#3wol

[redoxchai]

in Eureka Pagos and I forgot what button I assigned for toggling auto run

this killed fang instantly btw

[yzeltia]

Heavensward

Chapter Prologue: Before Dawn Characters: Jannie Eyradoux, Haurchefant Greystone, U'rahn Nuhn, Violet Fisher, Alphinaud Levelilleur, Y'zel Tia, Yugiri Mistwalker Rating: T Notes:

"That I would be made to return home out of desperation when I was so desperate to leave."

Jannie pursed her lips as he loosely cradled her mug of cocoa between her fingers before tightening her grasp. She hesitated to drink, U'rahn having insisted on sprinkling in cinnamon. Though a proven culinary genius, her perception of U'rahn still got in the way of anything he inspired.

"I am sure there are happy memories," Haurchefant insisted, halfway through his mug, "By the Fury! Rahn was on the Gil with this. I don't think I could go back to drinking it any other way."

"I feel you'd say that even if it were swill," Jannie mused, crossing one leg over the other as she reclined, "Will there be any trouble with the young man from the Amphitheater. I fear the weight of Scions is greatly diminished. If anyone knew where we found him…"

"I've not said a word. Though, if he should cause a problem, I will be unable to intervene."

"I think he'll behave," the woman assured him, letting her gaze wander to the pink-haired Miqo'te as he spoke with Yugiri in hushed tones, only moments before having burst into the room demanding answers about the whereabouts of his cousin, Y'shtola.

"I cannot help but feel responsible for him given the situation…though I imagine none feel as responsible as those two."

Jannie and Haurchefant turned to look back toward Alphinaud and U'rahn, both young men having let tears lead them to sleep. The young Elezen had fallen asleep at Violet's side, arm around her waist and face buried against her arm.

Jannie had been rather surprised by the affection shared between them. Though normally abrasive and foul-mouthed, it seemed the Hyur had a softer, sisterly side when it came to Alphinaud and his absent sister. She'd wondered long what brought it on; however, assumed she'd not receive a straight answer.

And then there was U'rahn on the cot beside them, tail reaching across to wrap around Alphinaud's ankle. He'd involved those who'd raised him in the Braves. He had connections and family that Violet and herself lacked. All his prostrating of being a hero had now fallen into silence, with not so much as a single rolled r from his tongue. 

"I wonder how many era must go by that we don't ask children to fix the problems created by their forefathers. Alphinaud. U'rahn. They're just boys when you think on it."

"Lady Eyradoux, you speak as if you're epochs beyond them. I can't imagine you are any older than myself," Haurchefant sang.

"And it would be rude to confirm otherwise," she responded in turn, giving him a sharp look.

"My lady, I would never!"

Haurchefant laughed softly, containing his amusement as to not wake the others. Jannie shifted, looking at a portrait of Ishgard on the wall. "I fear the coming dawn. They might look heavenward and see salvation, yet we both know well that for many it is just as precariously placed on the edge of the Fury's hell."

[yzeltia]

Sentimental

Violet sighed as she wandered through the Balshahn Bazzar. Poised to set forth into the void with her friends any hour now, she decided to kill time with some retail therapy before they were to return The Great Work. If she felt she wasn't about to be swarmed with voidsent, she'd be back at the bar further sampling the spiced whisky varieties Radz-at-Han had to offer. Instead, she was left sober and to her own devices.

Arriving at a toy stand her eyes fixed upon a colorfully patterned stuffed pig.  Loneliness finally clawed at her rib cage. She hated to admit it, but she missed the twins and the others left behind. Traveling the world was lonely business and without them there to keep her spirits up, motivation to stay sober and on task seemed to evaporate.

"Ah, Violet. I didn't take you for the poppet sort," a voice gruffly called behind her.

Approaching in his armour, Esteninen joined the Limsan and gave her a smile. 

"Yeah, they go so well with my tea sets and party dresses," she answered wryly with an eye roll.

