FFXIV Write 2021, Prompt 25: Silver Lining

There are a lot of things that happen in life that are upsetting, disappointing, unfortunate, and so on. Everyone knows this. It can be hard to cope and find the silver linings in particularly unfortunate events. The pain of losing a loved one may be abated by the bittersweet realization that the memories remain are a piece of them that never fades. Those memories can still bring you joy and in doing so, the departed are still there, make every day a little bit easier. For someone with amnesia, there may be a realization that they get to experience things they know that they loved for the first time again. Small comforts, maybe, but comforts none the less.

For E'rin, being forced out of her tribe and abandoned outside a schoolhouse was hard to accept at first. It made her bitter and distrusting. As she's grown older and wiser, she's realized that her life would never have been as good if not for that fateful event. That is an easy silver lining to find. Harder to find, though, are the positives of her lack of voice.

Two positives come to mind for her, though. Firstly, it's made her great listener. Secondly, it makes it easier for her to identify those that are truly devoted friends. Those friends will patiently wait for her to finish her written replies and give them as much respect as they would any spoken remark. Then there are those who have the time and dedication to go even further. They will take the time to learn sign language and give E'rin the opportunity to have comfortable, real time conversations. No stopping to write, no awkward pauses or attention turned to paper, just two friends talking... And that is something special.

It's not easy to find your silver linings, but it's always worth it.

FFXIV Write 2021, Prompt 23: Soul

What is a soul? Where does one's incorporeal aether go when one passes? What is the nature of the Lifestream? When one is at death's door, what happens to their aether then? Does the soul lose something to the Lifestream or does it gain something? Perhaps it does both? E'rin had so many questions to think about as she pondered the circumstances of her birth.

Born with her umbilical cord wrapped around her neck, absent breathing, and heartbeat faint, the young miqo'te was in a dire situation. The midwife feared that the young miqo'te she'd helped bring into the world would soon exit it. Quick thinking drove the midwife to seek out the village healer. Eccentric, reclusive, stubborn, she rarely left her home. This was a special circumstance, though. A brand new spark of life was in danger of being snuffed out before it had been given the opportunity to become a flame.

The healer hurried to the mother's home as fast as her old bones would take her. She entered the home to find a panicked mother and a motionless infant. Wasting no time, the healer began to channel her powerful magic. The pale blue glow of aether illuminated the inside of the home as the healer pulled the infant's back from the brink. The child had dipped a to proverbial toe into the Lifestream and had been pulled back to the living world in full.

All in the room breathed a collective sigh of relief as the pink-haired intent drew in her first breath and continued breathing. They were overjoyed to see the girl open her ocean-blue eyes and take in her first sights and sounds of the world. She did not cry, she did not scream, she did not make a sound, but she was alive.

The healer warned that the incident may have long-term effects on the child. Her mother looked down at the bundle of joy in her arms, relieved that she'd survived the ordeal. Now that the danger had passed, the new mother could finally think of a name for the child. "E'rin..." she said in an exhausted tone, "my little cherry blossom."

