18 - The Twilight Gardens
Fordola rem Lupis followed Sara Alexander, the Warrior of Light, down the quiet passageway out of the courtroom. Together, they walked past the holding cell where Fordola had been held briefly and they had talked twice this long day. They carried on, further into the back passageways of the building.
For a moment, Fordola enjoyed the quiet - the only sound being their respective footsteps padding on the hard, stone surface. The air felt fresher than in the courtroom; the darker light was welcome, and the absence of accusing eyes stabbing into her back - relieving. Like having a weight off her shoulders.
She was full-glad not to be walking the streets back to the city jail after the events of the morning. The crowds braying for blood, the woman with the hidden knife, the stone-faced city guard. It wasn't the danger of violence – she had no fear of death or injury, but rather the shame. To see her life's ambitions had brought her to this point, to this rock bottom. Although she had held her head up high hadn't, she? She had...she was sure, Nevertheless she bitterly hoped her father could not see her from any afterlife - if it existed.
Now, as the sun set, Fordola was unable to shake the suspicion that she was being sneaked out by the backdoor…a stain on Ala Mhigo's new republic to be whisked away. But what was the Warrior of Lights part in this? A test? Real or an excuse? She did not think the hero of Eorzea would be the sort to use such chicanery in a court of law so publicly.
Lost in her thoughts, she failed to notice the other woman had stopped. Fordola almost stumbled into the Warriors back - managing to stop gracelessly at the last second.
"Almost forgot," Sara murmured and turned to face Fordola.
The Warrior of Light was a few ilms taller (a fact that galled Fordola for some reason), also slenderer and curvier in the right places other women would envy. Fordola still wondered what age she was. She seemed young, yet also old in some ways, curious - almost as curious as the complete lack of physical battle scars for one embroiled in conflict on a regular basis.
"Hold out your hands," Sara asked and Fordola dutifully raised her manacled hands for her inspection.
Sara examined the metal cuffs and with a look of disdain raised her right index finger. For a moment, Fordola saw the Warriors aether swirl into motion – and a small shimmering blade of white light appearing just before she sliced it down between Fordola's hands.
The metal links fell to the ground with a loud clunk. Fordola took a half step backwards to avoid them falling on her toes, massaging her hands fiercely. After all the events of today, having her hands loose was one of the best sensations of the day.
"You sure about that?" She challenged Sara, looking the Warrior in the eyes. "Maybe I'll try and run?"
Sara laughed musically, half raising her left hand to her mouth as the blade of energy vanished from the other. She turned to face their direction of travel, but favoured Fordola with a look back, complete with a slightly coquettish grin. "You're welcome to try. Until then – keep up."
Fordola managed to twist her lips to hide the grin. She was almost tempted to…but for now she followed.
They walked a bit further, feet padding down abandoned hallways before coming to a bronze door, the old royal griffin mark on the handle half chipped off. Sara opened it and walked through, out into a desolate and cramped back alley.
The backends of tall buildings flanked the alley on either side, casting it in sharp shadows from the soft golden sky above. Fordola stepped out, allowing the door to close smoothly behind her. Letting the smell of the city wash her, breathing in deeply – the cacophony of senses, people, food, refuse – the smells of any city. Her city.
Sara allowed her a moment before gesturing her on, down the alley.
"Where are we?" Fordola asked as she trotted behind, speaking to the other woman's back while looking left and right at the tall buildings. "I don't recognize this part of the city."
"This is a back route that connects the law buildings with the royal palace." Sara replied, as she led her around a corner, following the alley around a windowless building. "The royal family, or nobility up in the castle wanted a back route into the courthouse if it was ever needed – probably to avoid a public route."
Fordola snorted; sounded about right. The old royal family of Ala Mhigo had taken 'avoiding the public' and the like very seriously.
Another corner in the shadows and they came to an iron gate blocking off the path, sandwiched between two tall, grim looking buildings. Sara pushed it open without any need to unlock it and they continued onwards.
"The palace is now on our left." Sara continued as she kept a fast pace which Fordola matched. "The ministry of thought and order is the building on our right. It's not been occupied since the years of King Theodoric but Lyse wants to reuse it as a city hospital."
"Oh, I bet she does." Fordola replied, cursing herself for the slight sneer she put on her tone. Why did she have to be like that? Some burning…lingering hatred or self-loathing in her breast answered the question though.
"Here," Sara replied as they rounded a corner, and suddenly stepped out into the palace royal gardens.
The contrast from cramped back alley, to lush open gardens was startling. The alley exited onto a discreet side of the royal palace gardens where it was almost certainly concealed from easy sight of the palace, shadowed by two imported eastern pine trees that towered over the entranceway.
The gardens beyond were beautiful beyond doubt, with exotic cherry, orange maple and yellow ginkgo trees breaking up soil beds, filled with flowers of a thousand exotic colours. Paving stones led around these trees and flower beds, with large grass greens providing spacing between the different exhibitions. Fordola had seen the gardens before, in passing – and on closer inspection she noted that the gardens looked...wilder and more uncared for now - if no less beautiful.
In the far distance, the gardens ended suddenly against a low carved wall that overlooked the massive valley at the 'back' of the city. She blinked at the golden light of the sun, dipping down towards the mountain peaks visible on the shimmering horizon.
Together, they slowly walked away from the gate, under the shade of the pine trees and into the gardens proper. To their left the palace towered above them, glittering columns, walls and domes reaching into the golden beyond. Flags of the new Ala Mhigan Republic flying at every grand window. Far in the distance, on a higher level would be the Royal Menagerie itself. Fordola could dimly make out the platforms in the hazy light far above.
"Are you coming?" The Warriors voice floated back to her and Fordola snapped her eyes down, watching the woman increasing her pace, walking freely across the grass - away from the palace and towards the wall at the end of the gardens.
After a moment's hesitation, knowing this was not the way back to her cell, Fordola followed. She breathed in deeply as she walked – allowing the scent of flowers and grass to revitalize her further while focusing on the Warriors back. Her eye-catching white garb which she had worn all day gleaming brilliantly, impossibly clean. Between that - the sunset and the aetheric halo that blazed around her - the effect was...discombobulating to say the least.
