Fragility of Hope
At long last, the day had arrived where dragon and man would take their first tentative step towards peace, fought for not only against ancient lies and the misguided of faith but also ordinary people whose pain over the loss of their loved ones drove them to extreme measures.
A peace that would not have been possible without a group of brave outsiders, who fought for what was right even as the weight of their own loss seemed to overwhelm them.
And yet...things would still take a dark turn...
Opening her eyes, S'eni was greeted by the sight of her ceiling, its pattern having grown familiar to her over the course of her stay. A groan escaped her and she stretched herself a little before slumping back into the sea of blankets.
These past few days had been draining, to say the least. And if she could, she would be staying in bed all day.
But today was important and she couldn't miss out on it.
Still...
A few more minutes can't hurt, she thought to herself as her eyes fluttered shut once more and drifted off into that dozy state between sleep and wakefulness, where time seemed to slow to a crawl and a minute was like an eternity unto itself.
Just when it seemed that her conscience was tipping over into slumber once more, the vision of a woman appeared in front of her, clad in a white dress, with long, flowing blonde hair and glowing, crystal blue eyes.
Minfilia.
Her lips parted, and words started to echo from deep within her mind.
"We are the Word of the Mother."
Reaching her hand out to try and grasp her, S'eni found herself unable to move from the spot and could only watch as her friend started to float away from her.
"Blessed child, go forth and seek..." a cracking sound echoed through her mind as fine lines started to spread all over Minfilia's body, like a spider web. Light started to shine from within her, growing brighter and brighter until she burst into shards of pure crystal, leaving only the echo of her words behind. "...seek."
"Minfilia!"
She shot forward with a start, eyes wide open once again and her arm stretched out. After blinking a few times, S'eni realized that she was in her room, and all she was reaching for was the air.
With a shaky breath, she let herself fall back onto her pillow, covering her eyes with the back of her arm. She remained like this for a few minutes before throwing the covers off her and getting out of bed.
Whatever little bit of sleep that had remained was gone now.
As she stepped out of her room, S'eni found that everyone was quite busy, no doubt because of today's events.
Peace, huh? She wondered. It felt almost a little surreal, but it was finally happening.
Despite the general busyness, she managed to get a hold of a servant to ask to draw a bath for her and, after freshening up, had a quiet breakfast alone before leaving.
S'eni was greeted by a bright and sunny day that warmed up the usually cold air of Coerthas to be pleasantly fresh. She remained standing there for a moment, closing her eyes to enjoy the feeling of the sun on her skin, letting it improve her mood a little, before starting to walk down the Last Vigil.
She looked around a little and spotted some of the nobles heading the same way in hurried steps, undoubtedly making for the conference as well. More importantly, though, she caught sight of a familiar figure in the distance leaning against the stone platform at the bottom of the stairs.
Y'shtola.
Her friend must have spotted her as well, as she pushed herself off and started to walk towards her.
A smile forming on her lips, S'eni waved her hand. "Come to see the ceremony as well?" she asked once they were close enough.
Y'shtola nodded. "Krile is here too. She's looking around the market. When we heard that you hadn't arrived yet, I decided to wait for you."
"Thought I might get lost without your guidance?" she chuckled.
"No, I'm aware you can find your way around," the other Miqo'te said. Placing a hand on her hip, her brows creased. "...How are you doing? We haven't seen each other since..."
The smile on her lips fell, turning into a frown. "Master Matoya's cave," S'eni finished. When they had all learned of Minfilia's fate. That she had become one with Hydaelyn, to serve as her voice.
They had taken that news about as well as expected, and the old witch's harsh words, while ringing with truth, had done nothing to improve their mood. In the end, they had all gone their separate ways to reflect.
"I'm good," she lied. The look she received told her that Y'shtola was absolutely not convinced. "...fine. I just can't get the sight of Minfilia out of my head. And the worst part is that I can't even tell F'lhaminn about it because Alphinaud made me promise not to."
Running a hand through her hair, she slumped back down onto the stairs and closed her eyes. Her friend sat down next to her, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"Thancred is taking it the hardest. You should've seen him lay into Emmanellain. I've never seen him so angry before," S'eni told her after a moment of silence.
"We all are. I...can't help but feel responsible for this. It was my spell that caused it."
She shook her head. "It was Minfilia's choice."
"Still, that doesn't make it any easier."
"It doesn't..." Opening her eyes, S'eni looked at the people as they passed by. Today was the beginning of a new future for them and they walked towards it with open eyes, free from the lies that had once clouded them. Those that had given their lives in centuries upon centuries of war would not return, and that loss would forever be keenly felt, yet Ishgard still marched forward.
Reaching out with her hand, she let it come to rest on top of Y'shtola's, looking ahead for a moment longer before turning her head to meet the other woman's gaze. Neither of them said a word because they didn't need to. They knew that Minfilia would want them to carry on in her stead.
And that's what they would do.
After sharing a nod, S'eni felt a smile creeping back onto her features that Y'shtola returned with one of her own, and she gave her hand a gentle squeeze as a warm feeling spread throughout her body.
