As promised, a double feature today. A slightly longer AN at the end of the next chapter too.
Answers pt. 1
Memories are an interesting thing. They are powerful, yet delicate at the same time.
Sometimes you can remember the smallest thing from your childhood and at the same time not remember what you ate last week.
Sometimes you lose them completely and it's only by the gentle guidance of a friend's hand that you recover them.
And sometimes they get locked away to the deepest recesses of our minds...until we're strong enough to face them once again.
"Corporal, is the squad ready?" a Flame Sergeant asked one of his soldiers.
"We're only waiting for the signal, sir."
"Think we can make it?" a soldier asked one of his fellows.
"Of course! We're led by the Bull of Ala Mhigo, and we got our new hero too!"
"I hope you're right..."
These and many other conversations echoed through the Ceruleum processing plant that served as the Immortal Flame's impromptu military base for the final phase of Operation Archon.
With the death of Rhitahtyn sas Arvina only hours earlier, the forces at Castrum Occidens have been throw into disarray, cutting off Castrum Meridianum of any reinforcements and robbing Gaius of one of his strongest officers.
They were as ready as they would ever be. It would be over soon, one way or another.
S'eni stood on the western platform, leaning against the railing. Her eyes darted over to the monster of a Castrum in the north, before returning them to the blue fog of the Ceruleum fields.
A shiver went through her, and she could feel that all too familiar tingling in the back of her mind. But this time it was like a siren's call, beckoning her to look westwards.
Why? She wondered. But if she expected an answer, she didn't get one. What's going on?
Getting some rest had helped her after those two visions she had received, but while she felt physically in top form, her emotions were all over the place.
She felt afraid.
S'eni wanted to laugh at herself. She had faced down Primals, beings that could twist a person's very soul. Yet standing here, she couldn't stop her arms from shaking.
The sounds of steps on the metal platform made her nearly jump out of her skin and she had to gather all of her willpower to somewhat calmly turn around. A silent breath of relief escaped her when she saw Minfilia approaching.
"So here is where you were hiding," the other woman said with a smile as she approached her.
"Yeah." S'eni nodded and turned around once more, hands gripping the railing. "I needed to be alone."
"I can only imagine. A fierce battle awaits." Minfilia took her place right next to her, looking out into the Ceruleum fields as well. "Are you prepared?"
"I'm as ready as I'll ever be," she replied.
"And yet you sound unsure."
"It's not that." She shook her head. "I...I can't explain it."
"Is that why you're looking out into the distance?"
"I don't know..."
A moment of silence passed between them, and they could hear the chatter amongst the troops as they were slowly preparing for the assault. Somewhere further in the back, Raubahn was issuing commands to the officers.
It won't be long now.
"Say, do you know what lies in that direction?" Minfilia asked all of a sudden. "Beyond the fields and even the river coming after?"
"No."
"The Carteneau flats."
S'eni felt her grip on the railing tighten and she managed to tear her gaze away to look at Minfilia, whose smile had given way to a serious expression. "The place where so many gave their lives for their home, and others were lost and forgotten."
Minfilia turned her head to look S'eni directly into her eyes, and she felt herself flinch back, the tingling in the back of her mind growing stronger.
"I've been meaning to ask, but where were you five years ago?"
It was a simple question, harmless in nature, yet it felt like a vice around her throat.
"I-In my village of course." Why was she so nervous all of a sudden?
Turning fully to face her, Minfilia took a step closer. "Are you sure?"
"Of course! Where else would I've been!?" she narrowed her eyes, the sudden nervousness giving way to a spike of anger. "I left my village a couple of moons ago to become an adventurer! I wanted to join the Pugilist guild, but before that—"
Wait, no. That wasn't right. After leaving home she had headed directly to Ul'dah, hadn't she?
Hadn't she?
S'eni nodded to herself. Yes, of course, she had. Straight with the first boat that had left. She had later taken a Chocobo carriage that took her the rest of the way.
But... A voice that sounded like her own echoed through her mind. There were no ships heading towards Thanalan the day you left...
What!? No, that couldn't be right, she was sure of it!
There was something that you wanted to see first. It was very important to you.
