't reply, instead raising her arm to extend a friendly fist towards him. The look on his face became one of confusion as his eyes darted from her face, to her fist, and back again.

"Arm giving you trouble? You should probably get that examined," he said.

With a huff, she dropped her arm. "Weren't you supposed to be good at this whole charade thing?"

The friendly facade dropped instantly, replaced by an emotionless mask.

"Very well. Let us forgo this pretense," he said, his voice now echoing ominously. "After all, it was never you that I needed to deceive."

Raising his hand in front of his face, he slowly moved it down to reveal the red symbol marking him as an Ascian, no, as a member of the Convocation. When he spoke again, his voice had fully shifted from Ardbert's to his true voice.

"Yes, it is I, Elidibus. Through your time in Emet-Selch's imitation of our home, I daresay you have gained a better understanding of my role since the last time we met."

"You mean that time when you boasted that Zenos' body had limitless potential?" She asked lightly, somehow managing to keep her anger shackled. "Oh, how is he by the way? I heard he managed to wrestle it free from your control."

He didn't reply, but she noticed a subtle narrowing of eyes behind the glyph. It only lasted for a fraction of a second, but it was there. Good.

Alphinaud took a step forward. "We understand your role, Emissary, but not your goal. What is it that you seek to achieve?"

The symbol vanished and Elidibus looked over to the young Elezen, the corners of his lips risen into a subtle smirk. "I seek to enact the will of the Convocation, of course," he replied. "If it helps you to think of me as just another Ascian, no different in nature or purpose from the rest, you are welcome to do so."

"Once, I would have said your goal was destruction alone. Now I understand that you fight for something you love, just as we do," Alphinaud said. "Yet though we seem doomed to clash, I ask you to consider Emet-Selch's final words. 'Remember that we once lived,' he said. Had he not seen some glimmer of hope in our kind, I don't believe he would have spoken these words."

Y'shtola stepped up next to S'eni, fixing her gaze on Elidibus. "No one understood your plight better than he. His words must surely be worthy of your consideration."

"Emet-Selch..." the Ascian closed his eyes for a brief moment, then turned them skyward where dusk was beginning to set in. "How very unlike you to be so gravely mistaken. That one should stray at the end of such an arduous path is understandable, but I had thought you above such weakness. Perhaps you thought the same. If only I could have been present to offer correction...But I shall do so now, as is my duty, and return all to its proper course."

Lowering his gaze towards them, the almost sad expression on his face turned into one of mockery.

"As for you...Look at yourselves. Look at your history. Look back one hundred short years, to how your greatest warriors were undone. And now?" he scoffed. "Only one word from me, and you raise your hands like the puppets you are. Nothing has changed."

Elidibus raised his hand and balled it into a fist. "You fail and you fail and you learn nothing. You allow that which is most important to slip through your fumbling fingers like grains of sand—" he unclenched his fist. "—Again and again and again. And you would remember us? You do forget yourselves."

Light blue locked onto hers, the same eyes that had so willingly offered up their soul to not only save her, but also all of Norvrandt. But the warmth that had been reflected in those last moments was gone, and only the cold gaze of the Ascian using his flesh remained. He turned around.

"There is no common ground to be found between us. Nor do I require any," he told them. "I have my duty."

With that, he began to leave.

"Wait!" Y'shtola called out, but S'eni raised her arm to stop her.

"Don't. He said his piece," she said, keeping her eyes fixed on Elidibus until he vanished through a portal of darkness. Even after he had done so, her gaze didn't move away until she felt her lover brush her shoulder while turning around.

It wasn't until they began to talk about their next steps that she noticed her hands had balled into fists, trembling a little from the feeling of her nails digging into her palm through the fabric covering it.

As she slowly uncurled them, S'eni wondered once more if they truly were able to keep the truth alive, or if it indeed would slip through their fingers and scatter in the wind...

 

 

Notes:

Heeeeeeeerrrrrrreeeeeeee's Elidibus!

Chapter 94

A Brief Respite

 

It was shortly after our heroes' return to Crystarium, that the theory Y'shtola had silently come up with was proven true by Elidibus himself when conjured up a star shower resembling the one experienced by those awakening to the Echo. A memory of ancient times, ingrained in the very soul, awakening the powers sleeping deep within.

After awakening to the Echo, many of those that had already been inspired by his words began to leave the Crystarium; to become Warriors of Light of their own. It left a bitter taste to see many good-hearted people fall prey to an Ascian's manipulations, but for now all we could do was...wait.

 

---

 

It felt quite strange. The Crystarium was as lively as ever, yet still, there was something lacking now. Guard posts unmanned, a few hammers less in the Crystalline Mean, and even the odd missing healer at Spagyrics. Nothing to seriously impact the city's ability to function, but it was felt nonetheless.

Warriors of Light, huh? S'eni thought as she leaned against a finely crafted steel railing and looked down at the Exedra, where not too long ago, Elidibus had begun his scheme.

She couldn't fault any of them for their wish to help their world. Once the others and her were gone, it would need brave people to step forward and fight. And with the power of the Echo bestowed on many of them, she had no doubt they would be more than up to the task.

...Just why?

What is it you're planning? She wondered and as if to answer her, Elidibus' words rang through her mind.

"I am a Warrior of Light. And together with my comrades-in-arms, I shall save the world. Just like you."

Only that what each of them called 'saving the world' couldn't be any different. With a sigh, she pushed herself away from the railing and began to walk away, hand rising to massage her temple and stave off a headache.

Maybe a little break was in order. She had kept quite busy since then. Helping Ryne and Thancred, that entire deal with the Ruby Weapon, then, of course, there was the situation in Bozja. And all the other small errands that seemed to wait wherever she went.

Yes, yes. A break was definitely in order.

And a meal, if the growl her stomach was releasing was any indication. With that in mind, she began to head over to the Second Serving, the Crystarium's main location if you were looking to eat. From light breakfasts to hearty full courses, they offered everything at reasonable prices. A smile began to form on her face, as the first delicious scents began to waft into her direction, and she began to pick up her pace when the restaurant came into view.

Just as she was about to enter while quietly debating with herself what she should order, a voice that made her heart do a little happy jump called out to her.

"Shtola!" turning around, she spotted her lover sitting at one of the nearby tables, a cup of tea in her hand.

"You seem quite surprised," Y'shtola replied, the corners of her lips quirking upward.

"Well, yeah, I thought you were still at the Anyder." S'eni began walking over.

"Contrary to what many believe..." Y'shtola plucked a coffee biscuit from the plate in front of her and took a bite out of it, chewing a few times before swallowing. "I too need a break occasionally. As you should very much know."

Releasing a little giggle, she came to a stop in front of her, leaned down, and took a bite out of the biscuit as well. "I'm certainly glad for it," she said between bites.

"And apparently hungry," the other Miqo'te said, blinking once as she looked at what little remained of the cookie in her hand, then popped it into her mouth.

"So how are things going on your end?" S'eni asked while sitting down.

After their encounter with Elidibus, they had agreed that they needed to learn more about the Ancients before their next confrontation with the Ascian. To that end they had ventured back into the Tempest in search of more ruins that might be hidden under the sea. There, they learned of the Anyder and, with Bismarck's help, traveled to it.

The records preserved there had given them some insight, but before they could learn more, the device they used to access them had given out, prompting Y'shtola to stay behind to find a way to get it back into working condition.

"Slow, to say the least," her lover said, bringing the cup to her lips and taking a sip. "I have attempted a few of the more obvious solutions in trying to activate the device, none of which have borne fruit yet."

"If anyone can do it, it's you." S'eni raised her hand to silently call over a passing Drahn waitress.

"And what about you?" Y'shtola asked after she had placed her order.

Breathing out loudly past her lips, she reached across the table to take another coffee biscuit and took a bite out of it before replying, "What would you like to know?"

"Well, assuming that you have not been confined to one location up until now..." The other woman placed her cup back onto the saucer and ran her fingertip across the rim. "...you must surely have more to tell than I."

Taking that as her cue, S'eni chuckled and leaned back in her chair as she began to bring her up to date on the situation on the Source. After another taken cookie and her meal's arrival, she was done.

"I see, so the fighting still continues despite the turmoil in Garlemald," Y'shtola said.

"Or because of it," she pointed out, cutting a little piece out of the roasted Ovim.

When Emperor Solus 'died', the resulting power struggle had crippled the Empire enough for Eorzea to enjoy some respite for a time. She wouldn't be surprised if instead of siding with a potential heir to the throne, some Legati might actually enjoy the idea of ruling rather than serving. And what better way than a civil war crippling any potential opposition?

"True, there is no lack of ambition within the higher ranks of the Empire. As Gaius van Baelsar can attest to, I'm sure." A new cup of tea arrived and Y'shtola offered a short 'Thank you' before continuing. "So the Black Wolf has children. I had known of his reputation to take young people under his wing to guide and shape them, but for some to truly become like his own...It seems there is still much to be learned about the man."

"Honestly, I don't know how to feel about it," S'eni admitted, staring at the piece of meat pierced by her fork. She frowned. "Back when he still tried to conquer us things were simpler."

"Yes, I suppose learning that underneath that helmet of his he is just another man does complicate the issue. But he has always been an enigma."

"I think I preferred it when he tried to kill me with an ancient Allagan weapon."

Y'shtola smiled and rested her face on her palm. "Or with an Imperial Dreadnought."

"Hah, figured you haven't forgotten that."

"Now why would I do that when it's one of my fondest memories?" amusement rang in her voice. "Not many can claim they saved the Warrior of Light's life when she had yet to become Eorzea's saviour."

"Only for all of us to barely make it out by the skin of our teeth anyway. My tail was all singed!" she grumbled slightly at the memory while Y'shtola giggled and took hold of her new cup.

"Besides, I lost my memories of you once before. Now I wish to treasure them all," Y'shtola said before taking a sip.

Her smile returned at those words and she was just about to tell the other Miqo'te how touching that was, when her ears began to perk up. Not because of the familiar voice that called out to them shortly after, but rather the click-clacking of steps that preceded it.

"S'eni! Y'shtola!"

Turning her head, she saw none other than Ryne coming towards them, a smile on her face. But what really made her eyebrows rise was the one accompanying her. Another girl, dressed in stylish clothes colored in almost the same shade of black as her hair. In a place as bright as the Crystarium and next to Ryne, who predominantly wore white, she stood out quite thoroughly.

Across the table, Y'shtola cocked a curious brow.

"Well well, fancy meeting you here," S'eni said with a grin. "Finally decided to get those coffee biscuits? Sadly we're all out of them."

"I wonder who is responsible for that," she heard the other Miqo'te mutter but decided to ignore it.

"Good to see you too," Ryne giggled. "And no, not yet. I'm just showing her around the Crystarium for now."

"Yes, on that note," Y'shtola said and turned her pale eyes over to their other arrival. "I believe we have not met before."

"Another perceptive one, aren't you?" the girl said, a hand coming to rest on her hip. "At least you don't talk like a book full of poems like that other one."

"Gaia!" Ryne said in a chiding to tone. "I'm sorry, she has the habit of speaking her mind. Y'shtola, meet Gaia."

"A pleasure," greeted the other girl dryly, earning herself a hum of acknowledgement in return.

Holding back a chuckle, S'eni asked, "Would you like to sit with us?"

An apologetic smile formed on Ryne's lips and she shook her head. "Maybe another time. But we should be on our way again."

"Alright, I understand." S'eni gave her a little wink. "Enjoy yourselves."

"Thank you, we will," Ryne said. Then, to everyone's surprise and especially Gaia's, she looped her arm around the other girl's and pulled her away, sending both Y'shtola and S'eni a wave goodbye while ignoring new friends' complaints.

Watching the girls for a moment, S'eni chuckled and returned her attention back to her food. She listened idly until not only their voices but also the sound of Gaia's heels were only faint sounds in the distance.

"Intriguing girl," Y'shtola noted after a moment of silence.

"Yeah, intriguing is one way to put it. When I first met her, she tried to kill me," she said and began to explain their encounter with the girl during their investigation of Eden. How she had little to no recollection of it, and in fact had lost her memory of everything shortly after Vauthry had used his Sin Eater powers on the citizens of Eulmore. That she had powers granted to her by a 'fairie' that whispered to her in her mind and that it might have been its voice that compelled her to attack them. "She recently woke up again."

"I see. So she was the 'sleeping friend' you were talking about."

"That's right. Urianger believes she's the Oracle of Darkness."

"Due to the nature of her powers?" Y'shtola asked, receiving a nod in return.

"I'm still worried about that 'fairie' of hers having guided her to Eden, but nothing we can do there but keep our eyes out as best we can given the circumstances. Apart from that, I guess she's been helpful enough. And as you can see, Ryne has taken quite a shine to her." S'eni released a sigh. "Ah, we're already no longer interesting. They grow up so fast."

"Is the great Warrior of Darkness pouting right now because the chick is leaving the nest?" her lover chuckled and guided the cup back to her lips.

She let out a huff, but didn't refute Y'shtola's words. "A little, I suppose," she admitted. "But it's good she's made another friend that isn't us. Thancred thinks so too."

"It will serve her well when it's time for us to leave."

"Hm. The Oracle of Light and the Oracle of Darkness. Quite the pair, aren't they?"

They fell into a comfortable silence in which they finished their respective orders and, after paying, left the restaurant to take a little walk together.

"Are you going to head back to the Anyder?" S'eni asked, her hand gently clasping Y'shtola's.

"I'm afraid the secrets it holds will not uncover themselves," the other Miqo'te replied.

"Of course," she chuckled.

"But—" Y'shtola gave her hand a little squeeze before continuing in a lower voice. "—I don't see why we can't take the long route to the Amaro landing."

A smile formed on her lips and she stepped a little closer to her lover. "I'd like that."

They spent the next half an hour just walking around, enjoying each other's company as much as possible, until it was finally time for Y'shtola to leave.

"You can accompany me if you want," Y'shtola offered while sitting down on the Amaro's saddle, but S'eni shook her head.

"That's alright. I doubt I would be anything but a distraction."

Y'shtola's lips quirked upward. "Perhaps. But quite a pleasant one if I may say so."

They shared a little laugh.

"Well then..." She stroked the Amaro's long neck, eyes growing warm as they locked with silvery-white ones. "Good luck uncovering ancient secrets, Master Matoya."

"Good luck solving every little problem, O Warrior of Darkness."

Taking the reins, Y'shtola signaled the Amaro to move, and S'eni took a few steps back to give it space. She watched it take flight and remained there until her lover had completely left her sight, then turned around and left the landing. After she made her way down the stairs, she stopped to look up at the beautiful, clear blue sky.

A sudden gust of wind made her turn southward and look towards the horizon, where a wall of dark gray was slowly forming, hailing the approaching storm. It was still a ways off, but with the way the wind was blowing, it would be here in an hour.

As she turned around, she felt a sense of foreboding welling up deep inside of her.

She hoped she was wrong.

 

Notes:

Well well, it's our favorite Oracle of Darkness. Sadly, she won't be featuring much in this story, as I feel like I would struggle to fit in the Eden storyline into this as well. Who knows, maybe in the future. :)

Ah, and in case you're confused, the event they're alluding to is from 1.0. You can probably find it on youtube.

Alright, see you guys next week. I can tell you this much: it'll involve bread.

Chapter 95

Fraying Threads

 

Work on the spirit vessel proceeded, though not as well as I hoped, and I must confess it was taking a toll on me. But that didn't matter. What mattered was getting everyone safely back home.

And time was beginning to run out, as Thancred had suddenly collapsed. Fearing the worst, my friend had returned to the Source to see what was happening there.

The situation would soon become even more dire...

 

---

 

Whenever she had stepped into the Rising Stones in the past, there had usually been a sense of relief, to be able to kick back and rest from adventure if only for a day. But ever since learning of the others' state, that relief had turned into anxiety; anxiety that, whenever she walked through these doors, bad news was waiting for her. And now that Thancred had suddenly collapsed, anxiety had become a certainty, and S'eni was mostly wondering just what this bad news was.

Pushing the doors open, her eyes scanned the area until they found Tataru at her usual place behind her desk. Her entrance hadn't gone unnoticed and the Lalafel had raised her eyes from the documents lying in front of her. She let out a gasp.

"S'eni! Excellent—I mean, awful timing." Practically jumping out of the chair, Tataru rushed over, meeting her halfway. "It's our friends, they..." she lowered her voice. "...they've taken a turn for the worse."

So it was as they've feared.

"Krile's hardly had a rest these past few days. She didn't want everyone to worry, so we've been keeping it quiet..." Tataru explained to her before catching herself. "Oh, but listen to me! I call myself a receptionist, and I haven't even bothered to ask you why you're here!"

"No, that's alright. It's...actually because of that. The spirit vessels might be ready soon, but Thancred's suddenly collapsed and they sent me to check on things."

"Hm." Her friend's face grew worried at the news. "You'd better talk with Krile. She's with the others. Let's go see her. Just...prepare yourself, alright?"

Exhaling through her nose, she nodded. "I am, believe me."

Walking past Tataru's desk, they entered the hallway that would lead them to Dawn's Respite, a large room that they had turned into an infirmary when they first settled into the Rising Stones. It had served them quite well during the liberation of Ala Mhigo, offering the wounded of Rhalgar's Reach a safe place to rest and recover. And now, it housed the bodies of her friends.

"Excuse us..." Tataru called out as she opened the door. What met them was complete darkness, only broken by the light of a few candles. The Lalafel turned towards her. "This way."

Waiting for them were two rows of beds, her friends' bodies lying on top of them, unmoving. Amidst the beds stood Krile, her arm raised towards Thancred's form as she cast a spell on him. A groan escaped her and she closed her eyes for a moment, before turning towards them with a sigh.

"I would rather you hadn't seen this," Krile said, her voice sounding utterly exhausted.

"I'm sorry," Tataru replied. "But we have urgent tidings..."

Krile shook her head. "No, no, I'm not angry with you. On the contrary. I know full well how hard everyone has been searching for a way to return home." She turned her eyes towards S'eni. "And I had hoped to afford you the time you needed. But given our friends' present state, perhaps it was for the best that you came."

"What's going on with them?" S'eni asked and walked over to Alphinaud, leaning down to touch his hand. Her eyes widened. He was—

"Stiff and cold, all of them. As if they were made of wax. Barely alive at all."

"Gods..." she breathed out and stepped back. She immediately turned to where Y'shtola was lying and walked over to her. She looked at her, lips forming a thin line.

"And they had been doing so well. Save for occasional signs of aetheric instability, they appeared to be in passable health. Then, quite without warning, things took a turn for the worse. A change for which even Master Matoya could offer no explanation," Krile explained as she stepped up next to her, eyes coming to rest on Y'shtola as well. "She could only remind me that the soul is still an unknown frontier, and that there is much more beyond our knowledge."

S'eni didn't reply and instead watched the almost imperceptible rise and fall of her lover's chest, the singular sign that she was still alive. A moment passed until she felt a small tug at her himation, making her tear her gaze away from the sight and towards Krile. The Lalafel offered her a smile.

"But let's not lose heart just yet. At times like these, it's all the more important that we remain positive," Krile said, the tone in her voice growing lighter. "Why, just this very moment, I succeeded in quelling a fluctuation in Thancred's aether. And while the others have weakened, they have remained relatively stable."

"Yeah..." S'eni mirrored her friend's expression. "You're right, of course."

"So let's hear your tale outside. It should be fine to leave them for a moment."

"Alright, but could I have a moment, please?" she asked. "I promise I won't be long."

Krile glanced at Y'shtola, then nodded. "Of course. Tataru, why don't you make tea in the meantime? I believe we could all use some."

As soon as the door had shut behind them, S'eni sat down on the edge of the bed and reached out to brush a hand over her lover's cheek. Gods, she was so cold. Seeing her like this made it hard to believe that she was currently trying to uncover ancient secrets at the Anyder.

If she hasn't collapsed as well, a tiny voice in the back of her mind said, but she dispelled with a shake of her head. Worrying wouldn't do her any good. Not when she needed to focus.

"Just hold on a little longer. All of you," she murmured, more to herself than to them, before leaning down to plant a small kiss on Y'shtola's lips. She stayed like this for a moment longer, then rose back to her feet and began to leave.

She had seen enough here.

 

---

 

"I see...Then we must redouble our efforts," Alphinaud said, a worried look forming on his face after she had told him about the state of their bodies. "Not that we have ever stinted in that regard..."

"Then I suppose this is an appropriate moment to ask about the spirit vessel." Alisaie looked at G'raha and Beq Lugg. "Have you made any progress?"

The two looked at one another and shared a little nod.

"We have, as it happens," Beq Lugg replied. "One moment."

As the Nu Mou left in the direction of the Umbilicus, a heavy silence began to fill the Ocular. S'eni looked over to her friends, each now holding a similar expression to Alphinaud, and frowned. They all had known this would happen ever since Krile had first told her about the instability in their aether, but now that it was happening, she could only imagine how they must be feeling. They needed to get them back.

And fast.

Her eyes shifted away from them and towards G'raha, or more precisely, his left arm, now covered in the same bright blue crystal like its twin, the glow now much more intense than previously. A consequence of the experiments they had done to create the spirit vessels. He claimed he was fine, and from what she could see it really didn't seem to hinder him at all, yet she still couldn't help but worry that he was trying something exceedingly reckless again.

Yes, she supposed that was rich coming from her.

Noticing her looking at him, G'raha turned his head in her direction, but before he could say something the doors sprung open again, revealing Beq Lugg carrying what she assumed were the spirit vessels in their arms. Six of them in total, they brought to mind the image of a speartip dipped in blood.

After the Nu Mou placed them on the nearby table, they all formed a circle around it.

Urianger was the first to speak up, his eyebrows drawn in realization. "The red stones... Then this doth mean..."

"For the benefit of all, permit us to explain," Beq Lugg said. "As you will recall, using white auracite as our starting point, we fashioned a vessel for both mind and memory. Yet while it served this purpose admirably, the process of imbuing it with one's complete essence proved a somewhat thornier proposition. To put it simply, the memory would not accompany the mind. And so we looked to the Allagans' mastery of memory transference for a solution."

"However, this approach wasn't without its own complications, as it relies upon blood, which inanimate objects notably don't possess," G'raha continued. "We explored methods of suffusing the vessel with drops of mine. Unfortunately all our experimentation only succeeded in making me feel faint, and entirely failed to imbue the vessel with the necessary properties. Then an idea occurred to me: namely, that we might not fuse the vessel with my blood, but with my crystalized essence instead."

S'eni's eyes immediately shot towards his arm again, but it was Alisaie who voiced it.

"You're doing this for our sakes, so far be it from us to complain...but don't think we haven't noticed what's happening to your arm."

G'raha smiled. "It falls short of offering up my life in exchange for yours, which was your only condition, as I recall. And it's a small price to pay for delivering you all home."

The young woman just shook her head with a sigh, but otherwise kept her tongue.

"Assuming it works," Beq Lugg added. "We shall soon know if this grisly addition will serve as a suitable conduit for the subject's memory. Though...not soon enough to warrant your waiting. The test is going to take a while."

Hopefully not too long, S'eni thought. Before she could follow that trail of thought though, she noticed Thancred looking at her.

"Let's be off, then," he said. "We have Ascians to attend to, among other things."

They shared a nod.

"Forgive me, but I see six vessels, but there are only five of us," Alisaie pointed out.

"One is for testing purposes," G'raha said. "I will personally use it to see whether the crystal functions as it should."

Alisaie crossed her arms. "And...if it does, wouldn't that mean that your soul could also return to the Source?"

"Yes. In theory at least. But there is a distinct difference between your circumstances and mine. While your corporeal forms want for souls, my past self doesn't. Perhaps our essences would blend. Or perhaps they would curdle. There is no telling what might occur."

"And you'd be willing to take that risk?"

Smile not wavering once, he nodded. "I would."

A look of astonishment ghosted across Alisaie's face, only to be replaced by one of conflict. "I see," was all she said, before turning around and all but storming off, leaving them all in stunned silence.

Not knowing what to say, they too began to leave. By the time they had made it outside, they found Alisaie waiting at the bottom of the stairs, eyes focused on the ground. S'eni walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder, causing her to jump a little and raise her gaze.

"Everything alright?" she asked.

"I—" Alisaie sighed. "I'm sorry, I know it was childish to storm off like that. And probably to feel the way I do as well."

"That's not true. It's only natural to be worried." She gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. "I'm worried too. But the fact is we're running out of time and options."

"You're right," her friend said with a nod. "I'll pull myself together. Just give me a moment."

"Of course." Lips curling into a smile, S'eni returned to the others.

"Right then!" Thancred said as soon as she joined. "While the Exarch literally pours his own sweat and blood into his task, it seems only fair that we attend to our own."

"Dealing with Elidibus and his minions," Alphinaud said.

"Exactly. Though—" Thancred fixed S'eni with his gaze. "Given our deteriorating health, I'm sure there's already somewhere you wish to be."

"Hah...Yeah, if you don't mind I would like to check on Shtola," she said. She knew that if the situation was different, Y'shtola was more than capable of taking care of herself. But with things as they were...

"By all means. You can leave the Ascians to us. Once they're out of the way, we will retire to Eulmore. And when Y'shtola has finished plumbing the depths, you may join us there as well," he ended with a chuckle.

"If you are bound for Anyder, go via Venmont Yards," Alphinaud suggested then. "Our friends there will be glad to provide a boat for you."

"Will do. Hopefully they won't have me take stock again though," S'eni joked.

"Let us be on our way, then," Thancred said, earning a round of nods. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

Just then, she remembered something of utmost importance.

"Ah wait, I have something for you all," she called out and reached into her pouches, pulling out small packed-up bundles that she began to hand to each of them. "A delivery from the Source, kupo! Courtesy of one Tataru Taru."

"You're a long way from home, Moogle." Eyebrows rising in question, he looked at the bundle in his hand. "And this is from Tataru, is it? What could it be...?"

"Archon loaf," S'eni replied.

"Archon loaf, thou sayest?" Urianger suddenly asked with an enthusiasm one rarely encountered in him. "Why, even to hear the name doth transport me to times long past..."

Ryne, standing next to Thancred, gave the bundle a curious glance. "Bread from another world? May I try some?"

"Mayest thou, child? Thou must!" The Elezen cleared his throat. "That said, though I personally disagree with the consensus, I do nonetheless advise thee to temper thine expectations."

"Wiser words have never been spoken," Thancred muttered and put his loaf away for later. The reaction almost made her want to give it a try as well. Almost. The description Rammbroes had given her sounded anything but appetizing.

"Even though it rarely darkened our dining table at home, I can attest that it was standard fare at the Studium," Alphinaud said, turning one of the two bundles in his hands. "A slice was never far from our peers' hands."

"Alphinaud," Alisaie said as she finally joined them. "You really are an unbearable snob sometimes, you know?"

The young woman gave her brother a light backhanded slap to the chest, then held out her hand for him to hand over her share.

Thancred shook his head, but couldn't help the smirk of obvious amusement off his face. "What I believe my colleagues are trying to say is that we appreciate the gesture. Tell Tataru we'll do our best to return before she's forced to seek further supplementary employment."

"I'll have our friendly king deliver a message," S'eni chuckled.

After exchanging goodbyes, her friends left. She watched them until they had passed by the Aetheryte, before beginning to teleport to Kholusia. As she began to float, S'eni glanced over her shoulder at the Crystal Tower and felt her face darken.

They only had this one chance—

With an aetheric ripple, she vanished.

—she could only hope it would succeed.

 

Notes:

Hmhmhm, I bet some of you know what'll come next.

Chapter 96

Faded Memories

 

Alisaie's worries were honorable, but there I had made up my mind. I would test this vessel before I would subject my friends to it. Time was very much not on our side, and with every passing hour, it became less and less so. While Beq Lugg and I were making preparations, the others were busy fighting Elidibus' minions wherever they could.

As for our hero...a trial and a revelation were waiting for her at the bottom of the Tempest.

 

---

 

Her footsteps echoed through the empty hallways of the Anyder, their walls just as tall as those in the fake Amaurot. But that was where the comparison ended, she supposed, as unlike the city, those who stood in opposition to Zodiark had gathered within these walls. To summon the Light to shackle the Dark.

Hydaelyn.

All under the leadership of a woman named Venat who, in the end, had offered up her body to serve as the vessel for their summoning.

Just like Elidibus apparently did for Zodiark. But how could he be here then? Was it perhaps his predecessor on the Convocation? Y'shtola seemed to think otherwise.

Gods, just thinking about it made her head spin. Hopefully, Y'shtola had found something.

Arriving in the hallway leading to the archive, she quickened her step once more. She had barely entered the chamber when her eyes spotted a form dressed in dark robes lying on the floor. Unmoving.

"Shtola!" she cried out, immediately breaking into a sprint towards her lover. Just as she was about to reach her, a portal made of darkness opened in front of the other Miqo'te and Elidibus stepped through, forcing her to slide to a halt. "You—!"

"Excellent. I had intended to speak with you alone." She glared at him, prompting the Ascian to glance behind him at Y'shtola. "None of my doing, lest you misunderstand. The link between her body and soul wavers."

"What do you want!?" she spat back.

He didn't answer at first, instead choosing to look around. "I do not know what you hoped to find here, but it will avail you nothing to learn of our past."

S'eni suddenly grimaced when the all too familiar pain of the Echo shot through her head and her vision was flung into the past...

 

Two figures stood in front of her, dressed in long robes, their faces obscured by masks. They looked just like all the other Ancients, but she knew that these two were different; they were part of the Convocation.

"Reviewing the records yet again? Really? You worry too much, Elidibus," one of them said, his tone light. "This dedication to your duty verges on obsession."

The other one, a woman, then spoke up, "To think some believed you ill-suited for the role. How wrong they were." A little chuckle echoed through the darkness surrounding them. "But come, turn your gaze outside the window, my friend. The rains have ceased, and we have been graced with another beautiful day."

Even as she spoke, the two figures began to float away, making her, no, Elidibus reach out towards, only to stop as his hand became transparent as tiny shards of aether broke off it. Raising his other hand, he looked at them.

"It fades. Fades away into oblivion. Does the world no longer have need of me? No—" his hands balled into fists. "I am Elidibus. And I must─I will fulfill my duty."

His gaze shifted around until it landed on an armored figure.

"Sundered though you may be, you fought for the world's salvation. For hope." Elidibus floated towards the man, his hand reaching towards him. "Hope."

Before her vision grew dark, she managed to catch the glimpse of a helmet, adorned with a pair of horns.

"Ahhh, it swells within me. Empowers me. Now I may carry out my mission. And yet..." he hesitated for a moment. "Why do I yearn for this? Why do I struggle?"

 

...as she returned to the here and now, she came back face-to-face with Elidibus, looking at her with an unreadable expression. Wordlessly, he raised his hand and Y'shtola vanished.

"Shto—"

"I shall take her into my safekeeping. If you want her back, you will do as I ask," he said, locking eyes with her. "Show me your strength. I would take your measure."

A dark portal opened up next to him.

"I have prepared a suitable arena. You only need to ride the flow of aether."

With that, he too vanished, leaving S'eni alone in the chamber. Gritting her teeth, she balled her hands into fists then and began to shake. With a loud cry, a fist came crashing down into the floor, breaking the stone and leaving a sizeable hole in it.

She exhaled and stood up straight again, focusing her eyes on the portal, then slowly walking towards it. If Elidibus wished to test her, he could have it.

I'm coming, Shtola.

Without any hesitation, she stepped through...

...only to emerge in Amaurot. She looked around for but a moment before her attention was once more on the approaching Elidibus.

"You are familiar with this place, I believe. This...remembered Amaurot," he said, and there was almost something akin to nostalgia in his voice as he cast his gaze about as well. It was gone instantly when he looked at her. "Proceed to the Capitol. I shall return your comrade to you there."

The corners of her lips rose faintly. "Really, that's it? Surely you need me to reapply for a visitor's writ."

"You speak as if you were disappointed in me. Why?" he shrugged. "I am your enemy, and you are mine. Our goals are in conflict, and we are fated to clash. Or had you hoped that feigned sympathy and false understanding would cast your crimes in a less reprehensible light? That I would come to look upon you as a friend? You who has slaughtered my people and would tear down everything we have built."

S'eni averted her eyes momentarily, but it was long enough for Elidibus to pick up upon.

"Very well, let us change the cast of this trial so you truly will know what you have stolen us." The Ascian then turned towards the three clerks behind their counters and raised his hand. In a matter of seconds he had changed their Ancient appearance into that of Miounne, Baderon and Momodi; each one a liaison to the Adventurer's Guild whom she had relied on in the past.

She could only stare at them in surprise until the sound of opening doors made her tear her gaze away from the sight and back towards Elidibus. Standing in the doorway, he glanced over his shoulder at her, his face obscured by his red glowing sigil.

"But do not imagine I crave remorse. Only justice," he said and stepped outside.

Knowing there was little else but to play his game, S'eni followed. Elidibus was already waiting for her, the Aetheryte behind him floating idly in the center of the small plaza. On the grass, she spotted groups of these black, blob-like creatures that she had seen during their previous visit here.

"Rest assured there are no tricks. You only need to defeat the enemies before you." He held out his hand to present the four nearest to them. "First, something easy. Those whom a budding hero might encounter at the beginning of her tale. And I believe I have the perfect subjects."

Beams of aether shot out from his hand towards the creatures, wrapping around them, twisting and turning their forms until they transformed—

She gasped out in shock.

—into Thancred, Papalymo, Lyse, and Y'shtola, looking just like they had when she first met them.

Elidibus vanished.

The four of them advanced on her, and for a moment she felt herself hesitate. Until, that was, she had to dodge the combination of a rock and fireball being hurled towards her. Keep it together, they're nothing but monsters wearing their faces!

And indeed, once she truly fought back, they fell as swiftly as many other beasts before. She watched their fallen forms convulse and turn back into black ooze that slowly seeped into the ground. It was only when she felt Elidibus' presence appearing next to her once again that she looked away.

"All too easy, I see, but at least you now understand the rules."

"That was in poor taste, even for you." She glared at him.

"That appearances should unsettle you... I was under the impression you simply destroyed all who barred your way. Sparing no thought to the possibility that your foe could be someone's beloved." He turned and began to walk. "But come, we shouldn't dwell on the beginning when so much of your story awaits."

Looking back to where the last remnants of creatures were slowly disappearing, she closed her eyes and exhaled through her nose.

Let the game begin.

 

---

 

Like he had said, there was much more waiting for her. People she had met ever since, friend and foe alike, it was a cruel mockery of all she had experienced. If he desired to break her spirit before the inevitable battle between them, he was sorely failing, as all it did was fuel her rising anger.

When she had finally made it into the Capitol, she found him waiting for her at the exact same spot Emet-Selch had stood before he invited them to bear witness to the Final Days.

"An impressive show of strength," he said and turned around to face her. "But surely no more than a foretaste of—"

Before he could finish his sentence, S'eni jumped and slammed her fist into the ground, sending a bright shockwave of aether towards the Ascian, forcing him to dodge to the side.

"Do you just love to hear the sound of your own voice or did you already forget what I told you when you still pretended to be Zenos?" she asked while glaring at him. "Now let's stop this godsdamned charade and get this over with."

"Very well..." The red glyph vanished from Elidibus' face and he reached behind him to take hold of Ardbert's axe, swinging it once before letting it come to rest on his shoulder. "Come, S'eni! Show me what you can do!"

Raising her hands, S'eni cracked her knuckles, then entered her battle stance as well.

They dashed forward.

"I may not be the real Ardbert," Elidibus said as he swung his axe. "But you'd do well not to underestimate me."

She easily dodged the attacks, only to be suddenly caught off guard by the pommel smacking her right in the face. Stumbling backwards a little, she spun around and raised her leg, slamming her heel against the side of his head. Not giving him time to recover, her fists shot forward, striking his chest in rapid succession, then she threw an uppercut towards his chin.

But just as it was about to connect, he caught her wrist, and, in an impressive display of strength, tossed her across the room. Twisting around mid-air, S'eni managed to land on her feet and immediately vanished from sight only to appear right in front of him again.

It became quickly apparent that, just like with Zenos, he had an intimate knowledge of Ardbert's techniques. Everything that made him the fighter that he had been was now part of the Ascian. But...so was it with her too. Every blow and every strike held something within it; a familiarity deeper than what she had once witnessed first hand, like a whisper from within her very being that guided her away just at the knick of time.

Jumping backwards with a speed that rivaled her own, he swung his axe up and sent an explosion of aetheric energy towards her. Instead of dodging though, S'eni stood her ground and brought her fist down onto the floor once more, causing a wall of flames to shoot out towards him in return. Opposing aethers met violently, swirling around each other in a twister before dissipating with an angry howl.

In the blink of an eye, they were upon one another again.

"Good...I can feel your murderous intent." The faint hint of a smirk danced across Elidibus' lips as he sidestepped a kick, using the momentum to spin around and swing his axe at her, only to be met with air when she ducked out of the way. Shooting back up, she drove her knee into his gut and slammed her palm into his face, forcing him back a step as his head jerked back. When he looked at her again, a dribble of blood trickled down towards his chin. "Yes, you'd murder me in an instant. Do you wish to recover this body?"

He smacked her with the blunt side of the axe.

She spat blood on the ground. "Shut up!" she shouted. Before he could make another move, she lunged and punched him in the chest.

"Then prove that it's no use to me!"

"Shut up!" another punch.

"Come! Come at me with everything you've got!" His axe descended—

Ardbert's smiling face flashed through her mind.

—and stopped as S'eni grabbed the shaft. Her eyes locked onto his. "As you wish!"

Thrusting forward, she headbutted him square in the face, then immediately spun around and kicked him high into the air. With a cry, she jumped after him, delivering two more swift kicks that sent him ever higher. Using her own momentum, she flew past the Ascian and was about to bring her entire weight down upon him, when a fireball suddenly came flying through the air and into Elidibus. The resulting explosion flung him across the hall where he crashed against the giant doors and dropped to the ground.

Eyes widening, S'eni whirled around midfall to see none other than Y'shtola enter the Capitol, her staff still faintly glowing from the spell she just cast.

"Shtola!" she called out as she landed and hastened over to her. "Thank the gods you're alright!"

"My apologies. I freed myself as soon as I awoke, but rather too late, I see," the other Miqo'te said, offering her a little smile before turning her attention to the fallen Ascian, who was pushing himself back onto his feet, clearly in no condition to continue this now that it was two against one. "Now, Elidibus, if you have ceased trading blows, I would trade words with you."

He didn't reply, which was as good as any invitation.

"I have a theory, one concerning what you seek to accomplish. It stems from who, or rather what, you truly are: a primal."

S'eni looked at Y'shtola in surprise. "What did you just say? A primal?"

"The Ancients created Zodiark to save the star from destruction. If the method that brought Him forth is the precursor of what we know as summoning, then Zodiark would have been instilled with a presiding desire..." Y'shtola explained to her. "I found it among the records at Anyder. And it came as no surprise. Were I faced with the world's destruction, I would wish for the same...Salvation."

Salvation... Her gaze returned to Elidibus, who simply stared at them.

"I know that you sacrificed yourself to become Zodiark's heart. How you became separated from Him is less clear. But if you are a fragment of His being, it stands to reason a desire for the world's salvation would drive you. And so you seek to inspire the masses to rise up as Warriors of Light, even going so far as to use Ardbert's body as a symbol of hope."

"Correct on all accounts. Such is my nature, and such are my methods," he then said, wiping the blood from his face with the back of his hand. "I have aided heroes. I have made them. I have even become them. This served not only to strengthen me, but also to facilitate the work of my brothers, such as Emet-Selch, with his penchant for nation-building."

Create empires and those that would step up and fight them, and when it was over, do it again. An endless cycle to further the Rejoining. She had to admit it was ingenious.

"Then you are all too familiar with the fickleness of man," Y'shtola said. "We change. We forget. And what little we do remember becomes twisted and fragmented over time. But are you yourself free of these foibles? As the last witness of the Final Days, do you remember everything that was lost? Or even the things you cared about?"

Elidibus narrowed his eyes. "Get to the point."

"A primal is shaped by the hope that fuels it. Even should this hope be something as simple as the world's salvation, it is the collective desire of innumerable disparate souls crying out for deliverance. Having drawn your strength from such a cacophony of voices, can you truly be sure you still speak with your own?"

Lowering his head, he closed his eyes and something akin to a sigh passed his lips. A moment of silence passed in which none said a word. Then his eyes snapped open once more, glaring at them from underneath lowered brows.

"Your question is irrelevant. No matter how much I should change, no matter how much I should forget, I shall always remember my duty." He raised his right hand towards his heart. "At times I stand with my brethren. At times I stand against them. All that I might steer mankind and the very star upon their true course. For my name is Elidibus. And my mission. Guiding my every deed."

An aura of darkness began to surround him.

"But enough talk. You have shown me which I desired to know. As I am now, I would struggle to defeat you. Yet I have still to play all of my cards," the Ascian said, walking over to the falling axe. After picking it up, he turned to glance at S'eni. "If I could offer you some semblance of sport, your lessers would pose no threat to me. Would you not agree, Warrior of Darkness?"

Not waiting for her reply, he vanished in a portal of darkness, leaving them behind. The other woman sighed and turned back towards her.

"Well it's been an eventful morning—if it is morning. I have no idea how long I was unconscious." Y'shtola gave her a quick once over before reaching out to cup her chin, immediately followed by the pleasant warmth of a healing spell flowing towards her split lip.

"Actually, it's noon," S'eni pointed out, receiving a little muttered "Of course" in return. When the spell was done, she ran her tongue over her now fully healed lip.

"In any case, I'm gratified to see that my efforts at Anyder have borne fruit. We have confirmed the nature of our foe and his plot. Now then, what are the tidings from the surface?"

She filled her in with their current situation, that the connection to their bodies was growing weaker and that G'raha was doing everything in his power to get the spirit vessels ready, as well as their friends hunting Elidibus' Ascian minions and that they agreed to meet at Eulmore later.

"I see." Her lover frowned. "Then let us leave for Eulmore at once. We have much to share with our comrades. Ah, but forgive me. It would seem my belongings didn't accompany me here. I will need to retrieve them from Anyder. With luck, the aetherial stream you traversed still remains. I won't be long."

As she made to leave, S'eni remembered something she had almost forgotten in all of this. "Wait, before you go," S'eni said, making Y'shtola stop in her tracks. Reaching into her pouch, she pulled out the bundle of Archon loaf. "From Tataru."

Y'shtola took the bundle with a raised brow and gave it a long look. "Oh my," she said after unwrapping it, a note of amusement entering her voice. "It's been a long time since I had this."

"She made it so that you all had a little piece of home until you're back." She shrugged. "I'm surprised it's still intact actually."

"Well, I will thank Tataru profusely once we are back." Y'shtola took a bite out of it and grimaced.

"Just like home, eh?"

"Very much," she replied, a few crumbs flying through the air that S'eni narrowly dodged. "I will be back shortly."

With a chuckle, she watched her leave.

Now that she was alone, S'eni looked around a bit. She hadn't expected that this illusion of Amaurot still existed. It just showed how powerful Emet-Selch had been when the magic he used still persisted well after his death.

Something out of the corner of her eye caught her attention then and she turned to see what it was. What the...?

Lying on the ground, its crimson color standing out on the dark floor, was a crystal. Furrowing her brows, she walked over and took a closer look. It had a peculiar shape and etched on it was what looked like a constellation.

Reaching out, she picked it up, weighing it in her hand. It sort of reminded her of the job crystals back home...

All of a sudden, a distorted voice echoed within her mind, making her almost drop the crystal.

"...day forth...bring honor to the seat of..."

As sudden as the voice had appeared, it was gone, leaving its sentence unfinished. Was this a memory?

She turned it around in her hand, before putting it into her pouch and placing a hand on her hip. 'Bring honor to the seat of...', was this the memory of a member of the Convocation?

Before she had time to process the thought, she noticed another, similar glint further ahead and, walking over, found three more of these crystals. Similar in shape, but different in color. As she picked them up one by one, more words rose up in her mind, and she tried to concentrate to better hear them.

"Behold, my friends. Embraced by the earth and caressed by the wind, vibrant life flourishes. All is right in creation," spoke the voice from the yellow crystal.

"There can be no greater joy than to use our wisdom for the good of our people. No greater pride." The green crystal.

"May all know happiness, now and forevermore." The grey one.

S'eni placed them in her pouch as well and looked about. That seemed to be all of them here. Her eyes then landed on the doors leading outside and, following a hunch, left the Capitol.

Her hunch was soon proven correct, as more of these crystals were waiting outside, scattered like a line of breadcrumbs for her to follow; each of them holding words of despair, hope, determination. One by one she picked them up, placing them with their brethren, until she stood in front of a singular light purple crystal.

The thirteenth.

And while the words rang in the language of the Ancients, she knew exactly who this voice belonged to.

"Gone is the brilliant radiance of life, replaced by the sickly glow of malformed creatures," Emet-Selch, Hades, spoke. "Is this to be how it ends? For we who loved the star with all our being? No. I will not suffer it to be so!"

"Well, well. We meet again, my new old friend," another voice said, pulling her attention away from the crystal and towards the figure standing just ahead of her. It was—

"Hythlodaeus."

"How good of you to remember." There was a note of a smile in his echoing words. Lowering his gaze, he looked at her hand. "Heh heh... I see you have been collecting stars."

"Stars? Oh, you mean these?" she held up the crystal in her hand.

"Indeed. They have constellations etched upon them, yes?" He walked over to her, raising his hand to point up. "High in the heavens, those stars shine their guiding light down upon the lives below. Fitting symbols for the Convocation of Fourteen, wouldn't you agree?"

"Hm, I suppose so." S'eni looked at the crystal, taking in the fine lines etched into it and trying to imagine them shining brightly amongst the sea of stars.

"As you will have gathered, each crystal bears an account of the life of a member of the Convocation as remembered by the unsundered," he explained. "Lest you worry, they aren't concepts; they are far too incomplete to be so. But they suffice for imbuing memories within sundered souls, so that they might be restored to their office."

"So this is how..." she shook her head and held the crystal out for Hythlodaeus to take. "I shouldn't—"

"Keep them. I'm sure Emet-Selch wouldn't mind."

A part of her wanted to argue against it, but deep inside she knew that he was probably right. Closing her hand around the crystal, she placed it into her pouch.

"So how are you faring?" he asked. "You are feuding with Elidibus this time, I believe?"

S'eni nodded and began to explain. After she was done, Hythlodaeus remained silent for a moment before saying, "...I shall refrain from passing comment on your struggle. It's not my place to do so, long-departed as I am. But if I may give voice to a personal desire...I would rather you lived. If you don't, how will you keep your promise to Emet-Selch? The promise to remember?"

Before she could reply, he walked over to the nearby stone balustrade, prompting her to follow him.

"It must weigh heavy, the burden of all those memories," he said, looking out towards the streets below, watching as his fellow shades went about their business. "To one who has lived a life such as yours, I can well imagine how Elidibus's existence might seem hollow, how empty his single-minded pursuit of a half-forgotten cause must appear...But know that his devotion is not without reason. Even if he himself can no longer remember what that reason is."

After a few more seconds of looking into the distance, he turned back towards her and when he spoke again, his tone was considerably lighter.

"Well, that is quite enough talk about Elidibus. I would rather see you reunite the wayward stars."

S'eni blinked and tilted her head. She was pretty sure she had gathered all of them. "What do you mean?"

But instead of answering her with words, he raised a finger to his unseen lips, then pointed towards her. Out of thin air, another crystal, shaped just like the rest, appeared in front of her, wrapped in gleaming white.

"I mentioned before that there was a member of the Convocation who opposed Zodiark's summoning and defected. One whose office was left vacant..."

"Yeah..." she stared at the crystal in front of her, mouth slightly agape. "A...woman, I believe."

He nodded. "Defectors having been deemed unworthy of commemoration, no crystal exists for the individual in question." The Ancient shade paused. "...Or shouldn't exist, at any rate─and wouldn't, had a friend not created one in secret. A crystal bearing the forgotten name of her office, along with a power of her own conceiving─a singular incantation embodying her spirit."

Her spirit... Slowly, S'eni looked back towards Hythlodaeus. "Who was she?"

"Among all the offices, the Fourteenth was the most unusual. For while the rest sat in Amaurot, its holder was charged with gaining an intimate knowledge of the wider world. In the course of her duty, she traveled the length and breadth of every land, and befriended countless folk. She encountered troubles too, of course. Matters which she could simply have referred to the Convocation. But that was not her way," he explained to her. A chuckle escaped him. "No, more often than not, she would call upon her comrades, and together resolve matters themselves. Such is the power sealed within that crystal. The power to summon the stars to your side. In time of greatest need, should you wish upon it with all your heart, it will surely answer your call."

The crystal floated towards her, landing in the palm of her hand. It glowed for a few seconds longer, before growing dim and revealing to her its warm, orange color and the symbol etched inside of it.

"And now it is where it belongs." When she looked at him questioningly once more, he just shook his head. "Oh, there is no need for thanks. But nor will I hear any complaints about it either. Heh heh...After all, I can't say whether I act of my own volition or by the will of my recreator!"

Not being able to help herself, she too chuckled and glanced down at her hand, taking in the circular symbol etched into the crystal. When she looked up again, he was gone. Just like last time.

Yes, she was starting to see how Emet-Selch and he used to be friends.

"Ah, I was wondering where you had disappeared to," S'eni heard and glanced over her shoulder to see Y'shtola walking towards her. When she came to a stop, a searching look entered her pale eyes. "Is something troubling you?"

Looking at the object in her hand one last time, S'eni smiled and put it with the others. "No, I'm alright."

"Really?" she nodded. "...Very well. I have everything. Let's hurry back to the surface."

"Yeah." The others would probably be waiting by now.

And they would soon be learning what Elidibus had meant when he said that he had yet to play all his cards.

 

Notes:

Man, sure wonder who that woman was. She sounds pretty awesome if you ask me...

Chapter 97

The Warrior of Light

 

We did it. The spirit vessels were ready to receive my friend's memories and souls. But what should have been a moment of triumph, was swiftly overshadowed by the arrival of our foe.

After we managed to escape, I found myself staring at the burning sky. Elidibus had finally made his move.

It would end today.

Then, the sound of footsteps approached us...bringing with them hope.

 

---

 

S'eni ran as fast as her feet could carry her, eyes focusing on the road ahead while occasionally glancing up at the Crystal Tower in the distance. Its gleaming light appeared faded, weaker, barely standing out from the clouds that darkened the sky and the fire raining down from them. Elidibus' doing.

It had begun shortly after Y'shtola and her had met with the others in Eulmore. From one moment to the next, the beautiful blue sky had been replaced by this vision of the Final Days, covering all of Norvrandt in a large-scale attempt to awaken the people to the Echo. But it wasn't the only thing that happened, as shortly after, they had been attacked by strange specters cloaked in light, summoned in a similar fashion as the spell G'raha had used to bring them here.

Warriors from other worlds.

For a small mercy, if one wanted to call it that, these warriors seemed to only be after her and the others, but it made the resulting journey to the Crystarium all the more difficult. The closer they got, the more numerous their adversaries grew, and now it was only her heading towards their destination while the others were keeping them busy. She just hoped they were alright.

The sudden sound of a groan made her ears perk up and she stopped in her tracks to look around for its source. She found it past a few trees to the left. It was G'raha!

As she ran over, she also noticed Beq Lugg lying next to him, unmoving. "G'raha. What happened?" she asked immediately, dropping to her knee to check on the fallen Nu Mou. They were badly injured.

"...S'eni...how did you...?" G'raha shook his head. "...No matter... Elidibus...he took us by surprise—argh!"

Tearing her gaze away at his sudden cry, S'eni saw her friend writhe in pain as the crystallization on his body grew. "Oh, gods..." she breathed out. If this persisted...

Beq Lugg stirred and slowly opened their eyes.

"It was all we could do...to raise a ward to hinder his steps... And so we fled..." they said. "But he took it... The vessel with the Exarch's memories...Forgive me...Forgive me..."

"Shh." She reached out and placed a hand on their tiny shoulder. "It's going to be alright."

"The vessel bears not only my memories, but my blood, the blood of Allagan royalty...granting him the means to control the tower," G'raha managed to say after the pain had subsided.

"So that's how he summons them."

He nodded, raising his hands a little. "And as you can see, the burden on the tower is beginning to show..."

Yes...if this persisted his entire body would turn into crystal before long. Looking towards the towers, she narrowed her eyes and slowly rose to her feet. She wouldn't let that happen.

"Leave him to me," she told him.

"No, I won't let you go alone. Not this time," G'raha replied, his eyes finding hers. "Elidibus has exploited the people's nobility. Twisted their purest intentions for terrible ends. I can't let that stand. As Exarch, it's my duty to protect them. To defend their hopes and dreams. So I'm going to the Crystal Tower, with or without your blessing─though I would rather it were with."

She stared at him for a few, long seconds, then wordlessly held out her hand to help him up. He smiled and took it.

"Thank you."

Beq Lugg pushed themselves off the ground and managed to sit up enough to rest against a nearby tree stump. "I'd join you...but I would only be a burden," they said. "It's best if I remain here with my gremlins..."

"I shall send help," G'raha promised. "Stay strong, my friend, and take heart. By binding Elidibus within the tower, we have done more than simply delay him."

"Do you have a plan?" S'eni asked.

His smile grew, with an almost mischievous edge to it. "Much like our adversary, I'm not inclined to show my hand prematurely. But the time has come to bring my strongest card to bear."

She cocked an eyebrow in question, but he simply raised a finger to his lips and winked. With a shake of her head, she chuckled. "No time to waste then. Let's go."

"Yes. To the tower!"

As swiftly as possible, they headed towards the Crystarium. On their way, S'eni glanced at her friend a few times, watching as the crystallization slowly began to spread again while he tried to not let the pain show on his face. They soon arrived at the Accensor Gate, where the stationed guards looked about with a mixture of nervousness, worry, and even a little bit of wonder at the sight in the sky.

They approached two guardsmen standing closest to the gate, both of them immediately stopping their conversation and standing to attention when they noticed them.

"W-Warrior of Darkness! Exarch!" The especially nervous-looking one almost shouted. "Forgive us this paltry greeting. We weren't notified of your arrival!"

"It wasn't planned," G'raha said. " I need you to assemble a rescue party. Our friend Beq Lugg lies wounded in a clearing to the west. Please go to their aid with all haste."

"At once, my lord! M-May I ask how they came to harm? There've been reports of enemies in our midst, specters who appeared after the starshower. Do they have something to do with it?"

"Yes. The man who attacked Beq Lugg is also responsible for the starshower and the appearance of the specters. I have no time to explain, but know that the individual in question does not seek to do indiscriminate harm. If you do not bar his servants' path, they will not turn on you. You are to leave this foe to us, understood?" the guards nodded. "Good. Meanwhile, I ask that you alert the rest of the guard, and focus on maintaining calm in the city."

"Understood," a voice from up ahead said, and S'eni turned her head to look at its owner.

"Lyna!" G'raha exclaimed.

"I shall take charge of matters in the city. Find Beq Lugg, now!" Lyna ordered the two guardsmen, who both saluted and hurried off in the direction of Beq Lugg. Coming to a stop in front of G'raha and S'eni, she looked at the former and crossed her arms. "'No time to explain'... Hmph. The graver the matter, the less inclined you are to speak of it. Even when it is plain for all to see, like what is happening to you."

He followed her gaze towards his arm, then lowered his eyes. "Lyna... This time there truly is no time."

The corners of Lyna's lips rose.

"I know, my lord. Were matters different, I believe you would even be willing to speak of your past if pressed." Now it was her turn to lower her gaze. "Yet I remain afraid to do so. Afraid that what I might learn would make you a stranger...Forgive me. There is no time."

Looking over at her friend, S'eni couldn't help but smile at the absolutely shocked expression that had formed on his face, and she took a step closer to put a hand on his shoulder.

"Just talk with her," she whispered.

"I...Yes, you're right. Time must be made," he replied.

"I'll go on ahead then." Giving his shoulder a pat, S'eni began to head in the direction of the city, stopping only for a moment to send Lyna an encouraging nod before continuing onward.

The Crystarium for its part was thankfully relatively calm. There was unease in the air, but no outright panic. The people were more busy staring up at the sky and those few that did approach her to ask what was going on she told to remain calm and head home just in case.

Coming to a stop at the center of the Exedra, she looked up at the tower. It wasn't too long ago when she had first set foot into it, fighting her way up with other adventurers that had signed up for the expedition. They hadn't known what awaited them inside, yet they still braved it. It had been exciting to say the least.

And now she once more stood in front of its gates, ready to venture into it once more to face another foe, with a possible army at his beck and call. Sure would be nice to have some backup...

Almost out of its own volition, her hand began to move towards the pouch where she kept the crystals—

"The ward holds. Excellent. Elidibus will still be within the tower."

—and dropped it again when G'raha joined her.

"With Lyna everything alright?" she asked.

"I have told her something I should have said a long time ago," he replied.

"Good."

He turned towards her. "Elidibus' sole purpose is to destroy you, empowering himself with the hope of the heroes he summoned. By any measure, the odds are now stacked firmly in his favor."

"No one said that it was ever going to be easy." S'eni looked at him. "Let's go."

"I shall lift the ward then," G'raha said. They took the steps leading to the gate and he raised his staff to begin the process of undoing the spell.

"You know, it wasn't so long ago when I watched you seal up this place," she said while watching him.

"Hm?" he looked at her questioningly. "Ah, before I began my slumber, you mean. Hah, it seems it was a bit longer to me. And now I'm breaking the seal and have no intention of locking myself away again."

The gates glowed once and he lowered his staff once again.

"Come, my friend. Let's be about!"

They shared a nod and rushed inside.

Their first stop was at the Ocular, where G'raha had last seen Elidibus. It was empty of course, which meant he could only be further up. But wherever they looked, he wasn't there.

"Not here either. We must keep climbing," G'raha said as they ran up the flight of stairs leading up to one of the many giant platforms scattered throughout the entirety of the tower, having served as convenient arenas back when they had first entered these halls. A sudden cry escaped him and he fell, the clattering sound of his staff hitting the ground making her stop. Whirling around, S'eni saw him clutching his leg.

"G'raha!" She shouted and ran over to him, a gasp escaping her as she watched his leg turning into bright glowing crystal. Another summoning.

No sooner did those words go through her mind, a summoning circle appeared not far from them. Three more followed in quick succession. Elidibus finally must have realized where she was.

"Shit!" S'eni swore and stepped in front of her fallen friend as another circle appeared.

"It was only a matter of time anyway..." G'raha said, exhaling deeply. "I can't keep up with you like this, nor will it help us to make a stand here. Go on without me. Find Elidibus, and stop him."

"What!? No!" she turned back towards him. "You're in no shape to fight!"

He smiled at that. "Don't worry. Though I'm not a warrior like you, I have learned to hold my own over the years." Grasping his staff, he used it to push himself back on his feet. "When we first explored this tower, you and your fellow adventurers formed the vanguard, while I was left to follow in your wake. Suffice it to say, I was not pleased with the arrangement. Oh how I wished that I could join you..."

His eyes found hers, and for a moment she saw him like he had been back then, mismatched eyes and all. He had downright pouted when Rammbroes had forbidden him to form the rear with the rest of the expedition.

"And now I have," he said. "Here, where it all began. I was right to trust in you and the power of your legacy, of your name. To let them guide my every deed."

She mirrored his expression at his words, but it fell just as quick when unbidden words suddenly surfaced in the back of her mind. "For Elidibus is my name. And my mission. Guiding my every deed."

"G'raha, tell me...why me?" she then asked, taking him by surprise.

"Why you? Why not you? Had I chosen someone else, we would have never made it this far. Or do I mistake your meaning...?"

"Elidibus spoke in similar terms. That it was his name that guided him."

"Hmm, how curious..." he rubbed his chin. "To answer your question then, I made my choice for reasons which seemed obvious to me. There were the expectations I placed upon myself before beginning my slumber. And the expectations of those who roused me. Of course, I had the choice to turn my back on everything. But in the end, it was no choice at all."

As if he had just realized something, his eyes widened and he raised them to the ceiling above, before closing them. When he spoke again, there was a clear hint of nostalgia resonating in his voice.

"I cherish the time I spent with you and the others. What I wouldn't give to return to those days...Chasing ancient secrets, overcoming trial after trial with the aid of like-minded comrades...And what remarkable comrades they were. In such company, I felt as if I were a character in the epic tales that had stirred my heart as a boy. As if my dream had come true..." opening his eyes once more, he lowered them to her and chuckled. "It hadn't, of course, for I was no hero. Neither then nor after. Though the world to which I awakened, and the First were beset with a myriad of problems, I rarely knew how to play my part. There was, however, one thing of which I was certain: that I could not bear to let those dear to me meet a tragic end."

More circles began to form rapidly, and soon after, the specters of heroes from different worlds emerged from them. With a sigh, G'raha stepped forward, clapping her on the shoulder as he passed by her. "I'm afraid our time is up. Go!"

"But—"

"Rest assured you haven't seen the last of me," he said, offering her a reassuring smirk. "I wouldn't dream of playing my trump card in your absence."

Gritting her teeth, she averted her eyes. Gods, what a stubborn—

"I'll hold you to that!" S'eni spun around and resumed running up the stairs.

She ascended the tower, higher and higher, always on the lookout for Elidibus, until she had finally found him at the place where she should have expected him to be. The very apex of the tower: Xande's throne room.

"Elidibus!" she called out while running towards him, stopping a few feet away from him. "Stop this madness. Now!"

"The Waking...Sands? ...Yes, that was the place. The place I first made myself known to you," he said and turned around to face her. "The seventh Rejoining had left the realm leaning dangerously towards Darkness. And events were unfolding that threatened to push it over the brink. I approached you, in my capacity as Emissary, thinking that you would make a useful pawn..."

"Guess that didn't go as you wished it would."

"No. It did not. And for my error Lahabrea and Emet-Selch paid the ultimate price. Leaving me the last of the unsundered. My remaining brethren, fragmented as they are, cannot hope to see our mission to its end. It falls to me alone." He clenched his fist, heated anger filling his eyes soon obscured by his Ascian glyph. "Defeat is not an option. I will strike you down. I will resurrect Lord Zodiark. And I will bring back those who sacrificed themselves to call Him forth. Though it may take a thousand thousand years, upon my honor as Elidibus, Emissary of the Convocation of Fourteen, I will see this done!"

Staring at him, S'eni narrowed her eyes. Faces began to spring up in her mind. Hythlodaeus telling her about Elidibus' devotion, the unknown Convocation member chuckling in amusement at his dedication, Lahabrea shortly before he was destroyed by Thordan and, lastly, Emet-Selch after she promised him to never forget. Everyone that Elidibus knew, whom he fought for, was gone.

"You will never bring them back, no matter how hard you fight," she told him. "They're gone!"

"What of it!? I have my mission! I am Elidibus! And it is my duty to steer mankind and the very star upon their true course. This I swore to..." the Ascian hesitated, growing unsure with every word. "To someone. We spoke, and I swore...what? What did I...?"

"You can't even remember them, do you?"

For a moment, she could see his face filling with doubt, but it was quickly replaced by a grin as he began to laugh. His hand went to his chest and when he spoke, his unsureness waned with renewed resolve and his voice began to echo ominously. "This pain, this torment...is nothing! No more than must be suffered to deliver the world from its doom! No more than any of you malformed creatures have known! Even should you lose all that is dear to you. Even should it cost you your life...You bear the burden and fight on, kicking and screaming until your last breath is spent!"

"It's true. We've lost much and more. Known unimaginable suffering," a voice, no, Ardbert spoke from deep within her. "But through it all, we never, ever forgot what was dear to us. And that's what gave us the strength to carry on."

That's right.

"You've got no fight left to fight," she said and entered her combat stance. "I'll put an end to this all right here, right now!"

"No! NO! It will not end here!" Summoning circles formed all around him and he began to float high into the air. "Champions from beyond the rift, heed my call! The time has come to deliver your brethren from darkness!"

One by one, the heroes appeared, ready to fight the darkness they were called for to defeat.

"My heart's sole desire is a world free of sorrow. Join with me now in hope and prayer..." Their spectral forms fell apart, leaving nothing but gleaming spheres that represented the unadulterated desire to fight for what was good, for what was right... "...for the salvation of all!"

As soon as the words passed his lips, the spheres shot high into the air before descending down upon Elidibus, merging with him and draping everything in blinding white light that forced S'eni to shield her eyes. When she could open them again, she was greeted by a sight that made her gasp. She had seen it before, in the book Moren had shown them.

"If you would usher in the end, then with my all shall I oppose you..." No, not only there. "As the avatar of those mortal heroes who fought unfalteringly, in all their imperfection!"

The horned helmet, the caped armor. She had seen it within Elidibus' memories. It was—!

"As the Warrior of Light incarnate!" He shouted and brandished his sword and shield. "Come, Warrior of Darkness! Let us finish this!"

Before she could even react, he spun through the air and shot a wave of light from his sword towards her. Her hand shot up.

An explosion shook the entire throne room, creating a cloud of crystalline dust where S'eni had stood. A smirk danced across the Warrior of Light's dark lips, but it quickly fell and his eyes began to widen. "What...?"

The dust settled, revealing S'eni unharmed, standing in an arcane circle and holding the crystal Hythlodaeus had given her in her palm. The crystal began to glow, revealing to her the words hidden within.

"Herein I commit the chronicle of the traveler. Shepherd to the stars in the dark," Emet-Selch's ancient voice rang deep within her and she closed her eyes. "Though the world may be sundered and our souls set adrift, where you walk, my dearest friend, fate shall surely follow."

A sense of familiarity began to rise within her very soul, like the gentle brush of a warm wind on skin; a memory and yet not...

"For yours is the Fourteenth seat. The seat—" Her hand closed around the crystal and her eyes opened again as he spoke the name she found she already knew. "—of Azem."

Portals opened up all around her, guiding those to her that heeded her call.

"An invocation...though not of Hydaelyn's making...What are you?" the Warrior of Light wondered aloud. "No─it matters not! You are the enemy, and you will fall! Even should it cost me everything, I will not forsake my duty!"

Raising his sword over his head, he summoned a pillar of Light that turned everything to white.

From the portals her allies came forth, and the final battle began.

 

Notes:

[To the Edge itensifies]

Joking aside, I seriously regret that I find myself unable to really do this battle the justice it deserves, especially a certain moment during it, so I hope you can forgive me for that. :)

Anyway, only two more chapters after this and it's off to the Source for our heroes once more. Hmm, wonder what'll await them there.

Chapter 98

Another Beautiful Day

 

Peace. Tranquility. Rest.

How long had it been since he truly was able to rest?

Not a nap that, while easily lasting a century, was nothing more than a momentary respite before he returned to his duties, but a real, honest to good rest. He couldn't tell, so long had it been. But he had done it willingly, albeit complaining along the way as he was wont to do.

Because he loved his world; his people.

So much that he had been willing to sacrifice everything. Yet somewhere along the way, he had grown tired and a certain hollow sentiment had started to seep into his mind. But now…now it was over. Felled by none other than her.

His mind flashed to the look in her eyes when he made her promise to remember them, and he knew that she would do her best to carry on their memory. She would be the eternal wind carrying them ever higher. It was the best end he could have hoped for.

And now he could finally…

"Rest…" he exhaled.

…

…

…

A bright light pierced the tranquility surrounding him.

"Of course," Emet-Selch sighed, rolling his eyes underneath his mask before casting his senses out in the direction of the light. "Now where are you…Ah, there."

Closing his eyes, he followed the shining beacon that was her soul. When he opened them again, he found himself atop the Syrcus Tower, where Emperor Xande once held court. A dramatic battleground if he had ever seen one. In front of him, a man clad from head to toe in ornate armor floated above the ground.

Elidibus. His form might be a different one, but his soul was still in there, even if the voice that spoke sounded almost like that of a different person than his old friend. "You…"

Emet-Selch raised his hand–

"...It cannot be!"

–and snapped his fingers.

In a flash, she and those warriors from distant worlds that had heeded her call appeared once more. Good, his work here was done. He would leave the rest to her.

Without so much as a passing glance towards Elidibus, he turned around and walked away, offering only that dismissive hand wave of his as he disappeared. Within seconds, Emet-Selch was again surrounded by tranquil silence. Another sigh passed his lips and he reached out to remove the mask resting upon his face, letting it disperse into aether.

Slowly, his eyes began to drift shut as he let himself float across the aetheric currents of the Lifestream. His lips curled into a crooked smile in response to the absolutely brilliant one appearing in front of his mind's eye.

Rest…

 

---

 

Wind wafted through the throne room, its sound nothing but a faint whisper to her ears as the clouds began to break, taking with them the visions of raining fire to reveal the beautiful early evening sky. For a moment, it was entirely silent until a groan made her look towards G'raha, slipping down to his knees. The crystallization of his body had further proceeded and he was visibly out of breath, but he still offered her a smile and a nod before turning his gaze forward.

A soft mist of aether had formed where the magnificent form of the Warrior of Light had stood only moments ago, destroyed by the same spell that G'raha had wanted to use to take the Light that had gathered inside of her into himself. As the mist dispersed, she noticed a figure in white robes kneeling on the ground. Elidibus; the true Elidibus.

Slowly, she began to walk towards him but he didn't seem to notice her even as she knelt in front of him. Gods, he looked so small, a far cry from the gargantuan shades in Emet-Selch's Amaurot. She reached into her pouch and pulled out the stones of the Convocation, placing them on the ground one by one. That got his attention.

"This..." he said, reaching out to pick some of them up. "Yes... I would become Him. I would save everyone. This I believed. Yet still they cried out, in rage and despair...Divided over the fate of the star. A rare occurrence, always fleeting. But not this time. Not this time..."

He looked away from the crystals and towards her.

"Reconciliation. Elidibus. I was needed. I withdrew myself from Zodiark. For them...My people. My brothers. ...My friends." A tear escaped his mask, running down the side of it, then floating up to join the tiny particles of aether breaking away from his form. He buried his face in his hands, his voice beginning to crack. "Stay strong. Keep the faith. At duty's end, we will meet again. We will. We will. The rains have ceased, and we have been graced with another beautiful day..."

He raised his head towards the sky—

"...but you are not here to see it."

—and his body dispersed into aether, taking with him the stones of those he held dear. S'eni watched it rise high and into the Crystal Tower. They had won...

...then why didn't she feel like it?

As she shifted a little, she felt her foot connect with something and she turned around to find the spirit vessel that Elidibus had taken. Picking it up, she looked it over. It didn't seem to be damaged.

The sound of a body hitting the ground made her spin around and run towards her friend. Kneeling down next to him, her eyes widened when she saw that the crystallization wasn't stopping.

He chuckled, his lips curling into a self-deprecating smile. "I concede, I may have overexerted myself."

"There's got to be a way to—" he silenced her with a hand and slowly pushed himself into a sitting position.

"Steady now, and listen. I told you before that I had a plan, and that when all was said and done, I would ask a favor of you." He paused for a moment, looking about. "We have averted the Eighth Umbral Calamity. Found a way for everyone to return to the Source, and...last but not least, we have secured the future of all the people of Norvrandt. We have won, S'eni. So I hope you'll forgive me for this moment of selfishness. And...while I wouldn't want you to feel obliged..."

G'raha's eyes found hers, his crimson gaze filled with a bittersweet warmth that made her throat seize up.

"Promise me you'll take me on your next adventure. A journey. Together. That's all I ask."

Gods, why? Why couldn't he have asked her sooner!?

You're such an ass, G'raha! Releasing a shuddering breath, S'eni mirrored his smile and said, "I promise."

He chuckled. "If I were to tell you that this isn't the end, that we will meet again, would you believe me?"

She nodded, raising the hand holding his spirit vessel. Gingerly, G'raha reached out to place his hand upon it. "Thank you."

He let his hand linger there for a few short moments longer, before raising it towards his hood to pull it over his head, then took hold of his fallen staff to push himself back to his feet.

"My friend...My mind and memories shall travel with you to the ends of the world and beyond. But in this place my body shall stand immovable," he said while walking to the center of the chamber, his every step carrying with it the cracking sound of his limbs turning to crystal. Coming to a stop, he turned around to face her again. "May it serve as an undying promise, not only to those who looked to me for leadership, but to any soul who has known despair, that hope is everlasting."

The spirit vessel in her hand glowed and his smile widened, remaining like that even as the rest of his body was consumed; committing it to eternity.

Staring at his crystalized form, her eyes began to burn and she furiously wiped them to try and get rid of it, only for her fingers to come back wet. With a quivering breath, she slammed them shut instead and clutched the vessel tightly. She stayed like this even as the others arrived.

Minutes passed with no one saying a word, until a set of footsteps approached S'eni. A hand gently guided her to turn around. Finally looking at whoever it was, she found silvery-white eyes staring back at her and the same hand that guided her settled against her cheek. She didn't resist when Y'shtola pulled her into a hug, burying her face into the crook of her neck instead and inhaling her calming scent.

When she felt ready again, she raised her head and let their foreheads come to rest upon one another, lingering there for a few more short, sweet moments, before saying in a small voice, "Let's go."

Giving G'raha one last, lingering look, they walked over to the others and left with them in silence. No one said a word as they made their way down, the expressions on their faces making it clear they were all lost in their own thoughts. Y'shtola's hand brushed against hers and she gently grasped it, holding it until they stepped out onto the Exedra.

It was only then that her lover spoke, running a gentle thumb across the back of her hand. "Sometimes, I wished that I had been gifted with the Echo as well," she said. "Then I might see what you have seen and glimpse into your heart without the need for words."

Closing her eyes for a brief second, S'eni took a deep breath and offered Y'shtola a smile. "You already know what's inside," was her reply. "I'm fine now. Really."

Y'shtola gave her a searching look, before mirroring her expression and nodding. Letting go of her hand, S'eni stepped back and looked at the others, each giving her a nod as well. Except for Ryne, who looked up at the tower, still very much lost in thought.

"Are you alright?" she asked after walking over to the girl, causing her to jump a little.

"A-Am I alright? I should be the one asking..." Ryne shook her head. "But yes, I'm fine, thank you. We all are. The people are fine, the city's fine, and the starshowers have stopped. It's almost as if we'd gone back to the peaceful days that followed the night's return. Almost."

"Yeah..." S'eni turned her gaze upward. Someone would be missing from now on.

"Eni, if you're ready, would you recount to us what unfolded?"

She nodded and began to explain what happened since she split off from them, culminating in Elidibus' defeat and his last moments.

"I see...So you reached out to Elidibus at the last...and his heart was moved," Y'shtola said after she was done.

"Hm. I just don't know if I did the right thing..."

"Perhaps you did. Perhaps you didn't. None can say. But the important thing is this: though violence proved unavoidable, you did at least come to understand your foe. And knowing his hopes and dreams, we can remember him. Him and his legacy. So long as they remain unforgotten, the love he and his brethren bore for one another and the star may yet be rewarded."

"Yeah, I suppose you're right."

"You said that an Ancient came to your aid," Alphinaud then said. "But how is that possible?"

"Not just any Ancient. It was Emet-Selch," she said. There was no way she could mistake that dismissive wave of his. When it had looked like they had lost, he had followed her call for help.

"A gift from him," Y'shtola said. "He knew of Elidibus's plight. Foreseeing his own death, he made provisions to bring Elidibus's suffering to an end, lest his friend be left to continue the struggle alone. Or so I wildly speculate." she did a little shrug. "It's unlikely we will ever know the truth. The best we can do is to remember events as they happened, no more and no less. As the Ronkans so rightly put it, 'History is learned, not lived.'"

"Ah! There you all are!" another voice called out and they all turned to see Beq Lugg walking towards them.

"My friend!" Urianger exclaimed. "We were given to understand thou wert injured. Shouldst thou not be abed?"

"Lie down at a time like this!? Don't be absurd!" they waved the issue off. "I would have come sooner had the guards not made such a fuss! Now, tell me what's happened. Where is the Exarch?"

"He's..." she stopped herself and looked towards the tower's apex instead.

The Nu Mou's eyes widened for a second, then their shoulders sank. "I see... S'eni, will you show me his spirit vessel?"

"Of course," S'eni said, kneeling down to the ground and holding the vessel out towards them. They stepped forward, taking it into their hands and looking at it closely, then nodded.

"Yes...Both his soul and memories seem intact. Good," they said, handing it back to her. "Unlike the others, his aether was not highly charged, and so it did not seem necessary to employ a familiar for the imbuing. But I needed to be certain all the same. Oh, what a relief..."

"Then 'tis but a question of restoring his soul unto his flesh," Urianger. "And as thou didst lately tell me, the success of this process resteth on no more than our friend's soul recognizing his flesh as its own."

"Given his apparent desire to return to the Source with S'eni, one would think his soul would be only too happy to be home, no? Surely it wouldn't balk at the relative newness of its accommodation?" Thancred asked.

"So one would hope, but none can speak for the Exarch's heart of hearts. And he can no longer speak for himself. Furthermore, though I have drawn upon all of my not inconsiderable experience to predict the outcome, the fact remains that there is no direct precedent for what we are attempting. Will his body accept his soul? Will his essences blend properly? Will he awaken whole of mind? Any number of things could go awry." Beq Lugg paused to look at each and every one of them. "...Assuming I have succeeded in tempering your expectations, I should probably add that I did ask the Exarch if he still wished to return to the Source in full knowledge of the risks. A simple enough question, one would think, warranting a single-word reply. Yet the answer I received was quite longer than that. Almost comically so, in fact. Regardless, out of respect for the man, I shall attempt to recite it, with a certain amount of poetic license. Ahem!"

As the Nu Mou told them the words G'raha had spoken, and what sentimental sounding ones they were, S'eni couldn't help but smile and look at the spirit vessel in her hand. Yes, that sounded just like him. After Beq Lugg was done, they once again cleared their throat.

"There! I told you it was long. And unspeakably sentimental to boot," they said. "One would think them the outpourings of a dewy-eyed boy, not the old man the Exarch seems to believe he is. I mean, really, he's scarcely been alive as long as I've been in hiding!"

A chuckle escaped Y'shtola. "I daresay he's blushing in his vessel," she said, then looked at the others. "Speaking of which, we should make ready for our journey. Time remains of the essence, after all. Needless to say, once we leave, there is no guarantee that we can return. If anyone has unfinished business, now is the time to see to it."

A round of agreements followed her statement.

It was time to say goodbye.

 

 

Notes:

Surprise! I included the snap after all!

Just had to find a way around the battle, and what better way than to have it from our favorite Ascian's pov instead? Hope I managed to do it justice in a different way. :)

Alright, next week it's time to return home. Until then, have a nice weekend! o/

Chapter 99

Notes:

For whom weeps the storm...

Riding Home

 

S'eni had to admit that she was going to miss this place. She hadn't been here long, and certainly not that often, but as she looked about Slitherbough and the people that lived here, it was hard not to grow attached. They were simple people with a simple style of living that wasn't unlike her own home.

Though she supposed she could always come visit it again in the future, since she could freely travel back and forth now. But from the looks of things—

She glanced over to where Y'shtola tried to get released by Runar as he held her in his large hands, veritably beaming while she told him to let her down again.

—she wouldn't be the only one for long.

A chuckle escaped her and she shook her head. Runar truly was a perfect example of the Night's Blessed, the emotional people that they were. She watched in amusement as Y'shtola was at his mercy for a moment longer before finally being released, giving the Ronso an unamused look that was belied by the smile of affection on her lips.

She would be lying if she claimed a part of her wasn't still jealous over the bond the two of them shared, but it was swiftly silenced when Y'shtola turned towards her, the smile changing to one with an affection only reserved for her. With a final nod towards Runar, the other Miqo'te walked over to join her.

"Honestly, he's a boy in the body of a man," Y'shtola said with a little sigh. "Hmpf, I will truly miss him."

"Well, knowing you, it won't be for long before you're back again," she replied.

"It might take years, decades even. But I will find a way." A determined look formed on Y'shtola's face. "And not just to the First, but all the other shards as well."

"Hm." S'eni nodded. "Want some company for that?"

Her lover's smile returned and this time she mirrored it with one of her own. "There is no one else I would rather have at my side."

"Good. Because traveling to different shards sounds like the perfect adventure."

Y'shtola giggled into her fist.

"I suppose that is true." Pale eyes shifted to the side for a brief second. "Now I believe I shall go on ahead, it seems like Runar wishes to discuss something with you."

The words hadn't even fully passed her lips when she began to walk away, her presence quickly replaced by the aforementioned man. Before she could even react, he began to bombard her with words.

"Please take good care of Master Matoya. See that she eats well, and wraps up warm on cold days. Ah, and there is a herbal tea which she enjoys! If I give you the recipe, you could make it for her, perhaps? And—"

"Whoa, slow down," she said, a grin forming on her face. "Don't worry, I'll make sure she's alright. After all, she's precious to me too."

Staring at her for a moment, a flicker of realization entered his eyes. Her grin shifted into a tiny, knowing smile.

"It's hard not to love her, isn't it?"

"It is," Runar replied with a nod. "Then please, always stay at her side. I do not deny that she is strong, but even the strongest among us should not be alone."

"I will." She patted his arm. "Take care, Runar."

"You as well." He bowed to her, before leaving to attend his duty. She looked around one last time, receiving more bows from nearby Blessed, then turned around to leave. S'eni found Y'shtola standing just outside of the village, looking up at the canopy above their heads.

As she approached her, Y'shtola turned her gaze away from the sight. "Well then, it's time we headed back to the Crystarium, shall we?"

"Actually..." S'eni reached into her pouch and pulled out G'raha's spirit vessel. "I still need to go to Nabaath Areng."

"Taking him on one last journey across Norvrandt?"

"Yeah." She put it back into her pouch.

"I see..." Y'shtola said. "Would you still like to accompany me part of the way?"

"Like you have to ask."

They walked in comfortable silence, listening to the sound of leaves dancing in the wind, making it almost seem like they were singing a soothing song. It didn't take long for them to arrive at Fort Gohn and they stopped after entering the ruins. "I still remember the day when I first set foot into this place," her lover said while looking about.

"I take it, it was friendlier than the one I received?" S'eni asked in a half-joking tone.

"I assure you, it wasn't as warm a welcome as you might think," Y'shtola replied, kneeling down in front of some rubble, reaching out and brushing some fingers over it. "I was a stranger after all, and they a people that wished to be left in peace. Their trust was hard-earned, especially after the Sin Eaters attacked."

"Yes, Runar indicated something like that. But you earned their trust and became someone they looked up to." She walked up to Y'shtola as she rose back to her feet and placed her hands on the other's shoulders. "Master Matoya."

After saying that name, S'eni slipped her hands down and pulled Y'shtola into a hug.

"I still hope I did her name justice."

"You did," she said, her voice just above a whisper, and pressed a little kiss against Y'shtola's cheek.

They remained like this for a little bit longer, before separating again. The other Miqo'te turned around. "Thank you. But I believe Nabaath Areng is waiting for you," her lover said with a smile. "Would you please look in on Thancred while about it? His farewell will be a difficult one and I'm sure he would appreciate your support."

"Of course." S'eni nodded. Exchanging a quick "See you soon", she began to teleport to her next destination.

Once alone, Y'shtola looked around, taking everything in. The smile on her face grew and she began to slowly head down the path that would lead her out of the Greatwoods.

 

---

 

Walking up the stairs to the Ocular felt strange. They all had been in and out of the room on a regular basis, discussing their next steps and exchanging information with one another. And now they would enter it one last time to return home.

Outside, she was sure, the good people of the Crystarium were still gathered at the Exedra, waiting for the news of their departure after they had wished them farewell. Now their future was in their own hands, but there was absolutely no doubt in her mind that it would be a bright one. After all, G'raha had led them well.

As they entered the Ocular, they found Beq Lugg waiting for them. "Ah, there you are," they said. "I take it you are ready for the journey?"

"Almost," Thancred replied and reached towards the Gunblade on his back. He held it out hilt first towards Ryne. "Since we cannot take our worldly goods with us, I want you to have it. Use it or sell it, it's all the same to me. So long as it serves you in some way, I'll be satisfied."

"I...thank you, Thancred," Ryne said, taking the offered weapon. She hugged it. "I'll always treasure it."

With a smile, he patted her on the head one last time.

"Very good." The Nu Mou turned towards Alisaie. "If you would be so kind."

"Of course. Angelo!" With a little pop, Alisaie's adorable little Porxie appeared next to her, doing a happy little twirl and releasing a grunt. Beq Lugg then began to hand out the spirit vessels to them. When Y'shtola was handed hers, she looked at it for a moment, then turned towards S'eni, her tone as dry as Thanalan as she spoke.

"In the spirit of solidarity...I ask you to carry the vessels as if your life depended on it."

"And here I wanted to do all sorts of insane acrobatic feats while carrying you lot," S'eni replied lightly before walking over to join Ryne at the side. After Beq Lugg had handed out the last spirit vessel, they joined the two of them and watched the others form a circle.

"Alright, then," they said. "Now proceed as instructed, beginning with your memories."

Closing their eyes, a brief moment passed before the vessels in everyone's hands began to glow and float into the air, remaining there for a few seconds then settling down on their palms once more.

Urianger smiled. "The first step is complete. And all appeareth to be in order."

"Well, that just leaves our souls, then," Alisaie said with a look towards Beq Lugg, who nodded, then turned her attention to her familiar. "We're in your hands, Angelo."

The Porxie grunted and circled through the air, its body starting to glow as it began to cast the spell. A blinding bright light filled the chamber, forcing S'eni, Beq Lugg and Ryne to cover their eyes. When it subsided again, all that remained were the floating spirit vessels.

"It is done!" The Nu Mou said after inspecting them. "The vessels have received of both their memories and their souls!"

They looked at S'eni. "I hereby entrust them to your care. They belong to you now. Just be sure to guard them well, yes?"

With a silent nod, she walked over to the vessels and began picking them up. Carefully, she placed them into her pouch, stopping for a brief moment when she held Y'shtola's in hand and raising it to her forehead, before putting it with the others.

"All safely stowed away?" Beq Lugg asked.

"As safe as possible," she replied.

"Then all that remains is to step into the mirror."

S'eni hummed an affirmative, but instead of doing so, walked over to Ryne and took the girl into her arms. "I promise I'll come by as soon as I'm able to," she whispered with a smile. "We still have something  to take care of the after all."

Ryne hummed and nodded. "We do."

"And don't forget–"

"'A smile better suits a hero', I know."

"That's my girl…" Letting go again, she brushed a hand over Ryne's hair. "Say hello from Gaia to me."

She stepped back again and began to walk towards the mirror. The surface began to grow a bright blue, slowly breaking away to reveal the path only she could travel; the path home.

Stopping in front of it, she gave her two friends a final look, then closed her eyes and stepped through...

...when she opened them again, she stood in the very same chasm where her journey to the First had begun. After looking around for a moment, she exhaled deeply, startling the Garlond Ironworks worker in front of her. He whirled around, eyes wide behind his goggles, before releasing a breath of relief.

"Ah, S'eni," he said, his hand going to his heart. "I don't think I'll get used to you just appearing out of thin air."

"Sorry," she replied, shooting him a little apologetic smile, then growing serious. "I wish I could talk, but I need to be elsewhere."

Before he could reply, she had already teleported away, leaving him with a dumbfounded expression on his face. She reappeared near Revenant's Toll's Aetheryte and quickly made her way towards the Seventh Heaven. As stepped inside, she was greeted by some familiar faces but only offered them a few hasty greetings in return while she strode towards the doors leading to her destination.

The doors of the Rising Stones swung open, causing those that had gathered there today to look up from what they were doing and towards S'eni. Krile and Tataru were the first to react, immediately running towards her.

"S'eni! Did something—"

"I've got the vessels with me," she interrupted her friend.

"Then there's no time to lose," Krile said, sharing a nod with the other Lalafel.

The three of them headed into Dawn's Respite, where they began to place the vessels next to their friend's bodies. After they were done, S'eni walked over to Y'shtola and sat down next to her. She took her hand, cold to the touch, and looked at Krile. They shared a nod. Now they could only hope...and pray.

She gave her lover's hand a gentle squeeze. "Come on, Shtola...You can do it." she murmured, leaning down to kiss her temple.

As if hearing her words, one by one the spirit vessels began to glow, and the souls inside of them return to their original bodies.

Alisaie was the first to stir, raising an arm with a groan. "Did it...?" she asked, managing to push herself up. "Are we...?"

Thancred was the next, sitting up with fewer problems and flexing his hand, looking about. "...We're home."

"Oh! You're back!" Tataru exclaimed happily. "You're back! You're all back!"

The hand she was holding twitched, then squeezed her back, making S'eni's heart jump in joy as Y'shtola opened her eyes and gave her a tired smile. A yelp escaped the other Miqo'te when she pulled her into a fierce hug, but quickly melted into the embrace. "Thank you..."

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

"My body feels like a back of popotoes, but otherwise I have never felt better," her lover said and pulled back. "That said, I doubt any of us will be fit to travel for a while. May we leave the rest to you?"

For a moment, she could only tilt her head in question, when Urianger spoke. "The vessel beareth our comrade's blood. With it in thy possession, the way will surely open before thee."

Reaching into her pouch, S'eni pulled out the last spirit vessel, curling her fingers around it. She smiled and jumped off the bed, running towards the door.

"What!? But you've only just got here!" Tataru called out, but she was already halfway down the hallway. She left the Rising Stones and Seventh Heaven, her feet carrying her across the crystal-covered valley towards the tower in the distance.

Passing the Labyrinth of the Ancients in record time, she entered the long hallway leading towards the tower's entrance.

Yours is a long road, my friend, and it stretches on to places beyond imagining.

A clinking sound made her stop in her step then turn around. There, lying on the ground, was the crystal Hythlodaeus had given her. Azem's crystal.

With your every step, these grand adventures shall grow more distant and faint, and there may come a day when you forget the faces and voices of those you have met along the way. On that day, remember this...

She walked over and picked it up, taking a moment to look it over before pocketing it with a smile.

That no matter how far your journey may take you, you stand where you stand by virtue of the road you walked to get there.

Turning on her heel, she resumed her run, stopping only when she reached the sealed gates.

For in times of hardship, when you fear you cannot go on...The joy you have known, the pain you have felt, the prayers you have whispered and answered, they shall be your strength and your comfort.

S'eni looked at the gates, still looking just like the day G'raha had sealed them, and pulled out his spirit vessel. The ancient crystals edged into the golden doors began to glow a vivid blue, soon followed by the groan of metal as they opened once more.

This I hope─I believe, here at memory's end.

She rushed inside.

 

---

 

He was floating in peaceful oblivion, a blissful darkness that wrapped around him like a comforting blanket, where time had lost all meaning.

A sudden light appeared at the edge of his consciousness, faint at first then growing stronger, bringing with it images of people he had met, places he had seen, and promises he had made. As moments passed, these images grew more vivid, and he felt himself being drawn closer, ever closer, towards the light. And as he reached towards it, a final vision filled his mind, that of a hero like the ones he had admired ever since he was a child.

With a start, he opened his eyes. Was he—!?

Then she appeared above him, her lips curled into that smile he had grown so familiar with. She reached her hand out towards him.

"Welcome back, Raha."

He breathed out a laugh and took the offered hand.

"It's good to be back."

 

---

 

Long ago, I had made a promise. To carry the hope of a future that had given its all to save someone, a hero, they had only ever heard stories about. Whose tales had inspired countless of people to strive for a better world even as everything seemed lost. For that, I traversed time and space, and had even been willing to pay the ultimate price.

Now, I leave the tower that had once been a part of me behind, having been granted a second chance. And though I don't know what my future will hold from now on, what I do know is this: I will follow my heart and live with all of my being.

Not only for myself, but for those whose dreams of a better tomorrow had made it even possible.

- G'raha Tia, Scion of the Seventh Dawn

 

 

Notes:

...here to lift us that weeeee woooooooon't eeeeeeeeeeeend.

And with that our heroes are back home. What a journey it was, eh? But we all know there is still more to come. For now, though, a little rest for them is in order, wouldn't you agree?

See you next week. :D

Chapter 100

Family Reunion

 

Revenant's Toll wasn't a quiet place. Being situated as it was, many people came and went at any time of the day. Merchants, adventurers or just travelers passing through on their way to Coerthas or Thanalan, they all were a common sight here. It was almost hard to believe that this place originated from an Aetheryte camp that had to be abandoned in the wake of the Calamity.

S'eni supposed it was something it shared with the Crystarium. At first being nothing more than people flocking towards this strange tower in search of protection, it had become a buzzing city and a symbol of hope. It truly was amazing what could be done, when like-minded people came together, and it made her wonder, with a dash of amusement, if Revenant's Toll would also grow beyond these walls in a hundred years' time, turning these crystal filled hills into another city-state in its own right.

But before she could really go down that trail of thought, she found herself yanked back into the here and now. "Kweh!"

Turning her head away from the people passing by, she was met by her reflection in a pair of round black eyes as they stared at her expectantly.

"Alright, alright," she chuckled and moved the brush that had come to a halt during her thoughts through his plumage once more. Zack released a chirp and closed his eyes, clearly enjoying the treatment he was given. "Spoiled bird..."

After she was done thoroughly cleaning him, she reached into her pouch, pulled out some greens and tossed them into the air, where the Chocobo swiftly caught them with his beak while she put the brush away. With a smile, she stroked his neck. "I'll take you for a ride later. Be good."

"Wark!"

With a final pat, she left the stables and began to head back to the Seventh Heaven when someone called her name. S'eni turned towards them and smiled. "Alianne!" she called back, raising her hand in a friendly greeting as the Elezen came walking towards her. "Already back from Doma?"

Shortly after the others had returned, Alianne had accompanied her grandfather Isildaure to Yanxia. As much as the old man was a capable fighter, he was closely nearing his 67th nameday and the strength from his youth was slowly waning. So to not get in the way, he decided to embark on a journey to visit his good friend Homei.

"Yes, I was lucky enough to find a ship back right away."

"So, how's Isildaure? Happy to see Homei again?" she asked as they walked towards the tavern.

"You can say that again," Alianne replied with a giggle, brushing some of her dark hair behind her ear. "Nearly threw his back out when he greeted him. And soon after I might as well not have been there at all with how quickly I was forgotten. I'm happy he found a kindred spirit even at his age though."

Yes, those two really had found one another, S'eni supposed. Two peas in a pot. "And how did you like Doma?"

The Elezen smiled. "It's a beautiful place. I think when things have become calmer I would like to travel the area, maybe even all of Othard."

"I'm sure Hien can arrange something."

They entered the Rising Stones and immediately made a beeline for the bar, where Ephemie was currently cleaning a few glasses while occasionally glancing over to the side. Raising an eyebrow, S'eni followed her gaze and found herself chuckling at the sight. It was the Boulder brothers, having a rather spirited conversation with their newest addition while the nearby standing Aenor looked rather torn apart by the whole ordeal, her eyes flitting from Ocher to Hoary, then to G'raha before landing back on the first. Clemence, who was watching her sister in the meanwhile, simply buried her face in her hand in embarrassment.

She watched as G'raha's ears perked up before turning his head towards her, sending her a friendly wave then returning to the conversation at hand.

"Glad he's getting along with the rest," she said when Alianne and her had reached the counter.

"Maybe a little too well." Ephemie grinned. "Can I get you two anything?"

"Oh, yes please. I'm quite thirsty," Alianne said and sat down. S'eni simply shook her head but sat down as well. The three of them fell into simple conversation, mostly about Alianne's journey to and from Doma with the occasional anecdote from S'eni about her own travels through Yanxia. She stole a glance towards G'raha and the others, which had now been joined by Coultenet as well, and smiled. But her attention was soon drawn to the next person that entered the room and her expression grew wider.

"If you would excuse me," she said while rising to her feet.

"Sure," Ephemie said, sharing a rather knowing smile with Alianne that she couldn't see while walking towards Y'shtola.

"Ah, there you are. I was wondering where you were this morning."

"I was in the Waking Sands together with Urianger," Y'shtola explained. "He asked me if I could help him in researching this mysterious fourteenth member of the Convocation you mentioned."

"Was that wise?" S'eni frowned. "You two aren't fully recovered yet."

"We are fine, I assure you. We traveled by carriage. But more importantly, Urianger has a theory about this Azem that he would like to share with you once he is back."

"Oh?" she raised her brows. "Well, guess I got something to look forward to then."

"In the meantime—" Y'shtola's lips curled into a smile. "—you wouldn't happen to be free? No pressing adventures that require the attention of the Warrior of Light?"

"Not that I'm aware of..." she replied with a little shrug. "But you know how that can go."

"Join me for tea then," the other Miqo'te said, her tone light but laced with a hint of the one that brooked no argument. Knowing that any attempt to say no was doomed to fail, S'eni nodded.

Besides, tea actually sounded quite lovely right now. "Sure."

Together, they left the Rising Stones once again and headed over to Rowena's House of Splendors where they sat down at one of the many tables overlooking Revenant's Toll. After ordering some tea and a few biscuits, S'eni watched some of the people as they went about their business, before turning her attention back to her lover and crossing her arms lightly. "Alright, so what's going on?"

"My sister is visiting and I thought you would like to be there as well."

"Y'mhitra is coming over?" her ears perked a little. "Why didn't you just say so?"

"Maybe she wanted to keep the surprise a little longer," a voice from behind said and S'eni glanced over her shoulder to see Y'mhitra already walking towards them. After shooting her a smile, Y'mhitra turned her attention towards Y'shtola, who rose to her feet to accept her sister's hug. The two remained like this for a brief moment before letting go again. "Welcome back. It's hard to believe you were in a different world."

"Sometimes I can scarcely believe it myself."

"You look good." Y'mhitra gave her a once over. "Nice outfit."

Y'shtola smiled. "Tataru has outdone herself."

Both sisters sat down, Y'mhitra taking the place between S'eni and Y'shtola and looked at the former again. "So how have things been on your end? It's been a while since your previous return from the First."

Sharing a look with her lover, S'eni chuckled. "Mostly fine. It's been awfully quiet since our return."

Though she had no illusions that there wouldn't be any news from the investigation into the VIIth legion's Weapon project or from the Bozjan front. The veritable calm before the storm. Better to make the most of it while it lasted.

While they talked about this and that, mostly just pleasantly inane things, their order arrived and the corners of her lips rose as the bright scent of the tea entered her nose. Taking her first sip, she let out a tiny appreciative sigh at the zesty taste of lemon before reaching out to take one of the biscuits. Rowena might be a cutthroat merchant, but she knew how to treat her customers; even if she didn't know how to treat her ex-husband...

...then again, Gerolt did deserve some of it. Well, a lot actually.

"So," Y'mhitra said, looking at her sister after placing her cup back on its saucer. "What did you want to talk about? Your letter made it sound quite important."

Hearing that, S'eni immediately stopped nibbling on the biscuit and stared at Y'mhitra as if she had just grown a second head. "Wait a minute...Shtola wrote to you!?"

"Oh yes. I could hardly believe it myself when her letter arrived. I even pinched myself to see if I wasn't dreaming!"

Y'shtola just narrowed her eyes in a glare which she held for a few seconds before shaking her head with a muttered "Honestly...". After taking a long sip from her cup, she spoke once more. "There's something Eni and I have to tell you."

Realization began to dawn on S'eni and she locked eyes with her lover, a hint of a rising smile peeking out from behind her cup. She nodded and looked back at Y'mhitra.

"You see, Eni and I—"

"Please tell me you two have gotten together over there! You don't know how frustrating it is starting to become watching you two dance around it."

S'eni stiffened for a second, then let herself slump back into her chair with a sigh while Y'shtola placed her cup back down and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Yes, we are indeed together," Y'shtola said, her tone rivaling the Sagoli Desert. "And I was just about to apologize for keeping it a secret from you for so long, but I believe I shall refrain from doing so now."

"Thank the Twelve, especially Menphina and Thaliak for getting through your skulls," Y'mhitra exhaled deeply, looking as if the greatest burden of the world had finally been lifted from her. For a moment, S'eni felt almost a little offended. The expression on the younger Miqo'te soon changed though, when what Y'shtola said fully sank in. "Wait a minute! What do you mean 'keeping it a secret'?"

"Exactly what I said."

Y'mhitra rose from her seat, planting both of her hands on the table. "You two have been together all this time!?"

"Indeed," Y'shtola replied and, deciding she was done answering questions, went back to drinking her tea.

S'eni took that as her cue to continue, an apologetic look forming on her face. "It happened the night after the assault on Baelsar's Wall. We decided to keep it to ourselves due to the situation, but I suppose in hindsight, we should have just come clean after Ala Mhigo was liberated. I'm sorry for keeping you in the dark for so long."

With a little grumble, Y'mhitra sat back down, swiping one of the biscuits off the plate and biting off a large chunk, mumbling to herself while chewing. After she was done with it, she took another, making short work out of it as well, before finally speaking again. "I must have made a real fool out of myself trying to drop hints for you."

"Only a little," Y'shtola cut in, grasping the can, soon followed by the warm sound of pouring tea as she refilled her cup.

"If it makes you feel better, I thought you might have figured it out already," S'eni said.

"Whatever." Y'mhitra shook her head, exhaling through her nose and smiling. "What's important is you two are together."

They both returned the smile.

With her cheer returned, Y'mhitra returned to drinking her tea. "Does old Master Matoya know as well?"

"Yes," Y'shtola replied.

S'eni nodded her head before snapping it towards her lover. "You knew!?"

Y'shtola just shrugged lightly.

She blinked once, twice, then did the only thing that made sense right now. With a shrug of her own, she took another biscuit and moved on. Trying to understand these two Matoya's was just going to be a headache.

With the initial shock so to speak now gone, the three of them fell back into idle conversation, though Y'mhitra tried, and failed, to prod them for a few details about their relationship. Eventually though, it was time for her to depart once again, and they left the House of Splendors in the direction of the stables where her rented Chocobo was waiting. After unbinding the fluffy bird, she turned towards Y'shtola and S'eni.

"I wish I could stay longer, but as my dear sister can attest to, one's research never rests. Ah, that reminds me..." reaching into her pocket, Y'mhitra produced a small bag that she handed to her sister. "Your tea."

"Thank you," Y'shtola said, then found herself pulled into another hug.

"I hope you'll write more often from now on."

Y'shtola chuckled. "We shall see."

After letting go of her sister, Y'mhitra turned towards S'eni and hugged her as well.

"See you around, Y'mhitra," she said.

"Just Mhitra," the other Miqo'te replied. With a little wink, she added, "After all we're almost family now."

After having said goodbye, Y'mhitra climbed on her Chocobo and rode off. As they watched her head down the road to Coerthas, S'eni slipped her arm around Y'shtola's waist, pulling her closer.

"You seem happy," she commented.

"I am," Y'shtola admitted, pale eyes following her sister until she was completely out of sight. She then looked towards S'eni. "Though I shall also come to very much regret it in the future since she will no doubt relentlessly tease me about you."

"Hm." S'eni nodded. "But that's just how younger siblings are."

"Yes—" Y'shtola closed her eyes and let her head come to rest on S'eni's shoulder, a tiny smile playing on her lips. "That they are."

 

 

Chapter 101

A Nice Catch

 

The soft sound of waves pervaded the air. Like the soothing voice of a mother lulling her baby to sleep, it was accompanied by a gentle swaying and, combined with the warm, salty breeze, made S'eni wish to close her eyes for just...one...moment...

A twitch went through her hands.

As if a Tonberry had just poked her with a knife, her eyes snapped open again, all the thoughts of rest dissipating immediately as they fell upon the fishing rod she was holding. Something bit!

Hand going to the handle, she began to pull and reel at the same time, gritting her teeth when her catch tried its best to get away. Slippery one, aren't you?

Shifting her leg back a little to give herself better leverage, S'eni let out a loud grunt and gave a much stronger pull this time around. A loud splash went through the air when the fish finally broke the surface, and she effortlessly pulled it on board. With a satisfied smile, she took in her catch's blue back and white-bellied appearance. An Indigo Herring, and quite a big one at that.

Sorry about this, little guy, she thought and slammed its head against the railing, making it go limp, then took it off the hook and tossed it into the ice-filled box nearby.

"Another mighty foe vanquished by the Warrior of Light," she heard Y'shtola say. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw her lover lying on a beach lounger they had taken with them, an amused look in her eyes.

"Want to give it a try too, O Master Matoya?" S'eni asked and tossed the line back into the water.

"No, thank you. I believe I shall rather leave that in your very capable hands." With those words, Y'shtola once again closed her eyes and went back on 'working' to regain some of that tan she had lost during her extended stay in Dawn's Respite.

Giggling to herself, S'eni turned her attention back to the water, idly tapping a foot against the wooden floor of their boat and humming a little tune she had heard the other day. She watched the plug lure drift around for a few moments before turning her eyes to Costa del Sol in the distance, where she watched people lying on the beach, taking a nice swim and generally just having a good time. If one didn't know any better, one could almost assume there were no problems in the world at all.

Though she supposed she couldn't judge, since she too was enjoying a nice relaxing day right now. Removing her right hand from the rod, she reached down to pick up the bottle standing right next to the railing, took a swig from it, and released a content little sigh. Nice weather, the woman that she loved at her side and—

The rod twitched once again.

—fish aplenty.

After reeling in another Herring and tossing it to the others, S'eni put the fishing rod aside and took another swig before walking over to Y'shtola and sitting down on the ground next to her. Closing her eyes, she let her head come to rest on the other Miqo'te's lap, a smile forming on her face when a warm hand was placed on her forehead and began to gently caress it.

"Already done?" Y'shtola asked.

"Just having a small break."

"Well, I would offer you a spot next to me, but I'm afraid there's little space for that."

With a chuckle, S'eni grasped her lover's hand and planted a little kiss on its palm. "I believe we made do..." a kiss on the wrist. "...with much less..." another one a little higher. "...less in the past."

After saying that, she turned onto her knees and began to plant a trail of kisses along Y'shtola's arm, eliciting a beautiful laugh from her and dodging a playful swipe as she traveled further up. The laugh turned into a delightful little gasp as she dove into the nape of Y'shtola's neck to rain down further affection on the sensitive skin there. Slowly, her arm slipped around S'eni's neck.

Perfect.

A grin forming on her lips, S'eni slid her arms behind Y'shtola's back and underneath her legs and picked her up, causing her to yelp in surprise and cling to her for a short second before relaxing again...only to stiffen once more when she realized where they were walking to.

"Eni."

She ignored her.

"Eni, don't you—!" She tossed her overboard. The rest of her sentence turned into a cry that was swiftly cut off by a loud splash.

Jumping in after Y'shtola, S'eni was greeted by a silvery-white glare to which she responded with a playful grin before making a grab for her. But she was only greeted by empty space as Y'shtola slipped away and when their eyes met again, the glare had been replaced by a teasing spark. Grin growing, she tried again, with the same result. And the chase was on.

Like a shark hunting its prey, she dove after the other Miqo'te, always coming close enough to grab her, only for her to slip away at the last second. Eventually though, the lack of air forced Y'shtola to make for the surface, leaving her wide open for S'eni to grab her ankle and pull her back down. Before Y'shtola could even try to get away, S'eni circled her arms around her lover's waist and captured her lips in a deep kiss, sharing some of her own air.

Y'shtola struggled for a couple of seconds, but soon relaxed into the kiss and wrapped her arms around S'eni's neck. Breathing underwater really had its perks. They remained like this for a few moments before slowly rising back towards the surface, breaking the kiss only once they had emerged.

"You're impossible," Y'shtola said after a few breaths of fresh air.

"That's what you love about me," S'eni replied with a little smirk.

"Do I now?" Y'shtola mirrored her expression as they slowly drifted towards the boat, receiving an affirmative hum in return. "And what makes you so sure about that?"

Waiting until they were close enough, S'eni spun them around until her lover's back connected with the hull, hands removing themselves from Y'shtola's hips to take hold of her hands instead and push them above her head. She leaned in until their lips were only a hair's breadth away. "This," she whispered and kissed her again.

"Very good," Y'shtola said with a hum after their lips parted. "But I believe I might need a little more—" her breath hitched when S'eni planted a kiss between her breasts. "—convincing."

The corners of S'eni's lips rose. "Let's take this somewhere else then."

They climbed back on board and, no sooner had they had solid surface under their feet again, she circled her arms back around the other Miqo'te and crashed their lips together. Tongues brushing and hands roaming, they managed a few steps before dropping to the ground.

"How about now?" she asked, capturing Y'shtola's lower lip between hers and giving it a few gentle nibbles. She sucked on it, letting it go with a gentle smack.

Y'shtola just gave her a teasing smile as if to say "Better, but not enough."

"Alright, let me help you make up your mind. She loves me..." S'eni kissed her cheek.

"She loves me not..." Her throat.

"She loves me..." Her collarbone.

"She loves me not..." The swell of her breast.

"She..." pushing the fabric of Y'shtola's bikini aside, she leaned down and sucked a waiting nipple into her mouth.

"...Loves you," Y'shtola finished, fingers digging into her hair.

S'eni focused her attention on her nipple for a little bit longer before releasing it with a little 'pop' and looking back up at her lover. With a smile, she placed a little peck on her lips. "Love you too," she said and laid down next to her.

They remained like this for a little bit longer, just enjoying each other's presence, then began to sit back up while adjusting their swimsuits.

"Well then," Y'shtola said, accompanied by a chuckle, and rose to her feet. "I believe your break is over. So I shall let you get back to fishing."

"Sure you don't want to try it?" S'eni asked with a wide grin.

"As I said, I will leave that in your capable hands." Turning around, the other Miqo'te sent her a wink and added, "and they are very capable indeed."

She watched Y'shtola walk over to the lounger, eyes drawn to the sensual sway of her hips before getting back up again as well and returning to her fishing rod. With a final glance towards her lover, she grabbed the bottle, took another swig from it, and cast out the line.

 

---

 

S'eni liked to think she was someone that enjoyed the simple pleasures in life. Like kicking back in the evening after a job well done or waking up from a full night's rest. There was a satisfaction in it that, amidst all she had seen and done with her friends, kept her grounded.

And among all these, there was little that could rival the feeling of eating one's own catch. A wide smile formed on her lips as the rich taste of Herring spread through her mouth and she couldn't help the sigh passing her lips as she swallowed.

"To your liking then?" Y'shtola asked, watching S'eni with a smile of her own, her face resting on her hand.

"Very much so," she replied, taking one of the cut Sun Lemons and squeezing it out over her meal. After putting the spent lemon into a bowl, she reached for her glass of wine. "Dig in, dig in."

Y'shtola chuckled, took her cutlery, and began to eat as well.

After they had returned to Costa del Sol, S'eni had immediately taken her haul and headed over to the Flying Shark, offering to share some of it with Dyrstweitz if he would make sure there would be a table for her and Y'shtola in the evening. He gladly accepted and now they were sitting at one of the best tables he had to offer, usually reserved for guests of Gegeruju, which made her wonder if perhaps the Lalafel entrepreneur had done something to anger the chef. Again.

Well, she wasn't going to complain about it either way.

After taking a sip from her wine, she gave Y'shtola a quick glance. She was dressed in a simple white sundress that revealed just enough to make a few heads turn, with matching shoes of course. Lowering her eyes, her smile grew at the bracelet on her wrist, the wide jade on it almost glowing in the light of the setting sun.

"Yes?" Y'shtola asked without looking at her.

"Just taking in the view." She raised her glass in a little toast. "And what a beautiful one it is."

"My, how long did you take to think of that one?" her lover too took hold of her glass.

"Just thought of it a few seconds ago."

They clinked their glasses together. A moment of comfortable silence followed, draping itself over them as they ate. Out of the corner of her eye, S'eni noticed a ship passing by in the distance and she turned her head to watch it slowly drift across the horizon against the red sky.

"This is nice," she said.

"What is?"

"Being here like this." She idly played with the hem of her skirt. "Having an evening out with just the two of us. Just like a regular couple."

Y'shtola smiled. "This is hardly our first time doing so."

"I know, just...I suppose all that happened on the First made me miss this sort of thing."

"Yes, I know," the other Miqo'te said, her gaze growing warm as their eyes met. "And yes, this is very nice."

After finishing their dinner, it didn't take long for one of the waitresses to come over to pick up their empty dishes, but not before leaving a little treat: a bowl filled with watermelon cubes.

"Ah, we didn't order that," S'eni said.

"I know. It's a small treat from the chef," the waitress replied, nodding over to Dyrstweitz who offered them a friendly wave.

"Huh." She blinked. "Well, don't look a gift Chocobo in the beak and all."

After telling them to just call her if there was anything else they wanted, the woman left. S'eni considered the bowl for a brief second, then plucked up one of the cubes and held it out towards the other Miqo'te. "Say 'aaah'."

Y'shtola let out a little scoff. "Really?"

"Uh-huh. We're no longer keeping it a secret after all, so I think it's about time we start acting like an embarrassing couple," she said with a grin. "Now open wide."

With a roll of her eyes, Y'shtola muttered a barely audible "Honestly..." under her breath but still complied. Moving her hand forward, she placed the cube against her lover's waiting lips before pushing it inside with her finger. Just as she was about to pull back though, Y'shtola's teeth came down, not enough to hurt, but enough to keep her finger in place. A giggle escaped S'eni when she felt the tip of Y'shtola's tongue playfully flick against her skin before releasing her again.

With a little wink, Y'shtola began to chew, drawing out another giggle from her. I guess two can play that game, S'eni thought, taking another cube and popping it into her mouth, smiling at the sweet and refreshing taste. They had made it halfway through the bowl when a familiar voice called out.

"S'eni! What a pleasure to see you here, and with such lovely companionship too!"

Turning their heads, they both saw an Elezen standing, his long, dark brown hair flowing freely over his shoulders and a large grin on his, still, rather boyish features.

"Emmanellain!" she called back and raised her hand in a wave. At his side, as always, was young Honoroit. Both were dressed in swimwear and were wearing stylish shades to match, though they looked rather comically large on the boy's face. Yet, despite that, he wore them with practiced maturity that belied his 14 years and offered her and Y'shtola a courteous bow after coming to a stop near their table.

"Mistress Gata, Mistress Rhul," he greeted them. "It is good to see you again."

"What brings you two here?" S'eni asked, leaning back in her chair.

"Just a diplomatic visit. With my dear brother indisposed, it falls to me to represent House Fortemps," Emmanellain, with a not small measure of pride in his voice.

"So the situation at the front remains unchanged?" Y'shtola asked.

"In as much as we can't let our guard down, at least." He shrugged. "The meeting was over rather quickly so I thought to myself: Emmanellain, my boy, you deserve a day enjoying the sun of La Noscea—" he paused for a moment as two of the pretty Miqo'te ladies working for Gegeruju passed by. "—and all the sights it has to offer. Excuse me."

S'eni shook her with a chuckle. She supposed even with all his sudden maturity in recent days, there were still some habits that were hard to let go of. Her eyes shifted to Honoroit. "How are things going at Camp Dragonhead?"

"Quite well. My lord has been ever diligent since assuming command of it." A small frown formed on the boy's face. "So much in fact that I worry he might have hit his head somewhere."

It didn't take long for Emmanellain to return, glancing over his shoulder. "My, they have eyes as sharp as they are beautiful," he said and looked back at them. "In any case, it is fortunate that we ran into you here."

"Oh?" S'eni tilted her head. "Why's that?"

Emmanellain's grin returned.

 

Notes:

Holy crap, hard to believe that this story has now 100 chapters. Maybe I should've celebrated this one with S'eni doing some actual pearl diving here, eh? :D

...

I'll see myself out lol.

Well have a nice weekend ya'll all, and see you next week! o/

Chapter 102

Dinner for Five

 

The wind howled across the mountains of Coerthas, a warning cry of the approaching snow that would soon arrive at the Highlands to cover it once again in the ever-familiar white of snow. From the highest mountain top to the deepest valley. Harsh and unforgiving, yet also quite beautiful, especially on a night with a clear sky, when the light of the moon made the snow almost glow in the night.

If only it wasn't so godsdamned cold.

Pulling her coat closer to her, S'eni followed the all too familiar trail up Providence Point until she reached the part of it where it was said that King Thordan himself had once received a vision of the Promised Land while overlooking the Sea of Clouds. Now, countless years later, the city he had founded stood tall and proud in the distance for all to see. But as nice as the view was, she was here for something else; the grave that silently stood vigil on this very spot, overlooking Ishgard as the one it belonged to would have wished.

A smile formed on her lips when she noticed that it had been cleaned and cleared of snow recently.

"Hey, Haurchefant," she said as she came to a stop. "It's been a while. I know, I said that once before, and that I should come visit you more often as well. But I had a good reason for it."

Kneeling down, she placed a small bundle of flowers on his grave. "You see, I was in another world. Yeah, sounds quite unbelievable, but taller tales have been told in the past. Some of which I'm sure came from you." She chuckled before sitting down in the snow. "Ah, but I suppose I should explain how it even got to that point..."

As S'eni told him about the events that had soon happened after the liberation of Ala Mhigo, she reached out towards his broken shield, the tips of her fingers traveling across the broken edges at its lower center just underneath the Unicorn that presented his house. Once she was done with that, she continued with the events that followed her own arrival on the First, or at least as much as time permitted her right now.

"...I won't lie, for a while, it didn't look good. But in the end, it was Ardbert's sacrifice that gave me the strength to go on. Funny, isn't it?" she asked, looking up to the sky now covered in clouds. "We started out as enemies and ended up saving a world as one."

She closed her eyes for a moment, then slowly rose back to her feet, brushing away the snow that had gathered on her clothes. "Anyways, I'm afraid the tale of our journey back home will have to be told another time. If I don't run now, I'll be late to dinner with your family," she explained. Her hand came to rest on top of his gravestone. "Next time I'll also tell you more about the girl whom I entrusted with your words."

As if it was Haurchefant's shoulder, she gave the stone a friendly little pat, before turning around and leaving. By the time she had made it back down to Camp Dragonhead, it was already snowing in earnest, but thankfully it wasn't strong enough to make traveling difficult. She gave the knights standing guard a friendly nod as she stepped inside and immediately made a beeline for the main building. Inside, she found Y'shtola, dressed in a warm-looking coat as well, having a conversation with Emmanellain. Or rather, Emmanellain talking to her while she duly listened.

"You're back," Y'shtola said when she noticed her approach. "I was afraid we might have to come fetch you."

S'eni knew that it was a joke but she apologized nevertheless. "I lost track of time. We're still good, right?"

"No worries," Emmanellain said and raised his hand. "And even if, no one would hold it against you for being late from visiting Haurchefant."

He turned his head to look at the portrait of his late half-brother hanging above the place he used to occupy with pride, his friendly smile still welcoming those that entered these halls even with Emmanellain having inherited his post. A contemplative look flickered across his face before being replaced by a smile of his own.

"Well then—" he stood up, running a hand across the sleeve of his fine coat. "Shall we be off?"

They left Camp Dragonhead in the direction of the Gates of Judgement. While Emmanellain conversed with the knight that escorted them, lamenting the fact that his 'fairest Laniaitte' declined his invitation, Y'shtola and her hung back a little.

"You could have come along, you know," she said, stepping a little closer.

The other Miqo'te shook her head. "I didn't wish to intrude. He was your friend after all."

The corners of her lips curling upward, S'eni reached out to take Y'shtola's hand into hers, giving it a gentle squeeze.

It didn't take long for them to arrive at the gates, and from there to walk along the Steps of Faith. As they traversed it, she looked around. It felt like ages ago when she had first set foot onto this bridge, leading a team of willing adventurers to come to Ishgard's aid. In a way, that had been the first step of change for this nation torn by a millennium-long war that had also ended on this very bridge as Nidhogg had finally fallen.

The damages from the battle were slowly, but surely, being mended, and what had once been something to protect Ishgard from the outside world, was becoming something to welcome it in.

The city, too, was slowly recovering from the war; nobles as well as commoners working together to repair what had been broken and to restore what had been lost. Yes, the city had come far from that fateful day she had entered it. Making their way upward, they soon reached the Last Vigil and Fortemps Manor, where the knight standing guard swiftly ushered them inside.

Firmien, who must have been waiting for them, was the first to welcome them. "Mistress Gata, Mistress Rhul," he said after greeting his young lord, giving them a respectful bow. "It is a pleasure to greet you in these halls once again."

"It has been a while, hasn't it?" S'eni asked good-naturedly as two maids took their coats.

"Indeed it has." A hint of amusement entered the old steward's polite smile. "And I see you still possess the dress my lord has given you."

A sudden wave of heat spread out over her cheeks and she looked down at herself, raising the red and green colored skirt a little. "Well it, uh, was a present after all."

"And one that looks rather lovely on you, if I might say so," Firmien said.

"Ah, so that is how you came into possession of it," Y'shtola said, putting a hand on her hip.

"Yeah, I seem to stumble my way into dresses." She did a little shrug. Y'shtola too was wearing a dress for the occasion, black and clearly less expensive than the one S'eni wore, but made up for by an elegant and practical fur trim. Someone sure has acquired a taste.

"If you would please follow me," the old Elezen said, then led them into the manor's dining room, where they were already awaited by the former head of the house.

"Coun—" S'eni began but manage to catch herself in time. Old habits really died hard. "Edmont. It's good to see you."

Edmont in turn chuckled and rose from his chair to walk over to them. "S'eni, it does my heart good to see you return safe and sound," he said, placing a fatherly hand on her shoulder. "You as well, mistress Y'shtola. When I heard that you and your fellows had fallen ill I had already expected the worst."

"Thank you Lord Edmont," Y'shtola replied. "I am glad to see you in good health as well."

"My dear brother has not arrived yet?" Emmanellain asked.

"He is still seeing to a few matters, but will be with us shortly," Edmont replied. "Let us sit in the meantime."

As it had turned out, on the very same day that they had encountered Emmanellain at Costa del Sol, word had arrived from the frontlines that Artoirel would return for a few days to rest, something the former had promptly used to invite the two of them over, being friends of the family and all.

"How have things been since the last time we met?" she asked as they sat down.

"As you can see, quite a lot has happened in Ishgard, and you will be pleased to know that the restoration of the Firmament is almost complete," he told her. "In fact, a celebration will soon be held. Perhaps you should go and see for yourself, if time permits it. I am sure Lord Francel would be delighted to see you as well."

"Then I will try to make time."

The door then swung open, and Artoirel stepped inside the dining room, accompanied by his personal servant, signing something he was holding before sending him on his way. "Please, remain seated," he said when he saw her getting up, a smile forming on his face. "There is no need for formalities."

"Alright," S'eni said and sat back down, shooting Y'shtola a quick look of amusement, who just shrugged in return.

"It is good to see you again, my friend," the young count said as he joined them. "You as well, mistress Rhul. How are the rest of your fellows faring?"

"Slowly recovering from the ordeal," Y'shtola replied. "That reminds me. Alphinaud and Tataru send their regards, Count Artoirel."

With Artoirel now having arrived, their goblets were filled with wine by one of the maids, soon followed by the arrival of their food in the form of a light soup as an appetizer.

"Now, why do you not tell us about your recent exploits?" Edmont asked after a spoonful of soup. "I am sure your adventures since you left must have been quite numerous."

She shared another look with Y'shtola and smiled. "You could say that..."

While she told them about what they had been after too since she had last talked with the former count, the soup soon made way for the actual main course, consisting of some of the finest Dhalmel meat she had ever tasted. For the three noblemen though, the meal was all but forgotten once she had gotten onto the topic of the First, while Y'shtola, who had witnessed it all first hand, just continued to eat quietly.

"Another world..." Edmont said afterwards.

"I know, unbelievable, but it's true."

"Oh, I believe you. Perhaps when I first met you I might have been more skeptical of the notion, but since then you have more than proven that what others might think impossible is hardly a hindrance to you. And just like then, you have touched the lives of many and brought them hope."

His sons nodded at that, each offering her a smile.

The older Elezen then grasped his wine goblet. "A toast then. To our hero returning from another adventure."

Artoirel and Emmanellain followed their father's example, raising their goblets. Even Y'shtola joined in on it, sending her a teasing look. Clearly outnumbered here, S'eni released an exasperated sigh and raised hers as well.

After they were done with their food and the following delicious dessert, they left the dining room. "Will you do us the honor of staying the night?" Artoirel asked them as they walked down the hallway.

"Hmm, what do you think?" She looked at Y'shtola.

"Brave the cold at night or stay in a lavish room with thick blankets. A very difficult choice," her lover replied dryly.

With a chuckle, she turned her head back towards the young count. "We'd love to."

"Excellent. I will have two rooms prepared for you. Please excuse me."

"Actually," S'eni said, making him pause. "One room will be enough."

Her words were met by a round of curious eyebrows from the three nobles, but no comments otherwise. Artoirel's lips then formed a polite smile. "Very well, one room for you and mistress Rhul."

As she watched him walk away, a friendly slap on her back made her glance over her shoulder to see Emmanellain give her a friendly wink before following his older brother, leaving Y'shtola and her with the former count. No one said a word until they had reached the main hall, where Edmont finally decided to speak up.

"Since it will be a moment until your room is ready, would it be alright if I borrow S'eni for a bit?" he asked.

Y'shtola gave him a searching look for a second, then let the corners of her lips curl upward. "Not at all. My last visits here have only ever been brief, so I wished to explore a bit. If that is alright with you."

"Please, make yourself at home."

"Thank you," the other Miqo'te said and left as well. Edmont then turned towards S'eni and gestured for her to follow him.

"Given your words from last time, am I right in my assumption that this is not a recent development?" he asked.

"You are. We've been together for a while but have only begun to tell people recently," she replied. "I—I hope it wasn't rude of me to just spring it on you like this."

"Perish the thought. When it comes to the matters of the heart, we all must decide for ourselves what is right." A painful look flashed through his eyes for but a moment before vanishing once more. "But it gladdens me to know that you have someone walking at your side."

S'eni couldn't help but smile at his words.

As they entered his study, she was greeted by a comforting toasted chestnut scent, warm and welcoming, and so very much like the man that had offered them shelter in the past. She watched him make a beeline for his desk and followed, coming to a stop just in front of it.

"So, why did you bring me here?" she asked while he sat down.

"I wished to show you this." he opened a drawer and pulled out a book, bound in fine brown leather, and placed it on the desk. Her eyes widened in realization.

"Is that—?"

"Indeed. My personal copy in any case," he replied.

His memoirs. So they were finally done...

Leaning on the desk, she took a closer look, letting her fingers run gingerly across the golden dragon etched into the very center of its cover and the words underneath. "Heavensward..." she breathed out. "May I?"

"Of course." Edmont nodded.

Carefully taking the book, S'eni opened it and began to turn the pages, letting her eyes fly over the words written there; words that would guide future generations to strive for a better tomorrow and, in another time, served as one of the sources of hope in a world that had lost everything. Slowly, she closed it once more and placed it back down.

"Thank you for showing this to me," she said.

"It seemed only fair, since you feature quite prominently in it."

She giggled at that. "I suppose I do, don't I?"

Silence settled over them and she turned her gaze towards the window, fogged up from the warmth inside the room but still not enough to fully obscure the falling snow. The flowers she had placed on Haurchefant's grave must have long since been buried underneath it by now. Her gaze grew warm and she sat down in one of the chairs.

"I'd like to tell you about someone I met on the First. A very special girl I entrusted with the words your son once said to me." S'eni glanced over to the older man, waiting for his silent nod telling her to continue. "Her name is Ryne, though when I met her she was going by another name..."

 

 

Chapter 103

Notes:

And back to the main plot it is.

The Search for a Cure

 

I have to confess that it was a strange feeling to be back, not only in a Revenant's Toll that looked only a little different from when I had originally gone to sleep, but also merged with my younger self. It took quite some time getting used to this feeling, not unlike my friends' own recovery I suppose. But with days turning into weeks, their bodies grew in strength, and soon it was time to return to our duties once again.

There was, after all, a certain matter to be taken care of.

 

---

 

Silence hung in the air as S'eni stepped into Dawn's Respite. Unlike the previous times though, it was of a comfortable nature and she returned the smile Alphinaud sent her as she took her place next to Y'shtola, sending her a little wink while casually leaning against the nearby table. The young Elezen looked around for a moment to make sure everyone was comfortable before speaking up.

"Well, my friends, now that we have all settled back into our bodies, it's time we resumed our duties in earnest. Let's speak of our plans."

"I'll start then," Thancred said, uncrossing his arms. "Ever since the Emperor's death, it's been one unsettling rumor after another. So I think I'll pay Garlemald a visit to ascertain the truth."

Urianger nodded. "A prudent endeavor. 'Tis of the essence that we establish the full extent of the threat. Not least if it should prove that Zenos doth indeed orchestrate events from the shadows. In light of which possibility, I shall accompany thee on thy mission," he said and, when Thancred looked less than thrilled having someone else join him on his reconnaissance, added, "Be assured that thou shalt find me more a help than a hindrance. Thou requirest another to imbue thine ammunition, dost thou not?"

Unable to refute that, Thancred could only relent with a shrug. Next to her, Y'shtola giggled into her fist.

"Assuming that's settled, there's something I've been meaning to look into as well," Alisaie then said. But before she could elaborate further, the door swung open and a familiar voice called out to them.

"Welcome back, everyone!"

Turning her head in the direction of the voice, S'eni spotted none other than—

"Lyse!" Alphinaud called back, his expression brightening. Lyse in turn smiled and raised her hand in a friendly wave before coming to a stop near them. A look of slight concern entered her eyes.

"You're...fine now, right?" Lyse asked, letting her gaze wander over their group. "No more headaches or keeling over?"

"That's right!" Alisaie replied, patting her chest with a tiny grin. "We're fighting fit, and raring to go!"

An almost unnoticeable sigh of relief passed Lyse's lips and her eyes came to rest upon S'eni, her smile growing. "Thank you, Eni. For bringing them all back safe and sound."

"Yeah, well, you could say—" she chuckled and glanced over at Y'shtola. "I had a vested personal interest."

"The famous Lyse Hext..." G'raha then said with a small note of awe in his voice. "Former Scion and hero of the Ala Mhigan Resistance."

Lyse tilted her head questioningly. "I don't believe we've met.

"Really? It's so easy to assume that all Archons are acquainted," Krile said. "But then I suppose your fields of expertise are rather different."

"G'raha Tia at your service," he introduced himself with a respectful bow. "I have read much about your exploits, Commander. It's a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance."

A flash of recognition appeared in Lyse's eyes. "Likewise," she said and sent a quick look over to S'eni. "I've been told all about you as well."

"Don't be so sure. Words can scarcely do justice in how vital his role was in our victory. One would be hard-pressed to find a more reliable comrade," Alphinaud said, causing G'raha to grow quite flustered.

"Ah, right, I did glance at the report..." Lyse said. "But I'd be lying if I said I understood half of it."

"Then please, allow me to explain..."

As Alphinaud gave her a rundown of the events, S'eni watched Lyse's reaction go from confusion to shock and from there to contemplation.

"Well...that's a lot to take in," Lyse said after a brief silence once he was done. "Um... Just to be clear, this means we're not heading for another calamity, does it?"

"Shorn of their unsundered masters' leadership, what Ascians remain shall struggle to see their plans to fruition," Urianger replied. " though I would ever advise caution, I believe we may rest easy for a time."

Lyse released another breath of relief. "I'll take that as a yes. Even so, I don't know what to make of Hydaelyn and Zodiark being primals..."

A frown formed on S'eni's face and she lowered her eyes to the ground as Y'shtola spoke. It was still so hard to accept that Hydaelyn was a primal. The very thing she had fought in the past. Was that why she hadn't talked to her ever since Minfilia had left? Could she even trust her anymore?

She was drawn out of her thoughts when Alphinaud spoke up again, voicing the very question they all were wondering. "Tell us, Lyse, to what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?"

"What do you mean? Isn't seeing my long-lost friends reason enough?" a round of rising eyebrows met her question. "...All right, there was one other matter. I have a message from the Alliance. And before you ask, yes, it's about the Empire."

At that, S'eni pushed herself away from the table and walked towards her friend, stopping right in front of her. "Tell us."

The other woman nodded. "So, after Emperor Varis's assassination, it seems his cousin Nerva made a bid for the throne. The trouble is, he wasn't the only one with designs on it, and it didn't take long for a civil war to break out," she explained. "And it's not just in the provinces. Early reports say huge swathes of the imperial capital have been reduced to rubble."

So that meant the Empire had functionally broken down, which meant she had been right in her assumption that the Legati of the VIIth and IVth Legions were acting wholly independent in their operations. Those two must really enjoy the thought of ruling themselves then. But that also meant they wouldn't be distracted from what happened back home.

"The Alliance will soon convene in Ala Mhigo to decide on a course of action, and we were hoping you'd come along."

"As it happens, Urianger and I were just planning a little trip to Garlemald," Thancred said. "And we would be grateful for any advice the Alliance can provide on how to make the most of our visit."

Alphinaud nodded. "To Ala Mhigo, then."

"Why don't you go on without me. There's something I need to look into," Alisaie said.

"Ah, forgive me, you were just telling us." He turned towards his sister. "What is it, if I may ask?"

"Of course. You think it may be possible to adapt the treatment you used to help those corrupted by the Sin Eaters..."

"I'm sorry?" Lyse blinked. "A cure for tempering? But that would change everything! Alisaie, consider yourself uninvited. Go and find us this cure!"

"I'll do my best," Alisaie chuckled and looked towards S'eni. "I was hoping you might join me. Don't worry if not, though. I won't hold it against you if you'd rather attend a stuffy meeting."

"Oh no, how will I ever survive not attending a stuffy meeting?" S'eni asked with a little grin.

"Rest assured there will be many, many more," Y'shtola said, that infuriatingly teasing smile forming on her lips. She gave the back of her shoulder a little pat. "Go on, lend Alisaie a hand."

"I'll come too!" G'raha blurted out suddenly, causing everyone to look at him. "...If you don't mind, that is."

With a look of surprise, S'eni could do nothing but stare. Alisaie too wasn't reacting much differently. Only Y'shtola seemed rather nonplussed, her smile growing.

"Mind? I'm sure they would be glad of your company," she said, her voice laced in amusement. "Please, enjoy your time together with your hero."

His reaction was instantaneous, taking a surprised step back. "My...? N-No, that's not─ I mean, I— I-I simply thought my knowledge might be of some use!"

A round of laughter followed, causing G'raha to grow as red as his hair. With a chuckle of her own, S'eni just shook her head before glancing towards Y'shtola, who just gave her a small shrug in return. Yes, she supposed he did run into that one.

Now he really was one of them.

After the laughter subsided, Alphinaud looked around their group. "We shall be on our way, then. Godsspeed."

Giving his sister a final nod, he turned around and began to leave together with the others.

"See you soon," S'eni said as Y'shtola moved to join them.

Her lover smiled. "Enjoy your adventure. Do try not to get into trouble."

"Hm. Only if you try not to get a flat butt from all your sitting."

Y'shtola just chuckled and followed the others, leaving only the three of them and Tataru in the room. A sigh from G'raha made her look at him.

"When Y'shtola is around, one can't afford even the slightest slip..." he muttered.

"Tell me about it. I'm sharing a bed with her." She shrugged. "Anyway, a cure for the tempering."

Alisaie nodded. "Remember Ga Bu?"

"Of course." The little Kobold child that Alisaie had befriended and who had fallen victim to the tempering. Usually he would have been dealt with like all the other victims, but they had managed to convince the people of the Maelstrom to take him into custody instead, where he remained to this day.

"When I set out to save Halric, I think Ga Bu was always at the back of my mind. And having proved that the Light-corrupted are not lost, I'm convinced that the same must be true of the tempered," the young woman said. "Similar to those corrupted by the Sin Eaters, the aether of Ga Bu's soul has been rendered stagnant. And though the root cause is different, perhaps the solution is the same."

G'raha rubbed his chin in thought. "It's by no means an unreasonable hypothesis, Alisaie. And it warrants a full investigation."

"If there's even a chance we can save Ga Bu, we have to try."

"Alright," S'eni said, putting a hand behind her hip. "So do you want to head over to Limsa and just try it like with Halric?"

"No." Alisaie shook her head. "As much as I'd like to do just that, there's no room for recklessness. Not when a child's life is at stake. As I'm sure Beq Lugg would remind us, we still know little about the soul. Any number of things could go wrong if we don't exercise caution. And so, before attempting anything, we should learn all we possibly can about tempering."

So hitting the books it was. She could do that. But...

"Do you know a place where we can do that?"

A sigh escaped Alisaie and she frowned. "That's where the problem lies. The research into the condition has long since ground to a halt and the combined works of all the scholars involved in it doesn't exactly amount to a wealth of knowledge..."

"Not of the modern scholars, perhaps. But what of their ancient counterparts?" G'raha asked. " I know the Allagans took a more-than-passing interest in the subject."

The corners of S'eni's lips rose as she realized what he meant. "Ah, Azys Lla..."

"...where they experimented on primals and their worshipers. Good thinking," Alisaie said, and for just a brief second, G'raha looked quite proud at the fact that he was being of help. "I've never actually been there myself, but I did read the reports. Which means we'll need an airship."

Tataru then began to snicker, drawing their attention to her. The Lalafel looked at them with a smirk on her face. "An airship, you say?"

 

---

 

Sometimes Tataru scared her.

Five years ago, when she had first met her, she had been a cheerful and dependable receptionist to the Path of the Twelve. That hadn't changed even after meeting her again years later. But as time passed, it had become rather apparent that she had picked up quite some talents outside of her gifted abilities as a seamstress. Namely those of a great negotiator.

Business endeavors, information gathering, and knowing just what to say to convince someone it would be in their best interest to help. It really shouldn't even surprise now, that while they were all away, that she would be able to construct an airship in secret.

...Yes, Tataru might just scare her more than some of the enemies she had faced down. Which was precisely the reason she refrained from asking any further, accepted it all as it was, and just enjoyed the feeling of the wind in her hair while the Bonanza was soaring through the sky towards their destination.

Eyes closed, she let the corners of her lips curl into a little smile until she felt a presence next to her. Turning her head, she saw G'raha looking out towards the clouds with an eager look in his eyes and a smile to match.

"Well someone's excited," she said.

"Can you blame me?" His gaze turned towards her. "We're heading for one of the key research facilities of ancient Allag!"

"No, I suppose not." S'eni let her arms come to rest on the railing. "After all, you were trying to find it in the past."

"That I did. You don't even know how excited I was to read that you had discovered it. Tell me, how did it feel?" G'raha asked.

"If I'm being honest: I didn't feel much," she replied. "My mind was preoccupied with other things."

"Yes...I have read Count Fortemps' memoirs. His son died shortly before. I'm sorry..."

"Don't be," she said. Silence set in between them and she looked out into the distance, keeping her eyes out for the first signs of their arrival. Behind them, she could hear Alisaie having a little chat with their pilot.

"I..." G'raha broke the silence. "I think I would have liked to know him."

"You two would have gotten along."

"You think so?"

S'eni smiled. "I know so." Then she spotted it, the clouds into that strange green color. She gave his arm a light slap and began to walk towards the bow. "Come, we'll be there soon."

After they arrived, with no small amount of excited words from G'raha of course, they stepped out onto the Helix and began their search. It didn't take long for them to find a terminal providing them with information on a report written by a researcher named Owen, which had unfortunately been deleted. In hopes that the man had kept a personal copy around, they then headed eastward to the Herbisphere, where the research personnel used to reside.

To the surprise of no one though, entry was prohibited, forcing them to find another way in. Thankfully, G'raha already had an idea to overload the control with the help of a shard infused with lightning aether. And to make the search a little bit more exciting, Alisaie suggested making a contest out of it; whoever returned with a shard first would win.

Not being one to back down from a challenge, S'eni agreed and soon enough had even found what she was looking for in a small group of lightning sprites just idly floating away inside a cave. After making short work out of them, she leaned down to break off a sizable shard out of one of them and proceeded to turn back, when a voice echoing through the cave made her stop.

"Bravo! That was quite a show, adventurer! Why, the spectacle proved so enthralling that all thoughts of the prize slipped my mind." The voice called out. "I appear to have forfeited our little race! Congratulations, the lightning shard is yours."

Unable to hide her grin, S'eni crossed her arms. "What, no dramatic entrance? You've changed, Raha."

"Ugh, you remember that?" G'raha asked and stepped out from behind a large root.

"Hah! As if I would forget your obvious showing-off!" she replied.

"In my defense, I was caught up in the moment," he said while walking towards her. "It isn't every day you meet an honest-to-gods hero, after all."

"Sure sure, because trying to justify it absolutely doesn't dig yourself deeper."

He chuckled. "Well, the contest still continues, so you should hurry back before Alisaie beats you to it. Ah...but one more thing."

"What is it?"

"Thank you, S'eni." He smiled. "For bringing me here."

She mirrored his expression. "Had to make up for finding it before you didn't I? And I told you to call me Eni."

"Hm, you did. But I don't feel it would be appropriate for me to do so. Not yet anyway."

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, furrowing her brows. Her friend simply kept smiling and began to head out of the cave, leaving her standing there. Placing a hand on her hip, she watched him for a moment before following him with a roll of her eyes. He could be such a pain sometimes!

They returned to the Herbisphere control to find Alisaie already waiting for them, but much to the young woman's chagrin, entirely empty-handed. "I searched high and low, but couldn't so much find a trace of stagnant aether." Crossing her arms, she looked at S'eni and sighed. "What is it that makes you so much better at finding things? What do you have that I don't?"

"That is a question I have asked myself on numerous occasions as well," G'raha said. "I suspect we could both learn a great deal from her, and not only about the secrets of adventuring. But come, we should attend to our mission. May I?"

"Yeah, just don't shock yourself while you're at it." S'eni handed him the shard.

Alisaie and her watched him walk over to the control mechanism, where he muttered something to himself as he stepped close to it...then took a couple of steps back again. He then raised the shard and tossed it at the floating cube. A bright flash went through the air, forcing them to close their eyes for a brief second, but when they opened them again it looked like the plan had been a success.

"Excellent," he said while walking back towards them and she had to bite her tongue at the way the fur on his hair stood on end. "We now have access to the Habisphere. The only remaining problem might be the security system within, which is why I'll be venturing in alone. My royal blood should allow me to get in and out unmolested."

"Assuming this place works like the Crystal Tower." Alisaie frowned. "But if it doesn't, you'll be on your own. I want you to promise us that you'll get out at the first sign of trouble."

"I promise. Wish me luck!" With that he left for the Herbisphere on his manacutter. They watched him for a bit, before the Elezen turned towards her, shoulders rising in a small shrug.

"Well, nothing for it but to wait..."

Walking over to the nearby platform, they climbed up and sat down at the edge, looking out into the distance in silence, with nothing but the hum of the ancient machinery breaking it. She hoped that whatever G'raha found would be of use to them, not just for Alisaie or Ga Bu's sake, but for everyone that suffered from the tempering. So many people had to die because a cure had always been seen as unattainable. But now...It felt within reach.

"You know," Alisaie said, drawing S'eni out of her thoughts. "This whole thing with Owen's report reminds me of something. It sounds just like a thesis from the Studium."

"Oh? First-hand experience?"

"We all had to write one as our final examination. But at least we were able to pick the topic. Mine had the fine title 'Study of the combat applications of aether'. The most practical topic I could think of."

"Of course," she chuckled.

"Alphinaud's was the exact opposite: 'The role and duty of Sharlayan to the world'. Half an epic in length." The young Elzen turned her head to look at S'eni. "And highly controversial, to say the least."

"Ruffled some feathers, I take?"

"More than some. As you know, Sharlayan has always taken on the role of an observer and never gets involved in the matters of other countries or states. Alphinaud's thesis was an open critique. He argued that Sharlayan, with its vast knowledge, had a duty to help others in crisis. Our father, being a leading member of the Forum, was...not happy," Alisaie told her.

A frown formed on her face. Alisaie had once told her that their father and grandfather had never seen eye to eye on a lot of things. Sounded like he was a pretty difficult man.

"Alphinaud's views may have changed over the years, not to mention his methods, but his stance on it still remains the same to this day. He follows his path no matter how many try to dissuade him." A warm smile formed on Alisaie's lips, filled with affection. "And I admire him for that."

Another moment of silence passed between them, but it didn't last for long, as this time S'eni was the one to break it. "I'd like to see it one day."

The young woman tilted her head. "See what?"

"Sharlayan. You've all told me so much about it in the past, it's hard not to want to see it with my own two eyes," she replied, looking out into the distance. "It's a part of who you all are..."

"Then let's do it," Alisaie said. "Once we've taken care of things here, we'll all go to Sharlayan together. In fact, I think I already know one place you'll enjoy."

"Yeah." She smiled. "I'd like that."

All of a sudden, her ears perked up and she turned her head to see G'raha returning on his manacutter.

"Well—" she rose back to her feet. "—time to see what he found."

Hopefully something substantial.

 

Chapter 104

The Masters Matoya

 

In the end, getting our hands on Owen's research proved to be a little more difficult than I imagined, forcing us to employ the help of some old friends. Happy reunion aside, for which I was truly glad, the insight we received on the corruption was enough to create the cure we needed!

And soon after, we could also celebrate our first recovered patient: little Ga Bu.

Now came the challenge to apply it en masse and for that we needed more Porxies.

On Y'shtola's suggestion, we then set out to pay her erstwhile master a visit.

 

---

 

Bright and sunny, it was quite a beautiful day in the Dravanian Hinterlands. The cool breeze coming from the distant mountains mixing with the warmth of the sun above created just the right temperature to take a relaxing little walk and enjoy the scenery. Well, such as it was in the Answering Quarter, but at the very least it was teeming with far fewer monsters than in the past, so there was that.

But she wasn't really interested in her surroundings, had seen them enough times by now to know where what was. No, her attention was solely focused—

"Just say it so you can get it over with..."

—the woman next to her.

"You still haven't told her you're back." It wasn't a question.

"Oh?" Y'shtola raised an eyebrow. "And what makes you so sure about that?"

"The way your shoulders have stiffened ever since we arrived in Idyllshire." S'eni shrugged slightly, as if to make a point. Then she grinned. "And your tail."

Her eyes shifted down, where the other Miqo'te's tail too had stiffened almost into a straight line. Y'shtola followed her gaze and, with a deep sigh, forced herself to relax. "Honestly...Yes, I have not told her nor have I visited her, which she will take great pains to remind me of."

S'eni released a little hum and nodded, then let her grin turn into a smile. "But above all, she'll be happy to see you. In her own way."

Y'shtola mirrored her expression before narrowing her eyes ever so slightly. "Not a word."

"Hm?" she blinked. "What do you mean?"

Even as she asked that S'eni had trouble keeping herself from breaking into another grin again. Clearly not buying her act, Y'shtola's smile took on a sharp edge.

"You know exactly what I mean."

"Really? Whatever could you be—"

"Eni."

"Alright, alright," she chuckled, not bothering to hide it anymore. "I promise not to embarrass you in front of your former master by telling her you have been living under her name for the last two years."

"Thank you," her lover said.

"Now calm down. You two are going to hurl a few barely veiled insults at one another and it'll be just like you never left."

Y'shtola huffed out a little laugh. "Yes, I suppose you're right."

"Besides, chances are she'll rip into Raha for that botched summoning," S'eni said and looked over where he was walking together with the twins, his eyes firmly glued to Alexander in the distance.

After crossing the Quickspill Delta, and a short run-in with the local fauna, they soon stood in front of Matoya's hidden cave.

"So this is where the great Master Matoya lives," G'raha said as he looked at the wall of solid rock.

"Looking forward to meeting her?" she asked.

He nodded. "I do. She's something of a legend amongst Archons, you know."

More like a cautionary tale if you ask me... she thought as Y'shtola let them inside.

They had barely stepped into her cave when Matoya already greeted them in the most charming way possible. "I see a whole pack is barging into my home this time. Can't you just leave an old woman looking forward to her death in peace?"

"Do you have a moment to spare before going on your journey into Thal's realm? I would like to tell you something," Y'shtola replied, her lips quirking upward. "Thank you for watching over our bodies, Master Matoya."

The corners of Matoya's wrinkly lips curled upward. "Not at all, child. But I was really starting to wonder what kept you all in that other world for so long. Was the tea that good? Did you forget your home, Shtola?"

"The tea was quite good, thank you for asking. And I wouldn't have minded spending a few more years there. One seldom gets the chance to explore a different world, after all."

Alphinaud then spoke up. "Ever the scholar, Y'shtola dedicated herself to studying the ancient civilizations of the First, befriending a tribe known as the Night's Blessed in the process. There, she took on the name of Matoya, and won the respect of all the children of the forest."

In an instant, all sound left the room as everyone's heads snapped towards the young Elezen, looks ranging from surprise to shock on their faces. A couple of seconds ticked by until the stupor placed upon them by his words faded. S'eni bit the inside of her cheek.

Slowly, Y'shtola turned back towards her master, the smile on her face making it clear she was honestly thinking of hurling herself into the Lifestream yet again.

"Well, uhm..." She flicked her hair a little. "My hosts...they don't address one another with the names they were given at birth and...yours was the first that came to mind."

"Borrowing my name for your nonsense, child?" Matoya's perpetual scowl returned. "Did you hope some of my wisdom would rub off on you while gallivanting around with it?"

"Devoted student that I am, I simply wished to honor my Master. And the lessons she imparted on me. 'If the answer eludes you, look to the wisdom of your elders', isn't that right?"

"Hmpf." The old Archon's eyes shifted over the little crowd, stopping at S'eni for a brief moment and forcing her to bite down even harder, before coming to rest upon G'raha. "You there, were you going to introduce yourself?"

"Forgive my rudeness, Master Matoya. My name is G'raha Tia, and I'm proud to call myself a Scion," he said with a respectful bow. "I, too, wish to offer you my deepest gratitude for your invaluable aid in sustaining the Archon's bodies. It was my incomplete summoning spell that endangered their lives in the first place."

"Ah, the royal descendant of Allag. Old Galuf has told me about you. And Krile wrote me about your more recent exploits." Matoya released a snort. "My bones are too old and too weary for this, and I'm not in the mood to rip out your ears. So enough of that."

"Thank you. You are...too kind. And might I add, Galuf also told me much about you. It is an honor to finally meet you in person."

"Yes yes." She waved him off. "Now, with the pleasantries out of the way, what brings you here? Can't be a coincidence after all."

"Please allow me, Master Matoya," Alisaie said and called forth Angelo. The Porxie appeared out of thin air, doing a little flourish before coming to a stop in front of the old witch. Matoya stared into the familiar's eyes, then shifted her attention back to Alisaie, silently telling her to continue.

Listening intently to their plans of distributing a cure for the tempering all across Eorzea, the old Archon furrowed her brows in thought, causing the crow's feet around her eyes to deepen. "Hmm, I see," she said after Alisaie was done. "Yes, creating a familiar like this shouldn't prove to be too challenging. Now the matter of transferring one's memory? That is going to be difficult."

"Indeed." G'raha nodded. "And since the royal blood makes me the only one able to use it, we need to find a way to imbue the familiar with it."

"So you need old Matoya to conjure up a little piglet that is able to carry such a spell within it? Hmm, if it was only one or two...but what you're planning requires an entire herd..." She closed her eyes with a drawn-out hum, and S'eni could practically hear the gears turning in her head. With a smile, she raised her hand, finger extended. "Unless we get a familiar to create familiars, a...mother sow so to speak."

A mother sow... S'eni thought and looked towards G'raha. Imbued with the power of his blood.

Yes, that could actually work.

"Fine. I can't say no anyway. But there's still a small problem," Matoya said.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"You'll see when we get to my old workshop. Everything required to make your familiar is there."

"That may be so." Y'shtola frowned. "But no one has set foot in there since the exodus. I dread to imagine what has become of it."

"Nothing to trouble the likes of you," the old witch replied. "Consider cleaning up that moldy old hole payment for my help."

"Fine. We'll do it," Alisaie said.

"Good girl. Now, if there are no other objections, I suggest you run along to the Makers' Quarter. I'll send one of my Poroggos ahead to let you into the workshop. Just tell him who you are. Now shoo!" she waved them away. "I'll join you when I'm ready."

With Matoya's more than clear dismissal, they left her cave again. The wall had just closed behind them, when Y'shtola turned towards S'eni. "Well, what are you waiting for? Get it over with."

S'eni burst into laughter.

While she was busy busting a gut, Alphinaud looked at G'raha, visible confusion on his face. "D-Did I say something wrong?" he asked. "I-It was not my intention to embarrass anyone."

"Ah, dear brother," Alisaie replied, letting her arm rest on his shoulder. "You really do have Mother's innocent streak. Sometimes it just makes me want to shake you."

Once she was calm enough again, she straightened herself, her shoulders still shaking slightly and her lips twitching as she looked her lover in the eye.

"Done?" Y'shtola raised a brow.

"Y-Yeah." A chuckle escaped her, making the other Miqo'te cross her arms in front of her chest, but she was able to keep it from turning into another bout of laughter. "N-No really. I'm done."

Taking a calming breath, she wiped tears of mirth from the corners of her eyes. "Hoo boy."

"I'm so very glad my misfortune managed to amuse you," Y'shtola said in a dry tone.

"Aww come on, don't be like that. At least it's out in the open now. There shouldn't be any secrets between master and s-s-stu—"

"I swear if you start laughing again I will turn you into a toad."

"I'm good! I'm good!"

"Honestly..." Y'shtola huffed and shook her head. "Can we go now?"

After taking another deep breath, she nodded. "Yeah, let's go. I want to see what her workshop has to offer."

"It was already quite unforgiving before the exodus," Y'shtola said as they began their track to the Makers' Quarter. "And I very much doubt the years of neglect have done it any favours."

"It can't be that bad."

 

---

 

"That was absolutely terrible!" S'eni said, pushing past the leaves covering the entrance. After putting enough distance between her and it, giving her friends space to leave as well, she wrung out part of her himation and glared at the building. From the outside, it didn't look any different than the rest, maybe a little overgrown, but by the gods the insides couldn't be further from that.

"I don't know," Y'shtola said while joining her outside. "I think it turned out quite refreshing, wouldn't you agree?"

She just glared at her and began drying her clothes with magic. Not that it would help a great deal with the dirt stains, but one thing at a time. "Aren't you going to tell me 'I told you so'?"

"No, I believe Nixie has done enough to make sure you understand now."

"Sure did...what in the hells were you thinking creating that?" she asked.

"Call it the eagerness and foolishness of youth?" Y'shtola offered with a smile. A strained look then entered her eyes and she stumbled forward.

"Whoa." S'eni swiftly stepped forward, taking hold of her shoulders. "You alright there?"

"Just a little dizzy spell. I suppose that took a lot more out of me than I thought."

"I'll say." But at least their special Porxie had been created successfully. One by one, the others were joining them outside, with Master Matoya being the last and quite adamantly refusing any aid offered to her.

"Well then, my friends," Alphinaud said after they all gathered outside. "With our task complete, I suggest we should make for Limsa Lominsa. Admiral Merlwyb will surely wish to hear of our success."

"My apologies, but I think I will stay here and rest for a while instead," Y'shtola said, a slightly weary tone in her voice now.

"Yes, you do look quite exhausted. Please, take all the time you need."

"In that case, why don't you go on ahead while I make sure these two ladies make it back in one piece?" S'eni asked. "If you don't mind, that is."

"Of course not." The young man smiled. "We shall deliver the good news in the meantime."

After exchanging good-byes, the three of them made their way back to Matoya's cave. About halfway there, the old Archon began to complain about her aching joints, only to fall silent again when S'eni offered to carry her. Soon enough though, they arrived.

"Sit down you two, I'll make some tea," she said as they stepped inside.

"Oh? You know your way around here that well already?" Y'shtola asked in clear amusement.

"Had to justify my continued presence here somehow." She sent her lover a quick wink before vanishing into the part of the cave where Matoya's small kitchen was, pointedly ignoring said witch's complaints about never having asked her to be here. Ushering out the two Poroggos on kitchen duty, she began to make the tea, lips curling into a smile as the earthy scent of herbs filled the air.

By the time she returned with a small tray, Y'shtola and Matoya were already deep in discussion.

"The Ronkan Empire...Fascinating..." Matoya said. "And you say their ruins are guarded by Viera?"

"Indeed. Though over there they are called Vii."

"Hmm. At least you didn't waste your time."

"Oh, she definitely hasn't," S'eni cut in, putting the tray down and placing the cups on the table. Once done with that, she poured the old Archon her tea. "In fact, I would say she's kept the busiest of all of us."

Taking her cup, Matoya gave the tea a little whiff before guiding it to her lips. "Hmpf. And caused you no end of trouble, I wager."

"Well..." Her eyes found silvery-white ones and she smiled warmly while pouring Y'shtola her cup. "Let's just say we caused each other quite some trouble but also pulled each other out of it."

The other Miqo'te just quietly mirrored her expression, not even looking away when S'eni moved on to her own cup. Matoya watched their silent exchange with a small roll of her eyes. "And I see you two still act like lovestruck fools."

"Oh, I don't know," she replied while sitting down next to Y'shtola. "I'd say we grew even more lovestruck."

She leaned over to plant a little kiss on her lover's cheek, making her ears perk in surprise. "Wouldn't you agree?"

"Ugh."

S'eni grinned. "I'm sorry, I just couldn't resist."

Matoya shot her an unamused glare. But then again, it might also just be her regular expression. Hard to differentiate, really. "Just keep that behavior outside next time."

"Oh?" Y'shtola's lips rose. "So we are officially invited now?"

"Twelve strike me down..." the old woman pinched the bridge of her hooked nose.

S'eni released a giggle, but chose to refrain from further teasing and pulled the conversation back to the topic at hand. Silently drinking her tea, she listened to Y'shtola recounting more of their findings to her old master, an amused smile dancing on the edge of her lips as the two debated over them. Yes, those two really were two peas in a pot; like master, like student.

"Ah, that reminds me," she suddenly said, making the other two pause, and reached into her bag. She pulled out the tome bound in simple black leather. "I wanted to return this to you."

Matoya eyed her for a moment. "Finally finished?"

S'eni nodded. "And moved on to different study material."

She didn't notice the tiny, proud smile forming on Y'shtola's lips.

The old witch's eyes came to rest upon the book, looking at it for a few long seconds, before closing them. "Keep it."

Her eyes widened in surprise. "But I can't—I shouldn't—Are you sure?"

"Do I need to repeat myself!?" Matoya scowled, but swiftly softened up again. "I'm an old woman, very much in the twilight of my life. I've no need for it anymore. Perhaps one day, you will find someone who is wasting their potential and impart some of what is written inside it upon them."

"Master Matoya, I..." she pulled the tome close to her chest. "...Thank you."

Wrinkled lips curled upwards. "Don't mention it, child."

Y'shtola's hand came to rest on top of her shoulder and she turned her head to share a smile with her.

...

...

...

...then it turned into a smirk. "Does that mean I'm officially your student now?"

The old Archon's mood immediately soured again and she began to mutter something under her breath sounding suspiciously like "impertinent youngsters" before saying, "If you have time to mock me, then you have time to fill my cup!"

"Yes, Master!" she said and proceeded to do so.

"Hmpf. Now then, Shtola. Tell me about this land of Fae Urianger had taken residence in."

As Y'shtola recounted some of the things Urianger had told them about his time amongst the Pixies, S'eni found her fingers brushing across the book now resting on her lap; her book now.

And perhaps one day someone else's.

For wasn't it the duty of those who walked before to lead those who walk after?

 

 

Notes:

We all love annoying good ol' Matoya, don't we?

Also fun stuff you can learn while running dungeons with Trusts wouldn't you agree?

Chapter 105

Futures Rewritten

 

With our Porxie birthing Porxies, we had the perfect way to deliver a cure for the tempering across all of Eorzea and we wasted no time to bring forth the good news.

Admiral Merlwyb was quick to see it put to good use, and not long after, we freed the kobold patriarch Za Bu from the clutches of Titan's tempering. While that was only the first step to restore the relations with the Kobolds of Vylbrand, it was nevertheless an important one.

But there was little time to rest on our success, as not long after we had returned to camp, news arrived of strange towers appearing all over Eorzea.

It was only after we arrived in Ala Mhigo to meet with the Resistance forces, that we came to know the meaning behind all this.

 

---

 

Voices echoed through the air as they walked along the main street of the Ala Mhigan quarter. People talking about their day, merchants plying the last of their wares, soldiers heading out on evening patrol; the usual sights one would find in a city like this. Next to her, Alphinaud hummed.

"It appears to be business as usual here," he said while looking about.

"It does." She nodded lightly. Which she supposed was a good thing. The last thing they needed right now was panic. Still...if she strained her ears, she could hear faint whispers in the distance, speaking of a tower-like structure having appeared in the south.

Just like the rest of Eorzea.

"Over there!" the young Elezen pointed ahead. "Lyse is already waiting for us. Perhaps she can tell us more."

"Let's hope so," she murmured while approaching their friend.

"Everyone, thank you for coming so soon," Lyse greeted them with a serious expression. "We don't know much about these infernal towers yet, but I'll contact Raubahn at once to discuss our next steps."

A sudden tingle went up S'eni's spine, but before she could even wonder what it was about, a shout rang through the air.

"Rhalgr preserve!"

Whirling around, she spotted a man crawling backwards while pointing up to the sky...

...where a large dragon was flying past them. No...not a just dragon—

Her eyes widened and for just a split second, she was standing on the burning flats of Carteneau.

—Bahamut...

"It can't be..." Alphinaud exclaimed.

A cloaked figure floated alongside it, the way they held themselves looking almost as if they were just out on a little stroll. Right towards the palace.

"After them!" Lyse shouted and the spell that seemed to hold everyone in place dispersed immediately.

"R-Right," S'eni said and began to run.

When they arrived, the palace was in a complete uproar and it took them a moment to get a hold of one of the officers to tell them where the Commander was. Learning that he had pursued the dragon in the direction of the Royal Menagerie, they hurried to join him there. What they found though, was not a scene of battle as the dragon and figure alike seemed content to float at its center...as if they were waiting for something, or rather, someone?

"You're here. Good," Raubahn said as S'eni came to a stop next to him, but she was too busy staring at Bahamut to respond. Now that she was having a closer look, something was different about this one. His wings had this strange purple glow and his head was obscured by root-like appendages.

Her attention was drawn away from the sight of the dragon by the figure as they slowly landed on the flowers below.

"Well, well, well what an honor! To think I would encounter the great hero herself on my little journey through Eorzea!" Wait, she knew that voice!

And true enough, as her eyes spied underneath the hood she found the face she had last seen in Doma, covered in his own blood.

"Asahi!?" Alphinaud wondered aloud.

"No, that's not Asahi!" Alisie scoffed. "He's only crawled into his corpse, nothing more!"

'Asahi' just raised his arm in a shrug, a theatrical sigh passing his lips. "Goodness, you people don't understand fun, do you? I know, I know, I'm an Ascian and thus your enemy, and so on and so forth. Still, I am pleased to finally meet you in person. Permit me to introduce myself..." He bowed and summoned forth his Ascian glyph. "My name is Fandaniel."

"What do you want, Ascian?" S'eni demanded and Fandaniel looked almost insulted.

"Really now that is quite rude to ask of a nobleman. But why am I even surprised?"

"Maybe you shouldn't have picked the body of a groveling dog then."

The Ascian stared at her for a second before smiling again. "Point taken. Anyway, I wish to usher in the Final Days which once before has brought this world to the brink of destruction. The towers serve as catalysts for this spectacular, breathtaking, and absolutely fascinating play!"

"The Final Days!? But...the Ascians themselves sacrificed so much to prevent this fate," Alphinaud said.

"Aww, what an adorable answer. Hmmm, and one that truly proves that you were the last nail in the coffin of the unsundered," Fandaniel replied and began to pace about the flower bed. "Right, the Ascians did everything for their beloved world. Me on the other hand? I couldn't care less. But I'm also just a lowly sundered, as dear old and very dead Elidibus used to say. I don't even know how many times I have earned his ire in the past...oh well, thankfully you were so kind to get rid of him. Ah, the sweet taste of freedom."

He turned to look at them once more and began to step forward. "And that's why now I can freely use my Ascian powers. However. I. Want."

S'eni glared at him in silence.

"This broken world..." his arm shot forth and he raised it on an elaborate flourish. "Nothing shall remain of it! Nothing whatsoever! Begone with it!"

"How can you say that!?" Alisaie stepped forth. "How can you even think of something like that!?"

"Because—" Fandaniel pointed towards her. "—you already deserve to die for asking stupid questions like that! You..."

He pointed at Raubahn.

"...and you..." at Alphinaud.

"...and you!" at S'eni. "You can all die! I want to die! Oh that sweet embrace...full of pain and suffering. Salvation through eternal oblivion!"

As he spoke, his voice grew ever more unhinged, culminating in him staring up into the sky with his hand held aloft.

"You're insane," S'eni said.

"Yes, we are fundamentally different. You and the unsundered, you crave life. And I..." he waved his hand. "No, let's not even pretend there is any justice in my goals. I'm not that egocentric. But I am counting on your heroic struggle to make this at least somewhat amusing. Now then, ladies and gentlemen! Keep your eyes peeled, for the curtains have risen on the spectacle to end all spectacles. We, the Telophoroi, shall be your performers and this entire star our stage!"

"Oh no, you won't!" Noticing that he was about to teleport away, she rushed forward, the others hot on her heels as well. But they weren't even halfway there when his smiling face vanished into the dark. As soon as he was gone, the Bahamut lookalike rose high into the air and released a loud roar before unleashing a stream of purple fire that set the entire garden ablaze and knocked everyone backwards.

She hit the ground with a pained groan, feeling the heat of the flames rush past her for a few seconds until they subsided just as swiftly as they had sprung forth. S'eni began to slowly push herself back onto her knees, wincing. Appearing inside the flames once again, Fandaniel walked towards her. "Ah, there was one more thing. A message from my esteemed patron Lord Zenos, who awaits you in the heart of this chaos we are about to unleash." She narrowed her eyes at that name. "While I simply want to destroy the world, he wishes to turn everything to ash to relive a, hmm...transcendent moment with you. So please, try to see his dream fulfilled, because if you don't..."

He did a playful little shrug. "Lunar Bahamut here and I will burn your cities and everyone in it. Nothing personal, really."

And with those words he, and Lunar Bahamut, departed into the night, leaving them in the burning remnants of this once beautiful garden. Getting back on her feet, S'eni could do nothing else but stare at the flames dancing across the flower bed in front her; the very same one Zenos had once stood in as he took his own life. Her hands balled into fists and she grit her teeth.

Zenos!

 

---

 

She had always known, ever since she had learned of him wresting control of his body back from Elidibus, that Zenos would seek her out one way or another. It was just in his nature. One final duel, that had always been the most optimistic scenario in her mind, but this?

This surpassed every worst-case scenario she could have thought of.

"Are you alright?"

"Hm?" she turned her head to find Alisaie looking at her with a concerned expression on her face. "Oh. Yeah, I'm fine. Just got lost in thought there for a sec. Maybe I really do need some rest."

After they had helped extinguish the fire, they had talked with Lyse and Raubahn about what had happened. While the latter was going to send word to the Alliance, the former had decided to investigate the tower in the south of Gyr Abania and also wasted no time rebuffing any offer of help on their part, claiming that they had done enough already and should rest until further notice. So with nothing else to do, they returned to Revenant's Toll.

Looking around the Aetheryte plaza, S'eni quickly noticed that they were missing two people. "Where are Alphinaud and Raha?" she asked, only to receive a chuckle in return.

"Already headed inside. I was about to as well when I saw you staring at nothing," Alisaie replied and patted her shoulder. "Let's go, before they send a search party."

Like many other evenings, the Seventh Heaven was quite busy, so nobody really paid them any mind as they headed into the Rising Stones. She felt her spirits rise a little when she spotted Y'shtola standing next to Krile and Tataru, already looking to be deep in discussion with Alphinaud and G'raha. As they approached them, the other Miqo'te's pale eyes turned towards her and sent her a tiny smile that she returned in kind.

"Ah, there you are," Krile said. "Since we're all here now, perhaps you can give us a first-hand account of what happened."

As Alphinaud proceeded to tell them the events of their first sightings of the towers to Fandaniel revealed himself, their expressions darkened and S'eni was not at all surprised by Y'shtola's next words, since they reflected her own thoughts on the issue quite well.

"Barely a sliver of hope on the Horizon and this Fandaniel arrives..." she began to gently tap her knuckles against her cheek like she always did when deep in thought. "Not even enough time to celebrate the peace with the Kobolds. And Zenos seems to be involved as well..."

"He said he wishes to usher in the final days...but how he wants to accomplish that remains a mystery. As are his motives," Alphinaud said. "For the moment, we can only hope the investigation into the towers will shed some light on the situation."

