Feeling the smallest tremor of turbulence through the constant rumbling of the deck beneath him Rithil groaned and somehow managed to curl himself into an even tighter ball of misery, shortly after being packed into the airship along with the rest of cargo the once sheltered Viera had found his fear of being stuck in a metal box several malms in the air quickly forgotten as motion sickness set in.

Next to him Haskil sighed. "Still alive then?" Reaching over he rubbed Rithil's back hoping it would soothe the nausea, the last thing anyone in the enclosed space was someone puking especially when the Viera was far from the only person that was unaccustomed to air travel though he was without a doubt the worst affected.

When the floor shifted again Rithil let out a muffled whine. "When will it end?" His moan rose in pitch in sync with the airship's tilt. Getting up Haskil pressed his face to one of the few tiny portholes set into the side of the ship. "Hold on a bit longer lad I think this crate is going down." A rustle of nervous energy ran through the hold as the downward trajectory became more clearly felt.

After another ten minutes (or hours if someone where to ask Rithil) the airship landed with a dull clank of metal on metal and the hatch to the cockpit opened admitting the armoured officer into the bay. "Alright troops everyone out!" He barked with frustrated impatience. "We're stopped for refuelling in Castrum Abania and will be departing as soon as possible so don't go getting comfortable!" As those still sitting stiffly got to their feet someone grumbled. "No chance of that happening."

Getting quickly hustled outside while the airship was hooked up to a refuelling pump Rithil was left to loiter about the airfield with the other conscripts, looking around he found he was once again trapped within steel walls except for the northern side where the dry scrubland sharply ended in a sheer cliff. Staring off into the distance his eyes were quickly drawn upwards by a rumble of thunder, above the sky was a roiling tumult of swollen clouds criss-crossed with bolts of lightning, as he watched bright streaks of fire could be seen silhouetted against the grim canopy. "W-what is this?" He whispered as if speaking any louder would awaken the furious energy that permeated the air to crush the life from him entirely.

"So you're going to do nothing?!" A shout that entirely lacked Rithil's restraint echoed off the walls, tearing his eyes away from the ominous sky the Viera saw the officer arguing with another Garlean who replied stonily. "Orders from the Legatus, the XIVth will not be joining the battle." Shaking with rage the officer gestured wildly to the south-west. "But Dalamud is here! The completion of Meteor is nigh yet the Black Wolf would hide away as we ascend to glory?!" His voice was approaching hysteria but the man he was arguing with remained unmoved. "We will resupply your craft and then you will be free to ascend to wherever you see fit, that is all." With that parting shot he walked away leaving the officer cursing in his wake.

With the show over Rithil found his gaze strangely drawn to the occasional fireball as it carved a path through the gloom, following one's path he thought he could hear an indistinct voice through the thunder and the haze caused by the way aether surged and waned around him, for some reason he didn't understand he didn't immediately dismiss the voice as a quirk of his imagination and closed his eyes trying to discern it's words like grasping for a forgotten dream.

"H...r ..el.. Thi-"

"Hells alive, what is that?!" Instantly the mysterious reverie passed as quickly as it came like a leaf swept by on a breeze. Opening his eyes Rithil looked to where Haskil stood nearby pointing at something in the same direction the officer had indicated, in the far distance a crimson orb wreathed in a baleful glow loomed amidst a swirl of clouds.

"Look well soldiers, there lies our destination, our destiny!" The officer reappeared next to them, his earlier fury forgotten and replaced with an equal fanatical joy. "Behold Dalamud! The red moon of destruction that shall wipe this land clean! Within it's shadow we shall put an end to the resistance put forward by the savages horde." He raised his arms towards the distant orb as if seeking to embrace it.

The officer seemed too consumed by his fervour to notice the sounds of dismay around him until one man couldn't bear it any longer and began yelling, his voice growing shrill with panic. "You want us to go closer to that monster?! This is utter madness and I want no part of it!" Tearing off his crude helmet he threw it on the ground.

Slowly lowering his arms the Garlean turned. "You would desert your duty? Reject the glory of Dalamud?" Drawing a slender gunblade he backed the now gibbering conscript up towards the cliff edge. "Very well. If you or any other wish to leave then your path lies that way."

