Disclaimer, this is a M/M romance on two fictional characters in the universe of Ffxiv. If you don't like these kind of story, you should stop reading now.

Also, the main characters are all created, with some being already created and owned by the game.

Anyway, enjoy!

[Garrett]

It was the day where everything started, where everything changed. Something that i would never forget. It is too painful to forget…

We were in the Thanalan, precisely in Ala Mhigo, probably the only place where we were welcomed. Most of the people living here were in the religious sect of Rhalgr the Destroyer, people who would channel inner aether into their own body. Those were the monks, fighters who were self-proclaiming as the Fists of Rhalgr. My father was in this sect, and he was the chief. His name was Roderick, and whenever i was calling him like this, he would make a big speech on not calling him like this.

Father was the most important person in Ala Mhigo, so he had to be recognizable. He had short black wavy hair, dark skin and a beard that covered his whole chin. He was always wearing his fighting garbs, a combination of raptor and coeurl leather, steel shoulder pads and steel boots, something that other fighters wouldn't have the chance to actually wear.

I was 10 year old before nightmares was becoming reality. I was so happy living with my father and my mother, where we would live beyond the difficulties we were facing everyday. Mother was staying with me, making us meal with what father was able to bring after hunts.

Mother had black long hair and a nicely toned skin. She was not really tall, but she was known for being older than she looks. Her name was Camilla, but i never really bothered calling her like that.

People says that I look a lot like my father. They says that i got his black hair, his face and his personality. They also says that I have my mother's blue eyes, bright and beautiful.

I always praised father as a hero. He's a strong person who would do everything to protect his people. Unfortunately, him being the chief of the Fists of Rhalgr makes him almost unable to see anyone except his units.

I was with mother, and she was sitting on the edge of my bed while I was lying on my bed, ready to go sleeping. I was asking her if I can join father to go hunting. I almost never see father, he's always hunting.

Camilla: ''Garrett, I know you want to spend more time with father, but you are just too young to go hunting'', said mother, in a calm tone of voice. Mother was everything for me, she was the only one that could be with me and take care of me when I needed.

Garrett, that's my name. Last name's Hawke.

Camilla: ''Your father is a strong man, but he risks his life everyday to make sure that we are living like this. You know that not everyone in Ala Mhigo can have such a thing.'' Mother stroked me on the head. ''To be honest, I always thought that we won't need and fighters in Ala Mhigo. Outside of hunting, fighting is not really needed for our survival. Ala Mhigo is such a nice and calm place, who want to make things worst here?''

Garrett: ''I don't know, but I guess you're right'' I had a big smile on my face. Mother smiled back at me and gave me a kiss on my forehead before letting me sleep.

Mother was always right, I always trusted her.

… until the Garlean empire came in.

Ala Mhigo turned into a Garlean state, forcing us to do whatever the empire wanted us to do. They gave us technology that were beyond our knowledge. They gave us new jobs that we had absolutely no idea how to execute them without problems. We were being slave of the empire, and nothing could stop them.

There were a lot of people who were too weak to fight back against the empire, because the empire would make us work even harder and longer. It was no use to show any hate against someone that was far stronger than you.

But one day, someone had the courage to show them the struggle we were living… and it didn't go very well...

People were working in a large room filled with unknown magitek machines, weapons and magitek armors. People were working hours and hours. People were very tired of working all day long for no salary or anything. The Garlean empire were using people as tools. One day, a man threatened a soldier on how we were tired of our slavery. His name was Gundmun, a man who was respected my most of the Ala Mhigo community.

He got out of his post and walked to see the nearest soldier.

Gundmun: ''Hey soldier, you see, I've been sitting here for hours on this chair, doing stupid chores you guys are asking for whatever reasons you guys are making us work like slaves. You and your god damn crew think you can treat us like animals?''.

I was just walking by, but I stopped as I was watching him talking to the soldier in fury. Gundmun pushed the soldier as he speaked. He looked pretty confident about himself. Suddenly, the soldier pushed Gundmun as he fell on the ground.

Soldier: ''Go back to your post, young man! You don't know what the empire can do to stop some babies like you!'' I could feel the soldier's anger on his face and his tone of voice. Somehow, it made me a bit scared. I don't really like bad guys.

