Chapter Text
There was a time and place for everything when it came to delving into the many places of Eorzea.
Caves, temples, military bases, entire cities.
You knew there was no time to dawdle when it came to storming through the Praetorium. By contrast, carefully treading through the poisonous slimy depths of the Aurum Vale’s cavern walls was an absolute must.
In today’s case, reading and comprehension of text was the crucial point of your endeavor through the mysterious Lunar Palace, a temple devoted to the goddess Menphina that was off the distant coast of Sharlayan. Created by zealots who fled Coerthas in the beginning of the Dragonsong War, the long forgotten holy site was said to have a fabled staircase that allowed one to travel up to the moon.
And if you were to face Zenos and thwart Fandaniel’s plans, you needed to tread every possible avenue you could.
With the likes of Y’shtola and Krile turning any attention that The Forum might impose on the Scions’ attempt to access the Lunar Palace, Alphinaud and Alisaie keeping watch from the temple’s perimeter to ensure a safe escape while providing whatever intel they could via Linkpearl, the endeavor into the sanctuary itself fell onto you.
Along with the resilience of Thancred, the resolve of G’raha, the knowledge of Urianger, and the might of Estinien.
Each of them had been with you over the course of your journey as the Warrior of Light, with all having a special place in your heart in some way.
And that of your fantasies as well.
But the time for indulgence and leisure would have to wait until the fate of the realm was secure and safe.
In the meantime, your presence was needed at the Lunar Palace, with your initial investigation of the outer perimeter revealing a set of text that now lingered within your mind.
Within the throne room lies the way
Up to the bedchambers of the goddess moon
Tread reverently as you approach in the day
And be blessed by a lunar boon
Be wary as you tread grounds most holy
The path beyond shall twist and split
Hold steadfast to virtues only
Else become bewitched
Souls who enter be wary as you arrive
Within that chamber where love will be tested against hate
Be mindful for those who enter as five
Blessed be to those who for
That was the text you gleaned upon entering the palace, your footsteps hurried with a pack of vicious zealot ghouls that were immediately on your trail in their determination to do everything in their power to prevent you from breaking into their sanctuary.
There was no time to think, only action as the five of you burst into the inner sanctum of the Lunar Palace.
As the split approached, you readied your weapon as you had the other four take off towards the other path, as per the instruction of the sacred text.
But as you burst into the throne room, you immediately tensed from what you saw.
Or rather, what you didn’t see.
The throne room was as impeccably gorgeous as could be. Marble walls, lunar blossoms and vines hanging from above as though untouched by the passage of time, a celestial ambiance created from hues of deep azure and twinkling silver and gold.
Yet beauty could only mystify you for so long, as when you carefully traded inside on your lonesome, the sleek floor beneath you glowing pink just moments before a burst of light shone up from below.
With no time to react, you had no choice but to allow for glass walls to burst from the ground, encasing around you for a grand oval-shaped entrapment, right as golden chains latched onto your wrists and ankles, keeping your arms raised and your ankles anchored, your limbs spread apart as your weapon dropped to the floor.
In your attempts to struggle free, you looked to your bindings, noting that the shackles had a peculiarly dull pink gem at its forefront.
As you wondered curiously as to what the gems entail, it was then that a whirring noise caught your attention, prompting you to face forward to see that your glass encasing was broadcasting four different visuals of your companions all seemingly separated from each other, but steadfastly making their way through the palace grounds nonetheless.
Something to be relieved about at least.
While you remained adamant that it wouldn’t be long until your companions finally joined you, you thought back to the text you read.
Within the throne room lies the way
Up to the bedchambers of the goddess moon
Tread reverently as you approach in the day
And be blessed by a lunar boon
Your eyes shifted over to the feed, when it was then that you noticed something different about your companions, namely the sudden presence of accessories that was wrapped around either their wrist or their ankle which looked to be identical to the ones currently bound onto yours.
Be wary as you tread grounds most holy
The path beyond shall twist and split
Hold steadfast to virtues only
Else become bewitched
And soon your irises widened as you slowed your recollection, thinking of every single syllable of the inscribed text.
Souls who enter be careful when you arrive
Within that room where love will be tested against hate
Be mindful for those who enter as five
Blessed be to those who fornicate
You looked at the chains that kept you locked in place, noting your compromising position within the sanctified entrapments of a temple blessed by and devoted to the goddess of love.
In the time as the Warrior of Light, you had to get out of a considerable amount of sticky situations.
And as your eyes remained trained on the feed of your companions across the temple, watching as each began to complain about a sudden heat as their faces became flushed, it was looking like this situation would be your stickiest yet.