Using the Aetheryte crystal, Farrah traveled to the town just outside of Vesper Bay. Once the Waking Sands was in eye shot she couldn't control her excitement, making a sprint for her home and for Thancred.
The brave Archer would always greet her dear friend, Tataru on the way in but she wasn't there in the entrance."She must be inside with Minfilia" She thought to herself. Farrah quickly descended the stone steps and pulled open the door.
A wave of pain and horror washed over her, knocking her to her knees. The stinking scent of death hit her first, then the countless dead bodies sprawled all over the ground.
"Thancred!" She jumped to her feet walking like there were marbles under her.
"Oh gods! What has happened?! I have to find survivors. I have to find Thancred!" Farrah held her small rounding baby belly as she stumbled her way around the dead bodies of her fellow Scions looking for anyone still breathing. Regrettably, most of them she didn't even know their names. The Hyur adventurer was filled with grief and guilt
"I should have spent more time getting to know all these brave men and women. Fearless protectors of Eorzea. Our family." Not a single survivor to be found thus far, Farrah finally made her way to the Solar. Inside there were many more bodies, but Minfilia, Tataru, Y'shtola, Yda, Papalymo, Urianger, or even Thancred, were nowhere to be found. One was, however. The small green form in the middle of the room began gasping weakly.
"Noraxia!"
Farrah ran to her Sylph friend, holding her small fragile body in her arms, tears streaming down her face.
"This one is glad... walking one is safe..." Noraxia lifted her tiny leaf hand towards her friend.
The echo graced Farrah with a vision of the attack on the Scions of the Seventh Dawn. She sat and watched as her Scion family was either murdered or captured by an Imperial woman in white armor.
"Walking... walking one Minfilia... asked this one to..." The Sylph groaned in pain, death soon upon her. "In case walking one r-returned... this one was to say... to say..."
Farrah held Noraxia close, to hear her small friend's tiny voice, her last words laying heavily on every breath.
"At church in Eastern Thanalan... Walking one must claim sanctuary... This one tried... Tried to protect walking one Minfilia f-from imperial ones... For... give... this... one... Save..." Noraxia lifted her hand towards her friend one last time before falling limp.
Farrah held her dear friend close, eyes sore from the liquid hurt spilling over.
"Her last words... Her last words were apologizing to me?! No, I should have been the one apologizing! I should have been here to protect them!" Farrah gently laid her little friend down and stood up. "I have to find Thancred." She ran towards the room she had been to many times in the last few months, hoping she would find her lover there. The door had been left ajar. The brave Scion threw the door open the rest of the way.
"Thancred, are you here?! Than, where are you?!"
The room, just like every other room, was torn apart. She started throwing things around and looking behind and under anywhere he would fit. Looking for either his hiding place... Or his body. However, no sign of his presence could be found. Farrah wanted to lay in his bed an inhale his scent one last time but knew she had to keep moving before they found her too. Making Noraxia's sacrifice and her friend's captures all for not.
As quickly as she could, she headed for the Church just outside of Camp Drybone that her Sylph hero told her about in her dying words.
Saint Adama Landama was a simple little church. Farrah made her way inside. Every step harder than the last from the weight on her heart.
"Is something troubling you, my child?" Father Iliud asked approaching the young adventurer. "You have the look of one who has endured great suffering. If there is anything I can do to help -anything at all- you need only ask."
Farrah looked upon the man with sorrowful eyes. "The wild roses are dead, father, and I know not what to do."
"...The wild roses? I see. You may speak freely here. We are all friends of the Scions.
Farrah, through soft tears, explained everything to Father Iliud. Including the vision of the attack.
"How... how could this have happened...?" The kind, elderly man said in disbelief. "Are you certain that Minfilia was among those taken by the Garleans?"
She nodded.
With a heavy sigh, The Father held his hand to his heart. "Let us pray no further harm comes to them... You may stay here as long as you wish. It is the least I can do for a friend of Minfilia's"
"Thank you" said the grieving adventurer. "And, Father?"
"Yes child?"
"There is something else I feel you should know." Farrah rest her hands delicately on her swollen abdomen.
"Hmm... I see." Iliud rest a comforting hand on the young woman's shoulder and gave her a warm smile. "It will be alright, Child..." He turned to the hallway on his left. "Marques, would you come here for a moment?"
A tall man in a brown hooded cloak approached. "Yes, Father?"
Father Iliud turned his attention to Farrah. "If you require assistance, pray speak with Marques. He is a trifle shy, but I assure you he means well." Looking back to Marques, he told him, "Marques, I want you to look after Farrah. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Father..." The hooded man gave the Hyur girl a small, kind smile.
Farrah spent the rest of the day in her simple, little room crying silently to herself and thinking about hers and Thancred's unborn child. Also about the difficult road ahead of her and the danger she is going to have to put her baby through. "This precious gift inside me, born of love, I wouldn't trade for the world. But this path... to save all of Eorzea, If it comes to it, I have to put them first. I promise I'll do everything I can to protect you, little one so I wont have to choose. However if I do, I'm so sorry." This is the hardest decision anyone, especially a mother would have to make and it comes with its fair share of guilt.