For a few moments they walked; carefully stepping around a particularly large overgrown flower bed before Sara pulled up against the low wall. The wall itself was a graceful thing of sandstone moulded painstakingly into elegant arches that reached up to waist height. The Warrior leaned over it, breathing in the wind soaring up from the great valley below which playfully ruffled her short hair as a slight smile played on her mouth. Fordola drew level, not leaning on the wall and watching the other woman closely.
A moment of silence passed as the wind blew and the sun slowly continued its descent towards the distant mountains, "It's beautiful isn't it?" Sara questioned, keeping her gaze out towards the approaching mountain sunset.
Fordola looked out at the vast expanse before her, what was this woman getting at? She looked back the way they had walked, to the nearest flower bed. The twisted leaves, the coiling weeds and the stubborn flowers clinging skywards, "I guess…although the gardens have seen better days." She gestured; her tone colder than she meant.
"True…it's a bit like the city now," Sara softly replied; still gazing out across the valley. "Wild and free. The people are able to grow however they want."
"Hmmm…" Fordola pondered for a moment. Then, unable to resist taking the bait she gestured at the overgrown flower bed again. "It's not just the flowers that are wild and free - so are the weeds. Those that are strongest and able to pull down the others around them, rise to the top."
"Aye, and so they are." Sara allowed with a little, maybe even a sad, nod of the head.
Fordola allowed the silence to last a moment, watching the Warrior out of the corner of her eye, hoping she would say something. When she didn't, she cleared her throat loudly, and moved alongside the wall, turning her body fully to the other woman.
"Is it so wrong, that under the Garleans every 'flower' had the same amount of soil, light and water to grow in?" Fordola gestured again, back at the mess of colors in the overgrown flower bed. "There were no weeds, and every flower, every citizen could live a full and healthy life. What does freedom offer except a chance for the strong and rich to get richer, and the weak and poor to get poorer?"
"Fordola." Sara said softly, now looked at her calmly, without doubt. "Do you think the Garleans saw your people as 'flowers' worthy of the same soil, light and water as their own people?"
Fordola felt her fists clench, and then relax. "Maybe under Lord Gaius I would have replied yes…but afterwards, I'm not so sure…"
Sara offered a slightly bitter sounding laugh. "Yes exactly, but I didn't come here to talk politics with you." She turned, leaning back against the wall with her arms, meeting Fordola's eyes steadily. "But I have faith in Lyse and the new Ala Mhigan republic, I trust they will prove you wrong."
Fordola grunted noncommittally at that, now turning to look out across the valley. "So, what did you come to talk to me about?"
"Your resonant abilities…your Echo, and mine."
A gust of wind blew, as on the horizon the sun now kissed the peak of the tallest mountain. Fordola watched it for a moment, the way the shimmering heat haze played on the valley before turning back to Sara.
"What is there to say about your abilities!?" She demanded, feeling genuinely confused - even if her interest was piqued. "Whatever you have is strong, it sets you apart. The masses love you, the Garleans fear you - heck even that white haired kid at the table - Alphinaud, adores you for your 'light' as he sees it." Fordola closed her mouth, her tone was starting to get bitter. I am not jealous of this woman, she repeated mentally.
The Warrior chuckled, breaking eye contact and shifting round again to join her, looking out across the valley. "Well, we've been through a lot, Alphinaud and me. I admire him for his own light...you underestimate him Fordola, he's stronger than you think." She looked back at Fordola quizzically. "You've seen my own past; you've seen all the betrayals and challenges I've faced...what do you think is the difference between our abilities really?"
Fordola chuckled dryly at that. Now there was a question she had spent some time thinking about in the cells and she met the other woman's gaze firmly. "Well, at the end of the day – I used my abilities to further what I believed to be just. But, having seen all the things you've done…" She paused, weighing her words up for a second. "The reality is...you just answer to a floating crystal or something - one of The Twelve maybe? Some of the Garleans described you simply as a religious fanatic, a pawn of some higher power. Maybe they aren't wrong?"
Sara looked startled at that, her veneer of control cracked, and she gave Fordola a sharp look, lips pursing together. "I am no religious fanatic!"
"Oh please." Fordola chuckled, feeling some enjoyment at the Warriors discomfort. "Giant floating crystals, blessings, hooded black figures to triumph over? Before the siege, I thought you were calling the shots - I thought you wielded great power as a champion of Eorzea, almost running the show from the shadows; but now I'm more doubtful. Maybe you are the one, knowingly or unknowingly being wielded by some other power beyond my understanding after all."
Sara had regained her control, but her eyes were still flinty as she measured Fordola's tone. "One of my friends a little over a year ago offered up her body to the Goddess you speak of, Hydaelyn. As Her voice, she spoke to me about the darkness that wants to devour this world and reduce it to nothing. If I can stop that, if I can fight against that - then I will with every fibre of my being and in the name of the Mothercrystal."
Sara's voice was passionate and Fordola broke the gaze. She had seen the Warriors memories, in a blur, and knew what she said to be true. She now looked away, out across the valley again at the halo of the sun around the peaks, "Then in this case, I hope you prove me wrong as well." She spoke softly, some sixth sense of wrongness nagging at her here.
Sara seemed to deflate slightly and moved closer to Fordola, still leaning out across the wall, looking into the distance, her tone more measured. "There are beings Fordola, 'Ascians' they're called - that control the cycle of violence on this star. Beings that hide in the shadows between worlds, plotting and scheming to their own end. They are the friends of nobody, their games are beyond our understanding and they seek the destruction of Hydaelyn knowing it will undo us all."
Fordola said nothing, mulling over the words. She had also seen the flickers of these shadowy beings, clad in hoods and darkness. Playing in the affairs of others, toying with primals, killing and threatening the Warriors close companions. These Ascians were clearly beings to be weary of.
Sara sighed heavily and reached up a hand to idly tuck back some hair that had swept loose. "I'm sorry Fordola, we were supposed to be talking about our shared abilities...I want to help you, you could do a lot of good in the world. You could help us against the Ascians."