Gundmun: ''So, you want to play this kind of game?'' Gundmun quickly got up and was ready to punch the soldier.

As soon as Gundmun got up, the soldier took out a adamantine revolver and shooted on Gundmun's stomach. Blood was spreading all over the floor. People in the room gasped and started panicking. Some people tried to approach Gundmun's dead body, but those people were easy targets for the soldier. They were likely dead.

People were starting to run away from the deadly soldier, as more and more soldiers came into the room and shooted everything that they saw.

I panicked as I was finding a way to get out of here. There were soldiers everywhere shooting everyone. I ran away as fast as I could. I was nervously looking around for mother, but no sign of her…

Suddenly, i hear a familiar voice coming out of nowhere...

''Garrett, run! Quickly!''

It was the voice of father, desperate and distraught. We were escaping from the soldiers that were going to kill us. Other people tried to escape too, but the amount of people running mindlessly make our escape a bit more tricky. The empire was a machine of destruction, it would kill anything in his way without mercy.

Roderick: ''Garrett! Thank god you are alive.'' Father gave me a hug. It was probably the only hug i got from father… ''Mother is out of Ala Mhigo, we should join her as soon as possible.''

Garrett: ''Right, father''.

Father and I started running as fast as we could to get away of the bloodbath. We saw numerous people getting slaughtered to death. Father changed direction and immediately joined the crews of the Fists of Rhalgr who were trying to protect and fight back the empire.

Garrett: ''Father, where are you going?'' I said, panicked. It was the only moment where i spend time with father… I couldn't let him going away another time.

Roderick:''Garrett … I'm sorry, I need to join the last units of the Fists of Rhalgr. It's my duty to protect the citizen of Ala Mhigo. Mother and you will escape to the Shrouds. It's the only place where you can be safe from the empire.''Father released me, smiled at me and started stepping back to Ala Mhigo's carnage.

Garrett: ''No! You will NOT go away, not another time.''

Roderick: ''Huh?''Father turned his head to me, confused.

At this moment, I jolted out with rage. No such act made me feel like this.

Garrett: ''Roderick, you never took care of me, you never even showed me any interest on me. What truly matters for you is this stupid Fists of Rhalgr things.'' My heart was breaking apart saying those word, as I started crying. ''How is Ala Mhigo more important than your own son? You act like you want me to forget you. How am I going to remember you as my father? How am I supposed to live like you were not here?''

Roderick: ''Garrett…''

Garrett: ''Father, you were everything I would have hoped to be when I would grow up … Why are you making me thinking that I have no father? That I have no origins?''

Father walked in front of me, kneeling down, carefully listening to me.

Garrett: ''Father, you were a hero for me…''

Father looked on the ground, and few seconds later, he got up and looked at me.

Roderick: ''Change of plan… I'm going to escape with you. With my wife… And more importantly, with my son''.

I smiled back, and then father gave me a hug. Then, we both continue our way to the Shrouds. Running was no longer effective, since i had not much of stamina.

It was very late at night. We carefully walked to the Shrouds. The area seemed desert, since we didn't saw anyone on our path. But never thrust emptiness…

Coming out of nowhere, an arrow pierced Father's left shoulder, making father tumble. Blood was running out of his shoulder. Mother quickly run to him and kneeled down to him, distraught.

Camilla: ''Roderick? Are you okay?''

Roderick: ''What the heck? … Where did this came from?

?: ''From you left, my friend. You know your coordination, I suppose?''

Suddenly, an unknown shadow came out of nowhere, walking from the left of us. This man was wearing a black coat, a black hat and had white long hair. His pointy ears, his dark blue skin and his tall body showed us that he was a duskwight. A bow-wielder, I must presume from him precisely shooting father in the shoulder. We can recognize by his garbs that he is from the empire.

Roderick: ''Who are you? Where did you appeared from?'' Father were not very happy of receiving an arrow in his shoulder, eventually…

?: ''Calm down, friend, you know, I tend to present myself with a nice introduction.'' His wicked grin was almost too scary to look at. ''My name is Sheaullault Brauvet, or, like people usually call me, the ''Night Hawk''.