Tomorrow came and Farrah was up and ready, wanting to push past the hurt and take action. The young woman left her room and went to the main hall of the church.
"Excuse me, Farrah... do you have a moment?" Marques asked, approaching her. She nodded. "It concern this horologe which was found in the pocket of a man brought here for burial. When it was found, it was broken. After spending much of yesterday tinkering with it, converting the alembic into a makeshift oven... something occurred to me. These hands... my hands, moved with a mind of their own, deftly manipulating the clockwork mechanisms... There was no doubt or uncertainty. I knew what to do, as though I had performed the same motions countless times before..." He sighed.. "P-Pardon me, Farrah -this was a mistake. Please give the horologe to Sister Eluned. The man who once owned it is currently in her care, and I think it best that it be returned to him."
She smiled kindly at the hooded man and took the device from him. She made her way out of the church and down the path a small ways to Sister Eluned.
"Good evening to you, madam. Have you come to pay your respects to this man?" She said gesturing to the dead body ready for burial.
Farrah handed the woman the item. "This trinket belongs to this poor soul. I believe it's a clock of some sort. It was broken but Marques fixed it for him."
Eluned took it and turned it in hand, inspecting the strange item. "Never before have I seen such a queer device. You say that this measures the passing of time?.. Mayhap they are more common in Garlemald. I am given to understand that its cities are filled with all manner of amazing technologies. And Marques said that it belonged to the deceased? Oh dear... You don't suppose that the owner might have been a Garlean spy? It may behoove us to notify the authorities in Camp Drybone. But... mayhap more importantly, how did Marques manage to repair this device? I knew he had a talent for the trades, but this goes far beyond mending fences and thatching roofs...
"Please forgive me. I recognize you now, Farrah. Allow me to express my deepest condolences for those who lost their lives in the attack. I apologize if discussing this upsets you, but... you should know that the bodies of your comrades are presently being removed from the Waking Sands and prepared for transport here. If you wish to leave this work to others, I understand. However, taking part might help you to find closure."
The Scion smiled weakly and thanked Eluned. She then left, on her way to the Scions of the Seventh Dawn's former HQ.
Once there, she saw a man standing outside the doors to what she used to call home. A pile of bodies beside him. The man, a Vesper Bay Shopkeep, looked to the young woman.
"Ye here to help load up these dead?"
She nodded.
"Very well. As ye can see, we've got a pile of unidentified bodies over yonder. No one's come to claim 'em, so off to the lichyard they go. Be thankful ye didn't have to go inside and see the carnage for yerself. 'Twas the stuff of nightmares, I tell ye. Godsdamned Imperials." He spat in the ground in curse of the attackers.
Farrah held back tears, for she had been inside. She did see the carnage. And she had to watch one of her dear friends die, choking on her words.
The shopkeep continued. "I don't know what quarrel they had with these folks, and I sure as hells don't want to know. The sooner we put this behind us, the better. Say... ain't I seen you 'round here afore? Or do ye just have one of them faces? Ah, never mind... Anyroad, there's a carriage come to haul the bodies to the lichyard, out by the east gate. There's only eight left to load up, but seeing as I'm exhausted from carrying all the others, I've a mind to leave the remainder to you." He gestured to the bodies laid out off to the side. "Might want to cover yer nose while ye work. Some of these folk're startin' to turn..." Then he left.
Farrah turned to her fallen brothers and sisters in arms. Sadly, there was only one she recognized as among friends, Noraxia. The others she regrettably only remembered from her vision of the attack. One by one, Farrah carried the bodies to the chocobo drawn carriage at the entrance to the city.
"Come on, come on! Let's finish this before I die of old age." The coachman shouted while she loaded the last body. "That should be all of 'em! Thanks for the help. Reckon it won't take too long to deliver all the corpses to the lichyard. Even so, you might want to hurry back an' tell 'em that our work here is done."
She silently made her way back to the church just outside of Camp Drybone, mourning her fellow Scion's deaths. The young woman returned to Eluned to let her know of what was done.
"I see that you decided to heed my advice. I pray that, in doing so, you found some small measure of peace." Eluned continued, further letting Farrah know about how the carriage had already returned and she helped put them to rest. Although one of the bodies could not be accepted. A Sylph who should be returned to her own of Little Solace. So that she may be properly handled by her Sylph friends and family in their traditions.
Farrah took her little friends body home to the Twelves Wood and confronted Komuxio about the grave news, as well as Frixio, their leader. Rightfully so, they were all terribly upset by the news but so thankful to their friend for returning her body.
Returning back to her temporary home at the church, Marques confronted her. "I... I'm not imagining it, Farrah. I know I'm being watched..."
"By who? T-The girl with the drink?"
"No, no... not the girl- I know about her. No, this is different -sinister. It is as if I am... under observation. The feeling comes and goes... but I felt it when last I ventured outside... Yes. I know I felt it. I know it's a lot to ask of you, friend, but will you look outside for me... please? It will only take a moment."
