Walk On, Never Look Back
So this was the place called Sharlayan. Home to scholars and sages. It was not like he had expected, but then again, he didn't really know what he did expect. He never really paid them much heed.
Yet his journey had taken him here. Because she was here. And he owed her the answer he had finally found.
Stepping off the ship he had...borrowed back in Eorzea, Zenos began to make his way down the port. His eyes idly found the statue towering over the bay, but he swiftly lost interest. Their gods had no meaning for him.
In the distance, he spotted a small form coming towards him with quick steps, and from the way this person was dressed, he assumed it must be someone in an official capacity. As the person closed in on him, he could hear a feminine voice mutter something before saying out loud, "Do you have any idea what time it is? Registration is closed, so I am afraid you will have to return to your vessel and—"
Zenos silenced her with a look into her eyes. He stared at her for a few seconds, then turned his gaze up ahead. "I am seeking those who call themselves the Scions of the Seventh Dawn."
"The Scions...?" the woman asked. He did not reply.
The woman's eyes moved as she weighed her options. Then, after a brief moment, turned around and hurried off with a quick "If you would follow me."
He did, having no trouble keeping up with her short legs even with a relatively leisure pace. They traveled up a long set of stairs, leading up to the center of the city, and from there up towards the building that throned above all. The woman's pace quicked near the last steps, and he could hear her voice calling out to someone.
"...someone seeking the Scions of the Seventh Dawn," he heard her say and slowly took the last of the stairs.
A large crowd had gathered here. Confused looks greeted him at first, before giving way to shock on the face of those that clearly knew him. Such as one Cid Garlond. "Zenos!"
Immediately, those with weapons began to draw them, their intentions very much clear. His eyes wandered over the ground, stopping briefly on a boy among them whom he could tell was no mere child at all, until settling on a familiar face. The woman of the Scions, who had been instrumental in Asina's experiments.
"Where is she?" he asked.
A Roegadyn in armor made to move, but the small woman raised an arm to signal him to stop. "S'eni and the others have traveled to the edge of the universe to face the one that seeks the destruction of this star," she replied.
The edge of the Universe... his eyes raised to the star-filled sky. So you have at last located your prey.
"Zenos," the Lalafel said and he returned his attention back towards her. He could see conflict in her eyes, but it swiftly turned to resolution and she turned towards her companions. "I need you to trust me now."
A brief moment passed, but they all put away their weapons, albeit reluctantly.
"Thank you." She nodded and walked towards him, coming to a stop not far from him, straining her neck so she could look him directly in the eye. "S'eni is strong, you know that. The others are too. But the threat they are going up against is like nothing they've ever faced before. Of all people she had fought in the past, you are the one to rival her strength. So, I beg of you, lend them—lend her your aid. If only this once."
His first instinct was to simply turn around and walk away. She was not here, and he had no doubt that whatever her prey was would soon lie dead before her. But...
"You will never get what you desire—not even that battle you pine for so much."
...were those not the words that had spurred him to come here in the first place?
"...How shall I get there?" he asked, and the Lalafel breathed out.
"Follow me," she replied and, looking at the crowd behind her one last time, walked past him. Without another word, he followed, being led past the building and towards a set of stairs leading to a large lift.
They rode it down and he felt his eyebrows rise slightly at the sight awaiting them. An artificial land, built underneath the island, with an equally artificial sky. A hint of curiosity rose within him, but it was gone almost as quickly, and they traveled deeper into a subterranean paradise until they reached its very center.
There, within the walls of what appeared to be a shipyard, they stopped in front of yet another yet far smaller lift and his guide turned towards him. "This will lead us to the Aetherial Sea. Within, awaits what you need to travel after the others."
He nodded wordlessly and they stepped inside. Almost as soon as they arrived, he could feel the abundance of aether in the area, the part of him that had once been Shinryu sensing the power that awaited at the end of this crystalline path, leading them further into the depths of this sea of souls. And he wasn't the only one; she, too, felt it.
