Hey everyone, welcome back. I've been on a bit of a hiatus from writing for the last month and it was much needed. I'm glad to say that I'm slowly coming back to writing, and though I am still currently working on one other story involving Zenos, I had several ideas for a few characters to write about but nothing long enough for a story. But then it hit me… every year for the Rising we get small stories about some of our favorite characters and I thought to give that a try. So for the next four weeks, we will be releasing a short story about someone of my personal choice. Why? Because I can. If anyone has any suggestions or ideas please feel free to comment if there is a particular character that you want to hear about and I may add it on later. As of right now, I have already decided upon the four for this story and we shall be starting off first with our little forgotten Scion: Krile.
Warning: There will be spoilers for both Endwalker and the Eureka quests.
Please enjoy.
Chapter 1: Steps of Aptitude
Grandfather was always there for her.
Krile had been orphaned at a young age and her earliest memories were of the orphanage before she was finally adopted by the famous Archon Galuf Baldesion. Why he picked her among all the other children, she wasn't sure, but she would forever be indebted to him for seeing something in her that she hadn't been aware of herself.
She had been a little baffled by this odd man when he took her hand and led her away from the orphanage doors. Though after coming to live with him, she quickly learned that he was every bit as eccentric that she first thought him to be; but that was what she loved the most about him. He was so quirky and always thinking out of the box and somehow manage to reconcile even the most seemingly contradictory information while still making sense and preserving the facts as they knew them.
That isn't to say that he didn't have his own share of mistakes.
She could still remember the day that he was experimenting with certain substances and she was there to take notes for him as he tested the different materials…? The way that he was taking it all so seriously would make one think that he was trying to create some kind of potion of unimaginable qualities…? But in reality…?
"A cake?" twelve-year old Krile repeated dumbfounded, sure that she had heard wrong as she watched how her grandfather tied a floral apron around his waist. "You're baking a cake? Since when do you even know how to bake? I didn't even think that you knew we had a kitchen in this house?"
"How dare you?" grandfather shot back in mock offense. "This is for your benefit as well as for my sweet tooth. Now don't just stand there! We got a lot of work to do so go and get the mixing bowl!"
Needless to say, it didn't end well.
She could still remember how they stood there, both of them wearing some silly aprons as they looked at the remains of their 'experiment'. Krile had to rush to the window and opened it to get the dark smoke and acrid smell out of the kitchen all the while her throat burned and grandfather coughed.
Once the house was no longer in any danger of burning down, she watched as grandfather frowned at the mess that their latest experiment caused and wiped the soot from his face as he demanded, "Whose idea was it to add such unstable ingredients together, anyway?"
"Ah, yours, grandfather?" Krile reminded him and he froze for a moment before he reached a hand up to his head and let out a theatric moan, "Oh… my head! That smoke did something… I can't seem to remember anything!"
It was so convenient how his memory would come and go at the drop of a hat.
"What kind of cake was it suppose to be again?" Krile asked as she poked at the sad lump of coal that was now sitting in the blackened pan.
"I think that it was rolanberry," he answered with uncertainty. "But then again, I can't remember anything… so…?"
She couldn't help but laugh as she punched his leg, the highest part she could reach at the time, and he grinned down at her.
"Well, if it makes you smile again, that is all that matters!" he said happily as he picked up their… cake. "Well, we've been needing a new paperweight anyway! This saves me the trouble of going out to get one."
The memory never failed to bring tears of laughter to Krile's eyes as grandfather actually did use that sad lump as a paperweight for a short time before they had to toss it out.
She found out much later the reason that he had tried to bake something was to cheer her up.
In truth, the Echo awoke within her at the age of twelve, when she heard Hydaelyn's voice calling out to her and dreamt of a star shower one night. She had thought that maybe she was studying too much and that she had only a strange dream…? Only now did she understand the significance of all that… but at the time she only felt fear and confusion when she started having visions. No two versions of the Echo are exactly the same… with hers though, she was especially sensitive to the whispers of the soul. The visions terrified her at first for she didn't understand what was going on, and during her adolescence she did her best to avoid all around her.
So frightened she was of meeting people only to be shown another glimpse of the past, she became guarded and a bit antisocial which often came across as cold or offensive by others.
The last thing she had wanted to do was cause Grandfather to worry about her but when he realized that she wouldn't talk to him or anyone about what was troubling her, he had thought that some family bonding would be enough to get her to open up to him.
Shortly after the disaster with the cake, she came to him late one evening and quietly confessed to him about this new ability of hers. She remembered crying as she crawled into his lap and told him how scary this ability was and she didn't know how to make it stop.
Upon learning that she had the Echo, grandfather just hugged her tightly and explained what they knew of the Echo, which wasn't very much at the time.