FFXIV Write 2021, Prompt 22: Fluster

It was a pleasant night in the fifth Astral moon. All Saint's Wake was in full swing and E'rin had been brought to her very first Lucky Sparrow show by her dear friend, Lycheria. She had always been kind to and supportive of E'rin, even going so far as learning sign language so they could communicate more fluidly. All of the kindness, memorable journeys, and adventures shared with Lycheria had given E'rin somewhat of a crush on her. The show was enchanting, befitting for the time of the year. It went on to inspire E'rin to pursue performing at Lucky Sparrow, but that was not the story of the night. That night's story was instead one of a budding romance. During the show, Lycheria and E'rin had been downing alcoholic hot chocolates, creating a pleasant buzz in their minds and warmth in their bodies. After the show ended, the duo were deciding what they would do next as they stepped out into the chilly autumn night. There was something E'rin had been wanting to do for a while. She'd grown very close to Lycheria and there was romantic tension beneath the friendship. That, coupled with the fear of letting such a wonderful girl slip through her fingers, pushed her to finally act. Bolstered by the buzz from the "adult hot chocolate", E'rin decided tonight would be the night to confess her love. This his was her moment. With her cheeks flushed and her heart racing, E'rin led Lychie to a nice spot in the Lavender Beds by the water. It was there that she took the leap and spilled her feelings, pouring out her heart to Lycheria. Flustered, love-struck, and nervous as all hells, she anxiously awaited Lycheria's answer. She didn't know what to expect. She'd never felt this way about anyone before. Tragically, the confession was not met with the storybook romance outcome of a warm embrace and true love's kiss. Instead, E'rin had her heart broken. Lycheria did not accept her confession. She said that she would have to think on it, for Lycheria was torn between E'rin and another woman. Despite this, E'rin persisted and managed to win over the woman that would become the love of her life. Further down the line, E'rin eventually was the one to propose as well. She did so at a Lucky Show, this time as a performer on the stage. It was Lycheria's turn to be the flustered, blushing woman. Unlike the first time E'rin opened herself up like that, Lycheria did not hesitate to accept. The rest is history. The two still live as a married couple in their little cottage in the Lavender Beds. E'rin wound up with her storybook ending after all!

FFXIV Write 2021, Prompt 20: Petrichor

A pleasant rain had come to call

E'rin watched the raindrops fall

Heavy droplets tap their rhythm

A beat to mark the new life given

And though she's sad they had to go

She sat and watched the new rainbow

And when the rains had finally ceased

The blonde miqo'te seemed at peace

The pleasant scent of petrichor

Had come to knock upon her door

Watered earth and dewdrop glimmer

Create a moment to remember

A simple time of simple bliss

No din of war, no cold abyss

The forest woke with restored vigor

That urged the plant life to grow bigger

Fleeting, precious, quick to pass

In life nothing will ever last

And so she welcomed to her door

That pleasant scent of petrichor

FFXIV Write 2021, Prompt 17: Destruct

E'rin looked down at a place she'd tried to forget. It was a building that contained evil within its walls. She couldn't forget, try as she might. She could not abide its existence now that she had the power to do something about it. Fire formed in her hands as the memories of her time in that place came back to her. The fire grew, flickering and dancing around her forearms.

The Miqo'te was bathed in orange light from the flames, making her eyes gleam with it. She thrust a hand out and fire trailed towards the building, starting a small fire in a corner of it. The occupants within rushed outside in a panic as smoke began to fill the establishment. E'rin waited until all were out before she fully unleashed her fiery wrath upon the place.

The flames roared to life in a matter of seconds, forming into a fire tornado. The building was naught but kindling in the face of such fury. Beams turned to charcoal and ash, collapsing. The roof fell into the flames and they burned all the hotter. Those outside looked for the source of the sudden inferno. They found it atop the rise.

Presenting as a borderline demonic presence, E'rin stood with half of her glowing by the fire's light, the other half of her in dark shadow. The stark contrast only added to the sinister and fear-inspiring presence of the Miqo'te. Feared murmurs exchanged between the former occupants, who consisted entirely of women. There was a lone man among the group. This was who the devil on the rise pointed at. Her eyes seemed to blaze with flames. There was no question as to whom she was leveling that threatening finger at.

E'rin tossed a generous sack of gil down between the women. She pointed to the girl, then motioned to the gathering of women. She then pointed at the man once more, drawing a line across her throat. The message was clear. The gil was for the women, not the man. The flame-wreathed woman then turned and vanished behind the rise.

As she walked, E'rin smiled faintly. Destruction cleansed a specter from her past. No more would that place serve as a sanctuary for evil. No more would that man profit from it. If he tried, she'd be there again to burn it all to ash once more.

Never again.

FFXIV Write 2021, Prompt 15: Thunderous

Somewhere in a back alley in Limsa Lominsa on a rainy day, a young E'rin was listening to the sound of the raindrops beneath a makeshift shelter. It was composed of no more than a scrap of sailcloth and some discarded palettes, but it was enough to keep her dry.

