Author's Note: This story occurs in an older version of FFXI. There's also a few adjustments I made to the world, to make it feel... less gamey and more real-worldy if that makes sense.
Older version changes:
Only the first four expansions exist
Level cap is 75
My changes:
Class/Job changing is a really big deal, its especially hard to switch to a class where none of your skills transfer.
I decided to toss support jobs out the window to support the changing your job is difficult thing. (not that people can't learn other skills and use them)
Chapter 1: Lucille
"Charlie," the young feline-esk woman inquired of her loyal servant as she brushed her layered white hair that was cut to just above the shoulder, "are my robes ready?" He fluttered his way into the corner of her mirror with his little bat wings. His little teddy bear face always made her smile.
"Why of course, kupo!" The moogle gave a mini twirl.
The girl's ice blue eyes sparkled as she looked at herself in the mirror, "This is your big chance Lucille," she had recently been recruited into her first linkshell. It was also her first raid on a beastmen stronghold. What was it called again? Castle Oztroja, that's right. The fortress of the dark feathered, hand and foot taloned, bird beastmen race. She slammed her hands down on the rent-a-room dresser as she gave herself a stern talking to, "Don't you screw this up!" Her moogle watched awkwardly as the motion jiggled her small chest. Nothing got by her, "What are you looking at you pervert?"
"N-nothing." He stammered.
"If you like them so much why don't you take a closer look!" She grabbed him and coddled him to her chest.
"Kupo-po!" She knew moogles weren't really attracted to other races in that sort of way, but it was still hilarious to mess with them. Charlie gulped in air after his release.
She moved to the bed that Charlie had made and laid her clothing down upon. Carefully she slipped on the red-hooded white robes edged with red triangles that showed her proficiency, but not yet mastery, of white magicks.
"I'm sorry I tease you so much, its just so fun. Really though, Charlie, I appreciate everything you do for me." The mithra woman moved to the doors of her room, "See you in San d'Oria." With that her moogle teleported away with his mysterious kupower, and she withdrew herself from the temporary room.
The trade city of Jeuno was bustling as always. Vendors shouting the quality and use of their products, parties assembling for battle experience, and elites marching down the streets en masse to fulfill the most difficult of missions and quests given by Archduke Kam'lanaut himself. She dreamed of the day she would join them. The other seventeen people of the selected linkshell members gathered at the chocobo stables within minutes of each other.
Before they set out, one of the linkshell "officers" with pointed ears towered at the head of the group. "Officer" being a title assigned by the leader to his few linksack holders. They were people who could recruit others besides the leader. Almenont was a highly skilled elvaan paladin, who was soon to be admitted into the ranks of the temple knights of San d'Oria.
"No heroics, anyone. We're not venturing far into the Yagudo castle, our mission is only to retrieve some of the goods stolen on delivery from Windurst, and possibly some pages of a magic tome. Our objective is to safely transport our thief, Aria," he indicated a bare-minimally dressed beautiful hume woman, "To the castle coffers and stave off the beastmen until our goods are retrieved. Now, let's ride."
They sped south, yellow bird-back, on the continent of Mindartia through a desolate looking landscape down to an almost just as bleak mountain range where the castle awaited them. They turned east when the worn white spine of the crag stretched over head. The carefully carved mountain side ahead came into view, and Lucille's tail puffed up. An impressive, short, blue-haired male tarutaru of a black mage by the name of Karu-Manaru rode next to her. She could just see his eyes peering at her under his pointed leather brown hat, "Don't worry, with this many people the Yagudo on the lower floors are a pushover, and I won't let anything get near you." he winked at her.
"Err… thanks, I'll be sure to not let you die" His words did reassure her nerves.
"Much appreciated!" he called back as he pulled ahead.
They strolled into the castle through the front door after the guards were quietly dispatched. Once inside the raiding party split into four groups of three. Lucille, Karu-Manaru, and a bard she had never met went straight for the trick door while the other groups fanned out across the first floor to silently remove its inhabitants. Upon their arrival at the door, the bard lopped off the head of the yagudo stationed there. Shortly after, the entire alliance regrouped at the door. They all stared at the two levers before them, no one wanted to fall down the trapdoor, but they needed to get through. Yu Dalahnia, perfectly fitted into her black and red dancer's casaque, stepped forward. The blonde mithra took a deep breath, then slowly turned the right lever. A click sounded, everyone held their breath, and then the door cracked open. She puffed out her gulp of air. The team filed in, heading directly to the less valuable coffers' and chests' location on the second floor. Few yagudo were encountered on their way; the first was felled by Aria's swift strike to the back of the neck. The next pierced by an arrow from afar, after being struck by a silencing spell, and allowed to fall to the lower floor.
