Hydaelyn's Wing
A Riskbreaker Interlude
Ashelia Riot woke with a start to the noise of distant explosions. At first, she thought it was a nightmare of the Calamity, but the echoed cries of her fellow Riskbreakers through the cave alerted her that the sound was very real.
After fleeing the Goblet, the Riskbreakers settled into the cavernous stone dwelling that originally belonged to the Corpse Brigade, called the Sepulchre, near Little Ala Mhigo. They had found it deserted after the opening of the Lunatic Pandora, and against her own misgivings, Ashe decided to bring everyone to take shelter there. The safety of her company took precedence over her complicated history with Milleuda the Slitter. She had no idea where they had gone or why they had abandoned their headquarters, but she just hoped they wouldn't return.
Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, Ashe threw aside her bedroll and rose to her feet, leaving her enclave to join the rest of her friends and allies. No one spoke a word – they stared through the gaps in the stone at the sky above, lit up with streaks of light that crashed in distant places. The earth rumbled beneath their feet, and the air was charged with tension that they all knew too well.
It was just like five years ago. Hells, in some cruel twist of fate, Ashe was even in the same place as she had been back then.
Zulak Rah turned to her, staring at his hands. "Ashe… It's back."
She furrowed her brow. "What is?"
"Magic! It has to be!" Blaetlona Isilmynawyn exclaimed, pumping a fist into the air. "My constant headache's gone, too!"
Issabel Drake held out her palm, a fire sparking to life within it. "It is back. And better than ever."
Ashe looked back up at the sky, at the streaks of light that horribly reminded her of the Dreadwyrm Bahamut's fearsome power. She scowled. "Either Edge and the others succeeded in returning the Lunatic Pandora," she said, trailing off. If that were the case, Edge would have been in range to contact her via linkpearl. "…Or someone opened it once again."
Ashe followed the path out of the Sepulchre, hoping that one of the streams of aether wouldn't crash down anywhere near them. Her mother was in Little Ala Mhigo, after all – and if the realm was scarred by this event just like the Calamity, that wasn't a fate she wished on anyone. Outside, she looked across the desert, breathing in the arid, dusty Thanalan air.
She found some other Riskbreakers sitting outside, wordlessly staring at the sky, sharing in each other's company. Everyone seemed to be in a stupor, unsure of what to do, how to go forward after this.
The world was changing again, but Ashe knew the Riskbreakers had to ride with the storm.
"Reda, Sairsel," she called. The miqo'te woman, practically a sister to her, and elezen boy looked up at her. "Ride to Little Ala Mhigo at once. Notify the Flame troops stationed there that we are going to take back Ul'dah today. They are free to ride with us if they wish."
Sylvan Rain, ever the voice of reason, stood next to her. "Is that wise? Magic may be back for us, but it is for Garlean conscripted troops as well."
"It's the best chance we've had in weeks," Ashe replied. "The Maelstrom and Adders cannot hold out much longer, if word is true. They need us." She took a deep breath. "Sylv, alert the Gullwings. It's time to put our alliance to action."
The sky roared. Light waves pulsed, extending far past Eorzea to the west. This time, Ashe wouldn't have been surprised if an event of this cataclysmic proportion affected the whole world.
Author's Note: Short one this time. Please review!