Questions
While the mission to rescue our friends had been a success, the revelation that the Ascians had taken possession of Thancred and were working through him was a blow that wasn't so easily recovered from.
But there was no other way but forward as only moments after, we received word that Gaius had issued the Alliance an ultimatum: surrender or face the wrath of his war machine.
It took Minfilia and the Warrior of Light's intervention, but instead of giving in to his demands, the Alliance decided to stand and face the Black Wolf of Garlemald head-on.
S'eni watched from the back as the leaders of the alliance talked with one another, discussing potential strategies and troop positions. Her arms were crossed in front of her chest while she leaned against one of the pillars, focusing on one particular individual standing there with them; Minfilia, who was currently talking with the Sultana.
The other woman had a polite smile on her face, one that mirrored the young Sultana's, but S'eni could see the exhaustion that was buried deep behind those steel-blue eyes.
Minfilia must have noticed that she was being watched, as her gaze briefly flickered over to S'eni and her smile grew a little. She said something to Sultana Nanamo, who gave her a nod, before walking towards her.
"It's amazing, isn't it?" she asked. "The alliance once more working together for a common goal."
"And it only took the threat of either subjugation or destruction to make it happen," S'eni replied, releasing a sigh when she saw Minfilia frown upon her words. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to badmouth Raubahn and the others. I know it's not that easy."
"I understand where you're coming from, believe me. Politics...were never my strong suit. I had to learn and adapt. The reality is that while ideals are all well and good, you need more than that to see them realized," the other woman said and looked over to Raubahn and Merlwyb, each pointing at the large map of Aldenard spread out in front of them. "Five years is a long time. Families were torn apart, lovers and friends lost, leaving only the survivors and their grief. But I feel that today Eorzea has finally awoken from the shock of the Calamity and taken its first steps on the road to recovery."
Closing her eyes, Minfilia fell silent for a moment. "Yet I can't help but think of those whose fates still remain unclear; vanished amidst the fires of Carteneau, faces forgotten as if they had never existed in the first place."
S'eni opened her mouth to reply when the all too familiar sharp pain shooting through her head made her gasp out. Not again!
Footsteps echoing down the hallway. A set of double doors closing behind her.
A blonde woman sitting behind a large desk, thoughtful face framed by her bangs.
"I'm delighted to see you again. As you may have heard I have many questions." The serious look giving way to a welcoming smile. "Ah, but I'm forgetting my manners. We haven't been properly introduced yet. I'm Minfilia, acting Antecedent of the Path of the Twelve."
Minfilia's steel-blue eyes coming to rest on hers. "And you're..."
"S'eni!"
From one moment to the next, she returned to the here and now like so many times, the vision in front of her making way for another, more concerned Minfilia.
"Are you alright?" the other woman asked her, gently holding her by the shoulders.
"It's—" S'eni shook her head. "It's nothing. Just the Echo is all."
"Are you sure?"
No, she wasn't. But there was no time for her personal problems right now.
"Yeah," she lied, averting her gaze and instead looking over to the others in the room, who thankfully didn't notice her little episode.
Minfilia looked unconvinced, and S'eni could tell she wanted to say more, but her friend only bit her lip and looked over to where Nanamo was currently in talks with Kan-E-Sanna.
"Why...don't you head back to the Waking Sands? Take a rest?" she suggested. "The Twelve know you need it the most out of all of us."
"Maybe you're right," S'eni said. She did feel pretty exhausted. "But you should follow your own advice as well. I know this whole thing with Thancred is hard for you."
She didn't know the specifics, but she could tell that the two of them were close.
For a moment, her friend let that inner exhaustion show and gave her a nod, before slipping that mask of confidence back on. "I will."
"Promise?"
Minfilia chuckled. "Promise."
Offering her a small smile, her friend gave her shoulders a little squeeze before heading back to the others. Taking a deep breath, S'eni turned around and left the chamber.
Once she had stepped outside, she walked down the royal promenade and the steps of Thal until she had arrived back outside. Her eyes landed on the people of Ul'dah, who were doing their best to act like everything was fine. Like they didn't just receive Gaius' ultimatum. All just to cling to that last shred of normalcy.
S'eni stopped as she passed by a lone woman, sitting in a corner, head hanging low and a bowl filled with a few coins in front of her. When the woman noticed her presence, she tilted her head upward to meet her gaze, eyes full of fear and uncertainty.
Offering the woman a small smile, S'eni knelt and reached into her pouch, producing a few Gil that she put into the bowl. It wasn't much, but enough to buy a warm meal.
"Thank you," the woman mumbled and lowered her head again.
Rising once again, she turned to leave but stopped when she spotted a familiar blond Lalafel standing not far from them. She walked over to him, her smile growing, and inclined her head. "Papalymo."
"S'eni," he greeted her back. "I see even current circumstances are not keeping you from doing a good deed no matter how small."
"As much good as it does." She shrugged. "I was expecting you to be back in the Waking Sands."
