Heyo :3
Yes, I'm well aware I'm going to go to one of the seven hells for starting yet another WIP o.o (and I'm still planning to finish the others, I swear .)
This one, though... is my another take on Isekai'ed into Final Fantasy XIV - heavily inspired by my other work "Stuck in Another World", so you'll surely recognize *many* elements if you know it - with tweaks, though. It also starts at the end of the Crystal Tower questline... and it's likely to tumble into chaos soon after.
Rating mature because of the language - but like most of my works - likely to go Explicit, eventually.
Enjoy o/
Chapter 1
The Warrior of Light was acting strange, G'raha mused, watching the woman in question with unbidden interest.
Not that he had much experience with heroes – other than the stories that entertained him through his childhood – but still… she seemed upset.
He sat by one of the campfires spread around the camp, cross-legged and resting his elbows on top of his knees – with an ancient tome in his lap, pretending he was paying attention to it whenever she looked in his general direction – but in truth, he couldn't help… curiosity caused by her behavior.
Ever since they came back from the void and she passed out almost right out of the rift – she seemed not to act like… herself. He knew he should start preparing for sealing the Tower – the plan he didn't yet share with anyone around the camp – but at first, he was worried for her – because why did she pass out so suddenly? – and once she woke up… Yeah, the strange behavior started.
Like right now – she was pacing furiously some steps away, murmuring something under her nose – and for some reason… constantly losing her balance. She would catch herself quickly, then look like she was swearing – though it was quite… unusual for a normally extremely calm and collected woman he came to know during the expedition – then go back to her pacing and murmuring.
And murmuring itself was… weird. Since he met her, she scarcely uttered a word – making him almost sure she had to be mute as she would at most nod and smile when asked something. She presented more than a few expressions – be it of surprise or anger – but not words.
Normally she would also leave as soon as what they asked of her was complete – surely teleporting toward another adventure – but since she came around, blinking owlishly at them as they gathered in panic around her tiny, prone body – she seemed… to fall in panic briefly… to their utter surprise. While Cid set to calm her, hugging her tightly and whispering something by her laid-flat ears – she did not look comforted at all, screeching, until he let go of her, then scrambling away from them across the crystalline floor of the throne room… to fall unconscious again. They brought her back to the camp, laid her inside her tent, and once the camp's healer announced that she seemed perfectly fine… let her be, deciding that her strange behavior had to be caused by the trip into the void and hoping she'll be back to her heroic self once she sleeps it off.
It didn't seem to be the case, though, judging by his observations. She stumbled out of the tent about a bell ago – and the pacing started. And murmuring.
Now that he knew she could speak – and before he go ahead with his plan – he was dying to ask her some questions. Like… how did she find utter bravery to do what she was doing? Or how it was to be like her? And most of all – even if it was too late now – could she ever feel something for someone like… him?
It was silly of him, really… But ever since he first laid his eyes on her – peering through the thick foliage of the Urth's Gift, while he yet had no idea who she was – he had the most ridiculous… crush on the hero. Like probably half of Eorzea, at least… But who could blame him? Outside of being brave and fearless – inspiring, really – she was as well a beautiful young woman. A Seeker of the Sun, like him, with awe-inspiring pearly-white locks and dark, starry eyes shade of amethyst. Tiny even for a Miqo'te, but her curvy body made his hands itch for a touch. Not that he would ever dare! Especially not now…
She was always polite – as much as possible without speaking, he guessed – but remained distant from any members of the expedition. He dared once to ask Cid about that – the engineer knew her the longest out of the people who joined their attempts of learning more of the Crystal Tower – and the man shrugged, stating she was always like that. To his embarrassment, then he proceeded to warn him not to get his hopes up – probably noticing his enamored gazes toward the hero – because as far as he knew, Surr Kirh, the Warrior of Light, never spared a second glance for any man or a woman. She seemed so focused on her mission that it was like she was insusceptible to such notions.
And anyway, now that he knew what destiny awaited him… he would have to be insane to dare…
He blushed furiously when his musings were cut short as his gaze caught hers – something strange flashed in her dark eyes mid-pace and she lost her balance again – to his shock tumbling to the ground with a squeak. Without a thought, he carelessly dropped the tome he was pretending to be reading to the ground, jumped deftly to his feet, and darted toward her.
