Light's Call

by Naryfiel Lilith

Five years after the Calamity, the realm of Eorzea nurses its wounds and tends to its scars, still teeters on the edge of destruction. Primals and the shadow of the Empire threaten to plunge the realm into the shadows of bloodshed once more. Yet even the darkest nights must end, and sometimes, it is a single person who can change the fate of a realm, forever. [ARR novelization]

2. Chapter 2) Crystal

Chapter 2) Crystal

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I'm free, Xanthos. I'm free. Yes, I've been out of the room for a while, but now that I am in a place with my own room (that I can lock and unlock!) and working for coin, I feel as if I can truly say that. What sort of work am I doing? All sorts, truly. It comes with being an 'adventurer'. I'm not entirely sure how they differ from the mercenaries in the stories, but everyone assumed I was one, so I went along. I like it, though. I get to help so many people! Not everything is sunshines and rainbows and bunnies, of course, but I already knew that. I never realized the extent, of course, but you always reminded me that 'the brightest light casts the darkest shadows'. And the world is so vibrant and beautiful…

I wish I could tell you this in person. Maybe one day, I will.

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"Whoa, easy there!" I laughed, just barely dodging a couple of rambunctious children at play. A third one nearly slipped and fell next to me, but I managed to swing my tail over with just enough force to keep them upright. "Tag today?"

"It always becomes tag!" the third one laughed, looking up at me with a gap-toothed grin. Now that he was still, I could see it was Roric and automatically, my eyes went to the fading bruise on his cheek. Healing well, thank you Dawnfather, but... "Want to join in?"

"Perhaps after I finish carrying the laundry for your mother." I never knew how heavy a basket of clothes could be, but I swore every second I held it, it tripled its weight. Good for strength training! Not good for keeping up with children who had endless reserves of energy. "How are you feeling?"

"Hmm?" He brought his hand up to the old injury and shrugged. "I'm fine. I've had worse. You saved me before they started kicking."

"That's…" I struggled to think of what to say, but couldn't manage it before Roric's friends called out to him and he chased after them once more, the three using all of Stonesthrow for their play. I watched them disappear behind a cluster of tents with a sad smile before adjusting my grip and continuing on to the tent Lavena called 'home'.

"Hmm? Ah, Syna, thank you!" Lavena greeted, smiling at me from her 'clothesline'. Really, it was something she and the others had managed to string up into some semblance of a line. I thought it might have once been the hems of some blankets tied together. "It seems my debt to you just grows more and more!"

"Lavena, the lessons on how to actually clean clothes more than suffices, as I recall telling you," I chided, joining her. I shifted the basket to my hip and pulled a wet shirt out of the pile for her to hang. "Besides, I'm happy to assist."

"And you've done so much for us, even after you saved my Roric from those children!" She winced suddenly, her hand resting on her lower back. She'd injured her back a week or so ago, scrubbing the floor of a merchant's house for a little bit of extra coin. "I don't know what we would've done if you hadn't." Considering how she refused even the simplest of balms for costing too much, I imagined she'd have choose between getting him treatment or starving. Which, to her, was an easy 'choice'. "Oh, Helfric? Is something wrong?"

"Not that I'm currently aware of, Lavena," Helfric answered, keeping a polite distance. I noticed he had his knife strapped to his belt. "But if Syna is willin', me and the others hoped she'd join us on a hunt again."

"Let me finish helping Lavena with the laundry," I answered with a smile. Helfric smiled back, relieved. Then again, we met because I happened upon him after a hunt went awry. "What's the chosen quarry today?"

It was hard to say just how I ended up spending my mornings in Stonesthrow like this. While I had hoped to help, I had found myself hesitant to actually approach. However, a couple of chance encounters (Roric being beaten by some other children for 'stealing their food', Helfric badly hurt while trying to hunt for a bit of meat for the community) had led me to meeting them properly and one thing led to another. Now, my mornings followed a pattern of 'breakfast at Quicksand, help at Stonesthrow, pay attention to any little 'tugs' and 'glows' for people needing help'. Which included these pinkish glows that some people had. Almost all of those ended up in some sort of battle, from waves of enemies to a singular dangerous one. Good experience and the people kept insisting on paying me for the help.

Those of Stonesthrow would try to pay too, even though they had so little. I always refused or, if they insisted, took 'pay' in the form of lessons and stories. Truly, I learned so much from them, and between patrols and hunts, gained a lot of extra fighting experience that I felt as if I was getting the better end of the 'deal'. I felt it most keenly after a successful hunt, when I would sit at the feet of one of the elders and watch them skin the hunted animals and badgered them with questions. Sometimes, I wondered if I shouldn't, but they did seem to enjoy telling me various tales, especially when I asked about their home of Ala Mhigo.

"Hearing all of that,it's easy to understand why your people dubbed this Theodoric the 'King of Ruin'," I mused, once Ansgar (Halfric's father, and honorary grandfather to all the children in Stonesthrow) finished explaining about the rebellion against the 'Mad King'. It was honestly startling just how much he'd done in the name of paranoia and power. I should find a book about these 'Fists of Rhalgr', though. Given Theodoric's actions against them, they had an important role in Ala Mhigo. "What was the significance of him declaring himself the scion of Nymeia again?"

"Nymeia is the master of Rhalgr, crafting him from a shooting star She plucked from the sky to bring equilibrium to the world," Ansgar explained, deftly removing the liver and heart of the beast we brought back. An 'eft', I believed it was called. Either way, he set the organs into a bloody bowl, since they'd be used for food or medicine later. "The Mad King's claim, however, declared that he was above our patron deity and, indeed, the chosen speaker of Nymeia." He scoffed, shaking his head. Absently, I reached over and wiped a bit of blood off his cheek, where he'd accidentally smeared some while wiping the sweat off his face. He smiled in quiet thanks. "Yet another show of his madness, to so boldly claim the favor of a god."

"It sounds dangerous, truthfully." My lessons were clear on that. The Gods were to guide us, nothing more. Their interference led only to war and death. "So, why do the Ala Mhigans worship Rhalgr as their primary deity?"

"It is because He saved our ancestors during the Calamity of Water." The… oh, yay, another thing to research! "During the flood, all threatened to drown. Yet, when all hope seemed lost, a blinding light streaked across the sky. Taking it as a sign, our ancestors followed and, thus, found higher ground and a new home in Gyr Albania." He smiled warmly, the wrinkles on his face deepening with the cheer. Some might find it startling, since he was digging through the body cavity of a dead animal, blood smeared all the way to his elbows and spilling over onto the blanket where we sat, but I'd gotten used to it. "Of course, you are not the first to question. Most see His titles, breaker of worlds and god of destruction, and forget He is not wanton destruction. Nay, He is necessary destruction."

"Destruction is necessary?" I almost protested further, just by instinct, but then I looked down at the animal he was skinning. One could argue this was 'destruction', and certainly it was a death. Yet without it, they could not eat. Then there was, of course, what he just said about Rhalgr's creation being tied to the equilibrium of the world. Searing Light to burn away the excesses brought by chaotic Darkness. "Ah, yes, of course it is."

"Most rebel against the idea, because what comes to mind is wanton destruction." Ansgar almost patted me on the head, before remembering the blood on it. "Rhalgr bears strength to those who vanquish evil, who overthrow tyrants, and His teachings strictly condemn those who monger war." He closed his eyes then, almost pained. "Though, many of our own have forgotten that, over the years. Combat has always been our way of life, and inevitably, that leads to those who revel in the madness." Wondered if that was a spark for the war Momodi mentioned. "Ah, Lavena, I'm almost finished."

"Good, as I've some hungry children clamoring for eft stew," Lavena joked, joining us. Seeing the basket she carried, a small one covered by a thread-bare cloth, I hopped to my feet. "Syna, you have your lessons soon, yes?"

"I do, but there's still time," I confirmed and reassured. I knew she wouldn't ask like that if she didn't need something. "Need me to make a delivery?"

"If you don't mind?" She passed me the basket. "This is a gift for Landebert. He's in Pearl Lane with the rest of those who found work as porters for the market." Though her smile was tired, the distinct teasing glint in her eye made it bright and warm anyway. "It's just behind Sapphire Avenue. Straight back. No lefts or rights or anything else to get you turned around." I couldn't stop myself from sulking, and she laughed. "Ah, forgive me, Syna, yet I can't help but be amused by your complete and utter lack of direction."

"I-I'm just interested in all directions!" She did have a point, though. No matter how many times I looked at a map or had someone help me, I always managed to get turned around. It was even worse when I had the 'tug' of a beacon to distract me. "But delivery to Landebert, got it." I smiled down at Ansgar, who smiled back. "Thank you for letting me pester you with questions again!"

I didn't leave immediately, of course. For one thing, when it became clear I was leaving for the day, Roric and the other children insisted on 'just one more game!' and I couldn't help but indulge them. For another, I always tried to do one patrol about Stonesthrow to make sure no animals or monsters were too close. Once both objectives were cleared, though, I ducked back into Ul'dah proper and followed Emerald Avenue until I could make it to Sapphire. As one might expect, the markets were as crowded and loud as always, and I skirted around the worst as best as I could to make it to the much quieter, and dirtier, streets behind it.

"You." And I'd barely taken two steps before being confronted by a very tall Hyur who didn't wear a shirt for whatever reason. "Can I help you?" he half-growled, eyeing me warily. I froze, terrified, but I did my best to smile anyway. "All you're going to find here are the poor and the desperate. Not the types to interest an adventurer looking for coin. Best move along, my friend."

"I can't do that, because I'm not looking for coin," I explained, glad that my voice was even. I only hoped the rest of me seemed calm. "I'm looking for Landebert."

"You are, are you?" The man folded his arms across his chest and looked down at me. "Well, you found him." Oh. Lovely. "What do you want?"

"If you're Landebert, then this is for you." I held up the basket; he didn't take it. "Lavena asked me to deliver this."

"Lavena?" 'Landebert' took the basket cautiously then, and the tension in his shoulders finally eased when he peeked under the cloth. "Ah, jerky. She said they had extras thanks to the kindness of a stranger." He looked at me again, his eyes flicking to my horns and tail. "I guess that's you, isn't it?"

"Well, I have been helping as much as I can." I shrugged, glancing to the side in embarrassment. I hadn't known Lavena talked to others about me… "It's not much, of course, but…"

"...Kindness goes a long way, particularly when it's as rare as it is here in Ul'dah." He continued staring, as if he could pierce through me. "What do you want?"

"Er… what?" I had to blink a couple of times before I fully processed the statement. "I… nothing? I mean; they've been answering my questions and teaching me things, which is nice, but I'm not…" How to word this… "Perhaps it is a selfish thing, but I like helping. I like being able to see people smile, and hear their stories. Things like that… they bring color and life to the world, don't they?" I was making absolutely no sense whatsoever, was I? "So, I'm not helping out of the expectation of receiving something. For me, it's enough to help and see them live." Yeah, there was no way that made sense. "Regardless, though, I am about to be late for my lessons, so I'll… be going now!"