Fordola laughed at that, it was a harsh dry sound "Aye, that would be rich. If they don't hang me, it'll be life in a cell for the rest of my life. It's what I deserve, for what I did to my Crani Lupi alone…"
"The alliance will not call for a death penalty." Sara said firmly at that. "Alphinaud has already ruled out such a calling. Your resonant abilities share much of my own, you are resistant to a primal's thrall, you can understand any language - you can sense and control aether to a similar extent of my own. You could do much good work with the Scions, if not directly against the Ascians then it could be through liaising with the beastmen, defending against primals and much more."
Fordola shook her head, mind elsewhere, Ansfrid and the others... "The Ala Mhigan citizenry will want me to rot." She spoke the words dutifully, although they weighed heavy. "I deserve to. My abilities are artificial, I can't control them properly, Lord Zenos would have crushed me like a bug on that day of the siege - my abilities be damned."
"You think I don't doubt myself?" Sara murmured softly, jioining her in watching the sun set. "Five years ago, I was just another foolhardy adventurer with some gil to my name and little else. Now I'm…" She stopped, and then sighed, "Never mind...maybe Fray is right…"
Fordola didn't say anything. She had seen the Warriors past and understood there was a strange kinship of sorts they shared, and despite everything - a part of her was grateful for that. "You mentioned a test...abilities and so forth." She said, trying to bring the topic forward noticing the Warrior appeared to be mulling a sudden thought over.
"Yes…" Sara reached a hand to brush the same strand of hair back again, before glancing back at Fordola again. "You seem to have no recollection of the procedure Aulus carried out on you, but I saw it - flashes of other realities and other worlds. How the Echo, yours and mine is like a... conduit between realities. It gives us a sixth sense, a ripple (or 'echo' if you like) of similar realities to our own."
Fordola scratched her arm absently, not looking at the Warrior. The back of her mind told her this was true, but the very idea of it also sounded like nonsense...still… "And what are you getting at?" She demanded, kicking a loose pebble out through a curve in the wall, watching it bounce down...down into the shadowy depths of the valley.
"I've been thinking a lot about this." Gods, she suddenly sounds excited, Fordola thought - like this thought had been gnawing her all day, waiting to be released. "You've felt it too, haven't you?" The Warrior continued. "When you see the past, you're mentally there - projected if you like, into another worldline - it's a form of 'astral projection' if you like. I've never been able to control this ability, it's just happened - but it's always shown me something I need to see, Hydaelyn herself guiding me." She pointed a finger at Fordola's forehead. "But you, you seem to be able to see the past or future, you have no specific control – but likewise you are not controlled like I am!"
Fordola was now feeling lost and she turned to lean against the wall, folding her arms. "Again...I really don't think I'm following you here. How are you controlled exactly?"
Sara shrugged at that, "I always seem able to see just the right thing at just the right moment. There is an order to it; but your ability seems to strike at random, yes?" Fordola nodded, in fact – she was surprised she had not been struck with any strange visions of the Warriors' past while they had been together in the gardens.
"I think between the two of us we could...control our astral projection." Sara actually bit her lip slightly at this, Fordola saw, there was a slight...'edge' of some nervousness here. "If we link...we could use my raw power and your freedom to see, maybe even interact with the past or future freely!"
"How…?" Fordola tilted her head to one side. "You can never interact with the past or future, your memories aren't aware of me when I saw your past and I trust you've never spoken to an Echo before?"
"Together we can." Sara smiled. "If we link, our joint abilities...I think it's possible that we could temporarily project into other worldlines, maybe even be seen and heard."
"No chance." Fordola almost laughed at this, but she was feeling a little unnerved at the Warriors ardour and use of the word 'link'. "Can you hear yourself? Playing with realities and looking to interact with the past or future? Even I know these things are not for playing with! Just thank your Goddess or Mothercrystal or whatever, for granting you convenient knowledge when it's needed. You might as well be talking about time travel now."
"It's not time travel!" Sara's eyes were set and Fordola could feel the force of her will bearing down on her, willing Fordola to accept her point of view. "We would be interacting with other worldlines slightly out of sync with our own. They may have only minor differences - or they may have massive changes."
"Or they might be an entirely different reality so far removed from our own that it's beyond our understanding!" Fordola remarked exasperated.
"It's worth trying!" Sara was determined, Fordola could see the Warriors jaw was set like it had been that day, inside the walls of Ala Mhigo. "I have to try."
"Why!?" Fordola demanded, matching Sara's urgent tone, "Why is this so important?"
"I need to speak with Hydaelyn." Sara reached out at that, her warm hand closing around Fordola's own on the wall. "You say I am a pawn of a higher power, but I disagree." Her voice suddenly pleading. "Hydaelyn is weaker than you know Fordola, but she sustains us still. Her voice has not reached me in a long time. If we can use our abilities to reach Her, talk to Her...maybe I can find out what I'm here to do...how to stop the destruction of everything we hold dear, understand what the Ascians are trying to accomplish…"
Fordola looked down at the pale hand over her own, not trusting herself to meet the Warriors blazing eyes and Sara caught herself, letting go of Fordola's hand and taking a step back. When she spoke again, her words were soft. "There are those I met who fell to protect me...perhaps there is a reality in which they survived…" She trailed off, looking down, her voice became gruff. "Help me and... I'll speak on your behalf tomorrow in court, it's the least I could do."
Fordola's mind was a blur...but, part of her was thinking...maybe if they could do this...maybe she could see what would have happened to her Crani Lupi if she had not fired on them. Maybe she could ask for her own forgiveness...maybe… "Alright, let's try." She grunted; her heart still skittish, but a part of her wanted to test what the Warrior said. "It won't work, but I don't mind trying."
Sara looked up at her and her face beamed with a radiance Fordola had not seen before. A funny emotion tugged at Fordola which she did not recognize… "But I don't know how we would even try this, what you even mean by linking." Fordola gruffly continued. "And I don't doubt if I turned you down you would still speak up for me anyway - you're that sort of person, even if I still don't understand your reasons for it"
Sara looked abashed suddenly. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to try and coerce you...that was unlike me."
