Chapter 33: Shadows in the Empire
"Well, that was a decidedly uneventful journey," Hein said to them after their safe return to the Enclave. They had allowed their mounts to fly off for some rest and were walking up the docks as Hien finished discussing things with someone over his linkpearl. When he finished, he turned to the rest of them.
"I almost found myself hoping for a sandstorm," Hien went on as Claire rolled her eyes. Did he forget that they were greeted by a sandstorm on their way there?
"Joking aside, I'd say our birds are due a good brush down and a treat or two, wouldn't you?" Hien asked cheerfully, his grin fading slightly as he added, "I had hoped to steal a moment's rest after our little outing, but it would seem duty calls. A foreign emissary arrived in my absence."
"Do not let us keep you then," Y'shtola said respectfully.
"Actually…" he began in a hesitant tone, one that she recognized right away as someone wishing for a request, "I was wondering if you might join me. I cannot think of a guest who could fail to be impressed by the presence of the Scions—at least, none I should be happy to receive."
"Of course—if you think it will be useful," Alisaie offered almost a little too quickly. And Claire wondered if it was more out of a desire for something to do rather than because she really wanted to do it. She had always hated such meetings, after all.
"Thank you," Hien said gratefully, "Let us return to my manor, then."
They followed him back, wondering just who this 'guest' was and what they wanted. But her thoughts didn't go far, for she was growing concerned for Alisaie—who had remained silent the entire walk back. It seemed that she wasn't the only one worried either—she had seen the others give her sideways glances back every few minutes. Alisaie either was ignoring them or honestly didn't notice it; otherwise she was sure that she would be telling them off for it.
When they returned to the manor and entered the main hall, they were greeted by a familiar grinning face waiting for them.
"Lyse!" Y'shtola cried in surprise, "What brings you here?"
It was Lyse alright, who had been sitting and waiting for them to return. She jumped up to her feet to greet them.
"Oh, Alliance business," she answered brightly, "We have a request for Doma—well, Hien."
She suddenly glanced over at Claire and added with slight concern, "But that can wait. They told me you were out searching for Alphinaud. Did you manage to pick up his trail?"
Claire's heart beat painfully at the question, but she ignored it as she calmly explained everything that they had discovered and been through while they went through the Burn. Lyse remained quiet as she listened, her worry etching on her face.
"Well, if he wasn't at the crash site, he might still have escaped," Lyse said bracingly, "We have to keep searching!"
"And we will," Hien promised them soothingly, "Alphinaud embarked on this journey as an emissary of Doma, and I hold myself responsible for his safe return. I will have our shinobi in the provinces search for him as a matter of urgency."
For now that was the best they could do.
Now, Claire was well aware of this. She knew that until they learned more—short of running through every square in of the Burn—there was nothing else they could do but wait. Besides, if she had been right in her guess that the ship crashed sometime after the last conversation she had with him then there was a good chance that he had already left the Burn by now. She doubted even her tracking skills would be able to track him throughout all of Ilsabard.
Still, why did it feel like someone was squeezing her insides until it hurt? Why was her heart screaming at her to run off and find him?
She believed in Alphinaud. She truly did believe he was out there. But… why can't he find some way to let her know where he was and that he was alright?
Hien, just then, turned around to see that Alisaie had continued her silence and added, "Chin up, Alisaie. You'll get to admonish your brother for his recklessness yet."
That finally got a reaction out of her. She raised her head up, and she gave him a rather grudging smile as she admitted, "Well, someone has to do it."
Assuming she didn't kill him first when she got her hands on him. It was hard to know just which of them was taking his absence harder at the moment.
"I'm sure he's going to be fine," Lyse went on with a firm voice. "There is one thing I'm not sure about, though. You said it was the Emperor's personal guard that attacked Alphinaud's airship. But the Populares would never have been able to arrange the prisoner exchange without Varis's blessing. So why would he sabotage his own mission?"
Because she doubted that this was Varis's plan. She was sure that there was someone else here pulling the strings and she was willing to bet that it was the one who wore Zenos's face.
"They may not have been acting on Varis's orders," Yugiri offered, "The guard answer not only to him, but to his family. The crown prince, included."
"When Yotsuyu summoned Tsukuyomi, Asahi was quick to proclaim that a Doman citizen had violated the terms of our agreement," Hien added, "That the negotiations had failed. And it is this version of events that is now being repeated across Garlemald. To hear the tale, one would think the prisoner exchange never took place. Plainly, someone is manipulating matters from the shadows. Most likely Zenos—or whoever it is that wears his face."
And Claire also found it strange that news had already reached the capital and had spread like wildfire so quickly. She was willing to bet that they had this planned since the moment Asahi and his party left Garlemald and merely waited a reasonable amount of time before spreading the rumor.
"Whichever Ascian, you mean," Y'shtola finished for him, "We all know the nature of our adversary."
"The servants of chaos are true to their name," Hien stated grimly, "Their meddling has cost Doma a chance at peace. Whoever it was that loosed his personal guard, the Emperor cannot be ignorant of these developments. We must proceed on the assuming that our treaty is indeed in tatters."
They all were looking down at that point, feeling the absence of hope like they were sinking into deep, cold water. Hien, however, seemed determined to find a happier note and said, a smile plastered to his face as he said, "But come, Lyse, you have journeyed far. Let me hear your petition."
She nodded.
"Right, so, the big news is that Ala Mhigo has agreed to join the Eorzean Alliance," Lyse began, remembering her original purpose for being here, "To make it official, and discuss where we all go from here, the leaders of the five nations are planning to hold a meeting, and we were hoping you might come too."
So they were hoping to have an Alliance with Othard and discourage any plans for the Garleans to launch another attack to reclaim their recently lost provinces. In all honesty, she doubted that would stop anyone for too long… but she hoped for a little more quiet from the Garleans for a time.
"We've already seen what we can achieve when we work together, and the Alliance hopes to work even more closely in future," Lyse went on, "They think it's our best hope of keeping the Garleans in check—and I agree."
Hien thought it over.
"As do I," he said as those words sunk in. "By coordinating our efforts in the east and west, we may be able to discourage them from committing their forces to a single front. I accept your invitation. I must, however, ask for time to attend to some pressing matters here. In light of recent events, the risk of imperial reprisals is greater than ever, and I would not leave Doma unguarded. Ere I depart, I must shore up her defenses."
"Understood," Lyse nodded agreeably, "I'll let the Alliance know. We'll wait to hear from you before setting a date. The meeting's to be held at the royal palace in Ala Mhigo, incidentally. Do you remember the way?"
"Well enough," Hien smiled back, looking pleased at the idea, "Please assure my hosts that I will not keep them waiting any longer than I have to."
"Consider it done!" Lyse said, "And thank you for agreeing to come. If we all put our heads together, we're sure to find the best way forward. For everyone."
"My advisors and I will presently convene to discuss the matter of Doma's defenses," Hien said, already going over plans in his mind and Yugiri nodded in agreement as he added, "You are welcome to stay, of course…"
"Had you not offered, I would have requested leave to remain," Y'shtola said, "Where the Ascians are concerned, naught may be left to chance."