Why yes, indeed, I ran away. Cowardly to be sure, especially since he was a friend to Lavena, but I really didn't know how else to escape the conversation! I'd never thought about being rewarded! It was enough to be appreciated, to be acknowledged, and for them to smile and be happy! Why would I want for anything else? I was selfish enough as it was! But I couldn't linger on such thoughts, as they were a distraction. I had to focus. My training at each of the guilds more or less followed the same pattern. 'Lessons' followed by 'training on my own' followed by 'more lessons'. I didn't mind, since the lessons back in the room was much the same. Out of the three, though, thaumaturgy was the one most like those lessons. It had lectures.

"Allow me to read a pertinent passage from the opening chapter of The Yawning Abyss." Apparently, each of the guildmaster brothers specialized in teaching a specific chapter in a tome the brothers very much adored. Cocobygo, thus, was my first official instructor, teaching me about the 'threats of intimacy'. "Ahem. 'The threat of Intimacy. Ah, how magnificent the potent power we wield. Roaring flames, piercing ice, and shocking bolts are matched not by fist or sword or spear,'" Cocobygo recited from memory, striding back and forth in front of the altar. I sat down on the floor right in front of him, nodding along to show I was listening. "'Yet the burly warrior waxes fearsome with every closing step. Fist shatters bone; blades slice through flesh; spears pierce through soft bellies. Know you this threat, and stand you apart from such men.'" Finished with his recitation, he stopped perfectly in front of me. Clearly, he had a lot of practice with this. "Now then, what do you take from this?"

"Thaumaturges maximize their advantages by keeping their distance from people who want to shove sharp things into them?" I answered, feeling a little silly. That was the most obvious answer, yet…

"Correct." He shivered suddenly, shaking his head abruptly. "Oh, sorry, that last sentence always makes me queasy." He coughed to clear his throat and went right back to lecturing. "Staying far away from your foes is key to ensuring your survival. Not to mention that you'll have a devil of a time completing an incantation with an enemy flailing their weapon at your person."

"Why do incantations take so long?"

"Well, part of it depends on how quickly you can speak. Some mages will have materia melded into their clothes or weapons to hasten the process along." ...Materia? Melding? What? "Another part is due… actually, instead of me prattling on, how about you answer, instead, how we thaumaturges cast our spells?"

"Pardon?" Oh, Dawnfather, help me. "Well, you focus a small portion of your own aether into a crystal medium." Most thaumaturges had these crystals embedded into some sort of rod, but I arranged to have mine set as a pendant I wore instead. It felt less cumbersome to me. "I believe from there it amplifies and…" The answer became obvious. "The incantation takes so long because of the amplification process."

"Very good." He smiled slightly, evidently proud. It surprised me since… well, none of my teachers back at the village had ever been proud of my answers. Assuming they even prompted me to speak at all. "Indeed, the amplification is crucial. I trust I need not explain just why using so much of your own would be a terrible idea." Considering one's aether was their life-force (and, really, 'existence'-force since everything was comprised of it), it wasn't hard to understand at all. "However, utilizing the land's own aether is not an option. We need only to look at the devastation wrought by the Black Mages of Mhach and the White Mages of Amdapor to see why." That sounded interesting… "Thus, the incantations were created so that thaumaturges could safely utilize their own aether for their spells. Of course, there are still dangers, but we shall discuss the other safety measure another day. For now, simply focus on the incantations must be long and precise for the safety of the caster. Even something as minor as a twitch at the wrong time will render it impotent and useless, much less an axe to the face." He chuckled then. "When you account for how mages rarely have the strength to wear heavy armor, no time to build muscles when so much is taken up by our studies, and 'tis easy to see why a wise thaumaturge always strikes from afar. The farther, the better." Which was the exact opposite of how pugilists and gladiators fought. Mayhaps I should utilize magic for long-distance and the other two for when an enemy came close? Seemed obvious, but... "With that in mind, we have a training dummy set up for you to practice on. There's a mark on the floor, and you are not to move one ilm from it while casting." Oh. Lovely. Well, at least it wasn't like the last lesson where they had me attack random monsters to acclimate to how long casting took. "This way, now!"

That was how I spent the next few bells: practicing my casting. I sorely needed it. According to Master Cocobuki, the most integral component of thaumaturgy mastery lied in mastering two specific states, based on which polarity you 'tilted' your aetheric balance. The exact specifics would be explained later, or so he promised, but the basic principle was that when your aetheric balance leaned in the astral direction, you entered the 'Astral Fire' state. In the umbral, 'Umbral Ice'. The first was best for outright battle; the second was best for recovery. It was more than enough for me, because I just could not master it. I could sense when it faded, and I had even learned how to 'transpose' to automatically switch between the two, but I always managed to 'lose' the state at the worst of times! Honestly, I half-felt I would be better off casting thunder spells for the extended time damage, and then darting in close for punching and stabbing. Though, of course, that meant actually mastering the thunder spell, but I was close! ...And it would be giving up, and I didn't want to do that. I'd chosen to take this up, so I didn't want to surrender simply because it was difficult.

"Oh, who are you?" Around the time I sincerely wondered why using magic exhausted the body so much, another person snuck into the training area. They didn't look like they belonged here; their robes were blue and they wore no hood. "Are you… a new student?" they asked politely, highlighting another difference between them and those I had met here. They didn't go on and on about the abyss.

"I am, yes," I answered, rolling my shoulders. I winced when my right one popped, and I had to wonder just why using spells eventually made me ache so. Worse, why was it always my shoulders and upper back that hurt the most? "My name is Syna. You are?"

"My brothers…" They didn't answer me. Instead, they made a little frustrated noise and flailed as if they desperately wanted to hit something, but knew they shouldn't. "Not again!" Before I could even think to ask what was wrong, they bolted out of the training area, down the hall, and back towards the main part of the Ossuary. Automatically, I followed, wondering what was going on, and I'd barely caught up just as they reached the main part, and I saw then they were heading straight for the altar. "Buki!" The newcomer stomped up to the brothers, frustrated scowl carved deep in their features. "Bygo, Bani, Bezi, Boha!" The use of nicknames hinted this was going to be rather awkward for me.

"C-cocobusi?" The fact that Master Cocobuki stammered more than 'hinted', and the similar name all but confirmed it. "What are you doing here?!" Master Cocobuki continued, lone eye wide. "You had a symposium at the Alchemist Guild!"

"Finished early," 'Cocobusi' answered tartly. He stomped forward a couple more steps before… well, I thought he might have tried to glare. However, I thought he more looked on the edge of tears. "You promised! You promised that you'd teach me next!" So, should I sneak away now, or…?

"W-well, yes, of course we did, Busi…" Master Cocobuki gestured with his words, as if plucking them from the air. "But, you see, Syna was… most insistent." I was not, and I frowned at him. If he'd chosen to break a promise, then he had to deal with the consequences. Not push them on me!

"Even if that was the case…!" 'Cocobusi' sniffled, the threatened tears gathering in his eyes and held back by sheer force of will. "Once again, you brush me aside in the hopes that I would abandon my heart's desire! Why do you deny me?!" However, even the force of will could not hold forever. "I hate you!" Thus, he turned and fled, tears streaming down his face. Without thinking, I stepped towards him, but Master Cocobuki caught my eye and shook his head. "All of you!"

"Please, Busi, you shouldn't say such hurtful things! You know how sensitive Bygo is!" Indeed, a quick glance showed Cocobygo looked almost stricken by the angry, tearful words. Cocoboha actually hopped down from his seat on the altar to rub his back. "Ah…" Master Cocobuki sighed and smiled apologetically at me. I wondered how long he'd known I was there. "I must apologize. Both for that… unseemly display and attempting to deflect blame onto you. I fear I panicked, but that is no excuse."

"Do you need me to leave?" I asked, glancing over the brothers. While Cocobygo had the most visible reaction, it was clear all of them were affected to some degree. "I can come back another day."

"If you can give me a moment to calm everyone, I would rather you stay," Master Cocobuki requested, his smile becoming bitter. "I owe you an explanation, I believe. Why not read that tome you were staring at earlier while you wait? The one about Nald'thal?"

"...Well, I won't refuse."

It was hard to say how long it took Master Cocobuki to calm his brothers and return for that explanation. Mostly because of how engrossed I was in reading. It was interesting to read how Nald'thal came into being in the attempt to ease the conflict between Halone and Nymeia. That 'death' was born to prevent lost souls from wandering the endless nothingness forever, and instead have a place to rest and be at peace. At least, that's what this story claimed. I wondered if there were others. There weren't many stories like this back in the village. There were just the basics, like how the Au Ra were created and were the only race to remain unchanged since the divine wars, while the others had adapted to various ways of life. We had… they had no desire to learn more, for the gods were to remain apart. Guidance only. But these stories were utterly fascinating.

"My thanks for your patience." Still, Master Cocobuki did eventually return and I had to drag myself out of reading to listen. "That took longer than I hoped," he muttered under his breath. Deciding he was thinking aloud, I chose against answering and, instead, pushed myself up onto my feet. I'd been seated on the floor, resting against the altar, as I'd read. "I am not certain if names were exchanged, but that was Cocobusi, our youngest brother." So, just how many pregnancies did their poor mother go through? "He wants so dearly to become a thaumaturge like the rest of us, but that…" He looked to the entrance, as if hoping Cocobusi would return. Given the earlier tears, I doubted it. "It simply is not possible."

"Why not?" I asked, startled. I'd more or less been tricked-bribed with books and became one. If they'd take me, why wouldn't…?

"In a sense, he is the exact opposite of you. While your aetheric levels are immeasurably high, the poor boy's are pitifully low." I… mine were high? Really? No one back at the village commented on that. "We thought we had convinced him to accept fate's cruel quirks when he entered the Alchemist Guild, but he yet yearns to walk the path of thaumaturgy as we do."

"I… imagine feeling like an outsider among his own family is difficult."

"I will not deny that, nor will I deny his determination. He spends every waking moment experimenting, seeking a method by which he can expand his capacity for aetheric manipulation. Yet I would rather he hate me for all eternity than to see him die. He is my brother, after all." Master Cocobuki's smile was bitterly kind when he looked up at me. "Again, I give my apologies. This is a family matter, and should not be something to burden you with. You should return to the abyss, and I do mean that in the most encouraging manner possible."

"I take that to mean 'return to my studies'." I worried dearly, and my heart ached for Cocobusi and Master Cocobuki both. Yet, there was nothing… nothing I could do. "In that case, I know I have the thunder spell almost mastered, yet this last part eludes me…"

"Show me, then. I'm certain it will be a simple matter to fix."

To my surprise, and complete embarrassment, Master Cocobuki pinpointed the exact problem after only a single instance of watching me fail the spell. Fixing it took a little longer, but by the time I left, I had it mastered. So, I returned to the Quicksand with a skip in my step and a song in my head, absolutely delighted, but I should've known it wouldn't last. My good mood shattered as soon as I stepped inside. The Quicksand was usually lively and bustling from opening to closing, but not today. Not right then. The air was tense, shaking with held breath, as the various customers scattered about the main room stared at something at the counter. All of them were angrily hesitant, or hesitantly angry. Staring at whatever was going on, but unable to intervene for whatever reason. Grips on various mugs were tight enough to slosh their drinks. Those without drinks in hand dug their nails and fists into the table. No one moving. It was almost as if no one even breathed. Save for one.