Alisaie then turned to look at S'eni. "This Fandaniel...he called his dragon 'Lunar Bahamut', didn't he?"

"He did," she replied with a nod. "Looks like him too, just...different. Twisted."

"I very much doubt this is the same Bahamut you faced in the past," G'raha said. "Alone for the fact that he seems to be subservient to Fandaniel. Perhaps a product of ancient arkane techniques..."

"I'm afraid such a hypothesis can only be confirmed once we have gathered more information," replied Alphinaud. "In any case, all we can do now is work together with the Alliance and remain vigilant. And that concludes our news. What of yours, Y'shtola?"

"After I had sufficiently rested, I traveled to Ul'dah to deliver the Immortal Flames a Porxie of their own. Knowing how quick they are to dispose of their tempered I thought it was most prudent they receive it first. The Sultana was especially grateful and is sending her regards, by the way." A frown formed on Y'shtola's features. "But I also received word of troubling tidings. The Flames had been on the cusp of agreeing to a truce with the Amalj'aa when their negotiations suddenly collapsed."

"What happened?" S'eni asked.

"They claim a number of their kind had been abducted by the people of Ul'dah," Y'shtola replied. "At the moment, though, nothing is known about who could be responsible, nor their motive. In the end, the appearance of these towers has put the investigation on hold."

Krile crossed her arms. "According to the information we received from the Alliance these towers have appeared not only all over Eorzea, but even as far as Yanxia as well."

"So they might even be spread out over the other continents," Alphinaud said. "That does not bode well."

"Well, as you said, we can't do anything but remain vigilant and wait for Lyse's scouting party to return. And if this Fandaniel has any connection to one of the seven great wyrms I believe it would be best if we enlist the help of an authority on such foes."

S'eni felt her lips rise into a small grin, already knowing who the Lalafel was talking about.

"Estinien!" Tataru said.

"Estinien?" Alphinaud exclaimed. "His help would be most welcome but...is it even possible to contact him?"

"Hehe, you can leave that to Krile and me. We'll sniff him out no matter where he's hiding," Tataru replied, earning a nod from Krile.

"'Hiding' might be a little strong, but Tataru is right. We have ways to locate him. Our dear Dragoon won't elude us for long, no matter how hard he tries. So if you would excuse us..." Raising their hands in a wave, the two Lalafels began to leave.

"In that case, I think I'll go and pay the city-states a visit. They will need instructions on how to use the Porxies and sitting around in a situation such as this is absolutely out of the question," Alisaie said.

"Indeed." Alphinaud looked at his sister. "But after a rest. You would be fresher for the task ahead."

"I suppose you're right..."

With a chuckle, G'raha turned to look at S'eni. "We might have stopped the 8th Calamity, but it looks like our triumph was short-lived."

She gave him a little apologetic smile in return. "I'm sorry. I would've liked our adventure to be more light-hearted as well."

"While it may not be the most carefree adventure, we're currently writing history and I can't help but find this tremendously exciting," he said, a grin playing on his lips. "This feels just like the prologue of a dramatic play...and you know how those stories always end: the hero emerges victorious, so don't let these Telephoroi get to you!"

Taking a deep breath, she nodded and looked back over to Y'shtola, who was listening to the twins talking. Now the wait begins...

 

---

 

Silence filled the Rising Stones as everyone had retired for the night, getting a much-earned rest from the day's rather sudden turn of events. Behind one of the closed doors, the soft sound of breathing pervaded the dark room, a duet of two bodies nestled against one another. That was until a sudden motion jolted her awake.

At first, she thought she only imagined it as no further movement followed and her mind was still foggy from sleep, all too eager to return to its dreaming state. But just as she was about to give in to that age-old instinct, she felt the mattress shift underneath her body as the one next to her slipped out of bed, pulling her once more back into the waking world. The sound of soft footsteps went through the room, followed by the opening and closing of the door.

Y'shtola sighed through her nose and rolled onto her back. Opening her eyes, she was met by the darkness that had claimed the light inside them. She stayed like this for a few seconds, blinking once, twice, until her new sight had shifted back into place.

Turning her head, Y'shtola looked at the space S'eni had just occupied mere moments ago, letting her hand run over still-warm sheets before sitting up and getting out of bed as well. She walked over to the door, opening a gap to peek outside. When she didn't find her there, she stepped outside and began walking down the hallway.

Y'shtola first looked in the main hall and, when she didn't find S'eni there, checked Dawn's Respite and the Solar without much luck. She then left for the Seventh Heaven, but didn't find her there either. What she did find though, was the door leading to the roof, standing wide open. And at the top of the stairs, S'eni, sitting at the edge of the roof and staring up into the sky.

She remained in the doorway, watching her for a moment in silence, taking in the sight of her aether, standing out even against the Aetheryte nearby, before making her way over. S'eni, of course, had long since noticed her.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you."

"I know," Y'shtola replied, sitting down next to her. "Something is troubling you."

It wasn't a question.

"Just needed to think. Clear my head a little," S'eni said, looking at her.

"Because of Zenos?"

"That too..." A sigh. "It's like you said. Barely something good happens and the next problem arrives. As if the 8th Calamity wasn't bad enough, now it's these Telephoroi and their plan to bring about the Final Days. Raha said I shouldn't let it get to me but—"

"It's hard not to."

"...Yeah." with another sigh S'eni looked back towards the sky, pulling up one of her legs and hugging it. "Am I being silly?"

"No, I don't think you are," she replied with a shake of her head. "And truth be told, I feel the same. I wonder what our friend Emperor Solus would think, were he to learn his own flesh and blood is seeking to recreate that which he sacrificed all to prevent, and with a rogue Ascian no less."

"He would probably enjoy the irony for just a moment before going right back to complaining how he now had to fix another issue," S'eni chuckled, but it was lacking in humor and her expression swiftly became sober again. "They need to be stopped."

"And we will."

"You think so?"

"I do." S'eni turned her gaze back towards her, eyes looking with hers. And though their color had long since faded from her vision, existing only in her happy memories now, the fire inside them was still as strong as ever. Y'shtola smiled. "Because we have you."

S'eni raised a brow. "Now you sound just like Raha."

"I never said I disagreed with him."

Y'shtola's statement was met with a dumbfounded blink, lips slightly parted before curling upward as S'eni huffed out a laugh. "And you say I'm impossible...Thank you."

After saying that, S'eni's smile grew into the same open and honest one that had entered her life five years ago. Sometimes infuriating, but more often beautiful, it had managed to wiggle its way into her heart, nestling deep inside and blooming into the very same thing that made Y'shtola lean forward and claim those lips with her own. Once they parted again, their foreheads came to rest against one another.

"Feeling better?" Y'shtola asked. S'eni hummed in return, reaching out to slip an arm around her waist and pulling her closer. "Shall we return to bed then?"

"Yeah, let's."

But despite saying so, they remained where they were even as the waxing moon began its slow descent behind the hills surrounding Revenant's Toll.

 

 

Notes:

Ayyyy, it's Fan Daniel!

...

I'll just see myself out lol.

You know a part of me wanted S'eni to go all ZEEEEEEEENNNNNNOOOOOOOSSSSSS after Fandaniel and Bahamut left, but decided to restrain myself. And I repaid myself with a little extra scene from Y'shtola's pov there at the end. I hope you all approve ;)

Chapter 106

The Next Step

 

It was a few days after Fandaniel's proclamation of wishing to usher in the Final Days, when Thancred returned with tidings from Garlemald. The situation there seemed to be even worse than initially expected and his accounts of something strange, something nightmarish, being constructed out of the imperial palace did not bode well.

Alongside this information, he also brought with him an invitation by the Alliance to further discuss their findings on the tower and their next steps. To that end, we once again made for Ala Mhigo...

 

---

 

Honestly, she hadn't really expected to return to Ala Mhigo this soon. But she supposed its close proximity to the current frontline made it the ideal place to hold a meeting with the Alliance leadership development over all other options. It also just so happened the palace had a table large enough to fit everyone, so she supposed there was that again.

Unlike their last visit though, the tension was noticeably thicker, the once hushed whispers of towers appearing now having turned into open dialogue and the presence of troops on the streets having nearly doubled. It brought to mind the early days after the liberation, where everything had still been uncertain and the thought of retaliation from the Garleans was ever-present.

"If Fandaniel wanted to strike fear into the people's hearts he sure succeeded," S'eni commented as they passed by a young mother all but hauling her daughter back home.

"He and his pet certainly left a mark," Alisaie said with a hum. "The Royal Menagerie is still closed to civilians."

No surprise there, she thought. This so-called Lunar Bahamut had certainly done a number on it. After the flames had been extinguished there had been little left of the former queen's garden. Not that S'eni was overly attached to the place, but she would be lying if she claimed it wasn't a shame. Removed from past context, it was probably one of the most beautiful places in Eorzea.

Next to them, G'raha too released a hum, but as they turned their heads in his direction, only to be met with a look of deep contemplation that told them he was very much off in his own thoughts. Alisaie and her exchanged shrugs. "Does the Crystal Exarch have any wisdom to share?" the young Elezen asked.

His ears shot up in surprise and he stared at them in momentary confusion until her words truly had sunken in. "Oh! No no, I was wondering if there have been any developments in regards to Amalj'aa abductions," he said. "It can't be a coincidence that the incidents began occurring just as the towers appeared."

"You think it's connected?" she asked.

"Perhaps. But I don't wish to speculate until more is known."

They soon met with Urianger, who was waiting for them at the foot of the stairs leading in the direction of the palace. "My friends," he greeted them with a smile. "Much and more have I heard of your travails in our absence. Heartened am I to see you all hale and whole."

"It's good to see you in one piece too," S'eni replied, mirroring his expression.

Alphinaud's lips had just parted to greet their returned friend as well when another familiar voice cut him off. "Well, well! If it isn't Alphinaud and his merry band!"

"Arenvald!" Alphinaud exclaimed, turning to face the approaching young man and walking forward to meet him halfway. "What are you doing here? When we spoke via linkpearl, you told me you'd be away on a mission!"

"And who's to say this isn't part of it?" Arenvald asked right back, a happy grin on his face. "But enough about that. It's good to see you looking so...similar. And here I thought you'd be taller after a whole year in another world!"

"Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you." The corners of Alphinaud's lips rose to match Arenvald's. "While my soul may be a year older, my body has hardly aged, as you are well aware. And might I remind you that we Elezen are known to be late bloomers, especially when it comes to our height. Mark my words, the day will come when even you will crane your neck to meet my eye!"

"Aye...'twas not until my twentieth summer that I myself outgrew my boyish proportions..." Urianger commented when the two young men began to fall in idle chatter. "though Moenbryda towered over me nonetheless."

A chuckle escaped S'eni at his words and she placed a hand on her hips as she glanced at him. "I bet she held that over your head for quite some time."

"Indeed." A look of warm nostalgia entered his eyes, but from the subtle tilt of his lips, she could very much tell that it was also laced in the sadness for someone that was gone forever. It was a feeling all too familiar to her. Maybe one of these days, she should have a good long talk with him about Moenbryda.

"Arenvald sure brings out the best in Alphinaud, doesn't he?" Alisaie asked with clear amusement, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "They both seem so at ease in each other's company. It's almost endearing."

"Hm." S'eni nodded. "I guess boys will be boys."

"...So what exactly brings you here?" Alphinaud asked after a few minutes.

"Oh, Fordola, mostly," Arenvald replies. "We need to go over a few things before we set out."

"Set out? Wait." The young Elezen frowned. "Does this have something to do with the towers?"

"...Eh? What gave you that impression?" Arenvald did another shrug. "Actually, tell me later. You've got a meeting to go to. I'll see you afterwards, alright?"

With that, he left in the direction of the holding cells. S'eni followed him with her gaze, eyebrows drawn. That was much too deflective, and from the way the others looked, she wasn't the only one who noticed.

"If Fordola is going with him, that must mean..." Alphinaud murmured before shaking his head and looking at them. "My apologies. As Arenvald pointed out, we have a meeting to attend. So let us not waste any more precious time."

Together, they headed towards the palace, where they were swiftly escorted to where the leaders of the Alliance were waiting for them. As soon as they had stepped into the chamber, the first thing S'eni took note of was the heavy silence in the air and she knew that, unlike last time, there would be no exchange of friendly pleasantries. After they had sat down, it was Admiral Merlwyb who spoke first.

"Masters Thancred and Urianger, I was informed of your findings in Garlemald. It was no small feat to infiltrate the imperial capital. Thanks to you, we now know how the winds blow in Garlemald and may plot our course accordingly," she said to them.

"Full glad are we to have been of service," Urianger replied. Next to him, Thancred nodded in agreement. "But verily, such dangers as we did encounter pale into insignificance next to those faced by our comrades. An Ascian with the might of Bahamut, bent on bringing about the Final Days..."

"Aye. Quite a grandstanding declaration of war from these Telophoroi." Raubahn tapped his large finger on the table. "All city-states have been on high alert since then, but there have been no sightings of Fandaniel or his wyrm."

"The calm before the storm. We cannot afford to sit idle," Kan-E-Senna then said. "To that end we have dispatched scouting parties to find out more about these towers..."

The Elder Seedseer turned her head to look at Lyse, who nodded and continued, "I was there when our scouts returned. But when I approached them to ask about what they saw they began to attack us. Luckily we managed to subdue them before they could do any serious harm and let the Porxies take care of the rest."

"Are you saying they were...tempered!?" Alisaie asked, unable to keep the shock out of her voice.

Lyse nodded. "After returning to their senses, they reported that the last thing they remembered was an ear-splitting roar just as they approached the towers. Everything after that, gone. But there's something else that worries me."

"What is it?" S'eni asked, lips drawn in a thin line.

"During their attack, they repeated the same words over and over: Glory be to Garlemald."

Glory be to Garlemald... She repeated in her mind, eyes lowering to the table. What in the seven hells...?

"The tempered have heretofore ever been thralls to primal entities," Urianger said after a moment of silence. "Yet these hapless souls were compelled to accept a nation as the object of their devotion. This calleth into question all that we know of the condition."

"And I am afraid there is more," Aymeric said, making everyone look at him. "We have learned that it was not just Amalj'aa who have been abducted, but members of other Beast Tribes as well and we have also learned that there seems to be a connection between these cases and the towers."

S'eni exchanged a look with G'raha. So his hypothesis was true!

"While observing the tower in Dravania, our scouts discovered black-garbed figures leading a group of shackled Ixal into its direction. The Temple Knights intercepted them along the way and liberated the Ixal. Underneath the garbs of their captors, they found Garlean weapons and armor."

"So the missing link between the abductions and the towers is the Garlean Empire..." G'raha said.

"We know Zenos is working together with this Fandaniel," the Sultana said. "It seems likely that he has managed to gather the troops scattered by the civil war and formed the Telephoroi out of them."

"Lord Hien has come to the same conclusion." Raubahn clicked his tongue. "We had initially planned to march on Garlemald from the east and west to bring an end to their warmongering, but right now we need to deal with these damned towers first."

The room fell silent once more and S'eni found herself wondering if the appearance of the towers wasn't timed a little too well if the Alliance and its eastern allies had been making plans to advance on Garlemald. It brought to mind what Thancred had told them earlier about what he witnessed there. That something was happening with the imperial palace.

"Given the risk of tempering, there were few suitable candidates for this task, but I'm confident in my choice." As if on cue, the doors opened and it was little surprise to her when she saw Arenvald step into the room with Fordola in tow, unlike Alphinaud, who clearly hadn't expected this turn of events. "Someone as immune to the tempering as they should be able to investigate the towers without being turned."

"It will be an honour to put our gifts to use, Commander," Arenvald replied while Fordola just snorted and crossed her arms.

Raubahn rose to his feet. "It will be dangerous, but we must find out what the enemy is planning before we can strike back at them. I'm counting on you two."

"If it gives us the upper hand in this fight, I'll gladly risk my life. We won't let you down."

"Good, then there's nothing more to discuss," the commander said. "A unit has been dispatched to serve as your escort. Join them as soon as you are ready."

"Arenvald, you..." Alphinaud began, but Arenvald simply smiled at him.

"Come, let's talk outside," he said.

The two young men stared at each other for a moment, before Alphinaud silently rose to his feet and began to leave together with Arenvald and Fordola. S'eni followed them with her eyes until the doors had fallen firmly shut and remained lingering there until the rest of the meeting had concluded, the worried frown on her face growing deeper with every moment that passed...

 

---

 

In the end, though, her worries had been quite unfounded, as after hearing Arenvald and Fordola's resolve for their mission, Alphinaud had sent them off with a smile. And there was no time to dwell on things either, since shortly after Tataru had called S'eni to tell her that they had found Estinien and that, after being told about Lunar Bahamut, he had left for Ishgard immediately. With the knowledge of where he would be next, G'raha, the twins, and her headed there to find him while Thancred and Urianger returned to the Rising Stones to bring Y'shtola and the others up to speed.

But the Dragoon was nothing if not elusive, and even as they had split up to search for him, she had yet to find a single hint of his presence.

"The Azure Dragoon..." a citizen she just asked said.

"That's right. Long white hair and a spear that's hard to miss."

"No, sorry." He shook his head. "Haven't seen 'im."

"I see." S'eni's shoulders slumped slightly. "Thank you anyway. Have a good day."

"Same to you and good luck on your search. Seems like you need it."

"You don't even know half of it," she muttered and walked away. That was already the eighth person she asked and the most information she had received was the entirely unrelated news of the Empyreum being opened soon. Honestly, if she didn't know any better, she would be rather convinced right now that he picked up a few tricks from the Shinobi while traveling the Far East!

Ascending the steps leading to Saint Valeroyant's Forum, S'eni was very much considering stopping at the Forgotten Knight for a drink but, in the end, veered left instead towards the Congregation. Maybe someone there had seen him. As she stepped inside, found herself surprised by how calm everything was. You would hardly think there was another crisis. But she supposed compared to a near-constant war lasting for a thousand years, the appearance of these towers and Lunar Bahamut seemed almost trifling.

After looking about for a moment, she made a beeline for Lucia standing at the large table at the center.

"They are to remain on standby until further orders arrive," she heard the woman say to a knight before sending him off with a rolled-up parchment. A small smile formed on her lips when their eyes met. "Ah, good day, Warrior of Light. I had heard from Lord Aymeric that you would be attending the meeting in Ala Mhigo, so I take it you have not come for him. To what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?"

"As much as I'd like to say I came by for a friendly chat, my friends and I are looking for Estinien. We heard he was headed for Ishgard and I was hoping someone here might have seen him."

"I see." The Garlean woman shook her head. "No, we were not aware of Ser Estinien's return, but as you surely remember, he likes to come and go as he pleases."

"Yes, he sure does..." she sighed.

"My apologies for not being able to help. Many who pass through Ishgard do so via airship. Perhaps you will have more luck looking there."

After thanking and saying goodbye to Lucia, S'eni once more left the Congregation and stopped for a moment to look towards the tavern, before exhaling through her nose and reaching for her linkpearl to tell the others she would meet them at the airship landing. When she arrived there, she found Alisaie and G'raha already waiting for her. The former greeted her with a shrug.

"No sight of Estinien at all," Alisaie said. "I'm beginning to understand all the stories Alphinaud told me about him."

"Everything seems quiet as well. One would think the sight of the famous Azure Dragoon would draw more attention," G'raha added.

S'eni was about to point out that most people here would only ever have seen him in a full set of armor, helmet and all, when the sound of clinking plates coming towards them made her ears perk up. Turning her head in its direction, she felt her lips curl into a smile. "Well speak of the devil..."

The other two followed her gaze to find none other than their elusive quarry walking towards them. "First the Scions' infamous keeper of coins seeks me out and now you show up as well," he said. "If that's not a coincidence..."

Coming to a stop near them, Estinien shared a silent look with S'eni before letting his expression mirror hers. "...Well, whatever." He then turned his attention towards Alisaie. "It's been a while, but I have to admit it's good to see you again."

"Hm?" the young woman blinked in confusion. "But we've—"

"You look different, Alphinaud. Much more spirited and vigorous. It suits you!" S'eni's smile instantly fell, her eyes widening instead when he reached out and began to ruffle Alisaie's hair. A moment of awkward silence followed before he glanced over his shoulder to look at her once more. "Hey partner, is something wrong with Alphinaud? He's usually not this quiet."

Eyes shifting between him and Alisaie, who was starting to tremble, S'eni did the only sensible thing in this situation. She took a step back.

"I..."

Alisaie slapped his hand away—

"...am not..."

—followed by a stomp to the ground that whirled up the dusty snow around them.

"...ALPHINAUD!"

Not leaving Estinien any time to recover, the young woman immediately proceeded to further lay in on him. "The next time you feel the need to shamelessly touch someone's head, ask them who they are! I'll give you 'spirited and vigorous' you stupid oaf!" she practically spat the last word before lowering her voice to mimic his. "'Hey partner'. A crawler of the highest degree to boot..."

"Estinien Wyrmblood. The Azure Dragoon who defeated the dreadwyrm Nidhogg alongside the Warrior of Light and who finally put an end to the Dragonsong War." G'raha's eyes began to practically glow as his ears and tail rose in sheer boyish excitement. "...A living legend!"

Estinien blinked a few times before turning towards S'eni. He sighed. "Still surrounding yourself with odd companions, I see."

"What can I say? I know how to pick them," she replied and refrained from pointing out that the pot shouldn't be calling the kettle black here.

"Is everything alright!? I heard Alisaie shouting..." Alphinaud's voice called out and they turned around to see him walking over. A large smile split his face as soon as his eyes found the Dragoon. "Estinien! There you are!"

"Ah, the real one this time," Estinien replied.

"What do you mean?"

"Just as a case of mistaken identity," S'eni explained and glanced over to Alisaie, who was still bristling in silent anger.

"...Oh. I'm sorry Estinien, I should have told you about my sister."

"That's right. Might have spared me a different kind of dragon's wrath," Estinien said before letting his lips quirk upward. "Still, I stand by what I said, you really made something of yourself, kid."

"Watch it, or you might actually treat me like an adult."

The two of them shared a laugh.

"Well aren't those two getting along," Alisaie huffed slightly and looked at S'eni. "Still, it's quite amazing. In the past he couldn't stand people treating him like some kind of little brother and now here we are with not only Arenvald, but also Estinien, doing just that."

"Why, is that jealousy I hear?" she grinned.

"What!? No! I'm just saying Alphinaud has grown, nothing more!"

With a chuckle, S'eni just shook her head before addressing Estinien. "Tataru told us you were heading this way after she mentioned Lunar Bahamut to you. Why?"

"Simple, I was looking for an airship to take me to Azys Lla," he said in turn. "I wanted to talk with the one that was once closest to Bahamut."

"Of course, Tiamat. How could I forget about her?" Alphinaud rubbed his chin.

"Correct." Estinien nodded. "She was the one who once summoned her former mate in the form of a primal and still remains imprisoned there to this day."

"Of course!" G'raha's eyes widened in realization and he began to pace around. "As the one who previously summoned him, she might know more about Lunar Bahamut as well."

"Then allow us to accompany you. We can take you there on our airship," the young Elezen offered.

"Fine by me. Unless your sister has anything against it?"

"Hmpf, as long as you learn to tell my brother and myself apart," Alisaie said. The Dragoon's raised his shoulders in a shrug but otherwise didn't comment further as he began to make his way in the direction of the Bonanza with Alphinaud by his side. "Urgh! I don't know who he thinks he is, but I have no idea what Alphinaud sees in him!"

"I...have to admit that after reading so much about him I also expected someone...different," G'raha said with an encouraging smile. "But Alphinaud trusts him, and I'm sure the journey will be the perfect time to get to know him better!"

The young woman scoffed before turning around to join her brother together with G'raha. As she followed them at a small distance, S'eni could already feel the first onset of a headache beginning to form and sighed inwardly. It was strangely reminiscent of Estinien and Ysayle's constant bickering.

Yes, this was going to be a long journey...

 

Notes:

Slightly different dialogue here with Estinien, largely because it's based on the German translation of the scene. Still, the essence is the same I would say lol.

Chapter 107

Notes:

Hello hello. Once again I bring you a lovely piece of art of our leading ladies, drawn by the very talented Hugo. Check out his profile if you have time. :)

When the Dust Settles

 

After arriving at Azys Lla we made contact with Tiamat, who told us how she had been coerced into summoning her beloved to wreak havoc upon those who had taken him from her and how, even to this day, she still remained enthralled to him. We succeeded in freeing her soul from the effects of the tempering, an endeavour much more daunting than freeing a man. And not a minute too soon, as shortly after we learned that Lunar Bahamut had been sighted and was bound for Paglth'an not only with an army of Telophoroi, but also a horde of dragons as well.

Though the battle was anything but easy, we managed to succeed with Tiamat's aid, saving the defending Amalj'aa and defeating the twisted form of this ancient primal.

And yet...victory was not without cost...

 

---

 

Nothing was said as they walked along the Scholar's Walk, their steps reverberating off the corridor's stone walls. In front of her, Alphinaud held his head low, reminding S'eni all too much of the time shortly after the Crystal Brave's betrayal had made them all fugitives, while next to her, Estinien was watching the young man like a hawk. His face brooked no emotion, but she could see the concern reflected in his eyes.

She glanced over her shoulder towards the Phrontistery, where right now, Arenvald was still fighting for his life. They had barely returned from the plains of Paglth'an, when the Sultana herself had come to them with news of his injuries. Alphinaud, of course, had wasted no time heading to the infirmary to see him but ultimately was told that the chirurgeons had done what they could and that everything was up to Arenvald now.

As they stepped out onto the Royal Promenade, the young Elezen stepped forward to lean against the balustrade and look down to the Gold Court, watching silently as the people walked by to go about their business. After a moment of doing so, he raised his head and spoke for the first time since Fordola had marched off after her angry rant. "I know... there is nothing more I can do right now and..." he paused. "...and I know that worrying won't accomplish anything either. But could I ask for a moment alone?"

S'eni's lips parted, but Estinien cut her off. "Let's give him some space."

Turning towards the Dragoon, he exchanged a quiet look with her and nodded. Exhaling deeply, she returned it. "Alright," she said and placed a comforting hand on Alphinaud's arm. "But if you need to talk, just call me on my linkpearl."

"I will." He gave her a weak smile. "Thank you."

She just gave his arm a pat, then turned around to leave. Her feet carried her down the stairs towards Hustings Strip and from there to the Steps of Nald. As she emerged, S'eni stretched herself a little and moved to sit down on a bench, closing her eyes as she leaned back against the building behind her, the sun-warmed stone making her body relax if only a little.

"You can't save everyone! No one can! Not even the godsdamned Warrior of Light!" she heard Fordola's words echo in her mind. She was right, of course, they couldn't. But as scathing as her words had been to Alphinaud, S'eni couldn't help but feel that a lot of it had been aimed at Fordola herself, fueled by her own guilt. Had she been reminded of it, while she dragged the wounded Arenvald away from that accursed tower? That day she had sent her own comrades to their deaths?

We all have our burdens to bear, she thought while images of all the people that had smiled at her in their last moments flashed through her mind. And we all have to make amends in our own way.

Opening her eyes again, S'eni turned them to the bright blue sky, watching the tiny white clouds as they idly passed by for a moment, before letting the corners of her lips rise into a smile. Alphinaud would be alright. She was sure of that.

He was Louisoix's grandson, after all.

After staying a little longer to watch three Miqo'te dancers perform, and giving them a small donation of Gil, she made her way to the Emerald Avenue, stopping for a minute to ponder what she should do now. An idea then sprung up in her mind and she turned left, her destination set. It had been a while after all.

A few minutes later, she stood in front of the building that housed Ul'dah's most prestigious of all casinos: the Platinum Mirage. Yet, while the place was truly a sight to behold, it was the entrance nestled underneath that she had set her sight on. Stopping in front of the door, S'eni raised her eyes to the words carved above it.

A CLOSED FIST DROPS NO GIL.

As she stepped inside, the first things to greet her were grunts and the cracking sounds of fists connecting with skin, accompanied by the almost ceaseless noise of wood straining under the barrage of blows. There was also the scent of sweat in the air, which she tried her best to ignore as she walked deeper into the place that had used the foundation she had once provided into true skill and from there had set her unto the path she walked now; the Pugilists' guild.

A grin danced across her lips as her eyes fell upon a young Lalafel woman standing outside the ring and shouting instructions to a group of fresh disciples.

"You're standing wide open! Raise your arms like this otherwise even a Nutkin could take you off guard. Yes, good! Now proceed." S'eni watched her shoulders stiffen ever so slightly and turn her head a little. "Well well, look who's returned. The Warrior of Light herself."

"Chuchuto." S'eni inclined her head.

Turning around, Chuchuto gave her a wide smile. "It's been a while. You look well."

"So do you," she said and knelt down to give the Lalafel a hug. "Master Hamon busy coming up with new techniques?"

"Busy being upstairs and chasing skirts more like," Chuchuto replied with an exasperated sigh that made S'eni chuckle. Despite having returned very much to his old form, there were clearly some habits that were hard to get rid of. But at least that meant the old man was doing well. "How have you been? Interesting outfit..."

Taking a step back again, S'eni looked down at herself. "It was a present by a friend."

"And here I was wondering about the gold," Chuchuto commented while pointing at one of the chains adorning her outfit.

"Believe it or not, but it makes for good practice trying to not make them clink while moving. As for how I've been—" she released a little sigh. "My companions and I just returned from Paglth'an."

The Pugilist's face grew serious. "I've heard about the Flames being dispatched there, but I didn't know the Scions were involved as well. Come—" she motioned for the bench at the nearby wall. "—let's sit."

One corner of her lips quirked up. "Sure you can leave the new blood out of your care?"

"They'll survive for a couple of minutes, don't you worry." They walked over to the bench and sat down. Lowering her voice, Chuchuto then asked, "Is it true? About the towers having shown up all over Eorzea?"

"Yeah. All over the world actually," S'eni replied after debating how much she should tell her.

"And...Bahamut?"

She shook her head. "It wasn't really Bahamut, more like a twisted reflection," she explained. "But we managed to defeat him, so you can rest easy."

"I see..." Chuchuto's face darkened and she fell silent for a moment, eyes moving over to the ring. Like so many others, she was left orphaned in the wake of the Calamity, so news of Bahamut's sighting must have triggered some bad memories. Slowly, the smile returned. "Of course you did. Just like you will also take care of the towers."

S'eni's eyebrows rose at those words. "You sound awfully confident of that."

"And why shouldn't I be?" the Pugilist asked, facing her once again. "You saved Eorzea from the Empire, ended the war between Ishgard and the Dragons and liberated both Ala Mhigo and Doma. You're a hero, S'eni. Our hero."

Before S'eni could respond, Chuchuto nodded over to the ring. "See them? They didn't just come here to learn from the Holyfist, they came because they heard of your exploits. The others that are out in the field right now have, too. I'm actually surprised they haven't noticed you yet!"

A look of astonishment forming on her face, she looked towards the ring where the new disciples were still eagerly training. She had been told multiple times in the past how she was an inspiration or, as G'raha and Y'shtola would be remiss not to mention, a beacon of hope. But hearing it here, in the place where it had all begun in a way, felt quite different.

Chuchuto jumped off the bench and turned towards S'eni, hands planted on her hips and a wide grin on her face. "So what do you say we go over and you show them a little of your skill? For old time's sake?"

She smiled and rose to her feet, punching her palm. "Don't blame me if they end up with bruises though."

"They will probably see them as badges of honor." Chuchuto laughed and began walking over to the ring. "Alright everyone, gather up. Today is your lucky day!"

 

---

 

By the time she was done, the new Pugilists had all been lying on the floor, beaten and out of breath, but grinning from ear to ear. After giving them a few pointers, she had left the guild once again with the promise to make time for another lesson and almost immediately ran into a herald of the Flames, who bade her to join the Sultana and the others to discuss the findings of Arenvald's mission. And what they found was quite substantial indeed.

As it turned out, those held captive inside the towers were made to summon primals, as the one that wounded Arenvald was Ifrit, or rather Lunar Ifrit. Since the towers tempered anyone who came close to them into loyal servants of Garlemald, so too were those held captured, and the summoned primal reflected that alteration with a twisted form. And now, almost at the same time as Ifrit's appearance, further primals emerged from other towers.

One silver lining in this was that they lacked the ability to temper people and seemed to be far weaker than Lunar Bahamut or even their 'regular' counterparts. The other, that talks with the Amalj'aa had swiftly resumed and they had pledged their full support to the cause, having been no doubt convinced by the aid Ul'dah had given them in their time of need. This would hopefully urge the other tribes all over Eorzea to join hands with them.

And with that mixture of good and bad news, they returned to the Rising Stones, who were already eagerly awaited by Krile. "Welcome back! I know you all must be exhausted and looking forward to a well-earned rest. But...could I borrow some of your time before that?"

Furrowing her brows, S'eni looked at the others before nodding. "Of course. What did you want to talk about?"

"Thanks to Arenvald and Fordola, we now know how the towers function. Yet there still remain many mysteries about them, the purpose of those summoned primals being one of them, as well as how these towers are connected to the structure in Garlemald," Krile said. "Until these questions are answered, we will struggle to find a way to stop the Telophoroi's plans. That's why I decided to petition the aid of Sharlayan."

"'Tis possible the ancient knowledge preserved in their archives may hide a clue to our enemy's methods," Urianger said. "But given Sharlayan's established policy of non-intervention, our former colleagues are not like to aid us in its discovery."

"Oh, I very much remember what they're like. The Forum's barefaced refusal to assist you in the days prior to the Calamity ranks as Sharlayan's most shameful act since the exodus." The Lalafel could barely keep the scorn out of her voice. "But the towers and their twisted primals are appearing all over the world. If the Final Days were to be reenacted, it would spell doom for us all. Not even they can turn a blind eye to that."

Krile let her gaze wander over the group. "I have already been granted permission to serve as the Alliance emissary. And if we're all in agreement, I would head out at once."

G'raha frowned. "Are you going to petition them in the name of the Students of Baldesion?" he asked.

"I do...even if our organization is nothing more than a shadow of its former self since the disappearance of the Isle of Val. It should still give my words a measure of weight with the Forum," Krile replied. "There is also one other matter I wish to look into."

She then focused her attention on S'eni. "Your tales from the First have made me question the nature of Hydaelyn and her blessing. I've already talked with Y'shtola about it at great length."

"Eni, can you remember the last time She has spoken to you directly?" Y'shtola then asked, pale eyes looking into hers.

The last time Hydaelyn had spoken to her...that had been... "Near the end of the Dragonsong War."

"Yes." The other Miqo'te nodded "In Azys Lla, when you regained Her blessing. Yet during all your time on the First, She remained silent, even as you fought the unsundered."

"We know Hydaelyn is able to awaken the Echo within her chosen. We also know that sometimes, She conveys Her will directly and grants the blessing of Light," Krile said. "To our knowledge, however, She has chosen not to intervene directly for quite some time."

"Might not that the explanation for that lie with Her choice of champion?" Urianger asked. "Mayhap She is content to trust in her judgement."

"It might be. After our initial discussion, Krile and I made some inquiries, but we could find no one that She had made Her will known to," Y'shtola replied.

"And on the First, the Oracle of Light spoke through Ryne." Thancred uncrossed his arms. "But that wasn't Hydaelyn either, but Minfilia herself."

"Indeed. Minfilia assuredly had a connection to Hydaelyn and thus knew of Her will, but in the end she was nothing more than a messenger who spoke with her own voice."

"I wonder, what is the reason She hasn't spoken to you?" Krile asked, making S'eni look back towards her. "Is it a sign of Her fading powers? While I share Urianger's high opinion of your conduct, I can see no reason why She would deny you her guidance altogether. The fact is, we simply don't know. So that is why I wish to search the Sharlayan archives for records on their research of the aetherial sea."

After saying that, the Lalafel glanced over to Alphinaud, whose eyes were practically glued to the ground. She frowned. "If I'm being honest I don't like leaving you a member short at a time like this. Estinien..." She looked at the Dragoon. "The future of this very star hangs in the balance and we will need every warrior for what is lying ahead. I know you already declined our offer the first time, but I beg you to reconsider. Please join us. The Scions need you. The world needs you!"

Estinien remained silent for a moment, choosing to look at Alphinaud first before speaking. "All of you follow high ideals, some of which I frankly don't agree with. But I know you would never turn your back on those in need. You have fought tirelessly to save Ishgard and to liberate Ala Mhigo. Yet battle demands sacrifice. You as well as your allies have suffered many losses. It's not easy to endure all that suffering and to carry that burden." The corners of his lips rose. "But you don't give up. You keep going, to save those who need saving; to save the world. So if you're in need of my lance, it's yours. Because you never turned your back on me as well."

"Thank you, Estinien..." Alphinaud said, a grateful look on his face that, while not fully reaching his eyes, marked a considerable improvement. It looked like the older Elezen's words had reached him. "Whatever challenges await, I shall not falter. You have my word."

A round of smiles went through their group and S'eni stepped towards Estinien. "Welcome aboard, partner," she said with a playful little punch to his arm. "Try not to get possessed this time around."

"Hmpf. I will do my best."

Krile exhaled in relief. "Then now I can bid you farewell with the knowledge that all is as it should be. Of course, I won't say no to a few kind words of farewell."

The teasing smile that followed was solely aimed at Alphinaud, who chuckled.

"You will be sorely missed. I very much doubt trouble will find you in Sharlayan, but treat carefully still. With the situation as it is, it is difficult to determine what might happen."

"I shall do my very best."

"And keep your eyes out on any strange books that might be out to kill you," S'eni added with a grin that was half amused and half pained as she relived an especially nasty memory from her venture into the Great Gubal Library. Sometimes she really wondered what in the seven hells was wrong with Sharlayans.

Krile laughed. "That is a much harder promise to keep. Farewell, my friends."

And with that, she left.

"Alright then," she said after the doors had closed behind her friend, looking at Estinien again. "Let's get you settled in, shall we?"

"Oh, of course! He will need a room," Tataru said.

"Don't worry, I'll show him. One became vacant recently after all. So why don't you make some tea for everyone in the meantime?"

"One round of Tataru's special coming up!" Tataru said with an eager grin before hurrying off.

"Well, come on. This way." S'eni gestured for him to follow her, sending Y'shtola a little wink at the quirked brow she was giving her as they passed by. While walking down the hallway, she watched Estinien look around in silence, obviously marking down the way in his mind. When they arrived in front of the room, she made a little show of opening the door and bowed. "Here we are, a room fit for the mighty Azure Dragoon."

"I'm no longer the Azure Dragoon and you know that," he said while stepping inside, looking about the room for a few seconds. "You mentioned this room was occupied not too long ago. Who did it belong to?"

"Oh, it was mine." He turned to look at her, eyebrows slightly raised. S'eni shrugged lightly. "I hardly have a need for it since I'm sleeping in Shtola's room all the time. She's got the comfier bed, you know?"

Estinien's brows lowered once more and he gave the room one last glance before nodding. "This will do nicely."

"Great! I'll let you get settled in. If you need anything, just say so."

"Hmm, since you're already offering, I have a question. The Scions are in close contact with the East Aldenard Trading Company of Kugane, right?"

"Yeah." She nodded. "That's right. Tataru spent a lot of time with them."

"Could she perhaps place an order for some sun-dried squid? I don't seem to be able to find it in these parts..."

"Sure. I'll talk to her and see what can be arranged." With a wave of her hand, she left the room to return to the others. It was only when she was about halfway there that she truly realized what he had asked for, and her face scrunched up in visible confusion. Sun-dried squid?

She was probably better off not asking about that.

 

Notes:

Wonder when Monks will finally be able to unlock their Stands...

Chapter 108

Tidings from across the Sea

 

With our ranks bolstered by Estinien, we could now count on the strength of one of the most powerful warriors the realm had to offer, ready to fight the Telophoroi whenever they would decide to appear once more. For now though, all we could do was wait for word from Krile in the hopes that the Forum would lend their ear to her words.

In the meantime, the seed that had been planted that day on the golden plains of Paglth'an had borne fruit and word had spread throughout the other Beast Tribes like a wildfire, leading to the historic assembly that, for the first time in all of Eorzean history, united Beast Tribes and City-states under one banner.

Thus the Grand Company of Eorzea was born.

It wasn't long after, when news of an envoy arriving from the Northern Sea.

 

---

 

It was done.

S'eni could hardly believe it, but it was truly done. After years of animosity or, worse, outright hostility the Alliance and the Beast Tribes were finally putting aside their differences and working towards a common goal. It was the very thing that Minfilia had dreamed of for so many years.

If only you were here to see it, she said in her mind as she looked up at the sky. Five years ago, shortly before the Calamity, the very notion of working together with them had earned Minfilia nothing but scorn and ridicule for her naivety. But she hadn't faltered, had continued on the path she believed was right, and along the way had found true companions that shared her ideals, becoming nothing short of family. ...you would be so proud.

With a smile, she lowered her head again and watched Riol and Alianne as they made their way deeper into Castrum Oriens to deliver their newest intelligence on the tower in Gyr Abania. She kept her gaze on their backs for a moment longer, then shifted it over to Alphinaud, who was watching them as well, but whose thoughts were clearly somewhere else.

Shortly after the assembly had concluded with the foundation of the Grand Company of Eorzea, Kan-E-Senna had approached them with the wish for Alphinaud to lend his expertise to turn the Sylph's not-so-hidden trading network from their Ashcrown Consortium into an effective line of communication between the Alliance and their new allies. He had accepted of course, but before committing any words to paper, had wished to hear the thoughts of former Braves; to draw upon them, and to better avoid the mistakes that he had made in the past. Which was why they had come here to speak with Riol and Alianne.

Yes, that was so very much like him.

Reaching into one of her pouches, S'eni pulled out a coin and flicked it over to him. The sound startled him out of his thoughts and his hand shot up reflexively to catch it. He looked at her questioningly.

"Gil for your thoughts?" she asked, drawing out a chuckle from him.

"I'm alright," he said and handed the coin back to her. "Their words have just given me much to think about."

"Good to hear their open and honest opinion?"

Alphinaud nodded. "Quite so. And while I know there will be fewer life-affirming testimonies waiting, I look forward to those as well. But we have done what we came here for. Let's head to Gridania to see what the others learned."

With a hum, she fell into step next to him as he walked over to the very same gate Riol and Alianne had just stepped through.

"You know, Minfilia and you are very similar," she said.

"How so?"

"She made mistakes in the past too, but instead of letting them pull her down, she chose to learn from them and became stronger for it."

"I cannot say that I fully agree with that assessment..." he smiled. "But it is very appreciated, coming from someone who has known her for so long."

Their journey to Gridania was short and relatively uneventful, thanks in no small part to Zack carrying them there. After putting him into the local stable, and giving him his hard-earned greens, she stepped outside to find Alphinaud writing something into the small book he usually used for his notes. Moving into the old part of town, they found Alisaie and G'raha standing not far from the Lancers' Guild, idly talking until the two of them noticed their approach.

"Ah, there you," Alisaie called. "Did you manage to find them?"

"We did," Alphinaud replied. "How has your search been going?"

The young woman pulled out a handful of notes and waved them around a little. "Thanks to Tataru's dependable information network we managed to track down a handful of Braves without much difficulty. Some were more forthcoming than others, but we learned enough to paint a picture. I must warn you though—" she held them out towards him. "—some of their comments were...harsh."

"I can imagine. But their opinions are just as vital to my report as the others. I seek unvarnished truth," he said and took the notes from her, his eyes going to the words written on them almost immediately. "I will begin adding your findings to my own. In the meantime, please go ahead to Little Solace without me. I will join you later."

"Well, you heard my brother," Alisaie said while turning towards them. "And I don't know about you, but I'm teleporting."

With that said, the young Elezen began to rise into the air and, a few seconds later, vanished. G'raha shared a look with S'eni and chuckled, before following Alisaie's example. After taking a moment to watch Alphinaud sit down on the steps of the guild and begin to read the notes in his hand, she too joined her friends.

Within seconds, she emerged from the Hawthorne hut. Having been originally a trapper's hut, it had turned into a homestead of considerable size over the years, most notable for its beekeeper farm which was famed not only for the honey it produced, but also for the mead made with it. The other thing that made this relatively quiet part of the Black Shroud special though, was its close proximity to the Sylphlands, and Little Solace in particular. For their part, the Hawthorne's were hospitable people that actually enjoyed company, which had made the area a de facto outpost for Gridania in regards to the Beast Tribe nearby, something that came quite in handy to the Scions as well in the past.

"You know, now that I think about it, out of the four of us, only Alphinaud and you have any real experience with the Sylphs," Alisaie said as they began to head in the direction of the small Sylph encampment. "Still, how hard can it be?"

Harder than you might imagine, S'eni thought, still very much remembering their little misadventure in the Sylphlands. They could be quite...playful to say the least. She couldn't blame Y'shtola and Thancred one bit for bailing out on this task at the first opportunity.

It didn't take long for them to arrive at the Sylphs' village and S'eni was glad to see that much seemed to have changed around these parts. Maybe a few more of their tiny houses that were suspended from the trees above, but all in all, still the same place. Even Frixio, the elder one as called by the other Sylphs, seemed to like relaxing in the same spot as the last time she was here.

"Ah, brave one and friends of brave one!" he greeted them, putting aside the piece of cloth he was dyeing and fluttering up into the air. "It is good to see walking ones again so soon after the meeting."

"It's been a while since we spoke like this though, Elder Frixio," she replied and did a twirl that earned her a questioning look from her companions.

The Sylph raised his tiny hands and shook his head. "Oh no no, there is no need for brave one to dance. These ones have delighted in making walking ones dance, but no more."

"Oh..." she blinked and lowered her arms again. "...Alright."

She didn't know why, but she was actually slightly disappointed.

"Horned one Kan–E–Senna said that walking ones would be coming to Little Solace, " Frixio said, adjusting the tiny pair of glasses resting on his nose. "Imperial ones also invaded Sylphlands and abducted many of these ones, so these ones will be glad to bear messages between fighting friendly ones!"

"That is good to hear, Elder," G'raha said. "It will require all ones to work in unison to stop the Telophoroi."

"These ones will try very hard, of course, but in matters of war, these ones have little experience. Any advice walking ones can provide would be most welcome." Frixio then looked past them, a look of surprise on his face. "...Oh? Another pretty silver-haired one? And in quite a hurry, it seems."

They turned around to see Alphinaud running towards them, waving his hand as he called out to them. "Alisaie!"

"Alphinaud?" Alisaie asked as he came to a halt in front of her. "What's the matter? Don't tell me you couldn't read my handwriting..."

The young man's eyes widened and he shook his head wildly. "What? No! A Twin Adder officer approached me while I was compiling my notes. He told me that Sharlayan has sent an envoy that will soon arrive in Gridania!"

"An envoy?" G'raha repeated, visibly surprised by this news. "Could it be that Krile has managed to sway the Forum?"

"Let's hope so," S'eni murmured.

"There is more, though. The envoy requested that the two of us be present," Alphinaud told his sister.

"Really? Why us specifically and not the Scions in general?" but just as Alisaie voiced that question, her eyes widened in realization. "...Wait. It isn't who I think it is?"

"...It is." Alphinaud nodded. "I could hardly believe it myself, but when I inquired about the envoy's identity I was told it was Fourchenault Leveilleur."

Wait, isn't that—!?

"Your father?" G'raha exclaimed, taking a second to let it sink in. "The fact that a serving member of the Forum has journeyed here is surprising enough, but him?"

"It must mean they are taking the matter seriously," Alphinaud said.

"Maybe, but why him and not one of the other ninety-eight members?" Alisaie wondered. "Unless he volunteered for it."

"It has been some time since you saw your father, hasn't it?" G'raha asked. "Perhaps he is concerned for your well-being."

The young woman didn't really look convinced by that notion. "...Could be, but he has always been reluctant to discuss his work with us in the past."

"Indeed. And whenever we wrote our parents, it was always our mother that replied. Nevertheless, it will be a good opportunity to see him after so long. Elder Frixio—" Alphinaud turned towards the Sylph and bowed. "l am sorry, but our visit has to be cut short. Please accept my report as a token of apology."

"Nevermind. There will be time to talk later," he replied with a friendly smile as he took the offered report. "This one won't keep walking ones from more urgent matters. Go!"

"Thank you, Elder Frixio." Alphinaud looked back at them. "The Elder Seedseer awaits us at the Lotus Stand. Let's be on our way."

With a round of nods and one final goodbye to the elder, they left. On their way back, S'eni couldn't help but glance over at the twins, watching as an air of nervousness began to surround them the closer they got to their destination. She must have looked very much the same when Y'shtola and her had visited her home. Hopefully, their long-awaited reunion would end just as well.

The calming burble of water wafted through the air as they entered the Lotus Stand, where they were already awaited by Kan-E-Senna and her entourage of guards. For a brief moment, S'eni let her eyes wander about, silently wondering how many times she had now been in Gridania's most political place, before looking back towards the Elder Seedseer.

"My friends, I thank you all for coming so swiftly," Kan-E-Senna greeted them. "Word of Master Fourchenault's visit has taken us quite by surprise. When the Alliance granted Mistress Krile permission to request Sharlayan's aid, we did not anticipate to receive word back so soon, and from a member of the Forum no less."

"Let's just hope the word he brings is favourable," S'eni said.

"We shall see." Kan-E-Senna inclined her head when one of her Conjurers stepped forth to whisper something in her ear, then nodded. "He will be here shortly."

And indeed, it didn't take long for their guest to arrive, his white robes making him quite visible against the greenery as he walked towards them in confident strides that made the braid his long, white hair was woven into bounce off his back a little. Looking into his face, a mask of political neutrality as befitting of an envoy, S'eni could immediately see the familial similarities, though much more to his father than to his son and daughter. He came to a stop a few feet away, regarding everyone with a look before focusing on Kan-E-Senna.

"Elder Seedseer, I thank you on Sharlayan's behalf for granting me this audience," he said. "But please, allow me to introduce myself. I am Fourchenault Leveilleur, representative of the Forum. It is an honor to make your acquaintance."

"I bid you welcome, Master Fourchenault. I wish to thank you as well for journeying so far and so swiftly. If only our first meeting could have been under different circumstances."

Fourchenault then turned his head to look at the twins.

"It has been too long, Father," Alphinaud said. "I'm glad to see you are doing well."

"Ah, Alphinaud, Alisaie." The diplomatic mask cracked for a moment to reveal a fatherly smile on the man's face. "It warms my heart to see you again after such a long time. Ameliance will be happy to hear that you are in good spirits. She misses you dearly."

"Is mother alright?" Alisaie asked, a hint of worry in her voice that was swiftly placated by her father.

"But of course. Though not a day passes in which she does not worry for you." As swiftly as it had vanished, the mask slipped back into place and he returned his attention to the Elder Seedseer. "Thank you, for offering me a chance to see my children again. And I am grateful to finally visit the famed Gridania, where my father spent most of his time making plans to battle against the primals."

The Elder Seedseer smiled. "A malmstone in the history of our humble city-state. I shall never forget the conviction and passion with which he spoke as he granted us the means to vanquish the primals. It was thanks to his efforts that we were able to stop the Empire's plans. If not for him, I doubt Gridana would still exist as it does today."

"I am sure my father would have been moved by these words, but with all due respect, I cannot agree with them. Quite the opposite, in fact, I have viewed his actions as irresponsible until the very end. And my position remains unchanged."

"'To chart the course of history, not to change it.' I am familiar with the Sharlayans' stance," Kan-E-Senna said.

"More so a way of life than a stance. It is who we are," Fourchenault replied before straightening himself. "Elder Seedseer Kan-E-Senna, as representative of Sharlayan I deliver to you the Forum's answer to the Eorzean Alliance's request: Sharlayan will under no circumstances intervene in the conflict between the Garlean Empire and the people of Eorzea."

S'eni narrowed her eyes as the twins' shocked gasps penetrated the heavy silence that followed his words.

"...As you well know, the Final Days spell the end of the entire world." It was barely noticeable, but the Elder Seedseer's grip on her staff tightened. "How can Sharlayan simply stand by in the face of such a threat?"

"The Final Days?" The twins' father raised his hand as if to wave off the entire issue. "Please, spare me the hyperbole. To us, this seems more like another petty squabble between yourselves and Garlemald. Certainly not a world-ending threat, that would demand Sharlayan's intervention."

"Father! You can't be serious!" Alphinaud practically shouted, taking a step forward. "If Sharlayan does not act now then the Telophoroi's will kill us all. Do you really believe there will be a world left to observe from your little island across the waves!?"

"Alphinaud is right!" Alisaie stepped next to her brother. " We have seen what the enemy is capable of, the lengths to which they'll go. You can't allow Sharlayan to turn a blind eye to this! If you truly love our homeland, you will join us before it's too late."

A sigh passed Fourchenault's lips and the disappointment couldn't be more clearly written on his face. "It seems I was mistaken. I allowed you to come to Eorzea to broaden your horizons, in hopes that it would instill you with a hint of restraint," he said. "But instead the time here has made fools out of you. Have you forgotten why it was that I so vehemently opposed your grandfather's departure?"

They didn't respond.

"Do you really believe that war is the solution to all your problems? Death. Devastation. Ruin. How many generations will it take until 'victory' has offset the suffering of the victims? It is the duty of the learned to avoid such tragedy. Have you still not come to understand that?"

At that, S'eni finally decided to break her silence. "To ignore the plight of those one might conceivably save is not wisdom—" her gaze met his. "—it is indolence."

Fourchenault didn't reply, but she could have sworn his eyes narrowed ever so slightly before he turned them back towards his children.

"Violence is never justifiable. By embracing such barbaric notions, you have subverted the teachings of Sharlayan and placed all we have worked for in jeopardy. Alphinaud. Alisaie. If it is war you desire then from this moment onward you shall no longer bear the name Leveilleur."

"What!?"

"Father!"

"How you choose to live your lives is no longer my concern. If you wish to walk the path of ruin, I will not stand in your way," he said and turned around to leave.

"Master Fourchenault!" Kan-E-Senna called out, making him stop. "I understand Sharlayan's position, but for the sake of our future, I beg of you to let us talk once more!"

"That will not be necessary," Fourchenault said. "Whatever it is you might have to say, it will not sway Sharlayan's decision. And I believe we have more important matters to attend to than to waste our time."

Without sparing so much as a single glance to his children, he left.

"Father, wait!" Alisaie made to follow, but Alphinaud grabbed her arm.

"Don't bother, Alisaie!"

"How can you stand there and watch him walk away!? How can you let this happen!?"

A frown formed on S'eni's face. The possibility of Sharlayan refusing their call for aid had always been realistic, as the others would undoubtedly point out if they were present. But she never suspected that he, for all the opposition to his father, would extend it to his own children. She glanced over to them, watching as Alisaie paced around like an agitated Coeurl while alternating between glaring at her brother and the space their father had just occupied.

Lowering her eyes to the ground for a moment, S'eni bit her lip—

"S'eni! Hey—!"

—and chased after him.

She caught up to him just as he stepped out of the Lotus Stand and was about to make for the Roost. "Master Fourchenault!"

"I believe I have said what I came here to say," he said in a dismissive tone. When he didn't show even the slightest inclination of stopping, she stepped in front of him.

"Please, I beg you to reconsider. If not about helping the Alliance, then about Alphinaud and Alisaie," she pleaded. "What would your father think?"

"My father caused all this. He willingly went against all we stand for and, in doing so, not only poisoned the minds of the Circle of Knowing, but those of his grandchildren as well." He stared at her, the calm mask on his face still firmly in place, but there was now a notable spark in his eyes. "'To ignore the plight of those ones might conceivably save is not wisdom, it is indolence.' In the end, the only thing these words have brought was senseless death and Alisaie and Alphinaud have chosen to follow the same foolish exa—"

"You're wrong!" she shouted. "Your father wasn't a fool. He was the wisest man I have ever known! Look around you. He sacrificed himself to save these people's lives! To save my life!"

Louisoix's smiling face just moments from when he spirited her away from Carteneau surfaced in her mind, followed by the image of the final goodbye Alphinaud and Alisaie shared with him after they had freed his soul from Bahamut's thrall that fanned the flame of anger that had begun to burn deep inside of her. She balled her shaking hands into fists. How dare he!

"You weren't there! You know nothing! While we were fighting for our lives, you sat back on your little island, pretending you are oh so better than the rest of us uncivilized savages! Tell me, if Garlemald had come knocking on Sharlayan's doorstep would you have fought for it or taken it lying face down while clinging to your way of life!?" She didn't leave him any time to respond. "Oh wait, you already ran with your tails tucked between your legs before, and now you dare to spit on Louisoix's legacy not only in the place he saved, but in front of your own children. Now I realize what Matoya meant, and how right she was. You say they don't deserve the name of Leveilleur—"

S'eni stepped up to him and craned her neck to glare at him, her scathing gaze meeting his.

"—it's you who doesn't deserve to call yourself a Leveilleur."

And before doing something she would come to regret later, she walked away, heading back in the direction of the Lotus Stand again. As soon as she was sure Fourchenault couldn't see, S'eni punched a nearby rock, taking a good chunk out of it and sending it flying across the grass-covered path. With a curse, she slumped down on the ground, covering her face with her hand while releasing a shaky breath.

She remained like this for a few minutes, trying to calm herself down before joining her friends once more, when a sudden chime went through the air. Without even looking, she reached into her pouch, pulled out her linkpearl, and put it into her ear. She pressed on it. "...yes?"

"S'eni!"

"Krile?"

"Has Master Fourchenault arrived yet?"

"Yeah, he just left. It...didn't go exactly well." With a sigh, S'eni uncovered her face and rose back to her feet. "Said that Sharlayan wouldn't get involved."

"I see...then it's as I feared..." Krile said. "My efforts were in vain."

"Hm. It was always a slim hope anyway."

"Maybe. I pleaded our case to as many Forum members as I could, but every last one of them refused to discuss the matter. No...that's not entirely right. It was more so that they outright ignored every word of the subject, without exception. It was almost unnerving."

"What do you mean?" she frowned. "Wait, the others should hear this too."

"You're not with them?" the Lalafel asked.

"I might have gone after Fourchenault and kind of blew up in his face," S'eni replied, earning herself a mix of a sigh and a chuckle from her friend.

"I can't blame you, I suppose."

As she made her way back to her friends, she wondered what it could be that made the Forum so opposed to helping them? Was it really just their way of life? Or was there perhaps something else?

Another mystery on the ever-growing mountain of mysteries...

 

 

Chapter 109

Death unto Dawn

 

Sharlayan's refusal to help, much as I'm loathe to admit, was entirely consistent with their historic position, dating back to the very founding days after the Sixth Umbral Calamity. But this time it was obvious the Forum was hiding something, that much was clear. Just what exactly it was, neither of us could tell, and Krile alone would not be enough to investigate the matter. Thus it was agreed that we all would join her as soon as we were able to.

Of course, as it happened so many times, grave tidings arrived soon after: the Telophoroi had been sighted marching west through Xelphatol and Coerthas, their goal...

 

---

...Carteneau. The place where it had all ended five years ago, and also where it had begun in a way. Maybe it was a quirk of fate, but for some unfathomable reason, she always seemed to find her way back here. Her eyes wandered up to the sky, where thick clouds were covering the night's sky, just like on the night where the forces of Eorzea had clashed with the remnants of the VIIth Legion. Only now, it was the Telophoroi and their horde of tempered awaiting them. Whatever it was they were seeking there, it couldn't be good.

Lowering her gaze once more, she instead looked at Alphinaud next to her, leaning against the railing of the Bonanza while staring out into the distance. His face held an expression of grim determination, and there was no doubt in S'eni's mind that he was thinking about the words that Arenvald had spoken to him.

"There!" he said after a moment, pointing up ahead across the ravaged landscape where the fires of battle were raging. The young man then looked at her and they shared a nod, before joining Alisaie and G'raha. Within minutes, the Bonanza arrived at the battlefield and they disembarked at a nearby Twin Adder fort, where Y'shtola and the others were waiting for them.

Upon joining their friends, a brief moment of silence passed between, broken only by the fighting going on just beyond the sturdy palisade.

"As you will undoubtedly know already, Sharlayan has refused our call for aid, making it all the more difficult to discern the Telophoroi's designs in the coming days," Alphinaud said. "And now we are faced with the full force of our adversary. A difficult time in which all we can do is to give it our all and hope for the best. We can still tip the balance in Eorzea's favor."

"Of course." Thancred smiled. "We will do what we always do: deal with the ones our allies can't. And given your expression, I would say you are more than ready. Could it be that you've dispelled your lingering doubts, Alphinaud?"

"I will always doubt myself. But instead of blaming myself for past regrets, I have chosen to look ahead. As my friends have kindly reminded me, I have come this far, and that must count for something."

"Gods be good, Alphinaud! That's what we've been trying to tell you all along," Alisaie said with a chuckle.

"For one so bright, he can be remarkably dim at times. But I suppose that is just how Alphinaud is," Estinien commented.

Alphinaud just smiled.

"Then it's time for us to join the battle, my friends," G'raha said, punching his palm. "Our enemy awaits!"

Alisaie nodded. "I'll do what I can to cure the tempered, but they'll have to be incapacitated first."

"Have care, my friends, for none can say wherefore our foe did choose this fateful field to be our battleground," Urianger said. "Whatever may transpire, pray grant him not the pleasure of deterring you."

They all shared a nod, then rushed out to join the fray.

Almost immediately after leaving the fort, their linkpearls let out a collective chime and they raised their hands to their ears.

"Listen well, friends. The Telophoroi are sweeping across Carteneau," Kan-E-Senna's voice said.

"What about Fandaniel?" S'eni asked.

"He was seen briefly sighted above the battlefield, but has since vanished," Merlwyb replied.

"Thus far, the movements of the lunar primals have proven difficult to predict. Even when poised to ambush our troops, they instead withdraw for some unknown reason..." Hien's voice joined the conversation, soon followed by Raubahn.

"Whatever the Telophoroi's plan may be, the primals are our primary targets," he ordered.

"Understood!" Alphinaud said. "They won't elude us for long!"

"We've got company!" Thancred then shouted, his hand going to the Gunblade on his back as he whirled towards the group of enemies rushing towards them.

"We can't allow ourselves to be stalled here!" Snapping his book open, the young Elezen summoned forth his trusty Carbuncle before hurling a spell forward, knocking two legionaries to the ground.

Maybe it was due to their tempered state, but it became swiftly apparent that despite being outnumbered, they were more than a match for their adversaries, striking them down with relative ease. What they lacked in comparative skills though, they made up for with sheer force as when one soldier fell, there were already two more to replace them. And that wasn't even counting the amount of Magitek weaponry they were also fielding.

With a cry, S'eni lunged at an approaching Magitek Reaper, kicking against its hull and making it lose its balance just as it was about to fire its cannon, causing it to hit one of the Armored Weapons. She backed away from the heat, looking about for her next enemy, when her back bumped against a familiar presence.

"Well, well, fancy meeting you here, Master Matoya," she said, a little smirk playing on her lips at the huff she received in return.

"Why, one might actually believe we are not fighting for our lives here," Y'shtola replied dryly, swinging her staff and sending lightning flying towards an approaching Sky Armor, making spin around and hurl off its pilot before exploding in a cloud of black smoke.

"Oh believe me—" dodging underneath the swipe of a sword, she slammed her palm against its owner's chest, tossing him backwards into a group of his comrades. "—I'm very much aware. Doesn't mean we can't raise our spirits a little while we're at it."

"Perhaps you should rather focus your attention on that Colossus there instead."

She looked to the side where, indeed, a Magitek Colossus was stomping towards them, its gigantic sword poised to strike. Opening the Chakras in her arms, she brought her palms together and released a ball of aether. It hit the Colossus squarely in the chest, ripping out large chunks of its hull and revealing the now broken machinery deep within. It took a few more steps forward, then fell sideways as it shut down.

"Thanks," S'eni said. "Think you can handle these?"

She nodded towards a group of tempered beastmen that came running.

"Hmm. One more and it might prove difficult."

"Then allow me to take care of that one."

"Far be it from me to interrupt," Thancred cut it, pulling the trigger of his Gunblade and creating a barrier to shield himself from a small barrage of bullets. "But I believe we might have to come up with something or else we're going to be stuck here!"

"Very well. Urianger, assist me!" Y'shtola called out. The Elezen nodded and spread out his arms simultaneously with her to create a dome of aether to keep the enemy at bay for the time being.

"If this persists we will never be able to find the primals," Alphinaud said.

"Then allow me to keep them occupied while the rest of you seek them!" G'raha replied as he placed his staff on his back and conjured up a magical sword and shield.

"Are you sure you can handle them on your own?" S'eni asked but Alisaie was quick to respond.

"Don't worry, I'll stay with him and try to cure some of the tempered!"

"Let us divide our forces that we may locate the primals more swiftly," Urianger suggested. "Thancred, Y'shtola, and I shall head east..."

"Then S'eni, Alphinaud, and I will head west," Estinien stated.

Y'shtola nodded. "Let us create an opening then. Urianger, on three. One. Two. Three!"

Together, they let the barrier explode outward, pushing their enemy back enough for them to break through.

"We're counting on you!" G'raha shouted and rushed forward with Alisaie.

"Come, follow me!" Spinning his lance, Estinien began to sprint westward, Alphinaud hot on his heels. S'eni made to follow them, but stopped herself to look at Y'shtola as she made to head east.

"Shtola?"

The other Miqo'te halted and looked over her shoulder. "Yes?"

"Love you." She winked.

Y'shtola gave her a look of disbelief, then shook her head with a sigh. "Really? Now?"

S'eni just giggled and began to sprint after Alphinaud and Estinien.

The battle raged as far as the eye could see, the clash of weapons pervading the air as they ran across the open field, always on the lookout for their quarry. But wherever they looked, there was no sight of any of them. As if they were hiding themselves.

Where in the hells are they? She wondered, but her thoughts were quickly interrupted by a group of tempered Ixal running towards them. Speeding up, she rushed ahead and for a brief second, her body was engulfed in light, changing her himation into black, sleeveless robes and covering her eyes with a similarly colored blindfold. The staff appeared in her hand, a nebula-like, deep orange aura surrounding its tip the moment her grip tightened. S'eni spun it around, before swinging it to the right, sending out a wave of cold air that froze the Ixals in place.

"Picked up a few tricks since we last saw each other, eh?" Estinien asked while they passed by their now incapacitated enemies.

"More than a few," S'eni replied lightly as she shifted back into her regular clothes.

After a few more minutes of running around, they stopped. Alphinaud looked about while catching his breath. "I don't see any primals..."

The Dragoon nodded. "Yes. Something's not right..." he said and grabbed his lance more tightly.

Almost as soon as the words had left his mouth, a glyph appeared in the sky above the Allagan Heliodrome near their position, followed by a chiming on their linkpearls.

"Are you seeing this as well?" Y'shtola asked.

"The glyph? Yes, it...almost looks like it's marking something," Alisaie replied on her end.

"Ever since I am able to see aetheric currents, I have never thoroughly examined those of Carteneau. But now that I am here, things have become clear and what I'm seeing is similar in nature to what I once saw in the Azim Steppe, only greater in scale. Far greater."

S'eni's eyes widened. "Wait, are you saying—!?"

"Yes. These...glyphs reach far into the aetheric confluence underneath Carteneau and...I believe I know their purpose."

"Tell us," she said.

"Should the lunar primals destroy them, it would spark a chain reaction that would obliterate the confluence entirely. The resultant disruption to the flow of aether would sow chaos among the elements, prompting earthquakes, floods, and tempests large enough to lay waste to the realm."

Shit... Removing her finger from her linkpearl, S'eni turned her gaze towards the glyph. Then that's where the primals were headed. She looked at her two companions. "Let's go!"

They hurried over to the Heliodrome, any enemy they encountered on the way became nothing more than background noise. A terrible roar went through the air and the ground began to shake underneath their feet when a large form landed nearby, sending a group of unsuspecting fighters flying from the impact before continuing onward in the same direction they were headed.

"Lunar Ifrit," she heard Alphinaud breathe out as the primal began to climb up the hill. "...the one that Arenvald and Fordola encountered."

"We'll stop him!"

Rushing up the wooden walkways, they made it just in time for Ifrit to finish his ascent as well. Like Lunar Bahamut before him, his appearance too was different, his thick skin the color of coal instead and his horns held that same ominous purple glow as the twisted elder primal. His eyes, too, were different, lacking the intelligence she had seen in past encounters with the fiery primal, marking him as nothing more as a slave to Fandaniel's will.

And now those very same eyes turned towards them, his objective momentarily forgotten in favor of those that would keep him from it. Flames spurted forth from his maw as S'eni raised her arms. A moment passed with neither side doing anything, then—

"Get him!"

—she vanished from sight, appearing right in front of Lunar Ifrit again and unleashing a flurry of blows upon him, every strike releasing such force that it made his giant body shake. Ducking away from a swipe of his claw, she whirled around to slam her heel into the side of his head. The force of the kick made him stagger to the side, leaving him wide open to Alphinaud's Broil spell.

An ear splitting howl of pain escaped Ifrit as Estinien's lance pierced the leathery skin of his back. They danced around for a few seconds until the primal managed to get a hold of her friend and tossed him towards them. In an amazing feat of acrobatics befitting the Azure Dragoon, he twisted around midair and landed back on his feet.

"Watch out!" Estinien cried as soon as he had hit the ground, dashing towards Alphinaud and picking him up, before jumping high into the air. Noticing it as well, S'eni followed suit, just in time to avoid the blanket of flames spreading out of Lunar Ifrit and covering the entire ground. "Be on your guard!"

"Don't have to tell me that," S'eni growled and dove back towards Ifrit, performing a somersault to bring down her heel upon his head like an axe. A loud crack went through the air as one of his horns shattered from the impact, causing the flames to puff out of existence. Landing on the ground nearby, Estinien released Alphinaud once more and jumped forth to join her.

With Alphinaud's support, they managed to slowly but surely press the primal away from the confluence and towards the edge of the platform, chipping away at him until the temperature around them began to rise in a familiar, tell-tale way. "Here it comes!" she warned and jumped backwards to Alphinaud.

One by one, multiple fiery spikes grew out of the ground around them while Lunar Ifrit began to rise into the air.

"Those things don't bode well," she heard Estinien say.

"They empower and protect him from harm," she explained. "We need to destroy them before—"

More of them rose from the ground, practically covering the entire Heliodrome.

"—Oh you've got to be kidding me!"

"He seeks to destroy the confluence and us alongside it!" Alphinaud exclaimed.

"Hmm, impressive. But I have a few tricks up my sleeve as well." Flipping backwards, Estinien landed a few feet away from them and raised his lance. "Let us hear your roar...Nidhogg!"

A deep red aura began to surround him, coiling itself around the weapon in his hand like a hungry serpent. With a loud roar, the aura exploded outward to reveal eight identical copies of Estinien forming a circle around him. Within the blink of an eye, they jumped into the air to rain down a hail of attacks that took out most of the spikes, leaving only a few left. Then, in one fell swoop, they met the same fate as the other pillars.

"Alphinaud, now!" S'eni called out and the young man summoned forth a barrier to shield themselves and the confluence from the hellfire unleashed upon them. He struggled against the sheer ferocity of the fire, but managed to hold out long enough until the attack had subsided before dropping it once more and hurling spell after spell towards the primal.

With his apparent trump card having been taken away, Lunar Ifrit became little more than a savage animal. Blindly, he struck out towards them in an effort to simply get rid of his obstacles so that he might yet fulfill his purpose, but to no avail. It was time to put an end to this.

"Estinien!" she called out, then vanished from sight.

"Already ahead of you, partner!" Pulling his arm back, the red aura surrounded his lance once more and he tossed it towards the twisted primal, who narrowly dodged the attack.

Good.

Appearing behind Ifrit, S'eni jumped into the air and snatched up Estinien's lance, using the momentum to spin around to face the primal. The red glow around the weapon intensified as she grabbed it tight and pulled her arm back with gritted teeth.

"It's over!" she shouted and threw the lance with such a force that it caused the sound to cease for a brief moment, only returning when the lance had buried itself into the ground in front of the primal a second later. Lunar Ifrit stood frozen in place, his claw slowly inching towards the giant hole in his torso in disbelief. He took a few last breaths, then collapsed on the ground where he dispersed into aether.

After landing, S'eni jogged over to Alphinaud and Estinien, looking out towards the battlefield below them. It looked like the fighting was beginning to die down. They shared a silent nod and started making their way down to join the others, when something from out of the corner of her eyes made her stop.

A robed figure floating high up over the battlefield; Fandaniel.

"What a shame, another failure!" he shouted when their eyes met across the distance. "You are stubborn, I will give you that. And here I just wished to accelerate my plans. Not that this changes anything. It is only a matter of time anyway."

He vanished.

Exhaling through her nose, S'eni cast her gaze across the area, where the fighting had now truly come to an end, and headed down to join her friends. She found Alphinaud not far away from the Heliodrome, kneeling over a gravely wounded Garlean soldier and trying to heal him. After a moment, the soldier began to stir, raising his hand slowly into the air as if to grasp something.

"Glory be...to...Garlemald..." he breathed out before what little strength had been left faded and he slumped back. Dead. Stopping his spell, the young Elezen grit his teeth and punched the ground.

"Alphinaud..." she said with a frown, but he didn't reply, remaining silent until his sister had joined them.

"Alisaie, how are the tempered?" he asked.

"We've treated as many as we could," Alisiae replied, her eyes downcast. "But...some of them were beyond help..."

He rose to his feet and looked about the battlefield, watching as the wounded and tempered were treated by their allies, while those to which all help had come too late for were silently taken care of. It would be hours before the full extent of the losses would be known. The sound of heavy footsteps drew their attention away from the sight towards an Amalj'aa warrior approaching them, joined by an Ixal and Ananta.

"You look tired, brave Scions," he said, his voice deep and rumbling. "Though not all of our brethren could be saved, many have regained their minds and are back with their tribes. You have fought for them like they were your own, and for that we are grateful. So please, hold your heads high."

As he spoke, their friends and many more joined, the looks in their eyes silently affirming his words. Alisaie sighed. "I have much to learn yet, but I won't give up," she said, the corners of her lips rising ever so slightly. "Thank you for your kind words. They mean a lot."

Alphinaud's lips formed a thin line. "The victory we achieved today came at a great cost, but I will not give up. I will stay strong and press on!" He turned his head to look at S'eni. "We all will, right?"

She smiled and stepped forward, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder and giving it a squeeze. "One step at a time, until victory is ours."

"Indeed."

A sudden gust of wind blew over the battlefield, offering a blissful reprieve from the heat, and S'eni found her gaze turning skyward. Little by little, the thick clouds that had covered the entire horizon began to part and revealed the moon's full form, shining bright as if Menphina herself was signaling the end of the battle. But she knew that wasn't the case; it was signaling the beginning—

Narrowing her eyes, she balled her hands into fists.

—the beginning of the end.

 

Notes:

[Shadowbringers intensifies]

Still a little bit more to go though until we truly wave Shadowbringers goodbye.

Chapter 110

Social Call

 

It was some time after the battle at Carteneau that found S'eni standing at the shores of Lake Silvertear. In the distance, Midgardsomr's serpentine body was wrapped around the remains of the Agrius, standing vigil upon the area even in his death-like slumber. For a moment, she wondered how long it would be until he awoke once again. According to G'raha he was still sound asleep even in the far future from which he had traversed back.

Shifting her eyes away from the ancient wyrm, she looked back towards the kneeling Y'shtola, her hand held out as she took a closer look at the aetheric currents. A look of deep thought was on her face, mirrored by the one Urianger wore opposite of S'eni. Another couple of minutes passed until Y'shtola lowered her hand with a sigh.

"Just as I thought...this current is the same as the others," she said and rose to her feet.

"Same as in Thanalan," Thancred's voice called out, and the three of them turned around to see him and G'raha walking over. "Wherever we survey, it shows a change in the aetherical currents."

"And the strength of each current has diminished dramatically as well," G'raha added. "Safe to say, it can be ruled out that this is a natural occurrence."

A heavy silence draped itself around them, only to be disturbed by the sound of the Bonanza landing nearby, and they were soon joined by the twins and Estinien.

"Ah, thou hast returned. What tidings bringest thou from Dravania?" Urianger asked.

Alphinaud nodded and began to explain, "We took a number of readings, and noticed that the closer we were to the tower, the lower the aetheric density became. In short..."

"The towers are absorbing the land's aether!" Alisaie finished. "Which explains how they could carry out the summonings."

S'eni frowned. If this went on unchecked...

"We should return to the Rising Stones and have Tataru relay what we've discovered to our allies," Thancred suggested. They all nodded in agreement and began to head back. But S'eni had barely stepped forth when a voice made her stop in her tracks.

A woman's voice.

"Hear me...Hear me..."

Turning around, she saw a tall figure standing up ahead, draped in bright light that obscured her features save for her long hair. Who—!?

"Darkness comes...and with it...the end..." she said. "The fate...of the star...is in your hands..."

S'eni's lips parted, but before she could say anything, the woman vanished, leaving her to stare at the spot she had just stood seconds ago.

"Everything alright?" a soft voice asked.

 

---

 

With a little jump, S'eni returned to the here and now. Two pairs of blue eyes were looking at her, one filled with visible concern while the other held confusion instead. "Huh?"

"I asked if everything was alright?" Ryne asked, placing the cup of tea she was holding on the table. "You were staring into space."

"I—" she blinked once, twice, then ran a hand over her face. "Yeah, just thinking is all."

If anything, that seemed to make the girl grow more concerned. "Are you sure?"

"Really now, Ryne," Gaia chimed in, raising her cup to her lips. "If she says she's fine then there's no reason not to believe her."

A little chuckle escaped S'eni. "I'm afraid I can't truly agree with that. Ryne knows me a little too well. But really, I'm alright. Things have been a little...hectic."

Aside from the obvious Marid in the room that was the Telophoroi and their plans, there had also been the liberations of Werlyt and Bozja that had needed seeing to. She was glad for it in a way, as it gave her something to focus on while Krile arranged everything in Sharlayan, but she would be lying if she claimed the entire thing hadn't been taxing. By the time she had returned, it must have been obvious enough for Thancred to approach her with a rather thinly veiled excuse to get away from things for a few days by asking her to check in on Ryne for him.

The others, of course, were in absolute favor of it. Now here she was, sitting in the Crystarium and having tea with the two young ladies. Reaching for her cup, she took a sip before reaching out to take one of the coffee biscuits from the plate in the center of their table.

"Anyway," she said after taking a bite out of it, enjoying the rich blend of chocolate and coffee. "How have things been here?"

"Relatively calm," Ryne replied. "The Sin Eaters are only far and few now and with the Empty on its way to recovery we have actually been blessed with quite an amount of free time."

"By which she means she now has all the time in the world to be a bloody busybody and go around helping everyone," Gaia commented, drawing out another chuckle from S'eni.

"Well, then it's a good thing she has you to keep her grounded." She grinned and turned her head to watch a group of people passing by.

As it turned out, she had come just in time for the festival Ryne had spoken of the last time she had seen her. It had apparently been postponed due to some logistical problems, but was now all the grander for it, drawing in people from the furthest reaches of Norvrandt. Perking her ears, she let herself listen to the distant music for a moment, before returning her attention to the girls.

After finishing the generous can of tea they had ordered, the three of them rose to their feet and began to leave in the direction of the Exedra, though not before S'eni swiped the last of the coffee biscuits off the plate.

"What?" she asked at the looks she received. "I get more than enough exercise to sin a little."

To make a point, she pulled up the white Ala Mhigan shirt she wore to reveal her stomach, giving it a little slap for emphasis. "See? Not a single onze that doesn't belong there."

Gaia just shook her head with a shrug while Ryne released a giggle as S'eni began to nibble on the tasty treat. She really had to try making a batch of them back home.

Arriving at the Exedra, she let herself take it all in. The first time she had stepped into the Crystarium, it had been lively to be sure, but never in the way she was seeing now. The once largely empty plaza was now packed with people that even dwarfed the sizable crowd that had gathered here after they had returned from the Tempest. Stands filled with delicacies and games, excited chatter and song pervading the air, just being here filled her with an excitement that washed away the stress of the past few days.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she exhaled again, a wide smile began to form on her face and she turned towards the girls. "So, what should we do first?" she asked.

Ryne, clearly a little lost at the question, rested her cheek on her knuckles with a long hum. She glanced over at Gaia once or twice, but only received a look that said 'this was your idea' in return. "Why, uh, don't we just look around for a bit to see what catches our eye?"

S'eni nodded. "Spontaneous. I like it."

They wandered around for a few minutes, passing stands with delicious-looking snacks that would have probably prompted her to dig right in if she didn't already have one just now. A cheer then made her ears perk up and she looked around until her eyes fell upon a beautiful Vii, performing a very graceful dance for the gathered crowd in front of her. Though dressed in red silk that showed off her body, it was the very sharp-looking chakrams in her hands that garnered most of the attention as she expertly whirled them around with every motion. Occasionally, they would come dangerously close to her tanned skin, yet always missed it by just a hair's breadth, but it was enough to make gasps and claps of excitement go through the crowd that lasted until the end of the performance.

Joining in on the applause, they tossed a few Gil into the ornate box standing not far away from the Vii, then continued on their way. Their next stop was a rickety-looking pole with a bell on top of it and a small lever reminiscent of a seesaw at the bottom. To S'eni, it looked like a much simpler version of the Crystal Tower Striker from the Gold Saucer. The Mystel standing in front of it gave them a smile.

"Would one of you ladies like to give it a try?" he asked. "If you manage to hit the bell you can have a pick of one of our prizes."

After saying that, he motioned towards the nearby table filled with all sorts of items, ranging from simple to surprisingly elaborate pieces.

"Hmm. What do we need to do?" Ryne asked.

"It's a strength test. You hit the lever with a hammer," S'eni explained.

The Mystel's face brightened even more. "Ah, someone who knows her games."

"We have something like this where I'm from too." She shrugged.

"I'll give it a try," Gaia said suddenly and stepped forth to pay the man. But instead of taking the offered hammer, she held out her hand to summon forth her own instead and walked over to the game. Raising her hammer above her head, she brought it down on the lever with a mighty swing, and S'eni watched as the weight shot up the pole and slammed into the bell like it was nothing.

The Mystel stood there for a brief moment, a dumbfounded expression on his face, but his cheer swiftly returned, albeit perhaps a little strained. "A-And we have a winner!" he announced.

Not really paying much attention to him, Gaia de-summoned her hammer and walked over to the prize table. Her gaze moved across it until landing on something that seemed to have caught her fancy. With a smile, she reached out and picked up a pair of hairclips adorned with feathers. Not exactly something she would have pecked her for.

And apparently, Gaia thought so as well, as she turned towards Ryne and held them out towards her.

"For me?" Ryne asked in surprise.

Gaia nodded. "I think they'll suit you. The ribbon is nice and all but it's starting to become a bit one-note."

After saying that, she proceeded to put them into the other girl's hair. A little chuckle made its way past S'eni's lips at the hearty pink that was suddenly spreading across Ryne's cheeks at her friend's close contact, persisting until Gaia stepped back again. The latter looked at her a moment longer before nodding. "Looks good, don't you agree, S'eni?"

"Hm. Absolutely adorable," she replied, grinning when the blush returned full force.

"O-Oh, hey. W-What's this?" Without even waiting on them, Ryne all but ran past them. Gaia raised a brow in silent question to which she just shook her head, then made to follow the girl. They found her not long after, standing in front of another stand, talking with the Hume lady behind the counter while holding a ball. The stacked cans behind the woman made it rather clear what type of game this was.

"Just knock the cans over to win a prize?" she heard Ryne ask as they approached.

"That's right. Get 'em all and you'll have your pick from our special selection," the woman replied.

"Hah, a classic," S'eni said and pulled out a few Gil that she placed on the counter. "I'll give it a whirl."

After being handed three balls, she took one and threw it up and down a few times to get a feel for it. Stitched leather, no hidden weights. Good. She then scanned the pyramid of cans in front of her, sizing it up like she would an enemy on the battlefield before raising her hand and tossing the ball.

It hit them smack dab in the middle, causing the stack to collapse on itself in a loud clatter as each can fell to the ground. The Hume whistled. "Not bad. You got a strong throwing arm," she commented.

"Diligent training." S'eni winked and did a little flex. Turning her attention over to the prizes, she looked them over for a minute. The corners of her lips curled upward. "I'll take that one."

"Sure thing," the woman said and she was handed a plush doll that bore quite a striking similarity to a certain miniature Great Serpent of Ronka in all its wobbly greatness. Why, if not for the fluffy coating and obvious button eyes, she would half expect it to wiggle about the place. Yes, this would make for a nice souvenir.

A clattering sound made her look over to where Ryne stood, eyebrows drawn in concentration as she stared at the now half-collapsed can pyramid. Shifting the second ball from her left into her right hand, she threw it but missed by a small margin, leaving her with only one more shot. The girl closed her eyes, taking a deep breath and extending her arm backwards, keeping it there for a few seconds.

Eyes snapping open, she tossed her last remaining ball. It shot through the air and collided with the rest of the cans, sending them hurtling to the ground. And not long after, Ryne found herself to be the proud owner of a Porxie doll.

"Look Gaia!" the girl said, holding up her prize snout first. "Don't you think it will make a cute addition to our room?"

Oh? S'eni's eyebrows rose at those words and she walked over to join them. "'Our' room?"

Ryne nodded with an affirmative hum. "After Gaia decided that she would rather look to the future than to the past, I offered her to move into my room here at the Crystarium instead of getting her own."

"And it's already cramped enough without you cluttering it up with all sorts of things," Gaia complained, taking the Porxie and tilting her head. After having given it enough of a closer inspection, she handed it back to Ryne with an exhale through her nose. "If this continues we might as well just buy a house."

"That's a great idea!" the other girl beamed. "Were you thinking about here in Lakeland or rather somewhere else?"

"What!? No! I wasn't—ugh, you're impossible!" Gaia said and sauntered off. Unlike in the past though, where Ryne would have remained rooted to the spot, wondering why she had made her so upset, she was now hot on Gaia's heels, clutching the little Porxie to her chest with a happy smile. S'eni just giggled and followed after them.

Once Gaia had cooled off again, the three of them spent some more time amidst the festival, playing a few more games or just chatting with a few familiar faces, before taking a little break to sit down with some tasty ice cream. She watched in silent amusement as the two girls shared a bowl, utterly oblivious to the way they looked as Ryne guided the spoon towards Gaia's lips. Well if nothing else, Thancred would be delighted to hear that they were doing alright indeed.

A thought then came to her and she felt her expression turn into a frown. Looking down to her own bowl of creamy, sweet goodness, she poked around with her spoon before scooping some of it up and absentmindedly putting it into her mouth. She barely noticed the fruity flavour.

A house, huh...?

 

Chapter 111

A place to call Home

 

A long, drawn-out hum escaped Y'shtola as leaned over the tome in front of her, a finger resting on the edge of the page while her eyes traveled across the words written on it. As soon as they had reached the bottom, she turned the page to continue. It wasn't the first time she read this particular book, having done so once or twice in the past at Urianger's bidding in the years following the Calamity. Now she hoped that the information written therein might offer a clue as to their current problems regarding the towers.

But so far all it did was refresh her mind on things she already knew.

Without taking her eyes off the page, she reached for the teacup resting nearby, but found it much too light for her liking when picking it up. She slightly turned her head to look at it only to see that it was empty. Clicking her tongue, she placed a bookmark between the pages and closed the tome, before leaving the room.

She headed into the Rising Stones' main hall where the person she was looking for was seated at her usual place, reviewing various documents while tapping her cheek with the feathery end of a quill.

"Tataru?" Y'shtola asked as she approached, a small smile forming on her lips as the Lalafel looked at her. "My apologies, but would you mind making some more tea?"

"Of course not!" Tataru replied, putting the quill away and climbing off her chair. She walked over to one of the cabinets behind her and pulled out the Magitek kettle that Wedge had once given to her as a present. What was it called again? The Mark XIV Thermocoil Boilmaster or something like that?

They walked over to the bar, where Tataru proceeded to pour water into the kettle and turned it on. The telltale hum of Magitek, followed by the sound of boiling water, began to pervade the air, and Y'shtola decided to look around a little while they waited. The Rising Stones were rather empty, which wasn't really surprising. Most of their people were out in the field to keep an eye on the towers, and those that weren't, like the twins, were differently occupied. Still, she spied Riol sitting in a far corner, talking over linkpearl as he was wont to do, and Hoary Bolder sharpening his blade further back in preparation for his next venture.

"Say..." her eyes landed on Tataru once more. "Have you seen Eni today?"

"Not since this morning, no," her friend replied with a shake of her head.

"I see." That in itself wasn't exactly strange. A worlds spanning three-year separation aside, there were times when they didn't see each other for days on end because they were pursuing their own things. This morning though, S'eni had practically jumped out of bed and left with little more than a kiss and a quick "see you later!", which struck her as a bit odd.

A little chime from the Magitek kettle interrupted her musings and she watched as Tataru began to pour its contents into a can that she had prepared while the water was still cooking. Soon enough, the pleasing fragrance of the Lalafel's special tea was entering her nostrils and Y'shtola felt the corners of her lips rise.

"Would you like something to eat as well?" Tataru asked.

Her stomach responded before she could, reminding her that it was already well past noon now.

The other woman giggled. "I'll take that as a yes. Sit down, I'll bring you something."

"Something light, please," Y'shtola said, moving over to one of the tables and sitting down. Tataru returned to her with two sandwiches she had quickly whipped up and placed them on the table together with the now freshly brewed tea.

"Here you go," Tataru said. "Now if you'll excuse me, I still have to look over this month's expenses."

"Don't let me keep you then. And thank you." She offered her friend a grateful smile and watched as Tataru returned to her desk, wasting no time going right back to work. If not for her, Y'shtola was sure the Scions would have long since gone bankrupt. Just like Minfilia had once said, she was the good soul that kept it all going; though one better not to be crossed. Many a fool had learned that lesson in the past.

I suppose a break is in order, she thought when her stomach once more made it known to her that it wished for nourishment. Picking up a sandwich, she took a bite out of it and poured herself some tea. While she enjoyed her little meal, she let her gaze wander once again, watching as Riol finished his call and got up from his table to head towards the entrance, offering her a silent nod as he passed by her.

The door had barely closed behind him, when it opened once more and Clemence stepped inside, walking over to Tataru to hand in a report before heading deeper inside while muttering something about her sister tiring her out. A little chuckle escaped Y'shtola at that. The Scions truly were a rather ragtag bunch from all crosses of life. From Archons such as her to people such as Aenor, they were all present within their organization. And of course, one should never forget a certain adventurer at the very heart of it, even if she was loathe to admit as such.

So many years had passed since Y'shtola had first laid eyes upon this impressionable woman taking her first steps into Eorzea, following her dreams of adventure that would ultimately entangle her into the fate of the realm. Trials and tribulations had shaped her into who she was today: the Warrior of Light; the flame of hope that served as their beacon even in the darkest of times. And, of course, so much more to her personally.

The sound of the door opening and closing pulled Y'shtola out of her thoughts, and she turned her head to see the very object of them walking into the room. Looking around for a moment, S'eni's eyes swiftly found hers and she smiled before heading over.

"Ah, there you are," Y'shtola said, mirroring her lover's expression. "I was already wondering where you were."

"I'm sorry. It took a little longer than expected," S'eni replied and sat down opposite of her. She nodded towards the second sandwich. "Are you going to eat that?"

Glancing down at the one in her hand, Y'shtola pushed the plate forward. "Go ahead."

"Thanks." S'eni picked the sandwich up and practically inhaled it, leaving nothing but a few stray crumbs at the corners of her mouth that she wiped away with her thumb.

"A busy morning, I see," Y'shtola noted with a curious brow.

"You could say that." The other Miqo'te leaned back and closed her eyes, giving her stomach a little, satisfied pat. She remained like this for a few moments before cracking one eye open again. "Are you busy right now?"

"I'm not, as you can undoubtedly see." To make a point, Y'shtola took a bite, chewed a few times, then swallowed. "But if you are inquiring about any immediate plans, I was consulting a tome in hopes of finding something that might help us with the towers, but so far it seems to be a dead end. So right now I'm quite free."

Opening the other eye, S'eni smiled and leaned forward. "Good. There's something I want to show you."

"Oh?" this time both of her eyebrows rose. "And what might that be?"

"Hmm, you'll see," she said with a little wink.

 

---

 

Not long after she had finished her meal and drank another cup of tea, S'eni had practically dragged her out of the Rising Stones and told her to teleport to Ishgard. Once there, they walked around the Foundation for a bit until she suddenly found her eyes covered by her lover's hand, telling Y'shtola to just follow her instruction. A few minutes passed like this until she released a sigh.

"Is this truly necessary?" she asked.

"Yes, it is," S'eni replied, an audible grin in her voice that drew out an even heavier sigh.

"Honestly..." Y'shtola muttered. But while she was unable to see right now, she was still very much able to hear, and her ears were telling her they were moving away from the hustle and bustle into a much quieter area. Since they hadn't walked up though, that safely discounted the Pillars. Which meant that whatever way they were going, it must be a part of Ishgard she previously hadn't been to.

She continued to quietly ponder the possibilities until they suddenly stopped and she was turned to the side.

"Alright," S'eni said. "Here. We. Are."

The hands were removed from her eyes and she found herself looking at...

"A house?" Y'shtola asked.

"Uh-huh." A grin splitting her face, S'eni walked past her and up the small staircase onto the front yard. She spun around and raised her arms in a presenting gesture. "What do you think?"

Y'shtola's eyes widened and she looked around. Was this...the Firmament? The residential area that had been rebuilt during their absence?

Wait, that meant—

"You bought a house?"

S'eni nodded. "I did!"

Stepping onto the front yard as well, she looked about. The house was a rather simple cottage, made of sturdy wood and stone to protect from the elements, but spacious enough that more than one person could live there. On the far end of the roof, a chimney extended high into the air, while on the near end, a Chocobo weathervane was pointing eastward.

The garden looked quite orderly, the telltale smell of freshly cut grass still hanging in the air, but was largely empty save for a single tree in the right corner. Underneath her feet, she could hear the crunching of the pebble path leading towards the porch. It looked...nice.

"But...why?" she asked.

A slightly bashful look formed on the Miqo'te's face, her ears lowering ever so slightly, and she stepped towards her. "I know, it's not exactly the best timing. In fact, it's probably pretty bad with the Telophoroi and all. But visiting Ryne and Gaia got me thinking," S'eni said and took both of Y'shtola's hands into her own. "I know you're not inclined to settle down yet. Neither am I, really. But I thought it would be nice to have a place to return to and get some rest after a long adventure. Don't get me wrong, the Rising Stones is nice and all, but it's not exactly the most private of places."

Y'shtola...didn't know what to say. Of all the things she had expected, this wasn't even remotely high on that list. S'eni had bought them a house. A home.

Home... She thought. Ever since Sharlayans' exodus from the Dravanian Hinterlands, she never really had a place she could call that. Sure, she had lived in Old Sharlayan and had used all Master Matoya had taught her to become an Archon, but it had never been home, despite Y'mhitra and her other siblings living there as well. And now the woman she had come to love was offering to build one with her.

She pulled a hand out of S'eni's grasp—

Cherry pink eyes dropped to the ground. "O-Of course if you don't want to—"

—and took hold of her necklace to pull her into a deep kiss.

S'eni's eyes widened in surprise for a few seconds, before sliding closed as she returned it with equal fervor. Their lips gently caressing one another's, they remained like this for a couple of moments until the need for air forced them apart once again.

"I take it that means you like it?" S'eni asked with a little smile.

Y'shtola nodded and gave her hand a soft squeeze. "I do."

"Well, let's take a look inside then. Come on!" Grin returning, her lover began pulling her to the entrance, and she could only chuckle at the almost childlike eagerness radiating from the great Warrior of Light. The inside was, save for the fireplace, predictably empty of course. But like a blank canvas was to an artist, the vacant state brought forth S'eni's creative side.

"I was thinking of some chairs and a table over there," she said and pointed towards the fireplace, then to the space closer to them. "And a larger one here for dinner and if we ever entertain guests. Oh, and the kitchen will be over there!"

S'eni pointed to their right and walked over, forming a little frame with her hands to better visualize it. "Stove will be there...a counter here..."

"Your personal little realm within the house?" Y'shtola asked in amusement.

"Unless you wish to cook regularly."

"I believe I shall leave that in your more than capable hands." Turning her head, she spotted a door in the far right wall. "Where does that lead to?"

"The basement," S'eni replied. Though as it turned out, said basement was actually considerably larger than the main floor. And of course, she already had some grand designs for it in mind as well.

"We should have some of these walls taken down and replaced with windows. That way we have a perfect view of the highlands."

With the way Ishgard was built, the idea in itself was sound. "That would require a lot of work though," Y'shtola pointed out.

"Not a problem. I'll just call in a few favors with some friends. They'll have this ready in record time. Don't worry, only the best." The corners of S'eni's lips curled into a smirk. "This will be where we sleep after all."

"Hmm, waking up with the sunrise over the mountains. How romantic."

"Especially with the right company," S'eni said and walked back towards her, arms sliding around her waist and pulling her closer. "Which fortunately I have..."

Leaning in for another kiss, her lover was stopped by a gentle finger against the lips. At the confused look she received, Y'shtola said, "Not so fast. There is still the matter of the garden. Do I get to decide something there at least?"

A playful smile formed against her fingertip and S'eni reached up to take her hand. "But, of course. Why don't we go and see what you have to suggest," she said and pulled her pack towards the stairs.

Giggling into her fist, Y'shtola let her be led back upstairs. She knew that the future was uncertain, that anything might happen. And she knew that S'eni did so as well. But just for now, she wished to let those worries be for another day and simply enjoy this moment right here, inside the place that would be their home.

Their home. Yes, she liked the sound of that.

 

Notes:

This chapter was brought to you by the fact that I actually managed to snag myself a house in the game lol.

Chapter 112

The Family We Choose

 

A soft bubbling pervaded the air as she stood in front of the stove, staring deep into the large pot as she slowly stirred its contents. She watched tiny bubbles form on the red broth, popping in and out of existence in a steady rhythm. Using the wooden spoon in her hand, S'eni scooped up some of it and raised it to her lips.

Broth is how it should be... she thought, smacking her lips once and taking the bowls filled with all sorts of fish, already cut and deboned to precision. Giving them one last once over, she poured them all into the pot, followed by two smaller bowls of shrimps and mussels. She put them back down and began to stir once again.

Slowly, a familiar scent filled the kitchen and S'eni closed her eyes to find herself back on that familiar beach she had grown up at, the bubbling from the pot turning into the rushing of waves on a sunny day. She let herself immerse herself into that memory for a few precious moments until laughter pulled her back into the here and now. Glancing over her shoulder at the closed doors, a strained smile formed on her lips at the voices that echoed all the way in here, and she wondered just how things had come to this...

 

---

 

A loud cry went through the Rising Stones, followed by the clunky slamming of wood in rapid succession as her fists connected with the training dummy. Jumping backwards, she sent a kick to her right, where another dummy was positioned, before slamming her elbow into the third one on her left. She then turned back towards the first one, wasting not a single second to strike it again.

Like a river current, she moved between them in a series of blows and kicks, growing in speed with every attack until she practically became a blur. The dummies groaned under the strain of her assault, a trio of wooden cries that echoed off the walls in an almost endless stream. Landing in the middle once more, S'eni did a flip and brought her heel down to the ground, releasing a small explosion of aether that knocked them out of their sockets.

She remained like this for a couple of seconds, looking between the three fallen dummies, then slowly rising up. Wiping the sweat away from her brow, she picked them up and put them back into place. After she was sure they were really secure, S'eni readjusted the robes she wore for training and began to make her way to the area the Scions had repurposed for their washing needs, silently wondering how she could implement the new technique that had surfaced in her mind not too long ago. She was so preoccupied by that thought, that she almost didn't notice Alphinaud and Alisaie sitting at one of the desks.

But from their expressions, neither did they seem to have noticed her, being instead lost in their own thoughts. S'eni watched for a moment, frowning, until a drop of sweat making its way past her eye reminded her that she needed to freshen up. After entering the bathroom, she discarded her things and stepped under the shower, releasing a small, content sigh as the hot water hit her body. But it wasn't long until her mind returned to the twins.

Despite putting on brave faces, it was evident that what had happened with their father was still bothering them, and the more time passed in which Krile hadn't contacted them, the more time the two of them had to dwell on that fact. Being disowned...it sounded so foreign to her. Even after just up and leaving her village without coming back for years, she was still seen as a part of the family. But Alphinaud and Alisaie didn't have that; their father had made that abundantly clear.

Gods, it made her angry just thinking about it. If only there was something she could—

An idea then came to her and she smiled. Perhaps there was something. While it wouldn't solve the overall problem, it might just be enough to get their minds off things for a little bit.

After finishing her shower, and putting on a fresh set of clothes, she returned to find the two of them not having moved an inch from their position. She cleared her throat, only to go unheard, then cleared it again much louder. That was enough to draw them out of their thoughts and to turn their attention to her.

"O-Oh, S'eni. I am sorry, I did not see you there," Alphinaud said. "Is there anything you need?"

"Something like that." S'eni nodded towards the door. "Come."

The twins shared a questioning look, but nevertheless stood up and began following her as she headed out of the Rising Stones.

"Where are we going?" Alisaie asked as they stepped out of the Seventh Heaven.

"The House of Splendors," she replied.

"The House of Splendors?" The girl repeated and shared another look with her brother. "Why?"

S'eni stopped to look at them. "You two seem in need of a little pick-me-up." The corners of her lips curled upward. "And I have just the recipe for that."

 

---

 

A bubbling pop from the pot pulled her out of her little reverie and, after checking if it was done, closed the stove's air vents. It had been a good plan. Nice and simple, really—

Her ears perked up at another series of words echoing down the hallway into the kitchen and she sighed.

—that was until Estinien and G'raha had arrived shortly after, and things had somehow spun out of control from there. Now she wasn't just cooking for the twins, but all of her fellow Scions and then some instead; all eager to taste the cooking of their very own Warrior of Light. She supposed it was a good thing the dish she had picked was so easily made in large quantities.

Picking up the pot, she carried it over to the doors and stepped out into the hallway. The voices that had been muffled by solid wood now resounded clearly off the stone walls leading towards the kitchen and S'eni couldn't help but chuckle as Aenor was just about to spill some beans about some amorous encounter she once had, only for her sister to intervene before things would get too steamy. She counted her blessings that the Boulder brothers were currently out on a mission, not only due to Aenor's...affections towards the two Hellsguards, but also because on some days those two could have an appetite that might surpass the amount of food even she could prepare.

Taking a deep breath, she headed outside and was greeted by the sight of all her friends seated at the tables that would usually be reserved for the many guests of the House of Splendors, but since Rowena owed her a great deal, she had made an exception just for today. The first to notice her, of course, was Y'shtola. "And there she is," she announced as she put down her cup.

"I was already thinking you did the smart thing and skipped town," Thancred next to her commented with a grin.

"Ha ha, laugh it all up," S'eni replied and placed the pot on one of the tables. She then took two bowls, filled them generously, and placed them in front of the twins. "Here you go, Bouillabaisse in the style of the Southern Isles."

While Alphinaud seemed to hesitate a little at the sight of the broth filled with fish and shellfish, Alisaie showed no such thing and was already raising the first spoonful to her mouth. S'eni watched the girl's eyes widen almost as soon as her lips closed around the spoon and direct them towards her.

"This...this is delicious!" Alisaie said after swallowing, making a grab for a small slice of bread to dunk it into the food.

"Glad to hear it," S'eni said with a smile and began passing out the Bouillabaisse to everyone else. The others soon joined in on Alisaie's assessment.

"This is quite similar to a dish we had at the Crystarium, but it still has its own uniqueness to it. Is it because of the choice of fish?" G'raha wondered aloud.

"Hmm, not bad," Estinien commented, turning to look at her. "I didn't know you could cook."

"It is one of her never-ending talents," Y'shtola replied, sending her a little wink before returning her attention back to the food.

S'eni just shrugged. "You grow up in a Miqo'te tribe you'll learn to pull your weight. But I'll be sure to remember your ringing endorsements should I ever grow tired of adventuring and wish to open a restaurant."

After everyone had been provided with their meal, she too filled herself a bowl and sat down at the only vacant table still available. Taking a spoonful of fish and broth, she closed her eyes once again as the rich taste made her tastebuds go alight and she was soon back on that sunny beach, listening to the sound of the waves with the breeze in her hair and the warm sand between her toes. She swallowed and released a satisfied sound, then took another spoonful.

And another.

And another, quietly enjoying her meal until she felt a presence next to her.

"Want some more?" she asked with a smile, opening her eyes again to see Y'shtola sit down in the chair to her right.

"No, I still have some," her lover replied, holding up her bowl to show that it was still decently filled. "You just looked like you needed company."

"Actually, I was pretty content here all alone." Her smile turned into a smirk.

Y'shtola raised a brow, the corners of her lips quirking up. "Well in that case I can leave again."

They shared a laugh, before quietly resuming their meals. After a moment though, Y'shtola spoke up once more. "This was kind of you."

"Hm?"

"From what I gathered, you wanted to cheer up Alphinaud and Alisaie."

"Yeah." S'eni released a dry chuckle. "Didn't exactly go according to plan as you can see."

Y'shtola shrugged. "When does it ever with us?"

"True." Taking another spoonful of Bouillabaisse, she glanced over to the twins, who were currently engaged in conversation with the others. The thoughtful frowns on their faces had given way to bright smiles. Well, that was the most important thing.

Casting her gaze around everyone seated here, eating and having a good time, she was reminded of the way her village, her family, always came together like this every single day. In a way, the Scions were like a family too. In fact, now that the thought had entered S'eni's mind, it had been Alphinaud who had called her family in all but name during their first meeting with the Chais.

A family in all but name. Yes, that was a good way to describe them. They may not share the same blood, but they would stick by each other no matter what. So even if their father had disowned them, they still had her, and Y'shtola, and all the others. They would be their family.

Just as they were to her.

Looking towards Y'shtola, her lips parted to say something but paused when all of a sudden a sound reached her ears, making them perk up. Footsteps, and quite fast at that. The other Miqo'te ears told her she had heard them too. They turned their heads to see Tataru running towards them, waving a hand.

S'eni's eyes widened. She had totally forgotten about her!

"Tataru!" She greeted her friend and stood up, moving to get her something to eat as well. "Would you like something—Tataru?"

She stopped in her tracks when she noticed the look in the Lalafel's eyes as she slid to a halt. The others had now noticed her as well and ceased their conversation immediately, their attention drawn towards her. "E-Everyone!" Tataru said through gasps of breath.

"What's wrong?" S'eni asked, taking a step forward.

"It's—It's Krile!" the other woman replied. "Krile just contacted me!"

A heavy silence began to fill the air. No one said as much as a peep. Narrowing her eyes, she found them drawn towards silvery-white ones that mirrored the look in them, and she gave her lover a nod.

It was time.

 

---

 

As a little boy, I had always dreamed of meeting the heroes from the stories I was told. Even as I grew into a young man, my studies of ancient Allag only made that desire grow a thousandfold. Then, one day, I met someone that was the embodiment of all those legends, strong and courageous. A true hero that never faltered even when things were at their darkest.

And things grow darker still, the fog of uncertainty clouding the way forward as we set out on our next journey. Yet as I look upon her, I knew that whatever trials were awaiting us, we wouldn't give up. We would follow her to the far edge of fate.

To the end.

- G'raha Tia, Scion of the Seventh Dawn .

 

---

 

Book 4 – I am Shadow, I am the Light - End

 

Notes:

And with this we conclude this chapter of our journey, and move on past the far edge of fate...

See you soon.

Chapter 113

Notes:

Should we lose our way

Tire of all this pain

We won’t be afraid

To...

Book 5 – Forge Ahead

 

---

 

To New Horizons

 

---

 

And so another adventure begins...

Its outcome still undecided, the future of the world remains...uncertain. One by one you and your companions step onto the ship that would carry you to your destination: a solitary island nation named Sharlayan.

As you wave those that remain behind goodbye, you find your eyes drawn to the distant horizon, and an eager smile forms on your lips. Savour this moment, and all those that will follow.

Because at the end of the road you are traveling...lies the long-awaited truth...

...Hm, shall we then?

- Emet-Selch

 

---

 

Soft breathing passed slightly parted lips as S'eni rested against the solid wooden hull that was the only thing separating her from the waves lapping against it. Head hanging low and eyes closed, her ears twitched occasionally from the chatter filling the cabin, but the gentle sway of the ship kept her mind dancing on the fine line between dream and consciousness.

"Hear..."

Her ears twitched once again as they picked up a voice that sounded much closer, deafening all others.

"Feel..."

A little sigh escaped her as slowly, little by little, the fog around her mind began to lift as the voice guided her into the waking world.

"Think..."

S'eni opened her eyes, blinking a few times to focus her vision while she looked at her surroundings. Did someone just—?

"Oh, already awake as well?" someone asked and she looked to the left to see G'raha sitting next to her on the floor. "Good morning."

"Morning..." she murmured and rubbed a hand across her face, then moved it to massage her neck. Gods be good, she could do with a little more sleep. "What time is it?"

"It's still dawning. But the others are already up and awake." An amused smile formed on his lips. "Little wonder with all this commotion. I'm surprised anyone can sleep through this at all."

He glanced over to the twins next to him, still very much asleep and only kept in place by the other's weight, before turning his attention towards the rest of the cabin where it looked like, indeed, everyone else was wide awake and talking. Lowering her hand back to the ground, she tapped a finger on the worn wood and looked about for a moment. She frowned.

"Hey, did you hear somebody speak to me?" she asked him.

"Speak to you?" his eyes shifted a little as he tried to remember, but ultimately he shook his head. "No, I can't recall hearing anything."

"Huh...must've dreamt it then."

"Might I suggest getting some fresh air perhaps? That should help you wake up," G'raha said. "And Sharlayan's main island should soon be within sight as well."

"Yeah, perhaps you're right," S'eni replied and stretched her arms above her head, before rising to her feet and walking over to the cabin doors. As she did so, she let her gaze wander about, watching the other passengers who spared her nothing more than a few curious glances, and a feeling of deja vu crept into her mind. It almost felt a little like she was back on that ship that had first carried her to Limsa Lominsa so long ago.

Only this time there was no violent storm or a vision of raining fire that greeted her when she stepped out onto the deck, but instead the calm, clear sky of an early dawn. She closed her eyes briefly as she began to walk up the stairs, enjoying the feeling of the cool breeze on her skin and the fresh air in her lungs. When she opened them once again, a gasp of surprise escaped her at the tall figure appearing in her sight.

White robes flowing in the wind, they walked up the stairs leading to the stern, and like a moth drawn to the flame, S'eni followed. When she had made it there, the figure was already standing at the railing and looking out into the distance; waiting.

"I am glad...my voice reaches you once more," the figure said, and she immediately realized it was the very same woman who had spoken to her at Mor Dhona. No, who had spoken to her for the first time five years ago. "Hear...Feel...Think."

Hydaelyn.

Long white hair, standing out even against the color of her robes, shifted a little as she turned around, revealing to S'eni a beautiful face with glowing blue eyes. In front of her chest, held by two straps, hung a mask of familiar design. "At long last, we meet face to face, my Warrior of Light," Hydaelyn said, her voice warm.

"Why only now, Hydaelyn?" was all she managed to ask after a moment of silent staring.

An expression she would have never thought possible, a strained smile, formed on Hydaelyn's lips. "Did you not find the answer to that question during your journey to the First?" after asking that question, her expression turned serious. "Everything you have seen and heard...everything that has been revealed to you, has told you what I truly am. What Hydaelyn has always been...a primal."

S'eni exhaled through her nose. So it really was the truth.

"Zodiark was once created to forestall the apocalypse. And I...I was brought forth to bind Him. Yet seven times now those who wished for a long bygone era have managed to rejoin a shard to Him," Hydaelyn said, closing her eyes. "And the more His strength grows, the swifter mine diminishes. I am no longer able to summon your mind to the rift between the worlds. Yet though it is difficult to manifest here in front of you, the words I am about to tell you are of the utmost importance."

A part of her wanted to turn around and leave. Could she even trust Hydaelyn anymore?

In the end, though, she remained where she was. Because Minfilia never stopped believing in her, even after she must have long since realized the Mothercrystal's nature. "What is it?"

"Even bereft of my guidance, you and your companions have faced this star's past. And now your time and mine are about to intertwine. That is why it now begins: the monumental conflict that will decide the fate of this star and all life upon it," Hydaelyn told her. "When you truly understand the meaning behind my words, and your journey has prepared you to face even the cruelest of trials...I shall honor the promise I made so long ago."

S'eni was about to ask what she meant by that, when a voice interrupted her, making her glance over her shoulder instead. "Land ho! Cast yer peepers to the fore! We've arrived at Sharlayan!"

When she turned around, Hydaelyn was smiling at her once more. "Go on...it has ever been the promise of the unknown, the look upon the distant horizon, that fascinates us. We shall meet again soon."

And with that, Hydaelyn vanished into thin air, leaving behind only a thin trail of aether that soon dissipated into nothing. She stared at the spot the woman had occupied only moments ago. After a few seconds ticked by, she closed her eyes and sighed before turning around.

The promise she made so long ago... S'eni thought as she walked down the stairs, but shook her head soon after. She supposed there was no point in trying to figure out what Hydaelyn meant by that. One thing was for sure, though, showing up in person hadn't made her any less cryptic.

She stopped her silent musings when she noticed G'raha, Alisaie, and Alphinaud walk onto the deck.

"Ah, what a wonderful morning!" she heard the girl say after stretching herself. "Just the right thing for tense limbs..."

"Good morning," Alphinaud greeted S'eni as he saw her approaching them. "Were you able to take a look at our home yet?"

"No, I've only been out here for a few minutes myself," she replied, deciding to keep what happened to herself for now. There were more immediate things they needed to focus on.

"Well, let's head over to the foredeck then. The view should be best from there."

When the four of them arrived there, they were already awaited by others. Thancred was the first to notice them and his lips curled into a smile. "Ah, about time you sleepyheads," he greeted them, walking a few steps and turning port side. "There it is. Good old Sharlayan."

Coming to a stop, Alphinaud cast his gaze across the sea towards the island in the distance, where little by little the city of Sharlayan grew in size. His face brightened. "Indeed..."

S'eni, for her part, stepped up to Y'shtola, a little grin dancing across her face. "Morning. Decided to get a few moments of peace and quiet before I woke up?"

Her lover chuckled. "You looked so peaceful, I couldn't bring myself to wake you."

"Hmm, I'll take that for now." She winked.

"We're home at last," Alisaie then said, earning everyone's attention. "Well, we might not be welcome at house Leveilleur anymore, but we'll manage on our own."

"It's not like you're alone in this," Estinien said, turning his head to look at the twins.

"Indeed. 'tis as Ser Estinien sayeth," Urianger agreed. "Forget not the comrades who boarded this ship at your side, I prithee."

Alphinaud looked at them, releasing a deep breath as he offered a grateful smile. "You are right, of course. Thank you, your support means a lot."

Crossing her arms in front of her, Y'shtola turned her gaze towards their destination. "Not much longer and we reach Old Sharlayan, the heart of the nation," she said. "There we'll hopefully find the answers to our questions. For us and all those that have placed their hopes in us."

"Yeah." S'eni nodded, before stepping up to the bulwark and placing her hands on top of it. And as she watched the sun slowly rise above the mountains looming over the city, she felt that spark of excitement inside of her turn into a flame. Sharlayan...she had finally made it...

What would you think if you could see me now, Louisoix?

 

---

 

From afar, the city had already looked amazing, but now that she was walking down the pier, made out of finely crafted marble, it was downright breathtaking. Her eyes landed on the statue of Thaliak the Scholar, towering above the bay with his sacred Ewer resting on his shoulder. Like in the legends, where he had poured the essence of knowledge into Nymeia's heavily river, water was flowing out of it into the wide sea where it was carried off by his daughter's waves, as if to share his endless wisdom with the rest of the world.

It was ironic in a way, that he served as patron over a people that would rather hoard knowledge and turn their back on friend and foe alike, than to use it directly to better the world. Just getting off the ship had already been a challenge in and of itself! Something that Thancred was quick to agree with.

"I already thought they'd never let us off the ship," he said as they stopped on a circular platform connecting the piers. "What are they going to let us run the gauntlet for next? Entry protocol?"

"Indeed they are," Y'shtola replied, clearly not any keener about the notion than he was. "I hope we can swiftly put these annoying formalities behind us."

Estinien gave S'eni a quick glance before speaking up. "Sharlayan's borders are closed, right?" he asked. "What are we going to do if I and a certain other outsider here are barred from entry?"

"That is correct." She nodded. "They are open only to a select few neutral nations. However even Sharlayan can't isolate itself entirely from the outside world. Otherwise, it would be impossible for them to gather knowledge. This being the case, we shouldn't face too many hurdles. So long as we have the correct documents with our names and reason for our stay."

"If it's nothing else..." Estinien said about as enthusiastically as he looked, with his arms crossed in front of his chest and all.

"One other thing," Y'shtola then said and cast her gaze across their group. "They will surely ask us which organization we belong to. It would be prudent not to mention the Scions of the Seventh Dawn. Otherwise they might turn us away in an instant. In light of this, Krile has announced us as supporters of the Students of Baldesion, here to assist the rebuilding effort. We can't give them any reason to believe otherwise."

"Got it," S'eni said, punching her palm. The others nodded in agreement. Y'shtola then turned around to look at G'raha.

"G'raha, you are a member of the Students, so I suggest you serve as leader of our little group."

"Very well," G'raha said with a smile. "If I recall correctly, we have to register with Worldy Affairs right here at the harbour. So let's get it over with."

Proceeding down the rest of the pier, they stepped into a huge, gazebo-like structure that housed a few crates, two large shelves, and a solid desk in front of them. What drew S'eni's attention though, was the stern-looking Lalafel woman sitting behind the desk, who focused on them with downright hawkish eyes as they approached. She looked like the exact type of person who only found joy in her work. How very welcoming...

"Greetings," G'raha said, drawing the woman's attention towards him. "We have just arrived and wish to settle the entry formalities."

S'eni watched the Worldy Affairs official's eyes dart towards the tattoo on G'raha neck before offering a smile. "Of course, of course. I see you carry the mark of an Archon as well."

"Indeed. My name is G'raha Tia, member of the Students of Baldesion. I was previously part of an expedition to Eorzea and have now returned to help in the rebuilding of our organization." He turned towards the rest of them. "Together with my companions here."

As swiftly as the smile had appeared, it was also gone again, and the woman was once again full business. She gave him a nod. "Very good. Your arrival has been expected and the necessary application made in advance," she said and turned her head in their direction once more. "I see there are more Archons in your company. We shall finish their formalities first. Please step forward and state your name."

One by one, Y'shtola, Thancred, and Urianger did as they were told. After learning their names, the woman leaned over the open book in front of her. But instead of reading it, as S'eni expected, she just held her hand out and shortly after, its pages began to glow in a warm light. Noticing the look of surprise on her face, Alisaie leaned towards her.

"It's an enchanted list," the girl explained in a low voice. "It's aetherically linked with the citizen registry and compares the names written down in it."

"Huh..." That was actually quite ingenious. Though she supposed for a place like Sharlayan, it was a trivial thing.

"Excellent," the official said after she was done. "The identity of every Archon has been confirmed and your entry registered accordingly. Welcome home. Now..." Her eyes came to rest on the twins. "...who do we have here?"

Sharing a brief look, the two of them stepped forward.

"Alphinaud Leveilleur..."

"...and Alisaie Leveilleur."

The Lalafel repeated the same spell, taking much less time than the others. "Ah, yes. Leveilleur...your application has also been approved. But, having said that...I have heard talk on the street that House Leveilleur's lord has recently disowned his children. That is, of course, no reason to prohibit your entry. A word of caution though, if I may: stay out of trouble. Times are difficult enough already."

Taking a deep breath, Alphinaud locked eyes with the woman and gave her a nod. "Rest assured, we shall take your warning to heart."

After the two of them walked over to the others, it was finally S'eni's and Estinien's turn. "That leaves my two companions here. Their applications have been submitted in advance as well."

The official shifted her gaze towards S'eni and looked her up and down, obviously not very impressed. She did her best not to glare back. "Hm, very well. Name and profession?"

"S'eni Gata, adventurer by trade," she replied.

"Very good, your name—"

"I also happen to be a bit of an artisan, was a member of NORA, have been part of the Eureka expedition, assisted in the uncovering of Ancient Ivalice..." As she was going down the list of her many accomplishments, she watched with a certain satisfaction as a dumbfounded look began to form on the official's face. Meanwhile, Estinien was slowly turning his head to stare at her as if she had just grown a second head and G'raha did his best not to laugh. "...Oh! And I don't want to brag, but I'm also Master Matoya's latest apprentice."

"Master Mato—" the woman shook her head and cleared her throat. "I-In any case, your name is also listed and I will just assume that everything you said is correct. Your entry application is granted. And you, sir? Name and profession?"

Like a spring coil, Estinien's head snapped back towards the Lalafel and it took him a few seconds to reply. "Estinien Varlineau. Formerly of the Order of the Knights Dragoon in Ishgard."

"Varlineau?" S'eni half scoffed, half chuckled. "Really?"

"Did you really think Wyrmblood was my actual name?" he asked right back with a raised brow.

"Given that it's you? Yes."

"Hmpf."

The official on the other hand seemed less amused. "A former soldier. And what would be your...current profession, if I may ask?"

What followed was one of the most awkward silences that S'eni ever witnessed, broken only by the sound of Estinien's armor as he shifted his weight from one leg to the other, and she could've sworn she saw his eyes darting to the side. As the seconds ticked by with no answer coming, help finally arrived in the form of fast-approaching footsteps and a familiar voice calling out, "P-Please wait!"

It was Krile!

Turning her head, she saw her friend catching a few breaths before straightening herself and continuing.

"Excuse me...This man is a mercenary hired by the Students of Baldesion," Krile quickly explained. "He serves as protector during our foray into the wilderness. Surely you understand."

"Mistress Baldesion," the official then said, her displeasure more than evident in her voice. "If you and your organization insist on sponsoring his entry, then so be it. But I frankly find your choice of your associates concerning. If only one of them steps out of line, there may be severe consequences for the Students of Baldesion."

"While I appreciate your concern and diligence, I can assure you that every single one of my companions has my full confidence, and a spotless reputation on top of it," her friend said with a polite bow that just made the other Lalafel shake her head and shrug. Seemingly wordlessly dismissed, they all walked over to Krile.

"It is good to see you again!" Alphinaud said.

"Likewise! I hope the long voyage wasn't too arduous." Krile smiled brightly. "But let's find a place where we can talk more privately. We've much to discuss."

Together, they left the Worldly Affairs office and walked for a few steps, when all of a sudden, Krile stopped in her tracks. "Ah, I nearly forgot," she said and turned around towards S'eni and Estinien, her smile growing. "Welcome to Sharlayan."

She mirrored her friend's expression. "Glad to be here."

Estinien on the other hand just walked past Krile, waving his hand and asking, "If I'm your escort, does that mean I get paid?"

"Hah, I'll pay you when you learn to look after yourself first!" Krile replied and fell into step next to the Dragoon.

Chuckling, S'eni watched them walk ahead, then turned her head back towards Thaliak's statue, standing tall and proud. She furrowed her brows. Let's see what your city has to offer, shall we?

 

 

Notes:

You know, I really love how the beginning on the ship is a big reference to the Limsa Lominsa intro from 1.0, especially since I chose to use it for S'eni during the 'Legacy reveal' as I like to call it. So thanks for that SE, lol. Put a neat little bow on that idea.

Chapter 114

New Old Sharlayan

 

Sharlayan.

Founded in the wake of our rejoining of the Tenth shard with the Source, it has ever strived to gather knowledge and to never take part in any conflict whatsoever. During my time as Solus, I have heard the name many times floating about. I cannot say I was impressed.

No matter the age, there is always a group of people or a nation that believes it is their duty to seek wisdom above all else. And they all ended up the same: nothing more than ruins for the next of their ilk to uncover and try to learn from.

Oh well, do go on. Maybe their food will be good at least. Though you will have to excuse me if I don't hold my breath.

 

---

 

The first thing S'eni noticed, as they walked away from the harbour, were the almost striking similarities to the former colony in the Dravanian Hinterlands. There were differences too, of course, mainly in that the buildings were fully intact, but there were also some that were more subtle, that had made the colony distinct itself from the homeland in small ways. After glancing at a set of four pillars leading to a flight of stairs, she returned her gaze to the front, where Krile was walking just a few steps ahead.

Shortly after having left Worldly Affairs behind, it was quickly agreed that they should all get settled in before getting to the heart of the matter. For Y'shtola and the others, that meant they go and seek out their old haunts and reacquaint themselves with the city, while she was going to get a little tour, with the Lalafel offering to be her guide. And even though she would rather have received one from her lover, she had accepted nonetheless, especially after Estinien had practically blown her friend off before walking away to 'wherever the wind took him'.

A little hum from her left made S'eni turn her head to look at G'raha. While she tried and failed, to not come off as an obvious outsider, his eyes instead twinkled with the spark of recognition of someone that had finally returned home after a long time. His lips suddenly rose into a smile and he sniffed the air.

"Now that is an inviting aroma!"

Following that statement, Krile came to a sudden stop and turned partly around. "And here we are," she announced and held out her arm in presentation. "The Last Stand."

S'eni's eyes followed the direction she was pointing at to find what looked like a cafe, and quite the large one at that. Taking up quite a sizeable part of the western harbour, it consisted of a building and a large wooden platform where the tables were placed. From the roofing, serving more as decoration than protection from the elements, hanging plants and tapestries to give the place a relaxing and inviting atmosphere. Which seemed to work quite well, since the place was abuzz with people.

"As you might remember, although our research into nutrition and food is quite extensive, the average Sharlayan tends to regard seasoning and flavour with...a certain indifference," Krile said. "How can I put this? The food is, um..."

"Terrible?" S'eni offered and the slightly pained smile appearing on the Lalafel's lips told her she wasn't too far off the mark.

"I was going to say bland."

"No offense, but what I've heard and seen of the Archon Loaf doesn't paint a pretty picture." In fact, she wouldn't even use it as fishing bait if there was nothing else available. The poor fish.

"Yes, it certainly is a culmination of the sentiment that dietary value comes first and taste is...a distant, distant second." Krile gave her a solemn nod, then brightened again. "But there was one pupil at the Studium who could no longer stomach the school's meal. So he quit his lessons and poured all his savings into the creation of what you see before you: the Last Stand, the one and only bastion of the culinary arts in an isle of otherwise mediocre fare."

"Supposedly their burger is one of the more impressive items on the menu," G'raha said, rubbing his chin in thought. "Though, of course, I've never had the chance to verify that myself."

"That's because you were a typical Sharlayan when it came to 'cheap and convenient', Raha," Krile pointed out with a grin. "But surely Tataru has long since taught you how to appreciate a well-prepared dish!"

"I can't deny that," he chuckled. "S'eni's cooking was also quite remarkable I have to say."

The Lalafel's eyebrows shot up. "She cooked for you?"

"And everyone else." G'raha nodded. "Shortly before leaving Eorzea in fact."

"And I wasn't there to taste it," Krile sighed and let her head hang a little, making S'eni furrow her brows. Why was everyone so interested in her cooking all of a sudden? She wasn't that good.

Shaking her head, she shrugged and knelt down next to her friend, putting a hand on her shoulder. "I'll make you something some other time, alright?" she offered.

"I'll hold you to that," Krile replied and giggled. "But we should continue. There's still more to see."

Leaving the Last Stand behind, their next steps were the Aetheryte plaza. The Aetheryte in question, though, looked quite different from what was usually accustomed to, its appearance resembling more the Nautilus that had ever been Sharlayan's symbol. But despite that, Krile assured her that it was a perfectly normal Aetheryte; a product of the nearby Confluence, the leading research facility in all things teleportation technology.

After she had attuned herself to it, their next stop was the Agora, Sharlayan's biggest marketplace. Her first instinct was to immediately have a look around to see if they had any good earrings, but the look Krile sent her that would be better saved for another time. From there, they then made their way up a set of stairs leading up to the large building overlooking the entire city.

"This is the Rostra," Krile announced as they came to a stop. "The name refers to the original public platform that once stood here, upon which a 'forum' of elected representatives would give speeches and discuss policies."

"I see. So this is where the Forum gathers," S'eni said, crossing her arms in front of her chest. The very heart of this nation, where Louisoix had once willingly gone against his peers to help the Eorzean Alliance and prevent the Seventh Calamity. She wondered, was he in there right now?

A part of her wanted to just waltz right in and find out, possibly give him another piece of mind while she was at it. But she knew that would only hinder them in what they had come here to do. So instead she focused her attention on Krile.

"Yes, and although it has since evolved into council chambers, the nature and duty of the Forum remain largely unchanged...Raha?" Krile frowned and looked at the other Miqo'te, who seemed rather distracted by the view from up here. Upon hearing his name, G'raha turned back towards her. "Am I boring you?"

"I-I'm sorry," he said, scratching the back of his head. "From here one can see the entire city. It reminds me of the time when those who had come to gather around the Crystal Tower might go about creating a new home. Naturally, my answers were all inspired by my knowledge of the finest city I could think of: Sharlayan. And little by little, those buildings grew into a town. A community. The Crystarium...I can almost see its echo..."

S'eni and Krile looked at one another and smiled.

"I see..." Krile said. "Feel free to come up here whenever you wish. I don't think the councilors would object to you simply enjoying the view."

I wouldn't be so sure about that, S'eni thought when she noticed a woman in long white robes giving them a disapproving look as she passed by them on her way to the doors.

The next step on their little tour was the area of the city called Journey's End, where once upon a time, the first settlers had made their homes. Today, it was the residential district for the most important people in Sharlayan. Like the Leveilleur's, whose estate practically towered over every other building around it.

Then, finally, it was time to head to their actual destination: Baldesion's Annex. It was located not far from the Aetheryte and overlooked the entire harbour. Well, that certainly explained how Krile had seen their ship arrive. As they headed inside, they were greeted by a young bespectacled Lalafel sitting behind the front desk.

"I'm back! And I've brought S'eni and Raha along!"

"Ah, you were right about the ship then," the young man said and offered a friendly smile to G'raha. "Hello G'raha, it's nice to see you again!"

"Ojika!?" G'raha's ears shot up in surprise. "It's been ages."

"May I introduce you, Ojika Tsunjika. He's Ejika's cousin." Krile said. "He oversees the day-to-day business of the annex."

"Ah!" S'eni nodded. "Yeah, I can see the resemblance. Nice to meet you. Hopefully you have a more agreeable personality."

"I read the reports on the expedition. I hope he didn't cause you too much trouble," Ojika chuckled. "He can be quite difficult, but deep down he has a good heart."

Krile's expression couldn't be any more to the contrary if she tried, but instead of voicing what she clearly wanted to say, turned to S'eni instead. "This place is like a second home for Students. While the Isle of Val was our main headquarters, we often had the occasion to visit Sharlayan. The annex was built to provide lodgings for those of our members that were staying here for a while."

"Now that our former headquarters is on the other side of the world, the annex has become, de-facto, our base of operations." Ojika looked around the room. "Yet it feels so empty. With so many people lost, our organisation is nothing but a shadow of its former self."

"The day will come when the Students will rise again," Krile assured him. "But before that, we need to stop the Telophoroi. Once everyone arrives we will discuss how we proceed in the main hall to your left. Until then, why don't you rest a little? I've prepared some rooms for everyone in the Andron."

At the mention of rest, that desire for more sleep from earlier began to resurface and she had to actually stifle a yawn. "You know what, I think I will do just that."

"I'll show you to your chambers then," Ojika said and climbed down from his chair. After a swift 'see you later' to her two friends, she followed the young man through the door to her right and a hallway until they arrived at her designated room. As they entered, the first thing she noticed was the notes that were plastered all over the walls and the tables filled with all sorts of—was that a crate full of crystals!?

This looked more like a place where someone would conduct their research if not for the bed in one of the corners of the room. If nothing else, their journey to Sharlayan was giving some much-needed context to her friends she supposed. Thanking Ojika, she waited until he had left before heading over and opening the window, then letting herself flop down onto the bed.

As soon as her back hit the mattress, another yawn escaped her and she closed her eyes, the combination of fresh air and the sounds from the distant waves making her drift off in a matter of seconds.

 

---

 

S'eni was awoken by a soft knocking against her door and, after rubbing her eyes, got out of bed, feeling much more refreshed now that she had gotten a few more winks in. Walking over to the door, she opened it and felt a small grin form on her face when she saw none other than Y'shtola standing there. "My, not a day here and I'm already receiving visitors!"

"How very droll," her lover commented while stepping inside, giving the room a look before letting pale eyes come to rest on her. "I see yours is as orderly as mine."

"Yeah, I suppose the Students live up to their name," she said and had to bite her tongue not to point out that there at least weren't books strewn all over the place. "Are the others already there?"

"No, not yet. Thancred and Urianger have yet to arrive. So I thought I'd come see how you are faring. Enjoying Sharlayan so far?" Y'shtola asked.

"So far. Not like I had any great opportunity to explore, but Krile showed me enough that I'm confident I wouldn't get lost by my lonesome." Leaning against the large table in the center of the room, S'eni sent the other Miqo'te a smile. "Of course, I won't say no to another, more private tour with a certain Archon."

Y'shtola giggled into her fist. "Perhaps later. Though if that is meant to be a clever way to trick me into introducing you to the rest of my family, I will have to disappoint you. I haven't encountered any of them so far."

"What a shame." She clicked her tongue.

"I'm afraid they are as untethered as I am."

"Hm. You know, I never really considered that," S'eni said with a small frown. "You and your family lived in the Dravanian Hinterlands and when the colony was abandoned, you also lost the one home you had ever known. Now I feel kind of bad."

"You don't have to. It's not like I have ever gone out of my way to mention it either. Sharlayan may not be where we were born, but just like Mhitra and myself, everyone in my family has found their own calling in life. Besides—" walking over, Y'shtola took hold of her hands and gave them a soft squeeze. "—I'm not entirely devoid of a home now, am I?"

"No..." She breathed out a little laugh. "No, you're not..."

With a smile, Y'shtola leaned in and planted a little kiss on her lips. After separating again, S'eni looked at her through half-lidded eyes, running a thumb over the back of her hand. "And what should we do now?"

"Now, my dear Warrior of Light, we shall go and join the others," Y'shtola replied. At the pout forming on S'eni's face, she added. "Any other alternative might take more time than we have."

"Alright, I suppose you're right." She sighed, before smiling again. "Let's go."

By the time they had joined the others in the main hall, Thancred too had arrived, leaving only Urianger to join them. Like her room, the walls here were also covered in various notes, sketches and maps of regions, on top of the quite sizeable world map at the far end of the room. Another few more minutes passed until the door opened and their missing companion stepped inside.

"Pray forgive me. I was delayed..." Urianger said.

"It's fine, Urianger," Y'shtola said. "Well, with that we're all here now."

"Good, so let's get straight to the point then, shall we?" Krile asked. When everyone present nodded, she continued. "Our goal is to prevent the Telophoroi's plans from coming to fruition. For that, we need information. At present we have two viable options to gather it."

She raised her hand, index finger extended. "Firstly we have the situation in Sharlayan. As you well know, their stance on the matter is inconclusive. The Forum is trying to hide something. To understand why that is strange, we have to delve into the nature of it." Turning her head, she looked at S'eni. "You see the Forum is made up of ninety-nine representatives elected by the citizens. Naturally, not everyone shares the same views. The Bibliothecs, for example, view themselves as the chroniclers of history and maintain that Sharlayan should remain nothing but an observer. On the other end, we have those that believe we should take a more active role. In the past, Louisoix Leveilleur and my grandfather have been prominent members of that faction."

"But something was different this time, right?" S'eni asked.

"Yes. Eorzea's call for aid has been denied across all factions. The Forum speaks unanimously. And every time I tried to talk with them, I was told there were more important issues at hand."

"I got the same impression from Fourchenault Leveilleur in Gridania as well," G'raha said. "It sounds as if they are aware of the situation, but chose to follow a different course of action."

As he said that, S'eni's mind went back to the words the woman at Worldy Affairs had said. "Times are difficult enough already."

"Strange, isn't it?" Krile nodded. "That's the riddle we need to solve. Our first option."

"And the second one?" Thancred asked.

"A request for aid that reached the Students just a few days ago," the Lalafel replied and looked about the room. "Our duty is to research the unknown. Relics, ruins, and magical phenomena. So it stands to reason that we have comparatively many connections to the outside world. Amongst our partners are scholars from all corners of the world."

She then turned around and looked at the large map behind her. "The request came from Thavnair, from an alchemist called Nidhana. It seems one of these blasted towers has appeared there as well and called forth a lunar primal."

A round of surprise went through their group and Krile waited for it to dissipate before continuing. "Nidhana says that the alchemists of Radz-at-Han are searching tirelessly for a way to dispose of the tower at the bidding of the Satrap."

"The alchemists of that land are heirs to an ancient tradition—one rather unlike that of their Ul'dahn counterparts," Urianger said, eyebrows drawn in thought. "'Tis possible—nay, probable—that they have gleaned truths unattainable by Eorzea or her Far Eastern allies."

"In fact, they do already seem to have a strategy in mind. But to test their theory, they require someone that received the blessing of Light and is a capable warrior. That is why they have turned to the Students in hopes that we could introduce them to someone like that," Krile explained.

"And as it turns out we have that person right here," S'eni sighed.

"Indeed. It seems splitting up and sending you to Thavnair is the obvious choice." Y'shtola frowned. "On the other hand, we might need your help in our investigation here as well. The fate of the world may hinge on the results of both..."

"Yes, it's quite the quandary," Krile admitted, then looked at S'eni. "I know it's a great imposition, and one all too common I might add, but I believe it would be best if you lead our efforts on both fronts. We need your powers now more than ever before."

Taking a deep breath, she exhaled through her nose. "Sure is tough being popular," she said, and gave the Lalafel a reassuring smile.

"I knew we could count on you! Let's decide how everyone else might be assigned. I for one shall continue what I've started here and I would like to steal the services of an Archon or two for that."

"Ah, you want to further the range of your investigation. Very well, I will help you with that," Y'shtola said.

"If it's about reading dusty tomes, you can count on me as well," G'raha said. "I have some small amount of experience in the field of research."

The twins looked at one another and shared a nod. "Alisiae and I would like to help as well. If you would have us, that is."

"We need to find out what the Forum is hiding. It's the only way to truly understand what our father is thinking," Alisaie added.

"Of course! The more the merrier!" Krile said.

"Then I'll say the rest of us go to Thavnair," Thancred said, then turned to glance over his shoulder at Estinien, who was leaning against some crates. "No objections, I take it?"

"I passed through Thavnair on my journey to Garlemald, so I know the area somewhat. But don't expect me to give you a guided tour," was Estinien's only reply.

"Well, that's our wayward Dragoon, Urianger, and myself for our journey to Thavnair then."

"Come speak to me afterwards, I'll supply you with all the details of Nidhana's request," Krile told him. Casting her gaze around their group, she nodded. "Once we are done with our given tasks, we shall rendezvous here again. May our investigations prove fruitful!"

They all shared a round of nods, and S'eni watched her friends split off into their respective groups to discuss their next steps. And as she closed her eyes for but a moment, she found herself wondering which path she should take first...

 

Notes:

Decisions, decisions...I wonder, which questline did you guys do first?

Chapter 115

Eastward Bound Yet Again

 

In the southeastern waters of the Bounty lies Thavnair. Long ago, the battle between the people living there flowed like poison through their veins. Yet instead of withering, they grew stronger; every dosage of this poison feeding into the soil until their difference bloomed into progress.

Just like their famous alchemy.

And now you are heading there in hopes to dispel the shadows that are holding this vibrant island in their stranglehold. The question is...will you be able to succeed?

 

---

 

The Aetheryte hovered gracefully in the air, the bits and pieces of its intricate design circling around one another like tiny moons. It resembled more a piece of art rather than a teleportation device. Sharlayan truly was something else.

Lowering her eyes, S'eni turned them towards the woman wearing a green coat making some adjustments to it. Knowing full well that time was of the essence in their endeavour, Krile had made arrangements with the Confluence as to their passage to Thavnair. As it turned out, the research institute had been working on a new type of Aetheryte that didn't require one to attune themselves to it and it just so happened that its counterpart was located at their destination, saving them a long trip by boat to the isle. Even Thancred was able to travel by it as well!

...what Krile failed to mention though was that it was still in the testing stages. And they were here to test it. The look on Thancred's face pretty much reflected her own thoughts on the matter. Not like they had much of a choice now if they wanted to reach Thavnair as fast as possible.

Oh well, what's the worst that could happen? S'eni asked herself.

Ending up adrift in the Lifestream came to mind. It certainly would make it a very short trip. And while she couldn't deny the irony of Y'shtola being the one to pull her out for once, she could very much do without the experience.

With an inward sigh, she looked away from the Aetheryte in an attempt not to think about it and focused her attention on Urianger standing next to her instead. His face wore the usual expression of focused calmness that cracked only in the rarest of circumstances, yet a little twitch of his finger and the slight stiffening of his shoulders was enough to tell her that there was currently a torrent raging inside of him. One, she knew, was only going to subside by finally talking to Moenbryda's parents. But when he had finally mustered up the courage to do so, he was told they were working on a project for the Forum.

Oh, Urianger... She thought.

Noticing that he was being watched, he turned to return the look and tilted his head questioningly. But when she opened her mouth to speak, she was interrupted by the voice of the woman currently standing in front of the Aetheryte. "Excellent! All preparations are complete!"

The researcher, named Kytte if she recalled correctly, turned to face their group. "I assume all four of you are to be teleported?"

"No, thanks," Estinien replied. "The usual way will suffice. I'm already attuned to the Aetheryte over there."

"Really? But that means I have one less test subject..." the disappointment on the woman's face was clear as day, but her earlier cheer and eagerness returned fast enough. "Oh well, then the three of you please come over here."

Thancred and S'eni shared a look and slowly nodded, before walking over to where Kytte was standing. The young researcher passed by them with an eager smile while pulling a remote control device out of her pocket.

"Good! Now please relax, the teleportation will begin shortly..." Kytte said and pressed a button. For a second, it seemed like nothing was happening, when suddenly the telltale aura of teleportation magic began to surround Thancred, shortly followed by Urianger and S'eni.

Well, this is it... Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath to calm herself.

Inhale. Exhale.

Inhale. Exhale.

Inha—

"Ah, that reminds me. I almost forgot," the researcher said. "Due to this method, you might experience a...teensy-weensy case of...violent aetherical sickness. Anyway, have a nice trip!"

Eyes shooting open, S'eni whirled around, but it was already too late and before she could even do so much as open her mouth, she was gone.

 

---

 

As soon as S'eni appeared once again, the first thing she did was check herself. Two arms, two legs, and a tail. Yes, everything was where it should be. A few seconds later, Urianger and Thancred arrived as well, neither of which seemed to be missing anything either.

Releasing a sigh of relief, she turned to Thancred. "Good, seems like—"

A sudden wave of nausea hit her like an enraged Garula and she dropped down to her knees.

"S'eni—!" Thancred managed to say before he joined her on the ground.

While trying to keep what little she had eaten earlier from coming back up, she could faintly hear the sound of Estinien arriving a few paces away from her, as well as that of Urianger hitting the ground like a sack of Popotoes. Her vision became dark for a brief moment and the next thing she knew, she was being picked off the ground by the Dragoon and carried over to a bench. After he had placed her on it, he walked back to get their two companions.

Guess this is it then... she thought and looked up at the sunny, blue sky above while gripping her head. Where Garleans and Ascians failed, a quirky Sharlayan scholar had finally succeeded. I'm sorry, Shtola...

She knew she was being dramatic right now, but by Azeyma she felt like she had just woken up from a week drowned in liquor. Just the thought of moving made her want to puke her guts out, and the pounding headache forming beneath her skull absolutely did not help matters at all. She just wanted to curl up and let it all end.

But the gods offered her no such mercy, so all S'eni could do was sit here and wait until Estinien had dragged Thancred and Urianger over to her as well. After he had done so, the Dragoon looked at the three of them in their sorry state. He shrugged.

"Well aren't you looking absolutely miserable," he said and if she didn't know any better, or cared right now, she would think he was finding this a little funny. Raising his hand to his head, he paced around once or twice, the rattling of his armor making her wince as if someone was driving a spike into her brain, before stopping again. "For now, something to drink should help. I'll be right back."

With that, he left the three of them. Seconds ticked by in which neither of them moved. Then, all of a sudden, Thancred began to stir, his head turning at a snail's pace.

"By the way...Krile left a few notes for us...you know, in the details of our mission..." he said and she turned her head to look at him. Slowly, he began to sit up. "One of them was...that Estinien doesn't know how to handle Gil...and that we shouldn't let him out of our sight when he goes shopping..."

For a moment, his words didn't fully register with her, but soon enough the pained grimace her face had been trapped in turned into a look of shock as the full weight behind them finally sank in. Someone needed to go after him and from the way Thancred was slumping over, he was in no shape to do so. And neither was Urianger it seemed. Which left only her.

Gods grant me strength... Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and forced herself back on her feet. With a final glance towards her friends, she walked in the direction in which she had seen Estinien leave, a hand resting on her stomach in an attempt to keep it from roiling too much as she cast her gaze out across the area. It took a few minutes, and a few stops to keep herself from barfing, but she finally managed to spot his dark armor amidst the vibrant colors of the town.

He was standing in front of a merchant's stand.

Oh no! Willing her body to hurry up, she headed over to him as quickly as she could. As she closed in on him, S'eni picked up some of the conversation.

"...something that helps with aether sickness."

The merchant, a young man, looked surprised at first, but quickly put on what she assumed was his most charming grin and rubbed his hands. "You are wise to come to me, good sir! My special amra lassi, made with only the finest and freshest ingredients, is famed for calming unruly bellies!" he reached underneath the counter and produced a bottle that he placed on top of it. "And by way of a warm welcome to Thavnair, I'm pleased to offer it to you for the low, low price of nineteen thousand and eight hundred Gil! For not one, not two, but—"

He placed two more bottles on the counter. "—three bottles! An absolute bargain!"

Estinien hummed and crossed his arms, looking like he was actually considering this downright robbery! Opening her mouth to tell him not to listen to this money-grubber, she immediately clamped it shut again and placed a hand on top of it to keep the contents of her stomach where they were. So instead, she waved her other hand to get his attention.

"Hm?" Estinien looked at her. "I thought you weren't fit to walk yet. Something the matter?"

She locked eyes with him, then pointed at the bottles and shook her head, somehow managing not to wince.

"...I shouldn't buy the lassi?" S'eni nodded and then pointed at the merchant, causing Estinien to furrow his brows. "This merchant is swindling me?"

Thank the gods, he's got it!

Panic began to appear on the young man's face and he raised his hands in a placating manner. "S-Sincerest apologies, I seem to have confused the prices. It's actually one thousand eight hundred and ninety Gil for the three bottles!"

Estinien glanced at her and she nodded. A much fairer price.

"Hmpf, that confusion could've been quite costly. For both of us. Here—" he tossed the money on the counter. "—your coin."

Without even waiting for the other man's response, he grabbed the three bottles and handed them to her. "Here, three bottles, one for each of you. Go get some rest. I'll be back after I've explored the town."

S'eni watched him leave before turning her attention to the merchant, who was picking up and counting the money. But instead of looking annoyed at being unable to rip off a hapless customer, he looked sad and...worried. A sudden churning from her stomach roughly reminded her that now wasn't the time for inquiries.

Making her way back, she raised one of the bottles to look at it and, at the behest of another wave of nausea, began to hastily uncap it. She downed its contents in one go and almost regretted doing so when her stomach did another violent turn, almost like a wounded beast thrashing about in its dying throes. Then...sweet, sweet release.

S'eni felt herself sink to her knees as she released a sigh of relief, her lips curling into a large smile and absolutely not caring at all about the strange looks she was receiving from those passing by her. They didn't know, they couldn't know, the absolute torture she had just gone through. Trying to swindle more money out of Estinien as it was worth he may have, but he certainly didn't lie about the amra lassi. Thancred and Urianger needed to get this too, and fast!

Rising back to her feet, she resumed her walk to where her friends were waiting, a more noticeable spring in her step now.

 

---

 

With the three of them recovered, it was high time for them to resume what they had come here to do, seeking out this Nidhana lady. Or at least that was the intention, until a way too pricey purchase by the former Azure Dragoon made them wonder how it could be that the merchants in the area felt the need to fleece customers. Radz-at-Han usually prided itself on their affluent, yet fair trade, so it seemed quite strange for them to basically toss away that well-earned reputation right at the proverbial doorstep.

So they decided to gather more information first before continuing onward. Learning of the current state of affairs could only help, after all. For her part, S'eni was given the task to ask around the pier.

It became quickly apparent that the source of all the woes, and opportunistic pricing, was the tower. Since its appearance, people had been giving the island a wide berth, drying up commerce considerably. "I see, thank you for being so honest about your troubles," she said to the Au Ra merchant holding a tiny book in her hand.

"Business has never been this terrible..." The woman sighed and shook her head, scribbling something into the pages. It...wasn't a lot. "But I suppose things could be worse. I could have a consortium to keep afloat, like Khalzal. The advantage of running a small business I suppose."

"Khalzal?" S'eni tilted her head questioningly.

"One of the biggest suppliers of wares in Thavnair," the merchant explained. "Say, you look like a traveller. If you have time, maybe you could go see him. I'm sure he'd be glad for tidings from abroad."

"Where can I find him?" she asked.

"He should be at the Saltwind's Sails, the harbour guild across the water from here." The other woman pointed in the direction of the largest building near the pier. "He's an Au Ra like myself."

"Thanks. I'll talk to him then."

Leaving her to what little work she had to do, S'eni began to make her way down the pier in the direction of the guild. Halfway there, she stopped for a moment to look out towards the sea. A few boats moored off nearby isles, and a few larger ships further out. But not even remotely enough for a prosperous trading port.

She was suddenly reminded of a story her father once told her from his own travels, that sometimes they had to wait almost a day until they were able to set foot on Thavnair because of how many trading vessels were coming and going. Even if he tended to be a bit hyperbolic in telling his stories, she had no doubt that this place must have been busy not too long ago. And now, the people here were desperately trying to make ends meet.

With a shake of her head, she resumed her walk. As she stepped into the Saltwind's Sails, the tension that met her could be cut with a knife and there was nary a sound being made by the people working here...except for the two people having what seemed to be a rather heated discussion. One of them being an Au Ra in rather fine-looking clothes.

"The Dalmascans aren't coming!?" the man, whom she presumed was Khalzal, all but shouted. "But we already have everything they ordered! What are we supposed to do with it!?"

The other person, a woman, shook her head in response. "I don't know, but yelling isn't going to help. All I know is that their plans have changed, and that's that," she said, then sighed. "Look, you must have known this might happen. The Empire is at war with itself, and the provinces are in chaos. And then there's the tower sitting on our doorstep spitting out monstrosities. The city has its defenses, but we've been afforded no protection out here. We can't blame foreigners for not wanting to take the risk."

"But this will be an enormous loss!" Khalzal covered his eyes with his hand and began pacing up and down. "Fine...forget about the Dalmascans. There must be some ships coming in at least. We have fresh produce, handicrafts, medicine. All the Hannish favourites. Our consortium works closely with merchants and artisans to supply only the finest wares. Quality is guaranteed!"

"I know that, Khalzal, I truly do. Which is why it pains me to tell you I have nothing. All voyages have been canceled or indefinitely postponed." Noticing the presence of a newcomer, the woman then looked at S'eni. "...And you are?"

"I—" Khalzal interrupted her.

"A foreigner, yes? A merchant!?" he asked. "Please tell me you're a merchant!"

S'eni shook her head. "I'm sorry..."

"I...see..." he visibly deflated. "...That's a shame...I'm sorry, but we're discussing important matters. If you need something, please talk to one of the others."

Pretty much dismissing her with those words, the two of them went back to their talk at hand. S'eni frowned, but nevertheless left them in peace. It wasn't like she could do anything for his predicament anyway, as much as she would like to. Even if they got rid of the tower right now, it might only ease a little of their worries, as the Empire was still locked into a civil war and Eorzea, as well as their Eastern allies, had their own towers to contend with. No, they needed to get rid of the root of all of this; the Telophoroi—

She clenched her fist.

—and Zenos!

"Um, excuse me..." a voice startled her out of her thoughts and she spun around to see a Matanga standing there. Her first instinct at seeing those Marid-like features was to raise her arms in defense, but managed to stop herself just so when she reminded herself that, unlike their brethren in the Azim Steppe, the Matanga of Thavnair were a peaceful people. "M-My name is Matsya, and I'm here to speak to Khalzal..."

Wordlessly, she glanced over her shoulder where the man in question was still very much deep in discussion. Matsya followed her gaze. "Oh...it seems he's busy. I'll come back later then..."

Turning his large frame around, he walked outside. S'eni looked around one final time and left as well. There was nothing more to be learned here anyway. Once leaving the building, she returned back to the pier where she found the very same Matanga she had just spoken to, looking out towards the sea as he stood in front of his boat.

"Hello again," she greeted him, making him jump a little.

"Y-Yes? C-Can I help you...?" Recognition then sparked in his round eyes. "Ah, we just spoke at the guild."

"That's right." S'eni nodded. "You wished to talk to Khalzal. May I ask why?"

"I'm a fisherman from Akyaali, a nearby village." He gestured towards the boat, which was filled with baskets of fish. "I sell my catch to Khalzal, who offers it to foreign merchants. But he hasn't bought anything for a while now. And when I heard that his consortium was struggling I became worried and decided to see him...As soon as he's free anyway. He's a hardworking man, and I don't wish to disturb him."

She very much doubted it would be all too soon, but kept those words to herself. Thankfully, Matsya himself decided to switch the topic.

"Um...if I may ask, who are you?"

"Oh, yeah, I should introduce myself, shouldn't I?" she chuckled. "My name's S'eni. I'm an adventurer."

"An adventurer you say! Then that means you know how to talk to strangers!"

"You could say so."

"Then...please won't you teach me to be like you?"

S'eni blinked. "Come again?"

"You see, I'm terrible with people. I only ever dealt with Khalzal and I can't talk to customers without getting my trunk in a twist..." Matsya explained. "So please...as silly as it might sound, will you peddle the fish in my stead and show me how it's done?"

For a moment, she didn't know how to respond. Showing someone how to peddle fish was definitely a new one on her list of accomplishments. But as she glanced from the Matanga to the baskets full of freshly caught fish, which wouldn't last for long in this heat, her mind was pretty much made up. After all, fishers needed to stick together!

"You're in luck." She smiled and tapped her chest. "I hail from a fisher village, so I know a thing or two about selling them."

"Oh thank you! Thank you! You don't know how much this means to me!"

After getting those catches he wished to sell, they both began to make their way down the pier in search of anyone that might be interested. And who knows? She might learn a little more about Thavnair from her new friend while at it.

 

Notes:

So I went with Thavnair first. Largely because I've been a little bit more interested in what it was going to be like, and in the end it actually made for a more realistic order of events seeing how it makes sense for a little bit of time to pass after this brief arc, and that's an ideal time to investigate in Sharlayan.

Also can I just say that Endwalker has some of the funniest scenes in the entire game?

Chapter 116

A Radiant Endeavour

 

Defending Thavnair from outside threats was Radz-at-Han's very own military: the Radiant Host. These valiant men and women have guarded the peace of their nation for countless generations. Now they find themselves face to face with a threat like no other.

How were they even to fight something that would twist their very souls the moment they get too close?

Well, I suppose that is where you come in, is it not?

 

---

 

If there was one thing S'eni could say about Thavnair, it was that it was absolutely breathtaking. Hills filled with exotic flowers, trees of all shapes and sizes offering pleasant shade from the bright sun above, and, the thing that stood out the most amongst it all: giant outcroppings of violet glinting stones in the distance.

Vibrant colors as far as the eye could see. It almost reminded her a bit of Il Mheg. Just dryer and without the constant fear of being pranked upon by one of the Fae. That was if one ignored the giant tower looming over everything, its dark shape and ominous glow marring the otherwise beautiful picture. S'eni narrowed her eyes.

Hopefully not for much longer.

A sudden jolt from underneath made her yelp out, followed by a loud squawk as her fingers dug a little too deep into thick feathers.

"Is everything alright?" a young voice asked from up ahead.

"Yes!" she called back immediately and loosened her grip once again.

"I did not lie when I said they had a wobbling gait."

"No. No, you didn't." Straightening herself, she gave the Hamsa she was riding a little pat as way of apology. If the Dodo-like bird approved or disapproved the gesture, it didn't tell, instead following its kin up ahead as if nothing had happened. After she made sure that another grassy bump wouldn't toss her off her ride, S'eni turned her eyes towards her newest acquaintance.

A young Au Ra boy called Varshahn.

After helping Matsya sell his fish and sending him on his way, the others and her soon encountered him again after Estinien told them that it was only Arkasodara who had been abducted to the tower. Once they had dealt with his would-be abductors, they escorted the grateful Matanga back to his home village which, fortunately, also led them close to their destination: the alchemist's workshop also known as the Great Work.

There they had finally met Nidhana, and what a meeting it was! She was pretty sure Estinien wouldn't be forgetting this encounter all too soon. But that was also where she had met young Varshahn, the Satrap's aide.

Well-spoken and dressed in fine, though not extravagant clothes, his mannerism belied his young age, and she could very much tell that he took his duties seriously. Yet there was something about him she couldn't quite place. She had met her fair share of children wise beyond their years, but even amongst those, he stood out...

...But perhaps she was also overthinking things. The Satrap must have taught him well. It made her wonder what he was like, that man holding a covenant with a dragon. This country truly was full of surprises.

"Do you see that large formation stretching out over the water?" Varshahn suddenly asked and pointed towards the giant rock that covered those violet stones.

"Hard to miss," she replied.

"It is called Khadga. It means 'sword'," he explained. "Legend holds it was once wielded by the Manusya in their battle against Mrga and was cast down at that spot when the conflict ended."

"If only we could use it to get rid of the tower."

"Indeed. But I am quite confident that Mistress Nidhana and her fellow alchemists will give us the means to do so ourselves."

Soon enough, they arrived at the outpost situated on the beach near the tower.

"And here we are," Varshahn said as they dismounted their Hamsa. "Our first line of defense."

Their appearance was immediately spotted and an Au Ra dressed from head to toe in armor was making his way over to them. As he came closer, S'eni noticed a smile forming on the man's lips. "Well, well, who should it be but young Varshahn. On an errand for the Satrap?"

"I am." The boy nodded. "His Excellency asked me to collect your reports. He also wishes to express his heartfelt gratitude to all the brave men and women of the Radiant Host for their unwavering dedication."

"We are simply doing our duty. But we are still honored to receive His Excellency's regard." A frown appeared on the man's face. "And yet, for all his benevolence, one could regard his treatment of someone as young as you as quite...callous. It may have been quiet these past few days, but this is the frontline of battle and not a place for children."

S'eni had been wondering about that as well. While he may be saved from being taken to the tower like the Arkasodara, it was still far from safe for children to venture out alone.

"Your predecessor travelled alone all the time as well. How long has it been now since you took over for him? Two years? Wonder how he is doing now..."

"Like his predecessors, he has gone to represent the Satrap in foreign lands. Wherever he may be, I am certain he is well," Varshahn said. "As for myself, I assure you that all I do, I do of my own volition. I hope you do not think ill of his Excellency."

"Certainly not..." the man shook his head. "Whatever happens, my faith in him is unshaken. Still, I can't help but worry. We would all be overcome with sadness should something happen to you. You're like a little brother to us all. Take care, you hear?"

A tiny smile formed on the boy's lips. "I will, Nahbdeen. Thank you."

Nahbdeen then turned his attention towards her. "And who is this if I may ask? She doesn't look Hannish."

"Allow me to introduce S'eni Gata of the Eorzean contingent. She and her companions have come here to assist in the creation of the talisman."

"Eorzea?" Nahbdeen asked, his eyes widened slightly. "I heard that towers have appeared there as well. How is the situation?"

"We've managed to keep the peace for now," she replied. "But the sooner we can get rid of them, the better."

"Perhaps it would be wise to share some information with our soldiers while you are here," Varshahn suggested. "I am sure both sides would benefit from the exchange."

"A fine idea." The older Au Ra nodded in agreement. "Some of our soldiers are quite anxious, given the nature of our threat, and I'm sure they would be glad to talk with someone experienced in the matter. You two—"

He waved over a pair of soldiers.

"—bring Varshahn the latest report and answer any questions he might have."

After giving their superior a salute, they took the young boy with them, leaving S'eni and Nahbdeen alone. "If you don't mind me asking," she asked after a short moment. "But how has the Radiant Host been holding up?"

"We have managed to strike down the fiends from the tower on two occasions now." His face grew grim. "But they came in force and we paid a heavy price. What about the ones in Eorzea. Do they spawn monsters too?"

"They do. But it's not just the primals that are a threat, the many tempered are too. It's easy to strike down a monster, but a friend? A brother or sister?"

Thankfully, a situation like Carteneau hasn't yet happened again. But with every passing day, the chances of it rose. She would rather take care of the root cause before it came to that.

"I see...so we can't expect calls for aid from outside to be answered," Nahbdeen said.

"Well, that's not entirely true." She smiled. "My friends and I are here. We'll find a way to get rid of that damn tower. I promise."

The soldier mirrored her expression and bowed his head. "And we are grateful for it."

After exchanging a few more words with the man, she went about camp to see how the rest of the troops were doing. All in all, their morale didn't seem bad, just filled with grim determination to keep the rest of the island safe, but she knew that just one lost battle could change that. At least they took heart in the fact that their struggles weren't unique. In turn, she had learned a few things about the tower. Mainly that, just like in Eorzea and the Far East, it had practically appeared out of nowhere, and the locals had come to call it the Tower of Zot.

Tower of Zot, huh...? She thought while looking across the water towards the isle upon which it was situated. She didn't know the meaning of the name, but just from the ring of it alone, it felt quite fitting. Letting her eyes travel up its twisted form, she let them come to rest at its sharp tip. Like a jagged dagger that wished to pierce the very sky.

S'eni remained like this for a few minutes, wondering just what was waiting inside for them, before turning around and walking back to meet with Varshahn. She had learned enough, and there was still something else she needed to take care of.

 

---

 

By the time S'eni had returned to the Great Work the day was slowly coming to an end, so there was little else other than to rest after she had delivered the giantsgall to Nidhana. Well, rest for her at least, as she wouldn't be surprised if the alchemists were going to work all night to create the next prototype of their talisman. Not that she could fault any of them for that. After all, this was about their home.

Though she had this sneaking feeling that they would be just as eager even without Thavnair being at stake here.

After a quick dinner, which was surprisingly filling but left her desiring more of the local cuisine, S'eni stepped outside with a cup of Thavnairian Chai in hand. Turning her eyes skyward she watched the stars a little until a fresh breeze from the nearby sea made her try that first sip. Milky and spicy, it warmed her right up from the inside out and made her sigh in satisfaction.

She looked about for a moment, watching some of the alchemists talk animatedly about the new findings and potential approaches they had provided them with. Yes, definitely going to pull an all-nighter, she dryly thought while taking another sip. She wasn't going to pick them up from the ground if they decided to fall asleep where they stood again.

Huffing out a little chuckle, her eyes then found the figure of a certain Dragoon sitting at the edge of the wooden platform housing the local Aetheryte, looking out towards the sea. A smile formed on her face and she made her way over to him. As she closed in on him, she called out, "Have they finally released you?"

"Hmpf. Very funny," he replied, turning his slightly in her direction. "Done running errands?"

"One of which I owe Urianger and you, I'm told." Sitting down next to him, she nodded towards the cup in his armored hand. "Didn't your armor protect you from the cold?"

"It does. I just came to like it the last time I was here." He raised his cup demonstratively, then took a sip.

She watched him for a brief second before casting her gaze out towards the water. "You know, I never got to thank you."

"For what?"

"Saving my life at Ghimlyt."

"I just happened to be in the area," he said.

"Still, thank you." She looked back at him. "For being here as well."

His eyes found hers and the corner of his lips rose into a little smirk. "Well, what can I say? Alphinaud and you seem to have rubbed off on me."

S'eni couldn't help but grin at that. He sure had grown from the grumpy, revenge-driven man whose sole purpose had been to rid the world of Nidhogg, going even so far as to team up with a woman perceived as a heretic by his people to do so. And while the grumpiness was still there on occasion, the way that he was holding himself, the perpetual tenseness of his shoulders being gone, was enough to tell her that Estinien had slowly, but surely, begun to make peace with himself.

"It was quite a journey, wasn't it?" she asked.

"Hm." He nodded. "It was."

She turned her eyes skyward and took another sip. "Do you still think of her sometimes? Ysayle, I mean."

It was a pretty dumb question. Who else would have placed a bouquet of flowers at Azys Lla if not him?

"I do. How about you?"

"Yeah. Not as often as I should be, though," she admitted, feeling a little guilty about that fact.

"When I first met her, I thought she was a fool, blind to the truth. But I had been the blind one, and in my blindness I let myself be consumed by the one I had wished to destroy. With her sacrifice, she paved a path for a future where dragon and man could co-exist once more..." he said and placed his free hand on the lower arm of the other. "...and taught a man who knew nothing but to wield a lance steeped in anger that there was always another way..."

S'eni's lips curled into a warm smile and she held out her cup towards the Dragoon. He raised a confused brow. "To Ysayle."

A light chuckle escaped him and he clinked their cups together. "To Ysayle, whose heart was warmer than her title claimed."

With nothing more to say, they fell silent, simply enjoying the rest of their tea while watching the distant waves. As soon as Estinien was done, he put his cup away and rose to his feet. "Looks like Thancred and Urianger wish to talk," he said.

Glancing over her shoulder, she followed his gaze, and, indeed, the other two were making their way over towards the Aetheryte. She finished the rest of her tea in one gulp and moved to join Estinien as he began walking to their friends. They had just passed by the glowing crystal when he halted all of a sudden.

"By the way, where is that boy you left with? Varshahn was it?"

"Hm? Oh, he said he needed to run more errands and stayed at the outpost," she replied and tilted her head. "Why?"

"Nothing." He shook his head. "Just curiosity. Come."

With a raised brow, she watched him resume his walk for a second before shaking her head and following after him, muttering something under her breath all the while. As they made their way over to their friends, neither of them noticed the hooded figure standing in the shadows and watching their every move. Fandaniel smiled and stepped a little closer.

"Now what is it you are hiding...?"

 

Chapter 117

Mysteries Unveiled

 

The alchemy of Radz-at-Han truly was one of a kind and with your help their most hopeful of talismans was created in but the blink of an eye. Of course, if its protection would withstand the corrupting influences of the tower remained to be seen. A task that had your name written all over it.

Yet there were other, more pressing questions on your mind as you stepped onto the boat with that alchemist. What will await you on the inside and above all, who was this man, this Ascian, who called himself Fandaniel?

The curtain will soon rise on these and many other mysteries...

 

---

 

The boat rocked gently from side to side as it slowly traveled across the water towards the isle of Narunnair. With her arms crossed in front of her chest, S'eni watched the already colossal tower grow larger with every passing moment. A few steps behind her stood Nidhana, murmuring to herself while holding the talisman in her large hands.

Turning around, she locked eyes with the alchemist. "Everything alright?"

"Not really," the other woman replied. "But my jitters should be the least of our problems. Especially now that we are closing in on the range of the aetheric emissions..."

No sooner had she said those words, did the talisman in her hand began to glow.

"Come on..." the Arkasodara said, and S'eni felt herself tense up. Just before they had gotten onto the boat, Nidhana had made her promise that, should worst come to worst, she would not hold back and for a few agonizing seconds it seemed like a very likely scenario. Then relief arrived in the form of a barrier surrounding Nidhana, who visibly relaxed as well. "Good...the talisman seems to be working!"

Nidhana looked towards S'eni. "How are you feeling?

"Everything alright in here," she replied, tapping her head. As way of dispelling the rest of the tenseness, she added, "Though some might disagree with that notion."

They shared a chuckle.

"Let us see how we are going to fare closer to it," Nidhana said.