"As ever, we would benefit from your experience," he told her graciously before looking back to Lyse and added, "I thank you for coming, Lyse—even if it was on official business. I had hoped there might be time to show you the land you helped to save, but I will settle for a fleeting visit if needs must."
That's true, this place had already changed much in the amount of time since the rebellion. Already they were talking about planting rice paddies a little to the north of here and Claire hoped that she would have time to look into matters before she had to return to Eorzea.
"There never does seem to be enough time for anything, does there…" Lyse said with a shrug, "But I did get to see a little of the enclave. You've made excellent progress, I must say! And soon you'll have the chance to see how we're getting on too. Till the meeting, then!"
Yet as she was getting ready to go, Claire saw how she paused, a worried expression on her face, before looking back to her.
"…Um, Claire?" she began awkwardly. "I was wondering if I might have a word with you before I go. In private."
Taken aback by that, she glanced to the others, wondering if it would be alright, and Hien nodded reassuringly.
"Go on, my friend," Hien encouraged, "I will send for Hakuro and the others in the meantime."
She nodded as Lyse happily told her that she would be waiting for her down at the docks before she left them.
Claire soon followed at her own pace, knowing that it would take a few minutes for Hien to call Hakuro and the others together to discuss their plans for Doma while he was away. She took her time, preferring to wander the streets and watch as the changes and progresses were being made. In a few weeks time, she predicted that it will be unrecognizable and she was quite looking forward to it.
She met up with Lyse at the docks, who was standing upon the water's edge as she stared off in the distance of the remains of what had once been Doma Castle. It looked like the people hadn't even begun to work out the damage that was done to that area yet, let alone consider rebuilding it, and Claire wondered just what it would look like once the changes were made to it one day.
She made her presence known to Lyse by asking softly, "So what did you want to talk about?"
"Thanks for coming," Lyse said as she turned around, a serious expression that Claire was suspicious of. The last time she had seen Lyse look that somber was when she had asked her for a fight back on Rhalgr's palm.
She had a feeling of what this was about.
It seemed that Lyse knew this as well and asked rather cloying, "Knowing you, you've probably guessed what I wanted to talk about."
Claire waited patiently as Lyse thought over her words. It seemed that she had gotten much better with choosing her words carefully before allowing her emotions to speak for her.
"Alisaie," she finally said, "She's acting as if everything's all right, but it's clear she's barely coping. The Alisaie I know is overbearing, willful, and reckless—and that's fine. It's how she deals with feeling weak. She has to keep moving, or she's afraid she'll fall apart." She paused and added softly, "…A lot like me."
That was it. Lyse was hot-headed and free-spirited just like Alisaie was and so reeling her back in was often difficult. As well as finding a way to comfort them during difficult times.
"But the thing about people like us is that we need someone to keep an eye on us," Lyse went on in a hurry as she tried to portray her own experience, "I had Papalymo, and now I have my friends in the Resistance. And Alisaie has you and the Scions."
What did she think that they were doing? Hey were supporting her as best as they could but with their hands presently tied…?
Lyse seemed to fear that she was overstepping herself and accusing her of something for she added quickly, "Before you start, I'm not saying you're neglecting her. I'm sure you aren't, and I'm sure you won't—but she's a good friend, and when I see her like this, I can't help worrying. So please, make sure you give her all the support she needs, all right?"
"You've nothing to worry about," Claire told her sincerely, "Seriously."
She was not the only one who cared for Alisaie and was concerned for her behavior… or lack thereof at least. Yet, she wasn't sure how she could support Alisaie when they were both feeling so worried for the same person… though perhaps for different reasons?
But her words seemed to have been enough for Lyse since she began to smile again.
"Thank you, Claire," she said, "It goes without saying, but if there's anything I can do, you only need to ask. Well, I'd best be off. See you in Ala Mhigo!"
Claire watched her go, but her friend paused for a moment and looked back at her.
"You're probably wondering why I'm asking you specifically?" she asked as Claire tiled her head at her. "It's because… Alisaie has always looked up to you like a big sister. And… I know that you will be good for her."
With a little laugh she spun about to look at her and finished, "After all, like me, she needs a big sister to keep her in line."
With an impish grin she spun about again and left leaving Claire to look after her with surprise and a hint of amusement as she shook her head fondly.
She then left, returning to the manor in time to see that Hien had called for a few others and was just discussing the situation with them.
"Ah, there you are, my friend," Hien said when she entered the room and he waved her over. "Everyone has assembled, so let us begin."
They all then sat on the floor, ready to debate what their options were. After explaining everything to the newcomers, they were ready to discuss just what they were to do to help improve Doma's defenses.
"If we are to ready ourselves for invasion, we shall need manpower, provisions, and time," Yugiri said after a short stretch of silence, "All of which are in notably short supply."
"Candid as ever, Yugiri," Hien nodded glumly in agreement, "And correct, I concede." But then he added, sounding a little more upbeat, "Fortunately, I have an idea."
They all turned to look at him in surprise as he said, "'Tis plain no single nation can stand against the might of the Empire. And it was only with the aid of others that Doma succeeded in winning her freedom. So I mean to take a leaf out of our Eorzean friends' book and form an alliance of our own."
They were all surprised by his solution, yet at the same time, Claire could not see anything wrong with it. If they were to have any chance of standing against the might of the Empire, they would need all the aid they could get. And this was as good a place as any to start.
"In addition to those whom we already share an understanding, I would reach out to Hingashi and Sui-no-Sato, and further afield, to the myriad peoples of Nagxia and Dalmasca," Hien went on before he let out a sigh and added honestly, remembering the plight of their situation, "I am under no illusion—not all will answer the call. Yet disparate though we may be, we are united in our desire for freedom. If our neighbors could be made to see what is at stake—Ascian machinations and all—cooperation need not be so far-fetched a notion."
"…It may even seem practical," Y'shtola added. "Under the guidance of our former leader, Master Louisoix, we once strove to unite the fractious city-states of Eorzea. I daresay that experience shall be of use in your endeavor."
"We should be glad of your wisdom," Hien told her gratefully, glad to see someone on his side with this suggestion.
"For the record, I would have been in favor of this plan, even if it hasn't been my grandfather's, but I have to ask: how will we secure the time to carry it out?" Alisaie asked, having been silent as she sat next to Claire. "Not that anyone has forgotten, but the Garleans have airships. Lots and lots of airships. Should they catch wind of our plan, they could send an armada to overwhelm us before our alliance had even begun to take shape."
"…Not if we deny them access to the skies," Y'shotla countered at once." During our time in the Burn, the Warrior of Light and I chanced upon some Allagan ruins."
"Oh?" Alisaie questioned as Y'shtola turned thoughtful.
"As such ruins go, they were not particularly unusual, but something about the surrounding land struck me as odd," Y'shtola explained as Claire thought back to those old remains. In terms of ruins of Allagan, she had seen many that were worst off—yet also seen more in better shape. Those ruins were old and starting to fall to pieces… yet judging from the security left inside such as with the drones and dreadnaughts, those generators were still operational.