"Like hells this is your best brew!" Save for the armed man at the counter, screaming at Momodi. She watched him impassively, which only seemed to make him madder. 'I'd sooner drink me own piss than swallow this swill!" he roared, spittle flying everywhere. Momodi wrinkled her nose and wiped it off her face. "You-!"

"Back off." Without thinking, without being aware I was moving even, I slid in between the yeller and Momodi, resting my back against the counter. "There's no need to scream," I continued cooly. "If you don't like the drink, why not simply leave?"

"Just who the 'ells do you think you're speakin' to, maggot?!" The man drew himself up tall, snarling down at me. Strangely calm, I simply held his gaze. "I'm Pfarmurl the Driven! Me an' me Bloody Marauders've been reavin' so long, mothers scare their children with tales about us!"

"My mother did no such thing." I was a little confused about why a mother would want to scare their child, but then again, I had an… unconventional upbringing.

"Oh, so you don't believe me words?" The man reached for the axe on his back. "Then I'll let me axe do the talkin'!" Ah. Well, I shouldn't be surprised. I'd never fought a person before, only monsters, but if that was what it took to keep him away from Momodi, then…!

"Oho! This is quite lively, even for the Quicksand!" a new voice chimed in suddenly. I glanced to the side to see a stately gentleman casually sitting at a nearby table, drinking his ale. It stood out sharply compared to the rest of the customers. "Are you going to put on a show for us?"

"What's this? Another godsdamned fool?" Pfarmurl spat, turning from me. Tempted to sneak a hit in, but I decided against it. Momodi was still somewhere behind me, after all. "Show some respect when you talk to-"

"Pfarmurl the Driven, leader of a troupe of bloody mummers or some such. Aye, I heard you the first time." Finishing his drink, the new man stood up slowly, revealing the blade on his hip and the buckler on his back. He then smiled. "Your voice carries well. They might've heard you all the way in Ishgard, actually."

"Then unless ye want me to split your head with me axe, ye better-!" All at once, though, the man froze, his complexion paling as he beheld the sword on the new man's hip. I wondered if there was something unusual to it. It looked well made even to my eyes, certainly, but… "Th-that sword! It couldn't be… Frenzy!?" Did swords normally have names? "But only the Sword of Nal would…! Bloody hells, it's you!"

"You know; I've never been one to stand by and watch." The new man cheerfully waved at the rapidly paling Pfarmurl. "Mind if I join the fun?" The answer, apparently, was 'no' as Pfarmurl fled as if someone had thrown a fire spell on him. "Oh, why must they always do that?" The new man sighed and looked to me with a shrug. "Guess it's just you and me."

"If you're not causing a disruption, I don't see a point in fighting at all," I replied, a little confused. He… he didn't truly mean to fight, did he? Everyone else was finally relaxing and letting themselves chat over drinks again! "Thank you for intervening."

"Shame, as I do love a good fight," the man 'complained'. I had a feeling he'd expected Pfarmurl to react as he did. "Real brave of you to stand up to that Lominsian. Brave, and foolish."

"Mayhaps." Still, what else was I to do? Ignoring how rude Pfarmurl had been, I owed Momodi and the Quicksand a lot. "I would do the same thing again, though."

"That so?" The man laughed, but it didn't seem mocking. Apparently, I'd genuinely amused him, somehow. "Think I like you. Name's Aldis. I'd buy you a drink, but sadly, I'm afraid I just spent the last of my coin. Perhaps next time."

"Perhaps." Never tried alcohol, actually. I'd always had water back in the room. "My name is Syna, by the way."

"I'll remember that." He studied my face for some reason. "If you haven't already, you should look into joining the Gladiator Guild. Used to be one myself, truthfully. Ah, but that hardly concerns you. The past is the past, and the present is the present." He used to be one? I should ask Mylla about him at my next lesson, then. "Nowadays, I'm just an explorer of the unexplored, a seeker as-yet-unknown experiences." So, he was an adventurer? "Like that beauty keeping my bed warm right now." ...I… um… wait. "Ha! Your expression blanked completely!" He grinned at me, and I desperately tried to figure out if he'd been joking or not. "Gods, I missed this city, this wonderful desert jewel of debauchery and sin." M-maybe he hadn't…? "Now, if you'll excuse me." He sauntered out of the Quicksand, as if nothing at all had happened. Perhaps it was 'nothing' to the people here. Certainly, the clientele were acting normal.

"Huh. That was a thing." Even Momodi sounded calm and collected, and she was the target of Pfarmurl's ire. "If I hadn't seen him with my own eyes, I wouldn't have believed it was him," she continued, staring after Aldis, though he was long out of sight. "Thought he died years ago."

"Is that so?" I asked, feeling a little unsettled. Was this… was this like with Brendt and the Brass Blades? Should I not have intervened? "I suppose your drinks and food are so good that even the dead rise for another meal."

"Well, look at you bein' charmin'!" She laughed, and smiled at me briefly. But then her good cheer dropped like a rock. "Syna, don't tell Mylla about meetin' Aldis, okay? She… she doesn't need this sort of drama."

"I… if you say so, Momodi." Honestly, I half-felt as if that was more of a reason to tell her. Surely rumors would spread. But, then again, I didn't know what Momodi meant by 'drama', so it was better to simply listen.

"Good." Momodi climbed onto the counter to reach out and pat my cheek. "You're a sweetheart, Syna. Dashin' in to save little ol' me like a knight in shinin' armor!"

"Yes, 'shining'. I think I still have the ash from my spells on my clothes." Still, I smiled back at her. Good, I hadn't messed up. "He didn't do anything but yell, right? You're well?"

"I'm just fine. Goin' to send a message to Baderon about the guy, but that's more for keepin' the peace." Who was Baderon? "Go get washed up, Syna. I'd like your help getting people their orders again, if you don't mind."

"Very well." Though I did wonder just why Momodi insisted on having me help like this. But I wouldn't ask. She did so much for me; the least I could do was help out. "I'll be right back."

---

'Bootshine' in opo-opo form. 'True Strike' in raptor form. These two I'd gotten fairly good at, shifting from opo-opo form to raptor with ease. Yet Master Hamon wanted me to learn a third strike, 'Snap Punch', that was used from the third form: coeurl. The form you were in once you've completed a perfectly executed 'True Strike'. Supposedly, a perfect execution would land you back into opo-opo to begin the combination again. Emphasis on 'perfect'. It was so frustrating being close, knowing I was close, and yet just not able to figure out what I was doing wrong!

"Good, good…" But even if I was frustrated with myself, Master Hamon seemed pleased as he watched me practice. "You're getting lighter on your feet," he observed, with a small yet proud smile. "Strikes may bring down your opponents, but it's your footwork that keeps you standing. Take a break, though. You're overworking yourself."

"Huh? But I can keep going!" I protested immediately, turning to face him. As soon as I relaxed, though, I felt every ilm of my body seize up. "Oooooowwww…"

"What was that about being able to keep going?" Though he chuckled, he also handed me a tall glass of water. And had a second one on hand when I downed the first one in one gulp. I had a feeling he was used to students pulling stunts like this. "You must learn how to pace yourself, lass. Else, you're liable to wear yourself out, and when that happens, the fight's as good as over." He brought over a towel for me to wipe the sweat off my face and, upon seeing I'd already drained the second cup, got me a third. "With that said, I'm honestly amazed at how quickly you've improved. In a couple of weeks, you've progressed farther than most do in a couple of months, even years."Surely that wasn't the case! "You're a nigh-endless font of vigor! I should know; I was just like that in my younger days." He grinned and ruffled my hair, messy and sweaty as it was. I scrunched up my face, mostly from embarrassment, but smiled. I never knew people could be so affectionate…

"Ah, based on that praise, this must be the mysterious Syna, the promising recruit you were telling me about." A lalafel walked up then, dressed in greens and whites, with a small, warm smile on her face. "Ah, there's no need to confirm, Master Hamon. I know well your reply," she continued. Then she pitched her voice down in an imitation of Master Hamon. "'Of course, she's promising. She's training under Hamooooon HOLYFIIIIST!'" She exaggerated the name and title, for some reason, and barely finished the sentence before bursting into giggles. Master Hamon sighed, shook his head, and didn't refute her. "You can be a little predictable, sir."

"And you've certainly gotten cheeky with age." Still, Master Hamon smiled kindly at her and patted her on the head. "Syna, you haven't met Chuchuto yet, have you? She's my assistant."

"Indeed, and it's a pleasure to meet you at last, Syna." Chuchuto turned her warm smile towards me, the corners of her eyes crinkling slightly. "Of course, I have much and more I have yet to learn. Together, let us strive for a mastery of our art!"

"Chuchuto joined the guild soon after I was made its master. She's my very first student, as a matter of fact." Despite the pride in his voice, a flicker of hesitation crossed through Master Hamon's eyes. "Well, one of them, to be sure, but…"

"Let's not dwell on the past, Master!" Chuchuto frowned up at him and gestured towards me. Though she made a good effort to hide, I thought I saw pain in her smile. "It was Syna's bright future we were discussing!"

"True, true." Master Hamon went along with the change of subject, and his slight, apologetic smile all but begged me to play along as well. "Her future is bright indeed. Mayhaps she'll even be the next Holyfist!"

"I'll settle for mastering this 'snap punch'," I half-joked, letting the conversation float to safer waters. Master Hamon's smile became thankful. "I think I settle into the form wrong. Feels wrong, at least."

"That so?" Chuchuto asked, tapping her cheek. She then smiled sweetly. "Mind if I watch you practice? I've a feeling I know the problem already, but let's see if I'm projecting or not. Master Hamon, you don't mind, right?"

Master Hamon did not mind in the slightest. In fact, he seemed downright proud, beaming as he was, as Chuchuto watched and instructed me. It turned out the problem was a very common beginner's mistake, overextending for the 'True Strike', and she walked me through the steps slowly before having me repeat it quickly. To my delight, it only took a few tries after that, and Master Hamon cheered the loudest of us three when I made it through three consecutive cycles. It was in that triumphant mood that I left the Pugilist Guild and made my way to the Coliseum for my lessons with the Gladiators. In retrospect, pushing both in one day might have not been the smartest of ideas, but no one ever claimed I was intelligent.

"Shield up, Syna!" First Blade Mylla's way of teaching me was considerably more hands on than Master Cocobuki's and Master Hamon's. "You won't be parrying blows if its down by your knees!" Namely, she threw me into sparring with everyone. Including herself. In fact, I sparred with her more than anyone, which was no doubt a sign of how pitiful I was at this. Still, I wouldn't give up! "There!" Though she hit hard, even with training weapons, and her blow to my shield nearly sent me to the ground. I tried to right my footing, but couldn't manage it before she slid the tip of her practice sword against my neck. Another loss... "At ease."

"Drat, what am I missing?" I grumbled, stepping back. I double-checked that my shield was buckled correctly, since the last spar it hadn't and I'd nearly lost the darn shield itself after one of her strikes. "It's not just remembering to keep my shield up. I can tell that much."

"No, but an improperly placed shield can lead to you being unbalanced." That… that was a good point. "As for the rest…" She unbuckled her own shield and set it to the side. "You do not brace as much as typical, which is not necessarily a weakness." Once the shield was off, she crossed her arms, picking her words with care. "It makes it easier for you to dodge, and many would say that is a skill as useful as enduring a blow. Yet, if you had someone you were to protect…"

"...Dodging might lead to them taking the hit instead."