His avatar. Though shackled far stronger than others of her ilk, the sheer amount of aether, more than enough to feed a thousand Voidsent a thousand times, still caused her to tremble instinctively. He mentally pulled the chain that bound her to him, forcing her to calm down once more, but he could still hear the faint echoes of her bestial hunger in the back of his mind.
When they, at last, reached the end of the road, and his eyes fell upon that which would carry him to his friend, he felt the corners of his lips rise as a rush of excitement went through his body.
At last...the hunt was on.
S'eni's panting pierced through the silence surrounding her. Her fingers, grown numb from her punching, were digging into the impressions that her fists left In the ground. She was all alone now. It was only her.
Her, and the accursed shades that had appeared only a few minutes ago. They floated about the area, flickering in and out of existence. Like a mocking representation of what this place must have once been like.
Up ahead, her eyes found the bright path that Alphinaud and Alisaie's sacrifice had created. Meteion was waiting at the end of it. But would she be even able to reach her?
She could feel it. The despair of all these stars. It was weighing down upon her, filling her with doubt.
But you promised, didn't you? A tiny voice asked through the storm within her mind.
She did. And yet, she could not bring herself to get up. Could not will her legs to move.
A shadow from out of the corner of her eye moved in front of her then, one of the shades no doubt, and she raised her head to look at it. "What do you—"
She exhaled sharply, her eyes widening, when she saw a shadowy form standing in front of her, dressed in armor and a large axe slung over its back. Yes, there was no mistaking it. She would recognize this person everywhere.
"...Ardbert?"
"Tell me, S'eni. If you had the strength to take another step, could you do it?" his echoing voice asked, and she couldn't help but chuckle at the absurdity of it all. What else could she answer to this question?
"What?" she smiled weakly. "All by myself?"
'Ardbert' offered her his hand, and she took it. He helped her back to her feet, before looking up ahead. "If you need a push, I'll be right there behind you."
He vanished again and she briefly closed her eyes to take a deep breath. When she opened them again, she let them come to rest on the glowing path...and began to walk. With slow steps, she moved forward, one foot after the other.
Halfway to the center of the plaza, her foot was suddenly caught by something underneath the sand and she tripped. Before she could fall to the barren ground below, S'eni found herself caught by another shade, whose form was unmistakable as well. A ghost of a smile, forlorn as it was, came to her face. "Haurchefant..."
"Don't despair!" he said after helping her back up and pumped his fist in the way he always did. "You're not without allies."
"When I was at my lowest, you were there to catch me," she said as he began to fade away. Even within his shadowy features, she could see his smile. "You never once hesitated, even when it meant to lay down your life for me. Thank you..."
S'eni knew that this wasn't truly him. That it was the dynamis taking form. But just saying these simple words helped lessen the weight upon her shoulders tremendously. She watched until the last of him disappeared, and continued onward.
As she reached the tables, the shade there took the tall, proud form of Merlwyb and her voice echoed throughout the area. "What we have sown in blood, we reaped in suffering, and it cannot go on!"
The next shade, waiting for her at the other end of the tables, took the form of Aymeric, his words full of hope for a peaceful future. "Upon the souls of those who sacrificed themselves to pave the way for peace, we will never abandon our cause."
"While it is true that man is all too soon to anger and avarice," another shade, appearing as Nanamo, said. "he may yet overcome his baser instincts through the forming of bonds with others."
A few steps after, the shadowy form of Raubahn, his large hand balled into a fist, faced her on her way past. "Such victories are rarely won without sacrifice. But the prize is worth the price."
"And we, for our part, are glad to welcome friends old..." The familiar shape of Kan-E-Senna appeared shortly after and looked to another shade up ahead, taking the form of Hien. "...and new."
"Save your tears for tomorrow," he called out in a jovial tone, raising a cup. "We will have ample cause to shed them, be it for joy or despair."
When she, at last, made it to the foot of the path, another shade appeared, his tiny arms crossed while he looked up to where it would lead. He looked at her. "From tragedy and sacrifice, we rise to greet a new dawn."
"We do." She nodded. "You knew that better than most of us, Papalymo. You truly were Louisoix's greatest student."
