Draco: No further Main Scenario requirements for the Stormblood quests; all the rest can be engaged as soon as you meet the level requirements.
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Lv. 68: Consumed by the Flames of Greed
Zyaire was in a fright when Ayleth next stopped by to check on him.
"Ayleth! Thank the Twelve you're here. Kiyomi's gone missing!" The adventurer started as Zyaire continued; "She and Panha were getting a souvenir at Kogane Dori. Panha went to pay for it, and then suddenly she was gone!" He shook his head. "Panha's searching the markets and the Ijin District while I look at Rakuza District and the docks. Can you go to the Sekiseigumi and ask for their help?"
Ayleth nodded, and Zyaire quickly sprinted off northward as she dashed towards the barracks.
QUEST ACCEPTED
+x+x+x+
The man Ayleth spoke to at the barracks was justifiably concerned to hear that a child had gone missing - and moreso when they found themselves joined by a merchant, who reported that he had seen someone dragging a young Auri girl in the direction of the pier. Alas, they were too late; no sooner had Ayleth and the Sekiseigumi arrived at Pier #2 than she saw a large ship just now taking off... and a soaked Zyaire dragging himself onto the dock.
"Damn it all..." The champion raised his gaze in surprise on seeing the lawman standing there. "Looks like we were all a little too late."
The Sekiseigumi grit his teeth. "Was the kidnapper on that ship?"
"She was," Zyaire confirmed. "And so was Kiyomi. I managed to get onto the deck as it was taking off, but they threw me overboard before I could draw my weapons."
"Kami forfend..." The Sekiseigumi swept his hand down angrily. "Forgive me. Had we acted sooner..."
"Zyaire!" Panha's call was all the warning they had before the Miqo'te dashed down the docks. "Any luck?"
"Not the good kind," Zyaire admitted. "They dragged her onto a ship - bound for Eorzea."
"Seven hells," Panha muttered. "You have to go! I know you have the anima - if you teleport to Limsa, surely you can stop them at the docks!"
Zyaire shook his head. "Not until I get you on the next boat home."
"I can afford one ticket one-way," Panha insisted. "Please, Zyaire, you need to get there ahead of them and let the authorities know! We need to stop them at Limsa, or Kiyomi is..."
"...Alright," Zyaire conceded. "I'll go." He turned to Ayleth; "Will you come with me?"
Ayleth nodded.
"Appreciate it." The champion took a deep breath. "No telling what might happen. Be ready to draw quick."
+x+x+x+
Ayleth had a hand on her sword when she and Zyaire arrived at the aetheryte plaza - though her grip relaxed when she saw no immediate threats. On Zyaire's suggestion, they made their way to the upper decks and started towards the Coral Tower... and they were just coming out of the Drowning Wench when found their way barred - by unpleasant-looking sorts of all shapes and sizes.
"Sorry," taunted a Highlander man at the fore, wearing a heavy greatsword. "Afraid I can't let you do that."
"Are you really going to start this here?" Zyaire demanded. "Right outside the Coral Tower?"
The brute drew his weapon, prompting the others to do the same. "Try and stop us."
A sigh emerged from Zyaire; then he grinned, drawing his swords and prompting Ayleth to do the same. "Now this is gonna make me feel like a champion."
Sure enough, the commotion of two swordfighters clashing with an entire mob soon drew the attention of the Yellowjackets. The lawmen's backup did much to even the odds - not that the odds were particularly uneven to begin with - and soon there was a pile of unconscious brutes lying strewn across the walkway.
A Lalafellin captain stayed behind to take a report from the champions as her men carried off the mob. "You did well to defend yourselves against these brutes," she praised. "Thank you for cooperating in their arrest." She set a hand on her chin. "We've seen a lot of troublemakers in Limsa, but never someone so bold as to start a fight outside the Coral Tower."
Zyaire shook his head. "I think they were just trying to stop us. We came here to warn you about a problem..."
On hearing the problem in question, the captain started. "They've abducted this girl in Kugane and mean to bring her to Eorzea?!" she exclaimed. "You did the right thing, coming here ahead of them. Rest assured, we'll not let them carry on like this. We'll have the girl freed before these men so much as set foot in Limsa."
"They're not gonna come to Limsa, two-swords," proclaimed a voice behind the champions. "They're goin' straight to Thanalan."
Ayleth turned to find a familiar Elezen axeman approaching them from the Drowning Wench. Zyaire recognized him as well. "Wait, you're that would-be headsman who attacked us while we were getting the ship to Kugane!"
The captain drew her musket. "You!" she proclaimed. "I'd heard tell you'd slipped out of prison, but I didn't think you were so reckless as to wander back here!"
"Put the barrel down, woman!" the axeman snapped. "I'll come quietly as long as you let me make sure that little girl is safe!" The captain glared, but put up her musket all the same as he turned back to Zyaire. "Those blokes what took your Auri girl - they were hired by the same woman as hired me and my mates. She said she was lookin' for her daughter, and to not hold back against anyone what wanted to keep her away."
"You were after Kiyomi?" Zyaire exclaimed. "Here I thought you were trying to keep me away from Panha."
The axeman shook his head. "Nah, it was that girl. Her mother told us to take her, sod everyone else, and bring the girl to the Forgotten Springs. So when them as chased you to Kugane said they'd got her, I went to tell her that her daughter was safe and sound, and on her way back." His gaze fell. "'Cept I didn't find her at the Springs. I found her at Zanr'ak, talkin' to the lizardmen over a satchel full of crystals."
Everyone started. "The Amalj'aa?!" the captain exclaimed.
"A woman who would sell anything to anyone if the coin was good," Zyaire muttered. "Godsdammit, but I hate being right..."
"Aye," the axeman confirmed, "she wants to sell the girl to the lizards and let her get tempered."
"Would the Amalj'aa even agree to a deal like that?" the captain exclaimed. "The tempered rarely trust anyone not under the same primal's thrall."
→"She wouldn't be the first person to make such a deal and pay the price."
→"Just because they offered her coin doesn't mean they won't give her flame."
Zyaire's gaze fell. "Seven hells..."
The axeman shook his head. "I tried to tell my mates comin' back from Kugane what was really going on, but they don't give a shite. So I started hopin' I'd run into them as were takin' care of her before she got here."
The captain stepped forward. "As valuable as your information is, I do still need to see you returned to your cell," she confirmed. "But rest assured, we'll pass this on to the Immortal Flames."
"Aye, I'll take that trade."
The two took off, leaving Zyaire crossing his arms. "I thought it was bad enough she was willing to treat her own child like a merchant's wares," he admitted. "But selling her off to be tempered..." He turned to Ayleth. "Here's hoping Panha's boat gets here before Kiyomi's kidnappers make it to Thanalan."
QUEST COMPLETE
Draco: Solo instance is initiated in Kugane... and opens with teleporting into the aetheryte plaza at Limsa.
I will admit that a lot of my Champion quests are fairly gratuitous. However, the Summoner quests up to Level 60 involve an Ascian manipulating things from behind the scenes. So... I feel like one job getting gratuitous quests has precedent.