Sheaullault Brauvet, you say? This is such a ridiculous name…

Roderick: ''You are way too far from being my friend, I should say''.

Camilla: ''Why are you here?'' Mother got up and looked at the dark elezen. I was standing behind her.

Sheaullault: ''Well, this is evident. I am hired from the empire to track down the filthy rats like you, who escapes from the empire's playground because of unfairness. And tonight, I found the jackpot!''

Roderick: ''Playground? You think being a slave is fun?''

Father, mother and I looked at Sheaullault with hate. Father was being weaker and weaker due to his wound.

Sheaullault: ''So how should i proceed the execution? In which order, i should ask?'' He looked at me like he was going to kill me first. ''Should I start with the little fellow here?'' I tried to look away from Sheaullault's face. Please don't kill me…

Mother stepped in front of me, distraught.

Camilla: ''No! Anyone, but not him! Please!''

Sheaullault looked at mother, surprised.

Sheaullault: ''Interesting, we have a volunteer!'' He just made this wicked grin again…

Camilla: ''Kill me, just do it, but please… let Garrett live…'' Mother was crying while saying those words.

Garrett: ''Mother…''

Roderick: ''Camilla…''

Sheaullault looked at her with a satisfied grin. ''Very well, then.'' Sheaullault quickly put an arrow in his bow and pulled the bow's string. Then, He released the string…

I couldn't forget the sound of agony from mother, hearing her voice for the last time...

Garrett: ''Mother! No!'' I broke up in tears as i kneeled down in front of mother, looking at her dead body.

Roderick: ''You monster!'' Father immediately charged at Sheaullault, but the dark elezen dodge and hit father with his fist as hard as a boulder. Father was knocked back.

Sheaullault: ''What a clumsy fighter.'' Sheaullault was laughing at father. ''Pretending to be a hero, I suppose? You know, I didn't expected a untrained soldier, but I didn't expected such a failure, assuming you're the leader of the Fists of Rhalgr''.

Father was on the ground, in pain. He couldn't move. He was already dead for Sheaullault. The dark elezen simply removed a knife from his coat, and with a powerful strike, stabbed father's chest, not even giving any mercy…

Garrett: ''No! Father!''

Sheaullault: ''And now, the finale of the show!'' Sheaullault looked at me with the same face as he was looking at me before mother's death. ''The name's Garrett, right? Well, I am honored to meet you before you die.'' I looked at Sheaullault, in tears. He was already preparing his shot, preparing my death…

Suddenly, Sheaullault's linkpearl emitted a sound that made Sheaullault stop aiming at me. Something that I was not expecting.

Sheaullault: "Yes? The slaughter has done?" I looked at him, confused. "You want me to go back to Castrum Meridianum? Very well, then." He looked at me and then walked away, without saying anything…

I immediately run to mother, trying to call her name multiple times, shaking her, but no answer…

Roderick: "... My son…"

I looked at father, looking at me, almost dead. I approached as he wanted to tell me something important.

Roderick: " … My son … has lived. I'm so … glad that you … survived…"

Garrett: "Father… I couldn't do anything to protect you … I'm weak, I'm so sorry …" I couldn't speak, as I couldn't find any words…

Roderick: "Don't… blame yourself… I am proud… of you…my son …"

Garrett: "Father…"

Roderick: "But promise me … one thing … before I die…"

Garrett: "Anything… Ask me anything.."

Roderick: "Go to Gridania … Prepare yourself for battle … And please … Kill this elezen … For … us…"

Suddenly, father has released his final breath, his final words… I cried, again and again, but crying won't bring my parent's back. I needed to be strong, I needed to be brave, I needed the will to avenge my parents … For mother … For father …

As I finished crying, I stand up, I walk forward, as I was preparing myself for a journey… That would last for eternity.

… Well, it's not the happiest childhood of all (I totally didn't think about Batman when i wrote, I swear!) Nonetheless, I hope you enjoy! Don't hesitate to leave me a review, whether or not if it's something nice or something to make my writing better!

Next chapter, we will see what will happen to Garrett as he enter the Shrouds!