The child curled up onto a ball, fluffy tail wrapping around her, ears idly flicking from time to time as she enjoyed a moment of peace. The serenity of the soundscape was occasionally disrupted by a flash of lightning followed by a thunderous rumble. While that occasionally startled her, it could not overpower the gentle beat that the rainfall tapped out around her. E'rin closed her eyes and fell asleep to the water's lullaby.

Bliss.

FFXIV Write 2021, Prompt 12: Patriotism [Extra Credit]

E'rin's opinion of Gridania and Ul'dah had never been particularly favorable. Each of the city states had chapters they'd rather people forgot and Limsa Lominsa was no exception to that rule. Born in La Noscea and raised in Limsa, E'rin had a more favorable view of her home citystate while she was young and unaware of its problematic past. Her ignorance did not last, however. The older she got, the more she became aware of the evils of the past. The illusion shattered. Born of pirates, Limsa Lominsa had a long and bloody history. Though the Admiral had turned it into a city of "reformed" pirates, they were still far from innocent. The only distinction between the current iteration of Limsa and the unchecked piracy of the past was the stipulations on who they could attack and a rule against slavery. They were still pirates, just with an exceptionally small moral compass. It was a useful tool for quieting the objections of their allies and the consciences of the residents that still clung to their morals. Blind patriotism was the death of truth. Patriots have a habit of deifying their country. It becomes easier for those in power to bury the past. Lominsans were quick to forget the slaughtering of the beast tribes that paved the way for Limsa to claim its territory. They were quick to justify the stealing and violence in the name of their home. The only way to break free of that mindset was to expand one's horizons, to see their home through a different lens. This was exactly what happened to E'rin. Traveling to the other citystates gave her perspective on the actions of her homeland. Though she didn't approve of its past, E'rin still had hope for its future. Recognizing flaws was the first step to correcting them. E'rin still held love for Limsa above all other major cities despite those flaws. It was hard to deny the love of the land that had raised her. The Admiral had set them upon the right path and seemed intent on keeping that progress moving forward. There was no telling where it would go from there. E'rin could only hope it was somewhere better.

FFXIV Write 2021, Prompt 11: Preaching to the Choir

Gridanian politics had always been a divisive subject. Opinions were typically split between two groups: Those that had only a superficial knowledge of the city and those that had seen behind the veil of flowers.

At first glance the citystate might've seem an idyllic haven for the more nature-inclined sort. Grassy roads, blooming and glowing flowers, flowing water, trees, wildlife all around... Who wouldn't be enticed by all the city had to offer? But beneath all of that was a darker side of the city. There were many skeletons in the verdant closet of the city. E'rin, having been born and raised in La Noscea, was oblivious to this fact.

When E'rin arrived in Gridania to hone and refine her talents, she'd taken it for face value. So much beauty, a place of natural treasures. She roamed the city, oblivious of many things. Appearing to be a Seeker at a glance, she'd avoided most of one of the primary pitfalls of the city: the derisive assumptions brought on by one's blood. Gridania had no shortage of ire and contempt for Duskwights and Keepers, and outright hostility towards those that did not fall in line beneath its laws.

E'rin weaved her way through the city's streets in search of the Conjurer's Guild, feasting on the foreign sights, smells, and sounds along the way. Eventually she reached her destination, walking up to the entrance of the guild. The structure was hewn from the environment around it, reinforcing the idea of connection between conjurer and the elements.

Introductions were exchanged and E'rin expressed her desire to join the Conjurer's Guild. The conjurer that greeted E'rin asked why she was interested in the guild. Rather than explain with words, she opted to use her magic and pulled water from the nearby stream. She held the water in an orb between her hands a moment before turning it to mist and creating a small rainbow.

After that small and brief display of her natural aptitude, she was welcomed in with open arms. The tour around the guild fascinated E'rin. Excited for the opportunity to learn, the Miqo'te asked to begin training immediately.