"Are you okay?" he asked softly, kneeling by her side and completely unsure – he didn't dare touch her! – because like this she looked so… tiny and delicate his heart thumped nervously in his chest. "Maybe you should rest… longer?"
"No, I'm not okay!" she snapped, scrambling to her knees and impatiently brushing her long hair back. To his shock – once she looked up at him with a smudge of dirt on her cheek – her eyes were full of unshed tears. "I'm going to die! I'm so dead!"
He blinked with surprise at the statement, falling to sit back on his legs as he looked at her with uncertainty. Huh?
"P-Pardon?" he finally stammered with a frown, unsure what she meant or what he should do with his hands. He finally braced them on his thighs, trying to ignore that itching sensation again. He had no right to even think of touching her! Despite now knowing more of his Allagan heritage, he was a nobody! And she was a hero – a childhood dream made flesh – so brave and fierce… usually.
"God, this is so messed up," she murmured, then sighed and curled into a ball – burying her face in her knees and folding her hands over the back of her head. "Wake up, wake up, wake up! Come on, this is just a dream, you can do it, just fucking wake up already!"
He watched her with a frown – completely at a loss what to do. Over her back, he saw a few scholars toss their way confused looks – but after her collapse, none dared to approach her.
"I have… no idea what seems to be the issue," he said finally with a sigh, biting his lower lip with uncertainty and feeling his tail wave nervously. "But I'm sure whatever got you so upset… will be fine."
"Of course, you don't know! Or don't care!" she snapped, suddenly shooting up again, bracing her arms on the ground around her knees and glaring at him with narrowed eyes even as her lower lip trembled. "Mister I'll-seal-the-Tower! You're going for a nap, while I'll fucking die! First goddamn monster and I'm sooo dead!"
His jaw dropped – and he had to look quite ridiculous, really – gawking at her with wide-eyed astonishment. But… how did she know?! He was sure he was quite… carefully keeping his plans a secret…?
"I just want to wake up…" she murmured, closing her eyes and two huge tears spilled down her cheeks. Suddenly she looked so young and vulnerable… his throat tightened painfully and his hands fisted in the material of his pants, as the need to reach for her grew almost unbearable. "It's just a nightmare… I'll wake up soon… God, please… let me wake up…"
G'raha took a deep, steadying breath, then slowly and carefully extended his hand – she just looked… too miserable to pay attention to his insecurities at the moment – and brushed barely the fingertip of his thumb against the smudge on her cheek… and froze at the sudden burn on his shoulder.
"Ow!" she gasped, and her hand shot up to her own shoulder as her dark, watery eyes shot wide open with surprise. "What the fuck?!"
His hand dropped back to his knees as he stared at her numbly and completely… stunned. Can't be…? She was… a hero, and he was a… nobody… She couldn't be…? And he was pretty sure they touched before… She shook his hand when they were introduced, at least… He almost hoped then… As silly as it was of him, but… nothing happened.
"What the fuck did you do to me?" she scowled darkly, pulling back the collar of her white, sleeveless vest and careening her neck to peer at her shoulder. He could barely hear her over the heart thundering in his throat when his eyes fell to the telltale dark mark on her pale skin. She was… his? Twelve preserve… "Huh? Ugh, I'm so sick of this bullshit…" she sighed, letting go of her vest to rub the tears from her eyes. "It's just a nightmare… I'll wake up… soon, and it'll be… f-fine…" she sniffled sadly, then slowly got to her feet and completely ignoring him stumbled back toward her tent. She closed the flap behind her, but the light didn't go on and his sensitive ears twitched at the sound of the body hitting the blankets.
He could only… stare after her with numb confusion.
"G'raha? Are you alright?" he heard, then someone tapped on his shoulder. He looked up automatically, meeting Cid's worried eyes. "Don't tell me you're to be another victim of whatever took hold of Surr?"
He felt his mouth move, but no sound escaped. Then, seeing the engineer's eyebrows scrunch up in worry, he cleared his throat and got to his feet, avoiding his gaze as he shook the sand off his pants.
"I'm… fine," he said, then exhaled slowly, straightening and putting a fake smile on his lips. Judging by his expression, he wasn't really fooling him… "It was a long… day," he added, then turned and headed toward his own tent. "Goodnight, Cid."
"Night, G'raha," he heard behind him, but he didn't dare to look back – less he notices… somehow.
