AN Edit: well... that was embarrassing. I never realised I repeated the same chapter in my post here. I swear, I don't know how to manage this site in terms of publishing so, sorry to all of you guys who had read this earlier and was confused why the previous chapter was posted twice.
"Ebris."
Phyllis turned her head to see Rammbroes accompanied with none other than her fellow arcanist from their guild.
"Blaulona?" she rolled up the worn-down map and tucked it into her rucksack. She gave a small nod to Rammbroes. "Is there something the matter?"
Rammbroes gave her a curt nod before he turned to her acquaintance, "I reckon you'd be able to take the floor from here," he said in passing.
"Thank you, Master Rammbroes," Blau nodded.
"What's this about, Blau?" Phyllis rested her hand on her hip.
The roegadyn's face turned grim.
"A good number of our members have been missing."
Now it was Phyllis's turn to frown.
"Not just the arcanist guild," Blau continued. "Marauders; merchants; even members of the Blood Executioners. The whole of Limsa's been having a whole case of serial kidnappings. With the lot of 'em missing, even the Yellow Jackets are scratching their heads on this."
The elezen turned her gaze towards the campsite. It has only been two seasons since she had arrived; with so much she's yet to see and learn. But by Blaulona's words, she knew what was already asked of her.
I have to go.
"Alright," she said resolutely. "I'll be with you shortly after I-"
"Wait, just like that?" Blau gaped. "You'll bloody come back to Limsa at a drop like that? Didn't you say you wanted to work with them bookish folk?"
"With Guildmaster K'rhid almost never there, no doubt Mistress Thubyrgeim and the rest of you will be needing more numbers," Phyllis began folding and packing her things into her rucksack. "Blau, you and I know I owe my education to Thubyrgeim. If the guild is in need of hands, I'll be happy to lend my own."
"Slow down, Phyl. I didn't say we'll be needin' you right this bleeding second," Blau took a deep breath and sighed. "The guild can find ways to compensate for the losses. And I know for a fact that your bleedin' heart won't say no to trouble. But I'm only askin' you to come when you're ready. Besides, it's awfully rude to leave a crew of stiff-necks whom you've been sailing with for a good two seasons, eh?"
With her strong ashen arm, Blau slapped Phyllis's back jovially, almost threatening the elezen to stumble.
"Now, pack your things, yes. But say your byes to the crew who've been treatin' ya."
With a wink and an assuring smile, Blaulona left her tent. The elezen arched her back, hanging her head; blankly staring at the half-full journal on her desk.
I'm going to miss this.
Swallowing her melancholy, she slapped her cheeks and resumed packing her things. She couldn't stand the thought leisurely taking all the joys of learning, while her mentor and her fellow colleagues weighed down by their burdens. She promised herself, at the very least, that she won't be selfish anymore. Not since she had left her home in favour of the selfish pursuit for answers.
After a day's worth of writing his thesis, G'raha sank to the back of his chair, holding the back of his head as he stared at the ceiling.
A sea of whispers reached his ears from passing students, speaking out their concerns and arguments over a variety of subjects. In earnest, he wasn't the sort of student who'd concern himself over Sharlayann politics, but matters that concern the Allag would always perk his attention.
"You don't mind if I join you?"
He turned to find Krile carrying a pile of books.
"Allow me," he said, taking a few off her hands to have it rest on the table space beside him.
Upon settling onto her seat, Krile proceeding to reading her pile of tomes. For a while, a studious silence fell between them, with G'raha reaching for the half-dried parchment to review his own work.
"…You slipped away again, didn't you?" the professor said quietly.
His ears perked as he froze.
"-Don't worry, I never told a soul," Krile continued. "Just don't say I didn't warn you if ever the higher ups were to hear of this."
"I…" the miqo'te cleared his throat.
"Though every Allagan professor could empathise your passion, remember that even the staff at the encampment are already struggling to keep the dig site under wraps."
"... My apologies," he hung his head.
Krile smiled. "As long as you learn from this mistake, it's all well and good. You wouldn't want to have the forum breathing down your neck before earning the 'archon' title."
He sighed again, thankful yet embarrassed to know Professor Krile was the only one to bear witness to his escapades. In the corner of his eye, he caught sight of the words 'Warriors of Light' on the page she was reading.
"Even until now, the world could barely grasp the signs of Eorzea's heroes," he said idly.
"Indeed."
"How I would wish to have been there. To bear witness to their final stand against the impenetrable foes; fighting for a noble cause."
"Even if you were there, there's no doubt you'd be forgetting their faces," she remarked. "The rest of the world has, including those within the circle of knowing."
"As I've heard."
Warriors of light. Noble souls whom the world had ill-forgotten their faces.
He eyed his research paper once more, only to recall his last exchange with the elezen who resided within the archives tent. With Krile's warning, there's no doubt it was impossible to go there and visit.
A short elezen with tribal paint with a penchant for studies.
He pondered if that green-haired elezen could survive these lecture halls; overcome the intimidating circles and politics or endure the countless debates. Not to say he had hoped to pose some academic challenge to her, but he did hope she wouldn't be disillusioned if she knew of it.
The next time- if there is a next time, that is. I should ask for her name.
He let the thought slide, and continued to pour his focus onto his studies once more.
Had he known it would take a long year later to be acquainted with her, things would have undoubtedly been very different indeed.