E'rin's initial "training" could more aptly be described as a lecture. It wasn't as much about the elements as it was about the rules of engagement and the doctrine of the guild. She must engage with the elements in the ways laid out by the guild, she mustn't misuse her magic, and so on. The rules were laid out for her in agonizing detail. Justifications for each rule were given with historical context. E'rin nodded along in agreement as she listened, but in truth the whole thing made her feel a bit uneasy.

E'rin's uneasiness stemmed from the fact that her relationship with the elements did not align with what she was being told by her teacher. The hearers within the guild that claimed to speak for the elementals puzzled her. But perhaps they knew something she didn't. After all, she'd heard songs and not words. Despite her reservations, she decided to press on with her training once the orientation lecture was over.

Several sennights passed with E'rin's training progressing the whole while. She was a natural at it. E'rin was an attentive student, a fast learner, and diligent with her practice. Despite her training going well, she began to notice more troubling things around the guild. What troubled her most was the way the guild members responded to the leadership. It wasn't simple respect. It was more intense. It was reverence... Deference.

On the surface, it simply looked like the students, guild members, and hearers were working together to keep the elementals happy and protect Gridania and all denizens of the Shroud. But it went beyond compliance. At times, it bordered on religion.

When the hearers spoke, their flock listened and obeyed without question. The conjurers of the guild seemed to blindly accept the hearer's professed words of the desires of the elementals. The word came down, the loyal parroted it. There was no need to enforce their will, those that hung on every word would agree no matter what.

When E'rin saw this, coupled with the strict guidelines the guild laid out for how she was to use her gifts, she decided that perhaps the Conjurer's Guild was not the place for her. She withdrew from the guild but remained beneath Gridania's boughs. Though she disagreed with the guild and worries over how her heritage might be received, she'd found welcoming hearts there. She also couldn't deny the strength of the elements' songs around her. "At least I don't have to listen to the hearers preaching to their choir anymore." She thought to herself. She closed her eyes and listened to the songs of the elements that she'd heard her whole life. "I much prefer this chorus."

FFXIV Write 2021 Prompt 10: Heady

E'rin never was one for heavy drinking or any mind-altering substances of any kind. That sort of thing had just never had the same draw or appeal for her as it did for other folks. Part of it was the simple fact that it was much more difficult to sign while intoxicated but most of it was simply that E'rin liked to remain in full control of her faculties. While others enjoyed a heady beer, or smoke, E'rin was content with hot tea, a good book, and cuddles from her wife. All of this was not to say that E'rin had never indulged, however. That very same wife she enjoyed cuddling started dating her thanks to a night of drinking, in fact. It was one of the few occasions where E'rin had drank too much. During the course of that night she'd been intoxicated enough to overcome her fear of rejection and actually confess her feelings to Lycheria. Though she wasn't proud of how intoxicated she'd gotten, E'rin still couldn't help but call that night a win given the outcome. While it was still not for her, E'rin could appreciate the charms of forgetting one's self for a night.

FFXIV write 2021, Prompt 9: Friable

E'rin strolled around the docks in Limsa Lominsa, mind wandering as she looked around. Something caught her eye. An old fishing net hanging over the side of a fishing boat. It looked just about ready to disintegrate at the slightest provocation. She'd seen nets like this growing up. They took a skilled hand to repair and strengthen. Her mind was drawn back to the young girl she used to be... Easily flustered, often angered, quick to cry. She was a fragile thing, giving in to emotion at the slightest provocation. A bully's harsh words? A flash of anger, a bite. A scolding from her adoptive mother? Self-loathing and tears. Rejection from a friend? Embarrassment and a desire to hide. It'd taken so much work for E'rin to steel herself, build a strong foundation, and to do away with the fragility that the world had worn into her. Still, the work had been done and she'd had come out the other side stronger for it. E'rin continued her stroll, wearing a contemplative expression.