Something she wanted to see first...
What was it?
What was it!?
She cried out as the all too familiar pain once more reared its ugly head, returning with a vengeance. S'eni's hands immediately shot up to grab her head as she was struck with a ferocity that made her double over.
Minfilia stepped forward and grabbed her shoulders tightly, holding her as steady as possible while staring at her with deep, sad eyes.
"I'm sorry, but I've been silent for too long. You're wrong, S'eni. You weren't at your village five years ago," she told her. "You left it, on a ship heading towards Limsa Lominsa."
S'eni wanted to tell her that she was wrong, but no words came as she parted her lips, the pain that was burning like a wildfire across her brain robbing her of her voice.
"Hear..."
Hot tears were pricking at her eyelids as the other woman cupped her cheek and locked their gazes. "You were passed out when I first met you, so I left you a message to come seek me out at the Waking Sands."
"Feel..."
"You were there, at the battle of Carteneau!" Minfilia looked pleadingly at her. "Please, you have to remember!"
"Think..."
Throwing her head back in a silent scream, the world exploded into white as the pain reached its peak before S'eni felt herself slipping into blissful darkness.
"Thou hast grown strong, my child. Strong enough to finally remember that which thou hast forgotten."
Quiet conversations and the creaking of wood pervaded the air as the ship was rocked back and forth by waves. The sound of the wind, although dulled, could still be heard clearly as well.
And she was pretty sure someone was singing.
"To all of my children in whom Life flows abundant."
But maybe it was also the imagination of a tired mind, as a yawn escaped her no sooner than a Lalafel close near her did so as well. Closing her eyes, S'eni buried her face in her knees.
"To all of my children to whom Death hath passed his judgment."
What luck for her to get caught up in a sea storm on her first journey!
"The soul yearns for honor, and the flesh the hereafter."
If her father were here, he would probably just laugh and call it her first adventure.
"Look to those who walked before to lead those who walk after..."
Papa... she thought, before shaking her head and trying to get some sleep instead. Perhaps they would arrive in Limsa Lominsa by the time she woke up.
She was just about to nod off when a voice startled her.
"Hear..."
Looking around, S'eni looked for the speaker but only found the other passengers, quietly talking amongst themselves.
"Feel..."
She jumped a little. There it was again. It sounded like the voice of a woman.
"Think..."
Blinking, she slowly stood up and looked around. The singing returned soon after, and S'eni felt her eyes drawn to the door of the large cabin. Almost on their own volition, her legs carried her over, passing the other passengers who only gave her quick curious glances, before minding their own business once more.
She walked through the lower deck, the voice guiding her like a siren's call towards the steps that lead to the upper decks, where a strange mist wafted down into the ship.
Taking the steps, S'eni soon found herself surrounded by dark clouds. High above her, a bright light broke through them. Balls of fire rained down from it, crashing into the ground all around her; a sight that made the little hairs on her neck stand on end.
"Look out!" a voice called out and she whirled around just in time to be caught by a sudden wave as it washed over the deck, sending her flying back against a mast and replacing the almost frightfully tranquil vision with the blazing storm raging in the skies.
A groan escaped her and raised a hand to rub the saltwater blurring her vision out of her eyes. White hair entered her sight, shortly followed by a pair of almost glowing mint eyes.
A Miqo'te, like her.
"All hands to foredecks!" she heard a sailor shout.
The other woman checked her over for any visible injuries before looking at her face once more.
"Hurry back to your cabin, friend," she told her. "Lest you become the sea's next victim."
The sailor turned to look at them, pulling on a rope with all his might. "She won't hold much longer!"
She couldn't just return inside. She had to help.
Pushing herself off the ground, S'eni hurried towards the foredecks.
An amused sound escaped the other woman. "A brave one..."
They had just made it up the next set of stairs where they found absolute chaos as the entire deck was swamped with Aurelias and the crew doing its best to fend them off.
"Gods forfend," the Miqo'te woman murmured as she looked out to the sea, while S'eni didn't waste any time to grab the hora resting at her sides and join the fray.
First adventure indeed, S'eni thought.