They remained like that for a little bit, before her friend's smile grew and her eyes narrowed ever so slightly in that very familiar way.
"Thancred also told me what happened at Falcon's Nest the other day."
And there it is, S'eni thought. "And now you want to take a good look at me?"
"Indeed. It must have been quite a drug to knock you out, and on top of that you didn't exactly hold back during the grand melee yesterday," Y'shtola said. "I would rather not chance that there might be some side effects."
A chuckle escaped her. Now how could she refuse that?
Oh yes, she couldn't!
"Fine," S'eni said with a mock sigh and her smile widened. "But can it at least wait until after the ceremony? I think we're already running late as it is."
"Oh?" Y'shtola looked at her, eyebrows rising in surprise. "Being so cooperative usually isn't like you."
"By the Twelve you're right! Something must be wrong with me!" With laughter passing between them, the two of them rose back to their feet and started to head towards the Jeweled Crozier to meet up with Krile. She was relatively easy to spot, her bright yellow coat standing out amongst the taller citizenry of Ishgard, and much to her surprise she was not alone. At her side stood Alphinaud.
She had only briefly seen him yesterday evening after they had returned from the grand melee but didn't have the chance to talk with the younger man. He seemed to be in higher spirits, so that was something.
"Krile, Alphinaud!" S'eni called out to them, waving her hand to further get their attention as she and Y'shtola approached the duo.
"There you are!" the Lalafel exclaimed. "And here I thought you were planning on sleeping the day away. Though I'm sure Y'shtola would've seen to your quick awakening if that had been the case."
The last words were followed by a little smirk sent into the direction of the other Miqo'te, causing her to cross her arms and turn her head a little. S'eni could only furrow her brows in confusion when Krile giggled.
"Anyway," the smaller woman then said. "You're quite the talk. If it's not the ceremony, it's your participation in the battle yesterday. Quite the spectacle I'm told."
Alphinaud nodded. "They say you duelled General Raubahn within a ring of flames. I never thought of him being so ostentatious, to be honest."
"He isn't known as the Bull of Ala Mhigo for nothing," S'eni replied with a grin. "And I think we've both been itching for that fight for a while."
"I wish I could have seen it," His expression grew serious and he averted his eyes. "But I needed time to myself. To think, and to reflect. Still do."
She shared a look with the others before stepping forward and putting her arm around his shoulder. He turned his head towards her with a look of surprise, but it soon turned into a smile that mirrored her own and he gave her a nod.
"There's a lot that I feel I must say," he said after she let go of him once more. "But it's nothing that can't wait until after the ceremony. So let's make for Falcon's Nest, I say."
"Hear hear," S'eni replied, and with that, they headed down into the Foundation and from there towards their destination.
Falcon's Nest was packed as their little group arrived, people of all walks of life, from high standing nobles to the regular folk, had gathered here today to bear witness to the end of a thousand years of bloodshed.
"Over there," Krile said after a moment of looking around and pointed in the direction of Thancred, who had chosen to stand a bit apart from the crowd. Noticing them as well, he turned his head and raised his hand in greeting as they walked over to him.
"Not a moment too soon," he said. "They just finished the preparations. Now we're only missing the guest of honor and given her sense of impeccable timing I doubt we'll have to wait much longer."
Coming to a stop next to him, S'eni leaned against the wall behind her and let her eyes roam around.
"It's just like Ser Aymeric hoped," she heard Alphinaud say. "Ishgard's success at the grand melee has restored the people's faith. The look on everyone's faces, it's still nervous, but one can see the hope reflected in their eyes as well."
She hummed in agreement while turning her gaze, coming to rest on Emmanellain and Honoroit standing not far away from, and she couldn't help but smile. The last time they had been here had been a total disaster, the young noble's hasty decision having only fanned the flames that had already been burning and turning a situation from bad to worse.
His young attendant, loyal almost to a fault, had gotten injured in the process and spurred in him a change of heart that made him want to better himself. If he continued on the way he had started to walk now, she was sure that he would do his family proud.
Your little brother is finally growing up, Haurchefant.
Turning her head to the side, S'eni felt her smile fade as she caught sight of purple hair that she wouldn't forget all too soon; the woman that had drugged her, her hands held in chains and a Temple Knight keeping careful watch next to her.
"Noticed her too?" Thancred asked her in a low voice.
"So she survived..." she murmured. The last time she had seen her, they had been unsure if she would even live through the night.
"She's a hardy one, I will give her that." He crossed his arms. "And apparently asked to be here."
S'eni looked at him in surprise at that revelation, before turning back towards the young woman, and she found herself wondering what she must be thinking right now. The vision she had received from the Echo that day had shown her the pain and anguish that had driven those people.
Was she here to get a measure of closure, perhaps?
But before she could contemplate that further, a roar echoed through the air, signalling the arrival of Vidofnir and drawing her attention up to the scaffold where Ser Aymeric was standing.
"It begins," Y'shtola's words pierced through the excited chatter coming from the crowd as the sound of flapping wings drew closer until the dragon's form appeared over the walls of Falcon's Nest, circling around before landing on the scaffold.
