Never Alone
Chapter 1: Warrior of Meetings
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy or any of the characters involved except for these incarnations of the Warrior of Light
Sastasha Sea Grotto, Western La Noscea
A Lafafellin woman was sitting outside of the sea grotto pouring over the tome in her hand. She wore a simple black robe and had sea-blue eyes. Her hair was long and blonde down to the middle of her back. She looked up when heard the sound of boots crunching on the sand nearby. Approaching her was an Au Ra woman with a bow on her back. The Au Ra had dark scales on her face that retreated back into a pair of horns on her head. She had snow white hair that was kept in two pigtails that reached her shoulders. Her eyes were a bright red color.
She sighed and closed the book before hopping down and approaching her. "I take it you're the one from Gridania?" She asked.
The Au Ra woman looked to her and cocked her head in confusion.
"Sorry! Sorry! We're both from Gridania!" Another voice called to them.
They both turned to see a Viera approaching, her robe and the staff she carried marked her as a conjurer, she had platinum blonde hair that was tied back into matching pigtails with two black bands with flowers stitched into them. She also had bright red eyes.
"My name is Nearee. And this is my friend Yuri," She explained indicating the Au Ra.
Yuri gave the Lalafell a stiff bow from the waist.
She nodded, obviously annoyed by this development. "I was told there would be one representative from each nation?" She said.
"Yes, that was originally the plan, but you see, Yuri can't speak. So, it was decided last minute that I would accompany her."
The Lalafell sighed "Very well, I suppose that would make it more convenient. My name is Wawararu."
"Pleasure ta meet you all den!" Another voice called to them.
They all turned to see a pink-haired miqo'te with her hair pulled up into a ponytail approaching them with a grin on her face, her ears twitching with each step and the plate armor she wore clanking loudly. She had two different colored eyes with one being dark green and the other being a brighter green.
"And I take it you're the representative from Ul'Dah?" Wawararu asked.
"Indeed missy, the name's R'aftia, though you can call me 'Aftia if it pleases ye," She said with a grin as she put her thumb to her chest.
Wawararu gave an indignant sniff before turning her back on them and looking to the sea grotto ahead of them.
"Well, if we're all here I suppose we'd better investigate this nonsense and be done hm?"
"Eager aren't we? Well, if you're rarin' to go then so am I! Shall we ladies?" R'aftia stepped forward and drew her blade, pointing it into the cave as she spoke.
Nearee nodded as she looked to Yuri who gave a small nod towards the cave.
"We're ready!" She said with a smile.
"Then let's be abou' it!" R'aftia started into the cave and the rest followed after her.
It was dark in the cave as they began to make their way through, but as they were about to light a torch they saw lights reflecting to them from deeper inside. Going deeper in they found the cave was lit by a natural algae and coral formations that glew in the dark.
"Well, you don't see that everyday hm?" R'aftia said as she slowly continued, her gaze fixing on each source of light as they walked by.
"Natural phosphorescent formations," Wawararu replied.
"Excuse you," Nearee said sincerely.
"What?" Wawararu turned to face Nearee now.
"You sneezed."
"I most certainly did not! I was explaining what these things are!"
"Oh, sorry. It… sounded like you sneezed…"
Wawararu sighed and turned to face forward again when something came flitting in from the darkness. Wawararu screamed in fright and closed her eyes as she threw her hands up to protect herself, but she instead heard something slam into metal. Opening her eyes she saw that R'aftia had stepped in with her shield and blocked a bat from flying into her. It flitted off back down the cave, but more began to congregate and started back towards the group.
"Look alive, we've got company!" R'aftia shouted as she readied her sword.
Wawararu heard the clack of wood on wood and turned to see Yuri draw her bow and nock an arrow. Nearee lifted her staff and closed her eyes briefly, before her eyes took on a determined look.
"Go ahead and do what you need to do, I'll keep you standing, alright?" She called to R'aftia.
The miqo'te looked back over her shoulder at Nearee with a grin "Sounds like a plan to me! Wha' abou' you little lady?" She asked, turning her gaze to Wawararu.
She was taken aback, but as her senses began to return to her and her adrenaline settled she nodded. "Yes, we need to figure out what's going on here. If these beasts are going to get in our way then they need to be removed."
Wawararu pulled the book from her waist and with a quick incantation a small, glowing green creature appeared beside her.
"Oh, it's so cute!" Nearee said as she saw the beast appear.
"Focus, we can admire him later!" Wawararu called to her.
"Yes, right, right!"
The group turned to see the swarm of bats was now only a few yalms away. With a roar R'aftia charged into the thick of things.
-A few minutes later—
The group was making their way through the deepest parts of the cave, they were tired and sore. They'd been fighting off hordes of beasts and pirates through their entire trek and they were ready to be done.
As they turned the corner they found themselves in a large, open-air section of the cave where a natural harbor was hidden by the stone walls of the structure.
"Well I'll be…" R'aftia said as they all looked around in amazement.
"You sssshould have killed them!" A voice echoed to them from further inside
"I'm sorry sir, I am, but they was too powerful they were! Cut through me men and maidens like they was nothing' they did!" Another voice replied
"Excusssess! I will deal with them myssself!"
The group looked to each other in shock, R'aftia was the first to act as she took her gaze away from the rest and began to move forward. The others followed behind her, and as they came up on fenced off section of the port, they found a large Sahuagin was standing over the captain of the pirates they'd faced a few times in their trek through the cave.