As he faded away like the others, the echo of a chuckle followed her while she began to ascend, as if to say "Of course". Further up, the tall figure of Count Edmont appeared, standing regal with cane in hand, and when he spoke, his voice resonated with fatherly warmth. "A future shaped by the choices we made, in ways we could never have foreseen."
At the upper end of the path, two shades formed into Ryne and Beq Lugg, watching as she walked by while speaking words of a conversation she only faintly had picked up in the past.
"Yet miracles do happen. So let us pray, and will our friends home," the Nu Mou said.
Ryne nodded. "I won't stop praying until I know they're safe."
Reaching the end of the path, S'eni stepped onto the floating rock formation almost underneath the dead sun and did a little jump when, all of a sudden, a small, shadowy dragon sat down upon her shoulder. It looked at her for a brief second before fading away, leaving behind echoing words: "Strong art thou, mortal."
I can already see the end, she thought, looking up to the spot directly below Meteion's nest and began to make her way towards it. Climbing over a rock, she saw none other than Minfilia standing on the other side. Her face was obscured in the darkness that formed her, but her words were full of hope just like the day she had spoken them.
"Look to the light within—" Minfilia said and placed a hand over S'eni's heart. "—so you may continue to serve as a beacon to others."
"The light within..." she murmured, placing her own hand on top of her friends while watching her vanish. Once gone, she balled it into a fist and kept it there as she continued onward. Just before she reached her goal, she stopped and closed her eyes, taking a few deep breaths to steel herself.
A hand then gently placed itself on her back, and gave her one last push. "Let's finish this," Ardbert's voice said.
Yeah...She opened her eyes again and saw Meteion standing at the end of the desolate isle in front of her. ...Let's do it.
She stepped on it.
"I'm here, Meteion," she called out.
"And this is the end," the girl said right back. "There is no way to reach our nest."
S'eni looked about, then let her eyes land on the dead sun. She was right. There was absolutely nothing here that could bridge that last bit of distance still remaining. Nothing...
"Did I not tell you? Life holds no meaning in this place. Every civilization here has lived their lives, yet in the end, came only to curse it. Not a single dream was fulfilled, nor a single prayer answered." Meteion raised both of her hands and let them come to rest atop her chest. "No matter how many thoughts may unite them, they have no place where they could exist anymore. That is how it always has been."
...except Meteion. She looked back down at the girl, who was glancing to the side, almost appearing a little sad.
"That is why you should have remained on Etheirys. No matter what you do, it will not grant the souls of your friends peace," Meteion said, eyes finding hers. "Come, let us put an end to this suffering. What else is there to hope for?"
S'eni didn't say a word to that, instead choosing to reach into the bag at her hip and pull out the crystal within. As she looked at the symbol carved onto its surface, myriad voices echoed through her mind. Friends, foes, and loved ones, each having touched her life one way or another. She shook her head.
"I made a promise to those that I cherish the most...but that is not all. A long, long time ago, there was a little girl, terrified of what she had seen within her sisters' message and begging for someone to protect everyone." her hand closed around Azem's crystal, and it began to glow. "That is why—"
"...do not squander what you have been entrusted with."
"—I won't give up. I will keep on forging ahead, one step at a time!"
Underneath her feet, Azem's summoning circle formed and spread out over almost the entire area. Two beams of light shot forth from it, signaling the answer to her call. When they receded, two figures were left in their wake.
"Pfft. I said that you should not forget us, yet I'm the one who had forgotten. Did you find that funny, Hermes?" the first one snorted, hand going to their hip. "Because of you I've been denied my well-earned rest and forced to watch this clamorous show."
"Oh come now, it's been quite entertaining watching them run about. A gripping tale of noble sacrifices and unbreakable bonds," the other said in a light tone. "Would be a shame if we vanished before it concluded."
Hythlodaeus then giggled into his fist and offered her a smile. "Thank you for calling upon us."
"What are you?" Meteion exclaimed, eyebrows drawn.
"Nothing more than two shades that will soon fade away," Emet-Selch replied. "Do not worry. I haven't the power to destroy you, I lost those when that unsightly axe tore a hole in me."