"Well pardon me for making an observation. Then what are you doing here?"

Violet paused. "I don't know. Killing time before we help the kid find his sister. I thought maybe twins might want a memento of the journey. They didn't make the trip here last time, right," she asked before snapping her fingers at the Auri attendant. "Hey, you! I'll take the pig and one of the carbuncles."

"Right away miss. Right away."

Esteninen let out a hearty laugh as the toy maker packaged Violet's selection. 

"Do you not think them a bit beyond a stuffed menagerie?"

"Yeah. Probably. I just figured it would have been nice to have had folks get me shit like this when I was their age. It would have meant someone out there gave a damn about me. It's the little things, y'know."

The dragoon straightened up a bit as Violet handed over the Gil for her purchase. He seemed lost in thought, staring at a stuffed Vytra before snapping his gaze towards the toymaker"...I'll take the dragon."

Violet turned, brow raised.

"What," the Elzen gruffed.

"It's a little on the nose for our dear little Satrap."

"Shut up," Esteninen grunted, exchanging Gil for the large plush, "Let us make haste to the aetheryte plaza and send your gifts off with a courier. I imagine Y'shtola will come to collect us soon."

"I didn't remember inviting you along," Violet answered wryly, turning for the suggested destination. The dragoon chuckled and wandered behind, blind to the grateful smile of the woman ahead of him.

[yzeltia]

The Cast

[yzeltia]

Impress

U’rahn chuckled as he downed his third goblet of ale. Back from The Omphalos with G’raha, he rounded up Thancred from Labryinthos for a boys' night at The Last Stand. He hiccupped a bit as he beamed to his friends. “Let’s see, what’s on our hero resumes now? War enders, world savers, god fighters, suave minstrrrels,” the Miqo’te purred to his friends as he stood to toast them.             “For the sake of G’raha and I’s ears, and very well the entire seafront, refrain from any caterwauling and sit back down,” the Gunrbeaker scolded with a smile as his fellow Scion flattened his ears against his braids just in case.             The Nuhn narrowed his eyes the plopped down, tail drooping and swishing behind him before he perked back up. “Well, that aside, I’m still pretty damn impressive. While you might not let me serenade all these fine ladies out tonight, the rest is more than enough to turn some heads. And now that I think about it...didn't you stay behind while Raha and I took to the clouds?”             Thancred shrugged while G’raha beside him turned bright red and nearly fell out of his chair with his drink from the adventure’s casual drop of his tribe moniker. The Hyur swung his sword out, propping the red-haired Miqo’te back up, “I don’t quite remember you sending me an invitation. If you think you're the courel’s spots though…” he trailed, gesturing his head towards the Raen waitress attending to the floor.             Grinning, U’rahn rose from the table and then swaggered over to the young woman before looking back with a slight wiggle of his ears. “Oh, hello adventurer! Quite the crowd, isn’t it? Did you fancy another round of ale for you and your friends?”             “Well, another round would definitely hit the spot,” he started before putting his hands behind his head and giving a bit of a flex, “As the Warrior of Light, I do build up quite a thirst.”             “The Warrior of Light you say,” the woman mused, a smile on her face.             “One of them. The strongest for sure. Just got back from a little adventure with my fellow Seeker pal over there. We’re celebrating my victory over the gods of Fire and Lightning.”             “Really now?”             “Faced the Destroyer himself. I’d love to tell you all about it if you'd like. And my two fellows would be ever so jealous if I brought the prettiest girl in all Old Sharlayan back to hear our tale.”             “Oh yes, by all means, lead the way,” the woman cooed, turning for a moment U’rahn gave the table a smirk and thumbs up. Leading the woman back, he took a seat before finding an empty glass set before him.             “I think it’s about time to cut your friend off sirs. He’s speaking of fighting the gods and fancies himself a Warrior of Light. Even more laughable, he thought to charm me with such a tall tale,” she laughed, filling the Seeker’s glass with water.             Thancred turned and tried to disguise his laughter as a cough while G’raha dutifully sat up and gave the woman a nod. “Yes, we shall get him sobered up and be on our way soon,” he assured her, side-eyeing the other Scion as he near lost it.             The waitress giving a nod, turned heel to move on to do her rounds while U’rahn leaned forward and dropped his face against the wood of the table. “But…I am the Warrior of Light,” he whined, his friends finally giving way to full laughter at his failure to impress.

