FFXIVWrite 2023 Prompt #30 - Amity

What was G'raha Tia's relationship with the Warrior of Light?

...It was something he'd rather leave analysis to the scholars of the future. Let them ponder the invisible bounds that joined their souls and fates together. Let them ruminate over the meaning behind the words written, said, and left unsaid. He hoped the scholarly papers devoted to speculation and discourse when his body was long dust and his aether fully returned to the Lifestream were plentiful and heated.

He'd personally rather not think about it in the same way he'd rather not think of death or what he looked like if he kept gorging himself at the Last Stand every night.

But if hard pressed and well sauced after a few drinks...

It was complicated. Layered. Knotty. Of course it was. How could it not? It was like cleaning up after a library of stacked papers and tomes had all of its shelves knocked over.

Where to start?

FFXIVWrite 2023 Prompt #29 - Contravention

Betrayer and breaker of family, of friends, of station, of peace, of accords, of nations, of fate.

All these things and more.

Yotsuyu goe Brutus claimed them all.

She betrayed them all and broke with them for they betrayed and broke her first.

She was consumed by the fire within and without. Every staggered breath, every nerve ending, every mote of aether, every fiber of her being burned with the intensity of a thousand newly forged knives quenched by plunging into flesh. Her flesh, her soul.

If she must burn, and she saw no alternative, then she would burn everything else with her. If she must suffer, then all should suffer with her. If she were to be set on fire, then she would set aflame everything that she could touch.

FFXIVWrite 2023 Prompt #28 - Blunt

"Before we head in, any last thoughts, Lucia?"

The trip to Camp Dragonhead was mercifully uneventful, not a single Dravanian in the cold blue skies.

"Permission to speak plainly, milord."

"Of course."

"The princeling wields the Warrior of Light ineffectively at best. 'Tis akin to using Naegling to smash garlic cloves."

"Not one to mince words about this, are you?" Aymeric chortled and shook his head.

He straightened his face before opening the carriage door. "My thoughts exactly."

FFXIVWrite2023 Prompt #27 - Sole

Alisaie really didn't think this through.

It wouldn't be the first or last time she didn't think things through, but she had gotten better at it as the consequences of her thinking and her actions became more and more pronounced, especially on the First. It wasn't just her own life that she toyed with at times anymore. And even if it were just her own life at risk in the moment, her disappearance or her incapacitation were of consequence to so many others.

Now today's little bout of not thinking didn't have such drastic consequences. It wasn't Alisaie's funeral.

Well in a matter of speaking it was.

She was going to die of boredom.

FFXIVWrite2023 Prompt #26 - Last

"Oh Venat, I was expecting you."

Azem was at her loom again. The clicking and clacking paired with the movement of the wooden frames that made up the half room sized device came across as an alien string quartet.

Venat paused. That indeed was Azem's usual greeting, but why was it all of the sudden so... sinister? Venat had gotten used to just barging into the apartment that Halcyone shared with Hades and Hythlodaeus because Halcyone always had the door unlocked for her.

"Hail, Halcyone, you're certainly busy."

FFXIVWrite2023 Prompt #25 - Call it a Day

Down in Amaurot, having recovered and collected her materials, Y'shtola found Xiao holding a strange orange crystal. As she approached, Xiao started to bring the crystal up to her face for closer examination.

"There you are! I was wondering where you had disappeared to."

Xiao turned, suddenly aware of Y'shtola, her mouth agape and the crystal nearly inserted.

"...What are you doing?"

Xiao dropped her hands from in front of her face and shrugged, "Just catching up with... a new old friend."

Y'shtola put a hand on her hip, "Are you well? Is something troubling you?"

Xiao shook her head, "Nay, all is well. Are you ready to return to the surface?"

The platinum blonde Miqo'te raised an eyebrow, "All right then. And yes, let us make haste."

FFXIVWrite2023 Prompt #23 - Suit

Yda and Xiao were an odd couple.