He then brought her a special gift that he had been planning to give to her for her next nameday… it was a cat-eared hooded coat that he had made for her to help with the Sharlayan winter that was fast approaching and she could still remember the warmth of his hands as he wrapped the coat around her like a cape and pulled the hood up over her head.
"It is not a curse, my dear," he told her gently. "This is a gift! A gift from Hydaelyn herself! And you mark my words! One day it will prove to be a tremendous strength!"
She will never forget those words and how inspired she became as she worked twice as hard in her studies, wanting to now understand everything about the Echo and Hydaelyn… and even the world itself! She would make him proud! Of that, she was sure.
Upon seeing her determination, and also struck by fascination of the Echo, Galuf Baldesion was inspired as well, and thus directed the Students of Baldesion's attention to more along the lines of the Echo, the Ascians, and the connection to the Umbral Calamities.
The last time she ever saw her beloved grandfather was the same day that the Isle of Val disappeared.
She was certain that Hydaelyn had stepped in the moment that the entire isle was cast adrift into the Lifestream… though her own memories of that are muddled at best. But for a long time, she felt that she just couldn't believe that it was all gone. Even after she awoken in Sharlayan in the care of the sages, she was completely unaware of the tragedy that happened.
Moments after she first awoke, she cried, begging that someone contact grandfather, for his face was the one she yearned to see the most—and she was honestly a little surprised that he wasn't already here, or at least have been contacted the moment that she did come too. She would never forget the piteous looks from the healers as they looked at each other and then at her before telling her the horrible truth: "The Isle of Val is gone. And we have lost communications with all the scholars who had been there. You are the only survivor that we were able to find."
She was in denial at first, refusing to believe that her grandfather and the others were just gone! She even made the attempt to get out of bed and demanded a boat to go out and see for herself.
And upon reaching the section of the sea where the isle once stood, only to see it gone…? Never had she known a deeper sense of despair. If the Final Days had happened at that moment, she was certain she would have been the first to transform into a blasphemy upon discovering that all she once loved and cherished to be wiped off the face of the star as if it had never existed.
When she learned, months later, that a mysterious isle had appeared on the other side of the world in the Sea of Glass, a faint hope blossomed in her heart.
She knew, deep down, that the idea that any of the other members of the Students of Baldesion had survived somehow were slim… but she couldn't let go of the thought of her dear grandfather would one day knock upon her door and greet her with excitement over a new discovery.
Yet upon setting foot on the newly christened land of Eureka… any hope she had quickly faded… especially after seeing the state of their headquarters. To top it all off, upon finding her grandfather's message inside his office did she understand that the incident with the isle hadn't been an accident. Grandfather had been the one to set the entire island into the aetherial sea so that he could kill the Ascian Emmerololth and keep them from using the primal Eureka.
And in so doing, he had killed everyone else upon the isle.
She couldn't believe that he meant to get so many involved, nor did she believe for one minute that he would have wished death upon any of them. There simply wasn't enough time for them all to get away before the spell activated… though that was a small comfort.
Her heart ached at the thought as she tugged upon the familiar cat ears, now becoming worn after years of use and knew that she would have to be careful if she didn't wish to tear them.
She was always left behind.
She was always forced to cheer from the sidelines while others did the heavy lifting.
She hated every moment of it.
She always felt how Sharlayan held its policy of non-intervention to be shameful. While she now understood their reasons, she couldn't ever see herself wishing to do the same. If anything, she longed for the strength to be able to do more than just assist them behind the scenes. She knew that if grandfather was still here, he would be the first to leap into helping the Scions and his fellow man… so when that Forum member denounced her, claiming that Galuf would be ashamed when they were brought before them all, anger that she never felt before rose up inside her. As such, she didn't even realize that she had yelled back, standing before all the members of the Forum, when before she had been too nervous to say a word.
She hoped that he would have been proud of her for standing up to them like that, even if it was for a moment.
Otherwise the only other time she really took control of a situation like that…?
"Sorry to disappoint you, but she's not in at the moment. She and the other Scions have left on an important mission straight to the very heavens themselves. So we don't know when she'll be back."
To think that she found the courage to stand up to Zenos viator Galvus of all people?
She could still remember his imposing form as he climbed the stairs to find them waiting upon the return of the Scions…? How he spoke to her as he searched for their champion… and how she made a deal with him.
Just thinking about that conversation and how she agreed to tell him what he needed to be able to give chase after the others?
That thought had been drifting about her head for a long time, ever since the end of the Final Days to now, as they gathered in the Rising Stones… ready to depart once more. She had done her best to try and help the others tie up all the loose ends for the Scions so that they could disband and, to the rest of the world, head into a well-earned retirement. But…?
Krile suddenly heard footsteps and she glanced up—only to freeze in pace when she realized who had approached her.