After landing at the isle, they got off the boat and made their way over to the tower. With every step they took, the pulses of aether grew more frequent, prompting the barrier around the alchemist to blink in a rhythmic pattern. Almost like a heartbeat. Yet, it was holding still.

"Very good. Even this close the emissions seem to have no effect on me. But we need to make it to the entrance before we can call this an actual success."

Nodding, S'eni looked ahead, where the gates of the tower were standing wide open, practically inviting anyone who made it here inside. Which, clearly, was no concern for the Telophoroi. Still, she didn't like it. Especially not after she had found a certain someone snooping around the Great Work earlier...

No use thinking about it now, she thought as Nidhana walked ahead of her and up the small set of stairs leading up to the entrance.

The barrier still held. Turning around, the Arkasodara's eyes narrowed into a happy smile that was hidden by her trunk. "With this it is official: the talisman offers protection," she announced, sounding quite a bit proud of her and her fellows' accomplishment. "Now we only need to produce it in large quantities for our exploration of the tower. Come, let us return post haste to deliver the good news!"

All of a sudden, chains of aether shot out from the darkness of the tower and wrapped themselves around Nidhana, raising her high into the air and keeping her there. "What—!?" was all she managed before pulling her inside with a surprised yelp.

"Nidhana!" S'eni shouted and immediately ran after her. Following the long, dark hallway, she soon emerged into something akin to a nightmare. Like a bizarre mixture of machinery and flesh, spiraling pillars were scattered all around her, extending up into the highest reaches of the tower. Connecting them was a series of 'bridges' that looked like the corroded spines of a long-dead dragon.

"Twelve forfend..." she exhaled when she saw that fused inside those pillars were rows upon rows of Arkasodara. She had read Arenvald and Fordola's report, but seeing it with her own eyes...They needed to take these towers down as soon as possible!

Her ears perked when they picked up a sound of shouting up ahead and she began to follow it. It didn't take long for her to find Nidhana once again, still suspended in mid-air by the chains and a robed figure standing not far from her. She quickened her pace.

"Oh dear, would you please stop struggling so much?" she heard Fandaniel ask. "The only thing you're accomplishing with that is extending your suffering."

"No...I cannot...not yet..." As she floated towards the pillar in front of her, Nidhana managed to turn just enough to see S'eni running up to them. But it was already too late. Their eyes locked just in time for her to be swallowed by the tower's structure, becoming part of it like the rest of her brethren.

"How very tragic, you would have almost made it," Fandaniel said as she came to a halt, picking up the talisman prototype that had landed in front of his feet during the struggle. He turned it in his hand. "Oho...Interesting. The similarities are striking..."

She just glared at him, causing him to jump back when he looked at her.

"Why are you staring at me like that? Did I do something to earn your ire?" He shrugged and turned his attention to the newly fused Nidhana. "You know my patrons of old would have been beside themselves at a sight such as this. They would have squealed and danced. Between you and me though, I find such things exhausting."

Patrons of old? If he meant the Ascians, she very much doubted either Emet-Selch nor Elidibus would have liked this very in-your-face approach of summoning primals. So... "What in the hells are you talking about!?"

A smile began to form on his lips and he tossed the talisman over his shoulder into the depths beneath them, before giving her an elegant bow.

"You wish for me to tell you a story? Very well. As you know I'm the Ascian Fandaniel, sundered and all. I inherited the position and soul of the man holding the title of Fandaniel during the Final Days. In theory, at least." He straightened himself back up and waved his arms. "But who cares about dry theory? I was born and have lived as the one that stands before you: Me."

"Get to the point!"

"Patience, patience." He turned around, wholly unconcerned about her. "I was eventually recruited into the Ascians, and thus inherited the knowledge and memories of the old Fandaniel. But they never felt like a part of who I was...if you know what I mean."

She didn't reply.

He glanced over his shoulder before turning around once more. "So if you really wish to know who I am, I should best start with my name, shouldn't I? I have it on good authority that you poked around quite a few Allagan ruins in the past. Then you might actually have heard my name before..."

Pain shot through her brain in that tell-tale way of the Echo granting her a vision and she released a hiss as she grasped her head. Not...now... she thought as her vision began to blur, only barely making her able to see Fandaniel give her another bow.

"...Amon. At your service."

...

...

...

"Long ago existed a nation of unbridled prosperity," a voice spoke in her mind. "A nation in which peace reigned and every need was met day after day after day. Perfect and happy...which was why it was succumbing to rot."

A man appeared in front of her vision, dressed in fine clothes that spoke of his nobility and the room in which they stood a marvel of technology. One that she knew. Azys Lla.

"You are an absolute genius, Amon. How did you even conceive such a delightful experiment?" the man spoke, his voice an echo of cheer. "When that fool awoke only to realize his head was that of a bull he became so stricken with panic he wanted to scream, but all he could manage was lowing! Haha, my friends and I were so consumed with laughter we struggled to breathe!"

Whatever else the nobleman wanted to say was drowned out by that first voice, Amon's voice, again.

"My heart's blood was in this work, and these wastrels thought of it as nothing but cheap jokes...but it was not their only indulgence." His gaze shifted over to two men standing in the back, looking over to them. "They desired constant entertainment, were grabbing for even the slightest hint of amusement to sate that never-ending hunger. This nation was sick. But I would heal it! With the resurrection of our founder!"

The scene shifted to another place in Azys Lla, overlooking the vast insides of the facility.

"It was done! I had succeeded and our empire was set on a path of conquest once again. An inexhaustible ambition carried us onward, ever onward." Amon turned to look at the person standing at the edge of the platform. Emperor Xande. "Yet the one who brought us glory was not to be satisfied."

"Heed me, Amon," Xande said, not looking away from the sight in front of him. "No matter how vast one's empire. No matter how full one's treasury. It all becomes null and void upon death. In the end, all is lost."

The scene shifted once more, this time to a robed figure, face obscured by a red mask. But she knew immediately that it was none other than Emet-Selch himself.

"You know as well as I do that the emperor will lose the coming war. That is why I am here to take you with me," the Ascian said. "Your methods leave much to be desired of, but could hardly close your eyes to your abilities and intellect. And as it just so happens, the seat of Fandaniel, your seat, has recently become vacant. I would rather have you on our side than to die a pointless death. Go on, send one of your clones into the Crystal Tower to convince yourself of the truth."

The vision faded, leaving only darkness and Fandaniel's voice. "What I found was the end of all glory. My emperor was right in the end. No matter what we accomplish, in the end, everything turns to dust. And life is ultimately nothing but a journey into oblivion..."

...as she returned to the here and now, S'eni found herself alone. Not a hint of Fandaniel in sight no matter which way she looked. Until his voice rang through the air.

"How nice of you to lend my humble story some of your time, but I don't want to keep you any longer," he said. "Don't worry, your friend here is safe. After all, she and her brethren won't be able to summon any primals if they are dead. They will only die if you try to forcefully remove them. So, shoo, shoo, back to your comrades! Rescue plans have to be made, am I right?"

A chuckle echoed through the air.

"Promise me we'll meet again soon, yes? His Majesty and I await you at a much grander stage. A sideshow like this is hardly worthy of such a spectacle."

And with that, he was gone. Relaxing, if only slightly, she turned her gaze towards Nidhana. If what he said was the truth, then she had no way of rescuing her right now. Unable to do anything else, she turned around and rushed back towards the entrance.

We'll rescue you, Nidhana. I promise!

 

---

 

When S'eni had first heard of Radz-at-Han, her father described it as a bustling city, colorful and always busy. Where street cries of merchants mixed with the sounds of zills that accompanied every move of the city's many, exotic dancers. There was always something for the eye to behold, he had said, a sight which would ingrain itself into one's mind never to be forgotten.

Now, as she was walking along its streets, she found it bereft of everything but the vibrant colors. Merchants and dancers at every corner were replaced by soldiers of the Radiant Host, standing dutifully guard in case an attack could make it past their comrades into the very heart of the nation. And the few non-combatants that were out on the streets either ignored them or gave them curious, yet concerned looks.

"Guess this was to be expected," she murmured while looking at a young man running past them down the large set of stairs.

"I was told that every town of Thavnair plays its part. So it stands to reason that if they're suffering, so does Radz-at-Han," Thancred said, earning himself a solemn nod from her. Even if the towers all over the world were to vanish tomorrow, it would take time for the nation to recover.

"And there's only so much the Satrap can do..." Turning her eyes forward, S'eni let them come to rest on Varshahn, who was walking a few steps ahead of them as he escorted them to the residence of the very same man. He had shown up shortly after she had returned to the Great Work to tell everyone the bad news about Nidhana. While her fellows were obviously shocked by what she told them, they took heart in the fact that she was still alive and set on making as many talismans as possible now that the latest prototype had been a success. As thanks for their contribution to that endeavour, and to discuss further cooperation, the Satrap had invited them to meet with him.

After reaching the top of the stair, they continued walking for a bit longer until Varshahn stopped in front of a small bridge leading to a large building that stood apart from the others. He turned around. "This is His Excellency's residence: Meghaduta. I wish I could give you a proper tour of the city, but given current circumstances..."

"Don't worry," Thancred said. "We'll just take in the sights another time."

"Thank you for understanding. Well then, let us not keep His Excellency waiting."

Leading them across the bridge and into the building, the young boy guided them through the luxurious hallways that one would expect from the man at the head of such a prosperous nation. It reminded her a little of the Sultana's palace in Ul'dah. In fact, she wouldn't be surprised if the vase they just walked by cost more than her house!

Yet despite the opulence, the air around the place felt quite welcoming and the subtle wear of the floor told her that the Satrap seemed to be one that didn't avoid meeting with people. And from the way the people spoke of him even during these trying times, he seemed like a great man and, hopefully, a great ally.

A few minutes later, they stepped into a large chamber, its decor the same as the rest of the building, apart from the large curtain in the back. In the center of it was a table, filled with plates of delicious fruit and flanked on both sides by comfortable-looking chairs. And the head of the table sat a man.

"Your Excellency, the guests you asked for," Varshahn introduced them before stepping aside as the Satrap, who himself was an Au Ra as well, rose to his feet.

"Ah, splendid! It gladdens me that you have arrived so swiftly. My name is Ahewann, Radz-at-Han's Satrap," he introduced himself. "The alchemists of the Great Work have told me about your invaluable assistance in the creation of the warding scale. Truly a ray of hope in these dark times. In the name of my people, I wish to offer you my deepest gratitude."

"Yes, but Nidhana...she was taken..." S'eni said, lowering her eyes to the ground.

"Indeed. I have been informed of what happened just before you arrived. Her colleagues insist that we respect her wishes and trust in the talismans. Only that way we can free her and the others. And that is exactly the matter I wish to discuss with you." He gestured towards the seats. "Please sit down, this is not a discussion to be had while standing."

Urianger, Thancred, and her stepped forward to sit down, but stopped in their tracks when Estinien suddenly spoke up. "I think not."

"Estinien?" S'eni asked, but the Dragoon's eyes were focusing on Ahewann.

"Did you really believe we would fall for such a simple charade?" he asked, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "Don't you think it's time to lift that curtain?"

"I'm not sure what you mean." The Satrap seemed confused for a moment. "Ah, you must be used to more grandiose greetings. I would have loved to celebrate your arrival with song and dance, but given the circumstances..."

"Nay, you are right," a voice suddenly resounded in the chamber. "Mine apologies for this deception. There is no need for curtains here."

"...As you wish," Ahewann said and moved to raise it.

"You travel as assistants to the Students of Baldesion, but is it not the Scions of the Seventh Dawn standing before me? Even here we have heard of you," the voice said and S'eni felt her eyes widen with a gasp as little by little the form of a dragon revealed itself to them. "I am Vrtra, and for uncounted years hath this island served as mine abode."

"Vrtra! Of the First Brood!" Urianger exclaimed. "Sibling to Hraesvelgr and Nidhogg."

"Aye. I hatched when mine brothers and sisters already spread their wings. Thus making me the youngest," the wyrm replied.

"Unbelievable!" Thancred said. "We heard that the Satrap had an alliance with a dragon, but for it to be a great wyrm..."

"That, too, is not the entire truth," Ahewann said as he returned to them. "Allow me to tell you the story of our nation. Long ago the rock upon which Radz-at-Han is built was home to Vrtra, and Vrtra alone. When the ancestors of the Matanga arrived they established, but never entered the wyrm's lair. The Au Ra, who soon followed, allied themselves with the Arkasodara and began to treat Vrtra with reverence and respect as well. For many years, the understanding between our forefathers and the great wyrm endured..."

His face grew grim. "Until marauding Hyurs arrived from the mainland and everything changed. When it seemed all would be drowned in blood, Vrtra came forth and brought an end to the fighting. Under his guidance, a peace treaty was forged, oaths sworn upon the great wyrm's name. That is the foundation of our nation: Radz-at-Han, the land of the dragon."

"Then the actual Satrap...is Vrtra?" Thancred asked the Au Ra, who nodded.

"Yes. For generations, my family has faithfully served him to keep up this 'charade'."

"There are only a few beings as powerful as a great wyrm, and where power resides, blood is spilled," Vrtra explained. "'twould not be mine flame that consumeth this land and thus I bade those few that joined me in our country's foundation to veil the truth."

S'eni could do nothing but stare at the dragon in front of her. To think that all this time, Radz-at-Han had been ruled by one of the First Brood. And not only that, but he knew of them. Which meant he must surely know who she and Estinien were...and what role they played in his brother's death. As if he could sense her thoughts, Vrtra focused on her with his one-eyed gaze. Wait—

Estinien had noticed as well. "Your eye is missing."

The dragon tilted his head a little and Varshahn turned around. "It is not," the boy said and placed a hand on his chest. "It rests within this body. 'tis but a simulacrum created by the finest artisans of Radz-at-Han. With mine eye nestled within, it serves as an inconspicuous vessel."

"Ah, so that is why I felt the presence of a dragon when we first met," Estinien said.

Or why he was so wise beyond his years... S'eni added in her mind. He sure had her fooled good.

"Your keenness doth you great honor. This vessel hath been woven with wards to deceive arcane senses. Though it should not surprise me. You were fused to mine brother, Estinien Wyrmblood." A tense silence followed in which 'Varshahn' and Estinien stared at one another, before being broken by the wyrm once more. "From the very first, we sensed each other's nature, yet we met with neither fangs nor claws. That shall serve as our foundation for now."

Vrtra released the young body from his control and turned his head to address them directly. "With all truths thus laid bare, I have for you a proposal. Not as wyrm from the First Brood, but as the ruler of Radz-at-Han. With all haste we must take the finished talismans and breach this 'Tower of Zot'. Thence, if possible, destroy it. Yet even with enough warding scales, the narrow confines of the tower doth limit the size of our forces."

"And thus denied strength in numbers, thou must choose thy soldiers with care," Urianger said.

"Just so. Our Radiant Host is proud of its formidable warriors, but 'tis unknown territory for them and now is not the time to take unnecessary risks. But I see a surer path before me." Vrtra leveled S'eni with his gaze once more. "I am very much aware of your deeds. You have fought many primal beings in the past and most recently you didst destroy false gods at Paglth'an and Carteneau, didst you not?"

"That's right," she replied.

"'Tis those victories, and mine own impression as Varshahn, that hath me ask the Scions to lead this expedition. Talisman's would, of course, be provided to all of your companions. And should you agree, more will be provided to do with as you see fit."

Thancred looked at her. "It's going to be risky, but the offer is too good to refuse. It would give us an edge in the fight against the lunar primals and the towers if we could provide all our allies with warding scales."

"Agreed." S'eni nodded "But I think we might need the other's help."

"I think so too," he said and addressed Vrtra. "May we consult with the rest of the Scions first?"

"Aye. I am well aware that 'tis is no trifling task I ask of you. The time you require we shall spend in crafting your protective charms."

"Back to Sharlayan it is then."

The sound of the opening door made them all turn to see Estinien, already on his way out.

"May we not call upon your aid?" the great wyrm asked, and the Dragoon stopped to glance over his shoulder.

"Whether as great wyrm or ruler of Radz-at-Han, your words have proven to me that you care about the well-being of your people, so I see no reason to refuse. Nor will I."

"I am in your debt."

Without even so much as a nod, Estinien resumed his walk. They were done here. Looking at Thancred and Urianger, S'eni chuckled and, as they were clearly dismissed, began to follow her friend.

"And you decided to not tell us why?" she asked as she caught up to Estinien, a small grin forming on her face.

"I wasn't entirely sure then," he replied. "Does it matter now? We have our work cut out for us."

"Sure do," S'eni sighed. Of course, she had her next task already waiting for her when they arrived back in Sharlayan. She only hoped the others had already managed to find something...

...and that the teleport back would be less severe.

 

Notes:

Ayyy, it's the most chill great wyrm in existence. Jokes aside, I've actually had a lot of trouble with his dialogue since he seems to be even more approachable in the German dialogue. Which I guess makes sence given his penchant of going icognito as any given aid to the Satrap. I hope I managed to replicate his mannerism well enough.

Chapter 118

Hitting the Books

 

And thus the truth about Radz-at-Han's Satrap was revealed. To us, Midgardsormr and his brood had always been an unknown factor; outsiders from beyond our star that we very rarely involved in our plans.

To think that one of them would entangle himself so much in the lives of man that he came to rule them with his ageless wisdom.

But there was little time to dwell on that revelation, as your companions in Sharlayan were eagerly awaiting your return to seek answers to a mystery much closer to home. What will you find, I wonder?

I do hope you enjoy reading.

 

---

 

The Noumenon. Sharlayan's greatest collection of books and tomes. She had heard the name a few times, mentioned by her friends in passing while discussing one topic or the other, and by Matoya during the time shortly before her venture to the First, which consisted mostly of the old woman's begrudging admittance that the Great Gubal Library paled in comparison to its parent. And now she stood within its very halls.

Bookshelves filled to the brim covered the walls to the left, the right, and the back of the hall, connected with one another by stone walkways and platforms in the center. Looking over the edge of the one she was standing on, S'eni saw more shelves, extending way beyond the ground and into a subterranean level, each floor housing a vast amount of knowledge. Absolutely incredible...

The feeling of a warm finger brushed against her chin and she felt her mouth being snapped shut, followed by an amused giggle from her left. Turning her head, S'eni saw Y'shtola pull back her hand. "Careful. Someone might think you have never seen books before."

Her face was split by a grin and she chuckled. "Well, certainly not this many," she said and pushed herself away from the parapet. "Doesn't this get confusing real fast?"

"It might seem overwhelming at first, but one swiftly learns to navigate these halls. And we do have Mammets keeping things orderly." Just as her lover said that, one of the tiny clockwork constructs zipped past them, dressed in oddly fine clothes and wearing an elegant-looking wig. Their eyes followed it until it rounded a corner before landing on one another.

"I guess?" S'eni tilted her head slightly and crossed her arms in front of her chest, not really convinced. All of a sudden, she wasn't all too bothered about the fact that she could only browse the first floor according to Krile. "Well, I better get started, don't I?"

"Indeed. I shall see you later then. Happy reading," Y'shtola said with a little wink as she headed in the direction of one of the many restricted sections only available to Archons.

Now left to her own devices, S'eni looked around. As it turned out, while she had been in Thavnair, the investigation here had been going slow, to say the least as they had purposefully waited until her return to really dig around the Noumenon. But now that she was here, they could begin in earnest. And her task was to find anything pertaining Sharlayan history and Forum policy!

Alright, let's go! She punched her palm, causing a loud slap to echo through the otherwise silent hall. Stopping in its tracks, a nearby Mammet turned towards her and raised a tiny hand to its featureless face. Her cheeks instantly grew hot and she dropped her eyes to the ground. As her ears drooped she murmured a "...sorry."

The Mammet nodded its head and went about its business once more. Once it was out of sight, S'eni exhaled through her nose and began to search for what she was looking for. And as luck would have it, she found something promising almost instantly, a book about Archon Nyunkrepf's journey to Eorzea during the great flood and his subsequent return to the northern sea with those grateful for his help. It was a story she had been vaguely familiar with, as the ark he had once built still resided in the Peaks of Gyr Abania, but she never had known the details.

A man disappointed by the violence of those he sought to rescue... she thought as she placed the brightly colored book back on the shelf. Her next few finds were less relevant, a rather recent book about the colony, one about what might lie beyond the confines of this planet, and another one about how a healthy way of living could maintain a person's physique, explained from a biological, aetherological and arcane viewpoint. That last one especially caught her interest and she mentally filed it away for later.

Then she found a book explaining how the Forum came to be. Though the information inside wasn't much different from what Krile had explained to her the day they arrived, it gave her some much-needed context and, above all, led her to another book explaining in great detail how Sharlayan's policies had come to be. After witnessing the horrors caused by the Sixth Umbral Calamity, Archon Nyunkrepf and his newfound followers had renounced the ways of war and pursued enlightenment through knowledge. Over the years and generations, this pursuit had turned Sharlayan into a thriving nation, their highly sought-after expertise in practically every matter always ensuring that their coffers were filled to seek further knowledge.

For a better tomorrow.

"It is who we are," Fourchenault words echoed deep within her mind.

Yes, she understood their position a little better now. But she still disagreed with them. The book claimed they wished to deliver the world with knowledge, but at the same time they chose to avert their eyes from the suffering said knowledge might have prevented. Truly...

"...Indolence," she muttered and shoved the book back in place a little rougher than necessary. Figuring she had found all she could without spending days in here, she turned on her heels and left the Noumenon, heading towards the stone benches they had all agreed to meet at after their search. Little to no surprise, she was the first to return, but it wouldn't be long until Alisaie and G'raha arrived, each with sizeable stacks of books.

Alphinaud and Krile arrived soon after, carrying armfuls of books as well. Y'shtola was the last to join them, appearing in the corners of S'eni's eyes just after the Lalafel had finished questioning her about what they had seen when Emet-Selch had shown them the Final Days of old.

"Well, I see everyone already began," her lover, shifting her weight a little to keep the tomes in her arms from slipping.

"Found something?" she asked and stepped forward to take some of that load off her.

"A few books that might prove useful," Y'shtola replied and, after putting the books down, added, "But I wouldn't get my hopes up. Do you remember where Urianger first learned of the Source's reflections?"

"Uh, the Gerun Oracles, right?"

"Correct. The book was deemed too dangerous and sealed away in the depths of the Great Gubal Library. So it seems even less likely that knowledge of the world before the sundering, or even the horrors of the Final Days, would simply be sitting on a shelf for any curious scholar to find. It's very reasonable to assume my colleagues, Archons and councillors alike, are wholly ignorant of the topic." A thoughtful frown then formed on the other Miqo'te's face and she gently rapped her knuckles against her cheek in the way she always did when she was thinking hard. "Yet when you confronted Master Fourchenault with knowledge of the Telophoroi and their plans, he scoffed and claimed the Forum would know when the Final Days were truly upon us. Which only supports the conclusion that whatever knowledge guides their hand, it's kept secret from the rest of the nation."

"So what do you suggest?" S'eni asked, earning herself a raised brow in return.

"We read, of course. Whether they hold information about the Final Days or not, they could still hold valuable information." A little twinkle entered silvery white eyes. "You weren't going to run off to another errand, were you?"

"Me? Of course not," she said and did a little bow. "After all, I can hardly say no to studying with the legendary Master Matoya, right?"

The corners of Y'shtola's lips curled into a smile that was a little too sweet and she reached out to run the tip of her silver claw against S'eni's cheek. "Ah, my dear Warrior of Light. Are you truly so eager to be put across my knee?"

"It depends," she replied, a playful hum passing her lips as she gently took hold of Y'shtola's wrist. "Will this one be more than an empty promise?"

Her lover was about to reply when Krile cleared her throat much louder than she needed to, making them break apart. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw the Lalafel nod towards the books while the twins shared some awkward looks. Only G'raha didn't seem to notice, already too engrossed by what he was reading.

With a giggle she turned back around and shrugged. They were right though. There were more important things right now. But the look Y'shtola gave her while reaching for the first book made it adamantly clear that this would be a topic resumed at a later time.

Taking her own book, she began to read. When she was sure that the info they were looking for wasn't found on those pages, she switched to another book. And when that didn't provide it either, another.

And another.

And another.

And another...

...wait, she already read that one, didn't she?

Gods, she couldn't tell. The sheer endless stream of words filled with knowledge that flooded her brain began to turn into a thick fog that clouded her mind, creating a wave of fatigue that went through the rest of her body and making her cover her eyes for a moment to give herself just a tiny bit of a break. She would consider herself quite adept enough at pouring over a book, after all she had managed to study Matoya's tome and then some, but this was beginning to wear on her and if not for the occasional exchange of words between Y'shtola and her, she might have drifted off once or twice.

Something that didn't escape Y'shtola's notice, as shortly after S'eni lowered her hand to resume her research, she reached out to touch her shoulder. "I should be able to manage on my own for a bit, so why don't you take a rest?"

"Yeah, I think—" S'eni rubbed her face. "—I think I'll do that."

Placing the still open book on her stack, she gave her lover a grateful little smile before stepping away and looking around. All were very much engrossed in their reading material. All, except Alisaie, who looked like she was about as much in need of a break as her.

"I think my neck and shoulders are going to calcify any moment now," the young woman said after S'eni walked over, putting her own book away. "Krile showed you the Last Stand, didn't she?"

"Hm. She did."

"Come, I'll treat you to their coffee. It's quite good!"

They made their way to the café, taking their time to get some life back into their limbs and enjoy the otherwise nice weather. When they arrived, they found it buzzing with customers, which was a little surprising, as it was around noon now. The Elezen crossed her arms as she took in the sight.

"How very Sharlayan that no other gourmet café has sprung up to compete for customers. But this gives me an idea, why don't we ask a few questions to gauge the mood in the city?" Alisaie asked. "Might be worth a try, don't you think?"

"Sure. Lead the way," S'eni replied.

Which, as it turned out, proved to be less than a good idea as Alisaie seemed to have rather the opposite effect and caused people to clam up instead. It looked like the words of the woman at Wordly Affairs rang quite true and the news of the twins' disownment had made the round through town. Who knew that the citizens of Sharlayan were such a gossipy bunch?

Thus having their plans dashed, they headed towards the counter instead. Behind it stood a Highlander of darker complexion, dressed in a white shirt and blue apron. Noticing their approach, he offered S'eni a friendly smile.

"Welcome madam, what may I offer you today?" his eyes then landed Alisaie and they widened in surprise. "Mistress Alisaie, is that you? My word, how long has it been!?"

"Too long." Alisaie smiled and looked towards S'eni. "This is Dickon, the owner of the Last Stand."

"Ah, so you're the one who couldn't stand the bad food anymore and declared war on bad taste," she said with a grin. "I'm S'eni."

"A pleasure to meet you," he said, mirroring her expression. "And I do try."

"I used to frequent this place in between lessons at the Studium," the young woman explained.

"That feels like ages ago now. I remember hearing you and Master Alphinaud had set sail to Eorzea, but you never returned." Dickon's face darkened slightly. "And lately there's been gossip about your father disowning the two of you. Everything alright at home?"

"It's...complicated. I hadn't expected complete strangers to be so familiar with our situation quite so quickly." Alisaie sighed and put her hands on her hips. "Everyone has an opinion, it seems..."

"Well it is House Leveilleur," he pointed out. "No matter how discreet Master Fourchenault may have been, news of your family never stays a secret for long. But things being as they are, what brings you back to the city now, of all times?"

"We have quite a few questions only Sharlayan can answer. Say, have you heard anything about an apocalypse called the Final Days?"

"What? Like the end of the world?" Dickon shook his head. "Not that I can recall. And that's why you're here? To find information on this...apocalypse?"

"Yes, whatever we can find. Though it seems your patrons are all very much unwilling to talk to me," Alisaie replied, looking over to where the guests were seated with a little "Hmpf!"

"I wish there was something I could do to help...hmm, perhaps there is..." rubbing his chin, he looked at S'eni. "You're a visitor to Sharlayan, then that means not a lot of people will know your face. We could pass you off as one of our servers."

"Not a bad idea," Alisaie said. "What do you think, S'eni?"

"Sure, but don't you think I'll be sticking out like a sore thumb if I wear these?" she asked and raised the lower part of her himation for emphasis.

"Not a problem, I can give you a uniform. While you get changed I'll prepare a few dishes."

"Huh. Alright then."

"That's the spirit!" Dickon said and handed her the clothes. After heading to the Annex to get changed, she returned in the same combination of shirt and apron, as well as a very comfortable pair of pants and shoes. Just from a few minutes of walking, she could already tell why this was their chosen uniform.

"Well, how do I look?" she asked and did a little pose.

"Like you've been working here for ages," Alisaie said with an amused tone and even Dickon seemed to agree with the assessment. He then proceeded to show her the dishes and where she needed to take them. First on her list was a group of rather chatty individuals who wished for some tea.

"Here you go," she said as she placed the tea set on the table, offering the round a friendly smile.

"Ah, the tea! Lovely, thank you!" a Midlander woman said.

"Say, you seem like you speak to a lot of people, so I was wondering if you or your friends might have heard of these Telophoroi that seem to be all we talk about these days?" S'eni asked while pouring their cups.

"Telopho-who?" the woman shook her head. "I'm sorry I never heard of them. My friends and I are a bit uninformed when it comes to current events. Now, if you wanted to hear about ritual arcane practices of the Sixth Astral Era then I'd be happy to talk your ear off..."

"Ah, I'm afraid I don't have the time for that," she said with a little chuckle. "Always busy with serving, you see."

"Yes, yes. Of course. And thank you again!"

The next patron on her list was a Highlander woman who seemed to be growing quite impatient from the way her foot was tapping while reading her newspaper. But if she was annoyed, she didn't show it when S'eni placed the freshly made omelette on the table in front of her. "Ah, finally!" She said and folded the paper, before putting it to the side and taking her fork. "Time to dig in!"

But before the woman even had the chance to do so, S'eni nodded towards the newspaper. "Anything about the Telophoroi in there by any chance?"

"Hmm? Oh, no not in this one. But I read about them in last week's gazette. How they claim to bring about the end of days." The woman snorted at that. "Same old warmongering if you ask me. When will those fools grow tired of spilling each other's blood? Best stay out of it, I say. The Forum made the right choice, and I fully support our decision to remain neutral!"

"I see..." she could have just left right then, but that tiny voice in the back of her head kept her from doing so without getting one last comment in. "Though I have to wonder what would've happened if Eorzea fell five years ago. Maybe Garlemald would have set its sight upon Sharlayan afterwards. Barbarians, am I right?"

And with that little nugget, she left the woman to enjoy her meal, taking a bit too much delight in the look she received. Last on her list was a Miqo'te man, who seemed much more eager for a chat after she placed an oven-baked lobster on his table.

"The Final Days? No, that is the first time I have heard about them," he said. "Although that would explain why my friend in the gleaners seems to be so busy these days?"

"The what?" she asked.

"Gleaners. They're...collectors for want of a better word. They travel around to procure things we don't have here in Sharlayan. Hmm, if these Telophoroi make good on their audacious threats then many uncatalogued rarities could be lost forever. Why else would the gleaners be buzzing about in such a frenzy? Watch the harbour and you'll see what I mean—" the man nodded into the direction of the pier and indeed there were many men and women unloading various crates of all sizes. "—they're doing this all day these past weeks. It's never been this hectic before. Not like this."

Interesting... So for some reason, Sharlayan was hoarding stuff. I might not be much, but this seemed like a clue if she ever heard one. Thanking the man, she headed back to the counter where Alisaie was waiting and filled her in.

"So apart from what vague news the gazettes are printing, they seem unaware of the Final Days. And with Dickon not knowing anything either, that means the Forum has done an impressive job from secrets getting out." Alisaie furrowed her brows for a moment, then shook her head and smiled. Turning around, she picked up one of the two steaming cups and held it out towards S'eni. "Here, the coffee I promised you. For playing your part so well."

"Thanks, I need it."

The young woman took her own cup. "Come, let's enjoy our drinks somewhere away from all these wagging tongues."

Walking away from the Last Stand, they sat down near the canal that snaked itself throughout the city. Taking her first sip of her coffee, S'eni felt herself invigorated almost instantly and she nodded. Alisaie did not oversell it, this was quite good.

After another sip, she placed the cup to the side and watched the calm water as it licked against the stairs leading down to the boats tied against the side. Next to her, Alisaie stared down at her own cup, idly running a finger along the edge. A moment passed before her friend spoke up.

"You know...despite not looking very bothered by Father disowning us, I am. I think I just didn't want to accept it, and now that I'm hearing all these rumors I realize just how much it actually hurts," Alisaie said. "Do you remember our decision to come here and how Raha said he acted the way he did because the Forum is hiding something?"

"Of course."

"I think he's right. Sure, we are a family of bullheads and our father argued a lot with our grandfather, but it's just so unlike him to accuse us of bloodlust and cast us out!" taking a deep breath, the Elezen raised her eyes toward the blue sky. "Him asking us if war was worth all the sacrifice left me especially speechless. Alphinaud was conflicted, but I don't believe for a single second that we were wrong. That's also why I was so godsdamned angry."

A smile formed on Alisaie's face. "It also made me realize that I'm quite stubborn and self-righteous myself. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, I suppose."

"Nothing wrong with that," S'eni said, taking another sip and winking at her. "In moderation that is."

The young woman chuckled and raised her cup. "Maybe if I told him what was on my mind, things wouldn't have gone this far," Alisaie said and took a sip as well. "...hm?"

They both turned their heads to the left to see three boats passing by them, each carrying a large amount of cargo and making their way into a nearby tunnel.

"Those must be heading to the Labyrinthos," Alisaie commented.

"Labyrinthos?" she asked. "What's that?"

"Ah, it's a facility deep underneath the island. Sharlayan is the place where all knowledge of the world is gathered, right? But that doesn't mean said knowledge is limited to scrolls and tomes in dusty libraries. Animals, plants, and other creatures are studied as well."

"Ah, so kind of like Saint Mocianne's Arboretum in the Hinterlands?" She just hoped much less hostile. It still ranked rather high on her list of the least pleasant errands she ever had to do.

"Not a bad comparison, though I only ever heard the stories of that. Anyways, all things that do creep and fly get bred and catalogued inside the Labyrinthos." A frown then formed on the Elezen's face. "That was quite a lot of cargo though...Wait a minute! You mentioned that the deliveries have increased in recent days, and the gleaners answer to the Forum. Could it be that it's connected to the appearance of the towers? If that's the case then we might find answers down there!"

Narrowing her eyes, S'eni looked in the direction of the tunnel. "Guess our break is over then," she said and downed the rest of her coffee, before rising back to her feet.

"You go on ahead to the Noumenon, I'll bring the cups back. Oh and don't worry about the uniform, Dickon said you can keep it!"

Hurrying back to the Noumenon, she was not surprised to find her friend's noses still buried in their books. From the way Y'shtola's ears perked up though, she had noticed her and, once close enough, wasted no time addressing her. "Ah, my loyal assistant returns! There's a lexicon that I need you to—" she immediately fell silent upon turning around and looked her up and down instead. "I assume you've found something, haven't you?"

"You assume right. Come, I'll fill you guys in until Alisaie comes back."

 

Notes:

You guys think that Y'shtola and Thancred were hitting that healthy lifestyle book too? :P

Chapter 119

Into the Labyrinth

 

Deep underneath the city of sages lies the Labyrinthos. Illuminated by an artificial sun, it housed flora and fauna from all over the world; an ever-expanding storage that served the people of Sharlayan for centuries in their pursuit of knowledge. The perfect idyll one might say.

...until recently.

They say that whatever was stowed away in this vast labyrinth remains forever hidden. Prove them wrong.

 

---

 

S'eni certainly had expected quite a bit of the Labyrinthos, but it still had blown her mind when they stepped out of the elevator and into a giant, artificial biome. From gently whispering wind, to running rivers, and even a simulated sky, everything seemed so real. Sharlayan ingenuity had struck again and she had to admit that what little she had seen from the former colony paled in comparison.

It almost justified the big heads some of the Sharlayans seemed to be blessed with.

Sadly, there had been little time for her to explore, as they had come here with a purpose. And they learned quite a bit. As it turned out, the Forum had tasked the gleaners with a large number of sudden deliveries and the resettlement of specimens into different tiers for reasons not divulged to them. One particular gleaner by the name of Erenville mentioned rumors of a migration to the Southern Continent, as many animals he and his colleagues were gathering seemed perfect for food production, easy to breed, and could endure even in the roughest of environments.

But until they could confirm them, those rumors remained exactly that, and to that end they were currently heading down to what was called Medial Circuit. Unfortunately, the lift leading there was currently restricted to personnel involved in the reorganization effort, forcing them to get there via a mineshaft teeming with something called Mythrilcaps.

"Alright, seriously," S'eni said, smacking her fist into one of these mushroom-like creatures and sending it tumbling backwards. "What value is there for someone to study these?"

"They are quite unusual creatures, are they not? Why did they develop such long limbs when all they do is shuffle about narrow tunnels?" She sent the other Miqo'te a look. "What?"

S'eni just nodded towards the small group of Mythrilcaps heading towards them.

"Oh very well." Swinging her staff around, Y'shtola sent a few lightning bolts into the direction of the creatures and shocked them in place. After those were taken care of as well, the rest of their kind seemed to take the hint and scattered back into the holes they had crawled out of.

"Seems like a research project gone out of control if you ask me."

"Perhaps. Not like many people are using this mineshaft these days."

"Anyway, that's taken care of," she said while dusting herself off. "Let's go join the others."

"Indeed."

Making their way down the tunnel, they soon caught up with their friends, who were waiting for them not far from the exit leading to the middle tier. It didn't look like they ran into any more of these damned critters, but the sight of Krile perched on a rock still made S'eni speed up a little. "Did something happen?" she asked as soon she reached them.

"It's nothing," Krile replied immediately, only to be interrupted by Alisaie.

"Nothing? You almost took a fall back there!"

Frowning, S'eni knelt down next to her friend. "Are you still feeling dizzy?"

A sudden dizzy spell had hit Krile shortly after arriving down here. The sudden descent, she had claimed. But it should have long since passed by now...

The Lalafel shook her head. "The slope was just a little steeper than I thought and I lost my footing for a second. I'm fine if you don't count a little bit of bruised pride."

"If you say so..." she wasn't really convinced. "These past weeks must have been stressful. Take it easy for a bit. Can't have you fall sick on us now."

Krile just sighed but otherwise didn't complain, choosing to instead return to her feet and walk over to where Alphinaud was looking outside. Once the rest of them had joined, he turned around. "If I recall correctly, this tier where they keep a large variety of samples for agricultural production," he said. "If Erenville's assumption of migration holds true, we should find evidence of such plans in the area's research projects."

"So snooping around a bunch of farms?" S'eni asked.

"In essence, yes." He pointed in the direction of a path ahead. "If we follow that we should reach one."

And indeed it didn't take long for the farm to come into view. Circular in nature, it was split into four even spread fields separated by a large stone slab pathway that went from one end of the complex to the other. At the center, the artificial stream flowing through the area provided the two mills with continuous motion needed to process whatever it was that they were currently harvesting. Though from the look of things there wasn't exactly a lot going on the fields right now...

"Aha, now I know where we are─this is Meryall Agronomics," Krile said and looked at S'eni to explain. "Labyrinthos houses a great variety of vegetation, which allows us to conduct studies on cultivation methods used in foreign lands. And this facility coordinates and oversees those efforts. Apparently, the 'fruits' of their research go and feed the rest of their colleagues here."

"Some of them might even end up at the Agora," Alisaie added. "Food so exotic you will be hard-pressed to guess their origin. Or what they might taste like."

"Yes, mystery vegetables with only a list of nutritional benefits scribbled on a card..." Krile made a face.

"Hmm...no gleaners in sight—" Alphinaud stepped out of the way of a woman carrying a crate, raising a brow as she passed. "—yet these workers appear just as rushed as them. Perhaps they know something about the Forum's plans and their motivations. Worth looking into it, wouldn't you say?"

"You just read my mind," S'eni said.

Splitting up, they asked around the vicinity, but pretty much everyone she asked told her the same thing: that they had quite suddenly received requests for crop samples in huge quantities with barely any time to get it all together. What seemed interesting was the fact that the samples requested were of the type they had long since finished researching. And any questions as to the reason for all this were met with reassurances that everything would be explained soon.

"I'm sorry, but do you have anything being taken down below?" she asked an especially overwhelmed worker.

"More than I can carry and then some," he replied, raising his knee to keep the crate in his hands steady for a moment as he wiped the sweat off his brow. "Most of our stock is sent down via elevator, but some has been marked for aerial transportation."

"If it's picked up by air, where did you put the crates?"

"On that hill over there." He nodded in its direction. Turning her head, she could see some of them placed atop one another. "Getting them up that slope was a job and a half let me tell you...Really should be getting back to work though. "

"Thanks..." she said, raising her hand in a quick goodbye, her eyes still focused on the crates. If those were bound for the lower tier...maybe it would be a good idea to check them out. Nodding to herself, she went to look for one of the others, which happened to be Y'shtola looking out into the distance. "I think I found something. The stack of crates on that hill are going below. I was thinking of checking it out."

"Sounds promising," Y'shtola said after where S'eni was pointing. "I'll gather the others and join you there."

After heading up the hill, she made a beeline for the crates and began looking them over. Lots of common seeds you could pretty much find everywhere, and easy to grow to boot, as well as many saplings according to the labels on them. So pretty much as the workers had said. She read through some of the documents attached to them, but couldn't find anything that sprung out at her. Maybe one of the others can...huh?

Noticing something out of the corner of her eyes, she put the documents down and turned towards it. Flowers. Not exactly an unusual sight, but there was something decidedly different about these ones.

They were glowing.

She walked over to them and knelt down to get a closer look. They were quite beautiful, soft ash gray petals moving in the artificial wind of the Labyrinthos as if to dance to a silent melody. She had seen many types of flowers on her journey, but never ones quite like these. Yet as pretty to look at as they were—

She frowned.

—there was also something profoundly sad about them...

Reaching out, she was just about to touch one, when a voice made her pause. "Fascinating, are they not?"

S'eni glanced over her shoulder and spotted a Roegadyn carrying a large crate walking towards her. "But they are not just pretty to look at. These flowers can also look directly into our soul."

Our soul? Really? She thought and the doubt must have been quite clear on her face, as the man chuckled while he placed the crate on the ground. Wiping the sweat off his brow, he offered her a friendly smile.

"You must think I'm crazy, but it's true," he said and looked down at the flowers. "That color...they must be feeling the worker's stress. The sudden flood of errands has left us all running quite ragged, you see. If you are in good spirits they glow in the brightest of colors. Such a beautiful sight. But if you are in a bad mood, they grow dark and, well, you see."

"I see..." she let her gaze return to them. "Any idea what causes it?"

"No. Not even Sharlayan's leading botanists could figure it out. But that isn't even the only mystery revolving around this plant. They are long-lived, but multiply only slowly, which makes them hard to find out in the wilderness," he explained. "They are so rare, we don't even know their natural habitat. In general, we have only met a handful of people that knew of their existence, and each of them called them something else. So we don't even know their true name!"

S'eni reached out again and carefully brushed her finger against a petal, releasing a breath when, for just a fraction of a second, its color changed before turning ash gray once more. "Amazing..."

"Is it not? The botanist in me is practically screaming for me to thoroughly study them. But right now, everyone has been ordered to help with the transport. Ah, that reminds me, I still have something to take care of. Excuse me."

Getting back up, she watched him leave and pass by Y'shtola and the others while they made their way up the hill.

"Did that Roegadyn have anything interesting to tell?" the other Miqo'te asked after they came to a stop.

"He told me about these flowers and that they can sense our emotions," she replied.

"A flower that can sense emotions?" Y'shtola placed a hand on her hip. "That's truly something I have never heard of before. Fascinating..."

"That's all well and good, but that doesn't help us in finding out what the Forum is hiding," Alisaie said. "We still haven't found anything substantial in that regard."

"Given the activities around here, Erenville's assumptions seem to hold true," Alphinaud then said. "But absolutely no one seems to know anything at all as to the reason why.

"If only we could ask one of the councillors directly..."

S'eni and Y'shtola's ears perked simultaneously, and Alisaie too turned her head slightly, when the sound of a large gate opening and closing echoed towards them. With furrowed brows, the young woman jogged over to the edge of the hill and looked into the distance. "Say, isn't that the entrance to the Archeion?" Alisaie asked. "And if my eyes don't deceive me then that's Erenville."

Joining her, S'eni cast her gaze out into the distance. "Yeah, looks like him." He was quite easy to recognize. Male Viera were already quite rare as it was, and even rarer outside their homelands, so the chances of another gleaner looking just like him were quite small.

"He did mention he had to come down here to take care of the paperwork," Alphinaud pointed out.

"And given that he is answering to the Forum he should be delivering his reports to a councillor. Or at the very least someone in close contact with one..." Y'shtola said, the sound in her voice making it quite obvious where her mind was going.

Alphinaud's eyes widened. "You don't plan on spying on him, are you!?"

"Why, not at all, Alphinaud." Y'shtola smiled most innocently. "I am only stretching my legs a little. I assure you Erenville won't be blamed. But I can go alone if you have a problem with that."

"No. It's alright. I want to find out what Father is hiding as well. And I know he will not tell us on his own volition."

"We can always apologize later if we hear something we're not supposed to," Alisaie said to him. "But right now we need all the information we can get, no matter how little. Or else we'll never find out what's going on."

He nodded.

"And I doubt there's little question if you'll help, so..." stopping herself, Y'shtola glanced to the side where Krile was standing, staring at the flowers with wide eyes. Raising her voice, she called out, "...Krile?"

The Lalafel jumped and whirled towards them, her lips rising into an awkward smile. "Uh, yes. Sure. Sounds good!"

"Good that..." Y'shtola shot S'eni a subtle look. "...you see it that way..."

Yes, there was no way that Krile was 'just dizzy'. Something was clearly going on. But before either of them could press the issue, Alisaie spoke up again.

"Erenville is starting to leave. We should make for the entrance before he's gone!"

While the others made a quick note of which way was the fastest, S'eni kept her eyes on Krile instead. She watched as the Lalafel shifted her gaze back in the direction of the flowers, murmuring something she couldn't really make out. "...Almost..."

Her eyes narrowed.

 

---

 

Tracking Erenville turned out to be simple enough, that was until a sudden surge of mist had forced them to stop for a moment. But that was also precisely what clued in Y'shtola as to where he was heading: Logistikon Beta, one of the Labyrinthos' climate control centers. And as it just so happened, the perfect meeting place where a representative of the Forum could meet with him.

That at least solved one problem, leaving only the other of listening in on the conversation without being detected. But as it turned out, Y'shtola had a solution for that as well. Though S'eni did not like the sudden twinkle in her eyes as she and the twins were told to line up.

"Hippity hop, my little toads!"

"Wha—" with a sudden poof, she found herself looking at the other Miqo'te's boot. "—bit? Ribbit?"

She glances down at herself. Instead of the familiar sight of her body, she found herself looking at slimy, green skin and tiny, strangely formed hands. Y'shtola had turned her into a toad! But not just her, the twins as well!

"Oh, my," Krile exclaimed while Y'shtola giggled into her fist.

"Unaccustomed to transfigurations?" her lover asked, the corners of her lips rising into an infuriatingly teasing smile as if to say, "I told you I would do it."

S'eni just glared daggers at her through tiny toad eyes.

Y'shtola picked her up. "Don't worry. The spell will fade on its own in good time. So hop along, O Toad of Light. If you do your task well, I shall reward you accordingly."

"Ribbit."

"That's what I like to hear."

After being placed back down, S'eni spun around to face Alphi-toad and Ali-toad, then began to hop in the direction in which Erenville had vanished.

"Um...and what am I supposed to do?" she could hear Krile faintly ask before making it out of earshot. Due to their much smaller size, it took them longer than she liked to find the Viera in question. But there he was, speaking to an older Elezen man wearing much the same robes that Fourchenault had on that day in Gridania. As fast as their tiny legs were able to, they hopped over and settled into the grass nearby.

"Here is your payment for the latest delivery. You are quite diligent and the Forum appreciates that," the councillor said and handed Erenville a sack filled with not a small amount of coins from the look of things. "I apologize for the rush, but I already have another task for you. I hope I can count on your support in this matter as well?"

The Miqo'te woman standing wordlessly next to him, who could only be a researcher from the way she dressed, handed Erenville what she assumed was a list. He looked it over for a few seconds and she didn't need to see his face to know he was frowning from the way he spoke. "That's...quite a lot again...May I ask what the meaning for these strange orders is? My colleagues and I are being worked to the bone day in and day out, without a single explanation so far. Might I remind you that we aren't common henchmen. We are highly specialised citizens just like you."

The councillor seemed conflicted at that and it took a moment to reply, "Sharlayan has been given a momentous duty which we have dutifully pursued for a long time. And these days, where people are talking of the apocalypse, this duty has become ever more important," the old man said. "That is all I can tell you at this moment. But I assure you that all questions shall soon be answered. Until then, the Forum hopes you will continue to perform your duty for the good of all."

The Viera released a sigh and put the list into his pouch. "Very well. I'll continue fulfilling your orders—for now. But the Forum shouldn't take too long, or else they might find themselves faced with a strike from the gleaners."

"I understand your grievances, but I give you my word that it will not be long now," the councillor said and took his leave together with the Miqo'te woman.

They watched Erenville turn around to leave as well, only to stop after a few steps and letting his gaze come to rest on them. A few seconds of absolute silence ticked by, neither making even the slightest of moves. Until S'eni tilted her head with a questioning croak.

Closing his eyes, his lips curled upwards. "I hope you managed to catch what you wanted to hear. That ought to do as payment for your help earlier," he said. "I may not agree with everything the Forum does, but believe they act for the good of Sharlayan. Still, it's good there is someone trying to figure out what is going on. As far as I'm concerned we're all sitting in the same boat, and if we don't work together, we will all drown instead."

As he resumed walking, the spell cast upon them evaporated with another poof and Alisaie was the first to take a step forward. "How...how did you know it was us?"

"Next time you should observe animals before turning into them," Erenville called over his shoulder. "Toads don't behave like that."

"I suppose we should have known a gleaner who specialises in animal procurement would not be easily deceived," Alphinaud said after the Viera had left, raising his shoulders in a shrug. "Yet he seemed willing to trust us all the same. More importantly, we've discovered another piece of the puzzle. This 'momentous duty'."

"And one they've been given a long time ago. What could that be?" S'eni wondered aloud.

"Something that warrants direct involvement from the Forum and important enough to be kept secret from everyone it seems," Alisaie said. "Let's go back to Y'shtola and Krile and see what they have to say about this."

"Right, let's go."

Though, as they would soon learn, their investigation had not gone unnoticed...

 

Notes:

Never let it be said that Shtola doesn't make good on her threats. Who knows? We might even get that spanking down the line...

I personally really enjoyed the Sharlayan questline, it was fun to snoop around and learn more about the plaze, and Labyrinthos is just a great location.

Chapter 120

A Mother Knows Best

 

Since its inception, the Forum has ever guided Sharlayan's fate, following the examples set by those that had founded their nation. No matter of what standing, these ninety-nine individuals are the voices of the people. A fair and just system that has kept them out of harm's way for centuries.

But was it truly fair, if they also kept a secret from those that trusted them?

A secret so important, that nothing else seemed to matter. Not even family...

 

---

 

As the large doors closed behind her, S'eni let herself slump against a nearby wall with a sigh and closed her eyes. That had been quite close. A little more and they might have all kissed Sharlayan goodbye.

Not long after their discovery, Fourchenault himself had appeared in the Labyrinthos to take them into custody on charges of espionage. Apparently one of the Archeion's workers had found their asking around a little too suspicious and notified the Forum of their presence. But it wasn't just them, since G'raha had been caught red-handed while snooping inside one of the forbidden vaults. And if not for the timely words of this Scholarch Montichaigne, the schoolmaster of the Studium, this would have most likely ended much differently.

She really should thank him for that.

Opening her eyes, she looked around for the old Elezen amongst those councillors still present in the hallway. But there was no sight of the man. Instead, her eyes landed on another Elezen standing in the vicinity, talking with some of his fellow councilmen. Fourchenault.

The sheer audacity of this man! Not even blinking when he voted against the suggestion to not banish his own children from their homeland. And for what?

Their ever so-important duty.

"Come what may, we shall live on. We must," she heard his voice echo in her mind. Survival above all else. Just what was it that Sharlayan discovered in the Hinterlands all those centuries ago?

The twins' father must have finally noticed her looking at him, as he slowly turned towards her. They stared at each other for a solid minute, until she narrowed her eyes and looked away. Better not to cause another diplomatic incident.

Thankfully, a distraction provided itself in the form of G'raha slumping against the wall next to her and sliding down to the ground. She smiled. "What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry. If I had not let myself get caught, we might have prevented this entirely," he replied.

"Don't blame yourself. It's not like we didn't get reported by a dutiful citizen," she said, raising her hands to add air quotes to the last part. "But on that note, how did you get caught?"

"I was pondering the significance of what I had discovered...when I knocked over a security Mammet..."

"Oh..." Alright, that was sort of clumsy, and probably easily avoidable, but she wasn't going to make a big deal out of it. Especially not after having triggered the odd trap or two herself in the past.

"Eni is right, you shouldn't blame yourself," Y'shtola said while approaching them. "Take heart that we have managed to avoid the worst possible outcome."

"And that we now know that this duty of theirs is tied to their research of the Aetherial Sea," S'eni added.

"I concur. Though now that our freedom is quite limited, we will struggle to learn more about it. For now, it would probably be best to return to the Annex and tell the others."

After G'raha rose back up, they walked over to Krile and the twins and began making their way outside.

"Now we have a clearer picture, but could they've been any more vague about the whole thing?" Alisaie asked with a huff after they passed the doorway. "Why can't they explain their actions in plain words for a change?"

"While I cannot say I have an answer to that question, I'm sure we will uncover that secret in good time," G'raha assured her with a smile.

"I know." The young woman nodded. "Still...Survival above all else. Is Father's work so important that it takes precedence even over his own family?"

Before anyone could answer her though, a new voice spoke up. "Alphinaud...? Alisaie...? It is you!"

S'eni watched the twins' eyes widening in amusing synchronicity before whirling around towards the Elezen woman walking over in hastened steps. She wore a simple, yet still expensive-looking dress that made no secret that she was of high standing, and her hair pulled into an elegant ponytail. And from the way she smiled at the two of them, this could only be their mother.

"When I heard you'd been dragged in front of the Forum, I came as swiftly as I could. Oh, I am so very glad they allowed you to stay..."

"M-Mother!?" Alisaie exclaimed.

Coming to a stop, the woman looked away from her children and to the rest of them, then offered them a formal curtsy.

"Ameliance Leveilleur, at your service," she introduced herself. "And you fine people must be the Scions of the Seventh Dawn. How lovely it is to finally meet you."

"Mother, please." Aalphinaud took a step forward. "We don't want to make things difficult for you. If Father learns that you were he—"

"Oh, and what would he do? Chastise me for talking to my own children!?" Her smile turned into a look that made it obvious she would like to see him try. But just as fast as it vanished, it reappeared again in full force. "I am well aware that you and 'Master Fourchenault' are not on the best terms at the moment, but I've been absolutely deaperate to see my darlings again! You will come by the house, won't you? I have gifts waiting!"

Sharing a look with the others, S'eni couldn't help the chuckle escaping her while Krile made no effort to hide her snicker.

"The timing couldn't be better, in fact," Y'shtola said, smiling in amusement. "As it stands now, we won't go anywhere until we've discussed our options with the others. So go visit your home."

"I don't know..." Alisaie looked helplessly at her. "S'eni, what do you think?"

"S'eni?" Ameliance asked. "The S'eni Gata!?"

S'eni blinked. "I don't know about 'the', but, uh, yeah. That's me."

"Oh, what a splendid day this is turning out to be. Champion of Eorzea, I insist that you join us!" The woman's face turned serious. "But we must be quick about it. Not for my benefit, but should my husband find you enjoying our company, the servants will be sure to suffer the consequences. Please, S'eni, if you would be so kind as to escort my children to the estate while I prepare everything...?"

Not really giving her any chance to reply, Ameliance did another curtsy and left.

"And there she goes, taking with her every chance to protest," Alisaie sighed, letting her shoulders slump.

"Indeed," Krile said with a wide grin. "The matter is settled. Have fun you three!"

"And do try to be on your best behaviour," Y'shtola added as the other three began to leave. S'eni just watched them head down the stairs before shrugging. And once again she was being roped into something.

Many such cases.

 

---

 

The Leveilleur estate had already looked big from a distance, but now that she was standing in front of it put truly into perspective just how wealthy and influential the family was. So she was not surprised when a whole host of servants were greeting them as they stepped inside. S'eni looked around, taking it all in, from the expensive carpet to the gilded chandelier. It was quite hard imagining Louisoix ever walking these halls. He always seemed so...down to earth like the rest of them. Though so were his grandkids, and they grew up here.

"What's wrong?" Alisaie asked.

"Nothing." She shook her head. "Sure makes the Rising Stones feel tiny in comparison."

"Fourchenault cannot learn that his children were here today," Ameliance said. "So no careless chatter, please."

The staff bowed with a collective "Yes mistress" and she turned towards the one that seemed to be in charge of the lot. "Be so good and make sure they receive their gifts before my husband arrives."

"As you wish," he said and the crowd dispersed to continue their given duties. Only one, a young woman dressed quite sharply, remained where she was. She turned towards the twins.

"Young master, young mistress. If you would please follow me?"

"We will be back shortly," Alphinaud said to S'eni and began to leave together with his sister.

Once they were gone, Ameliance turned around to face her, a smile forming on her pretty face. "The two have sent letters telling us how they were faring on their journey," she said. "Though I have no illusions that they kept the...especially exciting stories to themselves."

Probably for the better, S'eni thought. She very much doubted it would do the woman any good to learn that her kids' souls had been pulled into another world and their bodies were only a hair's breadth away from perishing at the end. Yes, better to keep that little fact to themselves, if nothing else.

"I was quite worried at the beginning and there was little I could do but to send some Gil to the Scions for room and board," the woman continued, releasing a little sigh. "But it seems my worries were unfounded. I can tell from their letters how they are thriving out there. They seem to truly cherish all the experiences they have made on their journey. The good, as well as the bad."

The look in her eyes suddenly became quite playful. "Especially you, they mention all the time. In fact, I cannot remember a single letter that did not mention your name at least once. You must be really important to them."

"I..." S'eni didn't know how to respond to that. Of course they were important to her too. A second family, but really? Every single letter? And what did they write?

The other woman released a giggle, clearly satisfied with her reaction.

"Please, continue to keep a watchful eye over my children, yes?" she asked, a warm, motherly expression replacing her amusement.

S'eni smiled and nodded. "I promise."

"Thank you. Now, since I sadly cannot offer you any tea at the moment, why don't you tell me something about your journey together while we wait for them?"

"Hmm, how about that time Alphinaud..." Opting to follow the twins' example of keeping the especially dicey moments to herself, she instead decided to tell her some of the more amusing things that happened to them on their journey. Much to the other woman's delight if the way she giggled every so often was anything to go by. It just brought to mind how different she was from her husband. Where he was more likely to scoff and shake his head, she found joy in her children's exploits.

So, after just having told her about the time Alphinaud had spent a fortune on a single Katana, S'eni found herself asking, "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Your husband...has he always been...?"

"Difficult?" Ameliance offered, with a quirk of her lips.

"Yeah. It's...I...just can't understand him." She frowned and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "It's one thing to refuse Eorzea's call for aid. As bad as it sounds, we've come to expect nothing else from Sharlayan. But to disown his own children? And for what, because they decided to follow the example of his father?"

"I am afraid the topic of Louisoix has always been a sore point for my husband. That he never returned from Eorzea made Fourchenault only view himself standing corrected on the matter."

"Did he resent him that much?"

The Elezen shook her head. "It is a bit more complicated than that. You knew my father-in-law, didn't you?"

"I did," she said, dropping her arms with a sigh and beginning to pace on the carpet. "I was with him at Carteneau. When Bahamut appeared. If not for him, I and many more would have died that day. And it angers me that your husband disregards his sacrifice as foolish."

"I feel like there is a little more to this than you are saying. Did something happen between Fourchenault and you?" Ameliance asked.

She exhaled sharply through her nose and nodded. "After his dismissal in Gridania, I ran after him to try to at least change his mind in regards to your children. We argued instead, or rather, I gave him a piece of my mind, and now I'm wondering if I didn't make things worse for them instead."

"Don't," the other woman said. "The conflict between him and our children is theirs, and nothing you and I do will have any impact on that. All we can do is offer a little bit of support. For good or ill."

"I see..."

"Also, yes."

"Hm?" S'eni tilted her head questioningly.

"He has always been that way. It can actually be quite charming at times, and easily exploited." Ameliance winked.

She stared at her for a few seconds, before breathing out a little laugh. "If you say so..."

The sound of an opening door echoed from upstairs, shortly followed by the sound of footsteps and Alisaie's voice. "I was wondering what surprise could be waiting for us upstairs...but Mother, this..."

They both turned towards her to see Alisaie coming towards them, her previous clothes now replaced by a form-fitting red jacket, a new pair of shorts as well as boots, looking much more fitting for her active fighting style. And speaking of that, a new rapier and focus were resting on her hips too. It suited her.

"It looks amazing on you!" Ameliance said. "I hope you like it?"

"Of course! It's fantastic. But..." Alisaie's face fell ever so slightly. "...I just hope that doesn't mean Alphinaud and I will have to wear the same clothes again."

"Of course not. You two are already grown up after all...even though you looked absolutely adorable in the same clothes," the older Elezen said with a hint of bittersweetness. "But you are right. That would be a little too much now. See for yourself."

After saying that, she turned her head towards the other set of stairs, where Alphinaud was walking down. Unlike his sister, he was wearing a wider, blue coat and a comfortable-looking pair of pants. The outfit was adorned with little knick-knacks that seemed to serve a function that S'eni was unable to tell. As he came to a stop, he smiled.

"Thank you, Mother. It fits perfectly," he said.

"I'm glad you like it, but the outfit is still missing something." Ameliance looked to the right. "If you would be so kind..."

The same servant who had taken the twins upstairs was now standing there with a box in her hands. "Excuse me, young Master," she said, stepping behind Alphinaud and putting the box down, before opening it. S'eni watched her pull four, strange-looking objects out of it, their appearance not unlike very short staves, and began to attach them to special mounts at the back of his coat. Once she was done, the woman stepped back again.

Glancing over his shoulder, Alphinaud's eyes grew wide. "Those are—!"

"Nouliths, yes. The armaments of a Sage. These belonged to your father," Ameliance said, taking whatever it was the servant was handing her. "As a student, before marrying his desk, he was often on expeditions. With these, he chased off quite a few ruffians and healed himself and his comrades. They are elegant tools that are capable of much more than keeping enemies at bay. And since you are at odds with your father, I thought it would be a good idea to take them out of the dusty confines of the attic. And one more thing..."

Walking over to her son, she took his hand and placed a Job Crystal in it. "It's not easy to master, but I am sure you are already experienced enough to swiftly make the knowledge inside it your own. May it grant you protection in your time of need. And perhaps it will one day help bridge the gap between Fourchenault and you, so that you can return home again."

Alphinaud looked down at the crystal and closed his hand around it tightly. "It will. I'm sure of it..."

"Good, then all that remains are a few words of motherly guidance," their mother said with a little exhale. "Fourchenault has always been serious and diligent, but he's only truly devoted himself to his duties as councillor after you were born. I have no idea what is going on with the Forum, but it cannot be a coincidence. Not with your father. Also, don't ever think you can convince him with any grand speeches. Deeds say more than words. If you show him your convictions like this you can spare yourself endless debates."

The twins gave her a dumbfounded look, before chuckling. "Oh, Mother..." Alisaie said.

"Thank you for everything. You're the best," Alphinaud said. "I hope we can meet again soon. And stay healthy!"

"Have a safe journey, you two. And come home in one piece!"

They both nodded and began walking towards the door, giving S'eni a look that said "Let's go" as they passed by. A smile forming on her face, she looked at Ameliance, who returned it with a motherly one of her own. She bowed, silently repeating her earlier promise, then joined her friends outside.

"Thank you, for indulging Mother's request," Alphinaud said once they were a good distance away from the estate. "I can tell it meant a lot to her. And I, uh, shall refrain from asking about your conversation. For now it would be best to return to our friends at the Annex."

"Would you mind going on ahead?" S'eni asked then. "With everything that's happened since the Labyrinthos, I feel like I need a moment to myself."

Alisaie shared a look with her brother and smiled. "Of course. Just don't take too long."

"I won't," she promised and waved her hand as they left in the direction of the Annex. Turning around, she made her way through Journey's End, taking in the sights the residential area had to offer until she arrived back at the bridge that would lead her to the Agora. From there, she headed down to the harbour, walking along the pier before sitting down on one of the benches there.

S'eni watched the water for a couple of minutes, enjoying the calmness of the moment. She then leaned forward a little to reach into her pouch and pulled something out. A flower; the very same kind they had found in the Labyrinthos.

Not a single wrinkle on it despite having carried it around since earlier. Krile's spell was doing wonders, it seemed. A guide, huh...?

As it turned out, the reason Krile had acted so strangely was because Hydaelyn had tried to contact her. With her friend's consent, she had used her body much like Minfilia in the past to talk to her. But...

"...Just what are you trying to tell me, Hydaelyn?" she muttered while looking the flower over, which appeared to be a little healthier from the ash gray color it had down there. Hydaelyn said that this flower would be important, but she didn't know in the foggiest how. In the end, she could only hope it would start to make sense in time.

Putting the flower back into her pouch, she leaned backwards and closed her eyes, deciding to steal a few more moments of peace before facing the music again. That was until a pair of very familiar footsteps made her ears perk up. She smirked. "You know, the way you can always sniff me out is starting to become quite suspicious. Care to explain?"

"Who knows," Y'shtola replied, eyes twinkling mischievously as she entered her field of view. "Maybe I have placed a spell on you that helps me better locate you."

"Oh? Well since it is you, I will overlook it. For now." They both laughed and Y'shtola said down next to her. "Decided to take a little break too?"

"Well, there was little point in standing around after informing the others of what happened, so I decided to truly stretch my legs," her lover explained. "I was actually on my way back when I spotted you. How did things go at the estate?"

"Quite good, as you'll see when we get back. It was a short visit, but I think both of them needed it," S'eni said. "After everything that happened since Gridania, seeing their mother again must have been a great relief, even if she sort of strong-armed them."

"I agree. While we are only partly involved in what is, essentially, a family matter, we also can't claim indifference to it. So seeing their mother welcome them so warmly was a great relief."

"Hm." She nodded.

They remained like this for a couple of minutes, enjoying this short moment of peace, for the next battle was sure to be following soon. Now that their investigation here had come to a halt, their next destination was all too clear: the Tower of Zot in Thavnair.

"Well, I believe this was quite enough rest for now," the other Miqo'te said and rose to her feet again. "But we should join the others."

"Yeah, you're right." S'eni followed suit and stretched herself. As they began to leave, she let her eyes wander up towards the Rostra, her mind returning to the meeting again. A duty so important that all else paled in comparison. They might not have found out what it was today, but by the gods, they would solve this mystery!

Until then, though... "Hey, Shtola?"

"Yes?"

"You still owe me that private tour."

"Oh? And when have I ever agreed to that?"

 

 

Notes:

Best mom.

Chapter 121

In the Tower's Shadow

 

Learning what you could in Sharlayan, it was finally time to put an end to this Tower of Zot and the monsters it unleashed upon the people of Thavnair. Still...would it truly be enough to undo the damage that has been done, and return everything to how it used to be? Or would more challenges await them in the days to come?

Nevertheless, your path is clear, and there is nothing more to be done but to walk it.

Well, in good time that is. The bright future of teleportation, am I right?

 

---

 

It was heartening to learn that everything seemed to be alright in Thavnair. Or rather, as alright as the situation permitted. At the very least, there seemed to have been no further attacks since Nidhana's abduction, so that was good.

...or bad if one assumed Fandaniel was just waiting for the right time to spring a surprise on them while they ventured inside. He certainly was theatrical enough. That was fine by her though if it meant none of the nearby settlements were at risk, and she was sure the others were very much in agreement.

Well, if not roughly half of them weren't busy trying to keep the contents of their stomachs where they belonged, that was.

Looking around, her eyes upon the sorry sight of Alisaie and Alphinaud, practically propping each other up into a sitting position while their heads hung low. Next to them stood Estinien, shaking his head but otherwise keeping any comment to himself. Not far from them, at the base of the Aetheryte, Krile was holding her head, while G'raha looked like he had already shuffled off this mortal coil if not for the occasional moan coming from him.

A twitch against her hand made S'eni turn her attention away from them and towards Y'shtola, who wasn't doing much better. In fact, not unlike Urianger the first time they travelled here, the experience had momentarily knocked her out. Lips curling into a sympathetic smile, she gently rubbed her lover's back.

"You truly weren't...urk...being hyperbolic," Y'shtola groaned out and her hand shot up to cover her mouth as a sick gurgle came from her stomach.

"Easy there," S'eni said in a soothing tone. "Don't worry, it's going to pass soon."

"I believe...the only passing happening...shall be...my own."

"Now now, don't say that." As she turned her head, she saw Thancred coming their way, holding bottles of Amra Lassi. She took the one he offered with a silent nod of thanks and opened it, before holding it out for Y'shtola to take. "Here. This will help."

The other Miqo'te took it and began to drink, slowly at first so as to not further upset her stomach, then with more vigor when its effects were beginning to kick in. When she was done with it, she placed the empty bottle to the side and let herself slump back against S'eni with a relieved sigh. "By the Twelve..."

"Better?" S'eni asked.

"I shall have some very stern words with this Kytte when we return," Y'shtola replied, sitting back up properly.

"Just make sure to properly attune yourself to the Aetheryte before you do." She giggled at the glare her lover was sending her and looked over to the others, who were all in various stages of recovery. It would probably still be a few minutes before they were fighting fit again.

Rising to her feet, Y'shtola took a few steps and looked about. "So this is Thavnair."

"Yeah. Sadly we don't have time, or I would show you around a little."

After the others had sufficiently recovered, they all gathered together.

"Gods, if this is the future of Aetheryte travel I will stick to boats," Alisaie said, earning herself a nod from her brother, who was still a little green around the nose.

"Indeed...nothing could have prepared me for that," he added.

"Well, it seems we are sufficiently recovered to continue onward," G'raha said and looked at S'eni. "Lead the way."

"Alright." She nodded and pointed north-westward. "There's a road that will lead us to our destination, but mounts are hard to come by right now so we will have to walk."

"I don't think I could stomach riding one of their Hamsa right now anyway," Krile said. "From what F'lhaminn told me they're quite wobbly on their legs."

"Sure are," she murmured then, much louder, said, "No time to waste then. Let's go."

Leaving Yedlihmad behind, they began heading down the road into the direction of the former Hamsa hatchery, where the Radiant Host was waiting for them. But due to the length of their journey, chatter soon filled the silence around them.

"Hmm, how fascinating," Y'shtola said while looking out into the distance. "F'lhaminn, Hoary and Coultenet told stories of their stay, but I see now that they are hardly doing it justice."

"It is quite beautiful," S'eni agreed.

"I'm especially intrigued by some of the structures. Like that platform out on the sea over there."

"I've been wondering about that too since I saw it. Looks a bit like an arena, doesn't it?"

"Indeed it does, but if it's truly an arena, why build it so far away from shore?" Y'shtola then asked.

"Huh, good point."

"There are many secrets in Thavnair, some that may even have been forgotten by the people living here."

"So what you're saying is that once we're done dealing with the Telophoroi, you would like to take an extended vacation here?" a little grin formed on her face. "Fine by me. Gives me time to check out the local cuisine."

Y'shtola looked at her, smiling. "And leave me to do all the work without my ever dependable research assistant? I think not."

"Hoo boy..." They both chuckled.

"But until then..." the other Miqo'te turned her head in the direction of their destination, face darkening. "...we have our work more than cut out for us."

That they did.

 

---

 

It was a few hours later when they finally arrived at the Host's outpost and the very first thing S'eni noticed was the increased activity compared to the last time she had been here. The number of troops had noticeably increased, and there was an air of excitement where the previously tense atmosphere had been. News of their arrival had spurred everyone into action, as it meant the one thing everyone had been itching to do: taking the battle to the enemy.

"They're quite spirited," Thancred noted. "Good. Should our theory turn out to be false, we will need every able-bodied soldier to stop whatever comes crawling out of that tower."

"Let us pray it won't come to that, then," Alphinaud said as they made their way towards the command tent. When they entered, they found Nahbdeen talking to two officers.

"I want your men to take this position," he told them, pointing at a spot on the map laid out in front of him. "With the hatchery destroyed, there is no doubt these creatures will focus their next attack in this direction. We cannot allow them to reach any of the nearby settlements—Ah, our friends from Eorzea. We've been expecting you!"

"Nahbdeen," S'eni greeted the man.

"You have your orders," the Au Ra said to his men, who saluted and began to leave, before turning around to face their group. "I'm told it is you who will be leading the mission into the tower. If the Satrap trusts you with this, then you must be formidable warriors indeed."

"You could say we've gotten quite the experience dealing with primals. Especially a certain someone among us," Alisaie said with a smile, throwing her a side glance.

He offered them a bow. "We are truly glad to count you as allies."

"When should we set out?" S'eni asked him.

"Soon. Your warding scales have yet to arrive. But Varshahn will be here soon to deliver them to you," he said.

Of course he will, she thought dryly and, after being told where to wait for him, headed over to the boat that had been readied for them. Once they arrived, she leaned against the hull, watching as her friends began preparing themselves in their own way. Urianger and Y'shtola were looking up at the tower, quietly talking to one another and undoubtedly trying to decipher where the ideal location for the tower's core might be. Thancred, Alisaie, and Estinien were inspecting their weapons, while Krile and Alphinaud were talking with a pair of nearby soldiers.

Noticing that she was looking at them, the young Elezen said something to Krile and walked over to S'eni.

"It feels quite strange to be so close to one of the towers," he said after stopping next to her, turning his gaze towards the twisted structure looming not far from them. "The closest we have been before was at Paglth'an and even that was far away in comparison. And from your accounts, its interior differs from the description in Arenvald and Fordola's report. It won't be easy."

"Think you can handle it, O Great Sage Alphinaud?" she asked in a light tone, earning herself a chuckle.

"I do," he replied. "Yet knowing who this crystal once belonged to...will I look back to all the battles I chose to fight with pride, when all is said and done?"

The corners of S'eni's lips curled into a smile. "I'm sure you will. And if Arenvald were here, he'd be absolutely bursting with pride."

Alphinaud just silently mirrored her expression.

"Have you actually managed to talk to him since Gridania?"

"Sadly, no. But I received a letter from him shortly before we left Eorzea."

"How is he doing then?" she asked

"He returned to Ala Mhigo. Despite having lost the ability to fight, he wishes to help restore his home in any way he can," Alphinaud said.

She was glad to hear that. The fighting in Gyr Abania may have come to an end, but there were still many wounds yet to heal and many rifts yet to be mended. Yes, she could think of no one better suited for that than Arenvald.

S'eni was just about to suggest paying him a visit the next time they were in Ala Mhigo, when out of the corner of her eyes, she noticed a certain Au Ra making his way towards their group, holding a basket in his hands. "Well, duty calls," she said and patted the Elezen's shoulder, before moving to meet 'Varshahn'.

"My friends," the 'boy' said when they had all gathered. "Allow me to thank you for accepting this mission."

"You must be...hm..." Krile lowered her voice. "We should still call you Varshahn, I suppose?"

"Indeed. It would not do to confuse our soldiers."

"Very well then," the Lalafel said. "For our part, we're humbled that you would entrust us with your warding scales."

He nodded and held up the basket. "One for each of you. Please accept them with my blessings."

"Thank you. With these, we can go wherever those with the blessing of Light can go," Thancred said and took one of the offered talismans. He looked it over for a second before slipping it into the pocket of his coat. After it was safely tucked away, he looked at S'eni. "Not only for this mission either, but ones sure to follow. We can finally break your monopoly on primals."

"Is that so?" raising her brows, she placed a hand on the back of her hip. "Then, by all means, they're all yours from now on."

"Ah, but I'm afraid we can't let you retire just yet." He grinned. "You're the Scions' brightest star after all."

"And already with the excuses..."

"If everyone agrees, perhaps now would be a good time to review our strategy," Y'shtola then said, receiving a round of nods in return. "As previously agreed, we will divide into two groups. S'eni and her group will break through the tower's defenses and locate its core. Meanwhile, the rest of us will tend to the prisoners, who will undoubtedly be in need of healing due to the duress of repeated summonings."

"The primals which the tower bringeth forth shall be deities of Thavnarian myth," Urianger pointed out. "As we have no prior experience with such foes, pray exercise the utmost caution when confronting them."

"Alright, everyone knows what they're supposed to do, so let's not waste anymore time," S'eni said and turned towards the boat.

As they set out, S'eni let her gaze wander over her friends, each of them ready as they could ever be. She then looked to the shore, where Varshahn was standing and offering her a silent bow when their eyes met. She nodded in return and turned towards the Tower of Zot, where Nidhana and so many of her brethren were waiting to be rescued.

It had tormented these good people for far too long.

 

Notes:

This chapter is dedicated to the annoyance I felt when we didn't actually get to see Y'shtola and the others suffering from the same side effects we did lol.

Chapter 122

A Dragon's Gratitude

 

You really managed to destroy the tower's core. I am impressed. Though it should not come as a surprise, I suppose, since it is you we are talking about.

But, of course, things are seldom simple with you and your friends, and that theory of yours proved itself a bit too true for comfort didn't it?

Once again though, you all managed to cheat death for another day. Now all that is left is to get everyone back safe and sound. And it's a lot.

 

---

 

"Alright everyone, on three," S'eni told the soldiers helping her. "One. Two. Three!"

With a collective groan, they lifted the unconscious Arkasodara off the ground and onto the cart nearby. The wood made a strained noise from his weight, but otherwise held firm. Nodding to herself, she looked at her helpers, each of them busy catching their breaths and gave them a thumbs-up.

"Thanks," she said and wiped some sweat from her brow, before looking around.

The beach that had been practically littered with unconscious Arkasodara was now mostly empty, and the few that still remained were slowly being carried over to one of the many other carriages sent here from Radz-at-Han. They were almost done. Good. Because, truth be told, her arms were beginning to feel a little tired.

Matanga were a heavy bunch!

After giving the driver the signal to leave, S'eni began heading over to where Thancred and Estinien were standing. "By Azeyma just looking at you makes me sweat even more!" she said to the Dragoon and wiped away another few droplets running down her face. "How you can wear that in this heat is beyond me."

He just shrugged, making her roll her eyes.

"Good timing on your part though," Thancred then said. "When Varshahn left, he invited us to Meghaduta at our earliest convenience. And seeing as we are all about done here, it might be best to take him up on that invitation."

"Yeah, not much more that we can do here anyway."

"I've contacted the others as well, they will join us as soon as they are finished tending to the prisoners." His brows suddenly furrowed. "On second thought, you and Estinien should go on ahead. I need to make a quick detour by the Great Work."

Tilting her head, she was about to ask what he meant, when realization struck her. "Oh, Raha. You brought him there, I remember."

As the tower was starting to disappear, it was a well-timed levitation spell by G'raha that protected them and the captured Arkasodara from any grievous harm. But the sheer size of it had caused him to overexert himself and had promptly knocked him out. And since the Great Work was closer than Radz-at-Han, he was taken there to recover.

"Better fetch him before he's crammed into a specimen jar. They were a little too excited when we delivered him..." raising his hand with a quirk of his lips, he began walking off.

"Just you and me then," Estinien said once Thancred was gone. "The guard at the gate should wave us through."

"Want to ask one of the drivers if he can take us with him?" she asked. "I don't know about you, but my feet are killing me."

"Fine by me."

It didn't take long for them to find someone that was willing to have them travel along, and soon enough they were on the road to Radz-at-Han, crammed next to the large frame of an unconscious Matanga.

"So, since we don't have Varshahn guiding us this time—" she gently moved the trunk of their fellow passenger aside to better look at Estinien. "—anything interesting you can tell me about Radz-at-Han?"

"It's a veritable maze, so we should ask someone for directions," he replied. And while that was a sound idea, since the city was quite large and she really hadn't managed to memorize their way past it, it was also not what she meant and she tried to convey as much with her look. It failed. "What?"

"Alright..." she nodded. "And here I thought money was the only thing you were bad at."

"What is that supposed to mean?" he crossed his arms in front of his chest. "And I'm not bad with money."

"No, you only nearly let yourself be swindled out of over ten thousand Gil if I hadn't arrived in the nick of time!" S'eni shot back. "And I would have not been the one to explain to Tataru why our travel funds suddenly had a dent like that in them."

Estinien just grumbled.

The journey to Radz-at-Han was blissfully short, and just like he had said, the guard at the gate waved them in without much trouble, but not before profusely thanking them for all they had done. As they entered the city, they were greeted by slightly more populated streets than last time and it didn't take a genius to figure out that word of the tower's disappearance had reached the people. Still, it was good to see a modicum of normalcy return. Who knows, maybe the next time they were here, they would get to see one of the famous Thavnarian dances being performed in front of the fountain they were walking past.

"Let's ask that sentry over there for directions," she said and pointed towards the lone soldier standing not far off the fountain. As they approached, she called out to him, "Excuse me!"

"Yes, what can I—Ah, Mistress S'eni!" He exclaimed upon noticing her. Apparently, her face was already quite known amongst the Host. "You are here for the audience with the Satrap, I presume?"

"That's right. My friend and I would like to ask you for directions on how to get to Meghaduta."

"Of course. The Satrap's residence is located in Dharma, the uppermost part of the city. Ordinarily, the quickest route would be through the bazaars, but the area is still off limits until due to the state of alert," he explained to them. "So let me offer you an alternate route. First, please ascend the steps next to this fountain, then continue left. There will be more steps, and upon ascending them, you will emerge on Paksa's Path. Proceed through the large door on the right, and you will arrive at Ruveydah Fibers. Within you will find another sentry who will give you further guidance."

Estinien and her shared a look. "In other words, we head up. Sounds straightforward enough."

Thanking the sentry, they began to head up the stairs as he described. Part of the way through, Estinien suddenly stopped and looked down to the streets below. S'eni followed his gaze and saw a strange-looking gate.

"Ah, yes. I know about this gate. It leads to a nearby isle. The treasure vault of one of Radz-at-Han's wealthiest families," he explained.

Holding her tongue about the fact that, all of a sudden, he was playing tour guide, she instead asked, "Isn't it risky to have it so out in the open without even a single guard?"

"See those engravings above it?" she nodded. "They took the god of luck as their guardian, on account of which they occasionally open part of their vault. For aspiring treasure hunters to try their own luck so to speak."

"Ah. So it's riddled with traps they are quite confident about. That makes sense," she said. Perhaps it was something they could try their hands on once things had calmed down. Alphinaud might enjoy another treasure hunt.

They continued onward until they arrived at the next Host soldier, who gave them further instructions, leading them right through Ruveydah Fibers. The artisans seemed hard at work, despite the circumstances. Even in a crisis, people still needed clothes after all.

After leaving the workshop, things started to finally look familiar to S'eni, and it didn't take long for them to arrive on the very same path they had taken on their first visit. Not long after, they stood in front of Meghaduta.

"Greetings and welcome," the attendant in front of the doors said. "May I inquire after your business?"

"We're members of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn," Estinien replies. "We've come at the invitation of His Excellency."

"Ah, of course. We have been expecting you. Please follow me to the audience chamber."

As they arrived in said chambers, S'eni was a little surprised to find the others already enjoying the Satrap's hospitality, sitting at the table and partaking in some food.

"Welcome," Ahewann said, inclining his head. "You have won a great victory today. Please, sit down and rest while we wait for your comrades. You have earned it."

S'eni didn't need to be told that twice and walked over to the very cushy chair across from Y'shtola. She let herself plot down in it and immediately made a grab for one of the ripe bananas on the plate in front of her. Peeling it in what must have been record time, she took a quick bite and released a little moan at the sweet taste.

"Someone looks exhausted," Y'shtola noted.

"I could say the same of you all," she said, glancing over at the can of tea that the other Miqo'te had not so subtly claimed for herself.

"And you'd be right," Krile said and let herself sink further into the chair. "I didn't know administering the tempering cure would be this taxing."

"Sure is." S'eni finished her banana and took an apple right after. "How's it looking?"

"We cured as many Arkasodara as we could, the rest will have to be done by the healers here," Y'shtola said. "But they will all be fine sooner or later."

Good, she thought and bit into the apple.

The time passed quietly until the doors opened once more and Thancred walked in with G'raha by his side. When he saw everyone in the room turning towards them, the former smiled lightly. "Were you all waiting for us? In that case, sorry for the delay."

"I see you are well on your feet again," Ahewann said at the sight of G'raha.

"Thanks to your efforts, no doubt." He smiled. "The tinctures of Radz-at-Han's alchemists are truly...unique."

The Au Ra chuckled. "You get used to the taste eventually. Though of course, I hope you shall never have the questionable pleasure of doing so."

After the two joined the rest of them at the table Vrtra, who had stayed silent up until now, spoke up. "Valiant Scions, let me offer you mine boundless gratitude once more," he said. "You cast down the tower and freed its captives. You cleansed their souls of its corrupting influence. No word of thanks will ever suffice, so I offer you a bounty of warding scales and Radz-at-Han's eternal goodwill."

Vrtra turned his head towards Ahewann, who nodded.

"Across the land, alchemists have worked tirelessly in the forging of the talismans. The finished ones have been collected and taken to the High Crucible of Al-Kimiya," he said and handed Alphinaud a scroll. "Present them this when you are ready to take them into your possession."

"We too have to thank you," Alphinaud said. "The wisdom of Radz-at-Han shall be vital in the battles yet to come."

"I have been wondering this for a while but...these are your scales, aren't they?" Alisaie asked. "You must be in great pain..."

"Compared to the suffering this land and its people have endured, mine own pain is but an annoyance," the wyrm replied.

Alphinaud briefly closed his eyes. "Though it was only a brief time, the Dragonsong War has taught me how complex and fragile the relation between man and dragon is. Your tale may have been a different one, but how many tragedies did you have to witness? How much suffering to endure? And yet...you have never given up on us."

"When that conflict first bloomed, I already lived alongside the people of Radz-at-Han. In some distant land man slew dragon, and dragon slaughtered man, yet how couldst I hate those smiling faces that looked to me for guidance?" Vrtra asked, moreso himself than anyone else in the room. "In the end, not even mine brother's righteous rage could rally me to his cause. I huddled here, secret and still, hoping against hope that which I had built would remain untouched by the chaos and carnage."

"Satrap..." Y'shtola suddenly spoke up. "You wish for peace, don't you? Then allow me to ask you something."

He nodded.

"The Telophoroi wish to usher in the Final Days. An apocalyptic event predating the sundering of this star into fourteen reflections. As a great wyrm, you look back upon a long life. Do you know anything about this cataclysm?" she asked.

A short moment of silence passed before Vrtra shook his head. "Nay. When war and strife drove mine sire from his home, he crossed the great expanse with only our unhatched eggs as company. When he found this star, 'twas already long shattered. Of events preceding his arrival, he knows naught save that which Hydaelyn hath deigned to disclose."

"I see..." with a frown, Y'shtola crossed her arms in front of her chest. "In that case, we have no other choice but to look to Hydaelyn herself for answers."

"'Tis the will of the star you desireth to divine?" he asked after letting his one-eyes gaze pass over them. "If so, I have a tale which may afford you some small comfort...Many, many years ago, when I was but a whelp, I posed mine sire the question of why he hath chosen this star to settle upon. To which Midgardsormr did reply, ''Twas the last bastion of hope'. He believed so long as Hydaelyn endured, so too might dragonkind. I still recall the tone in his voice to this day, solemn and portentous. What deeper meaning his words held, remaineth a mystery to me still. Yet take solace in the knowledge that, whatsoever Hydaelyn doth strive for, she hath earned mine sire's full conviction."

"Thank you for your valuable insight, Vrtra," Y'shtola said. "We shall keep it in our hearts until the last battle is fought."

"Speaking of battle," Thancred said and turned to face her. "If there's no more questions, I think it's time we picked up our talismans and be on our way. Our enemy is far from defeated."

They all nodded.

"If you would excuse us then? Please don't hesitate to call upon us if you need assistance though," Krile said and got out of her chair. Offering a little curtsy, she turned around and left. The others, too, began to leave and S'eni was just about to join them, when Vrtra's voice made her stop.

"A moment, if you wouldst," he said.

"Yes?" she asked, unsure what he could possibly want from her.

"There is one whom my sire deemed worthy of his respect, a hero known as Eorzea's champion. This hero...'tis you."

"Midgardsormr and I crossed paths, yes."

"I knew it be so. From man and dragon alike have I learned of your exploits. 'Twas a revelation most pleasing that mine sire hath entered a covenant with a child of man. Yet over mine elation, the shadow of dread loometh. Many threads wound around your life's reel. 'Tis blessing and curse alike. You walk along a path offering no reprieve, every twist and turn a struggle without surcease. And what of your companions? How often didst the flames of your existence devour them?"

A pained expression formed on her face and she closed her eyes. So many people had given their lives so that she could continue onward. Louisoix, Ysayle, Moenbryda, Papalymo, Minfilia, and Haurchefant...they all had become entangled with her and paid the ultimate price; their sacrifices were the kindling to keep the fire of hope burning ever bright.

"...Too often." A heavy silence followed that statement, and though it only lasted several seconds, it felt like hours. When Vrtra spoke once more, his voice was filled with a warmth she would not have expected from a great wyrm such as him.

"If you wouldst continue on this path, then protect them. They will be your strength and salvation. The hope you will need come the end," he said. "Even cowering behind mine curtain, I know the suffering of the powerful. I have watched mine siblings driven mad by loss. Thus I exhort you to never give up and spare no effort to keep your loved ones safe."

Her lips parted, but before words passed them, the doors began to open and the twins walked in.

"Ah, apologies," Alphinaud said. "We didn't mean to interrupt."

"It's just that we do have a history of suddenly collapsing," Alisaie added. "So when you didn't follow us out..."

"'Tis I who must apologize. I have detained your champion overlong with idle chatter," he told them and returned his focus back to her. "Go. At war's end, I pray I welcome you back into mine hall, where together with your joyful comrades you may toast your triumph."

S'eni stared at Vrtra for a moment longer, then nodded. "Thank you, I won't forget your words," she said and turned to leave. As she walked over to her two friends, a smile began to form on her lips at the confused looks on their faces. "Come on, you two, let's not keep the others waiting."

She knew that what lay ahead of them might be the toughest battle they had ever faced, but she would do her damndest to protect those that she held dear.

 

Notes:

Vrtra sure is cut from a different cloth compared to the rest of his family, isn't he?

Chapter 123

Notes:

Aaaahhh, I'm sorry very sorry. I was writing yesterday and just wanted to rest my eyes while I was mulling over a line and when I opened them again it was the next day!

Anyway here's the chapter!

The Color of Joy

 

After a difficult battle follows a moment of rest. While you returned to Sharlayan, some of your companions decided to travel to your many allies to tell them about the scales that would allow you to finally take the battle to the enemy.

As you watch the purple sky turn into the black of the night, you find yourself wondering...

Sitting on the windowsill of her room, S'eni looked up at the sky, watching as one by one, the first stars began to twinkle into existence. Amidst the gentle evening breeze, she could hear the faint chatter of two Sharlayan's as they made their way down the path, discussing something or another that was not of great importance, and she felt herself smile. After all that had happened so far, it was good to simply relax, if only for a brief moment.

Tearing her gaze away from the firmament, she instead turned it to the flower resting in her lap, a faint shade of yellow still present as it slowly turned into a neutral white that was no less beautiful to look at. As she looked at its soft petals, the words Nidhana had spoken to them earlier sprung back up inside her mind.

"Akasa can neither be created, nor destroyed. It is beyond our power to purposefully manipulate."

Akasa, she thought, grasping the flower's stem and raising it up, slowly turning it. An unseen energy, only able to be influenced by an abundance of spiritual emotion. It was a strange concept, to think that something like that might even exist, yet here she was, holding a flower that could apparently sense it.

It just went to show that there were still things about their world they didn't know.

Closing her eyes, she rested her head against the reveal and released a sigh. Almost unbidden, the words Vrtra had spoken to her came back to her. "If you wouldst continue on this path, then protect them."

But before she could further go down that train of thought, a sudden gust of wind blew from the harbour, sending a shiver through her body as if to remind her that they were indeed rather far up north. Getting up from the sill, she closed the window and walked away from it over to the bed. S'eni gave the flower in her hand one last look, before placing it on the bedside table. It was now entirely devoid of color again.

"Well, guess this is as good a sign as any to get some sleep, don't you thin—" a knock resounded at the door. "—or not."

Walking over to the door, S'eni opened to reveal Alisaie, Alphinaud, Krile, and G'raha standing there, each of them holding bags. She blinked once, twice.

"Good, you're here!" Alisaie said with a wide smile.

Another blink. "Yes, where else would I be?"

But instead of answering, the young woman just shifted the bag in her hands and asked right back, "You haven't eaten yet either, have you?" Not even waiting for S'eni to reply, Alisaie pushed past her and walked towards the table in the center. "We've bought quite a lot and thought you might like a bite as well. It's from the Last Stand, so it's tasty!"

S'eni looked to the others, whose faces held quite similar smiles then turned back towards Alisaie. Exhaling almost inaudibly through her nose, she shrugged. They were doing this apparently.

"Yeah, sure, I haven't eaten yet," she said and stepped aside to let the others into the room as well. Not long after, they were all sitting at the table and enjoying the finest cuisine Sharlayan had to offer, from cake to cookies to sandwiches and even the burger that G'raha had praised. And now that she was holding it in her own hands, it looked quite formidable.

Looking at it for a few seconds longer, S'eni slowly raised it to her lips...and took a bite. For a second, it seemed like everything stopped, only to resume as an explosion of flavor sent her senses alight. The meat, the cheese, and all the other ingredients came together in a perfect mix that seemed to intensify the more she chewed. She almost didn't want to swallow!

This was a godsdamned good burger!

"Delicious?" Krile asked, not even bothering to hide her grin behind her cup of tea.

S'eni just nodded and took another bite, quickly making up her mind then and there: she would get her hands on this recipe!

On the opposite side of the table, G'raha too was very much, if not more so, enjoying his burger, while Alisaie was busy dumping any undesired toppings onto his plate. After she swallowed this second bite, she placed the burger back on the plate to wash it down with her own tea. "You sure weren't joking," she said to the Lalafel.

Krile just chuckled and took one of the cookies.

"In case you are wondering, we invited Estinien as well," Alphinaud then said. "But he just made a face and waved us off. Perhaps Sharlayan cuisine is not to his liking...?"

"Oh, I don't know—" Krile took a small bite from her cookie. "—maybe our lone wolf just needed some time alone."

"To what? Perfect his brooding stare!?" Alisaie scoffed. "Next time, I'll drag him out by the ear to eat with us. And then I'll shovel a whole mountain of delicacies down his throat until he likes it!"

Her brother smiled. "An excellent plan, Alisaie. A warrior like him must be properly nourished and rested to maintain a healthy constitution."

"Poor Estinien..." Krile said, barely keeping herself from laughing.

"While we are on that topic...is everything alright, Krile?" G'raha asked, looking up from the meal in his hands. "I heard you recently acted as host for Hydaelyn while in the Labyrinthos."

"I'm alright, don't worry. I was quite tired right after the fact, but no lasting effects." The Lalafel sighed. "I would have actually liked to talk with Her a little bit longer...I haven't felt even a hint of her presence since."

That was of little surprise to S'eni. Hydaelyn had already been quite weak when she had appeared to her on the ship, and using Krile as a conduit was only marginally less strenuous. It would probably be quite a while until Hydaelyn once again contacted her one way or another.

"Hydaelyn told you to carry that flower, yes?" Alisaie asked her. "It will be your guide and offer you a glimpse in the hearts of others. And she also said something about 'seeking joy in darkness', didn't she?"

"Yeah." She crossed her arms in front of her chest, frowning. "Though I have absolutely no idea what she meant by that."

"Hmm, could it be that light we saw back in Radz-at-Han?"

"It did seem like the manifestation of our feelings," Alphinaud said. "As if reflecting the relief of Nidhana and the people of Radz-at-Han. But also the elation we all felt at that moment."

"Indeed." G'raha nodded and put his burger down. "And in turn, I felt downright invigorated. Filled with renewed courage to take the next step of our journey. I know we've not yet triumphed over the Telophoroi, nor learned the full extent of the Forum's plans...But even amidst our struggles, we find small moments of joy to sustain us. Rare they might be, but it's this pursuit of happiness that gives us the strength to carry on, day after day..."

A silence set over them as they all stared at G'raha. It lasted for a couple of seconds until Alisaie's lips suddenly quirked upward and she reached out to swipe one of his cookies. "H-Hey! That's mine!" he exclaimed and tried to make a grab for it.

"Was!" Alisaie pulled her hand back to keep him from getting the cookie. "But you could try to get it back with that quick levitation spell of yours, Raha!"

The young woman bit a huge chunk off.

G'raha sighed. "If only. But the spell needs time to be properly prepared. Using it spontaneously in battle is proving to be quite difficult. Perhaps I simply require more practice, I only learned it rather recently."

"While searching the depths of Noumenon, I presume?" Alphinaud asked.

"I did, and from a mountain of tomes, I might add. It was...necessary for my explorations..."

"Ah, I get it. You used it to sneak around the forbidden archives," Alisaie commented.

"Ah...y-yes, well...," G'raha said, scratching his cheek as he lowered his gaze to the table. In a small voice, barely audible, he then added, "...they're just so tall."

"Tall?" S'eni tilted her head questioningly.

"The shelves! They're too tall for me!" it practically burst from the other Miqo'te. "And I could hardly use the library's platforms after breaking into the place, could I!"

Another round of silence followed, only to be pierced by a round of laughter. G'raha blinked once, then joined in as well. After their laughter subsided, they went back to eating and idle chatter. When they were done with all the food, S'eni took a quick look at the window to see that it was well and truly night-time now.

"It's going to be a long night, hm?" she asked with an amused smile.

"Just sleep in tomorrow," Alphinaud replied. "We can't do anything until we receive word from the others anyway. And I think it is nice to just idle away once in a while."

"Yeah..." The corners of her lips curled into a warm smile. "...It is."

It wasn't long after, though, when Alisaie was the first to feel the day's events finally catching up to her, and soon enough the twins, followed by G'raha, left to get some sleep. Only Krile remained, still not yet finished with her last cup of tea. An idea sprung up in S'eni's mind then, and she rose to her feet and walked over to her bag.

"Well then," she said, kneeling down and reaching into it. "I know the tea tastes excellent, but how about we have a proper nightcap instead?"

She pulled out a bottle of wine, holding it up for her friend to see. "Fruit wine from the Southern Sea. A specialty of my home."

Krile looked a little unsure at the prospect and glanced down at her cup. But her expression swiftly turned into a smile. "You know what. Why not?" She pushed her tea to the side.

"That's what I like to hear." Pulling out two glasses from her bag as well, she placed them on the table, uncorked the bottle, and began to pour its contents into them. "Now I was actually saving this for Shtola and me, but I'm sure I can get another one pretty fast if I ask. Still..."

S'eni sent her friend a conspiratorial wink, receiving a giggle in return.

"My lips shall be sealed," Krile said and accepted the offered glass. Holding it up to her nose, she took a whiff of its bouquet, before taking a sip. "So you started writing your village?"

"Yeah, well, mostly my sister Neena," she replied and sat back down again. "After having been there again after all this time, it felt wrong to not at least tell everyone how I was doing occasionally. It's been...nice."

Though she had obviously deigned to not mention her rather close brushes with death in her letters. She very much doubted they would enjoy stories about how she had nearly turned into a monster corrupted by Light. So she kept it simple instead.

Raising her own glass to her lips, she smiled as the all-too-familiar taste spread throughout her mouth. "And how about you?" she then asked. "Any tidings from the Isle of Val?"

"If by 'tidings' you mean self-absorbed reports by Ejika, then yes. Quite a lot in fact," Krile said and rolled her eyes.

"Are things going well?"

"As well as things can be in the state the Isle is in." The Lalafel sighed and took another sip. "It'll never be as it once was. Especially not in the state the Students are in right now. All we can do now is to find a new place to settle and restore our ranks."

"I'm sorry, Krile..."

"Don't be. If not for you, we might have never found out what truly happened. Just like I said to Ojika, we'll rebuild one day."

"And if you need any help, you know who to ask," S'eni said and raised her glass.

"Believe me, I most surely will." Sharing a chuckle, they brought their glasses together. "He would've liked you, I think."

"Who?"

"My grandfather. You're just the kind of person he'd enjoy being around. Always seeking new adventures and traveling like the wind."

"Now you're making it sound much more romantic than it is," she said. "There are some days when I'm feeling more like an errand girl than an adventurer."

"And yet you're still doing it," Krile pointed out with a smile.

"That I do." She mirrored her friend's expression. In the end, she couldn't complain. After all, it was this life that had made it even possible to meet everyone. And that was worth anything. "...Hey, Krile?"

"Yes?"

"Tell me a little about Galuf. I had visions of him, but you actually knew him. And I would like to hear more about the man that raised one of my friends."

A warm look entered Krile's eyes and she nodded. "Alright. Hmm, where could I start—Ah, how about that one time he worked together with a pirate lady pretending to be a man..."

Listening to the fascinating and, in parts, quite funny tale of Galuf Baldesion, S'eni watched as the Lalafel began to practically glow, making it all too clear how greatly she loved the man. And now that he was gone, it was up to her to follow in his footsteps. But there was no doubt in her mind, that Krile was more than up to the challenge.

The Students of Baldesion were in good hands.

After she was done with that little misadventure, another swiftly followed, and by the time she was done with that one, their glasses had long since been emptied. "Well, this has become much later than expected. We'd best get some sleep," Krile said and got off her chair. "Have a good night, S'eni. And thank you for the wine, it was quite good."

"Good night." As soon as the door closed behind her friend, a yawn made its way past her lips, and she turned her head towards the bed that looked quite inviting right about now. But when her eyes came to rest upon the comfortable mattress, they were immediately drawn towards the flower resting right next to it, its pale white color having given way to a warm green sometime during the evening. Reaching out towards the bottle, she poured herself one more sip and raised it.

Anything... she thought, and then downed her drink.

 

Notes:

I absolutely love this scene. It was such a nice little calm moment between Thavnair and all that would follows soon after, I just had to make a chapter out of it.

Chapter 124

The Ilsabard Contingent

 

You truly are not an idle one. After but a short time of well-deserved rest, it was right back to Eorzea to hatch your next plan. With the warding scales provided by Radz-at-Han, you now had the one weapon to finally strike back against the towers.

But instead of storming every single one of them like you did on Thavnair, your Eorzean allies had another idea. A strike at the very heart of the Telophoroi's machinations: Garlemald.

Better pack some warm clothes.

 

---

 

Raising her arm, S'eni blocked the incoming blow. She narrowed her eyes as she felt the savage force behind it, then pushed the arm to the side to punch back. It almost connected, but her opponent was already leaning backwards and out of reach. As she made to pursue, a sudden cry from her right made her duck just in time to avoid being kicked squarely in the side and she spun away to put some distance between herself and her opponents. She came to a stop with a little screech of her heel and faced the two of them. Bringing her arms back up, she tightened her fists...and grinned.

Lyse and Chuchuto mirrored her expression.

"Nice try," S'eni said, moving a little as the two did the same. "Are you sure you two never fought together before?"

"Positive," Lyse replied. "But seeing as you're such a good master and all, I probably just picked it up from you."

"And fighting alongside your fellow disciples of the Fist of Rhalgr has been quite...educational," Chuchuto added.

"More pity for me it seems." Dropping her arms, she danced from one foot to the other for a few seconds, before beckoning them over with a smirk.

Within the blink of an eye, all three of them exploded forward, meeting in a flurry of blows and kicks that made all the spectators around deck look at them with great interest. Each and every last one of them was a member of the Ilsabard contingent, made up of seasoned warriors, healers, blacksmiths, and engineers alike. The best of the best Eorzea and the Far East had to offer, united by one cause.

To destroy the spire in Garlemald and free the Garleans from its corrupting influence.

A daring plan, and one that had obviously received much resistance back home. The wounds received from decades of warfare against the Empire were still fresh. But with the fate of their world at stake, it was time to bury the hatchet, and it was good to see that so many agreed.

Dodging a strike from Lyse, S'eni was left wide open for the jumping Chuchuto, her tiny leg aimed squarely at her head...or so it seemed. Just as the boot was about to meet her face, she spun around and shot her own leg out at lightning speed, sending the Lalafel flying. Using the momentum, she then jumped into the air and delivered a kick to Lyse's head before the other woman could react, making her join Chuchuto on the ground in but a matter of seconds.

When she landed back on her feet, she looked at her two friends to see if either of them was eager and willing for some more, but both seemed to have the wind quite thoroughly knocked out of them from that one. After helping Chuchuto back to her feet, she walked over to Lyse to do the same. "Well," her friend said and took the offered hand. "That was a new one."

"I would be a bad master if I didn't come up with one or two techniques of my own, wouldn't I?" S'eni asked and pulled her back to her feet.

"I suppose that's true. You've got to teach me that one later. Seems pretty handy when you're surrounded."

"Agreed," Chuchuto said after joining them. "Seems like another exchange between the Fist of Rhalgr and the Pugilists' guild is in order."

"Alright, alright," S'eni chuckled. "I'll show it to you lat—"

From one moment to the next, the hairs on the back of her neck began to stand on end, and she whirled around, a bright flash surrounding her in mid-motion. Raising her staff, she cast a quick ice spell to intercept the fireball flying towards her, turning it into nothing more than a cloud of vapor. The grin returned to her face as a certain sinister laugh echoed through the air.

"Hm Hm Hm...May I ask for the next dance?" Cocobuki Lolobuki, Duke of Destruction himself, asked, the tip of his staff still radiating aether as he stepped forth. His uncovered, red piercing eye leveled her before the corners of his lips curled into a grin as well. "I'm sure everyone assembled would like to witness a taste of the devastation you are capable of."

A round of murmurs went through the crowd, confirming the Thaumaturges' guild master claims. S'eni nodded. "Alright, but let's make this more interesting thing,"

"What do you propose?"

"Lyse and I against you and—" her covered gaze moved across the crowd until it came to rest upon a certain Hrothgar. "Rostik! How about it? Want to test your mettle as a Gunbreaker against us?"

Rostik considered her offer for a moment, then smiled and made a grab for the Gunblade on his back. But before he could do so much as take a step towards them, they were interrupted by another voice.

"Far be it from me to spoil the fun, but I'm afraid Commander Lucia wishes to speak with you Master Rostik," Y'shtola said as she stepped through the crowd. "We are soon to arrive within Garlean airspace, so it would also be prudent to reserve our strength for what will await us."

Raising her blindfold, S'eni released a breath only to come out as a misty cloud. And now that the rush of the sparring match was subsiding, she also felt how cold it had gotten all of a sudden. It wouldn't be much longer now.

"Yeah, she's right," she said, the staff in her hand disappearing as she shifted back into her usual getup. Turning towards Cocobuki, she shrugged. "Another time then."

"Hm Hm Hm. A pity, but nothing to be done about it," the Thaumaturge said and put away his staff. Seeing as the show was now over, the crowd began to disperse and it didn't take long for only Y'shtola, Lyse, and Chuchuto to be the only ones left.

"Thanks for the match, Eni," Lyse said. "But I'd best check in with the rest of my troops."

"Same," the Chuchuto added, removing her finger from the linkshell in her ear. "General Tarupin wants to meet with the Ul'dahn volunteers."

"Alright." S'eni looked at her lover. "I guess we might as well get changed now."

"Indeed. It's starting to become a little too chilly for my liking."

After waving her two friends goodbye, S'eni and Y'shtola headed towards the quarters that had been provided for the female officers of the contingent. They were nothing fancy, of course, since the Garlond Ironworks weren't exactly in the business of building pleasure airships, but there was enough space for a couple of military bunk beds and a place for everyone to keep their things. She assumed it didn't look much different on the other ship. As they entered, they found the place surprisingly empty, but she supposed it wouldn't take too long until everyone else would have the same idea as them.

Walking towards the bunk bed she shared with Y'shtola, S'eni found herself lamenting the fact that these past few days of travel, the other Miqo'te had been sleeping strictly above her. A necessity, she knew, but a really annoying one. Oh well, no use getting annoyed about it, she thought and reached under the bed to pull out both of their traveling bags.

After handing over Y'shtola's, she proceeded to pull out the clothes Tataru had prepared for her and spread them out on top of her bed. A warm-looking coat, thick tights, and a pair of gloves and boots that looked like they could weather even the harshest of winters. Their mistress of coin had truly outdone herself.

She removed her adorning jewelry and slipped out of their himation, soon followed by her arm wraps and boots, leaving her in little but her underwear. Just as she was about to reach for her tights, she stole a glance at her lover, who was putting on a top right now. And was currently facing S'eni with her back.

A playful smile forming on her lips, she sneaked over, raised her arms and wrapped them around Y'shtola's waist just as she made to grab a pair of pants. "Got you, Shtola!" she sing-songed into the other Miqo'te's ear.

"So it seems," Y'shtola replied dryly. "And what is this going to be?"

"Oh, I don't know. You looked like you could use a little bit of cuddling right about now."

An amused giggle escaped Y'shtola. "Really?"

"Hm, really," S'eni hummed and pressed herself closer to her. "Though maybe—"

Fingertips brushed against soft skin as her hand began to travel upwards, stopping just under the hem of the top.

"—we could use this little moment to ourselves for something else."

"That's not a good idea and you know it." Y'shtola wiggled a little to try and get free. "Somebody might walk in anytime."

"True. But there's always time for this."

"Eni—" Before Y'shtola could say any more, S'eni gently took hold of her chin and turned her head to capture her lips in a deep kiss. Whatever protest the other Miqo'te held, swiftly evaporated as she began to return the kiss with equal favor. Looks like I wasn't the only frustrated one.

Their lips parted for a brief second, but still long enough for Y'shtola to sigh.

"What's wrong?" S'eni asked.

"It will be quite busy when we arrive."

"Don't worry." she smiled warmly and began leaning back in, her voice lowering into a sweet whisper. "I'll make us some time."

Y'shtola simply hummed into the kiss.

They stayed like this for a couple of minutes, lips locked in their passionate embrace; a quiet moment just to themselves before the storm that was undoubtedly waiting for them. But, of course, it was not meant to last, and the door soon opened, followed by a familiar voice. "Oh no! I am terribly sorry!"

Breaking their kiss, Y'shtola and S'eni looked towards the door, where Cirina was hastily averting her eyes. "I-I did not mean to intrude..."

With a sigh, S'eni let go of Y'shtola and moved back over to her clothes. "No, it's fine. Come in," she said, offering a silent prayer that it wasn't Sadu. She doubted she would have any stomach for the Dotharl's taunts right now. A quick glance over to her lover told her that she was just as annoyed at the interruption, despite having previously warned her about it.

After making sure there really was no naughty business afoot, the Mol stepped into the room, heading in their direction as soon as the door closed. S'eni could already tell that Cirina was about to apologize again and raised her hand before she could even utter a single word. "How are things going on your end? From the relative quiet, it seems you have managed to keep the peace between Magnai and Sadu?" she asked, taking the tights and sitting down to put them on.

"Yes. But it certainly has been no easy task. Especially not with the other Dotharl's becoming restless," Cirina said. "I believe it is only knowing their Khagan is present that they have not yet picked any fights."

"Come now, don't sell yourself short. You were the one to convince Sadu to join in the first place, and without so much as raising a finger. Meanwhile, I would've probably been forced to duel her again."

"If you say so..."

"I do." She smiled, and added with a wink, "as your friend, not your Khagan."

The Au Ra's lips rose into a smile of her own.

"But you can tell them that it won't be long now."

"I will." Cirina nodded and headed over to her own bed to do what she came here to do, leaving Y'shtola and her to change in peace. Once done, S'eni looked at herself, tapping the tips of her boots on the floor and clenching her fists a few times to test the gloves. She then threw a couple of punches and kicks into the air and, finding the freedom of movement sufficient, nodded to herself.

She then looked towards Y'shtola, who had just finished putting on her own, slightly more form-fitting coat. Her eyes locked with silvery white ones. Whatever it was the Telophoroi were going to throw at them, they were ready.

 

Notes:

A little calm before the storm that is probably my favorite arc in Endwalker! Really looking forward to delve into Garlemald!

Chapter 125

Notes:

I have another piece of art I'd like to share with you all here by the very awesome Zee. Swing by their profile if you have time!

Welcome to Garlemald

 

Garlemald, home of the Garlean people not out of desire, but out of necessity. Driven here eight hundred years ago by century-long wars against the Covorsi, they had lost everything but each other. As if the entire world had conspired against them.

Forsaken, and easily manipulated.

It was the year 1513 of the Sixth Astral era that marked the rise of Legatus Solus and the Magitek-Revolution. How did the first Ceruleum engine come to be? And how did a shy and humble soldier like Solus rise through the ranks so quickly?

I still remember my thoughts when I first looked through his eyes at these frozen wastes...

 

---

 

Blasted cold! Was all S'eni thought, pulling her coat tighter around her as another gust of wind passed by the settlement they had chosen as their base of operations. According to Maxima and Lucia, it used to be quite busy around here, but now all that remained were empty homes through which the winds whispered stories of those that once lived there. As somber of a sight it was, though, they couldn't afford to be picky right now, and after their long march through the Magna Glacies, as well as an intense battle with tempered imperials of the Ist and IIIrd Legions, they were in dire need of shelter.

But what good was that shelter when the heating wasn't working!? Gods, and she thought Coerthas was cold!

"You know, staring holes into the back of my head won't make us work any faster," Stephanivien suddenly said and turned around, raising his goggles above his smudged face to better look at her. "I assure you we shall have a workable Ceruleum heater up and running in no time."

"I hope so. Or this will be an awfully short expedition."

"Truth be told, we would have a much easier time of it if we would make use of the interior heating of the buildings. But from the look of things they have been left running until all Ceruleum was used up..."

"...As if they just up and left in the middle of whatever they were doing." Both of them frowned and turned their attention to the spire looming in the distance. Far larger and even more twisted than its brethren scattered across the world, it looked like a hulking monstrosity that radiated pure, unadulterated malice. Yes, there was no doubt that this was their enemy's headquarters.

"If you or any of the other machinists need any help, don't hesitate to ask," she said.

"I will," he assured her and went back to work.

Walking away from him, she looked about the vicinity. Her eyes landed on the Aetheryte in the center of this settlement and she stopped not far from it to take a closer look. She frankly hadn't expected to find one here, but she supposed even the Garleans couldn't deny the convenience of teleporting their non-pureblooded people from one area to the other. If nothing else, it made things a little bit easier for them.

S'eni turned to see if anyone else might be in need of assistance but stopped when she saw Alphinaud waving his hand as he came walking towards her. "Alphinaud," she said once he was within earshot. "Need me for something?"

"In a manner of speaking. Lucia is asking for us to join her to discuss our next course of action," he replied. "We are to meet at the building to the northeast of camp."

"Of course, I'll be there soon."

"Good. Would you mind telling Y'shtola as well? I've been looking for her and Raha and it might go faster if you help me."

"Sure. I saw her standing by some trees earlier."

And that was also exactly where she found her now as well, staring up at the tower. But as she approached her, she could immediately tell that something wasn't right with the other Miqo'te. "Shtola...is everything alright?" she asked as she stopped in front of her, eyebrows drawn in concern.

"If I'm being honest, no," Y'shtola replied and tore her gaze away from the spire. "I've been feeling rather unwell since we arrived."

"Because of the tower?"

"Yes. The air is thick with a palpable aura of malevolence...even at this distance, its presence is overwhelming. Aether flows unceasingly towards it, converging into a swirling mass of unfathomable power." Her lover released a sigh. "...For a blessing, the constant chill keeps my senses anchored in the here and now. Tell the other I shall be with you in a moment."

"Oh no, you can't expect me to hear you talking about feeling unwell and then leave you alone. It's my job to keep an eye on you."

"Is that so? I seem to recall your job is to always save the day when things turn sour."

"Maybe," S'eni said, brushing a few stray white locks out of Y'shtola's face before cupping her cheek. "Doesn't mean I can't also keep a watchful eye on what's important to me."

"Honestly..." Y'shtola huffed out with a smile. "Fine, you win. Just...give me a little bit to try and ignore this jagged, unholy monstrosity here."

Once they were both sure that Y'shtola's head was sufficiently cleared, they made their way to the meeting place. As they entered the building, S'eni spotted a few crates and barrels standing in the corners of the hall, serving as just another reminder that this place used to be busy once. Frowning, she instead turned her gaze towards Lucia, who was leaning over the map spread out on the large table in the center, exchanging a few words with Maxima before noticing their entrance.

"S'eni, Y'shtola. Thank you for coming so swiftly," she greeted them. "Once the others have arrived, we will begin."

A short while later, the others trickled into the building and formed a group around the table. After taking a look around, Lucia nodded and said, "Let us go over our objectives one more time. First, we are to search and protect as many surviving Garleans as possible, and second, find a way to enter the Imperial Palace."

"We should also try to find out what exactly happened in Garlemald. It could offer us valuable insight into the Telophoroi's goals," Y'shtola suggested.

"In that regard, I might already have an idea," Maxima said. "Some of the soldiers we took into custody at Magna Glacies are members of the Populares. If we were to cure them, they could offer us some insights into the events that transpired."

"A fine idea. I shall see to personally that they are cured." Placing a hand on her hip, Y'shtola looked towards A-Ruhn-Senna. "But for that, I will have to borrow a Porxie. If the healers are alright with that?"

"Certainly," the Padjal replied with a nod.

"Should I help you?" Alisaie asked.

"No, that won't be necessary. Your assistance is best used elsewhere," Y'shtola replied. "Until I have managed to get used to the Aether around here, I won't be leaving camp anyway."

"That's all well and good," Sicard, from the Limsan volunteers then said. "But what good'll do healing 'em if they'll freeze to death soon after? We need to get the heating system fixed."

"Stephanivien said he is already working on a Ceruleum heater," S'eni told him in return. "It would probably go faster if the machinists were working together with the Limsan armourers and blacksmith."

Lucia nodded. "I will see to it."

"Then the rest of us should scout out the area or guard the camp," Thancred said.

"Yes, the Telephoroi must have noticed our battle against their tempered troops. They will surely know by now we have arrived. Maybe even know our exact location." The Garlean frowned. "Looking at it from this way, it is almost frighteningly quiet. Either they wish to lure us into a false sense of security and strike when we least await it..."

"Or their priorities lie elsewhere," Estinien threw in from his position at the wall.

"That we will find out soon enough. Right now we should learn what we can of the area. Urianger, Estinien, and I know our way around the capital, but we could use some assistance from our Bozjan and Dalmascan allies," Thancred said, sharing a nod with the aforementioned two.

"Take some of our scouts as well," Lyse offered.

"Thanks. That should more than suffice to cover the city and its vicinities. Perhaps even to get a glimpse at the Imperial Palace. Ah—" he turned his attention to G'raha. "I'd like your assistance as well. In case we need to vanish into thin air."

"Like you have any need for that," G'raha chuckled. "But that does not mean I wish to stay behind."

Alisaie looked at S'eni, raising her shoulders in a light shrug. "I guess that means we're on guard duty," she said.

"No. I have another task in mind for you two, as well as Alphinaud," Lucia said. "Between this camp and the city lies the Eblan Rime. I would like for you to search the area for survivors. You have followed many a track on your journeys, so I have no doubt that you will have the best chance of finding anyone out there."

"Walking across frosty planes for hours on end? I can't think of anything I would love to do more," S'eni replied, not even bothering with hiding the sarcasm from her voice, causing the commander's lips to rise into a little grin.

"Almost makes Coerthas seem like a beach paradise, hm? I will try to have the camp up and running enough so that we might offer you a hot soup upon your return." Face growing serious again, Lucia looked over the group once more. "Very well, let us get to work. Be careful and do not overdo it, lest the terrain will claim you before the enemy does."

Thus dismissed, they all left the building to work on the tasks given to them.

"Well then," Y'shtola began and turned towards S'eni with that infuriating teasing smile of hers. "Good luck out there in the cold."

"And good luck to you not getting too cozy here."

They shared a laugh.

"But really, do take care." Pale eyes shifted over to the twins. "Of them too."

"Don't worry. I will," she promised and watched as Y'shtola's teasing smile turned genuine. With a silent wave, she turned away from her lover and walked over to Alphinaud and Alisaie.

"—I have to remember to thank her when we meet next time," she heard the latter say.

"Ready to head out?" she asked.

They nodded.

As the three of them headed out towards the edge of camp, they stumbled across none other than Emmanellain, who looked quite busy...doing squats. Noticing them, he raised his hand and grinned. "What ho, chums! Been given something to do?" he asked them. "As it happens, I too have been ordered to make myself useful!"

"Sounds like a rather tall order..." Alisaie muttered under her breath, before clearing her throat at the look S'eni shot her. "Since you ask, we're to search the Eblan Rime for survivors."

"What!? Wander around the ice fields on the off chance you'll find someone?" he stopped mid-squat, then straightened himself to full height. "You'd take forever to finish the job without the benefit of my expertise, or specifically—"

He pulled something from his belt.

"—my telescope! Come, I know just the spot to begin our search!" Not even giving them a chance to reply, he walked away.

"...I'll probably regret this, but we may as well humor him."

"Now, now Alisaie. Be nice," S'eni said with another look towards her friend. "He has changed quite a deal from the fop he used to be. Don't let his demeanour fool you. He knows what's at stake here."

"From your mouth to the gods' ears."

They caught up to Emmanellain on a hill a short distance outside of camp, already putting his telescope to good use.

"I spy with my little telescope...a massive...sheep-thing? Or maybe a cow?" he shook his head and turned to look in another direction. "Not what we're after, either way...Is that an aether current? Ah, no, just a wind sprite. Other than that, it's all snow, snow, snow."

The young woman just crossed her arms and sent S'eni an I-told-you-so-look. But it lasted only a couple of seconds when Emmanellain found something, or rather, someone.

"Yes, no mistaking it. That's a girl," he said.

"A survivor!?" Alphinaud stepped up next to him. "Show me!"

"Over there, by that tree. She's wearing a rather fetching pale green dress." He handed his telescope to the younger Elezen and pointed ahead. "It looks like she's running away from something. But surely not us? She wouldn't even know we're here unless she had a telescope of her own."

"She'll be long gone by the time we're anywhere near," Alphinaud said and gave Emmanellain his telescope back. "But we should be able to follow her footprints."

At least until it starts snowing again, S'eni thought with a look towards the sky. While the blizzard that had greeted them at Magna Glacies had subsided during their march, the clouds were still a foreboding gray. They needed to be quick.

"I'll let Lucia know where you're headed," Emmanellain said while placing the telescope back on his belt. "Oh, and take these warming tinctures with you. The poor girl must be chilled to the bone, if not on the verge of freezing to death."

"That's...actually very thoughtful. Thank you," Alisaie said and took one of the offered bottles. "But won't you need some for yourself?"

"No, no! I'll be fine!" He assured her and tapped his chest with a grin. "As a man of chivalry, my honor demands I do no less. And lest we forget, the very reason we are here is to protect those in need. Now go, and godsspeed!"

Making their way down the hill as fast as they could, the three of them headed towards the tree that Emmanellain had pointed out to them and from there, followed a trail of footprints to a nearby building. But no sight of the girl.

"Looks like the door hasn't been touched in a while," Alisaie pointed out and looked around for any other signs of the entrance. "Wonder what this could be...?"

"According to the label on this crate, it was used by those involved in extracting Ceruleum," Alphinaud said.

"Could she be looking for some then?" S'eni wondered.

"Perhaps. She might still be nearby, so we'll keep looking around here." The young woman turned to face her. "Then again, she might have also run right past here. Would you mind checking up ahead?"

"Sure, I can do that." Leaving the two, S'eni walked away from the building and climbed on a nearby rock to look into the distance. Nothing but wide, frozen planes—There!

Stepping out from behind another rock not far from her position was the girl dressed in green that Emmanellain had spotted. She watched her look around carefully, before heading eastward. S'eni's first instinct was to call out to her, but that might only draw the attention of any nearby beast. So there was little else she could do but follow her to wherever she was heading.

After jumping off the rock, she began to trail after the girl, always keeping at a safe distance and staying out of sight. For a brief moment, it had looked like she had been discovered and that the girl was purposefully leading her on a wild goose chase. But eventually, she came to a stop past the giant Ceruleum pipes and, after looking around carefully one last time, headed up a pathway leading to what looked like a mansion. Stepping out of hiding, S'eni reached towards her ear and pressed a finger against the linkpearl inside it.

A few seconds passed and Alisaie picked up. "S'eni! Did you find her?"

"I did, and followed her to what I assume is her hiding place."

"Where are you?"

"If you travel eastward you will come across a set of pipes. Follow them north and from there head further east. You can't really miss it," she explained. "I'm going to approach her."

"Alright, we'll be there as soon as possible."

Closing the call, she lowered her hands once more and looked up to where the girl was still walking.

"Well, here goes..." she said and began to head up.

 

Chapter 126

The Other Side of the Medal

 

Ever since the ascension of the Empire, the already proud Garleans had been invigorated by a sense of superiority. After all, they had the might of Magitek on their side to beat any 'savage' that might oppose them. Now that their once so mighty Empire is in tatters, they continued to cling to that pride, holding it aloft as they huddled together and listened to the music coming from the radio.

How would these people, who viewed themselves the only just in the world, handle being at the mercy of the justice of those they viewed as but barbarians out to get them?

 

---

 

The crunching of ice pervaded the air as she walked across the snow-covered lake of Cerulea Ingens. Pushing through the endless white carpet was a faint blue glow, a sign of the abundance of Ceruleum beneath the frozen surface. As she cast her gaze out into the distance, her eyes came to rest upon the large platform in the distance, connected to the large pipeline she had passed by earlier.

That must be Juturna Platform G... she thought, with just a tiny bit of awe. She was no stranger to Magitek facilities, fighting against the Empire and being friends with a certain Cid Garlond had given her a lot of knowledge on the subject, but it showed just how wide the gap between them and Garlemald was. The Ceruleum refineries in Thanalan looked almost crude in comparison. It would probably be in the continent's best interest to get it up and running again. That way they might be able to better take care of the survivors.

But right now, she had more immediate things to take care of, and that was to find the tappers that had extracted the Ceruleum from this place.

After she approached the girl, whose name turned out to be Licina, Alphinaud and Alisaie joined them and managed to convince her that they were there to help. As it turned out, the building she had followed her to was a mansion for retired soldiers, now serving as a shelter for her and three other refugees, and the reason why she had been out and about was to look for much-needed supplies, Ceruleum above all. Once the three of them had helped the group as much as they were currently able to, Licina had approached and told her about the tappers that were holed up on the other side of Cerulea Ingens, before asking her to head there and ask them for some of the much-needed fuel.

And while S'eni couldn't help but feel like the girl was hiding something from them, she couldn't very well refuse the request now, could she?

Just dig a little more when you return, she told herself and resumed her march.

Eventually she had managed to reach the other side of the frozen lake and, after looking around the area, found the entrance to the cave where she presumed the tappers had made their camp. It was either that or the two burly Roegadyns standing around outside simply liked the cold. She was putting her money on the former.

"Who goes there!?" one of them demanded when he spotted her. "How did you find us!?"

"I was sent here by the people at Victors' Spoils, but you're not exactly subtle standing out here," she replied.

"What's that supposed to mean!?"

S'eni just shrugged.

"Hmpf! You'd never found us without those purebloods' help. Thought they could come waltzing in here demanding ceruleum with nothing to offer in return. Hah!" he shared a look with his companion and began to step towards her. "Looks like the boot is on the other foot now though. I know your game, sellsword. They think they can send you to 'negotiate' with us, but if they think we'll give in to intimidation, they've got another thing coming for then!"

Oh for the love of... she thought as the burly tapper grabbed his axe and swung it towards her. But she simply raised her hand and grabbed its shaft, holding it firmly in place. Craning her neck, she looked him dead in the eye. "...really not in the mood for this right now."

Somersaulting into the air, she slammed her boot right underneath his chin, sending him flying into the air. He almost seemed to float at the peak of his arc before crashing down into the snow.

"H-Hey what do you think you—" the other one came rushing towards her, but she simply cut him off with a well-placed kick to the shin, then pushed her open palm into his chest. After sliding across the ground, he came to a stop, his hand going to where she struck him.

"Sorry, you two. Now then..." she turned towards the cave but was stopped when she heard Alisaie's voice calling out to her. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw the young woman coming towards her.

"There you are. After you had left, Licinia—what happened here?"

S'eni looked at the two tappers on the ground, groaning and muttering something. "They thought I was a sellsword. So I take it Licinia sent you to help?"

"Yes. A certain someone must've let slip that I have some experience transporting barrels of Ceruleum..."

"Can't hurt to have a little help," she said and nodded towards the cave. "Shall we?"

Alisaie nodded. "After you."

They stepped into the den and, no sooner after doing so, were approached by a Hrothgar with a dagger in his hand. "Who are you!?" he demanded. "What happened to the guards!?"

"Calm down," S'eni said and pointed over her shoulder. "They're fine, just knocked some sense into them after they tried to attack me. As for who we are: we're the Ilsabard contingent, Eorzean, and Far Eastern volunteers that have come here to save the people of Garlemald."

The man considered both of them for a moment, then pushed his dagger back into its sheath. "Eorzeans and rebels wanting to help Garleans? That doesn't make a lick of godsdamned sense," he said and clicked his tongue. "In any case, the name's Jareck. I'm the one in charge here."

"Let me guess, none of you are Garlean? Brought here from other lands?" Alisaie asked as she cast her gaze around the cave, where the other tappers seemed to be minding their own business, sparing them only a few curious glances now that they knew they weren't in danger.

"Yes. Gyr Abania, Yanxia, Bozja, Dalmasca, you name them. Some were dragged here against their will, some were fed lies about a better life at the glorious imperial capital, and all were put to work extracting Ceruleum. We were given the esteemed title of 'aan'—" the Hrothgar snorted. "Which means we're at the very bottom of the ladder. But the old hierarchy means very little in the new Garlemald. Cerulea Ingens was about the only thing that escaped unscathed and it still sustains us even if our 'employers' are out of the picture."

"Yes, we heard you were experts in drawing Ceruleum from the lake," the Elezen said. "How does that work anyway? With it being frozen and all."

"Hah, wouldn't you like to know? I'm afraid that's a trade secret." Jareck winked. "Not that Ceruleum is used for much these days. We take enough to power our heaters and keep the surplus for later. But that only keeps the cold at bay and does very little for our hunger unless we can trade it for food. Speaking of which, perhaps that contingent of yours would be interested. We've got a barrelful of Ceruleum that we can trade for any rations you might be willing to part with."

S'eni and Alisaie looked at each other. That would certainly help with the heating of Camp Broken Glass. But that would be something Lucia had to decide. "We will relay your offer to our commander," the young woman said. "But if I may ask, why are you still here if you're free to go?"

"Yeah, wouldn't it be better to just leave?" S'eni added.

"Where would we go?" he asked with a shrug. "Even if we returned to our homelands, there's nothing for us, thanks to the Empire. And the knowledge and skills we acquired working here would be next to useless outside of Garlemald. So we're staying for the time being. As long as there's use for Ceruleum, we'll manage to get by. Even if the Garlemald we knew is gone for good."

"Gone for good..." Alisaie turned her gaze towards the ground.

S'eni watched the young woman with a frown forming on her features. Yes, no matter what they would do for the people, the Empire was finished. Its capital, once mighty and proud, had been turned into nothing but ruins, while its legions were scattered and barely holding on in the provinces. But there would be another time and place for this subject. Right now there was something else that they needed to be doing.

"Jareck, we've been sent here by Licinia from Victors' Spoils to ask you for some Ceruleum," she explained and she saw his expression change at the name. "I know there's a lot of bad blood between your people and the purebloods, but they are freezing. We don't need much, just enough so that they can regain their strength and we can take them to our camp."

"Hmm...to turn to their enemy for help...they must be more desperate than I thought," he said. "Then again, Licinia's got her little sister to think about..."

Snapping out of her thoughts at his words, Alisaie looked at the Hrothgar in surprise. "A sister? But we only saw her and three men."

"It could be she died from whatever was ailing her. If she needed treatment, I'd doubt there'd be any way to get it around here. I may have refused her at first, thinking she'd come back with something to trade—" he waved one of his workers over. "—but I can spare them a bottle's worth. Consider it a reward for introducing me to the rest of your contingent. Be sure to send them our way, you hear?"

"Thank you," S'eni said after receiving the Ceruleum. "I promise to talk with our commander as soon as we get back."

After saying goodbye, the two of them left the den. Once outside, Alisaie turned to look at her, face marred by a deep frown. "I can't for the life of me think why she would hide her sister from us. But I suppose those questions will have to wait until later. Let's hurry back!"

But when they arrived back at Victors' Spoils, all that awaited them was...

"Quiet...it's much too quiet..." Alisaie said and looked over to the bower where the fire they had made was still burning. "I would've thought Alphinaud would still be treating them by the fire...but they're nowhere to be seen..."

"Let's have a look around."

"You're right. I'll look inside the house, you search the outside. If they've gone somewhere they can't be far."

Giving her friend a nod, S'eni began looking around, starting near the fire. No signs of a quick escape, but there were a few tracks in the snow leading away from it and towards the back of the building. Following it, her ears soon picked up the sound of a gasp and she began to hurry in the direction it was coming from. As she rounded the corner, she found Alphinaud leaning against the wall, clutching his side with a pained expression on his face. On the ground next to him were the three men they had helped earlier, two of them unconscious while the third, the sickliest looking one, was on his knees.

"Alphinaud!" she called out while rushing over to him. "What happened!?"

"They asked me...asked me to help carry supplies...but when I followed them back here...they attacked me," he managed to reply, gritting his teeth when the hand over his wound began to glow, shortly followed by a sigh as his magic did its work. "Caught me off guard... Forced me...to defend myself. I fear they fared worse than me..."

"You can't fool us. We know...we know what you're about!" the refugee shouted. "You're nothing more than vultures, waiting for us to show weakness before you swoop in! And once we let you in, you'll put us in chains and steal our lands!"

"You're wrong..."Alphinaud shook his head. "That's not what any of us want."

"Save the arguments for later, we've got bigger problems!" Alisaie called as she came running over. "I found empty medicine bottles and a bed that was still warm. It's true, Licinia was hiding her sick sister inside the house. But there's no sign of them now!"

She turned towards the man. "Where are they? Where did they go!?"

"Away from you and the rest of you savages! And if you think I'll tell you, you're a fool. I'll never give up my people!"

"We're trying to help them, you idiot! Her sister is ill, the empty bottles prove it. So either the medicine ran out, or she put it in her pockets to make it easier to carry..." Alisaie's eyes widened when realization struck. "...or to avoid the sound of clinking glass. There are beasts everywhere! How could you let them go!?"

"To protect them from you! You invade our homeland...taint it with the same sorcery used to slay our countrymen... A Garlean should sooner die than suffer the insult!" he spat back. "Better for them to flee...to keep their purity—"

From one moment to the next, S'eni had bridged the gap between the man and herself, grabbing him by the collar and pulling him roughly off the ground. "You godsdamned idiot!" she shouted, the sparks of anger inside of her bursting into flames. "The only thing you did was send them to their deaths!"

"Better to die free than live in servitude and shame! The girls—" whatever else he wanted to say was cut off by a loud crack, as her fist connected with his face and sent him sprawling to the ground, the white of the snow turning crimson as blood gushed from his nose.

"Let's go," she told the twins, sparing not even a single glance to the man. "We've got to find them before it's too late."

"Go on without me, you two," Alphinaud said. "I need to take care of my own injuries first...and theirs."

"Alright, be careful..." Alisaie nodded.

They hurried away from the mansion as fast as their feet could carry them, following the only way in and out of the property. Mercifully, it only took a few seconds to find two sets of fresh footprints that led them back to the frozen lake. But that was also where the trail ended.

"Perhaps they've chosen this route to not leave any more footprints. I can't think of any other reason." The young woman looked out into the distance. "Let's split up. Cover more ground."

"Hm. I'll look in the east then," S'eni said and rushed off. Casting her gaze across the icy surface while running, she tried to find just the smallest hint of the two girls. But all she found was an almost endless white.

...

...

...until it was broken by the one color she didn't wish to see. A deep crimson that stained the snow up ahead. Running over, she came to a stop and knelt down on the ground to get a better look.

A curse escaped her when she saw that it was fresh. And with the amount there was, one or both of them had been severely wounded. Looking around wildly, S'eni spotted a trail of blood that led southeastward and jumped back to her feet to follow it.

Come on, come on, come on! She practically prayed inside her mind, hoping against hope that she would still be making it in time. But the longer the trail grew, the fainter that hope became until, like the flame of a candle, it was snuffed out by the sight of two bodies on the ground, one of them unmistakably Licinia. Nononono!

With a final burst of speed, she ran over to them, dropping down to her knees and sliding the last few steps. Immediately, she reached out her hand to check for a pulse...and found none. She checked the girl lying next to her, with the same results.

Their bodies were already cold.

Wordlessly, she pulled her hand back and looked them over. Their dresses were torn in a few spots but the flow of blood seemed to have long since stopped. And from the way they were positioned, hands still faintly clutching one another's, they must have simply lied down here and waited for the end to come.

"Gods..." she breathed out and covered her face with a hand. A sudden crackling made her ears perk up and she turned her head to see the radio the refugees had shown her earlier lying not far from the girls. After a few seconds, music began to play from it. The very same song from earlier.

Home Beyond the Horizon. An ode to those people that had gone to reconquer the land that had once been taken from them so long ago; to serve as a reminder that better times would surely await them. Now, no one remained to listen...

"S'eni!" Alisaie's voice cut through the music and S'eni looked away from the radio to see the twins running up to them. "There was a blood trail...the girls...they were attacked!"

They stopped in their tracks when she shook her head. Alisaie's eyes widened in realization.

"Oh no..." the young woman said and slammed her eyes shut. "Why did they...why?"

"They were more afraid of us than the beast..." Alphinaud said. "It's...all my fault. I..."

Rising to her feet, S'eni walked over to him and put a hand on his back. "Don't blame yourself," she told him and looked back towards the sisters. "Come, let's take them away from here."

"How many innocents will we have to bury before this is all over?" Alisaie asked.

"I...I don't know..." her brother replied. "But we cannot just leave them out here."

Alisaie gritted her teeth and dropped her gaze to the ground, but nodded. Without another word, S'eni walked over to Licinia and gently pried her hand from her sister's, before gently picking her up and carrying her away. I'm sorry...

 

---

 

The burial had been a solemn affair, none of them uttering so much as a word the entire time. After they were done, they gathered a few stones that they placed on top of them in lieu of proper gravestones and began to offer each sister a silent prayer. A few more minutes passed before Alphinaud lowered his hand with a sigh and turned towards S'eni.

"I heard of this device," he said and nodded towards the radio they had taken with them. "Supposedly, Emperor Varis' voice can be heard talking from it..."

"Yes, one of them—" she gave a quick glance over to the mansion, where Alphinaud had placed the men after healing and putting a sleep enchantment on them. "—said that he believes Varis speaks to them to give them hope for his triumphant return."

"That is impossible of course, but still...it was important enough for Licinia to take it with her while they ran." He looked back towards the graves. "I shall borrow it for a time, if you allow it," he said then, with a much more solemn tone, add, "I will never forget the fear in your eyes when we met. But no matter what you might believe, we are here to help. To bring a little warmth into this cold world. I hope you will come to understand that..."

"...There must've been something we could have done," Alisaie finally spoke up. "...Should we have never come here? Would they still be alive if we hadn't?"

"Alisaie..." S'eni frowned.

"We have already done enough harm here. Let's return to camp before we do any more," said Alphinaud as he picked up the radio. "We should send someone to take care of the men in the house. Someone that isn't us. All we can do for now is make our report to Lucia...and do everything in our power to prevent further tragedy. So let's not linger here. Come..."

With a silent nod, Alisaie began to follow her brother. S'eni remained where she was a little longer, taking another moment to look at the graves. They had come here with the mission to help these people, something that each and everyone one of them believed to be good and just. But justice was a medal with two sides on it—

Closing her eyes, she offered these two lost souls one final prayer, before turning around to join her friends.

—and today they had seen the other side...

 

Notes:

Well, no trip to Garlemald without this quest, I suppose. I could tell from the very beginning that the Garlemald arc wouldn't be all sunshine and roses, and there was nothing more driving that home than the refugees of Victors' Spoils.

Chapter 127

A Way Forward

 

It is a bitter pill to swallow, is it not? To see those you offered a helping hand prefer death over taking it. But there was little time to mourn this tragedy. You had come here with a mission and you would see it through.

So with a heavy heart, you began to head back to camp, carrying with you a simple radio which turned out to be much more important than simply playing the same song all over again.

 

---

 

S'eni released an almost inaudible sigh as they stepped back into Camp Broken Glass, offering a silent nod to the guards that greeted them. She let her eyes roam the area for a moment, watching the other members of the contingent perform their various duties before having them come to rest upon the twins. They hadn't said a single word since they had left Victors' Spoils and it was frankly beginning to worry her a little.

"Well, looks like things are going well here," she said, trying to lighten the mood a little. "Perhaps Stephanivien and the others managed to repair the heating by now!"

"Perhaps..." was the only reply Alphinaud gave her, making her sigh once again. Walking over to them, she placed a hand on both of their shoulders, making them look at her. She nodded silently. Closing his eyes for a brief second, the young man released a deep breath and returned it. "We should give our report to Lucia."

"If you don't feel up for it, I can do it in your stead."

"That...would be appreciated. Would you mind giving us a few minutes to clear our heads?"

The corners of her lips curled into a small smile. "Of course not."

Giving each of them a small pat, she headed in the direction where she knew Lucia was waiting. Just as she was about to enter the building, she was stopped by the sight of Y'shtola standing not far from the doorway, talking with A-Ruhn-Senna. Noticing her presence, they both turned to look at her. "Eni," her lover greeted her with a smile.

"Hey there," she said.

"Just arrived, I take it? You'll be pleased to hear that healing of the tempered is going as well as it could be, considering the circumstances. We actually just finished giving Lucia and Maxima our report..." Y'shtola paused, her smile being replaced by furrowing brows. "But it seems you have news of your own to deliver..."

"Indeed," the Padjal said. "You seem a bit...off. Did something happen out there?"

"Am I that obvious?" She released a humourless chuckle. "Yeah, something happened. I'll tell you more inside."

Stepping inside, they walked over to the table where Lucia was currently handing out orders to other members of the contingent. After she dismissed them, the Garlean turned her attention towards the three of them, her eyes immediately landing on S'eni. "Welcome back. Are Alisaie and Alphinaud not with you?"

"They'll join us soon. In the meantime, I'm to deliver the report," she replied.

A curious look forming on her face, the commander nodded. "Very well. Proceed."

And so she did, starting from when they encountered Licinia in the Eblan Rime. Not long after she began, the twins had joined them, looking much more composed now, but refraining from speaking still. Only when she got to the part where the refugees turned on them, did their faces darken. When she was done, Lucia closed her eyes for a few seconds, before nodding.

"Thank you for telling us this," she said. "We will relay it to the rest of the contingent to keep something like that from happening again."

"As for the survivors at Victors's Spoils, I shall seek them out personally. They will hopefully be more inclined to believe a fellow Garlean," Maxima said.

"Thank you," Alphinaud said. "If the situation permits, tell them what happened to the sister. We do not want to hide it."

Lucia's face fell. "I am sorry you had to go through something like that."

"I wouldn't have hesitated for one second to give my life in exchange for that of the girls..." Alisaie sighed. "But it's too late now. Let's just do everything in our power to not have it happen again...but say, how are things faring here. Have you made any progress?"

"Indeed we did," Y'shtola replied. "We have managed to cure all the tempered Populares and their reports of the events in the capital were quite insightful..."

Crossing her arms in front of her chest, S'eni's eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "Tell us."

Nodding, the other Miqo'te continued. "As you know, a civil war broke out following Varis' death. Nerva led the IIIrd Legion against the Ist, which remained loyal to Varis even in death. Their battlefield: the capital itself."

"Their willingness to soak the streets of Garlemald with blood shows how irreconcilable their differences were," A-Ruhn-Senna said. "The smallest of reasons were enough for them to attack each other without mercy."

"Do you remember the battle at Ghimlyt?" Lucia then asked. "How Emperor Varis suddenly retreated from the battlefield?"

"Of course." S'eni nodded. "We spread the rumor that Zenos was possessed by a demon."

"And those rumors were just what Titus and Nerva, Varis' political enemies, were waiting for."

"Back then we were simply taking advantage of the fact that Elidibus was using Zenos' body for his plans," Alisaie pointed out.

"Yes, but they were unable to uncover the whole truth and Varis managed to prevent a coup. During that time, many influential members of Titus' faction were removed. Either by being transferred to remote posts—or permanently silenced," Lucia explained.

"Elidibus' handiwork, most likely. At least there was no evidence of Varis' direct involvement," Y'shtola said. "Though there is no doubt that he benefited the most from those events. Without the IIIrd Legion, Titus and Nerva had no one to support them. And then, while the emperor's enemies were still furious—"

"—His own son murders him and the blame is put on Gaius," she finished.

Y'shtola nodded. "Since Nerva almost immediately claimed the throne for himself, the Ist legion suspected another coup by the Titus faction."

"I see," Alphinaud said. "So both sides were blaming one another."

"And now things become interesting. At that time, both sides received substantial financial aid that made them hope for a swift victory. From the same source," Maxima told them

"What!?" Alisaie's eyes widened. "The IIIrd Legion was said to be financed by House Brutus. So the Ist as well!?"

"Correct. According to the Populares, the money came through different channels leading back to the Brutuses."

"Fandaniel!" Alphinaud exclaimed. "So he used Asahi's appearance to play both sides against one another!?"

"So it seems," Maxima replied. "But that is not all. The Populares also reported that one night, after the fighting broke out, the capital had been shaken by an immense tremor. What happened after, they do not remember. Neither do they have any recollection of our battle at Magna Glacies. Only when we asked them about the imperial palace and its bizarre transformation, they somehow managed to recall orders given to them by Emperor Varis. In their dreams. 'May the Tower of Babil stand as testament to the glory of Garlemald,' he supposedly said."

At those words, the twins looked at each other in surprise, and S'eni too was immediately reminded of a certain something in their possession. The radio.

"There is something you should see," Alphinaud said and placed the radio on the table. After doing so, he explained to them how, according to the survivors they had found, Varis' voice could be heard speaking from it.

"Strange..." Maxima said after Alphinaud was done, looking the radio over. "If it was not a recorded message...then what could it be?"

All of a sudden, A-Ruhn-Senna's hand went to his pocket and pulled out the warding scale. He looked at it for a few seconds, then towards the radio, and back again.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Y'shtola asked.

"The aether flowing through the ore used for that device is surprisingly similar to that of our talismans," he said.

"I concur. Could it be that some quirk of fate has given them the ability to withstand a primal's influence?" raising her hand, she gently rapped her knuckles against her cheek. "If that's the case, there might be a connection. Let us assume the tremors in Garlemald were caused by strong aetheric emissions. In that case, the majority of the citizens would become tempered...but those who were listening to the news from the battlefield would have been spared that fate."

"So that is why Licinia and her sister had taken it with her..." Alphinaud said.

Before they could discuss the significance of this discovery further, they were interrupted by the sound of hurried footsteps on wood, soon followed by Cirina's voice. "My apologies, but I must speak with you!" she said in an urgent tone and they all turned to face her. "We caught a young man trying to steal our supplies. We think he is a soldier of the ironmen, but one who is not enthralled. Thankfully, Magnai restrained him before blood was spilled. He is outside if you wish to question him."

They all shared a look and nodded. "I believe we do," Alphinaud said and they headed outside where the young man in question was standing, flanked on both sides by Xaela warriors. His head hung low, causing his slightly long hair to obscure a part of his face. But the still visible Third Eye on his forehead and the uniform he was wearing told S'eni enough. This was indeed an imperial soldier.

"And who do we have here...?" Lucia asked after a brief moment of silence and the soldier raised his head to reveal more of his face. Almost as soon as he had done so, his eyes widened as they landed on her, growing further when they shifted over to Maxima.

"You're Garlean?" he asked in surprise that swiftly turned into anger. "You traitors! Do you have no shame!?"

Lucia didn't reply immediately, clearly hit by that remark. S'eni still recalled how the woman had revealed to her that she was originally sent to Ishgard to be a spy, but had ended up forsaking her duty in light of Aymeric's conviction. Yet it didn't change the fact that she had turned traitor to the empire she once swore to serve, and his words served as a stark reminder of that fact.

But when she finally did speak, it was with the true conviction of a knight. "My name is Lucia Junius, Of the Temple Knights of Ishgard. And who are you?"

"Jullus pyr Norbanus. And that's all you will get out of me, cursed invaders!" he spat back.

"Unlike what you may think, we are not here to steal your homeland, Jullus. Quite the opposite, in fact. We are here to bring an end to the chaos the Telophoroi have wrought, just like you," Lucia said. "We know that the citizens of Garlemald had to endure great suffering. That is why we have come here to offer you our hand in friendship and cooperation."

Jullus just looked away at her words, clearly not interested to hear any of this.

"I do not expect you to welcome us with open arms. But allow me to ask you something...How can it be that a proud soldier of the Garlean Empire rummages through our supplies like a lousy thief? Admit it, you could use our help." That one had clearly hit its mark, as he gritted his teeth, so Lucia continued. "If you need something, just say so. If pressed about it, you can always claim we forced it on you. Or that you stole. It does not matter to me."

Releasing a breath, he turned his gaze back towards her. "I'm not authorised to negotiate with you. Only my commander is. If you wish, I can lead you to him. But only three at most."

Y'shtola released a hum and looked at S'eni. "What do you think?" she asked.

"It might be our best bet to help these people," S'eni replied.

"Agreed. Then perhaps you and I should go."

"No. My sister and I shall serve as envoys," Alphinaud said suddenly and the two of them stepped forth.

"And may I ask why?" Y'shtola frowned.

"We have seen the suffering of the Garleans with our own eyes. Their future, their lives, hang in the balance. It's worth the risk," he replied.

"It would be a chance to prove our good intentions. And to make up for past mistakes..." Alisaie said.

S'eni looked at them, eyes locking onto theirs and seeing the conviction burning deep within them. She sighed through her nose and let her lips curl upwards. Those two... "Your mother would never forgive me if I let you go by yourself. I'm coming along."

"If that is your wish, I will not stop you," Lucia then said. "But you will proceed with the utmost care."

"A couple of kids and their chaperone?" Jullus asked, quite clearly not amused. "Is this supposed to be an insult?"

"Not at all. They are more than worthy to speak on our behalf," she told him.

With a not-so-subtle roll of his eyes, he turned to face the Oronir standing next to him and nodded towards the Garlean Gunblade he was holding. "The road is dangerous. I will need my weapon back."

The Au Ra looked towards Lucia, who nodded, then handed the young man the weapon. The Temple Knight then shot S'eni a look and waved her over. "You will be received as invited guests, so I urge you to observe proper social etiquette and conduct yourself accordingly. Your safe return takes precedence above all else. Remember that," Lucia said and glanced over to Jullus, who was inspecting his Gunblade. "Especially Thancred would be worried sick if you're gone for too long."

S'eni gave her a subtle nod. "And we wouldn't want that, would we?"

"May the Fury watch over and keep you."

After stepping away from the other woman, she was approached by Y'shtola, face still marred by that worried frown. "I'm worried they might not be in the best state of mind to volunteer for this undertaking," her lover said in a low voice.

"I know." She looked over to the twins, expression beginning to mirror that of Y'shtola. "But they made their choice."

Now all she could do was to try and keep them safe.

 

---

 

Not long after, their group left Camp Broken Glass. On Jullus' insistence, they made their way over the snowy hills until they arrived at the road that would lead them to their destination, running all the while to avoid any of the roaming beasts and obviously shaking anyone that might follow them. He wasn't stupid, she had to hand it to him.

"So, Jullus, wasn't it?" S'eni asked, keeping her eyes on the road, as well as on the twins, in front of them. "Aren't you a bit young to be an officer already?"

He couldn't be more than a few years older than the twins, if she had to wager a guess. That must mean he was a very talented individual. Or that they were seriously lacking in manpower.

He didn't.

"Not exactly a talkative fellow, hm?"

"If it's conversation you want, save it until we've arrived," he said back curtly.

Yes, sir, she thought. It wasn't long after their short exchange, though, that they arrived at what he had called Liminal Station IV. Like Juturna Platform G, it looked nothing like its Eorzean counterparts, but also seemed to be just as abandoned...no actually, it looked in even worse shape. Not exactly a good place to hide.

Alphinaud seemed to be of the same mind, if his raised brows were any indication. "These are your headquarters?"

"No. We're stopping here so I can check for pursuers." The young soldier looked over his shoulder and, after a few seconds, nodded. "Good. It looks like your friends knew better than to follow us. Since it appears you've kept your side of the bargain we can carry on. From here, we'll be heading northeast, keeping to the left of the railway. While the route itself is straightforward, getting past the hordes unseen is anything but."

"They would attack their fellow countrymen?" Alphinaud asked.

"Yes. They ignore their own, but everyone else gets slaughtered. Though we'll try to avoid them, it's a slim chance at best. I'll lead the way, but in case we are detected..." his eyes landed on S'eni. "...you'll fight them off. Those two will follow us, provided they'll refrain from drawing their weapons."

"Don't worry, they will," S'eni said.

"I will hold you to that. With that said, let's proceed."

Following his lead, they travelled along the road, using whatever cover was available with broken vehicles and rocks to keep hidden from the tempered that scoured the area. The sound of their mumbling voices, each repeating the same words, filled the air in a twisted choir that had already become way too familiar to S'eni's liking. For a short while, it actually looked like they were so entranced that they might make it without being noticed. But as was most often the case, that luck lasted only so briefly, and they were soon waylaid by a pair of tempered soldiers.

Yet despite their tempered state making them even more fierce fighters than usual, they stood very little chance against her. One after the other they hit the ground, squarely knocked out. "Hmm, not bad," she heard Jullus say and turned around. "And here I was wondering why you seemed unarmed. Now I understand why your comrades choose you."

Stepping forth, Alphinaud walked past her and towards the two soldiers, kneeling down next to them. "Jullus," he said after looking them over. "Our contingent possesses a cure for the afflicted, or 'tempered' as we call them. They would have to be taken into custody so that we can administer it, but they would eventually regain their sanity."

"Is that so?" the young Garlean didn't sound convinced. "For all I know, that cure of yours would just replace one master for another. No, as far as I and my legion are concerned, they're no longer our people. They're beyond saving, and those who wished to reason with them got cut down for their trouble. Come, we have to keep going."

Though Alphinaud clearly wanted to contest that notion, he still complied and they resumed their march towards the place Jullus called the Regio Domorum. The closer they got, the more numerous the tempered became, and S'eni found herself forced to fight off some more of them. For a mercy, she managed to knock them all out and their guide didn't seem to wish to check if they were truly dead. But that changed when they stumbled across a pair of Garleans whose tempered state had already progressed to the point of mutation.

Gods... she thought as she watched them shuffle towards her, spikes of twisted, crystalized aether springing forth from their bodies in all directions and their voices having turned into nothing but guttural moans. Slamming her eyes shut for a brief second, she swiftly dodged to the side when the first one lunged at her, kicking out her foot to trip him up, then immediately moved behind him to grab him by his head. She brought her fist down onto the base of his skull and, with a sickening crunch, the tempered soldier went instantly slack.

After dropping him to the ground, she turned towards his comrade and, exhaling deeply from her nose, made to put him out of his misery as well. Once he had collapsed lifelessly into the snow, Jullus came walking over and stood over the two bodies. He turned towards the twins. "Look at what they've become," he said to them. "Would you still say they can be cured!?"

"Those exposed to a large quantity of a primal's aether may suffer from severe corruption..." Alphinaud explained, his face darkening. "Even with treatment, those victims are beyond salvation."

"Hmph, so you're admitting it. Now that you've seen these monstrosities for yourself, maybe you will think first before talking about a cure." Without sparing the tempered a second glance, Jullus resumed his walk, leading them to what must have once been a thriving residential area. Now, all that greeted them were empty streets and the cold, howling wind. But even in this desolate state, S'eni could tell that Garlemald truly must have been a city like no other.

As they made their way further through the city's outskirts, they soon came upon a square with only a single building on it. Upon closer inspection though, it turned out to be an entrance that led underground. Coming to a stop in front of it, Jullus looked at them. "This is Tertium, one of Garlemald's largest stations. It now serves as our headquarters," he explained. "Go ahead, I'll be with you soon. Just going to have a final look around."

Doing as they were told, the three of them stepped inside and made their way down a large set of stairs. At the bottom awaited them what looked to have been a hub of transportation not unlike those S'eni had seen connecting the various Castrums in Eorzea. In the center of the hall, she spotted an Aetheryte that looked like the one in Camp Broken Glass, while on the left side, she spotted a train that was much smaller and less fortified than those she had seen in the past. For civilian use perhaps?

Amazing...hm? Her ears perked up as they picked up the same melody she had quickly gotten familiar with. Home Beyond the Horizon. Well, that explains how they escaped being tempered.

"It's plain to see why they chose this as their base of operations," Alphinaud said while looking around.

Alisaie released an affirmative hum. "But if Jullus was willing to make the risky journey to Camp Broken Glass in search of food, they must be running out of supplies. They might be shielded from the wind and the snow, but it's still cold down here. Just like with the people of Victors' Spoils, it must be a constant struggle to keep warm."

"Keep your voices down," Jullus said as he joined them. "While you may be here as my 'guests', the others here will not take kindly to your presence."

And indeed, those of the people gathered near them were either glaring or, in the case of civilians, sending them fearful looks.

"My commander is in the locomotive, over there. Come." Together, they walked towards the locomotive and, after Jullus announced them, stepped inside. A man, dressed in dark armor, was sitting on a scavenged sofa, his arms crossed in front of his chest. Opening his eyes, he turned them towards their little group, focusing first on Alphinaud, Alisaie, and herself, before coming to rest upon Jullus.

Taking this as his cue to speak, the young man explained what had happened shortly after he had entered their camp and the events following shortly thereafter. "...Which is why I brought three of their representatives," he finished his report.

"I see," the seated man finally said. "Introduce us then."

"As you command!" Jullus saluted and stepped aside. "This is our commander...Quintus van Cinna, Legatus of the Ist Legion."

"The Ist Legion!?" Alphinaud exclaimed. "It is still operational!?"

"We have lost our Emperor, our capital, and the majority of our comrades. And my body, too, is only a shadow of its former self...I would hardly call that operational," Legatus Quintus replied. "As you are undoubtedly pleased to hear."

Alphinaud shook his head. "No, we do not take any satisfaction from the suffering you and your people have endured. We have not come here with hostile intentions."

"Pah! Spare me those empty platitudes. I know very well there can be no sympathy between enemies. Too often did we already have that experience. First, we were chased out of our rightful homeland, and then what little we had here was still too much. We created Magitek weapons to defend ourselves against invaders. With nothing else left, our Emperors, Solus, and after him Varis, sought salvation through conquest. A large, strong empire to protect us."

"I cannot deny that our history has ever been marked by conflict. And yet it was proven to me time and again that behind the goals of every nation lies more than simple self-interest," Alphinaud said. "We would, of course, be more than happy to defeat the Telophoroi alongside your troops...but above all, we are driven by the desire to help you."

"I actually believe you," Quintus said with a hum. "But no matter how noble your ideals may be, your leaders would not have sent an entire regiment worth of troops to Garlemald if they did not have something to gain from it. Let us say we accept your offer...they would surely demand recompense the very moment the danger had passed. Once again, we Garleans would lose our freedom; the Third Eye, the pride of our people, would become nothing more than a symbol of slavery."

"Nobody has any intention of taking away your freedom. We're here to create a better world in which we can all live in peace. If my friends have taught me one thing, it's to never give up hope," Alisaie told him. "To you that might sound like nothing more than naive nonsense, but that is what is driving me. Mistrust me if you must."

"The conflict between Garlemald and Eorzea has caused endless suffering. Is it really so strange to put an end to it? What speaks against trying to solve our problems together?" Alphinaud added.

The Legatus looked like he actually seemed to consider their words as he trained his gaze on the desk opposite of him. After a brief pause, he spoke again. "Let me ask you a question, you idealists. If you truly wish for peace, then why did you resist us when we tried to unite the world? Because we do not believe in your gods? Because we look different? Or because of our ideals?" He turned his head back towards them, eyes narrowing into a heated glare. "We too would never give up what we believe in. And a peace built upon such a sacrifice would never last. That is why we will fight for our freedom and our honor until the very last. Our discussion is over."

He raised his hand and all of a sudden, an entire squad of soldiers came rushing into the locomotive, weapons drawn and ready to strike if they so much as tried anything funny. "Shit," S'eni hissed.

"Don't worry. I don't intend to kill you, but until I have decided what to do with you, you three will remain with us," Quintus said. She knew that if it came down to it, they would most likely be able to battle their way out of this, but a quick look over at the twins told her that wouldn't be an option. They had made their choice. So instead, she slowly began raising her hands.

"We will not fight. But in exchange we wish to freely roam the station and talk to your people," Alphinaud said.

"Go ahead. I did not plan on throwing you into a cell anyway. You would be frozen before the day's end, and you are of no use to me dead." The Legatus glanced at two of his soldiers and nodded towards the twins. "Put the collars on them."

Sheathing their weapons, the soldiers stepped forth and began to put a pair of Magitek devices on the two Elezen's neck. After they were done, Alphinaud glanced down at himself. "What...are these?"

"Just a little incentive to show yourself from your best side. Any misconduct might have painful repercussions."

Another, much larger soldier came walking towards S'eni, holding a device as well. But before he could so much as touch her, he was already called off by Quintus.

"No. That is not going to work on her," he said and, at the puzzled look he received, added, "After all, this is none other than the Hero of Eorzea herself."

A series of gasps went through the air and the soldier all but jumped away from her, as did some of his fellows, putting as much distance as possible between them and her. The Legatus for his part simply locked eyes with her. "If she tries anything, just let her friends suffer."

"Why you—" she made to rush forward, but found herself stopped by Alphinaud and Alisaie.

"Don't worry about us," the former said with a smile.

"As soon as we made some new acquaintances, these things will be all but forgotten," Alisaie assured her.

S'eni looked at them and, with a sigh, stepped back. "...Fine."

"Those children..." Quintus muttered. "Why go to such lengths? What is it all for?"

Immediately, the words Haurchefant had once said to her resurfaced from deep inside her mind. Back then, it had been Alphinaud, Tataru, and her that had been left with little hope; alone and all odds stacked against them. Just like the Garleans now.

"Especially on the coldest and blackest of nights it's important we share the warmth of our fire," she said.

"You are a curious one. A far cry from the barbarian others paint you as." Quintus chuckled, then looked at Jullus. "You are going to be their warden. Take them away."

Eyes still wide from the revelation just a few moments ago, the young man slowly turned his head towards his commander. He blinked a few times before the words just spoken sank in and he snapped back to attention. "As you command!"

As they were ushered outside, S'eni stole one last glance at the old Legatus, who was now staring at the Imperial banner draped over the train's controls. A banner she knew was built upon the schemes of the Ascians. Yet to these people, it was the symbol of their very own, very real ideals.

Fighting for their freedom and honor, she thought, her expression darkening at the memory of two broken bodies lying in the snow. ...but at what cost?

 

Chapter 128

A Good Deed

 

Ah, Quintus. Ever dependable and loyal to a fault, I had known from the very beginning that he would serve Garlemald well. And now this proud man was hunkered down in a train that had long since stopped working, licking his wounds and waiting...

...waiting for allies to arrive so that they could reclaim their once glorious city from the enemy. But would it truly be enough? Or was this but the last flicker of a flame called hope?

We shall soon find out.

Just make sure not to freeze entirely stiff before that.

 

---

 

A misty cloud made its way past S'eni's lips in a silent sigh as they marched through the streets, her eyes taking in the sight of destroyed buildings and Magitek all around them. Once before, this area must have been filled with people going about their daily lives. Now it was but an empty husk, littered with the evidence of the battle that had taken place here.

She tore her eyes away from this solemn sight and turned her attention towards Jullus instead. After having been given the run of the station, the twins and she had tried to get a better idea of the situation at Tertium. Emphasis being on tried since many of the people there hadn't been inclined to talk with them, or were outright hostile towards her in particular. Still, she had managed to speak to some of them, and that was more than enough to paint a picture.

"You should look to the others who can still fight. Give them my ration..." one particular soldier had said, his sickness having already taken a toll on his eyesight or she doubted he would have been so open about it. "If me going hungry means someone else lives to see another day, so be it. At least I can still serve in that way..."

They were pretty much lacking everything. The three of them had approached Jullus about it, but when he went to plead their offer of having the contingent send over some of their supplies to Legatus Quintus, he was soundly rebuffed and instead sent out to find some Ceruleum. And since he was their warden, they were right along for the party.

Soon enough, they arrived at their first destination, a park not too far away from Tertium itself. It must have been quite nice once, before it had become a graveyard for war machines. "So this is the place," Alisaie said while looking about. "...I'm surprised they found the space for it between all these buildings."

"Actually, the recreational areas came first and the houses were built around it later," Jullus explained. "'A healthy society requires communal spaces for children to play, and adults to socialize,' Emperor Solus once said. This park has been named Forum Solius in his honor."

S'eni shared a look with the young woman. It felt so strange hearing these people talk about the late Emperor while knowing just who exactly he was. She could practically envision Emet-Selch rolling his eyes after returning from the unveiling ceremony.

"So are we to extract the Ceruleum from the wrecked Magitek Armor?" Alphinaud asked.

The young officer shook his head. "We've already drained them dry. Same with the others in the vicinity. But since our Ceruleum was stolen, we must scour the city for every last drop. And while I don't expect to find anything here, I've decided to try one more time, in case something has been overlooked."

"I see. Then with your permission, we shall begin."

They split up and began searching the area, but it quickly became apparent that Jullus was right, and that there was no Ceruleum to be found. S'eni even double-checked some of the Magitek Armors just to be absolutely sure. Not a single drop left. On her back to him though, she stumbled across what looked like a stall, though much smaller in size than one would expect.

For children to play at being a merchant, she thought and closed her eyes, trying to dispel the thoughts about what could have happened to them. They had work to do. Opening them once again, she resumed her walk, her gaze going over to Jullus who seemed to be quite transfixed with the pond. He didn't even seem to notice her as she stepped up to him.

"Jullus?" she asked and touched his shoulder, causing him to jump a little and whirl towards her.

"O-Oh, it's you. Any luck?"

"No. Just like you said, no Ceruleum left."

"We did not find any either," Alphinaud said while he and his sister walked over.

"Hmm..." Jullus rubbed his chin with a little nod. "Not surprising, but still disappointing.'

"Is everything alright?" Alisaie asked, brows furrowing. "I noticed you staring at the pond."

"What? Yes─ I mean, no, I'm..." he sighed and rubbed his hand over his face, before turning to look at the pond. "It's just...I used to bring my brother and sister here to play. The pond was heated to stop it from freezing over, so like all the other children, they just had to wade in and splash about. Would've stayed there if I didn't drag them out. We'd be sopping wet when all was said and done. Every time. And when we got home, Mother would scold us, saying we'd catch our deaths."

S'eni watched something akin to a fond smile form on the young man's face, but it didn't last even a few seconds and was replaced by a forlorn look in his eyes.

"The pond was heated, you say..." Alphinaud followed the Garlean's eyes. "By a Ceruleum-powered heater, perhaps?"

"I suppose so..." Jullus replied. "Come to think of it, though, I remember seeing engineers changing out a tank beneath a hatch...But that was a long time ago when the water wasn't this brackish muck. Can't see a thing and I don't remember where the hatch was located. The filth is most likely the only reason it hasn't frozen over in the first place. Probably still unbearably cold, though."

