Author's Note: This fic and it's counterparts are a collection of short stories that are not written in chronological order, so there will be significant time-skips between "chapters". Also, when this story is updated, the chapters will be shuffled around to fit in the new additions as necessary for easier first-time reading. New additions will be prefixed with "NEW" in the chapter select.


"By the gods!"

Another failure. Sari fell to her knees. She, Zael and the twins had spent the better part of the afternoon slaying any debitage they could find before scouring the resulting rubble for a pristine soulstone. Their efforts were yet to bear fruit, much to their mounting frustration, particularly Alisaie's.

"How much...longer until...we take a break…" Alphinaud groaned. He lay on the sand, his carbuncle fanning him with its many tails.

"Why did I think...dark metal armour...was in any way a good idea…" Zael muttered next to him, resting his head on Nothung's pommel, kneeling in front of his sword as though in prayer.

"We need to...find the stone. A matter of life and death…" Sari murmured, watching as Alisaie charged another debitage. She envied her stamina. She forced herself to her feet before trudging towards the new pile of rubble. She barely made it before collapsing to her knees again, scouring the stones while Alisaie caught her breath.

"Honestly...I doubt we'll ever find that damn soulstone at this rate."

"Maybe we'd...have better luck with a miner's pick. A greatsword's hardly a precision instrument," Zael groaned, using his greatsword to stand before offering a hand to Alphinaud.

"Mayhaps not…" Sari said. She held up a small, gleaming crystal, its surface unmarred by cracks or chips. "I think we've finally found it."

"Excellent. Well then, let's return to that merchant…oh hells," Alisaie murmured as she turned, collapsing in a heap in front of Sari.

"Alisaie!" Alphinaud and Sari cried.

"This better be worth it…" Zael muttered, lifting the young elezen in his arms as Alphinaud and Sari began their healing magic.


"And here is the ale your master requested..."

"I beg your pardon?" Alphinaud said while examining the bottle.

"It's his usual order. It may be only one bottle, but you won't find anybody else selling it in the whole of Amh Araeng!" the merchant explained. "I'll be on my way soon, I think. Just preparing myself for the daunting journey ahead."

They left the merchant to his preparations. Alisaie had regained consciousness, though Zael insisted on carrying her back to Twine to let her rest. The sun had set beneath the mountains, granting them much needed shade.

"We went through all that for ale? Please tell me it's a rare vintage. That'd make it somewhat worthwhile," Alisaie muttered.

"I'm afraid not. Looks to be just regular old ale. I suppose it would be fairly rare in a desert like this," Alphinaud mused.

"'Matter of life and death' my arse! I'd have gladly paid the gil for it if I'd known what we'd have to go through. Now I'm tempted to drink it in front of him..." Zael grumbled. "What about you? You're the one he convinced with that sob story," he asked. All eyes turned to Sari, her face unreadable as she focused on Twine.

"May I please have the bottle?" she asked, a sickly sweet smile creeping across her face. Alphinaud passed her the bottle as they entered Twine. They found the miner waiting off to the side.

"So I trust everything went well?" he asked, grinning as he eyed the bottle.

"Almost…" Sari replied, her smile unchanging as she turned to face the village wall, raising the bottle over her shoulder. She waited, allowing what she was about to do to sink in before hurling the bottle.

"No! What have you done! All that precious ale gone to waste!" the miner cried, falling to his knees as the bottle smashed, ale and glass spraying over the sands.

"I felt you needed to truly understand the toils we underwent to get this bottle. Besides that, you never paid for it, meaning it was ours to do with as we pleased," Sari explained, her smile never leaving her face, her voice dripping with forced sweetness.

"Well, I suppose you're right. If this is all I get by way of comeuppance, I haven't done too badly," the miner sighed. "I do feel a tiny bit guilty about making you risk your lives fighting angry rock giants. A tiny bit."

"A tiny bit? Why you…" Alisaie muttered, glaring at the man.

"You can hardly blame a man for finding his own entertainment, though. There's not much to do around here, as you can see. But you've given me a few laughs, that's for sure!" the man laughed, only to jump back as Alisaie grabbed for him.

"Oooh you think you got a comeuppance, you're sorely mistaken. Just wait til I get my hands on you!"

"We'll...leave you to your...entertainment…" Zael sighed, wandering off with a roll of his eyes.

"Zael, let me go! I'm not done with him yet!" Alisaie yelled as she tried to clamber over his shoulder.

"Well, 'ale's' well that ends well," Alphinaud sighed as they followed, shivering when Sari turned her smile upon him.

"Please don't mention ale or soulstones around me for a while."