"Oh, Claire. How are you feeling? Any lingering aches or pains?" Krile asked, trying to keep the choking guilt out of her voice but failing greatly and she suddenly found it difficult to even look her in the eyes. She remembered how bone white the woman before her had appeared as they escorted her off the Ragnarok… having to be supported by Thancred and G'raha before collapsing and carried back to the Annex for treatment. She got a good look at the list that Nidhana had made over her many ailments and injuries and just looking over it was enough to cause one to start shaking.
How could she have survived such wounds? Had they been a little slower… had even one thing played out any differently, she absolutely would have died. Of that, Krile was sure.
And that only made her feel worse.
"I'm feeling back to my old self," Claire reassured her kindly and the guilt was now reaching a boiling point and threatening to spill over.
The Scions had done their best to make sure that she had recovered, having all but confined her to her bed for a fortnight before she had healed enough to be able to return to the Rising Stones with the rest of them. Looking at her now, there was no greater sense of relief to see how she looked well and healthy with a rosy hue back in her cheeks.
But Krile knew that she was still suffering some aftereffects of that last battle in that she had yet to regain her full strength, but their savior of the world seemed confident enough that she would regain it quickly once she headed back out into her adventures and seemed eager to do just that.
However, there was still one thing that Krile had wanted to do, but had not been able to bring herself to voice yet—having been unsure of how to word how terrible she felt that Claire had ever been hurt like that because of her own decision to assist the one person who could have killed them all.
"I can't apologize enough for sending Zenos to find you in Ultima Thule," she whimpered, trying to explain her reasons for sending Zenos after them. "When he came to me in Sharlayan, I was truly torn. As ever, there was only one thing on his mind. Forced to make a decision, I reasoned that, if he would not be deterred from seeking you out, he might at least aid us in our cause. And so I struck a bargain…"
Krile lowered her head, no longer able to look even at her face so it was impossible to gauze just what their friend was thinking. All Krile could think of was how battered and bruised she was when they returned, how she had to be brought back to the Annex for proper treatment and the long healing period she had to go through.
None of that would have happened if she didn't hand Zenos, the very person who had caused so much suffering to so many, the keys needed to get to her.
"In the end, he was true to his word, and you defeated him despite your earlier exertions. But knowing the state you were found in, it could have ended very differently," she finished, knowing how pathetic her own apology sounded at the end of that.
She knew that Claire had to have been exhausted after the battle with Meteion… but she also knew that it wasn't from the Endsinger that their champion received such grievous wounds. She had to first battle a near god of despair across the universe… and then battled with Zenos upon the very edge of creation…? It was nothing short of a miracle—there was no other word for it—that she made it back to them alive.
She shook her head as she moaned, "My decision almost cost you your life, and no words could express the remorse I feel…"
Was it the right choice? She wasn't sure… if she hadn't helped him… how would things have turned out differently? She feared that he would have found a way somehow to go after his one and only 'friend' and Krile knew that there was nothing that any of them could have said or done to stop him. The man had no other thought in his head when it came to finding his one and only 'friend'… and Krile struggled to understand him.
As all this raced around in her head, she finally tilted her head to risk peeking at her friend and—to her surprise… she didn't see any trace of the anger or distrust she had been expecting. Instead, she just saw a thoughtful sympathy looking back before the woman reassured her in her kind voice, "It worked out. You did the right thing."
Upon hearing that, some of the knot of guilt and anxiety in her chest loosened enough so that she could breath. Claire didn't blame her for her choice, knowing that there were few options and even fewer guarantees. Claire seemed to understand that and knew that Krile never would have willingly sent Zenos after her if she felt that there were other options. Which sent a warm feeling throughout her body to the tips of her fingers and toes.
Krile looked back up and answered gratefully, "It is a relief to hear you say that."
Not that it changes anything. Krile was next to useless save for the few times that she had been able to use her body as a vessel for Hydaelyn's will. She knew that things couldn't go on this way. She would have to do better… she needed to become stronger so that she could stand with her friends and not leave all the fighting to them from here on out. While she dearly hoped that the worst of their problems were now far behind them, she knew that she would have to prepare should anything threaten them again.
"Thank you," she told her simply and clearly. "Time and time again, I've been made to feel woefully inadequate. I wasn't much use in battle, nor could I face the Forum without my nerves getting the better of me, it always fell to you and the others. I must—and will—do better."
This she promised not just to her friends but to herself. She wasn't sure where she should start or what the best course to take to reach that point was, but the good news is that she at least at some time to really think and ponder upon this.
"And I shall begin with the restoration of the Students of Baldesion," she vowed. "Through our work, Sharlayan will strengthen its ties with other nations, that we may be better prepared to face whatever threats arise in future."
And more than anything, she just wanted to make sure that they would have as many options as possible for future crisis. They would reach out to others, build friendships and connections with other organizations and continue to learn and study… should something ever threaten the star again… they would have no shortage of friends and allies to call upon then! Just the idea was enough to make her smile again.