"Faint though it was, its aetherial residue was uncannily similar to that of Azys Lla. Identical, in fact," Y'shtola went on, "For locations so far removed to share a single aetheric signature is all but impossible. I conclude therefore that the Allagans created the floating continent with land taken from the Burn."
"While that is a most intriguing theory, I fail to see what relevance it has to Doma's defense," Yugiri pointed out in confusion.
"Azys Lla was enclosed in a powerful energy barrier, impenetrable even to an Agrius-class battleship," she explained and Claire remembered how even a battleship as strong as the Agrius could not cross the barrier on their own. In fact, they needed Cid to be able to create something strong enough to pierce a big enough hole through the barrier to get them through… just before they tried to shoot them out of the air…
Her heart ached at the thought of Ysayle and what came after.
"It occurred to me that those ruins may have enjoyed similar protection," Y'shtola added, "I have no proof, but the Warrior of Light did report seeing a structure resembling other known Allagan field generators."
That was true. She remembered seeing similar generators in places such as the Binding Coils and in Azys Lla and nodded in agreement to Hien's bemused expression.
"All right, but even if we could put up such an energy barrier, it surely wouldn't extend beyond the limits of the Burn," Alisaie pointed out. "So what's to stop the Garleans flying around it?"
Hien thought that flaw over before realizing the answer.
"…Fuel," he answered suddenly, "The Dalmascan capital, Rabanastre, was a key imperial refueling point in the East. By laying waste to it as a lesson to the rest, the Empire greatly hindered its own operations in the region. If an imperial fleet were to advance upon Doma, it would now have little choice but to travel as the crow flies—over the Burn."
Now the fact that Rabanastre was destroyed was true. She had seen those ruins herself, and if what he said was true and that it was a key point in the East where the Imperials refueled… she could not believe how foolish the Garleans were for laying it to waste. They just shot themselves in the foot, so to speak!
"I see," Alisaie said with excitement and they all felt elated at this news. Well, almost all of them.
"A word of caution," Y'shtola added, frowning slightliy, "Even assuming the generator still functions, raising a barrier of such a scale will require a prodigious amount of energy. And few places are so bereft of suitable crystals as the Burn."
So they were back to the beginning again. Even if the generators were still able to work, they might as well not if they didn't have any way to power it. She had seen plenty of crystals while she ran through the Burn, yet they were all dead and lifeless… useless. While there were plenty of crystals back in Eorzea, she doubted that they could bring any of them this far East to power them.
Where were they to find more…?
"Hm… a source of energy," Hien began before questioning, "Tell me, did the Allagans make a habit of launching things into the sky?"
Y'shtola seemed started by such a question, as if trying to tell if he was making a jest at this moment or not.
"A curious question," she said slowly, "Besides Azys Lla, I know of only one other notable instance: the red moon Dalamud, whose fall triggered the Calamity."
Interesting. So did that mean that floating islands such as the Sea of Clouds and the Churning Mists were all natural? Yet why would Hien ask such a question if he…?
"Just the two occasions, you say…" Hien repeated in interest, "Then I believe I may have a solution to our energy problem."
"You do?" Alisaie questioned, surprising them all once more.
"I may," he repeated firmly, "To find out for sure, we would need to visit the Azim Steppe." He then realized something and added, "Which would, I now see, present the perfect opportunity to discuss an alliance with the Xaela tribes. How very neat! What say you, then? Shall we see whither this road leads?"
She had no idea to what it was that Hien was planning, yet she was glad for something useful to do. They all agreed to this plan and rose to their feet as Hien clapped his hands together.
"It is settled, then," he called, "I will journey to the Azim Steppe with the Scions." He looked to Yugiri and added to her, "Yugiri and Hakuro—I leave our other neighbors to you."
Yugiri and the others behind her agreed and left with nary a word of complaint.
"My apologies, but I won't be joining you," Alisaie added suddenly, causing them to all look to her as she blushed slightly.
"I am no aetherologist, and what skill I do possess are unlikely to be of any great use to the mission," she confessed, "But more importantly, it seems to me that the ruins in the Burn warrant attention. And so, while you are away securing an energy source, I will engage our friends at Garlond Ironworks to undertake a complete overhaul of the field generators. We'll need them in good working order if our plan is to succeed. I trust there are no objections?"
Claire wasn't fooled. She knew the real reason. She wished to keep an eye on the Burn should any news relating to Alphinaud come up. Once she realized that, she suddenly wished she could accompany her to the Burn as well. While she wished that there was more she could do, she forced a smile and told her in a caring way, "Have care in the Burn."
"Have care on the Steppe!" Alisaie replied, smiling at her, seemingly glad that she wasn't going to try and stop her. "From what I hear, the Xaela like fighting with friends almost as much as foes. Good luck!"
Oh, she wasn't wrong. And it had been some time since she last visited the Xaela and she was quite looking forward to joining them once again. Claire nodded appreciatively as she watched Alisaie run off, already going over plans in her head.
Just like her brother.
Her heart beat painfully for Alphinaud's presence and she took a steadying breath before Hien looked from her to Y'shtola and said in an oddly cheerful voice, "Just the three of us, then. Very well. Shall we make first for Reunion?"
They took the long way around, knowing that Y'shtola was not connected to aetheryte that was in Reunion. Still, they make the journey as quickly as possible through Yanixa before heading back to the Ruby Sea… able to take a couple falcon porters to the very outskirts of the cave that led to the Steppe.
Once they stepped through and found their steps carrying them from the sandy shores of the Ruby Sea, to the fields of emerald green and vast sky… Claire breathed in deeply, feeling at harmony once again. She was not sure what it was, only that whenever she came to the Azim Steppe, she felt such a sense of peace in her soul that she could not help but savor every moment she was here.
Perhaps it was because of her duties and how they rarely brought her out here that brought on this blissful feeling?
They soon arrived in Reunion, where Y'shtola was staring around with almost a child-like wonder as she observed the many Xaela roaming about. The many different tribes and how different they all seemed from one another.
Hien dragged both her and Y'shtola off to the side where they could talk about what they were going to do now.
"So this is the Azim Steppe…" Y'shtola said in awe, "The tales do not do it justice."
"If you think the view is impressive here, wait until we reach higher ground," Hien said, before pointing up to a hill that seemed familiar to her. He pulled them behind him as he led the way just outside of Reunion and climbed up a hill that overlooked the entire area. As soon as they climbed it, she realized why she recognized the place… this was where she first met Hien… and he was gazing out at the view with a fondness that she understood all too well.
"Ahh, I will never tire of this vista," he sighed, "The endless fields, the boundless skies… 'tis a sight to make a man forget his cares."
"But not his purpose, I trust," Y'shtola added, getting back to work, which irritated Claire. "Might this be a fitting moment to tell us what we are doing here?"
He turned around with a nod.
"Of course," he told them, "During my time with the Mol, I learned some few myths of this land. One goes thus…"
Claire gazed at the lands below as she listened to him tell his tale.
"In the distant past," he began, as if reading from a book, "when all seemed doomed, a wayfaring soul came unto the steppe. Venturing into the northern crag, he received of Nhaama a sliver of her essence—a shard of the shining moon—and with it clove the tainted land from the earth. The end thus averted, to these fields did the wayfaring soul return. And venturing once more into the northern crag, he buried the shard, and made unto the heavens an offering of blood."