Everyone grew silent, their eyes all locked onto the white dragon above them as she looked around for a moment before facing the approaching Knight Commander. "Long it hath been since our peoples met thus, children of Thordan. Even by our reckoning," she finally said.
"Vidofnir, daughter of Hraesvelgr, we bid you welcome and thank you for answering our invitation," Ser Aymeric replied, his arms rising into a welcoming gesture.
"Our sire bade us hearken unto the whispers of our hearts. They spoke to us of a paradise lost─of bonds of brotherhood which they yearn to see restored."
"Our hearts, too, yearn for it. Let us proclaim this wish for all the world to hear; so that these bonds can finally be restored." He turned and took a few steps towards the edge to properly face everyone that had gathered here.
"Brother and sisters! Today you shall bear witness to a moment of glory in our shared history." Ser Aymeric paused for a moment, closing his eyes. "The friendship in which dragon and man were once united was destroyed by a betrayal that haunts us to this day. It caused suffering and painful losses on both sides, making us commit ever greater atrocities. Even now we can scarcely overcome them. Yes, the wounds they have caused run deep, and may never fully heal, and we are not here to deny them. But all of us, who have been mourning for so long, let us pause for a moment and look beyond our pain."
Opening them once again, he let his gaze wander over the crowd. "The dead will not return. But we are here, alive! Let us put an end to the bloodshed, so that our children and children's children will not have to suffer the same as we did."
S'eni smiled and nodded. Those were exactly the words that everyone needed to hear.
"Betwixt our peoples yawneth a divide deeper than the deepest abyss, wider than the widest sea," Vidofnir said. "Generations will live and die until this divide is bridged. Knowing this, doth thy heart yet yearn for peace, son of Thordan?"
"It does," Ser Aymeric replied with a smile. "We shall look upon the mistakes of the past to learn from them, and upon the times where the peace we yearn for was reality."
Turning around, he faced the large veil hanging behind him and raised his hand. As he lowered it back down, so did the veil drop unceremoniously to the ground and a round of gasps pervaded the air with even Vidofnir seeming to be caught by surprise.
S'eni felt her jaw grow slack as her eyes looked upon a beautiful relief featuring...
"Father and his beloved. As they were so long ago. Happy and at peace..." turning her gaze away from the sight, the dragon's crimson eyes landed on the Knight Commander once more. "The dream they shared shall be ours once more."
One by one the crowd started to clap and cheer; it was finally done.
She turned her head to look at Y'shtola, sharing a smile with her, when all of a sudden another voice called out.
"Never!"
Before anyone knew what was happening, a crimson shape jumped high into the air and descended upon Vidofnir, shortly followed by the dragon's cry of pain as a spear was plunged deep into her flesh, splattering blood everywhere.
"Estinien!" Alphinaud cried out as S'eni pushed herself off the wall and started to run for the stairs that lead up to the scaffold.
By the time she had made it to the top, Ser Aymeric was launching an arrow at the possessed Dragoon, who simply dissolved it with his hand before it could do any damage and jumped back up into the air where he landed gracefully on top of the wall. He was shrouded in an aura of maliciousness and two bulging crimson eyeballs protruded from his body, twitching and turning as they looked down on them with pure hatred.
When his lips parted to speak, his voice rang with a twisted echo.
"Child of Dravania! Art thou grown so forgetful that thou wouldst forsake kin, and consort with the spawn of Thordan? That thou wouldst dare contemplate peace!" he spat out the last word. "Hearken unto me, all of you! The final chorus is nigh, and all will be held to account! All will bathe in the flames of retribution! Till the coming of that day, look you onto your sins and despair! For none shall escape my wrath! None shall escape my revenge!"
Spreading his arms, he ascended into the air as the aura around him grew in intensity and the Wyrm's eyes started to glow. An inhuman cry echoed through the air and from one moment to the next, Estinien vanished in a cloud of dark red miasma, leaving behind only the towering form of Nidhogg where he once was.
"Oh no..." S'eni could only watch as the black Wyrm gave one final roar, before flying off, leaving behind only silence as he vanished into the skies.
"The hells take that Wyrm! We will never know peace while he lives!" an angry voice called out, breaking everyone's stupor.
"There'll be no end to this war till Nidhogg is dead and gone!" a woman joined in.
"So let's kill the bastard and be done with it!" Another man shouted. "Death to Nidghogg! Death to Nidghogg!"
He was soon joined by another, and another, and another, each and everyone crying for the Black Wyrm's death as fear gave way to anger.
Tearing her eyes away from where Estinien had only been mere moments ago, S'eni barely registered Lucia calling for a healer as she turned towards the relief of Hraesvelgr and Shiva.
And as the shouts grew louder and louder, she could only stare at the symbol of Ishgard and Dravania's hope and dreams, stained with blood.
Not exactly my most favourite chapter, but I kinda felt that this part needed to be included. So I tried to put a spin on it. The speech Aymeric gives for example is more based on what he says in the German version of the game.
Now the next chapter I like more and hope you'll be looking forward to as well. :)