A Dragoon's Litany
The tale of Arius Lorien
Author's Notes:
This is a fan-fiction based upon the world of Final Fantasy XI, Vana'diel. I take no credit for the locations that my story is based upon or the lore that surrounds them. Also some of the names in the story are taken from real players that I have run across in game.
Hope you enjoy and any constructive criticism is welcome.
Kageryu of Windurst, born Arius Dueron Lorien, was a child born in the silent peace of the green lands to the south. Windurst was one of the less known nations of the four in the world of Vana'diel, which allowed for the seclusion and protection of its entire people. All seemed right in this haven, separated from the rest of the warring, discontent world. Here in the green plains of the Sarabaruta you could find the most innocent of creatures, the Tarutaru (a race of beings that resemble very small children) and the Mithra (a cat-like, humanoid, female race) living in great peace with all those around it. Even the beastmen (a wild and dangerous faction of various beings) seemed to be content with those of Windurst. It was a rare sight to see any Hume (the "humans" of Vana'diel) among the ranks of the Tarutaru city, but there was one family in particular that was welcome among them all. This was the Lorien family, a small family that had left a great legacy on the world. This family had a long history of Dragon Knights but was little known due to the seclusion of Windurst. They were a very welcome family, for they had defended Windurst during the time of war with the beastmen. Now, of course…there was no need for the Lorien family, but they were still held in high regard among the Tarutaru.
In the green pastures of the Sarabaruta, on any given day, you could come to see the latest member of the Lorien family, Arius, playing peacefully with his friends Gehn and Pep. Gehn and Pep were just like any other Tarutaru, small, child-like, and extremely skilled in the arts of magic. Gehn was seventeen years old, whilst Pep was fifteen. Indeed it would seem odd for us Hume to understand why a seventeen and fifteen year old would be playing with the six year old Arius (we would believe this to be too childish of the elder two), but it was not an odd sight in the carefree Federation of Windurst. This particular day, seemed like any other: birds chirping, Tarutaru children laughing, the Mithra up to their usual mischief, and as always, the magical forces that seemed to float right above your head. Something would go wrong that day however…A magical charm had been put on Windurst to keep it from storming. This spell would hold strong so long as the peace remained within the land. Black clouds were gathering over the hills of the Sarabaruta. Something was afoot in this land of green and good. From hereon is a story that I know little about but is told through the eyes of the Dragoon, Arius "Kageryu" Lorien himself.
Prologue
The Storm
I remember that day as if it had happened yesterday. Of course, everything had seemed right in the land, and I was playing with Gehn and Pep, just as I had done everyday. I was only six years old, fragile, and still had seen none of the cruelty of Vana'diel. That would change on this day…this day in which those black clouds rolled in over the hills of West Sarabaruta. I looked up towards the skies in wonder, and a bit of fear. I remember my father telling me of the magical enchantment on the land, keeping it from storming. I had never seen storm clouds before…and they frightened me. The warm cerulean sky was quickly covered in a soup of black as the clouds swallowed it up. I scanned the horizon to see exactly what it was. The lightning struck and I jumped backwards. I held onto Gehn with all of my might…he had been around for a long time; surely he would not be afraid. Gehn simply stared at the sky with a blank look, before bowing his head down in sorrow.
"What is wrong Gehn?" I asked, still grasping onto his arm. He turned toward me and smiled warmly.
"No-taru a thing my dear boy, do not fear." He said in the typical high pitched Tarutaru voice. I nodded to him slowly and looked toward the Starfall Hillock, the place in which we typically played at. I could faintly see three beings running desperately over the hills. Gehn, Pep, and I stared in wonder, as the three adventurers came closer into our sight. We could hear faint screaming from the three as their faces came into view. They were a group of two Tarutaru males, and one Mithra.
"Run for your lives!" the Mithra cried out to her comrades. After a few moments we saw small objects falling out of the sky towards them. I wondered to myself what they could have been. Were they birds? Maybe they were large flies. I had no idea what it could have possibly been. As the objects came to the earth, one of the Tarutaru jerked and spun violently to the ground. I noticed a small red spurt come from his back, but I had no idea what it could have been. How could I have known what it was? I was only six…I had never seen arrows raining down from the sky…much less blood coming from a creature.
"Kaediav!" the Mithra yelled as she stopped and turned around to grab him. The other Tarutaru quickly turned around and grabbed the Mithra, dragging her along with him as she struggled. "Damn it. Alilrin! We can't leave him behind!" she yelled as he drug her companion along.
"C'mon Chrystie, he's dead, he's gone! We have to run!" exclaimed the Tarutaru, Alilrin. She continued running with small tears dropping out of her eyes. As they passed us, Chrystie grabbed Gehn and myself by the arms while Alilrin took Pep. They quickly drug us through the closing Windurstian gates.