"It's forgotten." Fordola replied, eager to move on and Sara smiled radiantly before moving away from the wall, back onto the grass - gesturing Fordola to follow.
"I've been studying, reading these past days and I think I know how we can try this..." Sara stopped, looking up at the sun whose last rays of light were poking over the mountains. "The palace of Ala Mhigo is actually built on a really strong source of the lifestream...coupled with the twilight hour...it gives us our best shot…" She knelt, folding her legs in and gesturing Fordola into place. "If you could kneel just in front of me."
Fordola warily moved over and knelt on the soft grass, facing Sara...their knees almost touching. The sense of wrongness in Fordola's head was building like a headache...something was off.
"I'll feed you aether and provide the link itself," Sara was saying, her eyes bright and hopefully. "With the lifestream beneath us, just drift towards the strongest source of power...we should naturally drift to the Mothercrystal herself."
"Is that not…dangerous?" Fordola muttered reluctantly. She yearned to suddenly stand up, to pour cold water over this endeavour.
"I'll anchor us," Sara said confidently. "I've learnt much from E-Sumi-Yan, Y'mhitra and Jannequinard over the years."
"If there are countless realities...how do you know we might not end up somewhere completely different?" Fordola asked uneasily, thinking of her earlier objections. "How do we even pull ourselves back?"
"Whenever I've come out of the Echo I've been drained of aether." Sara nodded, as if she expected this next question. "We'll return to our physical bodies where I'll anchor us when I break the connection, or my aether runs out. So, if the projection lasts it shouldn't be for long and if we do land in any 'wrong' place, we should get a chance or two to try again. Although the process will require some fineness…I can't just cut us off if that makes sense!"
She reached out with both her hands and took Fordola's without hesitation. The intimacy was uncomfortable but Fordola didn't resist as Sara smiled reassuringly. "Close your eyes...allow us to drift…"
Somehow...for some reason, Fordola did as asked and allowed her mind to drift. For a moment, it was peaceful, she could feel the wind on her face, the warmth in her hands and the dying heat on her body. Then, a surge of power hit her, her skin goosefleshed as if she had been lowered into an ice-cold bath and she could feel Sara's mind...pushing aether into her. It was like another mind, pushing raw energy, thought and power - like supercharged ceruleum into Fordola's own thoughts.
"Relax…" Sara's voice seemed distant, but soothing, even as she mentally continued to feed power through Fordola. It was deeply intimate, as their minds brushed - souls linking and entwinning. Fordola wanted to open her eyes but the sensation was otherworldly and overpowering, her eyelids remained clamped shut and she tasted something tangy and metallic in her mouth suddenly.
"Just drift." The Warriors voice floated again before her and Fordola felt a sudden spark of annoyance cut into the peace and she opened her mouth to vent a sudden frustration. Just as she was about to, she felt an overpowering nausea, like the whole world had just turned upside down and a million shades of light suddenly filled her vision as she felt the ground sway beneath her…
Flicker,
A blazing web way of lights, a million, billion bubbles of what was, what is and was yet to be enveloped around them. Flashes of moments flickered past on either side. For a split second Fordola felt her mind panic at the sheer overwhelming nature of it all. She tried to let herself drift, but it was impossible to not feel like her mind was being torn apart in the moment. She tried to ground herself, an image of Ala Mhigo, the palace gardens, the valley beyond the wall. The lights swirled and danced, impossible to describe and there was a flash!
8.231309γ
And there was a sudden, powerful need to retch violently.
Fordola grasped at her head, it suddenly ached as bad as she'd ever known it. She was still kneeling in place, and she allowed a moment for the throbbing pain and nausea to lose their edge of surprise and for her to master the discomfort before slowly opening her eyes.
She was back in the palace gardens of Ala Mhigo, Sara was kneeling opposite her, eyes closed in concentration. The Warrior of Light had lines on her face and a single, perfect bead of sweat on her brow. Her aether swirled around her in agitation but otherwise she seemed fine, just still locked in a trance of some sorts.
Fordla opened her mouth, ready to laugh hysterically that after all that – nothing had happened! But before she could do so, she noticed something.
The grass beneath her was notably longer. It now rose above knee level, wild and itchy against her legs. She glanced back towards the nearby flowerbed and saw it entirely overgrown with weeds. Any colours or flowers had long since been choked out of existence.
The light was different as well...no golden sunset, the skies were blue with few clouds - the sun partly obscured but high above them - the middle of the day.
For the first time as well, she smelt a familiar smell on the air – it was the smell of smoke and burnt flesh.
Slowly, fighting against the nausea that surged back with a vengeance as her control slipped, she looked fully up at the palace of Ala Mhigo.
The palace was there, the building identical in shape...but the outside of the structure had huge gorges that had been torn into it - as if a giant hand had ripped at the outer walls with ease. The whole far end of the palace, further away from them had seemingly collapsed into a mountain of rubble that covered the far end of the gardens away from them. Where the building stood in front of them, not only had it been gouged by some unimaginable force, but it was also charred with black burn marks. Every window was smashed, every flag torn down, the Royal Menagerie far above could not be seen through the smoke that covered the top half of the palace.
"What could have caused this…" Fordola murmured aloud, feeling her voice crack as she gazed at it in disbelief.
This had to be another worldline, a reality similar to their own…was it their future? A past? An alternative reality that could have been?
She spotted a flag, tattered and ruined, draped over the rubble. It was the flag of the Ala Mhigan republic, the flag that hung in the courthouse in which she had spent the day recounting her past. Was this a future that was yet to come then
"Oh…my head…" She heard Sara's voice, welcome in its familiarity as the Warrior slowly stood up, brushing herself down and looking around in mounting disbelief.
"Is this what you wanted to see?" Fordola gestured angrily at the ruined palace. "Is this what your Mothercrystal wants us to see?"
"I don't think so…" Sara looked over the building closely, even as she swayed slightly on the spot. "A vision of the future perhaps?" She looked along the gardens, seeing the fallen half of the palace and continued her turn, looked out towards the wide valley and far off mountains, and gasped. "What is that tower!?" Fordola turned, joining Sara in looking out into the distance.