This was when the mission started to get dicey. Aria, immediately took to the encaged treasure, while the members who excelled in close combat spread into defensive positions around her as well as the less than extraordinary weapon users. Everything seemed to be going too well until Aria popped open the first chest. Two returning templars rushed in from the direction they had entered, their feathers ruffled and stained red from the blood of their recent victims. They had been staging their own raid, that's why the middle floors had been so empty. More of their brethren followed them, snarling with anger. It was not long before the entirety of the area exploded into battle. There was not a second that her, the red mage, and Karu-Manaru were not casting. Left and right Lucille casted defensive spells as well as increasing her comrades attack rate. With a well placed area spell from Karu-Manaru only four were left standing, but they all stood strong. They shrugged off any enfeebling spell that was thrown at them. They held their ground against the feathered demons, Lucille was perfectly capable of healing every wound, but her mana was running low. Suddenly one of them tackled the two galka separating her from their blades. Taking advantage of the defensive hole the yagudo's partner lunged at Lucille. She raised her shield prepared to take the brunt of the assault, but nothing came. The yagudo had burst into flames, and Almenont met its arm with his sword, severing the beast from its weapon. It collapsed to the ground, now a smoking carcass.
"I told you I would protect y-" the tarutaru was cut short as a dual-wielding yagudo appeared from above to greet him with a vicious kick. His head slammed against the wall, and he lay unconscious where he landed. Aria had abandoned the treasures to exchange blows with this new appearance. Everyone was riddled with exhaustion from dodging the templars' attacks. Blood droplets were scattered everywhere as well as a few of her fellow adventurers. A yagudo's blade made a solid connection with Almenont's shoulder. He yelled his rage, grabbing the yagudo's wrist. The beast couldn't dodge him now, his longsword pierced its skull. Lucille had become useless with her mana gone. There were still two beasts left that far out matched them, and they were working at half capacity now. What were they going to do? Yu's thigh gushed blood inhibiting her ability to alleviate anyone's wounds, Lucille had no more mana to give, only the red mage and bard were barely able to keep everyone hanging by a thread.
'This shouldn't have happened. Why did the templars have to be returning at the exact moment we commenced the mission?' The red mage snapped her back from her thoughts, "I'm out!" He parried the ninja yagudo's attack as Aria took a sweep at its legs, only to find a foot in her face. 'No, we can't fail. I have to do something… I have to save them.'
Lucille yelled to the sky, her word echoing through the castle as her eyes glowed white and a shockwave of light passed through the dying ranks, "Benediction!" She slumped against the wall, panting.
Her felled allies regained consciousness, but her own vision was blurring. She struggled to follow as the rejuvenated alliance fled for the safety of the entrance. They made it back through the door; they were almost there. Lucille stumbled slamming into the ground. It didn't even hurt she was so numb.
"Lucille!" Karu-Manaru stopped immediately to turn back for her, "We gotta help Lucille!" Before he made any progress toward her, Almenont lifted him off his feet. Lucille managed to push herself back up to a crawling position. "What are you doing?" Karu-Manaru demanded, "We can't leave her, put me down!"
"She's already dead!" Almenont continued his escape carrying the tarutaru with him. The last she saw was the black mage reaching out for her as he was carried off, he mouthed her name before disappearing into the darkness. Alone, she lifted her hand in their direction, but found she was unable to move forward.
'Is this my reward? Dying alone in this goddess forsaken place? No, I refuse, I'll push harder if I have to.' Her screams of agony were sharp enough to make the yagudo cover their ear drums. The world turned white around her, she smirked to herself, "I did it…" The wind swept canyons took shape around the pathetic thing that was left of her. She hauled herself to her feet, using the surroundings to keep herself up. This didn't last long, she was soon on her knees again. The moment her hands hit the ground, Lucille vomited blood.
It was no use, mortal bodies weren't meant to take such abuse. She stared at the terror reflecting from the red puddle. Her muscles twitched at the effort to support herself. 'There's no point, I'm going to die.' Teardrops disrupted the reflection and then the puddle had spread too thin to see anything.
"I'm not ready to die." The young woman's body collided with the ground, resting in its own crimson essence.