Floundering the prospective deserter glanced between the sheer drop behind him and the naked blade before his eyes. "W-wait! I can't, I can't do it!" He half-sobbed as he shook. "Please just leave me here, or-or just leave me here just don't make me-." A single gunshot rang out cutting his begging short, clutching his chest he stumbled backward and tumbled over the edge.

Lowering his still smoking weapon the officer turned to the remaining conscripts. "If anyone else chooses not to walk our path to salvation you may follow him, but know that your families will not escape so cleanly." Without a second look he marched off back toward the airship most likely to vent his impatience to the refuelling techs.

Momentarily stunned by the casual cruelty of the act Rithil stared at the empty space that had a moment ago been occupied by a living breathing person, finding his spear in hand and a snarl of fury building in his throat he took a step forward eyes fixed on the Garlean's exposed back and found himself quickly blocked by Haskil stepping in front of him.

"Get out of my way." Rithil hissed staring past his friend at his target. He went to take another step but was held back as hands grasped him from behind, starting to struggle he glanced over his shoulder to see two people grabbing at his arms.

Placing his hands on the young Viera's shoulders Haskil ensured he was boxed in both front and back. "Just calm down lad you're going to get yourself killed." From behind Rithil one of the others made their own priorities clear as they growled. "You're going to get us killed."

"I don't care!" Hating the crack in his voice Rithil sagged in the grasp of those holding him and stared at the cracked dirt. "I don't care anymore. I failed in my duty ere it began, I've been spirited half a world away, now I am expected to serve in grinding another land and it's people under the boot of my captors and all just to preserve my own existence until they finally make an excuse to end me." Sending his gaze on a half-hearted journey upward he looked up at Haskil. "I don't even have your excuse to bow my head and take it."

Raising himself back up to his full height his gaze sharpened. "I am a Wood Warder, a hunter. Let me at least fall pointing my spear at the invaders instead of becoming one."

For the first time in the months Rithil had known him Haskil's face twisted in unrestrained anger as he cuffed the Viera round the head. "Don't be a thrice-dammed moron boy! If your life is all you're swallowing your pride to protect then choke it down just a little longer, we get to where we're going then you slip off, go 'missing in action' and you're golden."

Before Rithil could find his voice again another called across the field. "Enough clawing at each other like beasts! Save your savagery for the Eorzeans, it'll at least be some use there." Returning from his harassment their commanding officer jerked a thumb towards the airship. "Those sloths have finally refuelled the ship sufficiently enough to reach the Cartenau Flats, now get on board we depart immediately."

Glowering at anyone nearby but aware that the moment to lash out was gone even if he were still inclined to take it Rithil reluctantly joined the other conscripts in filing back into the flying nausea inducer. Back in the sky he sulked for a time before speaking without preamble over the rumbling of the engine. "Say I do up and vanish? What happens to you?"

Next to him Haskil gave a heavy sigh. "Well lad I do the only thing I can, what I'm told while praying behind their backs that I survive to be shipped home with at least a little breath left in my body." He shrugged helplessly. "Not much else to do."

The flight didn't continue much longer before an unseen force slapped the ship's nose making the deck tilt with a sickening lurch that made the previous slight tremors seem like a comforting rocking chair in comparison, a second greater shock followed with a boom that sent it tumbling sideways.

Even as he was thrown about the bay Rithil could hear and feel further airbursts through the hull over the shouts and screams within. For a moment it seemed the airship might right itself but a closer larger crash threw it aside again, with a tearing of metal the hull tore open spilling people out into the open sky followed by an explosion from the rear as an engine vanished in a cloud of flame and flying debris. Through the gaping wound Rithil saw a rough rockface rushing past while the airship screeched and bounced it's way downward, with a final crash a bundle of crates tore loose and struck the Viera across the head knocking him senseless.