He stepped inside his tent, carefully closing the flap behind him just like any other night. Then he turned on the small, aether-powered lamp and looked around the interior. A variety of books and parchments covered nearly every surface, other than his bedroll covered with crumpled, messy blankets. Normally he tended to be quite neat… but he spent last night going furiously through his books trying to learn anything he could about the void they were about to brave – wishing with all his heart to be helpful to his… hero.
Oh, gods...
Feeling completely numb, he slowly unpinned the fastenings of his bracers and dropped them carelessly to the ground around his feet. His red, leather vest followed, and only in his pants he grabbed a smaller, hand-size lamp, powered it on and dropped to his bedroll. His jaw was clenched so hard his back teeth were almost aching when he slowly, tilted his head and while almost pressing the small lamp against his shoulder, narrowed his now crimson eyes at the dark spot on his skin. His lips thinned in a line and his heart jumped in his throat at the barely discernable design in the coin-size mark.
His hand dropped to his lap and he swallowed thickly, looking down at the small crystal of the lamp and turning it slowly in his fingers while his thoughts raced.
He read enough to know what this specific design meant… though he wouldn't dare to ever even consider that he would be the one marked with the Spiral. And why now…? He was sure they touched before… That handshake if nothing else…
And what in the seven hells was he supposed to do now?!
He couldn't seal the Tower as he planned if she was his… Oh, Twelve preserve… Not even a mate – a female compatible for… for… He blushed furiously, burying his face in his free palm with a quiet groan. He couldn't even finish the thought… knowing the person on his mind. It felt almost like blasphemy to consider… her in such terms. But the mark… If she was truly his… s-s-soulmate… Oh, gods… He couldn't… do this to her… could he?
She looked so stunned, too… Like she didn't… understand. He knew from the stories about her that she grew up in one of the city-states of Eorzea, the Limsa Lominsa. Shouldn't she still… know about the marks? Isolated as he grew up – shunned by the students and professors of the Old Sharlayan for his eyes and attitude – he still knew… Though, from the books mostly. That she wouldn't know what this, specific mating mark meant… wouldn't be that weird, rare as it was. But in general…? Did she pretend the surprise… because she was dissatisfied with the match…? With… him?
That wouldn't be that… surprising. Who was he to… claim her as a m-mate…?! The hero, the Champion of Eorzea, Eikon-Slayer, and the Scion of the Seventh Dawn…? The thought alone was… beyond ridiculous!
But if she truly… didn't know what this mark meant…? If he seals the Crystal Tower… It was most likely he would sleep for hundreds of years until the technology of their world catches on to the one once created by the Allag… How could he do that now? Even if she wasn't… happy with the match… that mark meant she won't… won't get another if what he read about it was true. Not even a normal, mating mark… Some theorized that goddess Azeyma, who according to the myth granted Seekers of the Sun the marks, saw ignoring that specific one as a personal offense – and disability to mate to someone else was a… punishment. He, with his penance for… romantic stories, chose to see that as… fate. Why would you need… anyone else if this mark was supposed to indicate the person who's… perfect for you…?
The downside was – according to the mythos – that once completed... the mark was literally unbreakable. He flushed again at the idea alone, tightening his hand around his eyes as his tail thumped nervously against his blankets. How could he even dream… she would consider…? If she already chose to pretend not to know about the mark itself…? He could – should even – explain to her what this one represented… but wouldn't that be presumed as… desperate? She could think he was… lying to force her... Gods, the thought alone was horrifying! And he didn't have here any book or anything to prove to her that this mark was… different! But if he goes ahead with his plan – she didn't seem interested now, obviously – but if she once decides to… wishes for an… o-offspring? She was what…? Nineteen, if he heard right – and he could only assume she already took heat suppressants since it was quite… commonly the age the females of their race reached the breeding age… But if she changes her mind… someday? And his… decision robs her of that choice…?
But what he should do then? He had literally no clue! The Crystal Tower had to be sealed… Its possibilities were just… too much for the people of their time. And as far as he knew, now he was the only one capable of controlling it after Doga and Unei perished… And the wish of the Ancients for the Tower to be the beacon of hope once more… resonated with his heart… That's why he decided to do what he thought he had to… But now?!
G'raha groaned weakly, dropping the lamp that dimmed instantly, and covering his face with his palms. Then again, when the mark on his shoulder throbbed meaningfully. He dropped his hands in his lap and stared numbly at the tent's floor in front of him.