Claire looked back at him as his words died out and Y'shtola frowned and folded her arms.
"A tainted land cloven from the earth, and an offering of blood to the heavens…" she repeated, "Azys Lla and Dalamud."
"That was my thought, yes," he confessed.
"And you believe that yonder mountains hide an artifact possessed of sufficient power to raise Azys Lla up to the heavens," she finished, turning her silvery eyes to the north to where mountains stood, "I suppose that might suffice."
There was a glint in Hien's eyes as he asked, almost with a boyish grin, "Worth a closer look, would you say?"
"I would," Y'shtola agreed mischievously and together they set off down the hill. Deciding that their best course of action right now would be to speak with the Mol and get their opinion on the matter. So after crossing over the wide fields, they spotted the Mol's settlement at the foot of the same mountains that they had been gazing up.
Cirina tending to her grandmother when they entered. Claire beamed as she looked up to see who it was who entered and let out a startled but happy cry at the sight of them there.
"Hien, Claire," she said ecstatically, her gaze also resting upon Y'shtola for a moment before saying warmly, "I am glad of your visit, and the opportunity to welcome a new friend. How may we serve you?"
"There is a matter I would discuss with the Mol," Hien said, "It concerns not only the peoples of the Steppe, but of every land in the Far East."
And so they explained everything that happened. Of the threat of the Empire, of how they ventured to the Burn in search of Alphinaud, only to find the generators and their possible means for being able to prevent the Garleans from crossing over the Burn and into their lands. But that they needed some way to power up the generators… which Hien believed may be hidden in these mountains.
"A shard of the shining moon left behind by a wayfaring soul…" she repeated when Hien told her of the story that brought them here. "And you need this to protect our lands?"
"I do," he answered truthfully, "My friends and I wish to find the shard and ascertain the extent of its power. Will you tell me more of the place where it lies buried? This 'northern crag'?"
"If that is your wish," she said, "In the mountains to the north, there is a cavern called the House of the Crooked Coin. Inside this cavern are pillars of stone that legend holds to be the source of Nhaama's power. There, I believe you will find what you seek."
"Ah, yes, I know the place," Hien stated, looking to the two of them for a moment, "Tis a brisk walk from here." He then looked back at her and added, "And what are your thoughts on an alliance?"
"Should the Empire return, our lands will be engulfed in a storm of conflict whether we will it or no," Cirina answered as she thought it over with a grimness that didn't suit her, "If we do not stand together, we will fall apart. This I believe with all my heart. However…"
She fell silent and grew concerned.
"However…?" Y'shtola asked slowly.
"Among the tribes of the Steppe, there are those who revere Nhaama above all else," Cirina explained with worry, "To them, the pillars are sacred, and not to be disturbed. Should you proceed as you propose, such tribes are like to spurn an alliance, prompting others to follow their example. That is my concern."
That was not a good idea then. Could they risk using this power source if it could risk possible war with the warriors of the Steppe? She did not want to think so.
"But it is by no means certain that the pillars will provide the power you seek," Cirina added suddenly, "Ere you risk the ire of the followers of Nhaama, might you not first visit the House of the Crooked Coin? If all is as you hope, we may then consider how best to earn their blessing"
It sounded the wisest course of action at this point, and Claire nodded in full agreement.
"I thank you for your counsel," Hien told her, "We will do as you suggest. I have no desire to give offense to those with whom I would join hands."
"Thank you for your understanding," Cirina said with a smile again, turning slightly red and refusing to meet Hien's eyes at those words. "Though the Mol may reign over the Steppe today, this decision will shape the days to come, and we would not force others into war against their will."
"Nor we," he reassured her, "A hundredfold stronger are they who choose to fight of their own accord."
After a minute or two of silence, Y'shtola, who was looking between the two, cleared her throat.
"It seems the time is come to put my skills to use," Y'shtola said, "Pray lead the way to the House of the Crooked Coin."
Cirina waved them off, and they left the tiny settlement as they headed towards the craggy rocks.
"So, that was Cirina," Y'shtola said after a few minutes walking and they reached a small pathway that would lead them up the steep slope. "She seemed sweet. Just as Lyse described her."
"That she is," Hien agreed with a smile, "A true friend. 'Twas her who found me on the brink of death and nursed me back to health. Indeed, I may not be here if not for her."
"Hmmm," Y'shtola hummed a little, "Sounds like your type?"
"My type for what?" Hien asked curiously as she chuckled slightly.
"Never mind," she insisted, "Tis nothing. Let us keep moving, shall we?"
Hien shrugged as he carried on and Claire saw how Y'shtola rolled her eyes. She sensed Claire looking at her and whispered to her, "He seems even more oblivious than you and Alphinaud were with your own relationship."
Claire turned red and looked away, feeling her heart ache once more and even paused to look down at the vast Steppe that lay before her. She couldn't help but turn her eyes towards the West, to where the Burn was… to where she last heard from Alphinaud.
Y'shtola seemed to sense that and she put her hand on her shoulder in a comforting way.
"Forgive me," she told her, "I did not mean to worry you. But I am certain he is still out there. He will find his way back to us in time. Until then, we must continue on and hope that we can hold the fort down long. Where he here, I know that he would be telling us to focus on our tasks. I am certain you know this?"
Claire nodded, not able to really look her in the eye this time.
"If you ever wish to talk…?" Y'shtola told her softly but Claire shook her head, wandering ahead of her as Y'shtola watched on sadly.
"I wish there was someway that I could help," she whispered softly, but knew better than to press the matter. This was not something that any of her spells could solve. She knew her friend was hurting, yet was determined to stay strong for their sakes. And she feared that the only thing that could soothe the ache inside her was when she was reunited with her beloved.
Y'shtola closed her sightless eyes and prayed to the gods that they would not be so cruel as to take Alphinaud from them.
The rest of the journey up through the pass was silent. Aside from some wild Yols, they met with very little trouble before they finally reached, what had to be the right cavern. Walking inside they saw massive square, purplish crystals jutting out from the caves walls. They were of many different sizes, yet each held the same square patterns and all connected to the largest chunk which remained suspended in front of them.
They walked to the very edge of a man-made floor and Y'shtola stretched out her hand, feeling the energy that these crystals held.
She was suddenly bathed in a strange glow as she seemed to be sensing the power inside them, as if connecting her own soul with whatever kind of aether that flowed through here.
"Such an abundance of aether!" she sighed almost lovingly.
"Are we in luck?" Hien asked when he felt that it was safe to speak.
"We are," she said, lowering her hand and the glow fading. "This is an Allagan artifact, most likely built to regulate the flow of aether. I strongly suspect the ancients used it to stem the flow from here to the Burn. That would explain how they were able to untether what became Azys Lla from its surroundings."
So they have a way to create this barrier. All thanks to the Allagans… who would have thought? Still, she was curious to know that if Azys Lla came from the Far East, how did they move that chunk of land from here all the way to the skies floating just a few bells journey from Ishgard?
"But were we to throw open the floodgates, the resultant deluge would surely be sufficient to raise our wall," Y'shtola went on, "And in restoring the flow, we may also restore life to the wasteland."