A look formed on Alisaie's face then, the very same she always had when coming up with a rather reckless idea. "Jullus, what are your thoughts on magic?"

"The average Garlean would probably jump out of their skin, but the Ist Legion has a few foreign Signiferi and Medici, so it doesn't scare me. Why?"

The Elezen smiled. "Then you won't mind if I use some," she said and looked at her brother. "Why don't you make use of your wood-gathering skills? Once you're done, a quick Verfire should do the trick."

"Leave it to me!" Alphinaud said and immediately began searching the area.

"Wait wait, you're not planning to go in there, are you?" Jullus asked, his eyes widening.

"Of course I am. The tank isn't going to fetch itself."

"But that's...insane!"

Alisaie just shrugged and looked towards S'eni. "Fancy a dip?"

"You know, the last thing we can use right now is you catching a cold," she pointed out.

"Well then you better help me out here if you're so concerned with my health," Alisaie said with a wink and headed towards the pond.

I'm going to regret this... S'eni thought to herself and began following her friend.

And she did, immediately after stepping right into the water. Tail standing on end the entire time, she waded through the mucky water in search of the hatch, every minute without luck only making things worse as her damp clothes made it easier for the icy wind to chill her. But then, finally, she managed to find the godsdamned hatch and the Ceruleum tank within.

I hope this was worth it, she thought as they practically hightailed it out of the water, grimacing when she noticed the rancid smell coming from her clothes. Something Jullus too seemed to take notice of from the way his nose scrunched up.

"Tell me you've found something..." she handed him the container. He took a good look at it and smiled. "That's it! And there's still some Ceruleum left! Ah, the fire's still not ready... Hold on, I'll give Alphinaud a hand!"

As she watched the young officer rush off, S'eni audibly exhaled through her nose and began applying her 'drying spell'.

"U-U-Unfair," she heard Alisaie mutter.

"No one to blame here but yourself. I'm sure your mother would agree," she shot back.

When the two young men finally returned, Alisaie all but pounced the wood, casting one of the fastest Verfire she had ever seen before plopping down right next to it. With a chuckle, she joined her friend at the fire together with Alphinaud and Jullus. After a while, Alisaie stopped shivering and a smile formed on her lips.

"Ah, much better, and my clothes are mostly dried too," Alisaie said.

"I appreciate you recovering the Ceruleum, but I wish you'd discussed the plan with me beforehand," Jullus said. "Despite how you've been treated, you're still envoys deserving protection. Lord Quintus would've been quite displeased if you died on my watch."

"Duly noted." Alisaie leaned back and closed her eyes with a satisfied sigh. "But all's well that ends well."

Alphinaud chuckled and looked at Jullus. "You mentioned coming here with your younger siblings. Did you grow up in Garlemald?"

"I did. Not far from here. My father was an accomplished researcher, and was awarded an estate for his contributions to the Empire. We lived well. Better than many, I now realize."

Cracking an eye open, Alisaie asked. "What was Garlemald like back then?"

Jullus didn't answer immediately, but when he did it was with that same look from earlier in his eyes.

"...Everything. It was everything you could imagine...and so much more. Even during the coldest winters, we always found warmth and comfort at home. Coming in from the snow, taking off your coat, and sitting down for a hot meal...with family. Visiting friends and relatives, receiving that same welcome. Knowing they had everything they needed. Walking down the street, seeing the lights in all the houses, hearing the faint sounds of laughter and song. Of happiness..." a wistful sigh escaped him and he turned his eyes towards the clouds. "And while the summers were only all too brief, the ice would melt in those short days and bring forth the green grass hidden underneath. Grey clouds gave way to blue skies. On those mornings, we'd climb to the top of the tallest building to watch the sunrise..."

He fell silent, not saying anything for a few moments, yet none of them dared interrupt him either. Eventually, he tore his eyes away from the clouds and instead looked down to the canister of Ceruleum in his hands, which he had begun to clutch like a babe. "...But not anymore. Those rooftops are now nothing but rubble...those friends long since dead, and those memories...If I could just reclaim a fraction of what we once had..." He shook his head. "Soon, our chance will come. We just need to hold on a little longer..."

S'eni watched him clutch the Ceruleum even tighter, his gaze going to the fire, but in truth was already far away. Beyond these icy planes, she was sure, where the much-awaited reinforcements of the Xth Legion were amassing with the provincial legions to join them and reclaim their capital. Jullus had told them about it during a quiet moment in Tertium, and most of the soldiers seemed to be convinced of the plan as well.

Taking some of the spare wood, S'eni tossed it into the flames. She...wasn't as convinced.

 

---

 

Once Alisaie was sufficiently dry again, they headed to another location littered with abandoned war machines. Because of their damaged state, retrieving any Ceruleum that might be inside of them proved too difficult, so to that end they were to deploy low-yielding explosives on them. Not long after Jullus handed them out, a series of explosions filled the otherwise silent streets, but on her end, there seemed to be none to be found. Only empty tanks.

Until, after actually having to get herself some more explosives from Jullus, she finally got lucky and managed to retrieve a tank that was still half full...or half empty if one were so inclined. With her spoils secured, she made her way back to the young officer, who was keeping an eye on Alisaie and Alphinaud in the distance. Upon noticing her, he turned around.

"Need more?" he asked, his hand already going to the bag on his hip, only to pause when he noticed what she was carrying. "...Wait. Is that what I think it is?"

"Sure is!" a grin split her face and she handed the tank to him.

"You've done it again! With this we should be able to refuel quite a few of our heaters!" looking over the tank, he nodded and tugged it underneath his arm. "It's time we head back. Wait here, I'll see how Alisaie and Alphinaud are faring."

And with that he was off, a noticeable amount of vigour in his step now. She watched him for a moment, chuckling to herself. Suddenly, a presence appeared behind her.

"Finally got rid of your guard dog, did you? And, how is it going?" Thancred's voice asked right next to her ear. G'raha's invisibility spell no doubt. She was just about to move her head when he interrupted her. "Don't look around. It'll only draw attention. Just listen for now."

She gave him a low hum to signal that she was listening.

"After you left the camp with your escort here, Lucia asked us to follow you at a distance. We observed you heading into the station. When you emerged some time later, I noticed the collars the twins were sporting and could already tell what must have happened," Thancred explained to her. "Now, as quietly as possible, tell me who is down there, and what do they want?"

"The Garleans holed up in the station are remnants of the Ist Legion, led by Quintus van Cinna," she said in a low voice.

"The Legatus himself. Interesting..."

"Hm. Their plan is apparently to join together with the Xth Legion and their provincial allies to storm the tower."

"I see...That might actually give us some wiggle room."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"The contingent discovered something that might be of interest to our dear Legatus," he replied. "But for now, Alphinaud and Alisaie's safety is of the highest priority. Just do what you're being told."

"Alright..."

"Good luck. See you later." His presence was gone shortly after. Taking a deep breath, S'eni turned her eyes back towards Jullus and the twins, who seemed to be having a friendly chat. As they began making their way over to her, she forced herself to smile.

"Well, did you find anything?" she asked, receiving a shake of her head in return.

"We searched everywhere, but no luck," Alisaie said. "But if anyone was to find something, then it's you. As always."

"Quite disappointing...Soon there'll be nothing left to safely salvage," Jullus said. "In any case, that'll be enough for today. Let's return to Tertium."

Sharing a nod, they headed back to the station. As soon as they entered, one of Jullus' fellow soldiers approached them. "Welcome back. I heard you were sent out to search for Ceruleum," he said. "And? Did you find any?"

"A bit," Jullus replied. "But without their help it would've been far less."

The soldier seemed quite impressed at that. "I've heard a lot of rumors about these savages, but they actually look quite civilised to me." As soon as he said those words though, a glare from Alisaie made him recoil a bit. "A-Anyway. Every little bit helps to keep us warm. I honestly have no idea how we're supposed to last the night now that we've got these three to take care of as well."

Jullus must have realized that as well, as he lowered his gaze to the ground. But before he could say something about it, another voice joined in. "Have you found any Ceruleum?"

"Lord Quintus!" the young officer exclaimed and saluted his superior alongside his comrade.

"If you did, bring it over to the Magitek Armor."

"But weren't we supposed to heat the station with it?"

"The plans have changed." The Legatus' eyes shifted over to the rest of them, narrowing ever so slightly. "We have matters to discuss, but do not think we are letting you out of our sight. Stay here."

Turning around on his heel, Quintus walked back towards the train, followed by Jullus and the other soldier. And unable to do anything else, they waited. A sudden gust of wind from upstairs made her shiver, and she began to pace around a little to keep warm.

"I wonder what plans he means?" Alisaie asked, hugging her coat around herself as well.

"I do not know...But he clearly wishes to ready the Magitek armaments. The question is, if he plans on using them now or when he joined together with the Xth Legion," Alphinaud said and began looking about. Scattered throughout the station were civilians who had sought protection down here. Freezing and barely holding on. "...He needs to get his people out of the cold. Into a city, or perhaps warmer climates."

The question is how? S'eni wondered. A few powered Magitek units wouldn't get them far. Certainly not in another city. Her eyes widened. Unless—

Her thoughts were interrupted by Jullus' arrival. He was accompanied by three heavily armed soldiers, and the expression on his face was enough to confirm her suspicions.

Alisaie was the first to speak. "Well, what did you discuss?"

But all her question did was make the expression on Jullus' face grow darker. His tongue darted across his lips and he nodded, like he was trying to convince himself. "You and your brother will remain here as hostages, to force the contingent to deliver supplies and then retreat. Until then, you will be taken to a different place."

"What are you doing!?" Alisaie exclaimed as the soldiers began to flank them.

"Surely you must know our supplies are not that vast either," Alphinaud said. "You won't get far with them!"

Slowly, Jullus raised his arm. In his shaking hand, he held the remote for the collars around the twins' necks, thumb hovering over the button that would send a painful shock through them. He didn't want to press it, she could tell, but he would if they resisted. And right now, their safety came first.

"Alphinaud, Alisaie. Stand down," she told them. "Do what he says."

The twins looked at her, then at each other, and relaxed. A sigh escaped Jullus and he held the remote close to his chest, clearly relieved he didn't need to use it. "Take them away," he ordered his soldiers.

As S'eni watched the two of them being led away, she sent them a reassuring nod, before turning to look at the young officer.

"Alphinaud and Alisaie will be fine," he assured her. "...provided they don't resist."

"They won't," she said and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "So what's next?"

"You will accompany me back to your camp, where I will meet with your leader and present Lord Quintus' demands. But before that, there is something I would ask of you."

She gave him a curt nod. "Alright."

Not like she had much of a choice.

 

---

 

After leaving Tertium, Jullus had asked her to take a short detour to a place not far from their route. Neither of them said a word as they made their way through the streets, the tension between them so thick one could cut it with a knife, and she shot a few glances at him from out of the corner of her eyes. There was more to this entire plan that Quintus had hedged than he said. Why else had her go around and tell two of his fellow legionaries a thinly veiled code phrase?

But when she asked him about it, he deflected by saying that duties are never simple, so she left it at that. No use arguing the issue when they were holding hostages.

"This is it," Jullus said after some more time, and they came to a stop in front of a building. Or rather what remained of it. The walls had long since collapsed and fire had taken care of the rest, leaving only a little of what she assumed must have been a nice home. Walking forward, the young man reached out a hand and let it come to rest on the remains of the doorframe. "...I used to live here. With my family. I got spared because I was with Lord Quintus, but my parents had no radio to protect them. The morning after it happened, I ran here as quickly as possible. My parents and siblings were still here but...it was already too late. They attacked me and I had to..."

"Jullus..."

His other hand moved to the Gunblade resting on his hip, trailing his fingers over the hilt. "They had actually planned to leave the city that very morning. Had promised me they would get to safety until this bloody civil war was over. But then..." he shook his head and looked skyward instead. "The chain on the imperial banner symbolises the unbreakable bond between all citizens. The red link stands for those that had given their lives for our country, because they too were a part of Garlemald. Yet where does that leave their memory, when the Empire falls?"

Turning around, he looked at her. "Do your prayers give you an answer to that!?" She didn't answer, and he released a sigh. "I'm sorry. Let's go. We've wasted enough time here."

"Jullus." He paused, glancing at her questioningly. Walking closer, she stopped right next to him and looked at his former home. "I can't imagine what it must have felt like to lose your family like that, but I'm no stranger to loss. I saw many good people die in the past, some of which were my friends. They call me the Hero of Eorzea, Warrior of Light, Liberator, and tell tales of my accomplishments. But they seldom talk about those that paid the ultimate price."

She then turned her gaze towards him. "But I remember them. Every single one of them. And their memories are right here—" She tapped the spot right above her heart. "—with me. So I will never forget that they once lived."

Jullus just stared at her, at a complete loss for words. She nodded into the direction of Camp Broken Glass. "Come. We've got the Legatus' demands to deliver."

Leaving the ruins behind, they travelled along the same route they had previously taken to reach Tertium and, for a mercy, managed to avoid any encounters with tempered imperials on the way. After reaching the camp, they called together Lucia, Maxima and the other leaders of the contingent so that Jullus could relay the demands.

"All of our supplies and an immediate withdrawal?" Lucia asked once he was done. "Those are quite tremendous demands."

"Those are our conditions. You are also to leave an airship, so that the hostages can be returned afterwards. The collars will be removed, of course."

Lucia narrowed her eyes.

A sudden chime went through the air, followed by Maxima's hand rising to his ear. "Yes...? Understood," he said and looked at Lucia. "The scouts found Alisaie and Alphinaud, and managed to remove their collars. No casualties to report. They put the guards to sleep."

Surprised by this sudden turn of events, Jullus took a step back. Now it was Lucia's turn to talk.

"Looks like the tide has turned," she said. "So I suggest we begin our negotiations anew. We are in the possession of information that is of great interest to Lord Quintus."

The young officer lowered his head. "It doesn't matter. We have our orders in case the negotiations fall through."

All of a sudden, S'eni felt her ears perk up at the telltale sound of approaching Magitek, and she whirled around to see a group of soldiers flanked by two Magitek Reapers rushing towards camp. "Oh shit!" she cursed and threw herself to the ground just in time to avoid a salvo of gunfire.

Chaos broke out immediately, as another troop appeared from practically out of nowhere and everyone went on the defense to repel the attackers. Only Jullus stood calmly where he was. Slowly, his hand moved to his weapon.

"We, the Ist Imperial Legion, loyal servants of the Garlean Empire...swear to protect our lands—" he drew his Gunblade. "—until our comrades return, even if it costs us our lives!"

He dashed towards Lucia.

"Enough!" A-Ruhn-Senna's voice echoed through the air, before a magical torrent rushed through the entire camp and brought the battle to an abrupt halt. He glared at everyone through his bangs. "Who decided to make this imbecile their envoy?"

Removing the hand from her blade, Lucia exhaled deeply and turned towards Jullus.

"We received word from the Grand Company of Eorzea that envoys of the Xth Legion arrived in Ala Mhigo. It seems their efforts to gather the IVth, Vth, VIIIth and XIIth Legion have ended in failure," Lucia explained. "The legions barely talk to one another, and with most of their soldiers having deserted, the Xth Legion is no longer operational. That is why their leadership decided to seek out Eorzea for aid."

"Liar!" Jullus shouted back. "That's nothing but lies!"

"It's the truth. And there is more. The Xth Legion has asked us to deliver a message to Legatus Quintus: the iyl are to fall back."

Clearly not expecting those words, the young officer's hand went to his ear. "Did you hear that Lord Quintus?" he asked. "What are your orders?"

S'eni rose back to her feet and watched as Jullus' eyes grew wide. With every second that passed, the grip on his weapon loosened until it dropped on the ground. Removing his shaking hand from his ear, he faced his troops...and told them to stand down.

It was over.

 

Chapter 129

A Welcoming Hearth

 

And so the last resistance of a once so mighty empire comes to an end. A tale as old as time, one nation falls to, someday, give rise to a new. I speak from experience after all.

But that is not important right now. Now, you have to take care of those that were in need of your help. The sick, the wounded, those that have lost it all.

It is going to be a long day, indeed.

 

---

 

"Mum!" a young voice echoed through Tertium, followed by quick footsteps and the sound of two bodies embracing.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, my love..."

S'eni released a little laugh and smiled at the reunion of mother and son. Next to her, a woman dressed in an officer's uniform mirrored her expression. The woman was called Galla and had been one of the first members of the Ist Legion to join them at Camp Brokenglass after they had been ordered to stand down.

While she had been busy helping refugees settle into their camp, Galla had approached her about a young boy named Volosus that refused to leave Tertium and asked if she could lend her aid. Said aid eventually led them to scour the city in search of the boy's mother, Vipsania. Thankfully, they managed to find her just in time together with a member of the imperial family's guard, injured but otherwise fine.

All's well that end's well, she thought.

"Thank you," Galla said and turned to face her. "I doubt I would've found her on my own."

"Don't mention it. All in a day's work."

"No, she's right. We'll never forget what you've done for us," Vipsania said after planting a kiss on her boy's head. "You truly are a hero."

"We'd best stay here for a while to let Vipsania recuperate from her injuries, then it's off to Camp Broken Glass," Galla said.

"Alright. One of our Machinists will deliver a few heaters soon. That way no one will have to freeze tonight." That they had managed to get Juturna Platform G somewhat up and running again with the help of one of the tapper's engineers had helped a great deal in securing a steady supply in the days to come. "And please, don't hesitate to partake in our rations."

After saying goodbye, S'eni walked away, waiting until she was out of sight before leaning against the station's wall with a sigh. She closed her eyes, taking a little moment to rest while she could. What a day, and it was far from over.

Her ears perked up slightly at the footsteps that approached her, but it wasn't until the person came to a stop that she opened her eyes again. "Rostik. Is something the matter?"

"I could ask you the same," the Hrothgar replied. "You look tired."

"I'd be lying if I claimed the thought of crawling into my bedroll hasn't crossed my mind," she admitted, then shook her head. "But there's still a bit more to do before that. I just need to sit down for a few minutes..."

Following her words, she slid down the wall and onto the floor. Rostik released a deep chuckle.

"Then allow me to keep you a little bit of company while you are resting." She just raised a hand as if to say "Go ahead". After sitting down next to her, he let his eyes wander. "Strange..."

"What is?"

"To be here. To take the Ist Legion, or rather what remains of it, into our care," Rostik replied. "Not so long ago, something like this would've been inconceivable. These truly are strange times."

"And strange times make for even stranger bedfellows." S'eni chuckled. "Believe me, I learned that lesson many times. No less when none other than Gaius van Baelsar decided to suddenly return from the dead."

"Hmm. I suppose you're right."

Silently, they watched the other members of the contingent helping the downtrodden refugees. It was heartening to see them accepting their help so readily, even if it wasn't all of them. For some, their pride was too great, but they wouldn't force anyone.

"How are things in Bozja?" she asked after a bit.

"There's a lot to be done, even with the fighting now over it will be a long while before Bozja has recovered. We lost many good people..." reaching up, he stroked one of his Ceourl-like whiskers. "But I trust that Bajsaljen has things well in hand."

S'eni released a hum at that. Bajsaljen was a good man—a good leader. One that would create a new Bozja. To make sure that past mistakes wouldn't be repeated. Time would tell if someone like that would step up for the Garleans as well, but with people like Lucia, Maxima and, hells, even Gaius, she was hopeful.

After a few more minutes, S'eni rose back to her feet and stretched herself for good measure. "Well, back to work."

"Already? You truly aren't one to sit idle," Rostik noted and stood up as well. "But I shouldn't be surprised. By the way, how is Radovan doing these days?"

"Last I heard, one of my fellow Scion hired him and Sophie for a mission." She shrugged and began zo walk, shooting him a little grin over her shoulder. "So I'm afraid you'll have to ask him yourself."

He laughed. "So it seems."

Making her way over to the train, she stepped into the car, where some of the continent's healers were looking over the sick and injured refugees.

"How's it going?" she asked one of the healers, a member of the Twin Adders.

"We did what we could here, but some of these people need more thorough medical attention," he explained. "We've delivered some of them back to camp already and are currently on the next batch."

"Good. Tell me when you're ready and I'll escort you."

"Aah...I recognize that voice," someone said suddenly and they both turned to look towards one of the soldiers sitting on the ground. It was the one she had talked with for a brief moment. He was looking much better since then. "You're the one who was so kind to me...Hah, I thought you were one of us...not that it makes much of a difference now."

Passing by the healer, S'eni knelt down next to the legionary. "How are you feeling?" she asked.

He offered her a weak smile. "Like I actually might make it past the night now..."

"You will. Our healers back at Camp Broken Glass will make sure of that," she said. "What's your name?"

"Flavius..."

"Nice to properly meet you, Flavius. I'm S'eni."

"S'eni...yes, I will remember that name..."

She gave the soldier a pat on the shoulder, before looking at the healer and nodding. As S'eni left the car again, she turned her head to the left, towards the locomotive. Walking over to it, she peered inside and frowned.

Jullus was sitting on the sofa, unmoving. His head was turned towards the banner hanging over the train's controls, and she didn't need to see his face to know what he was looking at. The large crimson stain that covered half of the chain symbol.

With his hopes of reconquering Garlemald with the unified legions destroyed, Legatus Quintus had issued one last order to his men, relieving them of their duties, then proceeded to take his own life. Why he had done so, nobody knew. Maybe it was to absolve his troops of any guilt, or perhaps he truly had believed in the righteousness of the Garlean cause until the very end. And so, the Ist Legion had come to an end...with but a single bullet.

Wordlessly, she stepped inside and sat down next to Jullus, putting a hand on his shoulder. He jumped at her touch and, as if awakening from a trance, blinked a few times as he looked at her. "Oh, S'eni. Sorry, I just—"

She silenced him by placing a finger against her lips, then reached out to tap his chest. Just above his heart. He stared at her for a few moments, before releasing a deep breath and nodding.

"Come," she said and rose back up, holding out her hand towards him. "There's more of your people that need help."

His gaze dropped to her offered hand, looking at it for a few seconds. "Yes. You're right," he said and took her hand.

 

---

 

Y'shtola released a deep breath and leaned back, letting her eyes roam over the leg in front of her. After doing so for a few seconds, she looked at its owner, a young man, and smiled. "All done. But I would suggest you take care not to put any undue pressure on it for a few days," she told him.

"Y-Yes. Thank you," he said, testing his newly mended leg a little while looking at it in awe. The inability of pure-blooded Garleans to wield their aether was a well-known fact, but truth be told she never had given it much more than a passing thought before. Now that they were in the very heartland of the Empire, or what was left of it anyway, it had become a constant in everyone's minds. Especially after the events at Victors' Spoils.

Luckily for them, Maxima and Lucia had done their best in trying to dissuade any fears that the use of healing spells might cause, so the number of people refusing aid via magical means was relatively low. Regardless of that, though, she and the other healers took great pains to be as careful as possible while treating them. It had worked in their favour so far.

After helping her patient into the building they were using to house the refugees in need of treatment, Y'shtola stopped for a moment and closed her eyes. She took a deep breath, using the chilly air filling her lungs as an anchor to ground her senses. While it had become a little more bearable by now, the tower's presence was still taking its toll on her, especially now that she was healing people left and right.

At the very least, the constant headache had long since subsided. But as she opened her eyes again, Y'shtola could see the twisting and pulsing aura of pure malevolence filling the air around her, like a veil of dark aether that draped itself over her sight. She shook her head with a sigh and began to head back. There were still more people in need of healing.

However, just as she was finished with her next patient, she found her gaze drawn towards the spire in the distance, and her face began to darken. Just looking at it from here made that sensation she felt in the Tower of Zot return in full force. It was fascinating in a way...yet no less disturbing.

"Y'shtola?" Tearing herself away from the sight, she turned to find Alisaie looking at her, a worried expression on her face. "Are you alright? You seem distracted."

A strained smile formed on her lips. "I believe all this healing is beginning to catch up on me," she admitted.

"Get some rest then. You've been doing this since the first refugees arrived, never mind healing the tempered. Raha will be back soon. He can take over for you."

"Yes. Perhaps you are right," Y'shtola said.

"Of course!" Alisaie smiled. "Besides, S'eni wouldn't be amused seeing you strain yourself after telling someone to not strain himself just a few minutes ago."

"And who would tell her about that, I wonder?" she quirked a brow but dropped it with another sigh. "Oh, very well, but should the need arise—"

"We won't hesitate to call for you. Now go, we've got this well in hand." The young woman raised her hand in a shooing motion.

Finding herself so thoroughly dismissed, Y'shtola resisted the urge to roll her eyes and wandered off, looking for a quiet little corner where she could sit down a little. She eventually found it in form of a bench in front of one of the houses, dusting off the fresh coat of snow from it before sitting down. It was a nice spot, she had to say, offering a nice view over the camp's premises. She had no doubt that whoever owned this house used to sit here a great deal, the warmth from within against their back as they watched the daily proceedings of their neighbours. Now the warmth was gone, as were the owners...

She pushed that thought aside. As tragic as the fates of these people were, mulling over them wouldn't do them any good now. They had to focus on the ones that were still here. And right now she was supposed to be resting.

If only she had brought one of her tomes with her, but she had sadly left it on board of the airship. So with nothing else to do, Y'shtola simply watched their comrades going about their duties. Minutes passed by like that, and as she felt her body winding down, a wave of fatigue came over her. Just as she was stifling a yawn, a sudden echo of voices made her ears perk up and she turned her head to see one of the guards posted at the edge of camp waving into the distance.

More refugees, Y'shtola noted as she saw the group heading up the path. Even with her sight being impeded by the tower's presence, she could almost instantly see that G'raha was with them. But her attention didn't stay on her friend for long, as it was swiftly drawn towards the person bringing up the rear, her unique aether shining bright even through the dark aura. Feeling the corners of her lips curl upward, she rose to her feet and walked over, offering G'raha a friendly nod as he made to deliver the sick and injured to their impromptu infirmary.

"Welcome back," she greeted S'eni, giving her a quick once over. "I hope they haven't been working you too hard."

Instead of answering though, the other Miqo'te looked her in the eye, before stepping forward and throwing her arms around Y'shtola. A little confused at the sudden hug, she nevertheless raised her arms to return it. "Eni...?"

"...warm."

"Come again?"

"You're so...warm..." S'eni murmured and buried her face into the crook of Y'shtola's neck.

She blinked once, then released a chuckle, gently stroking her lover's back. "Shall we get you out of the cold then?"

"Hm..." S'eni nodded against her skin. "Just...a little longer. Alright?"

"Very well," Y'shtola said, smiling warmly and pulling her a little closer. They stayed like this for a moment before she led S'eni towards one of the buildings, a smaller warehouse where they had just managed to install a heater in. Come nightfall, it would be quite packed, but for now it was mercifully empty.

As they sat down behind a small stack of crates, S'eni slumped against it and closed her eyes.

"My, has the brave Warrior of Light finally met her match?" she asked teasingly, watching as the other Miqo'te's lips curled upward.

"And what of you, great Master Matoya?" S'eni shot right back. "I'm not seeing you with the other healers."

"If you are that curious about it, I'm to take a break. Alisaie was quite adamant about it, though I feel that is quite rich coming from one who has a well-established history of reckless behaviour." Y'shtola released a huff. "...Honestly, we're fortunate none of you have ended up in my care."

S'eni hummed and leaned against her. Y'shtola gently rested her head against hers in response.

"How have things been going here?" S'eni asked.

"With the wounded and sick, as well as the tempered, we had our hands full," Y'shtola replied. "Though it's good to see you managed to convince so many to come here."

"Yeah...though some still refuse."

"Understandable. These people have been through a lot. And while we can mend their bodies, the toll on their hearts and minds is another matter," she said. "But we shouldn't let that deter us, but neither should we blindly rush ahead to see the day won if we wish to avoid disaster..."

A moment passed.

"...Eni?" but instead of a proper response, she was met with slow, even breathing. Y'shtola giggled into her fist. "It seems you truly met your match. At least for today."

Placing a little kiss against the side of S'eni's head, she nestled against her and closed her eyes. Since she had the chance, maybe she could rest her eyes a little. Yes, I believe I shall...

...

...

...

...A sudden sound from outside made her jolt, and her eyes immediately snapped open, the spell that granted her sight activating after she blinked a few times. Her ears perked upward to get a better listen. It sounded like...laughter?

Next to her, S'eni began to stir and, with a groan, raised a hand to her face. After rubbing it, she cracked open an eye and glanced towards a nearby window. "Oh...it's evening. Must've fallen asleep there..."

"So did I, it seems," Y'shtola muttered. Resisting the urge to simply close their eyes again, they instead stood up and began to head towards the doors to see what was going on. Just as her hand landed on the door handles, she was stopped by S'eni calling out her name. As she turned her head, she found a small kiss planted upon her lips.

"Told you I would make some time for us," her lover said with a wink and Y'shtola couldn't resist the laugh that escaped her.

"Too bad we slept right through most of it."

Opening the doors, they stepped outside and found that the camp was quite abuzz. Apparently, they had just woken up in time for dinner. "Ah, there you are. I was wondering where you two went," a familiar voice said and they looked to the right to see Lyse walking towards them, holding two steaming cups.

"Lyse." Y'shtola inclined her head.

"Seems like we missed quite a bit," S'eni said while looking around. There were certainly more heaters placed around camp now.

"Not as much as you might think. Anyways, here." Lyse handed them the cups. Looking at its contents, Y'shtola saw that it was a soup of sorts. "A little something based on a recipe of our Steppe friends."

After giving her thanks, the two of them found themselves a place to sit down and began to partake of their meal.

"My, that taste is certainly something," Y'shtola said after taking her first sip, earning a little chuckle.

"Yeah, but believe me, it's really hearty. It'll fill you up." S'eni smiled and looked around.

They fell into a comfortable silence, just enjoying their meal and each other's company while listening to their comrades talking, telling stories, and laughing at jokes while one of Gridania's bards was providing music. Even some of the refugees were tentatively taking part in conversations. A little peaceful moment amidst the chaos that was still plaguing these lands.

By the time she was done with her soup, it turned out that the other Miqo'te had been quite right in her assessment and she was well and truly full. Downing her own last sip, S'eni got up and stretched herself before looking at her. "I think I'll take a little walk around camp. Still feeling a little stiff."

"Very well, then I suppose I shall see if I can be of any assistance to the cooks."

Giving her a little wave, S'eni walked away, and Y'shtola picked up their cups to go look for whoever was in charge of the ladles. After finding them and offering her help, she was soon walking around camp carrying a tablet filled with cups of soup which she offered to those of the contingent that just returned to camp. She had just brought some to Rostik and his fellow Bozjan's, when her eyes landed back on her lover, who was standing a little bit further away, talking with Lucia and Maxima. A small smile formed on her lips and she was about to return to get more soup when—

She froze in place.

—the aether around them began to shift...no...grow; grow more intense. Y'shtola whirled towards the tower, the tablet in her hand landing dropping into the snow, and her eyes began to widen. She barely had any time to react, when an ear piercing roar echoed through the air, followed by a sudden chain of reactions from the warding scales everyone was carrying, forming protective barriers around them.

...Except for the Garleans.

A few seconds ticked by. Nobody said a word. Then it happened. One by one, the refugees began to scream and thrash about, attacking anyone that was nearby. The camp exploded into pure chaos as everyone scrambled to stop the Garleans from doing any harm, and immediately began to dash into the direction where the others were taking care of the injured only to find herself tackled to the ground by one of the soldiers of the Ist Legion.

"Glory...be...to Garlemald," he pressed through gritted teeth, trying to make a grab for her neck. She planted her hands against his chest, pushing him away as much as she could while his fingers were mere inches away from her throat. They struggled for a few seconds, until she managed to push one of his arms aside just long enough to grab onto his face and cast a swift sleep spell. As his eyes closed and his body went slack, she rolled them over and got back on her feet. Panting, she stared at the now sleeping soldier, before letting her eyes dart around the area, trying to find S'eni amidst the chaos.

But she was nowhere to be found.

 

Chapter 130

Through Different Eyes pt. 1

 

Hmm, well this tale has taken a turn I did not expect. What will our hero do now, I wonder?

 

---

 

Where...am I...?

"The experiment was a rousing success, but the effects will not last for long..." she could hear faintly through the fog inside her mind. Slowly, she opened her eyes but found that she couldn't keep them open, as if her body did not wish to obey.

What...happened...?

There had been a roar...and the refugees had started going crazy...

All I can remember...

"I shall begin the preparations then."

...is Fandaniel.

Her consciousness faded.

She didn't know how much time passed until she was awoken again by someone shaking her. The voice, which had been little more than a distant echo, was now much clearer. "Wake up," it singsonged.

Opening her eyes again, and managing to keep them from immediately falling shut, she found herself looking at a plate filled with food. As she raised her head, she saw that she was sitting at a long table. And seated at the other end was none other than Zenos!

S'eni made to stand up, but the hand on her shoulder kept her firmly in place. When she turned her head to look who it was, she was greeted by Fandaniel's smiling face. He was dressed in a butler's uniform.

"Good morning. Here, eat—" he gestured towards a bowl of steaming soup next to the plate. "—before it grows cold. Ah, but be careful while removing that helmet. You still have to grow used to your new home."

New home...? What in blazes— a gasp escaped her when she looked down at a pair of unfamiliar hands. Eyes widening, she took in the rest of her appearance. She was in a different body!

"And? How does it feel?" Fandaniel asked, sounding almost like a child eager to have their friend open their birthday present. "A new body can be so refreshing! Like balm for a weary soul."

He leaned in closer.

"We had a Magitek engineer by the name of Aulus to thank for this method of soul extraction and implantation. Surely you remember him. After all, you took his life in Ala Mhigo."

Yes, she remembered very well. That monster who experimented on innocent people.

"Mindjack, he called it. Oh but it is so much more," Fandaniel said. "Especially with the improvements I made."

"Give me back my body!" she snarled "Or I'll..."

"And have you ruin this fine meal?" he shook his head. "No, I think not. It was not easy getting you here. When I discovered that my lord's 'friend' was in this neck of the woods I thought it would only be right to...invite you. He never deigned to respond, but I took his silence as a resounding yes!"

A sudden roar shook the entire room. The very same that had preceded the chaos at camp. And it was coming from the gates to her right. Fandaniel turned around.

"Oh, listen. Daddy is pleased his naughty boy finally found a playmate!

"What!?" Daddy!?

"Ah, yes. I should probably explain. As you might already know, religions are outlawed by the Empire. Without gods, no summonings. Simple," he explained. "So to whom do the citizens turn to in their hour of need?"

"I think I liked your clone more," she shot back. "He got to the point."

He ignored her remark and spread his arms wide. "Why yes, the Emperor of course!" he said. "I admit, Garlemald has seen better days. Solus zos Galvus is dead, the provinces are openly rebelling, and our new Emperor has been murdered, causing a civil war. It is such a shame. The people called for salvation, their pleas—one might even call them prayers—wished for the Empire to reclaim past glories. And their calls were answered, manifesting in the corpse of Emperor Varis. Their savior has arrived, the embodiment of the Garlean spirit: Anima!"

As if on cue, another roar went through the air.

"Anima..." she stared at the gates. "You turned a dead man into a primal..."

"Ah ah ah." Fandaniel wagged his finger at her. "The Garlean people did. We only...helped them along. Anima offers those that seek guidance a helping hand and encourages them to fight. And just like how Garlemald has drawn in wealth and power, so does our dear primal draw aether. From all corners of the world."

Realization struck her upon his words and her gaze darted over to him. "So that's the true purpose of the towers."

"Exactly. Full marks for you. They are an extension of Anima. An ingenious design—" the Ascian spun on his heel to look towards Zenos. "Would you not agree, my lord?"

Zenos, who had been calmly eating up until now, raised a glass to his lips and drank for a few seconds. As he placed it back down, he fixed her with his gaze. Cold and hollow, but deep inside, there was the bloodlust of a beast.

"Tell me, what excitement does prey hold that one has already bested?" he asked.

She didn't reply.

"Exactly: None. Without the thrill of the hunt, it is little more than butcher's work. You surely must think the same. Since our battle high above Ala Mhigo, I must have surely fallen in your estimation. That is something I have to live with, and should you refuse to resume the hunt we shall never again experience that same sense of euphoria." He leaned back in his seat, a gloved hand tapping the table. Taking that as his cue, Fandaniel picked up the bottle of wine standing on the table and walked over to him. "That is why I am doing everything in my power to reignite the fire inside you, while I sharpen my claws in eagerness."

A moment of silence followed, only broken by the sound of wine being poured.

"Wherever there is suffering and despair, you appear to fulfill your duty as defender of this star." The corners of his lips rose into a smile. "The chaos and destruction my hordes have wrought...are my gifts to you alone."

She inhaled sharply. Then everything that happened...all the people that died or had been hurt...were all just to draw her out. To join him on this twisted stage he was setting.

Gritting her teeth, she began to shake as anger welled up from deep inside of her. All of this just so he could have a repeat of their battle in Ala Mhigo. Slamming her hands on the table, she shot up from her chair.

"You godsdamned monster—ugh!" A sudden wave of dizziness hit her and she fell back down.

Zenos raised a curious brow. "Is that all? I apologize. I must be a terrible host," he said, rising up and beginning to walk away.

"Already had enough?" Fandaniel asked.

The crown prince stopped and turned his head ever so slightly, his eyes firmly on S'eni as he spoke.

"There is only one thing that can sate my hunger, and my friend, it seems, has lost her appetite. Though I had simply wished to try something new, this simple meal clearly is not worthy of our reunion. Fortunately, I have something you might enjoy more." He resumed walking. As his steps echoed along the metal walkway, the candles adorning it started to ignite one by one. "Before I reclaimed my body from that Ascian, my soul found refuge in another. To fight in an unfamiliar form was an enlightening experience. Never before had I felt my own flaws more clearly. I asked myself: where does one's true strength come from? In our flesh and bones? Or perhaps in our soul? You will soon find out for yourself."

And as the last few candles began to burn, they revealed a lone throne waiting at the end of the walkway. And seated upon the throne, her body. With a curse, she ignored the last remaining bit of dizziness and jumped out of her seat to dart towards him. But it was already too late.

Calmly, Zenos turned around, his earlier smile back, and briefly closed his eyes. When he opened them again, they glowed in the same ominous red as back when he merged himself with Shinryu. "Follow me if you wish to have it back."

He crumpled to the ground. As S'eni stopped above his lifeless form, she saw her own begin to stir. Her body's head slowly rose until cherry-pink eyes met those of her host through the helmet. Her lips twisted into a smirk, before teleporting away.

"NO!" she shouted.

"My goodness," she heard Fandaniel's voice from behind her and whirled around to face him. "I wonder what might happen to your friends if my lord greets them as you. I fear the worst!"

"You—!" she grabbed him by his collar. "Get me to him! Now!"

"My, such ferocity. But you are right, we'd better hurry if we wish to avert a bloodbath."

He placed a hand on her wrist and, from one moment to the next, they were gone.

 

---

 

When they reappeared again, they were floating high above the ruins of the capital. As S'eni looked around, she saw that it was indeed the next day, though the clouds made it hard to ascertain just what time it was exactly. Turning her attention to the Ascian, who had discarded the butler guise for his usual robes, she saw him gesture into the distance.

"And there it is, your camp. If I were to hazard a guess, I would say my lord is on his way there as we speak. You'd best catch up to him posthaste before he causes any damage." Fandaniel slowly lowered them onto the broken remains of a road. "I'm afraid the rest of the way you will have to cross on your own. It wouldn't do to make this too easy for you."

"Of course." She snorted.

"My, my, how testy, but I would advise you to focus that ire on what lies up ahead. After all, you've more than enough obstacles ahead of you. There, look for yourself." S'eni followed his gaze and saw the streets down below teeming with tempered and Magitek alike. Great. "Under normal circumstances, you would have little trouble. But just look at you. You just aren't yourself today. So perhaps it would be more prudent to keep to the shadows."

With a smile, he produced a short sword from under his robes and dropped it on the ground in front of her feet, before giving her a little wave and disappearing again. Sighing through her nose, she walked over and picked it up. It looked sharp enough.

It's something at least, she thought and looked down at the form she now occupied. As much as she hated to admit it, but Fandaniel was right. There was no way she would survive in this weakened state. And if that wasn't bad enough, the body she was currently occupying was without a doubt male. How the guys were able to run around without these dangly bits getting in the way was a mystery to her.

"Well then, let's get started," she murmured and walked over to the edge of the road. I'm coming, Zenos!

Jumping down, she immediately rolled behind a nearby broken vehicle and peered out from behind it. Soldiers, and even a Colossus. So that way was out. She then looked to the left, where the path was clearer. Just a single soldier on patrol.

When she was sure his back was turned, she dashed out of hiding and hid behind another derelict much closer to him. She inverted her blade and watched him, just like Yugiri once taught her, waiting for just the right—there!

Jumping out, she grabbed the soldier, covering his mouth with her hand to keep him from shouting and pulling him out of sight. As soon as he was on the ground, she plunged her blade into his chest and twisted. He struggled for a few more seconds, before finally succumbing to his wound.

She pulled the blade out and offered him a quick prayer. If things had been different, she might have managed to take him out without killing him. But right now it was either kill or be killed. Inspecting his body, she found a few medical supplies and, more importantly, one of the types of explosives that Jullus had provided them with. She put it all into the bag on her hips and continued onward.

In a twist of irony, the desolate state of the city made for ample cover and she quickly made her way through the street while avoiding any other run-ins with tempered soldiers. That was until she hit a roadblock made out of roughly a dozen Magitek units that had flocked together to guard the way to her destination. Fortunately though, she also spotted a nearby Magitek Reaper that still looked operational enough.

Sneaking over, she inspected it and found that its leg was damaged and it was missing fuel. Of course, she thought. But if she managed to get this thing running, it would serve as a good stationary turret. And so, with no other option left, she went on the hunt for some Ceruleum, inspecting the various destroyed units scattered around the area. At first, it looked like what little had remained had long since run out or burned together with the units, until she managed to find one whose gauge showed that a bit of fuel still remained.

With a hiss, the hatch opened and she pulled out the tank. Now she just needed to get it back. Which was easier said than done, since this thing was going to make it harder to sneak past all these tempered and she would be unable to defend herself.

Time for a diversion then. Reaching into her bag, she pulled out one of the explosives and flung it into the distance. She hid behind a wrecked wall and counted down the seconds inside her mind. A loud explosion echoed through the air, soon followed by the sound of running as the tempered soldiers hurried over to check, creating enough of a gap in their patrols to make her way back to the Magitek armour.

Just as she was about to reach it though, the sudden turning around from one of the units up ahead forced her to duck into a building nearby. She made to peek outside when the click of a gun caused her to stiffen. Slowly, she placed the tank on the ground and raised her hands, before turning around. Lying in one of the far corners was a Garlean soldier, his gun trained at her.

"You're not one of them?" he asked after a few seconds.

"No, I'm not."

With a sigh of relief, he dropped his gun and let his head slump back against the wall. "Thank goodness...I thought I was the only one left—ungh."

"Are you hurt?" she asked and knelt down next to him.

"The bastards got my hand when they took down my Magitek Reaper outside."

"That's yours? I'm trying to get it running again."

"Then you'll need my key. Here." Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a small case and opened it, revealing the identification key inside. After she took it, he clamped it shut again and let his hand fall onto his lap.

She pocketed the key and looked him over. "Can you walk?"

He shook his head. "I'd be nothing but a liability. I'll stay here and wait for reinforcements. If you find any of my comrades...tell them I'm here."

But the look in his eyes told her he knew as well as she, that it was a slim chance at best. Yet despite that, S'eni nodded. He gave her a weak smile.

Walking back over to the door, she peered outside and saw that the coast was clear again, so she grabbed the tank and hurried over to the Magitek Reaper. After putting the tank inside, she climbed into the seat and pushed the key into the armature. "Yes!" she said as the Magitek Reaper sprung back to life.

The sudden sound didn't go unnoticed by the units up ahead, and they all turned towards her, but were too slow to react when she unleashed all of the machine's weaponry upon them. By the time she disembarked again, there was nothing more than smoking pieces of destroyed machinery left in her path. Giving the house where the wounded soldier was one last look, S'eni hurried onward.

Rounding the corner, she spotted the snowy fields of the Eblan Rime just down the road but paused partway when she heard sounds coming from the distance. Shouting. Fighting. She looked up ahead, where the road to camp awaited, guarded by only a few tempered that were easily avoided, and...ran towards the voices instead.

As she drew closer, S'eni noticed that it was a group of armed citizens being attacked by local creatures that had found their way into the city. Rushing towards the one nearest to her, who was fending off some kind of local Bomb, she brandished her blade and swiped at the creature from behind. With a loud cry, it expanded like the rest of its brethren, then fizzled out and fell to the ground.

The citizen, a young man holding a blade, looked at her with wide eyes. "Thank you! I didn't expect anyone else was still here," he said and hurriedly nodded towards his compatriots. "Q-Quick, we need to help the others!"

"Right!"

Teaming up with the others, they managed to put down the rest of the creatures. Afterwards, she was approached by another one of the citizens, this one wielded a lance. "Thanks, stranger. Without your help we might've been done for."

"What are you doing out here?" she asked.

"Scavenging supplies. We were just on our way back to the shelter when we were attacked."

"Are you going to be alright from here on?"

"We have a Magitek Reaper that's fully operational nearby." He pointed up ahead. "If we can reach that, we ought to be able to make it."

She looked in that direction and nodded. She could make it to camp from there as well. "Let's hurry, then."

Not needing to be told twice, they began heading in the direction of where the Magitek armour was waiting. As soon as they arrived, one of them made to climb on top of it when a sudden sound caused them to pause. "Did you hear that?"

"Yes, sounded like...a voice?" one of the others replied.

A second ticked by. And another. Then, the sound returned, more numerous this time. Grabbing her blade, S'eni whirled towards it and spotted a group of tempered soldiers heading their way, the corruption of their bodies surpassing even that of the ones she had previously encountered.

"Shit! Get that thing running!" she shouted and waved over the other men. "Everyone, prepare yourself!"

She dodged to the side as one of them lunged at her, his flailing arm scratching her armor, and she slashed her sword across his side. That did little to deter him though, as he simply ignored the gaping wound and whirled towards her, the crystalline outgrowth on half his face shifting while he snarled. He hurled himself at her once more, but she managed to duck just in the nick of time and impaled him on her blade. Pushing his now lifeless body away, she wasted no time helping one of the others.

For all their ferocity, the corrupted were not exactly smart, and once the Magitek Reaper provided them with covering fire, it was little more than a question of time until they were all taken care of. Then a sudden roar made them look northward, where another tempered came stomping towards them, his corruption having gone so far as to increase his size into a weirdly proportioned mess of crystal and flesh. As he closed in on them, the crystals all over his body began to glow a deep purple.

Oh no... she knew exactly what that meant, but she wasn't the only one.

"It's going to explode!" the pilot of the Magitek Reaper called out and jumped out of the seat. "Get behind the armor!"

They scrambled behind it, making themselves as small as possible to protect themselves from the incoming blast. But it was of no use. The energy release was too much for the armor to handle and ignited the Ceruleum within, causing it to explode.

She was flung through the air, landing harshly on the ground and crying out as pain engulfed her torso. That was definitely a broken rib...or multiple. With shaking arms, she somehow managed to push herself up just enough to see the burned wreckage of what remained of the reaper, strewn all over the area. Lying amongst it were the lifeless bodies of the imperials she just fought with.

Gods... The strength left her and she slumped down face first. Every breath that she took burned in her lungs. Vision becoming blurry, she let her eyes fall shut as darkness claimed her consciousness...

 

Notes:

And I'll see you next week.

Chapter 131

Through Different Eyes pt. 2

 

A sigh made its way past Y'shtola's lips as she stepped outside. Her hand went up to her slightly tussled-up hair to try and smooth it, but gave up trying. What a night. And she was very much ready to simply lie down and let sleep claim her.

But there was still much to be done, and it wasn't like she was truly able to get proper sleep right now anyway. Leaning against the side of the building, she looked out into the distance. Where are you, Eni?

She'd been missing for the entire night now, and while Y'shtola knew she very much could take care of herself, it was still worrying her. It wasn't like S'eni to just up and vanish without notice. No something...

But her trail of thought was interrupted by Thancred calling her name, and she turned to face him. "Yes, what is it?" she asked.

"Lucia wishes to speak with us," he replied.

"Very well, lead the way."

Together, they headed towards the outskirts of camp, where Lucia and the others were waiting for them. After arriving, they went over what had happened. Shortly after the first wave of aether had followed two more, though by that time, all the Garleans in Camp Broken Glass had already been in a frenzy and those in Tertium were protected by the radio there, so it had done little more than test the limits of their warding scales. Still...

"It's fortunate we were able to restrain the tempered without suffering casualties," Y'shtola said.

"Indeed." Lucia nodded. "Those that were wounded are being treated by A-Ruhn-Senna and the others as we speak. Thankfully, there are more than enough warding scales for everyone to prevent another situation like this."

"What of Jullus?" Alphinaud asked. "Has he already recovered?"

"Not yet. There are still some that have fared worse, including some brought back from Magna Glacies. In a situation like this, we need to focus on those in most need of treatment. It may be a while until it is his turn." The commander let her eyes wander over their group. "But rest assured, he will. In the meantime, we must find our missing friend. May the Fury guide you."

Offering them a salute, Lucia left. As soon as she was gone, Estinien crossed his arms. "Of all the bloody times disappear on us..." he muttered.

"It was right after the first wave. Can't be a coincidence," Thancred pointed out. "Alas, no one saw her when the chaos broke out. And without a trail to follow, we don't even know where to start looking."

"As much as I know S'eni can handle herself, I worry all the same," Alphinaud said.

Y'shtola's face darkened. Looked like they had no other choice but to split up and search the entire area. Just as she was to suggest as much though, G'raha, who stood closest to the path leading down, perked his ears.

"Look. Someone's coming..." he said and turned around.

Indeed there was someone walking towards camp. But it was no one she recognized. Perhaps another refugee that had decided to come here after yesterday's events. So it was all the more surprising to hear Alisaie say, "There she is!"

What? That's supposed to be...Eni? Y'shtola thought as G'raha and Alisaie began to head down the path. On closer inspection, the person's form was strikingly similar, yet that couldn't be. That person's aether is nothing like hers.

Frown forming on her face, she asked, "Are you sure that's her?"

"Aye, 'twould appear so," Urianger replied. "Thou art struggling to perceive her presence?"

"Either the wave of aether has interfered with my sight or..." her eyes widened in horror. "That's not her!"

Before the others could react, she dashed down the road, brandishing her staff when she saw a sinister aura well up from deep within whoever was possessing S'eni. With a sudden burst, the aura erupted from her, forming into a twisted creature wielding a scythe. It swung its weapon menacingly around and descended towards G'raha and Alisaie. "Get down!" she shouted, raising her staff as fire engulfed its tip—

"NO YOU WON'T!"

—only to be interrupted by a sword flying through the air, ripping into the creature and causing it to disperse. Immediately, Y'shtola looked to the side where an out-of-breath soldier was standing. A soldier with an impossibly bright aether. Eni...?

"That's enough, Zenos!" S'eni's voice echoed from within the soldier. "Leave them out of this, you bastard!"

Struggling to keep on her feet, S'eni rushed forward and tackled her possessed body to the ground. As soon as they landed, she made to get up again, but a sudden cry of pain escaped her and she began clutching the helmet she was wearing. The others, who had witnessed this, came rushing to join them, their own weapons drawn, when a portal of darkness opened mid-air, and that Ascian Fandaniel appeared.

"Sadly, that is all the time we have today. We shall end this charade and return all into our own bodies," he announced and slowly lowered himself to the ground. Thancred moved to attack, but paused when the Ascian raised a finger. "Ah, but where are my manners? I bid you welcome. One seldom has so many guests, and uninvited ones at that. As such I offer you proper entertainment. Tempered soldiers to hamper your progress. Refugees that would command all your attention, while I quietly syphoned their Ceruleum."

Fandaniel chuckled to himself.

"You have aided these poor souls so admirably and wasted so much precious time. Just as I hoped. Thanks to that, my plan will soon come to fruition! Soon, Anima will have absorbed enough aether to begin the spectacle of all spectacles! The oldest and most powerful of primals will awaken and usher in the Final Days!"

Shifting her gaze away from the Ascian, Y'shtola saw Zenos kneel in front of S'eni and grab her by the helmet. He said something to her, but she couldn't make out what it was. Then, in the blink of an eye, both collapsed to the ground.

"Well then, I suppose that is my cue. I hope you have enjoyed your time here so far." Fandaniel offered them a dark smile. "It shall only get more interesting from here. Ta ta."

He vanished the same way he appeared.

As soon as he was gone, Y'shtola put away her staff and hurried over to the two bodies lying on the ground. She knelt down to take a closer look and sighed in relief when she saw that S'eni's aether was slowly returning to where it belonged. Carefully taking S'eni into her arms, Y'shtola brushed some stray hair out of the other Miqo'te's face.

When the transference was done, she looked up at the others. "We need to get her back inside."

"Here, let me help you," G'raha said and knelt down on S'eni's other side. Putting an arm around their shoulder each, they slowly raised her off the ground and began to carry her up the path.

"Call Lucia," she told Alisaie, who rushed off with a nod.

There was much to discuss. And apparently less time than they would have liked.

 

---

 

S'eni felt herself floating. Around her, there existed nothing but darkness. Quiet, calm, almost peaceful.

Steps then echoed through the dark, coming towards her. Distant at first, then very close. And as the steps came to a halt, she felt herself being grabbed by her hair and yanked forward. The darkness faded and her own face appeared in front of her, her lips curled into a sinister smirk.

Suddenly, her face shifted into that of Zenos, and he began to speak.

"I shall devour the very gods with all their being, and nothing, neither your friends nor a single spec of dust shall remain of this world," he said, his voice echoing all around. "Hate me...More fervently than ever before..."

He faded away again, being instead replaced by a vision of Vrtra, looking at her with his single eyes.

"Many threads wound around your life's reel. 'Tis blessing and curse alike. You walk along a path offering no reprieve, every twist and turn a struggle without surcease. And what of your companions? How often didst the flames of your existence devour them?" the words he had previously said to her filled the dark. "If you wouldst continue on this path, then protect them. They will be your strength and salvation."

White began to fill her vision...

...and she woke up. When she opened her eyes, the first thing she was greeted by was Alphinaud's face, his lips slowly curling into a smile. "Thank goodness. She's awake!"

Blinking a few times, S'eni looked around to see the others as well as Maxima and Lucia surrounding her. She turned her gaze downward and looked at her hand. She was back in her own body!

Without thinking, she shot off the ground and practically flung herself at Y'shtola, who released a startled yelp. "Eni—!"

"Are you alright!?" she demanded. "Did he hurt any of you!?"

Hands gently placed themselves on her shoulders and pushed her back enough so that the other Miqo'te could look her in the eye. "Don't worry." Y'shtola smiled. "Everyone is unharmed."

"...Thank the gods," S'eni breathed out and brought their foreheads together, remaining like this until Alisaie spoke up.

"Everything in working order?"

"Uh..." she wiggled her ears, swayed her tail, and even touched her chest, which earned a few raised brows, before nodding. "Yeah, everything where it should be."

"That's a relief. And thanks for coming to our rescue."

"Under normal circumstances, I would advise you to rest, but if we are to believe Fandaniel's words we have not much time left," Y'shtola said. "Once you've cleared your mind, we can discuss the assault on the Tower of Babil."

"No rest for the righteous, eh?" She ran her hands over her face and gently slapped her cheeks once or twice to clear the last vestiges of fog in her mind. "Alright, let's go. I've learned some things as well while I had the 'pleasure' to enjoy their hospitality."

"Let us take this inside then," Lucia offered and they all headed into the warehouse that had quietly become their headquarters. After gathering around the table, the Temple Knight looked at her. "Please, S'eni, tell us what you found out."

She proceeded to tell them how, in their desperation, the Garleans had called for their Emperor to save them and unbeknownst to them had created a primal, Anima. Maxima's eyes widened in horror when she mentioned that it was Varis' body that hosted the primal, and that the spires all over the world were little more than extensions of him, to call upon everyone to fight for the glory of Garlemald while he syphoned aether towards the Tower of Babil. When she was done, the room became silent until Lucia decided to speak, the anger in her voice palpable. "Does their depravity know no bounds?"

"It seems not. Moreover, we can now surmise that the wave of aether came from the primal lurking within the tower," Y'shtola said and looked at S'eni. "A primal whose cry rang much louder in your ears than ours."

"Hm." She nodded. "Quite earth-shakingly so."

"Which proves without the shadow of a doubt, that the tower is indeed the center of the Telophoroi's machinations."

"In that case, we have some highly relevant information," Lucia said and leaned on the table. "As many of you know, ever since we dispatched troops to free Alphinaud and Alisaie, we have been working on a plan to infiltrate the tower. According to Thancred and his scouts, the main structure is swarmed by tempered and Magitek alike." She tapped on the map. "Furthermore, the road leading to it has collapsed, making it difficult to approach in numbers."

"Which is why we are proposing to divide our forces into two parties—one to distract the enemy, while the other infiltrates the tower," Maxima said. "The diversionary force will be comprised of the Ishgardian, Gridanian, and Lominsan delegations. They will begin the construction of bridges, to make the Telophoroi believe we are marching upon the tower. Meanwhile, our Ala Mhigan, Ul'dahn, and Eastern comrades will use different means of entering."

"Take a look," Thancred said and tapped a spot marked on the map. "That's the Enceladeum, a vast Magitek manufactory. Or what's left of it anyway. But the tunnel connecting it to the former Imperial palace remains very much intact."

"So we're going in from there. Hmm, seems like quite a track though," S'eni pointed out after seeing the distance between the manufactory and the palace.

"It would. If the rail network wasn't fully operational. The tempered are using it to bring supplies to the tower even now."

"...If it can carry their materiel, it can carry us too, providing we sneak aboard unseen," Alphinaud said in realization.

Lucia nodded. "The Scions will lead the infiltration party. Once inside, you must locate and dispatch Fandaniel and Zenos."

"Time for those two to get what's coming to them." S'eni punched her palm.

"How quickly can we enact this plan?" Y'shtola inquired. "Fandaniel made it quite clear that time is of the essence."

"Of paramount concern in fact," G'raha then said, his face darkening. "In the time of Allag, the name 'Babil' meant 'gateway of the gods'. Emperor Xande used it to refer to a voidgate, but I'm afraid in this case it might allude to something far greater. The eldest and most powerful primal..."

"...Zodiark," S'eni finished.

"All the more reason to act now. The rest of the contingent is aware of the plan, and is ready to move at a moment's notice. You are to proceed north to Forum Patens. Lyse's group will meet you there," Lucia told them.

"As always, we are grateful for your foresight." Y'shtola smiled before looking over to the rest of them, faces growing serious. "This is the moment we've been waiting for. Spare no effort in your preparations."

A round of nods followed.

With their tasks received, they all left the building. As the others began to disperse to get ready, S'eni turned towards her lover. "Guess I'm heading ahead then. I think I'm as ready as I'll ever be."

But just after she said those words, her stomach called out in attention, reminding S'eni that her last meal was quite some time ago. Y'shtola just giggled into her fist.

"If we had time, I'd suggest having a hearty meal, but alas some of the field rations will have to do," she said with an amused twinkle in her pale eyes, before turning around and leaving to get ready as well.

After getting herself something she could eat on the way, S'eni headed out of the camp northward towards Forum Patens, situated halfway to their actual destination according to the map. When she arrived, she spotted Lyse standing together with Cirina, Sadu, and Magnai, and felt her eyebrows rise. Not at the antics of the latter two but rather at the sight of her friend standing there in little more than the dancer's dress of Yda that she had started wearing.

"Eni!" Lyse called out upon noticing her and walked a few steps to meet her. "The way into the tunnel is clear. We've made sure of that."

"Great, but I really wish you'd also brought a coat," S'eni said, pointing at the other woman with a half-eaten strip of dried meat. Lyse just looked at herself and shrugged.

"I'll warm up once I get a few punches in, don't worry."

"Hmph. Barely enough cloth to swaddle a newborn," Magnai said all of a sudden. "You have clearly spent too much time with this feral dog of a Dotharl."

"Watch your tongue, fool, or I'll feed it to the crows!" shot back while getting right into his personal space.

"We shall see who is the fool when you freeze to death. Do not expect me to warm your ill-prepared hide—" he held a hand to his fur-covered chest. "—these furs are for myself and my Nhaama alone, should I be blessed to meet her today."

Sadu snorted and rose to her tiptoes to better meet the much taller Oronir's gaze. "As if any woman of worth would wish to be warmed by you, little sun. Should we find such a warrior within, she will bask in my glorious flame."

And the bickering started in full force. As she watched the two of them, S'eni leaned towards Lyse and said, "I was honestly expecting this much sooner."

"Me too. It's almost admirable how long they lasted." They nodded in unison and S'eni shoved the last bit of her ration into her mouth. They watched this back and forth for a few seconds, until Cirina clearly had enough and stepped in between the two arguing Xaela.

"Enough, both of you! Save your fire for the enemy!" she chastised them, and it was almost comical how both looked like scolded children. "As for extra furs, I have plenty to spare."

"As do we," Y'shtola's voice suddenly rang through the air and they all turned to see her and the others walking over to them. Their coats were missing as well.

"Hello everyone," Lyse greeted them. "All set for battle, I see."

"Yes. Free of unnecessary encumbrances."

"And making me severely overdressed it seems," S'eni commented.

Smiling, her lover then held up a bag. Her bag to be precise. "How fortunate that I brought your things then."

"Whatever would I do without you?" she asked with a wry one of her own.

"Be quite better protected from the cold. On that note though..." the other Miqo'te looked towards Lyse. "We should review our strategy. Quickly if you don't mind."

"Right. Pipin has already gone ahead to the Enceladeum. We are to meet him there. We wait until the tempered's attention is drawn by our diversionary force, then we sneak onto the train. Next stop: the Tower of Babil!"

"If anyone should be injured, we Xaela will tend to them," Cirina said. "You Scions must press on, no matter what."

"We should avoid moving as a group until we're underground, so we'll need to make our own way to the Enceladeum," Thancred said and was already beginning to walk away. "See you there!"

Following his example, the others began to leave as well, each going their own way. Y'shtola was the last one to leave, but not before shooting a silent look at the bag in S'eni's hand, then sending her a wink. With a sigh, she looked at it too.

Yes, she would definitely wait until she was out of the wind.

Thankfully, avoiding the few tempered that were patrolling the area further north was simple enough on her own and she soon arrived at her destination. As she stepped onto the Enceladeum's premises, she immediately noticed the lack of any patrols, tempered or Magitek, meaning that Pipin and their allies had done an excellent job of clearing the area. She swiftly found the entrance, guarded by Rostik, Chuchuto, and Cocobuki, and stepped inside where Pipin was waiting with a few of his troops.

"Well met, S'eni," he greeted her. "We've heard you collapsed, but weren't given much explanation as to why. I'm glad to see you've already recovered enough to take part in the operation."

She supposed it wouldn't have done any good trying to explain how Zenos had been traipsing around in her body. "Yeah, I'm fine now. Don't worry. How are things looking?"

"We're going to give the area one last sweep and leave some of our men behind to guard the rear." He nodded towards the Viera woman standing near the door. A member of the Dalmascan resistance group Lente's Tears. "She will lead you to the station below. I'll follow you shortly."

"Alright." Together with the woman, S'eni headed down to the station. It was quite dark down here, most likely attributed to the Ceruleum available being used to keep the train running, with light a distant second concern at best. Looking around, she found large crates and containers scattered around the area, and she walked over to a nearby stack to change her outfit. After doing so, and ignoring the slight chill that even the heating down here couldn't prevent, she moved to the center of the hall and began to go through the familiar motions of one of her katas. By the time she was done, she felt sufficiently warmed up and more than ready for action!

The others didn't take long to join her as well, and soon enough, they had all gathered. "Good, this is everyone," Pipin said after looking around the room. A sudden explosion in the distance made them all look up, except for Cirina, whose hand shot to the Linkpearl attached to one of her horns.

"Consider the enemy well and truly distracted," she said and lowered her hand again.

Pipin nodded. "Time to go."

"Our primary objective is to find Zenos and Fandaniel. But should the opportunity present itself to vanquish Anima, we must seize it," Alphinaud said, face growing serious. "If it is indeed the force behind the towers, then destroying it will aid our allies back home. And we can free the Garleans from further manipulation by Ascian and primal alike."

"Hear, hear." Lyse smiled. "There's been enough of that. We came here to help these people and that's what we're going to do. Together!"

Alphinaud mirrored her expression. "Until the end."

"The train should be here any moment now. Prepare to board, everyone!" Pipin ordered and they moved out, making their way down to the tracks where they hid behind more containers. As the train arrived, Lyse peered out from behind the corner and held up her hand. After a few moments passed, she gave the signal and they all rushed onto the train.

They hid away in the last car, keeping out of sight while the tempered loaded the cargo on board. A short while passed until the train began moving again. Stepping out of hiding, S'eni looked at her friends and shared a nod with them.

"Let's go!"

 

Notes:

And with this, Freaky Friday: Final Fantasy XIV Edition comes to and end. Honestly, it was a fun solo duty for me after the fact. Stressful at first, but super fun.

See ya next week!

Chapter 132

Notes:

Alright, first things first so we can get the bad news out of the way: but there will sadly be no chapter next friday. I'm not at home during that time and thus unable to update. I hope you can forgive me for that.

And with that out of the way, let's continue with the chapter!

Martyr of the Ancients

 

You and your companions fought your way up the Tower of Babil, defeating anyone and anything standing in your way, including the monstrosity that was once the proud Varis zos Galvus. But you were not fast enough, and as you finally located Zenos and Fandaniel it looked like all was lost. Almost. If not for a timely intervention from Hydaelyn that left one of the seals binding Zodiark intact.

With their hand thus being forced, your adversaries decided to break the final seal themselves and you immediately gave chase. Now you are on your way to the place where He slumbers, dreaming of the day when he would be free once more of the shackles that bound him. The place where the lamentations of His servant echoed through space.

The moon.

 

---

 

Opening her eyes, S'eni found herself standing in a field of pure white desolation, stretching out all around her and broken only by structures further up ahead. An Aetheryte, which she frankly didn't expect here, and a large tower further in the distance. For a moment, she actually thought that the teleporter had malfunctioned and sent her to some unknown place in their world, but then she saw it. The round, blue form of their planet, framed by an endless ocean of stars.

It was...beautiful.

She shook her head. This wasn't the time to get entranced by the sights. Zenos and Fandaniel were here, and while Hydaelyn had thrown them off course, S'eni had no doubt it wouldn't take long for those two to show their faces. She had a mission to fulfil.

"I shall send you to one that will assist you. Do as he says and renew the seal. Zodiark must not break free," Hydaelyn had told her and the others, before being forced to retreat once more, leaving only Krile's unconscious body behind.

She shot another glance back towards the planet, where her friends were undoubtedly busy trying to reign in the situation caused by Anima's demise, when the sound of a distant voice, nothing but a faint echo, made her ears perk up.

"You arrived," it said and she looked around. "Hydaelyn's champion."

Her eyes suddenly widened when the unmistakable shape of an Ancient entered her vision, walking across the dust covered field. It looked like one of the shades in Amaurot. Perhaps it was this one? She wondered and began to walk over. But as she came closer, she immediately noticed something was strange.

"Excuse me?" she asked and reached to touch it. All of a sudden, its head snapped towards her, staring at her with unseen eyes.

"I...I..." said the Ancient shade. "Return...I must...return. Why...Why...Why!?"

As its voice grew in intensity, small revenants began to flow out of the Ancient and shoot towards her. She narrowly managed to avoid the assault and jumped backwards, her arms rising to defend herself when one of them immediately gave chase with a speed that belied its round form. Ducking away, she spun around and brought her fist up to slam into the small creature, causing it to puff out of existence. After taking care of the other two as well, S'eni turned back towards the Ancient, who had gone back to ignoring her, muttering something that she couldn't make out. But while she watched the figure, she found herself filled with a sudden sense of...grief.

"You mustn't touch them," the voice called out again. "Come find me...in cerulean halls."

Cerulean halls, hm? S'eni thought and put a hand on the back of her hip. She turned her head to look at the tower up ahead. That's probably supposed to be you.

Making her way towards the spire, she climbed the stairs leading up to the entrance and stepped inside. The interior immediately brought to mind the Amaurot Emet-Selch had created, as well as the Anyder they had later found. All around her, she saw shelves filled with what she assumed to be records, holding vast amounts of knowledge no doubt. In the center of the chamber, she found what looked like a model of their star hanging down from the ceiling over a desk that was far too tall for her. But more importantly, S'eni could feel a presence somewhere above her.

Taking another set of stairs, she climbed the tower until she arrived at a large set of double doors that began to open up the moment she arrived. A figure was standing on the platform behind it, dressed in a long white, hooded robe that, upon closer inspection, was adorned with tiny stars that flickered in the light. Their right hand was extended towards something in the distance she couldn't see, but she nevertheless noticed the stream of aether extending from it.

"I have awaited your coming, even though I am quite...busy," the figure said, the voice sounding decidedly male now that it wasn't a distant echo, followed by a sigh. "It has been so long since I held a conversation too. In fact, I have never been as busy as I am now."

"I'm guessing you're the one Hydaelyn spoke of?" she asked, making him look down at her.

"I am. Ever since Hydaelyn created this moon, I have been a cog in its giant wheel. You may call me the Watcher, for I have been keeping watch over the imprisoned one ever since," he told her and looked back out into the distance.

As she followed his gaze, S'eni saw a strange shape, rising out of a hole in the ground like an angry red welt, surrounded by a sort of barrier that seemed to be made of aetheric swords. Upon closer inspection though, she noticed arms leading into vicious claws and large horns protruding from an obscured...head? Her eyes widened in realization.

"Is that—!?"

"Yes. That is Zodiark. Or rather, an image of Him. His real self slumbers deep in the moon's core," the Watcher explained. "Hydaelyn divided his power, but with every Rejoining, it grows. Yet, despite the Ascians' efforts, He still remains incomplete, thus denying them the return of their brethren. Only once his true form was restored would they have moved to release Him...that is, until now. The seal that keeps Him in place was nearly destroyed. Look, it consists of these six brands."

"Yes, I see them." She nodded. They were placed around the image of Zodiark in a giant circle.

"They keep Zodiark imprisoned. Five of them were destroyed, though I have managed to restore one. But something is keeping me from restoring the other four..." he lowered his gaze and she followed suit. Just like the one she had encountered outside, there a multitude of Ancients were walking about the area. Noticing her silent question, he continued. "They are the spirits of those that sacrificed themselves to call forth Zodiark. Their lamentations are what weakens the seal. They have to be banished so that the brands can be restored. That is your task."

The souls of those that sacrificed themselves... S'eni frowned. She still remembered the tale that Emet-Selch had told them, that half his people had sacrificed themselves to bring Him forth. And after that, another half had given their lives to restore the planet to its previous state. No wonder she had sensed grief earlier. It was the grief for a world long lost.

"I..." she sighed and shook her head. No time for hesitation now. "If it's the right thing, I'll do it."

That seemed to take the Watcher by surprise and he stopped what he was doing to fully look at her.

"'The right thing?' That would depend on who you ask." He knelt down to better look at her. "I am simply the Watcher. I am not supposed to make any moral judgments. But let me tell you this much: Hydaelyn has created this moon from the power of stillness. As long as Zodiark remains here, there will be no further sacrifices in his name but so will the souls of the dead remain where they are instead of returning to the Aetherial Sea. Go see for yourself, then you may decide."

"Alright...what do I need to do if I want to dispel them?"

"A feather-light touch, a few firm words. That should be enough to send them away, faint echoes that they are. However, beware of the sentiment that drives them. Emotions that do not fade even with the passage of centuries..." the Watcher rose back up and resumed his work. "And make haste. Though yet distant, unwelcome guests draw closer..."

Of course they are... she thought and made her way downstairs and towards the brand located just below the Watcher's abode. Four spirits were in the vicinity, wandering around aimlessly while muttering to themselves, like a lost child looking for their mother. One by one, she did as he told her, sending them away with a gentle touch and a few words until only one remained. While she had been busy with the other three, this one had stopped their wandering and was instead looking towards the planet. As she approached, the spirit suddenly began to speak.

"We were the star's beating heart. Its life...Every soul a drop of blood flowing through its veins... To live. To learn, to create...to make better. The star flourished...as did we." The spirit then looked at her. "Do you remember?"

"No..." she said and gently reached out to touch it. "I don't..."

The spirit did not reply, instead fading away like a whisper in the dead of the night. She stared at the spot it had occupied just a moment ago, wondering just what sort of person this one must have been in the past. Closing her eyes, she reminded herself that Zenos and Fandaniel wouldn't wait around for her, and turned around. Only to find herself blinking a few times in surprise at what she found when she opened them again.

A dog.

Quite a lustrous one at that, with long, clean fur that glowed a bright gold. It looked at her with big, bright blue eyes. Almost expectingly so.

"Hello there," S'eni said, the corners of her lips rising. She certainly wasn't expecting a representative of man's best friend to appear up here. Perhaps it belonged to the Watcher. Slowly walking over, she extended her hand towards it. "And who are you?"

The dog, of course, did not reply, but extended its neck to sniff her hand. When it didn't move away, she proceeded to gently pet it. After a moment of clearly enjoying the attention, it pulled back though and turned around to run off, stopping briefly to look at her.

"Want me to follow, do you?" she asked and began to jog after it.

Who was she to refuse?

 

---

 

After this unexpected meeting, the dog had guided her to the next brand, showing her just exactly where the spirits of the Ancients were lurking so that she could send them away. Once she was done with that, it showed her the way to the next, always looking at her with those blue eyes that held an intelligence belying their canine nature. And when they arrived at the third brand, it was those very eyes that regarded the single shade in the area, simply standing there and gazing up at the image of Zodiark.

Giving her new friend another grateful pat, S'eni walked over to the Ancient spirit. Like the others, it didn't really seem to notice her at first, but when she stopped a few steps away, it began to speak. "The apocalypse arrived without warning. Hopelessness invaded our hearts. The End had come. We gave our lives, so that others may live, and called forth the savior, Zodiark."

The spirit then turned around to look at her. It didn't speak any further. Just as she was about to reach out to send it away though, another appeared right next to it.

"Zodiark saved the world! We saved the world!" it said.

"Our world shall return!" another voice came from behind and she whirled around to see a third spirit standing there.

More and more spirits appeared around her, their voice echoing through the air in a chorus of pleading, vowing, and lamenting.

"The star shall be as it once was..."

"All life shall become one with the will of the star!"

"Heaven and earth itself shall live, and our fear shall be forgotten!"

"Shit..." S'eni muttered as the spirits began to encircle her, and she raised her arms in preparation—

"Excuse me. But would you be so kind as to give me some space?"

—another voice pierced through theirs.

Turning to look towards its owner, the spirits slowly began to dissipate, until only one, the one that had addressed them, remained.

"I knew it," the spirit then said and began walking towards her. "I would recognize the color of Azem's soul everywhere. And yet, you are not her, despite possessing her color."

The spirit stopped in front of her, looking her over before its gaze came to a stop at one of her bags.

"Ah. Emet-Selch has given it to you then."

What!? S'eni's eyes widened. Could this be...? Yes, it had to be. "It's you. Hythlodaeus."

"Yes, that is my name. How do you know that?"

"I've met you, or rather a version of you, before," she said. "During my journey through one of the Source's reflections, Emet-Selch created an illusion of Amaurot and the people within it. You included. But unlike the other shades, you, that other you, knew the truth."

"Is that so?" Hythlodaeus raised his hand and giggled into it. "Hehe...that does sound just like him. He has kept the memories of those days within his heart all this time."

"He did." She smiled slightly.

"Be that as it may, I'm not just an image. I'm the real Hythlodaeus. One of the souls sacrificed to bring forth Zodiark."

It faded again and she lowered her eyes to the ground. "Yeah...I know..."

"We remember quite well why we are here. We also know that there were plans to bring us back. That Hydaelyn prevented it, and what happened to Zodiark and the star as a result. Everything after that...was like a dream, a fog, that you have lifted." Her eyes snapped back up towards Hythlodaeus, and she saw him look towards Zodiark's prison. "I don't know what will happen to Zodiark, or into what kind of future you will lead the star—"

He looked back towards her.

"—but I believe in you. Just like Emet-Selch did. So believe in yourself, too."

Believe in myself... she thought. Her lips parted to reply, when a sudden explosion rang through the air. Whirling around, she saw that it was... Oh no, the brand!

"More visitors, it seems. I recognize the color of one of the souls...it's Fandaniel," Hythlodaeus said. "The other one...I sense for the first time. It… frightens me."

"I know the owner of it all too well," she replied, balling her hands into fists.

"I believe I have taken more than enough of your time. I will make sure that none of my brethren will get in your way. Only you can protect the final brand," he said and, as she turned to look at him, was already waking away, his form fading with every step he took. "Go now, my new, old friend."

And just like he had appeared, he was gone again. S'eni stared at the spot he vanished at for a few seconds, before closing her eyes and exhaling. Believe in myself, she reminded herself and rushed over to where the dog stood, hackles raised as it stared out into the distance.

"Come on, we need to protect the brand!"

Turning towards her, it looked at her with its big, blue eyes, then began nudging her, as if to tell her to...get on its back. Her eyebrows shot upward, but she wasn't going to argue with the glowing dog that called the moon its territory. After climbing onto it, and making sure she wouldn't be thrown off, they took to the sky.

They made their way over to the last remaining brand as fast as they could, but by the time they arrived, Zenos and Fandaniel had already arrived. The former was standing in front of the structure, holding his scythe in his hand. He sent her a sideway glance as she came running towards them, then raised his weapon and swung it. A wave of energy shot forth from its blade and collided with the brand, causing it to shatter.

Gods, no!

Coming to a halt, she stared at the remains of the last brand, before gritting her teeth and glaring at the two. Fandaniel for his part remained nonplussed and simply turned away from her. "Right on time to bear witness to our triumph," he said and raised his arms. "The seal is broken. You are free! Rise, Zodiark!"

Right as those words passed his lips, what little remained of the seal began to flicker out of existence, ending with the image of the yet incomplete Zodiark. As that, too, vanished and revealed the giant crater leading deep into the moon, a rumbling growl rose from within it and the ground underneath their feet began to shake. She looked around, waiting for the primal to emerge any second...but he didn't.

"With Elidibus' much too early death, Zodiark has lost His heart. He lives purely by instinct now. Like a newborn babe. Easy to manipulate," the Ascian explained while walking towards the edge of the crater. He stopped just in front of it and looked down, pure delight entering his voice. "Yes...I can practically taste it...His power grows with every breath. Even in this state, He is undoubtedly the savior that once delivered the world from destruction!"

"Well then, it is finally time. What is it you have thought up for our final duel?" Zenos asked, making her look over at him. He pointed his scythe at her. "I for one plan to make this god's power my own and devour the world you have sworn to protect. When your rage and hatred have reached their apex, we shall indulge in a hunt that will make the very heavens tremble. And you? Do you wish to simply strike me down where I stand? Hm, such a quick and dirty duel would not be without its satisfaction, either."

She didn't say anything, and instead entered her battle stance, the ground underneath her cracking slightly as she brought her foot down.

"Good." Zenos smirked and raised his weapon above his shoulder. "Show me what it means to live."

"So sorry to interrupt. But could you wait a little bit with that romp of yours?" Fandaniel asked and they both glanced over at him. He had turned around and was presenting them with a gleeful smile that matched his tone. "Remember how I said that I wish to die, and that you all deserved death? I meant what I said."

He let himself fall backwards into the crater.

"No!" she shouted and immediately bound forward, but found herself thrown back when a pillar of bright, red light shot up from deep within. Raising her arm, she shielded her eyes until it had dissipated, then scrambled back onto her feet and ran towards the hole. Without any hesitation, she jumped in.

When she landed, she found herself surrounded by complete darkness. Not a single sign of the elder primal wherever she looked. What was going on?

A sudden ripple in the darkness made her turn to her left, where a man-sized mask appeared, multicolored and reminiscent of a skull stripped of flesh, looking at her with empty eye sockets. "We are the savior," it said in the voice of an Ancient.

More began to appear around her.

"We are the guardian of order," another mask, colored a deep grey with hollow cheeks, said.

One mask appeared in front of her, its crimson appearance much more man-like compared to the rest. "We are the martyr, the bringer of a new dawn."

S'eni found herself reminded of her battle against Emet-Selch where, in his last bid of strength, he had brought forth the spirits of those who he had sworn to bring back. The manifestation of the duty he had carried out for countless millennia. But these weren't just mere illusions; these were the real ones.

"We are—"

Fandaniel's cackling voice began to echo all around her.

"Save the world, you say?" he asked. "What irony it is that you will be the ones to destroy it then!"

"The world must not end..."

"We want to return home..."

By now, everywhere she looked a mask had filled the void. In front of her. Behind her. Above and beyond. Countless souls that had given their lives willingly to save their world, crying out as one.

"We are the will of the star! We have given our lives so that our brethen..."

"No! No! No! Enough with your lies! You have no power over me! Be silent like the dead that you are!" Even as he was still shouting these words, the masks were drawn back into the darkness. One by one, until only the mask with the man-like features remained.

"No, we beg you!" it called out. "The planet must live..."

It was gone, leaving S'eni alone in the darkness once more. Closing her eyes, she felt her hands ball into fists. She knew that whatever was going to happen, none of these souls would ever get to see the world they had sacrificed their lives for again. It was a world long past. Emet-Selch's smiling face appeared in her mind then, followed by the words he had bequeathed her with.

"Remember...that we once lived..."

And just like back then, she replied, "...I will."

Her hand went to her bag, and she pulled out Azem's crystal.

 

---

 

A man walked through the sheer endless void, the braid he had slung lazily over his shoulder thumping against his dark robes. It wouldn't be much longer, he knew. With Fandaniel having taken control of Zodiark the tiny bit of existence that had still been afforded to him would soon be no more. So he simply chose to follow it. That light in the dark, that color that was just like hers.

It didn't take long to find her, and when he did, he watched her withdraw the crystal that Emet-Selch had entrusted her with and graped it firmly in her hand.

"Yes. Believe in yourself, and your soul shall shine bright once more," he said, then let his gaze wander upward, into the deep void. "I know, this isn't the end you envisioned, but it is still quite fitting. Don't you think so too, Hades?"

And as his body began to burst into particles of aether, Hythlodaeus smiled.

 

 

Notes:

And that's that. Next chapter we'll have our first encounter with Hydaelyn's quirky little helpers. Until then, I wish you all Happy Holidays and that you'll enter the next year in good health!

Chapter 133

Notes:

Oof, I'm so very sorry. I was really tired yesterday and pretty much fell asleep right after getting home. I was hoping to wake up a little earlier, but nothing I can do about that now.

But since I'm having the chance right now, I might as well address a little something. Don't worry, nothing bad. I managed to do a little bit of thinking and reflecting over the holidays and I just wanted to thank you. I feel like I don't do that enough and now that I actually had a small encounter with one of you guys in the game (sorry, I was gposing at the time and only noticed when I was done) I want to make for that.

When I started writing this story, I simply wanted to make up for the severe lack of fics for the WoL/Y'shtola ship. Back then I barely made it to Stormblood so you could say I just scratched the surface of it all and truly started to care about the cast and characters. And now this story is in Endwalker, how crazy is that? Certainly nothing I did ever envision when I started to type down those first words. And what a journey it's been, in the game as well as this fic. And twice the emotional rollercoaster too.

I know it's not perfect, nothing is, and I'm sure I could have done many things better. And I'm sure I'll continue to stumble along the way as I'm working to bringing this tale to a close, too. But it's mine, and I'll stand by it, flaws and all.

So..thank you. For sticking by until this point and, hopefully, beyond. If this story managed to give you all even a modicum of entertaiment then I'm happy. Because that's all I ever hoped it would.

Great, now I'm getting all emotional, so how about we rather continue this journey instead?

Hydaelyn's Little Helpers

 

And thus, Zodiark was no more. Not by your hand, but rather by His own, guided by Fandaniel upon His defeat. As it turned out, it was all but a ploy to truly unleash the Final Days upon the world.

Well played, Fandaniel, well played.

Unable to do anything else, you returned with the Watcher and met up with some of your friends at his abode. There, he told you of the true nature of Zodiark's summoning and, now that he was gone, the fragile weave that kept the planet safe would soon be no more. But, as it turned out, Hydaelyn had made plans for exactly such a scenario. For the very moon upon which you stood served not only as a prison, but as an ark as well.

And as we all know, a ship required a crew to man it.

 

---

 

Zodiark was gone. Not too long ago, she might have rejoiced at that fact, but that was before she had known about the true nature of His existence, and the sacrifice it had demanded. Now, as she watched the last remains of His existence ascend from within his former presence in thin streams of aetheric energy, gently swirling round one another as if to dance one last time before dissipating into red, mist-like particles, there was nothing more than a bitter taste inside her mouth.

Tearing away her eyes from the sight, she instead looked towards the planet, watching its giant, blue form slowly spin in the vastness of space. It was a beautiful sight. And as she released a deep breath, S'eni let its calmness wash over her.

...Then the pain came. Sharp and twisting, like a hot knife bathed in Ifrit's fire plunging into her brain. The intensity almost knocked her off her feet and her vision began to turn a blurry red.

"Aeons of impatience..." she heard a voice speak in the furthest reaches of her mind, sending a cold chill down her spine. "...have finally come to an end."

With horror, she watched as dark stains began to form on the planet's surface, seemingly tiny at first glance, but in truth the size of a country. More and more of these stains appeared, spreading out like cancerous growth. In a matter of seconds, the entire globe was covered, leaving nothing behind...

Nothing, but ash...

"...Eni!"

S'eni jumped a little and blinked rapidly. Her head snapped to the left, where she was met by questioning, silvery-white eyes. "Y-Yeah?" she asked.

"I just said that a malefic aether is still emanating from the crater," Y'shtola replied, a frown marring her features. "Is everything alright?"

"I—" she turned back to where their planet was idly doing its rotations, looking normal as can be. "—Sorry, I just got lost in thought there for a second."

That vision from earlier still haunted her. The Echo had granted her many visions in the past, but never like this. No, this one had been something completely different; a premonition of things to come. And what was that voice...?

S'eni shook her head and returned her attention back to Y'shtola, giving her an apologetic smile, which turned into a little grin at the odd sight of her lover seated atop a gold-glowing dog that carried her through the air. Not that she was looking any less odd right now, sitting one of her own as well. As it turned out, her new canine friend, going by the name of Argos, had quite a few tricks up his sleeve.

Petting Argos' long neck, she nodded down to the crater below. "Think it's some remnant of Zodiark?"

The other Miqo'te looked at her with obvious concern for a few more seconds, before sighing and turning to look down as well. "Yes. I suppose it should not be surprising. Even in His fractured state, He was still incredibly powerful."

"Sure was..." she murmured. It made the curious part of her wonder just how powerful Zodiark must have been at the height of His power. Zenos, for his part, seemed less than impressed.

"The old god was a disappointment...it will need more...true despair, perhaps?" he had said before taking his leave again. But there was no doubt in her mind that she would soon see him again. S'eni rolled her eyes. Single-minded bastard!

Not wishing to think of the wayward crown prince longer than she needed to, she looked out into the distance. "It's funny," she said after a few moments.

"What is?"

"The truth about the moon. I've been watching it at night for so long, never once realizing what its true purpose was." And even then, it being a ship to traverse the vastness of space was certainly not on her list of things she would attribute the moon with.

"Ever since our time on the First it has been a string of one revelation after the other," Y'shtola said. "It's proven that even now we still know very little about our world."

"You sound excited," she noted and watched as her lover's lips quirk upward.

"Can you blame me?"

"No." S'eni chuckled. "I suppose not."

Y'shtola looked out towards the planet. "Just take its name for example. We've always ever called it 'Hydaelyn' because of Her status as the will of the star. Now we know its actual name..."

"...Etheirys," she finished. The Watcher had told it to them while he explained the events of the Final Days during the time of the Ancients. It was a beautiful, quite fitting name, she had to admit.

A sudden shift from Argos made S'eni look down at the dog, then up ahead, where their current destination, a gargantuan structure, was growing with every passing second. "Heads up. We're almost there," she said.

"Yes," Y'shtola agreed. "Just a little further."

Soon enough, they landed on a pathway not far from the building, situated at the end of a small canyon carved into the surface. As she disembarked Argos, S'eni looked up at it and a whistle escaped her at the sheer size of it. It dwarfed even the Watcher's domicile, which had already been quite reminiscent of Amaurot. A quick glance over to Y'shtola told her she must be thinking the same thing. After a while of waiting, the two of them were joined by Urianger and Thancred, each atop their own reflection of Argos.

"Apologies for the wait," Thancred said while getting off his canine mount.

"Since we are now all here, let's head inside and...oh?" Y'shtola made to turn around but stopped. Following her gaze, S'eni saw the Argos reflections disappear one by one until only the main one remained.

"Most intriguing. A means by which he conserveth energy, mayhap?" Urianger wondered aloud.

Thancred did a little shrug. "Well, I certainly wouldn't want him to blink out of existence on our account."

With a smile, S'eni walked over to him and gently stroked his muzzle. "Thank you, Argos. We'll from here."

The four of them then made their way down the path towards the giant doors waiting for them. As soon as they stepped close enough, they opened for them, and she could immediately tell from the lack of aching metal how well maintained the mechanism must be even after all this time this place existed. The inside, too, gave no indication as to how old it truly was. This crew the Watcher spoke of must be impressive indeed!

They stopped near two sets of stairs leading down and looked out to the hall below. The first thing she noticed was the giant Aetheryte in the center, spinning idly as if it was simply waiting for anyone to come by and attune themselves to it. As she shifted her gaze a little, though, she noticed various dome-like structures spread out throughout the area. But no sign of any crew...

"Everything's quiet," Thancred said while looking around as well. "I wonder where those people the Watcher told us about could be."

Suddenly, a light began to glow above one of the structures, followed by the sound of something activating and opening. A few seconds passed, before a person emerged from it with a jump, landing gracefully on the ground and walking away. That, by itself, wasn't too strange. What was strange was that the person was quite tiny...

...and looked like a bunny!?

Another one stepped out of the structure, and another. The same was happening with the other ones too, and soon there was a whole company of tiny, bunny-like people running about. A dumbfounded look formed on her face.

"You're seeing this too, right?" she managed to ask.

"I believe we all do," Y'shtola replied.

"Good. For a moment I thought I might have gotten a few too many hits to the head..." Were these the crew?

They watched the bunny people together like at an early morning drill, while another stood on a platform above them. This one seemed to be the leader of the bunch and began to give a rousing speech about, now that Zodiark was no more, that they were to move into the next phase of the plan and for everyone to man their stations. A loud cheer followed and they all began to scatter about.

"'Tis a rather curious crew She hath chosen," Urianger said. "Their endearing forms intended to ease the passengers' hearts, perhaps."

"Perhaps..." Thancred said, sounding not at all convinced of the notion, and the doubtful look Y'shtola shot the Elezen very much mirrored it as well.

"Well, I guess we'd best go down and meet them." S'eni shrugged and headed for one of the stairs, the others falling in step with her.

"They must be the Loporrits mentioned in the Watcher's records. Not at all what I expected..." Thancred rubbed his chin.

"Yeah, can't say I imagined them this...cute," she said, stepping to the side a little as two of them came rushing up the stairs, paying their group surprisingly little mind.

"They certainly seem amicable enough," Y'shtola commented, her gaze following the Loporrits for a second. "Not at all shocked to see us either..."

"I'm assuming the one that gave the rousing speech was their leader, though we might have to ask around just to be sure," Thancred said. "Her fur was brown, I believe. Might make it easier to spot her among all of them."

After reaching the bottom of the stairs, they split up in search of this supposed leader. The first one she approached was quite a chipper fellow that hummed to himself, calling himself Singingway, but he wasn't the leader. Neither was the one about to doze off, fittingly named Sleepingway. She was beginning to sense a pattern here.

Eventually though, she found one that matched Thancred's admittedly sparse description, who also seemed much more surprised at her arrival.

"Wh-What!? How did you—When did you get here?" the Loporrit asked, round eyes growing wide. "Who let you in? Why wasn't I told!?"

"I take it that means you were the one that was giving orders earlier?" S'eni asked right back, unable to hide her amusement as she watched the small woman looking about frantically.

"Me?" the Loporrit stopped and, after realizing how she must be looking right now, cleared her throat. "Yes, of course! As the only one around here capable of doing anything properly, it falls to me to take charge of the others."

"Well, well. Looks like you beat us here." Glancing over her shoulder, she spotted Thancred, Y'shtola and Urianger coming towards them.

"Your friends, I take it?"

She nodded. "Yeah."

When the three of them had joined her, the Loporrit woman let her gaze wander over each of them and began pacing down while talking to herself.

"A group comprised solely of children? What must their parents be thinking? This isn't a nursery, after all. Though perhaps we should build one. Or did we build one already?" S'eni watched her scratch herself behind a large ear, before turning back towards them with a large smile. "No matter. You needn't worry your pretty little heads. All will be well, I promise."

The four of them exchanged a look. Did she just...?

"But goodness me, we shouldn't be standing about gawping. I must take you to meet the others," the Loporrit said and pointed behind them to the set of stairs. "If you head back to the entrance, you'll find a path that leads to the central platform on the upper floor. You can't miss it. It's the large, glowing ball at the center. I shall gather the others and meet you there."

Without even letting them reply, she ran off, leaving them to stare after her until she was gone from sight.

"Back to the upper floors, I suppose," Thancred said after a brief moment of silence.

Making their way back up, they followed the woman's description and soon arrived at the central platform. Their host was already waiting for them together with another Loporrit. "Ah, there you are. Let us introduce ourselves to our guests, then," she said and cleared her throat. "Welcome to the moon. I'm called Livingway. We Loporrit were created to serve as the crew of this ark and to accompany the people of Etheirys on their fascinating journey through the sea of stars. Or, simply put, we are to make sure that Hydaelyn's plan goes off without a hitch and serve as the goddess' right paw...uh, right hand, I mean."

"Mappingway. I'm the navigator of the ark," the other Loporrit introduced himself. "Welcome."

Definitely a pattern, S'eni thought.

"Uhm, a pleasure to meet you all, but...I'm still trying to make sense of all..." Thancred looked around. "...this."

"I understand your confusion completely. But that's alright. I have a vague idea of why you are here," Livingway said. "Let me guess: something went out of control, Zodiark is destroyed and now Etheirys is in danger. A danger so grave that the inhabitants are unable to stop it."

"That...sums it up rather well," S'eni said.

Livingway nodded sagely. "And now they have sent you four children because we know how things work."

Turning her head, she shared a quick look with Thancred. So she didn't mishear earlier. They really thought the four of them were kids. She was suddenly very reminded of the shades in Emet-Selch's replicated Amaurot thinking they were nothing more than children either.

"Don't you worry, auntie Livingway is going to explain it to you." The Loporrit leader touched a panel behind her and a projection of the planet and the moon appeared above their heads. "These are Etheirys and the moon. Now that Zodiark is gone, the barrier protecting the planet will grow weaker with time. As a result of that, an apocalyptic calamity will soon strike Etheirys and destroy all life on the star."

A sudden shiver made its way down S'eni's spine when the projection of Etheirys turned a deep black for a visual explanation, reminding her a little too much of her earlier vision.

"So too hath the Watcher claimed," Urianger said to that. "By thine unperturbes countenance, I gather this eventually was anticipated?"

"The doom and gloom? Yes, quite anticipated' Livingway confirmed. "Etheirys is now like a harvested carrot. One that has been forgotten in the scorching sun...no matter what one does, it will wither and die. No praying any begging will stop it from rotting to the core. There is no other than to say goodbye to the carrot, Etheirys, and leave the planet as quickly as possible."

"And for that the moon serves...as our vessel?" Y'shtola asked.

"Correct. The journey can begin as soon as we have gathered as many people, resources, and supplies as possible on the moon. Our goal is to leave Etheirys behind us and find another planet to serve as your new home." The moon on the projection began to circle around the planet and shoot off into the vastness of space. "The distance between the stars is enormous, but we have spent many years creating the most propulsive of propulsion systems for our ark! It will turn a journey that would take generations into the tiniest of hops!"

"Amazing." Y'shtola's eyes widened at those words. "It must be a technology well beyond our comprehension then."

"The technology itself was not invented by us. The fundamental theories and required knowledge was given to us by Hydaelyn. Before She became a goddess, She was called Venat, and she studied the nature and structure of our world," Livingway explained. "The one called 'Watcher' was one of her colleagues in that particular field. Based on their acquired knowledge, they created us and the moon."

"You certainly know what you're talking about, that much is clear. But tell me, do you already have a destination in mind?" Thancred asked.

"We have a list of candidates, but even with planets, things are constantly changing," Mappingway replied, rubbing his tiny chin. "Furthermore, we can only travel in short bursts. So it could be a good while until we find a new home for you."

"We have made presentations for that, of course. The moon offers suitable quarters for all our guests," Livingway added. "With the information our collaborators on the planet have sent us, we were able to create the perfect biospheres. We're very proud of that!"

Thancred's eyebrow rose. "Collaborators?"

"Well you, of course! You are the ones that provide us with the newest reports about animals and plants whenever we are awake...right?" Something seemed to dawn on the Loporrit then and she cupped one of her round cheeks. "Ah, I'm sorry. I forgot for a moment that you're still children. Of course, you wouldn't know anything about this..."

"I believe you're quite mistaken there. We're as grown up as can be," Thancred said and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "And neither are we your collaborators."

"Huh? But...what are you doing here, then?"

"The Watcher sent us here. We are to cooperate with you and heed your counsel," S'eni said.

"W-Wait that means you're here on Hydaelyn's orders." The small woman blinked once, twice, then covered her face as if to hide a blush. "Oh. T-That is so embarrassing. But how can that be? You all look so tiny!"

"Well, we might not be as tall as the Ancients,' Y'shtola said. "But I assure you we are fully grown by our standards."

"Hm. Sure are," S'eni murmured and sent Y'shtola a tiny smirk, causing the other Miqo'te's lips to twitch upward for a fraction of a second.

"Then...you don't become as tall as the Watcher?" reaching behind her, Livingway pulled out a book and began to turn some pages within it. "Nothing in our notes mentioned that the people have become so small. I'd bet my paw on it!"

"That tome in thy possession..." Urianger furrowed his brows.

"This? It's one of the first handbooks our collaborators sent us! It contains information on the people of Etheirys, and a few empty pages to leave our own footnotes. Everything we learned about our guests-to-be is gathered inside..." Livingway trailed off and looked up from the pages towards them, then back to the book, and back up again. "Oh no! We always thought the book was aimed at our size...but you aren't..."

A collective nod.

Livingway's already wide eyes grew even larger as the realization struck her like a Chocobo's kick. The book in her tiny hands slowly slipped out of them, landing on the ground with a thud. Her mouth opened, only to release a long, drawn-out "Aaaaaaahhhhhh!" The four of them, together with Mappingway, could only watch as she began to run on panicked circles, her long ears trailing comically behind her as she did so, before slapping the control panel once more, summoning forth the image of another Loporrit.

"Buildingway!? Yes it's me...Change of plans! You need to rebuild all the domiciles to one-third of the size, got it!?" a longer pause as the one on the other end seemed to ask something. "Yes, everything. Everything! The burrow is burning! We've got no time to waste! Get to it!"

"What can you tell us about these 'collaborators' you've mentioned?" Thancred asked after Livingway ended the call.

"Later! Right now you need to tell me everything about yourself. Every detail. How you live, what you eat, habits, customs, toothbrush size...everything!"

S'eni shared a look with Y'shtola, who placed a hand on her hip and released a sigh. "I wonder what other delightful misconceptions they hold. "

She turned her eyes back towards Livingway, who was biting down on one of her nails to quell the resurfacing panic, and took a deep breath. This...was definitely not what she had expected. As she exhaled again, two words accompanied the air leaving her lungs.

"...Hoo boy."

 

Notes:

Hoo boy, indeed...

Chapter 134

Notes:

Hello hello, I brought you some art of our leading ladies. A little belated perhaps, but outside circumstances caused a delay. Nevertheless, if you have time, check out the artist here.

And now to the regularly scheduled chapter lol.

Urianger

 

The Loporrits do not want for eagerness, that much is sure. But their eagerness and reliance on efficiency and...rather outdated information, have made them blind to the reality of the people now living on Etheirys. After suffering such disappointments from the reactions of their charges-to-be, can one really blame them for seeking out the aid of one that seemed to be most aligned with their vision?

Someone who would even go so far as to deceive their very friends if it was for the good of all...?

 

---

 

As it turned out, Y'shtola had been quite right when she wondered what other misconceptions, bar of their size, the Loporrits were holding about them. Food and clothing, while not downright bad, were grossly one note and fit for conformity. Though she had to admit, she actually liked the carrot she tried earlier. It made her feel more invigorated than an early morning workout, and she was plenty sure she could make a nice dish out of it if she had more, proper ingredients. But that was also where the problem lay. There was nothing else. Same with the clothing, all made with knowledge the Watcher provided them with, so their collaborators either missed out on providing the Loporrits with information on that matter or deigned it not necessary.

Then there was this so-called Greatest Endsvale she was standing in right now. The vale to end all vales...sorely lacking in trees. Well, that wasn't quite right. It had constructs topped with crystals that looked like trees that, coupled with the atmospheric circulation system, would provide the place with fresh air only rivaled by the likes of the Black Shroud or the Golmore Jungle. It was an ingenious construction for sure, but not exactly what she would call relaxing.

Though she was plenty sure Urianger would find it fascinating. He seemed to take quite a liking to what the Loporrit had done so far, but he also had something she liked to call an acquired taste. That he was getting on so well with them worried her though, especially with that conversation she managed to catch...

She needed to talk with the others once time permitted. Right now, though, she should probably turn her attention back to her little guide. Lowering her eyes, she looked at the Loporrit walking next to her. His name was Growingway, a rather nervous fellow, who had offered to show her around little sampling sessions. Apart from suffering much the same cluelessness as his fellows, he was actually a rather nice guy, and had actually explained to her the process of how this entire place, called Bestways Burrow, had come to be. To think they had been working on the moon for so long!

As they came to a stop, he turned to look at her with his large, round eyes, and she offered him a friendly smile. Maybe it was time she asked him a question instead of just listening. "Say, you mentioned your collaborators earlier, but how did you get into contact with them anyway?"

"Oh yes! Of course you wouldn't know," he said and began his explanation. "After a few Rejoinings, we noticed that communicating with Hydaelyn was becoming increasingly difficult. Fearful that we might lose contact with her altogether, we beseeched Her to find people on Etheirys we could trust."

"And eventually she found them."

"Right. And though Her power was waning, we managed to speak to them directly for a short time. We shared with them everything we could, including our knowledge of the heavens, and a means to travel here to the moon. They certainly didn't waste any time with what we taught them. No more than a few years after that, our collaborators found a means to convey messages and supplies to us from down below."

"Interesting..." S'eni rubbed her chin. She was starting to have an idea as to the identity of these collaborators.

"And now you're here, hopefully enjoying yourself as much as I am!" Growingway beamed so brightly she couldn't help but nod. A happy little hum escaped him. "I knew you would like Greatest Endsvale, I knew it! Thank you again for coming here, by the way. I know it was just a walk through the forest, but it meant a lot to me."

"There you are," she heard Y'shtola's voice call out to her, and turned around to see her, Thancred, and Urianger walking towards them. S'eni's eyes remained lingering on the latter for a few seconds longer, until they were drawn away by Thancred speaking up next.

"Looks like we missed the grand tour. A shame."

Just then, another voice joined them, coupled with fast and tiny steps. "Growingway! I've been looking all over for you!"

Suddenly hearing Livingway, he jumped a little, the look on his face turning into the same nervous one he held when they met. "I...uh...Is this about the teleporter to the residential area?"

"No." The other Loporrit waved him off. "We have more pressing matters at hand. I will be calling an emergency meeting shortly, and your attendance is required."

"Really...?" Growingway blinked and tilted his head. "I can't imagine why'd you need me there, but if you insist."

Livingway then turned towards S'eni and the others with a friendly smile. "We won't be away long, so you all are more than welcome to continue looking about the burrow. Now, come along, Growingway."

They watched the two Loporrits leave before Y'shtola looked at her with curious eyes.

"You looked like you were in the midst of a fascinating conversation with your guide," she said and placed a hand on her hip. "Did you learn anything of interest?"

"Quite a bit, actually." She proceeded to tell them all that Growingway had told her while they were walking through the Endvale. From their initial creation, to the building of the propulsion systems, their forced pause when the Allagan Empire had sent Dalamud into space, and lastly their first contact with their mysterious collaborators.

"They spent twelve thousand years building this?" Thancred asked and whistled through his teeth, giving the area a quick glance before continuing. "With the appointed hour approaching, I can understand their restlessness. But still..."

"It remains to be seen if people can be persuaded to evacuate if there are no signs of the Final Days yet," Y'shtola finished and looked around as well. "What's more, the technology of this place defies imagination. I doubt there are many who would come to terms living in an environment like this."

"Whoever these collaborators are, they better possess the world's most charming personalities or ways to forcibly evacuate people, or they'll be met with a lot of resistance," Thancred commented. And if S'eni was right in her assumption, then these people were, indeed, quite lacking in charm.

All of a sudden Urianger, who had been silent until now, spoke up. "Forgive me, friends, but I must beg your leave. There is another matter which yet begs for mine attention," he said.

"Of course." Thancred raised a brow. "We can accompany you if you like."

"Nay, that will not be necessary. If you will excuse me." Offering them a bow, he turned around and left.

"Say, S'eni," Thancred said and glanced at her once Urianger was far enough away. "Did he seem strange to you? More than usual, I mean."

"Yeah." She turned towards them, a frown forming on her face. "Actually, there's something I need to tell you..."

Y'shtola and Thancred shared a look, before the former said, "What is it?"

"Earlier, I chanced upon Livingway and a few Loporrit's talking to Urianger. I believe they're planning something and wish to include him in the scheme," she explained.

"I see..." the other Miqo'te raised her hand and gently rapped her knuckles against her cheek in thought. "So I assume that is what this supposed 'emergency meeting' will be about."

"And if he's in on it, it would certainly explain his behaviour..." Thancred looked out towards the entrance of the Endsvale. "Would you go and see if he's alright? You know how he can be."

"I concur. Though he has a penchant for hiding them, he always acts with good intentions. I have little doubt for it to be the case here as well," Y'shtola added.

S'eni knew that whatever was going on, Urianger would not agree to anything he did not view as the right thing to do. Even if it meant shouldering a giant burden on his own. "Alright, I'll try to talk to him."

"Good. In the meantime, we shall play along for now and see what we can uncover about the Final Days. While preparations for evacuating Etheirys are indeed crucial, I'm not yet willing to forsake our world and its reflections." Pale eyes looked between Thancred and her. "And I trust I'm not alone in that."

"You got that right," she agreed.

Leaving the two of them, S'eni headed out of the Endsvale in hurried steps, hoping to still catch up to Urianger. As she arrived at the Aetheryte plaza, she managed to find him as he made his way up the stairs and towards the exit towards Mare Lamentorum. Wondering what he could want out there, she followed him.

When she stepped outside, she saw him ascend the path leading out of the small canyon, stopping only briefly to look at Argos lying dutifully on the ground. The dog raised his head, but lowered it again when he noticed that Urianger did not wish to ride upon his back. After looking around, the Elezen continued onward.

Better to stay out of sight for now, she thought while trailing after him. Which was honestly easier said than done, since this path was rather narrow and Urianger's secrecy was apparently only rivaled by a healthy dose of suspicion from the way he turned around so often, making for a few too many close calls to her liking. Somehow though, she had managed to follow him to the surface without being seen. Or so she thought...

"Thine arrival is as timely as ever," Urianger said, turning away from the strange-looking growth in the distance to face her, a smile forming on his lips.

She mirrored his expression. "When did you notice?"

"But mere moments ago. Thou didst chance to overhear my conversation with Livingway, I presume?"

"Only partly. But it's still quite obvious what's going on," S'eni replied.

"'Twas not mine intent to move in shadow. Nevertheless, I have been asked to do that and more yet again." The smile became a little strained. "Is it so plain that these strangers could intuit it at a glance? My capacity for silence and secrecy...and duplicity."

She would be lying if she claimed that his behavior didn't give him a certain...flair. But now wasn't the time to point that out. So instead, she let her eyes find his and said, "Urianger. You're my friend, and I trust you."

"But am I truly deserving of thy trust?" he asked. "When G'raha Tia did contrive to deliver the First at the price of his own life, I was complicit in the scheme. A sacrifice averted, for a mercy. Would that I could say the same for Minfilia. One life for one world. And by that bloody bargain brokered by my hand were the Scions robbed of a dear comrade, and F'lhaminn her beloved daughter."

"You know as well as I do that they both would've done it even without you," she said.

"Indeed. They would not have been moved had I thought to protest, so beyond measure was their selflessness. But protest, I did not. Far from it. I pushed them forward. No effort did I make to seek out alternatives. Ones that would not demand such terrible costs. That resignation weigheth heavy on my mind, as does the memory of another lost to mine inaction."

"Moenbryda..."

He nodded. "Dearest Moenbryda...who did fave death unflinching, that we might secure a means to bring low the Ascians. In her hour of need, I did naught—" closing his eyes, he curled a hand into a fist so tightly he began to shake. "—Dutiful disciple of Louisoix, ever looking to the greater good...Had I shut mine eyes and beg her live instead, mayhap she would be here with us today."

Oh, Urianger...is this what you've kept locked inside you all this time? She wondered and walked over to him. Reaching out, she placed a hand on his arm and kept it there until he stopped shaking. With a deep exhale, he opened his eyes and looked down at her, then out into the distance, where the remains of Zodiark yet still rose from the crater.

"Selfish wants born of everlasting regrets. Most days I push them from my mind, but could think of naught else when asked to swallow the same bitter draught. Subterfuge and sacrifice. Mayhap the right, moral choice, but one I regard with great trepidation. The calamity of Amaurot was a tragedy beyond reckoning. One that must never again come to pass. Thus we must struggle. Haunted by ghosts of those we have lost. Clinging to those we pray we can yet save." Urianger's gaze lowered back to hers and she could clearly see the conflict he otherwise so expertly kept hidden waging mercilessly. "But what of those we cannot? How do we make peace with the dreadful algebra of necessity?"

"No one can truly say what is right or wrong." She gave him a sad smile. "Not even one who can read the stars as you do. All we can do is to have faith in our decisions and protect those we can."

"Sage advice indeed..."

"Vrtra told me those words, shortly after we managed to destroy the Tower of Zot. They...have stuck with me ever since."

"I see," Urianger said. "Curious that he should think thee in need of such encouragement."

"Let's just say you're not the only one who occasionally gets assailed by doubts," she said. A short moment of silence followed her words, and for the first time since she knew him, S'eni felt a sense of understanding between them. And by the time Urianger spoke up once more, his tone was much lighter.

"Strange...Scarcely can I remember when last we spoke alone, and so candidly," he said.

"Maybe because we never really had the chance to. If you ask me, it was high time." She chuckled, making the corners of his lips rise.

"I thank thee. For all my supposed skill with words, I find it difficult to express such private thoughts."

"So...what are you going to do next?"

"I will take time and consider how to respond to the Loporrits' proposition. 'Twould be to our mutual benefit if we could converse more openly with our aspiring caretakers...A concern I should be glad to address on the Scions' behalf." he inclined his head. "To dispense with all pretense and bare one's heart to another is a frightening thing indeed. But we cannot move forward ere we take that bold first step. A lesson I have learned many times before...and today."

S'eni smiled, warmly this time.

"In truth, my reason for traveling hither was to effect a plan of mine own. A plan which may pave a way forward for us all," Urianger then said. "'May,' I say, for there is no guarantee of success. 'Tis the reason I set out alone...that failure, should it come, would be mine to bear alone. Yet thou standest before me with proffered hand and open heart. 'Twould be remiss of me to refuse thy amity, and so I ask: wouldst thou join in mine endeavor?"

"Well—" she punched her palm. "Let's hear it then!"

 

---

 

Urianger's plan turned out to be relatively simple. Fashion a present for the Loporrits in the hope that it would create an understanding between them. All she really had to do was help him gather some ingredients. Though as it turned out, the nearby fauna did not take kindly to the disturbance and she was swiftly relegated to guard duty. But by the time she had chased them away, he was also done with finishing up the little gift and they returned back to Bestway's Burrow...

...where they were promptly welcomed by Livingway. What a funny coincidence, that. The Loporrit's leader had wasted absolutely no time telling S'eni that Y'shtola had something urgent to discuss with her, preferably alone, while Urianger was to assist Livingway with an errand at the Watcher's abode. Not even bothering to object, she still exchanged a quick glance with the Elezen, before leaving to where Y'shtola was waiting for her.

Once she located her, together with Thancred and Growingway, the other Miqo'te knew, of course, nothing about any supposed urgent matter but nevertheless asked for her assistance in helping catch a Loporrit by the name of Runningway. This aptly named fella apparently knew something about the Final Days. However, the look reflected in her pale eyes was enough for S'eni to know that Y'shtola didn't really believe that. But it couldn't hurt to try either.

Obviously reluctant to help, but trying to hide it, Growingway provided them with means to stop his fellow Loporrit and they split up. It took a short while, but eventually she managed to find Runningway zipping around the Endsvale while also. She waited for the right moment, then raised her little projectile—

"Ow! That smarts!"

—and hit him straight in the face, sending him onto his little behind.

"Runningway, I take it?" she asked while walking over.

"Yes, that's my name. Do you mind explaining to me why you hit me in the face with your ball of..." he raised a paw to wipe off some of the white substance covering his cheek and looked at it. "...mousse flesh?"

She just shrugged. "I heard you're highly knowledgeable about the Final Days."

"Me? Hah, that's the most ridiculous thing I heard since I woke up. Who told you that joke?" Runningway asked and rose back to his feet. "As if we got time to look into the Final Days when we've got so much to do. It's true that Hydaelyn imparted some knowledge of the event, but I know about as much as any other Loporrit. Less, probably."

Yeah, I figured as much... S'eni thought dryly.

After apologizing for the interruption, she made her way back to where Thancred was waiting with Growingway and saw that Y'shtola had already returned. Upon noticing her, her lover turned to face her. "I could find neither hide nor..."

"Hair?" she offered with a grin.

A sigh. "Yes. How did you fare?"

"Oh, I've found him alright. But he said he didn't know any more about the Final Days than the other Loporrits."

"Fascinating." They both turned their heads to stare at Growingway. "Care to explain yourself?"

"W-Well you see...I, uh..." shrinking a little in place, he looked around, trying to think of something. "I misremembered. Yes, that's it! I misremembered. Terribly sorry about that. Hmmm. Afraid I'm drawing a blank, though. Try as I might, I can't remember who I was thinking of..."

"On an unrelated note, what of Urianger?" Thancred asked, pointedly looking at S'eni. "I assume you spoke with him, did he say when he would be returning?"

"He's currently helping Livingway with an errand over at the Watcher's." She returned the look.

"Oh, really now?" he cocked an eyebrow. "Between Growingway's sudden lapse of memory and our lack of other leads, maybe our time would be better spent lending Urianger a hand."

"Wh-What!?" Growingway practically jumped them. "N-Now hold on just a moment! It's all coming back to me. Yes, I remember! The information you're looking for is in the archives. That's where you'll find all sorts of useful knowledge, including the Final Days!"

Thancred and S'eni exchanged another look, and she shrugged. "And where would those archives be?"

"They're on the second floor of the main plaza, the eastern wing. Follow me!"

"I'm beginning to grow tired of these games..." Y'shtola muttered under her breath as the Loporrit turned around on his heel and began to lead the way. They followed him up to the second floor where they stopped in front of a large door. Reaching out his tiny hand, he tapped on a pad next to the door, only to receive an error sound in return. He turned towards them.

"It seems to be locked," he said. "I guess we'll just have to go and find whoever—"

"Enough!" Y'shtola interrupted him, her patience having finally grown thin with the Loporrit's antics. "If you have nothing else to tell us, then stop wasting our time. Did you not tell us yourselves that we must act quickly?"

"Yes. Yes, we did, but..." Growingway lowered his gaze to the ground. "The moon was to be a perfect paradise for the people of Etheirys, and we're running out of time to make everything ready for their arrival. We hoped you'd see the wonders we have to offer, but you've found nothing but faults and flaws in our work. Only one of you saw our potential, so you others must be kept here."

"Ah, so that's Livingway's game. Run us in circles and, failing that, lock us away so we can't put the plan at risk," Thancred said. "Except for Urianger."

"He understands what's at stake...What must be done."

"I fear you've misjudged us, Growingway. We have never disagreed with the notion of using the moon as a means of escape." Y'shtola frowned. "But neither can we just leave our world and its reflections to their doom. If there is a way to avert the Final Days we must find it. We may fail, but our efforts would never be at the expense of your plans."

"But why would you take that risk!?" Growingway suddenly shouted, looking at all of them one by one. There's no room for ifs and maybes now. The people of Etheirys will escape here to the moon. They'll be safe, and we'll finally get to see all their happy, smiling faces. I'm sorry, but we can't let you leave. We just can't."

S'eni's ears perked up at a series of fast-approaching footsteps, and she turned around to see a small group of Loporrits come running towards them, armed with staves and spellbooks. As the other two followed suit, Growingway used the chance to dash past them and towards his compatriots. "Do what you must, but...try not to hurt them," he told them. "I'll be back in a moment. Don't do anything rash while I'm gone!"

And with that, he rushed off.

"Of course this was going to happen," S'eni muttered.

"If we stay here they might overwhelm us with sheer numbers," Thancred said, his hand already going to his Gunblade. "I'll say we split up and make our way to the exit."

"Agreed." Y'shtola nodded. "Let's meet where Argos awaits."

"Alright. Stay sa—" she sighed as she looked at the advancing Loporrits, her arms rising into combat position. "—just try not to hurt them too much."

She rushed towards them, paving the way for Y'shtola and Thancred to run in different directions. Just as she expected, the Loporrits, while certainly not as harmless as they looked, posed a relatively little threat to her, and soon enough they were lying knocked out on the ground. Offering them a quick apology, she ran off in the direction of the stairs, only to come to a screeching halt when the next group of Loporrits was already waiting for her.

"Sorry, but I can't let you stop me!" Dodging between their spells, S'eni knocked them out one by one. She gave them a quick once over to make sure she didn't overdo it, then made to hurry further down, when Growingway's voice made her pause.

"Please, S'eni!" he said, raising his tiny weapon with a shaking hand, yet not backing down. "Come quietly!"

For a moment, she lowered her arms and let her eyes find his big, round ones. She sighed. "You know I can't."

Within the blink of an eye, she was gone and reappeared just behind him, striking the back of his neck with the edge of her palm. His weapon clattered to the ground, soon followed by him collapsing. Just before he landed though, she reached out to catch him and gently lowered him.

"I'll make it up to you somehow after this," she promised, rising back to her feet and hurrying downstairs. Outside, she was already awaited by Thancred and Y'shtola. Having sensed what must be going on, Argos too had already summoned forth his reflections and was just waiting for them to get on.

With his help, they hurried across the crater and towards the Watcher's abode. Once there, they headed in the only direction where Urianger and the Loporrits could be headed. The Aetheryte. But when they arrived there, they found them already deep in conversation with the little caretakers, who jumped at the sight of their approach.

"Urianger!" S'eni called out, but he simply raised his hand as a signal that he had everything under control.

"Be at ease," he said to Livingway and the others. "They bear you no grudge, nor do I. How could we, having come to understand your purpose? For millennia, you and yours worked tirelessly towards the singular purpose of this heavenly vessel's construction. An arduous feat by any measure. 'Tis clear you have spared no effort. Why, your very names are a testament to your dedication."

Lowering her tiny hands from her face since there was no immediate danger, Livingway stared up at the Elezen, blinking a few times at his words. "Our...our names? I'm not sure I understand what you're getting at..."

"Names are an expression of the self, a declaration of one's hopes and aspirations," Urianger explained, the warmth in his voice making it obvious he was smiling. "Your use of contemporary, uncomplicated nomenclature doth ensure clarity of purpose. There can be no doubt that your love for the people of Etheirys is boundless and pure."

"Yes, yes! A most mellifluous phrasing!" one of the other Loporrits, by the name of Singingway said. "We Loporrits were born of Hydaelyn's love for Eitheirys. That shining, shimmering blue jewel. Brightest star in the sky! Brimming with life and possibilities!"

"For as long as I can remember, I've toiled in anticipation for when this vessel might be needed. All I've ever wanted was to meet those She cherished so dearly. To serve, and serve well!" Mappingway said.

"That goes for all of us, don't you see? So help us!" Livingway pleaded. "Help us help them! Lead them here where we can keep them safe! If there's anything wrong with what we've built, we'll fix it! We'll make it right!"

Urianger just knelt down on the ground. "Your works want not for repair. Yet there remaineth much for you to learn of man, and your own kin besides. Singingway—" he turned his head towards the Loporrit in question. "Thy name bespeaketh more than simple marriage of rhythm and rhyme. The songs of Etheirys are beyond counting, and span the length and breadth of emotion."

He then looked at Mappingway.

"Maps are monuments to man's pioneering spirit and his devotion to charting the furthest reaches of our star. Many have devoted their lifetimes to exploratory pursuits. To venture unto the highest mountains and deepest oceans, in search of unknown frontiers."

Then his gaze found the last of the bunch.

"And thou, my friend. I...hmm...I do not think we have met."

"My...My name is Puddingway."

That...was certainly a name. And one even Urianger did not seem to expect. Raising a hand to his chin, he rubbed it along the side of it.

"Puddingway...Yes, indeed. A name of deep and abiding significance, I am sure, but one perhaps better communicated through delicious deeds than tasteless words. A judicious application of Fae magicks at a later juncture may be appropriate..." his composure swiftly returning, he then focused on the one still standing in front of him. "And Livingway. 'Tis no easy feat to convey the significance of thy moniker. Hmmm, when I was a bookish boy, a dear friend of mine was fond of peppering me with questions as I read—to my occasional annoyance. One day, I posed to her a question of mine own...what doth it mean to live?"

He paused briefly, before continuing. "After much deliberation, she proffered this answer: the anticipation of a half-read story's conclusion. The hope today's mistake shall be tomorrow's lesson. The wish that a new acquaintance may one day call thee friend. She believed it to be all these moments and more."

"I..." Livingway lowered her head. "I want to understand, but..."

"I, too, still labor to find mine own answer. 'Twould be my pleasure to assist you and yours in embarking on a journey of self-discovery and enlightenment." Reaching into one of the bags at his hips, he pulled out a small bottle that he handed to Livingway. The eyes of the Loporrit widened as she took the offered present into her tiny hands. "For thee. Ink as blue as the waters of Etheirys. Made in haste, but I assure thee, the quality has not suffered for it. The people need not be persuaded by honeyed words. Nay, I have faith they shall do what is right in due course. Until they do, I beg your patience, friends. And with that ink, let us fill the empty pages of Livingway's compendium. An open exchange of ideas will surely afford you all a better understanding of modern man—and with it, ideas for improvements and renovations. But more importantly, it shall empower us to together find a way forward."

"I...hope you're right," Livingway said. "Thank you for this lovely gift."

Crossing her arms in front of her chest, S'eni smiled. He had done it. And this time, without his conscience suffering for it. "So you're going to stay here?" she asked as he turned around to face them.

"I shall." He nodded. "Though we must needs prepare for every eventuality, you would all agree that the evacuation of our star is a last resort. To accept failure is to accept the demise not only of our star, but that of Ryne's. Of all reflections, and the souls that call them home. Which is why I have every faith that you shall fight to the last. That such drastic measures may prove unnecessary."

"Should the worst come to the worst, I'll take comfort in knowing preparations were made under your watchful eye," Thancred said with a smile of his own.

"Aye. Thou mayest be assured that if calamity cometh, not a soul will be left behind. 'If' being the operative term."

A sudden glow from one of her bags made S'eni reach inside it and pull out the flower Hydaelyn had given to her. As she looked at it, she saw that its shade had become a warm orange. Just as she was pondering what this coloration might mean, a tall shadow draped itself over her. It was the Watcher, who must have come to see what the commotion was about.

"That flower...how did it come into your possession?" he asked.

"Hydaelyn gave it to me some time ago," she replied. "She said it would serve as my guide, though I'm still not exactly sure what she meant with that."

"Hmm. How very much like Her. Guided by its light, you may come to know Her true intentions. In our time, we called it 'Elpis'...you would do well to remember that name."

"Elpis..." S'eni repeated, looking at it for a brief second longer, before putting it away.

"Er, I hate to interrupt," Livingway then said as she and her fellows came walking towards their little group. "But I feel like I need to make amends for all the secrecy."

"Think nothing of it. We haven't been the most gracious guests either," Y'shtola said with a shake of her head. "Please do convey our apologies to Growingway and the others."

"But of course! And next time we welcome more guests from Etheirys, we'll have learned to be much more hospitable hosts!" the small woman's eyes then widened in realization. "Oh, and we ought to discuss our collaborators."

"No need." The other Miqo'te put a hand on her hip. "It's the Sharlayan Forum, isn't it?"

"Hah, so I wasn't the only one." S'eni grinned.

"What!?" the Loporrits jumped back in shock. "H-How did you know!?"

"The more I heard, the more obvious it became. The Forum's aims align closely with those of your anonymous patrons. A bit too close to be a mere coincidence," Y'shtola replied.

"Them insisting on knowing exactly when the Final Days would be upon us was a bit of a giveaway once the dots have been connected," S'eni added.

Y'shtola looked at her, a small smirk dancing on her lips. "Of course, had we not perused certain restricted tomes in Labyrinthos, we might still be unaware of their plans...But let's continue this once we've returned. I believe we have kept the others waiting long enough."

"Yeah..." she nodded and looked out towards the planet.

Things would soon become quite busy. And not for the better...

 

Notes:

I absolutely love love love this part of Endwalker. Finally getting to actually bond with Urianger after all this time was great.

Chapter 135

Notes:

Warning! This chapter be spicy, so in case that isn't your thing, you'll notice when to stop.

Also I bring you another piece of artwork of our main couple, once again by the talented Roxe.

A Moment's Rest

 

Zodiark's demise, the Final Days, the truth about the moon and its little caretakers, and now the role Sharlayan's very own Forum has to play in all this. Since stepping into the Tower of Babil to chase Zenos and Fandaniel, there has been no end to revelations. Barely a moment to truly gather your thoughts.

Perhaps now that you return back to the city of scholars, it would be high time for you to take a deep breath...and rest...

 

---

 

S'eni groaned loudly as she raised her arms above her head, keeping them there until two cracks rang through the air. She then closed her eyes to let the fresh breeze, which was downright tropical compared to Garlemald, caress her cheeks. Staying like this, she let herself enjoy the feeling until a particular, husky, amused voice spoke up right next to her.

"My, someone seems to be tired."

"Why yes, it's almost as if I've been to the moon and back again." Lips curling into a smile, she opened her eyes and looked at Y'shtola. "You look pretty beat too."

"I can't claim the opposite, that is true," her lover said and ran a hand over her face. "Though whatever fatigue I feel must pale in comparison to yours. I did not battle and vanquish an ancient god while up there."

At first, she wanted to say something teasing, but sighed instead. "I need a bath. Does the Annex have a bath?" The sink inside her room was good enough to thoroughly wash herself, but that still would never beat that nice feeling of being absolutely submerged in hot water.

"I'm afraid you will have to ask Krile that."

"Hm." After arriving back from the moon, they had been told, amongst other things, that Krile had been taken back to Sharlayan after waking up again. S'eni just hoped she was already on the up and up. The strain on her body must have been immense when Hydaelyn had come to their aid.

But whatever worries she held, were swiftly waved away by Krile's smiling face as they stepped into the Annex, looking actually not any worse for the wear. Though if Tataru watching her like a hawk was anything to go by, she was still to take it easy. A chuckle escaped her. Truly, there was no worse patient than a healer.

"Y'shtola, S'eni. Welcome back!" Krile greeted them. "We were so terribly worried about you."

"We could say the same about you," Y'shtola said.

"Yes, and I apologize for that. Hydaelyn called to me when you all entered the Tower of Babil. She sounded faint but desperate, and I knew at once She needed a vessel for Her will. What happened after was like a dream. My body floated through the Lifestream towards Garlemald..." Krile explained. "When I woke up again, I was aching all over and exhausted of aether. I could only laugh because it made me realize how Raha must have felt after the Tower of Zot."

"Let's just try and not get a repeat performance any time soon," S'eni said.

Krile nodded and her face grew serious. "We were able to stop Zodiark from being unleashed upon the world, but I'm curious about what else happened up there on the moon. Ah, but perhaps we should wait for the others to arrive."

"On that note." She placed a hand on her hip. "Does the Annex have a bath? I could really use one right now."

"It does. A small one," Krile replied, her expression becoming a little strained. "And I mean really small. With the rooms of the Andron only serving as temporary quarters, there wasn't really a need for a bigger bath."

Clicking her tongue, S'eni looked over to her lover. "Shame. And here I was looking forward to some company."

"Alas, I shall have to freshen up in my room." Y'shtola smiled. "Enjoy your bath."

"Will do."

Following Krile's instructions, she made her way through the Andron's hallways and swiftly arrived at the door of the bathroom. It only took stepping inside to see what her friend meant about it being small. She doubted a grown male Roegadyn could even properly move inside here, much less bathe in the tub that might just be enough for a Hyur. Well, it would do its job for her regardless.

After filling it with water, and making sure it was exactly to her liking, she stripped out of her clothes and climbed into the bath. A long, drawn-out sigh passed her lips as she lowered herself into the awaiting warmth, closing her eyes as it welcomed her into its embrace and almost immediately soothed the little aches. Gods, she really had needed this!

S'eni closed her eyes and leaned her head backwards against the edge of the tub, simply letting herself enjoy this feeling. After all, it might be a good while until she got to experience it again. The Final Days...huh...

It still seemed so very surreal to her, but it was the brutal reality. Her mind returned back to the vision she had seen on the moon, their world reduced to nothing but ash. And then there was that voice...

"Aeons of impatience...have finally come to an end," she heard it say in the back of her mind, sending that very same chill from then down her spine.

With a loud groan, she lowered herself further into the water until she was fully submerged, trying to drown out that memory. It took a few minutes, as well as a good helping of her meditation skills, but she managed to succeed, leaving only herself and the warmth all around her. A quiet, tranquil moment of absolute nothingness. Eventually, her eyes opened back up and she stared up at the rippling vision of the white marble ceiling above for a couple of seconds, before resurfacing again.

Exhaling, she reached out, grabbed the nearby soap, and began to wash herself thoroughly. It lathered up nicely, gentle creamy suds gathering on her skin. Well, they might have not given size much thought, but at least the soap is good, she thought while a pleasant floral scent began to fill the small room. Once she was done, she dowsed herself and leaned back again, letting herself enjoy her bath until the water began to grow cold.

She got out of the bath and dried herself, then returned to her room to put on something clean, dropping her himation and arm wraps into the sink for washing later. As she looked out of the window, she stopped suddenly when she noticed that the sun was slowly setting, before rushing out of the room with a curse. She must have been in the bath longer than she realized. When she burst into the main hall, S'eni found that everyone had already gathered.

"I'm sorry, I lost track of time!" she said.

"No need to worry," Y'shtola reassured her. "The others haven't been here for long. But I took the liberty to explain to them what happened."

Alphinaud, whose face was holding a serious expression, nodded. "The Final Days..."

"And that we are to escape via the moon," G'raha added, frowning. "But what about the Source and its reflections?"

S'eni sighed. "The same fate that awaits the Source also awaits the reflections. Only that for them, there will be no moon waiting..."

A heavy silence filled the room as the weight of the situation hit. All the people they had come to care about on the First would be left to their doom. After a few moments, it was Estinien who spoke up first.

"I've no intention of standing by while the world falls to ruin," he said. "So how do we stop this?"

"Unfortunately, we don't know," Y'shtola replied. "If the celestial currents have grown stagnant, as was the case in the time of Amaurot, the solution would be to alter the flow of aether throughout the entirety of the star. The Ancients accomplished that by summoning Zodiark, sacrificing half their population in the process. It goes without saying that such a sacrifice cannot be repeated."

They all nodded in agreement.

"Which leaves us with the daunting task of identifying the underlying catalyst for the Final Days, something even the Amaurotines did not accomplish." The other Miqo'te crossed her arms. "And I'm afraid there were no clues to be found in Mare Lamentorum."

"There is still a lot we do not know about this catastrophe, let alone what might have caused it. The Final Days were marked by the corruption of the Amaurotine's power over creation. But we lack such powers. Which begs the question: what lies in store for us?" Alphinaud wondered. "If we knew that much, we might be able to draw parallels with the past and form the semblance of a plan."

"Perhaps we should start with the Forum, then. Since they have worked in secret with the Loporrits, there ought to be more they can tell us."

A sudden knock made them all look towards the door, where Tataru was leaning her head inside with a slightly out-of-breath expression. "I'm sorry about the interruption, but I have urgent news!"

"What is it?" S'eni asked.

"The Forum is holding a public assembly in front of the Rostra. Some sort of announcement!"

"Well then—" she looked over to her lover. "—seems like we're going to meet them. Though I have a pretty good idea what this announcement is going to be about."

"Indeed."

Leaving the main hall and the Annex, they headed towards the Rostra. The secrecy was finally coming to an end.

 

---

 

A great exodus. Just like their founding father, Archon Nyunkrepf Nyunkrepfsyn, they would shepherd the people onto their own ark and head for a brighter future. It was almost a little poetic in a way, if not for the fact that it was also an admittance of defeat or, rather, a desire to not even try and fight the coming end.

At least the citizens seem to be convinced, S'eni noted, and looked over to a small group of them that still remained after the majority of the crowd and the councillors had dispersed. Just mere moments ago, they had been afraid. The trust they had in the Forum's decision-making truly was tremendous. She supposed it was for the best in this case. Mass panic was something nobody could do with right now.

...she just couldn't agree with the plan.

Looking away again, she placed her hands on the small wall she was currently sitting on and crossed one leg over the other, her gaze landing back on Alphinaud and Alisaie, who were talking with their father.

"This talk has been a long way coming, hasn't it?" Y'shtola asked from next to her, her voice low so as to not disturb this conversation between father and children.

"Sure." And she was glad that unlike in Gridania and when they were dragged in front of the Forum, they were holding their ground resolutely. She smiled. The two truly had come far.

She watched as whatever the two just said made their father look taken aback before his usual calm mask slipped back in place. "...do whatever you feel is right. Just do not get in our way," she could hear him say. He then turned on his heel and began walking back inside together with councillor Barnier. Once the doors to the Rostra closed, they rose to their feet to walk over to their friends together with the others.

"Looks like your talk went well," Y'shtola said to the twins. "If your father wasn't so stubborn, I am sure he would tell you how proud he is of you."

Estinien smiled. "Now all there's left is to let your words be followed by deeds."

"Don't worry. So long as there are people believing in the future of this star, we'll fight against the apocalypse with all our might," Alisaie said with a confident smile.

"Then I suppose we should all get some rest. After all, we have quite a slog behind us." Thancred looked over to S'eni. "Especially you earned some. You've been through a lot again; I doubt a simple bath was enough."

"Hmm. Maybe I should take another one. Just to make sure."

A round of chuckles went through their group.

"Very well. Let us return to the Annex and gather strength for tomorrow's battles," Alphinaud said and they left the Rostra once again.

Upon returning, though, S'eni did not in fact take another bath, but instead focused on cleaning her clothes. She knew that she could have just asked Tataru to do it for her, but the Lalafel had already enough to do as it was to also do their laundry right now. Besides, the mundanity of it was relaxing in its own way.

By the time she was done with that, it had already grown dark outside. She debated for a brief moment if she should head to the Last Stand for some dinner, but decided against it when she found herself still quite full from that carrot on the moon. That one really had it in it.

Walking over to the window, she opened it and looked up at the night sky. Her eyes were immediately drawn to the full moon, shining brightly above. By now, the Loporrit were most likely eagerly listening to what Urianger was telling them about the people inhabiting this planet. It wouldn't be easy going forward without him, but they would manage somehow. They had to.

Suddenly, a noise pierced the quiet and she glanced about for a few seconds until she realized that it was echoing inside her mind. Her face contorted when a sharp pain followed soon after, growing in intensity with the sound, now quite clearly a high-pitched scream. Red began to fill her vision, and soon after, fire was raining down from the sky, turning the dark of night into a blazing inferno. But just as quick as it arrived, it was gone again, leaving only a quickly receding ache in its wake.

A knock resounded on her door, followed by a muffled voice calling her name. But even through the solid wood she could tell who it was, causing the last of the pain to be gone in an instant and a smile to form on her lips. Walking over, she opened the door to reveal none other than Y'shtola standing there.

The other Miqo'te smiled. "Ah, good. You're still awake."

"It's not that late yet."

"True. Now, stand still for a moment." Y'shtola's smile was replaced by an expression of intense concentration while letting her eyes wander over S'eni's body from head to toe. After a few seconds, she was done and visibly relaxed again. "Everything seems alright. Good."

"I would hope so." She raised a brow. "But are you also going to tell me what this is about?"

"With everything that happened, I just wanted to make sure you didn't suffer any lasting damage. And since Ryne isn't here to do so, it falls to me to keep an eye on you." While her words sounded light, the expression on Y'shtola's face was anything but. "Having to essentially fight Zodiark on your own, even though you had just regained your body, it certainly makes me wonder if there isn't a curse placed upon you."

A curse... That definitely wasn't a reassuring thought.

"All jokes aside, your soul was nearly torn asunder once before, and you were only barely holding on. I..." a pained look entered pale eyes. "...I never want to see you suffer like that ever again."

"Shtola..."

Before she could say anything more though, her lover's lips quirked upward, silvery-white meeting her own cherry pink. "If something is wrong, no matter what, you'll tell me. Right?"

S'eni's eyes widened slightly. After defeating Emet-Selch, she hadn't really thought too much about her near transformation into a Sin Eater. But it was clear now that Y'shtola had never stopped thinking about it. And with Zenos having taken over her body, albeit only briefly, that worry must have only intensified. The realization of it all made her feel incredibly guilty.

Yet instead of apologizing, which she knew Y'shtola didn't wish to hear anyway, she mirrored her expression and nodded. "I will. Not like I could keep anything from you anyway."

"Good..." Y'shtola breathed out with a nod of her own, visibly relaxing. "I won't keep you any longer then. Take care not to catch a cold. Nights in Sharlayan can be quite chilly. Allin Tuta, Eni...Good night..."

Turning around, the other Miqo'te made to walk away, when S'eni stepped forth and slipped an arm around her waist. "Now where do you think you're going?" she asked.

Y'shtola glanced over her shoulder. "Leaving you to your well-earned rest."

S'eni chuckled and leaned forward to gently nuzzle the back of Y'shtola's head. "We both know I rest better with you at my side. Besides, it's the best way to keep me warm."

"Honestly..." Y'shtola huffed, but did not object as she was pulled into the room and the door fell shut.

As they walked backwards, S'eni turned Y'shtola around so the two were face to face. Playfully half-lidded met as she leaned in and brushed their noses together, eliciting a little giggle from both of them. A bump against her back made her stop and spin them in place until it was Y'shtola against the table now.

"You know, I've been wondering something about this table..." she murmured, leaning in further until their lips were but a hair's breadth apart, but not yet taking the plunge.

"And what would that be?" Y'shtola asked back, her warm breath tingling against S'eni's lower lip.

"Just how much weight can it carry?" From one second to the next, S'eni picked Y'shtola up, making her yelp in surprise, and placed her on top of the table. After she had done so, she eyed the other woman up and down, then released an appreciative hum. "Looks good."

"Oh?" Raising the hand that had come to rest on S'eni's shoulder up, Y'shtola placed it firmly against the former's cheek, gently caressing one of the face stripes there with her thumb. Lowering her voice until it was nothing more than a sensual whisper, she further asked. "Do you mean the table...or me?"

"Both." S'eni grinned.

"What a diplomatic answer. I'm sure the carpenter who made it will be delighted to hear."

"And you?"

"Hmm. I believe I will need a bit of further convincing."

"And what, pray tell, shall I have to do to convince you?" she asked, eyelids lowering as their faces inched ever closer.

"This..." Their lips met. Soft and warm, they lovingly caressed one another, drawing out happy little sighs at this intimacy that current events had so sorely denied them. But like a spark in dry woods, it soon turned into a raging fire of moans and roaming hands.

Hands slipping underneath Y'shtola's skirt, S'eni briefly caressed the skin of her upper thighs, before proceeding to undo the laces of one of her boots. Once it landed on the floor with a dull thud, she did the same with the other one, which soon joined its twin. As soon as they were free of their constraints, smooth legs found their way around S'eni's waist, locking her firmly in place. Not that she minded one bit, as the tongue slipping past her lips was more than enough compensation for her 'troubles'. Much to her frustration though, it was over far too quickly, so she instead buried her face in the other woman's neck, her lips finding ample purchase in the sensitive skin there.

"Eni..." Y'shtola exhaled hotly against her ear, fingers burying into blonde hair. S'eni smiled, planting an open mouthed kiss along the edge of the purple Archon mark and enjoying the feeling of nails against her scalp. This continued for a few, blissful moments, until her lover, in a moment of clarity, pulled her head back.

She looked at her in silent question but nevertheless stepped back when Y'shtola's legs released her. The other Miqo'te hopped off the table, walked over to the window, and closed it. S'eni chuckled. "Making sure we're not catching a cold?"

"Yes. But I also—" back still facing S'eni, Y'shtola undid the brooch above her chest, then reached behind her to do the same with the silver clasp there. With well-trained ease, she slipped out of her robes and let them pool around her feet, before turning around to reveal her almost naked form. "—have no intention to let the people outside hear us."

With those words, she began to walk back towards S'eni, hips sensually swaying. One by one, she removed her glove and jewelry and placed them on the table along the way. Grinning, S'eni moved to meet her and was immediately greeted by a heated kiss. When their lips parted, fingers dug into the fabric of the simple shirt she was wearing.

"Off," Y'shtola practically commanded and tugged it upwards. As soon as it was off, their lips crashed together again, hungrily drinking in one another and only breaking off when S'eni felt her back colliding against the wardrobe. Planting tiny kisses along the way, her lover descended down to her breasts.

Her eyes fluttered shut as one of her nipples was engulfed in heat, letting out low moans at the sensation of being sucked so eagerly. A smirk danced across her lips. "You sure are fond of them."

She jumped a little when teeth came down on her. Not enough to hurt, but enough to make a point, so she just chose to shut up and enjoy, pushing out her chest a bit to grant Y'shtola more access. A hand cupped her other breast, fondling it and pinching her nipple, before beginning its journey downward. Nails raking across her skin, they left tiny marks across her taut stomach until they arrived at the waistband of her pants.

S'eni inhaled sharply when Y'shtola's fingers slipped underneath and into her underwear, brushing through trimmed curls, inching ever closer to that part of her body that was beginning to demand attention. With a pop, her nipple was released, and she cracked an eye open to meet her lover's gaze. "Do you want me to continue?"

She nodded. "Y-Yeah."

"Turn around then."

Y'shtola stepped back to give S'eni some space and she did as she was told. As soon as she had done so, the other woman took hold of her hips and pulled her pants and underwear down to her calves. A hand then came to rest upon one of hers, while the other began to caress her behind.

"Enjoy," Y'shtola whispered, then plunged her hand between S'eni's legs.

S'eni moaned out, eyes falling shut again, when Y'shtola stroked her sex, brushing across slickening folds and gently caressing the eagerly awaiting nub. Lips came down on her upper back, planting kisses there, featherlight yet still making her skin burn and silently scream for more. Almost of their own volition, her hips pushed outwards, desperately trying to get more of that feeling Y'shtola's hand was giving her. And she was more than willing to oblige.

Moist fingertips came to rest atop her clit and began to massage it in small circular motions. Sparks of pleasure shot up S'eni's spine, causing her nails to dig into the ornamented wood of the cabinet. Cracking an eye open, she tilted her head to glance over her shoulder, only for Y'shtola to firmly grasp her jaw and attack her now exposed neck with fiery affection.

"Gods, yes..." she managed to say, kissing her lover's thumb when it brushed across her lips, then cried out as the hand between her legs gained speed. Almost immediately, the selfsame digit was pushed into her mouth, and she started to suck and lick it while her senses ascended the mountain of ecstasy with each stroke and push. Higher, and higher, and higher...

...until from one sweet moment to the next, Y'shtola stopped.

As if someone had pulled the proverbial rug out from under her, S'eni slumped forward against the sturdy piece of furniture, panting heavily when Y'shtola removed her thumb and let her go. Her knees shaking, she watched the other Miqo'te kneel down to fully remove her pants, and somehow managed to raise her legs enough to assist in the endeavor. Once they were carelessly discarded, Y'shtola locked eyes with her, a little smirk on her very kissable lips.

"You appear to be quite winded, my dear."

"And whose fault is that?" she asked, the corners of her lips rising as well. "How about you make it all better? With a kiss perhaps."

She wiggled her behind for emphasis.

Her suggestion was met with a raised brow—

Smack!

—and a slap across her butt. The sudden sting made S'eni yelp, but once the surprise faded, only made her grin grow. "Oh, now she spanks me."

Another slap. And when she opened her mouth, another on top of that just to be sure. Biting her lip, she flipped around just in time to catch Y'shtola's hand before it could land another hit.

"Come here, you." She pulled her up and into a deep kiss. Their tongues immediately pushed forth to meet in that ever-so-passionate duel. Her hand landing on Y'shtola's behind, she gave it a good squeeze, earning herself a little gasp, before moving to the front and slipping underneath the other woman's shorts.

Y'shtola stiffened for a second, then leaned into S'eni's caressing touch, her moans drowned in their kiss. The hand that had so rudely stopped giving her pleasure returned to duty, and soon enough they were driving one another to ever greater heights. Tearing away from the kiss, Y'shtola brought their foreheads together.

"The bed..." she said amidst moans.

An affirmative "Mhm" was all she could muster and they made their way over to the bed, only stopping their ministrations when they were there so that they could get rid of that last obstructive piece of garment between them. Once it was gone, S'eni gently circled an arm around Y'shtola's waist and slowly lowered her onto the mattress. As Y'shtola's head settled on the pillow, their eyes found one another's once again, and S'eni smiled while nestling in between her legs.

Gods, she was so beautiful. S'eni doubted she would ever tire of the sight. Reaching up, Y'shtola cupped her cheek, and she leaned into the touch with a little, content sigh. Without another word, she shifted to better align their pelvises and ground forward.

Their moans echoed through the room, mixing together in an amorous duet of love and lust. Each brush added another note to their song, muffled only by the occasional kiss before immediately resuming with even greater fervor. Nails dug into her back, almost painfully so, but S'eni barely registered them through the haze her mind was in, following only the bright beacon that was her release. Growing closer and closer and closer...

With a final push, S'eni buried her face in the crook of her lover's neck, before crying out as she came. Underneath her, Y'shtola stiffened and voiced her own release, desperately pulling S'eni close as the orgasm racked her body. After a few, blissful moments that felt like a pleasurable eternity, they collapsed into a panting heap of sweat and happiness.

Pulling her head back, S'eni looked at Y'shtola, whose eyes were still closed but held a very satisfied smile on her face. With a chuckle, she leaned down to nuzzle her cheek. "Glad you didn't leave me to my ' well-earned rest'?" she asked.

"I will freely admit—" Y'shtola opened her eyes halfway. "—that this was the better outcome."

They shared a laugh, then came together for another kiss. Long and sweet, but no less passionate than those they exchanged during their lovemaking. After having their fill, they nestled into each other, pulled the covers of their naked bodies, and finally let themselves sink into a blissful slumber.

 

---

 

...you will need it. For on a certain island in the southeastern water of the Bounty, the Final Days were beginning to take form...

 

Notes:

Couldn't let the spanking remain just a meme now, could I?

Chapter 136

Burning Skies

 

When the Final Days arrived in my time, it was a slow process. Small, singular events that did not appear connected, some of which were even investigated by a certain fourteenth seat. Eventually, though, the very skies were set ablaze and our own powers turned against us, creating terrible monsters from the depths of our nightmares.

Those very same horrors now haunted Thavnair, and the beautiful blue sky you saw when you first arrived was now covered in black clouds, while fire was raining down upon it. What, I wonder, will you do? What can anyone do when faced with such calamity?

 

---

 

Thunder rumbled through the air, as loud as the heaviest of sea storms. But instead of rain falling down, it was fire, and instead of a cold torrent of air, there was an oppressive heat in the air. For a brief moment, she wondered: what had the Ancients felt when first laying eyes upon this sight?

Twelve forfend... It was just like what Emet-Selch had shown them in Amaurot, just like the premonitions she had ever since defeating Zodiark. And as real as those felt, they weren't. But this...this was real. The Final Days had arrived.

And much sooner than any of them had anticipated.

According to Ahewann, it had begun with a single, loud cry in the middle of the night, seemingly from within the depths of the island. Then the fire and the nightmarish beasts appeared, and that was also where the difference between the Final Days of the Ancients and now their own showed itself. Without the magic of creation going haywire, it was the very people that turned into these monsters. It was the worst possible outcome she could imagine.

Was that why you planned for us to flee? She wondered, hand going to the small bag at the back of her hip where Hydaelyn's flower rested. Because you knew it could be our own friends and families that would turn into our enemies?

For a brief moment, her mind flashed to a certain small island in the Rhotano Sea, and her hand tightened into a fist. They were safe for now, blissfully ignorant of the coming apocalypse, but how long would that last? How long until this would spread to the other corners of the world?

Tearing her gaze away from the sight, she offered a silent prayer to Azeyma to watch over them, before deeply exhaling and moving over to the pier where the others had gathered together with Ahewann by a boat. When she arrived, her eyes sought out those of Y'shtola, taking comfort in the steely resolution inside them. She gave her a silent nod and came to a stop next to her.

"Everyone has gathered, yes? Then let us review our plan," the Au Ra said. "I would have you board this boat and have you circle around to the north end of the island. There you will find a dense jungle we call Vanaspati. It is a sacred wood, home to many temples and a number of villages. Vrtra and the Radiant Host have already gone there ahead of us. Please, join them and do all in your power to destroy this Blasphemy."

The Blasphemy in question seemed to be the strongest of the creatures so far, dubbed that way for its appearance being a twisted reflection of Thavnair's gods, and had first been seen in Radz-at-Han. And as bad as the situation was, getting rid of it was the biggest priority right now. "Don't worry, we'll take care of it," she assured him.

"Thank you. I pray we are not too late to spare the settlements within Vanaspati the fate that has befallen our city..."

They got onto the boat and soon after set sail for the north of the island. Looking out into the distance, S'eni saw that it would still be some time until they arrived at their destination and looked for a spot to sit down. Once doing so, she closed her eyes and simply listened to the chatter of the others. But it was soon faded out by the rumbling from the sky and the faint roars of the creatures in the distance. Sometimes she really hated that Miqo'te ears could hear so well.

Yet they also made her aware of Y'shtola's steps coming towards her, and she immediately scooted over to wordlessly offer her a seat. "That respite turned out to be all too brief, didn't it?" she asked, opening her eyes again to look at Y'shtola.

"It certainly did."

"Good thing we managed to make some time for ourselves when we did." She smiled slightly, but couldn't get herself to keep it up for more than a second and sighed instead. Her eyes went back towards the fiery sky. "I just don't understand why it's starting here."

"Given what the Watcher told us, there might be a stagnancy of aether in the skies above Radz-at-Han that causes the celestial currents to be especially weak here. Something not even Vrtra knew about. But it's too early to make any assumptions. We can discuss things further once we've taken care of the immediate threat."

"Hm." S'eni nodded and didn't say anything further. They watched in silence as the coastline gave way to dense woods, and the unnatural sounds produced by the creatures were slowly coming closer to her ears. She tilted her head slightly to glance in the direction of the others, each busy with their own preparations.

She then closed her eyes once more...and began to breathe.

Inhale. Exhale.

Inhale. Exhale.

Inhale. Exhale.

...She was ready.

Eventually, the boat turned into a river, leading deeper into the jungle. The air became filled with embers carried by the wind and the heat grew around them even before the first fires came into sight. When they disembarked on a small pier, S'eni turned towards the others with a grim face.

"Thancred, Shtola, and Raha, you're with me. Estinien, Alphinaud, and Alisaie, you'll bring up the rear and get as many people to safety as you can—" an almost ear-piercing roar went through the air, and they all looked up to see a huge, snake-like creature make a turn in the sky, granting them a glimpse of its nightmarish visage before flying away. She narrowed her eyes. "—we'll take care of the big one!"

Splitting off from their friends, the four of them hurried down the nearby pathway, following the screams and sounds of battle. People passed by them, stumbling and looking over their shoulders in a panic, some even calling after them not to head that way. When they rushed up the hill where the worst of the fighting seemed to take place, they came to a sudden halt when they saw Vrtra's giant form, standing protectively in front of a group of villagers and wounded Host members while a whole pack of creatures were mauling him.

"Vrtra!" she shouted.

"My friends, heed me!" he called back. "These are children of Thavnair!"

"Thancred!"

"On it!" Gunblade in hand, he jumped into the group and dispersed it with an explosive strike, creating enough space for the rest of them to place themselves in front of the dragon.

"Forgive me...I could do them no harm..."

"I understand," S'eni said, kicking out her leg to catch one of the beasts mid-air and sending it hurling into a nearby tree. "We'll take care of them."

For a mercy, at least these creatures seemed to be no more a threat than any other beast they had faced and were swiftly taken care of, their bodies dissolving into a black mist almost as soon as they collapsed on the ground. She lowered her arms and turned towards Vrtra. "Are you alright?"

"'Tis but scratches," he assured her.

She then looked towards the group of people. "Can you walk?" she asked the wounded among them, who nodded shakily. Seemed like the shock was the worst of it. She pointed to the way they had come from. "Follow that path. Our companions will get you to safety!"

Not needing to be told that twice, the group ran away. When they were gone, Vrtra lowered his head, resignation reflected in his single eye. She reached out a comforting hand and placed it upon one of his legs.

"If this is the only way..."

"I'm sorry," she said.

He closed his eye, something akin to a sigh escaping him. When he opened it again, the resignation was replaced with determination. "...I shall silence the beasts of the air. Pray continue onward!"

She nodded, stepping backwards, and he took to the sky. As soon as he was gone, she turned to the others, only to find that Y'shtola was standing a good distance away, staring at the spot where one of the creatures had dissolved just mere moments ago. Frowning, S'eni called out her name, making Y'shtola jump a little and whirl back towards them.

"What's wrong?" S'eni asked.

"I—" Y'shtola began, but swiftly shook her head. "No, no. There's no time for that now. We should hurry."

With raised brows, she watched her lover step away from the spot and walk ahead. She looked at G'raha and Thancred, who were just as confused as she was. What was that about?

 

---

 

With a cry, S'eni foot collided with the Blasphemy's head, snapping its horn and making its serpentine form reel back. Seeing his opening, Thancred slashed his Gunblade across its exposed stomach, pulling the trigger and cutting a large gash into scaled skin. A stream of blood began to pour out of the, but almost as soon as it hit the ground, it began to evaporate the same way the smaller creatures did.

"Shtola, now!" she shouted and jumped back together with Thancred. Immediately, the air around the Blasphemy began to ripple and turn, spinning inwards like a coil before expanding in an explosion of pure destructive energy. The creature roared out in pain as the magic burned away its mane and the multiple maws and half-faces within it. It flapped its leathery wings in an attempt to get away, but to no avail, and, a few seconds later, collapsed on the stony ground.

Releasing a breath, S'eni dropped her arms and looked around what was left of the temple. It had already been in a bad shape when they arrived, but their battle hadn't done the place any favours. She just hoped that the gods of Thavnair would overlook it this once, given the circumstances.

Footsteps then echoed through the air, followed by Alphinaud's voice calling out to them. She turned around to see him, Alisaie and Estinien making their way towards them. When they arrived, she asked, "How is it looking?"

"We met up with part of the Radiant Host and brought as many people to safety as we could," Alisaie replied, then turned her gaze towards the large beast lying in front of the group. "...so that's the Blasphemy. It looks even more fearsome up close."

S'eni nodded and looked towards it as well. Like with the other beasts, it was beginning to evaporate into a black mist. Then, all of a sudden, its main maw began to move.

"The..cccccon...sortium...must...prrrrr...otect it..." S'eni could only stare at it, heartbeat thrumming in her ears as it uttered those words. They felt so...familiar. With a last, agonizing wail, it exploded into a black cloud that, upon dissolving, left nothing but the destruction it had caused in its wake.

"I was right, then," Y'shtola exclaimed suddenly. "By the gods..."

"What do you mean?" Alphinaud asked.

"The Blasphemy...it was lying right there." She pointed over to the space it had occupied until just this moment. "And now it's gone, correct?"

"Didn't you—are you saying you couldn't see it?" Thancred frowned.

"This beast, and all the others that were turned, I see them because I can't see them. They possess no aether. To my eyes, they appear as a blind spot."

"So that's why you were staring at the spot where we slew the first of them," S'eni said, jaw dropping slightly. No aether. How was that even possible?

"But...what does that mean?" Alphinaud wondered.

"Remember what the Watcher told us...the Ancients realized that the destruction of the star began in places where the celestial currents had grown weak," Y'shtola said. "And now my suspicions are confirmed. When someone turns into one of these beasts, their aether withers away. Their body and soul, nothing remains. Absolutely nothing."

"But many of the creatures we fought, and even the Blasphemy just now, they talked!" Alisaie countered. "Somewhere inside of them there has to be something of their old selves!"

"Correct. Until everything has rotted away. But even that is but a fleeting shadow of their former selves."

"That..." the young woman's eyes widened. "Then there's no cure...?"

Y'shtola averted her eyes. "At least not with the methods in our possession. Though...no...there can't be any. One cannot heal what is entirely gone."

"Not even a soul left that could return to the Aetherial Sea..." G'raha said and a heavy silence draped itself over their group.

No soul left... Not even a chance of being reborn into a new life. S'eni shuddered at the thought. She couldn't think of a worse fate.

The sound of large wings filled the silence, and soon after the temple ground underneath their feet shook as Vrtra landed next to them.

"These beasts march on without end still..." he said. "Even with this false god slain, there is no end to them."

Indeed. Even now the skies were swarmed by flying creatures. Thankfully, they didn't seem to pay any attention to them.

The dragon lowered his head. "They were once children of Thavnair! And now mine fangs and claws are stained by their blood..."

"Vrtra! My friends, you are safe!" She heard Ahewann call out as he rushed over, flanked by two officers of the Radiant Host.

"Is it safe for Vrtra to be seen like this?" Estinien immediately asked upon seeing the two soldiers.

"Do not worry. They are trusted friends, and know the truth. But this long-held secret must now be unveiled," the Au Ra replied, before facing Vrtra and lowering himself to his knee in respect. "Great Vrtra! Screams of fear and anguish are echoing through the streets of Radz-at-Han. Our fair city needs a strong leader now more than ever. I beg you...please reveal your true self to the people for our salvation."

"What foolishness, Ahewann...'tis fear speaking through you," Vrtra responded after a brief silence. "Revealing that their Satrap is a beast would do naught but foster confusion and chaos. Nay, I shall remain the Satrap's loyal ally and do battle with the beasts. Easing hearts and leading people is your task. And yours alone."

The Great Wyrm looked towards them.

"I ask that you remain at Ahewann's side, and render to him what aid you may. I know not what lies ahead, but without you, Radz-at-Han will not survive."

He turned around and lowered his body a little to take flight once more, only to be stopped by Estinien's words. "...Take me with you. Fighting in the air is one of my specialities."

"Didst you not listen? You are to stay at Ahewann's side. I require no assistance in slaying these beasts."

"Estinien! Catch!" Thancred said and tossed something over to the Dragoon, who caught it with a curious look. "One of our linkpearls you've been dodging all this time. It's best if we stay in contact with Vrtra, and the easiest way is for you to stay with him. Besides, it'll keep you from getting lonely. We all know how much you loathe that."

Estinien chuckled and looked back towards Vrtra.

"There you have it. Resistance is futile, honorable Satrap," he said and pocketed the Linkpearl.

"Then I hope your grip is strong. Be it on your head dost you chance to fall."

"Fair enough—" Estinien shrugged. "—shall we then?"

They watched their friend jump onto Vrtra's back before taking to the sky together. After a few seconds, Ahewann spoke up again, clearly not pleased with Vrtra's decision to keep their secret. "Apologies...as the great Vrtra was saying, we will not be able to survive this on our own. I hope I can count on your continued support."

"Of course," Alphinaud said. "That is why we are here."

"Once again, I owe you my gratitude. Let us return to Radz-at-Han and plan our next course of action."

They left the temple. For now, that was all they could do here. The entire journey back to the boat, and from there to Radz-at-Han, was spent in silence, and S'eni spent most of it just staring at the flames as they passed by. How many people had lost their lives today, she couldn't tell, but she knew—

Her face darkened.

—it would be more before this was over.

Only when they had stepped into the city proper, did she speak again, taking a long look around the vicinity and releasing a deep sigh before doing so. "Maybe it was never meant to be..."

"What was never meant to be?" Y'shtola, who had noticed her dark mood and had stayed by her side since getting off the boat, asked.

"Seeing Radz-at-Han the way my father did. All lustrous and buzzing with activity. First the tower, now this." She looked up at the burning sky. "Perhaps I really am cursed."

A hand placed itself on her shoulder and she lowered her gaze to meet Y'shtola's eyes. She reached up to give her lover's hand a squeeze, then asked, "How are you feeling? You seemed quite shaken there yourself."

"I'd be lying if I said my discovery didn't disturb me," Y'shtola replied with a sigh of her own. "But as it stands, we have little time to dwell on it. Right now, figuring out what exactly causes it is of the utmost importance. And I believe the best way to do that is to find out more about where this Blasphemy came from."

Despite herself, S'eni found a smile creeping onto her lips, and the tension in her shoulders subsided, if only a little. Y'shtola mirrored her expression, giving her arm an affectionate squeeze as she lowered her hand, then nodded in the direction of Alphinaud, who had just finished talking with Ahewann. "Come. It seems like our young friend already has something in mind."

She gave an affirmative hum and began following the other Miqo'te. As they made their way over, her thoughts drifted back to the Blasphemy. Or rather, its last words.

It had mentioned a consortium. Something in the back of her mind tingled at that. It was familiar, but she couldn't put a finger on it.

Just who were you...?

 

Chapter 137

Blasphemous Despair

The Blasphemy was struck down, yet the beasts still roam the land, their numbers growing still. But what is it that caused these people to transform? What was it that made our magic turn against us?

To find that answer, you are searching the city of Radz-at-Han for any clue about the appearance of this creature that seemed to be a living mockery of the gods of this land. What you find might surprise you. After all...when bereft of everything else...what was there left...?

 

---

 

Well, S'eni had to admit, this was certainly a way to see more of the city. After discussing their next course of action, their group had split up. The twins would ask around Paksa's Path, while Y'shtola and Thancred would cover Dharma. Which left G'raha and her to investigate Artha, where the High Crucible of Al-Kimiya was located. Starting their investigation there, the two of them slowly worked their way to the bazaar. And while the people there could only provide information for when the beasts were already raging, it still offered them some rough tracks to follow. Which eventually led them to a local tavern, or meyhane as it was called here, and as it turned out, held some of the answers they were looking for.

"That enormous beast?" A fearful-looking Hyur man asked, the fingers around his glass tightened slightly.

"Indeed." G'raha nodded. "If you can tell us anything, please do."

"I saw it...including the moment that poor bastard transformed. Damn the gods!" he took a large sip from his glass, before pointing over to one of the tables by the window. "It started over there. A few men, most likely merchants, were talking and drinking. The conversation must've taken a turn for the worse since one of them—their leader, I presume—put his head in his hands, and black mist formed around him. Then his whole body just...bursts apart, and this hideous, slavering beast, all bulging eyes and gaping maws, stands there. His friends were shrieking and the mist returned, until they too changed. The stuff of nightmares..."

He took another, shaky sip, while G'raha exchanged a look with her. "Did you by any chance recognize who these merchants were?" the other Miqo'te asked, making the man shake his head.

"No, I'm a decorator by trade. Not much reason to mingle with their sort. Saw Mihleel the barmaid chat with them, though. The Au Ra over there. She might know something."

"Thank you for your time," S'eni said and they left the man. After a few steps, she lowered her voice and turned towards her companion. "A merchant...that fits with the Blasphemy's final words."

"It does. And with that other woman's statement about it happening before the sky began to burn, I feel we are getting closer to the truth."

"Hm. Let's see what this Mihleel can tell us."

They found the woman in question tending to one of the tables left unscathed by the whole ordeal. Upon noticing them, she looked up from her work and tried to offer them a friendly smile. She wasn't particularly successful.

"Welcome to Mehryde's Meyhane," she greeted them. "What can we get you?"

"We are not here for drinks, but information," G'raha replied. "We are investigating the so-called Blasphemy on behalf of the Satrap. We heard it was one of your customers, a merchant, that first underwent the transformation. What can you tell us about him?"

"He...He was something of a regular here, especially of late. His name was Khalzahl. He owned a consortium that dealt in the exports of Thavnarian specialties."

Khalzahl! Yes, she knew that name. "The merchant from Yedlihmad!" she exclaimed and, upon G'raha's questioning look, explained, "We met Matsya through him.

"Ah, yes." He nodded. "I remember you telling us that after you returned to Sharlayan."

"Yes...that is the same Khalzahl, no doubt. A rather successful man, from what I gathered," Mihleel said. "That said, it was clear he had fallen on hard times as of late. The appearance of those ghastly towers cannot have been good for business. Even now, with the towers gone, the collapse of the Empire has led to all sorts of problems elsewhere. The market for luxuries is surely not what it once was..."

"He seemed quite desperate for business when we spoke. Practically begging for me to be a merchant." S'eni frowned.

"Trying times for the head of a trading consortium, indeed," G'raha agreed.

"Khalzahl was a compassionate man. Even as his own business suffered, he did what he could to provide for the artisans, fishermen, and many others who counted on him to sell their wares. As far as I could tell, that seemed to be the topic for yesterday's meeting. Yet as they discussed matters further, Khalzahl's tone grew grave and grim... It was then that...that..." the Au Ra broke off, closing her eyes and raising a shaking hand to her mouth.

Stepping forward, S'eni placed a calming hand on the other woman's arm. "It's fine if you don't wish to talk about it."

"Yes. I'm sorry if my question has caused you pain. If I may though, can I ask you one last thing?" Mihleel nodded and G'raha continued. "Did you notice anything unusual about Khalzahl in particular?"

"No, nothing comes to mind," the barmaid replied with a shake of her head. "He lived for his work, and had no family that I know of. His employees and associates knew him best, but...they too are lost to us. Still, his neighbors might know something I do not. I can direct you to them, if you believe it would help. What do you say?"

S'eni looked over to G'raha and they shared a smile. "I say, that sounds perfect."

After receiving directions to Kama, the name of the area where Khalzahl used to live, they left the meyhane. As they went along, S'eni crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes slightly in thought. "So Khalzahl was discussing something with his business associates, then the conversation grew grim and black mist surrounded him, before transforming him into the Blasphemy. But...what in the hells could have caused it?"

"Same with the people we saw transform in Vanaspati. If the burning sky was not the catalyst, then what was?"

When they arrived in Kama, the first thing S'eni noticed was that it seemed to be quite a well-to-do neighbourhood. The second was that the streets were entirely empty. Not that she could blame anyone for holing themselves up in the safety of their homes with what was happening right now.

"Let's ask over there." She pointed towards a nearby house. Inside, they found an elderly woman, who was quite surprised to see visitors, but quite willing to tell them about Khalzahl.

"I've known him since he was a little boy. If there was ever a man who was born to be a merchant, it was him. Always early to depart and late to return, he'd spend his days procuring the finest wares and seeking out willing customers. You could say it came to him as easily as breathing," the woman told them. "Sadly, business was flagging of late. No surprise, really, what with how dangerous travel has become. He was cooped up in his house from dawn till dusk the other day. No doubt wracking his brain for a way to turn his fortunes around. Then, at night, I heard the door open. I looked out to see Khalzahl sitting on a bench, his head hung low. A man with the weight of the world on his shoulders..."