He had to… seal the Tower – without him – for now. Then… he didn't know. He should at least… try to talk to her. He had no idea what she planned now when the expedition was over… Before, he intended to just… go back home, to Old Sharlayan. Then… the hell with the void went down – and he thought he knew what was his destiny once the royal clones augmented his blood…
He took a deep breath then exhaled slowly, then shifted to lay down on his bedroll and covered his eyes with his forearms. Of all times for this to happen…
He used to dream of finding his soulmate – he imagined that every Seeker did as a kit. When he felt so unbearably lonely… those shy fantasies would spring up and offer comfort. Even older, after yet another of his lovers turned out to be… untrustworthy, luring him into their beds to discard him afterward… like trash – he patched his broken heart with the thought that somewhere out there… was a soul that wouldn't mind his… freaky eyes or 'reputation'. That someday… somehow… he'll find them and never again would be lonely… That he or she – would… love him. Really love him. Like nobody else ever did.
If they were born to be together… they would have to… right?
But the idea that it was her… was too intimidating. He scarcely dared to ever imagine that she could… return his interest! It had to be… some sort of mistake? Was that… possible? Could the goddess mark someone… wrong? He had no idea, and his stupid mark throbbed again as if to taunt him.
"I'm so.. fucked," he murmured, then groaned loudly, completely miserable.
Zara Collins had the worst… luck.
She did! She told that once to one of her friends in her FC, when she died like the tenth time – to the stupid knockback because she could never fucking remember which stupid skill prevented being pushed off the platform in the heat of the fight or her timing with it just sucked – and he laughed then, stating that it happened to everyone occasionally.
She wondered numbly if he would say the same now… When she was so fucking going to die, for real now!
She was busy cleaning her apartment – headphones on and music blaring in her ears – gathering the shit her ex left behind after she kicked his cheating ass to the curb and busy considering if she should just fucking stack all of his things into a pile in the middle of her small living room and burn it ritually… or just toss them out of the window. She was leaning toward the fire, to be honest. Not that she really loved the asshole – it was more of an issue of hurt pride, she could admit. At some level, she was almost… relieved when she caught him with her best friend in her bedroom. A girl she thought was her best friend, anyway… Not anymore! Good riddance to both, as far as she was concerned!
But while she was doing that, suddenly she felt a strange tug and everything went black. And when she came around, groaning weakly because of a pounding headache… Well, when she opened her eyes – she completely freaked out!
But, Jesus Christ, who could blame her?! She opened her eyes to a group of strangers huddling around her with a visible worry in their features – and if that wasn't unnerving enough – they didn't look that… unfamiliar!
Then one of them – looking like Cid nan Garlond, for fuck's sake! – wrapped his arms around her and started to whisper some sort of bullshit against her ear about how everything is going to be 'okay' and she freaked out even worse! Because… she read enough mangas and watched enough of anime for the idea of what… happened to spring in her head… and, fuck, no!
Then she blanked out again, to come around to the unfamiliar interior of a tent – somehow hoping that despite that… she was back in her world! But when she stumbled out of it after a short fight with the flap – the first person she saw was goddamn G'raha Tia! Sitting near one of the campfires with a book in his lap – as if it was just another day…!
And she was a goddamn half-cat now, sure, why the fuck not? She kept losing her fucking balance because she had a fucking tail now! What the fuck?! She spent something like an hour pacing awkwardly and tossing him looks from time to time – hoping he'll disappear and she'll wake the fuck up!
Because if she doesn't… she was sooo fucked!
Then the whole exchange… and gods, but he was cute – so freaking concerned and sweet – and if there was one freaking silver lining to her screwed-up situation – hey, at least before she dies horribly she got to see her favorite NPC in real life detail!
She chuckled wetly through her tight throat, tightening her arms around her knees as she curled into a miserable ball on top of the pile of blankets. She went back to the tent almost… instinctively. She didn't deal well with people – even if they weren't real, it seemed!
And her shoulder kind of… hurt now. Or more like… throbbed from time to time – completely freaking her out! Not that it was a big issue, she guessed – since yeah, she could already consider herself dead!
She had no idea how to fight, goddammit! Her only semi-experience with real violence was slapping a guy once when he got too feely-touchy with her butt in a nightclub… which hardly counted! If she really somehow ended up as her fucking avatar inside Final Fantasy XIV… she was sooo fucked!
The first goddamn monster she stumbles upon is going to do her in, she just knew it!