Yet, the idea of bringing life back to the Burn caused her to pause and Claire wasn't sure why she wasn't happy about this.
"What is it?" Hien asked.
"While the device itself harbors a surfeit of aether, the opposite is true of the surrounding area…" she muttered. She studied the crystal and stone around them before she heard her mutter, "An effect of regulation, perhaps? A similar phenomenon seemed to be occurring in Doma…"
She shook her head before turning back to them.
"Whatever the explanation, the answer will not reveal itself here," she said, "We have seen what we needed to see. Let us return to Mol Lloh."
Right, now that they have their answer, they best speak with Cirina on their next course of action. While she was certain the Mol would give them their blessing, there were at least fifty different tribes who roamed the Steppe and she doubted that they would be as understanding.
They wasted no time in returning to speak with her.
"You found what you seek, then?" Cirina asked, and after seeing their expressions, she smiled warmly and said, "Great indeed is the Dusk Mother's power. If naught less will suffice to protect our lands, the blessing of the other tribes must now be sought."
"Of course," Hien agreed, "But to which tribes should we appeal?"
"There are many who worship Nhaama, but none are so fervent in their faith as the Dotharl," Cirina declared, "Their consent shall be the key."
Of all the people… the Dotharl were easily the most intimidating of all the tribes that she had met so far.
"The Dotharl," Y'shtola said slowly as she thought back, "Lyse spoke of them. A warlike tribe possessed of unique customs and beliefs. I sense their cooperation will not be easily won."
"Nay, but it will be well worth the effort," Hien added, "The Dotharl fear nothing—death least of all—and our alliance would be greatly strengthened by their presence. Let us go to Dotharl Khaa and threat with their khatun, Sadu."
With no other options, they thanked Cirina and left immediately to head out to the West. Claire was the one who showed the way there, pointing to the sandy regions of the Steppe.
"Truly?" Y'shtola asked in surprise as they explained a little more of what the Dotharl were like. "They truly believe that their dead return to them in the guise of a newborn?"
"That was what Gosetsu told me," Hien confessed. "While the idea may seem far-fetched to me, they truly believe with all their hearts that death is only temporary. It is for this reason that they do not fear to die. I can't say if it's true or not, but what is important is that we respect their beliefs."
"Understood," Y'shtola agreed, "Besides, if it turns out that it is true, it makes one wonder…?"
Claire smiled at that as they continued the rest of the way, the grass turning to sand in no time at all, and the small oasis where the Dotharl were currently living, came into view. After making their presence known, they were allowed to head towards the main tent to where Sadu was.
"You again?" Sadu barked suspeciously as they approached her. "Other matters demand our time, khagan. Unless it is a battle you seek?"
"Alas not," Hien said, speaking for the group, "Quite the opposite, in fact…"
And after taking a deep breath, he told them what they knew. Of the Empire's risk and how they could end up attacking the Steppe in the nearby future. However, thanks to some ruins they found in the Burn, if they had a powerful enough energy supply, they could create a barrier to keep them out. However, using that power source to charge it could only come from…?
"Talking, always talking…" Sadu said with a shake of her head. "You say the pillars hold great power? Of course they do. They are the source of Nhaama's strength. To the Dotharl, no place is more sacred, and we will make ash of any who would defile it. Though I see this is not your wish."
"You see the wisdom of our proposition, then?" Hien asked, sounding relieved, "You will join hands with us?"
Her eyes narrowed at how he seemed to be putting words into her mouth.
"I said nothing of joining hands," she retorted angrily, "You wish to wield Nhaama's power to defend these lands, and this I will allow. But for leaving the Steppe to fight the men in iron I would have something in return."
"Namely?" Y'shtola asked coldly.
Sadu seemed to like her to-the-point attitude, and even grinned at her before she turned her attention to Claire.
"Namely battle," she said, pointing directly at her, "With you, khagan!"
Claire's jaw fell open slightly at the one demand, and she knew that the others were also surprised by this.
"The Naadam ended ere it began," Sadu explained, "I would face you again, alone, without distractions. Defeat me—prove yourself the stronger—and you shall have the Dotharl as your allies. Surely, these are agreeable terms?"
She and Y'shtola looked to Hien, who seemed to be weighing their options. But Claire knew that there was nothing to discuss. If the only price that they would have to pay would be for her to fight and defeat Sadu, then it was well worth it, was it not?
She was up for this.
"Well, this is a… not wholly unexpected turn of events—though I had assumed I would be the one required to fight," Hien confessed awkwardly, before looking at her with an apologetic look in his eyes. "Alas, the khatun has made her choice."
She raised her eyebrows at him before looking back to Sadu and asked, with a smirk slowly spreading on her face, "Shall we dance?"
"Ha!" she laughed and folded her arms, "It shall be a battle the Steppe shall not soon forget! Ahh, already my soul burns brighter! Prepare yourself, khagan, and await me outside the khaa. I will gather my witnesses and join you anon."
So it was decided and there was nothing that they could do to change it. They set out immediately to the meeting point outside the settlement; just view of the Dawn Throne. The three of them left ahead of the others, for Sadu needed to have another in charge until she got back.
"You knew that there would be a fight breaking out when we set out to ask the Dotharl for their permission?" Y'shtola asked him as they waited.
"I knew that there was a likely chance," he confessed. "For out of all the tribes upon the Steppe, the Dotharl are amongst the fiercest and bravest. For they fear nothing, not even their own deaths. Their aid was instrumental in freeing Doma from the Empire, after all. Yet, I also know that in exchange for allowing us to use Nhaama's power, we would have to prove ourselves worthy of such an honor. I guess I hoped that by listening to the khagan, they would not feel the need to do so. Or at the least, to have me challenge them, for it was my idea to begin with. Shows how much I know."
He looked back to Claire and added, "I hope you can forgive me, my friend. Had I known…?"
But Claire was shaking her head with a faint smile. She couldn't honestly say she was entirely surprised by this turn of events, and the fact that Sadu would be willing to aid them in exchange for a battle was more than she had been hoping for.
"If it's any constellation, she sees you as a worthy adversary," Hien added kindly, "She thinks far more highly of you than myself, it would seem. Not that I blame her. For she has every reason to believe in such a thing."
"Well, it would seem that our honored guest is about to arrive," Y'shtola pointed out, and sure enough, she could see a small band of people approaching them from over a sandy dune.
Claire watched as Sadu appeared with a handful of her warriors behind her. At first she thought that they would all be here to fight, yet they seemed more at ease and excited than willing to do battle. They were just her guard and witnesses to the fight ahead.
Soon enough, the two stood facing each other, only yalms apart as they waited for the inevitable.
"Yes, this spot shall serve as well as any," Sadu said excitedly, her throat humming with joy, "I shall enjoy this, khagan!"
"Is this truly necessary?" Y'shtola asked suddenly from behind Claire, "Have you no peaceable way of making decisions?"
"Speak not of peace," Sadu barked, "You stand before proud warriors of the Dotharl. In the heat of battle do our souls burn brightest! We lay low the strong that we may rise higher!" She thudded her chest and cried, "That is our way—the way of might! There is no other!"