[yzeltia]

Silver Smiles

It had been long since Jannie had been to The Pillars, even longer since she’d walked through the Last Vigil. It was purely on a whim; however, now that she had come, she felt the twinge of regret stir within her. The once welcoming steps of the Foretemps, now were cast grey to her, blending in with the cold dark stone of the rest of Ishgard. Though an ever-open invitation, too many moons since the lost of her friend and knight had come and gone without her taking upon that offer. Maybe her peers in title lit up the doorstep; however, she felt she may only darken it.

Jannie had never thought of herself as unhappy; though, perhaps didn’t take enough time to show her friends and colleagues to show it. Her heart ached slightly, with so much time passing by, she wasn’t sure how she could return the gift he’d given. So much effort to have her smile for him, and not in the manner the high lords would chide her for, but in a genuine beautiful fashion.

Carefully, she pulled a cloth-wrapped parcel from her bag and then began to slowly unwind the covering. Almost on instinct, she looked away from her reflection in the silver unicorn-handled mirror, lent out by the young man just before the end of their time together. Jannie closed her eyes, then opened them slowly, gazing softly into the glass before smiling softly back at herself. Covering the mirror, she quietly ascended the steps to the great family’s house and slotted the package into their mailbox before summoning her anima to return to Old Sharlyan and prepare for her departure into the stars.

[yzeltia]

Letters from the 3 WOLs

CW: Strong Language

Whoever came up with the phrase "blessed by light" can kindly stick a crystal up their ass.

I'm not going to say I've never benefited from my so-called "gift". It makes P.I. work a hell of a lot easier having a built-in bullshit detector. But when the whole greater destiny kicked in, my shit life became shitier. I was an orphaned searat, kicked out of The Stadium, and sent back to the docks of Limsa to develop a taste for ale and men with their own ships. 

Once the Echo kicked in, I had an easy means of Gil. Solving shit people's, shit problems. Infidelity, missing people, stolen property. In my kind of work, a girl can eat well in a city of pirates. But of course, once the word gets out you've been given Mother's gifts, everyone comes around and demands more and more. 

I probably wasn't as cynical to start. It was easy to get caught up in having a greater purpose aside from working, drinking, and bedding randos and I was always fond of cats. Locally notorious to locally famous wasn't a bad look either. You partner up with your witch friend, take out an Earth primal, and the Admiral uses your name in a sentence and suddenly everyone's your best friend. No longer the "bitch" that ruined their marriage, or the "little girl" who led to your arrest. Victoria, Hero of Limsa, wasn't terrible to hear. Hell, I even made a few real friends.

Then the shared destiny kicked in, the Warriors of Light. Mother calling to me. Men in gaudy cloaks cackling wildly about their god. Betrayal by a pussy whipped sad boy possessed by, said guy in cloak. Felling yet another primal terrorizing Limsa. Being a blonde's personal retainer. Saving, said blonde, for the umpteenth time. Dismantling Garlean occupancy and uniting Eorzea, twice. Then being framed for the dismantling and attempted assassination of one of their leaders. And then of course watching your friends die and sacrifice themselves endlessly, some not staying down, others revived to pine and simp over your every good deed. Going to another shard. Going back in time.  Going to the fucking space. 

And endless list of tedium that I did not sign up for, but was pulled into less Mother invade my headspace. The list goes on and on. Trauma after Trauma, Loss after Loss.  At the very least, Hydallyn had the sense to choose three of us to not give the title one face to lean on and be constantly harassed. 