FFXIV write 2021, Prompt 8: Adroit

E'rin sat in her room, relaxing on her couch with guitar in hand. She strummed a few chords as she searched for inspiration for her next song. She started to add little fills and embellishments, fingers deftly dancing over the fretboard. A melody developed and words started to enter her mind. This was the way most of her songs were created. She did her best work by simply relaxing and letting the music flow.

Her hands were well skilled at many things: guitar, writing, sign, and costume design to name a few. Her sharp mind made her an adroit businesswoman as well. Using this combination of skill, smarts, and a bit of luck, she'd turned her passion for music into a living. Branding, handling record deals, royalties, signing events, meet and greets, interviews, and promotions all brought in money for the miqo'te. E'rin took pride in herself for seizing the opportunities presented to her. Study developed intellect, practice developed skill, hard work made it all pay off. She knew that investing in herself was always a worthwhile investment.

E'rin smiled as she played, happy with the way her life had turned around.

FFXIV write 2021, Prompt 7: Speculate

It was pleasant afternoon in the Mist. Well, pleasant to E'rin. A warm late-summer rainstorm was showering the land as it passed over. E'rin loved to sit under an umbrella, listening to the beat of the water pattering all around her. Water was her oldest friend, after all. It the element she'd always heard the loudest, the one she had the strongest connection with. The quiet reverie in the downpour was meditative for her. It gave her time to clear her mind and reset.

E'rin was startled out of her reverie by a lightning flashed in the skies overhead. She hugged herself a but and glared up at the spot where the bolt had been. She began to contemplate her issues with Levin. It was intense, powerful, quick, and destructive. She heard no song, only a clap and a rumble. It was like the crack of a whip and the roar of a lion. How does one find the song in such abrupt outbursts? Perhaps she was thinking about it wrong...

Could it be that Levin's song was not abrupt? Perhaps each clap and rumble were individual notes in the greater composition that was the storm itself. Each strike could be the crash of a cymbal and the pounding of a deep drum. It was not melodic, but it could still be musical. Maybe Levin wasn't abrupt and rash all, but instead it was patient and calculating. It waited until the time was perfect and then laid down its notes exactly on beat... Power with focus and intent. She could only speculate for the time being.

E'rin had made friends with one who was close friends with Levin. Maybe it was time to contact Idanwyn so she could arrange a proper introduction.

It would be nice to finally have this final voice among nature's choir.

FFXIV write 2021, Prompt 6: Avatar

It started as a whisper... E'rin had one friend in her first six summers: the waters that made up two of the borders of her village, the ocean and a river. While everyone else talked, E'rin listened. So distracted was everyone else that they missed the song being sung right beside them. To E'rin, it was a whisper at first. She followed it to where it was strongest. That led her to the water's edge. When she moved to the melody that the waters sang, the waters began to dance with her. It was an easy dance, calm, fluid, but powerful. The dance was clumsy at first, but the relationship quickly grew into a friendship. E'rin would play with her dance partner, chasing it, running from it, feeling the push and pull; The rise and fall of the tide. She heard the song in the rain, listened the rhythm of the waves, and felt the flow of the river. She didn't feel alone as long as she had her friend, Water. E'rin heard the song of the water and the waters heard her through her dance. It was a conversation of sorts... In a way, it was the first conversation the three-year-old'd ever had. The villagers had already thought her odd. But this? The dancing with no partner? They thought her properly touched. It mattered not what they thought. E'rin was happy to finally have a friend. A cycle or two passed and E'rin's friendship with Water deepened. During this time she'd began to notice another voice joining the song. This song was more energetic. It was warm and full of life, like a beating heart. E'rin followed this song and found the source in her home's fireplace. The flames flickered and dance, throwing off their soft glow and warmth. With wide eyes and a curious expression, E'rin neared the flames and sat down before them. They swelled and retreated, breathing in a rhythmic fashion. The voice in the flames reflected its nature. Her tail swayed back and forth behind her as she listened, brushing over the stone floor. She started to bounce her head to the rhythm the flames created, rocking her body side to side. A smile adorned by cute little fangs crept across her face. The flames burned a little bit brighter and danced a little bit more with their new playmate. She'd made a second friend, Fire! The more she practiced her dance with her friends, the more her bond grew and the more nonsensical her movements seemed to those around her. There was no song, no partner, no rhythm that they could hear. To them, she was a girl in her own little world, oblivious to the here and now. In reality, she was connecting with the world around her in a way they couldn't understand. Another voice joined the song a few moons later, forming a chorus. Firm, strong, resolute. The voice of one that would be supportive. E'rin's ears were drawn instead to the earth beneath her. This dance was harder. It took conviction and commitment. E'rin had to concentrate harder on matching her moves to the song Earth sang. Before long she'd won this one over too! The chorus expanded as yet another voice joined in. Weightless, free-spirited, pliable. Wind took to E'rin almost immediately. The miqo'te found the sense of adventure and wanderlust of wind enticing. Light on her feet, E'rin was able to find her harmony with Wind and add a fourth friend to her little circle. Her dancing became more varied and the villagers feared her eccentricities were magnifying with age. A five years of age, they'd assumed it was some odd game from an even more odd girl. The villagers did what people do when encountered with something they don't understand, they avoided it, mocked it, or found frustration in it. E'rin didn't care. Each friend she made only bolstered her happiness. Ice was the final friend she made, but this one was more difficult. Though they would later become good friends, Ice was not easy to come by in La Noscea. It was only because it was a cousin of Water that E'rin got any sort of meeting with Ice in the first place! It was slow going and took far more concentration than the others. This song was