Far away, beyond the great valley and at the base of the mountains, a terrible black tower stretched into the sky.
Its curved base reminded Fordola of ancient Mhachi architecture she had once studied - as if the tower had been grown, warped and twisted with some elderatic power. At the apex of the tower, a deep purple light emanated, before a great spike rose up into the sky. From this, a great blazing slash of throbbing, blazing red light swirled up into the sky. Pulses of energy could be plainly seen on a regular basis emitting from the tower and as Fordola took in the sight, she realised that the sky around the tower was occupied.
A massive shadow hung there, far above in the clouds it nestled near the beam of light that sliced up from the tower.
If it was an airship, it was far, far larger than any Garlean craft Fordola had ever read about. Perhaps thrice the length of the Agrius, the largest ship ever built. The strange, floating object dominated the sky above the valley; crude, a boxy hulk seemingly malms in length, its exterior glistened grey, reflecting the sun's midday light.
As Fordola tried to take it all in, she noted the detail along the vessel's exterior. What had seemed a featureless grey hulk had twinkling lights of red, gold and blue here and there. Parts of the shape jutted out in odd shapes, small holes could be seen, parts of the shape seemed to be in motion, spinning on the base of the craft facing towards the strange tower. A bold orange line ran the base of the strange craft, the only obvious colour other than the mysterious lights. It ran almost uninterrupted, broken only in the middle by a blue circle studied with wavy green shapes within.
"Some Garlean superweapon?" Sara asked Fordola, walking over to her - eyes blinking. "Is this something that will happen to us in the future?"
"How should I know!?" Fordola snapped back, her eyes still drawn to the huge construct as it hung there, defying gravity. It looked like the city of Ala Mhigo could fit within! "That's no Garlean construction though - not a chance!"
"And that tower…" Sara murmured, looking at the beam of light that blazed up into the sky. "A beacon of some sorts? Are the two things related?"
"Well there is no tower like that around Ala Mhigo." Fordola muttered, her eyes twitching between the two alien constructions, although the tower now seemed small, rational and unimportant compared to the behemoth above it. "A tower of that nature wouldn't just 'pop' out of nowhere, it would take years to construct something like that - especially in plain view of the city!"
"I suppose…" Sara murmured, looking back at the devastated palace. "Still...some sort of battle took place here...a one-sided battle by the looks of it…"
"Let's hope this isn't a future we will encounter then." Fordola said grimly, feeling her foot twitch impatiently. "Time to go."
"Yes…" Sara agreed absently, still focussed on the far-off tower and... whatever floated above it. "Still," Her eyes snapped back to Fordola. "It worked didn't it? We can see, feel, hear - interact with each other so let's try again. Close your eyes...focus."
Fordola tried to control her breathing, refusing to look one more time at the destruction around her, the bizarre tower and mysterious floating object. She wanted to be gone from this place. She closed her eyes, and a moment later, she felt the familiar presence of Sara, the Warrior nestling mentally alongside her. Then the supercharged surge of aether, the metallic taste in her mouth again, the sudden sharp citrus smell filled her nostrils. Such strange, unnatural sensations filled her body.
"Focus…" Sara's voice drifted over here. "Just drift…"
Fordola tried, but the bizarre architecture she had seen, to say nothing of the massive floating object pushed against her focus. She tried to disregard them...but as the surge of aether pushed against her will - she found the images fixed in her head. Sudden pinpricks of white hot pain suddenly forced their way through her skull and...
Flicker,
Again, the blazing pinpricks of light. But this time, no drifting - it was almost like a smell, an impulse that drew her. The memory of what she had seen filled her still, she could hear the thumping noise of something (an engine?) the babble of a thousand strange voices (inside?) the metallic sound of boots striding down passageways (a ship that travelled the stars?). She mentally pushed, unaware really of what was happening, but something 'clicked' in her head and there was a blinding flash of light.
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Again, the powerful urge to retch, the strange smell of citrus steadily faded as Fordola opened her eyes readily. Dry coughs racked her body, but the nausea steadily started fading as the spiking headache also receded. The timescale for recovery seemed quicker this time.
She looked down and saw, not the grass of the Ala Mhigan palace gardens; but dry, brown, cracked and lifeless dirt. She could smell...metal, not citrus. Metal, rust and... decay.
She looked up. The skies were grey and covered in thick, voluminous clouds that stretched from horizon to horizon. What little light shone through was tepid and weak. The atmosphere felt thick, oppressive and pregnant with foreboding.
She felt a warm hand on her shoulder and flinched suddenly, before seeing Sara standing over her, the warm blaze of aether welcoming - despite the concerned look on her face. "Are you alright Fordola?" She asked, removing her hand.
"I...think so." Fordola gasped, pushing herself off the dead ground and coming to her feet unsteadily. "Where are we?"
"I don't know…" The Warrior of Light admitted, looking around, clear confusion etched on her face. "Hydaelyn isn't here though...this world seems dead…it can't be ours…can it?"
Fordola felt inclined to agree with the other woman. They stood amongst mountains of rusted debris, struts and girders that rose into the sky - twisting and black scarred like ancient skeletal hands growing out of the ground. There were tall buildings though, gutted and scarred that rose up into the overcast sky. Each building rose as high as the tallest building in Ala Mhigo, their construction and appearance was deeply alien - the bases of every building strewn with more rubble and blocks of grey stone.
Between the standing buildings and the fallen one was dead earth scarred with craters, scorch marks and littered with large boxlike contraptions that rusted away along the sides of the ruined buildings. The air itself tasted hot...metallic, like they were within a Garlean metalworks of some sorts, it almost tasted of cerelum.
"I told you!" Fordola snapped angrily to the Warrior who had her eyes half closed, as if trying to listen to the reedy wind. "I told you this was a fool's errand but I went along for reasons only The Twelve probably know why!" She kicked a piece of charred rubbish at her feet and it skipped across the dusty surface, clanging against more debris as it skittered to a halt.
"I'm sorry Fordola." Sara's voice was suitably chastised as she came closer. "The direction of travel is controlled by you...and I should have guessed it would go like this. Wherever we are, it's only in passing."