The Ancient shot S'eni a glance over his shoulder, and all she could do was simply shrug. He sighed and looked back at Meteion.
"Our reunion here has another reason," he said with a huff. "Typical Venat, she hates to lose. But I have to wonder, did she need me to tie all of this together? Or was it all just so that I could remember what truly caused the Final Days? Hmm. Let's just go with the charitable interpretation of a solid punchline. In any case, this turn of events makes things a little easier. Not that I shall thank her for that."
Of course... S'eni thought and stepped up between them. Emet-Selch gave her a wry smile.
"I have to hand it to her, though. Bringing us all here together was quite a scheme. No wonder that our methods proved powerless against her. So let me say one more thing, a present to the last of us if you will—" his hand shot up and he pointed directly at Meteion. "—singer of the end, you will not end our journey! That is our answer, delivered to you by one who has lived the history of our star!"
A bright glow surrounded the two Ancients and Hythlodaeus grinned. "And since we are already on stage, why don't we give you a taste of our powers? Those never fail to please," he said to S'eni. "The hopes of your comrades surround us, and with just a tiny nudge from us, they will form a new path for you."
"Yes, you need but focus on it," Emet-Selch said. "Focus on the form of that which rejects the claim that you cannot attain your goal!"
She nodded and closed her eyes, envisioning within her mind the thing she knew would reach her; the very thing that had guided her onto the path to meet her so very long ago. And upon which another promise was forged.
"Ours is the wisdom to weave the fabric of reality..." Hythlodaeus spoke, the cheerfulness in his voice giving way to pure focus. "Ours is the power to create!"
S'eni's eyes shot open with the sound of Emet-Selch's snapping fingers, and she was greeted by a beautiful vision of white. Where the ground had been nothing but barren desolation a second ago, it was now entirely covered by Elpis flowers, their soft glow giving light to the darkness around them. Meteion looked about in disbelief at the sight, before her eyes widened at Hermes' voice echoing around them.
"Meteion, I gave you the power to soar the heavens. But I never taught you how to walk the earth, to live your life. That you will learn from those you meet." A pained looked began to form on Meteion's face and her arms rose to hug herself as his words continued. "Flowers...yes, the end of your journey shall be met with beautiful flowers."
"The land in which these flowers bloom is one where the future is never lost. So long as they persist, so too will the beacon of hope ever shine in the dark," Emet-Selch said and he walked over to the side with Hythlodaeus right behind him. Without even seeing her confused expression, he added, "Did I mention that your friends no longer need to fight their fight? Go on, call them to your side."
S'eni gasped at his words and, with shaking hands, grasped Azem's crystal tight, holding it close to her chest and slamming her eyes shut. Warmth radiated from it as her heart called out to each and every one of them. Come back to me.
When the warmth from within her hands receded, S'eni lowered them and opened her eyes to see the remains of Venat's spell rise into the air with a soft twinkle. "May they serve as your guide. Always," she heard her voice say from deep within her mind, like the gentle caress of a loving mother.
"Thank you, Venat..." she whispered, then glanced over her shoulder towards Thancred, who looked at himself in amazement. When it appeared to be clear to him that he was indeed whole again, he looked up with a bright smile.
"Well, don't I look amazing?" he asked.
Next to him, Estinien chuckled. "You could say the same about me."
"Honestly...didn't I tell you not to do this?" Her heart jumped at those words and she whirled to the side to face Y'shtola who, despite her words, greeted her with the most brilliant of smiles. "Thank you. One can always count on you to do the impossible."
"Shtola..." she returned it with one of her own but looked away before her emotions could get the better of her, blinking away a few stray tears as she did.
"That we thus stand reunited is a gift," Urianger said. "Let us not squander it, and see that we all return to Etheirys."
G'raha punched his palm. "As soon as we avert the Final Days!"
"Well, hello there," she heard Alisaie say and she turned towards the young woman, who stood there like this had all just been a day's work. "How did we do?"
She gave her a thumbs-up in return.
Alphinaud cast his gaze across their group, nodding. "Towards the end, then. And this time together."