"I see. The situation must have been quite dire, then..." G'raha said. "Did you notice anything else out of the ordinary?"

"Nothing comes to mind. Other than the troubles with his consortium, he was the same old Khalzahl. Cordial and honest." A frown deepened the wrinkles on the woman's face even further. "These questions you're asking...has something happened to him? He wasn't caught up in that terrible incident at the bazaar, was he? I don't travel much these days, but my daughter's told me not to venture outside, so I heard only very little about these bizarre goings-ons."

S'eni hesitated for a moment, unsure if they should really tell this kindly old lady what happened to the man she knew for so long. Thankfully, G'raha stepped in and managed to deflect the question rather diplomatically. "Rest assured, the city is safe for now, but the situation may change without warning. I urge you to stay close to your daughter, and be prepared to take refuge should the Satrap order it."

"Yes, I shall do just that. Thank you for your concern, and please stay safe as well."

As they left the house again, S'eni shot G'raha a grateful look for the nice save, then proceeded to look for someone else who might know something. They found another source of information in an Arkasodara man who, amazingly enough, had slept right through the entire thing. He told them that he recently spoke with Khalzahl and that he apparently managed to turn things around by landing quite a generous order from Ruveydah Fibers that a man named Djinabaha brokered for him. Thus, their next destination was decided.

It was easy enough to spot, what with the silkworm farms out front, but when they stepped inside, there was very little to see of the orderly workshop she was expecting. Instead, a sense of urgency was in the air as workers ran from one end to the other, carrying crates, equipment, and other things. A man was shouting orders over the chaos. Most likely the one they were looking for.

"...and hurry! There's no time to waste!" he called out to two of the employees when they approached him.

"Pardon me, but you're the one in charge of buying and selling, correct?" G'raha asked him. "We have a few questions that we'd like to─"

"I'm sorry, but I have no time to chat," the man interrupted him. "If you haven't noticed, we have our hands full at the moment. We must carry all our wares and equipment to safety before those accursed beasts return!"

S'eni and G'raha silently looked at one another, and nodded.

"Might we be of assistance, then?" G'raha offered. "Perhaps we could speak when the work is done."

The man gave them a scrutinising look, obviously unsure what to make of the offer. Eventually though, he nodded with a sharp exhale. "...You have my thanks."

"What would you have us do?" S'eni asked.

"You go through that door and look for an Arkasodara named Kamala. She will tell you what to do. Meanwhile, your friend here can help us with the equipment."

"Got it!" She said and made her way to the door. Errands even during the apocalypse.

It was almost funny.

 

---

 

As it turned out, her task was to carry some crates filled with fabric and threads to the appropriate storehouses. An easy task, which was swiftly taken care of, surprising some of the other workers considering the sheer size of some of those crates. Once done, she made her way back to Djinabaha, who looked much less stressed when she returned.

"Are you done?" he asked her.

"All done to Kamala's satisfaction," she replied with a little thumbs-up.

"If she is satisfied, then so am I. You have done us a great favor, traveler."

"I have delivered the equipment as well," G'raha said while joining them.

Djinabaha looked between the two of them. "You both have my thanks. With our wares safely stored away, we'll not lose any more to those fiends."

"I take it your establishment did not escape the attack unscathed?" G'raha asked.

"We didn't. Thankfully, most of our workers had already left for the day. But those of us still here saw it all...We were all looking at the burning skies in confusion when a hideous creature came and burst through the door, shrieking. We ran for our lives, but one of my colleagues was not so fortunate. He cried out, the most agonizing scream I've ever heard, and from one moment to the next, began to sprout claws as well. The sight caused another fellow to panic and then...he, too..." he covered his face with his hand, releasing a shaky breath. He took a few seconds to calm himself. "...I'm sorry. There was something you wanted to ask?"

"There was," she said. "We've heard your workshop made some arrangements with a merchant named Khalzahl."

"Khalzahl? Yes, I know him. Quite well, in fact. We'd arranged for his consortium to deliver a large shipment of fabrics, but in the end, we received a better offer and had to turn him down. I understand his business is struggling, but so is ours. Another of our most reliable trading partners agreed to transport the goods for a much smaller commission, and we'd have been fools to refuse," Djinabaha said. "I felt terrible for withdrawing the offer...but you must understand, we simply had no choice. He tried to put on a brave face when I delivered the news, but his dejection and despair were plain as day. He said he'd discuss it with his associates, but I could tell he'd all but given up hope..."

"I see..." S'eni said. That must have been the reason why the conversation in the meyhane had turned grim. He had to deliver the bad news to his associates and from there...lost what little hope he had left. Even in his last moments, all he could think of was the business he had given his all for...

"Dejection...and despair," G'raha mumbled, before looking at her. "In Vanaspati, the soldiers and jungle dwellers turned into beasts after being pushed to the brink. The same phenomenon occurred here as well. The poor craftsmen attacked by the fiends, as well as those that witnessed it...all undergoing the change. I suspect that everything began with Khalzahl. By all accounts, he suffered from the most profound and piercing despair..."

Both their eyes widened as realization struck.

"Wait, could that be it? That such intense emotions trigger the change?"

"It's the only thing that makes sense so far," she said.

"Indeed...A lot is still unclear, but I think we are much closer to an answer now. Come, we should meet up with the others at Meghaduta."

After thanking Djinabaha and telling him to flee with the others should need arise, they headed towards their agreed meeting point. When they arrived at Meghaduta, a sizeable crowd had already formed in front of the Satrap's residence. And at the edge of the said crowd, S'eni spotted Thancred and Y'shtola, talking with a few of the people.

"Ah, there you are," Y'shtola greeted them as the woman she spoke to walked away. "Did you manage to learn something from the survivors?"

"We did," G'raha replied. "But what we discovered is quite worrisome. That is why we wished to talk with you and hear what you think."

"And with good timing," Alphinaud said while he and Alisaie came walking over. "We've also just finished our own rounds."

"Very well. Please tell us what you found out then," Y'shtola said.

Sharing a nod with G'raha, S'eni began to tell them what they found out about the Blasphemy and what they thought might be the cause for the transformation. The more she told them, the darker their faces grew, and by the time she was done, they all looked deep in thought. Alphinaud was the first to speak up again.

"So this Khalzahl was beside himself in worry about his consortium and thus became the Blasphemy," he said.

"We discovered something similar. All those who transformed appeared to suffer from great distress," Alisaie said. "Amongst them, of course, were those chased by one of those beasts or had to witness the transformation of someone close to them, like friends or family. A dreadful chain reaction."

"An intense, negative emotion like dread, sorrow or despair..." Alphinaud nodded. "Yes, I believe that is the deciding factor for ones transformation."

"If so, then the parallels to the Final Days of the Ancients are becoming clearer," Y'shtola said, eyebrows drawn. "From what we've learned, it was the loss of control over their powers of creation that brought forth manifestations of their fears. Yet a simple loss of control would not just create beings of which we were afraid. No...this phenomenon must be connected to these negative emotions. It's the only way the pieces of this calamity form into a whole."

"There is also the fact that, unlike back then, it is the very people of this star whose bodies get twisted in such nightmarish fashion," Alphinaud pointed out. "Whatever the reason for that may be...we do know that there is one critical difference between us and the Ascians: we are sundered. Fragmented. Perhaps therein lies the key to the...workings of this apocalypse."

"There is one more thing we have yet to tell you," G'raha said then, his lips forming a grim line. "It seems that Khalzahl turned into the Blasphemy before the sky began to burn."

"What!?" Alisaie exclaimed. "If that's true then...then that means it doesn't need any visible signs of the end to turn into a beast. So even somewhere, where everything seems normal, someone could suddenly..."

The young woman broke off and a heavy silence wrapped itself around them in a stranglehold of realization. Nowhere was safe. All it needed was just a feeling of deepest despair to bring forth monsters. And there was no lack of that these days.

By the gods...

The strangling silence lasted for a couple of agonizing seconds until it was broken by one of the nearby citizens calling out, "Look! It's the Satrap!"

Almost immediately, the general nervousness in the air gave way to a cautious relief as Ahewann came walking over the small bridge that kept the Satrap's residence separate from the rest of the square, the two officers of the Radiant Host they had previously seen at Vanaspati flanking him. When he came to a stop, he let his gaze wander over everyone in the gathered crowd. His eyes also came to briefly rest upon S'eni and the other, before addressing the citizen.

"Brave citizens, I am relieved to see so many of you unharmed. I am afraid the situation has not yet calmed down, but at the very least, we have managed to repel the creatures within the city walls. For now, Radz-at-Han is safe," he told them and a few murmurs went through the air. The Au Ra waited for them to die down. "Everywhere in Thavnair, our Radiant Host is battling against the fiends alongside the dragon that has ever been our ally. So please, calm your hearts and do not give into panic."

Another round of murmurs followed and she noticed more of the people visibly calming down. Just like Vrtra had said, Ahewann truly knew how to work a crowd. But there was one person, who yet remained worried. An old lady stepped forth. "Your Excellency...has there been any word from Palaka's Stand?" she asked. "My grandson was bound there yesterday and has not returned yet."

"We are still awaiting reports from that area," Ahewann replied. "As soon as they arrive we shall—"

"Y-Your Excellency!" another voice interrupted the man, accompanied by heavy footsteps like only a Matanga could produce. "Something terrible has happened!"

Wait, she knew that voice!

"And you are...?" Ahewann asked their new arrival when he came to a stop next to their group.

"I, uh, I...I am Matsya, from Akyaali. Matsya the fisherman."

"Ah yes, we've met you upon our first arrival here," Thancred said. Matsya, in turn, looked at them in surprise.

"Oh! What are you doing here?" the Arkasodara then shook his head. "No. The Satrap first. Your Excellency, I was worried about a friend who lives in Palaka's Stand, so I went there to check in on her. But the village is overrun with nightmarish beasts! All of it! Never before have I seen such horrors!"

"Oh...Oh no!" the old lady immediately exclaimed and rushed over to Ahewann. "Please, your Excellency! You must do something! My grandson...!"

"Of course. But please, we must remain calm."

"Calm!? How are we supposed to keep calm!? Even the strongest soldiers of the Radiant Host were simply torn in two by these beasts! If one of them has attacked my grandson then—" the old woman gasped out in pain and grabbed her head, stumbling back a few steps. Black mist began to form around her. "—nothing...aaah...will..."

"Watch out! Get away from her!" Y'shtola cried out. But it was too late. From one moment to the next, the woman's body became engulfed by the mist, before bursting apart and leaving only a hulking monster in its wake. The beast released a roar so loud that it sent some of the nearby people flying. The closest to it, a young girl who couldn't be older than the twins, began screaming in horror and transformed as well. More transformations swiftly followed, and panic broke loose as the fiends went on the attack.

"Dammit! We've got no choice!" Thancred cursed, grabbed his Gunblade, and ran right into the fray.

Y'shtola, who took hold of her staff, looked at the rest of them. "Go! Get these people to safety!"

"Way ahead of you!" S'eni said while already running off, making a beeline for a young woman that was being jumped by one of the smaller beasts. "No you won't!"

Sliding to a stop behind it, she slipped her arms around its torso and raised it into the air. It struggled for a bit, trying to swipe at her with its claws, but unable to stop her from letting herself fall backwards to slam it headfirst into the ground. With a crack, the creature went limp. She immediately let go of it, rolling away and getting back to her feet to help the woman up.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

A shaky nod. "Y-Yes!"

"Good, now quickly. Get to safety!"

The woman didn't have to be told twice and hurried away. Turning around, S'eni looked at the fading form of the beast, before narrowing her eyes and focusing on the people instead. She raised her arm and called out, "Everyone! This way!"

A few of them heeded her call, but most of them were far too panicked to listen. She cursed under her breath and was about to rush forward when, out of the corner of her eye, she spotted another large monster stomping towards a helpless citizen on the ground. Spinning around, she dashed towards the creature to try and intercept it.

All of a sudden, someone else came running from her left. It was Ahewann, his sword and shield brandished, and putting himself between the monster and the man. Raising his weapon, he swiped at a large claw coming towards him, creating a cloud of sparks as they clashed. Unfortunately, the force sent him stumbling backwards, leaving him open for the beast to take hold of him.

"No!" she shouted when the monster began to open its wide maw. The Au Ra struggled, crying out in pain while trying to get away, but to no avail. Turning his head, his eyes found hers.

"Please...tell Vrtra..." he managed to say as the air was pushed out of his lungs. "Save Radz-at-Han...Please...!"

She could only watch as the beast devoured Ahewann whole, followed by a loud, wet crunch. His blade clattered to the ground, spat out like a used toothpick, and the creature brought its attention back to a helpless man who was staring at it in pure horror. Gritting her teeth, she raised her arms.

"Over here you ugly bastard!" she shouted, making it glance at her. "How about you try me instead!?"

Twisting its heavy form around, it began stomping towards her instead. It swiped at her with one of its claws, but she simply dodged underneath the attack and delivered three punches to its stomach in rapid succession. The monster cried out and tried to attack again, but she was far too quick for it to keep up, unleashing a flurry of punches and kicks upon it that caused it to sink to its knees. With a cry, she pulled her arm back and guided her aether through her opened chakras, before slamming her fist into the creature's chest. The resulting explosion tore a good chunk out of the fiend, and it dissolved into mist before the rest of it could even hit the ground.

Panting, S'eni looked over to where the man was, but only found G'raha walking past her, his staff gripped tightly in his hand and the look in his eyes one of hardened steel. He came to a stop in the center of the plaza, slamming the pointy end of his weapon into the ground. His lips parted, and when he spoke, it was with the same authority as when he was still the Crystal Exarch.

"Citizens of Radz-at-Han, look to the future! These fiends can be defeated! Banish the fear from your hearts!" His hand shot up, pointing to officers that had accompanied Ahewann. "Soldiers of the Radiant Host, assist Y'shtola and Thancred. Not one beast shall leave this place!"

He then turned to the citizens. "And you get to safety! Help those that cannot do so alone, barricade yourself in your homes or Artha! Worry not, for not a single beast shall pass by me!"

Spurred on by his words, the citizens left hurriedly, giving them much-needed breathing room. With an explosive strike, Thancred brought the beast to fall that used to be the old woman, and turned to the twins. "Alphinaud, Alisaie! Go to Palaka's Stand. We'll hold the line here," he shouted. "Matsya, lead them there. They'll take care of the village."

"Y-Yes!"

"S'eni, you go too," G'raha said to her. "We'll rescue as many as we can."

"Take care," she said and ran over to join the twins and Matsya. Together, they hurried away from Meghaduta and down the streets to the gate that would lead them to where their next destination lay.

...Even if it might already be too late.

 

Chapter 138

To Live and to Hope

 

With quickening pace, you hear the battle grow faint in the distance, your eyes looking ahead. Towards Palaka's Stand. Yet as you made your way through the jungle, beating down beast after beast after beast, you already knew what was waiting for you. For every fiend you struck down, another innocent soul was lost.

But you press on, for that faint hope that not all was lost just yet...

 

---

By the Twelve... S'eni thought as let her eyes wander across what she assumed must have once been a prosperous village full of life. Now all that greeted them were empty houses and bodies strewn over the place. Some, she could tell, were still alive. Others...were not so lucky.

"Quick, we must heal those we can!" Alisaie said hurriedly. "I don't see any beasts, but stay on your guard."

They nodded and began to fan out.

Looking around the area, her ears soon perked up at the sound of a whimper coming from behind a nearby haystack. A Hyuran man was lying behind it, face half buried in the dirt and muttering to himself. Even as she rolled him over to check his injuries, he barely seemed to register her.

"Even if I wake up...the nightmare continues...No...leave me...to sleep..." he trailed off, his eyes growing vacant.

"Hey!" she grabbed his shoulder and shook it. "Stay with me!"

But he didn't respond, simply staring up at the fiery sky until there was nothing left in his gaze. Exhaling through her nose, she removed her hand from his shoulder and moved it to close his eyes instead. After a brief prayer, she rose back to her feet to continue her search.

Not far away, she found another villager, an Au Ra, cowering behind a building. He released a startled yelp when she addressed him, and tried to make himself smaller. When he realized that he wasn't being attacked by a monster, he slowly raised his head to look at her.

"Have you...have you come to...help us?" he asked, his eyes wide.

"Yes, together with my friends," she replied and knelt down next to him. "Are you hurt?"

"Too late...too late..." his shoulders began to shake and he covered his face with his hands as he sobbed. "My family...my friends..."

S'eni could do little else but remain by his side while he cried, silently comforting him. Thankfully there were no signs of any black mist around him, so he was still holding on. After a few minutes, he lowered his hands once more and looked at her, eyes reddened by his tears. He nodded.

"I...I am fine, thank you..." he said and released a shaky breath. "Please...save the others..."

"We'll do all we can. Stay here for now, we'll come pick you up once we're sure it's safe," she told him and went about looking for any more survivors. Sadly, all she found were two bodies, covered in grievous wounds and already stiffening, so she began searching for her companions instead. She found Alphinaud standing next to another villager whom he just finished healing.

"S'eni," he greeted her. "Have you found any survivors?"

"Only one. I told him to stay hidden for now." Her face darkened. "There was nothing I could do for the other three."

"I see..." the young Elezen sighed and looked about. A few more people were around not, either wounded or severely shaken up. But they were alive, at least. Not too far from them, Alisaie was tending to another survivor. "I can only hope the other villagers managed to flee. But if the rest have been turned into beasts...By the Twelve..."

"Yeah..."

"In any case, we must do what we can to stop the damage from spreading further. And no matter what comes, we must keep our spirits high...else we suffer a similar fate," he said, walking over to another villager and beginning to heal her. "I can tend to the rest here. Could you please look after Matsya? I feel all of this weighs even heavier on his heart than our."

"Of course."

"Thank you. Last I saw, he went that way. And S'eni—" his eyes found hers. "Stay with him. Unlike us, he isn't as accustomed to seeing such horrors."

S'eni just silently nodded, not needing to be told anything more, and walked away to look for their new friend. She located him on the other side of the village, talking with an elderly man. When he noticed her approach, the Arkasodara turned towards her, practically radiating relief.

"Oh, S'eni! S'eni!" he said. "This is Yeruvvet, the village elder. He is hurt, but─praise be to the Sisters─he still lives!"

"Matsya here told me everything," the old man said and bowed his head as best he could. "I have no words to express my gratitude."

"Can you tell me what happened?" She asked him.

"When the heavens began to burn, we were afraid, but did our best to carry on as we always would. Until today, when those unholy beasts came pouring into our village. There are no words to describe what followed. Men and women I've known since they were but babes were struck down, only to rise again as monsters that would attack friends and family."

Yeruvvet closed his eyes with a heavy sigh, the exhaustion, bodily and emotionally, making him appear even older than he already was. Yet, despite it all, he was still standing as firm as his wounds let him. "Do you know if any of the villagers managed to escape?" she asked.

"Yes. A handful of them fled for their lives. I can only hope they managed to get to safety..." as if only realizing something now, his eyes snapped open again, and he let them come to rest upon Matsya. "Do you remember Qerasaf and Mehvan? The young couple who always bought your freshest catches..."

The Arkasodara nodded. "How could I forget, Elder? They showed me such kindness when I first came to peddle my wares. While others shunned me for being an outsider, Qerasaf and Mehvan bought my fish and sang its praises. They turned my fortunes around!"

"I fear they are in terrible danger. I saw them running towards Agama Temple, one of those beasts in close pursuit," the elder explained. "They had their newborn daughter with them. Trying to avoid the fiends like that is impossible. Please, I beg of you. Go to their aid..."

"I..." Matsya hesitated for a brief moment. "I want to help them, but I'm just a fisherman..."

"We'll go together," S'eni assured him before he could say anymore.

"Oh, thank you! Agama Temple lies to the west of here. We must hurry."

She nodded, then looked at Yeruvvet. "My friends will take care of your wounds. Leave the rest to us."

And with that, the two of them were off. For a mercy, there seemed to be no creatures waiting to ambush them on their way, though that fact came with its own worries as well. After all, it meant that their foes were otherwise preoccupied. The thought made her steps quicken further. They emerged from within the woods and Matsya pointed up ahead towards a structure that had clearly seen better days, but was still very noticeably a temple.

"There it is!" he said. "This temple was built by those who worship Saint Agama, but it has fallen into disrepair in recent years. Still, if my friends have made it this far, they are surely hiding amidst the ruins."

"Let's look around the—" a sudden shout echoed towards them, followed by a painful scream.

"T-That sounded like Qerasaf! Oh no..."

"It came from up ahead. Matsya, stay here while I go check," she told him.

"Y-Yes!"

Wasting no time, she hurried in the direction from where the voice came from. As she climbed up a nearby hill, she spotted three of these apocalyptic creatures, hideous amalgamations of maw and claws on spidery legs, surrounding the lying form of a man. Diving down the hill, she bridged the gap within the blink of an eye and slammed her fist into the side of one of these creatures. It howled out, stumbling a bit to the side, before catching itself and turning towards her.

Its nightmarish maw opened and closed, the echo of the person this thing used to be saying, "Why...why..."

The other two released a loud scream and immediately came charging towards her. Dodging their attacks, she drew them away from the man and began to strike back, answering fang and claw with fists and feet until their bodies were lying on the ground, dissolving into the very mist that spawned them. She looked about the area for a moment to see if the fighting had drawn out more of them, then, after making sure that there weren't any, went over to check on the body. But the grievous wounds covering his body were painting an all too grim picture.

"I'm sorry, S'eni. I tried staying behind but I couldn't—no, it cannot be!" Within seconds, Matsya was at her side, kneeling down on the ground. She just silently shook her head.

All the more was she surprised when Qerasaf began to stir. "Is someone...anyone..." he managed to say. "My arms...so heavy...my legs...I cannot feel them..."

He coughed violently, staining his paling lips a deep red.

"My wife...fled with our daughter...I need to find them...need to be with them...need..."

Black mist began to surround his broken body.

"Qerasaf! No, Qerasaf─you must stay strong!" Matsya begged his friend.

"More time... I thought I had..." Tears began to trickle down his cheeks. "...I...I don't want to die..."

Even if he transformed now, S'eni very much doubted the resulting creature any threat, dying as he was. But...she just couldn't let this man's soul be lost forever. So she reached out a hand to dry his tears. "We'll find them," she gently promised. "You can rest now..."

The mist dissipated, leaving only Qerasaf. His lips curled up into a weak smile. "Thank you..."

With that, what little strength he had left faded, and he slipped away. He was gone. Next to her, Matsya could do nothing but stare at the lifeless body of his friend, and she reached out to place a comforting hand on top of his huge arm. The touch caused him to jump at first, but he swiftly relaxed and, once he was ready, rose back to his feet.

"Mevhan is still alive. And she has their child," he said. "We must search the jungle between here and Palaka's Stand. There is nowhere else she could have gone. I think..."

"Then we do that," she said somberly and got back up as well.

Matsya nodded and made to turn around, but stopped to look at his fallen friend for a few more seconds. "Forgive me, Qerasaf...Once we have saved your wife and child, we will return and lay you to rest..."

As they began to leave, she, too, glanced at the young man one last time. He had remained himself until the very end, ensuring that his soul would find rest in the Aetherial Sea. It was of little solace, but she would take what comfort she could get.

 

---

 

Alas, their search turned up nothing. Even as the twins joined them in their effort, and they extended it to the south, to a temple called Purusa, they didn't find her, nor her baby, amongst the villagers holed up there. To make matters worse, the beasts were already attacking the place when they arrived, so they had to fight them off as well.

After taking care of the fiends, they gathered the villagers outside the temple to treat those that were injured. Their mood was understandably grim, many having lost family and friends to these beasts, and with how the conversation was going, there would soon be more transformations if they didn't act fast. It was then that Matsya spoke up.

"My friends! This...this is a place of worship!" he said. "Should your hearts be beset by sadness, look to the sky and remember. Remember the old gods. Did they not implore us to stand fast when waves of sorrow break against our shores?"

A brief silence followed his words, as some of the villagers looked at one another. It was finally broken by an Au Ra woman, who had remained the most resolute so far. "Know this, my children. There is more ugliness than beauty in this world. To live is to suffer. To drink of calamity and drown in anguish. To toil and be tested, always and ever."

"'Tis a perilous path. Death lurks in the dark, and is the sole promise that awaits at journey's end," an elderly man continued. "You will tremble with terror. You will weep tears of anger and despair..."

Next was a despondent young man..."...But do not avert your eyes. See your life for what it is. Then you will see how the hardships make you strong."

...and a young woman whose tears were still freely running down her cheeks. "Every doubt reforged as scales for your armor. Every agony to temper your blade..."

S'eni watched as slowly, but surely, the people of Palaka began to regain their spirits, and she shared a little smile with the twins. Good job, Matsya.

"Thank you. We'd almost forgotten who we are," the elderly man said to the Arkasodara, before turning his attention towards the three of them. "My undying gratitude to you as well, my friends. You were searching for Mevhan, no? We can return to the village on our own, please find her and her child."

"We shall," Alphinaud promised. "We dispatched what beasts we could, but the roads are still dangerous. Stay together and be on your guard."

They watched the villagers leave, keeping an eye out for any beasts they might have missed until the group was fully out of sight. Once they were, they walked over to Matsya.

"That was very impressive," Alisaie said. "The words seemed to resonate with them."

"They should. They were the first spoken unto our ancestors by the divinity of legend," Matsya explained. "I get upset very easily, and am likely to flee from a trembling hand. So I recite the teachings, over and over, to calm myself."

"They're lovely and inspiring to hear. Even if they don't sugarcoat anything." The young woman smiled wryly.

"But they are true. Life is filled with as much bad as good—more, many would claim. They are a reminder to appreciate the good while we can."

"I won't argue that," Alphinaud said.

Appreciate the good, S'eni thought, and her mind flashed back to the words Hydaelyn had told her in Labyrinthos.

"In darkness, seek joy. Surrender not to sadness, and see beyond despair. Walk free and bear the light for others to follow." How strangely similar. And with what they had learned about the Final Days, they were ringing more than true. Moving almost of its own volition, her hand crept towards the Elpis flower in one of her pouches, when her ears suddenly perked up from a nearby roar. Turning her head, she saw one of the taller, bidepal beasts vanish behind a rock.

"Did you see that!?" Alisaie pointed in its direction. "It was chasing someone!"

"Hm. Let's not waste any time," S'eni said.

"Go with Matsya and search along the river. Alphinaud and I will circle around south!"

Nodding, she exchanged a look with the Arkasodara, and was off with him. As they followed along the river, she gazed into the distance but couldn't find any trace of the creature or its quarry. "Matsya, where does this river lead?" she asked.

"The Font of Maya. An old temple that was once used by ascetics, but has long since been abandoned."

"Do you think they could be hiding there?"

A hesitant nod. "Yes."

"Then let's go there!"

Soon after, they arrived at the temple, its ruins half submerged in rainwater that formed a large pool at the center of it. S'eni immediately began to cast her gaze across the area, trying to locate the creature and its quarry. It didn't take long.

"Over there!" she said and pointed across the pond towards a woman, slowly backing away from the approaching creature. In her arms, she held a small bundle.

"That...That is Mehvan! No doubt about it!"

"Shit, we're too far away!"

They could do nothing but watch as Mevhan was further backed against the edge. Out of sheer desperation, she picked up a rock and threw it at the creature. The only thing it did was enrage it further. Just as it looked like the creature was going in for the kill, four Nouliths came shooting out of a nearby thicket, knocking it to the side with concentrated beams of aether. Alisaie was next to follow, moving in to strike the beast with her rapier, but was blown away by a sudden swipe from its arm.

Sensing an opportunity, Mevhan made a run for it, but the creature was once again hot on her heels. As it closed in, it reached out a clawed hand, grabbed her roughly by the head—

"No! Mevhan!"

—and tossed her into the water. Without any hesitation, S'eni dove right in after her. Frantically looking around, she found Mevhan floating in the center, and swam over as fast as she could. But as soon as she had closed in on the woman, she knew that any help would be coming too late. Her neck was twisted in an odd angle and her lifeless eyes were staring into nothing. She must have been dead instantly. But...where was the baby?

After a few agonizing seconds, she found it further down on the ground. Taking the bundle into her arms, she held the little infant girl close and swam back to the surface. I've got you, little one. I've got you.

Once back on land, she brushed some of the blanket wrapped around the baby to take a better look and exhaled in relief when she saw the girl breathing. But who knew for how long. Biting her lip, S'eni pulled her back close again, silently begging her for forgiveness for not being fast enough, then hurried over to the twins, who had gotten rid of the monster and met up with Matsya. Upon spotting her, the three rushed over to her. Alphinaud's eyes landed on the baby. "Quick, let me see her!"

"What about Mevhan?" Alisaie asked, taking hold of the baby while her brother began to cast a healing spell.

S'eni averted her eyes. "Gone..."

"Oh no..." Matsya said, his gaze going to the ground. The group fell silent, watching with tense shoulders while Alphinaud tried his best to help the little girl. After what felt like an eternity, a small noise emerged from the bundle. But what little relief that offered was instantly brought down by Alisaie's next words.

"This isn't good, she's all cold!"

Alphinaud lowered his hand, frowning. "We must return to the village at once. She needs warmth." A series of growls made them all turn their heads to see another group of monsters coming their way. "Of course this has to happen now!"

"Matsya, take the child," Alisaie said and held the baby out towards the Arkasodara, who carefully took them into his large hands.

"Looks like our battle must have drawn out the beasts roaming the area. Then this can only be the vanguard." Raising his arms, the Nouliths on his back rose back into the air. "Time is running out...Matsya can you make it to the village with the child?"

"M-Me...Alone!? I mean, somehow, I'm sure. But..."

"We'll take care of the beasts and make sure none will follow you!" Alisaie said. "But for that we need you and all of your courage. Take her to safety!"

Closing his eyes, Matsya took a few shaky breaths, then nodded. "I-I...can do it!"

The young woman smiled, before turning towards the beasts and taking her rapier. "I know you can. We'll keep them busy. Go, Matsya, now!"

With a final nod, Matsya turned around and hurried away. As the twins moved to intercept the beasts, S'eni briefly closed her eyes, mind wandering back to Ahewann's last wish. To save Radz-at-Han. Her mind was immediately assaulted by images of Mevhan and Qerasaf, their bodies battered and broken, their young, happy lives snuffed out like the flickering flame of a candle. And not only theirs, countless others as well.

Her hands balled into fists, nails digging deep into the fabric covering her palms. Not a single one more. Eyes shooting open, filled with burning anger, S'eni raised her arms and rushed at the beasts.

No one else would die on her watch today!

 

Chapter 139

The Warmth of Thavnair's Soul

 

With the last of the creatures fallen, you pay respect to the fallen and return to Palaka's Stand. Waiting for you there was none other than Vrtra. Or rather the Satrap as he was now officially calling himself, having finally decided to step out from behind the veil that had kept him hidden, to offer the children of Thavnair renewed hope in these dark times.

Even with the sky ever burning, you could tell that the day was slowly coming to an end. No more battles for today, you earned your rest. So go and take it. In fact, right now would be the perfect time for...

 

---

 

"...A cup of chai?" the weary-looking Au Ra man asked.

"Yes," S'eni replied and held the tablet out towards him. "Freshly brewed by Nidhana of the alchemists."

Once they had defeated the beasts and recovered Qerasaf and Mehvan's bodies, they returned to Palaka's Stand where Vrtra was awaiting them with troops of the Radiant Host. Soon after, a group of alchemists led by Nidhana came and joined them to offer the citizens much-needed aid. But while their potions and tonics could heal wounds and sickness, the people's spirits were a different matter entirely. Luckily, the Arkasodara already had a plan for that as well.

"The spicy aroma and distinctive sweetness of chai is a simple, everyday pleasure on our island," Nidhana had said. "And it is in times like these when the simple normalcies of life are all the more important."

The man eyed the tablet, on which only two more glass cups remained, before finally saying, "Well, if you insist..."

He reached out and took one of the cups, slowly raising it towards his lips. Taking a sip, he closed his eyes, head tilting slightly skyward. A multitude of emotions danced across his face, from anger to sadness, until finally settling on a smile.

"Ahhh...really has a way of clearing one's mind. Come to think of it, we've faced our fair share of trials in the past as well. And no matter how hard the times, we've always come together as one. One day at a time, one step at a time, that is all we can do. Yes...well, back to work." He returned his gaze towards her and raised his cup. "After I finished this, of course. Thank you."

S'eni simply nodded with a smile of her own and left. She walked around until she found a nice spot overlooking the village and sat down, placing the tablet next to her. As she watched two soldiers passing her, discussing how to best arrange the patrols, she reached out for the last remaining cup and raised it to her lips. Just like the last time she had it, the milky tea began to immediately warm her up, and she felt herself slowly relax, if only a little.

"S'eni—" she glanced to the side to see Alphinaud coming towards her, a cup of his own in his hand. He smiled slightly. "—mind if I give you some company?"

"No, go ahead." She watched him sit down next to her and take a sip from his chai. He released a small, appreciative hum and nodded.

"Nidhana certainly did not oversell it. I can already feel my spirits rising."

"Yeah." S'eni took another sip. "Though I'd be lying if I claimed I couldn't do with something hard right now."

He chuckled, but there was very little humor in it. "Indeed..."

They drank their chai in silence, watching as the remaining people of Palaka's Stand worked together with soldiers and alchemists alike to repair the damages caused by the beasts. The suffering they had endured today wouldn't be over by a long shot but if they kept working together like this, they would be able to overcome this. Now all she and the others had to do was find a way to stop all this.

That...was going to be the really tricky part...

"I have spoken with some of the alchemists," Alphinaud said after a couple of minutes. "About the baby."

"How's she doing?"

"According to them, their potions are already working. She is going to make it."

"That's a relief," she said with a deep exhale. "Though I suppose for her the real struggle has only begun."

"For now, the alchemists will take care of her. But yes, they will need to eventually figure out what to do with her. Perhaps one of the villagers will take her..."

Lips curling upward, she bumped her elbow into him. "How about you? That might serve as an exciting challenge."

Alphinaud's eyes widened momentarily at the suggestion, but the moment he noticed her smirk, a smile replaced his shock. "And what about you?" he asked right back.

"No, thank you." She waved her hand. "One could argue I've already got my hands full of mothering certain individuals of our illustrious band."

With Estinien being the eternal problem child, she added in her thoughts.

They shared a chuckle, a genuine one this time, and went back to drinking. Once he was done with his cup, Alphinaud rose back to his feet. "I believe it is time we head back to Nidhana. I am sure Alisaie must be done with delivering the chai as well."

"Yeah." She drained the rest of the cup and took the Elezen's offered hand. "Let's do that."

They returned to Nidhana, who was still tending to the pot while talking with Matsya and Alisaie. From the smell of it, she must have made some more chai. The aroma alone made her want another cup, but there was sadly too little time. Estinien must be done with checking the perimeter by now.

"Thank you all for delivering the chai," Nhidana said and, though her trunk hid it quite well, offered them a grateful smile. "Did it help to lift the villagers' spirits?"

S'eni and the twins shared a look and nodded.

"That is heartening to hear. The Final Days show no signs of abating, but that is all the more reason that we must try to keep our composure. Our lives have been forever changed. The people we have lost will never return to us. These tragedies will long weigh on our hearts..." Nhidana stirred the pots a few times. "But we have the capacity to live with our suffering. To carry the agony till we too join the fallen in death. It is not a surrender, but a recognition. For it is only in acceptance that we find the strength to move forward."

"Yes..." S'eni's lips rose slightly. "...we've heard."

"Uhm..." Matsya then said and they turned to look at him. "S'eni, a-a word, perhaps?"

"Of course." She glanced at the twins. "I'll be right back."

She walked a few steps with him so they could talk undisturbed, then turned towards the Arkasodara, asking, "So what do you want to talk about?"

"Mevhan and Qerasaf. I was just curious to know...what has become of their remains..."

"We recovered Mevhan's body and delivered it to Qerasaf near Agama Temple. We informed the villagers of their location too."

The relief he felt from her words was clear as day on his face. "Oh thank you, friend. Surely, they will be able to rest peacefully by each other's side. I, and the people of Palaka's Stand, will perform the rites as soon as we are able to. As for the child...it will not be easy for her, to grow up without her parents, but I promise to do what I can. Once she is able to eat solid food, the fish I catch will help nourish her."

S'eni's expression grew warm at that and she gave his arm a little pat. "You're a kind man, Matsya. And brave on top of that. Never let anyone else tell you otherwise."

When they returned to the others, they found them already discussing their next move. "...I believe we can leave this place in the care of the Radiant Host and High Crucible."

"So we're heading out?" S'eni asked.

"Yes. There's really not much more we can do here," Alisaie replied.

"Then please, don't let us keep you further. There are still many who have need of your wisdom and strength to deliver them from this terrible calamity," Nidhana said.

"I will head back to Akyaali to gather rations and supplies for the people here," Matsya said. "We have plenty to spare."

"Then it seems like there's really nothing keeping us here. Let's find Estinien and be on our way." Alisaie frowned. "Where did he wander off to again?"

"He wanted to meet us at the Wakeful Torana. Near the bridge to Radz-at-Han," S'eni explained and, with a last goodbye to their friends, they were off to where Estinien was awaiting them. And as it turned out, he had some news of his own to deliver.

 

---

 

So it was finally, well and truly, official that Vrtra had been Radz-at-Han's Satrap all along. A great step, that had taken all the bravery the dragon could muster. After all, he, too, was a beast. In the end, though, those worries had amounted to very little, as the people of his fair city had accepted him with open arms.

And as it just so happened, his first official day as Satrap also saw him welcome a group of foreign dignitaries from Sharlayan, led by none other than one Fourchenault Leveilleur. The man's face, when he learned that a great dragon was the Satrap, had been quite priceless, to say the least. As Vrtra invited the Sharlayans into Meghaduta, she and the others were invited to a feast at Mehryde's Meyhane, something they gratefully accepted.

Though of course not before S'eni in particular was invited to a meeting of utmost importance at the Radiant Hall. Awaiting there, were delegates of their Eorzean and Far Eastern allies, and the news they bore was grave indeed. Transformations had begun all over the allied territories. And while they were still far and few in between, that could only mean that somewhere out there, more Blasphemies must have appeared. After promising to offer them what aid she could, the meeting concluded and she headed over to the meyhane to finally join her friends.

Upon entering, she was greeted by a familiar face. Mihleel, the barmaid they had talked to earlier. "Welcome!" the Au Ra bowed. "When the Satrap asked us to entertain a party of honored guests, I was wondering who it might be...This is a lovely surprise, to say the least."

"It's good to see you again, too," she replied.

Mihleel smiled, but it turned into a frown rather quickly. "By the way, I heard all about Khalzahl from your friend G'raha Tia. I understand there was nothing that could be done, but...I was heartened to hear he meant us no harm."

S'eni nodded. "Up until his last moments, his thoughts were with the consortium and the people working in it."

"And I cannot thank you enough for putting an end to his suffering, as well as that of all the others." The smile returned. "So as the smallest token of our thanks, your food and drink tonight is Mehryde's treat. Speaking of which, what shall I start you off with?"

"Alright, how about a glass of your finest wine?"

"As you wish. Please join your friends in the meantime, I'll bring you your drink shortly."

Not needing to be told that twice, she walked over to where the others were already enjoying themselves quite well with delicious food and drink. Being the first to notice her approach, Y'shtola smiled and raised her glass. "Welcome back, Eni. So what was it the Radiant Host needed you for?"

"A meeting with Eorzean and Doman delegates," S'eni replied and flopped down on the seat opposite of her.

"Our allies have sent military delegates?" the other Miqo'te's eyebrows rose. "That's news to me. Mind sharing the details?"

"Sure. But you're really not going to like it..." leaning on the table, she began to tell everyone what she had learned, with predictable results of course. In a matter of moments, the relaxed atmosphere gave way to a tense air. When she was done, S'eni simply half-buried her face in her hand.

"So the beasts are everywhere..." Y'shtola said.

At the table next to theirs, Alphinaud crossed his arms and leaned back slightly. "It seems Father is correct and this sickness as he calls it will soon spread to the furthest reaches of our world. After all, we saw it already at Amaurot."

"If that's true then things will only get more disastrous from here on out," Thancred said, frowning. "It's bad enough that people are transforming into grotesque beasts. But if plants and animals—or even the very grounds themselves—begin to turn as well, then there's no way we can stay here any longer."

"...perhaps this star truly is lost, then," Estinien commented and they all fell silent.

A few seconds ticked by, until the silence was pierced by a pair of steps as Mihleel came walking over. Looking up, S'eni was met by the barmaid's smile. "Your order,'' Au Ra said and placed the glass of wine in front of her. Picking up on the mood, she then looked across their little group. "Please, enjoy. Despite the circumstances."

As the barmaid walked away again, S'eni briefly looked at the glass, before grasping it and taking a deep sip. A deep sigh made its way past her lips as the alcohol almost immediately kicked in, soothing those frayed nerves that chai couldn't. After a second sip, she placed the glass back down.

"What are we supposed to do...?" Alisaie wondered aloud. "Experiencing the Final Days for myself made it clear to me that we won't achieve anything by blindly fighting. And if we don't tear out the problem at its root, we won't be able to keep up. We're just reacting to escalation, how are we supposed to do that when things will only get worse...? Something...there has to be a solution..."

"If someone knows something, it's Hydaelyn. She has witnessed the Final Days, faced Zodiark and prevented worse from coming to pass," Y'shtola said, a thoughtful expression forming on her face. "But we haven't heard from her since the Tower of Babil...and we don't know if she is unwilling or unable to communicate with us. And the flower she entrusted us with..."

"...Is gone," S'eni finished, running a finger across the edge of the glass. When she had taken the flower out of her pocket earlier, it had turned to ash almost immediately. So much for serving as a guide...

But just as that thought passed, the words the Watcher had told her just before they left the moon came rushing back to her, "In our time, we called it 'Elpis'...you would do well to remember that name."

"But...we might have something else," she said, looking up from the glass into the quizzical looks of the others. "The flower is gone, but we have its name. Elpis. That's what the Watcher called it."

"Indeed he did. Elpis..." Y'shtola shook her head. "That word does not ring any bell, I'm afraid."

"Most likely a word from the Ancient's language. Yet I have no idea what it could mean," Alphinaud said.

"That, I am sure of. I'm just surprised I haven't stumbled across the word Elpis a single time while looking through the Anyder's archives," her lover mused.

"So we can't even follow this lead?" Alisaie asked. "And it's not like we have any other Ascian eyewitnesses..."

"That...is not entirely correct. There may yet be one remaining," G'raha said, drawing all attention towards him. "...Elidibus. In lieu of a white auracite, I sealed him away inside the First's Crystal Tower. Of course, the aether inside of it is used to keep the tower running, and it eventually returns to the Aetherial Sea. So it might very well be that his soul is no longer present. But, should it be...then he might be willing to talk with us."

He turned to look at S'eni. "I...we cannot travel to the First. But you can still traverse the rift between worlds."

"A little trip to First it is, then," she said, smiling. "That way I can see how things are faring over there."

"Thank you." He mirrored her expression. "I pray that everyone is doing alright."

"And should we learn that the First and its inhabitants aren't in immediate danger, it would surely ease our minds and serve as additional motivation," Thancred added. "Even if I wouldn't put my money on Elidibus helping us. Urianger is still working tirelessly on the moon to make it hospitable. That way we have an additional ace up our sleeve should we really have no option but the exodus."

"Then we should do all in our power to fight for this until the very end. Without losing courage,' Alisaie said, her spirits finally returning.

"Very good. No matter what fate has in store for us...we won't give up." Y'shtola smiled. "I shall seek out Master Matoya. Perhaps together we can find a way to communicate with Hydaelyn."

"In that case, I will reach out to our allies to gain a better understanding of the full extend of this calamity," Alphinaud said.

"Regale all the information you get to me," Estinien told him. "It may not be much, but the more of these beasts my lance can put down, the better."

The young man nodded and cast his gaze across their group. "Fear and despair...we will never be able to keep them under control, no matter how much we try. But wherever they may be, our friends continue to fight. We are not alone."

A round of nods followed, and the tension that had been in the air just a moment ago was beginning to dissipate. The fight wasn't over yet, not by a longshot. But, at least for now, they had a plan.

"Then, with that out of the way—" Y'shtola suddenly said and shoved the large bowl filled with food across the table. "—eat, O Warrior of Light. I believe you of all have earned it."

With a chuckle, S'eni reached out and picked up an especially delicious-looking pear. Now that the mood was sufficiently restored, they went back to enjoying what was left of the banquet. As time passed, and the food, as well as drink, began to run out, one by one the others trickled out of the meyhane to head to their respective destinations, though not before giving her a certain empty spirit vessel in G'raha's case. By the time Y'shtola and her were leaving the establishment, it must have been pretty late, and she had to force herself not to yawn all the way to the Aetheryte.

Not that it tricked her lover in any shape or form. "You should get some sleep."

"And I will," S'eni said, turning to face Y'shtola while reaching out to attune herself to the large crystal. "Once I'm in Revenant's Toll. Same goes for you, too. No bothering old ladies in the middle of the night."

"Hmpf, even though it would be just payback for all the times she dragged me out of bed during my apprenticeship?"

She had to pause there for a second. "Even then."

"Duly noted." They both giggled. "Well then, don't let me keep you."

"While I'm over there, should I make a slight detour to Rak'tika?" S'eni asked with a smile.

"Hmm, no. I trust they are all doing their very best, so there is no need for that. But do give my regards to Ryne."

"I will. Well, I'm off then..." stepping a little away S'eni began to float in the air as the teleport magic began to connect itself with the Aetheryte in Mor Dhona. Feeling the familiar sensation building up inside of her, she closed her eyes...

"Eni, wait."

Opening them again in surprise, she dropped back down onto her feet. Just when she was about to ask her lover what the matter was, Y'shtola stepped forward and planted a little kiss on her cheek. A warm little flutter went through her stomach, and she blinked once, twice.

"You looked like you could use one right now," Y'shtola explained.

Mouth slightly agape, S'eni stared at the other Miqo'te, before reaching out to cup her cheeks and pull her in for a full kiss. Like a dam had burst inside of them, they sunk into one another's embrace, releasing twin sighs of comfort. They remained like that for a few minutes, each reluctant to let go, because they both knew deep down that once they separated, it would be a while until they saw each other again. Eventually though, the necessity of their tasks forced them apart.

Wordlessly, she brushed a thumb against Y'shtola's cheek and let their eyes linger on one another's for a little bit longer, before stepping back. They shared a nod and she began the process of teleportation once more. A few seconds later, she was gone.

 

Notes:

Matsya is a good egg. That's all

Chapter 140

To Where The Flowers Bloom

 

With no small amount of anxiety, you return to the Crystarium. Justifiably so, for haven't the people of the First suffered greatly in the past? Yet, as you emerge on the other side, there was no fire in the sky, nor any nightmarish beasts roaming the streets.

Everyone was safe. For now, at least. Good...

So I urge you to push your worries away and to keep your eyes straight ahead now. We are reaching the part of this journey where truths long forgotten would finally be unveiled, and where a promise was forged.

 

---

 

Excited laughter echoed through the Whispering Gallery and S'eni waved after the three children as they made their way to the Cabinet of Curiosities. Her smile grew a little as Riqi-Tio, the Mystel girl, turned around one last time to wave back, before slipping through the doors after friends. It was good to see the kids were still very much a spirited bunch.

When the doors closed behind them, S'eni dropped her hand back to her side with a sigh. She certainly hadn't expected to be answering questions or giving a little life advice when she left the Rising Stones this morning. If she didn't know any better, she would suspect Lyna had made her wait here specifically so she could run into some old acquaintances, but perish that thought...

And yet she couldn't shake that nagging little voice in the back of her mind telling her that Lyna was exactly the type of unfun, stick in the mud that take her attention away from—

"Invading my thoughts again, Your Majesty?" S'eni asked with a quirk of her eyebrow.

"Hmpf, now she notices me..." the voice said, changing mid-sentence from her own to that of a certain pixie. "Such fun she's having with the adoration of dusty bookworms and wide-eyed younglings, but does she spare a thought for me? Of course not! I waited and waited and waited, but she won't even so much as acknowledge the presence of her beautiful branch even though they're right here! Such a heartless thing our sapling is! Cold and cruel and heartless!"

Being called heartless not once, but twice? Yes, she really must have done it now. Better to try and smooth things over before she really had a diplomatic incident on her hands.

"Aww, you know I missed you, Feo Ul," she said, looking around to see if she could find the pixie fluttering about. "You're my loveliest of branches after all!"

With a pop right in front of her, Feo Ul appeared, glaring at her with their hands placed on both sides of their hips.

"If you truly missed me, you should have cried for me at the top of your lungs the instant you arrived!" They crossed their arms and turned away slightly. "I'll overlook it for now, but next time you best call me with twice as much passion. Of course, for there to be a next time, you've some struggles to overcome."

Turning back around, they let their small eyes come to rest upon hers, and smiled.

"So, my adorable sapling, the world is at last on the verge of destruction, is it?"

"You know?" S'eni asked in surprise.

"Of course I know. Joined as we are, spying on you is as simple as sliding down the back of a rainbow." She wanted to point out that wasn't a simple thing to do at all, but kept her mouth shut instead. "Ah, if only I could help you in your quest...but the fate of the Fae Folk is bound to that of the star. Wherever it goes, we follow. Such is our way."

She felt her face darken and, seeing that, Feo Ul's smile only grew. They fluttered close and placed a tiny hand on her cheek, gently stroking it with long nails. "The most I could do for you is spare you the pain, by gifting you the sweetest of eternal dreams..."

"You know that's not possible."

"Yes, and that is why you are my adorable, little sapling. You will fight to the end at the side of your fellow mortals. Ah, but here are the ones you were waiting for. I wonder what manner of conclusion awaits you at this tale's end...?"

And just as suddenly as they appeared, they were gone again. Turning her head, she saw Lyna and Ryne coming towards her. When their eyes met, the girl began to break into a sprint.

"S'eni!" Ryne called out and practically flung herself at S'eni in a hug. She returned it with a laugh. "It's so wonderful to see you again!"

"My, just look at you. Have you grown since the last time we met?" she asked.

"No." A giggle. "But it's nice of you to think so."

"My apologies for the delay," Lyna then said, making the two look at the Vii. "You two must have a lot to catch up on, so I shall leave you to it. I've taken the liberty of unlocking the Umbilicus, and you may enter at your leisure."

"Thank you, Lyna." The officer saluted, before turning around and returning to her duties.

With a smile, S'eni looked back down at Ryne. "How about we take a little walk?"

"Yes. Let's do that!"

Leaving the Whispering Gallery, they made their way up to the Baldaquin, sharing some idle talk about how everyone was doing. After they had made their way, they stopped at the spot where they had a great view of the Exedra. "I'm relieved to hear that everyone is doing well," Ryne said after S'eni was done, idly running her hand over the steel balustrade. "I've had this feeling, like a pit in my stomach, and I was afraid that something might have happened...Maybe I'm overthinking things, but...it's just that..."

"Just what?" she asked, stepping next to her.

"I'm the Oracle of Light, but I've never spoken with Hydaelyn. Never once heard Her call. Even so, I've always had this feeling deep inside me. A connection to something immense. These past few days, though, that connection has...wavered. As if that immense something was distant, then close, then distant again..." the girl explained. "Then the other night, I was jolted awake by the feeling of it being severed. Needing some fresh air, I opened the window...only to see the sky ablaze. Like during the star shower. But then I blinked, and everything was normal. The next day, no one said a thing. No one else had seen what I had seen. As far as I could tell, nothing was out of the ordinary. I began to wonder if it was a figment of a half-remembered dream..."

S'eni frowned and looked away. So she had a vision similar to her own that night in Sharlayan. And a feeling of being severed from Hydaelyn...that wasn't good...

"S'eni?" Ryne's voice pierced through her thoughts. "What aren't you telling me?"

For a brief moment, she considered just lying to her. But she also knew that Ryne was far too clever for that. No, she should treat her like a trusted comrade and friend, like she deserved. With a sigh, S'eni turned to look at her again, seeking out those blue eyes that were filled with worry.

"The Final Days that Emet-Selch showed us. They've begun on the Source."

"So it wasn't my imagination then...I can't believe it..."

"So far, the worst of it is focused on a relatively small area, but creatures are showing up everywhere, and...we don't know how long until it will spread to the reflections," she said, tapping her fingers against the surface of the balustrade. "It's actually why I'm here. We're hoping that Elidibus might know something more."

"So that's why you want to enter the Umbilicus. I see..." Ryne nodded to herself, then stepped forth to put her hand on top of S'eni's arm, offering her a small smile. "So far, all is well here. So don't worry about us, just look to the threat before you. We've learned to survive, and should the Final Days reach us here as well, I assure you we won't go quietly. No, we'll hold on until you can find a way to save all our worlds."

S'eni stared at Ryne, amazed how this young girl, who had seemed so unfathomably sad and burdened with responsibility, had grown into such a confident lady in her own right. Expression mirroring that of Ryne, she reached out and pulled her into another hug. "That's my girl," she whispered fondly and gently stroked her hair.

"You should go talk with Elidibus," Ryne said after they broke the hug after a brief moment. "I'll go seek Lyna and see if there's something we can do to prepare the people. So it's farewell for now, but we'll see each other again. I'm certain of it."

After saying goodbye, they both went their separate ways. Slowly making her way up the tower, she couldn't help but feel a little nostalgic about all the things that had happened in these halls before and after arriving on the First. The Ocular, too, immediately flooded her with memories of all the plans that they had made. Gods, what an adventure it had been...but enough travelling down memory lane, she had come here with a task.

Entering the Ocular to her right, she immediately walked over to the console at the far end of the chamber. It sprung to life with an electric hum but otherwise didn't do anything else. Only when she pulled out G'raha's empty spirit vessel, did a series of holographic screens pop up in the air, followed by a mechanical voice.

"Biometric authentication complete. Please state your business," the voice said.

"I'm looking for Elidibus."

"Acknowledged. Reinitializing Syrcus Tower systems. Searching for subject 'Elidibus'." As the machine searched for its wayward soul, S'eni took a moment to look around. Still just the same as the last time she had been here. She suspected that Lyna wished to preserve it the way G'raha had left it. A sudden sound made her look back towards the console. "Target located in subterranean core power accumulator. Projecting image."

A few seconds passed, until a voice from behind made her turn around. "I have dreamed...of beautiful, peaceful days..."

There, in the center of the room, stood Elidibus. Or rather, his image. His masked gaze was focusing on the ground, as if he didn't fully grasp what was happening, so she called out his name. That did the trick, and he raised his head to look at her.

"You? You awakened me? What could that possibly mean?" he asked.

"It's...quite a story."

"Tell me everything then. I can no longer sense things beyond this tower and feel no connection to Zodiark anymore."

And so she did just that, beginning from when Fandaniel first had made his plans known to bring an end to the star. From there, she told him how she had been forced to strike down Zodiark and how his resulting demise brought upon them the Final Days of old. She also shared some of their initial findings regarding the nature of this calamity. He listened intently, mostly nodding along and only occasionally asking a question, until he finally heard enough and raised his hand for her to stop.

"So it has happened at last. He has fallen, and the souls of my brethren have returned to the star..." Elidibus sighed. "It pains me to know that the doom we sacrificed so much to prevent has returned. But this is now your world, and it is on you to shoulder that burden. Nevertheless, if this was by Fandaniel's design then I, Elidibus, have a final task to fulfill. Thanks to your recent 'meddling', I have regained my memories of the Convocation of Fourteen. Memories I now wish to share with you."

The corners of her lips curled into a grateful smile. "Thank you."

"Stop that. I am merely doing my duty." The Ascian waved her off. "Now...where do I begin? What you discovered about the Final Days largely coincides with our own knowledge. The decay took root first where the celestial currents have grown weakest. It was Fandaniel who came to that conclusion. Not the Fandaniel you know, of course, but his ancient self that was bestowed the title at the time. After discovering the reasons behind the phenomenon, he threw himself body and soul into trying to stop it. If not for his knowledge of the celestial, we might have never made the connection and, thus, put a stop to it."

"Ironic that it's the one carrying his soul that would bring about the Final Days," S'eni said.

"That he of all people wished for the end...that is bitter indeed..."

"Another thing, Hydaelyn bestowed a flower to me. One that was called 'Elpis' according to the Watcher. Does that name tell you anything?"

"Elpis? Yes, I know that name." He nodded. "But it stands not just for a flower, but a place as well."

"A place..."

"It was a testing facility for determining which of our creations were fit to be released into the world. In fact, it was Fandaniel himself who was chief of Elpis before joining the Convocation and assuming his title. He called himself Hermes back then."

"Hermes..." she repeated. And he was the one in charge of the place sharing the name with the flower that was to be her guide? "That can't be a coincidence."

"Perhaps. But how this is all connected to the Final Days, I do not know. The crystals tell very little about the lives of the Fourteen prior to their induction. And Elpis itself was destroyed, not even ruins remain for you to—Ngh!" with a sudden gasp, Elidibus grabbed his head and began writhing in pain. Stepping forward, S'eni reached out to him, only to realize at the last second that she couldn't touch him. Nevertheless, the gesture made him look at her. "...You. I saw you there...Where is that memory coming from...? It should not be possible...and why is it filling my heart with..."

Just as suddenly as it had arrived, the pain seemed to vanish and he stood back up straight.

"Everything alright there?" she asked.

"Yes, my apologies. Much remains clouded yet, however, a possible course has been revealed to me," he said and locked his masked eyes onto hers. "You must go to Elpis. To the time when Hermes served as its chief."

"What!?" her eyes widened. "But...how!?"

"While glimpsing at the Exarch's memories, I learned not only did I master the way it summons people across the rift, but learned all of the tower's inner workings. And since you sealed me away within it, it now harbors an abundance of energy. That should be enough for me to deliver you to the past. To the right place, at that precise time..." he trailed off.

"But...?"

"But, given the eons that need to be traversed, the gateway will not be fully formed. Your form will be even less tangible than those of the Warriors of Light I had summoned. No one will be able to see nor hear you," he explained. "You will be able to observe your surroundings, but unable to effect any meaningful change. For the reality you wish to save—the reality you must return to—is the result of the Final Days. Nothing you will do will prevent the tragedies of the present, prevent the sorrow and suffering fated to come. Knowing that, will you still entrust your life to me and make the journey?"

Travel to the distant past, when the world was still unsundered...unable to change anything. But, there must have been a reason for Hydaelyn to lead her to Elpis. And if this was the only way to save their world then—

"Do it," she said. "Send me to the past."

"Then so be it. This shall be my final act as Elidibus." He nodded towards the console behind her. "I shall tell you what you need to do."

"Alright."

"First, you must reconfigure the tower's systems, so that the aether may be channeled for the spell..." following his instructions to the letter, S'eni let her fingers dance across the holographic displays, silently thanking Cid and G'raha for the lesson they had given her in the past. After she had entered the last command, all the displays began to glow a confirming blue. Good, that should do it. Turning around, she saw that Elidibus was gone, and when he spoke once again, it echoed from deep within the tower itself.

"The gateway should open soon. Return to the Ocular." With a nod, she did as she was told. As she entered the room, she noticed a faint glow coming from the gate. "The flow of aether is stable. Everything is as it should be. Go now. I will give the last mote of my essence to make sure the teleport is safe."

"Last mote of—you don't mean..."

"What? Did you not listen? I told you this would be my last act." Elidibus sounded almost a little amused. "Zodiark is gone. There is no reason for me to stay any longer. I will return home to those I love and long to see. And this time it will not be a mere dream..."

The gateway began to open, offering to her the path to the ancient past.

"Walk on, Warrior of Light...and never look back." His voice vanished.

S'eni closed her eyes with a deep sigh, offering a silent prayer for one that sacrificed his all for those he had cherished. May he find rest alongside his brethren. Once she was done, she slowly walked towards the portal.

And, without looking back, stepped through it.

 

---

 

Blinding white filled her vision, then she found herself falling. Falling in the rift between time and space, years, centuries, even millennia passing by her like the wind in her hair. It wasn't unlike the first time she had travelled to the First, only that instead of fragments of her own past, there was nothing but silence.

After a while, a bright light appeared in the distance, growing closer and closer with each passing second. She narrowed her eyes slightly and saw that it was a large crystalline shard like the countless others floating far in the distance. And she knew, without a doubt, that was leading to her destination.

As the light grew brighter, she raised her arm to shield her eyes...

...

...

...

...and then, found herself floating no more.

S'eni blinked a few times and found herself staring at a large crystal floating in the center of an equally large room. As she tore her eyes away from the sight, they involuntarily landed on her still slightly raised arm and paused. It was see-through. And so was the rest of her.

Guess that was what Elidibus meant, she thought to herself. She had very little time to fully process it though, as a shadow began looming over her. Out of sheer reflex, she jumped backwards and looked up to see what could have possibly cast it, only to see a very, very tall man wearing a mask walking past her, paying her absolutely no mind. Indeed, the room was actually filled by quite a few of these masked individuals, going about their business.

Yes, this was undoubtedly the unsundered world. Alright, and now that you're here...where to begin?

She first tried to get the attention of a nearby man, standing in front of this Aetheryte-like device in the center of the room, with obvious results. Same with the woman she tried to prod a little, but S'eni couldn't even feel the touch. She even tried hurling insults at someone, just to make absolutely sure, but no dice. Just like Elidibus had said, she was entirely intangible. In the end, she came to a stop in front of a set of doors she suspected would lead her outside, but how should even go about opening it if she couldn't interact with anything?

While she was mulling over some possible options, like waiting for someone to just open it, she didn't notice two individuals arriving. Neither did she notice the one she tried to talk to a few minutes ago approaching them. It was when an all too familiar voice began to speak that her ears perked up.

"...Is that really necessary? Surely you can tell who we are."

"No way..." she turned around, her eyes landing on the two men standing near the Aetheryte-like device. One of them had long, braided hair, slung lazily over his shoulder, while the other had hair as white as snow.

"That might be the case for you, but not necessarily me. Come now, let us not give our hosts a hard time," the man with braided hair said. to which the white haired man next to him let out a long suffering sigh, but still reached up to his face to remove the mask.

After doing so, he crossed his arms in front of his chest and looked away from his companion, offering a glimpse of his face to her. But that was more than enough. His hair might be different, but she would recognize that grouchy visage anywhere. This was definitely Emet-Selch.

She watched him turn slightly, his piercing yellow gaze moving about for a brief moment, before glancing in her direction. No, wait, glancing directly at her. Could he actually see her?

He turned away again towards his now unmasked companion and the receptionist. "Satisfied?" he asked in an annoyed tone.

"Thank you for your cooperation," the receptionist replied politely. "I wish you a pleasant day."

As the receptionist walked off to resume his duties, Emet-Selch and his companion made their way over to the door. S'eni stepped aside, not once taking her eyes off them. If the look he had given her was nothing but a coincidence, then she might as well use this chance to slip through the door while they opened it. But instead of doing that, the braided man came to an abrupt stop and glanced over his shoulder.

"You see it too, right?" he asked.

S'eni stared intently at Emet-Selch to gauge his reaction. For his part, it almost seemed like he didn't hear his friend's question. Until he very pointedly turned his head away from her.

"I haven't the foggiest what you're talking about," Emet-Selch shot back.

"Oh please, you can stop pretending," the braided man said and proceeded to kneel down in front of her. "Here. A bit thin in the aether, but there is no mistaking that color. It resembles that of Azem to the smallest detail. Do you suppose she might have created it? Though quite odd for a familiar to possess a soul..."

Emet-Selch briefly looked at her, his eyebrows furrowed in a way as if he just received the most horrible news in the world. "Don't ask me," he said. "But if she has something to do with it, it will only spell trouble. Doubly so if it's her spitting image. Let's leave it be. Come."

"What!? No!" S'eni exclaimed, waving her hands and even jumping in an almost comical manner just to keep their attention on her. "If you two can see me then please help me!"

"Look, it is trying to say something. But it is too weak to communicate," the braided man pointed out. "Quick, share something of your aether with it. You have more than enough anyway."

"Do I look like someone who makes a habit of saving stray familiars?" Emet-Selch scoffed.

"No." His friend smiled. "But you are not one to deny a dear friend a request. Especially if said dear friend has come all the way out here with you."

Another, even more suffering sigh escaped him and she could swear he was muttering something under his breath while he was turning to face her.

"Close your eyes. Or you might get sick." She did as she was told. The sound of fingers snapping followed soon after, accompanied by a feeling of warmth rushing through her body. "You can open them again."

Opening her eyes, she was surprised to not only see that she was tangible again, but also quite a few sizes taller. Tall enough to actually properly talk with the two men in front of her.

"Oh, you even adjusted its size," the jovial man said.

"That should make it easier to indulge your whim." Emet-Selch shrugged. "And to communicate."

"My, how kind of you. And may I applaud you on your artful reinforcement?" After earning himself an eye roll, the man shifted his attention back to S'eni. "Well then...Greetings! I am Hythlodaeus, chief of the Bureau of the Architect. And this sulking fellow next to me is—"

"Emet-Selch, of the Convocation of the Fourteen," she blurted out.

Hythlodaeus blinked. "Yes, indeed. Quite informed, are you not? But that also answers the question if you can understand us. So what is your name, my new friend?"

"S'eni..." she said, looking between the two men. "I'm called S'eni."

"My, that is a fine sounding name. Would you tell us where you come from? You clearly were not created here."

"I..." she averted her eyes, unable to respond. If she told them she was from a far flung future where their world was no more, they would probably think she was crazy and render her intangible again. No, this was far too important for her to risk it like that. But what could she tell them...?

"Do you not know...or can you not say? Wait, let me ask differently. What are you doing here?"

That was far easier to answer. "I seek to learn more about Elpis and a man named Hermes."

"Really? The same as us then." A look of surprise crossed Hythlodaeus' features and he turned his head towards Emet-Selch. "Perhaps Azem wished to come along, but had to settle for a familiar."

"If she truly wished to be here, then she would be," was all Emet-Selch had to say to that.

"You are probably right about that. Ah, apologies, we are being quite rude. You see, the two of us can discern the color of souls and yours looks remarkably like that of a friend." A scoff passed between Emet-Selch's lips which was promptly ignored by Hythlodaeus. "And with your purpose matching ours, we jumped to hasty conclusions. We are here to speak with Hermes, the chief overseer of this facility, which we also intend to tour to gain further insight into his work. Well in all actuality, it is Emet-Selch's task to do so. I am just accompanying him because my work has led me to this place multiple times in the past. Say, why don't you come with us? You look a little lost."

"You want to take it along for official business?" Emet-Selch immediately asked. "We don't even know what that is!"

"If you really believe that she could cause damage, then that is all the more reason to take her along instead of leaving her to her own devices." Offering his friend a charming smile, Hythlodaeus moved to open the doors. "Besides, I find it quite fitting to explore this place alongside a mysterious lifeform."

Emet-Selch just did a resigning shrug and made to follow when Hythlodaeus walked out. Taking that as her permission, S'eni too stepped through the doorway and was immediately taken aback at the sight that was offered to her. Stretched out before her, as far as the eye could see, were a series of floating islands, each one filled with lush greenery that made it look more like a place where one would go to relax than a facility. Looking up, she could see the faint twinkle of stars even though it was clearly still daytime. Just how high up were they...?

"Welcome, my friends," she heard Hythlodaeus say. "To the testing ground of creation at heaven's edge: Elpis."

 

Notes:

[Back to the Future theme intensifies]

Chapter 141

May We Please Be Friends?

 

Fate, it seems, has quite an ironic sense of humor. Flung into the distant past only to meet not one, but two familiar faces. Of course to us, you were but a curiosity whose soul resembled that of a certain busybody who could never stop sticking her nose into people's business.

Yet this surprising encounter would be far from the last we were going to make...

 

---

 

Elpis was an amazing place. Wherever she looked, there were all sorts of exotic creatures or vegetation, some of which were quite similar in appearance to ones from her time. Was this where they all originated from? Brought to life from aether with the powers of creation the people of this time possess?

If only you could see this, Shtola, S'eni thought, eyes wide in amazement as she watched a bird strangely reminiscent of those in the Sea of Clouds pass by over her. A sigh from next to her made her look away from the creature and towards her companion to her right, who stared at her with his golden eyes. She tilted her head, brows furrowing.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing," he said and turned his gaze forward, muttering something that sounded suspiciously like "You're sticking out like a sore thumb." Under his breath.

That she could hardly deny. Even with the robes that Hythlodaeus had fashioned for her, her ears, tail, eyes, and face markings were a dead giveaway that she was different. Never mind the fact that she was a good two heads shorter than everyone still!

Just claim to be Azem's familiar, she reminded herself. According to Hythlodaeus, that would give her the benefit of the doubt in all things strange, though all it did was make her wonder just what the woman must have done in the past to deserve that reputation. They sure made her sound like a real oddball of the likes of Hildibrand Manderville.

As she pondered the possibilities, she noticed Hythlodaeus coming to a stop from out of the corner of her eyes and, halting in her step as well, looked back forward. They had arrived at a complex that was as much a research facility as it was a garden. Scattered between marble roads and precisely crafted stone walls were trees and brushes of all shapes and sizes, giving the area a very welcoming and relaxing feel. In the center, another one of these Aetheryte-like crystals was idly spinning in the air. A small part of her wondered if she could possibly attune herself to it now that her form had been strengthened, but dismissed the thought for now when Hythlodaeus spoke up.

"This is Anagnoris. One of the most important facilities in all of Elpis, serving as both observation hub and residence," Hythlodaeus explained and did a small little flourish with his hand as a tour guide would. Emet-Selch just crossed his arms in front of his chest at his friend's antics.

"So we're going to find Hermes here?" S'eni asked.

"Indeed. Though while he is overseeing Elpis, he also conducts his own research, so he could be anywhere around here. Ah—" he pointed towards a woman standing near the entrance, seemingly observing some creatures in the distance. "—Let's ask her if she might know where he is."

They walked over to the woman who, upon noticing their approach, turned towards them. "Yes? Can I help you?" she asked and S'eni could practically envision the raised eyebrow behind the mask.

"Greetings. We wish to speak with Chief Hermes. Do you know where we might find him?" Hythlodaeus asked.

The woman shifted her head a little to briefly glance at S'eni, before ultimately coming to rest upon Emet-Selch. Or rather, what was dangling from his neck. "Your mask. You are one of the Fourteen. I wasn't aware we were awaiting such an esteemed visitor today..."

"Just between you and us, it's something of a surprise." Hythlodaeus smiled. "So your discretion would be very much appreciated."

"I see, my lips are sealed then!" the woman nodded. "The chief should be out conducting observations as usual. His focus has been on aquatic creatures as of late, so you should find him at one of the pools."

"You have my thanks, and apologies for disrupting your work."

The three of them then walked past her and onto the facility grounds. After a few paces, Emet-Selch called out, "Hythlodaeus?"

"Yes?" the other man stopped to look at his friend.

"You know Hermes pretty well. Couldn't you simply find him by his aether?"

"I could." Hythlodaeus nodded.

"Really? Just like that?" S'eni asked.

"Oh yes. Like I said earlier, Emet-Selch and I can discern the color of souls. By virtue of that, we are also able to see aether quite keenly, and at great distance," he explained.

"Huh." That certainly explained why Emet-Selch was able to locate Y'shtola in the Lifestream so quickly.

"But I feel locating him like that would be a waste of opportunity. We're here for an assessment, after all. So by searching the ordinary way, we stand to gain insight into Elpis and the man in charge of it."

"And serve your personal amusement. But point taken," Emet-Selch said, then turned towards her. "Since you're accompanying us, you can make yourself useful and help us look for Hermes. According to his profile, he has short, dark hair."

"Can you be a little more specific?" she asked. "That's not exactly a lot to go on, you know."

"No, and just so you know, it's because we're in Elpis that we don't have our cowls up. A special exemption due to the need to be aware of dangerous creatures. Otherwise we don't exhibit our individuality. It's unseemly. Which is all common sense, by the way, something you don't seem to possess."

Narrowing her eyes, S'eni planted a hand on her hip, tail swishing in an irritated manner. "Yes, I'm sure absolutely no one has any trouble figuring out who you are by the sheer distinctiveness of your personality."

With that, she turned around on her heel and marched off, the sound of Hythlodaeus' laughter trailing after her until she was fully out of earshot. She snorted. How nice to know that he had always been this way.

Passing by multiple buildings and staff members, some of which commented on what an adorable and charming familiar she was while she inquired a little about Elpis, she eventually managed to find the area where the pools were located. Now she only had to look for a man fitting Hermes' description, such as it was. After two unsuccessful tries, she found another man with dark hair, kneeling in front of a pool while looking at a tiny group of small, frilled salamanders. Their round, almost Lalafelian faces were sticking out of the water as if to see who was bothering them during whatever it was little efts did.

"Excuse me, but would you happen to be Chief Hermes?" S'eni asked the man.

Glancing over his shoulder at her, he slowly rose to his feet and turned to fully face her. "I am, and you are...?"

But before she could even respond, something blue appeared from her left and came to an almost comical halt a few steps away from them. It was a girl, or at least it seemed to look like one. While her body was clearly that of a child, her bird-like legs, feathery tail, and tiny wings sprouting from her head made it quite obvious she wasn't a regular person. The bewinged girl's eyes, just as blue as her hair and clothes, widened and an excited grin formed on her lips.

"You are different from the others. You are...like me. Friends...I want to—" she suddenly broke off, making S'eni blink in confusion. "Wait...please...wait."

Folding her hands together into a little praying gesture, the girl closed her eyes. A few seconds passed with nothing happening until S'eni felt herself jump when she heard a voice speak directly into her mind. No...not her mind. This felt deeper.

"Greetings and salutations! Can you hear me? Please, do not be alarmed, I mean you no harm. I only wish to hear your words, share your feelings, and know your thoughts. May we please be friends?" opening her eyes once again, the girl beamed at her and said out loud, "May we please...be friends!"

"Uh..." S'eni didn't know how to respond to that one. But luckily for her, help swiftly arrived in the form of her companions.

"Ah, you found him," Hythlodaeus said as he and Emet-Selch came walking towards them.

"Hythlodaeus...it has been a while," Hermes greeted him.

"Indeed. What a world we live in where close collaborators such as us rarely see one another! But today I not only bring myself, but others who wish to speak with you."

Hermes's covered gaze immediately wandered over to Emet-Selch, lowering for a second to glance at the mask, before shifting back up. "You are one of the Fourteen..."

"Emet-Selch," the Convocation member introduced himself. "And you are Hermes, chief overseer of Elpis, correct?"

"That I am. You have journeyed a great distance from Amaurot."

"Given your facility's purpose, its remote location is something of a necessity. Though it did force me to bring a guide along." He shot Hythlodaeus a look, who simply smiled in return.

"Oh admit it, the boredom would've eaten away at you. But moving along to more agreeable company, we chanced upon this one in the Propylaion and..." Hythlodaeus paused when noticing the little girl, who had not looked away from S'eni even once while the conversation was happening. In fact, she only seemed to grow ever more delighted as time passed. Unable to help herself, S'eni smiled at her. "...Well, you certainly have her attention. Is this adorable creature one of yours, Hermes?"

Hermes nodded and looked down at the girl. "Her name is Meteion. It means shooting star."

"Hm." Hythlodaeus' violet eyes narrowed ever so slightly as he took a closer look at Meteion, who was entirely ignorant to the entire thing, still very much taken by the other 'different one' in the vicinity. "Her aether is terribly thin. Her entire being could collapse at any moment...And I do not recall you making a submission at the bureau. I surely would've remembered a concept such as this one."

"I'm not that far yet. She is part of a personal project that is still undergoing preliminary testing." Finally noticing that they were talking about her, the girl looked up at Hermes. He offered her a little smile, before turning his attention back to Hythlodaeus. "But do not worry, I will submit the necessary papers when it's time."

"Very well. Being an authority on flying life-forms, I appreciate that you are exacting in your work," Hythlodaeus said. "I shall look forward to your submission."

"If we are done with the chit-chat, I, too, have something to discuss with you," Emet-Selch said. "I believe you can tell the reason why I'm here."

Hermes' demeanor turned serious. "I have an inkling. We can talk more in the main building," he said and turned towards the pool behind him. "Please go ahead. I shall join you once I've returned these creatures to their...homes..."

"What's wrong, Hermes?" Meteion asked.

"An Ambystoma is missing..." the chief overseer replied and began to look around. Hearing that, S'eni too cast her gaze out in search of the little creature, but could find neither scale nor frill of it.

"I believe I've found it," Hythlodaeus suddenly said. "I sense something in that tree over there that possesses a similar aura as the rest."

"Those things are able to climb? With their sorry excuses for legs?" the incredulous tone in Emet-Selch's voice gave away his surprise.

"It's the current 'fashion' to bestow aquatic creatures with the power of flight. The Words of Mitron were the first to produce a sky-swimming fish," Hermes explained. "I began the process with the Ambystoma's as well...Yes, with effort, they might conceivably climb a tree. But whether they can come down safely...excuse me!"

With that, Hermes dashed off. Seeing her creator hurry away like that, Meteion began to follow him. "I'll come too!"

The three of them just watched the pair until Emet-Selch released a sigh.

"And what are we supposed to do with this lot?" he asked, turning his head to look at one of the small salamanders. In turn, it raised its round face out of the water just enough to produce a bubble between its lips. He cocked a brow.

"I say we split up," Hythlodaeus, who was barely able to keep himself from laughing, suggested. "S'eni, would you please go after Hermes and see if you can offer some assistance? Emet-Selch and I will keep an eye on these adorable creatures in the meantime."

"I'll see what I can do," she said and, with a shrug, headed in the direction the two had left. Traveling through time into the Ancient past, only to end up hunting after an eft that could climb trees. It certainly wasn't something she expected.

And she got the feeling it wouldn't be the last, either.

 

---

 

Ultimately, she found Hermes and Meteion quite quickly, with the former dangling from the tree after trying to rescue the Ambystoma, before doing a solid nosedive into the ground. Thankfully neither he, nor the little creature, were harmed and soon after, they returned back to the other two. They then left for the main building, where, much to her protest, Emet-Selch promptly tried to get rid of her, citing confidentiality as his reasoning. Hermes, though, wouldn't have any of that and allowed her to attend.

As it turned out, Emet-Selch's visit was because the current Fandaniel wished to step down and had named Hermes his successor, and he had been sent by the Convocation to impartially judge if he was truly fit for the title. A fact that Hermes was not too pleased about. Not because he wasn't honored about the prospect, but...because his predecessor would die, and of his own volition no less.

"To return to the star that gave us life is a privilege given to those who have loved and nurtured it," Hythlodaeus had said. "It is a choice embraced by those who have lived their lives to the fullest, in service to our world. And when they depart upon this journey, it is beautiful. Always."

Back on the First, Emet-Selch had once told her that they could live for ages, but she never suspected that dying would be a conscious choice on their part. Though obviously, they had an entirely different view on the subject. It was quite fascinating...but also quite sad. Hermes seemed to be of the same opinion too.

In the end, the entire topic had made Meteion quite upset, and S'eni was asked to take her outside for a bit. While they walked, she occasionally glanced over to the girl, taking in her appearance once again. It was hard to believe that she too was a product of the Amaurotines' power over creation. If not for some of her features, S'eni would have thought her but an ordinary girl. And quite an adorable one, she should add.

"Meteion. How are you feeling now?" she asked after a few more minutes of walking.

"I'm better now," the girl replied. "Hermes...he gets sad when he thinks about death."

"And that makes you sad."

A nod. "That's how I am. How he made me."

"To pick up on other people's emotions?"

"Yes." A bright smile then formed on Meteion's lips, the earlier sadness now fully gone. "So...why did you come here?"

"I've come here to find out more about Elpis and Hermes. It's a...mission I'm on," S'eni said.

"Ooh, ooh! That means it's an important task!" Meteion said, brimming with excitement. "Let me help! I can teach you!"

With the corners of her lips curling into a smile, she tilted her head slightly. "Teach me?"

"Yes. We could take turns too! I tell you something, then you tell me something!"

She regarded Meteion with a look. Given that Hermes was most likely still in deep discussion with Emet-Selch, and the latter probably being quite happy about her not being around, this was most likely the best way to learn more about this place. With a small exhale through her nose, she nodded.

"Alright. Sounds like fun."

"It will be!" a thoughtful expression then formed on Meteion's face. "Hmm...where to start...Ah, yes! Let's talk to Memnon. I'm not good at explaining, but he is! Come, come!"

With a spring in her step, the girl began to head towards the center. Chuckling, S'eni followed her until they arrived at a man standing by one of the trees, clearly enjoying some free time. When he noticed Meteion waving her hand in the distance, he turned around to offer her a friendly smile that took on a quizzical appearance when he spotted S'eni.

"Meteion," he greeted. "And what do we have here? You look like a person, yet you have the ears and tail of a beast. I take it you are a familiar like Meteion here?"

"Yes, I'm...Azem's familiar," she lied.

"Azem? That is curious indeed..."

"Her name is S'eni," Meteion cut in. "Could you teach her about Elpis?"

"Ah, is that your task, then? Very well, I would be glad to introduce you to our fair facility," Memnon said. "As you surely know, it is our duty to make this star a better place. To that end, we employ the powers of creation to bring forth new life. However, we can't just simply release our creation upon the world. The chaos would be unimaginable."

"I take that's where Elpis comes in? To test them in some way?" S'eni asked.

"Indeed. Every candidate is subjected to extensive study, in which we identify their properties, surmise what kind of habitat might be suitable for them, and speculate what impact they might have on the local ecology. Should they be judged beneficial, they will be allowed to take their place in the world."

"And if they prove to be detrimental, or dangerous?"

"Then the concept will be discarded and the creature returned to its original aetheric form," he explained. "Though on some rare occasions, the concept proves valuable enough to be kept around for further studying. In that case, the Words of Lahabrea will take charge of them for safekeeping."

"Lahabrea..." she crossed her arms in front of her chest, having to force herself from letting a frown form on her face. Him being in charge of potentially dangerous beasts wasn't exactly something she ever wanted to hear. But she supposed that the person he was now was most likely a far cry from the Ascian she had met and whose own hubris ultimately sealed his fate. "I see. Thank you. That was quite informative."

"Of course. And never forget that both of you were created in the hope to make the star a better place as well. So heed your masters and be good, you hear?"

Well, my 'master' is apparently quite a troublemaker, S'eni thought dryly as Meteion thanked him, before walking away with her.

"You had your turn. Now I get one!" the girl said once Memnon was out of sight again. "Where are you from?"

That question again. And just like earlier, she could hardly go about saying that she was from a distant, distant future, though more so because Meteion would most likely not understand it. But with her innocent demeanor, she might not have to. "I'm from a place far, far away."

"Hmm. Then I probably don't know it." Meteion pursed her lips. "I don't know much about things outside of Elpis. But this place is important to you. I can feel it!"

"You do?"

"Yes. Oh, I haven't told you about my power yet. Come, let's find a creation that's not being watched, then I'll explain it!"

They wandered around for a few minutes, trying to find a creature that fit Meteion's requirements, but only encountered those that were currently being studied for their properties. S'eni was just about to suggest to maybe try looking somewhere else when she spotted it. Or rather it spotted her. Standing motionless, it stared,no, glared at her. Two twin pools of infernal darkness nestled above an enormous bill that seemed to follow her every movement.

What in the seven hells...!?

It was a shoebill. But this could hardly be the very same one that had seemingly stalked her all over Norvrandt, right? It would never be able to use the portal and travel back in time...right?

A shudder ran down her spine right to the tip of her tail.

Meteion, on the other hand, wasn't perturbed by the bird and freely approached it. "Oh! This creation is perfect!" she said and waved her over with a big grin. Her expression then turned into one of confusion when her blue eyes locked onto it. "Hmm...I don't remember seeing it before. Perhaps it's new?"

S'eni just looked warily at the bird.

"Anyway. I'll try reading its mind. That's my power." Following those words, Meteion closed her eyes. A few seconds went by, slowly bordering on a minute, when the girl's face scrunched up and her eyelids fluttered open. "...I can't read it. Or maybe...there's nothing to read?"

"Wouldn't be so sure about that," S'eni murmured and it almost seemed like its glare was intensifying.

"Wait...let me try again. With you this time..." Just like earlier, Meteion folded her hands together and closed her eyes. Shortly after, her voice echoed from deep within S'eni. "Greetings! Can you hear me?"

She sure did.

"This is my power. I can read the emotions of those around me, and project my emotions to others in return. I'm not actually speaking to you in your mind, you are converting my emotions into words and intentions," Meteion explained. "It is vital to my mission. It allows me to communicate with intelligent beings even should they use an unknown language or other means. But it's also why I'm clumsy at speaking. Despite that, Hermes wishes for me to speak as much as possible, because everyone has thoughts and feelings they may wish to hide..."

So that was why it felt so much deeper. A soft warmth bubbled forth from within and spread out through her entire being. But there was also something else...

"I harbor an affection for you. One not easily defined. Your thoughts are complex. Prismatic. They draw me in, and leave me wanting to know more. Out of respect, I will refrain from using my powers while speaking with you. Nevertheless, I want you to know that I wish to be your friend." The feeling began to subside and Meteion opened her eyes once more. "Did you...hear me?"

S'eni smiled. "I did."

"Heh heh, good! Now it's my turn again. So...what are you good at?"

"Hmm, I'm pretty good at fighting!" she said and threw a few punches and kicks at the air, making the girl clap excitingly.

"Ooh! That must mean you're strong! Hermes is strong too, but he doesn't like to fight. Even when the creations fight him." All of a sudden, the bird they were still standing next to shifted its head and began to subject Meteion with its glare. "I-I think we might be bothering it..."

"Yeah, better we just go..." As they walked away though, S'eni still shot a few suspicious glances over her shoulder. That godsdamned bird...

Once it was finally out of sight, she shook her head with an inward sigh and focused on Meteion instead. "So where to next?"

"We should go see Euanthe next. She's usually in a small building. One on the west row. Come!"

Watching as the girl immediately began to all but run towards the buildings in the west, an amused giggle made its way past her lips. A being created to communicate via emotions in the form of a child, who wished to be her friend. Meteion sure was a curious one. When S'eni made to follow, though, a thought surfaced in the back of her mind. About something she had 'said' to her with her powers.

What kind of mission could Meteion be on...?

 

Notes:

Goddamn shoebill...

Chapter 142

Dynamis

 

While you were gone, doing whatever with Meteion, we were talking to Hermes. And no, you may not know what was shared between us. Ultimately though, he wished for some more time to consider the invitation, forcing us to busy ourselves with further inspection of Elpis.

It was all the same to you of course, with that oh-so-secret mission of yours. And just like fortune seemed to ever smile upon you, you practically stumbled across another piece of the puzzle you so longed to solve; delivered upon pure, white petals.

 

---

 

S'eni's eyes watched the bright white bloom in front of her, swaying slightly in the gentle breeze as their petals performed a joyful little dance. As if they wished to celebrate a heartfelt reunion. Though in this case, it was probably right to call it a first meeting. And one of chance at that.

She had practically stumbled across them while their little group was accompanying Hermes while he was leading them around the area. According to the man, they were a happy little accident created by a former researcher, thus earning them the name of the place that brought them forth. But while that little tidbit was fascinating for sure, it was his explanation of how exactly they managed to reflect the emotional state of those nearby; through the influence of an unseen energy apart from aether.

Akasa, or rather, dynamis, as it was called in this day and age.

And those few entities in existence who could actually interact with it were called...

Entelechies... S'eni thought and reached out to gently brush her fingertips across one flower. It briefly changed its hue at the touch, but swiftly returned to its pure white state. And it wasn't just these flowers. No, Meteion, too, was one. It certainly explained why she possessed the abilities she did.

And while there was still a lot she didn't understand, she knew she was on the right track. Whatever it was that caused the Final Days, it must somehow be related to dynamis. But the what and how...that was the big mystery yet to be uncovered.

Better catch up to the others, she reminded herself and stood back up. They must already be waiting.

Following the route the others had taken, it didn't take long to locate them. But when she arrived, she found them in what looked to be a deep conversation. That was until Hythlodaeus spotted and waved her over with a smile. "S'eni! Good, I was about to go looking for you."

"What's the matter?" she asked and, looking around, saw that someone was missing. "Where's Emet-Selch?"

"He's taking care of a specimen we were just talking about."

"A Charybdis. It is based on aquatic creatures we have imbued with an affinity for wind to make them able to fly. But something happened to shift this particular one's aether leaning back towards water," Hermes explained, then grew a bit...embarrassed? "I...suggested transforming myself, so that I could fly alongside it to teach how to manipulate the winds. But Emet-Selch thought it quite excessive..."

"Really?" she tilted her head in question. "Why's that?"

"While transforming allows one to transcend their limits, doing so in company is seen as a bit vainglorious," Hythlodaeus explained, pausing briefly to give his best Emet-Selch impression. "Uncouth and unseemly. Shameful."

S'eni's eyebrows rose ever so slowly, and she blinked. The way that sounded made it seem more like someone stripping and going on a streak through Limsa Lominsa after a few too many drinks, rather than unleashing one's power. She was just not going to question that logic. Especially not after having had to deal with one such transformation in the past.

"But thankfully, now that you are here, we can proceed with a plan that won't require Hermes to put his dignity on the line."

"And what plan would that be?"

Hythlodaeus smiled and raised a finger. "Simple: we have Emet-Selch train the Charybdis. Aside from being able to fly without transforming, he can also see aether currents. And with his spellcraft he can employ the wind to guide it along."

"While he is indeed capable of what you are saying, it isn't his duty. And I would loathe to trouble him with it," Hermes said.

"Oh this is all for his own sake as well, so no need to worry," Hythlodaeus assuaged him with a grin, before returning his attention back to her. "Now then, let's proceed. S'eni! I want you to go to Emet-Selch and tell him you have a favor to ask."

"Me?" she pointed at herself, an incredulous look forming on her face. "The 'thing' he doesn't trust?"

"Yes, you. Of course he won't agree, at first. But the trick with our friend is to be unflaggingly persistent. Now then, off you go. He's just waiting over there."

Looking at Hermes and Meteion, then back towards Hythlodaeus, S'eni shrugged with a sigh and began walking to where Emet-Selch was. She found him standing not far from a winged, serpent-like creature which must be the Charybdis. When he noticed her arrival, he slightly turned his head in her direction and raised a curious brow.

"Emet-Selch," she announced. "I have a fav—"

"Oh no you don't," he cut her off. "I'm not lifting a finger. Ugh, I have no idea what Hythlodaeus is up to now, and I absolutely have no desire to learn what it is. I refuse!"

Just like Hythlodaeus predicted, not like she expected anything else here. So just keep pushing... "Please, Emet-Selch. You're the only one who can do this!"

"No, not under any circumstances. I won't let myself be cajoled into this nonsense!"

Steps echoed towards them as Hermes and Meteion came running. They stopped next to the Charybdis, their gazes coming to rest on Emet-Selch. "I have heard that it lies within your power to help the Charybdis, and that you would be quite willing to do so," the chief observer said. "Please, most benevolent Emet-Selch. Help this creature fly!"

"If you don't, Hermes will transform. Right now!" Meteion added.

So that was why she was to go first. To be the spearhead of a brutal onslaught. And from the way Emet-Selch's jaw dropped, it was utterly effective.

"And we would rather avoid that, don't you think?" Hythlodaeus asked as he joined as well. "Surely you won't mind offering your help?"

"It seems to me like you offered my help here!" Emet-Selch pointed an accusing finger at his friend.

"Not at all. I have merely given some helpful advice."

She watched as Emet-Selch backed away a little, clearly overwhelmed by the four of them. Meteion then took a step forward to look at him with big, blue eyes to deliver—

"Please, Emet-Selch! Please!"

—the killing blow.

With an expression that could only be described as someone being forced to have all of their teeth pulled out in an excruciatingly slow manner, Emet-Selch looked at the girl. After a few seconds, he released a weary sigh and said, "I haven't traveled this far just to fulfill menial tasks at someone's bidding...this is the first and last time, you hear?"

Meteion simply beamed. With a shake of his head, he turned around, raised his hand, and snapped his fingers. From one moment to the next, a magnificent, horse-like creature appeared a few steps away from him.

"I will take care of it once it has taken to the sky. How it will get there is up to you," he said to Hermes, receiving a nod in return.

As Emet-Selch guided his mount to the edge of the floating island they were on, and Hermes began to speak to the Charybdis, the sound of a chuckle next to her made her look towards Hythlodaeus.

"I dare say this will be quite entertaining. Shall we watch?"

She smiled. "Yeah, let's do that."

Finding themselves a nice little hill overlooking the area, they sat down in the grass, watching as Emet-Selch climbed onto his mount and rose into the air like it was nothing. It took a few minutes, but the Charybdis, too, slowly began to rise from the ground, only tentatively though. After a little while longer, Hythlodaeus began to speak once more.

"You were wondering earlier how Emet-Selch came to join the Convocation," he said.

"I did." She had asked him earlier, but of course, the man himself had shot down the notion almost immediately, as seemed to be his eternal wont.

"To tell you the truth, he wasn't the first choice for the office. I was. Because I can perceive the aether like no other. But I declined."

"Why? You make it sound like a great honor after all." And unlike Hermes, she doubted he had a crisis of conscience about his predecessor.

"Because, apart from my exceptional vision, I'm quite poor at everything else. Take the manipulation of aether for example, I'm absolutely dreadful at it. I can't even transform. So what good is it if I can see a problem, but cannot act to address it?" he shrugged lightly. "Emet-Selch on the other hand has no such shortcoming. He can perceive the aether and manipulate it to an extraordinary degree. There is no mage more powerful than him."

"I see..." she said and looked up at Emet-Selch atop his mount, idly playing with a few blades of grass. Yes, having witnessed his abilities firsthand, she could truly say that he was second to none.

"So that is why I recommended him for the office in my stead. And I was not alone in that. From all across the world, people vouched for his skill and character. People he had helped in one way or another. Oh, how surprised he was. And modest as he is, he denied having ever done anything exceptional." He giggled into his fist and turned his attention back forward. "You see, Emet-Selch and I have a mutual friend. A very special person. One, who enjoys nothing more than to stick her nose into other people's business and rush from one excitement to the next."

Azem...

"Her antics exasperate Emet-Selch time and again, but only because he truly is concerned for her. Whenever she calls, he never fails to answer and lend his aid. And over time, he too made himself a name as an ever-reliable helper. They're both truly remarkable people, and I am proud to call them my friends." The look in his eyes grew warm and he smiled. "Helping them realize their dreams is my contribution to the star. And when they have finally fulfilled their purpose...so too shall I have fulfilled mine, and we shall return to the star together..."

Eyes widening slightly, he looked at her and chuckled. "Look at me, spilling my innermost secrets. I just seem to not help it with you. It must be because of the color of your soul. I just don't understand how you can be so alike, yet different."

"I—"

"Yes! You're doing great!" Meteion's voice interrupted her and they both turned their heads to see the Charybdis doing an elegant circle in the air.

"Looks to me like the flying lessons are over," Hythlodaeus said and rose back to his feet. "Why don't you head over to Emet-Selch and give him a signal to let him know that his arduous task is over?"

"Sure," she replied with a nod and got back up as well. But as she began to walk over, she found herself stopping to glance back at Hythlodaeus. A bittersweet twinge of warm nostalgia echoed from deep within her soul, resonating with the words she had just heard...and the knowledge of what was to come.

 

---

 

A few hours later saw S'eni in the sole company of Meteion yet again. After they had helped the Charybdis, they continued on their way for Hermes' inspection. They had barely left the area though when another observer came running due to a different creature having gone violent. Making their way over to where it happened, they sought out the researcher in charge, and while Hermes clearly hoped that there was something to be done, all signs seemed to point towards the creation being far too ferocious to be released into the wild. And as Hermes, Hythlodaeus, and Emet-Selch had gone to discuss the matter, Meteion had wisely chosen to stay behind, knowing that she would likely grow upset through Hermes yet again.

But that very same reason was also why they were currently wandering around the area known as the Twelve Wonders, looking for a gift to cheer him up. Flowers, to be precise. Yet for all the greenery of Elpis, it was surprisingly tough to find suitable ones.

"How about these?" she asked, pointing towards a bed, holding an array of beautiful flowers.

"These would be better for him...but they're hedged in." Meteion looked at her. "That means they're either under observation or poisonous."

"Huh. Well then let's best leave them alone. It wouldn't do if we gave Hermes a rash on top of cheering him up."

The girl hummed in agreement and looked around. "Let's try looking further out. Don't worry we won't go far."

But even further away from the research complex, there was little in the way of nice flowers. All they really encountered was something looking quite a bit like a Landtrap, and according to Meteion, it also shared the same penchant for spitting seeds. Yes, this would definitely not do...

"Oh! Over there S'eni!" Meteion said suddenly and gently slapped her arm to get her attention. "Something big!"

S'eni turned her head but stopped mid-motion when a sudden gust of wind told her more than she needed to know. A putrid stench reminiscent of a dancer's shoes after a day-long performance that had been stowed away with rotten eggs forced its way into her nostrils, making her face contort in disgust. Do different, yet so very very very distinct. And sure enough, as she dared to look, she found a very Morbol-like creature wriggling about on its tentacles.

"It's an Adonis! See the things around its mouth?" she wished she didn't. "They may look like petals, but it's actually the orbs on its head that are the flowers!"

Indeed, it was a bit of a visual departure from the Morbols she was familiar with, but there was absolutely no doubt about it; this was the origin of hours spent bathing and still not feeling clean. Of all the 'concepts' that were being observed here...

"Hermes inspected it a while ago. It swallowed him up and spit him out again," Meteion explained. "Afterwards, he didn't leave his room for days. What do you think, S'eni? Would he like it?"

"Seems more like a memory Hermes would rather forget," she replied. Not that she could blame him for that.

"Hmm. Finding a good flower is harder than I thought." The girl frowned. "Can we search over there in the fields? I'll pick something after that, I promise."

"Alright." Walking for a few more minutes, they soon arrived at the lush, green field stretching before them and ending only where the sky began. But while the view itself was absolutely breathtaking to behold, there was nothing that stuck out to her in terms of flowers. That was until Meteion spotted something shining in the distance, tucked away behind a large rock. It was...

"Oh, Elpis flowers!" Meteion rushed over to a small bed of the white glowing flowers and knelt next to them.

"So they're here too," S'eni said and a thought came to her. "Want to bring Hermes one?"

"Uhm...I don't know..."

"Why?"

"Because Hermes likes and dislikes them at the same time. Like me, they're Entelechies. Like me, they feel his pain and turn dark," Meteion explained. "But only for him. For others, they're always white and bright..."

S'eni watched the girl idly running her hand through the flowers. She still remembered how ashen they had looked when she first saw them in Labyrinthos, their color reflecting the stress that everyone was feeling at the time. Were so many people here just at peace with what they were doing that their petals just stayed the same color?

She didn't know if that wasn't even sadder than them losing their luster...

Kneeling next to the girl, she said, "Where I'm from, I've seen them go dark."

"Really!?" Meteion's head whirled towards her in surprise. "They were dark in your home!?"

She nodded.

"Then...you have them too? Dark emotions...?"

"Yeah." Her expression darkened. "Sorrow, fury...doubt. I've experienced them all..."

"Hermes has felt them too, all of them. Yet no one notices. No one understands," Meteion said. "Will you lend it to me? The darkness inside you?"

"What do you mean?"

"I want you to make the flowers dark. In front of Hermes. He has been in a dark place. Since before he created me. He needs to know that he isn't alone. That others are sad too."

Show him that others are sad too... Perhaps that would be a better alternative than simply bringing him a flower to cheer him up. Smiling slightly, she rose back up and offered the girl her hand. "Then let's do that."

"Thank you, S'eni! Thank you! It means more to me than I can say!"

They returned back to the Twelve Wonders, where they had to wait a while before Hermes finally emerged from the building he had ventured into earlier. Upon noticing him, Meteion called out his name, earning them both a look of surprise. "Oh...were you waiting for me?" he asked.

"Did you come to a decision?" Meteion asked right back.

"Yes. We have." His masked gaze landed on S'eni. "Thank you, for keeping her company. Emet-Selch and Hythlodaeus have retired for the evening. I've taken the liberty to have a room prepared for you too. If you would follow me."

But just as he moved to turn around, Meteion stepped in front of him, saying, "Wait! We want to show you something!"

Curious as to whatever it could be that they wished to show him, he agreed and they made their way back to the Elpis flowers. He briefly looked at them, before turning a questioning gaze towards Meteion. The girl turned towards S'eni.

"Go on. Show him!"

With a nod, she closed her eyes and released a deep breath, focusing her thoughts on all the things she kept locked away. All the loss and sorrow she endured in the past. All the worry for those important to her back home. And all the anger at herself, for not having been able to prevent it.

She heard Hermes gasp and slowly opened her eyes again. The flowers, which had been a beautiful white, were now a deep shade of purple. It almost looked like they were weeping.

"You're not the only one, Hermes. Others feel sad too. You're not alone," Meteion said.

Hermes looked at S'eni, then at the flowers, and back again. "It seems like Meteion shared a lot with you," he said and reached up to remove his mask, revealing the deep green eyes hidden beneath it. He smiled and nodded towards the rock. "May we speak for a moment?"

"Of course," she replied. They walked a few steps away to stand beneath the rock's shade while Meteion quickly found her attention caught by a few fireflies that danced across the field. From out of the corner of her eye, she noticed something in the high grass; a tiny hedgehog that scurried away the moment it noticed her. She chuckled.

"I...do not think it is wrong to live for this star," Hermes said after a few moments. "And yet there are times I'm plagued by doubt while carrying out my duties. Do you remember what Hythlodaeus said when we first spoke of my nomination?"

"Those who fulfilled their duty choose to die," she said. "And when they return to the star, it's to be celebrated as a beautiful moment."

"And it is...but only for us." He looked at her. "Creations that are deemed useless are discarded without a second thought. Just born into this world, without any chance to develop. They suffer no pain, of course. But they still feel what is about to happen. They rage and cower–and there is nothing beautiful in that. And who cares? No one. Our eyes are so fixated on making the star a better place, that we forget those who get left behind for it."

He paused briefly, his eyes going to the ground.

"One has to only look into the eyes of these poor creatures. To see the fear, the despair, and the rage at this injustice. Yet nothing wipes away our smug smiles, and the flowers glow ever white."

Yes, she had noticed that. The downright dismissive way that some of the observers were about returning these creatures to aether. Even the robes she was wearing right now were made from the aether of creatures that Hythlodaeus claimed wouldn't be missed. It brought to mind the time on the First when Emet-Selch had once told them that, to him, they weren't truly alive.

"My doubts grew ever heavier. Like a dark weight on my heart that threatened to crush me. I wanted to scream, to tell everyone that what we were doing was wrong. But then I became afraid...afraid that I might be the one who was wrong..." he looked down at the flowers, still shining purple. "But now...now I know I'm not the only one for whom the flowers grieve. I won't ask what lies within your thoughts, perhaps you even only did it because Meteion asked you to. Nevertheless...thank you. To know that there is more than bright white, more than one path, offers me much-needed comfort."

"Believe me, I've been through quite a lot," S'eni said with a sigh.

Hermes' eyes widened. "M-My apologies, I did not wish to open any old wounds!"

"You didn't, don't worry." The corners of her lips rose. "So let's try not to brood too much, alright?"

"Indeed. Even if it might be difficult to do so. But seeing you gives me hope that I can succeed. Hmm, you truly are an odd one."

"I've been told that from time to time," she said, making him chuckle. She then watched him walk a few paces and look up to the sky.

"The stars...do you know what they truly are?" he asked her after a brief silence.

"I never really gave it too much thought if I'm being honest," she said and stepped up next to him, eyes traveling up as well to watch as the faint twinkle of stars began to grow ever stronger, signaling the end of the day.

"They are too far away for us to ever see...but each glittering light is a world like ours. Perhaps even grander. We live for our world, to make it a better place, but there is so much else out there. What gives their lives purpose? That is what I wish to know," he explained, and for the first time since she had met him, she could hear the excitement in his voice. "For that, I created beings made of dynamis, which can traverse the vast emptiness between the stars. Meteion and her sisters."

"Did you just say...sisters?" S'eni asked, tearing her eyes away from the sky to look at him in surprise.

"Yes. She has many of them. They travel from one star to the next in search of life. Of course, such a journey is rife with difficulties and so far there have been no results. Yet it could be any day now, that news of discovery will arrive. And when they do, I wish to share them with you. As thanks for your kindness."

"It would be a great honor," she said with a warm expression that he mirrored.

"It's getting late. We should head back. It wouldn't do for both of us to be sleep deprived when we meet with Emet-Selch and Hythlodaeus tomorrow."

"Oh yes. Best not to give him any more ammunition."

He raised a brow at her, but thankfully didn't comment, and instead chose to look towards the still-playing girl. "Come, Meteion! Let's head back!"

"I'm coming!" Meteion called back and came running towards them. Partway, though, she stopped and turned around, looking towards the sky. She remained like this for a few seconds, before resuming her run once more, smiling brightly at the two of them.

On the entire way back, S'eni let her eyes linger on Hermes, thinking about what he had told her. He was a kind man. Perhaps even too kind. A noble soul, just like Elidibus had described him as. And yet, he too had to wrestle with his own demons that plagued him. Was it maybe an echo of exactly these dark feelings within his soul that would come to influence Amon?

She supposed, in the end, that it didn't really matter. With a small shake of her head, she turned her gaze back skyward. Countless upon countless worlds twinkling in the vast emptiness beyond their own. And somewhere between them, Meteion's many sisters.

Amazing...

 

Notes:

I like to imagine Emet-Selch's hair is so white because he has to endure Azem and Hythlodaeus all the time :p

Chapter 143

Meeting at the Crossroads

 

After a good night's rest, we were all ready to resume the previous day's work. In this case: the unmaking of the Lykaones. But when we arrived there, we found the observer in charge badly wounded, and three of the creations escaped.

We hunted them down, a task which clearly had upset Hermes a great deal. That is not to say that I don't know where he was coming from. There is always a pang of sadness at someone's departure, and as the current seat of Emet-Selch, the keeper of the 'Underworld', I was no stranger to it. Yet...never have I witnessed such grief as what he must feel. At least not until...

...

Nevertheless, despite Hermes' outburst, he had not yet outright refused the invitation, so while he was gathering his thoughts, I would continue my assessment. With you coming along, of course.

Hah, if only I had known whom we would run into next.

 

---

 

By all rights, it was a beautiful morning. A nice, fresh breeze in the air, the sun was shining brightly and there was still a hint of morning dew on a few nearby bushes. It was downright peaceful, with friendly chatter amongst colleagues occasionally breaking the quiet. If one wouldn't ask, they wouldn't even suspect the events that had transpired but an hour ago, and even then, depending on who was being asked, they might receive little more than a shrug in return.

Not from Hermes, though. No, Hermes had practically raged after he had to put down the Lykaones, shouting out all he had held back into Emet-Selch's and Hythlodaeus' faces, fueled by their conversation yesterday evening and only stopping when Meteion had made her discomfort known. He had walked off with her shortly after, and with nothing else to do, Emet-Selch, Hythlodaeus, and she had returned to the Twelve Wonders.

A sudden sound from her right made her turn her head to see a four-legged, furry creature sitting down next to her on the stone fence. It was a cat, quite similar to a Nagxian one in fact, looking curiously at her with big, blue eyes. With a tiny smile, S'eni gingerly held out her hand towards the animal, careful not to scare it away. It leaned forward to smell her fingers for a few seconds, then brushed its head against them.

Having thus received permission, she began to stroke it. Of course, that ultimately only made the cat want more, and soon enough, it was curled up on her lap, purring contently at the attention it was receiving. "Looks like some things don't change," she murmured in amusement.

A few minutes passed of her just idly stroking the cat, until a shadow casting over them made her look up. It was Hythlodaeus.

"I see you made a new friend?" he asked.

"You could say that. Perhaps it just sensed a kindred spirit," she replied and raised her ears a little in emphasis, making him chuckle. "Is something the matter?"

"Emet-Selch wishes to continue his assessment. Since Hermes hasn't yet outright refused him, he doesn't see any reason to leave just yet. And since I'm to serve as his guide, I was wondering if you still wish to accompany us."

"If you would still have me." Despite what happened earlier, she still had a mission to fulfill, and staying with them would most likely offer her the most access to everything now that Hermes was somewhere else.

"Wonderful! So our fellowship remains unbroken. I say we return to Emet-Selch and explore another part of Elpis," he said and turned around.

"Hythlodaeus..." He stopped and glanced over his shoulder, a silent question on his face. It was probably pointless to ask, being a forgone conclusion and all, but still, she wondered... "Do you think Hermes would make a good Fandaniel?"

"Emet-Selch certainly seems to think so."

"What about you? What do you think?"

He turned back around and sat down next to her, releasing a long, thoughtful hum as he did so. "He is quite a strange one. Never before have I seen someone feel so strongly about life being returned to the star," he said and reached out to scratch the cat behind an ear, a gesture it quite appreciated. "That is not bad mind you. After all, I like to keep strange company myself. If he would make a good Fandaniel though...Yes, I believe so. He is a brilliant man, and I think his compassion might offer a fresh perspective to the Convocation."

"Even if, like he says, he would only approve of his predecessor's death?" she asked.

"Yes, even then. Just like Emet-Selch, I think we would all be lesser for it if he declines."

"I see..." Though she could scarcely imagine how Hermes would ever agree to the notion after his outburst.

"Did that satisfy your curiosity?"

"It did." She nodded. "Thank you."

He smiled. "Then I'd suggest we return to Emet-Selch before he comes looking and finds us occupied with our little friend here."

"And we wouldn't want that," she said with a little laugh, but still proceeded to lift the cat off her lap and place it back on the ground. "Sorry little one, but this is where we part."

The cat scurried away and she jumped off the fence, dusting off her robes of tiny hairs while turning towards Hythlodaeus. "Let's go, then."

They returned to the waiting Emet-Selch and headed back to the Anagnoris. From there, they traveled northward to a small island called Nitoneus, which held a teleportation device that would deliver them to the western island looming above them. After a quick explanation about the device, they stepped onto its platform and, from one moment to the next, appeared at their next destination. Looking around, she found that the vegetation around these parts was much thicker than on the other two islands, and she briefly spied a large building towering in the distance before her attention was taken up by Hythlodaeus once more.

"This is the second district: Kallimelios Zephyros. Here you will find various testing facilities as well as the observation hub Poieten Oikos," Hythlodaeus explained to her.

"And I take it that will also be our next destination?" she asked.

"Indeed. Since Emet-Selch wishes to question Hermes' colleagues, that would be the best place to—hm? What's that?" They all faced the path in front of them where a tiny, dark shape was coming towards them. S'eni immediately recognized it as a Spriggan, holding what looked like a crystal in its tiny hand. "Ah, an Oreias. How adorable!"

The tiny creature came to a halt not far from them, paying them barely any mind while it looked about, then ran off into the grass. Not exactly being a stranger to the shenanigans of its descendants, she could already tell the little guy was being naughty. But whatever fun he had gotten up to was quickly pushed to the wayside by a set of very heavy footsteps from further up the path. The first thing she saw was the large fin, followed by a row of very sharp teeth, huge arms and a long tail that finished the very dangerous picture walking towards them.

"And what is that?" Emet-Selch asked, clearly taken aback by the sight.

"A new species of shark. The Bureau approved this concept a few days ago." Hythlodaeus replied, turning around. "Sharks are among the most popular sea creatures. We receive new concepts for them almost daily. At first it was like with every other creation, thoughts given mostly to size and environmental impact. That was until..."

While Hythlodaeus began a lengthy explanation of how the concept of a shark had clearly jumped the proverbial one, S'eni watched the large creature come to a stop and tilt its head to the side, casting out its empty gaze into the distance. Her eyebrows rose slightly as it turned to its right, then around, and for a brief second, she could've sworn she saw a certain black furred creature zip past it at top speed. Eventually, it began to face them again, its white eyes—

"Uhm..."

—settling firmly on Hythlodaeus. And from the way it was ever so lightly shaking, its mood had soured immensely.

"...Hythlodaeus," she said, but he didn't hear her. Behind him, the creature raised its arms and released a roar, before stomping towards them. Yet even that didn't seem to register to Hythlodaeus. Only when he saw Emet-Selch and her ready themselves for a violent confrontation, did he stop and glance over his shoulder. Far too late to get out of the way.

"Shit!" S'eni cursed and rushed past him. She was just about to jump towards the charging shark when something suddenly dropped from the sky and crashed onto the creature, creating a large cloud of dust that made her back away and shield her eyes. A few seconds of stunned silence followed, until it began to disperse and reveal the hulking mass of muscle lying on the ground, quite knocked out...

...and a figure dressed in white standing over it, sword in hand. The weapon flickered, then burst into tiny particles. "That was quite close. Is anybody hurt?"

Wait, that voice—

The person, a woman, turned around, long white hair flowing with the motion, and looked at them with bright, almost glowing blue eyes. A smile formed on her lips and she said, "Well now, would you look at that..."

"Venat!" Hythlodaeus exclaimed and stepped past S'eni. "To think we should meet again here!"

She could only stare at the woman in front of her, her appearance a clear mirror image of the one during their brief conversation on the ship to Old Sharlayan. And the name Hythlodaeus had just said, it was the very same she had heard from the Watcher, and before that, in the Anyder's record. Yes, there was no mistaking it. This was...or rather would be, Hydaelyn.

Standing next to her, Emet-Selch had crossed his arms in front of his chest and looked more annoyed than pleased at this surprise encounter. He glanced over at S'eni and, upon noticing her reaction, cocked an eyebrow.

"As you know, members of the Convocation return to the star upon relinquishing their seat. Though not all follow that tradition," he explained to her while Venat was helping the shark back to its feet and sent it on its way with a gentle scolding. "She is one of them. Even after stepping down, she keeps as busy as ever. Venat, the previous Azem."

The previous Azem...

"It has been a while Hythlodaeus. You look well," Venat said and walked over to them. The smile on her face grew a bit as her eyes fell on Emet-Selch. "And if this isn't the current Emet-Selch...Do my eyes deceive me or have the lines on your brow grown deeper since last time? You're still so young! You really ought to break the habit of frowning so often."

The Convocation member sighed wearily, followed by a pained mirror of the woman's expression. "Your successor doesn't give me much reason to."

"How is she doing?"

"Incorrigible as ever," Hythlodaeus replied. "Rushed headlong into a volcano on the brink of eruption just the other day. I can tell you the whole tale later, if you're interested."

"Oh, you know I am!"

S'eni watched this entire exchange with wide eyes. Hydaelyn…Venat, conversing with Emet-Selch of all people like old friends. It was downright surreal.

"Now then," Venat said and S'eni suddenly found herself the center of attention. "And who are you...?"

But instead of waiting for her to reply, Venat took a few steps and locked eyes with her. They stared at one another for a few long seconds, neither saying anything, until the other woman broke eye contact again. The smile on her face formed into a knowing one.

"Say...have you come from the future?" Venat asked. S'eni exhaled sharply at the question, and the other two appeared quite shocked. "I sense one of my spells on you, yet I do not remember having cast it. Which can only mean I have done so at a later point in time."

"What manner of spell would that be?" Hythlodaeus asked.

"A traveler's ward. It prevents the corruption of one's aether."

"The blessing of Light..." S'eni finally said.

"So you know of it? There are many protective spells, but this one is unmistakably mine."

"And that is supposed to be proof that we have a visitor from the future?" Emet-Selch scoffed. "Sometimes I feel like everyone else but me has lost their mind."

"I..." she began, but stopped herself.

"Are you not allowed to tell us the reason why you are here?" Venat asked.

Immediately, the words Elidibus had told her echoed through her mind. How nothing she would do would change the reality of her present. But that didn't mean she couldn't affect theirs in the same way G'raha had done. As she explained that, Venat nodded attentively, only to break into a little grin once she was done.

"How exciting! I greatly enjoy delving into the unknown, and nothing is as unknown as the future!"

S'eni blinked. Well, that was certainly one way to see it.

"Yet no matter what one might believe, we know the future once it has become the present. By which I mean: you needn't worry about our fate," Venat said. "And regardless of that, you must have a good reason for making this journey. Won't you reveal it to us? Perhaps we can be of help to you on your quest."

A sudden growl from Emet-Selch made them all look at him, and he focused his golden gaze upon her.

"Really now...if this is true, then you've been keeping quite a secret to yourself," he said anf narrowed his eyes. "In the name of the Convocation, I order you to reveal it all. Who you are, your reason for being here—everything."

A pained expression formed on her face and she lowered her head.

"Perhaps we should take this somewhere more appropriate," Venat suggested. "I've been here for a few days to help an old friend, so I have a room at Poieten Oikos. We can talk there."

A sudden hand on her shoulder made S'eni raise her head once more to see Venat smiling down at her. She gave her a comforting squeeze. "Take heart. We were meant to meet, I'm certain of it. Otherwise I wouldn't have marked you so clear and sent you to myself in the past. It's precisely the sort of mischief I would get up to. Quite inspired, if I do say so myself."

Despite herself, S'eni chuckled.

 

---

 

"Emet-Selch! Wait!" Hythlodaeus called out, before rushing after his friend as he practically stormed out of Venat's temporary abode with billowing robes. S'eni could only watch from where she sat until the door fell shut behind them. She buried her face in her hand with a sigh.

After having helped Venat with a small errand involving a certain Spriggan, or rather Oreias, they made their way to the nearby Poieten Oikos. Once they arrived at her residence, the questioning had started. Well, it was really just more of her telling the story of what would happen. The Final Days, Zodiark and the sacrifices He would take, Hydaelyn and the subsequent sundering of the star into fourteen shards, and how those few of the Convocation who remained yet unsundered had set out to restore the world to its proper form.

From there, she skipped to her time. Being chosen by Hydaelyn, the clash with the Ascians and her eventual encounter and battle with Emet-Selch in Amaurot, as well as the destruction of Zodiark and the return of the Final Days. To say that the reactions were quite negative was...putting it mildly.

"I would never forsake my duty! Never forsake my brethren!" Emet-Selch's words echoed through her mind. "You do not know me!"

But...perhaps it was good that he refused to believe her. By all rights, she shouldn't even have run into him or Hythlodaeus. Yes, this was for the best. A sudden clinking noise made her move a finger to peek out from beneath her hand, and she saw Venat raising the empty cup before her.

"More tea?" The other woman asked, her tone friendly despite what had just transpired.

"Yes, please," she replied and went back to covering her face, simply listening to the sound of tea being poured and only fully removing her hand once Venat returned. With an almost inaudible "Thank you", she took the offered cup and raised it to her lips. Minty and pleasant in aroma and taste, it managed to calm her slightly frayed nerves once more and she released a deep breath. "...it tastes good."

"I take it you enjoy a nice cup of tea then?" Venat asked while sitting down once again.

S'eni nodded. "Though not as much as someone I know," she said with a chuckle.

A few minutes of silence passed between them in which she slowly drained the cup of its contents. Once she was done, Venat turned towards her and said, "You've been in Elpis for a while now. I would like to hear what you learned thus far."

"Dynamis. It has to be the key to all this. In my time, despair causes one to transform into a beast. The Elpis flower Hydaelyn entrusted to was also destroyed by it," she explained, crossing her arms with a frown. "I also think Hermes is somehow involved in this. Meteion was created based on the research he did into dynamis."

"The energy distinct from aether. Not my expertise, but I know enough. And with Hermes' keen interest in it...yes, I believe this warrants further investigation." Venat rose to her feet. "Good. Let us get started then."

"You still wish to help me?" S'eni asked.

"Of course! The missing pieces of the puzzle are here in Elpis, I'm certain of it. And when you find them, the picture my future self has painted will be complete, and you will have your answer." The other woman smiled. "How could I not help you?"

She looked at Venat for a few long seconds, still unsure what to truly feel about the fact that the future Hydaelyn was standing right before her. But, she was alien to this time, a curious familiar at best for some. With an exhale through her nose, she smiled. "Alright, then we better get started."

As S'eni moved to stand up, her eyes upon the cup on the opposite side of the table, touched not even once and long since grown cold. Emet-Selch's. Following her gaze, Venat walked over to her.

"Have faith. If Emet-Selch truly is how Azem described him, then we've not seen the last of him."

"Hm..." she hummed in return, the image of his smiling face when he asked her to never forget flashing through her mind. "...Perhaps."

Leaving Venat's abode, they went about following their lead the only way they really could: by asking the observers in the vicinity. And while their questions didn't provide too many answers, they still learned a few key points, such as Hermes keeping Meteion around all the time these days and that she was so unique that even another expert on the subject of flying creatures knew precious little about her. Which suggested that Hermes seemed to be the only person with an intimate knowledge of dynamis in Elpis.

"You spent some more time with him, was there something else of note you learned about Meteion apart from her way of communication?" Venat asked while they walked through Poieten Oikos.

"Yeah, there is one thing actually. She has sisters," she said, prompting the other woman to halt in her step.

"...I wish you had mentioned that a little earlier."

"Sorry..." S'eni scratched one of the stripes on her cheek in embarrassment. "It kind of slipped my mind."

"In any case, care to elaborate?"

"Hermes told me he wants to learn what drives civilizations beyond our star, so he sent Meteion's sisters out to search for them," she told her. "He seems to be quite convinced that news could arrive any day now."

Which, now that she thought about it, might explain why he was keeping Meteion around so much...

"I see, thank you. I believe this might be a vital clue...one we should keep in mind as we continue." Venat nodded to herself. "I propose we head to Peripeteia Krystalline next. It is the towers to the west."

"Lead the way."

Upon arriving there, and receiving an explanation about the facilities inside the towers from Venat, they fanned out to each cover one area. Like usual so far, her presence was viewed with quite an amount of curiosity, but otherwise polite answers, even if they didn't yield the information she was looking for. That was, until she found a particular archivist.

"...the chief's personal research project?" he asked. "I assume you mean Meteion?"

"That's right. I know she hasn't yet been registered within the Bureau of the Architect, but I thought there might be more to learn about her in your archives," S'eni said.

"I'm afraid not. Such undocumented studies are hard to track. After all, not a day goes by without seeing a researcher trailed by one creature or another. All I can say about Meteion is that she spends much of her time..." he trailed off, rubbing his chin. "Although..."

"Although?"

"I do recall an interesting tale my dearest Galene shared with..." at the questioning look she was giving him, he went to explain. "Ah, Galene is my partner, and a fellow researcher here in Elpis. While she was returning late one night, she caught sight of Chief Hermes sending Meteion into the sky. A whole host of them. Even days later, she would still talk about it with wonder, saying it was one of the most beautiful spectacles she's ever seen."

"Well, that sounds like a story worth hearing," Venat's voice suddenly said and S'eni glanced over her shoulder to see her approaching, much to the surprise of their archivist friend.

"Mistress Venat! I thought you had already returned to the surface!" he exclaimed and offered her a sudden bow. "Allow me to thank you again for your invaluable contribution to our concept placement proposal."

She waved him off with a friendly gesture. "Think nothing of it. And you are correct that I planned to leave after my task, but I have become engrossed with Chief Hermes's research. So would you do me the favor and tell us what Galene said?"

"Of course. Or you could hear it directly from her." He looked up at the tower. "She should be observing a subject in Metabaseos Thalassai right now. She does enjoy watching the sea creatures hunt and play while gazing upon the world's oceans we recreated in such detail. I wager you, too, must find similar joy in indulging your boundless curiosity, Mistress Venat...though those pursuits must delay your return to the star."

"...Indeed they do," Venat said, her tone still friendly, yet holding a note of...something in it.

"A rest well deserved, I should say. We have greatly prospered from the wisdom you have gathered during your travels as Azem. And what would Elpis be without your earlier academic work? The theories you developed served as the basis for many techniques we still use today." The man smiled brightly. "We are creatures of contemplation, yet no one embodies that nature with as much passion as you! Indeed, I cannot think of another soul more worthy of a return, and I shall rejoice on the day you depart on your final journey!"

S'eni bit her tongue to keep herself from commenting. While it was clear there was no malicious intent in his words, she couldn't stop feeling a little sick in her stomach. He sounded practically eager to see her go.

"...I would be honored." Venat mirrored his expression, though it clearly didn't reach her eyes at all. It was swiftly replaced by a look towards S'eni. "What do you think, shall we take the opportunity to speak with Galene in person?"

Glad to have the subject back on track, she gave her a nod in return. "Might as well hear it from the source."

"Then allow me to reconfigure the door to the archives here so it takes you directly to the skyway. It will spare you the need to avoid hostile concepts on the ground."

This time, Venat's smile was much more honest. "That would be greatly appreciated."

After he was done, they stepped through the door and were delivered to the skyway that connected the towers with one another. There, they briefly looked around until they found another member of the staff, whose reaction was rather similar to the colleague below. "Mistress Venat!? We weren't told to—If we had known then—"

"Be at ease," Venat said, raising a hand. "We are just here to speak with Galene. Could that be arranged...?"

"Galene? Yes, of course!" the woman nodded rapidly. "I'll inform her immediately. But she is currently in a testing phase, so you might have to wait for a while."

"That will be fine. This lovely view will keep us occupied until she is ready."

Excusing herself, the woman hurriedly left. They watched her for a few seconds, before Venat turned to S'eni with a shrug and stepped towards the nearby balustrade. She joined her, looking out into the distance and releasing a little breath as the entirety of Elpis stretched out in front of her. This was a view she would never forget, she was sure.

"A delightful breeze...and a breathtaking view," Venat said after a moment of silence. "Is the world in your future this beautiful as well?"

"It is. Though differently, and sometimes a little dangerous, too." S'eni chuckled warmly. "But never boring."

"Seeing the twinkle in your eyes makes me want to see it too. Hmm, why do you not tell me something about your adventures while we wait?"

She tilted her head. "My adventures?"

"Yes. How you came to be here, I already know. I would like to hear of your small, personal adventures. Learning more about your world might help me understand Hydaelyn better. But above all, it simply interests me as a fellow traveller. After all, discovering the unknown is in our blood, is it not?"

Yes, that she couldn't deny. "Very well. Where do I begin..."

Over the course of the next hour, S'eni told her of a multitude of adventures that she experienced. Exciting ones, funny ones, and even some of the sad ones, Venat wanted to hear them all. And with every story she had finished, she could see the telltale spark of excitement in those bright blue eyes.

"Incredible! Oh how I wish to have been there as well," Venat said after she was done. She then took a deep breath, closing her eyes for but a moment. "Such a harsh and unforgiving world. Yet in spite of this, you and your brethren hold onto your virtue. Knowing that mankind's potential still shines, even in that faraway place...fills me with hope. Thank you. I will treasure every word."

Venat turned her head back towards the horizon, lips curling upward at the sight of her long hair floating slightly in the wind.

"As you know, I was once a scholar. And among other things, I sought to understand the workings of the world. What exactly is aether? How did the laws of nature form? And where did life originate from? The world is filled with endless, fascinating riddles. And over the years, I even managed to find answers to a few of them," Venat told her, placing a hand on top of the balustrade. "The more I uncovered, the more I came to view the world and its miracles in awe. We too are miracles, a spark of life traversing the heavens, swirling through eternity until finally taking form. When I fully grasped the improbability of our existence, nothing felt impossible anymore. If it could be imagined, it could be done."

The other woman chuckled and patted the spot underneath her mask where her heart rested.

"Passion filled my heart, an epiphany that turned everything I knew null and void. I realized there existed something greater—call it fate, if you will—that held us in its tender embrace...and from one moment to the next, I became aware of creation's fragility." Venat turned her eyes to the bright sky, her arms opening wide as if to embrace it. "I was overcome by an irresistible urge to know the world more intimately. To hear its voice, feel its breath...that was the beginning of my journey, so long ago now."

S'eni understood that feeling, that urge to see what lay beyond the horizon. It had been there, lying within her heart; a spark stroked into a flame by the stories her father told her. And when she had finally taken that one, first step into the wider world...it had changed everything...

"It was like I saw the world through a newborn's eyes. Everything fresh and so, so beautiful. Lands that stretched on forever. Skies one could drown in. The heartbeat of nature, silent yet strong. And between it, all those that filled it with life, their smiles, and laughter warming my heart like nothing before. My meaning, my purpose...my love." The look on her face grew bittersweet. "And as long as they need help...I cannot return to the star. Perhaps my future self is still waiting for it. The moment she can finally let go...safe in the knowledge that man will find his own way..."

"Venat..."

"S'eni." Blue eyes found hers. "You are our future, so tell me this: has your journey been a good one?"

Has my journey been a good one? That...wasn't so easily answered. She had seen and experienced so much. Moments of great joy and deep sorrow, exhilarating victories and painful defeats, they were all part of the mosaic that had been her journey so far, each piece a different story or person. S'eni closed her eyes to consider all this, taking a few minutes to come to a conclusion. And when she finally did, she answered—

"Please forgive the delay!" a new voice interrupted her. "My observation subject was rather irritable, and it took a while to settle it down..."

Looking into the direction the voice came from, S'eni saw a woman hurrying over to them. Galene, she presumed. Venat raised her eyebrows a little, clearly a little bit disappointed of being interrupted, but smiling nevertheless as she turned around.

"No need to apologize. Your work takes precedence. Besides, we had a pleasant conversation in the meantime," Venat began to walk towards the approaching Galena.

With one last look out towards the horizon, S'eni followed close behind. As nice of a distraction this had been, it was time to resume their investigation. They were getting closer to something. She could feel it.

 

Notes:

I'm sure there is a joke to be made of a catgirl stroking a cat.

Chapter 144

Messages from Beyond the Star

 

Life beyond the star. What was it like? Its purpose?

That was what drove Hermes to create the Meteia. On a journey through the endless expanse that separated our world from others, they sought the answer to those very questions. What did they find?

We would soon know...whether we like to or not.

 

---

 

The stars twinkled brightly in the night sky. It was a beautiful sight, calming to behold, yet also humbling. Because every single one of these lights that had inspired poets and offered guidance to travelers alike was a world of its own.

And each one of them held infinite possibilities...

"All units fully functional and proceeding on course towards their respective stars," a soft voice, yet lacking entirely in emotion, broke the quiet of the night. "Estimated time to completion of survey is one hundred and eight cycles. End of status report. Severing connection with shared consciousness."

As soon as those last words had been spoken, Meteion's expression returned to its usual childlike self and she smiled in excitement. "Did you hear that, Hermes? All is well!"

Hermes, whose eyes had been wandering across the sky, released a small breath of relief and looked down upon the girl next to him with a smile.

"Yes. Good tidings after all this time are comforting indeed..." Hermes said. "The universe still defies imagination, and we are still far away from fully understanding creation. Something I've been reminded of time and again..."

"But soon we will know more! We'll learn what other b-b-beings live for!" Meteion said.

"Yes..." he gently placed his hand atop her head and stroked her hair, eliciting a giggle. "And it's all thanks to you and your sisters."

"I wonder...what answer will we get?"

"Stars exist aplenty. Some might be far more developed than even Etheirys, while others are only just beginning," Hermes replied and looked back up to the stars. "We will discover many different cultures and life in entirely new forms. Completely and utterly unlike ours."

"Unlike...how?" Meteion tilted her head, the wings on her head slightly flopping with the motion. He chuckled at that.

"If only I knew...Yet whatever answers we receive, I will earnestly think on them all. Then I will share them with our people, so that we may contemplate our existence together. Perhaps then our star will become a better place, not only for man, but all life," he said, before returning his attention back to Meteion. "Meteion, I gave you the power to soar the heavens. But I never taught you to walk the earth, to live your life. That, you will learn from those you meet. And when you return, so much older and wiser, we shall celebrate your homecoming and coming of age."

"Oh, will there be apples?" Meteion asked, getting excited once more. "Covered in syrup?"

"And how are you supposed to eat them? But if it's a gift you want...perhaps..." He furrowed his brows and thought for a moment, then knelt down on the ground to look her directly in the eye. "Flowers...Yes, the end of your journey shall be met with beautiful flowers."

They both smiled...

...

...

S'eni slowly opened her eyes, exhaling deeply as she returned to the here and now. She looked around briefly, casting her gaze around the selfsame area Hermes and Meteion had stood in her vision, a small island not far off from where Peripeteia Krystalline was located. Her eyes soon landed on Venat standing opposite of her, eyelids rising slowly.

"So, what do you think?" the woman asked.

"I...don't think Hermes wishes for the Final Days," she replied after a moment of consideration. "He's a gentle soul who treasures all life equally. And yet..."

"Yes, it does not need ill intentions to cause harm. We must consider the possibility that something may have gone awry. An oversight, or an accident perhaps."

"Could be..." It certainly wouldn't be the first time, would it?

"Allow me to propose something...How about you share your knowledge with Hermes?" Venat asked. "If it is not his intention to cause suffering, then perhaps he might be willing to assist you in stopping this calamity."

Yes, it seemed like there was no other choice but to do that. No one else knew as much about dynamis as Hermes did. "Let's do it."

"Then let us find him swiftly." Venat smiled. "Before Hermes and Meteion start something they never wished for."

Turning around, the two of them walked towards the edge of the platform, where Argos and one of his copies were waiting. It had surprised her at first to see him in this time, but she supposed it was only sensible that he would already exist. Reaching her hand out, she began to stroke him behind his ear, making him lean into her touch.

Oh all of a sudden, eh? She thought dryly. Earlier he had quite literally refused to create a double of himself until she had proven worthy of sitting on his back. And how would she do that? By battling his master of course!

And what a battle that had been. Venat was as proficient with magic as she was with the blade, keeping S'eni on her toes the entire time. Thankfully, though, she had a few tricks from the future up her sleeve to keep up with the former Azem and impress her familiar too.

Isn't that right? She asked him in her mind and climbed on top of him.

After arriving back on the larger island, Venat sent Argos away and turned towards her. "So there are a number of places where Hermes might be, but we could do worse than to look at Ktisis Hyperboreia, the largest facility in Elpis."

"So that means it's that place?" she pointed towards northward, where another island floated high above all the others, and on top of it a building that reached even further into the heavens above.

"Quite perceptive." Venat nodded. "It is similar in nature to the archives, a vast space stitched together out of multiple conceptual spaces. It is where the bulk of all the testing takes place."

"Hmm, then it does stand to reason that Hermes might be there right now."

"Indeed. Come, the simplest route is via the teleporter north of Poieten Oikos."

They made their way over to the device and, thanks to the permission granted by Venat, were swiftly transported to the next island. From there, they traveled along the stony pathway to the quite unmissable facility. As they came to a stop in front of it, she could only look at it in awe, the images from when she and the others had walked through Amaurot surfacing within her mind at the sight of it.

"And here we are," Venat said, drawing S'eni's eyes away from the building and towards her. "We should head inside and ask about Hermes's whereabouts..."

As if right on cue, the heavy doors began to open, followed by a voice that made S'eni's heart jump saying, "Hermes is at another facility...as we just discovered."

"Hythlodaeus, Emet-Selch!" she exclaimed. Hythlodaeus, in turn, raised his hand in a friendly greeting and the two of them walked over.

"Additionally, we've discovered that his research into dynamis, as well as his creation of Meteion, were entirely private pursuits," Hythlodaeus said. "No one we spoke to appeared to possess his depth of knowledge on the subject, neither did we hear of any stolen research. Which means that if Hermes harbors no desire to see the world end, then he might be recruited to prevent it..."

Smiling, he glanced at his companion and added, "...at least that is what Emet-Selch believes."

"According to your story, the Fourteen managed to find the connection between the celestial currents and the Final Days," Emet-Selch said, his arms crossing. "Yet they were never able to pinpoint the cause of the calamity. To imagine our people's greatest minds, as well as Hythlodaeus's sharp eyes, could not do so seems...inconceivable. The only possible explanation is that the nature of the catalyst was so inexplicable that even we failed to perceive it. And what else fits that description than the invisible, intangible dynamis?"

"Which brings us to the next question: how did Hermes in his role as Fandaniel fail to recognize the subject of his own research?" Hythlodaeus asked. "We must assume that he either knew and couldn't prevent it, or something prevented him from identifying the cause in the first place. But at this point, all we can do is speculate."

"To be clear, the Convocation does not tolerate acts of deception or malice. We are practiced at perceiving the truth..." gold eyes briefly met hers. "...and would have swiftly realized he lied to us. Hermes has no conscious wish to see the world end. I'm certain of that."

"Well well, it seems there is more to the tale after all," Venat said and shot S'eni a look that quitely said 'I told you so'. "We, too, have conducted our own investigation..."

The other woman then proceeded to tell the two what they had done since separating from them. By the time she was done, the frown on Emet-Selch's had only grown deeper.

"How very comforting...we have reached the same conclusion," Emet-Selch said. "Then I see no reason for further delay. Let us bring Hermes into the fold."

S'eni stared at Emet-Selch for a few seconds, then smiled. "Thank you. For understanding."

"Save it. I did not say I believe your ridiculous story. But my duty as Emet-Selch demands of me to examine any potential threat to our existence. No matter how utterly ridiculous or offensive I may find it."

"Still...thank you."

He just looked away, sending a quick glare towards Hythlodaeus while the man was having a chuckle at their exchange. "Can we stop wasting time and find Hermes?"

"Yes, yes, I suppose the time for leisurely exploration has passed. I just need a moment to adjust my vision..." Hythlodaeus then proceeded to cast his gaze out into the distance, looking around for a few long seconds, until settling eastward. "...There he is. On the next isle. Meteion is with him as well. He appears to be in the midst of an observational study, but I suggest we hurry over before he ventures somewhere else."

"What are we waiting for then?" she asked, punching her palm.

They began to head towards the next teleportation device that would take them over to the next island, called Misopses Euros. According to Venat, it was the sole place in Elpis lacking any research hub, due to the fact that creatures who were expected to be dangerous were let loose there. There was apparently another reason, but the former Convocation member didn't wish to divulge it even after she asked, only receiving a pained smile in return.

While they were following Hythlodaeus's lead, S'eni looked over to Emet-Selch walking just a few paces away from her. He paid her no mind, or rather, absolutely refused to, keeping his eyes straight ahead. But after a minute of her continuously staring at him, he grumbled, "What is it? Do you expect me to sing praises to your progress?"

"Not at all," she replied.

"Good, because I'm frankly surprised you even made it this far. Then again, even with you undoubtedly slowing her down, there is no denying Venat is an accomplished researcher." He looked back up ahead, where Venat and Hythlodaeus were currently having a small conversation. "Her wealth of wisdom and experience is unmatched, and her achievements are nothing short of extraordinary. Though the brilliance that sets her apart can make her motives impenetrable at times. As her student and successor put it, she is a force of nature, at once so close...yet at the same time, so very distant."

If seeing him interact with Venat earlier hadn't already shocked her, then listening to him basically singing praises to his future enemy surely would have. There was little doubt about the respect in his voice. It was a difference like night and day. It made the Final Days and the subsequent sundering of the world seem even more tragic to her now.

With help of the teleporter, they set over and arrived not far from the walled enclosure, situated above a small valley and connected to each side by walkways made out of solid stone. Hythlodaeus pointed towards the enclosure. "They are within there. The Hungering Gardens."

"Nice name," she commented dryly.

"And one you shall grow quite familiar with. Go on, S'eni—" Emet-Selch placed his hands on his hips. "—make yourself useful and bring Hermes to us."

"Me?" she furrowed her brows. "Why don't you?"

"Because if he sees me, he will think I'm only there to press him about the Fandaniel matter," he explained. "And he appears to trust you, so out of everyone gathered here, you stand the best chance of convincing him to put aside his work for the moment."

"Ah..." Yes, that did make sense. It wouldn't really help their cause if Hermes just up and left at the mere sight of Emet-Selch. "Alright then."

"Are you sure? The creations in there are not exactly—" Hythlodaeus stopped and rubbed his chin. "Hmm. Then again, perhaps you can handle them. You did survive a bout with Venat after all! Off you go then!"

Raising an eyebrow, she looked between the two men for a couple of seconds, then shrugged and began to make her way towards the enclosure, silently wondering what that was about. The answer soon came to her with a swift change of the winds, offering her nose a very telltale, rotten odor. Oh no no no no no!

And as she came to a stop at the Hungering Garden's entrance, she could see them wriggling about on their tentacles in all their ugliness; those proto-Morbols. Now it all made sense. She was going to wring Emet-Selch's neck for volunteering her.

 

---

 

After quite a few unpleasant, and very smelly, encounters, S'eni had finally managed to locate Hermes and Meteion, taking notes while under a protective charm that would hide them from the creatures of course. For a mercy, he was easy enough to convince to talk to them, and she all but ran back to the others when he told her he would follow as soon as he was done with his work. When finally did, she told him about her true purpose for being in Elpis. His face turned from one of curiosity to confusion, and ultimately one of horror, and by the time she was done, he was staring at the ground.

"The Final Days...but how is that possible?" he breathed out.

"The phenomena during these calamities are likely the product of a dynamis reaction. And no one is more versed in its application than you are, Hermes," Venat said. "And I must stress that we do not accuse you of being the culprit. Quite the opposite: we are here because we believe your wisdom could help us prevent this calamity. I admit, S'eni's story sounds quite far-fetched, but just assuming it is true...what would be your assessment of the situation?"

"Even you, Venat..." straightening himself, Hermes thought for a moment. "Yes, as you say, the phenomena in both cases may be attributed to dynamis. Quite notable, though, are the differences in which they manifest. In the first, it warped our powers over creation, in the second, the people themselves."

"Yes. My friends and I believe it is due to our lack of your powers," S'eni said.

"I suspect so as well. Due to our differences in aetheric density," Hermes said and began to explain. "As you know, aether negates dynamis in a sense. Harboring high concentrations of aether, we are unable to interact with dynamis, but in turn cannot be manipulated by it. Meanwhile, if the world of S'eni's future truly is sundered, then its people would possess only a fraction of our aether, making them susceptible to the influence of dynamis, transforming them into beasts. But there is something else that bothers me greatly..."

"What is it?" Emet-Selch asked. "Even if it's just a hypothesis, out with it."

"It is the fact that the phenomenon is only influenced by negative emotions, such as fear and despair. Dynamis is indeed influenced by emotions, but to cause a change such as this, there needs to be a source for it. If the emotions on both ends align, then that would make it far easier for the change to happen."

"So it wasn't the stagnation of the celestial currents..." Venat said, eyes widening. "Someone, or something, is instigating the star's demise."

"So we've got ourselves a villain after all. Any ideas who or what it could be?" Emet-Selch asked.

"The celestial currents are the outermost layer of our star's aether. A protective sphere if you will." Hermes turned to S'eni. "According to what you said, the phenomena appeared first in places where they were weakest. If the cause for it lies beyond our star, then its effects would be seen in those locations."

"Wait." S'eni took a step forward. "Are you saying that whatever is causing this...?"

He nodded, causing her to exhale sharply. A threat from beyond their star. Somewhere out there in the vast expanse of the cosmos. Was that the voice in my vision…?

How were they supposed to—

"Greetings. Can you hear me?" Meteion's voice broke the silence that had wrapped itself around their group, making them all turn towards her. The girl was looking up to the sky, her face entirely devoid of emotion. "Do not be alarmed, I mean you no harm. I only wish to hear your words. Share your feelings. Know your thoughts. May we please...be friends?"

"Meteion? What is it?" Hermes asked.

"Executing scheduled task. Suspending individual self and connecting to the shared consciousness. Connection established. Commencing status report."

But instead of a report, what followed was a world of pain that forced S'eni to the ground, her lips parting at the sheer intensity, but not even a gasp managing to pass between them. Darkness clawed at her vision, a fog that threatened to swallow her entire consciousness. And deep within that fog were Meteion's desperate cries.

"It hurts...so much...so much!" she heard, each word sending another wave of pain, of suffering, through her. "So hot...so cold...I don't understand...why? Make...make it stop!"

She could faintly hear the others through the thick fog, shouting and scrambling, but whatever it was they were saying was drowned out by Meteion.

"So scared...so lonely...the pain...it's too much. Aaah! Why must I...something so terrible...full of...pain...hate...hate...HATE!"

The grip on her consciousness was suddenly released, and she collapsed into a gasping heap. Managing to raise her head, she saw that Meteion was gone.

"Where is she!?" she heard Emet-Selch demand.

"She altered her aetheric density to blend in with the surroundings. An ability to avoid confrontation," Hermes replied.

"A frighteningly effective one. I can't find a single trace of her..." Hythlodaeus said.

"Stay away. Please. This is wrong. My mistake. I...beg of you...please..." she heard Meteion's pleading voice as a pair of hands placed themselves on her shoulder, followed by Venat's voice asking, "Are you alright?"

"I heard Meteion's cries in my mind. They were...overwhelming. So much..." she shook her head, needing to take a deep breath. "Didn't you hear as well?"

"No, we only heard her speak just before she vanished."

"Of course. When communicating without words, Meteion also employs dynamis," Hermes said. "That would explain why you were able to hear her while we did not."

"Then that means you are our best chance of finding her," Emet-Selch said as Venat helped her back up. "Follow her voice, and try to track her down."

"I'll do my best."

He looked over to the others. "Let us split up and search as well."

They all nodded and began to scatter around the area. S'eni searched the nearby vicinities for any sign of the girl, trying to sense even the faintest whisper, but to no avail. She was about to try searching on the other side across the valley, when she felt something from the slope leading. Almost imperceptible, but still there.

Following that feeling, she closed her eyes and cast out her senses.

"It seeps...into my mind...our voices...reporting..." she managed to pick up, but Meteion's voice swiftly grew distant again as she appeared to run down the slope. Not wasting any time, she hurried after her.

Down below, she once again focused her senses on finding Meteion, following that faint sound resonating within her. "Come on, Meteion. Talk to me. What is wrong?" she asked, but received only silence as her answer.

She stopped near one of the pillars keeping the Hungering Gardens in place, closing her more, when a sudden sound made her whirl around to see Meteion standing there, staring at her without emotion.

"Greetings...and salutations...commencing report..." the girl said. But before she could do so, her hands shot up to cover her face and her next words echoed from deep within S'eni again. "Oh...oh no, we can't tell them that! We must run...run far away!"

She vanished into thin air.

"Please, don't follow me!" she heard, before her voice faded again into the direction of the other slope leading back up. She continued her pursuit, following the echo that Meteion's anguish left in its wake.

Eventually, the trail stopped to the south, near a lake. But no sight of Meteion. Where are y—

"Compiling report for dissemination to Hermes and all peoples of Etheirys," it came from directly behind her, making her spin around. "Processing expedition data...preparing profiles on intelligent civilizations...formulating answers to the question...finalizing report..."

"Meteion..." she reached out towards her, but the girl flinched away, the stoic look on her face cracking for but a moment.

"No, S'eni! You mustn't listen!" Meteion begged and vanished again, her voice fleeing in the direction of the lake. "It's wrong...it's all wrong!"

By the Twelve, just what did her sisters find...? she wondered.

She was soon joined by the others. "Any sign of her?" Emet-Selch asked.

"She fled towards the lake. She appeared panicked and confused when I managed to talk to her," S'eni said.

"Great, that will only make it more difficult to predict her movements."

Venat turned towards Hermes. "What do you think?"

"The Meteia are linked to a shared consciousness that connects them over a great distance. Something must have happened to disrupt its usual harmony."

"And how may we access this shared consciousness?"

"Like any sentient being, by approaching it directly," he replied. "In the Meteia's case, that means speaking to any incarnation within physical reach."

"So unless we manage to track down this one we have no way to communicate with them to learn what happened to her sisters..." Venat frowned. "

"Then we should push all this talk aside and focus on finding her instead," Emet-Selch suggested.

"Right..." S'eni nodded. "Easier said than done though if none of you can see her."

"Well, correct me if I'm wrong, but if Meteion hides herself by matching her aetheric density to that of her surroundings, then shouldn't it be possible to disrupt it by an excess of aether?" Hythlodaeus suggested. "Not unlike when Emet-Selch strengthened S'eni."

"And how am I supposed to do that with someone whose whereabouts are unknown to me?"

"You work together with S'eni, of course." Hythlodaeus raised his finger. "Once she has located Meteion, you will make her visible with a swift downpour of aether!"

"Very clever," Venat said. "That she fled towards Lethe will work in our favor here. Assuming she is made visible, it should prove easy to corner her."

"Then we have a plan. While you Emet-Selch and S'eni are working on finding her, we three will do our best to predict and obstruct any escape routes she might take. All the while, Emet-Selch and I will keep an eye on one another's aether to coordinate." Hythlodaeus looked around their group, then nodded. "Let us proceed!"

While the other three began hurrying over to the lake, Emet-Selch walked over to her. "...Well, it seems we are partners for the time being."

"Looks like it," she said with a little shrug. "So what's the plan?"

"You will need to keep the way clear, while I keep myself ready to rain down aether upon her at a moment's notice."

"Alright." The corner of her lip rose slightly. "Try to keep up."

"Hmpf. Don't you worry your little would-be savior head about that."

Jogging over to the lake, they stopped at a pier leading across it and she took in the sight. It was beautiful, crystal clear water with a few trees scattered here and there, creating an idyllic picture that might be the most beautiful place in all of Elpis. But if the chatter she had picked up earlier was to be believed, then this was also where creatures were being taken to be returned to aether. So beautiful...yet so sad...

"Can you hear her?" Emet-Selch asked, and she closed her eyes momentarily. She shook her head. "Let us search somewhere else then."

They moved further along the shore, and she cast out her senses until, finally, she could hear Meteion once again. It was only briefly, but enough time for her to be able to tell in which direction she was fleeing. "She went into the lake."

"Ugh, as if this wasn't tiresome enough already..." Emet-Selch said, running a hand over his face. "At least it should make it easier to find her. We won't lose her this time!"

They jumped into the lake and began following her trail. While the water was shallow enough, it still went almost up to her knees and the robes that they were both wearing right now did little to make walking any easier. And neither did her companion's complaints.

"Dragging my robes through the water," he grumbled. "I swear if Hythlodaeus breathes a word of this to Azem..."

"You're not making it any easier for me to locate her!" she shot over her shoulder.

He was about to retort, but wisely decided to keep his mouth shut. Eventually, they reached what appeared to be the center of the lake and stopped on a small group of rocks that offered a decent view of the entire area. For a few minutes, it looked like the place was a bust, when all of a sudden Meteion's voice appeared once more...

"Not here...I'm not here...please..."

"Over there!" she pointed towards a large rock up ahead.

"There? Very well." Raising his arm, Emet-Selch snapped his fingers and Meteion appeared in a sudden shower of aether.

"What!?" the girl looked down at herself. "Why can't I hide!?"

"Meteion," S'eni called out. "There's no need to run."

"S'eni...? What are you saying? Everything is so faint..." Meteion's questioning voice resonated from within her, but turned desperate once more. "I'm sorry. I'm not strong enough. Stay away. I'm begging you...don't make me say it. It will break his poor, fragile heart..."

Meteion turned around and ran towards the shore.

"Now we have a chance. Once the others are in position, we can herd her into a trap," Emet-Selch said.

"Yeah..." S'eni's face darkened, but nevertheless she followed him as he began to pursue Meteion. They chased her around for a bit, circling around the lake until they had made it to the other end of the pier, their quarry hurrying across it as fast as her bird-like legs allowed.

"Aha!" Emet-Selch exclaimed after looking in the distance.

"Hythlodaeus?"

"Yes, stay on her." He pointed up ahead at the crossing. "We shall cut her off near the shelter."

She nodded and gave chase. As she ran down the pier, slowly closing in on Meteion, she noticed a shadow pass by over her and looked up briefly to see Emet-Selch fly over to the other side on top of his mount. He touched down just in time to cut the girl off, causing her to back away, briefly look over her shoulder, then turn in the direction of the shelter connected to the pier.

"Got you now!" Emet-Selch said after joining up with S'eni. When they had finally caught up with Meteion, she was already cornered by Hythlodaeus, Venat and Hermes.

"I'm sorry...Hermes...everyone…if someone can hear me...then please..." she heard Meteion 'say' and the girl slowly turned around, her blue eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "...please...protect them all..."

"Mete—" S'eni began, but was cut off by Meteion's now emotionless voice.

"Individual self suspended. Connection with shared consciousness stable. Survey complete, we shall report our findings. All units safely arrived at their respective destinations. Seeking answers to Hermes's question, we attempted to make contact with the intelligent denizens of each star. Results are as follows, in order of numerical code."

A brief pause followed, and S'eni felt her nails dig into the palms of her hands.

"Hena. Remnants of civilization found—structures that most likely served as domiciles. No life-forms detected."

"Dyo. Remnants of buildings scattered across the star. Surface entirely encased in ice. Signs of life—negative."

"Tria. Structures similar to cities found. Evidence of the existence of intelligent life, but no survivors."

Oh, gods... S'eni's jaw dropped in shock.

"Tessera. Likewise remnants of abandoned buildings. Yet no sign of life. A plague or contamination has likely led to mass extinction."

"They are all...there are no survivors?" Hermes asked, but Meteion just continued on with her report, seemingly not hearing him.

"Okto. Violent conflict across the entire star. Contact was successfully established with inhabitants but deployment of weapons of mass destruction resulted in the total annihilation of all life."

"Ennea. Star is a barren desert. No flora found. Bones resembling those of Etheirys's inhabitants found in the sand. Possibly intelligent life."

"Remind me, Hermes," Emet-Selch said suddenly, his gaze going from Meteion to the man in question. "What exactly was the question you entrusted to Meteion?"

"I tasked her with asking what other species live for...what gives their lives...meaning..." he replied.

"Have you considered that you did not think your question through? To give an answer, one must have the will to live. If Meteion, no matter how far she traveled, did not encounter any life or if she has to assume that the will to live does not exist...can you imagine what answers she would derive from that?"

Hermes released a horrified gasp.

"Meteion, enough," Venat called out to the girl. "Abort your mission and return with your sisters."

"Deka-Pente. Local civilization flourished under the auspices of a higher power. But said power laid waste to it in a fit of rage. The entity revealed this to me. Unable to provide a reason for doing so, it chose to self-terminate. No other life-forms found."

"Turning a deaf ear, are we?" Emet-Selch narrowed his eyes. "Let us take her to Amaurot. We will need her assistance if we want to bring back the others."

"Y-Yes...of course..." Hermes walked over to Meteion and knelt down in front of her.

"Meteion...I..." he stopped, lowering his masked gaze. "...Is it right to simply turn away the answer you are so selflessly looking for? I have made it my mission to lay bare the error of our ways. And in the end, the truth is beyond all doubt, no matter how ugly it may be. Yes...no matter how bitter it may be, one must think on it earnestly. That is what I swore, and I will stand by my word."

"Hermes..." S'eni took a step forward. "Don't do anything you might regret..."

He stood back up and raised his hand, calling forth a staff that he gripped tightly, before whirling around. A blinding light surrounded him, brightening S'eni's eyelids even as she put an arm over her eyes. When she lowered it once more, she found a slender being, covered in vines and sporting wings, where Hermes once stood. His transformed form.

"What is the meaning of this!?" Emet-Selch demanded.

"You cannot take Meteion. She will finish her report. Only then may we decide how to proceed. I will not suffer any disruptions." After saying that, Hermes summoned forth a torrent of wind that almost swept her off her feet. When it was over, Hermes and Meteion had long since taken to the sky.

"You fool!" Emet-Selch cried after the flying chief.

S'eni could do nothing else but watch as Hermes soared through the skies with Meteion cradled on his arm, seeking a place where he could listen; listen to the rest of her report and the conclusion she had come to. A feeling of dread formed in the pit of her stomach at the thought.

They had to go after them!

 

Notes:

Dun dun dun...

Chapter 145

The Moment of Truth

 

We chased Hermes to Ktisis Hyperboreia, where he had sought refuge with Meteion. We fought our way through the many environments that made up the interior of the facility, up to the very top. There, among the simulated dark expanse beyond our star, awaited the end of Meteion's report that Hermes so desired, well as a revelation...A revelation of the end.

And so it begins...

 

---

A loud cry echoed through the vast emptiness around them as Hermes crumbled to the ground. He tried to rise back up, but his transformed body began to ripple and collapse around him, leaving only his regular, panting form. "Impossible..." he gasped out, his green eyes growing wide as they landed on S'eni. "...even after I transformed...?"

"It's over, Hermes," Emet-Selch said, dismissing the blade he had summoned forth and stepping forward. "In the name of the Convocation, I am taking Meteion into custody. You are coming along as well. You will be thoroughly questioned so we can assess this situation, chosen successor of Fandaniel or not!"

Hermes stared at the four of them for a few long seconds, before releasing a resigned sigh. It was over. Slowly, he managed to get back on his feet and turn around towards Meteion, who had watched everything that transpired with emotionless eyes.

"I'm sorry...that I could not hear your report to the very end, Meteion," he said and began taking a few steps towards her. "I would have reflected on and shared it with the others. So that they could see their chosen course in a new light and reconsider it. But I was too weak, so that wish will never be realized. So let me ask you one final question before our fate takes its course: was there truly no place...where you found hope? The meaning of life or...at least some enjoyment of it?"

The girl did not reply at first, simply looking ahead impassively, until her lips finally parted and her head tilted towards the simulated void above them. "We have done what you instructed us to do. We studied historical records and communed with the spirits of the deceased. We also heard many a last word...and gazed into shadowed hearts..."

Lowering her head again, Meteion looked straight at Hermes and started to walk towards him. As she did so, black mist began to surround her. The very same S'eni had seen turn so many poor souls into bloodthirsty creatures.

"One race strived to create a world without animosity. To avoid strife, they began to avoid relationships and ultimately died away in loneliness. Another race devoted itself entirely to the enrichment of its people. Until they were conquered, and though they managed to defeat their enemy, they never returned to their former glory. Yet another race viewed finite time as the source of all suffering, so it sought infinity. But they discovered that nothing can ever escape the ultimate end. Bereft of their hope, they followed all that came before them into the abyss. And yet another race freed themselves of sorrow and all other suffering. But joy lost its savor in the absence of sorrow; the beginning of their miserable end." Meteion stopped, her cold gaze moving over every one of them, lingering briefly on S'eni before settling on Hermes. "They all, as different as they were, tried their best. Their voices, emotions, and legends stood testimony to that. And they all learned the truth in the end..."

The mist began to engulf her, swirling around like a dark, cruel storm. Her eyes glowed briefly through the thick blackness, staring at them until the mist dissipated to reveal Meteion once more. Skin and eyes as pale as ash, and her hair, feathers, and even clothes having turned pitch black.

"...despair, sorrow, anger, fear, and loneliness...will never cease. Even now, in this very moment, their souls cry out for oblivion. And to this song of anguish—"

S'eni's hand shot up to her mouth as realization finally struck. The threat from the beyond stars, the voice she had heard... "...it's her."

"—we will lend our voice...so that all can find salvation. Our beloved friends and all the shimmering life of this beautiful star, they all shall be freed from the shackles of this meaningless existence. Salvation from oblivion, a beautiful, unbending silence," Meteion said, and for the first time since starting her report, her voice rang with emotion. A sick delight. With a smile she raised her hands skyward. "On the edge of the universe, we will make our nest...and hoard sorrow and suffering. So that our song may ring ever clearer and bring this aether-shrouded star to the end. That is the answer we have found among the stars. Our gift for Etheirys."

"Who are you to decree our fate!?" Emet-Selch demanded. "Our lives belong to no one but us!"

"We need to stop her!" S'eni shouted and made to run over to Meteion, only to feel herself being yanked backwards. Glancing down at her arm, she saw an aetheric chain wrapped around it. "Wha—"

Hermes raised his staff and, within the blink of an eye, more chains shot forth and wound around her entire body in an instant, lifting her off the ground and suspending her mid-air. The others, too, were caught by the spell, leaving them all struggling to break free. Emet-Selch grit his teeth. "Are you out of your mind!? She means to destroy us all! How can you still take her side!?"

"We judge every creation for the good of this star. And if it is deemed flawed, we discard it," Hermes replied. "But if we too are flawed, would it not be right and proper if we are discarded as well?"

"That is lunacy!"

"Perhaps. It is quite possible I am wrong. But the same could be said about you."

"Hermes...don't," S'eni pleaded, but he made no signs of doing so as he turned around.

"So let us settle this with a determination. Here in Elpis we research life. And as the chief overseer of this facility I will put our right to existence to the test...Should there be those, who cling to life, who cherish it...then it should be simple to stop the coming end. If not, we shall all perish," he said, and began to raise his staff anew. "And as with all of our experiments, we must ensure fairness. Kairos! Awaken!"

She struggled viciously against the chains, in hopes of still making him see sense, but stopped when Hermes said that name. Her mind immediately rushed back to when she had heard it before, being offhandedly mentioned during the report about the Lykaones. Kairos, the system he created to alter memories. He was going to wipe theirs!

A giant, sundial-like structure appeared up ahead, covered in symbols and an engraved sun and moon that formed a half-open eye that passively stared up ahead. "Memory reconfiguration system Kairos activated," it spoke in a metallic voice. "Awaiting instructions."

"A universal memory erasure and modification for the entire Hyperboreia. The time period between the arrival of Emet-Selch of the Convocation at Propylaion and now is to be erased," Hermes ordered. "They are to be replaced by these vague recollections: we were here so that I could demonstrate the functionality of Kairos to Emet-Selch and Hythlodaeus. While I was doing so, Meteion's shared consciousness became unstable. She could no longer sustain her existence and she dissipated with a burst alongside her sisters. The resulting shockwave accidentally triggered Kairos, which erased the memory of the last few days from everyone present."

"Command acknowledged. Initializing... Three processes remaining to execution."

"Very clever. I doubt one could make it any fairer than this..." Hythlodaeus said.

"Yes..." S'eni struggled some more, to no avail. "Our meeting, what I told you, Meteion's change. It will all be gone..."

And she would still be aimlessly searching for the cause of the Final Days...

Hermes turned around to face Meteion. "Go now. To the edge of the universe, where none can reach you."

"Shall I take you along, Hermes?" Meteion asked, a sinister smile in her voice. "If you rid yourself of your flesh, I should be able to carry you."

"No. I will remain to oppose the oblivion you wish to bring," he replied.

"Oh you silly creature...if you had said yes, I would have granted you a gentle end."

With a sudden cry, Venat managed to break free of her shackles and rushed forward, blade in hand. "I won't allow it!" she shouted and jumped at Meteion, only to be blocked by Hermes' magic.

"Fly, Meteion!" he cried over his shoulder, and the girl took off.

"Enough of this!" Emet-Selch growled, his red sigil forming in front of his face, and with a sudden burst their chains came undone, dropping them on the ground. He summoned forth a staff and held it out towards the chief overseer. "That is far enough, Hermes!"

Sensing her opportunity as Emet-Selch went on the attack, Venat jumped back and hurried towards the edge of the platform. "Argos, to me!" she called out and jumped off, landing on top of her trusty familiar to give chase.

"First process complete. Two processes remaining to execution of memory reconfiguration."

"Time is running short..." Hythlodaeus said as another Kairos appeared to their right. "S'eni, listen to me. You cannot forget what happened today. It is the key to saving your future!"

"But what about you?"

"This is part of our story. What happens now is our problem, not yours." He locked eyes with her. "You have your own battle to fight. One only you can wage."

S'eni stared into his eyes. The jolly humor reflected in them all the time was gone now. For once he was deadly serious, and above all, he was right. She couldn't forget what happened today. Y'shtola and all the others were counting on her; their entire world did. She nodded.

"Best to get creative then. How am I getting out of here?" she asked.

Hythlodaeus smiled and rose to his feet, offering her his hand. "I will assist you with that," he said and, after helping her up, turned to the left. "Now then where is it...? Ah, there it is."

They hurried over to the edge of the platform and Hythlodaeus was just raising his hand to point ahead, when his eyes snapped up, face growing dark. S'eni followed his gaze towards the shimmering shooting star ascending higher and higher. Meteion.

"She escaped," he said.

"Second process complete. One remaining to execution."

"Well, no time for brooding. Listen well, just before us lies a spatial confluence that connects all arwas of the Hyperboreia. I will destroy it and open a way outside," he explained, and summoned forth his bow and readied it. "When I do, you must jump through it."

"...I cannot let you escape!" Hermes voice suddenly cried out and S'eni felt a gust of wind coming towards them, no, towards Hythlodaeus!

"Watch out!" she jumped in front of Hythlodaeus, crossing her arms to absorb the brunt of the spell. The impact knocked her off her feet, hurtling her through the air...and over the edge.

Falling past the other floating platforms, she descended towards the clouds and closed her eyes. Was this going to be it? Falling to her death in the far flung past?

Strangely fitting, I suppose, she thought...

...

...

...and her ears suddenly perked up. ...Unless!

Her eyes shot open and she reached out her arm just in time to take ahold of golden glowing fur. Using the momentum, she swung herself on top of her furry friend's back and smiled. "Argos!" she said and rubbed his neck.

"I knew I could count on your reflexes," she heard Venat say, shortly followed by her appearing atop her own Argos.

"And my ears."

A shattering explosion from above made them both look up.

"Looks like the distraction worked."

"Distraction?" S'eni asked.

"Let's just say my dear successor seems to have rubbed off on those two. Come, we need to hurry!"

With all the speed both Argoses could muster, they shot up through the sky back towards the platform and above it, right towards the newly created hole that would lead them outside. As they passed by them, she briefly glanced down to Emet-Selch and Hythlodaeus. "There's no time! Quickly!" the former shouted while the latter waved. "I still do not believe your tale. I would never sink so low. But still, let me tell you one thing..."

Gold eyes met hers.

"...do not squander what you have been entrusted with."

She gasped out, her hand reaching forward despite knowing he was too far away. A sudden burning made her slam her eyes shut to quell the feeling, and when she opened them, a single name passed her lips, echoing from deep within her soul. "Hades!"

Emet-Selch's eyes widened momentarily, but his expression swiftly turned into that infuriating smirk of his.

"Final process complete. Executing universal memory alteration."

"Go, Argos!" Venat shouted as Kairos began to glow and the sundial rapidly turned backwards. With one final push, just as light began to flood the artificial area, they pushed through the confluence.

Releasing a small chuckle, Emet-Selch smiled as the brightness claimed him.

 

---

 

As they emerged from the Hyperboreia, S'eni and Venat were immediately greeted by the beautiful, star-filled sky. But the sight was marred by the fact that, somewhere out there, Meteion was making her way towards her sisters. To build their nest and, to one day, usher in the Final Days.

It left a bitter taste in her mouth, to say the least.

They slowly floated towards Philomythes Notos and touched down upon it far to the east of Anagnorisis. As soon as they did, Venat dismounted and walked a few steps, before collapsing on the ground. S'eni immediately rushed over to her and knelt down.

"Are you alright!?"

"I'm fine. Just a little tired," the other woman said. After taking a few deep breaths, she looked out towards the sky. "Is it really true? Are we the only ones left that see beauty in their world—in life? Are the stars no more than candles marking the graves of those who succumbed to despair?"

"I don't know..." she replied earnestly. Even in her time, the only contact of the wider universe they had were the dragons, and Midgardsomr had ultimately fled his world as well in search of a new home.

"'Twas the last bastion of hope," he had once told a young Vrtra. But did that truly mean there were no other worlds left in that endless sea of stars?

"Yes, I suppose no one does." Venat sighed. "Meteion is already unimaginably distant. Far beyond Etheirys. And yet, I can still sense her presence—as well as the place we must one day follow her to."

"How?" S'eni asked.

"Just before she escaped, I managed to mark her with a spell that will help us follow her trail. Given the vastness of the universe though, it will be no easy feat to track her down. But thanks to Emet-Selch and Hythlodaeus we can still remember what happened. And through our memories, hope shall live on."

"Yes..." she exhaled and the corners of her lips rose into a small smile. "I suppose you're right."

The other woman mirrored the expression.

"So what now?"

"Good question. Let us begin with ascertaining the situation at Ktisis Hyperboreia. The others should still be there." Venat rose back to her feet, and she followed suit. "However, we should avoid approaching them directly. At least until we know the state of their memories. In which case..."

They both turned towards Argos, who had long since fused together with his copy once more. The dog looked at them with bright blue eyes and tilted his head. Venat walked over to him.

"I'm sorry, my friend," she said and patted him. "but I have to ask you for one last favor. Afterwards you can rest as much as you want."