"To Arms Windurstians! To Arms!" They yelled out across the town, "The beastmen are here, the peace is broken! The storms of war have come!" Shortly after these words, the lightning struck again, and the rain began to pour from the heavens. Alilrin and Chrystie released me and I began to run off to my home. Gehn stood his ground, and nodded to me as I ran off. Pep, must have already gone home as well. Poor Gehn…he didn't have a family to go to. I reached my house after a small bit of running through the familiar path, and flung the door open. My mother was packing luggage, and my father was donning his blue Dragoon armor.
"Dad? What are you doing? Aren't you going to leave with us?" I tugged on his tunic, and looked up at him slowly. He simply put his hand on my head and shook his head. I began looking into his eyes, mine filled with tears.
"You and mother are going to go with Alilrin and Chrystie to Bastok. I must stay here, my son." I looked down towards the ground and burst into tears. He couldn't leave me! We had to leave this place together!
"Be strong, Arius. This will not be the last time we will see each other." I nodded slowly to my dad, as mother took my hand to take me out the door. Although she would not admit it, she was crying as well. We ran back to the North Gate, where Alilrin, Chrystie, and Gehn were waiting.
"We must make our way through the eastern gate!" Said Alilrin, a bit worried, "This gate will be overrun by Goblins soon." Right as Alilrin pointed this out, a soldier came from the east. His armor was torn in many places, and that same red liquid I saw from Chrystie and Alilrin's companion, covered the Tarutaru.
"East gate…overrun…Yagudo…" With those words he fell to the ground, dead. This was the first time in which I saw the horror of death, and realized how prominent it was in Vana'diel. At that moment, my innocence was stripped of me as I stared wide-eyed at the dead Tarutaru. Gehn looked down, dumb-struck, and I saw the same fear in him that plagued me. Alilrin looked down toward the ground grimly and gritted his teeth. My mother stared slowly towards the gate then nodded to Chrystie.
"You know what we have to do." She said to Chrystie. Chrystie and Alilrin nodded to each other and turned towards the gate.
"We're going to have to cut through from here, and then run to reach East Sarabaruta." I stared at Alilrin, dumbfounded at his idea. It was insane! We would all be killed! He handed me a dagger that was just my size, and another to Gehn.
"You may need to use these…be strong and we will make it through." I nodded and we ran outside the gate. The army was massive…my heart sunk as I realized that Windurst would not survive this attack. After a few minutes of running, and myself gawking at the sheer size of the goblins, we heard a tower watch screaming out to the rest of the town.
"TAKE COVER! INCOMING VOLLEY!" he shouted as loud as he could. I noticed another object coming out of the sky, and it struck him in the chest. He fell violently off the tower and hit the ground with a thud. That was the third dead body I had seen in one day. My world of joy, and happiness was crumbling around me.
"…no…." whispered Chrystie to herself grimly, "RUN! NOW!" She grabbed Gehn and I and took off with Alilrin. I turned around to see my mother looking up towards the sky, with fear. I saw the deadly object dropping down so slowly...no I thought to myself, don't just stand there mom…RUN. The objects came down upon her, just like the Tarutaru, and the Hume tower guard. She did not let out a sound…she simply fell to the ground like a dove landing. My eyes filled with tears as I yelled out her name and struggled against Chrystie. I wanted to run back to her.
"Damn it to hell!" yelled out Alilrin taking a quick look back then continued around the wall. Chrystie looked down at me and let out a small tear, but she kept pulling me along. I simply looked back towards where my mother lay dead, with a blank face. We rounded the city walls and finally began heading east. What awaited us was a sight that should have been seen by no child. The beastmen had already broken through the east side of Windurst, leaving a battlefield full of dead Windurstians. We did not stop running however…until we saw a dreaded sight. My father lay dying in the field. This sight alone stopped us all. I ran to him and dropped on my knees before him. He had been cut in his chest, and was breathing his last few breaths. He looked up at me slowly and let out a few small tears. This was the first time I had ever seen my father cry. I dropped and laid my head down upon his chest. He brought his hand up and put it slowly upon my head.
"Arius, my child. I'm going to be leaving you soon. You must…argh….you must survive this. When you reach Mhuara…you will find the dragoon Kojiro. He will help you…." I listened closely to my father's words…for they were his last…the last I would ever hear from his lips. He took the hat off of his head and the spear next him and handed them to me. "Here are the two heirlooms of our family. You must continue our legacy…" I raised my head from his chest and took the two items. I nodded slowly and looked down into his eyes. He burst into tears slowly. "Keep our legacy true, my son." With that, his head tilted over to his side…his body now lifeless. I let out a small tear and began to get up. I could not cry more…I had no tears to give.
"Be in peace, oh Silus of the Lorien." Said Alilrin softly. I put the hat on and tossed the spear to Chrystie.
"We're going to Mhuara." I said, grimly. "I will take my spear back there." Chrystie looked at me, dumbfounded for a moment, and then she nodded slowly as we headed off into the East Sarabaruta. We kept running, eventually to the north, without a word being said. What we had just witnessed was beyond comprehension. Finally, after what seemed like hours, we reached the Tahrongi Canyon. I looked across the red canyon, and then to the sky.
………the storms had finally ended………
…to be continued