Fordola shivered, suddenly wishing she had a sword in this strange dead world. "Well, whatever dead reality this is, I think we should leave - how do we go back?"
"It may not be as dead as you might think…" Sara murmured; her eyes fixed into the distance. "Can you see the lights over there...perhaps civilisation?"
Fordola turned, looking the way that the Warrior was. Between two trashed buildings that had collapsed into each other (forming a decaying metal arch a malm high) there were indeed lights on the horizon. The dead ground stretched away - until far in the distance, a huge black line swiped across the sky. It was like the time she had seen Baelsar's Wall on the horizon, except this wall (if that was what it was) dwarfed it in height. Atop this structure, lights could be seen twinkling - and the base of the brooding clouds seemed to be reflecting lights of white, blue and other hues. Perhaps some incomprehensible civilisation lurked within?
"I am not walking there." Fordola remarked flatly, moving to stand between the Warriors gaze and the arch through which they looked.
Sara turned her eyes away from the sight to Fordola and nodded slowly. "Agreed, it's many malms away anyway. Let's not give up yet, we'll repeat the process - let your mind drift and I will supply you with aether."
"Anything to get out of here." Fordola grumbled, shutting her eyes and waiting. There was a low hum on the air, an artificial rasping and she tapped her foot impatiently, opening her eyes a moment later. "What's wrong?" She asked, noting the Warrior was looking over her shoulder, back towards the lights in the distance.
"Somethings coming this way..." Sara replied and Fordola turned.
A bright, white light was cutting through the shadows towards them, the raspy rumbling getting louder and louder. Fordola watched as the light closed at great speed, passing under the arch of the ruined structures, coming more into view.
It was some sort of...magitek-like vehicle. Similar in size to a Garlean magna roader, with a similar, rumbling noise. A huge figure sat astride the vehicle, almost impossible to make out in the glare of the light on them, which pulsed out from the front of the vehicle.
The vehicle sliced in front of them, crunching to a halt a dozen yalms away from them. A second later the unearthly rumbling died away and the figure swiftly dismounted, turning to face them.
Whoever, whatever, this thing was, it was similar in proportions to a hyur - but much taller and of a thicker build. The figure was two heads taller than Sara, clad in black, gleaming armour of some sorts ending in dark green armoured gloves and tall boots. The most dramatic feature were the huge golden shoulder pads - one which was in the shape of a bird, akin to an Ala Mhigan griffin. The figure's head was partly hidden by a red and gold helmet which left an unmistakable male mouth and chin visible. Even in another reality, the large weapon that had appeared in one gauntleted hand was unmistakably some sort of weapon. It had none of the curves of a Garlean revolver, rather it was stark, boxy and utilitarian - far more imposing without knowing exactly what its capabilities were.
"YOU THERE!" A deep male, booming voice reached out at the two women, perfectly understandable - thanks to the Echo? Fordola wondered. "Identify yourself!" The figure stepped forward, an unmistakable, carefully controlled movement of aggression and violence.
Sara held out her hands in a universal gesture of peace, while Fordola found herself wishing the Warrior had any form of weapon out and ready instead. Whoever this figure was, his voice carried no emotion - only raw - dominating power. She kept her eyes on this stranger - not the slightest hint of aether could be seen. Her eyes were instead drawn to the large, strangely gaudy - golden griffin badge on the figure's chest. The word 'GUTHRIE' was written in large, embossed letters.
The hyur (if that's what he was?) had now drawn up to them, two heads taller than Sara and he lowered his weapon somewhat, helmet cocked as he looked over the two of them. "You citizens out here scavenging?" The voice was flat and emotionless. "You're not exactly dressed for the Radlands"
"We're...not from around here." Sara spoke up and the man's helmet twitched to her, then over Fordola – assessing them.
"I can see that." The response was clipped as his free hand dipped to a gaudy, large golden belt, touching something. "Control, two possible futsies just outside city limits - send a catch wagon to my coordinates." He then paused, the helmet twitching over the two women again before speaking again to thin air, some sort of linkpearl maybe? "Also, notify Psi, could be something out of Tech21, possible helter skelter fallout…"
Fordola felt a surge of aether suddenly hit her again, she gasped, and her eyes twitched to Sara who was looking at her with a fixed gaze. Realising, Fordola tried to clear her mind even as the strange figure stopped talking and looked back at them. She closed her eyes, feeling the aether push through her, she tried to fix her mind on Ala Mhigo, to picture the palace...and a million lines again streaked her vision,
Flicker,
This time, she didn't hesitate, she pushed for familiarity, for home - for Ala Mhigo. The light flexed, it swirled, a million sensations and thoughts drove at her. She suddenly felt exhaustion, or something like it, pull at her and the light flickered. A blackness suddenly crept around her - it pulled her towards it, gravity shifted, and she fell towards it. She was unwilling, she fought against it – but it was like being dropped in a lake without knowing how to swim and she drowned in the darkness that reached up around her.
8.136309γ
The dizziness and fatigue faded even swifter this time - for the first time Fordola realised her head didn't ache with pain and cautiously opened her eyes.
She was standing on a black, crystalline surface which shimmered and sparkled beneath her. It looked organic, like it was alive and seemed to pulsate slightly, the stone warping in and out gently beneath her feet.
Slowly she looked up and around, spotting Sara still bent over, holding her head. The skies overhead were rolling, boiling clouds of purple and black. Sparking bolts of energy crackled high up there in a maelstrom of energy. Wherever they were, there was no sky, no sun, no horizon, - no obvious signs of any life. They were in a void, somewhere...different.
The ground on which she stood extended around them and abruptly ended. Falling away into the blackness beyond. Around them, Individual pillars of black obelisk stabbed up like fingers to head height. The tops of each obelisk were like a small platform, on which an elaborately carved sculpture could be seen – formed out of fine white crystal.
Fordola heard a groan and saw the Warrior getting to her feet, still holding her head. While Fordola felt no obvious discomfort, the Warrior seemed to be in quite the obvious pain. While the jumps had got easier for Fordola, they seemed to have gotten harder for Sara.