Had they not met in the particular way they did through the Scions, it would be unlikely they would have become friends at all in any alternative circumstances. Yda was talkative to a fault, a bit flighty, and nervously shallow. Xiao was effectively mute, vaguely reliable, and nervously thoughtful. The only reason they were so often lumped together was that the rest of the "main" Scions were Archons or people who were capable of keeping up in technical conversation with Archons. Xiao had neither the language nor the context to understand, and Yda was Yda.

So while the other Scions debated and discussed, Xiao and Yda were often left on the side to nod along absently or wander off.

FFXIVWrite2023 Prompt #22 - Fulsome

Xiao Longbao, Warrior of Darkness, was not a regular at the Beehive. For the most part it was because she was running around the realm saving it. For the rare occasions she was sitting still, she still did not linger, save to dress Kai-Shirr in something quite ridiculous. She claimed it was a matter of Eorzean, whatever that meant, style differences. Bosta-Zia was pretty sure Xiao did it at the expense of Kai-Shirr, who was clueless enough about fashion to give any random combination of clothes a try, so long as it didn't leave him looking underdressed in comparison to the dancers on stage.

...Considering what Xiao would put him in, perhaps she found the one requirement to be a challenge to overcome. It helped that the Mystel was young and as fit as one can be growing up on meol and starvation. Bosta-Zia absolutely didn't mind, and Xiao seemed to take great passion with her work.

But today was not about Kai-Shirr.

Today Xiao would be dressed up.

FFXIVWrite2023 Prompt #21 - Grave

They put a big slab of stone on top for a reason. Mostly it was so that no one could get in and defile the corpse. Beloathed tyrant viceroy of Ala Mhigo or not, to have his skull or other bits bandied about at this critical hour would do nothing for the reputation of the Ala Mhigans while provoking the Garleans even worse than they already were.

The other reason was that it would take a decent amount of effort to push the slab off from the inside, especially as there was no room for leverage or anyway to push off otherwise. It was small comfort as the man was monstrously strong, but it was at least a hinderance that wouldn't make checking up on the corpse impossible.

And at the very least, it would be fairly obvious that the slab was displaced.

So when the slab was still in its original position and yet the body was missing, Thancred was the first to respond with the thought that everyone present had all at once.

"Aw, shite."

FFXIVWrite2023 Prompt #20 - Hamper

"And you! Why waste your final moments in futile defiance?"

Really, it was unseemly to gloat so, especially when victory was such a foregone conclusion. In a sense, he felt as if he were bullying upstart children who hadn't learned their place after all this time. Nay, even children could be reasoned with, albeit in rudimentary ways. These mortals were like particularly stubborn livestock. His assured triumph was still as hard earned as wrestling with a herd of keraunoi.

He was awake. Wide awake, actually awake. The first time in decades, he wasn't going through the motions and sleepwalking through this encounter, rousing slightly only to deliver a snarky remark based on whatever tidbit he overheard. No, he was all there, all present. He was absolutely, spectacularly livid, and utterly rock bottom disappointed.

And yet the vindication that he was going to feel as the so-called Warrior of Darkness crumbled into a monstrosity of light was going to be so delicious. Oh but only if there was more of an audience for the drama about to unfold! The Miqo'te would turn, and the direct exposure to all of that light aether would start to turn her allies as well. They would have to choose to futilely fight and risk turning into sin eaters, or find a way to off themselves or each other while they still had a form of reason and self. This sort of desperation, especially among friends and allies, this was the drama that Emet-Selch lived for. If only he had popcorn. His rage burned so hot he could likely pop the kernels through sheer force of will, but he wasn't in the mood to conjure them up. No, the grim satisfaction of watching these so-called Scions turn on each other as they became corrupted by the light was enough.

And yet, the Miqo'te continued shuffling forward, dragging her sword behind her.

FFXIVWrite2023 Prompt #19 - Weal

Alisaie hit the ground hard, her cheek stung, and she could feel the blood rushing to it.