"Indeed, but that is not all." She nodded to my feet. "Without bracing, you are more easily moved. If you attempt to block a blow for someone without it, then you will be knocked aside." Resulting in whoever I was protecting being hurt or worse, despite my effort. Failure in action, rather than inaction. "Still, as I said, it is not necessarily a weakness. What we should focus on is helping you adjust depending on the circumstances." I would definitely take that. "Key to this is remembering not only where to place your shield, but remembering to brace when you do so. But that is for later." She smiled slightly, her whole expression softening. "I dare say that after three consecutive matches, we are both due for a break."

"I shan't complain!" I unbuckled my own shield and set it next to hers. She headed to the edge of the practice area, where water and towels were set up. "Ah, I did have a question."

"Somehow, I am unsurprised." She said the words dryly, and an apology bubbled to my lips, but when she motioned for me to join her, her smile was kind and her eyes danced with quiet laughter. "So, what is it today? Your last one led to quite the lecture on maintaining weaponry, as I recall."

"It was helpful!" Though, I didn't understand… most of it. In fact, it made my head spin. "Today, though, I'd like clarification on something." I hesitated, thinking of how to word my question, and First Blade Mylla kindly waited for me to gather my thoughts. "My understanding is that matches here are typically duels." Though, I had heard of some matches had terrible odds such as 'one versus twelve'. "Why, then, is there a focus on protection here in the guild?" To be more accurate, it was 'protection of another person'. The shield itself made sense, of course, yet...

"Ah, part of that is due to the origins of the Guild and, indeed, the Coliseum itself." Mylla dropped a warmed towel onto my head for me to clean up my sweat. "Originally, the sword was a weapon for paladins alone. No one else within the boundaries of Belah'dia was allowed to wield them." Paladins? Belah'dia? I almost asked, but I didn't want to interrupt her. "During the War of the Sisters 400 years ago, however, the need for soldiers outweighed the longing for false superiority and, thus, mercenaries were hired, bringing in extra blades, and the peasantry recruited to swell the ranks." Oh, yay, another thing to look up! I might need to make a list. "As more and more came to pick up the sword, display of skill became common. However, as these were soldiers trained to fight alongside the paladins, they learned both sword and shield, both how to strike and how to protect."

"Where does the guild itself factor into this?" I let the towel fall to hang around my neck, letting it keep my hair from sticking to my sweaty neck. Would've thought the pigtails would keep that from happening, but no, of course not. "Place to train?"

"Train, tend to those wounded, and help those who survived to retire live out the rest of their days in peace and comfort." She might've continued, but right then, another of the gladiators rushed up to her and whispered something I didn't catch. She frowned and nodded, gesturing to have them do… something. I didn't know, but the person did or so I assumed since they immediately darted off. "That was Bruce, a veteran here. He was gathering information for me."

"Information?"

"Yes…" She fell silent, and I decided to go ahead and drink some water while I waited to see if she continued or not. "I've heard of your altercation at the Quicksand. You did well to stand up for Momodi." Her brief smile had a surprising amount of kindness, before fading with a sigh and a grimace. "Would that we heard the last of those ruffians."

"Have they caused trouble elsewhere?"

"Indeed, in the market itself, ambushing merchants to steal their wares." Considering how important the merchants were to Ul'dah, that seemed extra reckless. "We have been asked by the Brass Blades to assist in dealing with the raiders. I believe you're skilled enough to join us."

"You do?!" That… "I thought…"

"I was correct in that you had a warrior's grace to you. Your skills grow by leaps and bounds, while others walk forward step by step. It's remarkable, truly." Despite the praise, her eyes were… no, they weren't quite 'hard'. They appeared so at first glance, particularly given her severe expression and the stern tilt to her frown. But I swore there was more worry than anything, gauging and mentally going through something again and again. "Still, this shall be no simple brawl. Though we are encouraged to accept surrenders, fighters of this temperament rarely, if ever, do so. Whenever and wherever you encounter them, you must be prepared to fight for your life, and the lives of any who may be around you. You must be prepared to strike them down, and I do not mean to simply 'injure'."

"Kill or be killed..."

"Aye." She focused on me, only absently toweling off her face. "You are skilled enough, but I do not know your heart. Are you prepared? There is no shame in admitting you are not. It is always a difficult decision, no matter how many times you make it, as it should be."

"I…" I hesitated. I wasn't sure. I'd killed beasts and, logically, it shouldn't be much different. Then again, it would be someone who talked as I did, fought as I did. It was infinitely harder to kill someone so like you. "I don't know. I don't know if I'm prepared to kill a person to survive. To kill a person to protect another." I made sure to hold Mylla's gaze, and her eyes softened slightly. "I do know, however, that these people threatened Momodi, who has done so much for me, and threaten the people of Ul'dah. I do know I want to help them, however I can. I do not want them to be placed in the situation where they must choose to kill or be killed." Rambling. Bunches of rambling words. I had no idea if I strung them together in any sort of coherency. But each one felt 'right' in my mouth. None stuck in my throat or stuttered as I spoke. "So, if I may, I would… no, I seek permission to join this mission, First Blade Mylla. Pray, grant it."

"Fine words." She reached over to clasp my shoulder and squeezed gently. "Then let's get you properly armed and armored, gladiator."

Suiting up proved mildly difficult, and not for the reason you'd assume at first. After all, the trend of 'using Miqo'te clothing to account for my tail' continued even with the heavier armor gladiators donned. No, the difficult came from my horns. None of the helmets fit quite right thanks to them, and after much consideration and discussion, First Blade Mylla allowed me to forgo one entirely. I might regret gaining that permission later, but the discomfort from the badly-fitting helms was simply too distracting for me. Particularly when this would be my first 'true' battle…

I suppose some part of me thought it would be more dramatic. Battles always were dramatic in the stories. But a strange calm settled over me when our group arrived in the market proper to reinforce the Brass Blades there, a calm that noted small details yet didn't linger. The irony smell of blood settling in the back of my throat. The screams of pain and fear echoing off broken stalls. The scattered remains of wares littering the street. Based on the shouts, it didn't seem like there were very many of these raiders either. The Brass Blades needed reinforcements less because of the opposition and more because of the people who needed evacuation. The raiders, after all, had timed their assault when the markets were full, no doubt hoping the chaos and panic would mask their escape.

First Blade Mylla tasked me with hunting for stragglers. Not only would they be unbelievably frightened, but they would also be perfect targets for opportunistic strikes. I was given no place to 'start', so I picked my own: Pearl Lane. I was glad I did; none of the Brass Blades were assisting them in escaping, despite their proximity to the threat.

"Landebert!" I called, guessing he'd at least know who was coordinating the evacuation here. If it wasn't him, that is. "Oh, goodness, here…" However, I couldn't help but stop when I saw someone near me stumble and I lent them my shoulder to help them forward. "I'm sure this is awkward since you're so much taller, but bear with me." A quick glance down showed their foot and ankle were bandaged loosely with blood seeping through. "Easy…"

"Eckhart!" Landebert appeared from around a nearby corner, and pulled the other person's arm over his shoulder. "There you are, damned fool," he muttered under his breath. 'Eckhart' simply chuckled and squeezed my shoulder in quiet thanks before leaning fully on Landebert. "You…" Landebert himself focused on me, blinking slowly as if he thought I was a mirage. "Lavena's friend."

"I was tasked to look for stragglers, and I thought starting here would be best." I smiled at him; he just continued blinking and staring. "Do you need assistance?"

"...No, we're used to the Blades not helping. Aside from idiots who pretended their wounds were better than they were…" Landebert scowled at Eckhart, before sighing. "We're good. We're safe. Raiders don't really come after us anyway; we're taught to fight from the time we can talk and we have little in the way of valuables." He hesitated before nodding down the way. "I thought I saw a child run that way, though. Too fast to be certain. Was going to check once my people were secure, but…"

"I'll head there, then! Thank you!"

It occurred to me that this was the second time I'd run from Landebert, but I felt justified in this instance. For one, I had a job to do and two, he couldn't linger with his friend bleeding as he was when danger was near. So, I focused on looking for any sort of movement, checking my shield and drawing my blade just in case. But while I heard the clangs of battle from the nearby Sapphire Avenue, I encountered no one during my search. Not even a straggler, and I almost turned around to search a different area. I only didn't because… it was hard to describe. There was no 'tug', no 'beacon', yet it felt similar. An instinct, perhaps. Something that my mind processed unconsciously rather than consciously, something that urged me forward. 'Don't stop. Not yet.' I trusted that instinct. I kept running and running until I finally found someone, right at the end of the alley.

I recognized Pfarmurl. His back was to me, but he wore the same sort of smug snarl as he towered over something. Someone, it turned out to be, as when I got closer, I could see someone small shivering in the shadows of some broken boxes. I thought… they had to be the child Landebert had mentioned before. And now they were the sole focus of Pfarmurl as he swung his axe down…!

I didn't know where that final burst of speed came from. As soon as I threaded together just what was going on, it just came on me. I didn't care to think about it otherwise. Not when it let me push past Pfarmurl, slid between him and the child, and bring my shield up just in time to intercept the blow. And oh, it was loud. The clang-crack echoed harshly off the surrounding buildings, and my whole arm went numb enduring it. My footing slipped slightly, knocking me off balance, and I only stayed upright by shifting my weight to stand in 'opo-opo form'. But I knew that wouldn't be good. Not when Pfarmurl was rearing back for a second strike, and I couldn't dodge. After all, someone was behind me. Someone I had to protect. Attempting to brace with this stance would just send me to the ground, and I didn't have the time to shift my footing again. Assuming, of course, I could swing my numb arm up in time to block him in the first place.

Kill or be killed. Could I do it to save myself? I didn't know. I still didn't know. But to save someone? To save the child behind me? I found my answer. I found it in how I surged forward to slam my shield into Pfarmurl and knock him back. I found it in how I kneed him in the groin to unbalance him further and open up his guard. I found it in how I plunged my blade deep into his abdomen and ripped it out with a spray of blood. I found it in how I slammed my sword into his throat when he fell, to ensure he would not further threaten my charge.

He died with a gurgle and a gasp, and a hate-filled glare. I didn't react. I just stood over the slowly cooling body, his life's blood dripping off my sword to scatter droplets on the stone under my feet. Droplets to join the puddle growing under the corpse. And I wasn't sure… In the stories, when someone had their first kill, they panicked. Maybe even vomited. Me? I… wouldn't say I was apathetic to it. Certainly, it was tragic. Certainly, I felt guilty. But otherwise, I felt… I didn't know. Tired, I supposed. Resigned. As if my heart, my soul, had known it was inevitable I would bloody my hands. Worse, though, was the feeling this would be the first of many. The first droplets in a river of blood left in my wake...

"M-miss…?" However, it didn't matter at the present. What mattered was… "Is… is the scary person gone?" What mattered was the child, who had death roaring in their face.

"Yes, it's safe now," I whispered, wiping the blood off on my pant leg. I sheathed my sword and wiped the blood off my hand. Only then did I turn back to the child, smiled slightly, and held out my hand. "Here."