"…Well, they do not want for conviction," she heard Y'shtola muttering from behind her and she felt her mouth twitch slightly.
"Indeed," Hien chuckled, "It's what makes them such dangerous enemies… and such useful allies."
"Enough talk!" Sadu shouted, her staff in hand, "It is time to fight!"
The two readied themselves.
"Come, khagan!" Sadu cried, her eyes ablaze with a new kind of fire that resembled an inferno, "Let us dance!"
And so they began. Claire moved in with her blade and slashed at Sadu, who danced out of the way, almost spinning as she did so, before she sent a dispelling wind towards her. Claire dashed to the side before moving in closer to get behind her.
Grinning, Sadu held up her hand and what looked like half a dozen Chun Chuluu statues appeared around them, all connected to Sadu as she felt them charging her powers. In her mind's eye, she could see the pattern of attacks common and she moved to an area that was free of the attacks before forced to dodge Sadu's wind once more.
The statues having been drained of life, fell over and crumbled away as Sadu fell to her knees, gasping for air, after Claire dealt another attack. She stood back and waited to see if it was truly over…?
"You are strong indeed…" she wheezed, "A worthy champion of the Steppe…"
Sadu's head then jerked up as she grinned evilly and cried, "But you are mistaken if you think I will fall so easily."
Power flooded through her body as she was upright once more.
"In death do our souls sing!" Sadu screamed before several staffs appeared out of the ground, shaped just like her own staff, their power surrounding her as magic filled the air.
In Claire's mind's eye, she foresaw the attack coming in the form of half a dozen circular attacks on the ground. She had difficulty in finding a space, barely enough for both of her feet to be able to move in. Of course, Sadu was about to send another dispelling wind her way just as she did find a safe place. The timing was close, but she managed to make it out of that predicament with only a couple cuts.
They kept this battle up until she caused Sadu to fall to her knees for a second time.
"Ahh, fighting you is pure bliss!" Sadu sighed amorously. "Such sweet pleasure, I will not suffer to end so soon!"
No way she was going to give up that easily.
Claire could only smirk as Sadu rallied to her feet once more and this time, three giant Khun Shavar marionettes were summoned. Sadu was cackling now as the large puppets rolled over to the outer edges of their battlefield where they sent frozen attacks their way.
These things were a pain to fight since she had her hands full with just Sadu; having to be able to find a way to avoid them as they rolled about where they wanted before unleashing all manner of elemental attacks. Such as with the case of creating miniature tornado or causing fire to strike at her feet.
She had to deal with them first before going any further. Luckily for her, they weren't that resistant and were cut down rather quickly. She then focused her attention on Sadu again, who seemed to be growing more and more impious with every strike.
"…Well?" Sadu demanded once she found the ground again. "Do not tell me that is all you have?"
"From the looks of things, you are the last one to be taunting me," Claire reminded her, grinning now as Sadu laughed.
Her power was growing stronger and more dangerous every time she got back up and this was no exception. She then screamed out passionately, "My soul demands more, khagan! Give me more!"
Still cackling madly, she unleashed a fury of spells her way just as two more khun chuluu were summoned. These two were stronger and more dangerous than the others from before had been. And Claire could sense that they would be trouble. And she was right, for they were able to unleash fire spells down at her and helped to improve Sadu's defense. She couldn't hope to fight them off and hold Sadu at bay. She had to take them down first.
Just trying to keep track of all that was happening was becoming a madness in and of itself. And it only got crazier after Claire took the statues down. Sadu summoned more staffs and they caused the ground around her to tremble and shake while the statues launched cannon-like blasts her way. How Claire was able to avoid all the attacks that were coming her way, she wasn't sure, but she couldn't hold on forever.
It was with great satisfaction that she slashed through the puppets once more and danced across the field to avoid the path of the staves. Her spirit was ringing with a new kind of excitement—a kind that she could not remember feeling for a long, long time.
The pure joy of fighting a worthy foe without fearing for her life. To be able to run wild and unleash all she had from inside. In that moment, nothing else mattered. Not the threat of the Empire, not the Ascians, not even the idea of Zenos's returned mattered to her. All she felt was the raw joy of fighting and being alive. For a moment, she was a new adventurer again, starting off on her own and didn't need to worry about all these duties and responsibilities that weighed her down like stones. The same duties that suffocated her to such a point that she felt like she couldn't breathe.
She was free… in that moment… she could almost believe it.
But Sadu wasn't holding back any longer, using the power of those staves, the area wide attacks, and the statues on the outside of their battlefield and puppets all at once…? Sadu was determined to win here.
Yet, Claire was still able to charge in and finally dealt to her another blow hard enough to knock her back down with a grunt of pain.
"My arms… grow heavy… my eyes dim…" she croaked out. "But so long as my lifeblood flows… I will fight on!"
She was truly a warrior of the Steppe. Claire had to admire that about her. She was pushing herself to the breaking point and there would be no going back now. She was going to unleash more than ever.
"Yaaaaaarrrrgh!" Sadu screamed as she climbed to her feet once more, power flooding through her body as she turned back with eyes ablaze.
"Oh, it burns!" she shrieked as she cast her spell, "Come! Let us begin anew!"
That was when the massive shadow fell over them and Claire didn't even need to look up to know what was now hurtling towards them. This was a Meteor Spell and judging from the shadow of the boulder above their heads, she had about a minute to put a stop to it.
And there was only one way she could stop it… to bring down Sadu and interrupt her spell before she finished. Yet, that was the entire problem at this point. Sadu wasn't going to make it easy for her for she just summoned more stone statues around them.
"This is the reckoning, khagan!" she shrieked, "One must fall!"
That was right… she was the khagan of the Steppe. The mightiest warrior here, and it was time that she stepped up and reminded them of it. They battled harder than ever, here Claire had to first dodge the attack from the stone while avoiding her spells. Even after that, more puppets appeared and were launching their own attacks at her at this point.
All the while her mind was keeping track of the meteor's progress.
40 seconds… 39… 38…
She brought down the puppets in record time while being able to dodge more of the staves magical attacks.
30 seconds… 29… 28… 27…
The battlefield was coated in ice while Sadu flung a fireball at her.
20 seconds left… 19…
More staffs were summoned while another set of puppets created another miniature tornado.
This kept up until she was just under ten seconds left for the meteor to strike… and she finally was able to weaken Sadu enough that her spell was interrupted. She stood tall as Sadu was on her knees, panting for air once more.
But she was grinning as she raised her head.
"Yes!" Sadu cried, "YES! Not since the Naadam has my soul burned so!"
But Claire was grinning too, feeling a rush through her blood and her own soul singing at the idea of fighting such a foe who knew not the meaning of the word surrender.
"Come!" Sadu cried, "We have only just begun!"
Claire had now lost track of how many times that Sadu found her second wind. She allowed power to rush through her veins once more before her body rose up, ready to continue for as long as possible. Just as they were getting ready to continue however…?
"Enough. You were not granted leave to set the Steppe ablaze."
Her head jerked up at the sound of the voice, and sure enough, standing there atop a half-buried statue, stood Magnai. He was with a couple members of the Buduga and a few of his fellow Oronir as he observed their battle from directly above—not looking the least bit happy.