Her boots echoed down the hallway while her eyes roamed the sand-colored stone of the walls.
So this is the Waking Sands, S'eni thought to herself. It certainly earned its name in color, if nothing else.
Turning her gaze back in front of her, she spotted three people, two Hyur men, and a Lalafel woman, holding a conversation. Upon noticing her approach, they turned to face her
"Might ye be here seekin' Minfilia?" the bespectacled man with the goatee asked.
"Aye, welcome to the Waking Sands," the one with the hat next to him said. "An 'aven for those who've chosen, or been chosen to walk the glorious Path of the Twelve."
"Ah!" the Lalafel woman spoke up, a smile forming on her lips. "You must be the one the Antecedent spoke of. Lady Minfilia will want to hear more of your recent 'awakening'."
She looked at her two companions, who gave her a nod before going on their way, then returned her gaze to S'eni. "She awaits you in the Hall of the First Step. Please, this way."
The woman led her through the hallways to a set of double doors. S'eni reached her hands out to open them, but stopped herself and looked at her momentary guide.
"Go on," she said with a giggle. "She won't bite."
Breathing out a chuckle, S'eni stepped through the door. It was a pretty big chamber, enough for a group of people to stand and still leave enough room for some more. At the other end was a large desk and sitting behind it was a young woman, her thoughtful face framed by blonde bangs.
So this was the woman who had left her that note.
"I'm delighted to see you again," she said, her gaze almost piercing as she turned it towards S'eni. "As you may have heard, I have many questions."
The other woman's expression then turned warm, a welcoming smile forming on her face.
"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." Steel-blue eyes came to rest upon cherry pink. "And you're S'eni, I was so bold to inquire about your name."
"That's right," she replied, eyeing her warily.
"There's no reason to be cautious. We don't mean you any harm, quite the opposite," Minfilia assured her, rising to her feet and walking out from behind her desk. "From your expression, I can see you haven't heard about us...which is to be expected. We're an underground organization dedicated to the documentation and research of divine intervention, or "miracles" if you will."
"We have walkers in each of Eorzea's city-states who investigate and report such phenomena." Her smile widening, she pointed at the door. "Tataru is one of many serving as our eyes and ears."
"Alright," S'eni said, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "And what does that have to do with me?"
"You have a rare and special gift, S'eni Gata, and that has led you here to us," Minfilia replied. "Tell me, did you have any strange visions of moments long past?"
Arms flopping down to her sides, S'eni's eyes widened in surprise. How did she know? "I...yeah." she nodded.
"That, my friend, is your gift. What you possess is a rare talent that we have come to call the Echo," the other woman explained. "We believe that it's somehow connected to the recent surge in strange phenomena happening all across Eorzea."
Her eyes dropped to the ground as she absorbed these words. Echo? Strange phenomena?
She had no idea what that meant. All she had wanted was to become an adventurer and see the world, and now she felt like she had been thrust into something far greater.
"And...what now?" she asked after a moment of silence.
"The Path of the Twelve is a place of study, as well as a refuge for those like us. We aim to uncover the meaning behind these strange events while offering protection and guidance to those who hear the Echo." Minfilia's expression became serious. "But that's not all. My fellow walkers and I believe that this power was given to us for a reason."
"A reason?" she asked, eyebrows rising.
The other woman nodded. "Yes. We offer those who have been touched with the means to use their power for good and to bring peace to Eorzea!"
Peace for all of Eorzea, S'eni thought. A tall goal if she ever heard one.
"So what do you say, S'eni, now that you know who we are?" Minfilia asked, reaching out to place a hand on her shoulder. "Will you consider joining us?"
Her first instinct was to say no. Leave and pretend this never happened, but something in the way Minfilia had said these words made her hesitate and truly look at the other woman, who couldn't be much older than she was.
And then there was this whole Echo thing that she didn't understand and all, and this Path of the Twelve might help her get some answers.
Releasing the breath she didn't know she was holding, S'eni nodded.
Minfilia smiled. "Then let me be the first to welcome you as our newest walker, S'eni!"
Despite the uncertainty of the situation, she couldn't help but smile upon hearing those words.