"Are you alright?" Fordola asked, noting the other woman's pale complexion - she was relieved when the Warrior favoured her with a wan smile.
"I think that's just about it for our aether jumping...where are we?" Her voice sounded weaker as well - her aether which was normally so vibrant and colourful seemed dull and faded. Or was that something to do with their strange surroundings - that thought suddenly presented itself to Fordola and wouldn't leave...
"I was hoping you would tell me." She grunted instead, looking around at the bizarre structures around them - twelve in total, that nearly surrounded them.
However, in the break between the platforms there was...an obelisk of some elderick design. A massive crystalline structure was erected, it glowed a deep, royal purple and throbbed with powerful energies - wisps of energy crackled along its length. Fordola had a distinct feeling she had seen a similar colour, a similar design in the strange tower she had seen in the first vision of Ala Mhigo.
"Is this your...Mothercrystal?" Fordola glanced back at the Warrior, but she thought she already knew the answer as Sara took a half step forward, a frown set on her face...or was that worry?
"No…but I've seen this somewhere before…"
"Well, well, well!" A deep, male voice suddenly boomed out, "What have we here?"
Fordola and Sara turned to their right, looking up. Atop one of the black obelisks, standing before the white sculpture was a man concealed beneath a voluminous black robes complete with a large hood concealing any face in shadows.
Fordola gazed at him, the voice was strangely familiar but whoever he was practically shimmered with a strange, malevolent black energy that swirled around him. She felt a sudden stab of fear to the core to the very core of her being. Ascian, the memory of what the Warrior had said came to her suddenly.
"Elidibus said you were prospering." The voice continued, the tone which spoke powerful, confident and condescending. "But to see you here - in the rift itself? Quite astonishing I assure you…" The hood twitched right slightly and Fordola felt the full weight of this being focused suddenly on her. "Ah...so that's how you did it...interesting. Yes, most interesting! I must say, I didn't expect to run into you again...I think I preferred you in the dress from back then."
"Ascian!" Sara shouted, and Fordola saw the Warrior of Lights fists had balled. "Where is this place?"
"Are you saying, you didn't mean to come here?" The Ascian's tone was mocking, contempt now dripped off his words as he paced atop his platform. "So, this is just a happy experiment gone wrong is it? My, my, my...how very embarrassing."
The figure took a step off into the air beyond his platform and slowly floated down to the ground level, now a dozen paces from Fordola and Sara. For a split moment, Fordola caught a glimpse under the hood - a red glowing glyph hiding any features behind it.
Sara stepped in front of Fordola and raised an arm, a blade of pure light suddenly extended out a good yalm in length. It shimmered, precious and bright in the dark surroundings and Fordola watched as the Ascian stopped and spread his arms wide in a mocking gesture.
"Oh please, don't waste what precious little of your energy remains." The Ascian chuckled, a deep, melodic sound that seemed to echo around them. "You're come into the heart of our domain, where Mitron, Igeyorhm, Pashtarot, Emmerololth - my brothers and sisters have debated matters you can't even begin to comprehend…how fortuitous I should return on a whim and catch you here…"
Sara remained standing in front of Fordola but the blade of light wavered suddenly, like a candle caught in a sudden breeze. The Ascian took a step forward, and dismissively waved a hand at the Warrior. A shooing, dismissive gesture. There was a loud CRACK and the blade of light vanished, a second CRACK and the Warrior of Lights hands swiped down to her sides and Fordola watched as she struggled against an black coils of aether that were now binding her limbs together.
"Since you have done the courtesy of coming to me, drained and beyond the limits of Her reach..." The Ascian continued, slowly walking forwards towards Sara as she struggled against her invisible bindings. "I think I'll cut whatever tether you've established and leave your soul to drift forever on the currents of time...yes that would be quite poetic I think."
Fordola watched as the hooded figure raised a hand slowly in the air before the struggling Warrior who was held in place, she had to do something! Forgoing subtlety, she rushed forwards, tensing her muscles and pushing off with a kick aimed squarely at the head concealed beneath the hood.
The Ascian flickered as her foot made contact, it was as if her leg had suddenly been plunged into water. A blazing sigil of white and red runes appeared between them, some shield beyond her understanding. There was a shadow of movement and the Ascian vanished in a puff of black aether, reappearing a second later a few paces away from Fordola and Sara.
"Oh bravo, I forgot about you." The Ascian clapped sarcastically, tone dripping with dry humour. Again, Fordola had that sense of déjà vu. She had heard this voice before; she was sure of it! "In fact, I was quite content to let you float back to the Source. It would have been worth it to see you try and explain this all to her companions...ah well…"
He raised his hand at Fordola and she poised to leap forward at the figure again, ignoring the agonising look Sara had on her face as she struggled against her bindings! She had no chance against this creature, but she had to try!
Suddenly, a violent slash of black energy surged past Fordola's side striking towards the Ascian in a froth of power. The hooded figure lowered his hand, intercepting the slash of energy. For a moment the Ascians white and red glyph surged, the air crackling with energy and then it was over. The energy absorbed, the Ascian lowered his hand, his hood turning back to the Warrior and taking a half step back.
Fordola turned also. Sara was still bound in place but her eyes were half closed, a third figure stood next to her. Shimmering, ethereal and surrounded by a blue/black halo of aether that crackled unstably around them. The figure wore dark Ishgardian chivalric armour trimmed with blue, a full helmet leaving slits for white, unnatural eyes. A huge, double handed claymore held casually in one metal gauntlet lent over one shoulder. Fordola recognised this figure as well…
"My, my, quite a party in your head I see." The Ascian made a mocking bow to the armoured figure. "You've brought an interloper along...fascinating."
The stranger brought forth their mighty claymore as if it weighed nothing and pointed it at the Ascian. The sword glowed with energy and then suddenly another wave of black energy pulsed out at the Ascian. This time, the Ascian brought up both robed hands to meet the blast, the red glyph shield expanded and there was a crash as the energies smashed together.
Fordola stared as the stranger turned a helmeted face towards her, the eyes she had thought were white glowed a malevolent red, a reedy voice suddenly rattled forth, "Go back!"