The Sahuagin stopped and looked up, sniffing the air. "They come…" it said.
"Sounds like we've been found out," R'aftia whispered back to the team
Wawararu shook her head "He can't smell us from here, there's no-"
"You hide cowardsss! But I will flusssh you out!" The voice shouted at them as they heard its finned feet slapping on the rocks.
"You was sayin' miss?" R'aftia turned back to Wawararu with a grin.
"Look out!" Nearee shouted as the Sahuagin stepped over their rock and tried to smash them with its massive club.
"I am Denn, the Orcatoothed, you Ssshorewalkersss will tressspass here no longer!" He shouted as the group scattered.
R'aftia had rolled away from Denn's initial attack, and now she came to her feet, readying her blade and lifting her shield to catch Denn's next attack as the massive Sahuagin slammed his club into her shield. She slid through the rocks, but took the blow.
Denn recoiled then, as an arrow slammed into his shoulder. With a gasp of surprise Yuri smiled to herself as she saw her arrow hit home. She lifted another one, specially coated with a deadly poison and fired.
Wawararu recited another incantation, and as Yuri's arrow slammed into Denn, her carbuncle changed colors and charged forward, leaving sparks of flame trailing behind it as it slammed into Denn from behind
He growled in frustration before turning on her "I will sssup on your sssoulsss!" He called at her, and as he went to take a step, he was interrupted as a large rock hit him in the back of the head.
"You dare!" He shouted as he spun again, and was immediately put on the defensive as R'aftia began slashing and hacking away at him. He caught her blade with his club, but she was fast, each move combo'ing into the next one in a smooth, and seamless display of martial practice. After three complete circuits around the room as he gave ground, Denn was beginning to tire. The constant barrage of arrows, magic, and stones from the rest of the group was tiring him.
"Enough!" He shouted, "Brothersss! To me!"
Splashes from the water nearby alerted the team to more Sahuagin approaching them.
"We need to finish this," Wawararu shouted at them.
Nearee nodded and looked to R'aftia who was already moving to engage the newcomers.
Yuri didn't hear Wawararu, her senses were dulled, she could hear her heart beating in her ears, and her vision focused on the approaching figures. Suddenly, she felt something welling up inside her. She lifted her bow, and with a roar of defiance a strange energy began to pour from her into the arrow she was going to fire. It began to swell in size, until it was larger than Denn, and with a massive effort, she fired the shot that tore through Denn and the remaining Sahuagin, blowing past R'aftia without harming her. The shot continued out into the distance, taking the Sahuagin back to the water. After a moment of silence, they relaxed and Yuri collapsed to the ground.
"What was tha'?" R'aftia asked as she sheathed her blade and approached the group.
"I… I don't know. I've never seen anything like it!" Wawararu replied.
"Yuri… are you ok? How did you do that?" Nearee asked as she bent down to check on her friend.
Yuri looked up to her and nodded, obviously exhausted.
"Well, that's settled at least. We should go b'fore more of those fishbacks show up 'eh?"
Wawararu nodded. "Yes, let's leave this place, can you stand?" She asked Yuri.
Yuri stumbled to her feet and almost fell over, but R'aftia lunged forward and caught her "Stead there friend, we've got a long way to go back to the entrance, can't be havin' you fallin' over on the way eh?"
Yuri nodded her thanks, and the party turned to leave. As they exited the cave they reported to the Yellowjackets who had been stationed outside the cave. After giving their report the soldiers moved into the cave to secure it. Leaving the party alone outside.
"I s'pose that's it then? We're done 'ere?" R'aftia asked as she crossed her arms.
"It would seem that way," Wawararu replied.
"Well that's a bummer, I was having fun," Nearee said sadly.
"Aye, same, well, maybe we'll meet again? T'would be nice to work alongside ye again in the future,"
"Now hold on a moment… what's to say we couldn't do that permanently?" Wawararu asked them.
They all looked to her in surprise.
"The way you were talking earlier, I'm surprised to hear that coming from you Wawa,"
"Wawa?"
"Your name's too long lass, Wawa, or Raru, but not both eh?" R'aftia gave her a grin
"Now see here, my name is-"
Yuri began to laugh which drew everyone's attention.
"I think Yuri agrees," Nearee said smiling at her friend
"Aye, tha' it does,"
Wawararu tried vainly to take breath to argue again, but as her three companions looked at her she sighed and gave in.
"Oh very well, I suppose this means I'll never be alone, right?"
"Nary a day longer," R'aftia said as she held out a hand.
Yuri nodded and placed her hand on R'aftia's
"I think this'll be really fun!" Nearee smiled as she put her hand on top of the others'.
They all looked to Wawararu again who sighed, "Yes, well, as long as you'll listen to me from time to time, alright?"
She put her hand on top of the others.
"Well, with tha' settled, I s'pose we should come up with a name eh?" R'aftia asked.
The others thought quietly for a moment before Nearee spoke up "What about the Alahash clan?"
"The wha clan?" R'aftia asked, confused.
"Alahash, it's a word from where I grew up. It means 'disparate but whole'."
"Well, a term I would definitely use to describe our ragtag bunch," Wawararu replied.
"Aye, I think I's a good fit!" R'aftia grinned.
Yuri nodded.
"Then it's settled, from today forward, we are the Alahash clan!" Nearee said with a smile.