Of all the possible ways to go… this was just insane!
Something, somewhere… beeped and she nearly jumped with a whimper. What the fuck was that?! She sat up and looked around wildly – half-expecting something to jump out at her and put her out of her misery. Despite the fact that she could somehow see clearly in spite of the darkness ruling inside the tent – she couldn't see anything that could have made that sound. She sat up on the blankets, looking around suspiciously… then the sound repeated and she nearly jumped out of her skin!
It repeated a few times before she realized it was coming from her ear – fucking cat ear, for fuck's sake! – and she swallowed thickly, touching it nervously. Her fingers met a small bump in the shell – earring? – and while that happened…
"Finally! Surr, are you okay?" came a voice out of the thing… and she almost slapped herself at her stupidity! It was a goddamn linkpearl, of course!
Surr? Ah, her avatar's name… That apparently was her now! Oh, god, someone kill her…
"I'm… I'm… all right," she murmured, nibbling on her nail as she had no idea who it was… or what she was supposed to do!
"Twelve, you had me worried there for a second… Usually, you pick up right away," the voice – clearly female – sounded slightly… dismayed. "Anyway, are you quite done with that expedition in Mor Dhona, yet? Could you come back to the Rising Stones? The banquet in Ul'dah I told you about is tomorrow evening, and I wanted to go with you over the last details… so there are no surprises."
Banquet in Ul'dah…? Oh, fuck, no! She should have known… Seeing G'raha Tia, with both eyes red, she figured she landed at the end of the Crystal Tower questline… But she ended up at the end of 'A Realm Reborn'?! For fuck's sake… Of all places…? Yup, she was sooo dead!
She almost hoped that Alphinaud and Tataru will be okay… somehow. Because she was just… so dead!
"I'll… come by," she stammered, closing and rubbing her eyes. How…? She had no clue… But whomever that woman was – Minfilia, maybe? – she didn't need to know about her… issue.
"Thank you," the voice now sounded amused. "I'll tell Tataru to prepare your bedroom – and maybe a bath? After all that… camping… you must be dying for some comforts."
"Yeah, sure… See you soon," she murmured numbly, feeling completely detached.
"See you soon!" the call ended, and she shifted to sit on her knees, swallowing thickly and wondering what to do.
She went through Mor Dhona countless times in the game – but her mouth now dried at the thought of leaving the safety of the tent! Could she… teleport? Was that a thing? How…? Or should she even try to get there?! She knew too well what awaited the Warrior of Light on that Banquet… And just… fuck, no… Maybe she should just run for the hills…? Hills, filled with monsters…
And shouldn't she stay here until G'raha seals the Crystal Tower, anyway…? Too bad, really… He was really so… pretty in the flesh… But he had to, didn't he…? Or the whole 'Shadowbringers' goes to hell… Not that she'll ever get that far… Unless she wakes up, any moment now, please…
She took a deep breath, then slowly rose to her feet… and wobbled, cursing loudly when she lost her balance again – almost falling back on her ass! Fucking, stupid tail! How the fuck was she even to… get there?!
She looked around the dark tent with a sigh, wondering to whom it belonged… There were some clothes spread out over the floor, some looking like pieces of armor – most of the others white. Some books… and other stuff she didn't recognize. Eh, whatever… Time to meet her end! She hoped it won't hurt…
Maybe… if she dies here, she'll wake up back in her own body…? Or respawn in the nearest city? That could be actually useful – since she needed to get to Revenant Toll… which was the nearest city!
Once there… maybe she could ask Scions for help…? To somehow… help her get back to her world? Not that she super missed it – but at least there were no monsters! If you didn't count other people, at least – but with those, she at least had an idea how to deal with!
Here… she was helpless. And she hated feeling helpless!
With that thought, she took a deep breath, forced – somehow, because it felt weird as hell! – her stupid tail to calm down, then headed slowly toward the flap of the tent. She could only hope that the layout of the terrain was the same as in the game… because she had no choice but to walk to her destination!
Once there – fuck the story – she'll explain to the Scions who she is and that she absolutely couldn't fight – and hope for the best…
She fought with the flap – again – then stumbled outside, taking the stock of her surroundings. It seemed some time passed while she agonized over her… situation – since earlier there were people milling about the camp, while now it looked quite… empty. A few campfires were still burning – and some people she didn't recognize sat around them, chatting quietly.