"Absolutely. Hold tight, Marques. I'll be right back."
Farrah headed outside and began scanning the area. Suddenly an Imperial Frumentarius jumped out from behind one of the tombstones, attempting to attack the young woman. She was experienced enough to put a stop to his attack before any harm could come to herself.
Heading quickly back to her cloaked friend, she was still panting and sweating from the adrenaline.
"You were attacked, weren't you?" Marques asked with strong concern. "Are you unharmed? Is the baby?" She nodded taking a deep breath. "Thank the gods. I knew it. He was watching me... But why was he watching me? What did he want with me? Did he, perhaps... know something of my past? If only I could have asked him..." He looked down in deep concentration. "I...I need to think. Please allow me a moment alone. Wait. Father Iliud must hear of this. Will you tell him for me? It's important. I think others may come for me again."
Farrah found Father Iliud and told him all that had happened.
"Heaven's forfend... That such a thing should happen on holy ground! Do you have any idea who this man was? Did you notice anything distinctive about his garb or possessions?"
"He tried to attack me using this. I've never seen a weapon such as this one before." She handed him the blade.
The priest gasped, taking the long, sharp object. "This... this is Garlean steel. Which means the man who was watching Marques was... Make haste to Camp Drybone at once! We must summon the Immortal Flames before more imperials come!"
Before Farrah could turn tail and run to get more help, the doors swung open, walking in a young Elezen man with white hair.
"Hmph. I fondly hoped that I might be the first to speak with you... Would that I had been so fortunate." He looked to Farrah. "At ease, adventurer -I come not on behalf of the Empire. On the contrary, I mean to revive the Scions of the Seventh Dawn. And to that end..." He then turned his attention to Marques. "I have come in search of a legend -the greatest engineer of our time. Master Cid Garlond -I have come for you."
Marques looked at the young man, utterly confused. Then Father Iliud stepped in. "I fear you are mistaken, child. He is but a poor soul who bore witness to the horrors at Carteneau. I beg of you, leave us in peace..."
"Wait... I..." The hooded man started. Holding his hand to his head in struggling thought. He fell to his knees and grunted, pressing his temples in pain.
The white haired boy spoke to him. "Hear me, Cid! Eorzea needs you!
The bearded man in the brown robes rose from the floor and carefully stepped towards the newcomer. He turned his head and looked at the Priest, who began walking away only to return a moment later with a small wooden chest. The elder man placed it on the floor at Marques's feet.
"Cid, was it? Here... these belong to you. I thought you bore the mark of greatness... It seems that I was right. Our time together was all too brief, but it felt as though my son had returned to me. You have brought joy to an old man's life. But it's time for you to help those who truly need you."
Cid bent down and picked up the hammer that stretched across the top of the wooden box, looking at it carefully. and then back to the Elezen. "Who... are you?"
"Alphinaud Leveilleur, at your service. As a Scion of the Seventh Dawn, I stand against our primal and imperial foes -as my grandfather once did. 'Tis no secret what befell our order at the Waking Sands. Word has already spread across Eorzea. The repercussions are far greater than you realize. In the wake of the Calamity, the three city-states focused their efforts solely on reconstruction. Leaving the Scions to combat the primal threat unaided." He lowered his gaze to the floor, saddened. "And lo, we are all but destroyed. Yet even as the nation's mourn our demise, and abandon what little hope they have left, we cannot forsake our duty -now least of all."
Alphinaud brought his eyes back up to look upon the brave adventurer. "The Ixal have summoned Garuda once more, and she torments the people of Clethas as we speak. Her appetite for destruction far exceeds that of other primals. Worse, in her present incarnation, our Baldesion colleagues believe she surpasses both Ifrit and Titan in strength. Yet therein lies an opportunity. Were we somehow to defeat Garuda, it would serve as a warning to the other beast tribes that even their mightiest gods can be felled. If we are to face our foe, we must first circumvent the tempest that shields her sanctuary." Looking back to Cid, he continued. "And for that, we need an airship -your airship, Cid."
"I...I have... an airship?"
"Yes, Cid, you do. Your very own airship. It was last seen in the skies over Gridania, not long before the Calamity, so let us begin our search there."
"W-Wait..." Cid picked up his box and hammer and left the room for a moment. When he came back he was changed out of his robes and adorned with his Ironworks clothes.
"Come!" Alphinaud said. "Let us put an end to the primals! Together, we will show the world that the Scions are still a force to be reckoned with!"
While the Elezen man and the new found master of Ironworks prepared for the trip, Father Iliud had word to share with Farrah. He told her a tale of "The Final Flight of the Enterprise" and how the great ship flew northeast from Gridania towards Coerthas. And that, if the story were true, the airship would have passed through the North Shroud over Fallgourd Float. This being the closest settlement to Coerthas. "I had hoped you might rest from your journeys for a time, but I see that the world still has need of you and the Scions. Pray look after yourself and your child, and Cid, Farrah.
The team of three left in search of the long lost airship.