As such, Krile happily told Claire of what she was planning and she very much looked forward to seeing the Students once again build their way back up to the organization it once was. Of course it will never be exactly like how it was and she feared that she would never be able to lead them as her dear grandfather once did… but she was going to try. She liked to think that wherever her grandfather's soul was right now in the aetherial sea, that he was smiling at her declaration.
"Of course, this isn't something I can accomplish alone. But thankfully, I have the staunchest of help in Raha and Ojika and our other remaining members. Together, we'll continue Grandfather's work," she finished.
Claire only chuckled and promised to help out if they needed her and that was more than Krile could have hoped for. Krile hoped that this would grant them many years of cooperation and journey's together… though hopefully, when that day came, then it would be because of the thrill of discovery rather than for the fate of the world.
Well, all good things come to an end and so the Scions all parted from one another. Thancred and Urianger accompanied her and G'raha all the way back to Limsa Lominsa, and then onto the boat back to Sharlayan. Yet, it was a little sad to see the two of them off after they shared lunch at the Last Stand… upon watching their retreating forms… it really hit her that it was just the two of them for now.
"It feels like the end of an era, almost," Krile sighed.
"But the start of a new story, one that promises to be even grander!" G'raha exclaimed excitedly and Krile stared at him, wondering just what could top off such things such as saving the whole star from the embodiment of despair…? Yet seeing the confidence in his face and the excited glimmer shining in his ruby eyes, she only laughed and smiled.
"Well, we best get to work then!" she chided and together they returned to the Annex where they didn't waste any time in getting to work on the mountain of paperwork that had somehow seemed to mutate and replicate itself in their time away.
The first order of business was to gather new members once they finished with such mundane paperwork. Right now, they were but a fraction of what they once were, but the good news is that they already had a list of aspiring scholars wanting to join the ranks of the organization that helped to saved them all. Well, one of many anyway.
Just that first day was filled with mind-numbing paper pushing until she could feel her eyes starting to cross and the sun was setting. At one point, G'raha finally dozed off and his head hit the table, startling her so much that she splashed ink onto the parchment she had just been signing as her head jerked up. Only for her to fight the urge to laugh when his snores filled the room, signaling that now would probably be a good time to stop.
Rubbing her exhausted eyes, she jumped up to leave. She did make sure to bring in a bowl of fruit for G'raha when he next awoke before she draped a blanket over the miqo'te's sleeping form as he continued snoring. She only allowed herself to giggle after she turned off the light and shut the door behind her as she tip-toed back to her room. She would have to speak to him tomorrow about getting proper sleep and not to push himself to the brink of exhaustion.
Not that she was much better for she didn't plan on getting any rest just yet. She had a special project that she had been looking forward to and slipped to her own Nap Room that had been more or less been dubbed her official bedroom to continue on with the fun stuff. She quickly pulled out some books that she stashed from under the bed before she hopped up onto the clean sheets to gaze at the first one which title read out in blazing words:
Magicks and their Many Uses in Battle
Krile had secretly checked out several books like this one days prior out of a desire to learn more about how magicks could be used and harnessed upon the battlefield. She was hopeless when it came to hand to hand combat… but magic… she liked to think she wasn't half bad at that. While somewhat skilled when it came to the art of healing, she had come to realize that oftentimes knowing one form of battle wasn't enough and so she decided to learn more offensive spells as well. The horrible image of being kidnapped and held captive in Ala Mhigo jumped to the forefront of her mind before she shook her head hard to dispel the memory.
No, never again would she become a victim like that. She wasn't going to just stand back and let others fight for her or come to her rescue simply because she wasn't able to protect herself. Not anymore anyway.
She would have to experiment to see if there was a new way to use magick in a more offensive manner than what she was used to… but she wasn't afraid of a challenge. She was the granddaughter of Galuf Baldesion after all and he would never let something as silly as the unknown deter him.
So, with a rather mischievous grin, she began to read up upon the many forms that magic has taken across the world. All of whom both fascinated her no matter how daunting it seemed. All the while, only one thought played in her head like a song: 'One day, I shall endeavor to become a more dependable comrade.'
(Wow, I loved how well this first chapter came out. Poor Krile though, she just hasn't had much love lately, from being kinda brushed off in Heavensward and later kidnapped in Stormblood… and upon learning that she had been forgotten when they were designing the artwork for Endwalker…? I felt so terrible for her. But in a recent interview they did state that they were planning on Krile having a bigger role from now on starting in 7.0 and possibly even a new character design—could this mean a new job?—I just had to add a little something special for her. Anyway, I hope that you all enjoyed it and will be looking forward to next Friday for the next character's story. Who that is? Only I know ;)