It looked much more… realistic than in the game. Bigger, too. Finally, she spotted something that looked like the gate – with a man in armor leaning against one of its posts, and looking bored as hell… An exit, hopefully?
Zara took another deep breath, then steeled her back and made a few uncertain steps toward it, trying to keep her tail calm, and not earn herself anyone's attention…
"Are you… leaving?" a sudden voice behind her almost made her jump and she squeaked in fright, feeling her tail shoot up in the air! "Ah, sorry… didn't want to scare you."
"What in the…" she turned around, blinking rapidly, and… froze. Here he was again, the pretty G'raha Tia… "Oh, hi… again."
God, but in too-real detail, he was just… so gorgeous! And not only because she had a massive crush on his digital version for years… He just… was! Really, too bad she didn't land here sometime around 'Endwalker'… Not that it mattered, since she'll die soon, anyway…
"Ummm… hope you don't mind that I'll miss your sealing the Tower, okay?" she murmured, nervously folding her arms over her chest and looking at him with uncertainty. His pretty, red eyes widened slightly, and he stepped from one foot to the other… nervously?... with a frown on his handsome face. "I got a call – from the Scions… I think, and I'm going off to die," she smiled shakily, fighting tears again.
"Surr… are you sure you should be… leaving if you still seem quite… unwell?" he asked slowly, and his hands fell to brace on his hips. He wasn't wearing the bracers now – and it looked a bit strange… Oh, but who cares? At least he's the last person she'll see before dying! The silver lining, right?
"That's the thing, G'raha Tia," she sighed helplessly, dropping her arms to her sides. "I'm not 'Surr'!"
He flinched, backing away a step, then his face scrunched up in worry.
"I think… you should lay down," he said slowly, watching her carefully. "Whatever… happened when we left the void that made you pass out… Clearly is still upsetting you. I wanted to talk with you… but maybe it's not the best of times…"
"You're not listening to me!" she snapped, suddenly fed up with all of this! God, just let her fucking die in peace! "I'm not "Surr"! I'm not a fucking Warrior of Light! Not even a fucking Miqo'te! I'm Zara, I'm a human and I'm from fucking Earth! Another world!" she hissed, seeing his stupefied expression. Still pretty, though… "And if this is not a fucking nightmare… I'm about to get eaten by some s-stupid monster… because I can't fight! Maybe then at least… I'll w-wake up back in m-my body… Ah, fuck this!" she turned around, back toward the gate – too suddenly, and of course, she lost her balance again… and landed painfully on her butt. "Oh, fuck this fucking goddamn stupid tail! How the fuck I'm supposed to walk with this bullshit…! I'm so… done!" and to her utter mortification, she started sobbing. She covered her face with her palms, trying to calm down. "G-god… I w-want to g-go h-home… I don't w-want to d-die…"
"Let me help you," she heard, right before a pair of very strong arms picked her up and pressed her against the very wide chest. She didn't even mind… curling into him with a whimper. He felt so… real. And warm. And she was so… tired… "Where do you need to go… Zara?"
"R-Rising S-Stones," she hiccupped, sniffling as she dared to peek at him through her fingers. Did he… believe her? He was smiling… so reassuringly she took a deep breath, sniffled again, then let her hands drop to her belly. She was never carried like this before – and even though she had no idea what to do with her hands – it wasn't… unpleasant.
"Scions base? In Revenant Toll?" he asked, then started toward the gate.
"Y-yeah," she sighed, closing her eyes and resting her head against his shoulder. "M-maybe they can… h-help me go home…" she sniffed again, curling into him deeper. He was really sooo insanely warm… and he smelled so nice… almost like cinnamon and almonds… so tasty…
"…maybe," he agreed – his low voice so soothing – and it was the last she heard before drifting off with a tiny, tired sigh.
G'raha wasn't exactly sure what to make of the situation… now.
Earlier, he sneaked out of the camp and headed back to the Tower, sending it back into slumber – temporary at least – glad that all of the scholars and engineers already settled down in the camp for the night. On the way back to his tent, he saw her stumbling out of her tent again and thought it almost… fate. He intended to ask her about her plans going forward – trying to figure out if he should or not… let her know of the 'uniqueness' of their mark – quite… scared of how she would take it. But at the same time… leaving her in the dark seemed quite… unfair.