"Well, well!" Hien called pleasantly surprised, "The sun has come out to play!"
Claire could have sworn she heard Sadu growing at the sight of Magnai and shouted out at him with clear annoyance, "Begone, moonstruck Oronir! I am busy!"
"Fool of a Dotharl!" Magnai yelled back, "Have you forgotten the face of your master already? The Sun will never set! From his seat on high, he reigns over all, now and forever!"
There was silence as they looked up at him. Indeed, Y'shtola looked like she couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"Yet what should He find here but a battle to determine the fate of the Steppe—a battle waged without His blessing!" Magnai went on, sounding outraged, "This will not stand!"
She watched how Magnai's furious golden eyes turned to Hien and he barked, "You, Doman. You who come to petition the warriors of this land forget that all Nhaama's children are wards of the Oronir. As first among my brothers, your petition is mine alone to judge."
So he must have heard from the Mol of what they were doing here… either guessed or heard about the battle between them and the Dotharl… and came here looking for them.
"These words are as wind from a horse's backside!" Sadu taunted, paying him as much attention as if his words were just wind, "Plentiful. But your axe sings more sweetly. Let her speak for you."
That finally did it. He reached for his axe and swung it about as any warrior from Eorzea as he glared at Sadu and snarled furiously, "Insolent child. You will learn your place."
He ran and jumped down, hitting the ground with such force that she could feel it tremble as he dashed straight toward her. She gritted her teeth, feared fighting them both off at the same time before Hien went running in to block the way, holding his blade and causing the Oronir brief pause.
"Forgive me, Brother Magnai," he said warningly, yet still with a trace of respect, "But we have an arrangement with the Dotharl. We will not abide any interruptions."
Magnai glared at him, but when he saw Y'shtola run up to stand with Hien, ready to block him should he try to force his way through, he seemed to realize how serious they were about this.
"So be it," he hissed, "The Sun will pass judgement on all. Daidukul—join me."
That was when one of the Buduga stepped forward, overlooking Hien with a smug grin as he held up his fists.
Claire glanced back to Sadu, wondering what to do, when she saw the Dotharl still grinning wildly.
"The Sun is in good company," Sadu reassured her with a shadow of a wink, "We may dance alone."
Claire looked back, feeling a grin upon her mouth as she nodded, ready to go on.
*Y'shtola*
It seems that any worries that she had for Claire were unfounded. Their Warrior of Light was more than capable of holding her own against Sadu while the other Dotharl watched and cheered at such a battle.
Yet now they had their hands full trying to prevent this new challenger from ruining their deal. He was strong, she could sense the power flowing through his body like fire—an avalanche of pure devastating strength. While not as brightly as the shining light that seemed to radiate through their friend, it was still formidable.
"Beg not for mercy, for you will have none," Magnai threatened, "Bear witness to the power and the glory of Azim!"
No doubt in her mind on who he clearly thought the victor was going to be.
"Constantly at each other's throats, like rabid… dogs," Y'shtola muttered, before realizing what she just said and Master Matoya's old, wrinkled face appeared in her mind's eye before she groaned, "Gods, I'm turning into her."
Now that thought terrified her more than the idea of a possible invasion from the Garleans.
She would worry about that later as she cleared her throat and spoke to Hien next to her, "I have not the patience for this. But if we must fight, let us at least be brief. Come!"
She raised her staff as the battle began.
She stood with Hien as they faced off against him and the one called Daidukul. With her the one to cast the first spell and caused the earth to rise up from under him.
Yet he was as stubborn as a brick wall for he barely flinched.
"Come!" Magnai cried as he surged ahead towards her, "Plead your case unto the Sun!"
"Oh, we shall endeavor to be most convincing!" Hien promised as their fights started.
She moved around him as Hien charged at Daidukul, ducking and avoiding his fists while his sword swung through the air.
"When we have claimed victory," Daidukul cried to him, "I claim Hien for the Buduga!"
Oh, why not? This fighting was both ludicrous and pointless so why not add one more thing that makes no sense?
She sighed and muttered, not caring anymore what they did "Do as you will…"
Besides, she still had her hand full dealing with Magnai as he used the axe to slice right through her attack of the earth, destroying the rock into tiny pebbles.
"You, too, must learn your place," he growled at her. "Bow down before me!"
Not in this lifetime if she could help it. She moved onwards, never standing still for long as several axe-shaped staffs rose out of the earth like the ones similar to the ones that Claire faced when fighting Sadu.
She was no stranger to battle and had seen similar fights before. These staffs were a manifestation of Magnai's powers and the axes were sure to unleash a powerful area attack and all within range were to be struck. The problem was that they were so large and brimming with so much might that she knew that the backlash from them all cut covered their battlefield. She had to take one down.
So, she turned her attention from Magnai to the axe that floated in the very center of the circle of axes and concentrated on that on. She broke it apart easily enough and ran in to stand in the same location where it once stood just as Hien moved to stand beside her.
"Live or die!" Mangai shouted. With a grunt of anger, Magnai brought his own axe down on them as the other floating ones exploded. She could feel the heat on her face and the dirt kicked up around their feet.
He was deadly, she could admit that.
"Mark well and learn!" Hien suddenly cried, and she could sense his own strength rising. He was about to unleash a powerful attack as he resheathed his katana and prepared to draw it once more.
"Let's move this right along!" he went on, about the draw… yet Magnai saw what he was doing.
"You have left yourself open, Doman!" he informed him and he sent his axe his way. Y'shtola couldn't stop it in time and could only watch as Hien was hit hard, interrupting his attack and he ended up falling to his knees.
"Ugh, this bodes ill…" he grunted as Daidukul began his attack this time, ready to charge in with a move similar to Lyse's Final Heaven attack. "Y'shtola—some healing would be welcome!"
Ordering her around? Now that was a dangerous move, alright. In fact, she was almost tempted to let him get hit just to teach him a lesson. Yet, she sent a powerful cure spell his way anyway. Meanwhile Daidukul continued powering up and Magnai was bearing down on her more vicious than ever.
"My fist swells with the passion of the Buduga!" Daidukul cried, "Every last drop, I give to you, Hien!"
She spun around and made it in time to heal Hien enough that he was able to get back on his feet and withstand the attack. Having used every last bit of strength he had, there was nothing left to defend Daidukul from Hien before he was brought down.
"Ungh…" Daidukul grunted, "This isn't over, Hien…"
If she didn't know better, she would swear that these Buduga had a fascination for Hien.
No matter, for now the two of them were facing Magnai, who was showing no mercy when he summoned more axes around them.
"Bow down before me!" he demanded as she was firing more powerful spells down at him. She couldn't see the reason behind all this fighting. What were they trying to prove? She moved left and then right, avoiding his axe as he flew out his axes and cut up the earth, barely giving her time to find her footing.
"So you still stand," Magnai said after a while, "But soon you will kneel."
More axes appeared, forcing her to destroy enough of them that she would be able to avoid a direct hit while he continued to try and overpower her with his sheer raw strength. She was handling it though, unable to remember the last time she had a real proper battle.