"Thank… thank you…" They grasped my hand with both of theirs, trembling badly. Without thinking, I scooped them up with my shield arm, despite the numbness that lingered. I hoped it wasn't as bloody. "I was with… my sister and I… we wanted to play!" One arm slipped around my neck for balance; the other hand fiddled with a jeweled pendant that sparkled. Must be why Pfarmurl was willing to kill. "But Mom said it was too busy, and…"

"It's okay." I walked past the corpse, half-expecting Pfarmurl to twitch and suddenly roar back to life to have his revenge. Nothing of the sort happened, of course. But it would've felt fitting, if it didn't endanger the child. "What's your name?"

"Elwin…"

"Well then, Elwin, my name is Syna." I stepped out into the sunlit market, and into what appeared to be the messy aftermath of whatever battles there had been. A few stalls had been broken, various wares smashed. Blood trickled across the path. There were tears, and hysterical screams, but… "Let's get you home."

I didn't know how long I meandered through the wreckage. With every beat of my heart, my body screeched and throbbed from pain and exhaustion. Each step felt like fire and ice spiking through my bones. But I kept walking, kept moving, as Elwin needed me to. I couldn't collapse while they depended on me. I wouldn't.

At some point between a second and eternity, First Blade Mylla found me. I didn't know how, but she did. She said nothing about the blood that splattered me, or what it meant. Instead, she simply smiled, helped me find Elwin's parents, and then urged me to return to the Quicksand for a well-deserved rest. To my surprise, Momodi actually met me at the entrance and, despite the crowd, led me up the stairs to my room.

"Word spread about what happened in the market," she explained once she opened my door for me. She smiled kindly up at me, and patted my hand, uncaring of the blood flaking off it. "Word also spread of the brave Au Ra who killed the leader. So, I had a bath set up for you. Thought you might want a soak."

"A soak… does sound nice," I mumbled, smiling back tiredly. I had no idea what else was in the smile, but it made Momodi's expression soften even further from sympathy. "I think… I feel like one giant ache." Particularly my left arm. I had a feeling that would be a bruise that lingered.

"If there's one thing an adventurer needs to learn, it's that battles hurt. In a couple of bells, you'll find that even the tiniest of scratches burns like fire." She gestured for me to step inside. "So, you soak to your heart's content, and then come down for a good meal. Sound good?"

"Sounds heavenly, actually."

"Good." She winked and almost bounded off. She stopped herself before she took more than two steps, though. "Oh, right. Syna, you haven't been far from the city walls, yes? Not yet?"

"Mmm… no, I've kept close." Even when I hunted with Halfric and the others in Stonesthrow, we'd stayed within sight of the gates. "Why?"

"Well, I know a bloke by the name of Papashan, and he's been askin' me if I knew of any good and trusted help I can send his way. And who better than the sweetheart of a newbie adventurer?" She grinned, and I rolled my eyes, but smiled. The fact that her grin brightened hinted my smile that time was much better. "More seriously, he's a good man to know, good man in general really, and the experience will be good for you. The bustlin' streets of Ul'dah are one thing, but the wilds of Thanalan are another thing all together. As I'm sure you've noticed."

"I have." After a moment of thought, I nodded. I would be glad to help, particularly since he was a friend of Momodi's. "I'll visit him, then. Where is he?"

"The Ul'dah Dispatch Yard." Her grin became distinctly mischievous when my expression blanked. I had no idea where that was and she knew it. "I'll write down directions for you, Syna. So simple even your lack of direction will be able to make it. I hope."

"It's not that bad!"

---

Momodi's directions were very easy to follow and, this time, I had that tugging 'beacon' to guide me. So, I could happily report that I did not get lost once! Even better, Papashan himself was easy to spot; he stood right in the middle of things, giving orders to his fellows. I worried about interrupting him, but as soon as I approached, he turned to face me. And, after a moment of staring, smiled.

"Well, you certainly look the part of an adventurer, my friend," he greeted. Normally, I'd flush a little at the praise, but frankly, I was taken aback by how much he resembled Lady Lilira's steward. Except, of course, he wasn't nearly as wary. "Might you be the good soul Momodi advised me to expect, hm?" I nodded, and his smile warmed. "Wonderful! As you no doubt deduced, I am Papashan, stationmaster of this humble Dispatch Yard." He gestured at himself briefly, before laughing. "'Tis an empty title, of course. I'm naught but a tired old lalafel passing his final years in peace and solitude. What was your name, again?"

"Ah, it's Syna," I murmured. Belatedly, I bowed slightly to him. "Syna Belkaia."

"'Tis a pleasure, Syna." He nodded and then turned his gaze to the horizon. Though, his eyes were unfocused, like he wasn't seeing it at all. "I am grateful for your assistance. Though it has been five years since the Calamity, the devastation was… vast." Perhaps, instead, he was 'seeing' the destruction this Calamity left. "Yet, we must rebuild. We work together to do so, by the sweat on our brow and the love of our homeland. We've come a long way since then, rebuilt Ul'dah to the grandeur and majesty that you see today. The railways which run through this Dispatch Yard, too, were born from the noble efforts of a great many there is still much work to be done." He turned back towards me, smiling again. "So, I must say it again. I am grateful for your assistance. Ul'dah needs it. In fact, our need has never been so dire."

"I'm glad to help." Not… really sure what to do with the monologue and all. I'd expected to jump into work immediately. "What would you have me do?"

"Ha! Straight to business, then." His eyes all but sparkled with the laughter he held back. "In that case, there are some things I need moved over here…"

'Some things', he'd said. Over the next few bells, I truly felt as if I had moved an entire building's worth of materials. Perhaps I had. I certainly did not count how many crates I lugged from one side of the Dispatch Yard to the other, nor did I try to calculate how many trolleys I pushed or how far. I did think at one point to ask just why the trolleys needed to be pushed in the first place (check repairs on the rails and ensure there were no 'bumps' that could lead to the trolley tipping over). By the time Papashan called me over for a different sort of job, I ached. Good training, of course, but my body didn't appreciate the battle a few days ago and today's strenuous exercise. I was grateful First Blade Mylla sent that bruise-balm the day after the fight; my left arm would be beyond dead by now without it.

"Fine work today, Syna," Papashan praised, passing me some water when I sat on the main platform beside him. I barely mumbled some sort of thanks before guzzling it down. "Mind helping me for something that doesn't require too much manual labor?"

"What do you need?" I asked, finishing off the last of the water. I set the cup down and then reached up to wipe the sweat off my face. The sun was starting to set by now, so thankfully, it was getting cooler.

"Well, it just so happens that there are some sentries around the area. A dispatch for the Dispatch Yard, to fill in the gaps after a number of the Stone Torches were unexpectedly injured." Stone… Torches…? "'Tis the name of the private army of Lord Fyrgeiss, the chairman of Amajina & Sons Mineral Concern. He is a member of the Syndicate." That was a person and company to research later. "They protect the company's interest, though they will also listen to Ul'dah's Immortal Flames should the situation require. As such, Ul'dah's own assists as they are able." Immortal…? Yet another thing to add to the list of research. Maybe I should study recent history in between my thaumaturgy. "Though, they're now far away from the shades and featherbeds of the city. The brutal days and frigid nights can play hells on the mind and body out here."

"I… fear I have no medicinal knowledge."

"Hmm? Oh, no, no! Here!" He passed me a carefully wrapped bundle, and a quick peek inside proved them to be some sort of folded and twisted bread. "It isn't much, of course, but if I could trouble you to deliver them these twilight pretzels? I find comfort food always helps when I feel like killing myself." G-good to know? "Nice quiet walk under the stars seems like a good way to cool down from your work today."

I supposed he was correct and thus, I nodded in agreement and hopped off the platform to make the simple delivery. At first, I wondered just how I was supposed to find these sentries. I didn't know where they were located nor did I know of 'strategic landmarks' that might logically be sentry positions. However, even as I opened my mouth to ask, I felt a 'tug'. A beacon, or rather, beacons. Three of them, three different spots. And three of these pretzel things. Since it all matched, I heeded the tugging and let it guide me to, surprise, the sentries. While talking to them, however, I slowly came to the conclusion that something was amiss.. I couldn't explain precisely why I thought that, but I was sure of it. Though they were 'sentries', their armor still shone, as if they hadn't actually been outside long. The armor itself seemed fancier than what I'd seen those bandit-like 'Brass Blades' wear, and bulkier. Their weapons, better quality. Then there were their nerves, the twitchy way all of them held themselves… just something seemed off. Then again, I knew next to nothing about 'normal sentry behavior', so I could be wildly wrong. In fact, I probably was. Yet, at the same time, I was absolutely certain and it felt like with each step I took back to Papashan, the more certain I became.

"Ah, you've returned!" Papashan greeted me with a smile, and a pretzel. "Working builds up an appetite, doesn't it?" he 'asked', tone implying he already knew the answer. Thought about replying, but the smell of the pretzel was too enticing, so I 'answered' via devouring the thing. "A healthy appetite indeed!" Thankfully, he just laughed at my terrible manners. "Tell me, how do our sentries fare? Did they have anything to report?"

"No, they said all was clear," I answered, after finishing off the pretzel. Papashan's slight, but noticeable, slump told me that wasn't actually the answer he'd wanted to hear. That solidified everything for me, because would it not be favorable for sentries to report such? Unless… "Papashan, sir, you need not answer me. I know we are strangers." Unless they weren't sentries at all. "But what, or who, are you looking for?"

"..." Papshan didn't answer immediately. He simply stared at me for a very long breath, judging and measuring me. I met his gaze as calmly as I could. If he'd rather not tell me, I could not force. Yet, if he would allow me to help, then I would like to. Finally, he looked down and to the side, murmuring thoughtfully under his breath. "Momodi sent you here. Good eye, trustworthy… and then before…" He closed his eyes, silent for another breath. "Aye, it is as you surmised. We are looking for someone."

"May I assist?"

"Please." He opened his eyes and smiled. "A young lady of very prestigious lineage has run away from home." That sounded like either the start of an adventure novel or a murder. "I, and those I had you meet, have been ordered to see to her safe return." He sighed and gestured a bit as if to bleed off frustration. "Alas, it seems they have found no traces of her." All at once, he bowed to me. "I apologize for not being frank from the start, but we must proceed with caution. Should word of her disappearance spread, I fear those with less honorable motives may join the hunt." So, caution to keep things to 'adventure' and not 'murder'. Made sense to me. "And should we allow harm come to her, not even a hundred beheadings would be punishment enough." ...Just who were they looking for? I almost asked, but I bit my tongue just in time. It wasn't my business; I was certain he felt uncomfortable enough revealing as much as he had.

"In that case, where have you not looked yet?" It was better to simply focus on helping. "I fear I am still new to the area, of course, but it seems best for me to start there."

"Ah, praise the Twelve! I knew I could count on you!" He… He even clapped. I hadn't expected that at all. "We have not yet expanded our search to the south, near the Sultantree. Might you start there?" I nodded and he beamed up at me. "Good luck! And thank you again. I know you must be tired."