Argos barked and took to the sky, heading towards Ktisis Hyperboreia. Venat then turned around and explained, "We will share in his consciousness. See what he sees, and hear what he hears. Now, close your eyes and open your mind..."

Doing as she was told, S'eni cast her mind out, following the golden trail that was Argos's presence until her senses had fully aligned with his. She saw as he landed near the entrance of the Hyperboreia, where the staff had gathered in a large group. And, having just come out of the doors, Emet-Selch, Hythlodaeus and Hermes as well, the latter looking quite worse for the wear.

"Thank goodness, nothing happened to you," one of the scholars said.

"Nothing happened?!" Emet-Selch shot back, shifting a little to better support Hermes. "Our memory was wiped! Everything that's happened since my arrival is gone!"

"It is all my fault..." Hermes grimaced at the movement. "I was explaining to our guests how Kairos operated. But Meteion...her shared consciousness became unstable...she..."

"I see, so that is what prompted the state of alert," the scholar said. "And everyone inside was affected?"

"Looks like it. I can scarcely even remember the incident itself," Emet-Selch replied.

"How horrible. What of Venat and your other companion?"

White eyebrows shot up. "Venat was with us?"

He looked over to Hythlodaeus, who shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I cannot remember. But that is her familiar, is it not?" he turned his head to look at Argos. "He doesn't seem particularly worried to me. She must be fine, then. I do not know who this other person is you speak of, though..."

"Ah, well...she seemed quite...different, for want of a better word. Perhaps she was a familiar as well?"

"Curious..." he furrowed his brow for a brief second, before smiling. "I suppose I shall just have to ask her the next time we meet."

"What does it matter, we need to take care of Hermes right now. Whatever this Meteion did, he clearly took the brunt of it," Emet-Selch said and looked at the man in question. "Once you are fit for travel, you will return with us to Amaurot. We have to make sure that there are no other ill effects. I also have a message from the Fourteen for you. We most likely spoke about it already, but since I can't remember, we'll have to do so again."

"Of course..." Hermes said. "I apologize for the inconvenience..."

"This Kairos—it manipulates memories through emissions of aetheric waves, correct?" Hythlodaeus wondered. "Some hold the theory that erased memories of this kind are restored when the soul is cleansed in the Underworld. So perhaps we might remember one day, even if it's only after our time has come."

Emet-Selch scoffed. "It was only a few days, and I very much doubt anything of interest occurred. When I return to the star, I'd much rather reminisce on more meaningful moments."

Having seen enough, S'eni pulled her mind back and slowly opened her eyes. As her senses became her own again, she noticed that her hands had hardened into fists, and she forced herself to relax with a sigh. "I guess we have our answers."

"Indeed," Venat agreed and exhaled deeply, the exhaustion returning to her face. "We should rest. If only for a little while. After all, we still have a long, long way to go..."

"Yeah..." S'eni nodded. That they did.

They walked over to a nearby tree and sat down beneath it. Running a hand over her face, she closed her eyes and simply listened to the wind. As seconds turned into minutes, she felt fatigue slowly set in as her body started to calm down from the day's events. Gods, what she wouldn't give for a nice, comfortable bed right now, but that would have to wait until she was back in her own time.

After a few more minutes, Venat broke the silence. "May I ask you a favor?"

"What is it?"

"When you told me about your adventures, you repeatedly mentioned the names of your companions. Would you please tell me about them?"

Opening her eyes again, S'eni cast her gaze across the beautiful area in front of her. Her hand ran idly through the grass underneath her, picking a few blades.

"I met most of them years ago, though after all that's happened it might as well have been a lifetime. Back then I had just started out as an adventurer. Not even in my wildest dreams did I imagine what awaited me," she said and smiled slightly. "There's Thancred who, when we first met, was quite a ladies' man. Heh, he even tried to woo me. But he's matured a lot and I doubt you'll find anyone more reliable than him. Then there's Urianger, who spends most of his time with his nose buried in one book or another, so much so that he sounds like an ancient tome. And though he had a problem with keeping things to himself in the past, I know he will always do the right thing. Krile who, like I, was blessed by Hydaelyn. She still struggles with the legacy left to her by her grandfather, but I know she can do it."

She gently ran her thumb over the grass in her hand.

"Estinien, a bit of a solitary fellow, but a good man. His life was dedicated to nothing but vengeance once. It took a while, but I think he's finally at peace with himself now. Lyse who always follows her heart. She isn't with us anymore, having chosen to rebuild her home country, but she'll always be a part of us. Once a Scion, always a Scion." Her smile grew and warm fondness entered her voice. "The twins, Alphinaud and Alisaie. I think it's not wrong to say they are the heart of our group, striving for a better world even when it puts them at odds with their own father. And speaking of hearts, there's Tataru. Without her, I'm sure the Scions would have long since gone bankrupt. She also scares me sometimes, just a little. Raha, whom I met during an expedition into the very same structure that allowed me to travel here. An earnest soul who broke through the barriers of time to rewrite history and, in doing so, not only saved the world...but me as well. And then there's Shtola..."

A wistful sigh escaped her and she closed her eyes, letting the image of her lover's smile inside her mind give her much needed comfort.

"...where do I even start with her? She's stubborn and possesses a tongue sharper than any blade. She is intelligent and enjoys nothing more than to learn new things about the world. If she was here right now she'd be beside herself in barely contained excitement. But above all, there is no one else that understands me as much as she does. I love her. With all my heart." Slowly, she raised her hand and watched as a gust of wind picked up the blades of grass in her hand, carrying them off into the evening. "They, and many more, are the reason I fight. My anchor when times are difficult; my shining light in the dark. And they are worth everything."

Venat, who had quietly listened up to this, smiled and looked at her. "I am glad that you have such loyal companions. But that makes it all the more important that you return to them and share what you have learned."

"I know." She nodded and began to rise. "I shouldn't remain any longer than I need to."

"Then allow me to see you to the Propylaion."

Together, they began to head in the direction of the place where her journey into the past had started. As they passed by Anagnorisis, S'eni stopped briefly to look at it. Frown forming on her face, she asked, "What do you think Hermes is going to do now?"

"He will blame himself. He will believe that if not for his dissatisfaction with the world, the Meteia would have never been born to suffer and die," replied and they began walking again. "To join the Fourteen will likely be a welcome distraction, and one day in the future, he will face the Final Days as Fandaniel."

After some more time, they arrived at the doors of the Propylaion and S'eni turned to face Venat. "Well...this is where we must part."

Venat nodded. "May you and your companions emerge triumphant. Make use of the knowledge you gained. So that your time here in Elpis and our friends' sacrifice was not in vain."

"I will," she promised.

"Meteion is somewhere out there. So it will only be a matter of time until the Final Days are upon us," Venat said, her gaze turning towards the starry sky. "We must be ready. From fortifying our defenses to securing our escape, there is much to be done. All in secrecy, of course. If knowledge of the fates of all those stars would reach the masses, I'm afraid we might play directly in Meteion's hand. No, only those I know can carry this burden can be told about it."

"What about the Fourteen?"

"Ordinally, I wouldn't hesitate to call upon them. But it was Hermes's desire for a fair determination that drove him to erase our memory. It is difficult to tell how he might react if he learned the truth, and we cannot afford more enemies. But if we leave him and the Convocation out, it would prove difficult to devise countermeasures. Quite a dilemma...which leaves me with little choice than to act independently of the Fourteen." Venat sighed and looked back at S'eni. "Regardless of how we proceed, if we wish to permanently avert the Final Days, we must meet Hermes's challenge and prove that mankind is worthy to exist. It will hinge on how we confront the all-consuming despair that accompanies a senseless and seemingly inevitable end. If we just sit and wait, we will suffer the same fate as countless stars before us. Neither would we survive the Final Days, nor stand a chance to defeat Meteion. We must find a way to face despair—and prepare as many people as possible for the struggle ahead."

"Yes..." S'eni crossed her arms. "It's not going to be easy."

"I know. But I have always believed in our potential. It far outweighs our flaws. And that is why I will not give up." Bright blue eyes sought out hers. "The world in which you return might be very different. Or perhaps nothing will have changed due to the erasure of our friends' memories. We cannot know until the moment is at hand. So I shall take nothing for granted and always strive to do my best. And I pray you do the same. Walk with me—to the very end. As you move forward, so too will I. And those who endeavor to fight for the future shall walk alongside us. And when we have found the strength to stand against despair...we shall silence the song of oblivion. She who sings it will learn that our journey is far from over."

The other woman smiled, and S'eni mirrored it with one of her own.

"That is my promise to you," Venat said warmly. "Farewell, my light of the future...till we meet again."

"Farewell, Venat." Turning around, S'eni walked into the Propylaion, coming to a stop near the center of the room. As soon as she stopped, she could feel something tug at her very being, calling her back to where she belonged. She glanced over her shoulder to look at the other woman one final time, when her vision began to ripple and blur.

And with a flash of bright white, she was pulled back.

 

Notes:

Well, my fellow Warriors of Light. What did yours shout as they escaped from the Hyperboreia?

Chapter 146

Back to the Present

 

Wherever I look, nothing but pain. A newborn world of nothing but suffering. Lives come and go in a fleeting moment, yet they still ceaselessly march towards the unknown. Every moment, from birth to death, is part of the search for answers.

"Oh why were we given life, if we are meant to suffer?" weak cries, rise oh so powerfully. Despite your fragmented, imperfect nature—or perhaps because of it—you continue on your never-ending quest.

Search for it...a never ceasing power, more so knowing of the end.

Search for it...one confused step after another.

Search for it...for the joy during even the darkest hour...

...the last light amidst despair!

- The one awaiting your answer

 

---

 

"Now your time and mine are about to intertwine," she heard Venat's voice echo deep within her mind as she slowly regained consciousness. "When you truly understand the meaning behind my words, and your journey has prepared you to face even the cruelest of trials...I shall honor the promise I made so long ago."

Eyes blinking open, S'eni found herself looking at the ceiling of the Ocular, taking a moment to let the fog around her mind clear before sitting up. She was back. Gods, it almost felt like it had all been just a dream, but the robes she was currently wearing were more than enough proof that everything had truly happened.

"So that's what you meant on the ship," she breathed out. Traveling to the past, meeting her and the others. It was all meant to happen...

No time for that. Need to tell the others, she reminded herself. She could think about this later.

She briefly looked around the room until her eyes landed on the portal. Rising to her feet, she took off her robes and tucked them under her arm, then began walking towards it. And with a deep breath, she stepped through...

...

...

...and emerged inside the chasm next to the Labyrinth of the Ancients. Her sudden arrival made a few of the gathered members of the Sons of Saint Coinach look up, but they swiftly went back to whatever it was they were doing when they saw it was only her. They certainly had gotten awfully used to this. Offering the group a small wave of her hand, she walked past them with a mumbled "As you were" and began heading up to the surface.

But she supposed it was a good sign to see them just calmly go about their business. It meant that the Final Days hadn't yet reached here, and indeed, as she reached the surface, S'eni was met by the familiar sky of Mor Dhona. It actually looked like quite a pleasant day. Of course, if she wanted to keep it that way, she couldn't just stand here and enjoy the view, so she proceeded to teleport to Old Sharlayan.

Arriving there, she was greeted by the same calm image as when they had left for Thavnair. Seemed like the Forum had things well in hand here. But she could sense it nevertheless, the nervousness underneath the facade, knowing that the end was at hand.

She headed over to Baldesion's Annex, releasing a yawn partway there. Looked like her earlier 'nap' had done little in the ways of quelling her fatigue. Perhaps a few hours in a proper bed would do the trick.

Upon stepping inside, she was immediately greeted by Ojika. "Ah, S'eni. You are back. And not a moment too soon. Krile has received news she wishes to share with you. Quite urgent ones."

So much for getting some rest... she thought with an inward sigh and placed the bundled up robes and mask on the desk in front of him. "I'll go talk to her then. Could you please bring these to my room?"

"Of course," he said and picked up the bundle while she walked to the door leading to the main hall. As she entered, she found Krile and Tataru standing in the center of the room, and from their expressions, she could already tell that whatever news were awaiting her, they must be grave. At the sound of the door opening and closing, the two of them turned to face her.

"S'eni?!" Krile exclaimed and came rushing over, meeting her halfway. "I heard you were off to the First in an effort investigate the Final Days."

"Sure was. And looks like I missed something while I was away," S'eni said, earning herself a little sigh from the other woman.

"As so often seems to be the case..."

"You've a knack for turning up just exactly when needed," Tataru commented while joining them.

"Indeed." Krile nodded. "But before that, have you learned anything regarding the Final Days?"

"I did. Quite a lot, in fact. But it would be best to wait until the others are here. What happened here?"

Krile sighed. "Unfortunately, events have taken a turn for the worse. The others are running themselves ragged trying to contain the spread of the Blasphemies, but it's a losing battle."

"While trying to figure out the how and why of it, Alisaie and Alphinaud all over..." Tataru explained. "Of all the regions they visited, Locus Amoenus is one of the worst affected."

"Corvos, correct?" S'eni asked, frowning. "Raha told me he was born there."

"That's right. Him, Estinien and Thancred took a detachment of allied soldiers to offer aid. But the province is vast, and they only managed to visit a handful of coastal villages. An accomplishment, but ultimately just a drop in a bucket."

"I see..." she crossed her arms in front of her chest. "What of Shtola? Did Matoya and her manage to contact Hydaelyn?"

"I'm afraid all their efforts have ended in failure so far," Krile replied. "Meanwhile, Tataru and I have been keeping an eye on the Forum. From what we gather, they've been constructing a vessel to ferry people to the moon. An ambitious project that has likely been years, if not decades, in the making. However, since we've seen no sight of it so far, I suspect it's still incomplete. Which brings me to the matter at hand. Following his discussion with Master Fourchenault, Vrtra pledged his support for the plan and urged those who wished to evacuate to accept the Forum's invitation. So far, so good. But that's where things get a little strange..."

"Strange how?"

"Apparently, the Forum caught wind of the teleporter inside the Tower of Babil, and decided to use it to deliver the people to the moon," the Lalafel said.

"To that end, Alphinaud, Alisaie, Estinien, and G'raha traveled to Garlemald to secure safe passage for the Hannish refugees," Tataru added and her face darkened. "Trouble is, the capital was already dangerous as it was, and now..."

"...The Final Days have come to Garlemald," Krile finished, face mirroring that of their friend. "Shortly after the others arrived, they were sent to meet with Master Fourchenault. Then, panic broke out, and our communications were severed."

"Shit..." S'eni exhaled deeply and rubbed a hand over her face. "How long ago was this?"

"Not too long ago. S'eni, the others need you. You must help them!" Krile pleaded.

"And I will!" she promised, already beginning to float off the ground as the teleport spell homed in on her destination, Camp Broken Glass.

"Please, be careful," she heard Tataru call out to her just before she was gone.

 

---

 

Immediately on arrival, S'eni found herself regretting her decision to simply rush off when the cold air of Garlemald brushed against her skin, and even the swiftly cast spell she used to dry her clothes did very little to quell the chill. Still, it was better than nothing, especially with more important matters at hand. Like the burning sky.

Asking a nearby soldier, bewildered at her sudden appearance, she followed his instruction and quickly located Lucia. The woman's eyes were fixed on the sky, but lowered themselves when she called out to her. "S'eni...and not a moment too soon."

"Krile and Tataru told me what happened. Where are the others?" she asked.

"As soon as the heavens began to burn, I dispatched them to the Magna Glacies to ensure that none of the Hannish refugees come to harm," the other woman replied, eyebrows drawn tightly. "Additional support is already en route, but I would still have you join them immediately. I trust you are ready?"

"I am." Turning into the direction of the snow covered road that would lead her to her destination, her eyes briefly went up to the sky and narrowed. Her hands balled into tight fists, and she started to run.

She hurried down the path her and the others had traveled not too long ago in their quest to help the citizens of Garlemald; to bring hope into this cold, unforgiving land. Now that little glimmer they had managed to deliver was being swallowed up by the burning blaze above. As if fate itself wished to twist the knife further after having plunged it in. No, she wouldn't let that happen!

Ignoring the cold sting inside her lungs and the burning ache of limbs begging for proper rest, she pushed further, running as fast as she was able to. It was about a third of the way to the airship port, though, when a sudden sound made her come to a screeching halt. Combat!? No...screams...but from—

S'eni cast her gaze into the distance, looking about frantically.

—there! A small group of refugees, being chased by beasts.

Rushing towards them, she saw an Au Ra woman amongst them fall to the ground, taking the two children in front of her with her. An Arkasodara man up ahead noticed and ran back to help them up, but one of the faster, wolf-like creatures were already homing in on them, ready to plunge its fangs into soft flesh. Gritting her teeth, S'eni practically flew over the snow, disappearing from sight and reappearing in front of the group just as the beast lunged forward.

"NO!" she slammed her shoulder into it, sending it flying backwards. For a brief second, her body became engulfed in light, her himation changing into a white and black coat, adorned with a few gold plates. Glaring at the approaching creatures, she raised her right hand into the air...and pulled the trigger three times.

Shrapnel made of aether began to rain down from above, forming a large circle around her and the refugees, before exploding outwards into a protective dome. She watched the beasts attack the barrier for a few seconds, then placed the Gunblade in her hand on her back and walked over to the group. "That will keep them occupied for a moment. Are you hurt?"

"My...my ankle!" the woman pressed through her teeth.

"Let me see," she said and knelt down in front of her. After taking a quick look, she cast a healing spell on her. "This will take care of the pain, but you need to rest it for a bit. You there."

The Arkasodara jumped a little.

"Can you carry her?"

"Uh, y-yes." He nodded.

"Good. Once that barrier comes down, I want you to hurry in that direction." S'eni pointed in the direction of Camp Broken Glass. "The Ilsabard corp has a camp there. They'll keep you safe."

"Understood." Kneeling down, the Arkasodara picked the Au Ra up in his large arms. S'eni then turned towards the two children, both close to tears, and gently placed a hand on their shoulders.

"It's scary, isn't it?" S'eni asked gently. They both nodded. "And that's why you two have the most important task of all."

The little ones looked at her with large eyes, the fear inside them giving way to faint curiosity.

"Smile. It's in times like these where we must stay strong and take heart," she said and let the corners of her lips rise upwards. The children looked at one another at first before mirroring her expression with a tentative one of their own. "Good. A smile better suits a hero, after all. Now go, and don't look back."

Rising back up, S'eni reached behind her, took hold of her Gunblade again, and turned around. A couple more beasts had joined the previous ones, no doubt having been drawn here by the ruckus, their claws, fangs, fists and tendrils joining that of their brethren to tear down the barrier. Little by little, she saw cracks appear in the webbed pattern.

She walked forward, holding her Bozjan Manatrigger up to her face while channeling aether into the cartridges she had just unloaded. When she was done, she aimed it towards the creatures and narrowed her eyes. "I'm afraid I'll have to steal your thunder today, Thancred. But I'm sure you'll forgive me this once."

S'eni cocked the hammer—and the barrier burst.

"RUN!" she shouted and dashed forward, swinging her Gunblade in an upward arc to send a wave of aether towards the wolf-like creature from earlier when it tried to make a beeline for its previous prey, knocking it off its feet and leaving it open to dispatch it with one swift slash. Immediately, she brought her attention back to the others, ducking out of the way of a large fist and bringing her weapon down upon it with a pull of the trigger, severing it. With the exhaust flame still shooting out of the chamber, she whirled around and swung her blade towards an almost ape-like-looking creature just in time for the second ignition to go off, killing it mid-motion before finishing off the previous one with a stab through the chest.

"Who's next?!" Another set of wolf-like beasts charged at her. Just before they could reach her, she jumped into the air and slashed the ground twice, leaving an x-shaped mark that burst into red-hot flames which incinerated them on the spot. Upon landing, she turned to the rest of the beasts, meeting them in a deadly dance of claws and other monstrous extremities, the exploding sound of her cartridges drowning out their cries as they fell one after another after another, until all that remained was she and the dissipating bodies of her foes.

Panting heavily, she turned around and looked out into the distance. When she spotted the forms of the refugees in the distance, growing smaller and smaller by the second, she released a deep breath and let herself smile. They were going to be alright.

Her ears twitched suddenly, and she glanced over her shoulder. That sound...

That was unmistakably Magitek. So that's who the additional support was. With a warm chuckle, she turned around and began following it, the Gunblade in her hand vanishing as she returned to her regular clothes.

With the sounds of battle growing nearer, so too did the signs of it in the form of those poor refugees that didn't manage to get away, their bodies lying still in the snow. But there was no time to mourn now, or else there would be far more of them.

And then, after a few more minutes of running, she spotted them. G'raha and Alisaie, the latter of which looking a tiny bit worse for the wear as they stood next to a large, felled creature. As she made her way over to the two, S'eni saw Alisaie's eyes go wide upon spotting her. "S'eni! You're here!"

"Looks like you could use a hand," she said in return, the corners of her lips curling up.

Alisaie lowered her eyes to the ground at that, muttering something inaudible under her breath, before replying, "I would've been fine on my own..."

S'eni just placed her hand on the young woman's shoulder and gave it an affectionate squeeze.

"Welcome back, my friend," G'raha greeted her, holding his glowing sword and shield. "I trust you are more than ready?"

She nodded, and just in time for the felled creature to regain consciousness. The three of them whirled towards it, ready for battle. "I've had it with those beasts!" Alisaie growled.

"Let's go then!" S'eni jumped forward.

Time to finish this.

 

---

 

"There," she said and lowered her hand, watching the last glow of her healing spell disappear. "That should do it. Give it a try."

The young man seated in front of her moved his arm a bit, then nodded. "All better. Thank you," he said with a grateful tone.

"Just don't strain it too much. Take it easy for a few days once you're in Sharlayan." With a smile, she sent him on his way, watching as he made his way to one of the docked airships. She cast her gaze around the area to see if there was anyone else in need of immediate treatment. Upon finding none, she headed over to where Alphinaud and the others stood. On her way there, she looked over to the Garlean troops standing guard at the edge of the outpost, Jullus among them. It was good to see him being back to himself again. If not for him and his comrades, things might have turned out much worse today.

Suddenly, she heard two voices call out and she stopped briefly to look towards them. It was the two children from earlier, standing on the ramp leading up to one of the airships, waving their hands. She returned it with a grin, before continuing onward. When she arrived, she found Alphinaud in conversation with his father.

"...the people of Radz-at-Han had to endure enough suffering today," she heard Fourchenault say. "Garlemald may not be far, but I fear we would invite only more if we marched there now."

"I quite agree. It will be reassuring to know that you are with them, though. Please, take care of them as best you can," the young Elezen said.

"Alphinaud..."

But whatever else the twins' father wished to say was interrupted by Jullus calling out, "Look, someone's coming!"

Turning around, S'eni spotted a figure running towards them. One of the refugees. And in pursuit of them, one of the beasts no less. Looks like we missed one.

"Will this never end?" Estinien sighed and they rushed over to defend the poor fellow. But before they could reach him, the creature was suddenly struck down, revealing another person just behind it. It was—

"Zenos..." Alphinaud exclaimed. As they all came to a stop, the former crown prince offered them his usual bored expression, not even glancing at the man he just rescued as G'raha ushered him in the direction of the airships. "What is the meaning of this?"

"I saw a beast I have never laid eyes upon before, so I struck it down," Zenos replied. "It proved to be no challenge at all, though. What disappointing practice."

"Practice?! Can you only think about your stupid rematch?!" Alisaie practically shouted.

"Why would I think about anything else?" he asked, then turned his attention towards S'eni. She narrowed her eyes.

"I've neither the time nor the desire to fight you right now," she told him.

"I know. I can see it in your eyes, the burning fire...that is not aimed at me, no matter how much I would stoke hate and despair." He folded up his scythe and placed it on his back. "So all I shall do for now is sharpen my claws."

"What are you saying...?" Jullus's voice came suddenly from behind them, drawing Zenos's attention towards him as he stopped next to her. "Garlemald has fallen...our homeland. The one you ruled over! So many dead..."

The young officer's hands became fists and he began to shake as he continued, "Not just us soldiers, whose duty is to fight. Innocent civilians...Family, friends...they all slaughtered one another, and nobody knew why. And those few who managed to resist the madness were left to freeze to death! The Eorzeans told me it was all because of you. If that's true then...why?! For what purpose...?!"

Zenos just looked at Jullus with his usual bored expression and said, "Yes. It is true. And it was all for nothing."

"You bastard...!" Jullus stepped forth, but was stopped by Alphinaud.

"Stop. Zenos deserves all your anger, but you have to calm yourself, please," the young Elezen said. "If you let it consume you it will turn you into a beast as well."

Jullus looked at him for a second, a pained expression on his face, before stepping back again.

"Would you like a reason?" Zenos asked all of a sudden, making Jullus look at him in surprise.

"What...?"

"I asked if you would like a reason. It sounded like you did. To justify all the things that you saw. If so, then you are nothing more than dumb cattle. Reasons...the question of right or wrong...nothing more than convenient excuses; smoke and mirrors. Has the war taught you nothing? How many times has senseless conflict blurred the line between good and evil? Just look at yourselves—" he let his cold gaze wander over each and every one of them. "—In the name of justice, you all too willingly sullied your blades in the blood of others. Yet how many times has this 'justice' been nothing more than a means to an end for self-righteous schemers? And you ask me for a reason?"

He shook his head.

"Preposterous. Why look to others and wish to know their motives? You could travel to the ends of the universe searching for an answer and would still find only one thing...selfishness. To find a reason...a purpose...that responsibility lies with you and you alone."

Zenos... S'eni felt her jaw drop slightly at those words. It was the first time she saw him this...open about anything other than battling with her. Is that truly what you think...?

Zenos focused his eyes on Jullus once again. "And should yours now be the drawn blade, then I shall sharpen my claws with you as well."

In an instant, Jullus's hand went to the Gunblade at his hip, but stopped himself just short of grabbing it.

"...Your existence is poison to Garlemald. And I want nothing more than to expunge it by beating you to death." The leather of his glove groaned as his hand formed into a fist instead, and he moved it away from his weapon. "But Alphinaud is right. It would only make for another tragedy, and I have no intention of losing anyone else to your madness. Leave! And don't you dare ever return!"

Zenos silently looked at Jullus, his face betraying not a single emotion. Without a word, he turned and began to walk away.

"Zenos!" Alisaie called out, making him stop. "You may have found purpose in your way of life, and some of what you say might even be true. Yet if you only pursue your own desires, and pay no heed to the plight of others, then no one will give you the time of day. You will never get what you desire—not even that battle you pine for so much. And if you're incapable of thinking about anyone but yourself...then go away. Enjoy your eternity of loneliness. You've earned it."

Seconds ticked by in which no one said a word. Zenos's gaze was firmly set on Alisaie, who glared back defiantly. Then, with an almost inaudible exhale, the former crown prince turned his head back forward, and left.

Quietly watching as he walked away, S'eni found herself frowning. For the longest time, Zenos's reasoning had eluded her. Or rather, she never had the desire to see what lay beyond the surface. He was her enemy, a vicious beast wearing the guise of a man with only a singular desire: to battle against her.

But now, as she saw him vanish into the Magna Glacies, his words still echoing through her mind, S'eni felt that she understood him a little more than before.

She wasn't sure if it was a good thing.

 

Notes:

[Force Your Way intensifies]

So, who of you caught the Gunbreaker hints before?

Chapter 147

Nightly Return

Barely back and already fighting, eh?

But I suppose I should not be surprised. It is you after all. And you will fight no matter the odds stacked against you.

In any case, after your surprise encounter with my wayward great-grandson, you returned back to Camp Broken Glass, where you were soon reunited with a certain friend. And he was not alone. Along for the journey were some of Hydaelyn's fuzzy little custodians, having grown eager from his words to see the world and offer their assistance in Sharlayan's endeavor to ferry people onto the moon.

...really now, what was she thinking when she created them? Hmm...no matter, I suppose. At least they ought to offer some decent warmth on your way back.

 

---

 

Silence hung in the air of the cabin, broken only by the soft hum of the engine and the light breathing of its inhabitants, having all succumbed to the need for sleep a while ago. Pale moonlight was shining in through evenly aligned windows, illuminating the otherwise dark room and offering a glimpse of everyone as they took their well-earned rest. Then, all of a sudden, one of them stirred, before slowly rising up from the ground, careful as to not wake anyone else. Steps echoed through the cabin, shortly followed by the sound of the door opening and closing as quietly as possible.

S'eni opened her eyes.

Casting her gaze into the direction of the door, she furrowed her brows, only to jump when a small hand smacked her right into the face. Following the arm attached to it, she saw Jammingway practically lying on top of her, having apparently decided to join Puddingway, who had already decided in his sleep that she was a far better pillow. She watched the bubble from his nose inflate and deflate for a few seconds, before releasing a sigh and carefully removing his hand. S'eni spent the next few minutes removing herself from the two bundles of fluff and stood up. She watched in silent amusement as, now faced with a lack of warmth, the two Loporrits started to cling to one another instead, then headed over to the door.

As she stepped out onto the deck, she was immediately greeted by a cold breeze that made her want to go right back inside, but the figure standing at the far end of the deck dispelled those thoughts. It was G'raha, his arms resting atop the ledge while he looked out in the distance. Making her way over to him, the rising of his ears told her that he knew she was here, but instead of calling out to him, S'eni simply took her place next to him.

She had already smelled it upon stepping out, but a look over the edge confirmed to her that they were already above the sea. "Hm. Didn't expect to be this far out yet..."

"Indeed. At this pace, we ought to be back in Sharlayan in a few hours' time. Should be enough to catch a few winks of sleep in a proper bed."

They shared a chuckle.

"Can't sleep?" she asked.

He hummed in affirmation. "By all rights, I should be sleeping quite soundly after these last few days you have been absent. We were basically running from one location to the next trying to assist where we could. But...I just find it difficult to settle down. I'm sorry for waking you."

"It's fine. Turns out, I was about to get smacked anyway." He sent her a puzzled look, but she just waved it off. "Krile and Tataru told me about Corvos."

"Ah...I see."

"I'm sorry..." she said. S'eni could only imagine how it must have felt to see the place he was born being ravaged by the Final Days. The image of her tribe's village, teeming with terrible beasts as everything around them burned, flashed briefly through her mind, but she shook her head to dispel it. They were fine.

They had to be.

"Thancred volunteered to stay behind with the troops. I pray that the evacuation efforts are going well. Or as well as they can, given the situation."

"Did you encounter anyone from your tribe?"

"No...We didn't manage to travel that far inland." a small cloud of mist passed his lips as he exhaled. "But it would be futile to worry right now if we can't put an end to the Final Days. So tell me, have you uncovered anything on your journey to the First?"

"I have..." she replied, eyes involuntarily rising towards the stars. "Much more than any of us could've imagined."

"That is heartening to hear," he said, relief ringing clear in his voice. "While I would like nothing more than to question you about your discovery, I believe it's best to wait until we are all together. So instead, let me ask you something else: have you managed to speak with our friends in the Crystarium?"

"Heh, I did. I was actually asked to deliver a message to you specifically."

"A message?" he blinked. "By whom?"

"Lyna and Beq Lugg wish to let you know to not overexert yourself and to regularly rest, dear Crystal Exarch."

He looked surprised at first, but his expression swiftly turned into a smile. "Strange that they would express such identical sentiments, but consider their advice duly noted. It is good to know they are doing well."

"Yeah. And you'll be glad to know that the Crystarium is as lively as ever," she said and looked out into the distance, briefly closing her eyes at a sudden breeze. "It's obvious they miss their Crystal Exarch dearly, but they give it their all, led by the examples you've left them."

G'raha fell silent for a few moments, but when she spoke again his words were warm. "Thank you for telling me this. While it doesn't seem like much, it eases my mind tremendously."

"Don't mention it, Raha. Just make sure to actually heed the advice you've been given." She winked, earning herself another chuckle and a little nod. "And on that note, I believe I shall head back inside. You coming too?"

"In a bit. I think I'll stay just a little longer."

"Alright. See you later, then," S'eni said and began to leave.

"See you later," G'raha replied and turned his attention back towards the distant horizon, listening to her fading steps. Once they had vanished inside, he closed his eyes and let his memories wander. To friends in another time, to those he had seen come and go on the First, and of course that first adventure into the Crystal Tower that had changed everything.

He remained like this, unmoving even as the minutes went by. Then, with a smile, he opened his eyes again and headed back inside.

 

---

 

By the time they returned to Sharlayan, most of the people had long since retired to their beds. Only those whose duties were to take care of the refugees were still wide awake, hurrying all around them as they stepped onto the airship landing. And from the looks of things, the night was still far from other for them.

After making their way out of the landing, Fourchenault turned around to face them. "Given the late hour, I will see our...envoys here to their lodgings. Come morning, I shall talk with the Forum about your questions."

"Thank you, Father," Alphinaud said. "Have a good night."

He offered his son a nod before turning to Livingway and, after exchanging a few words, led her and the other Loporrits away. S'eni watched the crowd leave, then looked at Urianger next to her as he began to speak. "I daresay Master Fourchenault was as nonplussed as we to learn the identity of Hydaelyn's lunar custodians."

"You should have seen his face when he learned that Vrtra was the Satrap." A smirk formed on her lips. She was beginning to understand how Ameliance was able to run circles around him so easily.

"It must have been a sight to behold." An amused twinkle entered his eyes. "And as he will soon discover, the Loporrits have much and more to offer the Forum. But might I suggest we return to the Annex forthwith? The hour is late indeed."

"Agreed," she said and rubbed the back of her neck. What sleep they had gotten was definitely not enough.

They made their way over to the Annex and stepped inside. To nobody's surprise, they found the front desk empty, and S'eni very much doubted that Krile nor Tataru were still awake either. As soon as they stepped into the Andron, she bade the others good night and followed the siren song coming from a comfortable mattress towards her room. By the time she had reached the door, her eyes had already fallen halfway shut once again and her hand idly reached out to open it while she yawned...

...only for them to immediately shoot wide open when she was met by the all too familiar figure seated at the table.

"Eni, you're back," Y'shtola greeted her, pale eyes turning away from the book she was reading to look towards her instead.

"Shtola," S'eni breathed out and immediately made her way over to her lover, who rose from her chair to meet her in a hug. They stayed like this for a few moments, simply holding one another. All of a sudden, Y'shtola sniffed the air.

"You smell terrible."

"I missed you too," she replied with a warm smile. Y'shtola's shoulders shook slightly as she giggled and they slowly separated. "When did you arrive?"

"Not too long after Krile called to tell me you had returned and were headed to Garlemald to assist the others."

"Huh..." her eyebrows rose a little. "Did you stay up to wait for me?"

"Actually, I was just about to head to bed," Y'shtola said. And indeed, she had discarded her robes in favor of a simple black top and a pair of comfortable pants. Yet it was still awfully late, and the half-empty cup of tea standing not far from the book told her that her lover might not have been as ready to head to bed as she claimed.

Instead of pointing that out though, S'eni decided to lean in for a kiss instead...only to be stopped short by a finger pressing against the tip of her nose.

"Ah, ah, ah, I believe you heard me when I said you smell terrible." The other Miqo'te's lips rose into a teasing smile. "So how about you get yourself washed up first, and then we can talk about a kiss."

Releasing a deep, overdramatic sigh, S'eni glanced over to the sink and the bucket within. But a quick whiff was enough to dispel that notion, so the bath it would be. Invigorated by the fact that she was going to share her bed tonight, she hurried over to the bath and proceeded to wash as quickly and thoroughly as possible, impressing even herself by not giving into the pleasant warmth of the water and falling asleep then and there. When she was done, she swiftly wrapped a towel around herself and hurried back with her clothes tucked underneath her arm.

As she returned, she found Y'shtola seated at the table once more. But instead of the book from earlier, a dark gray robe was now splayed out in front of her. And in her hands, she held the mask accompanying it.

"Snooping around?" she asked lightly while walking over to the sink.

"Not exactly hard to miss when it was lying so neatly folded atop the dresser," Y'shtola replied while running a finger across the silver decorations of the mask's bird-like features. "Looks like your journey to the First has taken an...interesting turn to say the least."

"Yeah...I hope you don't mind if I wait until tomorrow for the full story." She dumped her clothes sans boots and jewelry into the sink and filled it with water, then took a block of soap and began to scrub them. Thankfully, they weren't as dirty as expected, and when she was done, let them soak for a little bit. As she watched the thin film of foam slowly dissipate, S'eni felt her mind wander back to the events in Elpis and she shut her eyes.

"I saw it..." she said after a while.

"Saw what?"

"The cause of the Final Days." A brief vision of a smiling girl flashed through her mind before being replaced by a twisted, ashen mirror image of her. Opening her eyes again, she turned around to look over to Y'shtola, whose surprise at those words was evident on her face. "Elidibus, he used the tower to send me back in time. To part of the unsundered world..."

"Eni..." Putting the mask away, Y'shtola stood up and walked over to her. With a sigh, S'eni slipped her arms around the other Miqo'te's waist and let her chin come to rest atop her shoulder. Her lips rose ever so slightly at the feeling of being pulled close and she let herself be immersed in Y'shtola's comforting warmth, the trials of the past couple of days slowly fading away. Gods, she needed this...

After a few, long minutes, which almost felt like hours in her mind, she let go of Y'shtola again, the smile on her lips growing embarrassed. "Sorry, I just—" she was silenced by a finger on her lips.

"Don't apologize. Or have you already forgotten?" Y'shtola moved her hand to cup S'eni's cheek. "Whenever things become too much to bear, I want you to share that burden with me."

"I..." she chuckled. "It must've slipped my mind for a bit..."

"Let me remind you then..."

Their lips met in a soft kiss. Warm and gentle, it was exactly the balm her soul needed right now. Once they separated again, Y'shtola gently stroked her cheek, before taking hold of her hands. "Let's go to bed, shall we?"

"Yes. Let's do that," she said and let herself be guided over to the bed. On their way there, S'eni reached up to undo the towel still wrapped around her, letting it carelessly drop to the ground and earning herself a quirked brow. Without a word, she laid down on top of the bed, slipped underneath the covers, and raised her arms out invitingly while jutting out her lower lip in a cute manner.

"Honestly..." Y'shtola muttered with a fond, yet slightly exasperated tone and laid down next to S'eni, who wasted no time to snuggle up to her. With a flick of her wrist, she cast a quick spell that extinguished the lamps in the room, then moved to return her lover's embrace. No further words were spoken as they both closed their eyes and soon after, drifted off into blissful sleep.

There would be more than enough talking tomorrow.

 

Notes:

A short and sweet one to make up for the severe lack of Y'shtola in the last few chapters.

Chapter 148

Notes:

Once again, I bring art!

A slightly bit NSFW so beware! You can find it here and the artist over on their twitter here

Help from Outside

 

The last time you and your companions stood before the Forum, you all managed to barely avoid getting banished. But a lot of things have happened since then, and now you are in the favorable position to have just recently saved many refugees that had been left in Sharlayan's care. To have those who guide this nation of scholars willing to answer your questions is a rare honor indeed.

Best to not waste it...

 

---

Chatter and murmurs echoed from within the council chamber as S'eni and the others stood outside, waiting for their call. For all his stubbornness, Fourchenault had kept his word and called in a meeting of the Forum as soon as possible. Far quicker than they expected in fact. They had just been discussing what to do with the knowledge she had gathered from her time in Elpis, when Ojika had come to them with a request for their presence in the Rostra.

And yet they still keep us waiting... she thought dryly, crossing her arms and leaning against the wall. A frown began to form on her face, and her mind began to wander back to their earlier discussion.

After regaling them with the tales of the past, the question had of course come up if Venat, as Hydaelyn, could have given up the pursuit of Meteion over the millennia and thus determined to flee Etheirys was the only option. But the Venat she had come to know, as short as that time might have been, wouldn't just give up. No, there must be another reason for all this.

"I believe She has been waiting..." Krile had said. "...For mankind's answer to Hermes's question."

Are you, Venat? S'eni asked in her mind, but of course didn't receive any reply.

"Gil for your thought?" she heard from next to her and glanced over to see Y'shtola standing there.

"I think I need to come up with a new one." She shook her head. "Just thinking about earlier. All I can do right now since..."

She pointed toward the open door. With a furrow of her brows, she added, "What can they be talking about for so long anyway?"

"Trading gossip about what this meeting could be all about, most likely," Y'shtola said with a shrug, though it was very easy to tell she was annoyed about it too.

"Of course. Not like the world is ending or anything..." S'eni muttered under her breath, causing Y'shtola's lip to quirk upward.

"I believe you understand now why Master Matoya burned so many bridges as hard as she did?"

"Oh, don't worry. I understood that the first time we stood before that lot." She released a huff and tapped her fingers on her arm. "You know that reminds me of the time she—"

S'eni stopped when Alphinaud, who had been glancing through the door all this time, turned around and said, "I have a proposal."

"What is it?" Thancred asked.

"Depending on how much the Forum is willing to tell us, I wish to make them an offer. A trade of sorts that would be to all of our advantage," the young man explained. "Would you be willing to leave the negotiations for that to me?"

They all exchanged curious looks, but really, the answer to that was crystal clear.

"Of course," Alisaie said with a smile. "You were the one to make this meeting possible in the first place."

"In that case, I will handle our queries, so that you may consider what arguments you want to present them with without distraction." Krile said.

Alphinaud smiled. "Thank you."

"If I may have your attention—" the voice of Forum speaker Barnier echoed from within the chamber, cutting through the chatter and silencing it. "—the ad hoc session will now commence."

They all turned their attention back to the door.

"The purpose of today's assembly is to address the request of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn to brief them on the great exodus," he briefly explained, before calling out, "You may enter."

"Showtime..." S'eni mumbled and pushed herself off the wall. As they made their way inside and down the stairs leading into the center of the large, circular chamber, she cast her gaze around. Not a lot of happy faces, especially from those people she knew were part of the Bibliothecs. Their earlier 'transgression' as it were must still be very much on their minds. Current events, of course, probably didn't help the mood of the council members either. Only Scholarch Montichaigne, the schoolmaster of the Studium, looked to be in relatively good spirits, but from the few times she did interact with him, that seemed to be his natural state. Being an old friend of Louisoix, and an acquaintance of Matoya, she could practically picture him having a good chuckle while those two were having one of their arguments.

Hopefully, the respect he held within the Forum would serve to their advantage again just like it did the last time.

Coming to a stop in the center, S'eni noticed from out of the corner of her eye that Alphinaud and Fourchenault were having a little staring contest that was only broken when Master Barnier began to address them directly.

"Before we begin, though, I wish to offer you our deepest gratitude for your heroic intervention on the Magna Glacies, which saved not only the Hannish refugees but fellow countrymen as well," he said. "The Satrap, too, imparts his praises. To honor the service you have done us, the Forum will do its best to answer all of your queries."

"Thank you. So allow me to start with the basics," Krile said and stepped forth. "The Forum's declared mission is to evacuate people, as well as knowledge, to the moon, away from this star and the apocalypse threatening it, correct?"

"Indeed," Fourchenault replied. "Sharlayan has labored many years for that very purpose. Said knowledge was gathered from all across the star and stored away inside the Labyrinthos and Noumenon. Moving it is the first step."

So that's why the Labyrinthos was so busy, S'eni realized. To take stock in case everything was going to get moved soon...

"While that is happening, we would divide the citizens into groups and, one after another, send them to the moon. There, they would test housing and living conditions and, should it be necessary, improve upon them," he further explained and Y'shtola, Thancred, and her exchanged a few pained looks that thankfully went unnoticed. "Once that is done, we would see to the other nations, beginning with our allies. Radz-at-Han had already been foremost among these, but since the Final Days had begun faster than anticipated, we saw fit to move forward with the evacuation of Thavnair."

"A massive undertaking..." Y'shtola said. "Do you believe you can deliver all the inhabitants of the star to safety?"

Fourchenault paused briefly, and despite the mask of diplomacy on his face, S'eni could see it darken ever so slightly. "...as much as would be possible."

"I see." Y'shtola narrowed her eyes. "And what is possible gets decided by the Forum?"

"The exodus is the most difficult undertaking in the history of this star. If we were to introduce sources of...inevitable conflict, we would risk certain doom," he replied.

S'eni bit the inside of her cheek to keep herself from speaking up, her knuckles growing as she balled her hands into tight fists. He finally confirmed what she had long since suspected. Everyone not deemed fit would be left behind.

"...let us postpone the discussion about the for and against of this matter for now," Krile then said before an actual argument might break out. "I wish to inquire about the state of the project itself. From what we have heard, the most important part, the vessel to the moon, has not yet been finished?"

A series of murmurs went through the chamber at that, clearly wondering how this rather classified information must have made its way to them. If Fourchenault was surprised at this revelation, he didn't show it.

"Only in so far that it does not operate within the desired parameters, that is correct. The vessel we have worked on for so long...this ark as some have come to call it...it is certainly finished. But we have underestimated how swiftly the Final Days would spread," he said and began to explain. "The ship's engines do not reach the necessary speed, and the transfer of energy takes too much time as well. If we were to begin the evacuation process now, we would never be able to make the necessary trips back and forth. The amounts of life and knowledge lost would be catastrophic."

"That...is there nothing that can be done?" Alisaie asked.

"The aetherburner making it possible to traverse the stars is currently undergoing a series of tests. Our goal is to improve sufficiently. At the same time, we have begun loading the first shipments onboard. But, there too, we have yet to determine the maximum capacity we will be able to deliver at a time."

"In this case, how about an accord between Sharlayan and the Scions of the Seventh Dawn?" Alphinaud suddenly asked, earning himself another look by Fourchenault. "We shall help devise a means to improve the aetherburner's efficiency. If we succeed, we ask Sharlayan for two things in return. The first: a meeting with Hydaelyn."

Another series of murmurs went through the chamber. Crossing her arms, Y'shtola briefly cast her gaze across the various members of the Forum, before letting it come to rest upon Fourchenault. "Given your close relationship with the goddess, it's highly strange that Sharlayan simply abandoned the Antitower," she said. "So there can be only one explanation for it: you have another means of communicating with Her. One far more convenient, I suspect."

Having the gathered councillors on the defense now, Alphinaud stepped forward, never once looking away from his father.

"Secondly, we would like to propose the Forum another use for the ark."

More murmurs.

"A proposal?" Fourchenault asked. "Not a demand?"

"If our proposal cannot prove its merit to the ninety-nine here, then who are we to stake the lives of everyone on the star on it?"

"Hahaha..." it suddenly went through the chamber. "How utterly delightful!"

Everyone turned towards Master Montichaigne as he burst into laughter.

"A colorful bunch of young world travellers wants to solve a problem that even the greatest minds of Sharlayan could not. How charmingly outrageous!" he said after calming down, releasing a few chuckles between words. "But, that is exactly what a scholar needs! New inspiration and, of course, a fresh wind to chase off the musty smell of old theories!"

He raised his hand.

"I, for one, have great faith in my erstwhile students. I accept their terms."

The chamber practically exploded into chatter after the schoolmaster had so boldly taken the first step, his fellows immediately breaking out in debate amongst themselves. Master Barnier practically shot out of his seat, his voice drowning out the others as he called out, "Order! I said order! We have no time to waste upon debate. I call a vote. All in favor of agreeing to the Scions' terms?"

A brief moment passed, then the first councillor raised his hand, soon joined by the hand of the one next to him. More hands soon joined, and S'eni felt a wave of relief wash over her as she saw that it was far more than had previously voted in favor of their stay. In the end, even Master Barnier raised his hand. Fourchenault, of course, did not.

"Seventy-one in favor, twenty-eight against. The ayes have it," Master Barnier said, then looked towards Fourchenault. "Fourchenault, as architect of the exodus project, you are the best candidate to show them the current state. The Forum trusts that you do not let personal misgivings get in the way of your duty."

The twins' father exhaled. "...you have my word."

"Then I call this session to a close. Everyone, return to your tasks with urgency. The Final Days wait for none."

Voices filled the chamber once more as everyone began rising to their feet and leaving the chamber. Feeling the corners of her lips rise up, S'eni walked over to Alphinaud and put her arm around his shoulder, squeezing him affectionately. "Good job. Still got that diplomatic touch of yours," she said, and he released a deep breath.

"I was honestly not sure if it would work," he admitted, but nevertheless mirrored her expression, then turned towards the others. "My apologies for not letting the rest of you in on my plan. I was mostly improvising if I'm being honest. But since we require means to both communicate with Hydaelyn and reach Meteion..."

"You figured out a way to work towards both ends," Alisaie said, sending her brother a little smirk. "Very clever."

"Of course, first we need to keep our end of the bargain, but I'd like to think it won't be a challenge beyond our combined expertise. Or at least the expertise of our extended circle of associates," Alphinaud said and added with a chuckle, "Though it might help if we learn how an aetherburner works before trying to improve it!"

"Well, I don't think we will have to wait long," Thancred said and glanced at the approaching Fourchenault.

As the man came to a stop, he briefly locked eyes with his son, before turning his attention to the entire group. "As instructed, I shall take you to see the aetherburner. Meet me outside the Archeion. I trust you can make your own way there."

With that, he left with hastened steps.

"Someone's a sore loser," S'eni noted, putting a hand on her hip.

"He will just have to learn how to deal with it," Y'shtola said, eyebrows still creased and an aura of obvious annoyance radiating from her as they too began to leave.

She gave the other Miqo'te a questioning look. "You alright there?"

"You might say I'm a little vexed that we've yet to learn of Forum's replacement for the Antitower. Though I have no doubt they'll share it with us in due time—and with Master Matoya if they have any sense."

Heading down the Rostra's circular hallway, they stepped outside and headed in the direction of the lift to Labyrinthos.

"I take it she's not too happy either?" she asked.

"Would you be if you learned that the object you have been entrusted to safe keep for decades has been rendered obsolete for some time?" Her lover shot her a look and she shook her head in response. "I thought not."

"Is it so unexpected though, considering that she spent much of her time telling the Forum where to shove it?" S'eni did a little shrug. "Feels a bit like she reaped what she sowed there."

"Oh, I did point that out to her as well. She had a lot to say about it. Nothing that should be repeated in polite company, of course."

"Of course." S'eni chuckled, before pursing her lips. "Hmm, now I wonder if it was a good idea to announce myself as her latest apprentice."

"Which she has never officially acknowledged," Y'shtola pointed out.

"Eh." She waved her hand a little. "We both know I practically am."

Y'shtola giggled into her fist at that. "Just don't expect she will ever admit as much."

"Wouldn't dream of it," she said and they descended the stairs leading to the lift.

 

---

 

"This is it...the Central Circuit!" Alphinaud said as they stepped out of Logistikon Alpha, the facility in charge of Labyrinthos' atmospheric conditions, which also doubled as the gateway to the most secretive area of all of Sharlayan. Though a quick glance above showed that it actually wasn't that hidden from the naked eye, save for magical barriers keeping it separated from the upper levels. Which meant that most of the secret things must be happening behind closed doors...

"Please tell me we're almost there..." Alisaie groaned while brushing past her brother. "Or is there another underground level we have to reach? The Even-more-Central-Circuit, perhaps?"

"Hmm." S'eni stood on her toes and looked out into the distance. "It does seem to go further down still..."

"Oh gods..."

The sound of Fourchenault clearing his throat caught their attention and they turned to look at him. "The aetherburner is constructed not far from here. The work is overseen by Kokkol Dankkol, after whom the forge is named. This way."

They followed him to a small facility situated in a field to the south of them. Curious looks greeted them upon their arrival, soon joined by murmurs as they passed by various workers. Only one person didn't seem to take note of them: a Lalafel man who was currently busy pacing in front of the local fountain and...

"...Is he talking to himself?" Alisaie wondered.

"Looks like it," she said. "Is that...?"

"Indeed it is," Fourchenault replied, releasing an almost inaudible sigh through his nose.

"...Could it be the wirin' perhaps? No no, best not to touch that anymore..." she heard the Lalafel mutter, who soon after grabbed his head in both hands. "Gaaah, damn it all! We should've been long gone by now!"

"...Master Kokkol, my apologies for the sudden interruption—"

Kokkol yelped in surprise and whirled around, his eyes comically large as they found Fourchenault.

"Fourchenault! What is it?!" He then looked over to the rest of them. "What are all these people doin' here? Don't tell me this is already the first batch!"

"No, the plan remains unchanged, even if time is running short," the older Elezen replied. "I am here to introduce these people to you at the Forum's behest. They are to assist you in improving the aetherburner."

"Assist me, you say?" The Lalafel regarded them more thoroughly now, running his fingers through his thick mustache. "Hm. Never seen the lot of 'em before."

"Some are Archons, though none of them are specialised in your field. Nevertheless, they believe they can bring us that long-awaited breakthrough," the twins' father explained. "However, do not hesitate to dismiss them, either, should they end up disturbing you in your work."

"We won't let it come to that, I assure you," Alphinaud said with a friendly smile. "Could you tell us about the aetherburner?"

"Uh, sure, sure. Should've taken a break anyways." Kokkol scratched the back of his head a little. "So, the aetherburner. As its name implies, it uses pure aether and converts it into propulsion, which we'll need if we wish to even move so much as an ilm once we leave the star. Our star itself may be rich in aether, but the universe ain't. Still, the ark has to reliably travel between here and the moon..."

He then began to frown and looked down to the ground.

"...and that's the Coblyn's core, so to speak. According to our calculations, we need to raise the aetheric conductivity by six percent. That's the only way we can manage the required amount of flights in the time we've still left." His head snapped back up. "Only six percent, you may now say, but I'll say a whole six percent. The material used and the structural makeup of the 'burner have already been optimized to full capacity. Where in the hells am I supposed to squeeze out this blasted six percent?!"

"Hast thou asked the Loporrits for their counsel?" Urianger asked Fourchenault, who nodded.

"We have. Their engineers are looking into it, but even they say that solution will take time. Time that we do not have. The Loporrits' ark possesses a far more powerful propulsion system, yet for it to be so it also occupies a sizeable part of the moon. To adjust that technology to our...'minuscule ark', as they call it, seems to prove itself most difficult."

"It's drivin' me crazy! Every approach so far has shown no sign of success!" the Lalafel smith grabbed his head again as if in hopes that I might actually squeeze out the missing percentage that way. "Hey, you lot, if you really want to help then get me some refined adamantite."

"Refined adamantite?" G'raha tilted his head slightly. "That of the Allagans?"

"I take it you know something about it?" Y'shtola asked him.

"Sadly only some general information. It was created in the Allagan Empire, but its manufacturing process was a carefully guarded secret," he replied. "It was used in parts of Dalamud, and various records mentioned that it also was key to exploring the stars."

"Ah, yes! Exactly that!" Kokkol said, his expression immediately brightening upon realizing that G'raha knew of it. "Created with mysterious metallurgic techniques that were lost together with the Allagans. Its aetheric conductivity is phenomenal and eclipses any comparable material! I managed to incorporate a small amount of it inside the aetherburner from a piece of Dalamud we discovered in the Northern Empty. Can you believe it? This treasure just lyin' at the bottom of the sea?"

He chuckled, and a small glint entered his eyes. "Now if we could get our hands on more of that...well, then those six percent ain't lookin' that unrealistic anymore."

"Shards of Dalamud are scattered all across Eorzea. Shouldn't they be easily salvaged by the gleaners?" Alisaie asked.

"We already tasked them with that, of course, but refined adamantite was only used in very specific parts. The drive cores of the Ragnarok-class internment ships, to be precise. Accordin' to the gleaners though, you'll only find them deep inside the ships, and those are riddled with defenses eager to blow up anyone gettin' too close. Rough going in there, even for the most seasoned of gleaners. Not sure they'd make it out alive..."

"Sounds like the place where we fought Bahamut, right S'eni?" the young woman looked at her.

"Yeah. Makes it the perfect job for you," she said with a little smile.

Alisaie was less amused though. "Oh, very funny. Hah hah."

"Fine, I can go and fetch it. But if Nael shows up again you'll deal with her." No way was she having a third tussle with the White Raven if she could help it!

"In Eorzea alone there are numerous shards of Dalamud...and if we wish to salvage as much refined adamantite as possible, then simply splitting up would not be the most efficient way to go about this," Alphinaud said with a long humm, before turning towards Thancred. "You were using a special Linkpearl while scouting out Garlemald to keep in touch with Lucia and the others, correct? Is the connection still working?"

"It is. Here—" Thancred reached into his pocket and tossed it over to Alphinaud with a little grin. "—knock yourself out."

"What are you planning...?" Fourchenault asked as Alphinaud caught the Linkpearl and placed it into his ear.

"Everyone has to help gather firewood. Only that way the fire will be large enough to keep the cold and dark of the night at bay!" Alphinaud smiled and pressed on the Linkpearl. "This is Alphinaud. The Scions have a request..."

While he told Lucia and the others of the matter at hand, Y'shtola turned back towards G'raha. "Apart from the shipwrecks, do you know of any other way we might find refined adamantite?"

"It was also used in artifacts to facilitate the storage and transfer of aether. Those who survived the fall of ancient Allag are most likely in the possession of collectors or experts of the arcane."

"Is that so?" S'eni tapped her foot a few times, her brows furrowing in thought, then said, "Alphinaud, tell them to get in touch with Rowena's House of Splendors. If anyone has knowledge of any collectors, it will be her."

He nodded and proceeded to do so. After a few more exchanged words, he turned his attention to Kokkol. "Master Kokkol, is there anything you require from Othard?"

"What!? Even the Far East intends to help!?" the Lalafel exclaimed. "Well...in that case I will need some of the sacred treasures. They're able to store the vast amount of aether needed to summon a primal and would be of tremendous help in improvin' the 'burner's capacity!"

"Cirina, you most likely heard. Do you believe you can acquire them?" Alphinaud's smile grew and he nodded a few times. "Yes, we will. Thank you all, and please be careful."

"Very impressive!" Alisaie said, placing her hand on her hip.

"With that, we should have more than enough refined adamantite." The young man looked over to the rest of them. "And while our friends go about gathering it, we shall prepare everything for the next steps."

They all nodded in agreement. As they began to talk amongst themselves to see what everyone could possibly do, S'eni found her eyes wandering over to Fourchenault, who simply stood there with his eyes closed. Slowly, he opened them, letting his gaze linger on both his children, before turning around and leaving.

She moved to follow him.

Just as he was about to step out of Kokkol's Forge, S'eni managed to catch up to him. "Master Fourchenault."

He stopped and glanced over his shoulder. "Yes?"

"Where are you going?"

"The situation seems to be well in hand now, and I have other business to attend to. There is still much work to be done," he replied.

"Allow me to escort you then."

"That will not be—"

"I insist," she said and stepped up next to him. They stared at one another in heavy silence until Fourchenault averted his eyes with a deep exhale.

"Do as you wish," he said and began to walk once more. The silence immediately returned, growing heavier and heavier by the second. Neither of them had forgotten what happened that day in Gridania, but circumstances had now forced them to work together. Their survival, one way or another, hinged on it. Besides, if Alphinaud and Alisaie were fine with it, who was she to object?

"They have grown a lot," she said after what felt like hours, but were only a few minutes, casting her gaze across the planes of the Central Circuit. Fourchenault didn't say anything, so she simply continued. "I first encountered them on a carriage to Ul'dah, though I didn't really pay much attention to them, thinking them little more than traveling children. It was only later, when I met Alphinaud again, that I realized there was more to them. It's funny...that I would encounter Louisoix's grandchildren so shortly after..."

She shook her head. Her memory issues at the time weren't of importance right now.

"I see a lot of him in them. Eager to do what's right, despite the cost it entails." She sighed and, as she briefly closed her eyes, saw Louisoix's kind smile just before he had spirited her away from Carteneau; the very same he had given the twins just before the last of his primal form dissipated into aether. "...I owe him my life. It's a debt I'll never be able to repay. So all I can do is watch over the two and support them as best as I can."

To that, too, he had nothing to say, but she could occasionally feel his eyes on her as they continued onward in silence. Only when they arrived back at Logistikon Alpha, did he fully turn towards her. "S'eni, was it?"

She nodded.

"I...there is actually something I have been meaning to..." He stopped and shook his head. "No, never mind. It can wait. There are more important matters at hand."

S'eni watched as he walked over to the doors leading inside. When his hand moved to open them, she called out, "I know, it couldn't have been easy to lose Louisoix, and I have no idea of the relationship between the two of you. But for what it's worth, he would be proud of your children."

Fourchenault paused briefly, fingers resting on top of the handle. "...I know."

He stepped inside.

S'eni's eyes lingered on the building for a few moments longer, before around. Upon her return to Kokkol's Forge, she found Y'shtola waiting for her at the entrance, a curious look on her face. "I was wondering where you had wandered off to."

"Just escorting a certain Leveilleur back to Logistikon Alpha."

"I see. So how did it go?"

"Better than our last private talk," she replied. "Have I missed anything while I was gone?"

"Not in particular. Krile has gone to speak with one of her contacts, while Master Kokkol has taken it upon himself to test how extensive G'raha knowledge of Allagan technology is."

"Heh. He'll be in for a surprise."

"Meanwhile, we have chosen to assist the other scholars in any way we can. The others have already gone ahead to a nearby Hamlet. Come," Y'shtola said and they began walking away from the facility.

"Sounds like we'll be running a bunch of errands, then."

"Something you ought to be very familiar with by now." Her lover smiled teasingly.

"Can't I just go help the contingent instead?"

"And bereave us of your expertise in running to and fro?" the smile grew. "I think not."

A deep, overdramatic sigh passed her lips. "Story of my life..."

Y'shtola just laughed.

 

Chapter 149

Where No Loporrit Has Gone Before

 

While your allies were busy braving the depths of Allagan ingenuity to gather the materials you so sorely needed, you and your companions went ahead to see to the needs of some Sharlayan's most accomplished scholars. It must have been quite a surprise when there was little you were able to do for them. But someone of your capabilities always manages to stumble into work, and it wasn't long after that you found in the form of fuzzy-eared helpers.

Well, they do say that no job is too small.

 

---

 

S'eni honestly wasn't surprised.

In fact, she had downright expected to run into their furry little friends down here. What she didn't expect, though, was to find the Loporrits all on their own. Nor that she would get volunteered to serve as their tour guide since their friends in the Forum were all too busy for obvious reasons.

Yet here she was now, giving one of them a lift on her shoulders while he looked at a Sharlayan apparatus in the distance. But it could be worse, she supposed. At the very least she didn't have to explain its function, as Urianger, who was currently engaging Livingway in a little conversation, deemed it more constructive to let the Loporrits form their own conclusions instead. Not like she would even know where to start anyway.

"Ooooh, that looks very similar to the 'trees' in the Endsvale!" Singingway exclaimed, shifting around a little to try and get a better look. In the end, he planted his tiny hands in the top of her head to stand up on her shoulder, drawing out a little strained smile from her. "No, wait. The shape is a bit strange. Thin at the bottom, big and round at the top. Quite tall for something so unbalanced too—Ah! I understand!"

S'eni's hand shot up to steady him as he did a little jump.

"That's where they store water! They draw it up through that tube, purify it in what I presume are tanks and then store it up there. Now..." he scratched his muzzle. "...if I had to hazard a guess, it's getting stored there before being redistributed somewhere else. Am I right?"

"Sure are," she chuckled, silently thanking Alphinaud for at least explaining that much earlier while they had been at Logistikon Alpha.

"I knew it. A design brilliant in its simplicity. I daresay it would take only a moment to install in even the harshest of environments. For us Loporrits, that is!"

"Well, glad you're so confident about it." She helped Singingway back down to the ground, then faced the approaching Livingway.

"Securing a reliable source of water is of the utmost importance for any fledgling settlement," the smaller woman said.

"However, we have read that some people have made their homes in arid climates. How are they able to survive in such harsh conditions?" Singingway asked.

"Settlements in Thanalan are very often built near an oasis," S'eni explained. "And in Gyr Abania it's quite common to find villages in the vicinity of waterfalls."

"So wherever you live, you're never far from water..."

"Oh dear..." Growingway said and looked at Singingway. "I fear we won't be able to procure the necessary amount."

"Hmm...perhaps a few adjustments are in order..."

As the two Loporrits began falling into a technical back and forth about how they could improve the water supply on the moon, S'eni briefly glanced over to Urianger. "Looks like you were right," she said to him, crossing her arms lightly. "It really was a good idea to let them figure it out on their own."

"Hydaelyn hath blessed Her custodians with sharp intellect, and a healthy amount of curiosity," he said with a chuckle, then raised his voice a little to address their furry guests. "Mayhap thou wishest to speak with those more qualified to describe the workings of the apparatus?"

"Oh yes! That sounds absolutely splendid!" Singingway practically beamed at the suggestion.

"Then we must journey beyond the sanctuary of the hamlet. I shall lead the way." Urianger began to turn, only to pause when Growingway spoke up.

"Y-You mean we'll have to brave the untamed wilderness!?"

Livingway nodded in agreement. "A valid concern. We couldn't help but notice the many creatures with big, nasty teeth lurking outside."

"Don't worry." S'eni knelt down, offering them a reassuring smile. "Urianger and I will protect you."

"Indeed. Even without mine humble contribution, many a hungry predator would do well to avoid S'eni."

"Well, in that case." Singingway raised a tiny fist. "To the water extraction wotsit!"

Leaving the hamlet, their group began to make their way to Logistikon Alpha. Luckily for them, the beasts in the area seemed to take Urianger's counsel and decided to stay clear for now, which made their little charges ease up enough to chat amongst themselves. Well, apart from Growingway, who was looking around as if the next beast could jump out at any second.

"Gil for your thoughts?" she asked, making him jump, then look at her.

"Huh?" he tilted his head. "Gil? That's your money, right?"

"Yeah, it's an expression for asking what you're thinking."

"Oh, well, all I'm thinking about is not to end up as food. I figured that Etheirys wasn't going to be saved but whoooo..." he shook himself. "Wossname...uh, Garlemald, already made for a pretty unfavourable first impression. And now I'm in an underground, miniature Etheirys crawling with all sorts of beasties."

"I can see how that can be scary. But not everywhere is like that. Take the place where I was born for example. It's a quiet island very far in the south, where barely anything happens."

"That sounds very nice right about now."

She released a little laugh. "You'd like it. There's lots of trees on it too. Could maybe get a little warm with all your fur though."

"Aww, now I'd really like to see it..."

"Who knows...perhaps you will," she said, her expression growing somber. Of course, for that to happen, they would have to stop the Final Days, and that was still very much a work in progress. And since the Loporrits were very much still in favor of flight instead of fight, she changed the subject instead. "Sorry, by the way. For knocking you out, I mean."

"Crikey! I should be the one apologizing. It was all such a terrible misunderstanding after all," Growingway said. "Don't worry about the others either. They all recovered from the beating. As they say, time heals all wounds. Most anyway."

"Then let's agree to both be sorry, and do better from here on out."

"Agreed!" he smiled. It vanished quickly, though, as he turned his gaze back forward and pointed ahead. "W-What's that?"

Following his outstretched hand, S'eni spotted a Burning Anala making its way towards them in all its fiery glory. With a small sigh, she cracked her knuckles and began walking away from the group. "Excuse me for a moment."

So much for taking Urianger's counsel.

 

---

 

After seeing the Lopporits to Logistikon Alpha safe and sound, she figured that her contribution to the guided tour had largely come to an end in favor of actual experts. Well, she thought wrong, as Cookingway had very little interest in any 'water extraction wotsits' and would rather sample some of the local delicacies. Which led the two of them right into the Medial Circuit; to Meryall Agronomics to be precise.

Just like her first visit here during their investigation of Labyrinthos, one could feel the stress in the air, with people carrying crates of samples in preparation for the exodus. A part of her wanted to go check up on the small patch of Elpis flowers but ultimately decided against it. If not still ashen in color, they would most likely have taken on another, darker shade.

Besides, she thought and looked over to Cookingway. Better keep an eye on him all the time.

Humming to himself, the Loporrit was currently engrossed by a cluster of grapes hanging from a bush, looking at it from every possible angle. Once he was done, he nodded to himself. "Well, let's see if they're as delicious as they look..." he said and plucked one off, then popped it into his mouth.

The reaction was almost instantaneous, his already large eyes growing even larger and his ears shooting upward in a straight line. With very obvious amusement, S'eni watched him slowly chew and swallow. His hand immediately went to grab a second one.

"Good?" She asked and moved to join him.

He nodded enthusiastically. "So sweet and equally sour! Its taste is not unlike the philosopher's carrot...and yet the texture is entirely different."

"Well, of course. It's not a carrot after all," she said matter of factly, and tried a grape as well. It was absolutely delicious.

"That certainly gave me food for thought," he said once he was done with his second grape, smacking his lips a few times. "Tell me, what's your opinion on them?"

"They're great, but they're not just for eating. You can also make wine out of them. There's a vineyard on Vylbrand famous for some of the best grapes in all of Eorzea," she explained.

"Hmm, yes, I read about that. You make intoxicating beverages by stepping on them."

"A few more steps are required for that, but in essence, yeah."

"I see...anyway, that's enough about grapes for the time being. On to the next treat!"

"Sure," she said, taking one final grape on the way. They really were great!

The next samples were an orange and a pumpkin respectively. While the first pretty much garnered a similar reaction to the grapes, the second proved a little too hard and flavors for Cookingway's liking, that was until the woman tending the fields imparted into him the wisdom of that which gave him his name in the first place. That cooking to bring out the flavor in something was unknown to the Lopporits certainly explained quite a lot. Nevertheless, she was sure that he left the lecture quite wiser than before. She certainly found herself in the mood for that pumpkin soup the woman so highly spoke of now...

Wandering around for a few more minutes, they stopped near a group of small trees holding many yellow, ellipsoidal fruits. Lemons. S'eni watched with a raised brow as Cookingway inhaled its scent for a few seconds, before raising it to his mouth. She raised her hand to tell him—too late.

And the reaction was immediate.

"Blech!" he exclaimed, dropping the lemon to the ground and scraping his tongue. "My...tongue...is this...poison!?"

"No. That's called a lemon. It's meant to taste like that," she said, reaching into one of her bags and pulling out a flask of water while she knelt down next to him. He snatched it out of her hand and washed out his mouth, spitting the water into the grass once he was done.

"How can something so similar to an orange be so revolting?" he spat a few more times. "Ack! My palate is going to take some time to recover from this, I fear. Best to stop this round of sampling. Let's say our farewells and return to Urianger."

"Alright."

They made their way over to Jebke, the man in charge of the facility, finding him very much still in the same position as when they arrived.

"No room for these either..." S'eni heard the Xaela mutter under his breath, but saw his gaze soon shift over to them. "Ah, back already? I take it you found something to your liking?"

"I quite like the grapes and oranges, the pumpkin less so. Though I learned they're not to be eaten raw..." a grimace formed on the Lopporits' face. "Then there's the lemon. Blerg! I feel so violated..."

"First time, eh?" Jebke chuckled. "Well, I'd hate for you to leave with a bad taste in your mouth, so let me get you something real quick."

Putting his list on the nearby crate, he stepped into the building. He returned less than a minute later, holding in his hand two—

"Here, a lemon muffin I baked earlier," he said and held one out to Cookingway. "If this doesn't change your mind, then nothing will."

"More lemon!? Have I not suffered enough?" Cookingway sighed. "But it would be rude not to accept..."

The second one, Jebke offered to S'eni. "Have one too. Don't worry, I've got a whole batch of them and you look kind of hungry."

Her stomach replied before she did and, with a slightly embarrassed smile, she accepted. Taking a bite out of it, she released a little sigh. Soft, fluffy, and sweet, with just the right amount of lemon to enhance the flavor. Just as it should be.

She took another bite.

Meanwhile, Cookingway's reaction was much stronger, his entire body beginning to shake as his eyes grew even larger than with the grapes. "This...is..."

He jumped.

"DELICIOUS!" he shouted and a few nearby workers actually stopped briefly to see what all the ruckus was about. Raising his other hand, Cookingway practically cradled the muffin, looking upon it like a precious treasure he didn't ever wish to let go of. "Although I still detect a hint of lemon, it complements the sweetness of the batter to create a perfect harmony! I never would have guessed such vile bitterness could be used to create something like this!"

"See? We rarely use lemon in its natural state, but it's used in all sorts of recipes. Same as many other ingredients. It all comes down to making the most out of what we have at our disposal. And that can sometimes make the difference between life and death." He sighed and looked at the crates, his face darkening. "A shame we can't take every species with us."

"Has the Forum come to a decision?"

"Yes. We have a list of saplings and seeds that are to be delivered to the Central Circuit. And anything not on that list will be left behind. Such a shame."

"Can I see it?" she asked.

"Of course." He handed it to her and her eyes began to scan the pages. "I have no doubt that the Forum agonized on what was worth to be preserved...and what will be consigned to history."

And indeed, the pages were all filled with a variety of crops that would grow in a multitude of environments. A considerable amount, all things considered, and it certainly wouldn't cause a lack of variety either, but it nevertheless had to sting to leave everything else behind. Just like the choice of what life forms would be taken along on the exodus. It couldn't be easy to make.

She handed the list back to Jebke.

"Hard choices," the Au Ra said. "But we must make them if we wish to survive."

"Such strength of will...Now I know what Hydaelyn sees in your kind. Mankind, Lopporits, we were born from the accumulated knowledge of the Ancients. They learned all there is to learn about the nature of sentient life and the fates of the stars themselves. Once a civilization has fulfilled the basic requirements for survival, it will inevitably seek to eliminate all forms of negativity and achieve perfection. And therein lies its folly...and its downfall." Cookingway briefly closed his eyes, only for them to shoot open again, a never before seen twinkle in them and he raised a clenching fist, his lips curling into a determined smile. "For perfection is unattainable. The paradox of the immaculate carrot. Yet civilizations since time immemorial have deemed the pursuit of perfection as 'progress'. They pay no heed to the costs incurred in their futile quest, and all too often become the architects of their own demise. But what is the alternative? The answer is simple: to accept that our existence can never be perfect and to be content with what we have; to make the most of it. When life gives you lemons, make lemon muffins!"

Both Jebke and S'eni blinked, then shared a look.

She just shrugged.

"...pardon my Eorzean, but what in the seven hells are on you about?" the Au Ra asked. "And who are you anyway?"

"Cookingway. At your service." The Loporrit bowed, making his ears flap around a little. "I'm here to help prepare for the trip to the moon. And once you get there, you'll be able to try my carrots. I've been growing all different kinds!"

"And believe me he means different," she added, and she suddenly felt the urge to try that one carrot again.

"Don't worry, there'll be room for your crops too," Cookingway said. "We'll work together to preserve as many of Etheirys's species as possible, if you're up to the challenge."

Jebke sent another questioning look towards her, since she was clearly in charge of him, and, when she nodded, offered Cookingway a smile. "I look forward to it!"

After saying their goodbyes, the two of them left Meryall Agronomics in the direction of Logistikon Alpha, where Urianger and the others were no doubt already finished with their endeavor. Halfway there, though, Cookingway turned towards her. "Say, S'eni?"

"Yeah?"

"I was wondering, do you know other places known for their cuisine?"

She had to consider that for a moment. "Anywhere, really. From Limsa Lominsa to the Far East, you'll be hard-pressed not to find a place with local delicacies. Part of the fun of traveling is trying the various foods of the area. It serves as a unique window into their culture."

"Ah, if only I had time to visit them all," Cookingway sighed. "The more I learn of Etheirys, the more I wish we could spare it from the Final Days. But Hydaelyn's orders are to flee, not to resist. If only there was another way..."

But what if there was? She asked in her mind.

As they stepped into Logistikon Alpha, they swiftly located Urianger, as well as the other Loporrits, and walked over to them.

"Ah, S'eni. I trust thy time at Meryall Agronomics did..." the Elezen coughed. "...bear fruit?"

She nodded. "I think it was quite a growing experience."

They both chuckled.

"Our own efforts, too, were rewarded. We now possess an embarrassment of educational riches," he said.

"Not to rub it in, but we had the most fantastic time while you were away," Singingway interjected. "Urianger was able to obtain all sorts of meteorological data for us and I'll be sure to put my newfound knowledge to good use!"

"Glad to hear," S'eni said, then furrowed her brows when she noticed they were missing someone. "...where's Growingway?"

"He walked off some time ago. Seemed quite lost in thought," Livingway replied. "We were just about to fetch him, actually."

"'tis time for us to return to the hamlet. While our guests' pursuit of knowledge is admirable, time very much is of the essence," Urianger said.

"Then why don't you guys go on ahead and I'll go get him?"

"Very well. I shall leave him in thy capable hands, then." With a bow, Urianger began to usher their tiny wards into the direction of lift to the Central Circuit.

As soon as the doors had closed behind them, S'eni began looking for Growingway. It took a little bit, since it wasn't exactly a small building, but she eventually located him sitting on a bench, staring out of a nearby window, despite his short stature making it quite difficult to do so. His large ears moved slightly at the sound of her footsteps, yet his gaze remained firmly set on the sight in front of him even as she sat down beside him.

After a few more seconds of silence he finally said, "Siiigh..."

A look of confusion formed on her face and she turned her head towards him. Did he just—

"Yes, S'eni, that was me verbalizing a sigh to express my emotional state."

"What happened?" she asked.

"While the others were reading up on the wotsit, I managed to take a look at the reconstructed environmental data of Etheirys." This time he actually sighed. "And I saw a forest so lovely...so...leafy. Are all your forests like that?"

"Most of them. There's a few differences of course, depending on the climate for example."

"Like at your home?"

"Yeah. Down there the trees are called palms. Their leaves are shaped like feathers that dance in the breeze."

"Gasp! Gasp, I say," he indeed did say and looked at her. "No wonder you are so reluctant to leave a star so beautiful behind. I'm a fool for assuming that the moon was something worth being proud of. We must look pretty ridiculous to you now..."

"That's not true, Growingway. Yes, it's true the moon doesn't reflect the realities of Etheirys, and the Endsvale is about as far removed from an actual forest as can be, but that doesn't diminish what you all created. You built something that can travel the vast expanse of the cosmos. That's no small feat, and absolutely something to be proud of." She placed a hand on top of his head. "We all make mistakes. What's important is to learn from them and endeavor to do better. That way, even the Endsvale can one day have proper trees."

"You really think so?"

"Of course." Pulling her hand back, S'eni rose back up and held it out to him. "Come, let's go join the others. They're already waiting."

He smiled and took her hand. Together, they made their way over to the lift and stepped inside. Watching the floors pass by on their way down, S'eni spoke up. "Hey, can I ask you a question?"

"Of course!"

"Let's say the Final Days would be stopped, and please just humor me here...what would you like to do?"

"Hmm..." Growingway fell silent, clearly not having expected that question. A few moments passed and she was just about to rescind the question when, finally, he replied. "...I think I'd like to visit all the forests of Etheirys. Starting with the one from your home."

Now it was her turn to smile. "Then it would be my pleasure to show you around."

The lift stopped, its door opening to the Central Circuit, and they both stepped out.

 

Notes:

And now you have to imagine Growingway dressed in an Aloha shirt.

Chapter 150

Notes:

Anoter week, another chapter. And some more art too!

FIrst we have this cute little piece by AkaiMurasaki

And secondly an adorable moment between our leading ladies by Shanan

Check them out if you have time, they're both awesome! :D

A Sage's Heart

 

The heart is a fascinating thing. We hold within it a vast variety of emotions, some free-flowing for everyone to see, some more guarded than even the most impenetrable fortress. Affection for one's friends and loved ones, deep-seated sorrow, blistering anger...and even regret. They all reside within it, sometimes even to our dying day.

Take that friend of yours. How long has he carried his regrets like a self-imposed burden until you finally saw through the cracks in his facade?

Or what of a certain estranged father, whose complex relationship with his own has shaped that of his children?

Yes, the heart truly is fascinating.

 

---

 

Voices big and small pervaded the air of the Sharlayan Hamlet. Questions being asked and answered, discussion of technical matters, all coming together and chasing away the tension that had previously hung in the air like a sword ready to plunge. It brought a smile to S'eni's face, as she stood on the sidelines and watched the crowd of people and Lopporit alike.

And at the center of it all: Urianger, who had made this all possible.

Shortly after arriving back here, Urianger had picked up on Growingway's mood and, after Thancred informed them about the general mood, nominated the little fella to try and ease the people's burdens with his knowledge. A suggestion that evidently had borne fruit, and had not only given Growingway some much-needed reassurance, but the other Loporrits as well. The expertise they had acquired on the moon was finally able to shine.

"Phew," S'eni suddenly heard, making her lower her gaze to see Livingway coming towards her. The Loporrits' leader stopped a few paces away from her, tiny hands rubbing over round cheeks. "I need a break. By all the carrots in existence, I never had to talk this much in all my life!"

"But it's a good feeling, right?" she asked.

"Oh, absolutely." Livingway stretched her arms.

"My, this is looking lively. Good!" another voice said. "The entire hamlet is abuzz with talk about our little custodians."

"Thancred," she greeted him, her lips quirking up into a little smirk. "How are your arms doing?"

"Still attached. Thanks for small mercies, I suppose," he replied with a strained smile. Thancred then turned his attention towards Urianger, who was just speaking with one of the many scholars assembled here.

"...T'would behoove you to consult with Sleepingway. As our moon's pilot, his advice should be most pertinent," S'eni heard him say, while the Lopporit he was talking about was adhering to his name while barely managing to stay on his feet. A chuckle escaped her at the sight.

"Impressive how quickly he managed to remember all of your names. Never mind your abilities and duties..." Thancred said.

"After the rest of you left Mare Lamentorum, we spent quite a long time talking with Urianger. He told us countless exciting facts about Etheirys and patiently answered every one of your questions," Livingway explained, then pulled out her book, holding it up before opening it. "My book is now practically bursting with information! And now that I set paw on Etheirys, there are still many things that amaze me. If not for him we would still be simply waiting on the moon..."

S'eni looked back towards Urianger, watching him offer the same patience he had shown the Lopporit to his fellow Sharlayans. Next to her, Thancred lightly crossed his arms and, with an amused look, said, "If one only knew the old Urianger and saw him now, they would certainly be quite speechless. Or chuckling."

"Yeah..." She nodded. With his head covered by a large hood and face obscured by thick goggles, it was hard to imagine the old Urianger ever standing out as he did now. It...was good to see.

"Can you imagine the look on Louisoix, Papalymo, and Minfilia's faces right now? And of course...hm?" he turned his head slightly to the side.

Following his gaze, S'eni saw another pair of scholars making their way over to the fountain where everyone was standing. A Roegadyn man and woman. "Ho, there!" the man said. "We heard this is the place to ask a few questions. Could you perhaps spare us some time?"

Urianger turned around with a friendly smile on his face, which was immediately replaced by an expression of shock. "Wilfsunn! And Bloewyda..."

"Haven't I heard those names before...?" S'eni's eyes widened in realization. "Wait are they—"

"Moenbryda's parents," Thancred said.

She stepped forward but found herself stopped by her friend's hand. He gave her a silent look...and she slowly nodded. This was between the three of them.

"I-It hath been some time," Urianger stammered. "'Tis...'Tis good to see you...I didst not know thou..."

"We've been living here for some time now. Ever since we were called to Labyrinthos," Wilfsunn said. "But to find you here, that certainly was quite unexpected."

"The nerve of you, Urianger," Bloewyda suddenly said, walking towards Urianger in slow steps. "Nothing but a single letter when our daughter died. And not a word from you since!"

Urianger lowered his head, ready to receive any punishment the woman saw fit. But none came. Instead, the woman gathered him in a tight hug.

"We...we were so worried about you!"

"I...I'm sorry." Urianger's hands rose, more in surprise than an attempt to hug her back. "T'was remiss of me...not to deliver the news in person. But I...Moenbryda, she..."

He broke off, his voice cracking together with the rest of his composure.

"Moenbryda had never been as disappointed as when Master Louisoix chose not to take her along to Eorzea. You should have seen the smile on her face when you called upon her in the name of the Scions. As bright as the sun itself," Wilfsunn said. "Everything that happened. The decisions she made...she followed her heart to the very end. You have to stop blaming yourself, Urianger. Be proud of our brave Moen instead."

"There's only one thing I can truly be mad about: that you weren't here to grieve with us," Bloewyda said. "When we received your letter...we could barely make out the words, so much your hand must have shaken when you wrote it. And when we heard nothing else from you, we could do little else but cry for you as well."

A loud sob escaped Urianger at those words, his arms finally encircling Bloewyda, holding onto her for dear life. "I'm sorry. I truly, truly am...I knew not what to say. Knew not how to express my feelings..." his fingers dug into her white coat. "All the poems and platitudes. Musings on sadness and loss...all memorized, yet utterly meaningless. By the gods...I felt so powerless..."

"Silly boy. Did you think it was any different for us?" Bloewyda asked. "We are all powerless in the face of such grief. Even now the words still escape me. But in our hearts, we know. We always know."

The two of them remained like this for a few more moments, before Bloewyda stepped away, giving Urianger a nod as she wiped away the tears from her eyes.

"I remember when you were still young. How the other kids teased you for choosing the company of books over others," Wilfsunn said, a fond smile forming on his broad face. "Moen didn't take kindly to that. 'Be kind to Urianger!" she'd shout, and give them a walloping. No matter how many times we scolded her."

"And how much we scolded her! Instead of getting into fights, she should be taking care of you, I told her one day." Bloewyda sighed, a mix of sadness and warmth. "I can still remember how she reacted to that. You should have seen her, arms crossed in front of her chest and a grumpy look on her face while she thought about it. From that day on, you two have been nigh inseparable. She dragged you around, like it or not, and she would read the same books as you, so as to be a better friend. I wager she quite annoyed you back then...but it was her way to bond with you. And to protect you."

Wilfsunn looked around the area briefly. "And look at you now. The center of the crowd. Now you are the one to help forge bonds. You've no idea how proud we are to see this."

"To see the boy our daughter always trusted and believed in more than anyone...grow into the man she always knew he could be." Bloewyda smiled. "I can see her in you, too. She walks with you, wherever you go. So thank you, Urianger. For being who you are."

Urianger could do nothing but sob again, his hand moving to cover his eyes. But this time, it was not one of sadness. "I...I think...I can feel her too..." he said, lowering his hand to a watery smile. "The truth...of her life. Not sorrow...but hope. And love..."

Placing a hand on the back of her hip, S'eni nodded to herself. For so long, Moenbryda's death had weighed on Urianger's mind, keeping all his grief buried deep inside where none of them was able to see. And now, he could finally move forward. Thancred had asked if she could imagine the faces of their passed friends, and indeed she could.

They would be just as proud of him as the rest of them were.

"This woman...she must have been important to him," Livingway said.

"You could ask him if that fascinates you," Thancred offered.

"Oh no no. It...just makes me realize that there is still so much I need to learn about this star. So many things I do not know or understand."

"Believe me, I've lived on this star since I was born and there's still a lot I don't know. And things that I missed." He said and turned his gaze to the artificial sky above. "That's why this end is coming way too soon..."

"Come you two, let's go over and say hello," S'eni then said and did just that. As he noticed their approaching steps, Urianger turned around, his face instantly growing flustered.

"Oh, S'eni, Thancred...be assured that I am fine. I am..." He cleared his throat and glanced over to Moenbryda's parents. "Full glad to see them, too, after so long. Gladder still that it was in your company. As difficult as it was to accept their kindness, t'would have been far harder had I not been in thine presence..."

"You're wrong," she said, the corners of her lips curling upward as she reached up and gently thumped her fist against his chest. "This was all you, so don't sell yourself short, my friend. I just happened to stand nearby."

He mirrored her expression.

"You are one of the Scions, correct?" Bloewyda asked her.

"I am." She offered a polite bow. "My name is S'eni. It was only for a brief time, but I had the pleasure of knowing your daughter."

"Thank you for caring for her. I know she was proud to have you all as comrades. Urianger is too, I'm sure. And I certainly feel better knowing he has good friends to look after him. See that he comes home from time to time, will you?"

"Well...I can certainly try at least," S'eni chuckled, sending her friend a little wink.

Urianger cleared his throat. "Thou hast my gratitude for lending courage to the Loporrits. Several of our guests have already elected to accompany my countrymen to their stations. Nevertheless, I shall remain here to attend to those still in need of aid. If thou art needed elsewhere, do not let me detain thee."

"As it just so happens, I was hoping you might check on Alisaie. Last time I saw her, she was struggling to carry an enormous pile of crates out of the west gate," Thancred said.

"Shouldn't you've helped her then?" she asked with a cocked brow.

"I could. But we both know whose help she's less likely to scorn." He shrugged, then added with the same strained smile from earlier, "Not to mention, I can think of several other things I ought to be doing right now. Until later!"

And with that, he hurried off to his next task. Shaking her head with a sigh, she looked at Urianger. "Guess I know what I'm doing now. See you later, then. Master Wilfsunn, Mistress Bloewyda, it was a pleasure making your acquaintance."

Offering the couple another bow, she turned around and made her way out west. To her surprise though, she found Alisaie not outside the hamlet, but actually at the gate leading out of Logistikon Beta. The young woman stood in front of a stack of crates, hands resting on her hips while she murmured something to herself.

...Did one of them just squeal?

"Still quite a few—oh, S'eni!" Alisaie looked at her in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"Heard you were carrying a bunch of crates. Mind if I help you?"

"I don't mind, but it's not exactly the most exciting of tasks. Are you sure?"

"Wouldn't be here if I weren't," she said and punched her palm.

"Alright. I appreciate the help," the Elezen said and picked up one of the crates. "We need to get these to Aporia, which means we'll have to circle around to the other side of the Circuit. Time is quite short, but these crates are full of organic samples and specimens, so try to not be too rough with them."

As if to underline Alisaie's point, the crate shook slightly as she took it from her, whatever was inside being startled by the sudden movement. From the weight and the scurrying sound coming from within, she suspected it was a couple of smaller specimens. A few dwarf rabbits, perhaps.

"Lead the way, then," she said, watching as Alisaie took a crate as well, then fell into step next to her. "Where's Alphinaud?"

"Should be awaiting us when we arrive, unless he got lost on the way," Alisaie chuckled. "And what have you been up to?"

"Oh, just showing the Loporrits around with Urianger and arranging for some much-needed conversation."

"Huh, and here I was wondering if I'd seen some large, fuzzy ears earlier."

"Apparently everyone from the Forum was too busy to show them around, so they decided to do it themselves."

"I'm frankly not surprised. Before taking up crate duty, Alphinaud and I were running some other errands over at Logistikon Beta. And I'm sure there's a thousand other things waiting to be done after," Alisaie said.

"Guess we've got our work cut out for us until the refined adamantite arrives."

"Busy days ahead of us. But better than to sit around twiddling our thumbs."

S'eni gave an affirmative hum in return.

Upon finally arriving at Aporia, they were greeted by the sight of Alphinaud standing in front of a quite larger stack of crates than the one earlier. When he spotted them, he raised his hand in a wave. "S'eni! Fancy seeing you here."

"You two have been busier than I thought," she said, eyeing the stack before placing her crate next to it.

"And there's still some more." Alisaie placed hers down as well.

She raised a brow. "Want me to get them?"

"No, I'll do it." The young woman waved her off and began to head back.

Alphinaud and S'eni watched her leave for a moment before he turned towards her with a friendly smile. "And how did you get involved in this?"

"Thancred told me Alisaie could use a little assistance and I'd be the one she'd most likely actually accept any help from," she replied, earning herself a little chuckle from Alphinaud.

"Then I suppose I have to thank Thancred as well."

"I've got to ask, though." she patted one of the crates, receiving a curious squeak in return. "Why the need to bring them all the way out here?"

"As it turns out, this is a sort of base of operations where all those with the final say as to what is included in the ship's manifest." He turned towards the facility, frowning ever so slightly. "Father most likely too..."

"Want to pay him a visit?"

He shook his head. "Not unless we run into him. He must be swarmed with work, and we, too, have our tasks."

"Speaking of which, have you seen Shtola around?"

"I believe I heard her say something about heading to Logistikon Gamma earlier."

"Huh, oh, well I'll run into her sooner or later anyway. I'll just ask her what she did to keep busy then."

The two of them spent a few minutes simply chatting, which was honestly mostly her bringing him up to date on their furry little friends, when the sound of approaching steps made them turn around to see Alisaie, carrying the rest of the crates in one big stack that was taller than her. Alphinaud's eyes widened in surprise and he made a beeline towards his sister. "A-Alisaie! Are you trying to injure yourself?"

He moved to take some of her load off, only to be shoo-ed away by the young woman's foot.

"Stop it. They're lighter than they look," she said. "Besides, not everyone has your delicate arms."

Alphinaud looked over to S'eni in support, but she simply raised her shoulders as if to say "she's old enough to make her own mistakes". Carrying the crates over, Alisaie put them down near the rest and placed her hands on her hips, nodding in satisfaction. She turned towards them.

"There. That's everything." Alisaie brushed her hands off. "I suppose we should let someone know we're finished."

"Theopauldin is in the courtyard. We can report to him," Alphinaud said.

"Want to come along, S'eni? You deserve some credit for your assistance. And considering where we are, we might even learn something of interest."

"Sure," S'eni said after a moment of consideration. Heading inside, she was almost immediately proven right in her assumption that this place had to be the busiest. Some of the people they were passing looked to be in dire need of sleep and it was only the inertia of what they were doing keeping them awake. A not entirely unfamiliar sight, considering with whom she shared a bed. How many times had she returned from a few days of adventure to find Y'shtola barely keeping awake, if not having to fall asleep on top of a couple of tomes sprawled out on the tables?

Quite a common habit around these parts, if what she heard in the Studium was true. But it was quite clear that these people weren't lacking sleep out of scholastic pursuits, but rather the urgency of their tasks. Such as with the Elezen man they were walking towards, whose otherwise neatly combed hair was standing on ends in a few places and his general body language almost screaming for a quiet place to just rest.

"Gods it never ends, does it?" the man whom she assumed was Theopauldin wondered aloud with a sigh, closing his eyes before straightening himself to be slightly more presentable. "What can I do for you?"

"We've brought samples from the hamlet. Series one-one-zero?" Alisaie pointed over her shoulder. "The crates are by the entrance."

"Ah, thank you. I was expecting one of my colleagues, but we are dreadfully shorthanded..." his eyebrows then rose ever so slightly. "Wait a minute—you are Fourchenault's children, are you not?"

The twins shared a look before Alphinaud replied, "Alphinaud and Alisaie, at your service. You're well acquainted with Father, I take it?"

"Quite so! I've been friends with your parents since our days at the Studium. I still remember when you were yea high—" Theopauldin lowered himself and made a gesture to indicate their short size. "—waddling around the area. Clearly it's been some time. It's good to see you again, wielding your father's Nouliths, no less!"

"You knew our parents when they were young? What were they like?" Alisaie asked, taking a step towards the man. "Spare no detail!"

A small grin broke out on his fatigued face, but it lasted only too briefly. "While I would like nothing more to tell you some stories, I am meant to be in charge here, and piles of paperwork want for submissions."

"We can help you with that! In exchange for the sort of stories our parents would never be willing to divulge, of course." Alisaie winked and Alphinaud, too, nodded in agreement.

"Er...very well, then." He produced three sets of documents. "These are in need of delivery. Why don't each of you take one?"

Alisaie practically ripped one of them out of his hand, giving it a brief look, then dashing off. "Wait right here!" she called.

With a chuckle, Alphinaud walked away to deliver his documents, leaving only S'eni and Theopauldin standing there.

"She certainly doesn't want for energy," he said and handed her the last of the documents. "These are meant for a representative of the Forum. She should be near the southernmost structure."

"Alright. Consider them delivered."

"Thank you...uh, who are you by the way? The twins' minder?"

She couldn't help but laugh at that. "Something like that," she said and walked away with the documents. She certainly felt like one on occasion.

True to his word, S'eni found the representative just where he said she would be, quite easy to spot with the elaborate robes each of them was wearing. She handed her the paperwork and, much to her surprise, did not just receive a thank you, but also words of encouragement to keep going. It was certainly heartening to know that even within the Forum, it wasn't just Scholarch Montichaigne who held the pursuit of truth in high regard. As she returned to Theopauldin, he welcomed her back with a smile.

"Quick and efficient. I daresay you have a talent for this work."

"Believe me, I've got quite some experience in running back and forth."

"I can only imagine. The twins' papers only needed to be delivered elsewhere in the facility so they should be—Ah, speak of the devil," he said and she turned her head to see the two of them walking over.

"We return," Alisaie announced. "And with not a single scrap of paperwork on our persons."

"You have my thanks then. And my apologies for sending you on an errand for below your ambitions," he chuckled. "Why, even as a babe you struggled out of your swaddling clothes an—"

"That's quite enough!" the young woman interrupted him, her cheeks turning a rosy red.

"Why? It was just starting to get good!" S'eni grinned, raising her hands at the glare Alisaie was sending in her direction.

"It was compromising stories of our parents we'd asked to hear."

"Of course, of course." Theopauldin raised a hand to hide his grin. "I've known your father for so long, I must have something. Hm..."

His face suddenly became serious and he looked the twins in the eye.

"Well...as you know, part of why the Leveilleur name garners such respect in Sharlayan is your family's storied history. You two can trace your ancestry directly to those who came aboard Nyunkrepf's Hope. A lineage only few can claim."

A look of surprise formed on S'eni's face. She had known the Leveilleur's were a prestigious family, of course, but that they went back so far...? Well, she supposed that explained quite a lot.

"I've never really given it much thought," Alisaie admitted. "It's not like our forebears founded the nation. They were simply there when it happened."

"Nevertheless, it has traditionally been a point of pride," Alphinaud said. "It's why Nyunkrepf's words—'Renounce the ways of war, and pursue enlightenment through knowledge and reason'—has been our family's creed for ages."

"Correct. Until the time of your grandfather, that is," Theopauldin said, his expression growing firm. "He looked not to Nyunkrepf's words, but his deeds instead. He asserted, in defiance of his peers, that choosing to save the great and the small from the rising tides was the true mark of our founder's virtue."

With an inward sigh, S'eni briefly closed her eyes and found herself back in Carteneau. The heat of the flames as Bahamut raged, the fear she had felt when their efforts had proven to be in vain. And then, that singular, grandfatherly smile as she was delivered to safety; much like those saved during the great flood. Yes...even in the end, he had looked to the ancient Archon's deeds.

"To ignore the plight of those one might conceivably save is not wisdom─it is indolence," Alisaie said, pulling her out of her memories. Theopauldin smiled.

"You remember his words well. Indeed, Archon Louisoix lived by that personal creed and used every means at his disposal to offer salvation to everyone, be they from Sharlayan or not. And there was no one who loved and admired your grandfather more...than his own son." As the twins released a gasp at this revelation, the older Elezen's face grew sad. "Yet he could not reconcile Louisoix's deeds with the philosophy of their forebears and his peers, one that he fervently believed in, yet had turned his father into a pariah. Fourchenault agonized over this contradiction for much of his life."

"Gods, Father..." Alphinaud breathed out.

S'eni exhaled through her nose, furrowing her brows. So it was like she had suspected. Her talk with Ameliance had already made it clear that whatever had happened between father and son was far more complicated, and his reaction earlier had only further reinforced it. And now his own children were walking the same path his father did. It explained his extreme reaction in Gridania.

"A son carries with father's blood, but his choices will always be his own. Gods know Fourchenault is a cranky old goat, so you two must butt heads more than enough. But even so, you are always in his thoughts. Every moment of every day, and I'm not exaggerating here!" his grin returned and he shook his head, a spark of nostalgia entering his tired eyes. "You should've seen him the day you were born. Barely recognizable! With the same dumbfounded grin I hadn't seen since the day he took fancy to your mother. He was practically skipping when he told me the news. Believe me, he loves you to an embarrassing degree."

He huffed slightly. "But he's also frustratingly single-minded. Once he's got in his head that something is for the best, he will stay his course no matter who or what opposes him. A profoundly annoying habit when you're on the other end of it, as I'm sure you will agree."

"I'll say!" Alisaie giggled.

"Thank you for your insight." Alphinaud bowed his head. "Next time we meet our parents, I shall mention that we spoke."

"Try not to get me into too much trouble now. I need the Forum on my side!" the older Elezen laughed. "Speaking of which, I should get back to work. I have to make sure all those specimens make it to their proper places, or the cranky old goat will have my hide. We can speak again later!"

His duty beckoning, he walked off, leaving the three of them alone. S'eni, for her part, watched the twins as they fell silent, each of them holding a thoughtful expression on their faces. "How are you feeling?"

"Strange, I suppose," Alisaie said. "But also...relieved."

"Indeed," Alphinaud said. "To hear Father being spoken about in such a way...but I suppose he would find your view of us equally strange."

Taking a step towards them, she slipped her arms around their shoulders and gave them an affectionate squeeze. The quiet moment came swiftly to an end though, when another familiar voice called out towards them. It was G'raha.

"Hey, you three!" he waved his hand.

"Don't tell me Master Kokkol has already driven you out of his forge, Raha, " Alisaie said in an incredulous tone.

"Nothing of the sort, for better or worse," G'raha assured her. "But he has given me a task that requires more than one pair of hands, though I wouldn't object to more."

"Unfortunately, Alisaie and I have prior commitments, and we have delayed too long as it is..."

"What about you, S'eni?" Alisaie looked at her.

Returning her friend's look, she sighed and removed her arms. Her lips curled into a strained smile. "No rest for the righteous."

"Perfect! This shouldn't take long. Come, it's this way," G'raha said and motioned for her to follow. Glancing at the twins one last time, who nodded with smiles of their own, she proceeded to do so.

There was, after all, still much to be done.

 

Notes:

Honestly, the scene with Urianger and Moenbryda's parents is probably one of my absolute favs in all of Endwalker, so I had to include it. Though probably not the most exciting chapter.

Chapter 151

Notes:

I've been a bit on a roll so here's another commission. This time a solo piece of S'eni drawn by the very talented mavros. Check them out if you've got the time. :D

The Power of Bonds

 

Azem had a very special gift. Wherever she walked, trouble was sure to follow. But through that very trouble, she touched the lives of many people, making a multitude of acquaintances and allies; each of them heeding whenever she called.

As the inheritor of her crystal, you too possess that gift. Ever since you stepped onto Eorzean shores, you have lived through countless adventures, meeting equally countless people. And now it was their turn to help you.

Because where you walk...fate followed.

 

---

 

It was a few days later that found S'eni in the Medial Circuit, lying atop one of the many grassy hills while staring up at the artificial sun hovering in the 'skies' of Labyrinthos. A true product of Sharlayan ingenuity that used fire aether to replicate the properties of the real deal, making life in this subterranean habitat possible in the first place. Truly brilliant.

All the scarier that it might have nearly blown up on them due to a shift inside its core that went entirely unnoticed by anyone but a single boy. That certainly would have put a damper on their plans, to say the least. Luckily, they managed to fix the issue in time and all's well that ends well.

She sighed and closed her eyes. Gods, what an intense couple of days it had been. One errand after another, with no visible end in sight. If she wasn't carrying stuff, she was spending most of her time assisting the gleaners in their many, many tasks. How she even managed to have time to eat and sleep, she frankly hadn't the foggiest.

So when S'eni had the chance to get a moment to herself, she immediately seized it and now here she was, simply enjoying the quiet. The corners of her lips rising, she ran her hands through the pleasantly warm grass. Perhaps she could sneak in a few winks before someone came looking for her...

Yes, that sounded like a good... and she began to drift off...

...

...

...

Crack.

...And she was immediately awake again, her ears shifting to follow the footsteps coming over until they stopped right next to her. She didn't even need to open her eyes to know that it was Y'shtola, so she just stayed like she was. After a brief moment, the other Miqo'te spoke up.

"Are you intending to lounge around here all day?"

"If I get a chance to," she replied and raised her hand, index finger extended to point upward. "Come, join me. It's such a nice day, after all."

"Until the systems determine that the moisture levels need to be adjusted," was Y'shtola's dry response, yet she still sat down, releasing a long sigh. "My feet are killing me."

"We could go down to the stream. Give them a good soak, and afterwards I'll give you a foot massage."

"That would be lovely. But, I'm afraid it will have to wait until later."

"Tonight then. If we don't collapse from exhaustion."

Y'shtola giggled. "I shall hold you to that, then, my dear Warrior of Light."

The next few minutes passed in relative silence, the rustling of nearby trees in the artificial breeze filling the void their voices left. Eventually, though, Y'shtola made to rise. "I believe it's best if we—"

S'eni's hand shot up, taking hold of her lover's arm, and she finally opened her eyes to meet silvery-white ones looking at her in question. "Let's stay here. Just a little while longer."

The other woman looked at her for a few, long seconds, before releasing a huff, lips quirking upwards. "Honestly..." she muttered and lowered herself to lie down next to S'eni.

Slipping an arm around Y'shtola's shoulders, she pulled her in, smiling once again at the close contact and letting her eyes return to the artificial sky. She watched a projected cloud pass by, feeling a little amused that someone had deigned to include details such as this. But then again, the people and creatures living down here might otherwise go stir-crazy. And, once the day would come to an end, it would shift to a recreation of the night's sky, twinkling stars and all.

Stars... she thought, her mind going back to a conversation she had with G'raha days ago. Apparently, it had been Amon who was one of the most outspoken people when it came to the Allagan foray into the vastness of the universe. And since that was way before he ever joined the Ascians, he could not have acted on any potential memories he might have gotten from Fandaniel's crystal. To that, G'raha voiced a theory: that perhaps souls had a sort of personality, a disposition to which they were inclined.

"Like Hermes before him, Amon was appalled by how those around him lived, but could never bring himself to believe that those lives were devoid of meaning," he had said. "And both of them sought that meaning, that hope, in the distant stars."

Of course, there was no proof for that, but the similarities were definitely there. It made her wonder...

"What are you thinking about?" Y'shtola suddenly asked, pulling her out of her musings.

"Just something Raha told me the other day..." she said and regaled to her what they had talked about. When she was done, the other Miqo'te's eyebrows were drawn in thought.

"A fascinating theory...an inclination of the soul."

"Yeah. While I was in Elpis, Emet-Selch and Hythlodaeus talked quite a bit about Azem, and what sort of person she was. And since I'm the inheritor of her crystal, I..."

"Wonder if that's why you are the way you are?"

She nodded.

"Perhaps. Like an inherent desire to see the unknown. But I wouldn't think too much about it," Y'shtola said, placing a hand on her cheek and turning her head to look into her eyes. "After all, it was you who experienced all these adventures. Not Azem, or anyone else. And it's also you who is lying here with me now."

They shared a warm smile, and Y'shtola leaned in for a brief kiss. After pulling back again, S'eni released a happy little hum and chuckled. "You know, does that mean your soul is inclined towards uncovering the truth...or just being godsdamned stubborn?"

"Hmpf, giving me cheek now aren't you?" her lover's smile took on that sweet, yet so very dangerous edge, and a nail gently traveled across her cheek. "Do you desire punishment that much?"

"Depends. Will it be like last time?" S'eni asked right back, slowly rolling them over so that Y'shtola was lying on her back. Lowering her head so that their noses brushed, she added with a whisper, "I really enjoyed that, you know."

"My my, just what am I to do with you?"

"There's a couple of things we both can think of, I'm sure," she said, giving Y'shtola's lips a little peck, then proceeded to trail butterfly kisses down her face and towards her neck, drawing out the most beautiful-sounding giggles. They were soon joined by delightful gasps, as S'eni's hands began to roam, and not long after, her own voice echoed through the vicinity as well when Y'shtola decided to return her affections in kind.

This continued for a little while, but came sadly to an end all too soon when Y'shtola pointed out that they could be found by one of the others or an unsuspecting member of the staff. And though the thought of being caught was amusing in its own right, S'eni agreed with the added assurance that they would be continuing this at a later point. After getting up, and patting any lingering grass off their clothes, the two of them made their way to the Archeion. Only to suddenly pause when they were greeted by quite a sizable crowd.

"What in the—" S'eni looked at Y'shtola, who returned it with the same confusion while picking a stray blade of grass out of her hair. Walking over, they approached one of the people gathered here, a man from Meryall Agronomics. "Excuse me? Can you tell us what's going on?"

"They say that ships arrived in port, airships too, each bringing cargo," he explained. "Apparently it's quite a commotion out there."

"Ships you say..." she turned back towards her lover. "Then that can only mean—"

"S'eni! Y'shtola!" Turning around, they saw Alphinaud and the others coming towards them with fast steps. A smile was on the young Elezen's face, further confirming her assumption. "We were already wondering if we needed to go looking for you two. Krile just contacted me, but it seems the news has already reached down here. So what do you say, shall we greet our friends?"

S'eni smirked and punched her palm. "You bet!"

 

---

 

And what a sight it had been!

Crates filled with the desired refined adamantite, sacred and ancient relics, all lining the pier, causing much distress to the Worldly Affairs official at its unannounced arrival. But really, how would one even go about announcing all this? All these people?

This was way beyond the scope of anything she or the others had imagined. Not just their friends from the Ilsabard contingent, but also members of the East Aldenard Trading Company, the Redbills from the Sea of Clouds, Cid and many of his talented engineers, Thavnairian alchemists led by Vrtra, as well as their Far Eastern allies and even the rest of their fellow Scions. All had come to lend their aid.

It was...unbelievable, really.

But, there was no time to be amazed!

"Careful...careful...alright, now let's put it down..." S'eni said and lowered the crate she and Hoary Boulder were carrying onto the boat that would carry it down to Labyrinthos. Wiping at her brow, she looked at the gleaners manning it and gave them a thumbs-up. She watched them travel down the channel, before turning towards her Roegadyn friend and bumping his much larger fist. "Good job. I see you haven't been slacking in your training one bit."

"Of course not." He chuckled. "After all, I intend to win the rematch you owe me."

"Hoo boy." But at least with Hoary, she could be sure it remained a friendly competition. After making their way up the stairs, she waved him goodbye as he went to help Coultenet and headed over to where Soroban was instructing a pair of Logistikon workers as they lifted up one of the two chests containing the Kojin's sacred relics.

"Be very careful," he said in that slow and meticulous way he and his brethren always spoke. "These treasures are of immense worth. Ah, S'eni."

"Soroban," she greeted as he sent the workers off and turned towards her. "Everything going alright here?"

"Yes. But since you are here…" He turned to the other chest and took the katana propped up against it, holding it out to her. "Would you please deliver Hoomaru to where it is needed?"

Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Are you sure?"

"Seiryu and Suzaku would insist."

She looked at the sword in his hand, then, with an exhale through her nose, took it.

"Well, wouldn't want to cause a diplomatic incident with the two of them," she said lightly, but could immediately feel a weight upon her shoulders. If it only so much got a little chip in its blade, the two auspices would have her head.

"Thank you," Soroban said and bowed his head. Leaving him to his work, S'eni walked off, stopping for a brief moment to look at Hoomaru. To what an overeager spending spree on Alphinaud's part could lead to...

The corners of her lips curling upward, she raised her head and cast her gaze out until they found the young man in question together with his sister, standing with their parents and exchanging words she could not hear. But from the smiles on their faces, it was clear that they were talking about something nice. Her expression grew warm at the sight.

In the end, making peace had come all too easily, the strength of their conviction and the proof of all they had accomplished in front of his very eyes making Fourchenault finally pour out all he held within his heart. All he had done, even going so far as to alienate his own children, had been out of the desire to make sure they had a future, and if he had to force the two of them onto the ark himself at the end. Indeed, he was a stubborn old goat that loved his children tremendously.

Just as he did his father.

She was just about to head towards the stairs, when Alisaie, who must have felt her eyes on them, turned around and waved her over.

"Oh my, that is quite a curious airship," she heard Ameliance say as she approached the family, not even needing to look to know which one she meant.

"That's the Prima Vista," S'eni said. "She belongs to the Majestic Theater Company."

"Theater you say?" the woman's eyes lit up.

"And I just so happen to be well acquainted with them. So if you'd like I can introduce you to them."

Ameliance clapped her hands together in delight. "You would?"

"Careful there, you won't be able to wiggle out of this one if you promise her," Alisaie warned with a little grin.

"That's fine. I wanted to see how Alma and Ramza were doing anyway. But before that—" she held up Hoomaru. "—I need to see this delivered."

"Then you are making for Aporia?" Fourchenault suddenly asked and she nodded. "Allow me to accompany you. I need to venture to prepare everything for your talk with Hydaelyn."

But the look in his eyes made it clear that there was something else he wished to say. "Of course," she said.

Bidding the twins and their mother goodbye for now, they headed up the stairs towards the Rostra and from there to the entrance lift to Labyrinthos. Neither said a word on their journey there nor did she make a move to do so. Fourchenault would speak once he deemed it the right time. Which he finally did as they made their descent deep into the island.

"I...wish to apologize once more," he said, turning to face her. "For the words I have said in Gridania."

She regarded him for a brief moment, then offered him a small smile. "I think we both spoke quite out of turn that day. So how about we both apologize and forgive and forget?"

"That..." he mirrored her expression. "...sounds quite acceptable."

With the ice thus broken, they stepped out of the lift and began to make their way to the Archeion.

"You know, Master Matoya mentioned you to me once," she said.

"Yes, you did indicate as much back then. Knowing her, it cannot have been anything flattering."

"She pretty much said the twins inherited all of Louisoix's brains while skipping over you." She giggled at the expression on his face. "Still, it goes to show how highly she thinks of your children. Despite butting heads with him, I can tell she respected him a great deal."

"If only she had shown it in a...less biting way, shall we say. Many a student's ear at the time turned red from colorful insults being hurled down the hallways," he said, frowning in disapproval, but there was a small glint of nostalgia in his eyes as he clearly remembered the good old days when Louisoix was still alive. Then it gave way to something else and he fell silent for a few minutes, only speaking up once more when they arrived at the Medial Circuit. "You spoke of how my father saved your life. Would you tell me about it?"

"Like so many other adventurers, I joined the troops at Carteneau. Our goal was to stop Dalamud's descent by calling upon the Twelve. When it broke apart, and Bahamut was released, I was right in the middle of it all. Unable to do anything but pray," she told him, looking out into the distance. "And then, when everything seemed lost, Louisoix used the last of his power to send me and my fellows away. I tried to call out to him, but it was already too late. The last I saw of him was his smiling face."

Of course, that wouldn't prove to be the last time she saw him, as Bahamut had made sure, but the twins and she had sworn to not let that story get public, and she only ever had told Cid about it, knowing he would keep it secret. Best to have Louisoix's memory remain what it was. Even to his son.

"I still remember one of the last things he said to me, before making for Carteneau."

"What was it?" Fourchenault asked.

"Where men go as one, there is life. And where there is life, there is cause for hope."

"Yes, that...sounds just like him."

"It does." She smiled.

They continued on their way until they reached Aporia, and the Elezen turned to face her. "Thank you, for telling me this," he said earnestly. "And for having fought at my father's side."

"Perhaps one day I can tell you some more stories about what I've experienced together with him and the others."

"I would like that. But for now, I have preparations to make. I shall send for you when everything is ready."

"Very well. See you later," S'eni said. He inclined his head, before turning around and leaving. After delivering Hoomaru, she too took her leave and returned back to the surface, where work continued on. And still would for a while, from the looks of things.

Wandering around for a bit, she found herself pausing in her steps when she caught sight of a rather particular view. A tiny, almost plush-like in appearance, Chocobo dressed in an equally tiny uniform of the Garlond Ironworks. It was Alpha, who had helped them a great deal during the whole Omega fiasco and had become something of a mascot of the Ironworks. He, too, had come following their calling for aid, and while she couldn't think of any practical ways that he could really help, she was plenty sure his presence alone would do wonders for morale.

Just looking at him made her beam and want to hug him!

Next to him, a little Magitek toy version of Omega Weapon walked about, before taking notice of her and turning around. It looked at her, its 'head' turning from side to side. Almost as if…

"Kweh kweh!" Alpha called out, raising his tiny wing in a way to greet her.

"Hey there, little guy," she greeted him back. "Taking a break?"

He shook his feathers then tilted his head as if to tell her that he could hardly carry all this stuff.

"I suppose you're right."

"Wark." He then raised his head to look up to the sky, his large eyes searching.

"...You can sense her, don't you?" S'eni asked, following his gaze. "Meteion."

He nodded.

"She is out there. Somewhere." She briefly closed her eyes to see a flash of an innocent smile within her mind, only for it to be replaced by dark coldness. Her hands balled into tight fists as the Meteion's last plea for help, just before the shared consciousness had fully taken over, resurfaced in her thoughts. "...Please…protect them all…"

The feeling of something brushing against her leg drew her out of her reverie and she looked down to see Alpha now standing directly next to her, a silent offer within his cute eyes. With a smile, she knelt down and pulled him into her arms, burying her face into the softness of his feathers. "I know…we must stop her…but…it's not that simple."

"Kweh…"

"Yeah…" she pulled him closer. "It never truly is."

S'eni held onto him for a little bit longer until she felt sufficiently cheered up again. As she let go of Alpha, she presented him with a grateful smile. "Thanks, Alpha."

"Wark!" he puffed out his chest a little, seemingly quite proud of managing to comfort her.

"You know, this is usually Shtola or Zack's job. So let's keep this a little secret between you and me." She held a finger against her lips and playfully winked at it, followed by a giggle as he Kweh'd in agreement. "Good. Now, why don't we get both back to work? I'm sure Wedge can do with your supervision, otherwise, he might be too busy fawning over Tataru."

"Kweh Kweh!"

Rising back up, she watched the little guy and his companion toy rush off in search of the Lalafel engineer, then walked away as well in search of her next task. She eventually encountered Y'shtola. The other Miqo'te was leaning against one of the crates, reading a letter. Pale eyes looked up from it as she approached.

"Taking a break?" she asked with a grin.

"Something like that." Y'shtola held out a letter. "Lyse sent this alongside Gridania's contribution. Seems like she traveled there to aid in the adamantite recovery."

She took the letter and began to read it. A grin started to form on her lips, growing further and further as the recounting of the events that had transpired for Lyse became more and more unflattering. Not that she could blame her friend for that. Having survived many an Allagan deathtrap herself, very much sympathized.

"Sounds like they could've used a few goblin-made bombs as well," she said, handing the letter back to Y'shtola.

"As it stands, I doubt she will have any kind words for the Allagans any time soon."

"Speaking of time—" S'eni patted the crate Y'shtola was leaning against. "—we've got none to waste here!"

With a resigned sigh, Y'shtola put Lyse's letter away and moved to help her carry it.

 

Notes:

The obligatory "side content reference"-chapter. Featuring, of course, best boi Alpha. As it should be.

Chapter 152

Her Children pt. 1

 

With the end of your bargain fulfilled, it was now the Forum's turn to keep theirs. You and your companions were led to Thaumazein, the very heart of Labyrinthos, where the ark that was to be your salvation was being constructed. Yet that was simply the sideshow to the true secret that lay therein.

The Aitiascope.

Much like that construction you dubbed Antitower, it allows Sharlayan to peer deep into the Aetherial Sea, but on a much grander scale. They used it to commune with Her, until the Seventh Calamity had quelled Her voice to little but a whisper. The device was no longer enough. That only left the direct approach.

Go now. She is waiting for you, and it's high time that you delivered it to her. Your answer.

 

---

 

Silence pervaded everything around them as S'eni looked out into the distance. Where the blue glow of crystals had been their steady companion as they had begun their track into the heart of the star, here, where the borders between physical and aetherial were almost non-existent, there remained almost nothing but a vast emptiness. An abyss where the souls are stripped of all their lingering regrets, washed clean so that, one day, they might return to a new life.

But there were also those whose regrets weighed so heavily that they tethered them to this place, memories so strong they persisted even after nothing else seemed to be left. On their way here, they encountered quite a few of them. A man, driven to the extreme to see his homeland liberated, no matter the cost; Ilberd.

A woman, whose desire for the man she loved had become so twisted that it had bordered on madness; Livia.

A soldier who had been unable to keep the enemy at bay, losing his life in the process and paving the way for his Legatus's downfall; Rhitahtyn.

And a researcher who had wished for nothing more than for life itself to finally come to an end and, even within death, had fought tooth and nail for it—

S'eni turned her eyes to the ground in front of her, where only mere moments ago, he had been dragged further into this dark abyss.

—Amon.

But where old adversaries had awaited them, barring their way while trying to fulfill old grudges, their dearly departed friends had arrived to lend their aid. Even now she could still feel the warmth that had engulfed her when a certain, broken shield had appeared in front of her, to grant her the same protection as it had done back then.

Thank you, Haurchefant...everyone, she thought, closing her eyes briefly. When she opened them again, she turned towards the bright light in the distance, and the crystalline pathway leading there, before looking to the others. "Let's go."

Her friends nodded and they proceeded to move forward. As they marched towards the light, it began to engulf them like pure white mist, shrouding their vision and leaving only the sounds of their footsteps to guide them along. From one moment to the next, they shifted from a slight creak into a metallic clonk, and ever so slowly, their vision began to clear once more, revealing to them...

"The Mothercrystal..." she exhaled.

"You have come a long way..." a voice suddenly said, and they all looked up to see a beautiful, winged figure descending from on high. Its skin was a pure white and veils seemed to be attached to its very body, fluttering in the aetherial breeze. But even with all these changes in appearance, she'd recognized that voice anywhere.

"Venat...it's been a while," S'eni said, her lips curling into a smile. "You've changed quite a bit. Did you do something with your hair?"

Hydaelyn appeared perplexed at first, but it was swiftly replaced by realization. "You...have gone to Elpis, have you not?"

"I have."

"And so our two ages have intertwined at long last..." Hydaelyn, too, smiled and S'eni nodded. "Very well, then. You have my attention. What brings you to me?"

"Hydaelyn," Alisaie said, stepping forth. "You prepared for the moon to be an escape vessel should the Final Days return to the star. But...is that truly the only solution? We don't wish to flee. No, we wish to save this star alongside its shards!"

"Flight is but one of two paths, never the only one. The other one leads to the very end of the universe, to Meteion's nest, and the direct confrontation with the one who wishes to bring upon the end," Hydaelyn said. "Be aware though, that it is a place of pure dynamis, the very power she weaves and forms however she chooses. No matter the power of your spells or the strength of your aether...they will be of no use in a place where her emotions and thoughts reign supreme."

Her eyes narrowed slightly.

"If you are unable to resist the gathered despair and suffering of the stars resting inside her nest, then your endeavor is doomed to fail. It would swallow you whole until nothing is left."

"We won't let that happen," Alisaie proclaimed, but visibly deflated after the words passed her lips. "Or...at least that's what I once believed. But if our journeys taught me one thing, it's that it's all too easy to be consumed by grief. To deny that would not only be wrong...I don't think we could even if we wanted to. I cannot say if we'll be able to stand up to this trial. So is fleeing really the only thing we can do?"

"No. It is those experiences that have time and again become your greatest strength, " she said after a brief silence. "Throughout history, many stars have sought a paradise without suffering. Some shining brighter than even Etheirys. They all have tried...and they all failed. According to Meteion's report, not a single star exists that could rid itself of fear and anger, pain and suffering, hate and destruction. That suggests, that they are an essential part of our existence. Facets without which the mural of life could never be complete. No matter how we strive towards perfection and happiness...Life and suffering walk hand in hand."

Hydaelyn's expression became warm then and she cast her gaze over them all.

"Yet that is but one side of the same coin. Suffering, too, cannot exist without life and hope. You, who are standing before me now, are proof of that." She looked at Alphinaud. "Your view of the world was shattered in the pursuit of justice. Yet even as you stood before its broken fragments, those who walked alongside you offered you a helping hand."

The goddess' eyes went to Alisaie next. "Your strength alone was often not enough to carry your ideals. But whenever you thought you had reached your limit, you found a friend that would inspire you to even greater heights."

Thancred. "You were unable to protect what you held dear, and a beloved life was lost to you. But it was that same love that sprouted hope. For you, and others."

Urianger. "Where words escaped you, suffering grew. Yet there were always those, who had no need for words, for they knew what lay within your heart."

Y'shtola. "The truth is easily distorted, and simpler even to be lost. Yet that never stopped you to brave even the most adverse conditions, to seek the knowledge hidden beyond."

Estinien. "The flame of hate burned blades and wings alike, and in the end, you were consumed as well. But it left not just destruction in its wake—buried within white ash, a spark of warmth smoldered."

G'raha. "Your despair arose in the face of a calamity. Nevertheless, it was your belief in a new tomorrow and a different future that stoked your bravery into determination."

And finally, S'eni. "You, too, have been broken. Again and again. You endured so much suffering while carrying the burden of responsibility on your shoulders. When it becomes too much, you stop, and your thoughts go towards the next step of your journey; the next encounter you might make. And then you rise once more, knowing that you are carrying countless hopes within yourself."

She closed her eyes as Hydaelyn said those words. Even now, she could feel that weight of responsibility, but also the hopes of those that trusted her, who had all gathered together to make the impossible possible. And that gave her strength.

"With every step each of you takes, you struggle with despair. And despite knowing of the end, you did not stop. Your journey serves as testament to your will. It is your strength in the battle against the one who sings the song of oblivion."

"You...believe we can stop the Final Days?" Alphinaud asked.

"If not you, then who else? However..." Hydaelyn raised a hand and conjured up a sword. "To travel to the edge of the universe is a task of monumental proportions. You have but one chance. And should you fail, all will be lost. So I—the will of the star—shall test your mettle. Show me the fire that burns within you. The will to march unto the end. No matter how many times you are brought to your knees. No matter how much pain you suffer. But should you be unable to defeat an old goddess like me, you must leave this star behind and flee. Far, far away from here."

"Heh," Estinien chuckled, his hand going to his lance. "This just proves once and for all what we've saddled ourselves with."

"Yes, and no amount of trickery will help us here," Thancred agreed, grabbing his Gunblade. "Not like we'll need it. And we certainly won't give up!"

"I shall lend thee mine aid. As humble as mine talents may be, 'twas for this purpose that I honed them," Urianger said, letting his planisphere and cards float above his left hand.

"My, aren't we confident? Surely you are aware that we are facing the will of the star..." Y'shtola's lips quirked upward, raising her staff and brushing a stray lock out of her face. "But as it just so happens, I'm not in the mood to admit defeat either."

"It will require all of our strength." G'raha summoned forth a sword and shield, grabbing both tightly. "But we will triumph. For the future of the star, no, life itself!"

"Right!" the twins called out in unison and readied their own weapons.

Only S'eni remained how she was, her eyes locked with Hydaelyn's, no, Venat's. The goddess stared back, blade slowly rising until the tip was directly pointing at her. "You were unable to give me an answer in Elpis, so let me ask you again. Was your journey a good one? If so then prove it to me by claiming victory!"

She raised her arms and the hint of a smirk danced across her lips. Glancing over her shoulder at her friends, she shared a quiet nod with them. Time to finally give Venat her answer.

Exploding forward, S'eni rushed towards Hydaelyn, jumping into the air and aiming a kick at Her head, which was easily blocked by an elegant hand. The goddess' lips quirked upwards. "A direct approach, I see."

"No, a distraction," she simply stated, and immediately after, shards of ice came hurtling towards Hydaelyn. Swinging Her sword, she sliced them apart, turning them into nothing but icy mist. But it also left Her quite open for Thancred to swoop in from behind and slash at Her back, causing Hydaelyn to stagger mid-air.

"Impressive, Gunbreaker, but are you truly able to defy fate?" Hydaelyn asked, swinging her sword towards him, creating a cloud of sparks as their blades clashed.

"We're not scared of fate," he pressed through gritted teeth and pulled the trigger of his Gunblade. The force behind the explosion pushed them apart, and a pair of Nouliths dived in between them, firing beams of aether at Hydaelyn while the other pair administered a shield around Thancred.

"Wise words, indeed," Alphinaud agreed, moving his hand to guide the Nouliths out of the way of Hydaelyn's attack. "And we shall prove them today!"

With a cry, Alisaie rushed in, her rapier but a blur as she attacked the goddess, who answered her challenge with the same speed, each precise movement proof that they were facing a true master of combat. Suddenly, the tip of Hydaelyn's blade slipped past the young woman's guard and, with one smooth movement, sent her weapon flying. Before She could do any serious damage though, S'eni's fist slammed into Her arm and a descending Estinien forced Her to retreat backwards.

"Watch out! Her sword is gathering aether!" Y'shtola cried and they all jumped back just in time to dodge the wave of aether shooting out from Her blade.

"Very good!" Hydaelyn said. "Let us switch things up a little!"

The sword vanished from Her hand and was replaced with a staff. Swinging it around, she hurled a barrage of spells towards them, forcing Y'shtola, Alisaie, Alphinaud, and Urianger to counter them with magic of their own while the rest of them dodged and tried to go on the offensive. But every time one of them even got remotely close to Her, a sudden pulse of aether from the ground pushed them back.

"We need to think of something!" Estinien dodged another spell with a growl. "Or she'll tire us out."

"I might—" G'raha raised his shield to deflect one. "—have an idea!"

"Whatever it is, just do it!" S'eni cried.

"I just need to wait for the right—There!" Pulling his arm back, he hurled his aetheric shield towards Hydaelyn's staff, hitting its tip at the exact moment another spell shot forth. It burst apart with a bright flash, making Her shield her face and leaving Her wide open.

"Now!" Thancred shouted and they jumped towards Her, ready to strike. Only—

"WHAT!?" S'eni's eyes widened.

—to be stopped by a barrier of pure crystal that instantly formed around Hydaelyn. The goddess' eyes sought hers out, and a little smirk formed on those pale lips; a silent compliment, but also a warning.

"Crystals of Light, to me!" Hydaelyn called out and the entire platform became encased by crystal as well, trapping them with no way out. Six crystals appeared around them, each a different color just like the ones S'eni possessed, but far larger.

"Aether of every aspect!" she heard Urianger exclaim.

"I've never seen such aetheric density before..." Y'shtola then gasped. "And it's growing!"

S'eni immediately realized what was going to happen. "She's drawing power. Damage the crystals!"

"Hear..." Hydaelyn's voice echoed from all around them as they fanned out. "...the song that heralds the end."

"Feel..." Their adversary, of course, didn't just simply watch while they attacked the elemental crystals, using some of the gathering aether to cast spells that were nearly enough to bring them all to their knees if not for Alphinaud and Urianger. "...the despair on the edge of existence."

"Think..." One by one, they managed to damage the crystals enough to keep the density from growing, but the air around them still pulsed with never before seen power. "...of a way through the darkness."

The crystal around Hydaelyn shattered, sending pieces of it flying in all directions, and the sword returned to Her hand. She looked at them, Her eyes narrowing. "Follow your light!"

"Quick, behind me!" G'raha shouted and planted himself firmly in front of them. He gripped his shield tightly, a pair of large aetherial wings sprouting from his back in a fan-like manner to offer them additional protection. Just in time.

"Or fly, my child, and never look back!" Turning Her blade around, Hydaelyn grabbed its handle in both hands and slammed it into the ground. From one second to the next, everything became dark and all sounds ceased. Then, a blinding light erupted from the center, filling the black void with everlasting white.

"Shtola!" S'eni cried.

"I know! Urianger, Alphinaud!"

All four of them raised their hands and formed a protective bubble around them to aid G'raha. But even that seemed to not be enough against the might that was thrown at them, as cracks began to form all over it in a manner of seconds. Gritting her teeth, S'eni funneled more aether into the barrier. Just a little longer. Just a little longer. Just a little longer!

After what felt like an eternity, the attack finally stopped, and she dropped onto her knee, panting.

"So that is the power that sundered the star..." Y'shtola marveled. The barrier that had enclosed the platform had been shattered into a million pieces. As they floated idly in the aetherial sea, the residual light reflected off them, draping everything in a light blue glow. Hydaelyn simply hovered in front of them, the glow causing Her to look even more divine. If there had ever been any doubt about the sheer might that She wielded, it had now been truly dispelled.

"Your resolve is strong...but this trial is far from over!"

"Good." S'eni rose back up, cracking her knuckles before moving towards Hydaelyn. "We're not done either!"

Their battle continued, neither side giving the other quarter as blades clashed and spells collided with one another. Despite being vastly outnumbered by them, Hydaelyn was not wavering even as some of their attacks managed to pass through her almost impenetrable defense, giving just as good as she got. For a while, it even looked like She would be the victor by simply wearing them down. Until...S'eni spotted her chance!

"Raha!" She shouted, making her way over to him. "Give me a boost!"

"With pleasure!" He dropped to the ground and raised his shield for her to jump onto. As soon as her feet made contact, she was hurled towards Hydaelyn at breakneck speed. Noticing their sudden maneuver, the sword in Her hand turned into a pair of chakrams and She tossed them towards S'eni. Spinning around mid-air, S'eni narrowly avoided their sharp blades and raised her fist, guiding as much aether as she could muster into it.

"THIS ENDS—"

Hydaelyn's lips curled into a smile.

"—NOW!" S'eni's fist connected with Hydaelyn's head in a large explosion of aether, sending Her flying backwards and landing harshly on the ground. With shaking hands, She tried to push herself back up, but almost immediately collapsed once again, breaths passing her lips in heavy gasps.

"So there...is still..." Hydaelyn managed to say, but broke off again. In the meantime, S'eni and the others looked at each other and, determining that the battle was over, let themselves relax, some of them, too, collapsing on the ground to catch their breaths.

"You okay?" S'eni asked Alisaie, who looked especially out of breath, putting a hand on the young woman's shoulder.

"Yes...just a little winded is all—oh no!" the young Elezen's eyes suddenly widened. "Hydaelyn, you're...!"

Immediately turning towards Her, S'eni gasped out when she saw tiny particles of aether rising from Her body. Hydaelyn, in turn, just released a little laugh and raised Her head to look at them. "As the will of the star and guardian of the future, I saved just enough of my power for this very battle," She said. "It is over. You were tested...and have rightfully won..."

"Venat, I—" But she was silenced by a look that told her the goddess had made her peace. A hand softly placed itself on her shoulder and turned to see Y'shtola give her a solemn look, before stepping forth.

"Allow me one last question, Hydaelyn," the other Miqo'te said, and the goddess nodded. "You sundered Etheirys because beings of low aetheric density are able to manipulate dynamis. You couldn't allow that life would once again admit defeat against despair, and hoped that we would learn to withstand it instead. No, you wholeheartedly believed it. You knew that, once new life had begun walking upon this sundered world, that the ends had justified the means and that one day, someone would finally stop the end, am I correct?"

"No matter how one twists and turns it, all my doings were a trial. Much was destroyed because of that, and even more suffering was incurred. It deserves neither warm words, nor can it ever be justified," Hydaelyn said. "But Zodiark's power was immense, and if I had not resorted to such means, the battle would have been lost. In the end, all that matters is that you have triumphed over me. And now, I shall leave the star's fate in your hands...together with this."

The goddess waved her hand and a crystal, similar in appearance to the crystals of Light, appeared in front of S'eni.

"It is a record of Meteion's path through the sea of stars. I have calculated the route myself. The Lopporit shall decipher it and lead you to her nest."

"But will we be able to reach it?" Alphinaud asked. "Flying to the moon seems simple in comparison to the edge of the universe. And unlike Meteion, we are unable to harness dynamis for such a journey..."

"Indeed. You will require an exorbitant amount of aether to travel such a distance. But you must already have figured out the solution to that problem..."

Alphinaud furrowed his brow, before looking at Her in shock. "Are you serious...!?"

"I am." She smiled. "Ever since I have become the will of the star, I have turned the aether gathered in the Aetherial Sea into crystal, bit by bit. Those who possess the power of the Echo, are quite familiar with its sight. Where I lack physical form, it represents the star in my stead; the Mothercrystal...It shall carry you to the end of the stars."

Her face fell.

"I am afraid, this is also the only assistance I can provide you with. You will have to face the darkness awaiting you at the end of your road on your own. So remember this, my children: as one's joy can become sorrow...so too can hope arise even in the depths of despair," Hydaelyn's gaze then landed on S'eni. "There is one last thing I wish to give you on your way. Please, come over here."

Doing as she was told, S'eni walked over to Her, coming to a stop only a few steps away. "What is it?"

"To this very day, I have searched for a way to deliver this star unto the future. I cannot say how often I have teetered on the edge of despair, but every single time, it was the stories of your adventures and our promise, which gave me the courage to keep moving. In a world and time so different from your own, you courageously fought for your future. That alone was enough to reignite the flame of hope time and again. They are simple words, but I am saying them with all my heart: thank you." A warm look entered Hydaelyn's eyes. "You carry Azem's crystal on you, do you not?"

"Always," she said and reached into her pocket to pull it out. "...It was a gift, after all."

Raising a hand, Hydaelyn let it hover above hers and began casting a spell on it. "As Hydaelyn, my powers are those of stasis, order...that which safeguards life if you will. Combined with Azem's power, you should be able to call forth the unknown and give it form. If only for a limited time. Even those, who no longer possess a body of their own, will heed your call," the goddess explained. "Beware though, Azem's power is not a simple spell. It relies upon the strength of your will, and will only take form if you wish for it with all your heart. 'Walk ever forward, following your heart's greatest desire. Then, and only then, will these powers unfold.' Those were the words of the one who created this magic."

S'eni looked at her in surprise, but Hydaelyn simply chuckled and released a tired breath. More and more particles were rising from Her body. It wouldn't be much longer.

"That is all that I can give you on the way. But please...a final promise. Deliver it, the answer to life, formed of countless fates across countless ages. We will not perish. Hurl them at the Endsinger with all your might."

Closing her eyes, S'eni's fingers tightened around Azem's crystal, warm to the touch and pulsing with new power. Her mind wandered back to those few days she had spent in Elpis, the things she saw, the people she met. And deep within her mind, a voice spoke, words she would never forget until her dying day: "Remember us..."

As she opened them again, she smiled and said, "Thank you, Venat. For everything. We'll make sure the star will have a future."

Now it was Hydaelyn's turn to be surprised, but it swiftly gave way to a smile of Her own as tears began running down Her cheeks. "Yes, you will. I have no doubt about it," She said. "My soul is waning, yet hope still remains in my heart. May my prayers...ever serve as a protective hand over you, my beloved children..."

And with a final flash of light, Hydaelyn's body burst into aether. S'eni watched it slowly ascend, higher and higher, until it became one with the Aetherial Sea. She was gone.

You can finally rest...Venat…

 

Notes:

Well, this was a trial I couldn't just skip over, so I hope I managed to do it justice.

Chapter 153

Her Children pt. 2

 

No one said a word as they rode the lift out of the Aetherial Sea. Not like there was anything left to say. Hydaelyn was gone, and had entrusted them with the future of the star. Idly, S'eni's hand went to the bag that held the crystal She had given her; the coordinates to where Meteion's nest was located.

She let it linger there, simply staring out into the peaceful blue beyond the glass, until a soft brush of fingers against her own made her look away from the sight and into silvery-white eyes instead. Y'shtola just looked at her, thumb running across her knuckles, quietly offering her comfort. She offered the other Miqo'te a grateful little smile in return and gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

The exterior soon changed from the Aetherial Sea to that of Thaumazein, and not long after, the lift came to a halt and the doors slid open. As soon as they stepped outside, they were practically beset by Krile, Livingway, and Fourchenault, the latter of whom immediately went to check upon his children. Upon seeing that they were both unharmed, if quite tired, he breathed out in relief and looked at S'eni.

"I am glad to see you all well. As deep as you went, we were merely able to place your souls, but were neither able to see nor hear you," he said.

"The fluctuations in your aether at the end gave me quite a fright!" Krile added. "What happened?"

The others looked at S'eni and she exhaled through her nose. Yes, this was probably news better delivered by her. "We made our way through the Aetherial Sea. The deeper we went, the more old...acquaintances appeared, but that's a story in itself. At the very end of our path, we found the Mothercrystal and Hydaelyn," she told them. "To determine if we were able to withstand the amassed despair of countless stars awaiting us, she wished to test us. And we...passed."

Her words hung in the air momentarily before realization dawned on the other three's faces. Livingway was the first to speak up. "Then you mean that Hydaelyn is...is..."

"Gone." S'eni nodded. "But I assure you that she was smiling at the end, offering us her eternal prayers. As well as the means to find Meteion's nest."

She pulled out the crystal.

"Oh no..." The Lopporits' ears drooped at the news, and she could see tears welling up in her eyes, but the small woman shook her head. "No, there's no time for this. We must carry out Hydaelyn's will without delay. We will find Meteion, if it's the last thing we'll do!"

"I know you will," she said and knelt down to hand Livingway the crystal.

"You are determined to see this through then?" Fourchenault frowned.

"We are. And if words should fail us, we will fight...to the bitter end," Alphinaud replied. "I know it pains you to accept this, and I wish there was nothing more to ask of you...But we only have two means to travel the great expanse, the moon, and Sharlayan's ark. I know that without both, there will be no exodus, yet I still beg you to honor the agreement we made."

"The Forum's decision will be honored. You have earned the right to use the ship as you see fit, and I could not rescind it even if I wanted to," Fourchenault assured him. "As it happens, I do not, and I will do everything in my power to aid you."

"With that settled, might I suggest you get some rest?" Livingway asked. "Proving yourself to Hydaelyn cannot have been easy...and despite our unparalleled genius, we'll still need a day at least to decipher this crystal. So make use of it!"

"You can chart a course through the sea of stars in a single day!?" G'raha exclaimed, earning himself a giggle from the Lopporit.

With a shrug, Thancred turned towards S'eni. "Shall we head above ground for some fresh air then?" his hand went to the back of his neck to rub it. "And a nap perhaps..."

"Yeah," she replied. Some rest would really be nice right about now.

Making their way out of Labyrinthos, they were greeted by the early evening sky. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, letting the freshness of the sea breeze dispel some of her weariness. As much as what Sharlayan had created truly was a marvel of construction, right down to the air they were breathing down there, it was still quite different to breathe in the real deal. Raising her arms above her head, she stretched herself while releasing a groan.

"I don't know about you, but I'm starving," G'raha said. "I believe I shall head to the Last Stand for a meal?"

"Mind if I join you?" Krile asked. "I might not have fought alongside you, but keeping an eye on all of you was still quite taxing and I could use something sweet right now."

"Of course!" he smiled and, after raising his hand in a silent "see you later", left together with her. The others, too, headed off, with Thancred reiterating about that nap, Alphinaud and Alisaie wishing to see their mother, Urianger wanting to check in on any of the Lopporit that might be in the Studium's vicinity, and Estinien just walking away with not so much as a word. In the end, only Y'shtola and her were left, looking down at the city below from the Rostra.

It was a beautiful view, downright calming in fact, with the light of the setting sun draping everything in a warm orange. Quite a bit more lively too, as there were still a lot of people that had come to their assistance that were out and about, the chance to actually be in Old Sharlayan most likely proving quite irresistible. She sighed.

"How are you feeling?" Y'shtola asked, taking this as her cue to speak.

"Strange. It's not so much sadness as...acceptance, I suppose," S'eni admitted. "Back in Elpis, death was treated as something to be celebrated. An end of one's lifelong duty. Rest. But Venat, she...even after she stepped down from the seat of Azem, she remained, because of the world that she loved and the people it harbored. And now, after all this time, she's finally found it."

"Found what?"

"The moment that she could finally let go." A pair of arms slipped around her waist, and she leaned back into her lover's embrace.

"It does feel quite unreal," Y'shtola said. "Looking at our surroundings, one wouldn't even know She is gone. The world continues to turn, and come tomorrow, the sun will rise over the horizon. And yet, I can't deny that there is something missing."

"Yeah..." S'eni leaned her head against Y'shtola's. They remained like this for a little while longer, just enjoying the moment, listening to the gentle breeze, and watching the people below. As the first stars began to twinkle into existence, she stepped out of the other woman's embrace and turned around.

"We should head to the Annex," she said and, a smile dancing across her lips added, "Besides, I believe I promised you a foot massage."

"Are you sure?" Y'shtola raised a brow.

"I am. Believe me, it'll help me relax."

The two of them made their way down the stairs and into the direction of the Annex. As they stepped inside, they were immediately greeted by the ever-diligent Ojika, who jumped off his chair and walked over to them. "Ah, I've been expecting you!"

"Hello to you, too," she said with an amused chuckle at the clearly excited look on his face.

"Thancred told me of your foray into the Aetherial Sea. The Students have ventured far and wide, but never quite so deep as that!" he said. "Are you experiencing any aftereffects from your prolonged exposure? Nausea? Dizziness? Hauntings?"

She shot Y'shtola a look that asked if she did and received a shrug in return. She looked back to the Lalafel. "Can't say I do."

"Hmm..." he nodded. "Very well, have a pleasant evening then. And if you should experience any unusual phenomena over the course of it, please let me know. I shall add it to our records!"

She considered telling him he needed to be a bit more specific considering her past experiences, but decided to keep quiet instead. He might otherwise ask her about them all night. Heading into the Andron, they walked down the hallway towards her room and entered it.

"Get yourself washed up, I'll make some tea in the meantime," she said.

"My, now you are just trying to pamper me."

"Who says it's only for you?" Grabbing the kettle Y'shtola had discovered the other day, S'eni filled it with water and walked over to the small stove, bumping her hip into the other Miqo'te as she passed by her. After putting the kettle on it, she began to put some tea leaves into two cups, idly listening to Y'shtola fetching some things before leaving to heed her words, then poured the water into them once it was properly heated.

S'eni briefly closed her eyes and inhaled the delicious, grassy scent rising from the cups. After waiting for a few minutes, she took one and raised it to her lips. A deep breath escaped her, and she felt some of the remaining tension leave her body. With a small smile forming on her face, she turned towards the window and simply let her thoughts wander aimlessly while occasionally sipping from her chosen beverage of the evening.

The cup was about half empty when the door opened yet again and Y'shtola came walking in, now dressed in far more comfortable sleepwear and her hair still slightly damp. Drinking the last of her tea, S'eni gestured towards the bed and took the other cup, which she offered the other Miqo'te after her robes were placed on a nearby stool, before sitting down on the mattress. She patted her lap.

Y'shtola sent her an amused look, but sat down nevertheless, raising one of her feet and placing it on S'eni's lap. "I'm putting myself at your mercy, O Warrior of Light," she said and drank from her cup.

"Why thank you, great Master Matoya. I shall be sure not to disappoint your trust."

They both shared a laugh, and S'eni placed her palms on either side of her lover's foot. Gently, she began to twist it, pushing one side back while pulling the other forward, alternating in a slow, steady rhythm that drew out little sighs from Y'shtola. After doing that for a couple of minutes, she carefully took hold of the top of her foot and pressed a thumb into the arch, causing Y'shtola to jump a little and almost spill some of her tea. But the surprise was quickly replaced by an expression of relief as she began to rub her thumb up and down.

"Feels good?" S'eni asked, her voice lowering just a tad bit. Y'shtola only nodded, eyelids fluttering closed and making her smirk. They were just getting started. Using a few more techniques, Y'shtola soon became so visibly relaxed that she had to put away her cup for fear of dropping it to the ground, and her sighs filled the otherwise silent room. Music to S'eni's ears that spurred her on even further.

Eventually, though, she was done and gently placed Y'shtola's foot back down. "The other one, please."

It took a moment for the other Miqo'te to respond, eyes blinking rapidly as if having just woken up from a pleasant dream. But once the words had registered, she was quick to switch. "Mhm, I should ask you for this more often."

"You should," S'eni agreed and proceeded to repeat the process again. As she watched the tension leave her lover bit by bit, so, too, did she relax as well. But with that, the fatigue of the day also began to set in. And by the time she was done, she was pretty much ready to just collapse on the pillows. And from the look of things, Y'shtola was already a step ahead. "Shtola?"

She gently shook her.

"Hmm?" Y'shtola replied, not opening her eyes.

"Time for bed." Another hum, followed by the other woman falling to the side and crawling over to her side of the bed. S'eni, in the meantime, moved over to the sink to give herself a quick washdown, leaving her clothes just lying on the ground. Once she was done, she climbed into bed, nestled up against Y'shtola, and closed her eyes.

She was out in seconds, drifting into a deep sleep...

 

---

 

Everything was quiet, as he looked around. It almost felt a little bit as if he was submerged in water, an endlessly deep ocean where no light or sound reached. Peaceful. Tranquil. A part of him wanted nothing more than to simply let himself become one with it. To finally sleep. But...

"I found you at last!" he said, and when his friend spoke he couldn't help but chuckle. "Yes, it's been a long time. Especially for you."

A brief pause followed, then his friend spoke again, a note of annoyance in his voice.

"No, no...I truly was about to sleep. But just as I was about to doze off and everything began to fade...well..." he trailed off, his mind briefly going to events long forgotten that had only just recently come back to him. "It is the same for you, is it not? That is why you are keeping close attention to things even here."

His friend responded to that and this time he laughed. "Haha, indeed. After all, every new beginning sprouts from an end."

After saying that, he took his place at his friend's side and began to watch her as well. Their new, old friend...

 

Notes:

After a hard won battle follows a well erned rest...

Chapter 154

Friends Gathered

 

And so, a decision was made. After deciphering the coordinates for you, the Lopporit petitioned the Forum to make the necessary changes to the ark that would deliver you to your destination. It was certainly not an easy choice but, in the end, they voted in favor of your proposal to take the fight to the enemy and the course was set. To what they dubbed 'Ultima Thule'.

At least in theory. These changes wouldn't just happen from one moment to the next, and now you and your companions find yourself with ample time on your hands. Knowing you, of course, you will have found something to keep you preoccupied, but might I make a suggestion nonetheless...?

Spend it with those dear to you. For they are what will give you the strength to face what is about to come.

 

---

 

A crunching sound pervaded the air as S'eni walked along the barren, white fields of Mare Lamentorum. Her eyes flickered briefly towards Etheirys, shimmering and blue, seemingly peaceful if not for her knowledge that the few dark spots she saw were not gathering storms, but the Final Days wreaking havoc instead. She returned her gaze forward to her current destination. The sole building standing tall in the distance, the Watcher's Palace.

When she arrived there, she climbed the steps and stepped through the huge doors. The Watcher was there, his back turned towards her as he looked upon a row of records. Argos was too, and the dog immediately stood up from his resting place to walk over to her, blue eyes twinkling with expectation.

Well, who was she to refuse?

"Hey there..." S'eni said, reaching out her hands to thoroughly pet him, something he clearly enjoyed. A smile formed on her face and she chuckled inwardly. If only he had been this friendly in Elpis. I suppose time travel makes for strange meetings, wouldn't you agree?

"I was wondering if you would come pay us a visit," the Watcher suddenly said and turned around to face her.

"You did?" she tilted her head a little.

"I felt it. The severance of the link between Etheirys and the moon. So...is it done then? Has Hydaelyn found peace at long last?"

S'eni gave Argos one final pat and fully faced the Watcher, locking eyes with darkness beyond his mask. She nodded. "She entrusted us with the future of the star."

The Watcher nodded as well and made his way over to his desk to sit down. "And what are your plans now? I have noticed the activities of the Lopporits in the past few days, but do not know the reason."

"We are going to travel where Meteion waits and put a stop to the Final Days. But for that, we need the Lopporits' 'hyperhopper'—" her fingers formed quotation marks and she was unable to stop the brief flash of amusement as she remembered Fourchenault saying that word. "—to get there. That's what they've been up to these days. I was lending the Ilsabard Contingent a hand in transporting the necessary parts to Sharlayan and now that I'm done I thought I'd come by to..."

"...To what?"

"Ask about Venat," she said and began to walk over to him. "From the way you spoke of her, you seem to have known her quite intimately in life. And while I met her in Elpis, I would like to learn more about her. Before she became Hydaelyn."

If he was surprised by this, he didn't show. "And why do you wish to know?"

"Because I made a promise to someone to remember that the Ancients once lived. And that includes Venat."

"I see." the Watcher leaned back a little and folded his hands in his lap. "I am but a construct of a soul that sacrificed himself to create Hydaelyn. My memories of the times before the sundering are muddled at best, and those I do possess are the ones She granted to me upon my creation. Still, I shall offer you what I know."

From behind her, she felt Argos push his nose into her back, before lowering himself to the ground. A silent offer upon which she took him up, sitting down next to him and leaning against his body. Once the Watcher was sure she was comfortable, he began to speak.

"Long before the Final Days, Venat was already a scholar of much merit. A well-spoken woman who managed to draw in admirers and opponents alike. It was during that time that she came to take up residence in Anamnesis Anyder. I 'recall' having worked as an archivist, and that I had been asked to assist her in her studies. That is how I came to meet her. Over the years, we would engage in lengthy discourse, the topics I cannot clearly recall I fear, but I know I always left these conversations quite tired but with a new perspective on my own theories. Then, one day, she made a discovery that turned her world upside down."

"That the conditions to bring forth life itself were a coincidence."

"Indeed. And it was that discovery that made her leave. She would return. Sporadically, sometimes months or even years apart, but always with stories of discovery that drew in not only me, but many others as well. Over time, she was granted many honors, but those were of little consequence to her. Her eyes were always looking towards the horizon like a true traveler, and never forgetting her friends." He paused briefly. "Then...the Final Days began, and the place where she had come to study became the headquarters of those that had gathered around Venat. And soon after, Hydaelyn was born from our sacrifice. You know the rest, and I am afraid that is all I can tell you right now. I feel that there is more, but it escapes me at the moment."

S'eni frowned, but understood nonetheless. Hydaelyn most likely had a reason for not giving the Watcher his full memories, and those he did possess She might have granted him by pure accident similar to what happened with Hythlodaeus's shade in Amaurot. Which meant that whoever he once had been, Venat must have truly treasured him. The corners of her lips then rose, as an idea formed in her mind.

"Then why don't I tell you a little about my time in Elpis?" she offered.

He regarded her for a moment but eventually inclined his head. "I would like that."

So that is what she did, beginning with how she even got there in the first place. The Watcher listened intently, not uttering a single word to interrupt her tale. In a way, it might even be the first time that the being he was now ever had Elpis described to him in such a fashion, so she left not even the smallest detail out. "—there was even a shoebill there, can you believe that? I swear that bird stalks me the same way that boy stalks Nashu..."

Time passed easily as she regaled him on some of the more memorable encounters she had, and she probably could have continued all day, if not for the fact that Tataru had called her earlier. Something about wanting to show her something. And she would rather not keep her waiting for too long. So she ended her tale for now.

"I'm sorry, but I have to go now." S'eni rose to her feet.

"I understand. You have an important task to fulfill, and I would not keep you from it," the Watcher said. "Perhaps...another time?"

She smiled. "Yeah. Perhaps next time, I'll tell you about my meeting with Venat."

With one final pat for Argos, S'eni turned around and left. The Watcher remained seated, looking at the closing doors, before rising back to his feet. Silently, he walked back over to the records he had looked upon earlier. As his hand reached out to one of them, a feeling stirred up deep within him. One he could not truly explain. But through the fog that was the majority of his memories, he could see it.

A cheerful smile, free of the constraints of mask and hood. Aimed at him in greeting.

 

---

 

By the time S'eni was done with what Tataru had in mind for her, the day had given way to evening. Thankfully, there was no work involved and most of the time was actually spent having pleasant conversations. When she finally did return to the Annex, holding a sizable box in her hands, she ran into Krile, who was just stepping out.

"S'eni, you're back," Krile said and, eyes going to the box, smiled. "And I see you received your gift, too."

"Yeah. Did you know about it?"

Krile nodded. "It was a surprise long in the making, with many, many long hours of fretting to get everything just right. I'm glad to see that it's finished."

"Sure wasn't expecting this—" she raised the box slightly. "—when she called. Heading out?"

"Yes, I have a few matters to attend to. If you're looking for the others, they should be somewhere about. I recall Y'shtola, Urianger, and Thancred mentioning getting something to eat. So if you're hungry, perhaps you could go join them?"

S'eni's stomach answered before she herself could and Krile giggled.

"Well, that's that, I suppose. If you need anything, I'm at Noumenon." Giving her a little wave, Krile turned around and walked away.

Heading into the building, she went to her room to drop the box, then followed her friend's suggestion and made her way to the Last Stand. And just like Krile said, she found the three of them seated at one of the larger tables facing the pier, enjoying the assortment of delicacies placed on top of it. The sight made her mouth water and her stomach growl again.

Loud enough for her lover to pick up on, ears perking up slightly, and look towards her. "I see Tataru could not keep you from a good meal. Don't worry, we saved some for you."

"Yes, come sit down, and we'll see about getting you a drink," Thancred said and waved over an Au Ra waitress.

"Thanks, I'm starving." S'eni sat down and began to fill the empty plate with food.

"Hast thou perchance had the opportunity to partake of the rainbow pudding?" Urianger asked. "Owing to its striking flavor and somewhat garish appearance, 'tis quite popular. Indeed, so popular that the Last Stand's stock hath been entirely exhausted. I should hope, at the very least, Puddingway did sup upon this most delectable of desserts."

"With the way he acted upon his arrival, I'd be surprised if he hasn't bathed in it already." After saying that, she turned her attention to the approaching waitress and pointed at Y'shtola's wine glass. "I'd like to have the same as her."

"Of course." The waitress nodded and walked away.

"So, 'Eni, what was it Tataru wished to talk with you about?" Y'shtola asked and raised her glass.

"Just a present she hopes will aid me in the coming battle," she replied and took a bite of a tasty-looking chicken leg.

"That's so nice of her!" A smile formed on the other Miqo'te's face. "Our Tataru is simply the best, isn't she?"

"Sure is," Thancred agreed and his eyes took on a slightly faraway look. "Looking back, we've been through quite a lot. And accomplished just as much during it."

"Indeed. It feels like forever ago when fate brought us together with Louisoix and we journeyed to Eorzea." Y'shtola twirled her glass, looking at its contents. Her eyes then glanced over to S'eni. "...then came Carteneau and the formation of the Scions. One might say that was the actual first step on our journey. Yet, the more we experienced in our adventures, the more I came to realize just how little I truly understand of our world."

"Wise words...As I began mine studies here, I fancied true wisdom within reach. Alas, in truth, I hadst but opened the first page of a gargantuan encyclopedia." Urianger leaned forward to grasp his tankard of ale. "'Twas every new encounter that broadened our horizon, taught us things we didst not know even existed. Even from our greatest adversaries didst we learn."

"And now we are going to travel to the edge of our universe itself..." Y'shtola turned her eyes skyward.

"Hard to believe, isn't it?" S'eni asked. "That sure hadn't been on my list of things when I first left home. But then again, so weren't a couple of other things."

She sent Y'shtola a little wink, earning a chuckle in return. Thancred on the other hand grew serious instead and he reached out for his own ale.

"Ultima Thule and the Endsinger. I can't imagine what will await us there." He took a hearty sip. "But whatever happens, we can't lose. I made a promise to Minfilia."

S'eni smiled. "And I trust you to keep it, Thancred. Until my last breath."

His eyes widened in surprise.

"Is something amiss?" Urianger asked him.

"Ah, it's nothing. Just once again surprised by how much we've changed. How close we've grown from our shared experiences."

Y'shtola chewed on some of her salad and nodded. "We have come far, and we shall walk these last few yalms together as well. Life goes on. That's what we believe—what unites us," she said after swallowing. "And once we're back, we need to seriously think about what we should do with our hard-won future."

"True. The situation with the primals is under control, the threat of the Ascians is gone..." Thancred said. "It feels almost like a dream...but peace is finally within reach. For the first time, everyone is working together towards a common goal."

"Yes. We are close to realizing the Scions' goals.' Y'shtola glanced over her shoulder to peer at some members of the Ilsabard contingent working together with the gleaners. "And it's about time, too. We can't be the saviors forever. Especially now that we managed to bring everyone together."

"I actually never really thought about what comes after." Grabbing his tankard, Thancred took a hearty sip. "But even if my skills are no longer needed for the Scions, I very much doubt my life will change drastically. I'll continue with what I do best: travel the world and offer anyone in need my help. No more, no less."

"Pragmatic as always. Though I, too, believe that this star hath still much and more to offer. If thou permit, I wouldst like to accompany thee," Urianger said. "I must admit, I hath grown accustomed to our shared missions, with all their secrecy and investigations..."

"Sure, but try wearing something less conspicuous for a change. Someone can spot from malms away that you're up to something." Urianger frowned at that. With a chuckle, Thancred looked towards Y'shtola and S'eni "What about you two? Going to take some time for yourselves, perhaps?"

"Maybe for a bit," S'eni replied. "But we actually do have something of a plan already."

"Indeed. My wish to uncover the truths of our world is as unbroken as ever," Y'shtola said and gently tapped her cheek with her knuckles like she always did when thinking. "I plan to research a way back to the First. Now that Hydaelyn is gone, I wish to see what impact it might have had on the Source's reflection."

The smile on the other Miqo'te's face became one of fondness. "And I did make a promise. Which I hope to keep together with my ever-dependable assistant here."

A chuckle escaped S'eni at the teasing look aimed at her. "Can I at least get some time off to go on adventures?"

"That, I'm afraid, remains to be seen." They both burst into giggles. The same look was then aimed at Thancred. "Of course, it would be remiss of me not to offer an invitation for you to come along when we visit. After all, Ryne might still be in need of some of your fatherly guidance..."

"Really now..." Thancred muttered, unable to keep the embarrassed smile off his face. And was that a stain of pink she was spying on his face? That was certainly not from his ale!

"It gladdens mine heart to know thou hast already decided on a course," Urianger said to S'eni. "Though given thine nature, 'tis but one of many."

Her lips parted to respond, but she was interrupted by glass placed in front of her by the returning waitress. "I'm sorry for the delay. Here's your ordered refreshment."

"Thank you."

"Well then, how about a toast?" Thancred smiled and grabbed his tankard once again. "To our victory!"

"To true companions," Urianger added.

Y'shtola nodded. "And to the star's future."

"Hear hear!" S'eni said and they all raised their drinks.

The rest of the meal was spent with pleasant conversation, jokes, and a few more drinks. Or more than a few in Urianger's case. It was nice to just sit together like this and enjoy everyone's company. But as the stories they shared began to go further back, way before she even met any of her friends, it felt a bit like she was intruding. So after swallowing her last bite and washing it down with the rest of her wine, S'eni rose back to her feet.

"Leaving so soon?" Y'shtola asked.

"Yeah. The weather is nice, so I think I'll take a little walk."

"Well, I suppose it's for the best...if you'd rather not explore the bottom of a bottle with Urianger." They looked over to the Elezen, who was trying, and failing, to articulate something to Thancred. "We'll keep an eye on him, don't worry. I'll see you later?"

"As if you had to ask," she replied and leaned down to plant a kiss on her lover's cheek, before walking off.

She wandered around aimlessly for a bit, just enjoying the pleasant evening. Eventually, her feet carried her up towards the Studium and, of course, Noumenon. As she made her way over to the latter, S'eni found herself coming to a stop when her eyes spotted something, or rather someone, at the nearby pavilion. It was G'raha and Alisaie, sitting there with a couple of books next to them.

Both fast asleep.

Feeling the corners of her lips twitch a little, she walked over to them and reached out a hand to gently shake Alisaie. But all she got in return was some muttered words and her hand being swatted away. She then looked over to a free spot next to G'raha and moved to sit down. Might as well enjoy the quiet for a bit.

So she closed her eyes and did exactly that, listening to the steady rhythm of her friend's breathing alongside the soft breeze. Minutes passed like this until a pair of small footsteps made her open her eyes once more. It was Krile, coming towards them with a smile on her face while raising her hand. Upon seeing the other two, she giggled.

"Those two were full of energy when they left earlier," Krile said in a low voice. "But I suppose I would be sitting right there with them had I gone searching for books with the same amount of eagerness."

"It doesn't help that they were probably egging each other on too," S'eni replied in amusement.

Krile grinned at that, but her face grew serious then. "I can't tell how many times I've watched you all run headlong into the next adventure. Always proud, sometimes a little envious, and, yes, worried as well. I always think about how much you and the others had to sacrifice for peace and the happiness of others. But what about your happiness?"

"Our happiness?"

"Yes." The Lalafel looked at the sleeping Alisaie. "I wish that you too could experience the simple joys of day-to-day life, or at least a single night of sleep, knowing that tomorrow will be just another day. That your hearts wouldn't race from the rush of battle, but from exploring exotic towns. That you will one day find a home where no battles have to be waged. Life has still so much more to offer, and you also have the right to experience this happiness with your friends."

"Krile..." she said.

"S'eni...promise me that you will never give up hope on your own happiness, no matter how rocky the road may be. Because it is that feeling, that wish, that we first forget in the face of battle." the smile returned to Krile's face. "But at the same time it is our greatest strength in our hour of need. So never ever lose hope."

S'eni stared at her friend, only now truly realizing how much they must have made her worry. Ever since she had joined them to help locate Minfilia and Thancred, Krile had always played more of a supporting role, and when they had all been whisked away to the First, all she could do was to keep the others from expiring. And never once had she asked for thanks, or a reward. No, all she was right now, was for her to never lose sight of happiness. Gods, she felt so incredibly stupid now.

But instead of words that would otherwise come far too late now, she nodded and mirrored her friend's expression.

Next to her, G'raha began to stir, slowly raising his head. As he opened his eyes, he blinked a few times as his gaze landed on her. "Huh? What are you doing here?"

"Rise and shine, Raha," she chuckled.

"Hm...good—" he stopped mid-stretch, and his eyes widened. "Wait, what—How long did I sleep!?"

His outburst caused Alisaie to wake up as well, looking about in confusion before she, too, realized what was going on.

"Well, apparently not long enough. You look like you read through all of Noumenon," Krile said.

"Ugh. Feels like it too," G'raha said and grabbed his head. Alisaie, all the while, rose to her feet and walked over to S'eni. Planting her hands firmly on her hips, the young woman glared at her.

"Not one word!" Alisaie growled. "You better not be telling anyone a single peep of this! Or else!"

S'eni backed away a little, blinking once, twice. Yes, clearly not enough sleep.

"Only if you sleep in your own bed next time," Krile said with a huge grin."Someone who wants to save the world should be well rested, after all."

Alisaie just groaned in embarrassment.

"Not to repeat myself, but what are you two doing here anyway?" G'raha asked.

"I was returning some books to Noumenon. Who knows when else I would have the time to?" Krile replied.

Red eyes landed on S'eni. "And you?"

"Just enjoying the quiet while taking a little evening stroll," she said and began rising back up. "Speaking of which, I should probably get back to that."

"A walk sounds pretty nice right about now. Or maybe a quick bout of training..." Alisaie said.

"And something to eat. I'm famished," G'raha added.

"Shtola, Thancred and Urianger are down at the Last Stand. There should still be some food left, so why don't you go there?" she suggested, before raising her hand while beginning to walk off. "See you tomorrow. And the only training you should be doing is getting some shut-eye."

Another groan from the young woman echoed after her and she giggled. Continuing on her stroll, she soon reached Journey's End and, since she was already there, decided to see what was happening at the Leveilleur estate. To little surprise, she found Alphinaud just outside of it, conversing with Estinien. What did surprise her, though, was the latter's state of dress.

"What in the hells are you wearing?" she found herself blurting out as she approached them, making both turn their attention towards her.

"What?" Estinien asked, sounding a bit annoyed. "You've seen me out of my armor before."

"Yeah, but not like...this." This being a nice pair of pants, boots and a very fine looking, blue falconer's shirt. She certainly had never seen him in such a presentable state before.

"I'm afraid I'm at fault for that. In my letter back home, I mentioned Estinien quite a few times. And now that the man himself is here, well...Mother wished to meet him," Alphinaud explained.

"Ugh...couldn't you have arrived sooner, partner?" the Dragoon pinched the bridge of his nose. "Dinners like these are not my thing..."

"Really? From where I am standing, you did rather well. Mother certainly couldn't have been happier."

Estinien grimaced. "Maybe. I still prefer the quiet of a tavern in Kugane...but if our tightfisted mistress of coin saw me drinking a tankard of ale on her cost, I'd never hear the end of it. So I let myself get roped into this."

"My apologies. I did not realize how averse you were to the idea. I just thought it would be a nice gesture to fulfill my mother's wish before we head off," Alphinaud said with a slightly embarrassed smile. Realizing how what he said sounded, he waved his hand in a swift motion. "Not that I am saying we won't return from this mission. And yet...thinking about the Final Days and our mission, I at least wish to make use of the time still left. The end is nigh, and it involves us all. Why not spend our time with those we cherish?"

"And we did. It's not like I had anything else to do." Estinien smiled then. "You and your mother share a special warmth. I didn't expect that in a house of your standing, if I'm being honest. It felt...familiar. I'm grateful to have shared in it."

Alphinaud looked at him in surprise, and S'eni too couldn't help the little grin from forming on her face. Well well...someone sure has grown soft, she thought.

Clearing his throat, Estinien dropped the smile and immediately made to walk away. "In any case, enough talk. Shall we?"