If saving the entirety of the source wasn't enough, I am still called upon, my rest delayed so that I may voyage on with my snappish Miiqo'te besty and one of the others that share my title. Hopefully, it's the rigid Elzen and not the fuckboy. 

Hopefully this you and the twins well, but I said I'd write since you've made sure the ale was plenty for my journeys, and I'm rather fond of your two little scions....We'll have tea or something when I return from Radz-at-Han. Clearly, I’m not much of a letter writer, so I send my condolences for my colorful language.

Best Wishes,

Victoria Fisher

Hey U'khuba!

What's good friend? Are the ladies missing me yet? Things have been wild since I saved the world, you know, again. I'm sorry I haven't made time to come home to see everyone, but someone has to keep the smiles on the Scion ladies' faces, and the competition is just as weak as it as at home. I'm so popular I'm even getting attention from a G tribe Tia, but they're a bunch of nerds so it's not surprising that even the guys would want to coil tails. I guess I'm popular with everyone now that I think of it. Probably Cause I'm. Such. A. Stud.

I wish I could satisfy them all but there's not been much time. The little Elzen guy that looks up to me said the Scions are taking a break for a while so I went off to look more into my Ascian friend's suggestion of figuring out where The Twelve the Twelve went. (Wow, that's really weird to write. But really, he was a cool guy). Figured I'd hit up Miss Krile and that Tia who worships the ground I walk on. I owe him a little adventure anyway. We're good buddies and I want to make sure he's okay with us just being friends. Maybe I can set up with one of the lady WOLs, he's got it bad for them too. I'm the world's greatest wingman as you know. Guess it comes with being the world's greatest hero. No one can resist my charm.

Anyway, I'm about to grab a boat and figured I'd write home to let you know I'm alive, though I'm sure stories of my heroic battle at the end of the universe has already reached your ears! Yes! That was me again! Send the ladies my love and be sure to let the old man know I’ve one upped him yet again in the hero department.

Best,

U’rahn Nuhn

Dearest Lucia,

I have treated you poorly in not making an effort to write sooner. I hope the sari that I have sent with the courier will make up for my neglect. It has been some time since we parted in Garlemald, and as I’m sure you know, the actions of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn and my fellow Warriors of Light have halted the Final Days. I imagine this comes as a great relief for yourself and Sir Aymeric.

I am due for a long overdue visit home; in fact, I was set upon it until moments ago. It seems that my abilities are needed back in Radz-at-Han. While I was looking forward to a visit with you and Aymeric, as well as the rest, my journey as one of Hydaelyn’s chosen, as always, comes first. Duty before all else is a sentiment we share.

At the very least, I am relieved my peers seem amenable in helping our friends in this latest challenge. Miss Fisher is accompanying me to further assist Y’shtola in her efforts to travel between shards while I seek an audience with the Vrtra in hopes to follow up upon a passing suggestion made by a departed friend. As for the rake, he is off with his fellow Seeker. It feels rude to say, but I shall enjoy his absence. His constant philandering hasn’t cooled down, even upon witnessing the majesty of the end of space. It is a wonder Miss Fisher hasn’t irreparably harmed him in retaliation over his scandalous and quite exaggerated comments on our relationship with him. He has never besmirched our honor; however, we do not want his stories to get out of hand and leave room for interpretation.

Anyway, I do hope you will take time to regale me of your exploits in Garlemald. With your sari, I have also a pouch of gil to help that angry young man we encountered on our visit. I ask that you see he gets it and remains well cared for. Mayhaps guide him forward into the Temple Knights? You found yourself there, and I imagine he will gain much from your and Aymeric’s tutelage...On second thought though he might not be keen on leaving his homeland. Whatever the case may be, I again ask that you see after his well-being and send me expenses.

Yours in Halone,

Jannie Eyradoux