precise, calculating, unrelenting. It built, it moved, and it crept. The same precision was needed when she danced its song. She succeeded there as well! Five friends in total now walked with E'rin through the world: Water, Fire, Earth, Wind, and Ice. Levin, however, was not one that E'rin danced with. Too brief in its appearances to properly sing to her and far too scary for her to want to try. The loud noise and flash startled her, leaving her to cower inside with her other friends instead. E'rin had been forced from her tribe shortly after that... Many years passed and E'rin had kept her friends. Her bonds with them had grown, as had her power to interact with them. She heard their chorus, she danced to their songs. They worked in harmony with her, lending themselves to her when asked. It was a two-way street, though. E'rin offered a hand to the elements when they needed help to act. Voidsent disrupt the natural world around them. They corrupt, they sap, they consume. They hurt E'rin's friends and the chorus turns from a melody to a war cry. That cry burns at E'rin's core and compels her to act. When E'rin acts on their behalf she does so with fury and with their full blessing. Her bond with the elements grows with them through each shared experience. E'rin has become something greater than a curious little friend to the elements; She's become an avatar of their power and their will... Now they dance as one.

FFXIV Write 2021, Prompt 5: Participation [Extra Credit]

FFXIV Write 2021, Prompt 4: Baleful

E'rin was many things to many people; A wife, a friend, a mentor, a healer, a performer, a confidant. One of the things she was really seen as was dangerous or threatening. Most might think impossible that the miqo'te had a baleful side to her. Those were the people that hadn't seen the fire within E'rin, the compulsion to protect and to take down those that would harm the people she loved.

That side of E'rin was one seldom seen, seldom used, and often deadly to those that evoked such a response. The mild-mannered woman became something else when threatened or being defensive towards those closest to her. A great power lurked beneath the cotton candy exterior.

When called out, the miqo'te changed into a force of nature. Wholesome and welcoming face twisted into rage. The earth shook, fires burned, waters raged, winds howled. Icy spears formed around her, ready to strike a death blow against those threatening her family.

No words were needed when E'rin reached this point. No spoken warnings, no requests to stand down, no "surrender or else". The threat was in the power itself. Menacing, intimidating, the message was clear as day: Cease or be destroyed.

That severe side of her was not one she enjoyed showing. She'd rather be peaceful than baleful. Unfortunately for all involved, she was not the one making those decisions. Perhaps true peace would arrive some day and bring an end to the need for such a state. Until then, E'rin would just have to make due.