I waved off the 'thanks', and headed off to begin my search. Of course, it occurred to me only after I left the Dispatch Yard behind, that I had not asked for a name or a description of the missing lady. I almost went back to do so, because any potential awkwardness was worth dealing with if it saved someone, but I hadn't even taken a step before I felt a 'tug' again. A tug south, a beacon. Instinctively, I knew that was where the missing lady was. I wasn't sure how, of course. I didn't even know why I saw these glows or felt the tugs of these beacons. But I knew. I knew, and I didn't hesitate to follow. I wouldn't say it was a 'straight and direct' path, as I had to skirt around rock formations or the various animals and monsters slinking out to hunt now that the sun was down. But I followed and, eventually, I came upon a large tree, no doubt the 'Sultantree' Papashan had mentioned, and soon found the 'source' of the beacon. A lalafel dressed head to toe in pink knelt amidst the roots right at the base of the tree.

"Oh, Sultantree…" she whispered, unaware of my approach. I wondered why she was talking to the tree, though. "Oh, Sultantree, hallowed spirit of my line…" Oh, was she praying? Perhaps I should step back then… "Forgive my weakness. My failings have cost us dear…"

"Do you need help?" I asked without thinking. Startled by my voice, she stood up and turned to face me with a stern scowl. I recognized her immediately as Lady Lilira. "Ah, my apologies, I shouldn't have spoken. I interrupted your prayers, didn't I?" I smiled hesitantly, and Lady Lilira's expression soften slightly for a confused frown. "I'll step away if you wish to finish. Papashan has been dreadfully worried, but I'm sure he won't begrudge you a little more time."

"You are here at Papashan's request?" She regarded me cooly, if still confused, for a second before her eyes widened. "Wait, you were the girl who served me my tea and crumpets at the Quicksand." I nodded to confirm. "Strange, why would Papashan ask a waitress to…?" All at once, she scowled at something behind me. "Show yourself!" I was standing right in front of her, tho-

"As you command, O Lilira." Two things. One, the white-haired man who suddenly appeared behind me made absolutely no sound when moving. Two, hard to say what was more notable about him: his blatant sarcasm or his handsomeness. "Forgive my selfish desire to assure your welfare," he continued, every word dry and sharp. When he made to approach, though, I blocked his path without thinking about it. "Well, hello there, miss."

"Hello," I returned, tense. He openly wore what looked to be a dagger, and had a strange contraption strapped to his upper arm. He was also a head taller than me, but Master Hamon once told me that wasn't necessarily an advantage. "You are?"

"I think that's a question better suited for you." He leaned forward slightly, shifting his weight to the balls of his feet. That was something Master Hamon said helped with footwork. "I can see you're very pretty, and have the most beautiful eyes, yet neither assists me with discerning who you are. Only that I've not seen you before."

"Yes, being an Au Ra is very unusual here in Eorzea." Ignoring the weird compliments, I watched him closely and refused to get out of his way. When he took a step towards me, I stepped back, closer to Lady Lilira. "I fear, however, you have not answered my question. Is that usual for polite conversation?"

"Ah, what a cad I am to be so rude to a beautiful lady!" He smiled charmingly, and bowed slightly. A little 'tug' on my awareness… I wasn't sure why there was a tug then, nor was I even sure what had happened. But because of it, I barely managed to see the bow was nothing more than pretense to snag another, hidden, dagger. "Pray, forgive me."

"Mayhaps." It occurred to me right then that there was such an easy way for me to learn if this person had honorable or less-than-honorable motives to approach. "However, I fear we have both been terribly rude to Lady Lilira." Trying to keep one eye on the handsome stranger still, I glanced back to her. "Do you know him?"

"Aye, I do, and I do not recall requesting for an escort!" Lady Lilira grumbled, stomping forward to stand beside me. The man relaxed, even if he did not take his eyes off me. "Thancred, simply pretend we never met and continue on your way."

"We both know I can do no such thing," 'Thancred' answered, shaking his head. He almost looked exasperated, but before I could discern what else it could be, I was distracted by two unusual things about his appearance. The first was the eye embroidered on his collar; the second were the twin tattoos on his neck, right above the choker he wore. "It isn't safe for you here alone." He returned his attention to me, more inquisitive and searching than before. "Did you order our lovely friend here the same?"

"She is much more polite than you, and had offered to step back and let me finish my prayers prior to your rude arrival."

"Truly an arrow to the heart, to be treated so brusquely." 'Thancred' threw up his arms in an exaggerated show of protest. "Well, since she has not given me a name, mayhaps you can."

"Even if I did know, I would not tell you." Lady Lilira scowled further. I looked between the two, more confused than anything. Their back and forth reminded me of… "I do know, however, that Momodi trusts her. The other day, she had our friend here deliver my tea and crumpets."

Thancred whistled lowly at that. "Quite telling indeed." Er… how? "I suppose I should ask Momodi in that case."

"Mayhaps you simply give your own name and I shall return the politeness," I suggested hesitantly. While before I'd felt calm, now I was just awkward and bewildered. I tried to make myself seem smaller to better 'hide', even wrapping my tail around my leg. "Though, if you wish to talk to your little sister in private-" Both of them immediately squawked in protest, and I automatically took a step back from them. "Was I wrong? Your argument reminds me of those I have seen in the market."

"Ignoring how one of us is a Hyur, and the other is a Lalafel, I think my lineage is the furthest thing from hers," Thancred replied, blinking a few times. I suppose… I'd surprised him? Lady Lilira simply stared in some form of indignant horror. "Though, the former truly would make such a thing obvious."

"Are adoptions a thing of fiction? What about 'family of choice'?" I had loved such things in the stories I'd read. There was something so… comforting about an outcast finding a home. "If so, then I must give my fullest apologies."

"That was almost painfully sincere." After a second, Thancred flashed another charming smile. Lady Lilira shook her head in what I thought was exasperation, especially when she threw up her hands. "Goodness, I best be careful." Er… why? "So, if I cannot have the honor of your name, might I at least learn what has you out and about? It's truly not safe for anyone, not with this aetheric disturbance. It's as though the dead are watching us."

"If this were a story, we'd be attacked by the dead right this instance." Aetheric disturbance? Nothing felt unusual to me, but then again, I was new to the land. Though, with that said, there was… something to the air. ...No, not the air. Within. The same part that 'tugged'... "As for why I am here, I was assisting Papashan."

"Oh, so you're the one he mentioned." Thancred smiled slightly, looking almost apologetic. "In that case, I should congratulate you on finding our elusive charge, and pray you forgive Her Impetuousness for causing you trouble. What she lacks in discipline, she makes up for in stubbornness."

"It's been no trouble." I looked to Lady Lilira, who was back to scowling. "Did you ever finish your prayers?"

"They can be finished inside the city, where it is safe. I'd rather not join the dead, if it pleases you."

"Neither would I, but I asked her, not you." I frowned at him, and he brought his hands up in surrender. For some reason, Lady Lilira found this exchange amusing, as she broke her persistent scowl for snickers. "Would it not be better for her to…" Hum. Tug. A hammering in my soul itself. Danger. That's what it was. Something was here.

Thancred jerked his head up, as if he could sense it too. Or perhaps he heard something. Either way, I followed his gaze and my eyes widened at the… the thing that flapped towards us. Grotesquely thin limbs and abdomen, a beaked head in some facsimile of a bird, bat-like wings with the skin stretched taunt, and glowing yellow eyes. A nightmare come to life, with an appropriately loud shriek.

"Oh, great. A voidsent," Thancred muttered, sighing in clear exasperation. I glanced at him with wide eyes, wondering just what was going on. "Dear Lilira?" He didn't notice my panic, though. Instead, he turned back to the… surprisingly calm Lady Lilira. Was this sort of thing normal? "For my sake, please stay out of harm's way."

"I shall do my best, but you had best not die," Lady Lilira answered with great dignity. I just barely caught her hands shake before she pointed at Thancred. "Understand? That's an order."

"Yes, yes, Your Impetuousness. As I said before, I am no hurry to join the dead in their watching." He drew his visible weapon, and settled into a fighting stance reminiscent of what First Blade Mylla taught me. "As for you, dear friend." He glanced at me then. "For Lilira's sake, please stay in harm's way." So… uh… wait, what now? "Come, let's attend to our uninvited guest!" Wait, what?!

I was about ninety percent certain the smart thing to do here would've been for one of us to distract the… whatever the heck it was… and the other take off with Lady Lilira. I wasn't sure why this wasn't considered an option. Was the creature particularly fast? It didn't seem to be as the two of us fought it. But, then again, what did I know? Thancred handled holding most of its attention. I just punched at it during random points while trying to stay out of the way. This was all ridiculous, simply ridiculous.

"Oh, how lovely!" Thancred noted blithely at some point. The way he sounded, you'd think we were taking a stroll in the market, and not fighting whatever this thing was. "It brought friends!" It did what now. "Leave the big one to me! You handle the rest!" He wanted me to do what?

I didn't even have time to protest and the creature's 'friends' were on us in an instance and I had to deal with them. Somehow. I kept cycling through the basic forms Master Hamon had taught me, uncertain if I wanted to try a blade on these things or not, until I managed to get enough distance to fire off a full round of spells, particularly thunder. Thunder spells worked differently than fire and ice, lingering and delivering extra damage as time went on. This was my first time using it in a proper battle, and I discovered to my surprise that I… well, I could 'see' how long it would last. It wasn't necessarily a visual thing, but when I focused on my target, I just knew. How? Why? Master Cocobuki hadn't mentioned anything like this when showing me the spell… ah, but no time to dwell. I had to keep fighting.

"How are you holding up?" Thancred asked me at some point. We were back to back, with him still distracting the big one and me just finishing freezing the last of the smaller ones. "That's a lot of aether you're using."

"I'm fine," I answered, not sure how much of a lie it was. I felt 'buzzy', as if my whole body was vibrating with something, but it didn't feel bad per se. It was like the battle itself was pulsing through me. "You?"

"Nothing like a brisk bit of exercise to wake you up." That didn't answer my question at all. "Oh, dear, more of them?" He… he had to be joking. "Really, now, there are limits to our hospitality!" He wasn't. I could see them slipping out of the shadows of the nearby hills, eagerly flying for us. "If you do not mind handling them as well? This big one just doesn't seem to understand how uninterested I am."

"I thought the point was you distracting it, so shouldn't you be interested?"

"That… went right over your head." What went… oh, never mind.

These next ones seemed faster than the previous ones. Stronger. Perhaps it was simply due to how long I'd been fighting. I knew, thanks to the slow dispersal of thunder magic's extended damage and my recasts, that it had been several minutes. It reminded me of what Master Hamon said about pacing yourself during a fight. Of course, wandering thoughts led to distractions and one slipped under my guard. It tried to claw my throat out, but thankfully, the sharp talons hit the scales around my neck and slid to the side. Gouges were less deadly, though I definitely found it hard to breathe for a second. My scales may be hard enough to deflect a glancing blow, barely, but they weren't meant for outright protection!

I kicked the creature away before jumping back and casting fire on it. It burned to ash with a deafening screech, and I almost flinched back from it. I only didn't because the other was on me and I had to focus on keeping it from killing me. A 'snap punch' straight to the throat snapped its neck and though black blood spurted out, the body itself faded away into shadows. Dawnfather, what sort of cursed creatures were these?