"Alright," she said with a barely hidden chuckle and fell in step next to him. They had just made their way down the set of stairs leading to the estate when Alphinaud's voice called out to them. Stopping, they looked at him.

"Ever since I left this house, I have made many mistakes. Some of which can never be made up for. Once more I find myself embarking on a journey into the unknown. But this time, I have friends walking alongside me," Alphinaud said, his tone as heartfelt as his expression. "Thank you. Both of you. It means more to me than I could ever put into words."

A brief moment of silence followed before Estinien turned his head to glance at Alphinaud from over his shoulder. "No. It's I who should be thanking you. Without you, I wouldn't be alive today, and Nidhogg's powers would have ceased to exist without doing good in the world. So, thank you."

"And together we're going to keep doing more good," she said, receiving a smirk from her friend.

"Right you are. Let us show this Endsinger what an unbending will is!" he said.

After bidding Alphinaud a good night, Estinien and her headed down the path to the southern part of Journey's End to head back to the Annex. Light shined out from the windows as they passed the buildings and muffled conversations could be heard. Occasionally, they encountered other people, old and young, who had felt a similar urge to enjoy the pleasant evening air. It was almost hard to believe that tomorrow would be the day...

As they made their way past the Rostra and into the direction of their destination, S'eni stopped short when she spotted Y'shtola on the bridge ahead, resting her arms on the wall with her eyes closed while her hair danced in the wind. Estinien gave her a sideway glance, before excusing himself with a quiet "good night" and heading inside. Walking over to the other Miqo'te, she slipped in place next to her, brushing her head against Y'shtola's.

"Managed to get Urianger back in one piece?" she asked.

"Thancred and I had to lend a hand, but yes. Though come morning, I suspect he will regret not having read the ensuing headache in his card," Y'shtola replied and S'eni giggled.

"And now you're out here doing...?"

"Enjoying the breeze, mostly. But also thinking..."

"About what?"

Y'shtola smiled and opened her eyes to look at S'eni. "You," she said. "We talked about how much we experienced and how it shaped us, but the fact of the matter is that without you, none of it would have been possible. And it all started the day you first set foot onto Eorzea."

Her first instinct was to protest, and knowing her, Y'shtola immediately silenced her by gently pressing a finger against her lips.

"You are special, Eni, like it or not. The crystal in your bag stands testament to that. But even without it, all your deeds speak for themselves. You are the embodiment of all of Minfilia's hopes and dreams. I've said it in the past and I'll do it as many times as I must: you are the light of hope that chases away the darkness to deliver the dawn," her lover said, the tone in her voice brooking no argument. But it swiftly turned soft as her expression grew warmer. "But you also have a good heart, are reckless to a fault, and above all, will always give it your all when your friends need you."

Then, a look of embarrassment crept onto Y'shtola's features and she pulled her finger away to rub her forehead. "I'm sorry. I did not mean to overwhelm you. I suppose I had..."

"A lot on your mind?" S'eni offered.

"Indeed. I blame too much wine. Perhaps..." Y'shtola locked eyes with her. "...it's time to head to bed."

What she found reflected in that silvery-white gaze, though, told her that the other woman had something else in mind than to simply sleep. Of course, she had no reason to object and countless more to say yes. So she simply nodded and, taking Y'shtola's hand, led them back to her room.

It was slow and sensual, their bodies moving in passionate unison and their moans the only thing echoing through the darkness as they made love. Waves upon waves of pleasure that made S'eni forget about the trials awaiting them and instead trapped her in the blissful here and now. By the time it was over, and neither of them had any energy left to keep going, they collapsed on her pillows in a happy pile of sweat and limbs.

Just as she was about to give in and let herself drift off, the other Miqo'te's broke through the silence. "...Eni?"

"Hmm?"

"I...need you to promise me something." At those words, S'eni opened her eyes to look at Y'shtola, a silent question forming on her face. A hand rose up to cup her cheek. "Whatever happens...you must not give up."

Her tiredness pushed away momentarily, she could only stare at Y'shtola, who returned it with piercing pale eyes. There was little mistake in what she meant by that. Danger was nothing new to either of them. They had thrown themselves into it countless times only to somehow still defy death in the end. But...this time there was no telling what awaited them at the edge of the universe. At this...Ultima Thule.

She raised her own hand without looking away and gently took hold of her lover's, guiding it to her lips to plant a kiss on it. "Only...if you promise me the same," she said.

Y'shtola's eyes widened and she exhaled sharply. After a brief moment, her lips curled into a strained smile, and she nodded. Without another word, they both leaned in and sealed their promise with a deep kiss.

 

---

 

It was a quiet night in Ala Mhigo. Not a single soul was on the street bar a few guards on patrol, their watchful eyes on the lookout for any signs of trouble, be they man or apocalyptic beast alike. But their attention was so focused on the streets and alleys, that they missed the shadowy form jumping across the roofs, making its way towards the palace. There, too, it encountered very little that could possibly stop it from reaching its destination.

The Royal Menagerie.

With a huge jump, the shadow landed on the edge of this pleasure garden that had once housed some of the most exotic creatures that could be bought with money. But for all their ferocious appearance, they had provided only the smallest hint of a challenge. Not that it mattered now.

Jumping off the wall, the figure draped in crimson darkness moved to the very center, and came to a stop. It still looked like it had on that day. The day of that first bitter, yet so so sweet defeat. With a barely audible exhale, the shadow vanished, leaving only Zenos.

This was where she had defeated him, and where he had taken his life. Yet, he had not died and instead found himself inhabiting another body. What followed was a journey to reclaim what was rightfully his. It had been a rather trivial matter, and in the end, he had slain his father with his own hands and used his corpse in Fandaniel's scheme. All to draw her in. To relive that one moment on an even grander stage.

But, it was not meant to be. And afterwards he was left wandering, looking for challenges to sharpen his claws on until she was ready for their rematch. Until...that girl had asked that one question that ultimately led him here.

"...Why should you even entertain this battle of ours?" he asked out loud, kneeling down to run his hand over the flowers that had once been soaked in his blood. "What did you hope to find when you first fought me?"

Plucking a flower, he looked it over for a few seconds, then let the wind carry it off into the night. He turned his gaze towards the stars, each of them twinkling in defiance of the darkness surrounding them. Just like her.

"What...was it that drove you so...?"

 

Notes:

Anyone else was sightly annoyed we didn't get to visit the Watcher after Hydaelyn's passing? I know we have a conversation with him in the Alpha and Omega quest that came after 6.0, but I sorta felt it was appropiate to have a conversation with him beforehand. So consider this a sort of prologue to the quest in question.

Also sorry, no graphic sexy times this time around.

Chapter 155

Unto the Heavens

 

Dawn breaks upon a new day. And so it begins...the journey into the great unknown...

 

---

 

S'eni slowly opened her eyes, a tiny groan escaping her as the fog of sleep drifted from her mind. She looked about for a few seconds, letting her vision adjust to her waking state, then lowered her gaze to the arm wrapped around her waist, holding her close. After a moment of simply lying there and enjoying the closeness, she turned around in Y'shtola's embrace to find silvery-white eyes already watching her. She reached out and gently brushed a few locks of stray hair out of her lover's face, and smiled. Y'shtola returned it with one of her own, the tenseness of the previous night gone.

Not uttering a single word, they remained like this, simply embracing one another. Until, at long last, a knock resounded from the door. A little sigh escaped S'eni and she raised her head.

"Yes?" she called out, but there was little point in asking.

"I'm sorry for the disturbance." It was Ojika. "But Krile sent me to wake you all up. She is asking for your presence in the main hall."

"Tell her we're coming," Y'shtola told him.

"Very well," he said, soon followed by his tiny footsteps heading down the hallway.

Despite the seriousness of the situation, S'eni found herself grinning and quipped, "I think we've done enough of that during the night."

Y'shtola groaned at that and, with a muttered "Honestly", untangled herself from S'eni and got out of bed. With a chuckle, she watched her walk over to where their clothes had been unceremoniously discarded and began to dress. Sitting up, she stretched herself and got out of bed as well.

"I'll go on ahead," the other Miqo'te said, adjusting the feathers in her hair before grabbing her staff.

"Sure, I'll be along shortly." Stopping in front of the table where she had placed Tataru's box, she listened to Y'shtola leave, then began to open it. She reached inside and pulled out a cyclas of the finest quality, dyed a deep red and adorned with golden flames at the lower part. Befitting for a true disciple of the Fist of Rhalgr. She put it on and, looking at herself in the mirror, found that it fit her perfectly. She smiled. You really are the best Tataru.

After putting on a nice pair of shorts that offered maximum maneuverability, she slipped into thigh-high boots and long, fingerless gloves, followed by a pair of fitted gauntlets. Clenching and unclenching her fists, she jumped up and down a few times and nodded in satisfaction. Her eyes landed on her discarded clothes on the ground and she picked them up with a little chuckle, placing them neatly on a chair. "I'll be back for you later."

Once she had made sure she had everything in order, S'eni left her room and began to make her way to the main hall. When she arrived at the doors leading to it, she closed her eyes...and breathed.

Inhale. Exhale.

Inhale. Exhale.

Inhale. Exhale.

She opened them again and stepped through the doors. The others had already gathered, making her the last to arrive, but apart from a brief look towards her, none of them said a word. Only when S'eni took her place at the head of their group, did Y'shtola break the silence.

"How often has fate brought us together like this?" she asked. "And how many times have we deliberated on a course of action to face our enemies head first?"

"More than we can count, that much is clear," Thancred replied, his arms crossed in front of his chest. "We have come far since our times in the Waking Sands. Back then we had no idea what our journey would bring."

"'Twas not long ere our deeds lead us to the Risings Stones. Many a time its halls bore witness to much sorrow, yet, just as much, 'twas where we commemorated our greatest victories," Urianger added.

"And it was not even the only station on our long journey," Alphinaud said. "In the Falling Snows at Camp Dragonhead, we found shelter in our darkest time. Just as we did in the manor of House Fortemps. We were always fortunate to encounter people willing to lend their aid. Even in distant Kugane. Who would have thought that the East Aldenard Trading Company would one day count amongst our allies?"

"Don't forget the long days inside the Crystarium's Ocular, where we defied all danger and made the impossible possible," G'raha said.

"And now we've gathered here once more, ready to face our greatest challenge," Alisaie said.

Krile then looked at each and every one of them, and nodded. "The Forum has sent word that the preparations for the ark are finished. The Lopporits will man and fly it to the edge of the universe, Ultima Thule. You, the eight chosen from the Scions of the Seventh Dawn, will be the sole passengers, and you have one mission: find Meteion, and defeat her," she said. "Before embarking, the Forum has asked to meet you one final time within Labyrinthos. To make sure that none of you have any doubts and that you are aware of the consequences of this mission."

They all exchanged looks with one another, and it was Y'shtola who replied, "I believe that won't be necessary."

"I see. Then allow me to send you off with one final thing." Krile closed her eyes briefly, taking a deep breath. When she opened them again, they held a look of pure steel in them. "You must win. These words might have a different meaning for each of you. For one, it might mean to stop the Final Days, while for another it's the wish to return safely. And yet another might hold motives within their hearts only they know. Nevertheless, I trust every single one of you, and I know you are ready to give it your all. The people of this world are united by the hope of your victory. That is why you must win."

S'eni's eyes met those of Krile, holding her gaze for a few long seconds, before nodding and looking at the others. "Let's go," she said and they all turned around to leave—

"Uh...a moment...if I may..."

—only to stop at Tataru's words. The Lalafel stepped forward, hands folded in front of her chest and eyes filled with worry. She briefly licked her lips nervously before speaking.

"Krile has actually said everything already, but as the Scions' receptionist I have one last request." A smile then formed on her lips. "Please, everyone, come back safe."

Taken aback at first, S'eni then stepped forward with a smile of her own and knelt down next to Tataru. "Ever since I first set foot into the Waking Sands all those years ago, you have always greeted everyone with a smile. Even after my return, despite having forgotten one another, you were the first to welcome me. You, too, have come so far. I mean, some of us are wearing literal proof of it right now." Reaching out her hand, she placed it on top of Tataru's folded ones. "You are far more than just our receptionist. You are our friend, no, family, and we promise to come back safe and sound. So be sure to welcome us back with that same smile."

After giving her friend's hands a gentle squeeze, she rose back up and turned to face the others. The serious expressions each of them had held on their face were replaced by warm smiles. Now everything that needed to be said had been said.

They were ready.

 

---

 

Thaumazein was abuzz as they stepped inside. Friends and members of the project alike had come here together to see them off. Fourchenault, as overseer of the construction and representative of the Forum, stood in front of the ark and turned around upon their arrival. He waited until they came to a stop, eyes briefly going over to his kids, before speaking up.

"That is everyone. Very good," he said. "All preparations are complete. The coordinates have been entered and the ark is ready for flight."

"It certainly was another race against time. And we all worked ourselves to the bone..." another voice said, accompanied by footsteps. Glancing over her shoulder, S'eni saw Cid coming towards them with Biggs, Wedge, and Nero in tow. Raising his gaze to the ark, a smirk that belied his complaints formed on his lips though. "But it was worth it. What you're seeing here is nothing less than a flying marvel. Form, function, and, above all, safety in one perfect package. No doubt about it, this deserves the Garlond Ironworks' seal of approval!"

G'raha chuckled. "You truly have outdone yourself, Cid. We cannot thank you enough for what you have done."

"Don't mention it. Ever since the whole Omega fiasco, I couldn't get the thought of traveling the stars out of my head." Cid looked over to Alpha and the tiny toy Omega Weapon. Noticing that they were suddenly the center of attention, they turned towards them. "Sure, I would have liked to build the ship under better circumstances, but it was still an educational experience, let me tell you. As for the payment: when you've finally saved the world, you owe me a nice cold ale and a great story. Seems fair?"

S'eni shot him a grin. "More than fair!"

"That reminds me..." Cid turned his attention to Fourchenault. "Have you given it a name yet?"

"A name?" Alisaie asked, eyebrows rising.

"Yes. Since its purpose has changed. And it ought to be one that fits."

"Well, this ship was created by the cooperation of many. One that would have never come to pass without the Scions. But there is another important factor that made all of this possible in the first place..." Fourchenault said and turned around to look at the ark. "Let us remember Dalamud, whose fragments provided us not only with the necessary refined adamantite, but also the knowledge to travel the sea of stars. One of these fragments fell into the sea not far from here shortly after my father laid down his life protecting the world at Carteneau. And now that I look upon our finished work, I cannot help but wonder if it was more than mere happenstance...that perhaps it was one last guiding nudge of my brave father."

Looking up at the ship as well, S'eni smiled. The testament to man's ingenuity, created by people from all over the world. Used not to flee, but to fight for the future of all. Yes, she liked the thought that, perhaps, Louisoix had his own part in all of this.

Fourchenault turned around. "In honor of his deeds, and in the hopes that his guidance will see you all safely home, I would name them after the very same fragment he delivered to us. From this day forth, the symbol of our hope shall bear the name Ragnarok."

A round of smiles and nods followed, and the man looked over to his children with warmth in his eyes. The moment, though, was swiftly broken by Sicard's voice booming through Thaumazein. "Sorry for the wait! I got everyone you asked for, and not one less."

Turning around, S'eni's eyes widened when she saw not only the pirate walking in together with Soroban, but representatives of all other tribes as well. From Amalj'aa, Sahagin, Kobolds and Sylphs, to even Moogles. Everyone was present. Alphinaud, too, had a similar reaction.

"W-What are you all doing here?!" he asked.

"I took the liberty of inviting them," Livingway replied. "While you've all done a fine job preparing the Ragnarok, and it's quite a splendid carrot if I do say so myself, we still need the power of the Mothercrystal for it to take flight. However, its size is immense, and we hardly have the time to shatter it into tiny pieces to shovel into the aetherburner. So I suggested converting its energies into forms that can transport themselves!"

Urianger furrowed his brows in thought for a short moment, before realization struck him. "A primal summoning...or should I say, its precursor: creation magicks!"

"Care to explain it in a way regular people can understand?" Thancred asked with visible amusement.

"As we have witnessed in Bestways Burrow, the Lopporits shape the moon with the selfsame art the Ancients mastered," Urianger explained. "'Tis a highly advanced art. To perform it correctly requireth that the wielder holdeth the object in his mind's eye in clearest detail."

"So that explains the myriads of archives filled with concepts. They served the Ancients as a visual framework!"

"Indeed. And from this art, the Ascians conceived summoning as we know it. With but one, crucial difference: it replaceth the complexity of concepts with the simplicity of zealotry to bring forth a primal."

"I see...so the Lopporits will harness the Mothercrystal to give form to each of the tribes' gods," Y'shtola said. "No mere summoning, but a creation of primals instead."

"Indeed!" Livingway said. "While Hydaelyn bestowed the powers of creation to us, we were not allowed to just use them nilly-willy. She must have feared we would turn the moon into a carrot field otherwise...but it should be no problem to use the Mothercrystal's energies to create our friends' deities and send them towards the Ragnarok!"

Putting a hand on her hip, Alisaie looked quite skeptical at the notion. "Won't we run the danger of becoming tempered minions then?"

"Ah, yes. While I was reading about the summoning ritual, I came across hints that the Ascians incorporated an additional nasty element. Summoned forth that way, the gods' abilities to assimilate others to their faith is far stronger than it would be otherwise." The Lopporit then smiled. "But no need to worry, we don't need that element at all. Besides, it's not like we are summoning another Zodiark here, right? So relax. We'll be safe enough."

Maybe we should check the warding scales...just in case, S'eni thought with the look Alisaie was giving her, and was just about to voice that selfsame notion, when Soroban spoke up.

"Hm, to be honest, I do not understand the intricacies of this plan. But we Kojin will stand by our allies. Where others vilified and suppressed us out of ignorance, you offered us understanding and friendship." A round of agreements from the other tribes' representatives followed. "Today, we shall show you that our faith, our gods, can also do good."

"Alright then, you lot, we're headin' to the Aetherial Sea!" Sicard practically shouted, raising his fist with a grin. "And stay together. Wouldn't want anyone gettin' lost!"

"Lead the way!" Soroban replied, pumping his arms in excitement, and, with one last look towards S'eni and the others, turned around to follow the pirate.

S'eni couldn't help but smile at the sight and she closed her eyes, a hand going to her heart. Can you see this, Minfilia? It wouldn't have been possible without you.

Sensing someone approaching her, she opened her eyes to see Wilfsunn stopping next to her. "May we have a moment?" he asked.

She nodded.

"We have long waited for the day the sea of stars would be within reach and, in anticipation of it, created these." Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a small device. Its shape was not unlike the many Allagan tomestones she had gathered in the past, but the material was clearly different. What stood out the most, though, was the large, crystal-shaped button that took up most of it.

"Portable teleportation devices," Bloewyda explained as she handed Urianger one, then proceeded to do so with the others. "One for each of you, designed to work in tandem. You just need to press the button on one and in a matter of seconds all eight will activate and transport you back to the Ragnarok. There is no telling what hazards you may encounter. If you find yourselves separated or lost, please do not hesitate to use them. Be safe, all of you. And come back."

Urianger smiled and put the device away. "You as well. I pray you take care."

"Well, I'll take my leave and head on board, then," Livingway said. "A few of my fellows will remain here to assist with the summonings. The rest of the paw-picked Lopporits are all manning their stations and are ready for flight."

The small woman walked away and Fourchenault turned his gaze towards S'eni. She could see the conflict within his eyes, the barely restrained desire to keep his children from going. She nodded at his silent plea and his shoulders relaxed ever so slightly. "If you are ready, then you should go as well. May Thaliak's wisdom guide your way."

"Thank you. And may the Warden watch over you while we are gone," she said in return and looked over to her friends. They all signaled their readiness and began to head after Livingway. Making to follow as well, she stopped at the last second and walked over to Coultenet and Hoary Boulder. "You guys will have to hold down the fort until our return."

"And we will, for as long as it takes," Coultenet said. "But we won't have to do so alone. The times when we were branded as traitors and had to flee the Rising Stones are long gone. We have allies in abundance, so you don't need to worry about us. Go forth in the knowledge that the Scions will labor without rest in your absence."

Her lips quirked upwards and she gently bumped her fist against Houry's chestpiece, before moving on to Emmanellain, who seemed a little bit annoyed. "So that was the covert operation Sicard was assigned? Hmpf! No doubt he thinks we were all impressed by the way he barged in here, like the hero of the hour," he said, but as his eyes fell on her, his scowl was replaced by the jovial grin she had so gotten used to. "Well, I suppose that he leaves me no choice but the most spectacular of farewells. Yes, a display of such jubilance my arms may very well fall to pieces."

"Why don't you save your energies for when we return instead?" S'eni offered with a chuckle.

"Hmm, yes, I suppose you are right, old girl."

She looked at him for a moment, dressed all in the armor of House Fortemps. Back when she had first met him, he had been quite a fop. Vainglorious and mostly just enjoying the fruits of his ancestors' labor. Of course, that part hadn't fully disappeared, but he had nevertheless grown up quite a bit; worthy of the unicorn that adorned his shield.

"Haurchefant would be proud to see you like this," she said and watched as his expression grew serious.

"...Do you really think so?" he asked.

"I know so." With a deep breath, she then turned to the rest of their friends and, giving them a final nod, jogged after the others.

 

---

 

As they stepped into the bridge, S'eni felt her jaw drop at the sight that greeted them. In the past, her forays into Allagan ruins and Garlean facilities had made her see many marvels of technology, but most of them paled in comparison to what she was seeing now. Beeps and boops, accompanied by tiny voices, filled the large chamber while the designated Lopporits were working at their stations, their hands moving over holographic displays at an almost impossibly fast pace.

"Welcome to the bridge of the Ragnarok!" Livingway announced, turning around and placing her hands on her hips. "I hope you have not forgotten anything. Luggage? Carrots, perhaps?"

"I think we're pretty much as ready as can be," S'eni replied after giving the others an amused look at Livingway's attempt at levity.

"Great! Then we can begin our journey to Ultima Thule. Get yourself comfortable, we're setting off in just a moment." She issued a few commands and another, far larger hologram appeared over the console her fellows were manning, holding numbers and graphs of which S'eni could understand only precious few from her time in Werlyt. Coordinates and the state of the system, she suspected.

"This technology..." Alphinaud breathed out. "It's...incredible..."

The Ragnarok suddenly jolted beneath their feet, and Alisaie took hold of her brother before he stumbled to the ground. A loudspeaker embedded in the wall began to chime and Fourchenault's voice echoed through the bridge. "Fourchenault speaking. Can you hear me?"

"Loud and clear!" Livingway called back.

"Good. I just received word from the Aetherial Sea that the preparations for the ritual are complete" he explained. "We have just initiated the fourteenth phase of the starting sequence and moved the Ragnarok to the launch site. The gates are opened. You may depart when ready."

"Well, you heard the man. Ready for take-off," Livingway.

"As are we," Alisaie said, then pursed her lip with a blink of her eyes. "...so are we going to take flight?"

"No, no, no! We can't just take off like that!" Mappingway suddenly protested and spun around in his seat. "This is a momentous moment. Come on, once more with feeling!"

Crossing her arms in front of her chest, S'eni tapped her foot while waiting for one of the others to oblige his request. When nobody said anything, she looked over to her friends only to see them all staring at her expectantly. She glanced over to the Lopporits, only to find them doing the same. Except for Sleepingway; he was giving honor to his name instead.

Fine then. If they deigned to pick her, she might as well give it her all. Raising her hand in a dramatic manner, she shouted, "To the very edge of the universe. Ragnarok, engage!"

It was enough to cause Sleepingway to awake from his slumber and look around in a slight panic. "E-Engage!" he called out and slapped his hand on the controls.

"Engage!" the other Loporrits joined in and the Ragnarok began to shake once more. In a matter of seconds, the large displays in front of them came to life and revealed to them the clear, blue sky. Feeling a hand place itself against her upper back, she turned her head to meet Y'shtola's eyes. They exchanged a little smile, then watched the air pass by them until a beep came from one of the consoles.

"Summoning ritual complete," one of the Loporrits said and pressed a holographic button, changing one of the displays to a rear view. A giant pillar of light was rising from the island, followed by multiple smaller streams shooting out from within and towards the Ragnarok.

"Can't say I've ever expected them to come to our aid," she murmured when the all too familiar form of Ifrit and many others appeared on the screen.

"Strange bedfellows, indeed," Y'shtola said and they both chuckled.

One by one, the summoned primals' aetheric forms flew into the Ragnarok's aetherburner, and S'eni noticed one of the graphs on the hologram rising. "Charge complete!" Sleepingway called over his shoulder.

"Deploy the hyperhopper!" Livingway commanded.

"Aye aye!" his hand smashed down on another one of the controls and a beam of concentrated aether launched from the ship's front, opening a portal in the sky. As they flew towards it, S'eni reached out to grasp Y'shtola's hand and give it a squeeze.

And with one last pull, they entered.

 

Notes:

Sorry, slightly late. Fell asleep.

So anyway, these next few chapters will follow a certain pattern that I'm sure you're all familiar with (but I won't mention because I know I actually have at least one reader who is not really familiar with XIV bar the characters, so sssshhhh), so the chapter lengths will probably vary.

Well, until next week.

Chapter 156

Notes:

So I mentioned S'eni's "endgame outfit" in the previous chapter, which is a little bit customized since I'm not a huge fan of the complete Anchorite set. If you wanna see it, you can check it out here.

Very well. Let's proceed, shall we?

Whispers

 

Steps reverberating off the walls, S'eni walked through one of the Ragnarok's hallways. It truly was an impressive sight. And to think that the sheer size of it all was created with a careful application of miniaturizing spells to the interior.

Suddenly, she sighed and leaned against a wall. How long have they been on route now? An hour? More?

She knew that getting to the very edge of the known universe wasn't exactly a little stroll in the woods, and even with, as Sleepingway had put it, them 'ripping along' it would still take time to get there. With nothing else they could do, they had split off to occupy themselves until their arrival. But by the Twelve, the waiting was beginning to get to her!

Perhaps a little bit of meditation is in order... she thought and pushed herself off the wall to look for a good place to do so. Continuing onward, she soon came across a room and decided this one was as good as any. As she got close to it, though, her ears perked up at sounds coming from within. With a raised brow, she stepped towards the door, causing it to slide open and reveal Thancred and Alisaie, having a little sparring session from the look of things.

Their weapons clashed a couple of times before the Elezen jumped backwards and began preparing a low-intensity spell, only to stop when she noticed that they were having an audience now. Seeing that, Thancred glanced over his shoulder and raised his free hand in a small wave. "Come to join us?" he asked.

"Was actually looking for a place to meditate," she replied and stepped inside. "I guess the waiting is getting to you too?"

"That's an understatement if I ever heard one," Alisaie sighed. "And it's not like there is much to do other than mindlessly staring out into this strange space on the outside."

"You could've taken one of the books Raha and you read yesterday along with you," S'eni suggested.

"He did. And last time I saw him, he plopped down in some room and started to read it." The young woman shook her head.

Hah, typical. But fully understandable. When she last saw Y'shtola, she had been talking to Urianger about the way they were traveling right now. Anything to kill time, really.

"So, are you joining in?" Thancred asked.

She shrugged. "Sure, if you would have me."

"Go ahead," Alisaie said, put her rapier away, and began walking over to a wall. "I'll take a little break in the meantime."

S'eni shared a look with him and gestured to the center of the room. "Shall we then?"

When they both got into position, a quick flash surrounded her and the outfit Tataru had given her was replaced by a Skallic coat. She reached over her shoulder to take hold of her Gunblade and pointed it towards her friend. He chuckled.

"I could tell from the moment you handled mine," he said and grasped his own tightly. "No cartridges. You're at a clear advantage in that department."

"Alright. Wouldn't want you to run out of steam, after all." A smirk forming on her face, she beckoned him forward.

He mirrored her expression and rushed forward. Their blades clashed with one another a few times, playfully trying to poke holes into each other's defenses. Then, suddenly, his expression changed and he brought down his Gunblade hard, causing sparks to fly as she blocked the strike. "So, who was your teacher? It couldn't have been Rostik, or he would have undoubtedly mentioned it."

"Close enough. It was a Hrothgar named Radovan—" pushing his blade away, she delivered a quick combo of slashes that forced him backwards. "—He's a friend of Rostik. I met him in Gridania while you guys were...indisposed."

Their blades clashed a few more times before they both jumped back. "I see. You sure aren't one to remain idle even in situations like that."

Spinning his weapon in his hand, Thancred moved back towards her, but she parried each of his attacks with a series of stab-like motions until she found an opening. She whirled around, using the momentum to fuel her strike, and harshly connected with his Gunblade, causing him to swerve to the side and leaving him vulnerable enough to point the tip of her blade towards his neck. With a little grin, she tapped the underside of his chin with the blunt side before stepping back to enter her starting position again.

"Not like there was much I could've done at the time. You were all unconscious." She frowned, thinking back on how helpless she had felt at the time. "So I threw myself into all sorts of opportunities to keep myself busy..."

"Heh, I'll say. Seeing you handle magic was quite a sight too," Thancred said after getting back into position. This, S'eni was the one going on the offensive and more sparks lightened up the room as their weapons clashed.

"That was far harder," S'eni said. "Matoya's book helped a great deal, but I still had to figure out a lot on my own. Learning to use a Gunblade was simple in comparison."

They traded a few easy-to-parry strikes, before locking blades. "It wasn't until Bozja that I truly understood the philosophy of the Gunbreaker. The oath they had sworn to protect their queen. Well, and here we are."

"That we are. And truth be told, I'm glad to see that, should something happen, you will be there to protect everyone," he said and suddenly hooked his blade underneath hers, then twisted it downwards. He immediately rushed in to disarm her and, with a smug look, pressed her own Gunblade against her chest. "I believe this round goes to me."

"Oh, are you so sure about that?" she asked.

"Hmm?" he tilted his head to the side. All of a sudden, a small flame formed in the palm of her hand and it shot towards her friend. Reflex kicking in, he raised his Gunblade to block it, but that left him open enough for S'eni to drop to the ground and kick his legs out from under him.

Thancred yelped as he landed on the ground and attempted to get back up, but found a boot planted on his chest. Tail flicking playfully, she took back her Gunblade and placed a hand on the back of her hip with a smug grin. "Now who does this round go to?"

"That was quite unfair."

"Maybe—" she stepped off Thancred and offered him a hand. "—but real fights are hardly fair."

He chuckled. "True."

As she helped him back up, the sudden sound of clapping hands made her look over to Alisaie. But, as it turned out, the young woman's hands were firmly placed on top of her knees, and on her face held a look of confusion. Almost simultaneously, they both shifted their heads in the direction of the door, where none other than Y'shtola was standing, a look of quiet amusement on her face.

"So this is where you've wandered off to," she said after lowering her hands.

"Yeah, well, as fascinating as your talks with Urianger can be to listen to, I doubt I could've contributed much," S'eni replied and placed her Gunblade on her back. "But since you are here now, does the great Master Matoya perhaps wish to join?"

Y'shtola narrowed her eyes ever so slightly and she smiled that far too familiar smile of hers. "Do you really wish to test yourself against the devastation I can wreak?"

"I think by now you know very well how I can do against devastation." She smiled as well and took a few steps forward. "So, how about it?"

The other Miqo'te seemed to consider it for a moment and took a step forward as well—

"Ahem, this is Livingway!"

—only to stop when the Loporrit's voice began to echo through the ship.

"Everyone come to the bridge. I repeat, everyone come to the bridge."

S'eni looked at her friends, their faces having grown serious. That could only mean one thing. They were about to arrive.

With a quick flash, her coat and Gunblade disappeared and they all made their way out of the room and towards the bridge. None of them uttered so much as a single word even when they met up with the others. When they finally arrived at the bridge, it was Mappingway's voice that greeted them. "...estimated arrival in eight carrots, maybe seven, depending on how hungry you are."

"Well that certainly sounds shorter than earlier," S'eni commented and Livingway turned around.

"Ah, there you are," she said. "Yes, we will arrive shortly. But before we do, I have a few words of caution for you."

S'eni nodded for her to proceed.

"Ultima Thule is not a star in the proper sense. It is rather a series of coordinates leading to a...patch of emptiness. Our sensors are detecting no signs of aether, not even a single twitch of our equipment. It is highly likely that Meteion used dynamis to build and obfuscate her hiding place."

"So in other words, we won't know what's there until we get there," Y'shtola said, receiving an affirmative nod in return.

"Do you really think it's a good idea to come along, then?" S'eni frowned. "If there's no aether, then you won't be able to see..."

"I'll have you as my guiding light, won't I?" the other Miqo'te offered her a reassuring smile. "I shall manage well enough."

"We'll stay here and keep the Ragnarok ready to take off at a moment's notice. Other than that, we'll try to support you as best as we can from here, but I'm afraid you will be largely on your own." A tiny smile formed on Livingway's face. "But Hydaelyn believes in you, as do we Loporrits. Just don't do anything reckless, you hear? Best you always keep a paw on those portable teleporters. Just press the button when it gets too dangerous."

"Understood. We shall proceed with the utmost caution," Alphinaud said.

"If your little chit-chat is over, I'd suggest you brace yourselves. We're about to arrive and the ship will shake a good bit," Mappingway called over his shoulder. All of a sudden, his holographic screen turned red. "What in the...something is interfering with the equipment...?"

One by one, the other screens began to flash red as well, and a warning sound blared through the loudspeakers. Holographic error messages appeared all around them and, shortly thereafter, the lights went out, leaving only the screens and the faint glow of the consoles to keep the darkness at bay. Everything became silent...

...

...

"...Greetings."

S'eni immediately whirled around to look behind them. Standing there by the door was the unmistakable form of the one they sought. Meteion, looking just like the last time she had seen her in Ktisis Hyperboreia.

"Greetings..." Meteion's voice came suddenly from her left and she turned towards her. "Can you hear me...?"

"Meteion..." she said.

"So that is her," Alphinaud said.

"And who are you?" the girl tilted her head, a note of curiosity in her otherwise monotone voice. "Have we met before?"

S'eni took a step forward. "Since you don't recognize me, that must mean you're one of her sisters, aren't you?"

"All I know is that you are from Etheirys." She seemed confused at that. "But why? All you would have had to do is wait and I would have delivered your end."

"Because nobody asked for that end!" Alisaie spat back. Meteion just blinked.

"...I do not understand. All life will wither away one day. That is the way of the world...Is a quick end not preferable to a life of suffering?" Meteion asked. "All your efforts are in vain: the happiness you seek, all the roads you have travelled in its pursuit, nothing of it will remain if a star reached its end. Life is meaningless. Even if you pretend this cruel accident is something wonderful."

Neither of them deigned that with an answer.

"Do not resist. You must have long since realized it. A simple look upon the star-filled sky is enough. The true nature of the universe is nothing more than a cold, unending darkness. A silent void. The stars that still shine are but putrid wounds blotting its vast emptiness. Life is unnatural. So let yourself succumb. Become that which you were meant to be."

"We have not come here to argue with you," Y'shtola said. "No one understands better that life is fleeting, and that happiness is anything but assured."

"Indeed. I've seen plenty of sorrow in the eyes of those I met during my travels," Thancred said, averting his gaze. "I myself carry plenty of regrets. And if I were to die right now, all my deeds and memories would simply rot away with my corpse."

"But we have come here to grow beyond this suffering," Alphinaud said. "We know that our existence may seem pointless. That it is filled with countless painful challenges. Yet if we press on, and do not give up, we can still find joy and happiness. That is why Hydaelyn guided us here. She loved life, and thus tasked us with this final mission: to face you!"

Meteion stared at them, her face remaining impassive this entire time. Slowly, she closed her eyes and lowered her head. "Yes, I can feel it. This burning conviction. This furious determination...I know those feelings well. I encountered them on many stars during my journey..."

Her head snapped back up with a sickening crunch.

"...yet in the end they were all extinguished."

All of a sudden, the screens and consoles began to shut down, wrapping the entire room in darkness. Looking around, S'eni exhaled sharply...only for her eyes to widen when no air returned to her lungs. With a gasp, she reached towards her throat, eyes briefly darting over to the others to see them also struggle for breath.

"You are approaching our nest. A world where emotions dictate reality." Meteion opened her arms in a welcoming gesture, her eyes glowing brightly amidst the darkness. One by one, they began to collapse to the ground, and something almost akin to glee entered the girl's voice. "A world where life has no meaning; where those who still cling to it cannot thrive."

With what little strength she still had left, S'eni raised her head off the ground. Even as her vision began to fail, she could still make out Thancred's form moving towards Meteion, his hand reaching for his Gunblade. He briefly glanced over his shoulder...and rushed at their enemy.

And then...darkness...

 

---

 

When S'eni regained consciousness, the first thing she noticed was her pounding headache. The second, that she was still very much alive. With a pained groan, she pushed herself off the ground and looked over to her friends, who were beginning to come to as well.

"By the Fury...what was that?" Estinien asked after having gotten back on his feet.

"I don't know..." she replied and helped Alphinaud back up.

"...Thancred?" Urianger wondered aloud as he cast his gaze around the bridge, and indeed he was the only one missing.

"Meteion is gone as well," Y'shtola noted. "Perhaps he awakened first and gave chase?"

"Maybe. Before I lost consciousness, I saw him attacking her," S'eni said.

"Well would you look at that..." Mappingway suddenly said and they all looked over to him. His eyes were glued to the restarted console. "We're at Ultima Thule!"

"Not only that," Growingway said, climbing back into his seat to read the holographic data. "But we clearly landed somewhere instead of nowhere. Atmospheric composition, ambient temperature, even lighting conditions. This is a place capable of supporting life."

What in the—But didn't Meteion say we couldn't exist here? She wondered. So how can this be?

"If that's the case, then Thancred may already have gone out to scout ahead. I suggest we do the same," Livingway said.

"Alright." She nodded.

After ordering her fellow Loporrits to do a full scan of the ship in case Thancred was still on board, Livingway led the way towards the Ragnarok's entry ramp. It opened with a loud his, and air began to waft into the ship. Though torpid and quite stale, it was still better than suffocating and she could feel her raging headache begin to subside as she breathed. What remained of it, though, was swiftly forgotten by the sight that met them outside.

"By the gods..."

 

---

 

And so our valiant hero finally arrived at the end of her long road. With her companions by her side, she sets out towards the end.

As I watched your path, I was keenly made aware of a singular truth. Though the curtains would fall again and again, so long as there were others to take the stage, there would always be tales to tell.

Very well then, so let it begin. The final chapter in the tale of the star.

Chapter 157

Our Journey

 

"By the gods..." S'eni gasped out and looked about as her feet hit solid ground. All around them there was nothing but a barren, jagged wasteland. Green steam was rising through cracks from the ground, wrapping the area in a strange sort of fog that seemed...strangely familiar.

"Is this...a dead star?" G'raha asked.

"I don't know..." was all she could reply as her eyes traveled up towards the giant, burned-out sphere looming above.

"As I live and breathe..." Livingway took a deep breath. "I live and breathe. The environment itself shouldn't kills us."

"In that case, let us search for Thancred while we're exploring the area," Y'shtola said. "Livingway, we leave the ship in your care."

"So—" S'eni tore herself away from the sight and looked at the others. "—where to even begin?"

"Let us begin from the prow of the ship," Alphinaud suggested. "It seems as good a direction as any. But we shouldn't stray far from one another."

"Agreed. There is a dizzying, disorienting feeling about this place..." Estinien frowned. "...We must be careful."

S'eni gave an affirmative hum and began to walk towards the prow, but stopped when she noticed Y'shtola lagging behind while looking around. "Shtola. Do you need help?"

Blinking a few times, Y'shtola then turned her eyes towards S'eni. She shook her head. "No, not at all. I can...see."

She raised a brow at that, sensing that there was something more to it, but decided to not press it further right now. After they caught up to the rest, they wandered across the barren wastes. Here and there, she spotted a bit of plant life having somehow managed to grow its way through the cracks in the ground, but it all looked like it was about to wither away. And yet there was something else...a presence of sorts, like shadows in the corner of her eyes. There one moment, then gone the next, but always watching.

For a while she thought that perhaps it was Meteion, keeping an eye on them now that they had trespassed her territory, but that notion was quickly pushed aside when they came across the first sign of 'life' in the area. A set of ruins, but of what, she didn't know. Yet no sooner had they set foot into the ruins, did S'eni realize how grossly mistaken she had been about what was watching them. Where the shadows had kept their distance during the journey here, they were now awfully close, standing amidst the ruins. Large and—

"S'eni?" she heard Alphinaud ask, and she whirled around towards him. He frowned. "Is everything alright?"

"I—" S'eni glanced back towards the shadow, which remained where it was. Simply staring. "Y-Yeah. What is it?"

He furrowed his brows. "I said that perhaps we can find something that helps us understand this place. A relic of some sort, or an inscription."

"Ah, yes. Good idea." She nodded.

"And be careful. Something strange is going on here..."

I'll say... she thought and looked back towards the shadow. It showed not even the slightest inclination of moving. Slowly, she took a step towards it, reaching out her hand, but stopping just shy of touching it. Now that she stood close to it, there was no mistaking its shape. It was that of a dragon. But...how?

A sudden chill went down her spine as something cold and...dark, no, mournful radiated from the form in front of her, washing over her like a wave of exhaustion. She retracted her hand and stepped away, the feeling slowly vanishing as she put distance between them. The 'dragon' just stared at her. After a few, long seconds, she walked away.

She headed over to where Y'shtola was standing, eyes drawn to a structure nearby. A metallic pillar or perhaps a tower. It was hard to tell because it was partially melted. But from what she could tell, the damage wasn't inflicted purposefully. Instead, it seemed like collateral damage from an intense battle.

"Eni, this structure...it's partially melted, isn't it?" Y'shtola suddenly asked and pointed at where a good chunk was missing. "Especially there?"

"Yeah. So does that mean there's some aether here?" she asked right back.

"If there is, I can't tell."

"Then how—" Her eyes went wide and she looked at her lover. "Wait, does that mean...?"

Y'shtola nodded and cast her gaze around the area, before settling back on S'eni. "It feels almost like a dream, but yes. I can see all this, can see you, like I used to."

Her heart skipped a beat at those words. She had long since come to accept that the other Miqo'te would never truly perceive the world as she did. And now, due to some twist of fate, she was able to do so here of all places. "Shtola..."

"I don't know how. Perhaps what I'm seeing are but images that Meteion is etching upon my heart right now. Considering that this entire place is of her making, I have little doubt it would be well within her power," Y'shtola said, brows furrowing slightly as she crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Still, it changes little about what we have come here to do. Why don't you go check up on Estinien? He seemed a little out of it when up that hill a few minutes ago."

"Alright..." S'eni said with a nod. "But should something change with your sight—"

"Then you'll be the first to know." Her lover sent her a little smile. "Now off with you. We still need to find Thancred."

True. And that they hadn't seen sight of him so far worried her. As she began to head towards the exit of whatever this area was once meant to be she came across G'raha looking at a relatively intact structure. He pointed out that, due to the intricate designs, that this place had to be man-made, though he suspected its builders were not men how they would envision. Especially the design of it all seemed to be familiar to him in a way, and she had to admit that she too couldn't shake the feeling that she had seen it before.

After telling him to keep his eyes peeled, she made her way up the huge hill outside, where she found Estinien looking down at the area below. Or rather what little could be spied through the darkness and the fog that seemed to shroud everything. Once again, that strange familiarity overcame her at the sight.

"Coming up here was a poor decision in hindsight," Estinien said after a moment. "Besides the light from the Ragnarok, all is shrouded in darkness. If Thancred is here, I wouldn't be able to tell. All I know is that we're near the edge of some sort of island, surrounded by floating debris."

"Yes, I see what you mean. And from the look of things, it seems to be held in place by that thing." She pointed up towards a sphere floating high above. What was that?

"In any case, we won't find anything up here. Come, let's go back. And watch your step, if you fall you might just end up tumbling through the great expanse for all eternity."

"That's reassuring to know..." she muttered under her breath and followed him back down.

Back at the ruins, they found that the others had gathered together, and were immediately approached by Alphinaud upon their arrival. "Were you able to find anything?"

"No, it's far too dark and there's too much fog to really see past the area," S'eni replied. "And I guess none of you really found anything either?"

"I'm afraid not." Alphinaud shook his head. "And no sign of Thancred either."

"Nothing but emptiness as far as the eye can see. Though I can't help but feel like someone or...something is watching us. There are times when I sense it drawing close, followed by a chill washing over me that leaves me exhausted..." Alisaie said, rubbing her arm and looking around a tad nervous. "Leaving me with feelings of death and anguish."

"I felt it too," S'eni admitted, glancing over to the shadow from earlier. "When I approached that thing..."

"Hm?" Alisaie blinked and followed her gaze. "What do you mean? There's nothing there."

She can't see them?! Eyes growing wide, she stared at her friend, who only looked back at her in confusion.

Y'shtola looked between the two of them and frowned. "Perhaps we should search elsewhere before we jump to any sort of conclusion?" she suggested.

"Agreed," Alphinaud said. "We've only encountered more questions while searching for answers here."

"There's quite a bit of terrain near the ship's starboard we've yet to explore," Estinien said.

"Then let us continue our search there."

While the others nodded in agreement, S'eni turned back towards the draconic shadow, staring at it. It stared right back. A sigh then escaped her and she made to follow her friends when an armored hand placed itself on her shoulder.

"S'eni. A word," Estinien said and she nodded. Eyebrows drawn, he sent a quick glance towards the shadow. "You can see them too. The dragons."

A small breath of relief escaped her. "Yeah. But why are we the only ones?"

"No doubt because of your bond with Midgardsomr and mine with Nidhogg. Hmm, could these apparitions be related to the dragons now living on Etheirys?"

"Now that you say it, doesn't this place kind of remind you of the mountains of Dravania?" she asked. Much more dead and desolate...but the similarities were there.

"Hmm..." his frown deepened, before throwing up his hands. "Bah, let's leave conjectures like this to the others. We must be careful, we may soon find dragons the others can see as well."

"Agreed. Come, we shouldn't fall behind."

 

---

 

Estinien would soon be proven right in his assumption, as their search eventually led them to a spring that was inhabited by dragons. Unlike their shadowy brethren from earlier though, these ones held a more ghostly appearance, almost glowing in the darkness that filled this place. The others, of course, were quite shocked at the sudden sight.

"Surely, mine eyes deceive me. This cannot be possible," Urianger exclaimed.

"Do you think those are...ghosts?" Alphinaud wondered.

"I don't think so," S'eni replied and pointed at one of them drinking of the brackish water from the spring. A ghost would hardly feel the need to quench his thirst.

"But...how is that possible?" Alisaie wondered.

"What you are seeing here is nothing more than my memories of the withered stars I encountered on my journey," the answer came from above and they all looked up to see Meteion stand in mid-air. "They have become a part of me so that I might deliver their end."

"You mean to say their world is long gone and you are keeping them as a keepsake?!" Alphinaud asked.

"I do. Their star has long since faded away. All that remains of it are empty rocks floating through the great expanse," the girl replied matter-of-factly, turning her head to look at one of the dragons. "These shades are as lifeless as their former home. The dynamis has simply given their suffering and hopelessness a form."

Gods... S'eni thought and stared at the shades. Memories given form...

"We seeketh our comrade Thancred. Dost thou know where he is?" Urianger asked.

Meteion looked almost amused. "What a silly question. After all, he is right next to you. He is...everywhere, one with our nest. If he still had a form, he would most likely tell it to you himself."

"What?!" A look of shock formed on S'eni's face, while Meteion briefly closed her eyes, lips curling upward into a smile. And when she spoke, it almost sounded like the gentle chiding of a mother to a child.

"Ah, all this anger and fear resonating within you. I believe you have yet to understand why you are able to survive here. Just as I deliver Etheirys its ultimate destiny, so too do I let the dynamis consume your aether. The first to succumb was the noble Thancred, who spent his last breath to confront me. Brave, but useless. It only took a moment and he vanished into nothingness." Meteion's expression then became slightly annoyed. "And yet, somehow, a part of him persists. His essence...that which you call 'soul'...remains. Together with his last thoughts: '...I must protect them'."

Urianger gasped, a hand shooting up to cover his mouth.

"This emotion, this desire to defy me and protect you, was apparently stronger than despair. It has changed the dynamis of this place and granted it a new form. That you can survive here is proof of the unshakeable will of your companion. But I fear it will only be a matter of time until he is fully consumed."

"Then we should put an end to this now!" Estinien shouted, grabbing his lance and hurling himself into the sky, before descending down on Meteion. But just as the tip was about to bury itself into the girl's head, she vanished, causing him to strike nothing but the barren ground.

"It is useless. Your lance cannot touch me," Meteion said, suddenly standing off to the far side. "I told you already: emotions dictate reality here. You may have moved a single drop within the wide ocean, but it is still just that. It changes nothing. You may see me, but never touch me. You may follow me, but never reach me."

And with that, she vanished. A heavy silence hung in the air, lasting for a few, long seconds until Estinien put his lance away with a curse. Taking a deep breath, G'raha looked at S'eni. "What are we supposed to do now? Meteion clearly has the advantage. Who knows when she will appear again to taunt us? Or worse."

"I don't know..." she said and lowered her eyes to the ground.

"Let us venture forth," Urianger said. "In sacrifice he hath afforded us a chance to prevail. We should not squander it."

"Urianger is right. There's no turning back. If what time Thancred bought us runs out, all will be lost," Y'shtola said.

"'Tis true that the situation is quite dire, but I choose to believe he is not forever lost to us."

"...Yeah." S'eni nodded and looked back up. "Should we look around?"

"Mayhap these dragons can enlighten us. I would ask thou and Estinien to accompany me in speaking with them," Urianger said, then looked at the rest. "The rest of you I would ask to survey the surrounds. If there is a path that may lead us to our quarry, we must find it."

"Very well. We can reconvene here when everyone has finished," Alphinaud said. "But please be careful. If what Meteion said about them is true, then they are but shades that seek oblivion and not welcoming of company."

"Don't worry. We will," S'eni promised and watched them leave, before turning towards Urianger and Estinien.

"Let us split up and gather what knowledge we may," the former said.

"Alright..." Turning around on her heel, she walked off and towards a dragon not far, staring out into the distance. She tried to spy what he might be looking at, but try as she might, her eyes could not pierce the fog. "Um...excuse me?"

At first it seemed like he did not hear her, and she was about to call out to him again, when he finally turned his head towards her. He regarded her with a curious look. "Thou art mortal...not of this star..."

"Yes. My companions and I have come here with a ship that can travel the stars. I would like to ask you a few questions...if you don't mind."

"Ah, how I wish thy slender hands had brought plague. That thy breath would freeze my blood and extinguish life's flame." He released a long-suffering sigh. "For we await naught but death here, the long awaited moment in which time taketh its toll."

"What do you me—"

"We crave only silence. Thou disturb us with thy questions. I bid thee leave...and never return," the dragon said and turned his gaze back forward. With the conversation clearly over, S'eni continued on. Most of the other dragons close by simply ignored her, caught in their own lamentations. Until, at last, she encountered one who actually initiated a conversation.

"Life, meaning. So beautiful...yet so far far away beyond the distant veil," this one, a female, said and looked at her, eyes filled with sorrow. "Once upon a time, we dragons knew love. We were prideful and strong. Until the day they came."

"Who are 'they'?" S'eni asked.

"Warriors of black and silver. Metal monstrosities connected by neither blood, nor conviction. We lost the war, and our dignity. Leaden was the shame which pressed us into the dirt. We fly no more, only sink into oblivion..."

The dragon fell silent and S'eni, getting the hint, left her in peace. She doubted she would get any more information from this side, so she made her way past the spring towards the other side. But halfway there, she stopped and stepped closer to the water instead. Kneeling down, she dipped a hand into the brackish water to gather some of it and raise it towards her nose. She grimaced and tossed it back in.

This wasn't just slightly dirty, but downright polluted!

No way anyone could drink of this without getting seriously sick, or worse. And yet, these dragons were drinking from it. Perhaps it was due to their nature as living memories that they suffered no ill effects from it, or maybe it did and it simply was just another slow step towards the death they all sought.

Was this what you wished to save your brood from, Midgardsomr? S'eni asked in her mind and actually felt glad that the ancient dragon couldn't reply. She wouldn't want for him to have to see this echo of what remained of his former home.

Continuing onward, she eventually found another dragon, perched on a hill that was overlooking the area, that seemed willing enough to talk. "Thou wouldst ask me questions? What folly, for I have no answers to give," he said. "This world turned my heart to stone. And stones are only silent and still. They neither fly, speak nor roar. But one memory yet stirreth my heart: Ahm Nohl, cradle of unsung dragons. No words, no songs are possessed of the weight to describe such tragedy... Go, if that be thy will. I shall remain, like stone."

"Where can I find it?"

He moved his long neck and pointed his head in the general direction, then turned back to watching the area below. With a 'thank you' that, of course, remained unanswered, S'eni left to search for this place that seemed to be the sole lamentation left to that particular dragon. In the end, she didn't have too much trouble finding it, as none other than Estinien was standing just outside.

"S'eni. They sent you here as well?" he asked after she called out to him. "It seems to be the source of their woes and I'm beginning to see why. Come, take a look."

She stepped up next to him and immediately had to cover her nose at the foul stench that greeted her. "Gods, this smells like..."

Decay.

The Dragoon's eyes narrowed slightly. "This was a hatching ground. I've seen similar places on Etheirys. Not surprising, I suppose. Midgardsomr's kind must have thrived in a place such as this."

"Before the war."

"Hm. I doubt there's anything to salvage here, but maybe the eggs can tell us more about what happened here."

Descending to the hatching ground, S'eni felt her stomach churn at what they found. Shattered eggs, some filled with decomposing corpses of unborn dragons, while others were but formless masses within contaminated embryonic fluid. It was a heartbreaking sight, and she could understand now why these dragons had given up hope. To have lost the war against Omega's kind was one thing, but having to live with the knowledge that this was all that remained of their children?

Yes, she was beginning to understand why they had given up hope. And it made her all the more glad that, despite past conflicts, Midgardsomr had found a place where his kind could thrive again. Not like that would help them in their current predicament, though.

Then she stumbled across it. An egg unlike the others, looking much more healthier than the rest. And more important: it was broken from the inside out!

"Estinien, come over here!" she called out to her friend and lifted the egg up to show it to him.

The Elezen's eyebrow rose. "Would you look at that? Seems like one managed to hatch after all. No sight of it, or its sire, though."

"Looks like it hatched rather recently, so maybe it went looking for its parents." She placed the egg back down. "Should we go look for it?"

"It can't hurt. You start with the clifftops, and I'll search the plains."

S'eni nodded and hurried out of the hatching ground and towards the nearby cliffs. She was about halfway there, when her ears began to perk up at a sound she had grown quite familiar with during her dealings in Dravania. It was the telltale cry of a dragonet, but there was something...odd about it that she couldn't place, so she picked up her pace.

Eventually, she reached the place from where the cries came, finding a dragon whose disposition seemed even more lethargic than the others, simply staring out into the great expanse. Behind her was the little dragonet, flapping its wings and crying out to the dragon, and now that she was close, she saw why its cries had a strange ring to it. It was malformed, and its scales held a sickly palor where they weren't covered in boils.

As she stepped closer to the two, the dragonet turned around and, with a violent cry, began to attack her. She dodged its claws and tiny maw, trying to get it to calm down with words, but it wouldn't listen and its eyes held only the look of a feral beast. In the end, she put it out of its misery as painlessly as possible.

"At last the miserable howling hath been silenced...was it your doing?" the female dragon asked, but didn't look at her.

"What happened?!" she heard Estinien call out, as she came running. "I thought I heard a dragon, or something resembling one."

S'eni just wordlessly nodded towards the malformed body lying on the ground.

"Ah, I see..." he then turned towards the dragon. "Was that your child?"

"Perhaps. Some eggs within Ahm Nohl are indeed mine. If life within one did quicken, the beast thou hast slain may be of my blood. But thou hast seen it, twisted and malformed. No dragon in truth, but another punishment for our sins; a testament of our shame."

"Because of the war that ravaged your home?" S'eni asked in turn.

"Aye. A war we could not win. A war that laid waste to our star. So great was the destruction, that our invaders deemed it unfit and abandoned us to our ruin," the dragon explained. "The survivors sought to put away their shame. To rebuild. A futile effort. In purest soil replete with aether did we once cultivate our nesting grounds. But our lands were barren, and any eggs nurtured in such desolation were fated to rot. What few survive to hatch emerged as...abominations, their lives short and filled with agony. There is no future for our kind."

"Why didn't you try to travel to another star?"

"We have. Many have made the attempt. But the most promising stars were already inhabited and the arrival of incited war once more. When the fires faded, the wars lost and won, they too were reduced to ash and waste. 'Tis the curse of those who seek life. To be drawn into conflict, to conquer or be conquered. A vicious cycle we now choose to break. We tire of conflict. Of everything...We wait now in sweet, merciful silence. Free from strife and suffering. Still as stone..."

The dragon fell silent, obviously having said what she wished to say.

"Wait! You claim your kind is doomed, but there is another star─"

S'eni stopped him with a hand on his arm and just shook her head. Estinien gritted his teeth, clearly frustrated, but ultimately relented and followed as she began to head back down. Once they were away from the dragon, he sighed.

"They only want to brood in silence. But I suppose we at least know the source of their grief."

"There's something gnawing on you about this whole thing, isn't there?" she asked him and he sighed.

"I know the dilemma of which she spoke all too well. Senseless bloodshed because we feel there is no other way...it was the same with Nidhogg and I," he replied. "And yet..."

"And yet?"

He shook his head. "Nothing. For now we should head back to the others."

As they made their way back to the dragons' settlement, they passed by the hatching ground once more, the rotten smell in the air a reminder to everyone just what awaited them inside. Next to her, Estinien's face darkened and he muttered something under his breath that she could only partly hear. "If only there were winds..."

Upon their return, they found the others gathered at the place where they had split off earlier. "It is good to see you made it back in one piece," Alphinaud greeted them. "Say, how did it go with the dragons?"

"Not good, I'm afraid. They're all despondent, most not even wanting to talk, and those that do lament their existence. Estinien and I eventually came across one who was willing to explain the reasons for that. They wish to escape the endless cycle of conflict that has haunted their kind and await their death," S'eni explained to them.

"I see, that really does explain their lethargic nature. Thank you. We also learned something, even if it is not much." The young man frowned. "There seems to be no way off this island."

"Are you sure?" Estinien asked. "With all the debris floating around, there ought to be a way across."

"Not possible. I tried throwing a stone across...but it only ended up falling down on my head. It seems that Meteion is right and nothing here is as it appears."

"Even the systems of the Ragnarok couldn't find anything," Alisaie added. "Apart from the surroundings of the ship, everything seems to be unstable. The Loporrits said that we can't possibly take off in these conditions. So no way of using the ship either."

"I tried it with emotions as well. Given that they shape reality here, I wished to reach one of the other islands, but that, too, failed," G'raha said.

Estinien crossed his arms. "So we are stuck."

"If it's indeed true that Ultima Thule is ruled by emotions...then could it be because of the dragons that we can't move forward?" Y'shtola asked. "They are tired of fighting and only wish to die. Here, in this place. They don't need a way off this island."

"Hmm..." A look of realization suddenly formed on S'eni's face. "So it's their overwhelming desire to die that shapes this area."

"An interesting theory," G'raha noted.

"But if that is the truth, what recourse do we have?" Alphinaud asked. "We will be hardly able to persuade them to assist us. Their suffering was long, and I could not imagine a way to prove to them that there is yet hope..."

"Perhaps we don't need to. At least not with words." At the Elezen's questioning look, Y'shtola continued, "Thancred has paved our way with nothing but determination. Determination to protect us from Meteion. And it was that very same determination that has changed Ultima Thule. So why should it not work a second time around?"

Alphinaud furrowed his brows and his expression became one of deep thought. Urianger, meanwhile, turned towards S'eni. "Alas, simple words will not suffice to sway their hearts. We needst form a connection with them. Though I did not mark a leader among them as such, I did chance to encounter a dragon possessed of despair far more potent than most. Potent enough, mayhap, to dictate the course for others, and thus, their domain, to follow. Though I fear my vaunted rhetoric availed me naught against his calcifying heart. But mayhap one of you will fare better...?"

"Well, better than simply waiting around," S'eni said. "Lead us to him."

"Very well, we wilt find him not far from here, his eyes fixed upon the waters. An ancient dragon. Al End, they call him."

A fitting name... she thought as, one by one, they all began to follow Urianger. Only Estinien remained standing where he was, his eyes closed. After a brief moment, he opened them and followed as well.

Urianger led them out of the settlement and towards another lake not far from it. Just like he said, they found Al End lying near the shore, staring into the contaminated water. Even as they approached him, he didn't do so much as acknowledge their presence.

"As thou can see, he is less inclined to conversing than even his brethren. Naught but his name didst he reveal to me."

"Then perhaps I have more—" Alphinaud stepped forward, only to be stopped by Estinien.

"I'll take care of it," the Dragoon said and stepped towards the dragon, who continued to ignore him. "Hey! Are you all really just waiting to miserably croak?"

That managed to get a response out of the dragon. "Aye. Our pride is broken, our souls corrupted. The winds of hope hath long ceased and with them the wish to fly unto the heavens. We wait until time claimeth our bodies, until we taketh our last breath. We shall be as stone, until rain and storm grinds it to dust."

"And yet there are dragons who braved the great expanse to reach our star. There, they found a home to raise their brood, flying free and proud, their calls echoing even to the most distant corners of the world."

Al End moved his head, his glowing, green eyes finding Estinien's.

"There are dragons on thy star...?" he then sniffed the air. "Then pray tell...is that not the blood of mine brethen I smell upon thy lance...? So is strife and destruction aught they know on thy world...?"

"You got a good nose. I won't lie to you, yes, blood has been shed. On both sides," Estinien admitted.

A deep, sardonic laugh rumbled from within the dragon's chest. "As I thought. Wherever we fly, 'tis an unbreakable curse. 'Tis our fate to bathe in a sea of blood and suffering. A ceaseless cycle of destruction, until naught but ruins and bones remain. But within me rests what remaineth of our pride, and with mine death shall we at last be free of this cycle once and for all! Our extinction shall hail bloodshed's end!"

"It's true, if the dragons on our star had resigned themselves to this fate, then my family might still be alive today...But someone who wishes for true peace wouldn't just wait for death to claim him while wallowing in self-pity. He who wants peace needs the conviction to fight for it. Yes, sometimes that means blood will be spilled. But above all else, you need to be willing to offer your hand first before baring your fangs. The cycle can always be broken. That is what a friend taught me at the risk of his own life. There is nothing honorable about what you are doing here, nothing to be proud of. It's just the pathetic whimper of those who have given up on living a dream!" Reaching behind him, Estinien brandished his lance. "But I carry the dragon's legacy upon my shoulders and will not back down. We won't give up!"

Al End roared in anger and his body began to twist, dark mist pouring from him like with the victims of the Final Days on Etheirys. His form collapsed into itself, leaving nothing but a small, black bird. It exploded outward into a storm of darkness that enveloped the area where Estinien stood, trapping him within its eye.

"Estinien!" Alphinaud cried out and made to rush towards him.

"Stay where you are!" Estinien called back.

The storm grew fiercer by the second, their friend's form barely visible through the darkness, and Al End's voice, no, feelings resonated from within.

"Tired...so tired of all the bloodshed...all this suffering...too much to bear...end it...end our agony...this misery..."

"So that is how she has veiled the way from the abyss," S'eni's heard Estinien say. "Heh, very well, little bird, let's dance!"

From one moment to the next, the storm imploded...and Estinien was gone.

"Oh no, is he—?!" Alisaie exclaimed, but was interrupted when a sudden gust of wind shot forth from the spot where Estinien had stood only a few seconds ago, chasing away the fog that clouded the entire area and filling it with fresh air.

"The veil is gone...we can move forward..." Alphinaud said after a stunned silence. Despite his best efforts to keep his composure, his eyes began to brim with tears and his voice cracked. "He sacrificed himself for our sake...just like Thancred...gods, Estinien!"

With a loud sob, he covered his face with his hands, but it did little to quell the stream of tears running down his cheeks. Alisaie was immediately at her brother's side, putting an arm around and softly speaking to him. It didn't last for long, and he swiftly managed to gather himself, resolve piercing through the wetness of his eyes.

"Let's go," he said, his jaw set. "We follow the wind. It will guide us the way."

They all nodded solemnly and began to leave. After a few steps, S'eni stopped to look at the spot where Estinien had stood. She closed her eyes, her thoughts going back to his muttered words.

If only there were winds...

She breathed in the now fresh air, letting it quell the storm raging within her, before opening her eyes and continuing onward...

...ever following the wind.

 

Notes:

Are we all ready for the pain train? :)

Chapter 158

Notes:

Special chapter tonight, so I thought we'd celebrate it with another round of art.

First we have this lovely piece by Pudelmudel

Additionally we have this nice little moment by nin dianda

Unbroken Promises

 

Silence hung over their group as they walked across the desolate wasteland. Each of them was lost in their own thoughts. Only the whistling of the wind passing through the jagged hills filled the void, guiding them forward. Until, at last, they reached the edge of the island, and their silence came finally to an end.

"Look, over there," Alphinaud said and pointed towards a confluence of wind, forming a vortex that swirled in place. He turned around to face them. "It must be a sign of Estinien. We should ride its flow, and see where it leads us."

But just as he said those words, his shoulders began to slump and his eyes, having long since dried, lowered to the ground. S'eni took a step forward and gently touched his arm. "I'll go ahead. See if it's safe."

She gave his arm a comforting squeeze and walked towards the vortex. As soon as she stepped into it, her body began to rise and got carried by its flow towards the next island further up. When she landed, S'eni gave the area a quick sweep for any potential danger, then waved down towards the rest to signal for them to follow.

One by one, they landed on this new island, with Alphinaud being the last to arrive. With a far-away look in his eyes, he walked over to the edge and stared down at the rocky area. S'eni turned towards the others.

"Let's give him a moment," she said in a low voice before walking over to him.

She didn't speak, choosing to instead wait for him to do so, but nevertheless offered him silent comfort. A few minutes passed like this until Alphinaud exhaled deeply and said, "We have managed another step forward..."

"We have."

"And it is all thanks to Estinien's resolve. It was strong enough to defy the dragons' hopelessness. They still remain trapped within this prison of their own making, lamenting the horrors of war, yet Estinien knew those better than anyone. His honor as a warrior always made him fight for what he believed was right, and he still does..."

"Yes...Estinien hasn't given up yet," Alisaie said as she joined them, casting her gaze out into the distance, then landing on her brother. She offered him a little smile. "And neither has Thancred. Even now, with the dynamis having devolved their physical form, they continued to fight. For us."

"Alisaie..." Alphinaud slowly began to mirror his sister's expression. "Yes. You are right, of course."

"Our fight is not over yet either," Y'shtola said. "Let us press on. Together with Thancred and Estinien..."

"Indeed. So let us see where the winds have carried us." The young Elezen began looking about the immediate area and rubbed his chin. "At the very least this does not appear to be a fragment of the dragon star."

"Yeah." The tip of S'eni's boot dug through the sand under their feet. "Seems like a desert."

"Then whatever lifeform resides here will be vastly different. We should prepare for anything. And tread carefully. One wrong step and we could tumble into the darkness below."

They followed the singular path available to them and, before long, stepped out into the dune-covered expanse. Nothing but sand as far as the eye could see. Of course, being as dark as it was around here even without any fog, it wasn't much. As far as S'eni could tell though, no shades were watching them.

Her eyes landed on Alisaie walking ahead of her, who was trying to find anything in the distance, but had just about as much luck. Frowning, she then stepped closer to Y'shtola. "Hey..."

"If you are concerned about my eyesight, then I can assure you that I still see quite well," the other Miqo'te replied.

"Oh? Then maybe you should go ahead. Clearly you're seeing more than us." They shared a look, then smiled slightly, the tension leaving both of them if only a little bit. "How are you holding up?"

Y'shtola sighed. "I'm managing. As harsh as it may sound, we have little time to grieve for our friends. There will be enough time after all this."

"Hm. I suppose so," she said. A few seconds of silence ticked by before she asked, "...do you think he's right?"

"Who is right?" her lover asked right back, eyes scanning the distance.

"Urianger. He said he believes that Thancred isn't truly lost, and if so, then Estinien too."

Y'shtola looked back towards her, brows furrowed in a way that told S'eni that she too had been thinking about that. Her lips parted. "I—"

"Look, over there!" Alphinaud called out and they both turned their attention towards him. He pointed further ahead, where a faint, violet light was piercing through the darkness. Following it, they eventually reached a lone stone monolith. The glow that had led them here was emanating from crystals embedded into its rough surface.

"Mayhap 'tis a monument of sorts..." Urianger said as he inspected it. Reaching out a hand, he ran his fingers over the glyphs carved into the crystals. "A curious script. Alas, one I am not familiar with."

"I do not recognize it either," Y'shtola said, gently tapping her knuckles against her cheek.

"Nor do I. But I agree with Urianger," G'raha said. "And more importantly, it means that whatever culture inhabits this place is one that has mastered the written word."

Urianger stepped away from the monolith to look at S'eni. "Meteion claimed the dragons' world suffered a slow death, seeking the release of oblivion, correct?"

She nodded.

"Then what life we find here, like as not, doth wend its way towards a similar end."

Of course, she thought, her face darkening as she placed a hand on the back of her hip. "Going to have to find them first, though."

"Then I might have just done so," Alisaie said suddenly and pointed far into the distance. "Looks...like a tower perhaps? Definitely not a rock."

Stepping up to his sister, Alphinaud looked out into the darkness. "Yes, now that you are saying it...it is hard to make out, but it seems to bear the same crystal as this monument."

"Well what are we waiting for then?" the young woman turned towards them and nodded in the direction of this supposed tower. "Let's go check it out!"

It took a little bit, mainly due to the dunes they had to scale, but soon enough they reached this 'tower' that Alisaie had spied. Though that description only scratched the surface of what they found. Glyphs were not only adorning the nearby rock formations but also covered the very ground in large, circular patterns that vaguely reminded S'eni of leylines.

A ritual place perhaps? She wondered and looked at the violet crystal that hung from an 'arc' carved into the rock. Maybe for a summoning...?

But whatever speculation she had about this place went right overboard when they rounded a large platform and found something standing there. A figure of sorts, round in shape and covered in a white cloak. Above what she assumed was its head floated a white glowing halo.

It must have noticed them, as it slowly began to turn around, revealing nothing but amorphous darkness underneath the cloak, moving like a thick liquid. A pair of large, yellow glowing eyes peered at them from within. The being blinked and a voice filled the silence, but it didn't truly sound spoken and was quite distorted.

"Oh? Are these travelers standing before me?" they wondered. "What a most unexpected occurrence. Only rarely do individuals stumble into this corner of the universe. What brings you here?"

Eyes wide, Alisaie looked at the rest of them before replying, "Um...h-hello there. Does that mean you are an inhabitant of this place?"

"Indeed I am. Ah, my apologies. I would have a more suitable self-introduction ready if I was familiar with your kind...but allow me to try." The being began to twist and part of their amorphous body, eyes included, separated from the rest and rose into the air. It remained there for a couple of seconds until it rejoined the rest again. "There was once a time when our kind still relied on primitive vocal folds to convey our thoughts. In those days we called ourselves 'Ea'. Though it has very little to do with us in our current state. But dwelling on that would only overcomplicate the introductory process. Every Ea also possesses a nomenclature to help in the separation of the individual. You may call me Coph-coodg. Coph...coodg...yes that is my name. It has been since I had to recall it. Does that suffice as explanation for my presence?"

Mouth agape, S'eni slowly turned her head towards Y'shtola, only to be met by the very same expression on her lover's face. "Incredible...never before have I seen beings able to communicate completely without a voice. Some that make use of telepathy and hand gestures, yes, but never wholly so," Y'shtola said. "Perhaps these people have discovered a way to use aether that is entirely unknown to us? It could also have something to do with dynamis..."

"May I take from your assessment that you understood my explanation?" Coph-coodg asked. "Then I would like to ask you a few questions in turn. You are aware of the existence of aether, so it stands to reason that you too are aether-based lifeforms. Therefore, it can be surmised that your bodies are of similar makeup as those once possessed by us. Including your five senses—sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell. I would like to know all about them."

She shared another look with Y'shtola, her shoulders rising into a little shrug. "I suppose that's only fair."

"Oh, splendid! Do not worry, I have only one hundred forty-two billion questions. An amount that you should be able to answer within your lifespan, yes?"

That was not the amount she expected. And neither did the others if their collective reaction was anything to go by.

"That is—" G'raha cleared his throat. "—excuse me, did I just hear correctly? You said the Ea once possessed bodies like ours?"

"Quite right. We were once flesh and blood. We exchanged our physical bodies for these purely aetheric forms. What seemed desirable at the time, we ultimately strived to undo. But none of the still existing Ea is able to recall what it feels like to be mortal," Coph-coodg explained. "Without those memories, we are unable to create new vessels with the necessary nervous system that would ensure the correct transfer of sensations like touch."

"I believe I understand. But why the sudden change of heart?" G'raha asked.

"Is that not obvious?" the Ea blinked. "To bring an end to our existence, of course."

Of course, S'eni echoed their words within her mind and narrowed her eyes. With how enthusiastically they appeared about their arrival, it was easy to forget that the memories of the Ea were here for a reason.

"Naturally, it would be simple to end our existence by purging our aether, but such a death seems...inadequate. The nostalgics, of traditionalists if you will, among our kind would rather pass away within a body that grants our lifetime an unrevokable end. We seek the sense of finality that only mortality can give. And what you see here is the place where we tried to regain it...and ultimately failed."

Silvery-white eyes sought out hers and they both nodded. Y'shtola then said, "Before we come to your questions, we would like to learn more about your people. In exchange we shall answer you to the best of our abilities."

Coph-coodg's 'head' separated from their body once more, floating in mid-air in what she assumed was the Ea's way of mulling something over. "Hmm. An exchange of information might indeed prove mutually beneficial. Very well—"

Their head snapped back into place.

"—not far from here reside the Ea who seek to die a natural death. Our domicile if you will. I hereby invite you to join us there..." a hand with three long fingers emerged underneath the cloak and moved in a welcoming flourish. "If you would follow me. And do be mindful of the Ea wandering the desert. Their desire for bodies of flesh has eroded their minds."

With that, the Ea turned around and began to leave.

"That turned out to be surprisingly simple," Alisaie said as they began to follow.

"Even so, we mustn't forget that all life here has, in reality, long since ceased to exist." Y'shtola frowned. "What I fail to understand is why a civilization so seemingly advanced would choose oblivion."

"Why indeed..." S'eni said and let her gaze come to rest upon their guide.

She supposed they would know soon enough.

 

---

 

It really shouldn't have surprised her that the domicile of a people that long since abandoned physical bodies would be quite different from what they were used to. And yet she still couldn't help but feel amazed as she walked between the rows of curved rocks from which round crystals were hanging like glowing fruits, each holding a sleeping Ea according to Coph-coodg. As it turned out, most of them spent their time in an idle state and only emerged once in a while if a particular inspiration struck them. And to rouse them, one but needed to cast their thoughts out towards the crystal and the Ea dwelling within would respond.

So was this what the Ea's final days had been like? She thought, looking at one of the crystals. Was this the sight that greeted one of your sisters, Meteion?

S'eni shook her head. It didn't really matter. Stepping up to one of the crystalline abodes, she began to reach out with her thoughts, focusing on the one question that was on all of their minds: why do the Ea seek an end to their existence?

A few moments passed until a drowsy voice began to reply, "Hngh, why, you ask? Very well, I will explain...as soon as I can remember...what form I need to take."

She cocked an eyebrow, but nevertheless left. She might as well look if she could contact more of them. Sadly, her search was less than fruitful, as the next two crystals she picked only offered dead silence and a couple of moans respectively, something that Alisaie noted to have experienced as well when she passed by her. Eventually though, she encountered another one willing to talk and, after deciding she most likely would have much more success, decided to head back to Coph-coodg.

"Well, have the others agreed to satisfy your mortal curiosity?" they asked.

"Two of them did. The others I tried either didn't respond or couldn't," she replied.

"Yes, I expected as much. Many Ea lose their identity during their dormant state. Their minds are little else than a mass of aether harboring the fragments of a soul." They raised a hand at the look of shock forming on her face. "But there is no need to worry about the loss. Those who agreed to talk with you shall surely arrive soon!"

A part of her wanted to immediately ask how they could be so indifferent about this whole thing, but she knew that it would do very little. They wished for oblivion after all. The sound of approaching footsteps told her that the others were coming back and she turned around. "How did it go on your end?"

"None of the Ea answered my calls, but the others had more success in waking some of them up," Alisiae replied.

"Ah, and there they come already," Coph-coodg said and looked towards a group of three Ea joining them. "These are Lah-laakh, Dew-deekh and Neh-neeg."

All three raised their hands in greeting, followed by one turning to Coph-coodg. "It has been quite some time since we last met like this. Am I wrong or has Sadr IV completed an orbit in the meantime?"

"It appears so. If not for these travelers, I would have scarcely noticed the unravelling of some of the others," Coph-coodg said.

"Travelers...?" one of the other ones looked at S'eni and the rest, eyes narrowing slightly as if trying to recognize something. "Ah yes, those who wish to know why we seek to regain our corporeal forms."

"An answer plainer than the distant galaxies, one might think." Coph-coodg sounded slightly amused. "But it appears my account was not enough for a satisfying exchange of thoughts, so I asked them to wake you."

"Am I the only one struggling to tell them apart?" G'raha asked.

"Ah, good. I was afraid I was the only one," S'eni commented. How in the blazes could the Ea tell each other apart?

"Same as I. 'Twould appear in shedding their corporeal forms, they lost part of their individuality..." Urianger said as they followed the avid back and forth between the four Ea. Something about proper customs for visitors and how they had apparently forgotten exactly what those customs were. It was almost a bit funny in a sort of scatterbrained kind of way.

Before this entire conversation could become overly long though, one of them, Lah-laakh she guessed from pure process of elimination, finally seemed to remember. "Ah, of course. The custom is to serve food. Beings of flesh such as they must regularly replenish their aether. By contributing to their replenishment, we communicate our friendly intentions."

"That's right! That's right!" they all exclaimed in unison and Coph-coodg turned their attention back to their group. "Travelers, if your customs permit, we would invite you to feast with us. Afterwards, we may engage in leisurely conversation."

"If we have a chance to learn more about these people, then I see no reason to decline," Alphinaud said.

"Excellent. If you would please follow us. Rest assured, you will be served only the purest of aether."

As they followed the four Ea, S'eni noticed that more of them had emerged from their crystals and things seemed almost a little lively now. Unlike with the dragons before, their appearance here had stirred the locals' curiosity, if nothing else. And a morbid one at that, given their desire for physical bodies stemmed from the wish to die.

They soon arrived in a sort of plaza, marked by the same glyph-covered crystals embedded into the ground in another carefully laid out pattern. A sizable amount of Ea had gathered here, simply standing about gazing upwards. Was this how they 'ate'?

"This is where we replenish our aether reserves. It may not have a special name, but the nostalgics among ourselves like to refer to it as a 'restaurant'," Coph-coodg explained. "You just need to stand over there. In but a few moments this area will be awash with aether. Please absorb as much as you like."

They did as they were told and simply waited. And waited. But nothing happened.

"Yes, I thought as much," Y'shtola said after a few more moments and stepped up to S'eni. "As convincing as it may be, this is still Ultima Thule, not the star of the Ea. No aether can be generated here. As recreations, they are oblivious to that fact, not unlike the phantoms we encountered in Amaurot."

"Yes, it's frightening how life-like they are." S'eni frowned and put a hand on the back of her hip. "Meteion really outdid herself in creating this place."

"Which is all the more reason we need to remain cautious..."

"So, did you enjoy your aether?" Coph-coodg asked as they and their fellows approached them.

"I'm afraid we couldn't absorb it," Y'shtola replied. "It must be a deficiency in our bodies."

"How unfortunate...may I ask how you normally replenish your aether?"

"We consume food and drinks with the help of our mouth," S'eni explained and made a motion as if biting into an apple. The Ea were downright shocked at this revelation.

"Your mouths?!" The one she believed was Dew-deekh exclaimed. "How delightfully primitive!"

"Does it not also serve to expel sound and draw in oxygen?" Neh-neeg asked, clearly fascinated by this. "Life-forms with such an inefficient metabolism have long since vanished from our system!"

"Though we regrettably could not partake of your magnificent feast, rest assured we feel your welcome most keenly," Urianger then said in an attempt to steer the conversation towards the topic at hand. "In the course of acquainting ourselves with your sophisticated ways, however, we not fail but wonder: wherefore do you wish to obtain vessels of flesh, and thence to vanish? Will you not favor us with an explanation?"

"There it is again, that mortal curiosity. This almost charming straightforwardness...But who can blame you? We will try to explain it to you," Coph-coodg said. "In the beginning, when our ancestors still possessed corporeal bodies, the pursuit of knowledge and the advancement of technology was the center of our civilization. Driven by the belief that we could eliminate misery and abide in true happiness, we sought to transcend all limitations of our existence."

"And there were many such limitations," Lah-laakh continued. "From the tangible, such as land and resources, to the intangible such as labor. But the most confining of all was the flesh itself. Our natural lifespan was distressingly middling, you see. Too short to enjoy unhurried lives, yet too long to be considered disposable. Furthermore, to simply maintain the integrity of our bodies demanded considerable resources."

Neh-neeg raised a hand. "But after long years, we discovered how to become noncorporeal entities with everlasting lives, untroubled by the failures of the flesh."

"And with the infinite time we had achieved, we had the freedom to pursue all those scientific secrets our lives would have us otherwise denied. We went on to make ever greater strides in our quest, until we finally decided to challenge the last of them all: the limit of knowledge," Dew-deekh said.

"The limit of knowledge?" S'eni repeated after them, tilting her head.

"We wished to decipher the laws of creation," Coph-coodg replied and a gasp escaped her. Unperturbed by her reaction, they continued. "We sought to discover how the universe came into being and explain all extant phenomena, and, with that knowledge, predict the future. We believed we could be free of fear and uncertainty if we achieved this."

"...And did you achieve your goal?" Y'shtola asked after a brief silence, her eyes narrowing.

"Indeed we have. We unveiled the most fundamental truth of all."

"Knowledge of said truth is essential for the continuation of our conversation. If you truly wish to know, we will share it with you," Lah-laakh said, but Dew-deekh immediately interjected.

"No, we mustn't! As primitive as they might be, it would still be unspeakably cruel to do so!"

"But Dew-deekh, is it not our duty as those who have gone before to spare them the cruelty of our chosen path?" Neh-neeg asked and the four Ea once again began to discuss among themselves.

S'eni watched this with furrowed brows. A truth so fundamental that it was necessary to understand why they wished to have their bodies back, but too cruel to reveal it to them. Just what could it be?

"What thinkest thou...?" Urianger's voice pierced through her thoughts, but when she glanced over her shoulder to look at him, he had his eyes to the ground, an expression of deep contemplation on his face.

"We have deliberated and come to a consensus," Coph-coodg suddenly announced, drawing her attention away from her friend and towards them instead. "If you truly wish to hear the truth of the universe we will reveal it to you. We will wait for you at Elegeia, a place outside our domicile, where the graves of our ancestors stand."

With those words, the four Ea left them to think. Hands going to her hips, S'eni tapped her foot a few times, before looking over to Y'shtola. Her lover's eyes were still narrowed and silent frustration radiated from her. Master Matoya and her had dedicated their lives to the uncovering of the truth; to unveil all the secrets that their star held. To now see those who claimed to have unveiled the very truth of the universe, only to ultimately throw it all away with their death, must be frustrating indeed. But she could also see the desire reflected in her silvery-white gaze. The desire to know what it was the Ea uncovered.

Reaching out, she placed a hand on the other Miqo'te's shoulder. "Shtola, are you alright?"

"The most fundamental truth of all..." Y'shtola said and exhaled deeply. "Very well, let us follow them and learn what made such an enlightened people stray from their path towards such an indolent end."

"Ere we join the Ea, I would ask for thy patience. There is a matter I would fain investigate," Urianger spoke up. "It will take but a moment. S'eni, G'raha Tia—might I trouble you for your assistance?"

"Just S'eni and I...?" G'raha blinked and sent her a glance. "Well...of course."

"My thanks. We shall head outside the abode, if you would kindly follow me."

Y'shtola crossed her arms. "I don't know what you are plotting again...but I trust you, Urianger. In the meantime, we shall head to Elegeia. And don't worry, we won't start without you."

Urianger offered Y'shtola a deep bow, before turning around and walking away, G'raha close on his heels. S'eni for her part frowned and looked at Y'shtola. She received a small smile in return.

"Don't worry, we'll manage here. So go on and assist Urianger in whatever he wishes to uncover."

"Alright..." she said and began to follow the two of them. She did not see that, as soon as she had turned, Y'shtola's expression darkened and her right hand curled into a tight fist.

They left the domicile and headed out into the desert, traveling across the dunes while being ever mindful of those Ea that had lost their minds to the desire of having corporeal bodies. As the distance to the domicile grew, S'eni found herself wondering what exactly it was that Urianger wished to investigate out here. Eventually, they found a spring and he stopped.

"Aye, this place shall serve," he said.

"Was it this spring you wished to investigate?" G'raha asked and looked around.

"Nay." Urianger shook his head. "Pray forgive me...but there is naught to investigate. 'Twas but a pretense to speak in private."

G'raha and her exchanged a look. "You have our undivided attention."

"As we have established, here in Ultima Thule, those denizens of ruined stars are recreated in their twilight days. Yet one question doth arise in my mind. So faithfully formed are the simulacra, they believe themselves yet amongst the living. How dost thou suppose this is possible?"

"If I had to guess, I'd say Meteion has absorbed their hearts," she said. G'raha nodded.

"I agree. If she can take the emotions of others as her own, then it would certainly explain that she could replicate them so faithfully," he said. "And that, in turn, must mean she has encountered the originals during a time when they were still alive."

"So too did I theorize and, upon that assumption, consider how those two races may have met their demise," Urianger said and met her gaze. "According to thine own tale, Meteion perceiveth the emotions of those nearby as her own. A heightened sense of empathy intrinsic to her nature as an entelechy. In the course of her star-faring journey, if she encountered beings who strongly desired a cessation of their existence..."

"She would be powerless in the face of that desire," G'raha finished.

"Powerless, while likewise in possession of the power to grant it."

"Dynamis," S'eni said.

"Indeed. 'Tis my supposition that, overwhelmed by their longing for death, Meteion did unleash dynamis and ushered the dragons and the Ea unto their doom. Of course, such was not always the outcome; full many stars did she find already lost to ruin. Therefore, should you struggle to find the way forward, pray ask yourselves this: in the place where you stand, whose is the soul that yearneth most desperately for oblivion?"

G'raha averted his eyes. "...why do you tell us this now?"

"Ne'er again would I betray your trust. This pledge I did make to my comrades. In bringing thee into my confidence, I would remain true to my word." Urianger offered her a smile, but she found herself unable to return it in kind when the realization of where this was going began to slowly creep into her mind. He turned it towards G'raha. "As for thee... Let us consider it my fitting reward for the secrets I harbored for the Crystal Exarch. I once placed my faith in thy chosen path, walking at thy side full knowing that we were bound for thy demise. I ask now that thou returnest the favor, and abide in faith as I fulfill mine own destiny."

G'raha closed his eyes and released a shaky breath. "As if I had any right to refuse..."

"Urianger..." she took a step closer to him. "Is this really what you want?"

"Tis indelicate of me, I know full well, and I can but beg thy forgiveness. Yet even if I must needs go to such lengths, I cannot well feign ignorance of the answer I have found within...The answer to the question: in what moment might I stand strongest?"

"Then...I won't stand in your way," S'eni said and looked away, biting her tongue to keep herself from saying anything more. Never before had her words tasted so bitter...

"Do what you must..." G'raha said, his voice firm now. "Do what you must, and see your conviction through."

"I shall, my friend. I shall." Urianger exhaled deeply. Everything that needed to be said had been said. "Come, let us join the others and hear the Ea's tale."

Heading back in silence, they found Y'shtola and the others at the place called Elegaia. Monoliths not unlike the one they had encountered in the desert were scattered around the area. The graves of their ancestors, according to Coph-coodg. They seemed to be talking about something with the Ea, but stopped when they noticed their arrival.

"Everyone is here," Y'shtola said and turned towards their hosts. "Very well, will you now tell us about this truth you uncovered?"

"As you wish. But to get one thing out of the way first: the goal of this conversation is not to convey to you a scientific explanation as it would be impossible for you to understand them," Coph-coodg said. "Which means that instead of reconstructing the underlying thesis and theoretical reasoning in minute detail, we shall rather focus on the conclusions to which we came and the resulting consequences for our species."

"In the past, our findings plunged Deneb III into mass hysteria. It would be quite...undesirable to see your star fall victim to the same phenomenon," Lah-laakh explained. "So we would ask you to please understand if we keep the details of that time a secret."

"It is up to you how you share your knowledge with us, and which details you divulge," Y'shtola said. "Please, continue."

Coph-coodg nodded. "Long ago, our universe was but a miniscule dot. Until at a particular moment, it began to rapidly expand. A species like yours, confined to the surface of a singular star, will never know the true scale of its size."

"But we realized to which this still continuing expansion would inevitably lead to," Lah-laakh said. "The further the distance between the stars grows, the colder the universe becomes. And when their light is at last extinguished, so too will life cease to exist. Nothing but cold darkness will remain. That is the unavoidable end towards which all of existence is headed."

The unavoidable end... S'eni thought, visibly disturbed by what she heard.

"While verifying the truth of this theory, our greatest scientific minds sought to find ways to avoid this fate. To no avail. The conclusions to which they arrived were so sobering, that the name of the project became synonymous with futility. It became clear to us that the end of the universe could not be stopped," Coph-coodg said.

"The consequences were catastrophic. Our creativity and thirst for knowledge came to a stop, and all efforts seemed pointless," Lah-laakh explained. "All knowledge that our civilization had endeavored to collect over the ages...would become nothing but dust. Not even beings, who could lament this loss, no scholars to uncover our legacy, would remain. That is the unavoidable, sombering consequence of the end of the universe."

"And so it was that, from one moment to another, we were nothing but conceited fools. Our knowledge, the source of our pride, became nothing but a monument of insignificance. The eternal life we had acquired became scorned and our people turned their backs on existence." Coph-coodg looked towards the monoliths behind them. "These bear the names of those who preferred the purging of their aether over a senseless life. And yet, many thought that even this gesture was pointless."

"I, too, long for the end. That is why I wish to regain my corporeal form. So that I may find salvation in death," Lah-laakh said and their fellows nodded.

"You are free to make your own decisions, but we can only advise you not to waste your time with the senseless pursuit of knowledge," Coph-coodg told them. "Ignorance is bliss. Only life in its base form promises a modicum of happiness."

The conclusion of their tale was met by deafening silence. So that was the source of their despair. The inevitability of the end of all existence.

Next to her, Y'shtola sighed. "A tragic tale, indeed...but I cannot heed your advice. Because there exists no absolute truth. It will always be open to interpretations and doubts."

"You believe our conclusions about the end of the universe are false?" Coph-coodg asked.

"You said it yourself. It would be impossible for me to understand your scientific ways. I can neither confirm, nor deny, your theory. And in the time that was given to me, I very much doubt I ever could. But one thing is certain: I will never believe that ignorance is bliss."

Y'shtola stepped forward.

S'eni's eyes widened when she realized what Y'shtola was about to do. "Shtola, no! Wai—" she was stopped by a pair of arms wrapping around her. "Urianger?! No! Let go of me! Shtola!"

But he didn't budge even as she tried to free herself, his grip as iron as it had never once been before. And despite her cries, Y'shtola did not stop.

"True knowledge is not gained by studying the wisdom of old. No, one has to acquire it themself. That is the path that I have ever followed, and it has shaped me into who I am today. It's feelings like love and joy, but also sadness and anger, that urged me on all my life." Y'shtola scoffed. "The universe will end? All is pointless? As if that could stop me from enjoying life! I will continue to explore the world with my own eyes. Your conclusions cannot stop my curiosity!"

"Words of a truly primitive existence," Coph-coodg said and black mist began to seep out of their body. "I suspected it would come to this and stand corrected: the truth is too complicated for your simple minds."

"It seems we must teach you where the path of knowledge ultimately leads to. You will soon learn that hopelessness is the only truth in the universe!" Lah-laakh exclaimed. One by one, their bodies became dark, twisting shadows that coalesced together into a tiny, black mass which then formed into a bird, before exploding outward into a storm that surrounded Y'shtola.

"SHTOLA!" she shouted.

"Eni, you must listen to me now," Y'shtola said, her tone perfectly calm. "My body will disintegrate and open a path for you. But there might be a way to reverse it. Azem's crystal, together with Hydaelyn's blessing, might be able to bring us back should our souls persist. But that cannot be allowed to happen. Every path we opened would disappear and our sacrifices would've been in vain. We were all ready to lay down our lives to save Etheirys. So walk on, ever forward, until the battle is won. Just like you promised me."

Like a burning hot dagger, those last words plunged deep into her heart, sapping her of her strength. Lowering her head, she bit her lip hard and nodded. "Yes...I did..."

Gods be damned, she did!

The arms that were holding her in place let go of her, and she felt Urianger's hand give her shoulder a comforting squeeze, before he stepped forward into the storm. Towards his destiny. Y'shtola appeared surprised at this sudden turn of events at first, but soon exchanged warm words with him, aimed not only at one another, but also the rest of them.

As the storm's intensity grew, S'eni slammed her eyes shut, not wanting to see this. Only when the sound of her name, softly spoken by Y'shtola, reached her ears did she open them again. Though being almost nothing more than a shadowy silhouette, she could see those beautiful silvery-white orbs managing to find hers through the darkness, and she knew that her lover was smiling. "I love you, Eni. Now and—"

The storm violently imploded, leaving S'eni to stare at the spot Y'shtola and Urianger had just been a second ago. The air left her lungs and she sank to her knees, fingers burying into the sand. Tiny droplets crashed onto the ground around her hands, soaking deep into the dry, grainy earth of this barren wasteland. She was gone...

Y'shtola was gone.

Her mind was racing and she wanted to scream, to rage, but the numbness spreading through her body wouldn't let her. She vaguely registered that something was happening and someone was speaking. Was it Meteion?

She couldn't tell. It was all so faint. So far away.

Nothing...but echoes in the distance.

 

Notes:

Dammit, Urianger. Even now you're pulling a fast one! Tsk tsk.

Chapter 159

Unspoken Requiem

 

The water rippled calmly as a soft breeze passed over the desert, sending little patterns dancing across its surface until eventually dissipated. In the past, she had found the sight calming. Just sitting at a lake or stream on a warm day and letting her feet soak, while listening to the gentle sounds of nature. But the only sound to be found here was the whispering of the wind, serving only as a stark reminder of the sacrifice involved to create it.

Her eyes went briefly towards the huge pillar of light in the distance. Like a beacon, it was lighting the way through the darkness of this place, guiding them towards where they needed to go next. She tore her gaze away from it and grabbed a fist full of sand that she tossed into the water, where it unceremoniously sank to the bottom.

With a sigh, she hugged her legs and rested her forehead against her knees. Her ears suddenly perked up when she picked up crunching footsteps coming towards her, and she didn't even need to look to know it was G'raha. So she remained like she was instead, listening to him coming to a stop and sitting down next to her, before finally speaking up. "Were you sent to fetch me?"

"I volunteered," he replied, doing his best to sound normal given the circumstances. She appreciated the effort.

"Hm. I see," she said and slowly raised her head to look at him. "I'm sorry for the holdup, I just..."

"...I understand."

S'eni exhaled deeply, her eyes going back to the water. "I should've noticed. From the way she was acting. Maybe then I could've—" She shook her head. "No. Once she made up her mind there was nothing that could stop her. That's just how she was...infuriatingly stubborn..."

She let herself fall back into the sand to stare up at the sky. Well, not so much sky as rather the great expanse itself, draped in a magenta nebula that partly obscured the stars glowing in the distance. The very sight that had once thrown the Ea into despair because of the truth they had discovered; the truth that Y'shtola and Urianger had given everything to oppose. So that they could continue onward.

As she closed her eyes, her mind went back to the promise that they had given each other. No matter what happened, they must not give up. And though just thinking about it was tearing her heart apart and made her want to curl up, S'eni forced herself to get up.

"Let's go," she said.

G'raha blinked, an uncertain look in his eyes. "Are you sure?"

"It's just like Shtola said..." Her eyes found the pillar of light. Her nostrils flared. "...no time for mourning."

She began to walk. G'raha watched her for a few seconds, his crimson gaze dropping to the ground with a deep frown, before rising to his feet and following her. They passed through the Ea's domicile, the resident occasionally sending them a few curious looks, but otherwise paying them no mind. The novelty of their appearance must have worn off after Y'shtola and Urianger had decided to challenge their despair.

The twins awaited them at Elegeia, standing in solemn silence. After a brief exchange of words, they continued onwards to where the light was leading them. Eventually, they arrived at what seemed to be the southernmost edge of the island, and found the source from which the light shone: a device of sorts, standing in the center of an arcane pattern in the ground.

"I can sense the aether emanating from it," Alphinaud exclaimed and stepped up to it. Hand going towards what appeared to be the controls, his fingers pressed against one of the 'buttons' and the pillar of light disappeared, shortly followed by a sound coming from the device and a circle lighting up on the small platform next to it. He turned around. "It appears to be a portal."

"I wonder where this might lead..." Alisaie furrowed her brow.

"Only one way to find out. I'll go on ahead," S'eni said and stepped into the circle. A few seconds passed, followed by another sound, and from one moment to the next, the scene in front of her eyes shifted from the desert wasteland to one of steel. Eyebrows rising, she stepped forward and the ground underneath her feet clanked while she looked about. This island appeared to be little more than one giant floating platform.

And a highly advanced one at that... S'eni thought and made to kneel down to touch the webbed pattern engraved in the ground, but stopped suddenly when a sound reached her ear. She quickly spun to the side, dodging the large metal sphere hurling towards her. Screeching to a halt mid-air, it whirled around to glare at her with a single, angry glowing eye.

"Eliminate. Eliminate." It said in a mechanical voice and went on the offensive again.

"Great..." she muttered and began to dodge its attacks. Thankfully, this particular machine wasn't overly threatening and she quickly dispatched it with a blow to its optical unit. It clattered to the ground, beeping a few more times, before shutting off with a puff of smoke from inside it.

A whirring sound came then from behind her followed by another mechanical voice saying. "Intruder alert!"

She groaned and turned around, fist already rising, only for her eyes to widen at what she saw. A large monitor nestled atop a mechanical, snake-like body. She knew that sight. Shaking her head, she narrowed her eyes and rushed towards it.

After she dispatched that one too, she looked around to see if there might be any more surprises. When she found none, she relaxed once again and knelt down next to her downed foe. Yes, there was absolutely no mistaking it...

The sound of her friend's arrival made her stand back up and turn towards them. Alphinaud looked around with a look of amazement. "Fascinating. Another entirely new civilization..."

"That doesn't like intruders," she added and nodded towards the remnants of the machines. "Attacked me as soon as I arrived."

"Not exactly the most welcoming of people it seems..." Alisaie frowned.

G'raha rubbed his chin in thought. "We must find someone who is amendable to conversation."

"And get the lay of the land," Alphinaud said. "I wonder how large this island is...and if we can leave it."

"Then Alphinaud and I will survey the area, while Raha and you go about looking for someone who is friendlier to strangers," Alisaie said to S'eni.

She nodded. "Alright."

"Be careful though," G'raha said. "The ground looks anything but stable to me, nevermind all the holes."

He was right. Some parts of the platform were sticking out or had even crumbled off and were simply floating around the area. Whoever was in charge of the repairs was clearly neglecting them.

"You too. After all, we don't really know what the rest of the locals will be like," the young woman said and left with her brother.

"That's not entirely true," S'eni then said.

"What do you mean?" G'raha asked.

"I've seen something similar to this—" She pointed at the display on the ground. "—back on Etheirys. It was shortly after the liberation of Ala Mhigo, when finding the Omega Weapon was our top priority."

"Yes, I read about those events, and its abilities were quite a considerable amount of inspiration to sending the Crystal Tower to the First..." His eyes widened suddenly. "Wait, do you mean—?!"

"The civilization here might be the one that built Omega." S'eni nodded. To think that not only the dragons, but the people who defeated them would be among the civilizations here. Ironic...

"We should be extra careful then," G'raha said and looked out into the distance. "I see more machines up ahead. Sentries, most likely. And no doubt as aggressive as the ones here. Let's try to avoid them and see if we can find some that might be more approachable."

She hummed in agreement, and they were off. Trying to steer clear of the patrols proved to be far more tricky than expected though, and they had to fend off sentries on multiple occasions. Among them were some with a more bipedal appearance that was more in line with theirs, if only on a very superficial level, but none of them showed any signs of being willing to talk either. This continued for a while until they reached what seemed to be an outpost of sorts, manned by these very same types of machines, going about some tasks but showing otherwise no hostility towards them.

"Perhaps we can talk with some of these," G'raha said and walked over to a nearby unit that was examining some other units lying on the ground. "Begging your pardon, but we would like to speak with the denizens of this star."

Turning around, the machine looked at each of them with its single 'eye' and emitted a short rattling sound. "Unknown life forms detected. Assigning generic label: interplanetary travelers. Welcome to the planet blip bloooooop."

G'raha and her exchanged a look, and he asked, "Come again?"

"Conclusion: hearing organ is unable to process the correct name of the planet. Translating it into sound your sensory matrix can decypher it would be pronounced...Alphatron," the machine said. "We are the Omicrons. This is one of our outposts."

Omicrons... she repeated in her mind. So that was the name of Omega's kind.

"And what is it that you Omicrons are doing here?"

"We are preparing for war." S'eni's eyes immediately narrowed and G'raha took a step back in preparation to defend himself, but the Omicron didn't move. "Do not be alarmed. We do not have a designated target at present. Should your star become designated, however, you will be taken into custody and or terminated."

With a click, the machine turned back to continue with what it was doing.

"Strange beings, these Omicrons, but I suppose they are honest," G'raha said. "I'll see if I can learn anything more from this fellow. Could you try speaking to the others?"

She silently nodded and walked away. Looking around for an Omicron she could ask, she settled on one that was looking out into the distance. As she approached it, she raised a hand in greeting and said, "I'd like to ask you some questions if that's alright?"

Like the one before, there was a short rattling before it turned around to look at her.

"Greetings, interplanetary traveler. When venturing outside the outpost, beware of malfunctioning units," it said. "They ignore Sir's commands and attack all non-registered life forms."

Huh, well that explains some things... but there was something else this one had just said that caught her attention. "Sir? Do you have a commanding officer?"

"Sir is the alias of Stigma-1, the foremost of the six strategic matrices that issue instructions to our forces," it explained.

"I see..." The name Sir would fall a couple of times as she further asked around the outpost, with most of the gathered Omicron awaiting commands from it. Otherwise, she learned that their kind sought to advance themselves through conquest, something which seemed to be pretty in line with all they had learned from Omega Weapon. Once she was sure that she wouldn't learn anything more, she returned to G'raha.

"Have you found out anything?"

"Yeah, a few things," she replied.

"Me too." He then looked around. "But perhaps it would be best to step outside."

They left the outpost and walked for a little bit when they heard Alisaie's voice calling out to them, "There you are!"

"How did the exploration go?" S'eni asked as she looked towards the approaching twins, but Alphinaud's expression already told her enough. He shook his head.

"There is no way forward."

"There were portals like the one we used to get here, but those that worked only sent us to isolated isles," Alisaie explained.

"Then it is like before and we need to find the embodiment of the emotion barring our way," G'raha said.

Alisaie looked between the two of them. "And did you manage to find someone to speak to?"

"We did," S'eni replied and began to explain their discoveries. When she was done, both of their faces held thoughtful frowns.

"So the Omicrons advance through conquest..." Alphinaud said. "And following the victory over the dragons, they now await new commands."

"Urianger said we must find the one whose yearning for death surpasses all others. But who could that be on a world such as this?" G'raha wondered.

"Hm?" Alisaie sent him a questioning look. "When did he tell you that?"

"Just before we joined you at Elegeia."

"His theory was that, to move forward, we have to challenge the embodiment of that wish," she explained to Alisaie, who sighed and rubbed a hand across her face.

"So that is how it works. But why couldn't he say so to all of us...?"

S'eni averted her eyes, unable to answer.

"The state of this civilization is curious, indeed," Alphinaud said. "The dragons and Ea were longing for death, but the Omicrons await battle. Of course, that can lead to death, but is not a distinct desire for it."

"I fear we might not find out anything more until we have spoken to this 'Sir'," G'raha said. "M-032, the first Omicron we spoke to, told me about a console with which we might communicate with it. M-032 also said it would be pointless...but I believe we still should give it a try. What do you think?"

She exhaled through her nose, and nodded. "It's the best lead we have."

"The console is situated on the other end of the isle."

Following his guidance, it didn't take too long to arrive at the said console. It was connected to some sort of tower-like device, which appeared to be turned off at the moment, and behind it, she noticed a large sphere suspended in mid-air by a web of cables and wires.

They tried to activate it, but there was no response. Attempting to harmonize with it, and even a few carefully aimed punches, yielded the same result. It just wouldn't turn on. After spending a few more minutes trying to find a hidden mechanism, Alisaie released a long sigh.

"I give up. Nothing seems to work."

"And we are at an impasse if we cannot find a way to activate it," Alphinaud said.

"Hm...there might yet be one thing we could try. We know they are mechanical in nature, and from what S'eni told us, as well as the information provided by the Omicrons themselves, there is no doubt about it that these are indeed Omega's people." G'raha looked at her. "Do you still remember Omega's weakness?"

"...Lighting," she said after a second of remembering.

"And what does lightning have to do with—" realization dawned on Alisaie's face. "Wait, are you really going to try and fry the console with lightning?"

"Hah! Indeed I am. I reckon that Omega's weakness was no coincidence, but rather design related."

"Hmm, so you believe the weakness to lightning might be because of an oversensitivity stemming from their construction?" Alphinaud asked.

"I do. S'eni, what do you think?"

"It's worth a try. Just don't shock yourself like you did in Azys Lla," she said, earning a grin and chuckle from her friend.

"Step back everyone," G'raha said and grabbed his staff. Channeling arcane energy, he sent a ball of lightning towards the console, which exploded into a cloud of electrical sparks that were immediately absorbed by the conductive metal.

With a beep, the console activated and the device behind it lit up...but nothing else happened.

"...Did it work?" Alisaie asked.

As if to answer her, the large sphere began to hum and open up, revealing to them a large, mechanical eye. Seconds ticked by until a metallic voice spoke. "Establishing connection to communication console 1. This is strategic matrix 1. Issuing authorization to call me 'Sir'..."

A brief pause.

"Amount of received audio-visual data: zero. Returning all systems to sleep mode...Terminating connection..."

"No, wait, Sir! We have questions for you!" G'raha called out. "Why have there been no further combat orders? Is there a problem?"

"Retrieving status report from autonomous consciousness system..." Sir said. "The unit responsible for strategic long-term planning has yet to formulate another strategy. All strategic decisions are reliant on this unit. Without decisions, no planning. Without planning, no execution. All autonomous units are to remain on standby and await further instructions."

"What is keeping it from coming to a conclusion?" Alphinaud asked.

"Answer not possible. Necessary authorization for clearance of this information is missing or does not exist."

"Then perhaps you could...connect us with this unit?"

"...Connection not possible. No access to necessary subsystems."

"Are there other problems, perhaps?" Alisaie then asked. "Like your star being in danger, or your people being discontent?"

"Both inquiries do not match my assessment categories. All subsystems and units operate within nominal parameters. Malfunctions must be reported to a maintenance unit. Otherwise a return to sleep mode for energy conservation is recommended. No further answers in communication memory. Turning communication module off...terminating connection..."

With that, the eye began to close again, signaling Sir's return to sleep mode. S'eni crossed her arms and looked at the others. "What now?"

"Good question. I doubt we'll learn any more from this one," G'raha said with a nod to Sir.

"Let's go over what this machine just said. To me it didn't sound like they were yearning for the end," Alisaie said. "It said all units were on standby to await further instructions."

"Which means that any Omicron acting contrary to those orders would be highly suspicious. Something we should keep in mind. For now, I suggest we continue to explore. Perhaps we might find out more about this unit Sir spoke of," Alphinaud said and, after a round of agreements, they began to leave.

 

---

 

Shortly afterwards, the four of them decided to split up to search for any unit that might act against their directive. While the twins would go and talk with the Omicrons in the outpost, G'raha and S'eni were on lookout duty from a vantage point that had a good view over most of it. But so far, there was little out of the ordinary save for the unexpected appearance of an Ambystoma that made her do a double take. She had previously seen one of them within Labyrinthos as well, serving as lively proof that their concept had lived on. Perhaps this one had snuck onto the Ragnarok while no one was watching...

After dispelling the thoughts about the implications from her mind, she continued her search. For a while, it looked like they were wasting their time there. Until—

"There!"

—she found one just aimlessly floating about.

G'raha's gaze moved to where she was pointing and he nodded. "Yes, I see him too."

They watched it wander around for a few more rounds, until it decided to leave the base. Exchanging a silent look, they began to follow it heading northeast. Given that it was able to float, and the terrain was less than amendable towards them, they swiftly lost sight of it and, upon their arrival, found little else but one of the portals that the twins had told them about.

"It definitely came this way. Perhaps it used the portal," G'raha said.

"Let's go check." She stepped into the portal and instantly found herself standing on another floating island. Quite a sizable one too. Upon his arrival, she turned towards her friend. "Let's split up. I'll look up ahead, you go look over there."

"Very well. I'll join you if I don't find anything."

Heading down the island, S'eni cast her gaze out into the distance, ever keeping a look out for that lone Omicron. After a few minutes, she spied something far more curious though, something she wouldn't have expected to find in a place such as this.

A tree.

Not one she had ever seen before, its branches growing in strange shapes and bearing crystals, but there was no mistaking it for anything but a tree. And, standing in front of that very same tree, she found their target. The Omicron was staring up at it, appearing almost like a man lost in thought.

"Greetings," she said as she approached it, causing it to look away from the tree and towards her.

"What is your query?"

"Ah, you found it!" she heard G'raha call out from behind and he jogged over. He briefly looked at the Omicron, then asked, "What are you doing here?"

"...I am looking at the tree," it replied and turned back towards it.

"A remarkable specimen," the other Miqo'te said. "But what is the purpose of the device it is connected to?"

"The tree is a sample collected from another star. As it cannot survive in our environment, however, it requires life support. That is the function of the device."

"Why do you go to such lengths to keep it alive? Is there something special about this tree?"

"Protocol demands that we study foreign matter. When that task is complete it will be discarded," it explained. "However, when I behold the tree, I am made to feel as though...there is a problem. We enhance ourselves in order to become stronger. And just like we did with countless others, we conquered the star from which this tree comes. It is the last remnant of a dead world, and there is nothing towards which it may aspire. Yet it grows. Extends its branches. Sprouts leaves. Produces seeds. Why does it seek to continue? Why was it made to behave in such a way, and to what end? I do not understand."

S'eni shot G'raha a look. Yes, this one was definitely not like the other Omicrons.

"I see. Say, is this part of your duties?"

"...No, it does not. My apologies, I shall return to my designated post and assume a state of combat readiness."

With that, the unit left.

"Hmm, so it really was acting outside of orders," G'raha said, watching the Omicron head back in the direction of the portal. "Perhaps it's one of the malfunctioning units. There seems to be quite a lot of those. But it may also possess the ability to make decisions. Just like Sir...we should investigate this further."

With a small sigh, G'raha then looked up at the tree. "The will to live on despite circumstances...yes, that does sound familiar..."

"Do you mean the First...?" she asked.

"That too, but also..." he stopped, smiling warmly, before turning his crimson eyes towards her. "Say, S'eni. One day, when this adventure becomes part of your epic, do you think I will be mentioned in it?"

She felt her face darken at his words, and her gaze went to the ground as her hands unconsciously balled into fists. "I never wanted an epic about me," she replied and began walking away.

What was the point of it, if the only mention of those she cared about would be their noble sacrifices?

Behind her, G'raha's eyes widened in surprise, before turning sad. He sent the tree one last look, murmuring something under his breath, and followed after her. They left the area and headed back to the outpost, where they filled in the twins about their discovery.

"An Omicron trying to make sense of the meaning of life..." Alisaie said when they were done explaining. "Yes, I can confidently say that none of the other Omicrons were acting like that."

"Perhaps this one is in a position of leadership. Hmm..." Alphinaud put a hand on his hip.

"What are you thinking?" S'eni asked.

"We know the Omicrons invade other stars and enhance themselves using the spoils of conquest. With technology like that, they should be able to alter their bodies. Could it then not be possible for Sir to acquire a regular Omicron body?"

"Possibly. But how would we ascertain if that is the case?" G'raha asked. "And would Sir have answered so truthfully then?"

"I might have an idea," Alisaie said after a short moment of thinking, punching her palm. "We use lighting on the console again, but we make it stronger. Much stronger. If the unit truly is connected to Sir, then it ought to have a reaction to that."

"Sounds a little out there...but it is worth a try." G'raha smiled.

"Then it's settled!" the young woman pointed at herself with an eager grin. "And I'll do the honors this time!"

Alphinaud nodded. "I shall stand guard in case sentries are drawn to the scene."

"Then I will approach it and divert its attention, while S'eni keeps an eye on it for any strange behavior," the other Miqo'te said and she nodded in agreement.

"Shortly before you arrived, an Omicron appeared from the same direction. But instead of entering the outpost, it headed off towards the console," Alphinaud told them. "At first I assumed it was a unit on patrol, but it has to be the unit you spoke to."

"Then we must follow it!"

"All right, to the console. I'll call down a veritable storm upon it!" Alisaie said, and the two of them rushed off, leaving G'raha and S'eni standing there. Her friend offered her an encouraging smile.

"This will work. After all, our comrades are watching over us," he assured her. "Now come, my friend. Let us find this doubt-plagued Omicron!"

They found the unit not far from the console, looking out into the distance. From out of the corner of her eye, S'eni spied Alisaie making her way over to the device, her rapier in hand, and she gave G'raha a signal. He cleared his throat.

"Excuse me? You are the Omicron we spoke to near the tree, correct?" he asked. "We would like to ask you a few questions about the device you use to sustain it."

"That does not necessitate the disclosure of restricted information, very well..." As the Omicron began to explain the workings of the machine in question, S'eni glanced back over to Alisaie, who was beginning to cast her spell. True to her word, the lighting shooting forth from the magic focus on her weapon was far more potent than the one G'raha had summoned forth, and she actually had to avert her eyes from the bright flash. Just in time, in fact, for her to see the unit in front of them suddenly seize up.

"Hey, everything alright there?" she asked, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "I think you just malfunctioned there for a second."

The Omicron actually appeared to be surprised by that. "A...malfunction, you say..." a beep and a click followed. "Performing diagnostics...connection to central command temporarily lost. Evaluation: maintenance is required..."

Before it could get away though, G'raha stepped in front of it. "No, you do not require maintenance. While we were talking, our friend overloaded the console used to communicate with Sir. And at the exact same moment, you suffer this anomaly. You are connected to Sir, are you not?"

G'raha and the Omicron stared at one another for a few long seconds, until it finally nodded. "...Affirmative. Let us talk somewhere else, away from the other units. They do not need to know my true identity."

"Very well, let us go to the console then. Only our friends are there," G'raha said.

Upon their arrival, they were greeted by Alisaie's smirk. "A little jolt works wonders, doesn't it?" she asked with a look at the Omicron.

"Yeah..." S'eni smiled slightly, watching as the machine floated up to the console, before turning around to speak.

"Re-Initializing introduction mode: my unit designation is M-017. As you have discovered, I am part of the central consciousness Stigma-1, which we call Sir. I am responsible for the evaluation and prediction of future events. In other words, I calculate optimal long-term strategies for my species," it explained. "The form you are seeing is not my original one. Its previous owner discarded it in favor of another unit. This offered me a possibility to disconnect myself from the central consciousness."

"But for what purpose?" G'raha asked. "Was it because of what you told us at the tree?"

"Long ago, our kind had an entirely different physical form. We were weak, and shared our star with another species that subjugated us. As a result of this, our ancestors decided to cast away their weak physical units in favor of new, stronger ones. The last step of which included the digitalization of their cerebral cortices, making them no longer reliant on their bodies. All who transitioned into these new, cybernetic forms were called Omicrons," M-017 explained. "With the help of this newfound strength, it was a simple task to conquer the star. But not all elements of uncertainty could be removed. We discovered another species on a distant star, and realized we were not the only civilization in the universe. Weak species are dominated by the strong. Logic dictated that we would need to become stronger if we wished to survive in the vastness of the cosmos, so we focused all our resources and research on doing so. A successful strategy. We were even able to neutralize the star of the mighty dragons."

It fell silent for a moment.

"...Then an error emerged within my unit. I could no longer fulfill my duty."

"A malfunction?" Alisaie asked.

It shook its head. "Negative. Multiple system diagnostics did not encounter any defects. The source of this error remains unknown. But within my many calculations arose a problem, one for which I could not find any mathematical solution: if we accomplish our goal to become the strongest beings in the universe, what strategic goals would remain?"

Taken aback at this question, they could only stare at M-017.

"Our pursuit of strength was optimal. It ensured our survival. We rose above all other species, never questioning this strategy. But what happens once we reach our goal? If our species has no more purpose, then was it truly the right strategy?" it wondered. "Are we then nothing more than a plague that destroyed one star after another because of a flawed strategic evaluation?"

"Is that the equation for which you could find no solution?" Alphinaud asked, mouth agape. "The reason you cannot fulfill your duty?"

"The Omicrons shall no longer leave this star. We will await an order to attack that will never be sent. When our energy is spent, we will fully deactivate; cease to exist. The only strategy that is left for us...is no strategy."

And so the Omicrons had found their end. Through a flicker of doubt. S'eni wondered what Omega would have had to say about that, having likewise been driven by internal logic that ultimately proved flawed.

"It is not for me to judge if your species was right or wrong," G'raha then said. "But it lies within your own hands to redefine your goals and give the Omicrons new meaning."

M-017 lowered its head. "Negative. That is not possible. It is likely that we originally held goals other than advancing ourselves. The reason for their deletion from our equations must have been the continuous change of our nature," it said. "Our original physical forms are gone, replaced with cybernetic components. Not even a cerebral cortex remains. I possess nothing of my original form. I have lost the ability to formulate hopes and dreams. I am nothing more than a machine that receives calculated orders and executes them."

G'raha gasped, and realization dawned on his face as he looked to the ground.

"I believe I know how to break through the Omicrons' despair. But before I do..." He exhaled deeply, pumping his fists to psych himself up, before turning towards S'eni. He smiled at her, and from the way he did, she knew what he was about to do. "Promise me something. Promise me that this is not the end; that this won't be our last journey together."

"Raha..." she shook her head. "I —I just—"

"I know it is selfish of me. But still, please do me this one favor, Eni."

Her face immediately fell. Of all the times to start calling her like that...the godsdamned bastard!

"I..." she released a shuddering sigh. "...I promise, Raha."

"Good. A promise is a promise, so listen up: first, I'd like to visit Ishgard again. Last time, I barely had time to look around. You have to show me all the places you like. And then there are all the adventures you still have to tell me about. From moments of joy, to the heat of battle. I don't want to read about them in dusty tomes but hear them firsthand. Ah, and of course, there is one other matter. I would like to go on another adventure with you. One where we travel across the land and cross the sea, taking to the skies on the eternal wind towards new horizons!" he held out his fist towards her. "Promise me that!"

Her eyes, already burning because of his words, traveled from his eyes, to his fist, and back again. Slowly, she raised her own fist, and bumped it against his. He grinned eagerly, then turned towards M-017.

"Allow me to pose you a question. How do you know you are still the same person you were yesterday? Or even a moment ago?" he asked. "Because you remember? Memories can be forgotten, or even faked. In either case they can deceive you. Perhaps it is because you still inhabit the same body, but if you really think about it, our bodies begin to change from the very moment of our birth. It is impossible that the exact same body from yesterday would greet us in the mirror today."

"And what of the soul? The souls on our star were sundered, yet none evolved the same." He patted his chest. "I myself am but an accumulation of souls. One big melange of experiences. And more than once I have asked myself: who am I actually?"

"...And did you find the answer to your query?" the Omicron asked.

"No. I did not. But I have come to understand one thing: everyone asks themselves that question, and there is indeed no one who can answer it." G'raha began walking forward, one resolute step after the other. "That is why yesterday's hopes and dreams should not be in conflict with what our heart desires today. I admit, it was not always easy, but for me only the here and now is important. That I can journey side by side with my friends fills me with such joy that I would willingly give my life. That is what my heart desires. To always walk into the future. I made a promise, after all."

"No, I cannot..." M-017 shook its head. "I have no dreams. I do not know hope. Hopes and dreams are no valid strategy!"

"Yes, I once thought so, too," he said with a little, warm smile. "But with just a little bit of time and courage, everyone can learn to look deep within themselves and give word to their hopes and dreams. Let me tell you of my darkest hour. Of the absurd hope of a tomorrow for a world standing at the edge of the abyss. A hope that was fulfilled between dusk and dawn. The story of a dream!"

He offered the Omicron his hand. M-017 began to immediately back away, almost like a scared animal, and dark mist began to emit from its body. From one moment to the next, it turned into a black bird and exploded into the all too familiar storm, trapping G'raha within.

"Raha!" Alisaie cried out, and he simply smiled at them through the darkness, before being swallowed by it like the others.

Gritting her teeth, S'eni slammed her eyes shut to quell their burning. Another friend, gone...when was this going to stop? Would it ever stop?

When she finally dared to open them again, she saw Stigma-1's round form encased in a bright glowing crystal that was forming a pathway for them to continue on. She chuckled bitterly. Of course...

And as S'eni looked up at the path ahead, she could feel it. The burden of another promise on her shoulders.

...It felt heavy.

 

Notes:

...for a river of tears.

Chapter 160

Toward Eternal Sea

 

Everything seemed so small from up here. The fragment of the Dragonstar, the desert of the Ea, and even the floating remnants of Alphatron, though nearby, appeared almost tiny as she looked down the edge of the rocky isle they stood on. It made their journey up until now look like nothing but a stone's throw, but it felt like they had traveled the world twice over.

Gods, she felt so exhausted...

"...It's so unbearably quiet," Alisaie said from next to her. "All I can hear are our footsteps. My heartbeat. I know our friends are with us, that we can still breathe and continue onward is proof alone. I just..."

Alisaie looked at her, finding her eyes, and S'eni could see the depths of sadness within her friend's gaze.

"...wish I could hear their voices."

"Me too, Alisaie..." she admitted, wrapping an arm around Alisaie's shoulders to guide her back towards the crystal path, where Alphinaud was waiting for them. "Me too..."

What she wouldn't give to hear them now. She could almost imagine it, their voices like an encouraging song whispering in the wind. But there were none. It was only the three of them here.

Alphinaud offered them a smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Our adventures were always so lively," he said as they continued onward. "Thancred always having an eye on our surroundings, Y'shtola and Urianger exchanging theories. G'raha would chat with us about the mission, while Estinien would stay back to better keep an eye on us. And in the midst of it all were you—"

He looked at S'eni.

"—sometimes here, sometimes there, but always present."

It wasn't even that long ago, yet it already felt like an eternity. Next to her, Alisaie sighed and looked towards the broken stars that floated all around Ultima Thule, shattered and unravelled husks that were once the worlds of countless beings, some still faintly glowing with what little life they had left. Her own eyes landed on a particular one that stood apart from even those, being nothing more than a floating abyss threatening to swallow all nearby light.

"We're seeing their ends, aren't we?" Alisaie asked. "The sight fills me with sorrow...and yet I can't look away..."

They continued onward in silence, traveling from isle to isle across the path G'raha had created for them, heading ever higher. S'eni stopped for a brief moment to look down. The portal that had brought them here was barely visible anymore.

"We've come quite far," Alphinaud said, his gauze joining hers, followed by a little exhale. "...in more ways than one. I doubt I would have made it this far if I were still the same as back when we met, blinded by ideals. Yet despite my failures, Hydaelyn saw fit to show me a path. Do you know what I mean?"

"Yeah, I do..." the corners of her lips faintly rose. She then looked between the two, taking in their appearance. They looked tired. "Are you two alright? Do you need to rest?"

The twins looked at each other and Alisaie replied, "I'm still able to go on, but thank you."

Alphinaud nodded in agreement. "It's kind of you to ask. What about you, though?"

"I'm...fine." It was a blatant lie, and one look at their faces was enough to know that they didn't buy it at all. But they didn't press the issue, and for that she was grateful. She could rest when this whole thing was over.

At long last, they reached the end of the crystal path. The ground was grassy, with a few pale blue weeds sticking out from in between, but the soil was dry to the touch, like it had been struck with a drought. Looking up, there was only a single path ahead of them, leading towards the dead sun that loomed above all.

The Meteia's nest. An egg that will never hatch. A life, never to be born, staying still for all time.

It was within their grasp. Just a little more...

She glanced over her shoulder at the twins, sharing a nod with them, and began to jog up the path. What they found at the end of it was nothing any of them had expected though. Alphinaud's eyes widened. "Is that not...!"

The twins rushed ahead a little, coming to a stop in front of what looked to be a town plaza or a park perhaps. A few buildings were scattered around it, but just like the rest of the area, they were covered in visible dust and looked quite desolate. Apart from that, though, it seemed oddly reminiscent of home...

"Definitely a town," Alisaie said while looking around. She frowned. "But it looks deserted."

"Perhaps the inhabitants are hiding inside?" Alphinaud offered.

"Wrong. There is no one here anymore," a voice suddenly said and they all whirled around to find Meteion standing at the center of the plaza, underneath an oddly shaped tree. The girl beheld them with a passive look in her eyes before walking towards them with slow and deliberate steps, coming to a stop a few paces away from them.

"What do you mean there's no one here anymore?" S'eni asked.

"It was already like this when I arrived." A shift of shoulders, almost like a shrug. "I do not know what happened to this star. Was it an invasion? A plague? Or perhaps mass suicide? All that I can say is that no life exists here anymore."

"So why are you here, then?" she asked and stepped forward. "Are we going to end this right now?"

Meteion almost appeared amused at the notion. "If you think you have caught me at last, I must disappoint you. This form is but a drop from the ocean that swells within our sun. I could easily unmake you, devour you until nothing is left, but the will of your comrades prevents that. For now. So until they finally fade away, we shall walk around in circles as silent watchers of this lifeless place."

S'eni eyed the girl, standing there impassively, then returned to the twins.

"If what she says is true, what are we supposed to do...?" Alisaie asked in a low voice.

"If no one is here, then neither should there be an emotion to bar our way," Alphinaud surmised.

"Let's have a look around. See if we can find anything of note," she said.

"Yes, go ahead," Meteion cut in. "You will only return here empty-handed."

The three of them shared a look, and split off to search the area. Walking forward, she stopped not far from the center, casting her gaze out and even trying to call anyone that might be here but was met with only silence. Her eyes then found a particular building and she headed over to it.

It was a tavern of some sort, but far more out in the open than the ones she had been to in the past. Its bar was one large circle, shaped like the building, and there were tables scattered all around it. On the shelves behind it were egg-shaped containers and she found some more placed sporadically across the counter. Reaching out, she brushed the tip of her finger across the rim of one and looked around.

This place must have once been bustling with people, their laughter and chatter filling the air. Until one day it wasn't, leaving behind only the emptiness she found here. Retracting her hand, she walked away and towards another building.

There appeared to be nothing to see at first glance, yet as she circled around it, S'eni found what appeared to be a window. It was only when she took a closer look at it, that she noticed it was actually a doorway, just strangely offset from the ground. She tried to pry it open, but it was rusted shut and must have been for a long time if the dust on her hands was any indication. As she brushed it off, she looked at the boxes next to it. They were quite reminiscent of the Moogle mailboxes back home, though far less elaborate. Small, glowing signs marked each of them, but the characters on them had long since faded.

The names of the inhabitants, most likely. People that went about their daily lives, coming and going through this door. Day after day after day. Now it was only her footsteps that left sandy marks on this threshold.

Leaving the building, and the silently forgotten memories it might have held, she made her way to the oddly shaped tree in the center. As she touched it, though, she realized that it was no tree at all, its texture rather resembling that of smoothened stone. Standing here in place of an actual tree, perhaps?

Whatever the reason may be, there was no one here to answer that question.

Not far from this tree-like structure, she found multiple tables, some empty, some having cups on them. Like everything else, they were covered in dust and sand, yet with the way everything was arranged, it appeared like whoever had been seated here must have either left suddenly or hadn't been in any hurry. She wondered who it could have been. Two friends just enjoying a nice day? A pair of lovers making plans for their shared futures?

S'eni glanced over her shoulder to check if the twins were nearby, then grabbed one of the chairs, tipped it over to clear it of sand, and sat down on it. With a sigh, she covered her face in her hands. There really was no one here. Just them, and Meteion.

So what are we supposed to do...?

Feeling a sudden presence nearby, she lowered her hands to see Meteion standing in front of her, arms behind her back and leaning forward to closely look at her. A hint of curiosity was reflected in her pale grey eyes. S'eni leaned backwards and asked, "Do you want something?"

"...Why do you persist?"

"Come again?" she tilted her head.

"Why do you persist?" Meteion asked once more. "I can feel the anguish deep inside you, the pain that makes every fibre of your being want to scream until nothing but a dull echo remains. I see the faces of your friends, each one another stab in your heart that shreds it to pieces. The bond you shared has turned into a burden upon your shoulders, threatening to crush you under a weight greater even than that of countless stars. And yet...you persist. Why?"

Why indeed?

Well, there were many reasons, but ultimately it all boiled down to one thing.

She rose up from the chair. "I gave a promise."

"Yes." The girl's eyes fluttered close. "I sense it now. The promise you made the person you love most. I can sense her love for you, too, resonating within the dynamis. But there is more. Another promise, that this would not be the end. Another, to always remember. And many more. I wonder..."

Meteion's eyes snapped back open.

"...how long it will take for you to break them."

And within the blink of an eye, she was gone.

S'eni exhaled through her nose and began searching for the twins. She found Alisaie at the edge of the island, standing on what looked like a broken road. "Alisaie," she called out, making the young woman turn around.

"S'eni, look at this. If the road was longer, we could make it to the dead sun," Alisaie said, tapping the toe of her boot on the road underneath. "We'd just have to reach that platform over there. But just like before the space here seems...contorted. No idea how to get past that even if we managed to build a bridge."

The Elezen sighed. "What about you? Found anything?"

"Nothing but empty cups and equally empty chairs," S'eni replied.

"Same here. A depressing sight." Alisaie crossed her arms, frowning. "Come, we've seen enough here. Let's find Alphinaud and compare what we've found."

Alphinaud, in turn, was located at the opposite end of the island, lost quite deep in thought until he noticed the two of them walking over. "Did you manage to find anything?" he asked.

"No," Alisaie replied. "The town is completely empty."

"Same as I, then. What are we supposed to do?" the thoughtful look returned to his face. "No life in sight, and neither a way off the island."

"Everywhere one looks are signs of daily life. It's as if everyone had been here then vanished from one moment to the next," Alisaie said.

"Yeah..." S'eni nodded.

Alisaie's face fell and she gently held a hand to her chest. "I wonder how many of these dead worlds Meteion must have encountered on her journey?"

Alphinaud was startled out of his musings at that and he looked at his sister. "Yes...that might be it. And yet, there still remains one who wished for this end."

"Meteion..." S'eni said. Of course. One of her sisters came across this star in the past. So it must be her that was barring them the way to their nest.

"...and I believe Alisaie and I can defeat her will."

"What?!" she immediately exclaimed. "No! I gave your parents my word that I would see you home safe!"

"I know that." He smiled sadly. "But I cannot ignore this chance. For the others...and myself as well. But I also have my fears. Not so much for myself but...for you instead."

The air left her, and she could only stare at him.

"It cannot be easy to carry this burden on your own, and you will feel its weight all the more once you are alone..." he blinked and averted his eyes slightly. "As your friend, I cannot bear the thought of how much we are making you suffer."

"No, I won't—!" Alisaie pressed through gritted teeth. "It's too much. How can we just leave her when she needs our help? Isn't she our friend!?"

A sob raked through the young woman's body and tears began to spill from her eyes. "She saved me...us...so many times already. Saved the world so many times. It's not fair..."

Alisaie...

Stepping up to his sister, Alphinaud placed his hands on her shoulders. "Alisaie, I have an idea. Given the nature of this place, we can accomplish much more than just opening a path for her."

Alisaie wiped away her tears and looked at him, a silent question in her reddened eyes. Alphinaud in turn smiled and squeezed her shoulders.

"Wherever she shall go, happiness shall await her. No matter the depths of our despair, I think we can believe this much with all our conviction," he said, before looking at S'eni. "So will you believe in us too, and forge ahead?"

"I..." Biting the inside of her cheek, she closed her eyes and gave him a solemn nod.

"Thank you...I knew you would." A sudden yelp escaped him when Alisaie suddenly grabbed one of his hands and yanked him in the direction of the plaza.

"Come!" she said. "Let's not dally. There's a world that needs saving!"

S'eni watched them go, her knuckles turning white as she balled her fists. They had made up their minds, and there was nothing she could do. Silently begging for their grandfather's forgiveness, she trailed after them, each of her steps feeling heavier than the last.

Meteion was standing where she had initially sent them off. She watched them impassively approach her then, and just as they came to a stop, tilted her head slightly. "Did you find anyone?"

"No. It is as you said. There is no one here," Alphinaud replied and his face hardened. "Except for you, Meteion!"

The girl's eyebrows rose ever so slightly.

"You said this star had already been dead upon your arrival. Just like us, this sight must have filled you with horror. All life wiped out from one moment to the next, it must have shaken you to the core. Yet you had no other choice but to deliver the sad news to Hermes." He frowned. "Your sisters, whose minds are connected to yours, did the very same one after another. Shocked by the sight of the demise of all these civilizations, you all fell into despair. You all were overcome by this emotion and caused the Final Days. Everyone who witnesses such suffering would come to the very same conclusion: at the end of this path lies nothing but death and destruction."

"How strange...I have felt the despair of so many stars, yet forgot that I once thought like this," Meteion mused.

"Meteion. If you can remember it, then there is still a chance to end it," he told her.

"Too late. The requiem of those who hate life and desire nothing more than the end have turned the river of my existence into nothing but a flood of mud. And no matter how much we would push against the tide, we are nothing in the face of this terrible truth." Within the blink of an eye, Meteion stood directly behind Alphinaud. "Like the Ea discovered, the universe will not last forever."

As both turned around, Meteion had once again shifted places to appear behind them, peering over her shoulder at them.

"One after another, every star will eventually succumb until only cold emptiness will remain." She now stood next to Alisaie, her voice softly lowering as if to whisper into her ear... "I have used dynamis to accelerate this process."

...only to appear near one of the buildings...

"So that the cycle of suffering may end and no further life is born."

...and underneath the tree-like monument...

"But eons would pass before that would happen. That is why we have ushered in the Final Days on Etheirys ahead of time. To spare life upon it needless suffering.'

...before returning back to standing right in front of the twins, her hands coming together in a praying gesture and a delighted look forming on her face. "So do not worry. Life will cease to exist. Even if none of you will be able to bear witness to it, we shall celebrate the end with our song."

A moment of utter silence followed in which Meteion and the twins stared at one another, until a snort from Alisaie tore it asunder. "You are capable of unbelievable things, and yet, for all your power, you're nothing but a coward. You were so afraid of what lay ahead, that you chose to destroy everything instead," she spat back. "But you know what, I understand you. We've all been at a point where we were nearly suffocating from fear. We fell, but always managed to get back up. It takes courage, and the will to accept help when needed. Only then can it be turned into strength."

"We have failed in the past. And there are wounds that never heal," Alphinaud added. "But we have grown from it. It is all part of life!"

Simultaneously, the two of them raised their hands, offering them to Meteion. And together, they spoke, "That is why we forge ever ahead!"

Meteion, whose expression had gone from delighted to impassive during the twins' speech, closed her eyes as black mist seeped from her very form, twisting and turning until she too turned into her bird form. And like with the others, she exploded into a violent storm that immediately engulfed the two of them. S'eni called out to them, but they simply glanced over their shoulders and smiled through the dark.

"Don't worry about us, S'eni," Alisaie said. "Go ahead, be it just one step!"

The storm imploded, taking Alphinaud and Alisaie with it. Her gaze remained on the spot where the two had stood until a sudden twinkle from out of the corner of her eyes made her look ahead, where a bright path formed from the broken road towards their goal. Her body began to shake, her nails digging so deep into her palms that they threatened to pierce the leather covering them, and she gritted her teeth.

She sunk to the ground and slammed her fist into it. Again. And again. And again. The sound of her punches broke through the absolute silence that surrounded her. Once again, the mind and heart screamed, begging her to let it all out. To give voice to all the anguish inside of her. And yet, she did not, despite the horrible truth weighing down upon her...

...she was all alone.

 

---

 

Shortly before in Sharlayan.

Day had long given way to night since S'eni and the others had left on the Ragnarok. While some who had seen them off had retired for the evening, many yet still remained standing here in front of the Rostra, their eyes drawn to the sky. Some silent, some murmuring words to each other, while others prayed. But all their thoughts were with their friends out there, fighting for the fate of their star at the edge of the universe.

Next to her, Krile heard Tataru pray to the gods to see their friends home safe, and she, too, offered the Twelve a silent prayer of her own. As she watched the stars, a sudden pain shot through her forehead, and she watched the sky turn into a sea of raining fire. Gritting her teeth, she could feel the heat and her ears were ringing with the distant echoes of—

"Krile, are you alright?" Tataru asked, placing a gentle hand on her back.

—Just like it appeared, the vision was gone again, leaving nothing but the calm evening sky. With an exhale, she turned to look at her friend and smiled. "It's nothing...I'm fine."

Furrowing her brows, she turned her eyes once again skyward. "Everything is going to be fine. I can feel it..."

So then why was there this feeling of...dread?

The sudden sound of footsteps, coming towards them at a fast pace, made her tear away from the sight and towards their source. It was the Worldly Affairs official from the day of their arrival. The woman came to a sudden stop, drawing the attention of everyone else towards her.

"M-my apologies. But a ship arrived just now. On board was..." She took a deep breath and straightened herself. "...someone seeking the Scions of the Seventh Dawn."

A puzzled look formed on Krile's face. Who could be looking for them at this time?

The answer to that question arrived in the form of another set of footsteps, slow and deliberate, making their way up to the Rostra. And when she saw who it was, all she could do was gasp. It couldn't be!

 

 

Notes:

And then there was only one.

Chapter 161

Walk On, Never Look Back

 

So this was the place called Sharlayan. Home to scholars and sages. It was not like he had expected, but then again, he didn't really know what he did expect. He never really paid them much heed.

Yet his journey had taken him here. Because she was here. And he owed her the answer he had finally found.

Stepping off the ship he had...borrowed back in Eorzea, Zenos began to make his way down the port. His eyes idly found the statue towering over the bay, but he swiftly lost interest. Their gods had no meaning for him.

In the distance, he spotted a small form coming towards him with quick steps, and from the way this person was dressed, he assumed it must be someone in an official capacity. As the person closed in on him, he could hear a feminine voice mutter something before saying out loud, "Do you have any idea what time it is? Registration is closed, so I am afraid you will have to return to your vessel and—"

Zenos silenced her with a look into her eyes. He stared at her for a few seconds, then turned his gaze up ahead. "I am seeking those who call themselves the Scions of the Seventh Dawn."

"The Scions...?" the woman asked. He did not reply.

The woman's eyes moved as she weighed her options. Then, after a brief moment, turned around and hurried off with a quick "If you would follow me."

He did, having no trouble keeping up with her short legs even with a relatively leisure pace. They traveled up a long set of stairs, leading up to the center of the city, and from there up towards the building that throned above all. The woman's pace quicked near the last steps, and he could hear her voice calling out to someone.

"...someone seeking the Scions of the Seventh Dawn," he heard her say and slowly took the last of the stairs.

A large crowd had gathered here. Confused looks greeted him at first, before giving way to shock on the face of those that clearly knew him. Such as one Cid Garlond. "Zenos!"

Immediately, those with weapons began to draw them, their intentions very much clear. His eyes wandered over the ground, stopping briefly on a boy among them whom he could tell was no mere child at all, until settling on a familiar face. The woman of the Scions, who had been instrumental in Asina's experiments.

"Where is she?" he asked.

A Roegadyn in armor made to move, but the small woman raised an arm to signal him to stop. "S'eni and the others have traveled to the edge of the universe to face the one that seeks the destruction of this star," she replied.

The edge of the Universe... his eyes raised to the star-filled sky. So you have at last located your prey.

"Zenos," the Lalafel said and he returned his attention back towards her. He could see conflict in her eyes, but it swiftly turned to resolution and she turned towards her companions. "I need you to trust me now."

A brief moment passed, but they all put away their weapons, albeit reluctantly.

"Thank you." She nodded and walked towards him, coming to a stop not far from him, straining her neck so she could look him directly in the eye. "S'eni is strong, you know that. The others are too. But the threat they are going up against is like nothing they've ever faced before. Of all people she had fought in the past, you are the one to rival her strength. So, I beg of you, lend them—lend her your aid. If only this once."

His first instinct was to simply turn around and walk away. She was not here, and he had no doubt that whatever her prey was would soon lie dead before her. But...

"You will never get what you desire—not even that battle you pine for so much."

...were those not the words that had spurred him to come here in the first place?

"...How shall I get there?" he asked, and the Lalafel breathed out.

"Follow me," she replied and, looking at the crowd behind her one last time, walked past him. Without another word, he followed, being led past the building and towards a set of stairs leading to a large lift.

They rode it down and he felt his eyebrows rise slightly at the sight awaiting them. An artificial land, built underneath the island, with an equally artificial sky. A hint of curiosity rose within him, but it was gone almost as quickly, and they traveled deeper into a subterranean paradise until they reached its very center.

There, within the walls of what appeared to be a shipyard, they stopped in front of yet another yet far smaller lift and his guide turned towards him. "This will lead us to the Aetherial Sea. Within, awaits what you need to travel after the others."

He nodded wordlessly and they stepped inside. Almost as soon as they arrived, he could feel the abundance of aether in the area, the part of him that had once been Shinryu sensing the power that awaited at the end of this crystalline path, leading them further into the depths of this sea of souls. And he wasn't the only one; she, too, felt it.

His avatar. Though shackled far stronger than others of her ilk, the sheer amount of aether, more than enough to feed a thousand Voidsent a thousand times, still caused her to tremble instinctively. He mentally pulled the chain that bound her to him, forcing her to calm down once more, but he could still hear the faint echoes of her bestial hunger in the back of his mind.

When they, at last, reached the end of the road, and his eyes fell upon that which would carry him to his friend, he felt the corners of his lips rise as a rush of excitement went through his body.

At last...the hunt was on.

 

---

 

S'eni's panting pierced through the silence surrounding her. Her fingers, grown numb from her punching, were digging into the impressions that her fists left In the ground. She was all alone now. It was only her.

Her, and the accursed shades that had appeared only a few minutes ago. They floated about the area, flickering in and out of existence. Like a mocking representation of what this place must have once been like.

Up ahead, her eyes found the bright path that Alphinaud and Alisaie's sacrifice had created. Meteion was waiting at the end of it. But would she be even able to reach her?

She could feel it. The despair of all these stars. It was weighing down upon her, filling her with doubt.

But you promised, didn't you? A tiny voice asked through the storm within her mind.

She did. And yet, she could not bring herself to get up. Could not will her legs to move.

A shadow from out of the corner of her eye moved in front of her then, one of the shades no doubt, and she raised her head to look at it. "What do you—"

She exhaled sharply, her eyes widening, when she saw a shadowy form standing in front of her, dressed in armor and a large axe slung over its back. Yes, there was no mistaking it. She would recognize this person everywhere.

"...Ardbert?"

"Tell me, S'eni. If you had the strength to take another step, could you do it?" his echoing voice asked, and she couldn't help but chuckle at the absurdity of it all. What else could she answer to this question?

"What?" she smiled weakly. "All by myself?"

'Ardbert' offered her his hand, and she took it. He helped her back to her feet, before looking up ahead. "If you need a push, I'll be right there behind you."

He vanished again and she briefly closed her eyes to take a deep breath. When she opened them again, she let them come to rest on the glowing path...and began to walk. With slow steps, she moved forward, one foot after the other.

Halfway to the center of the plaza, her foot was suddenly caught by something underneath the sand and she tripped. Before she could fall to the barren ground below, S'eni found herself caught by another shade, whose form was unmistakable as well. A ghost of a smile, forlorn as it was, came to her face. "Haurchefant..."

"Don't despair!" he said after helping her back up and pumped his fist in the way he always did. "You're not without allies."

"When I was at my lowest, you were there to catch me," she said as he began to fade away. Even within his shadowy features, she could see his smile. "You never once hesitated, even when it meant to lay down your life for me. Thank you..."

S'eni knew that this wasn't truly him. That it was the dynamis taking form. But just saying these simple words helped lessen the weight upon her shoulders tremendously. She watched until the last of him disappeared, and continued onward.

As she reached the tables, the shade there took the tall, proud form of Merlwyb and her voice echoed throughout the area. "What we have sown in blood, we reaped in suffering, and it cannot go on!"

The next shade, waiting for her at the other end of the tables, took the form of Aymeric, his words full of hope for a peaceful future. "Upon the souls of those who sacrificed themselves to pave the way for peace, we will never abandon our cause."

"While it is true that man is all too soon to anger and avarice," another shade, appearing as Nanamo, said. "he may yet overcome his baser instincts through the forming of bonds with others."

A few steps after, the shadowy form of Raubahn, his large hand balled into a fist, faced her on her way past. "Such victories are rarely won without sacrifice. But the prize is worth the price."

"And we, for our part, are glad to welcome friends old..." The familiar shape of Kan-E-Senna appeared shortly after and looked to another shade up ahead, taking the form of Hien. "...and new."

"Save your tears for tomorrow," he called out in a jovial tone, raising a cup. "We will have ample cause to shed them, be it for joy or despair."

When she, at last, made it to the foot of the path, another shade appeared, his tiny arms crossed while he looked up to where it would lead. He looked at her. "From tragedy and sacrifice, we rise to greet a new dawn."

"We do." She nodded. "You knew that better than most of us, Papalymo. You truly were Louisoix's greatest student."

As he faded away like the others, the echo of a chuckle followed her while she began to ascend, as if to say "Of course". Further up, the tall figure of Count Edmont appeared, standing regal with cane in hand, and when he spoke, his voice resonated with fatherly warmth. "A future shaped by the choices we made, in ways we could never have foreseen."

At the upper end of the path, two shades formed into Ryne and Beq Lugg, watching as she walked by while speaking words of a conversation she only faintly had picked up in the past.

"Yet miracles do happen. So let us pray, and will our friends home," the Nu Mou said.

Ryne nodded. "I won't stop praying until I know they're safe."

Reaching the end of the path, S'eni stepped onto the floating rock formation almost underneath the dead sun and did a little jump when, all of a sudden, a small, shadowy dragon sat down upon her shoulder. It looked at her for a brief second before fading away, leaving behind echoing words: "Strong art thou, mortal."

I can already see the end, she thought, looking up to the spot directly below Meteion's nest and began to make her way towards it. Climbing over a rock, she saw none other than Minfilia standing on the other side. Her face was obscured in the darkness that formed her, but her words were full of hope just like the day she had spoken them.

"Look to the light within—" Minfilia said and placed a hand over S'eni's heart. "—so you may continue to serve as a beacon to others."

"The light within..." she murmured, placing her own hand on top of her friends while watching her vanish. Once gone, she balled it into a fist and kept it there as she continued onward. Just before she reached her goal, she stopped and closed her eyes, taking a few deep breaths to steel herself.

A hand then gently placed itself on her back, and gave her one last push. "Let's finish this," Ardbert's voice said.

Yeah...She opened her eyes again and saw Meteion standing at the end of the desolate isle in front of her. ...Let's do it.

She stepped on it.

"I'm here, Meteion," she called out.

"And this is the end," the girl said right back. "There is no way to reach our nest."

S'eni looked about, then let her eyes land on the dead sun. She was right. There was absolutely nothing here that could bridge that last bit of distance still remaining. Nothing...

"Did I not tell you? Life holds no meaning in this place. Every civilization here has lived their lives, yet in the end, came only to curse it. Not a single dream was fulfilled, nor a single prayer answered." Meteion raised both of her hands and let them come to rest atop her chest. "No matter how many thoughts may unite them, they have no place where they could exist anymore. That is how it always has been."

...except Meteion. She looked back down at the girl, who was glancing to the side, almost appearing a little sad.

"That is why you should have remained on Etheirys. No matter what you do, it will not grant the souls of your friends peace," Meteion said, eyes finding hers. "Come, let us put an end to this suffering. What else is there to hope for?"

S'eni didn't say a word to that, instead choosing to reach into the bag at her hip and pull out the crystal within. As she looked at the symbol carved onto its surface, myriad voices echoed through her mind. Friends, foes, and loved ones, each having touched her life one way or another. She shook her head.

"I made a promise to those that I cherish the most...but that is not all. A long, long time ago, there was a little girl, terrified of what she had seen within her sisters' message and begging for someone to protect everyone." her hand closed around Azem's crystal, and it began to glow. "That is why—"

"...do not squander what you have been entrusted with."

"—I won't give up. I will keep on forging ahead, one step at a time!"

Underneath her feet, Azem's summoning circle formed and spread out over almost the entire area. Two beams of light shot forth from it, signaling the answer to her call. When they receded, two figures were left in their wake.

"Pfft. I said that you should not forget us, yet I'm the one who had forgotten. Did you find that funny, Hermes?" the first one snorted, hand going to their hip. "Because of you I've been denied my well-earned rest and forced to watch this clamorous show."

"Oh come now, it's been quite entertaining watching them run about. A gripping tale of noble sacrifices and unbreakable bonds," the other said in a light tone. "Would be a shame if we vanished before it concluded."

Hythlodaeus then giggled into his fist and offered her a smile. "Thank you for calling upon us."

"What are you?" Meteion exclaimed, eyebrows drawn.

"Nothing more than two shades that will soon fade away," Emet-Selch replied. "Do not worry. I haven't the power to destroy you, I lost those when that unsightly axe tore a hole in me."

The Ancient shot S'eni a glance over his shoulder, and all she could do was simply shrug. He sighed and looked back at Meteion.

"Our reunion here has another reason," he said with a huff. "Typical Venat, she hates to lose. But I have to wonder, did she need me to tie all of this together? Or was it all just so that I could remember what truly caused the Final Days? Hmm. Let's just go with the charitable interpretation of a solid punchline. In any case, this turn of events makes things a little easier. Not that I shall thank her for that."

Of course... S'eni thought and stepped up between them. Emet-Selch gave her a wry smile.

"I have to hand it to her, though. Bringing us all here together was quite a scheme. No wonder that our methods proved powerless against her. So let me say one more thing, a present to the last of us if you will—" his hand shot up and he pointed directly at Meteion. "—singer of the end, you will not end our journey! That is our answer, delivered to you by one who has lived the history of our star!"

A bright glow surrounded the two Ancients and Hythlodaeus grinned. "And since we are already on stage, why don't we give you a taste of our powers? Those never fail to please," he said to S'eni. "The hopes of your comrades surround us, and with just a tiny nudge from us, they will form a new path for you."

"Yes, you need but focus on it," Emet-Selch said. "Focus on the form of that which rejects the claim that you cannot attain your goal!"

She nodded and closed her eyes, envisioning within her mind the thing she knew would reach her; the very thing that had guided her onto the path to meet her so very long ago. And upon which another promise was forged.

"Ours is the wisdom to weave the fabric of reality..." Hythlodaeus spoke, the cheerfulness in his voice giving way to pure focus. "Ours is the power to create!"

S'eni's eyes shot open with the sound of Emet-Selch's snapping fingers, and she was greeted by a beautiful vision of white. Where the ground had been nothing but barren desolation a second ago, it was now entirely covered by Elpis flowers, their soft glow giving light to the darkness around them. Meteion looked about in disbelief at the sight, before her eyes widened at Hermes' voice echoing around them.

"Meteion, I gave you the power to soar the heavens. But I never taught you how to walk the earth, to live your life. That you will learn from those you meet." A pained looked began to form on Meteion's face and her arms rose to hug herself as his words continued. "Flowers...yes, the end of your journey shall be met with beautiful flowers."

"The land in which these flowers bloom is one where the future is never lost. So long as they persist, so too will the beacon of hope ever shine in the dark," Emet-Selch said and he walked over to the side with Hythlodaeus right behind him. Without even seeing her confused expression, he added, "Did I mention that your friends no longer need to fight their fight? Go on, call them to your side."

S'eni gasped at his words and, with shaking hands, grasped Azem's crystal tight, holding it close to her chest and slamming her eyes shut. Warmth radiated from it as her heart called out to each and every one of them. Come back to me.

When the warmth from within her hands receded, S'eni lowered them and opened her eyes to see the remains of Venat's spell rise into the air with a soft twinkle. "May they serve as your guide. Always," she heard her voice say from deep within her mind, like the gentle caress of a loving mother.

"Thank you, Venat..." she whispered, then glanced over her shoulder towards Thancred, who looked at himself in amazement. When it appeared to be clear to him that he was indeed whole again, he looked up with a bright smile.

"Well, don't I look amazing?" he asked.

Next to him, Estinien chuckled. "You could say the same about me."

"Honestly...didn't I tell you not to do this?" Her heart jumped at those words and she whirled to the side to face Y'shtola who, despite her words, greeted her with the most brilliant of smiles. "Thank you. One can always count on you to do the impossible."

"Shtola..." she returned it with one of her own but looked away before her emotions could get the better of her, blinking away a few stray tears as she did.

"That we thus stand reunited is a gift," Urianger said. "Let us not squander it, and see that we all return to Etheirys."

G'raha punched his palm. "As soon as we avert the Final Days!"

"Well, hello there," she heard Alisaie say and she turned towards the young woman, who stood there like this had all just been a day's work. "How did we do?"

She gave her a thumbs-up in return.

Alphinaud cast his gaze across their group, nodding. "Towards the end, then. And this time together."

"Yeah..." S'eni breathed out and looked to Meteion, who was sunk into the flowers, still holding herself for dear life. "Together."

She stepped forward, walking towards the girl and coming to a stop in front of her. Kneeling down onto the ground, she held out a hand towards her. "Come, Meteion. Let's go home."

A shudder went through Meteion and she gripped herself tighter. Above them, cracks appeared on the dead sun's surface, growing in size until it broke open like an egg. A glowing, water-like substance began to flow out of it and formed into a giant drop that remained suspended in the air, as if it was weeping...

"Can you...hear me...?" Meteion asked in a tiny voice. "The voices within... Crying in pain, wailing in sorrow... Hurting... Hurting..."

She raised her head, and what S'eni found reflected in the girl's eyes was the very same fear as back in Elpis. Black mist was beginning to surround her fragile form. "End it...silence it... Silence our song of oblivion!"

Before even the last word could fully go past her lips, Meteion transformed into her bird form and took to the air, looking upon them all for a brief moment, then fluttering into the water. S'eni rose to her feet. "I promise, Meteion."

The sudden sound of a finger snap made her tear her eyes away from the sight in front of her and to where Emet-Selch and Hythlodaeus were standing. Tiny particles of aether were leaving their bodies, draping them in a blue glow. Alisaie gasped.

"You're leaving!?"

"Of course. I'm hardly going to beg Hydaelyn for a second life," Emet-Selch replied matter-of-factly. He then glanced towards S'eni. "The future you seek is different from my beloved past. That is I fought you with all of my power. And that is why I lost, and I will admit as such. So spare me your pity and go save our star instead."

With an exhale, he raised his arms aloft, though with the usual lack of enthusiasm she had come to know from him.

"Let's put an end to this act, let the final curtain fall and the applause fade away. So that I may begin my next performance, in a different role, on a new stage—but with familiar company."

S'eni looked away, unable to bring herself to say anything. What could she even say?

Emet-Selch released an ever weary sigh. "Tell me, have you wandered the ruins beneath the waters of the Bounty? Have you sailed through the merciless Blindfrost in Othard's north and seen the treasure islands beyond? What about the golden cities of the New World? The sacred sites of the forgotten people of the south sea isles? What about Meracydia, the southern continent? Do you know what it looks like today?"

She could only stare at him with a dumbfounded expression while he crossed his arms, shaking his head as if to say "yes, figured as much".

"Even your Eorzea still holds many secrets that have yet to be uncovered. Like the true identities of those you call the Twelve. And each of the reflections alone is so rich in culture that no library could ever describe it. You are the bearer of Azem's crystal, so follow your curiosity and discover your world." He smiled. "I promise you, you won't regret it."

Hythlodaeus giggled. "We shall meet again. If not in this life, then perhaps another," he said. "And whensoever it shall be, I expect that we will have a great deal of fun."

"Oh no," Emet-Selch immediately said. "You leave me out of this!"

"Heh, you old grouch."

And as their two forms began to dissipate, Emet-Selch once more found her eyes and gave her that crooked smile of his. S'eni watched the remains of their aether rise, a hand going to her heart, until it faded away. Her lips rose into a bittersweet smile.

"Goodbye...my new old friends."

An arm wrapped itself around her shoulders and she turned her head to look at Y'shtola's smiling face. "Looks like he has given you quite a few tasks. I suppose we should pursue some of them when this is over, hm?"

She chuckled, but it only made it partways before turning into a sob, and she buried her face in the crook of Y'shtola's neck. The other Miqo'te immediately gathered her in a gentle hug, stroking her hair as she let out all of the emotions she held bottled up inside while whispering warm words into her ears. The others looked on with affection and gave them space, choosing to instead talk amongst themselves until S'eni managed to compose herself.

When she was finally done, her lover brushed away the last of her tears and pressed a kiss against her forehead. "It's alright now..."

S'eni gave her a smile, then turned her attention to the entrance of the Meteia's nest. She didn't know what awaited them inside, but whatever it was, they would face it. Together.

 

Notes:

...through you, we live!

I hope you all enjoyed my slightly altered version of the You Are Not Alone walk scene :)

Chapter 162

Notes:

Dawntrail hype! I hope you're all ready for that vacation!

Now that I got that out of my system: on with the chapter.

Tales of Loss and Fire and Faith

 

They floated amongst a sea of stars, the incredible speed at which they did making them appear as little more than long streaks of light. Countless upon countless worlds that the Meteia must have encountered on their journey and whose memories they had taken upon themselves. A fluttering of wings made S'eni glance to the side, where a blue bird took its place next to her.

"Welcome to my void, where neither death nor life has a place," Meteion's voice echoed from all around and more birds appeared, guiding them to where they needed to go. "Follow my path and descend with me, deep into the depths of darkness."

Gaining in speed, one by one the birds began to fly ahead and a bright flash filled her vision, forcing her to close her when. Upon opening them again, S'eni found herself standing on sand, a beach to be more precise. Or rather, what must have once been one before the nightmarish sight presenting itself to them had claimed it.

The sky, whatever color it must have been, was one dark red cloud, with thick dark veins running through it as if it were the skin of a corpse. Covering the horizon were spheres of oozing darkness, floating above the oily black sea that held a faint rainbow sheen. Debris and large fishbones were lining the shore and S'eni took a step back when an incoming tide threatened to lick her boots.

"Gods, this smell," G'raha exclaimed, covering his nose. "It reeks of..."

"...Death," Urianger finished for him and looked upon the body lying not far from their group. Whatever this being was, it appeared slightly larger than herself and quite stout, though she didn't know if that wasn't from the suit it was wearing, covering its entire body and ending in a large, round helmet. The only recognizable feature was its tail. And given the state the corpse appeared to be in, it was better not to touch it.

"What...happened here?" Alisaie asked, kicking away a plank of wood.

"A sickness befell this star..." Meteion explained, appearing in her bird form. "It turned the once clear lakes and oceans into swamps."

She turned around and fluttered away.

"We should follow her," Y'shtola suggested.

"Hm." S'eni nodded and they began to head down the beach. On their way, they came across more bodies, one of which was sitting upright. It seemed almost as if someone had just decided to take a little nap, but the black stains covering the inside of the faceplate left little doubt as to what happened to them.

"This must be this star's inhabitants," Thancred murmured.

"Indeed, whatever this sickness Meteion spoke of it must—" Alphinaud suddenly pointed up ahead. "Look, over there!"

Looking further down the beach, they found a group of these people that were still alive. But as soon as they arrived it was quite apparent that most of them were also sick. "So...hot..." one of them called out in a weak voice, body twitching. "My whole body...burning..."

Trying to speak with them did nothing. They seemed to be little else than extras trapped in this memory-given form. Panicked shouting drew their attention away from the sorry sight of the inhabitants of this place and towards another pair of them that came running down the shore. And close behind them, the reason for their panic: twisted beings whose entire bodies were made up of the same black substance that was covering the sand. Furthermore, they were less inclined on ignoring them, choosing to instead abandon their current quarry to slither towards their group instead.

Thancred and S'eni immediately rushed forward, jumping right into the middle of the fray, soon joined by Estinien descending from above. Dodging a swipe from a deadly claw, she threw a punch at one of the monster's heads, causing it to twist in a rather unnatural way before it snapped back into place as if nothing happened. "Great..."

A bolt of lightning suddenly struck the creature from the side, its body seizing up violently, then dropping to the ground in a smoking, twitching, gelatinous mass. With the others joining the fight, they proceeded to make short work of their foes until the last of them was lying in the sand. They made to continue onwards when a hand shot up from one of them and grabbed S'eni's ankle.

"Help...us..." it blubbered forth from a shapeless mouth. "T-Tired...so...tired..."

The grip on her leg faded and the creature went slack, finally succumbing. S'eni stared at it, her eyes wide. The fluttering of wings entered her ears, followed by the weight of a bird settling down on her shoulder.

"The will to live only made things worse..." Meteion said and turned her beak up ahead, where a seashell was lying, clean of any sort of pollution. Walking over to it, S'eni picked it up and a voice began to resonate from within.

"What a cruel question, little bird. You want us, whose bodies are marked by scars, whose blood had long since turned bitter, to tell you about the meaning of life?" the voice asked. "But if it is an answer you want, you should know about the dark path we have walked. We sought prosperity, and there was none greater than our children. For them, we did everything. That was before we mastered fire, and from its flames, created steel. We became addicted to the dark metal, because it granted us the power to rule over others..."

The voice faded and Meteion took off, flying further ahead. S'eni looked to the others, their faces darkened by the words they had just heard, and then placed the shell back down. With a somber nod, she gestured for them to follow their little guide.

After having to battle against a few more of these poor souls, begging to be killed, they arrived at a small city situated above the dark sea. Its buildings were made out of giant shells, and she was sure that once upon a time, this place must have been beautiful. A time before the streets had been littered with corpses.

Flying down from atop a nearby building, Meteion fluttered in front of them. "Eventually, their wrath was no longer aimed at the illness itself, but at the sick instead," she explained and spun around to look towards the group of inhabitants down the street. They were gathered around one of their own, lying on the ground and quaking in fear, hurling insults at the person.

"What a sad sight..." Y'shtola said with a sigh. "Nothing but suffering. And the Meteia had to witness it all."

Meteion flew away and more of the transformed sick appeared, scattering the group in every direction as they fled from their 'unclean' brethren, before deciding to go for the new arrivals instead. After putting them out of their misery as well, they ventured deeper into town. It was eerily quiet, no more further signs of life crossing their path. Just as they reached the end of the road, leading to a small bridge that was barred by a gate, S'eni noticed another shell lying not far from her and she headed over to pick it up.

"One day, we discovered that our world was far smaller than we thought. Furthermore, we discovered that we were lacking fertile soil for our children to grow. Even the ocean, which we thought endless, proved to be little more than a pitiful puddle, its waters poisoned by iron and other elements that we wrested from the earth. Soon after, this poison devoured all we held dear. Our children became sick, and our power lost all meaning. So listen well, little bird, this is our answer: life is little more than a death sentence. The more one yearns for it, the more agonizing one's end will be. It is a path full of pain and suffering until the release of death."

A metallic ring echoed through the air and the gate opened. The shell within her hand crumbled into dust, then faded away like the voice it had carried.

Passing through the gate, they made their way over the bridge until they arrived at a platform at the center where an especially large specimen of one of the sick, towering above them in size and covered from head to toe in festering growths on its necrotic skin. It walked around aimlessly, looking around blindly and calling out, "Where...is...everyone? Help...please...help."

"It's blocking our way," Alisaie said, eyes filled with pity at this sight.

"And Meteion is waiting just on the other side," Thancred added. His eyes then narrowed and he gripped his Gunblade tight. "We've got no time to waste. I suggest we split up, a few of us stay here, while the rest go on ahead."

"Then I shall lend thee my aid," Urianger said. "Let it be mine magicks that dispels the poison from their body."

"Hmm. I'll stay too then," Estinien said.

S'eni looked at the three of them and gave them a nod. "Alright. Be careful, and no heroic sacrifices, you hear?"

All three just smiled, before rushing towards their foe. Swinging his Gunblade in an upward arc, Thancred pulled the trigger and sent a small wave of aether flying into festering flesh, its sound serving as their signal to run. While the battle was raging behind them, they reached the other end of the bridge where Meteion's bird form was hovering over a lone body, an aura of deep sadness surrounding her.

"In the end, the last soul spoke: If only I had never been born..." The air behind her rippled and distorted, forming a portal through which she flew. They all shared a look, and stepped through...

...and emerged in a war zone. Shouting and gunfire pervaded the air, accompanied by the sounds of explosions near and far. But even through this cacophony of battle, her ears managed to make out a very telltale sound. Her eyes widened. "Get down!"

Immediately, they dove into a nearby crater, just in time to avoid getting blasted to kingdom come by a projectile hitting the ground where they had just stood. After the last of the debris had rained down on them, S'eni and the others slowly crawled out and saw Meteion standing near the edge. She turned her head to where a squad of soldiers, dressed in armor that appeared to be more advanced than anything even the Allagans produced, was running towards a row of barricades.

"On another star, sickness and plague had been successfully eradicated by technological progress," she explained. "But the lives saved that way soon fell victim to the flames of war."

They watched as the squad was obliterated by a hail of rockets, taking out a good chunk of the barricade as well. Wordlessly, Meteion took to the air and flew right into the heart of battle. Taking that as their cue, they followed.

Sending out his Nouliths, Alphinaud provided them with barriers that protected them from any stray shots that were whizzing past whenever they didn't have a burned-out wreck of a war machine to use as cover. They hurried down the battlefield as fast as they could, eventually arriving at the next layer of barricades, where a lone soldier was firing at a group of machines before slipping back into cover to dodge the incoming salvos that forced S'eni and the others to slide behind the barricade as well. The soldier cursed, reloading his rifle, then turned towards them.

"You there! Give me some cover," he said and raised his hand to point to the far left. "See that ladder over there?"

She was surprised at first, not expecting to be directly addressed by this living memory, but slowly peaked over the barricade. Indeed, there was a ladder there. "Yeah."

"It leads to our objective. If I can reach it we can put an end to all this. But those bots are blocking the way." Swerving her gaze to the right, she saw the machines, quadripedal in nature, scanning the area. More importantly, though, she spotted Meteion's bird form behind them. Looked like they needed to fight, either way.

"Alright, we'll cover you," she said and gave a signal to the others. As Y'shtola and Alisaie began to prepare their spells, S'eni looked at the soldier. "On three. One...two...three!"

Getting out from behind cover, Y'shtola and Alisaie sent their spells flying, while the rest of them jumped over the barricade and rushed towards the machines. "For the Community!" the soldier shouted and made a break for the ladder.

As she reached the first of the machines, S'eni jumped on top of it, taking hold of the upper part of its "maw" and pulling back with all her might. Sparks began to fly as she tore it off and exposed the wiring underneath, before plunging her fist inside and tearing it all out. The machine buckled once, then collapsed on the ground. Getting up from it, she immediately went after the next.