Returning to himself Rithil fought to push himself upright feeling blood flowing from the back of his head and tasted it in his mouth along with dirt and ash. Forcing himself onto his hands and knees his eyes eventually focused enough to look around, he lay in a fresh groove carved by a broken half of the ship among a broken and burning forest and for a fleeting moment his dazed mind thought he might have been thrown all the way back home, a cracking of stone nearby made him thankful to be wrong as a newly rent chasm yawned wider around where a massive fragment of some even more gargantuan structure had pulverised the earth. Raising himself onto his knees his head fell backward filling his view with the sights above.

The sky was on fire and it was falling.

The flaming rain had intensified tenfold, a starshower, a thought from deep within whispered into his mind before another called to him from without.

Hear. An unending roar of fury thundered through his soul.

Feel. A rage that had festered across ages shook the centre of his being.

Think. A singular drive for vengeance suffocated any other thought.

Clutching his head as it overflowed with malice he let out a series of strangled screams as he fought to keep his mind from splitting apart under the strain.

"Rithil!" A more familiar voice called out aloud penetrating the haze of pain. "Rithil! Help!"

Rousing himself Rithil got to his feet at last and staggered towards the shouting. It didn't take him long to approach the crumbling edge of the pit and find the remaining portion of the airship teetering on a lower ledge, just outside the wreck Haskil was trying to haul himself upward to more stable ground but was visibly struggling with multiple injuries. "Rithil! Thank the gods, I can't pull myself up."

Dropping ungracefully to his knees on the edge the Viera reached down to grasp Haskil's less injured arm and began trying to pull him to safety. "Thanks lad." He grunted as he got his chest partway up. "Might get out of this yet." Then an armoured hand grabbed his shoulder from behind. "Out of my way! Let me see! I have to see!" Throwing Haskil back down the Garlean officer scrambled up nearly pulling Rithil down too in his haste, his armour was dented in several places and his helmet had gone missing in the crash.

Ignoring the Garlean for the moment Rithil held out his hand again. "Come on!" He called out to the groaning man below. Pushing himself up onto his elbows Haskil met Rithil's eyes, then with a cracking of stone the ledge lurched out of reach tipping the wreck over the edge before following it into the abyss a moment later.

Once more Rithil was left staring as another life fell away from his sight, once more his fury rose, this time there was no one to hold him back, no one to urge him to keep himself in check, only the ambient rage in the air which mingled with his own.

Snatching up a fallen sword he didn't have to search for long to find the Garlean standing a short distance away staring upward with his arms outstretched towards the sky. "At last! Oh red moon of destruction! Oh Dalamud! Release your fury and purge this land!" As Rithil rushed him with an animalistic scream he turned revealing an unnatural red glow in his eyes, laughing hysterically he watched the blade pierce his flesh and drive him to the ground. "Yess rage!" Still howling over the sound of laughter Rithil pounced on top of him continuing to frantically stab even after the laughter was replaced with choking coughs. Utterly consumed by the madness sweeping over the land Rithil kept stabbing even after the body beneath him went still and the blade broke on the armour.

Let Eorzea be reborn.

Another voice pierced the insanity that had gripped the boy at last and he rolled off his victim and went limp.

Opening his eyes Rithil lay there for a moment then breathed a sigh of relief, he knew not how much time had passed, his wounds still ached and the air was still filled with smoke from the burning forest but the storm above and within himself leaving it instead filled with glowing motes that gently drifted downward.

Truly alone for the first time in nearly a year he covered his eyes with his least bloody arm and sobbed as the dam he had built up around himself broke at last under the weight of his sorrow.

Finally getting to his feet he looked down at himself in disgust and carelessly tore of the befouled short-robe and threw it aside leaving him in his undershirt. Going to the remaining portion of the airship wreck he scavenged a spear then looked around, he was at last free but he was also lost in a strange land, one trail seemed to ascend towards the mountains, another along the edge of the chasm into a gorge and the forest loomed in every other direction. Turning on the spot indecisively for a few moments he decided the forest would at least be a familiar environment he set off using the spear as a walking stick and vanished into the trees.


A/N Alright yes I'm still here and yes IT is almost here! Maddening as the two week delay has been it has given me a chance to get this done in time, since I won't be able to lose myself ingame tomorrow I'll hopefully be able to whip up a much shorter epilogue tomorrow.