"Still holding on there?" Thancred called, blocking one of the big one's attempted strikes. I had a feeling he was keeping as much of an eye on me as he did Lady Lilira and the main creature. "I think it's just a little more on this one." Oh, truly, that would be mag-

A pulse. One heartbeat and everything seemed to freeze. All at once, I could 'see' something on the ground. A red-orange ring just under Thancred's feet. And I knew it meant danger. I knew it. So, without thinking, I reached out and yanked Thancred back just in time for another 'small' one to burst from the shadows, attempting to rend him into pieces. Instead, though, Thancred regained his balance and decapitated it in a single swing. Yet the distraction had been enough for the big one to slip past us and head… straight for… Lady Lilira…!

Neither Thancred nor I hesitated in chasing after the thing, but thanks to its size, it was on Lady Lilira before we could quite catch up. It loomed over her, almost comically huge compared to her, one talon more than enough to tear her to shreds. No time to get in between. No time to summon my shield to even try. All I could think to do was… was to divert its attention. So, I rocked back on my heels to slide to a stop and first cast a thunder spell to distract it before throwing as many fireballs as I could. Each cast felt like eternity, though I knew they were only seconds. Each successive one felt more and more draining, even as the power and potency increased. But I succeeded. Instead of striking the easier 'prey' that was Lady Lilira, the creature growled and flew for me, completely focused on removing the one slinging fireballs everywhere.

Unfortunately, despite earlier, I still underestimated its speed and size. Meaning I tried to get off one more spell and was still in the middle of casting when it swung and sent me flying into upper parts of the Sultantree's trunk. Through the pain and ringing in my ears, I thought I heard someone shout, but I wasn't sure. I didn't have time to dwell on it. Just as I started sliding down, the creature pinned me against the bark, pressing down as if to crush me. Not sure why it didn't just try to kill me outright, but maybe it wanted some revenge for the pain. Maybe everything was just sluggish to me right then. But I did discover one thing. It turned out pain actually wasn't much of a deterrent to incantations. Who would've thought?

"Say…" I rasped out, coughing. The creature actually turned its head, like a little curious puppy. Probably wondering why I was speaking. But that was fine, because it let me raise my trembling arm. "Burn, please."

I shot a fireball right in its eye and it reared back with a piercing screech. The motion also flung me off the tree and I landed hard amongst the roots, but I scrabbled up to my feet and managed to shoot off another thunder spell. This one caught it right in the wing, and it crashed into the ground. Though it struggled to right itself, to jump into the skies, it had no chance. As soon as it hit the dirt, Thancred darted in as quick as you please and drove his blade into its other eye. When it jerked back with another screech, he sliced at its neck until the blood spewed everywhere and its head only remained attached by a tenuous thread. I still waited for a very tense second to make sure it didn't somehow come back to life or anything. To be fair, Thancred did as well. Neither of us so much as twitched until the body slowly broke apart into wisps of smoke, confirming it was, in fact, dead.

"Well, that was far more exercise than I planned for the evening, and certainly not as fun as what I was hoping," Thancred sighed gustily, as if we had just finished moving boxes around and not kill whatever these things were. And as if he wasn't blood splattered. "Pretty miss, how are you?"

"Give me two seconds to answer that," I groaned, resting my hands on my knees and letting my head hang. I still 'thrummed' with energy, but pain slowly trickled through the mess. "Actually, give me two days."

"However shall I wait so long for an answer." So he said, but he seemed reassured enough that when I peeked up at him through my lashes, I saw him checking on Lady Lilira. I thought about joining them, to make sure she was well, but something sparkled in the corner of my eye and when I lifted my head to properly look, I saw… I saw a crystal near where the creature had been. A crystal that had not been there earlier, when the beast first disappeared. I wondered if it might have fallen from Thancred's pocket, but the sheer size (easily twice the size of my fist) made that improbable. Frowning in curiosity, I stumbled over to pick it up, intending on asking Thancred and Lady Lilira about it.

However, as I approached, it… it started glowing. Glowing, then shining. And floating. It hovered in the air for all of a second before bobbing to me, as eager as a cat for a bite of fish or a dog for a pet, and as it got closer, it seemed to glow brighter… and the world… slowly… turned white...

---

When my vision cleared, I was adrift. Adrift in blackness… no, adrift in the sea of stars once again. But there was something different. Underneath my feet, there was some sort of… sigil? Glyph? Magic circle? What would you call it? I wasn't sure, but it was under my feet and tied to me. Somehow, I knew that. Whatever this was, it was tied to my very soul. The crystal that had so happily floated to me spun out of reach, to one of the 'points' of the circle… no, one of the points of the six-pointed star within the circle. When it reached its destination, it shone brighter and brighter. I could hear the rush of water, feel the cool current against my skin. Then, all at once, the shot into the sky, like a shooting star. And as it disappeared, other stars rained down, falling on me like raindrops from a gentle storm...

"Hear…" That voice again… the one from my dreams. "Feel…" It echoed all around me. "Think…" Without thinking, I tried to look around, tried to find the source of the voice. But I couldn't. There was no sign of anyone. Even the stars had vanished… no, the ones from before had vanished. Up above me, a torrent of clouds whirled and writhed as a beast in pain, with burning stars bursting forth. In the distance, I swore I heard screams. Screams of terror, of agony. I longed to chase after them, to give what meager aid I could, but my feet were frozen. So I could do nothing but watch and listen as the light devoured all…

Then all was dark again. I returned to the sea of stars, yet I did not drift as I did before. No, instead, I simply… hovered. Hovered amongst the stars that swirled and gathered around me.

"Crystal bearer…" The voice again, but this time… this time, there were new words. And this time, there was a 'source' to the voice. A large crystal, larger than me. Without thinking, I stepped forward and floated towards it. "I am Hydaelyn, all made one." A name… I finally had one. Familiar and not familiar. "A Light there once was that shone through the realm. Yet it hath since grown dim, and as it hath faltered, so hath Darkness risen up in its stead, presaging an end to Life."

Unbidden, my gaze was drawn downward and I learned I was sinking. Sinking towards another large crystal. Or perhaps it was rising to meet me. Hard to say, truthfully. Time, space… both felt meaningless here.

"For the sake of all, I beseech thee: deliver us from this fate!" Why me? I wanted to ask, yet I could not force the words out. "The power to banish the Darkness dwellith in the Crystals of Light. Journey forth and lay claim to them." More crystals appeared, as well as a gentle light that shone bright… the source being yet another crystal, the largest yet. So large that I might as well have been a mote of dust in comparison. "By thy deeds shall the Crystals reveal themselves to thee. Only believe, for the Light liveth in thy heart." All around me were shooting stars… no, now that I was close, I saw they were people. People who, like me, could hear this crystal. "Go now, my child, and shine thy light on all creation."

With the words came light, and all was swallowed by the white...

---

When I opened my eyes, I saw the blurry blotches of what might've been a tree. A couple of blinks solidified it into such, but I tried to remember why I would be near a tree at all. It took a few more blinks to remember, and I jerked up as soon as I did, wondering about the creature and Thancred and Lady Lilira and-

"Ah, coming around are you?" Thancred crouched beside me, peering at me closely. "I must say that was not the usual way I have people falling into my arms," he commented. I tilted my head curiously, wondering what he meant. "You fainted after the creature fell. Lady Lilira has been beside herself with worry."

"I was not!" Lady Lilira herself snapped, joining us. I noticed she didn't have her hair wrapped as she had before, and almost asked. But then she reached behind me to pick up a pink cloth, and I put the pieces together from there. She'd lent it to me to cushion my head. "You were the one panicking about not noticing wounds."

"So I was." Thancred admitted that with ease, and deflated Lady Lilira's indignation. "I also believe you were in the middle of a question."

"Hmm? Oh, yes, I was." Lady Lilira wrapped the scarf about her head, tucking all the strands of her hair underneath. I felt bad about the dirt stains, but she didn't seem to mind. "Would you mind telling me what that was?"

"If only I knew." Thancred shrugged, and smiled apologetically. Lady Lilira nodded, accepting the answer. "A denizen of the Void, at any rate, but beyond that, I would have to rely on others' knowledge. In this case, Papalymo's."

"A voidsent? Here?" Lady Lilira frowned thoughtfully and crossed her arms over her chest. "But how?"

"The question isn't how, but who." Thancred grimaced and looked down at the ground. "We're clearly not dealing with bookless bandits." After a second of silence, he shook his head and stood to help me up. "Don't suppose the answer came to you in a dream, miss?" He helped steady me as I re-found my footing. "Ah, there's no need to answer. Given the circumstances, it was likely due to the influx of aether combined with exhaustion. Rather surprised by how much you used, truthfully."

"Was that why you were worried she had dropped dead?"

"Lady Lilira, most people would drop dead using a quarter of what she did in such a short space of time."

"Was it truly unusual?" I asked, not able to stop myself. It just… baffled me. No one at all had mentioned anything about my aether being different, growing up. "Regardless, while I'm physically tired, I am otherwise well." To prove it, I held out my hand and cast a small blizzard spell to toss into the air. Lady Lilira smiled at it; Thancred blinked slowly. "See?" Shaking my head, I shrugged. "I fear I had no convenient answers in my dreams, though. I fainted after picking up a crystal and then dreamed of a giant one talking to me." Of course, there was no sign of a said crystal, so maybe I had imagined it. "As odd of a dream as any, I suppose."

"Is that so?" Thancred asked softly. He studied me with a frown, as if trying to discern if I was lying or not. "A crystal, huh? I hadn't considered that." He stepped away then, muttering to himself. "Abnormal aetheric capacity and regeneration? A crystal? Well, well… that changes things…" What did it change, exactly? Why step away to say that when I could still hear him clearly?

"I hate it when it talks in a foreign language while thinking aloud," Lady Lilira grumbled with yet another scowl. I frowned at her, wondering what she was talking about. I heard and understood him perfectly well, and it was a miracle I even knew the local language. "When others do it, I can at least eavesdrop."

"Eavesdropping is a terrible habit, Your Impetuousness." Thancred returned as if he hadn't stepped away at all. I thought to ask what I'd overheard, but bit my tongue in time. It was better to not draw more attention to myself, especially since he focused on me with sharp, measuring eyes. "I should return to the city and report this. I leave Lady Lilira in your capable hands, miss."

"How dare you pass me about like a swaddled babe!" Lady Lilira snapped, instantly indignant. Thancred simply smiled and sighed, almost as if he expected such a reaction. I half-thought he'd planned it that way. "I shall return and inform them myself!" That…

"Lady Lilira, wait," I urged, resting a hand on her shoulder before she stormed off. To my relief, she did actually stop. "We were recently ambushed. It would be unwise for any of us to walk alone." I turned my attention to Thancred, who seemed almost confused. "I am certain this report is important, but given my fainting episode, it would be better for you to accompany us. At least, until we reach Papashan."

"That… is a fair point, actually," Thancred conceded, nodding. Lady Lilira sighed gustily, but thankfully remained by me. "And I never could say 'no' to a pretty lady."

"Are you saying strange things to talk around not knowing my name?" I smiled slightly, a little amused despite myself. Confused, but amused. "Syna. Syna Belkaia."

"A beautiful name, for a beautiful lady." Thancred bowed slightly. This time, no hidden knives were palmed. "Thancred Waters, a simple scholar."

"Who knows gladiator tricks."

"Excavating ruins can get dangerous." He winked and grinned, and I just nodded. "Knowing Papashan, if he's not at the main platform, then someone who knows where he is will be, so shall we?"