And no… he wasn't partially hoping that maybe – just maybe – if she would get to know him better, she would… reconsider. They spent weeks together during this expedition – and she never showed a shade of… returning his interest. She was always so… distant. Watching her was like looking at the star – so beautiful, bright, and unreachable.
But… now? He sighed as he crossed the gate leading into the Revenant Toll – directing his steps toward the tavern, Seventh Heaven, which according to the stories he heard contained the entrance to the Rising Stones. He looked down at her relaxed, sleeping face… and his heart stuttered nervously.
What she said… he knew he shouldn't even consider taking it seriously. But at the same time… If she truly was somehow possessed by some… soul from another world…? In a weird way, it would explain the sudden change in her behavior. He read of voidsent possessing things and turning them into monsters – like gargoyles, for example… Was what happened to her… somehow familiar…? They were just to the void a few bells earlier… Did some… soul get attached to the Warrior on the way out…?
But she didn't seem… bad. Scared, yeah, definitely. Some of what she said sounded like incoherent gibberish as if she was slipping into another language – he couldn't understand – without realizing it and she seemed so… convinced she was going to die…
He had no idea what to make of it. And what did it mean… for him? Was he somehow… matched to the soul from the void? Was Azeyma really that… cruel?
But if it was really true… what of Surr? Was she somehow… still inside? Or did the new soul somehow push out the real owner of the body…?
Or was it all some… feverish dream she was stuck in? She didn't look sick… but what did he know of sicknesses that could affect the mind… like this? He was a historian, not a healer…
He sighed again, stopping at the door leading to the tavern. It was quite late into the night… especially since he took his time walking, avoiding the monsters prowling the terrain and trying not to jostle his charge awake. Maybe she was right – in a way – and the Scions will know what to do…? Whatever she was sick or a lost soul… what he heard of them, they should have scholars who could untangle this… mess?
G'raha shifted her slightly, freeing one hand to try the door, and his eyebrows twitched slightly when they opened easily – despite the dark windows. But maybe if they were expecting her…? And who would dare to rob the place, anyway? According to Cid – and his own expectations, honestly – Scions of the Seventh Dawn were well known and respected in the area. He stepped inside, letting the door close behind him – securing their silence with his foot. Across from the entrance he saw another door, slightly ajar and with a stream of light falling over the wooden floor, and almost automatically headed toward it. He pushed them open with his boot, fixing his grip around the unconscious Seeker, then found himself in an area that looked almost like another tavern – tables and chairs spread out across the big room, with a visible bar counter at the wall opposite to the entrance.
The room was empty as well, and he wasn't sure which of the few visible doors he should head toward… or what to do, really. He made a few uncertain steps inside, passing the few tables when one of them opened and a Lalafellin woman in a pinkish outfit emerged from within.
"Finally! I was getting…" she froze, staring at him with obvious confusion. "Who are you?" then her gaze fell to his charge. "Heavens! Surr! What happened?"
"Ah…" he cleared his throat, watching with uncertainty how she rushed toward him across the room. "She's asleep," he said quickly, and the woman slowed down, stopping in front of him and looking up with a frown. "Apologies… My name is G'raha Tia, and I am… I was a part of the expedition she was helping with during the last few weeks. It concluded today… when we ended up traversing the void – it's a long story," he admitted at the sight of her stupefied expression. "Anyway… after we came back, she suddenly lost consciousness. Briefly, but after she came around… she started acting strange. Now… I stumbled upon her when she was leaving the camp to head here – and she… kind of lost it…?"
"Lost it?" the woman scowled, resting her hands on her hips. "Surr's the calmest person there is! She's never 'losing it'!"
"That's the thing," he sighed, looking down at the sleeping face. "She stated… she's not 'Surr' but another… from another world. And since we were just to the void…" he looked toward the Lalafellin helplessly.
"She's… possessed?" her hand shot toward her mouth and clear panic flashed in her eyes. "But… I never heard of voidsent possessing the living!"
"Or she's just… sick," he shrugged helplessly, slightly, not to wake her. "And it's some… feverish raving. I do not know… But she seemed so… upset – and I thought maybe your people can… help her?"
"Of all times…" the Lalafellin sighed heavily, then turned around and headed toward one of the doors to the side of the room. "Come on, come on… Let's get her settled down into a bed in the Dawn's Respite," she motioned for him to follow. He swallowed thickly, then did so – involuntarily tightening his arms around his charge. "Then I'll wake the others… Oh, heavens… What a mess!"
G'raha couldn't agree more!