"Know the folly of opposing the will of Azim!" he cried as she finished the wound he dealt to her in the side. "Tremble before the might of the Sun."
Again with the axes? What was with this guy? What was he trying to make up for?
But she suddenly sensed that these axes were different from the ones before. In fact, when she tried to attack them, she barely made a scratch… these ones were reinforced in such a way that breaking them would take too long to avoid the attack that was coming.
"These axes will not break!" he taunted, grinning when he saw her realized this fact, "You have nowhere to hide!"
"Very well, then…" Hien called as turned around and ran. For a moment, it crossed her mind that he was making a wild dash for it… at least until he turned around to face one of the furthest axes and was preparing to draw his blade once more.
"Y'shtola—to me!" he commanded and she could sense that he was about to bring something big. She did what she was told this time, running straight for him and past to make sure she was directly behind him; curious to see what he had planned.
"I shall take care of this!" Hien declared. "Let us be about it!"
And he was unlashed a devastating attack as if a fury of blade work in just one blast—cracking the axe right down the middle and watching it crumble away to dust. It wasn't much, but it took everything he had to be able to give them a place to stand where they wouldn't be hit.
She could feel the violent tremble in the earth as the axes exploded, felling the hot air singed her fur and she coughed on the smoke. Yet, to her surprise, Magnai looked more annoyed at this development.
"Hmph," Magnai grunted. "Predictable!"
And suddenly he held up his fist as purplish-black chains of raw energy sprang from his fingers and flew right at them. She wasn't able to think of a single counterattack to block it as the chains wrapped themselves around her and Hien—hoisting them off the ground and unable to move.
"What?" Hien cried in surprise,
"Every step you will take, every move you will make—the Sun sees all!" Magnai declared as he pulled them in closer. "Now, fall!"
Can't he try for something a little more original? She was getting sick of the same tactics… at least with Sadu, she kept you guessing. Still, she was prepared to end it this time as she allowed the aether that flowed through her very body to rage against the chains.
"Yeah!" she cried, breaking free, feeling more alive than she had in a long time as she stretched out her arms, allowing her power to surge through her body. "Time to finish this!"
She held up her hand and cried, "Aether! To me!"
The arcane symbols appeared about her feet as the earth spun around her and light gathered. She allowed the light to engulf her as she rose into the air, the aether in the air combining as the light shone down, enough to knocked Magnai back and down at long last.
Magnai was on his knees for air as she landed, still standing as Hien wheezed next to her.
"Ungh… what strength—what grace is this?" she heard Magnai wheeze as she shook her snow-white hair from her face and breathing in the fresh air deeply. Her body feeling heavy but her spirit all but soaring as she looked back down with a grin.
Gods how good that felt…?
Hien managed to get back to his feet as the rest of Magnai's party stared on in shock at the sight of their leader having been brought down. She glanced over at Hien, glad to see him well. That was when her ears picked up footsteps and she looked back to see that Claire was coming towards her with Sadu and the other Dotharl.
Claire was looking unruffled while the other Dotharl were gazing at her with rather star-struck expressions as Sadu was panting hard. It seemed that their battle had also just ended and there was no need to guess who emerged the victory—at least judging from Claire's peaceable expression.
"Ahh," Sadu sighed ecstatically, sounding out of breath but at pure peace, "Never have I felt such bliss in defeat!" She closed her eyes and added to them, still beaming that haughty smile, "Twas a battle to burn soul and flesh to ash. We Dotharl will lend you our strength as promised. Nahaam's power is yours to wield."
That was a relief. So their journey here had been worth it in the end even if the process was pointless. She then watched as Sadu turned to look at Magnai and asked, "What does the Sun say to that?"
Daidukul was still wheezing as he struggled to get up and Magnai seemed to be trying to get back to his feet as he leaned against his axe with the blade planted firmly in the sand.
"Hmph," he grunted, refusing to give them any kind of recognition—as if he was still the one calling the orders. "The Sun is not driven by base motives such as yours. But aye, they have been judged… and found worthy."
One less thing to worry about. All they needed to do now was to go back to the House of the Crooked Coin and finish what they started. Once she did her part, she could restore the flow of aether to the Burn and have the power needed for the generators ready to go.
Magnai then dragged himself upright, slinging his weapon over his back as he went on speaking, as if determined not to be outdone by the Dotharl.
"It is the way of the Oronir to accord recognition and respect to the strong," he said business-like, "You have made sufficient proof of your strength. The Sun shall answer your call."
"You have our thanks," Hien said, beaming at him, "We are glad to call you allies."
Magnai barely paid him any attention, however. His golden eyes just looked past him until she could tell that he was looking directly at her. This was proven when he asked her, "You. By what are you called?"
She narrowed her eyes slightly, not liking the way he was looking at her. She glanced over at Claire at her side, wanting to ask just what she knew of him that would cause him to be staring so transfixed at her.
But unable to do so here, she merely answered truthfully, "Y'shtola. Why?"
Again, he was gazing at her as if he couldn't look away and his staring was starting to annoy and worry her.
"Are you…" he began slowly and no small amount of hesitation, "Are you my Nhaama?"
The word meant nothing to her. Was she his what?
She could have sworn she heard a stifled giggle from next to her and wanted to ask Claire what she thought was so funny.
There was silence as they all looked from him to her and she knew that she was missing something here.
"I beg your pardon?" Y'shtola asked in confusion.
"In battle, you shone with all the majesty of the full moon's light, your healing touch the embodiment of the Dusk Mother's love," he explained to her, his eyes shutting in bliss, leaving her even more confused than ever. "Long had I wondered if my Nhaama might not be a woman of the Steppe. Beholding you, I am all but certain!"
He then slowly began to walk towards her, his arms open wide and joy on his face.
"Now, look into my eyes," he said, "Could it be…? Could you be…?"
She had heard of worst pick-up lines. Still, this was hardly romantic.
"I am… not interested, little sun," she told him sweetly, almost enjoying seeing the anticipation shatter in his face. "Try again when you have become a man."
One could almost see the very hope fade from his eyes and his arms slumped to his sides as he stared at her with a bewildered look on his face.
Sadu, however, was laughing harder than ever.
"Little Sun!" she cried, taunting Magnai with a babyish voice, "Little sun!"
Magnai bore his teeth at her, trying to hide his humiliation, his face glowing red and eyes blazing as she continued to laugh at him.
"Does it pain you, little sun?" Sadu smirked evilly. "Crave you salve to soothe the ache? Fire to sear the wound in your heart?"
But it seemed that she pushed him too far. In a flash, his weapon was in his hand and those behind him followed suit just as Sadu and her fellow Dotharl drew their weapons.
Well, they got what they came for and this had nothing to do with them. She figured that it was best they leave these two to continue their… 'disagreement' while they saw to the rest of their mission.
"We have wasted enough time here," Y'shtola said firmly, "Cirina waits for word of our success."
She then headed off, her head held up high while Claire and Hien followed on her heels. She passed by the two parties, who looked ready to tear each other to pieces; feeling just the faintest traces of pity for Magnai.
This would be good for him, however. Knock him down a few pegs and remind him that he wasn't as impressive as he seemed to believe he was.