"I wanted to see how things were faring here." He motioned his hand for them to walk together and S'eni fell in step next to him. "I'm glad to see that things are calmer this time around."
"This time around?"
"Five years ago, during the battle at Carteneau, riots had broken out. The entire city was in chaos. All while the Immortal Flames were fighting to keep the city free from Garlemald," Papalymo said with a huff. "Who can say what would have happened if not for the Sultana pleading with the citizens personally."
"That was very brave of her." But that shouldn't surprise her. The young Sultana seemed to enjoy a little adventure
"She's a good woman, living in a Grass Viper's nest. But never mind that, how are you?"
"You're the second person to ask me that today," S'eni replied, her gaze moving across the many market stalls.
"And what is the answer I shall receive?"
Releasing a sigh, S'eni let her shoulders slump. "I want to lie down," she replied earnestly.
"Then let us return to the Waking Sands," he said with a smile and pointed at the local Chocobo stables not far from them.
Renting two of the flightless birds, they were soon off towards Vesper Bay.
She liked Chocobos. They were such loyal creatures, and their feathers were just so fluffy. Running a hand through them, she elicited an appreciative "Wark!" from it that made her smile.
Closing her eyes, S'eni cleared her thoughts and let herself simply enjoy the feeling of the sun on her skin and the wind in her hair, pretending, if only for a moment, that everything was normal just like the citizens of Ul'dah did.
She must have dozed off because when she opened her eyes once more they had just arrived at their destination.
After getting off the Chocobos, they sent the cheerful birds back on their way home and entered the Waking Sands, where they were immediately welcomed by Tataru.
"S'eni, Papalymo!" she all but jumped off her chair and walked over to them. The Lalafel woman's expression darkened when her eyes landed on S'eni. "You look exhausted. Come, I'll make you some of my special tea."
"Thank you, but that's not really necessary."
"Please. It's the least I can do for saving us." Tataru lowered her gaze to the floor. "...And for helping put our friends to rest."
S'eni looked at her for a moment. Tataru was a kind soul, who always wanted to make herself helpful. This entire situation must have been harder on her than anyone else.
The corners of her lips curled into a smile. "How could I say no to that?"
Looking back up, the other woman gave her a grin. "You can't. One cup of Tataru's special tea coming right up!"
"Make that two, please," Papalymo said. "And could you bring it to the solar?"
Tataru turned to look at him and nodded, before wandering off to prepare the tea, leaving S'eni and Papalymo alone. The older Lalafel looked up. "I'm sorry, but there is something I need to assure myself of."
"Lead the way," S'eni replied with a little shrug.
She followed him into the solar, where he immediately made a beeline for the desk, or rather what was behind it on the wall. A broken staff.
"Thank Thaliak..." Papalymo said with a sigh of relief as she joined him. Upon noticing her curious look, he went on to explain. "This staff belonged to my teacher."
"Master Louisoix, right?" she asked. "Y'shtola mentioned that name."
"Correct. He was our leader in the Circle of Knowing and the one that led us here years ago. His was one of the many lives that were lost five years ago. Only his staff, the Tupsimati, remained."
"Sounds like he was a good man," S'eni commented.
"He was an inspiration to all of us." Shaking his head, he turned to fully look at her. "I have been meaning to thank you for our rescue as well."
"Don't mention it. You guys would have done the same if it had been me."
"That may be true, but where you succeeded we might have failed, so don't sell yourself short, S'eni," Papalymo replied.
"Hm." Was her only reply, her eyes coming to rest once more upon the shattered staff. As she looked at it, she felt something stir in the back of her mind. A tingling sensation, shortly followed by another spark of hot pain.
A cave, illuminated by the light of aetheryte crystals.
A man, his stern-looking face drawn into a smile.
"Where men go as one, there is life. And where there is life, there is cause for hope." his voice grows warm. "If I can but see you to a new future, I should want for nothing more."
As the pain receded, so did the vision, leaving her feeling even more exhausted than before, and she stumbled back against the desk.
"S'eni!" Papalymo exclaimed and took a step forward, but was stopped by the hand she was holding out.
"It's fine! I'm just...tired is all." The words sounded hollow even to her own ears.
That was the second time in one day. This couldn't just be the Echo!
"I'm sorry, but I need to lie down," she said after pushing herself away from the desk. "Can you tell Tataru to just bring the tea to my room?"
"Certainly."
As she walked towards the double doors, S'eni could feel his gaze burning into her back and she had barely grasped the door handle when he called her name. Turning her head, she glanced over her shoulder at him.
"Say..." he said, rubbing his chin in thought. "Have we met before?"
"I..." S'eni turned her gaze back to the door, her tail curling itself around her leg as she spoke her next words. "...don't know."
She didn't wait for his reply, opting to instead retreat to her room. Once she had closed the door behind her, she slid down to the ground and squeezed her eyes shut, fingers digging into the side of her head.
What was happening to her?
Hm Hm Hm, things are coming a head, aren't they?
Next update is gonna be a double feature, so I hope you're looking forward to that. Until then!