Deaths Head I do not own Final Fantasy XI or anything to do with the story or NPC's. I do however own the following characters – Arielyanna Darkholme. Any other characters who appear in this story, are owned by their respective creators and appear in this story, with permission granted from said creator.

FINAL FANTASY XI :

SHADOWS OF PROMATHIA

Prologue :

SOMEWHERE beyond the mortal realm of the world known as Vanadiel, a being of darkness smiled. Soon darkness will spread over the land, as terror and bloodshed run rampant. Former allies would turn against the other, in a bid to become the most dominant force.

Law, order, balance, these things which the Light bestowed upon the world, would be torn asunder, as chaos, anarchy and fear walked the land.

The smile broadened. The plan had been set in motion, now, it was only a matter of time until the seeds are sown, then it would come.

It was forseen to come to pass.

The darkness had waited a long time, and even bound as it was, it had found a way to descend. Soon, so very, very soon…

The darkness laughed.

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Chapter One :

THE young girl stumbled as she left the small opening, leading back into the caves near Siren Sands, one of the three beaches in Valkurm Dunes. She carefully made her way down from the rocky ledge, taking care not to loose her footing and fall into the rushing water below. The caves were home to a group of pirates responsible for all the atrocities, which had been committed in the area.

They have been raiding numerous merchant vessels, terrorizing any merchant caravan's passing through Valkurm, as well as in her case, kidnapping. She had been heading back to her home in Selbina, from the local Outpost, when three of these pirates fell upon her. Carried off to their hideout, she was forced to clean up after the pirates, as well as being tortured every night by their leader.

For six months she was a prisoner, treated worse than even the rats, which infested the caves. However, it was just after the pirates had come back from a particularly large and bountiful merchant vessel, it happened. She was expected to feed the pirate captain at their celebration, and she accidentally spilled the drink she had been ordered to get for him.

Taking affront to this, he ordered her to be tied to the table, and for every pirate to have their way with her. After enduring hours of the abuse, the pirate captain himself, grasping her under her chin, ordered her to beg him for forgiveness. She responded by spitting in his face. The pirate's response was swift and vicious. Drawing his dagger he sliced her across her face, the blade biting deeply into the skin and slashed down. The blade cut through the flesh and through her right eye, destroying it completely. If that wasn't enough, he grabbed a mug of ale from the table, and hurled the potent alcohol into her face.

The girl passed out from the pain of her injuries and the abuse she had been subjected to. However, it was just a feint. That night she managed to free herself from her cage and fled into the tunnels to escape.

Now, outside the caves, she allowed herself a chance to rest. She had escaped, and now was one step closer to freedom. It was then the spray of the waves fell upon her, and she looked down. She was too preoccupied with looking down at the incoming waves, the shadow fell upon her with ease, and two rough hands grabbed her by her hair, yanking her up and off the rocky ledge. She screamed as she saw the face of her captor, the leader of a group of pirates, who have been operating in the area for some time.

Her nails dug into the man's arms, drawing blood, causing him to cry out in pain. The girl managed to punch the pirate in the groin, as he dropped back against the ledge, breathing heavily, as the girl fell, scrambling to maintain a handhold on the ledge.

With a snarl he stood above her, looking down venomously at her, before spitting in her face. One of her hands slipped as she tried to wipe the spittle from her face, only to see the pirate's foot flying down to hit her in the wounded and scarred side of her face.

Her scream echoed back as she fell towards the jagged rocks below, just as a particularly large wave of water slammed into them. She tried to scream, to grab a hold of anything to save herself, as the water pulled her back down again, down into the watery depths…

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SCREAMING, Arielyanna Darkholme, sat upright in her bed, sweat coating her body. The Hume Female, swung her legs out of the bed, and approached the water fountain located at the rear of her Moghouse in Windurst, splashing the water on her face.

Panting heavily, she gazed back into the pool of water, as the ripples subsided, and the surface settled and smoothed out. She stared at the image reflected in the water, an almond shaped face, framed with long black hair to her shoulders partially covering her face.

It had been nearly fifteen years since she endured what those animals did to her, yet the scars ran deep. Tentatively, she reached up, and pushed part of her hair back, her gaze tracing the jagged scar on her the side of her face, the scar which dissected her right eye, destroying it completely. The only physical reminder of what happened to her, when she was fifteen, and what those pirates had done to her.

Anger flared within her, as she drove her fist through the reflection, disrupting the image. She pulled her arm back, as the ripples slowly started to subside, and reveal her reflection again.

Drawing her breath, through clenched teeth, she turned and heading towards one of the chests she had in her room, opening it and pulling out some clothes.

No sense going back to sleep now… not after that. Think I'll go and get some fresh air or something…

She removed her sweat soaked bed clothes, dried her body down, and pulled on her custom clothing she had made specifically for her. Black boots, trousers and long sleeved tunic. Her Moogle hovered nearby, watching her pull on her black gloves.

"M… mistress? It's rather late to be going out… isn't it?"

Arielyanna looked back at her Moogle, as she placed her dark staff through the hole in the middle of her coat, and then put the coat on.

"I'll be fine. Don't worry."

The Moogle frowned as he bobbed up and down, his wings flapping.

"B.. But.. Mistress… I worry about you…"

She had finished tying the black bandage across her face, covering the jagged scar tissue, where her right eye once was. Taking hold of a black, wide brimmed hat, she opened the door to her Moghouse, glancing back over her shoulder at the Moogle. A wry smile appeared on her face.

"Don't worry about me… Worry about those who try to stop me."

With a wink, she stepped outside, closing the door behind her.

The Moogle frowned deeper as he looked sadly at the door, his shoulders slumped.

"I worry about you… because I know what you've been through. It's the thing which makes one person's Moogle different from someone else's. We know our masters very well, thanks to the MHMU screening…" a sigh escaped his lips "And I know how much pain you've been through… and the darkness inside you… just waiting…"

Walking down the steps, Arielyanna stepped out into Windurst Woods, nodding to the bored Mithra, and ignoring the Cardian completely. Looking up at the night sky, she closed her eye, and smiled as she felt the moonlight touch her.

As a Summoner, she was more in tune with the elements of Vana'diel, through the powerful elemental beings, known as Avatars. She lowered her face and placed her hat atop her head.

"Well then… let's see what's out there, eh?"

Arielyanna walked off from the Residential Area, the shadows seeming to part for her passage, only to swallow her up as she passed.

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Deaths Head - Taking a little different approach to this story in the beginning, than I have with my other stories. Hope you like it. Please R&R. Thank you.