The collective gasp from their audience made her throw up a hand to fend off the sudden rush towards her. It was her own fault, she went too hard, moved too unpredictably, and her opponent instinctively reacted. Had they been using real foils, it would have taken out her eye, easily.

Xiao kneeled before her, and gently touched the cheek. Alisaie felt the aether pulse from Xiao's fingers into her face, rendering the skin both somehow hot and cold at the same time, but mostly itchy. Just like that, the only wound she had left was to her pride.

FFXIVWrite2023 Prompt #18 - A Fish Out of Water

The Sisters were a known entity to Y'shtola for the same reason a precocious child would be interested in tide pools. She never knew when something interesting would be dragged in. Whether it be someone or some rumor, Y'shtola thought it well worth the price of a finger sandwich or two at the Bismarck for the latest gossip.

V'kebbe did not speak as she was eating except to swear in enjoyment. Mercifully, she also ate rather fast. Woe betide the fool that got between V'kebbe and her sandwich.

FFXIVWrite2023 Prompt #16 - Jerk

The grand doors shut, and Haurchefant remained seated. The air seemed to tingle, and it was not the doing of the draft let in. Nay, the air was still charged as if during a lightning storm. He imagined he could smell lingering whiffs of ozone.

At first blush, sure there was chemistry, but Haurchefant often had chemistry with passing adventurers. He was openly welcoming in such a cold place and up for quite a bit more than the average adventurer was expecting. The chaise lounge within his study was not just a place for a quick nap while buried in paperwork after all. He kept a discreet little package of boiled, preserved, and warded against disease lambskins in a desk drawer for specific reasons.

Not that he had any opportunity yet to use them with Xiao. Not that he had even gotten a kiss from her on the cheek, let alone anywhere more scandalous. But the thought, the intention, he was sure it was all there.

But in some strange kind of stand off, neither seemed capable of initiating.

FFXIVWrite2023 Prompt #15 - Portentous

Let fall the stars above. May fire streak across the sky above all of Norvrandt. Beautiful yet terrible, fleeting yet continuous, let all who would Hear her words, Feel her empathy, and Think courageous thoughts follow through. Become Warriors of Light, one and all.

Follow in the footsteps you have been provided, vanquish the foes before you, push the Shard back into motion from the stability that it has found. Right the wrongs carried out in the name of forestalling our rejoining, our reunion.

All together, we will complete our duty. We will find balance and order. We shall save the Star.

FFXIVWrite2023 Prompt #14 - Clear

Mettius felt in the pit of his stomach a drop as if into a small cage with a large hungry bear in it.

There, standing in winter gear, was Van Baelsar's Bane. The Abattoir of Ala Mhigo, the Butcher of Bozja, the Savior of Savages, the Killer of Men.

The Warrior of Light.

FFXIVWrite2023 Prompt #13 - Check

"Thancred."

It was a cold night in the Rak'tika Greatwood, the first in a century.

"Yes, Xiao?"

"May we speak in private?"

Light aether continued to swirl around Xiao. It was starting to settle now, but she was lit up still like a Starlight decoration.

Thancred scowled, he had an inkling of why Xiao would be reaching out, but he still agreed.

They found a quiet corner of Slitherbough out of earshot of everyone else, and Xiao reminded Thancred of his oath.

FFXIVWrite2023 Prompt #12 - Dowdy

It was quite strange, was it not? If she were to prance around in her nameday suit, there would be many looks and double takes and undoubtedly jeers and name calling, but no one would dare call her "frumpy" or "shabby." But throw on a comfortable though formless sweater and loose pantaloons, and suddenly it felt like the world was staring and judging and perhaps scoring. What was worse, willing away her aethersight and being guided by the arm through the streets only would reveal that the looks and judging was coming from inside herself.

So when it was a day that she wanted simply to be comfortable rather than fashionable, especially on rainy days with nothing urgent going on, Y'shtola preferred to stay in.