"Yeah..." S'eni breathed out and looked to Meteion, who was sunk into the flowers, still holding herself for dear life. "Together."
She stepped forward, walking towards the girl and coming to a stop in front of her. Kneeling down onto the ground, she held out a hand towards her. "Come, Meteion. Let's go home."
A shudder went through Meteion and she gripped herself tighter. Above them, cracks appeared on the dead sun's surface, growing in size until it broke open like an egg. A glowing, water-like substance began to flow out of it and formed into a giant drop that remained suspended in the air, as if it was weeping...
"Can you...hear me...?" Meteion asked in a tiny voice. "The voices within... Crying in pain, wailing in sorrow... Hurting... Hurting..."
She raised her head, and what S'eni found reflected in the girl's eyes was the very same fear as back in Elpis. Black mist was beginning to surround her fragile form. "End it...silence it... Silence our song of oblivion!"
Before even the last word could fully go past her lips, Meteion transformed into her bird form and took to the air, looking upon them all for a brief moment, then fluttering into the water. S'eni rose to her feet. "I promise, Meteion."
The sudden sound of a finger snap made her tear her eyes away from the sight in front of her and to where Emet-Selch and Hythlodaeus were standing. Tiny particles of aether were leaving their bodies, draping them in a blue glow. Alisaie gasped.
"You're leaving!?"
"Of course. I'm hardly going to beg Hydaelyn for a second life," Emet-Selch replied matter-of-factly. He then glanced towards S'eni. "The future you seek is different from my beloved past. That is I fought you with all of my power. And that is why I lost, and I will admit as such. So spare me your pity and go save our star instead."
With an exhale, he raised his arms aloft, though with the usual lack of enthusiasm she had come to know from him.
"Let's put an end to this act, let the final curtain fall and the applause fade away. So that I may begin my next performance, in a different role, on a new stage—but with familiar company."
S'eni looked away, unable to bring herself to say anything. What could she even say?
Emet-Selch released an ever weary sigh. "Tell me, have you wandered the ruins beneath the waters of the Bounty? Have you sailed through the merciless Blindfrost in Othard's north and seen the treasure islands beyond? What about the golden cities of the New World? The sacred sites of the forgotten people of the south sea isles? What about Meracydia, the southern continent? Do you know what it looks like today?"
She could only stare at him with a dumbfounded expression while he crossed his arms, shaking his head as if to say "yes, figured as much".
"Even your Eorzea still holds many secrets that have yet to be uncovered. Like the true identities of those you call the Twelve. And each of the reflections alone is so rich in culture that no library could ever describe it. You are the bearer of Azem's crystal, so follow your curiosity and discover your world." He smiled. "I promise you, you won't regret it."
Hythlodaeus giggled. "We shall meet again. If not in this life, then perhaps another," he said. "And whensoever it shall be, I expect that we will have a great deal of fun."
"Oh no," Emet-Selch immediately said. "You leave me out of this!"
"Heh, you old grouch."
And as their two forms began to dissipate, Emet-Selch once more found her eyes and gave her that crooked smile of his. S'eni watched the remains of their aether rise, a hand going to her heart, until it faded away. Her lips rose into a bittersweet smile.
"Goodbye...my new old friends."
An arm wrapped itself around her shoulders and she turned her head to look at Y'shtola's smiling face. "Looks like he has given you quite a few tasks. I suppose we should pursue some of them when this is over, hm?"
She chuckled, but it only made it partways before turning into a sob, and she buried her face in the crook of Y'shtola's neck. The other Miqo'te immediately gathered her in a gentle hug, stroking her hair as she let out all of the emotions she held bottled up inside while whispering warm words into her ears. The others looked on with affection and gave them space, choosing to instead talk amongst themselves until S'eni managed to compose herself.
When she was finally done, her lover brushed away the last of her tears and pressed a kiss against her forehead. "It's alright now..."
S'eni gave her a smile, then turned her attention to the entrance of the Meteia's nest. She didn't know what awaited them inside, but whatever it was, they would face it. Together.
...through you, we live!
I hope you all enjoyed my slightly altered version of the You Are Not Alone walk scene :)