After a couple of intense minutes, all the machines were lying on the ground in various states of destruction, and she found herself offering a silent thank you to Cid and even Omega for the knowledge they had imparted to her. But there was little time to rest on these laurels when, soon after, a wall exploded next to where Meteion was waiting for them. She wasn't phased in the least as she spoke, "The pursuit of freedom and happiness eventually led to resentment and murder."

With those words, she fluttered away. As they made to follow, S'eni noticed a strange-looking pad lying on the ground. Just like the shells it seemed to be impervious to what was going on. And just like them, she suspected it held additional information as to what had happened here. Walking over, she picked it up and a voice began to speak.

"Angel from across the stars. Your appearance to us is proof that we of the Global Community are on the righteous path! Under the pretext of freedom, the 'Freedom Fighters' have plunged our world into chaos. It is time to bring down the hammer of justice upon them. It is our duty to unite the world and lead it into everlasting peace. For too long has our world, our people, been fractured. We have argued, fought, and killed. But soon, the unity, the peace, we have so longed for will be ours!"

The voice faded in a wave of applause that was soon drowned out by the sounds of war around them. She put the pad away and G'raha looked around. "Someone must have tried to prevent this," he said. "I can't believe everyone would just agree to this!"

"If there were, they did not succeed." Alphinaud frowned. "Let's proceed. That is all we can do."

Continuing onward, they headed further across the battlefield, fighting against more of the machines and even other soldiers that must have been part of this Freedom Fighter faction the voice had spoken of. At least that is what she assumed from the slightly different armor they wore and the fervent desire to see them dead. They eventually reached a path that led to an elevated position, overlooking much of the area, and found Meteiom seated atop a small rock. Her eyes were drawn to the sight below.

"The weapons that were meant to bring an end to the conflict, ended up delivering the killing blow," she told them and S'eni looked down at the chaos of the battlefield. Soldiers of both sides were pinned down, picked off one by one in a hail of gunfire. Buildings being blown up, trapping those that didn't perish in the initial attack under the rubble. Those were just two of the things she saw playing out down there. But there was something else she noticed. The machines were attacking everyone indiscriminately. When she turned to ask Meteion, she found her gone and another pad having taken her place. She picked it up.

"Angel from beyond the stars. To put an end to the bloodshed and, at long last, unite our world, the engineers of the Global Community created the Peacekeepers. Supported by an artificial intelligence, they were to bring peace with cold and calculated precision. But the machines came to the conclusion that all life stands in the way of peace and turned against us. The 10000 units have become unstoppable, routing everyone that stands in their way. We have only one choice left: to deploy our most devastating armaments against them, despite the devastating costs. May fate be merciful on our souls..."

The sound of an engine made S'eni look ahead, where a far larger machine than the previous ones was landing on a burned and rusted platform that looked like it had been slapped into this place. Perhaps the remains of a base, not that it really mattered. Feeling the pad crumble within her hand, she tossed it away and began walking over to the platform.

"This must be one of those Peacekeepers, then," Alisaie said when they came to a stop. She scanned the area, eyebrows furrowing momentarily. "Not a lot of maneuverability...very well."

The young Elezen nodded and looked towards S'eni. "I'll stay behind with Alphinaud and Raha, you and Y'shtola go on ahead."

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"Of course, or else I wouldn't suggest it." Alisaie punched her palm and the other two voiced their agreement. "This place is ruled by emotions too, so that thing is going to stand no chance. But Thancred is right, we have to hurry. I'm sure you noticed by now, but Meteion..."

"...Yeah, I know." The further they were traveling, the darker Meteion's appearance became. The hopeful blue that had been so reminiscent of the time in Elpis was almost a solid black. With an exhale, she turned to Y'shtola. "Just you and me, then."

"Given our vast talents, I believe we should be able to handle it," her lover said, offering her an encouraging smile, then looked at their friends. "Godsspeed. We'll see you at the end."

The three of them nodded, brandished their weapons, and charged at the Peacekeeper. Y'shtola and her exchanged a look and, waiting for the right opportunity, nd made a break for it. They ran down a long path, leading down towards a cliff where a single console was located; together with a certain soldier. He was typing something into it, stopping just as they came to a halt.

"If we destroy them we can finally know peace!" He slammed his fist on the large button at the lower right corner. Sirens began to blare in the distance, and a series of lights turned on, revealing rows upon rows of canons in the valley below. Their size was unlike any weapon S'eni had ever seen before. "...May the gods have mercy on our souls."

In unison, the canons rose into position and, with a deafening boom, fired. She could only watch in pure horror as the city that covered the horizon was turned into a sea of flames. There was no way anyone would have survived that. Twelve forfend...

Her eyes went to the soldier, who numbly walked backwards, before dropping to the ground and gripping his head. Meteion landed before him, tilting her little bird head. "In the end, the last survivor spoke: if only we had never become so powerful."

Another portal opened, and once again, Meteion flew through it. S'eni remained standing there for a brief moment, taking in the destruction before her, until Y'shtola's hand on her shoulder drew her out of her thoughts. She gave the other Miqo'te a silent nod, and they followed Meteion...

...to this time arrive in the midst of a beautiful field, vast and golden, and she gasped out when she cast her gaze further into the distance. There, standing against the backdrop of a breathtaking starry sky, was a giant tree, its bark a brilliant white and its leaves a shimmering blue. She leaned down to pluck a flower from the ground.

"It's so...peaceful," she said.

"Indeed. Hard to believe that these would be the last days of a world." Y'shtola looked around and pointed ahead. "There, those appear to be buildings."

"Hmm, yeah." They were kind of hard to make out, but those were definitely buildings. She dropped the flower. "Let's go. Maybe we can find Meteion there."

And indeed they did, fluttering in mid-air not far from a small crowd of people. Dressed in robes as white as the nearby buildings and the tree's bark, their appearance was entirely obscured by masked cowls. It eerily reminded her of the Ancients back home.

"Look, Meteion's body is entirely dark now," Y'shtola pointed out a in low voice. It stood out all the more in this bright environment.

"We should stay cautious. Anything could happen," S'eni said and they came to a stop near Meteion.

Noticing them, the little bird turned around and began the tale of this star. "On yet another planet, there was a civilization that left all conflict behind."

A bright, golden light drew S'eni's attention away from Meteion and towards the being that appeared in front of the crowd. Its body looked like that of a gryphon, covered almost entirely in golden scales, while magnificent feathers formed into wings that were attached to its horned, femine head. Many in the crowd who had otherwise stood around rather passively, were raising their hands and began to chant.

It beheld them with its golden eyes, before rearing up on its hind legs. The large ornament held between its horns emitted a blinding light and multiple people from within the crowd simply evaporated into nothing. The entire process took nothing more than a second, and no sooner did the being's forelegs touch the ground again, did it turn around and leap away. Those from the crowd, who were still left standing, returned to simply passively standing around, some mumbling amongst themselves.

"What in the hells...?" she wondered aloud, mouth agape at what they had just witnessed.

"But in the pursuit of wisdom and rationality, they lost the appreciation for life. The beginning of the end..." Meteion replied and flew off, following the creature.

"I can see where this is going," Y'shtola said, hands on her hips while looking towards one of the inhabitants.

"The heart has fallen silent..." he muttered.

"Me too." Still, Meteion wished for them to witness this, so S'eni began to walk. It quickly became apparent that this entire area appeared to be a series of floating landmasses, connected with one another via the roots of the giant tree. Below them, the sight was far less magical, all land that wasn't connected to the tree having grown desolate. Yet, the people they came across did not care, instead, they simply stood or sat about, with little to no motivation.

"O, beautiful voice, let it all fade away," she heard one of them say as they arrived on a small island connecting two larger ones. They found pretty much the same sight as everywhere else here, until, out of seemingly nowhere, two pretty butterflies appeared. A couple of these people picked up on them and, with a sick sort of delight in their voices, approached them.

"Golden butterfly, let it all end..." one said before evaporating and being consumed by it. His fellow shared much the same fate. Then, the butterflies turned their attention towards them.

"Shtola!"

"Already ahead of you!" Y'shtola replied, swinging her staff around and sending out a swift ice spell that froze the insects solid. They dropped to the ground, leaving them as easy pickings for S'eni to finish them off. As their bodies broke apart, the essence of those they had consumed was released and drifted away until nothing was left. Those of the inhabitants that remained did not react, trapped not only in their roles but also in their apathy.

This very same sight would repeat a couple of more times until they finally found Meteion, seated on the backrest of a bench next to one of the cloaked people. Following the silent invitation, S'eni sat down on the free spot and, soon after, a voice filled the quiet. "Once upon a time, a bird from the stars arrived, asking us: What is the meaning of life? Why do you exist? These questions filled me with a sense of nostalgia and bittersweet memories," it said in a reminiscing tone. "For there was once a time when we were still imperfect, searching for this selfsame meaning and the reason for our existence. Now, I understand that these questions hold no meaning. Still, I answered the bird, yet it did not understand, no matter how many times I repeated my words."

S'eni rose back to her feet and faced Meteion. The little bird held her gaze for a few long seconds, before taking to the sky. The words that trailed after her held almost the same glee as those of the people that were consumed. "With grief and suffering vanquished, the joy for life lost all meaning."

"So with nothing else left, they began to seek oblivion," she said, looking over to the next isle where another crowd had gathered in front of the being from earlier, and the very same spectacle repeated.

"I have to wonder." Y'shtola gently rapped her knuckles against her cheek. "Could this be...?"

"Yeah." She nodded. "I think so, too."

"I suppose we shall find the answer soon enough."

They followed Meteion, their path leading them closer and closer to the tree. From afar, S'eni could see something that she assumed to be some sort of shrine or perhaps a garden, but whatever it was, a sizable crowd had gathered there. Just as they reached the isle leading to said place, the reminiscing voice returned, echoing from people around them.

"We were aware of the cycle of life, death, and rebirth, of course. But for beings that attained immortality, the question about the meaning of life had become irrelevant. There was no reason for us to continue eternal life in a finite universe, and thus we decided to call forth Ra-la and bring about the complete cessation of our existence."

As the voice fell silent, the people turned to ash and scattered in the soft breeze. So her assumption was right. This creature, this Ra-la, was some sort of primal born out of their desire for death. And as they had witnessed, it was all too eager to grant it to them.

Y'shtola and her looked up towards the crowd, both of their eyes narrowing knowing what awaited them, and hurried over. They were greeted almost by the same spectacle as earlier, with the crowd holding their hands up. Ra-la looked upon them...and smiled. Butterflies blinked into existence and fluttered over to the crowd, the flap of their wings heralding oblivion to every last one of these people as they began to consume them one by one, until none were left.

"A painless end, as if drifting off into blissful sleep," Meteion's voice echoed from somewhere, and Ra-la fixed its golden eyes on the two of them, silently promising the sweetest of ends.

S'eni simply cracked her knuckles. "An extraetheirycal primal. Can't say that was ever on my personal list of things."

"Extra—did you just make up a word?" Y'shtola asked in dry amusement, adjusting her sleeves a little.

"Better to start now so that all scholars in the future know what term to use."

"You are more likely to find it used in some periodical rag instead."

S'eni just offered her lover a smile, before vanishing and reappearing in front of Ra-la, slamming her fist into its torso. The sudden impact caused it to stumble, leaving it open enough for further blows. She was just raising her leg for a kick when a sudden swipe of its tail sent her flying back with a surprised yelp.

A bolt of lightning flew past her, hitting Ra-la straight in the head, and she felt herself be caught by a gust of wind. As she landed back on the ground, she saw Y'shtola conjure up sharp icicles that she hurled towards Ra-la with a flick of her wrist. Most of them shattered against its scales, while one struck true, lodging itself into softer scales around the neck.

Letting out a far too melodious howl, Ra-la rushed towards Y'shtola, raising one of its claws. S'eni immediately bridged the gap between them, a bright flash surrounding her momentarily upon reappearing, and she raised her Gunblade just in time to deflect the swipe. Swinging the blade downward, she pulled the trigger, adding enough force to her attack to leave a clear gash in Ra-la's scales, followed by her ducking out of the way at the water spell colliding with it.

They continued to attack it in perfect unison, each attack followed by a spell, forcing Ra-la on the defensive, until a bright light from the ornament forced them to shield their eyes. When she lowered her hand, she saw one of the primal's wings was beginning to glow and she tackled Y'shtola to the side just in time to avoid a wave of energy that swept across a large part of the area.

"Too close for comfort," she muttered while they both got back up, raising her weapon to prepare for the next assault. But instead of attacking them, Ra-la began to jump around, leaving butterflies in its wake. S'eni was confused at first until she noticed their strange glow. "Shit!"

They both raised their arms, forming a barrier that protected them from the released energy as the butterflies exploded. Once the dust had settled though, they saw that Ra-la had already summoned more of them, prepared to end what it perceived as their suffering. This was taking too much time. They needed to finish this—

Her lips curled upwards.

—and she might just know how. "Shtola. I've got a plan."

"I'm listening," Y'shtola said and, after hearing what she had in mind, mirrored her expression. "Alright, let's try that. You'll need to get its attention though."

"Don't worry. I will, you just create me an opening."

The other Miqo'te simply raised her staff, already crackling with destructive arcane energy. As soon as the barrier came down, S'eni rushed over to Ra-la at top speed. The butterflies immediately moved to intercept her, when the air above them began to ripple and expand into an explosion of pure destructive heat, setting them all ablaze. Ra-la itself was only briefly fazed by this, but it was still long enough for S'eni to jump into the air and bring down her Gunblade in one explosive strike upon the ornament, shattering it to pieces and taking a good chunk of one horn with it.

That was enough to finally break the perpetual serene expression on Ra-la's face and turn it into a grimace of anger. Good. With a smirk, S'eni ran away, and Ra-la wasted no time to give chase.

For the next couple of seconds, they played this little game of cat and mouse, buying Y'shtola enough time to put the next phase of her plan into motion. "Now!"

S'eni came to an abrupt halt when, from one second to the next, a domed barrier formed around Ra-la, trapping it inside. A brief flash surrounded her as her Gunblade was replaced by her gauntlets once more, and she exploded forwards, right into the barrier. Fist connecting with the primal's face, she immediately zipped away, only to strike next from the left, then from the right, using the magical walls as leverage for a hail of blows that her adversary couldn't possibly defend against.

With every strike, she ascended higher, until she was directly above it. Planting her feet against the roof of the dome, she pushed herself off with all her might. "Enough with you!"

Her fist came down upon Ra-la's head with a resounding crack, causing it to twist around 180° from the sheer force of it. It blinked once, twice, visible confusion on its angel-like face. Its lips parted...and it collapsed to the ground right behind S'eni.

She exhaled through her nose and rose back to her feet as the barrier vanished. Walking over to Y'shtola, she exchanged a small smile with her. Her lips parted to say something, when a voice calling out to them made them look towards the direction they came from, where Alisaie was raising her hand in a wave while the other followed close after.

"Hey!" S'eni called back, glad to see everyone in one piece, and the two of them moved to meet up with their friends.

"Hmm, looks like you two didn't need any help after all," Alisaie said, looking over to the body of Ra-la as it was beginning to burst into dark mist.

"And you all seem to have managed alright as well," she replied, her smile growing...

...only to fall as her eyes spotted Meteion's fluttering form, appearing almost like a moving shadow now. Mist seeped from within her and the area around them slowly withered away, becoming nothing but ash. Her eyes widened when a faint sound in the distance invaded her ears, and a quick glance over to G'raha and Y'shtola showed the same reaction on their faces. Turning around, she looked out into the star-speckled horizon.

It was beginning...

 

Notes:

...every word on our hearts engraved!

So I swore myself to feature at least one dungeon in full within this fic, so what better than to use this one?

Also, anyone who recognizes by what the S'eni and Y'shtola team attack was inspired by gets an imaginary cookie.

See ya next week!

Chapter 163

In the Dark

 

A noise echoed from the distance. Faint at first, but growing closer and closer each passing moment. The heralding of arrival on countless wings. S'eni couldn't see anything yet, no matter in which direction she looked, but she was sure it wouldn't be long now.

The flapping of a pair of nearby wings drew her attention back forward, where Meteion's now entirely black form was idly fluttering about. She tilted her tiny head and she almost sounded a little bemused when she asked, "You are all still standing?"

"What can I say? We can be very stubborn," she replied. "But I'm sure you know that already."

"Yes, I can feel it. Never before have I witnessed such obduracy. I almost feel something akin to warmth welling within my breast at the sight," Meteion said, and then her tone darkened. "The stars that have become a part of me will not like that. When will you finally give up? What else do I need to do so you finally become one with us?"

"Everyone has a point where they can't go on," Alisaie said and stepped up next to S'eni. "And if that happens, we will lend them our hand. Again and again, until we've averted the end!"

"Oh, is that so?" Meteion asked, and another black bird whizzed by them, followed by another, and another. "Behind every glimmer of hope lurks a shadow of despair. Regrets of today are the grief of tomorrow. Day after day after day—"

More and more birds arrived, their numbers too many to count, and began to circle above them. Dark mist formed as their bodies broke apart, and they coalesced together into a storm of dynamis. As Meteion continued to speak, the voices of her sisters joined her into a choir of endless voices.

"—for as long as you live."

The dynamis within the storm began to turn liquid, becoming a black substance that grew in size as it absorbed the Meteia into itself. The floating mass twisted and turned, and its upper half expanded, stretching and stretching until a tiny tear appeared on its surface and the entire thing ripped apart. A face revealed itself to them, angelic in appearance, beautiful if not for the unhealthy paleness and the deep-seated sorrow marring its features. Long, dark hair framed it, its ends floating wildly in the wind. Like Meteion, small wings protruded from her head, but they were nothing in comparison to the two covering up the rest of her.

A breath escaped S'eni while she stared at the woman. The Meteia's collective despair. The one that heralds the end. The Endsinger...

"By the gods!" Alphinaud exclaimed.

With a deep sigh, her eyelids fluttered open and her wings parted to reveal the dark, unforming void in place of a body. Above it hung an ornament of a certain girl's face, framed by feathers and turning into a drop of despairing faces at the lower end. Pale bronze eyes stared ahead, before snapping downward, towards them.

"Watch out!" Estinien cried out and they all readied themselves.

"Ah..." Dark lips parted and glowing rocks formed in front of her wings. "...pain...wrath..."

In an instant, two tiny planets had formed out of those rocks and he cast them forward with a flap of her wings. S'eni immediately rushed forward, throwing up her hands to form a barrier that would shield them, but the sheer force behind the attack shattered it in an instant and sent her flying back. She landed on the ground in a pained grunt, but otherwise not worse for wear, and she spotted Estinien's armored form jump high into the air and dive towards the Endsinger lance first, only to be intercepted by another planet-like projectile.

Pushing herself back up, she paused mid-motion when a voice, panicked and desperate, resonated deep within her, and she looked up through the dispersing dust towards the tiny blue bird next to the Endsinger.

"Stop it!" Meteion pleaded through the dynamis. "Please, calm down."

"Meteion..." she called out. Rushing past her, Thancred jumped up, a barrier cast by Urianger surrounding him as he brought his Gunblade forward to stop the next projectile that was hurled at them. It exploded upon impact, pushing him back to the ground where he skidded to a halt next to Y'shtola. Her staff glowed with arcane energy, ready to unleash a devastating spell, when streams of black tears ran down the Endsinger's face, splashing onto the barren soil and erupting forth into waves of darkness that caused both to collapse in pain.

"Shtola!" she shouted and continued to get back on her feet.

"Haaa...how can you live without a care in the world, while we have suffered so?" The Endsinger asked.

Seeing his friends in danger, Urianger wasted no time to cast a healing spell, but with his attention occupied, didn't notice the attack coming right at him from above. "Watch out!" Alphinaud cried, rushing over to him and bringing his Nouliths up just in time to form a protective shield over them. The small planet collided with the barrier, straining against it and causing cracks to form all across its arcane pattern, but the spell stood strong.

After the planet burst into pieces, the barrier vanished and Alphinaud dropped to his knees. Urianger was immediately at his side, holding onto the young man's shoulders. Neither of them was able to react to their adversary's next attack, and as they collapsed to the ground, the Endsinger spoke, "How can we, abused by fate, have any hope..."

"Don't harm them, please!" Meteion cries over all of this. "You are only making things worse!"

Alisaie rushed forth, her focus glowing, ready to unleash a spell. Another dark droplet then ran down the Endsinger's cheek, forming into a large black puddle that flowed towards the Elezen. As soon as it touched her, it sent a shock through her entire body, making her drop her weapon and cry out.

"Stop it! Please!"

"Why should only we be the ones to suffer pain?" Pale bronze eyes landed on S'eni, who was rushing over to Y'shtola and Thancred, and the Endsinger reared her wings back. "They shall all feel it!"

As she brought her wings down in one powerful flap, a storm descended upon them. Caught off guard, S'eni could do little else but dig her heels into the ground. It wasn't enough, inch by inch, she felt herself being pushed back. Then, all of a sudden, someone jumped in front of her.

"No!" it was G'raha, ramming his aetheric sword into the ground and holding up his shield. Glowing wings sprouted forth from his shield, protecting both of them from the storm. Another powerful flap caused the torrent to intensify, and he gritted his teeth as he pressed against it with all of his might.

To no avail.

Bit by bit, the aetheric wings that protected them were torn asunder and G'raha's shield shattered. With a cry, he flew past her, caught by the storm together with the others. S'eni called out his name, followed by a curse, and she dug her fingers into the ground to keep herself in place. Turning her head upwards, she watched her friends whirl violently through the air, until her eyes caught sight of the Endsinger forming dynamis into another attack that dwarfed the entire area. And her targets were obvious.

"All shall be extinguished..."

Oh gods. She needed to do something, and fast. But how, there was no way she could intercept—her eyes widened. Yes, of course!

Pushing herself up, she reached into her bag and pulled out the portable teleporter Wilfsunn and Bloewyda had given them.

"S'eni, wait!" Alisaie called from above. S'eni looked at her friend and smiled.

"It's alright," she said, thumb going to the crystal-shaped button. "And tell Shtola...she promised too."

She pressed it.

"NO!"

Holding her hand out, she loosened her grip on the device and watched it fly away, like grass in the wind. A soft chime echoed through the area, once, twice, before turning into a long, drawn-out beep as the other teleporters activated simultaneously, spiriting her friends to safety.

Everything... she thought and closed her eyes to shield them from the bright explosion the Endsinger's attack left in its wake. When it subsided, she took a deep breath and turned to face her foe.

"You saved your friends. And now you are all alone," the Endsinger said, regarding her with cold eyes. "If your power lies in the strength of your bonds...then you are powerless now. Or do you believe those two shades will come to your aid again?"

"You're wrong," she replied with a shake of her head, her legs shifting and her arms rising as she readied herself for battle. "Knowing that they are safe gives me all the strength I need!"

"Hah. One last gesture of defiance, but you will soon perish. Beaten, broken, you shall writhe on the ground as you scream your impotence out into the world." Pain flitted across her face. "Just like we did. The sorrow, the pain, the suffering...we lived it all, and to what end? We died, nothing more. In the end, all we shared was nothing but death. And just like us, you shall now perish, in endless despair!"

Her wings parted once again, like a vulture of death and despair, ready to unleash her attack...but suddenly stopped when a sound echoed through the air. The Endsinger looked around, her expression puzzled. "What is that...? What has happened to my nest...?"

Silence answered her at first, only to be replaced by the sound of something shattering. Again. And again. Growing closer each time.

It was coming...from above!

Looking up, S'eni's eyebrows rose when she saw cracks appear in the starry sky. Something slammed against it from the other side, causing more and more cracks to appear. With a sudden snap, claws broke through the surface and began to violently tear through it until, with one final shatter, a giant dragon broke through.

A gasp escaped S'eni as the dragon descended and stopped next to the isle she was standing on. Not just any dragon; Shinryu. "...Zenos?"

"I have found you at last, my friend," he said. "I know now what it was that drove you to fight me. And what my soul desired from you."

"But...how?" was all she managed to ask in pure disbelief.

"I struck a bargain with the woman of the Scions. The one possessing the same gift as you."

"Krile..."

"I was to lend the Scions my aid in their hour of need. I accepted, and was offered a way to the edge of the universe—to you. I absorbed the rest of the Mothercrystal, took on this form, and ascended into the sea of stars. So great was my anticipation, that I even overcame light itself."

Unbelievable. To think that Krile would not only strike a deal with him of all people, but convince him in the first place. But she supposed that this entire day was full of surprises for everyone.

"So that is the prey you have been after." Zenos turned his head to look at the Endsinger. S'eni, too, faced her again. "Tell me, why does it still live? Did you not make it clear to me that you would never fall in the face of evil, that you would never lose hope? Or was I wrong to believe as such?"

She narrowed her eyes, hands balling into fists. No, he wasn't. "Don't think I'm going to protect you."

"Of course," he chuckled. "The only time you ought to wield your weapon for me is when we battle."

With a mighty roar, Zenos dove towards the Endsinger, who took to the sky to get away. Running as fast as she could, S'eni jumped off the edge of the isle and onto his back. "The final hunt is at hand!"

"Hear the song heralding the end and despair!" the Endsinger spread her wings, sending out volleys upon volleys of spells towards them. While Zenos was busy dodging them, S'eni reached into her bag and pulled out Azem's crystal, the magic within it glowing. It was ready for her to call upon the warriors willing to lend a hand.

No, not this time, she thought, grabbing the crystal tight and letting its magic form a platform upon Zenos' back. Once done, she put it away and glared at the Endsinger.

This was just between them.

"Get us closer!" she shouted over the barrage of spells exploding all around them.

"Hmpf. I told you that not even the light was able to keep up," he replied and she nearly stumbled when his speed increased rapidly, inching closer to their quarry even as she, too, sped up to get away. "No matter how far you flee, there is no escape! I will bring this hunt to an end!"

"Oh no, this will not end the way you desire," the Endsinger spat back when they got within striking distance. "Even the brightest star will eventually expire!"

"We'll see about that!" S'eni dashed towards her, jumping into the air and delivering a series of blows to the Endsinger's head. Despite her size, she flinched at the force behind each strike, and raised one of her wings to blow S'eni away.

As soon as she landed back on the platform, S'eni felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise and she threw herself to the side, narrowly avoiding the lightning that struck from above. Pushing herself back up, she rushed over to the Endsinger once again when the burning shape of a meteor spell entered her field of view. She grit her teeth and summoned forth her staff, swinging it around while an arcane pattern began forming underneath her feet and sending a large flare towards the meteor. The resulting explosion shattered it into tiny pieces, and she cast another spell to hurl them all at her foe.

The Endsinger raised a wing to shield herself from the debris, but in doing so, left herself open enough for S'eni to close back in and slip underneath to deliver a solid kick to her chin that made her head snap back. It remained there for a second before snapping down again with a sick crunch. Pale bronze eyes narrowed.

"Despair has many forms," she said, her mouth opening wide to reveal the glowing darkness within. S'eni waved her hand and was pulled back to the ley lines, narrowly avoiding being hit by the stream of dynamis shooting forth from the Endsinger that carved a swath of darkness across the platform. Hands reached out from within it, trying to grab and pull her in, but found no purchase when she backed away.

They lingered for a few seconds, then vanished together with the darkness. No time to watch it, though, as her adversary was not remaining idle. Sending her staff away, S'eni went back on the offensive, striking whenever she could and fending off her attacks. Which was easier said than done, because this place truly was the Meteia's domain and whatever they imagined became reality.

"My sisters only found despair. Again and again, no matter where they searched," the Endsinger spoke, summoning forth tiny versions of herself that immediately made a beeline for S'eni. "A sorrow so deep that one would lose the ability to grieve."

"And yet—" S'eni destroyed one of the duplicates with a high kick, then finished off the rest with a carefully aimed ball of aether. She pointed a finger at the Endsinger. "—I'm here because deep down you know that not all hope is lost. That there is more to our existence than despair!"

A flicker of...something flitted across her angelic face, but was swiftly driven away again by deep, cold sorrow. "A cold, empty void was our only companion."

"You don't need to be lonely anymore. It's time for you to finally come home!" Dodging the razor sharp feathers flying at her, S'eni vanished and appeared right in front of the Endsinger's head, planting both of her feet against the diadem adorning her forehead and pushing herself off it with a sudden gust of wind that hit her straight in the face. She whirled around in the air, before zipping back towards her in a rush of blows from all sides, ending with an axe kick from above that shattered the headdress.

The Endsinger lurched forward momentarily from the impact but quickly regained herself. Her face was an unreadable mask, yet pale bronze eyes fixated on S'eni in a glare. "No. There is no joy in life. And thus we shall create our own form of happiness!"

As her wings spread wide, the ornament around her neck detached itself. Like a spring coming loose, limbs 'grew' while its head detached itself, appearing like a woman in ragged robes now. It immediately homed in on S'eni, viciously attacking her while the Endsinger began to gather dynamis in a large sphere.

"Meteion, don't!" she called out as dodging. But her foe didn't listen, using the accumulated despair of all her sisters to fuel an attack of cataclysmic proportions. Bringing her fist up, she punched the floating head, making it spin, then delivered a flurry of blows to its body that tore it asunder. And not a second too soon.

Shit! Staff returning to her hand, S'eni raised it high into the air. A blue glow emitted from its tip, shooting forth and forming a huge webbed barrier around herself and Zenos just as the Endsinger unleashed what could only be described as the end of all existence upon them. Gritting her teeth, she grabbed her staff with both hands and pressed against the sheer endless force pressing down, funneling more and more aether into her spell to mend the cracks appearing within, but still only managed to keep it from completely shattering just so.

What felt like an eternity was only mere seconds, and as the attack came to an end, she lowered her staff. Panting, S'eni looked up and saw the Endsinger raise a curious brow. "A flash of dynamis..." she said, then immediately shook her head. "Pah! Behind every flicker of hope lies ultimately only despair."

All of a sudden, the dynamis around them began to glow and S'eni could only stare in shock as time was being rewinded until the dark sphere had returned above the Endsinger. She immediately raised her staff back in an attempt to reform the already dispersing barrier, but it was already too late. Her spell was shattered in an instant, and she fell to her knees. Using her staff to keep her from fully collapsing, she focused her eyes on the encroaching oblivion. One last moment of defiance.

As it began to swallow her, a look of resignation formed on her face, and then, only darkness remained...

...

...

...a white spark appeared in the vast nothing, tiny, yet still bright, keeping S'eni from fading away. Slowly, it began to grow, turning into a tiny. Almost unconsciously, she reached out towards it, her unseen finger brushing against the light that filled her with warmth; with hope. Expanding ever further, it drove away the darkness until only bright white filled her vision.

"Hope, arise!" she heard her friends call in unison, their voices each a hand offered in support. She grasped it and her mind became awash with images of their praying forms. Her lips curled into a smile and, with one final flash, she stood back in front of the Endsinger. All around them, the dynamis that before had been influenced by the collective despair of countless stars was now shining bright.

"What...?" now it was the Endsinger's turn to be shocked, looking around in utter disbelief. "A will...strong enough to withstand oblivion...?"

Her face twitched, a myriad of emotions flashing across it. Anger, pain, sadness, envy. She screamed, giving voice to all of them. The dynamis around them tried to react to her outburst, but the shared hope of S'eni and her friends was holding it back.

S'eni briefly closed her eyes, exhaling deeply, and rushed at the Endsinger.

"The boundless strength..." Alphinaud's voice resonated through the area, and the dynamis formed into four Nouliths that spun around S'eni, throwing up a barrier to block the wave of darkness the Endsinger assaulted her with.

"...to defy despair!" Alisaie's rapier appeared in her hand, and she rotated it with a flick of her wrist, creating a row of arcane circles in mid-air. Thrusting forward, she sent a blast of magic towards her foe, hitting her squarely in the face and causing her to scream out once more. With a violent flap of wings, she was hurled backwards but managed to land on her feet.

"Forged on a long road..." Calling forth her Gunblade in one hand while Thancred's formed in the other, she crossed them in front of her before advancing back forward. Blades becoming wrapped in aether, she cut a swath of destruction through the planet-like projectiles being thrown at her until she had closed the gap once more.

"...through courage..." one by one, Urianger's tarot cards appeared in the air, growing brightly and summoning forth a shower of golden stars, healing what little wounds she received and sending the Endsinger into further panic.

"...and tenacity..." Sending the Gunblades away, she summoned her staff and took hold of Y'shtola's as it appeared. Swinging them both simultaneously, she sent forth fire and ice spells that combined on impact, turning into a devastating storm that nearly drowned out her foe's cries.

"...so that hope may rise!" S'eni held out her hand, grabbing Estinien's lance tightly, and let the dynamis carry her into the sky. Wrapping a leg around its shaft, she spun around, building up momentum that formed into ghostly twin dragon heads that coiled around the tip. With a loud, draconic roar, she descended, striking true upon her mark and using the resulting blast to jump back onto the platform.

"Use it..." G'raha's crystalline scepter appeared in her hand.

"No, no! That is not the answer we found!" the Endsinger violently shook her head. The attacks that she hurled at S'eni had descended into little more than lashing out. And within those pale bronze eyes, was the same frightened look as back in Elpis.

She raised the scepter. As the crystal on it came alight, a glow appeared within the dark void hidden underneath the Endsinger's wings. Growing further panicked, her foe attempted to stop what was about to happen but was intercepted by Zenos lunging forward. With a final, diagonal swing, bright petals erupted from within the dark, blooming into a beautiful flower, before bursting apart and showering the Endsinger in light. She screamed out in agony, struggling around the iron grip that held her in place in a vain attempt to get away until, from second to the next, she grew still, the last of her strength slipping away.

"Have I...made a mistake...? Is...there still...hope...yet...?"

With her consciousness fading, the effects of her friend's prayers also did, and the area around them grew dark yet again. S'eni watched as she slipped from Zenos' grasp and into the endless void below. She breathed out. The battle was won. But—

"Zenos, get us down there!"

—there was still one last thing to do.

 

 

Notes:

Gotta admire Zenos' sheer tenacity.

Chapter 164

Forge Ahead

 

Darkness. An unending void as far as the eye could see. That was what had greeted them as they dove down after the Endsinger, and there seemed to be no end in sight.

That was, until, a faint blue shimmer appeared in her field of view. It was almost imperceptible in the dark, but grew as the seconds ticked by. As they closed in, S'eni saw that the glow was in fact a thin layer of fog that spread out in all directions. Casting her gaze far into the distance, where the fog made it almost appear as if she looked at a strange horizon caught in the moment of the last rays of a setting sun.

"Looks like we reached the bottom. Good, let's search from here."

"And what if her fate is the same as those beasts of her creation?" Zenos asked.

She frowned. Yes, that thought had crossed her mind. "Then we look until we are sure of it."

He didn't say anything further and began to fly. As they began their search, seconds stretched out into minutes, and the minutes grew longer and longer, with no sight of their quarry. Just a never-ending blue seeping through an equally endless darkness.

But just when she was ready to give up, her eyes spotted something in the distance. A dark speck amongst the blue. She pointed towards it. "Over there!"

Closing in on it, the speck swiftly turned into a recognisable form. It was Meteion. Her Endsinger form must have fallen apart, turning her back into the little girl she was. None of her sisters were in sight, only her, sitting on the ground with her head hung low within the darkness.

Once they were close enough, S'eni jumped off Zenos and ran over to Meteion, only vaguely taking note of her companion shedding his draconic form and landing somewhere behind her. As she came closer, her run slowed down into a walk and she came to a stop in front of the girl. A brief second of utter silence passed before Meteion shifted slightly and began to speak.

"It is dark everywhere...lonely...no matter how far I fly," she said, her voice small. "I wanted to deliver the answer Hermes so desperately wished for...but I did not find it..."

S'eni knelt down, prompting Meteion to finally look up. Her face was so sad, so tired. "Do not be alarmed...that is how I greeted you as well. I wished to hear your words...share your feelings...know your thoughts. To become friends..."

Meteion reached towards her, and she gingerly took her hand into her own. The corners of her lips rising ever so slightly, she placed her other hand on top of the girl's and closed her eyes. And with a deep exhale, began to share it all with her, starting with a simple question.

"May we please be friends?"

A loud sob ripped through Meteion, and while S'eni could hear the sadness in it, there was also the unmistakable hint of hope and bittersweet joy as she spoke. "Yes...I can hear it...your heart. The memories of your journey. So many friends...so many stories..."

The good, the bad, even the absurdly funny. She made sure to hide absolutely nothing from her. Upon opening her eyes again, she was met with Meteion's tear-filled gaze, cheeks wet from a few that had spilled out.

"There is no single answer...to the meaning of life," Meteion said and lowered her head again. "We gain something, we lose something...we live and experience new things. Again and again. Until we die...at the side of someone as gentle as you. I flew far and wide, but what Hermes was looking for had been on Etheirys all along."

"No, it wasn't," S'eni replied, reaching out to gently raise the girl's head and brush her tears away. "We had to make it so first. One step at a time."

"Like a flowerbed. One adds a new color here and there, and watches it grow..." She offered the girl a smile, and nodded. "Thank you, S'eni. For giving my journey a wonderful end. But before I go..."

Meteion rose to her feet, and S'eni followed suit.

"What we have taken can never be returned. There can't be forgiveness for that. Nevertheless, I wish to sing a song. A song of the joy that has filled my heart at long last. A song of the light, that shines through the starless night, radiant as it is beautiful." As she said those words, Meteion stepped backwards and spread her arms wide. Eyes closing, she began to twirl to a silent song while her body glowed with golden warmth. "The stars, robbed of its people...continents, devastated by grief...this song shall carry the seed and nurture it so that one day life will once again return to them."

The glow intensified, then shot high up, where it exploded into a rain of beautiful, golden light. In a matter of seconds, the darkness that had surrounded them was turned into an endless sea of stars. Her jaw dropped at the sight, yet it was when a bright light from her right made her turn her head, that she gasped out. There, on the edge of this strange horizon, the sun was rising.

Light footsteps made her look back towards Meteion, her form returned to the cheerful blue from her days in Elpis. Her hands were folded in front of her chest. "Hermes shall see life in full bloom. I know, it will not be easy. But the dynamis will fulfill my wish. And besides, sometimes wonders do happen, isn't that right?"

"It is," she replied with a warm chuckle and Meteion smiled brightly.

"And now...I will open a path to your friends. Once I am gone, you will only need to take a single step forward and wish to return to them with all your heart. It will guide you to them." With one last smile, the girl transformed into her bird form and shot into the sky, a trail of golden light following her like the shooting star she was named after, until she was little more than a twinkle in the distance. S'eni closed her eyes.

"Goodbye, Meteion..." S'eni murmured.

She remained standing like this, her mind going over what Meteion had said. Just a single step forward while wishing for it and she would be back with the others. It was simple, really. But—

"Do you not wish to return and resume your role as hero?" Zenos asked.

—there was still this one final matter.

Opening her eyes, S'eni turned around and saw him standing a distance away from her. "You have something to say to me. I'm listening."

"Very well, then. I know now what it was that excited me so during our battle in Ala Mhigo. Never before had I faced an adversary who fought with such determination. We fought until our last breaths. Until the last drop was spilled. That is what it means to live. It is my life's purpose, and my greatest gift to you. And now, I would ask you for a rematch. If you refuse, I will let you return to your friends. Cobblers and maids, they cling to their lives. That is why they eschew danger and avoid even the smallest risk. Heroes on the other hand wish to protect the lives of the weak, so they stare death in the face and go to the ends of the world." He held out his hand towards her, almost akin to someone asking for a dance. "But here, there is nothing that makes you a hero. Remember that day, high above Ala Mhigo. The blood! The rush one feels in a matter of life and death! You felt it too, S'eni."

She stared at him for a few long moments. That day in Ala Mhigo. Gods, it felt like an eternity ago. But yes, she remembered it. As well as another day...

"For the longest time, I told myself that I needed to defeat you because it was the right thing to do. To liberate Ala Mhigo from the Empire. But that's not true. No, I wanted to defeat you for one simple reason: you hurt the person I love most." She cracked her knuckles on one hand, then the other. "You're right. There's no one here I need to protect, no higher cause to veil my actions. Just you and me. Let's do this!"

"Yes!" he shouted, unbridled excitement entering his voice, and his hand went to the scythe on his back. "My life or yours...the heaven, the stars, we shall fight for it all!"

S'eni scoffed, yet couldn't help the smirk forming on her lips. Bastard.

Kicking out her leg, she entered a firm stance and raised her arms. Her eyes locked onto his, holding his gaze for a few long seconds. She balled her hands into fists and exploded forward.

She was immediately upon him, punching out her palm in a strike to his chest, only to meet air as he sidestepped her. S'eni swung to the side and chased him with a couple of blows that managed to grace him, before bringing her leg up into a high kick. Shifting his scythe, he blocked her attack with its shaft, then sweeped it upward, slamming the blunt edge into her face.

Pain shot through her face, and she felt the hot trickle of blood coming out of her nose. No time to focus on it though, as Zenos swiftly swung his weapon downward again, its sharp edge gleaming in the warm light while aiming for her neck. She quickly spun out of the way, grimacing when he still managed to graze her shoulder instead.

S'eni jumped backwards, bringing some distance between the two of them. Her eyes briefly went to her shoulder, where a dribble of blood was seeping into the fabric of her long gloves. Nothing that would get in the way. Wiping her nose with her thumb, she spit on the ground and turned her attention back to Zenos. A smirk was on his face, and he raised his hand into the air, a green aura surrounding him.

Ears twitching, S'eni glanced to the side where water shot from the ground. She narrowed her eyes at the familiarity of this. Looked like he absorbed a tad more from the rest of the Mothercrystal. With a wave of her hand, she summoned forth her staff and swung it around, creating a wall of fire just in time for the tidal wave that came crashing down. On contact, it evaporated into a large cloud of steam that covered the entire area.

Zenos looked around, searching, when suddenly she came jumping out of the cloud and struck him in the face. As soon as her feet hit the ground, she zipped away and kicked him harshly into the side, making him stagger. Having caught him temporarily off guard, she slammed her knee into his gut, then somersaulted into the air. The tip of her boot connected with his chin, knocking him back.

Slamming the lower end of his scythe into the ground, he managed to keep himself upright and wiped at the corner of his mouth. His smirk grew. "Hah...it would have been too easy otherwise."

They rushed towards each other and resumed their deadly dance. Leviathan's magic, as it turned out, was not the only little ace up his sleeve. Ifrit and Ramuh, too, were part of his new repertoire, and the combination of fire and lightning soon forced her on the defensive. She had just managed to avoid his fiery hellfire, when she saw his eyes glow.

"Show me your perseverance!" he shouted and swung his arm downward to rain draconic energy upon her. She cursed loudly, her Gunblade appearing in her hand, and she pulled the trigger to form a barrier around her to absorb the brunt of it.

The attack had just come to an end, when a dark red flash from out of the corner of her eyes made her whirl around and raise her Gunblade behind her back to block the incoming scythe. Their eyes locked and she grit her teeth as she struggled against him. Little by little, she pushed his weapon away until, with one last shove, she pulled the trigger again. His scythe swerved to the side, leaving him wide open for her to spin around and slash his face.

Blood splashed to the ground, and Zenos reached up to his cheek. Looking at his crimson-stained fingers, he grinned. "Yes, just so!"

A dark red glow appeared behind him and formed into that twisted being that had nearly attacked her friends in Garlemald. It floated there idly for a second, the hands over its eyes making it impossible to gauge its intentions, until it grabbed its own scythe tightly and dove towards her. S'eni brought her Gunblade up to deflect its slash, only to immediately have to swing it in the other direction as Zenos joined in the assault. She deflected their simultaneous attack as best she could, ignoring the little cuts that managed to pass through her defense. They were relentless, pushing her further and further back until, at last, she found an opening.

"Enough of this!" she shouted, ducking out of the way and swinging her sword sideward. Pulling the trigger, the resulting momentum made her spin in place and the aether stored in the cartridge formed an explosive circle around her that forced Zenos to back off and his voidsent to disperse. She left her foe no time to recover, bridging the gap between them and ramming her shoulder into his abdomen.

He stumbled back and dropped to his knees, gasping for air while also chuckling. "Ah...the fiery heat of battle. Let us see if we can further stoke the flames within you."

Zenos once again called forth his voidsent. But instead of siccing it on her, it descended upon him and entered his body. With a dark red flash, they fused together, turning the ends of his hair into dark horns and changing his left arm into a demonic claw. His eyes, now nothing but glowing red, found hers.

"Mine is just flaring up!" within the blink of an eye, he rushed at her, leaving her barely enough time for her to bring up her weapon to block his strike. The sheer force behind it sent her sliding backwards, and while it had protected her from a serious wound, the blade was all but shattered. After giving it a brief once over, she sent it away and raised her fists again, her eyes narrowing. Zenos just grinned. "Haha, yes. That is the spirit!"

"Glad you're enjoying yourself!" She ran towards him.

All around them, the dynamis glowed in never before seen intensity, fueled by their battle and the emotions it invoked. Two unrelenting spirits facing off against each other, giving as good as they got, and not slowing down one bit. Their meeting in Rhalgr's Reach, their clash in Doma, and the subsequent battle over Ala Mhigo; it had all been but a prelude to this final confrontation. Here, at the edge of the universe.

S'eni gasped when Zenos grabbed her leg mid-kick and tossed her in the air. As he swung his scythe at her, she twisted around at the last second and shot a wave of aether from her folded hands that sent him flying back. The instant she was back on her feet, she vanished and appeared right in front of him, kicking him high into the air before he could hit the ground. She jumped after him, delivering a couple of more blows, before grabbing him and tossing him down with all her might.

Zenos hit the ground harshly, groaning out in pain as his scythe left his grip. He remained lying there for seconds, not moving until she had landed on her feet. Slowly, his hands planted themselves firmly on the floor and he pushed himself up. He grimaced briefly and the red glow in his eyes slightly dimmed—

"So long as I breathe...this will not be over..."

—only to return with a vengeance!

Releasing a loud cry, he grabbed his scythe and jumped forward at blinding speed. S'eni tried to dodge, but the curved blade nevertheless found its mark. An intense pain shot through her abdomen, followed by a flooding warmth. Face contorting, she dropped to her knees, hands immediately going to the wound to quell the bleeding with a healing spell. But it wasn't working!

Shitshitshitshitshit her eyes shifted around, fingers pressing further down on her wound in a vain attempt to keep her lifeblood from spilling out. There had to be a way, something she could—

All of a sudden, a shadow cast itself over her, and she looked up, fully expecting to see Zenos having come over to finish the job. Her eyes widened, and she inhaled sharply when instead of her adversary, it was a shade standing in front of her. A tall man, his body language full of wisdom and kindness, had his back turned to her, looking to where the former crown prince was preparing his final strike.

The man turned around and knelt in front of her, and though his face was obscured, she could envision the grandfatherly smile on his lips. His form shifted, turning into a small flame, and almost out of pure reflex, S'eni reached out to cup it with her hands. Its comforting warmth spread through her fingers and a voice echoed from deep within it.

"If I can but see you to a new future, I should want for nothing more."

A weak chuckle escaped her at those words, and she closed her eyes. As she pulled the flame closer to her, it grew in intensity, its warmth turning into scorching heat. Up ahead, Zenos was leaping towards her, his scythe poised to bring an end to her. But just as the tip was about to bury itself into her skull, so too did the flame reach its apex. With a shriek echoing far and wide, it burst outward into a fiery storm, the force of which threw Zenos backwards.

Like a blanket, the heat wrapped itself around her, taking the pain away. Strength was returning to her as the wound in her stomach knit itself shut, and she slowly began to rise. Once back on her feet, she opened her eyes...and jumped through the fire.

Zenos, whose scythe had been knocked out of his hands, immediately grinned like a mad dog when he saw her emerge, and they both rushed towards each other. He raised his claw to swipe at her, but was intercepted by an uppercut. He reeled back with a cry, but quickly recovered and punched her in the face. A spurt of blood shot out of her already beaten nose, but all it did was piss her off more and she punched him right back.

Hunching over from the punch, Zenos gasped loudly for air, then kicked her in the stomach. The strength behind it was enough to push her far back, but also made him drop to his knee. Blood oozed from his mouth, staining his lips a deep crimson, and he fixed her with an almost frenzied look. He forced himself back up.

Following suit, S'eni ran towards him, pulling back her fist at the same time as him. As they advanced on one another, she gathered all of her remaining strength into this one attack. With twin cries, they met in the center and her fist connected with his face. Zenos arched through the air, his eyes wide with surprise, before falling to the ground.

This time, he did not get back up.

S'eni fell to her knee, loud gasps for air passing her lips. A sudden sting from her stomach made her wince, and a quick touch confirmed that, while not as bad as before, the wound had reopened again. Up ahead, Zenos stirred and planted his hands on the ground to push himself up, but it was merely enough for him to fall on his back. Darkness emanated from his body when his transformation slowly came undone.

"...I have lost. Again. How...incredibly vexing..." he laughed and S'eni took a slow step forward before collapsing on her back as well. Her vision was becoming blurry. "I never understood why the people around me attributed so much worth to trifling things. To me, the world resembled a bog...dreary and boring. Only sometimes was I able to escape it and, for but a moment, feel true excitement. Such a quick, fleeting enjoyment..."

He laughed again and reached his still glowing hand out towards her, but it unceremoniously dropped to the ground. "And you? You were born into this world to experience one unbelievable adventure after another..."

Her eyelids grew heavy, and it took her all to keep them from falling close. Images appeared before her mind's eye. The endless sea of trees of Black Shroud. The beautiful coast of La Noscea. Horizon in Thanalan, where the Waking Sands were located.

"Your life...was a marvel..." more images surfaced. Haurchefant's grave and the breathtaking view of Ishgard. The stunning view of Kugane's harbor. The roofs of Ala Mhigo. "...So much better...than mine..."

"I wasn't...born for it..." she replied amidst the siren call of unconsciousness. The image of the first night's sky over the Crystarium flashed through her mind, followed by that of her friends as they all looked towards Sharlayan. Another one joined, the view of a sheer endless horizon from a small, familiar beach. "I'm...just a kid...who wanted to see the world...to experience the stories my father had told me..."

"I..." Zenos began to say, but broke off with a large exhale.

"Zenos...?" she asked. He didn't respond.

...He was gone.

Funny, she should be glad about it. To finally be rid of him. But in the end, all that she felt for him...was pity. Maybe if things had been different—perhaps in another life—they really might have become friends.

She would find out soon enough, she supposed. It was growing harder and harder to stay conscious. Her eyes started to fall shut. Faintly, she could make out a twinkle amidst the stars, before her vision grew dark and she began to drift off.

...Beep.

...Beep.

...Beep.

...Beep.

...Beeeeeeeeeep.

Then...nothing...

...

...

...

...she felt herself drift. It was quiet. Peaceful. More so even than when she was in deep meditation.

She was so cold. And tired. So tired. Sleep was beckoning her so sweetly, honeyed words that were softly whispering into her ear. Part of her just wished to give in, to rest. Rest, yes that sounded nice...

"Hey...hear me?"

A voice, barely audible, pierced the quiet and latched onto the fading recesses of her consciousness. It sounded like Thancred...?

"Swiftly...assistance..." Urianger...?

"Open...please..." That sounded like G'raha. Was he...crying?

"Give me a hand..." Y'shtola...yes, that was unmistakably her.

"Wake up!" Alphinaud...

A loud sob followed, and a pale light appeared in front of her. Warm and comfortable. Trying to fend off the dark.

"Please, open your eyes!" she heard Alisaie cry amidst the sobs, and the light grew. "You can't just leave us behind like that! Wake up!"

Warmth flooded her body, chasing away the cold and clearing part of the fog that had settled in her mind. And though she still felt incredibly weak, she followed the light, letting it guide her back; back to those she cherished.

S'eni opened her eyes.

She was immediately greeted by the familiar blue glow of healing magic and the three hands that administered it. She saw Thancred and Estinien, their faces holding barely concealed worry, G'raha who was struggling to keep it together, and Alisaie who was openly weeping. Shifting her eyes left, towards Alphinaud. He briefly glanced at her, then did a double take when he saw her looking at him.

"You're awake!" he exclaimed, a mixture of disbelief in his voice and he lowered his hand.

"Hey..." she said, lips curling into a weak smile, and she saw tears well up in his eyes.

He buried his face in his hand. "Thank the gods!"

"Are you...all...unharmed?" she asked.

"What are you saying?" G'raha knelt next to Alphinaud, trying and failing to keep himself from sobbing. "Everyone is fine..."

"You truly outdid yourself this time, partner," Estinien said, sending her a little smile.

"It turned out alright this time..." she heard Y'shtola say and she turned her head to look at her. The other Miqo'te placed a soft hand on her cheek, and while far more composed than most of the others, S'eni could still make out the wetness in those pale eyes. "...but don't you dare go off alone like that ever again. Do you realize how worried we were? How worried I was?"

"I'll say. Do you know what it feels like to be just teleported away like that?" Thancred asked, stepping up next to her lover and glaring at her. But it quickly gave way to a smile. "Really now, you're lucky we're friends..."

"Shtola...everyone..." She raised her hand, placing it on top of Y'shtola's. "I'm...so...glad..."

Her smile grew, and a sigh passed her lips, before her eyes drifted shut and unconsciousness claimed her once more to the sound of her friend's voices.

 

 

Notes:

Lol, sorry if you all were expecting the end of this chapter to be like in the game, but gotta give this a personal touch after all.

And speaking of personal touches: see you next week.

Chapter 165

Memories of Light and Waves

 

Everything was quiet, except for the slow, steady rhythm of breathing filling the air. The sound of proper rest, of sleep well-earned. A peaceful moment.

...that was suddenly, and rudely, disturbed by a short, loud snore.

S'eni's body jumped, disturbed by the sudden sound, and her ears twitched lightly as if expecting more of it. None came, and her ears slowly lowered themselves while her mind drifted back to sleep. Only to snap back up when her eyes cracked open.

She lightly raised her head and peeked through the dark, but could make out little else other than the rhythmic rise and fall of a back lying in front of her. That, and the first signs of dawn that slowly creeped inside. A grin danced across her lips.

Carefully, as to not make any noise, she got up from her bedroll and climbed over the sleeping body, before tiptoeing over to the tent's entrance. Pushing the flap aside to make sure the coast was clear, she stepped outside and made her way past the other tents towards the edge of the village.

Once she made it there, she released a giggle and broke into a run. S'eni followed the familiar trail leading down to the pier, passing by the waterfall and skipping across a few rocks of the stream flowing from it. As soon as she arrived at the beach, she walked over to her favourite spot and looked eastward to the horizon, where the sun was beginning its slow ascent.

With a sound of amazement, she watched as its rays chase away the dark of the night to usher in a new day. She'd seen this sight a couple of times now, but she doubted she would ever get tired of doing so. There was just something...she didn't know how to describe it. But most of all, she wondered if it was the same elsewhere, at those places far beyond the horizon.

S'eni remained where she was, losing all sense of time while watching the sun rise with a huge smile on her face. So engrossed was she by the sight, that she failed to notice the sound of footsteps on the sand, nor them stopping directly behind her. She yelped and jumped in surprise when a pair of hands slipped over her eyes. Her immediate reflex was to struggle, to fight off whoever it was that had sneaked up on her, but she stopped when that all too familiar deep chuckle entered her ears.

"Papa," she whined, her small hands going up to remove the far larger ones covering her eyes. With expected results.

"And what are you doing here you little rascal?" S'gata asked. "Shouldn't you still be asleep like a good little girl?"

"I'm not little!" S'eni puffed up her cheeks. "I'm already six summers!"

"Ooohhh, six full summers you say? That doesn't answer my question though."

"Agna's snoring woke me up."

"Is that so?" the grin was audible in his voice. "And of course took that as an excuse to come out here. Honestly, if you're keeping this up we're going to have to tie your legs every night."

Before she could protest, her father removed his hands and picked her up, drawing excited laugher from her as he placed her on top of his shoulders. She immediately buried her fingers into his spiky hair, much to his chagrin. He sighed, though it was more fond than anything. "Not that I can blame you. It's an amazing view."

"Is it elsewhere the same?"

"The same? No," he replied. "Some places it's nice, but nothing special. Others it's downright breathtaking. And then there's somewhere you can't enjoy a quiet sunrise at all. Like Limsa Lominsa."

"Why's that?"

"Because you're more likely to encounter some singing drunk on his way home," he chuckled while S'eni just tilted her head questioningly. Reaching up, he ruffled her hair, and they stayed for a little bit longer to watch the dawn before eventually turning around. "Come on, let's go back. I'm sure you'll have an earful waiting for you."

"Aww."

His laughter echoed across the beach as they left.

 

---

 

Voices pervaded the air around the Turquoise Port. Like most days, it was packed with people from near and far seeking to trade. The first few times, it had amazed S'eni quite a bit, but she had long since gotten used to the sight by now.

Seated at the pier that some of the locals were amusingly calling 'her spot', she absentmindedly swung her legs while looking out to the cerulean vastness stretching out in front of her. In the distance, she watched the familiar silhouettes of ships pass by, many of which would regularly stop by the port to stock up on wares from the isles to sell to foreign countries. Not today though.

She had just finished observing a vessel from this East Aldenard Trading Company many of the folks here talked about, when her attention was caught by another. One that appeared quite unfamiliar. With a raised brow, she followed it with her gaze while rising to her feet. Yes, she was pretty sure she had never seen that one before.

The shape of its sails was vastly different from the ones she knew, as were their colors. Much more vibrant. The hull, too, was rather distinct from those ships she had seen before.

S'eni watched in silent fascination as the ship sailed towards the port, when a voice from behind called, "Eni!"

Ears rising from the sound of her name, she glanced over her shoulder. There, at the end of the pier stood her older sister, S'aria, hands on her hips and tapping her foot. "Are you going to help me, or what?"

"I'm coming!" she said, giving the ship one last look, then turned around to hurry over to her sister.

"Really now..." S'aria shook her head, making the braided strands of her tangerine blonde hair sway from side to side. "...we're here to—"

"Not stare at the sea all day, I know I know!" S'eni finished with a roll of her eyes.

"Good, then come help me unload our wares," her sister said and began to walk over to where their boat was anchored, with S'eni following close behind. "Honestly, Eni, you're ten now. You should be acting more your age."

"And you're twelve! Stop pretending that makes you more mature!" Being one of the oldest among the kids, S'aria acted as if she was already one of the adults, always taking her duties seriously and making sure they did too. What a killjoy.

"Someone has to keep you all in line. Or you'd be all shirking your duties."

S'eni just sighed.

After unloading all their wares, they headed over to their stand and began their work. While S'aria was taking care of the selling, S'eni's duty was to call out for potential customers. Not much of an exciting job, since most people from the Cieldaleas were already well acquainted with their wares, and with a general lack of trading vessels today, she found herself with not a lot to do.

She was just debating about asking S'aria if she could go and see if there was something for them to buy when her attention was caught by a small group of people coming their way. They were dressed in clothes she had never seen before, their robes made out of brightly colored fabric embroidered with gold. Those must be from that ship earlier...

S'eni could only stare as the group passed by them, faintly whispering to one another while not even sending their stand a hint of a curious glance. She watched them for a few long seconds, before rushing over to her sister's side, who had just sold something to a customer. "Aria, Aria!"

"What is it?" S'aria asked as she counted the coins.

"Over there. I've never seen these people before."

"Hm?" Raising her head, her older sister looked in the direction in which she was pointing. A thoughtful look formed on her face. "Ah, those must be the foreigners..."

"Foreigners...?" she asked.

"I overheard some of the other merchants talking about how there was a ship from far away coming. That can only be them."

That certainly did explain why she didn't recognise the ship. "Did they say where it was from?"

"Thavair, I think," S'aria replied with a shrug, going back to counting coins. "Some place Papa's been to."

"Thavnair..." S'eni repeated.

The rest of the day passed relatively uneventfully, the foreigners only coming into her field of view one last time while the two of them made their way back to the boat. As they set sail to head back to their island, S'eni kept her eyes on the ship till it was out of sight, and otherwise held a thoughtful frown on her face for the rest of the way. It wasn't until evening had set in and everyone had settled down for supper, that she approached her father about what she saw.

"Thavnair?" he asked, a bowl of soup raised halfway to his mouth.

"Uh-huh." She nodded vigorously. "I want to know more about it!"

Taking a sip from the broth, S'gata tilted his head slightly upwards to think about it. After a few long moments, he swallowed and nodded. "Alright then," he said and waved his arm. "Gather around, everyone! Eni wants to hear another story!"

"Of course she does," one of her siblings' mothers said in an amused tone as everyone came together.

"Tonight, I shall tell you about the most magnificent place I ever had the pleasure to lay eyes upon—"

"You say that about every place you've been to," one of the others threw in, earning a round of laughter while S'gata just waved her off.

"Far to the east, across the Sea of Jade, lies the sea we call The Bounty. A fitting name, for it is rich with many exotic fish and other sea life. But most of all, it harbors the island of Thavnair, home of dancers and alchemists..."

With a smile on her face, S'eni hugged her legs and listened intently, silently promising herself that, one day, she would see it for herself.

 

---

 

A shout went through the clearing, followed by a loud smack as her punch was caught.

"Good!" S'gata said, releasing her fist and bringing his free hand up to catch the other one. Pulling herself free, she then threw a kick towards his head, which he blocked with his arm. He smirked. "Also good."

Lowering her leg, S'eni stepped back and hunched over a little, putting her hands on her knees. After taking a few breaths, she raised her arms back up again. "Wouldn't it more sensible to let me practice with your old cutlass?"

"Maybe." He blocked another strike. "But there's more to battle than swinging a sword around."

He blocked a couple of more strikes, never losing his cool. When she aimed another kick towards his chest this time, he dropped to the ground and pulled her remaining leg right from under her. She fell into the grass with a surprised cry and scrambled to get back up, when a fist stopped just shy of her face, keeping her in place.

"Always remember: a blade can be taken away from you. But your fists are part of you," he said, opening his fist to offer her his hand, smiling. "A lesson I learned in Ul'dah, when I picked a fight with the wrong fellow. Turned out he was a Pugilist working for the Platinum Mirage. My mates didn't let me live down that beating for weeks."

She took his hand and let herself be helped back up. "Hard to believe someone would be able to beat you up."

"There's always someone stronger. Someone you can't beat," he said, crossing his arms in front of his chest with a frown. A faraway look entered his eyes.

"Papa...?"

His eyes shifted back towards her, and the corners of his lips curled up again. He reached a hand out and ruffled her hair. "You've grown quite tall, haven't you?"

"Not as tall as Agna," she giggled and playfully swatted his hand away.

"Well, yeah...no idea what happened there. Still, how time flies."

Indeed. With her sixteen years, the days when she would ride atop her father's shoulder were long gone, though she was pretty sure that, even now, he would have little problem lugging her around. He was the strongest person she knew.

"Now then—" he raised his hands again. "—let's continue."

S'eni sighed through her nose and raised her fists, ready to continue their lesson. During the course of it, she ended up falling to the ground a couple of more times, as her father pulled out a few new tricks to catch her off guard, but to her personal delight, she did not fall for the same one twice. Quite the progress in her opinion.

This went on for quite some time until a crack from nearby made them both stop and turned towards its source. S'gata smiled. "Ah, Neena. Come to spy on us?"

Her sister stepped out from behind a tree that only partially concealed her, a far too innocent smile on her face. "Me? Of course not!"

S'eni and her father exchanged a look of disbelief.

"So this is what you two have been up to these past few days," S'neena said, folding her hands behind her back and walking over. As she came to a stop, she reached out and grasped S'eni's arm, giving it a little squeeze. "Oooh. And here I was wondering if you appeared fitter than usual."

"Papa made me train first before teaching me how to fight." S'eni shrugged.

"What for?" her sister tilted her head. "Do you plan on becoming Nunh?"

S'gata released a snort of amusement at those words, while she shot her sister an incredulous look. "Why would you think that!? Besides, I can't be Nunh anyway!"

"Oh I don't know. S'eni Nunh has a nice ring to it," her father said with a grin, bursting into hearty laughter when she glared at him. S'neena joined in on it, leaving S'eni to sigh and shake her head.

"You're impossible..."

After their laughter subsided, S'gata looked at S'neena and asked, "Now what's really the reason you're out here? I can tell it's more than just idle curiosity."

S'neena's face grew serious. "Mother sent me. She said a young man of the S tribe arrived at the Turquoise Port, asking for our village."

"Speaking of would-be-Nunh's." his eyebrows rose and he placed his hands on his hips. "Do you know when he will arrive?"

"No, but it can't be long."

"Guess we should head back then. I'll have to tell Agna to arrange a warm welcome for him."

And much to the annoyance of her dear older brother, who didn't see the reason for why they should indulge someone who wanted to fight for the place of Nunh. But their father was big on hospitality, so when this young fella by the name of S'rahz Tia arrived, he was offered a warm meal and a place to rest. The following morning, everyone gathered in the center of the village where their wannabe Nunh would pose his challenge which their father readily accepted.

As the two fighters got into position, S'eni stood next to S'agna, who watched the entire thing with a disgruntled look. Without tearing his gaze away, he said to her, "Little shit is going to receive quite a lesson."

S'eni hummed in agreement, watching intently as the fight began. There was no way her father would lose to him.

They both would be proven quite right.

 

---

 

Bubbles filled her vision as her body sunk into the crystal-clear water. It was almost liberating, to simply let herself drift in its embrace, watching the light of the sun reflect through its surface and dance about. So peaceful...

Her ears twitched when the dull sound of another body entering the water reached them, snapping S'eni out of her momentary reverie. She tightened the grasp around the spear in her hand, spun around and cast her gaze around the area. A few long seconds passed until she caught movement from within a bundle and swam towards it. As she got closer, she slowed down, carefully raising her spear while keeping her eyes peeled for any sudden motion.

S'eni waited for just the right moment...then thrust her spear forward!

She felt a small amount of resistance as its tip pierced the fish, but what little struggle it had left soon faded together with the last of its life. Pulling the spear back, she inspected her catch. Medium-sized, not bad.

A little smirk formed on her lips, but it fell away when the lack of air was starting to make itself known, and she swam back to the surface. After catching her breath, she made her way over to her boat and dumped the fish into the basket where the rest of her haul was. Resting her elbows on the gunwale, she watched the others who were on fishing duty today resurfacing. If only they could breathe underwater. That would make things far easier.

Hah, as if that was possible, she thought, took a deep breath, and dove back in.

This went on for a couple of more hours until she and the others decided that they had enough and they headed back to the island. On their way, S'eni found herself looking back towards the horizon, letting her mind wander. And she felt it again. That pull that wanted her to see what was beyond it. It had been growing stronger for the last few months now, but...something was holding her back, and she didn't know what.

As they arrived back on the island, they unloaded their hauls and were preparing to carry it back to the village, when a voice shouted from up ahead. It was S'neena, and when S'eni turned her head to see what her sister might want, saw her come running down the path, waving her hands while calling out their names. She exchanged a confused look with the others, before stepping forth to meet her.

"E-Eni!" S'neena panted, all but collapsing in her arms. Did she run all the way here?

"Neena!" she exclaimed, a bad feeling welling up inside of her. "What's wrong?"

"It's...Papa!" her sister managed between gasps. "He collapsed."

"What!?" she grabbed S'neena's shoulders. "When!?"

"A...bell ago..."

S'eni immediately let go of her sister and ran back to the village. On arrival there, she spotted the large crowd that had gathered in front of his tent and, ignoring the burning in her lungs, rushed over. She came to a stop near S'agna, who had his arms crossed in front of his chest with a grave look on his face.

"He was training with S'rahz when he suddenly grabbed his chest and fell unconscious," he answered her silent question. "Aria's been seeing to him since then."

Over the years, S'aria had acquired an interest in healing and, whenever she could, traded books from Eorzea to further her studies on the topic. So if there was anyone who could find out what was wrong with him, it was her. Long minutes of silence followed her arrival, and little by little, S'neena and the others arrived back in the village. They waited and waited until, at long last, the tent's flap was pushed aside, and her older sister stepped through.

S'aria's face was a mask of stoic calmness, but it was obvious that a storm raged within her. After taking a deep breath, she cast her gaze around and said, "He's awake."

A collective breath of relief passed each of them.

"So, what's going on with him?" S'agna asked.

"It's his heart. A malady I don't know," she replied and, with a sigh, her shoulders dropped. "I'll have to consult my books, but I can't say when or if he will get better."

Averting her eyes from all of them, S'aria left towards her tent. A stunned silence set in over the rest of them. S'eni watched as worried looks appeared in the eyes of her siblings and their mothers. What would they do if he didn't get better?

S'eni looked down to the ground, biting her lip, before stepping forth and entering the tent. The sight that greeted her immediately broke her heart. Her father, her strong strong father, was lying on his bedroll, looking almost...fragile. Never had she thought she would ever see him like this.

He turned his head upon her entry and sent her a fatigued smile. "Aria gave you all the news?"

She didn't reply, kneeling down next to him instead. S'gata chuckled.

"I'm sure she will spend all night trying to find a cure for it...but she needn't bother."

"Papa...what are you saying?"

"That I know my body well enough." Slowly, and under effort, he pushed himself into a sitting position, despite her protests. "I've been feeling it for a while now. Like a grayness within my chest. But I chose to ignore it. Heh, I guess my misspent youth finally decided to catch up to me..."

"Come now, Papa," she said, her eyes starting to burn as tears began to well up inside of them. Her voice cracked slightly. "This is you we're talking about. You wouldn't just die."

Her father looked at her for a moment, then reached out to put a hand on her cheek. "I still remember how tiny you were after your birth, how we weren't sure you would survive the night. And look at you now: a grown woman, with dreams of her own." His thumb gently brushed away a stray tear. "So don't cry and look to the future instead. Your future. Don't let an old man like me be the shackles holding you back."

A tiny gasp escaped her, eyes widening at those last words. Her father smiled knowingly and raised his hand to ruffle her hair. After he was done, he lowered himself back on his bedroll.

"Now off with you. Your sister says I'm supposed to be resting and for once I'm inclined to agree with her," he said, his eyes already closing. S'eni remained where she was for a few moments longer, before wiping the back of her hand over her eyes, standing up to leave her father to his rest.

 

---

 

As he had predicted, S'aria was unable to find a cure within her books, and any tonics she made only managed to temporarily alleviate his symptoms. The days passed slowly while their village returned to a semblance of normalcy, everyone going about their duties despite what happened. But everyone felt it, the heaviness that had placed itself over their home. Until one night, almost three months to the day of his first attack, he passed away in his sleep.

The entire village had been stricken with grief. Even S'agna, whom she had never seen cry before, couldn't hold back his tears. Only she found herself unable to cry. There was just a deep-seated numbness that dulled all of her senses.

Like had been his wishes, they released his body into the sea. Nobody spoke during the whole ceremony, their prayers kept silent as they put jars of offerings next to his flower-covered body on the boat they had placed him on. S'eni watched him being pushed out towards the water, the emptiness inside her growing the further he floated away until he slowly sank beneath the waves. And then, he was gone. Just like that...

After a full day of grieving, the village had to make a decision now that their Nunh was dead. In the end, everyone voted for S'rahz, despite not having beaten him, to be the next Nunh. Well, everyone, except for S'eni. She just numbly watched the proceedings from afar. It all just seemed so insignificant.

A couple of days later, she found herself lying on the cliff just behind their temple, her eyes drawn up to the starry sky. In the past, her father had used this very same sight to navigate the vast seas, traveling far and wide. Seeing places that had fueled her dreams.

His smiling face suddenly flashed in her mind and for the first time in days, she felt a stab of pain inside her chest. It grew, further and further, until the dam that had shut away her emotions finally burst and tears began to run down her face. Her fingers dug into the ground, and her lips parted in a silent scream as she cried her heart out, washing herself of all the grief she felt.

She didn't know how much time she spent like this, only that, when she was finally done, she felt at peace. Free. Unshackled.

Wiping the last of her tears away, she rose off the ground and headed back to her tent. Once there, she immediately went for the chest tucked away behind her bedroll and opened it. She reached inside and pulled out a set of clothes. They were nothing fancy, but perfect for traveling. Taking off her skirt and top, she put them on, then reached back into the chest to take out the small sack inside of it. The coins in it jingled when she shook it.

She pocketed it, gathered a few more things, then made to leave, but stopped just short of the tent's entrance. Exhaling through her nose, she went to her table and wrote a note. After checking her words, simple and to the point as they were, she placed it down to be easily found and stepped outside. Everything was quiet, and S'eni found herself oddly reminded of when she would sneak off to the beach in the early morning hours as a child. But this time was different.

Leaving the village, she made her way down to the beach and towards one of the boats. She pushed it out into the water and climbed in, grabbing a paddle to get some distance before opening the tiny sail attached to it. Favorable wind. Good, that would see her swiftly to her destination. Sitting down, she briefly closed her eyes while releasing a deep breath, then glanced over her shoulder towards her home. She watched it grow smaller with a small twinge of sadness.

This was goodbye.

She was sure they were going to be furious, especially S'agna, but she needed to do this. For herself. To follow her dream; to finally see what was beyond the horizon.

When she arrived at the Turquoise Port, S'eni tied the boat to the pier and headed straight for the inn. The owner was quite surprised at the late arrival, and even further when he saw who it was. She wasn't exactly unknown, after all. After renting a room for the night, she asked when the next ship would arrive and, in another stroke of good fortune, was told that a ship bound for Vylbrand was set to arrive in the morning.

Sleep mostly eluded her that night, a mixture of worry but also excitement keeping her awake. Thankfully she still managed to catch a few winks so that when she walked down the pier to the ship, which would hopefully carry her far away, she didn't look like a total wreck. Passing by sailors going about their work, she stopped in front of a Lalafel that seemed to be in charge of this lot… at least, that was what she assumed from the list he was holding.

"This is the ship heading for Limsa Lominsa, right?" she asked.

"Who wants ta know?" the man shot right back, not looking up from his work until she held out the bag of coins towards him.

"I'd like to buy a passage to Eorzea. I know it's not much, but I hope it'll be enough."

His gaze shifted from her to the bag, and he took it. He gauged its weight for a second, before opening it and peeking inside. He hummed and looked back up. As his lips parted, a flicker of recognition entered his large eyes. "Say, aren't ye the lass that used ta always sit over there?"

He pointed to the pier behind her. She nodded. "Yeah. I decided to leave. There's nothing holding me here anymore."

Maybe it was the tone in her voice, or maybe it was what he saw in her eyes as he searched them, but he only pulled out a couple of Gil from within the bag, then closed and tossed it back to her. "Yer in luck. Another passenger who already paid in half couldn't make it," he said, pocketing the coins and nodding towards the gangplank. "Get on board. We'll set sail in a couple o' bells."

The corners of her lips rising, she put the bag away and did as she was told. Once on the ship, she found herself a corner near some other passengers and let her eyes fall closed as relief washed over her. It was enough for her to nod off, as the next time she opened them up again, a collective "Aye aye!" echoed across the ship and she saw that they were leaving port.

All but jumping to her feet, she rushed to the poop deck, dodging a few sailors along the way, and watched the Turquoise Port as they left. While watching it grow smaller and smaller, the finality of her choice fully began to set in, and she began to laugh. She finally did it.

She was going to see the world!

 

Notes:

And absolutely nothing bad happened from here on out :D

Anyway, a little "flashback episode". What better time to do that when our dear protagonist is knocked out good, eh? We'll get back to our regularly scheduled chapters next week.

Chapter 166

A New Day

 

At first there was nothing. No thoughts, no sense, no time. Absolute nothingness.

Then, like a spark in the dark, an inkling of sense returned, and she felt herself floating. Floating and floating, awash in an endless, black sea. Sinking ever deeper; suffocating.

Faint echoes filled the void, crisscrossing and overlapping into an unintelligible choir of white noise. Yet though she did not understand, she could feel them, their intentions. Like a warm caress on cold skin, instilling her with a fleeting whisper of awareness.

Dim in the distance, something flickered, rippling like sunlight through the deepest of oceans. Far away, yet strangely close at the same time. It was calling to her, drawing her in like a moth to a flame.

She began to follow it, swimming against a mighty current that wished to keep her in this warm sea of nothingness. Darkness began to fade as she travelled towards this beacon, until the world turned upside down and she was falling. Falling and falling, ever towards the light.

Her mind was racing. Her heart was pounding. Warmth flooded her body.

S'eni crashed into the light, shattering it into billions of fragments that spread throughout the dark, flooding everything with bright white...

...

...

...and she awoke with a jolt.

With a sharp inhale, her eyes shot open, only to immediately slam shut again at the glaring sunlight that greeted her. A raspy noise made its way up her throat in place of a groan and she tried to raise her arm to shield her face, only for it to fall flat on her chest.

Shit... S'eni thought, managing to open her eyes back up a crack. She was alive. Had to be, because she frankly doubted that the afterlife would welcome her this terribly.

Gods, her throat was dryer than Thanalan, and her entire body felt like a sack of popotoes. Slowly, her eyes began to grow used to the brightness, always opening them up further and waiting a little bit to continue until they were fully open. She looked around.

Where...am I? She wondered, turning her head left and right. The room she was in was moderately large and appeared quite fancy in decor. The bed she was lying in, too, looked relatively extravagant from what she could tell lying in it. Standing on the wall to her right, S'eni saw a desk that was covered in open books.

A sudden sound from the door made her jump, and out of sheer reflex, she snapped her head back and closed her eyes. She immediately felt silly for doing so and wanted to open them back up, when she heard a pair of familiar steps enter the room. They stopped next to the bed, placing something on the nightstand there.

The sloshing of water entered her ears, followed by a cloth being wrung out that was then gently dabbed against her forehead. After a few moments, it moved down to her cheek, caressing her skin in small, soothing motions. It stopped suddenly, and S'eni could feel the intense gaze upon her; scanning her. She heard an almost inaudible exhale.

S'eni felt a hand cup her cheek, stroking it with a soft thumb...then pinched it. The sensation made her flinch, and her eyes shot open to the sight of Y'shtola's silvery-white ones. With a raised brow, as if to say "I know you're awake", she released her and began walking around the bed.

"Shto—" she started to cough, the dryness in her throat rendering her unable to speak. Y'shtola returned to her with a cup in her hand, sitting down on the edge of the bed and helping her up enough to properly guide it to her lips. She drank the contents greedily, and while it was just water, it might as well have been the drink of the gods themselves with how parched she was.

After she was done, she sunk back into the pillow with a satisfied sigh. She cleared her throat to dispel the rest of the dryness in it and sent the other Miqo'te a little smile. "Hey..."

"Good morning to you, too." Y'shtola mirrored her expression and brushed a few stray locks out of S'eni's face. "Well, noon would most likely be more accurate."

"Explains the glaring sun," she said, tongue darting across her lips to spread moisture evenly.

"How are you feeling?" her lover asked, rising up and placing the cup on the nightstand.

"Let's just say I've got a rough idea of how you all felt after returning from the First." S'eni grimaced and raised her arm again. She lasted a couple of seconds before it fell back onto the mattress. "Gods, I don't think I've ever felt this weak."

"That's only to be expected. You have been unconscious for quite a while." Y'shtola walked over to the desk.

"How long?" she asked, closing her eyes momentarily. Silence. "...Shtola?"

Y'shtola flipped the pages of one of the books, then replied with a sigh, "Three moons."

What!? S'eni's eyes shot wide open at that. Three...moons?

She had been out for that long?

The wound she received from Zenos had been grave. If not for the timely healing from her friends, she doubted she would be here at all. But still...

She released a sigh through her nose, glancing over to Y'shtola, who was now pushing the books aside to search for something. A deep frown formed on S'eni's face. "What happened...after I fell unconscious?"

"We arrived back on Etheirys shortly after," Y'shtola replied and grabbed a small flask. "Suffice to say, our heroic return was slightly overshadowed by the condition our hero arrived in. You were out of danger, but neither we nor Sharlayan's most talented healers were able to rouse you. So all we could do was make you comfortable and wait for you to wake up on your own."

"I see..." was all she said, falling silent soon after. The sound of the flask being opened and some of its contents being dripped into a glass went through the room, shortly followed by Y'shtola walking over to the bed again.

"Is there something else apart from feeling weak? Any pain?" the other Miqo'te asked and eyed the small glass in her hand to determine if it was the right amount.

"No. Just feeling weak, and a part of me would honestly like to go right back to sleep." Which made sense, she supposed. What she went through wasn't exactly something she would call sound rest.

"Drink this, then," Y'shtola said, sitting back down on the bed and helping her up to drink from the glass. She grimaced at the bitter taste, but nevertheless swallowed whatever it was that she was given, making a disgusted sound once she was done.

"Urk, what's that?"

"Just a little tincture that Nhidana left with us," her lover replied and put the glass and flask away. "It's not unlike Sharlayan's Archon loaf, filled with all sorts of nourishments. Tastes just as bad, but easier on the stomach to say the least. And it ought to give you a bit of energy for what comes next."

"'What comes next'?" she repeated with an arched brow, watching as Y'shtola walked over to the door.

"You weren't expecting me to not tell everyone you've awoken now, were you?" The other woman glanced over her shoulder, the corners of her lips quirking upwards. "Especially our gracious hosts."

She then stepped outside, leaving S'eni alone to steel herself. Not like there was really much she could do anyway. After a few silent minutes, her ears began to pick up footsteps coming down the hallway, with one set being especially fast. The door burst open again, revealing to her a wide-eyed Alisaie.

"Hello there," she greeted the young woman, managing to raise her hand and wave it a little. "I heard I had an extended nap?"

The Elezen's face twisted for a second and tears began to form in her eyes, but her lips curled upwards. "You godsdamned sure did!"

After saying that, Alisaie practically launched herself at S'eni, gathering her in as much of a hug as was possible given her current position. She chuckled and watched as the rest of the Leveilleurs and Y'shtola came into the room as well, an amused look forming in the latter's eyes while she leaned against the doorframe. Far more composed than his sister, Alphinaud nevertheless was quick to stand by her side.

"S'eni!" he exclaimed with a bright smile. "You are finally awake!"

"That I am. Though you have to excuse me if I don't sit up right now."

"That is only understandable. Rest assured that we shall do everything in our power to aid in your recovery," Fourchenault said. "You have done us, and the entire star, a service none can ever repay you for. It is the least we can do."

"What my dear husband here wants to say—" Ameliance looped her arm around his and sent him a little wink that caused him to look away in thinly veiled embarrassment. "—is that it's good to see you awake. When we saw you being carried off the Ragnarok we were all so worried."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry anyone." She sighed. "I'm going to be saying that a lot, won't I?"

"You will," Y'shtola said, pushing herself away from the door to sit down on the bed. And while her face held a smile, there was a note of sternness in her voice. "It's the price you pay for being so reckless."

Pot meet kettle, S'eni thought dryly, but nevertheless smiled. They were both hypocrites in that regard.

"What happened?" Alisaie asked. "When Meteion came by the Ragnarok, she said you wouldn't be long. And when you finally arrived you were bleeding all over."

"I..." a short pause and her eyes briefly flitted over to Y'shtola. "I had a score to settle with Zenos. We fought...and I won, even if only barely. But it's over now. He's gone."

Just saying it added so much more finality to the fact. He had done horrible things, and death was honestly a deserved punishment for him, but he had also come to her aid and, in his last moments, revealed to her the emptiness that had encompassed his existence. For good or ill, she would never forget him, and perhaps now his soul could find the peace that had been denied to him all his life.

"Excuse me, but what is this about a certain someone being awake again?" a voice pierced the sudden quiet, pulling her back out of her thoughts.

"Thancred!" S'eni's face brightened. But it wasn't just him. Appearing shortly after him in the doorframe were G'raha, Urianger, Estinien, Krile and—

"S'ENIIIIIII!"

—Tataru, who rushed into the room and all but launched herself at her, forcing Alisaie to jump aside. Large eyes, blurry with tears, the Lalafel stared at her to make sure she wasn't imagining this all, before starting to cry in earnest. She buried her face into S'eni's arm.

"Oh, Tataru," she said with warm fondness. Holding a smile reflecting her tone, Urianger stepped up to the bed and offered her a bow.

"Full glad am I to see thou hast awoken at last," he said.

"Hear hear," Estinien added. "I was already wondering if you intended to sleep forever."

"No rest for the righteous, as Cid would say," S'eni said, casting her gaze over everyone gathered. Her face then became serious. "How have things fared in the meantime?"

"Well, thanks to your efforts, the Final Days were averted. And not a moment too soon, since they would have soon reached Sharlayan," Krile explained. "Things are slowly returning to normal. And though there are still isolated cases of transformations, it's nothing that our allies weren't able to deal with themselves. So you can rest easy."

She breathed out a sigh of relief and nodded. Afterwards, her friends and she talked about a few other things, like G'raha informing her that there was a new meal at the Last Stand that she absolutely had to try once she was better, or a new business idea that Tataru was mulling over. But as the minutes went on, she could feel the fatigue slowly creep back into her, and it became harder and harder to keep her eyes open. Something that also didn't slip Y'shtola notice.

"I believe it would be best if we let our dear Warrior get some proper rest for now," the other Miqo'te said while rising to her feet. "There will be more than enough time to talk later."

A round of agreement went through the room, and S'eni offered her lover a grateful little smile, followed by a yawn. Ushering everyone out of the room, Y'shtola remained standing in the doorway for a moment, sending her a warm look before stepping outside and closing the door. No sooner did it shut than her eyes started to droop to the call of sleep.

She followed it.

 

---

 

S'eni awoke to something tickling her face. Even without opening her eyes and the fog still clouding her mind, she could tell that it was the middle of the night. A brief moment passed and she was about to slip back into sleep, when a wave of warmth hit her, mixed with a slightly spicy scent.

With a small groan, she began to open her eyes. She was greeted by the sight of her lover, her face hovering directly next to hers and an arm loosely draped across her body. Fast asleep. The corners of her lips curled upward.

It took a little effort, but she managed to raise her hand and gently place it atop Y'shtola's cheek. She watched her for a few minutes, simply drinking in the sight with a warm swell of happiness within her heart. They had made it. Despite all the odds being stacked against them.

Letting herself be immersed in that feeling, she inched her head closer to rest it against Y'shtola's and, in a matter of seconds, drifted back off into a well-earned rest.

 

Notes:

And our heroine is awake again. That'll teach her to sleep on the job!

Chapter 167

Onset of Recovery

 

It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, and the thin layer of snow left behind on the window from the previous night was beginning to melt. Light reflected off the tiny droplets cascading downward, dancing through the room for mere seconds, before dropping out of sight again.

S'eni smiled, but couldn't help but sigh, her finger idly playing with the page of the book she was reading. It would be the perfect day to get some training in. But alas, she was to rest. Y'shtola, Krile, and many many more people had made that abundantly clear. Not like she could truly do much of note anyway with how weak she was.

Ten days had passed since she awoke, and since then these four walls had been her own little world. The first few days had been especially maddening, with her being barely able to move at all and a diet that mostly consisted of Nhidana's tonic. At the very least she could sit up on her own now, so that was progress.

Turning the page, she looked back down to the book and resumed reading. If nothing else, being in Sharlayan made for an easy time to get one's hands on tomes of all kinds. And there had been some that had caught her eye during their investigation in Noumenon, so why not make use of the chance she was 'afforded'?

She had just arrived at the part where the author was beginning to get into detail about how a proper diet was key to a healthy and youthful lifestyle—all for the purpose of a speedy recovery, of course—when the door opened and Y'shtola stepped into the room. S'eni raised her hand to signal the other woman to wait, read the paragraph to its conclusion, then put in the bookmark and closed the book. She looked up.

"Is it time?" she asked.

"It is," Y'shtola replied and made way for one of the household servants, a Roegadyn woman, to push a wheelchair into the room. S'eni eyed it for a moment, before putting the book away and sighing.

"Let's get it over with then," she said and pulled the covers away. While her arms were beginning to cooperate with her again, albeit slowly, her legs were another story. Three months of just lying around would do that, she supposed. It would take a bit for them to regain their strength.

After being lifted out of the bed and into the wheelchair, S'eni was wheeled down the hallway for a few minutes, passing by multiple doors until coming to a stop in front of one in particular. The guest bath. As they entered, the pleasant, humid warmth of the already prepared tub wafted into her face, making her smile a little despite what she knew was coming.

"Thank you. We shall take it from here," Y'shtola said to the servant.

"Very well. Fresh clothes are in the basket over there," the woman said with a bow. "If you need any further assistance, do not hesitate to call."

Once the door had closed behind the servant, Y'shtola turned to S'eni. "Ready?"

She just rolled her eyes and raised her arms so that the other Miqo'te could pull the white shirt she wore off her. Next were her pants, which were a little trickier and involved some teamwork from both of them, but they nevertheless followed suit, leaving her completely bare and ready for her bath. Slowly, Y'shtola helped her out of the wheelchair and into the water.

A pleasant little sound escaped her and she closed her eyes to enjoy the warmth on her skin. It felt good, invigorating, spreading through her limbs and chasing away the tingling that beset them. Yet that only alleviated the issue, not fix it.

Next to the tub, Y'shtola pulled up her sleeves, took a washcloth and soap, and began to wash her. Embarrassment swelled within her chest, not because she was ashamed of being seen like this by her lover, but because things that had been so natural for her to do alone now needed assistance. But she knew that there was nothing she could do until she had recovered enough to do it alone.

Y'shtola for her part never made a big deal out of it, simply going about it like it was the most natural thing in the world. Something she was immensely grateful for. Only during the first time did she firmly point out that she, too, had been unable to do many things without assistance after being wounded by Zenos, quelling any worries that might have sprung up.

After she was done being cleaned, S'eni leaned back in the tub to soak a little bit while watching Y'shtola put away the cleaning supplies. A tiny smirk danced across her lips. "You know, the tub is big enough for both of us."

Her statement was met with a raised brow, and she lifted her hand out of the tub to stroke the edge of it. They stared at each other for a couple of seconds before Y'shtola just shook her head with a huff. "Honestly..."

They shared a laugh.

"I'll just take that as a sign of recovery," Y'shtola said, picking up a prepared towel.

"It was worth a try."

"It was. But let's not get too far ahead of ourselves now."

She spent a couple of more minutes soaking in the pleasant warmth, then climbed back out of the tub with Y'shtola's assistance. After being dried and helped into her new clothes, S'eni was wheeled out of the bath and down the hallway once more. But instead of going back to her room, they headed right past it.

"Uh, Shtola? You missed the door," she said.

"I'm aware of that," Y'shtola replied, amusement in her voice. "But since today's weather is so agreeable, I thought a change in scenery might be good."

Eyes widening in surprise, she looked up and was met by the other Miqo'te's smiling face. She returned it and turned her gaze forward, a sudden giddiness filling her. Shortly after, they arrived in the main hall, where Y'shtola called upon one of the servants to fetch S'eni a light coat and appropriate footwear, as it was still slightly chilly despite the fair weather.

As she was wheeled outside, she had to raise her hand to shield her eyes from the early midday sun, but her smile nevertheless grew upon feeling the fresh breeze tickle her cheeks. She breathed in the pleasant scent of grass, tinged with the salt from the sea, and felt herself immediately relax. A voice then called out to them and she spotted the twins coming up the stairs.

"Hey, you two," she said and waved her hand while they came over.

"Out for a walk at last?" Alisaie asked with a hand on her hip.

"Yeah, the head physician herself gave me the go-ahead." She chuckled and glanced up at Y'shtola. "What about you two? You've been gone these past couple of days."

"We were in Ul'dah to meet with our allies and discuss matters regarding the people of Garlemald," Alphinaud explained, followed by a smile. "Given that we were there, we also passed along the news of your awakening. They are sending their regards, and, should need arise, offer their assistance in any way they can."

"Speaking of assistance—" Y'shtola cut in and gestured over to the stairs. "May we trouble you for some?"

Alisiae punched her palm. "As if you needed to ask."

With the twins' assistance, they managed to get down the stairs and, after waving them goodbye, Y'shtola and her began to head down Journey's End. Coming across a few other people who seemed to have had the same idea about the weather, S'eni found herself receiving friendly greetings and respectful nods. She sighed inwardly.

"So much for anonymity," she murmured.

"Only to be expected," Y'shtola said, nodding back at a passing couple. "You saved the star. But I assure you, there a plenty of people around here that are too busy sticking their noses into tomes to remember you. For now, though, I'm afraid you will have to endure your fame. Something you ought to be used by now, O Warrior of Light."

"Lucky me..."

From Journey's End, they made their way down to the harbor, where they were met with quite some hustle and bustle. But unlike back when they first arrived, it wasn't just gleaners and dock workers running to and fro, but groups of outsiders. Her eyebrows shot up when she saw an Elezen man negotiating with a group of Goblins.

"There has been a few changes, now that Sharlayan has been relieved of its duty. One being more active interactions with other nations," Y'shtola explained. "Of course, there are still many who wish to adhere to tradition, like the Bibliothecs, so it will take time to adjust."

"Better than never, I suppose," she said, unable to keep some bitterness out of her voice. As much as Sharlayan had aided them in the end, they had also hindered them in equal measure and would have abandoned countless people to share the same fate as the star if not for Hydaelyn entrusting her and the others with its future. Still, it was time to look to the future, and if the Sharlayans were at last doing it too, then she wouldn't complain.

Heading further down the harbor, and taking their time to enjoy the view, they soon arrived at Sharlayan's last defense of anything that was culinary. And, sitting there and enjoying a nice meal, they found Thancred. With a grin forming on her face, S'eni called out to him, "Well well well, who do we have here?"

His fork stopped inches away from his mouth and he glanced up, the corners of it rising when he saw who it was. "Hey, you two."

"All alone today?" she asked.

"Urianger is out on business with the Loporrits and Krile is discussing something with G'raha." He shrugged and pushed his food inside his mouth, chewing for a few seconds and then swallowing it. "So I thought why not use the time to enjoy a nice meal? How about you two? Have you already eaten?"

The growl from her stomach answered before her voice could and he waved them over with a chuckle. Y'shtola and her exchanged a quick look, before following his invitation. Rising from his chair, he met them halfway to help get the wheelchair up the stairs, then raised a hand to hail a waiter.

"Pick whatever you like. My treat," Thancred said as they each received a menu. But while there was a large variety of delicacies to pick from, her eyes almost instantly landed on one meal in particular.

"The grilled herring," she said, pointing at the menu for emphasis.

"Good choice," the waiter said, writing her order down. After receiving Y'shtola's as well, he inclined his head and walked off.

Leaning back, S'eni folded her hands and waited. Though it certainly wasn't easy while having to watch Thancred enjoying his meal, the ensuing conversation between them managed to distract her enough to not make her want to rip the fork out of his hand. Before long, their food finally arrived and, feeling her mouth water, her hands all but shot forward to grab the cutlery. Despite her increasing hunger at the sight of it, she still carefully cut into the herring and made sure to properly debone it, before digging in.

A low moan escaped her when the first piece touched her tongue, filling her entire mouth with its rich and full-bodied taste. Gods, this was good. She chewed slowly, savouring each second of it, while Thancred and Y'shtola watched her in amusement.

"Someone must have had a hankering," Thancred commented.

"Oh yes!" S'eni said after swallowing. She had been craving some good fish for a while now. Now she only needed a glass of good wine, but she felt that would be treading on dangerous ground with a certain someone sitting only a step away from her.

Y'shtola watched her while she was enjoying her fish, a smile on her face, which eventually turned into a thoughtful look. "Thancred? May I ask you a favor?"

"Of course. What is it?"

"I'll tell you the details later," the other Miqo'te said and began to eat as well.

The rest of the meal passed relatively uneventfully, though truth be told S'eni was far too busy with her meal to really pay attention. When she was done, much too soon to her liking, she let her head fall back against the wheelchair's headrest and released a content sigh, her spirits lifted far beyond measure. "That hit the spot more than you can imagine."

"Oh, I think I've got a pretty good idea." He winked and took a sip from his drink.

"Thanks." S'eni smiled.

"Don't mention it."

After having two drinks of their own, the two bade their friend goodbye and continued their, now quite extended, walk in the direction of the Studium. Halfway there, though, they turned left and headed towards the cliff that overlooked the entire bay, stopping beneath a tree's shade. A pleasant silence wrapped around them as they looked into the distance, watching the comings and goings of people; living their peaceful lives now that the threat looming over their world was over at last.

S'eni felt Y'shtola's hand place itself on her shoulder, and she reached up to put her own on top of it, gently taking hold and giving it a squeeze. A few moments passed like this until the other Miqo'te stepped up and kneeled down in front of her, eyes finding hers. Unspoken words passed between them, things that didn't need to be said for the other to understand. Y'shtola leaned in.

Their lips came together in a soft kiss, sending a pleasant little shiver through both of them, as that final bit of darkness left behind by her long unconsciousness was chased off by the warmest of light. S'eni buried her fingers in Y'shtola's hair and pulled her further in, to seek out more of that feeling she had missed so, and her lover was only all too eager to comply. After what felt like hours, though in truth were only a couple of long seconds, they separated, sharing a loving smile and resting their foreheads against each other.

There was still quite a road ahead of her, but this here, right now, made it all worth it.

 

Chapter 168

Slow and Steady

 

"Good! Yes, very good!" Y'shtola's voice echoed through the room.

S'eni hissed in return, her teeth pressed together and her eyes slammed shut in an effort to ignore the burning pain in her limbs. Fists tightening around the handles she was gripping, she pushed herself up, bringing her body into an upright position so that her feet touched the ground. With shaking arms and quick shallow breaths, she held herself in place like this, feeling sweat run down both sides of her face.

"Now, try to put some weight on your legs," Krile said from next to the other Miqo'te. "Just a bit. Easy does it."

"Easy...does...it," she repeated after her, loosening her grip a little bit so that more pressure was put on her legs. Another hiss escaped S'eni as the muscles in her legs screamed out, but she pushed it away and firmly dug her heels into the ground. A few seconds passed, and she exhaled, opening her eyes to look down at herself. Her face brightened and she turned her head towards Y'shtola and Krile.

She released a happy little laugh...that immediately turned into a yelp when her legs gave out and she dropped on her butt. The other two were at her side in an instant, but S'eni just chuckled and wiped away the sweat from her brow. "That didn't turn out as intended."

"Maybe not, but I'd say you're making amazing progress," Krile said.

"Not amazing enough, apparently," S'eni said, slinging her arm over Y'shtola's shoulder to let herself be helped back up and placed into her wheelchair. She raised her hand when the Lalafel made to reply and added, "I know, I know. Slow and steady wins the race."

Krile grinned at that, because she had been repeating that line ever since S'eni had woken up.

"Certainly makes me envy you guys," she said to Y'shtola. "You were able to move again after a couple of days after you returned to your bodies."

"Those were also rather extraordinary circumstances compared to yours. We hadn't nearly gotten ourselves killed in a duel to the death," her lover replied dryly. "What our bodies went through could hardly compare with that."

"Guilty as charged," she admitted.

"Be that is it may, if you keep this up you might be able to take some steps soon," Krile said.

"Ah yes, like a grown-up toddler." A towel hit her straight in the face, making her jerk back. Grabbing it, she wiped the rest of the sweat covering it off, then sent a little glare towards Y'shtola amidst Krile's giggling. The other Miqo'te just raised a brow. S'eni just handed her the towel and gestured towards the apparatus meant to help her stand. "Shall we try again?"

Her next couple of tries fared little better, though this time she managed to lower herself back on the wheelchair on her own. And while her limbs were screaming and her muscles burning through the entire process, they felt absolutely alive. Krile was right, she was making progress. Slowly, but surely.

The telltale chime of a linkpearl went through the chamber and the Lalafel's hands went into her pocket. Pulling it out, she put it into her ear and pressed down on it. "Yes?"

Krile's face grew into a huge smile at whatever was being said on the other end. S'eni had to strain her ears a bit, but even then all she could make out was that it was Thancred. Looks like he's back, she thought.

He had been away for a few weeks, something about an errand he had to run. She didn't really press the others about it since she was occupied with getting better, and she very much doubted it was anything he couldn't handle anyway. Still, maybe she should pay him back for that nice meal by buying him one in turn?

"Alright. See you soon," Krile said and finished the call. "Looks like we are all done for the day. Why don't you get yourself washed up, S'eni?"

"Yeah, I think I'll do just that," she replied, looking down at her now sweat-stained shirt.

"Let us get you there, then," Y'shtola said, stepping up behind the wheelchair and starting to push it towards the door. As they left the room, pale eyes briefly met with large light blue ones, and they shared a subtle nod that went unnoticed by S'eni.

Getting cleaned up had, thankfully, also become a bit easier in the meantime, though she still needed some assistance. After washing off the sweat and soaking a little bit to soothe her aching muscles, they left the guest bath and made their way down the hallway where they ran into a smiling Ameliance. "Ah, there you are. Good."

"That we are." S'eni cocked a brow. "Did you need us for something?"

The smile on the Elezen's face grew. "You have visitors."

"Visitors?" she blinked once, twice, the confusion in her voice quite evident.

"Yes, and they are quite eager to see you," Ameliance replied and turned around, silently bidding them to follow.

"Shtola? Do you know anything about this?" she asked, looking up at her lover who held a mysterious smile and began wheeling her after the lady of the house. Yes, she absolutely did know about this.

One of the servants awaited them at the double doors leading to the main hall, briefly bowing his head to them as they approached before reaching out to the door handles. They had just opened a gap when, all of a sudden, a tiny, furry form burst through and launched itself at S'eni. "S'ENI!"

She threw her arms up reflexively, barely managing to catch her would-be 'assaulter' and keep herself from getting a face full of Loporrit. Large eyes stared into her own, brimming with unbridled joy, while tiny arms tried to make a grab for her. It was Growingway!

"Whoa! Hey there," she greeted him amidst the rapid strings of words coming from her furry little, struggling very much to keep him at bay. "Yes, I missed you too. Could—ngh—Could you slow down a little?"

Growingway's large ears went rigid, and his hands went to his cheek as realization dawned on his face. "Oh no! I'm sorry, S'eni! I didn't know what came over me!"

"Don't worry," she chuckled and lowered him so that he could jump to the ground. "No harm done."

With a smile, she looked at Growingway. She hadn't seen much of the Loporrits since waking up. The majority of them were all busy on the moon, now that they, too, had to find a new purpose. Only a few were hanging around Sharlayan, but he had not been one of those.

Her brows furrowed suddenly. Now that she was having a good look at him, she saw that he wasn't wearing the Loporrits' usual outfit. Instead, he was wearing a brightly patterned shirt that—

S'eni's eyes widened.

—one would see people wear around the Cieldaleas...

Her heart jumped when Ameliance spoke up, a giggle preceding her words. "My my, someone was certainly eager to see you. But it would not do to leave your other guests waiting."

S'eni's fingers dug into the wheelchair's armrests, heartbeat quickening as she was being wheeled through the door and into the main hall. A small group of people were waiting inside. Familiar faces all, some of which she hadn't seen in a while. Y'mhitra and Count Edmont, who were both conversing with Thancred, but also Lyse and Yugiri had come by. But it was really the two Miqo'te that stood in the center of this gathering that drew her attention and filled her with a mixture of joy and dread that made her body seize up. Their clothes were quite a bit warmer than what they would usually wear, but there was little mistaking them regardless.

It was her sisters; S'neena and S'aria.

Upon noticing their entrance, all eyes turned towards them. Conversation ceased and in fact, all sound seemed to leave the room, but maybe it was also just her heartbeat deafening her to everything. She watched S'neena's eyes widen and slowly step forward, coming to a stop just a few paces away from them.

Her sister eyed her up and down, the look in her eyes growing from initial shock to sadness. It was a familiar one. One that she had seen so many times back when their father had grown sick. Seeing it now directed to herself was breaking her heart twice over.

"Eni..." S'neena said.

"Neena, I—" she was suddenly cut off by her sister bridging the last distance between them and gathering her in a hug. S'eni went rigid, but it only lasted until a sob went through her sister and she returned the hug. Stroking her back softly, she breathed out. "It's alright, Neena. I'm alright."

S'eni didn't say anything further, letting her sister get it all out instead. Once she had calmed down again, S'neena released her and leaned back up to wipe the last of her tears away. Then, quite suddenly, anger flashed behind her eyes and she punched her upper arm.

"Ouch!" she exclaimed, hand shooting to her arm. "What was that for!?"

"That was for not telling us that you are the famous champion of Eorzea!"

"I-I didn't want to worry you all!"

"And a fat lot of good that did!"

"Hmpf, she's right, you know?" her other sister said while coming over, shaking her head. "And on top of that, we also had to learn that you saved the world!"

"Aria...how?" she looked between both of them, before settling her gaze on Thancred. He held up his hands with a smile.

"It was all Y'shtola's idea. She thought it would cheer you up to see some familiar faces," he explained.

"And we are all glad for it," Count Edmont said, stepping forward. "When Emmanellain told us what had transpired, we were all greatly worried about you. Not a day went by when you were not in our prayers. To say that we were relieved upon news of your awakening is an understatement, and it does me good to see you at last."

"Cou—Edmont..." With a warm look on his face, he reached out a fatherly hand and placed it on her shoulder.

"You look good. When Shtola wrote to me after your arrival, I knew something serious must have happened, but she didn't go into detail," Y'mhitra said. The corners of her lips rose into a tiny smirk that matched the dryness that entered her voice. "Now if only she would have deigned to tell me you were awake before your friend came to pick me up."

Y'shtola just rolled her eyes, and S'eni chuckled. Her eyes then shifted over to the last two coming over to join them. "Lyse! Yugiri!"

Leaning down, Lyse gathered her in a hug while Yugiri offered her a bow. The former smiled. "You scared us good, Eni. But I knew you would get back up sooner or later."

"Well, not truly up just yet," she replied and patted the wheelchair. "But I'm slowly getting there."

"Good. You still need to teach me that technique, after all."

"Hoo boy." They both laughed.

"Lord Hien sends you his well-wishes and once more his gratitude for all you have done," Yugiri said, a hand held above her heart. "I, too, wish to thank you, and offer you any assistance I can to aid your recovery."

"Come on now, don't be so formal." S'eni patted her arm, earning a small smile from the Au Ra in return. With a nod, she looked at all of her gathered friends. "So, how was your journey here?"

"Oh oh! I've seen so many trees." Growingway spoke up, rubbing his cheeks in that adorable way that seemed to just come naturally to Lopporits. "All kinds of them."

"I'll say," Thancred said in an exasperated tone, shaking his head. "It was especially bad when we arrived at your village. We had to comb the entire island for him."

"At least it made for a fun game for the kids," S'neena giggled and a round of chuckles went through the group as Growingway grabbed his ears and used them to cover his face. Following that were various stories from her friends, things she had missed while she had been unconscious. As she listened to them, she briefly looked up to find Y'shtola's eyes and sent her a grateful look.

 

---

 

A few hours later, after everyone had eaten and rested from the journey, S'eni found herself in the Leveilleur estate's garden, her wheelchair pushed by S'aria while S'neena walked slightly ahead. With eyes wide from amazement, her younger sister took in the vicinity. As they made a stop near the fountain in the center of it, she turned around with a huge smile on her face.

"This place is so beautiful." A sudden breeze made S'neena shiver. "But so cold!"

"And you were warned about it," S'aria threw in, picking at the fabric of the poncho she was wearing compared to their sister's sweater.

"It's not even the coldest place I've been to," S'eni chuckled.

"Really?" S'aria cocked a brow. "Hard to imagine if I'm being honest."

"Oh yes. There's Coerthas, for example. That is the land Edmont hails from. It's been trapped in perpetual winter for years because of an aetheric shift. And then there's Garlemald." This time it was her turn to shiver. "Now that is cold."

"Amazing..." S'neena said. "To think such places existed."

Heh, if only you knew... she thought, but decided against mentioning venturing to a parallel world or the very edge of the universe. No need to overwhelm them just yet.

"It's incredible, really." Her sister began to look about again. "You've seen so many places, and met so many people. Even a nobleman is among your friends!"

"He's a good man. Helped me and my friends when things were looking pretty bad." An understatement if there ever was one. "Just...don't take everything he writes about me in his memoirs at face value. He paints a far more heroic image than reality."

"Oh?" An amused twinkle entered S'neena's eyes, and she folded her hands behind her back. "Now I really have to ask him for a copy later."

S'eni sighed, covering her face with her hand as S'neena giggled and turned on her heel. She could already picture her reading it to the entire village. But she supposed she could only blame herself for that. And who knew what the two had already heard on their way here? Maybe...

"So, uh, did you manage to see some of Eorzea before coming here?"

"Oh yes. Well, we arrived in Limsa Lominsa. It was far bigger than I expected! But nothing compared to Ul'dah. Hard to imagine people could survive in a place so bereft of water..."

They continued on their walk, accompanied by S'neena's recollection of what they saw during their journey, with the occasional explanation from S'eni about anything she was knowledgeable about. All the while, she couldn't help but notice that S'aria grew a little quiet over the course of their conversation, choosing to instead take in the scenery a bit. This continued until something seemed to catch her younger sister's eye.

"Hey, look over there. A lizard!" S'neena pointed ahead. "Aww, it looks adorable!"

Looking to where she was pointing, S'eni's eyebrows rose when she saw the tiny, pink eft seated atop a finely trimmed shrub. Its round eyes were staring blankly ahead, though the aura of adventure around the little fella was unmistakable. She simply shook her head, at this point she honestly wasn't surprised anymore. At least it wasn't that bird...

Her sister jogged over to get a closer look, leaving the two of them behind. Now that S'neena wasn't there, the silence radiating from S'aria was even more obvious, and while part of her wished to ask what the matter was, she knew to not push her. Luckily, it didn't take long for her to speak up.

"You know..." S'aria said while they watched S'neena hold out her hand for the lizard to climb onto. "Back when you left, I resented you for it. Papa had just died and you decided to sneak out of the village overnight. While we were all still reeling from it all, you were off chasing your dreams."

"I'm sorry, Aria. I never meant to hurt anyone."

"Well, you did. And that's a fact." A note of bitterness entered S'aria's voice, but she sighed and shook her head, dispelling it once more. "Over time, though, I realized that I was actually deeply envious of you. You were brave enough to venture out into the unknown, while I never thought beyond our home. And you became so much stronger for it."

Silence returned, wrapping tightly around the two of them in a way that almost drowned out the sounds of delight coming from their sister. She never had suspected that S'aria had felt that way. Back when Y'shtola and her had visited, she had greeted them like everyone else did. Had these words been bubbling beneath the surface this entire time?

"You're stronger than you give yourself credit for," she said after a few moments. "When nobody knew what to do, you were trying your best to fix what was wrong with Papa."

"And it wasn't enough." The bitterness returned.

"Yes, but that doesn't mean you are weak. People call me the Warrior of Light, but the sad truth is that being a hero doesn't mean I can save everyone. Far too often, my strength wasn't enough, and people died. Some even that I came to deeply care for. But I continue regardless, for those I lost, and for those I can yet save." She looked up to find her older sister's eyes. "Same like you haven't stopped being a healer after Papa died. And that same strength that made you continue on brought you here, too."

The corners of her lips rose into a smile. S'aria was surprised for a few seconds, before mirroring it. She chuckled. "Who are you and what did you do with my sister? The Eni I know would never be this wise."

"She grew up. Just a little," she said, holding up her hand with a little gap between her thumb and index finger. "And began surrounding herself with scholarly types."

"So it seems." S'aria laughed and the tension dissipated completely. She looked over to S'neena, who was twisting herself a little as the amphibious adventurer began to take an interest in her hair. "If Papa were still alive he'd be proud of you."

"No. He'd be proud of both of us," S'eni replied.

"I don't know about that. In these past years since he died, I feel like most of what I've done was to deliver babies and help with all the little aches our mothers are starting to have. A good thing, I suppose, but I frankly doubt I'll ever be able to treat a sickness such as his."

"Maybe not from the books you have back home. But Sharlayan is the most knowledgeable place in the world. And, as Shtola would heartily attest to, there is more than one way to have an adventure." Their eyes found each other again and she winked. S'eni then nodded towards S'neena. "Now come, let's separate those two before she gets the idea to adopt that Ambystoma."

"An Ambys-what?"

"Long story. I'll tell you about it some other time."

She'll have ample opportunity to do so after all.

 

Notes:

So in retrospect, I should probably have included her older sister far earlier than the flashback, but I also hadn't really thought of her back when I wrote that visit to S'eni's village. You see, the prominent ones among her siblings are actually all my retainers in game lol, and S'aria was created as a result of needed another one. Oh well, maybe something to eventually go back to one day.

Chapter 169

Notes:

Alright, I'm going to start this off with some bad news here. Those being that this is actually my last chapter that I have finished and prepared in advance. Throughout writing this story, I've always tried to keep a healthy amount of chapters in advance to keep the schedule, but I'm afraid real life got in the way of writing quite a few times and now here we are.

So with a heavy heart I'll have to announce that there will be no new chapter next week, unless I manage to finish and have it beta'd in time. But that would only put a deadline on me that I feel wouldn't help, so instead the coming chapters will all be posted when ready. I know, it frustrates me too, since I liked the schedule I had, but it is what it is.

I hope you can all forgive me after all this time though. Anyway, so with that out of the way: to the chapter at hand. :)

Steps Forward

 

"How is that?" Yugiri asked, receiving a small groan in reply. Fingers flitted across her skin, coming to a stop a little lower. "And this?"

She pressed down, eliciting another groan from S'eni, this time a little strained. "Yeah, that's the spot."

"I see," the Au Ra said. "Then I shall continue."

Eyes shut, S'eni's fingers dug into the mattress of her bed, stiffening a little as Yugiri put even pressure on her upper calf and began to move her thumbs up and down. It wasn't exactly painful, but it certainly felt unpleasant. Acupressure, Yugiri called it. A technique from the Far East to help with various ailments.

Since standing was still more challenge than practice even though it had gotten better, the Au Ra had offered her knowledge in the art to help regain her strength. When asked where she had learned this particular technique, Yugiri simply smiled mysteriously. S'eni knew better than to press the issue.

She jumped a little when the thumbs suddenly shifted and began to press down on a different spot. "Did I hurt you?"

"No. I'm alright," she replied. "Well, as alright as can be given the circumstances."

"You are still recovering."

"I know, I know. But—" she opened her eyes and stared at the wall, taking in the even patterns on it. "—sometimes it just feels like this isn't my body at all. That probably sounds stupid."

"Not at all. During our battle against the Empire, I saw many brave warriors fall, and those who survived took a long time to recover. I still remember what one of them said: 'Recovery is a battle unto itself'."

"True words," she said and noticed Yugiri's hair bop a little from a nod.

They briefly became silent again while the Au Ra continued to administer her treatment. She eventually moved lower towards her foot, and asked, "When was the last time you meditated?"

"Way too long ago. I just...didn't really see the point. Why?"

"The technique I am using is meant to guide the aether of a person towards where it is needed the most. It is not unlike the Chakras you told me about. Perhaps if we combined our efforts we might get better results."

"Perhaps..." she murmured. If nothing else it might give her the feeling that she was also contributing to her recovery apart from following everyone's instructions. Yeah, it was worth a shot.

S'eni closed her eyes and started to focus, trying to drown out everything. First the feeling of Yugiri's hands, then the sound from outside, and the smell of the freshly washed linen. And amidst the doubt and worry that plagued her deep down, she began to search for her center, keeping her breath steady.

Inhale. Exhale.

Inhale. Exhale.

Inhale... Exhale...

...then, peace. Tranquility. A warm quiet that engulfed her; rooting her to a blissful here and now. Seconds became minutes became hours became seconds again until it all became one. Making her feel complete.

Whole.

Slowly, her eyes blinked open again, and she was met by the sight of Yugiri sitting in the nearby chair, diligently waiting. "How are you feeling?" the Au Ra asked.

Turning onto her back, S'eni sat up and looked down at her legs. She bent one and wiggled her toes a little, a tiny smile dancing across her face. "Lighter. Like part of the weight has been lifted off me."

"Good." Yugiri mirrored her expression. "We shall repeat the treatment tomorrow then."

"Alright. Thanks," she said, bending her other leg as well. She could tell that walking would still be out of the question just yet, but the treatment combined with all the other exercises Krile and Y'shtola made her do might make it a less far-off dream. "An interesting technique, though."

"It has been in use for many generations across Hingashi and Doma. If you would like to learn it, I can procure a few manuals for you."

"Not for me, thank you. But if you are offering, then perhaps for my sister. She's been trying to broaden her horizons."

"Yes, I have very much noticed." Having taken her words to heart, S'aria had gone to Y'shtola the next day and, with help from the Leveilleurs, been granted access to Noumenon so long as she stayed within the confines of those books open for Sharlayan's general public. Thankfully, those were many and she had been pouring over each and every one of them. "I am glad that your village has gone unscathed by the Final Days."

"Yeah. News had spread there, of course, but there were no transformations around the islands," S'eni said and let herself fall back on top of the pillows. But really, it would have just been a matter of time until they had been hit, too. Thank the gods they weren't. "How about Doma?"

"A few transformations here and there. Not surprising given that Doma is still healing from the Empire's occupation, but they were swiftly taken care of. Nothing like Izanami."

Izanami being the name of the Blasphemy that had struck Doma, named after the kami that gave birth to the nation and ushered the souls of the dead to the afterlife. In truth, she had just been a grieving young woman who mourned the loss of her husband. In the end, the hunt for her bad become just as much a battle to lay the grief of the entire nation to rest, so that it could at last look to the future. But that wasn't really the reason she broached the topic...

"...And Sui-no-Sato? Have you been there again?"

Yugiri averted her eyes. "No. I already broke my exile once, albeit disguised. I would not wish my parents to suffer more."

"You know, I'm acquainted with the Ruby Princess' lady-in-waiting." Who was actually the princess herself making use of her best friend's nigh distinguishable appearance from her to travel beyond the palace's confines. Just what was it with her and royalty that liked to shirk the rules? "Perhaps we can do something about your banishment. Or just arrange a meeting on neutral ground like Tamamizu."

The Raen didn't say anything at first, rising up from the chair and walking over to the window instead. She reached out and ran a finger across the glass, her eyes growing distant. After a brief moment, she spoke up again.

"I know what you are trying to do but—"

"Yugiri." Her friend turned to look at her. Their eyes locked and S'eni continued with firmness in her voice. "You are one of the most loyal persons I know, have risked your life not only for the good of Doma, but also for us. So let me be frank when I say: it's alright to be selfish once in a while."

A smile then formed on her face. Yugiri was surprised for a moment, but swiftly mirrored her expression and shook her head. "You are a kind person."

"So I am told," S'eni said, not looking away from her friend. "Just...promise me you'll think about it. Alright?"

"Very well. I will," Yugiri said, releasing a conceding sigh.

"Good. Now then, I don't know about you, but I'm feeling quite peckish. So how about we go get something to eat at the Last Stand?" she asked while sitting back up. "It'll be my treat."

The smile on the Au Ra's lips rose in amusement, and she nodded.

 

---

 

Almost two hours later found the two of them seated at the restaurant in question, their meals long since finished, but still enjoying some pleasant conversation over some refreshing drinks. "—and then he went flying into the air, ever eastward until he was only a little twinkle in the sky."

"R-Really?" Yugiri asked, blinking once, twice, disbelief clearly written on her face.

"Oh yes. Nashu, of course, immediately went to search for him," she said and took a sip from her lemonade. "You should have seen my face when her search led her to Kugane of all places. And of course, Hildibrand didn't take long to appear as well."

"Remarkable...You really do meet the most fascinating people."

"That's one way to call them." A chuckle made its way past her lips, but she quickly frowned soon after. "...I hope they made it through the Final Days unharmed."

"If they are even just a fraction as hardy as you describe them to be, then I am sure they have," Yugiri assured her and the smile returned to her face.

"Yeah. You're right." If one went unscathed by it all, it would be Hildibrand Manderville and those associated with him; they were all a hardy lot. "Knowing me, I'll run into them soon enough."

And hijinks would soon ensue. After all that happened, she'd be glad for it too.

"I hope the food was to your liking," another voice joined the conversation, and they both looked up to see Dickon, the proprietor himself, having come over to their table.

"Always," she said and Yugiri, too, nodded.

"That is heartening to hear. Would you like something else, or will that be all?"

S'eni looked at her friend, silently repeating the question. Finding nothing to suggest the contrary, she then said, "No, that'll be all."

"Very good," he said and began to pick up their plates.

"So—" she took another sip of her lemonade, releasing an appreciative sigh. So refreshing! "—how have things been for you since the Final Days?"

"Not much has changed, if I'm being honest. Though I suppose that is a good thing. Alisaie came by the other day, too. But busy as she was, we were only able to talk briefly." The man pursed his lips briefly. "Speaking of being busy, we're quite short on hands this shift...ah no, nevermind."

"What?" S'eni raised her brow. "Out with it."

"Well, I could use someone that would deliver an order, but I'd hate to impose that on you," he said, trying to politely avoid looking at her wheelchair.

She briefly rolled her eyes and waved a hand to dismiss the issue. "Believe me, running an errand is far from a bother right now. Quite the opposite, actually."

"In that case, would you follow me then?"

"Sure," S'eni said, draining the rest of her glass and looking at Yugiri. "You can go on ahead without me. If you see Shtola, tell her I'll be along shortly."

Exchanging goodbyes with the Ninja, she planted her hands on the rims of each wheel and began to push. She followed Dickon, who stepped behind the counter and put away the plates, before going over to where a couple of packaged meals were waiting for delivery. He picked one and handed it over to her. "Here, a pair of salad sandwiches for one of our regulars, an elderly gentleman."

"Alright, where should I deliver them and to whom?" she asked after taking the package.

"He's at Auk's Landing. You can't really miss him, he's a Lalafel with quite a distinguished air."

"Got it." She nodded, placing the package on her lap, and then began to wheel herself in the direction of Journey's End. As she was leaving, Dickon watched her from out of the corner of his eye and smiled knowingly.

Making her way over to her destination, which made her arms realize just how elevated some parts of Sharlayan were, she looked around the area for her client. It took a couple of minutes, but eventually she found the Lalafel in question, sitting on one of the benches near the fountain. Sharp eyes framed by a pair of glasses, an orderly mustache as well as neatly trimmed sideburns, and the long coat he was wearing gave him an appearance that truly could not be described as anything but distinguished.

He looked to be quite deep in thought, not taking notice of her as she wheeled over to him. Only when she called out to him directly in greeting did he turn his head to look at her. His eyes grew wide for but a moment, before settling into a look of curiosity as he spoke. "Oh, you are one of the Scions, are you not? S'eni, I believe?"

"That's right," she said with a friendly nod.

"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Now, what might I do for you?"

"I was asked to deliver this," S'eni replied and held out the package to him.

"Ah, the sandwiches!" he exclaimed and took it, almost immediately beginning to unpack the food inside. "The Last Stand serves up many delectable dishes, but their sandwiches have always been my favorite. My son, on the other hand, was quite fond of the pretzels."

The old Lalafel grew quiet then, stopping in what he was doing to look up at her. "Say, would you mind indulging an old man for a moment?"

"Not at all." She smiled and rolled up to the side of the bench. After unpacking the first sandwich, he took a crunchy bite out of it, chewing slowly while his gaze wandered over to the fountain.

"I attended the Studium in my youth. Not very surprising, I know," he said after swallowing. "I was classmates with Louisoix, you see. We were kindred spirits in our study of magic, and it is not wrong to say that we inspired each other to even greater heights."

"Does that mean you also knew Master Matoya as well?" she asked.

"Oh yes. Never a dull moment with her around." He chuckled, and she could see the warmth of nostalgia formed behind his glasses. "After completing my studies, I continued on with my research and eventually became a professor myself. I married and had a family. Settled down. Not Louisoix, though. Such a life was never for him, spending more time on the road than not. My son admired him greatly, eventually becoming his pupil and even earning his Archon's mark."

S'eni felt herself stiffen at those words. Did he just say...?

Eyes widening, she looked at the old Lalafel. She tried to picture him without the facial hair and glasses and mentally replaced them with a monocle and blond hair that had not yet lost all color to age. While not a spitting image of one another, it was still very obvious to her to whom she was speaking right now.

This man was Papalymo's father.

"It filled me with great pride to see him set forth to fight at my old friend's side, but like any parent, I also worried about him. In the end, he gave his life for the cause he believed in..."

"I—" he raised his hand.

"...And now that I have seen his comrades fight tirelessly to protect our star, I have come to understand where his conviction came from." He turned his head to look at her. "Lyse wrote me that you remained by his side to the last. For that, I want to thank you. And for being his friend."

S'eni felt her eyes begin to burn and she blinked them a couple of times to dispel the feeling. A small, bittersweet smile formed on her face. "It is I who should thank you. For raising a great man, whose conviction gave me strength when I was at my lowest."

Papalymo's father closed his eyes briefly, his thoughts clearly going to his son, before releasing a breath and brightening ever so slightly. He appeared like quite a burden had been lifted off his shoulders, and it made her wonder if Dickon hadn't known exactly whom she was delivering food to. But she supposed she would have to ask him that another time.

"Ah, but I should not keep you any longer. You must surely be busy with other things."

"Not at all. In fact, if it's alright with you, I'd like to stay a little longer to talk with you about your son, Master Totolymo," she said.

He smiled at her and nodded. "Yes, I would indeed like that very much. And please, call me Nenelymo."

And so they spent the afternoon talking. About a beloved son and great friend that would forever be missed, but would live on in their hearts.

 

---

 

S'eni breathed. In and out, repeating it a couple of times, before finally opening her eyes. She looked ahead, where Y'shtola, her sisters, and all her other friends were standing at the end of two horizontally aligned poles. With a set jaw, she exhaled one last time and...stood up.

Her hands grabbed each of the poles, using her arms to keep herself steady. She remained like this for a couple of moments, making sure she wouldn't be toppled by her own weight, then took her first step. Immediately, a grimace formed on her face at the fiery pain that shot through her right leg from the sudden shift, but she pushed it away and gingerly planted her foot on the ground.

Slow...and steady, she reminded herself and moved her other leg, placing her left foot in front of the other. Once done, she shifted to her right again. Moving forward one almost agonizing step at a time.

All of a sudden, she felt herself stumble but managed to keep herself from falling thanks to the poles. With a look of panic, S'neena made to move to her side, but a glance from her was enough to keep her in place. No, she needed to do this alone. With a few deep breaths, S'eni brought herself back up and continued onward. Her eyes locked onto Y'shtola's, using the silent confidence she found reflected in that pale gaze to drive herself forward.

Ever forward.

Until, at last, she had made it to the end. Breathing out a laugh, she immediately threw her arms around her lover and hugged her close. "Made it," she said amidst deep breaths.

"You did," Y'shtola replied, a smile in her voice as she returned the hug, before gently stepping out of the embrace and brushing away a few strands of hair that stuck to her forehead. She was immediately replaced by S'neena, who hugged her around the waist.

"I knew you could do it!" her sister said.

"Thanks, that makes at least one of us," S'eni replied, chuckling and rustling her sister's hair. A round of congratulations swiftly followed, but her attention was soon drawn to the noble Elezen who respectfully stood back, waiting until the right moment to approach her.

Silently, he placed a hand on top of her shoulder, before offering her his cane with a fatherly smile. "I believe you could use it at the moment."

Another laugh escaped her, and she took the cane, using it to propel herself up to stand properly. She looked at all the gathered people, each family to their own for her. She couldn't help the few tears of happiness that began to run down her cheeks.

Hastily, she brushed them away, and asked with a huge smile, "So what's next on the agenda?"

 

Notes:

I hope none of you skipped out on the sidequest where we get to meet Papalymo's dad. :P

Sure is a funny coincindence that I post this chapter after the latest Tales entry actually revealed his name. Had to do some last minute editing due to that.

Well then, I'll probably not see you next week, but soon enough. Promise! :D

Chapter 170

Notes:

Heya guys, chapter's finally ready. Sorry for the delay, and to make up for it, this chapter is gonna be a spicey one. Which is also a friendly warning to those less inclined towards such stuff.

Hopes and Dreams

 

S'eni's heart was beating heavily, reaching up to her ears and drowning out all other sounds. Kneeling on the ground, she felt her body shake slightly, though it was neither from fear nor cold. No, it was from the rush of excitement that coursed through her entire body. She looked up from the grass underneath her and towards the figure rushing towards her, appearing almost as if time was slowing down, but in truth moved faster than an untrained eye might be able to conceive.

A grin split her face.

Like a sudden snap, sound returned, and a cry entered her ears. Her hands shot up, catching the leg that was aimed at her just mere inches away from finding its mark, and, with a twist of her wrist, sent her opponent spiralling through the air. The cry that was meant to fuel her attack, swiftly turned into a yelp as Lyse landed on the grassy ground, eyes wide and blinking momentarily, before rolling out of the way of S'eni's fist coming down at her.

Bringing some distance between the two of them again, Lyse stood back up and raised her fist, the corners of her lips curling into a smile. "Good one!"

S'eni responded by simply brushing her thumb across her nose. She then rushed forward, throwing a punch that her friend dodged, immediately followed by a kick aimed at the side of her stomach, only to be blocked by her rising leg. Lyse shook her head.

"But not good enough," she sing-songed a little before going back on the offensive.

They traded a few blows, before breaking apart and swiftly moving back in, each attack a motion of familiarity of two people that had known and trained with each other for a long time. Coming close, but never truly hurting one another. It felt great.

After taking her first steps again, her strength had little by little returned and thus opened up the door to more physical exercise. That was where Lyse, and to a small part Yugiri, had come in and helped her get back into shape so that she could restart training in earnest. She still was far from being back to old form, and she knew her friend was holding back some, but at least she had regained the freedom of movement to actually get there.

"Got you!" S'eni said, slipping a hand underneath Lyse's leg as she kicked towards her torso and pushed it up to unbalance her. Her other hand shot forward, striking her friend's chest with her palm and sending her flying a few feet back onto the grass.

"Ooohhh," she suddenly heard from her left and turned to see the crowd that gathered there. It was quite a sizeable one consisting of students, watching them with awe. But it wasn't just the student body whose attention their training had drawn.

"Master Montichaigne!" Lyse exclaimed and jumped back to her feet. "W-We didn't see you there."

Or anyone for that matter. Though it really shouldn't have surprised them, what with being so close to the Studium and all.

"I'm sorry if we disturbed any lessons," S'eni said, gesturing around the area. "But it was really the only place we could find with enough space. Just say the word an—"

"I assure you that will not be necessary, nor did you disturb any lessons. I was merely curious to see what garnered the attention of so many students." The old Elezen chuckled. "The art of the Monks of Ala Mhigo is truly unlike anything I have ever seen before. Why, I am sure quite a few gathered here will find themselves inspired just watching you."

A few murmurs of agreement came from the crowd. A small note of authority entered his otherwise kind voice as he looked at the gathered students. "Now then, I do believe we have all watched enough, so let us not further disturb them."

The students groaned in disappointment, but nevertheless listened to Scholarch and gradually began to walk away. Master Montichaigne nodded, and his kindly gaze landed on S'eni, offering her a smile. He inclined his head and, wordlessly, headed back to the Studium.

"Well, it's been a while since we've had a crowd," Lyse said, walking up to her.

"Sure has," S'eni chuckled and turned towards her friend. "Another round?"

"Of course. If you can keep up." Lyse smirked and raised her arms.

She just mirrored her friend's expression and got into position. But before either of them could move, her ears picked up a voice coming from the path that led to the Annex. As she glanced over, she spotted that it was none other than Tataru.

Lowering her arms again, she waited for her to arrive before greeting her, "Hey, Tataru. Are you looking for us?"

The Lalafel took a moment to catch her breath, then glared at the two of them. "I am. Because you two are late!"

"Late?" Lyse asked and shared a confused look with S'eni. "Late for what?"

"To try on the dresses for the banquet!"

S'eni blinked at those words, pursing her lips in thought. There was supposed to be a banquet? What banqu—

She slapped her forehead.

Oh, that banquet. The one celebrating the stopping of the Final Days. Hosted by the Leveilleurs and of which the Scions were the guests of honor. She had totally forgotten about that. And, apparently, so did Lyse, because she sent Tataru a sheepish little grin.

"Well, no matter," Tataru sighed, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "Come, I need to see if I have to make some adjustments."

The two of them shared another look before they released a defeated sigh. So much for more training. Following Tataru back to the Annex, they were told that their outfits would be in their respective rooms and to find her in the main hall once they had put them on.

After freshening up a little, S'eni made her way back to her room. Upon entering, she found a box lying on the bed, next to another one that had already been opened, telling her that Y'shtola was most likely already undergoing torture. Well, and she could hardly leave her lover to that fate now, could she?

With a little sigh through her nose, she walked over to the bed and opened the box. It was a beautiful dress, long and red, embroidered with a golden floral pattern. As she held it against her, she noticed the rather daring leg slit and a considerable amount of cleavage that stood out from the otherwise rather traditional Yanxian appearance.

After putting it on, she slipped her feet into the elegant-looking heels and, after testing how they felt, stepped in front of the mirror. She turned left and right, and spun around once to see how it looked from behind. She rather liked what she saw.

Immediately, though, her mind went back to the last time she had gotten a dress similar to this, and all the things that had happened afterwards. But...that was in the past now. She very much doubted they would see a repeat of that night in Ul'dah here in Sharlayan.

Nevertheless, even her otherwise untrained eye could see a few spots where the dress wasn't fitting exactly right, meaning she was next on the proverbial chopping block of fashion. After all, fashion was an art, and to create art one must suffer. She grimaced at the thought.

...Maybe I can still somehow get myself killed?

She shook her head, dismissing the idea on grounds of Y'shtola most likely finding a way to hunt her down and make her pay for having to go through this torture alone. So with a final look into the mirror, she left the room and made her way to the main hall, all the while listening to the click-clacking of her heels. As she stepped inside, her eyes immediately fell upon the other Miqo'te, standing in the center of the room while two of Tataru's new Hannish employees were working on her dress. And to her credit, Y'shtola looked surprisingly calm.

"Ah, S'eni. Come in, come in. You look stunning!" Tataru said, beaming with no small amount of pride as she looked her over once. The look in her friend's eyes quickly turned critical, though, and she briefly circled her. "No, that won't do. Varsarudh."

"Yes, Mistress Tartaru," the Au Ra woman in question said, appearing practically out of nowhere and whisking S'eni off to stand next to Y'shtola, before pulling out a few needles from under her poncho and getting to work.

S'eni just released a sigh of resignation and glanced at Y'shtola, sending her a little smile despite it all. "Well, hello there."

"Hello. And here I thought you would try to wriggle yourself out of this," Y'shtola said back.

"Let's just say I realized the futility of it and resigned myself to my fate. At least the company is good."

Her lover's lips quirked upward and she took a moment to check out Y'shtola's dress. It was black, but that was certainly no surprise, and also quite long, reaching nearly the ground. Like hers, it had a slit along the right leg, but slightly more conservative. The worked-in bodice accentuated all the right curves and the modest cut in the top offered just the right amount of cleavage.

Gods, she looked stunning.

Y'shtola, of course, didn't fail to notice her staring, and asked, "Do you see something you like?"

"Oh, certainly," she revealed quite freely, a small grin dancing across her lips.

A white eyebrow rose ever so slightly and a twinkle entered pale eyes as they checked her out as well. Feeling a little playful, S'eni shifted a little to offer the other Miqo'te an eyeful of leg...only to immediately regret it when that caused a needle to poke her in the side. She bit her tongue, barely able to contain a yelp, and moved back, shooting Y'shtola a small glare at the giggle sent her way.

She shook her head, silently lamenting that Tataru otherwise had their measurements down and that most of the outfits she made for them fit like a glove, but she supposed dresses like these were just a different beast entirely.

This is going to be a long day... she thought when Lyse finally arrived to join them, looking equally as eager as they did.

 

---

 

Soft music filled the air, accompanied by a multitude of voices that were kept just low enough to not fully drown out the melody. Members of the Forum, highly regarded scholars, professors, and other people who belonged to the who's who of Sharlayan were all gathered here in the Leveilleurs garden, enjoying the evening with their peers. S'eni quietly watched them from the table she was sitting at, face resting on the palm of her hand. She breathed out a tiny sigh, poking the rest of her dinner with the fork held in her other hand.

It was delicious, same as the wine. But no matter how good the food or drink was, it did little to quell the feeling of being quite out of place. She supposed being surrounded by scholars did that to someone, more so even than being surrounded by a bunch of nobles. Those at least talked about topics she didn't need to have spent years upon years of studying to fully grasp. Or she was just rather bad at mingling in situations like these, which can honestly never be understated.

The others had very little trouble with it. Even Y'shtola whose ties with Master Matoya made her not exactly a favourite amongst some of the people here, was currently engaged in conversation with Master Montichaigne and Y'mhitra. She watched her lover for a brief moment, before shifting her gaze back down to her empty glass.

Might as well get me another one, she thought and began to rise to her feet, when someone approaching her table made her pause midway. Looking up, she found herself smiling when she saw a certain former count standing there. "Edmont," she greeted him. "Did you need anything?"

"On the contrary. I could not help but notice that you were sitting here all alone, so I thought I might offer you some company," he replied. "Unless, of course, you have other plans now."

"Oh, not at all." She shook her head and grabbed her glass. "Just wanted to get another one. Feel free to join me if you like."

"I would very much like that."

After each getting a new glass of wine, the two found themselves a quiet little corner and S'eni resumed watching the crowd, taking a small sip. "You are going to leave tomorrow?" she asked after a few moments.

"Indeed. While I am no longer duty-bound, and Artoirel has outdone himself as my successor, I believe it is time I return to Ishgard, now that you have sufficiently recovered," he replied.

Not surprising, really. After she had regained the ability to walk, Yugiri was the first to leave, feeling compelled to resume her duty at Hien's side. Her sisters, too, had left only a couple of days ago, and while she knew that S'neena was having a hard time of it, she also missed her daughter dearly. So with a heavy heart, and a promise to soon see each other again, they had said their goodbyes. To be honest, she was actually more surprised that Edmont hadn't left earlier as well, though whatever reasons he had to stay up until now, she was glad he did.

"You know. Standing here, I cannot help but find myself reminded of the soirée I held for you and your fellows." Edmont raised the glass to his lips. "You appeared quite a bit lost that evening, too."

She sighed. "I guess events like these are just not for me even after all this time. I like celebrating just fine but..."

"Not when it is so formal?" he offered.

"Yeah. It's not like I don't enjoy the dressing up for it part, though that comes with its own problems..." She grimaced briefly and washed it down with another, more heartier, sip.

Edmont nodded understandingly. "Nevertheless, I am glad you managed to still find enjoyment that evening."

"Thanks to your son..." they both smiled bittersweetly. The two of them then fell silent, each of them momentarily lost in the memories of Haurchefant. She would need to go visit his grave as soon as she was able to. He deserved to know about their battle as well.

Suddenly, her ears perked up and she was drawn out of her thoughts by the change of music. Looking around, she took notice of people making space so that others could dance. Seemed like even the nation of scholars was no stranger to fancy footwork, though she wouldn't be surprised if they thoroughly studied even the smallest step a thousand times.

A hand was then offered to her, and she turned her head to see Edmont smile. "May I have this dance?"

It was at this very moment that there was absolutely no doubt anymore that he was indeed Haurchefant's father. She chuckled and drained the rest of her wine. "Sure, why not?"

Putting their glasses away, they moved onto the dance floor, offered one another a formal bow, and began to dance. It was slow and elegant, not exactly her forte, but the former count was more than well-versed enough to lead her through the motions. Always keeping a respectful distance, almost like a father would while dancing with his daughter. The thought made her smile.

She really hadn't thought it possible, but somehow Edmont had become something of a father figure for her, replacing the void that had been left behind by the death of her real one. It was just one more thing that she would forever be glad for. Haurchefant had not only taken her in when she needed it most, he had invited her into his home, and thus, made her a part of his family.

Family... she thought as she slowly twirled. Hers certainly had grown far beyond those from her home village. All these lives that had become part of her world, embedded themselves into her heart in ways she hadn't even thought possible when she had left all those years ago. Yet here she was.

And she couldn't be happier.

As the song came to an end, so too did their dance, and they both bowed to each other. He smiled warmly. "Thank you, S'eni, for indulging an old man."

"You are pretty spry for an 'old man'," she replied with a giggle. "And I have to thank you, for saving me from boredom."

"May I cut in, then?" a third, more than familiar voice joined the conversation and they both turned towards Y'shtola.

"Of course not," Edmont said, giving another polite bow, before stepping back to offer the other Miqo'te his place. Stepping up, Y'shtola held out her hand just as the next song began and, with a little grin, S'eni didn't hesitate to take it.

They danced for a few long seconds, following the gentle rhythm of the music, before her lover spoke up in a soft whisper, "You know you could have just come over if you were bored."

"No, It's alright," she said with a shake of her head. "You three looked like you were having a fun conversation. I wouldn't want to interrupt that."

Y'shtola frowned at that, prompting her to release a little laugh and lean forward to plant a small kiss on the other Miqo'te's cheek.

"Besides, you're here now. Aren't you?"

Y'shtola huffed, but smiled nevertheless.

The music began to pick up, inviting every dancer to pick up their pace. A hand slipped down to her lower back, pulling her in. With an ever so slightly narrowing of eyes, Y'shtola leaned forward, her voice teasingly warm against her skin. "I wouldn't want you to run away this time."

"Can you really blame me?" S'eni asked. "I had just realized my feelings for you."

"Hmm, I suppose not."

"Here—" she stepped forth, bringing them closer yet. Now it was her turn to lower her voice. "—let me make it up to you."

Y'shtola did not reply, choosing to instead bring their foreheads together. Their movements flowed with the music, but it might as well have not been there at all. They were solely focused on the person in front of them, their space on the dance floor becoming their own little world. Little by little, their lips inched closer to one another until they were but a hair's breadth apart, their breaths mingling with the desire to become one...

...and the song ended.

Almost simultaneously, they breathed out their disappointment and stepped back to join everyone else in the applause for the band. S'eni glanced over to her lover, her skin pleasantly flush and lips slightly parted. Their eyes met and she felt a tingle well up from deep within. And she knew that Y'shtola felt it, too.

 

---

 

A low moan escaped her as Y'shtola's hand travelled across her body, free of the dress that was pooling around her feet, and she crashed their lips together in a heated kiss, her own hands very much working on ridding her lover of that pretty, but oh so annoying dress. Fingers danced across the exposed skin of Y'shtola's back, stroking it for a moment, then continuing downward to undo the clasps of the bodice, each one eliciting little sighs. Once undone, she broke the kiss to move her hands to her lover's front, jumping once when the other woman's fingers briefly dipped under the hem of her undergarments, before pulling back out.

"Tease," S'eni exhaled, beginning to undo the front clasp of Y'shtola's dress.

"Can't have you lose focus too soon," Y'shtola replied with a little 'tut tut' motion. With a tiny click, the front clasp came undone and she raised her arms so that S'eni could raise it over her head. As soon as it landed on the ground, she pulled her back in, fingers burying themselves into blonde hair while tongues clashed in a dance of sensual dominance.

Gods, S'eni thought, eyes fluttering closed at the sensation. She had been craving this, to feel Y'shtola against her like this, since waking up, but the state of her body had denied them that. Not anymore.

Faintly, her ears made out the sounds coming from the banquet outside, and it made her wonder if their absence had already been noted. Surely their friends must have picked it up, but had smartly deigned not to search for them. If someone was going to interrupt then now, she would not be held liable for damage sustained.

She reached up, cupping one of her lover's breasts, giving it a squeeze and eliciting a beautiful sound from Y'shtola. A gasp then escaped her, forcing her to break the kiss when soft fingers slid between her legs and started caressing her growing heat through the fabric covering it. Throwing her head back, she moved her hips to get more of this sensation, but only grew more frustrated by the second.

With a mixture of a groan and deep-seated growl, S'eni pushed Y'shtola onto the bed behind her, leaving her sprawled upon soft bed sheets. Light shone in from the outside, draping her in a pale glow, like translucent silk that clung to her rising and falling chest. Silvery-white eyes traveled up S'eni's body, deliberately taking their time until they at last locked onto hers and silently commanded her to take the rest off.

She was more than happy to provide, slipping off the far too constraining piece of underwear and tossing it somewhere she didn't truly care about right now. Like a predator after its prey, she climbed on the bed, crawling after Y'shtola as she playfully backed away towards the pillows. S'eni swiftly 'caught' her by an ankle and let her fingers wander up Y'shtola's leg in gentle strokes until she reached that which she thought. When the other Miqo'te finally laid bare in front of her, she took a moment to drink in the sight. She would never get tired of seeing her like this.

"Shtola..." she breathed out, lowering herself to bring their lips together in a kiss, lasting a few long seconds before breaking it again and moving down. The crook of her neck, her beautiful breasts and taut nipples, her pretty little belly button, she took her time with each, all the while listening to every sound Y'shtola produced and sighs that accompanied her name in ways that stoked the fires of desire even more. At long last, though, she reached her prize, greeting her in all its glistening warm glory, and she leaned in.

Y'shtola's taste and scent were enough to drive her crazy, like a man dying of thirst in a vast desert finally finding an oasis. And she intended to have her fill. Fingers found her hair once more, pressing her closer while moans began filling the air, encouraging her. She, too, began to moan, reaching down between her own legs to pleasure herself; to alleviate the tension she was feeling. But it wasn't enough.

She needed to feel Y'shtola on her, too.

With a disappointed groan from Y'shtola, she wrestled free and pushed herself up. Her lover's eyes cracked open, a questioning look inside them, but instead of answering that silent question with words, S'eni simply climbed on top of her and turned around, offering her sex to Y'shtola while still retaining access to her own prize. An almost relieved moan passed her lips at the feeling of the tongue brushing against her, gently but firmly stroking every nerve and sending sparks of pleasure up her spine. She reveled in the feeling for a few moments, every gasp and exhale a word of encouragement, before resuming seeing to Y'shtola's needs.

As they gave and received in equal measure, their moans mingled in a loving duet that accompanied every little shake and shiver of delight. With each passing moment, her mind grew foggy, leaving only the singular desire to reach her climax together with the woman she loved most. Little by little, step by step, they climbed that mountain of ecstasy.

They had nearly reached their peak, when S'eni pulled away once more, getting off Y'shtola to lie down at her side. Their lips immediately came together in a searing kiss, tongues wrestling with one another as eager fingers slipped between glistening folds, driving them further and further towards release. Just a little more...just a little more...just a—

S'eni stiffened, crying out into their kiss as the orgasm raked her body, setting her mind alight with waves upon waves of pleasure. Y'shtola swiftly followed her over the edge and they both clung to one another, their hips convulsing at the sheer force of their release and desire to prolong it as much as possible. After a few blissful moments, they slumped against each other in a gasping, sweating ball of happiness, sharing a few affectionate pecks before separating just long enough to get in a more comfortable position.

Silence returned to the room as they simply lay there, gently caressing one another with their fingertips. With a content little sigh through her nose, she looked out of the window and towards the moonlit sky. She let her mind wander, going in all directions. Past, present, and, most importantly, the future. It must have shown on her face, because she soon felt soft fingers come to rest under her chin and guide her face towards Y'shtola, who was resting her on her shoulder.

"Gil for your thoughts?"

She chuckled at that. "Just thinking about what's going to happen next. I mean, I haven't forgotten our plans. I still plan to help you in any way I can. After all, I'm your ever-dependable assistant."

This time it was Y'shtola's turn to chuckle, and she lowered her hand to drape her arm lightly around S'eni. "I'm glad to hear that. But before that, I believe we have something else planned."

"Hm?" she looked at the other Miqo'te questioningly.

"I believe we also wanted to take a little time for ourselves." Y'shtola smiled.

"Ah, yeah, I suppose we did," S'eni said. "I just figured—"

"That I'd want to rush off to hole myself up in the next library?"

"Very much so." They both shared a little laugh.

"I won't lie, if the situation was different, I would probably be compiling my notes at this point and planning out which tomes to acquire," Y'shtola admitted. "But...after all that happened, nearly losing you, seeing you unconscious for three moons, I wish to treasure some time of peace with you before throwing myself into my research."

"Shtola..." her eyes locked onto those of her lover and, with a loving smile, leaned over to share a brief kiss with her. "I want that, too."

"Now then, I had actually something related to all this that I wanted to ask you, but I believe I shall wait until tomorrow for that. After all—" Y'shtola began to plant tiny kisses from S'eni's shoulder to her neck. "—the night is still young."

"Ah, I see," she said in response, enjoying the sensation, then moved to straddle the other Miqo'te. Her eyes narrowed playfully as she placed a finger underneath Y'shtola's chin. "And what, pray tell, do you propose we do the rest of this fine evening?"

"I have a few things in mind. Here, let me show you," Y'shtola replied, reaching out her hands to cup both of S'eni's breasts. Closing her eyes at the feeling of her lover's hands, she threw her head back and made her appreciation known.

Yes, this was a nice way to spend the night, indeed.

 

Notes:

Nice.

Chapter 171

Notes:

Hey there, still alive and apologies for the delay. This one was entirely on me for a very specific reason: a brand new cover commissioned just for this story, which should have greeted you when you opened this fic :)

In any case, and without further ado, here is the chapter.

End of Dawn

 

Soft breathing filled the otherwise silent room. The sound of a good night's rest from the two bodies sleeping in a light embrace. From outside, the first rays of the sun were peeking in through the window, hailing the coming day. Minutes passed, and little by little, the room became brighter...

...and S'eni awoke with a short exhale.

Her first instinct, of course, was to turn her head to avoid the light and get some more sleep, but she quickly gave up and instead opened her eyes. She smiled at the sight that greeted her. Unlike her, Y'shtola seemed to have little trouble staying asleep, lips lightly parted as she breathed in and out. S'eni drank it all in for a couple of minutes before deciding that she might just as well get up now that she was awake.

Carefully, she untangled herself from her sleeping lover and slowly sat up on the edge of the bed. Deprived of a source of warmth, Y'shtola immediately rolled over to bury her face into the spot S'eni had just laid on, a hand going for the pillow. With a quiet chuckle, she put her feet into her nearby slippers and rose up.

Stretching herself until she heard that satisfying crack, she stepped away from the bed, went over to the wardrobe to pick out some clothes and made for the stairs that connected this elevated space with the rest. Partway down, S'eni stopped to look out of the large windows and at the stunning view of the Coerthas Highlands that they offered. She doubted she would get tired of this view anytime soon.

Once S'eni reached the bottom of the stairs, she tossed her nightwear into the laundry basket underneath and put on the comfy pants and tight top she had taken from the wardrobe. Making her way across the dark marble floor and past the comfortable furniture down here, as well as a veritable pile of books, she headed up another set of stairs that led further up into the house. There, she was greeted by a fascinating blend of Eorzean and Far Eastern architecture that had taken her quite off guard the first time she had seen it.

As it turned out, while she was still recovering, word had somehow gotten out that she had acquired a house here in Ishgard. That information had then spread to acquaintances in the Adventurer's Guild, as well as their friends in Doma, and they had all come together to make this place. "As according to your specifications as possible," Y'shtola had told her with an infuriatingly knowing smile when she first saw it. But really, they had all outdone themselves. She couldn't think of a better place to come back to and just...relax.

Walking towards the front door, she switched out the slippers for a comfortable pair of shoes and headed outside. Contrary to the inside, the Far Eastern flair was obvious here, with a neat gravel path leading to the edge of the property and separating the rest of the garden from a couple of bamboo trees that their Doman friends had planted to her right. Though it somehow managed to still not stand out too much against some of the more...exotic tastes in housing that a few of her fellow adventurers which she called her neighbours seemed to possess.

A shiver ran down her spine, and if she wasn't awake already, then the cold morning air would have done the trick for sure. While the Garlond Ironworks had made great leaps in providing for tthe area, and all of Ishgard really, with heat, but it could still get awfully chilly a lot of times. No matter, though, she would warm up fast enough.

Heading to her left, S'eni stepped onto the grass and towards the training dummy standing in the Wisteria tree's shade. She stopped a few paces away from it and closed her eyes. Shifting into a firm stance, she raised her arms and began to move through familiar motions, each as fluid and calm as a solitary stream in the depth of a vast forest, but holding the power of a raging torrent deep within. And with a sudden exhale, she guided it outward.

Eyes snapping back open, she began to assault the dummy in a flurry of strikes and kicks, each rattling it in place. With each hit, her attacks grew faster, making the wood groan under the strain. This continued for a few long seconds until S'eni pulled her arm back and delivered a punch against its 'head' that sent it spinning in place. Panting, she watched it spin, before eventually slowing down and stopping with its 'face' turned away from her.

The corners of her lips rose into a little smirk and she reached out to turn it back around, playfully slapping its 'cheek'. Well, she had to hand it to her carpenter friends. They really outdid themselves with this one. After a few more rounds of having a go at the Dummy, S'eni decided that would be enough of an early morning workout and went to freshen herself up before taking a little dip in their outdoor bath.

"Why use the public one when we can just get one of our own?" she had offered Y'shtola back when they had their initial discussion about their garden plans, and she was happy to note that their friends had more than exceeded her expectations. Leaning back, she let herself enjoy the pleasant heat of the water for a bit while watching the clear sky. It would be a beautiful day, she could already tell. Good.

Once soaked enough, she got out of the water, grabbed one of the towels from the nearby laundry line to dry herself, and headed back inside through the side door. As she went to get herself a proper change of clothes, she noticed Y'shtola being on the cusp of waking up and sat down on the edge of the bed, placing a hand on her shoulder and giving it a little shake. Silvery-white eyes cracked open.

"Morning," she said.

"Good—" the other Miqo'te yawned. "—Morning."

Pushing herself off the mattress, slowly Y'shtola sat up, blinking her eyes a few times until the focus returned to them. "Have you been awake long?"

"Just long enough to train a little and take a bath," she replied with a little shrug. "Why don't you go and take one, too, while I make us breakfast."

"Yes—" another yawn. "—I believe I shall."

S'eni briefly watched Y'shtola stretch her arms above her head, enjoying the little view she was offered of her stomach, then headed over to the wardrobe. While her lover passed by, she changed into a pair of tights and that Ala Mhigan top she had grown so fond of, before heading upstairs to get started on breakfast. But as she entered the room, she found herself stopping when her eyes fell on a particular painting hanging on the opposite wall, just above the table where they usually ate.

It was one of Revenant's Toll. Acquired in the spur of the moment from a rather joyous painter that specialized in panoramic views. Back then, it hadn't meant much, but now—

S'eni walked over and reached out to gently brush her fingers over its rough surface.

—it held so many memories.

The Scions of the Seventh Dawn were no more.

With the threat to their world vanquished, and lasting peace being no longer a pipe dream, there was little use to their organization anymore. So, shortly after returning to Eorzea, they had disbanded. Well, officially at least.

In truth, the Scions were just going back to the shadows from which they had originated, silently keeping watch over the realm. But for that, appearances needed to be kept, and they all scattered in every direction of the wind. Y'shtola and her hadn't seen the others since they all left the Rising Stones that day. Though the various letters she had received on her nameday served as proof that they were all doing alright, so she wasn't worried.

A bittersweet smile formed on her features.

It felt strange. That place had been a home to all of them, and now it was lying empty, save for a singular soul and her mercantile endeavour. She should pay Tataru a visit soon, once she had the time.

Pulling her hand back, S'eni turned around and headed to the corner of her room that housed their kitchen. Or rather her kitchen, since it really was mainly her doing the cooking. Not that she actually minded. Humming a little tune, she grabbed the kettle, filled it with water, and placed it on the stove. Now what should I make...?

She tapped her foot in thought and turned to the enchanted icebox to look at what they had. Eggs and some Ovim meat. Not a lot, but certainly something she could work with without having to run to the market. Taking both out, she also grabbed a few onions and popotoes and placed them all on the counter.

S'eni took the eggs and cracked them into a bowl, seasoning them with a bit of parsley and whisking everything until it was thoroughly combined. Next she poured some olive oil into the frying pan and placed it on the stove next to the kettle. While it was heating, she worked on the other ingredients until a whistle went through the air, telling her that the water was boiling.

And just in time for Y'shtola to step into the room, dressed in a comfy-looking sweater and appearing much more awake now. With a smile, S'eni took the kettle and handed it to her together with a cup. "Here. Breakfast is going to take a moment, still."

"Don't worry. I'll manage," Y'shtola replied, planting a small kiss on her cheek, before going to pour herself some tea. Shortly after, the sizzle of the frying pan filled the room as she cooked the most important meal of the day. Closing her eyes, she inhaled the pleasant aroma of the ingredients mixing together, and could feel her mouth water in anticipation.

When she was done at last, S'eni made her way over to where Y'shtola sat and placed their simple, yet delicious breakfast on the table. "Here you go."

Putting what was already her second cup away, Y'shtola took a bite of it and smiled with a hum of approval. S'eni took this as a sign of approval and sat down as well, pouring herself some tea before starting to eat. Silence wrapped itself around them for a couple of minutes in which they simply enjoyed their meal, but soon enough S'eni began to speak to address their plans for the day.

"So if we head off around noon, we should arrive in Idyllshire by early evening. If the weather remains favorable that is." There was, of course, the ever-present danger of a snowstorm in the Western Highlands, but she thankfully knew of a place they could hunker down if the need arose.

Y'shtola nodded. "Sounds good. Let us hope that their sleeping arrangements have improved over last time, though."

"Oh?" An amused spark entered her eyes. "No running off to the Great Gubal Library at your first chance?"

"If that was the case, I would just teleport there and let you indulge your desire to travel by your lonesome," the other Miqo'te replied, glancing up from her meal to return her look. "Besides, I shall spend enough time within its confines that one night won't make a difference."

"Note to self: make some more rations." They shared a little laugh. "You sure you don't want me to help you longer?"

The expression on Y'shtola's face changed to one of warmth. "Quite so. Once I have the tomes from my notes, I should be fine on my own. But rest assured, I will make sure to call upon your aid when the need arises."

"That sounded more like a threat all of a sudden, but fine," S'eni chuckled. In truth, she was quite grateful for it. While these last couple of months had been a nice break to just enjoy a bit of mundanity, she had also felt the urge for adventure resurface little by little with each passing week. Something that Y'shtola hadn't been blind to and most assuredly had fueled her decision to let her off the leash so to speak. She truly did know her inside out.

"But before you throw yourself into your preparations, there is something I would like you to go over," Y'shtola said and rose up to her feet, heading downstairs with S'eni's questioning gaze following her. She returned with a pair of parchments that she handed to her. A quick glance was enough to make her face brighten.

"Ah, you've already written this much?" she asked.

"An early draft, really," Y'shtola replied while sitting back down. "But I'd like to hear your opinion on it before I continue."

"Alright then..." Turning her eyes back to the parchment, she began to read.

To truly understand the events that had led to the formation of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn, and the ancient truth they discovered, one would need to go back further to the days when the Archon Louisoix Leveilleur first laid eyes on the prophecy partaining the Seventh Umbral era. Prompted by the words he had read, he gathered like-minded individuals and formed the Circle of Knowing. Together with his fellows, he left Sharlayan for Eorzea with the express purpose to prevent these catastrophic events from happening.

For the next few minutes, she read a rather abridged description of the time that her friends had spent in Eorzea, acting as silent watchmen not unlike what they had done after the Calamity and giving a broad sense of the political climate at the time. All in all, it was detailed enough without becoming too personal. But...

"A bit dry, isn't it?" she asked, putting the manuscript down on the table.

"I told you I was no poet, did I not?"

"True enough." S'eni picked up her fork and resumed eating. She had been initially surprised when Y'shtola broached the subject of wishing to chronicle the deeds of the Scions, but had swiftly become supportive of the plan and suggested she also included the truths they had uncovered along the way. Future generations deserved to get the chance to learn of those who had come before them. So that nobody would ever forget that they once lived. "But as it just so happens, I know a poet and playwright that might be able to help."

"Duly noted," Y'shtola said dryly, making her chuckle.

"But it's good to know that Louisoix has a place in your book."

"Of course. It was through him that Minfilia sought us all out after Carteneau, after all."

"I guess that means you will also cover the Path of the Twelve as well?" she asked.

"Indeed. Though with what has happened, you and Tataru are really the only witnesses of that time left."

S'eni's expression darkened a tad at that. It was true. Not a lot of the old guard were left, and those that were had scattered across the realm. Perhaps it was time to try and seek them out. "Don't worry, I'll make sure that chapter of your book will not be lacking."

"Never doubted it." Y'shtola smiled.

 

---

 

Excited chirping greeted them as they stepped into their neighbourhood's Chocobo stable, followed by an assortment of fluffy feathered heads in all colors peeking out from the stalls. S'eni couldn't help but smile at the sight of her fellow adventurers' mounts, each with its own uniqueness in bearing and barding, where one was playful, the other was regal, and so on and so forth. But the one thing they all had in common was the obvious care they received from their respective owners.

Amongst all of them, of course, her attention was mainly aimed towards Zack, who was letting out a happy little "Kweh" and flapping his wings when he saw them.

"Hey, big guy," she greeted him, reaching into her bag and tossing a bundle of gysahl greens into the air which he immediately snatched up with his beak. While he chewed, she reached out and gently stroked his neck. "We're going out on a long trip today, think you're up for it?"

"Wark!"

"That's what I like to hear." She gave him some more greens.

"You know he could have also just declared he doesn't want to," Y'shtola pointed out with obvious amusement, reaching out to give the Chocobo a respectful yet affectionate pat when he lowered his head towards her.

"He would've sounded different if that was the case. No no, he's more than raring to go," S'eni said, pulling Zack's head towards her in a warm hug and nuzzling his dark plumage. "Isn't that right, Zack?"

"Kweh!"

"You hear?"

"I suppose so." The other Miqo'te giggled into her fist.

S'eni was about to reply, when, from out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a beak slowly inch out of the stall next over and towards her lover's hair. Or more precisely one of the feathers adorning it. A long tongue darted out, ready to snatch up its desired prize...only for Y'shtola's hand to suddenly shoot up to flick against the Chocobo's head, before whirling around to see it retreating back.

"Aww, she likes you!" S'eni grinned.

"More like confused me for food," her lover huffed, sending the Chocobo a glare. The bird just looked back, clicking its tongue, not even fazed in the slightest.

"Well, let's get going then before the rest get the same idea. Not that I can blame them. You're quite tasty looking after all." She chuckled when the glare was turned towards her and simply opened Zack's stall to guide him outside. Once out of the confines of the stable, he shook himself and proceeded to do a couple of squats. They then left the Empyreum for the Foundation, heading to the airship that would deliver them to the Western Highlands and, not long after, departed the city.

Sitting on the ground against the warmth of Zack's feathers, S'eni watched in silence as Ishgard grew smaller in the distance. Only when she felt an arm loop itself around hers, shortly followed by Y'shtola huddling in closer, did she look away. She smiled and leaned her head against that of her lover, before casting her gaze across the deck to the other people aboard. In the past, after the Calamity had caused the entire area to freeze over and the war against the dragons still raged, traveling to the Western Highlands had been mainly done by the knights who served in the area and those few who had not wished to abandon their homes despite everything. Not so much now, with people from all over Ishgard and beyond journeying westward alongside them.

S'eni's eyes found a pair of children, laughing and running across the deck despite their respective mothers' best attempts to reign them in. A simple sight that nevertheless filled her with great joy, as it symbolised that all the hardships she and the others had gone through, all the pain, had been worth it. Her smile grew.

"Gil for your thought?" came Y'shtola's whispered question, but she just shook her head.

"Nothing. Everything is perfect," she replied and they both fell silent again, just enjoying the moment.

When they finally arrived at Falcon's Nest, they disembarked the airship and walked through the fortified village, stopping briefly at the mural of Hraesvelgr and Shiva, before heading down the stairs leading to the frozen highlands. Climbing on top of Zack, S'eni offered Y'shtola her hand and helped her up. "Alright, then. Next halt: Idyllshire. And after that..."

She paused suddenly, a surprised look forming on her face when she caught sight of something fluttering across the sky above them. A familiar, tiny blue bird, flying ever towards the horizon. Warmth swelled within her heart and she took the reins.

"...well, who knows?" S'eni grinned, softly flicked the reins, and they were off.

To newfound adventures.

 

---

 

And so we come to the end of the tales of loss and fire and faith. The last curtain call of this most perilous of chapters, and the beginning of a new one. What will it entail, I wonder?

Well, I won't be there to see it. Even now as I speak, I can feel the last vestiges of my consciousness fade away into my more than earned rest. But I know whatever will happen, you will experience it all in full, take in all the sights and wonders.

After all, you promised, did you not?

- Hades, your ever-suffering new old friend.

 

---

 

Book 5 – Forge Ahead – End

 

Notes:

Now comes the bittersweet news about this update and that is, there is only one more small epilogue to go and it'll be all done. I'll talk more about this after uploading it right after this one.

Chapter 172

Light of Dawn

 

"...and that is the end of this particular story."

"Ehhh?" a chorus of children replied. One of them, an Au Ra boy, jumped up from his position.

"But I wanted to hear more about the Warrior of Light!" he complained.

The man seated in front of the circle of children chuckled. "And I would be more than happy to tell you more, but I am afraid it is starting to become rather late—" he pointed up to the sky, its color hailing the early evening. "—I would hate for your parents to become worried."

A round of disappointment followed those words, but the children, with no small amount ot pouting, nevertheless heeded them and began to disperse. The man watched them, chuckling to himself, before rising to his feet and wandering off as well to the inn where would sleep for the night. He hummed to himself with a smile, a tune that had been in his head for a while but hadn't fully committed to melody yet, and looked about.

It was a peaceful village, though far from quiet even if one discounted the spirited children calling this their home. Due to its position on a well-traveled road, people were constantly coming and going. Merchants and adventurers alike. He, too, was one of these many travelers though he neither wished to ply his wares, nor did he seek the thrill of adventure. Well, not directly in any case.

He closed his eyes when a warm breeze caressed his face, and he smiled, remaining like this for few seconds to enjoy the sensation. Summer was just around the corner. That meant it was high time he set out to Eorzea again.

It was approaching. That period of the year where they would honor those who had fallen during the Calamity. And it would remiss of him not to attend.

Slowly, his eyes opened again, and a thoughtful expression chased away the smile. Gods, had it really been 10 years now? Where had the time gone?

He had turned fifty this year!

He still vividly remembered how he had journeyed through the realm in the days following Carteneau. How the people mourned those they had lost while trying to rebuilt. And yet, they had persevered and from the ashes of their existence, a realm had been reborn.

Face brightening once again, he resumed his walk towards the inn. His thoughts then turned to the children, how eager they had listened to the tale he had regaled to them. He was sure they would seek him out, come tomorrow, eager for more. And he was more than happy to provide.

Now which one shall it be? He wondered, offering a pair of villagers a friendly smile and nod as he passed by them. The one about a world consumed by darkness finding its light once again, or rather the venture in search of the fabled cities of gold?

Or perhaps an entirely different one. There certainly were more than enough, and he undoubtedly would hear another tale or two upon his return to Eorzea. After all, she would also never miss the festivities, and he was already looking forward to what she and her friends had been up to since their last meeting.

Whatever it was, it would be a thrilling tale, to be sure!

He had just come up to the inn and was about to head inside, when an epiphany struck him, causing his eyes to go wide. His hand found the instrument at his side, a harp, and he began to pluck its strings while he hummed the tune from earlier, eventually leading into the words that had just come to him, "...for the Light of Dawn shall rise, forevermore."

As the last echo of this infant melody passed onto the wind, the Wandering Minstrel's eyes found the distant horizon. Somewhere out there, the Warrior of Light was surely enjoying life to its fullest. All while never giving up, no matter the odds.

Always forging ahead.

"Is that not so, my friend?" he asked no one in particular, putting his instrument away and adjusting his goggles, before stepping inside. It was time to call it a day.

 

The End?

 

 

Notes:

Well, and this is it. I know some of you probably hoped that I would continue this well into the post 6.0 patches, but when Endwalker was announced, I knew very much that I would end Light of Dawn with it as well, despite my own wishes of just keeping this story going until the end of time. But as a friend once said to me: an ending isn't always where we want it to be, and this also rings true here.

That is to say, this isn't goodbye. I think after all this time, I'm pretty committed to this ship and wish to keep adding more to its library lol. I actually have one or two ideas for some one-shots, and also some other ones that I can't really go into detail yet. And of course I can also see myself writing a sequel to this covering 6.x and Dawntrail and whatever else the story awaits. But for now, I believe I need a bit of a break from writing something super long like it.

So for anyone that made it through all of this fic and reading this right now: thank you from the very bottom of my heart that you gave this story a chance, and I hope that I at least managed to entertain you with it, even if only a little.

Until the day we meet again: may you ever walk in the light of the crystal. :)