Fordola felt 'something' twinge deep in her mind, her vision blurred. She had a split second of seeing the Ascian moving slowly forward, batting aside the energy beam with ease, and then everything swam, and the nausea suddenly overpowered her - she fell to her knees.
Flicker.
Spinning, blurring, falling, cascading past a million bubbles of realities past, present and yet to be. She hardly noticed them, she fled - or was projected - back to the palace gardens, where her body knelt facing the Warrior of Light. The last light of sunset falling on them...she could smell the familiar smells of her city, she breathed in and...
Fordola opened her eyes. She was back in the palace gardens, kneeling on the grass with Sara opposite her. The Warriors eyes flickered and opened, and she slumped to one side, an arm reaching out into the grass to steady herself. Her normally brilliant aetheric halo flickering dimly as if a reflection of her exhausted state.
Fordola prodded her own head experimentally, there was some throbbing, some discomfort but overall - she felt surprisingly well considering what they had gone through! She glanced over to the far-off mountains; no mysterious tower, no gargantuan floating object, just the last rays of the sun edging out of view. Hardly any time had seemed to have passed it seemed.
"You're a bloody fool." The reedy voice again, Fordola turned, coming to her feet to behold the armoured stranger standing a few paces away.
The stranger's outline was even more indistinct and hazy, the arms wavered in and out of existence and the white eyes that moved from Sara to Fordola were slowly fading away with the last rays of light.
The reedy voice spoke to her, not the Warrior. "Don't let me do that again." It spoke, the voice distant, sexless and devoid of emotion.
There was a rustle on the wind and the stranger sighed suddenly and their form faded away entirely, seeming to drift for a moment on the slight breeze.
The sun had dipped behind the mountain fully now, and the light faded from the gardens into dusk. Sara was struggling to her feet and Fordola reached out to grasp the Warrior and lift - surprised at how light the woman felt, "Was that…?"
"Fray…" Sara murmured softly, looking past Fordola, at where the aspect had vanished.
"That was...her, him, it?" Fordola breathed heavily at the implication, "A part of you?"
"Maybe more than that." Sara admitted, breathing heavily, leaning over slightly for balance, talking to the ground. "I think Fray saved us there, that Ascian...we fell right into his lap. Gods I was so stupid...careless..."
"Well so much for talking to your Goddess." Fordola rubbed her head, feeling a bit awkward. That had not been a pleasant experience, but she was having difficulty recalling the exact events...it was like waking from a dream and trying to grasp at the memories. The brain knows it doesn't need to hold onto dreams, they're irrelevant, misleading and unhelpful - was it the same here? "Can't say I'm in a rush to try that again…" She spoke instead of voicing this sudden thought to the Warrior.
"No…" Sara nodded, looking sad. "I think...perhaps best if we don't, at least for now - we should continue back to your night quarters."
You mean, my cold dark cell, Fordola thought. For a moment, she looked at the Warrior. She was tired - perhaps more deeply fatigued then she ever had been. Meanwhile Fordola felt largely invigorated, headache be damned - they were alone in the palace gardens...would she ever get another opportunity like this? She tensed.
"But thank you Fordola." Sara looked at her and offered a weak smile. "You didn't have to help me...I promise I'll help you in return. You know – there's a part of you that reminds me of someone?"
Fordola held the energy within her, stealing a slight glance around the gardens, the gathering gloom - the lack of people around. "Oh aye?" She asked casually, her mind flickering through the possibilities. "Who might that be?"
"There was a... friend I meant once, he was called G'raha…" Sara spoke wistfully now, looking back towards the dark mountain silhouettes. "He burned so bright, shared his abilities freely and did what he viewed to be right. He sealed himself away in the Crystal Tower in the name of what he said was right."
Flicker, a red haired miqo'te stood with his back to her as the doors slammed shut.
Fordola flinched, without clear reason - remembering the figure from the blizzard of memories she had seen in the Warriors heart. "I'm nothing like him...you're talking nonsense…"
Sara laughed, it was a sad laugh and she turned to look at Fordola and smiled wanly. "I'm sorry Fordola, he's one of too many that I'll never see again...I made you do what you did to try and honour their memories and continue...for those that we have lost."
Flicker, a blazing fountain of power, a staff clasped between his arm and hers.
She felt nausea strike her as the strange vision of light washed over her. Any tension in her body bled away and she swayed for a moment. Sara took a half step towards her in concern and Fordola waved her away with an arm.
"Stop! Let's just...let's just leave this place." She muttered, turning away from the Warrior, back towards the palace wondering which was the way out.
Sara came forwards and Fordola flinched as a cool hand rested on her back, "Did you see something?"
"Mayhaps." Fordola shrugged the hand off and took a step away, turning to meet the Warriors eyes. "Perhaps...some goodbyes aren't forever; you might see him again."
Startlement registered in Sara's eyes for a moment, but then Fordola turned and walked towards the palace. Through the dark, hoping that the Warrior would speedily follow and point the right way forwards.
Later, long after they had reached her cell on the other side of the city, Fordola tossed and turned on the hard bench that made up the entirety of the cell's furniture.
Sleep was unrequired since she had 'changed' and become a resonant, so it gave her ample time to think.
What had they seen together?
A ruined Ala Mhigan palace? A strange tower and a huge ship in the sky...
A future world of ruin? Patrolled by strange men riding magitek vehicles...
A world of shadows? Where the mysterious Ascians, the enemies of the Warrior of Light dwelt…
Fordola mused over these strange visions. Trying to remember the detail of each encounter but failing to remember much.
Was there a message in any of these? Was it providence or accident that had allowed them to see these places?
She tried to close her eyes - to pass some facade of rest. Tomorrow she had to finish her account - the fall of Ala Mhigo and the passing of her judgement.
(Happy 2021 to everyone, may it be a better year for all of us compared to 2020!
Yes, I'm sequel baiting myself a bit - but its fanfiction - so I wanted to have a bit of fun after all :P
Only a few more chapters left to go, thank you for reading - I hope you enjoyed!)