Our return to the Dispatch Yard was in blessed silence. Now that the fighting was over, I ached. It was worse than after the fight in the market, and exhaustion desperately clawed at me, insistent on dragging me down to the ground to not move for a day and a half at least. But I stubbornly kept going, one foot in front of the other, staying right beside Lady Lilira just in case. It was a relief when we finally saw Papashan, visibly fretting at the three 'sentries', and even more of a relief when one of those 'sentries' saw us and called out. Honestly, I almost fell over right then and there, and only didn't because I feared I'd fall on Lady Lilira.

"Lady Lilira!" As soon as we stepped onto the main platform, Papasha rushed over. "Oh, thank the gods you have returned!" he breathed, barely stopping in time to keep from knocking us over. His smile was equal parts relieved and worried; both were enough to make Lady Lilira look down guiltily. "You've had us all worried, disappearing like that. You do realize what would happen if someone of your noble lineage were to be injured or worse, yes? Her Grace would be beside herself, and so would her people. Why, they would be weeping in the streets!" That seemed a little dramatic?

"But I have already given you much to weep over, Papashan…" Lady Lilira mumbled, barely looking up. I noticed the 'sentries' shake their heads, one barely biting back whatever words they wished to say. "You and the people of Ul'dah."

"Please, Your… you're not to say such things!" Papashan flailed and it almost made me miss the slight pause after the first 'your'. What had he held back? "We'll find it! I swear to you!" Find what? "So, though it is not my place to make demands, m-my lady, I beg you, please stay out of harm's way."

"...I apologize for causing you undue worry, Papashan." Lady Lilira raised her head a little more, 'smiling'. It looked more pained than anything to me. "I shall refrain from traveling unescorted in the future." Papashan's smile brightened to hold just relief. "Might we have someone tend to Miss Belkaia here, though? She was injured in my defense."

"She was?!" Papashan immediately focused on me and gasped at the visible injuries. "By the twelve, where are my senses? We should have seen to that immediately."

"Oh, I'm just fine," I reassured, speaking without thinking. The various aches my body had throbbed right then, a small reminder that I kind of… wasn't 'just fine', but still… "Though, perhaps…" I turned to bring Thancred into this awkwardness and discovered he wasn't there. At all. Heck, I couldn't even see his footprints! "Where did he go?"

"Where did who go?" Papashan asked, taking my hand and gently tugging me over to some nearby boxes. One of the 'sentries' began checking me over, frowning in concentration. "Was there someone else with you?"

"Thancred. Sarcastic man with a strange device strapped to his arm."

"Ah, then he no doubt slipped off in the shadows, as is his wont." Papashan chuckled. "He's a scholar who spends his days investigating oddities in the aether. Rather too fond of the sound of his own voice for my liking, but he's harmless and a good man." Well, that was nice to know? I swore there was more to him than that, though. "How is our gallant protector?"

"There's some injuries that look like she got thrown into something, or multiple somethings, so best to make sure she doesn't have a brain bleed," the 'sentry' relayed, still checking me over. I made a face; Lady Lilira actually giggled at my torment. Glad to know she delighted in my awkwardness. "We should probably make sure she doesn't move much until a proper doctor checks her over." ...Wait, what? "Now, who of us would be better for carrying her?"

I tried to protest the carrying. I truly did. But my protests fell on deaf ears. Darn it.

---

I had no idea what was worse: being carried, being fussed over by whatever doctor they took me to, or Momodi's fussing when I finally stumbled into the Quicksand long after it officially 'closed' for the night.

"Should've been nice and simple! Make a useful connection and take it easy after the fight in the markets! How did you manage to stumble into trouble like that?" Momodi muttered, more focused on scrubbing down the counter than anything. Since I'd realized by now she was bleeding off frustration, I kept quiet, eating the grapes she'd set aside for me and studying a history book I'd found amongst the ones Master Cocobuki let me borrow. "I couldn't believe what Papashan told me. And it was voidsent. Voidsent. Who in all the bloody hells is summonin' voidsent?!"

Momodi continued grumbling, and I felt my thoughts drift off. Perhaps it was because of Momodi's frustrations, but the battle with that 'voidsent' lingered and dug deep in my mind. Then there was the crystal that had appeared and disappeared and that dream… that voice… it lingered and weighed heavily on my heart. Now that I was not as tired, I realized I knew the name it had called itself. 'Hydaelyn' was, according to my teachers, the name of the world itself. Why would that voice call itself by the same name? Was it trying to say it was the world? Some… some divine entity that formed the core and heart? What a ridiculous notion and even more ridiculous was what it had said…

'Shine my light on all creation'? How was I supposed to do that? Did the voice think I was the sun itself? I was but a child of misfortune, so selfish that I left the cage intended to keep the world safe from me. So, how was I supposed to 'deliver' anything from any fate? Unless that fate was 'continuing to live'...

"Ah, enough of that…" I muttered under my breath, rubbing my temple. Then I briefly checked my horns, feeling for any sort of crack. They were hard to break, but it could still happen, and the given battle had been rough. Thankfully, it didn't this time. "No more drifting off, brain." I needed to focus.

So, Calamities… That was what this particular chapter focused on and why I'd chosen it for my night's studying. They were disasters of unspeakable proportions, each one associated with an element, that led to such devastation that the calendar eras were actually 'marked' by them. And, including the most recent one, there had been a grand total of seven.

The first was the 'Calamity of Wind', heralding the beginning of modern history. There were very vague, if any, records on said Calamity, with the element in question determined through vaguer legends and process of elimination. Based on said element, and the records on the other Calamities, it was theorized this Calamity might have involved terrible tempests, hurricanes, and tornadoes.

The Calamity of Lightning was the second one, born from everlasting war and, more importantly, from despoiling the land without abandon to forge the tools and weapons needed for warfare. The constant smithing led to smoke blackening the skies, mountains and woods gutted. Eventually, nature 'retaliated' via volcanoes and storms that scorched the sky and rained lightning for 'a year and a day'. Survivors were forced underground, only to become victim to pestilence and plague. Supposedly, out of desperation, the survivors prayed for salvation and these prayers formed the basis for the earliest magical incantations.

The third, the Calamity of Fire, was probably the one with the most 'religious' explanation, quite fitting given that the era of the time was defined by theocracies. Unfortunately, the churches proved as corrupt as the kingdoms prior and championed 'holy wars', witch hunts, and most disturbingly, genocides. Thus, when the sun grew large in the sky and drought parched the land, when wildfires scorched the land and transformed great forests and fields to naught but wasteland and ash, the people believed it was a punishment from the heavens for the crime of 'hubris'. Interestingly enough, archeological evidence suggested the deserts in Southern Thanalan were once home to a lush grassland. It made me wonder just how else the heat had transformed the land.

Surprisingly, the fourth Calamity was a very familiar story. My lessons had talked extensively about the 'Great Earthquake' which led to the fall of the Allagan Empire. According to them, the founders of the village used the chaos following the mass destruction to escape. Of course, no one had ever told me just why our ancestors wanted to escape, or why they hid themselves behind barriers. Then again, perhaps it had been a necessity that turned to isolation. According to this book, the 'Great Earthquake' which sunk the crystal towers of Allag triggered a wave of tremors that rent the land to pieces and toppled entire mountains. The barriers might've simply been for protection, back then, instead of hiding.

Perhaps it was because the land's destruction made communication and record-keeping difficult, but the Fifth Calamity, the one of ice, was shrouded in mystery, as was the preceding era. Unlike the First Calamity, though, there were enough records to show it began the Age of Endless Frost, a seemingly endless winter that brought raging blizzards to the lands and encased entire oceans in ice. These subsequent 'bridges' allowed a sudden influx in foreign fauna to Eorzea and, thus, a mass migration of those who hunted said fauna.

The Sixth Calamity was what the hopeful assumed would be the last. Also called the 'Great Flood', it led to the dramatic end to the War of the Magi that had waged for 250 years. Entire cities were sunk, or swept away by the tidal waves. Landscapes were drastically changed, from fertile fields reduced to salty marshes, if they were not pulverized first. As a result, Eorzea itself had been, essentially, wiped clean and slowly, the modern world formed in its remnants. Only to be devastated once again by the Seventh Calamity five years ago.

"I was always taught there were six elements and two polarities, theoretically creating twelve different building blocks of the world," I mused aloud, running my fingers over the pages. Even as I said the words, though, I knew something wasn't right. "Oh, wait, there's unaspected aether as well, and it too can be pulled towards 'astral' and 'umbral'." So, seven. Seven and two... "If these Calamities truly are a process-of-elimination sort, then won't there eventually be fourteen of them?"

"Shush with such doom and gloom!" Momodi scolded suddenly, giving me another bowl of grapes to devour. I supposed she was done bleeding off her frustrations via cleaning. "One was bad enough to live through!"

"I didn't say you'd live through the rest of them?" Based on what I'd read, it could be centuries before the next. Assuming she'd survive at all, of course.

"Too gloomy!" She frowned at me and I held up my hands in surrender. Before eating more of the grapes. They were good and the perfect study-snack. "Oh, this calls for a drink. A nice, strong one. Do you want one too, Syna?"

"I've never had one, actually." Why would this 'call' for a drink, anyway? I'd heard of 'drowning ones sorrows' in the stories, but I was still curious.

"That so? Well, want to try one?" She waited for me to answer and, after a few seconds of thinking, I nodded. "All right, a nice and sweet cocktail for you, and a few shots of hard liquor for me, then. Think I'll have some whiskey, tonight."

"Hard?"

"I best teach you terms to make sure no one gives you a drink stronger than you want, huh? We'll handle that later." She hummed under her breath and went to work on these drinks. I watched her for a second before returning my attention to my book, tracing the words on the page. Fourth Calamity… Great Earthquake… it made me wonder if I did know of these others, but by different names. Why would they be so different? Had the village been that isolated? I knew outsiders were terribly rare, though I'd talked to one once when they accidentally wandered to the door of the room, but… ah, but it didn't matter. The only reason I'd return would be for Xanthos, and even then, I'd rather we meet far away from there. For now, I needed a distraction and given the reminder of all the terms I did and did not know...

"Hey, Momodi?" I waited for her to make some sort of noise in acknowledgement. "What's Amajina? And the Immortal Flames?"

"Twelve, one would think you'd spent your life locked in a tower." That… actually wasn't too inaccurate. "Let me finish making these, and then I'll answer."

"Thank you."

Turned out that my thirst for knowledge vastly exceeded my thirst for alcohol. I drank it all to be polite, but I definitely wouldn't have another one.

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Author's Notes: Yay, battles. Tried to keep Syna's abilities within level 6. There's also mentions of the level 5 class quests (with some changes here and there to minimize the amount of traveling done). (Yes, I know that Au Ra can wear normal helmets in-game, but I figured the horns would cause some sort of issue? I normally have the helmets turned off when I play.)

So, my understanding is that the lore for thaumaturgy, and how it differs from Black Magic and Red Magic is a little bit of a mess due to the shift from Legacy to ARR, so I did my best while researching but fully admit I could've misunderstood some things. Sorry? I suppose I should also apologize for the random bits of lore in general, but Syna's got a voracious appetite for learning. All lore comes from either the game itself, the Eorzean Encyclopedia book thing, or is extrapolated from the information in the former two.