"You have to." His words were prompted by the food made thrown in his face. Unmoving he sat and a slow breath filled and exited his lungs. It was a battle of wills at this point. Who would falter first was uncertain.
"You're not doing yourself any favors. The fact will not change but you have to-" And another wet smack of food hits him on the chin, splatter covering his bare chest and shoulders as well as a light spray behind him. Lips tightly pressed together he slowly stands and refusing to wipe his face clean in some strange act of defiance, he move to a cupboard and retrieves a small wrapped bundle from within. Returning to his seat he sets the bundle down and opens it, revealing chunks of chocolate.
"Last chance. You have to eat your vegetables to get chocolate."
The redheaded toddler stared at the chocolate and then her plate of mun tuy beans, mashed up into a paste. Evelyn whimpered and was a very smart child, and despite not having a coherent speaking voice yet, she knew what was asked. Her mother's chocolate sweet tooth was passed along for certain. Syluss watches his daughter eating her vegetables and finally wiping the protest throws off his face and person. "Wasn't that hard was it?" Evelyn grimaced at her father as she ate the bean paste, forsaking her spoon and instead grabbing handfuls and making most to her mouth. Exhaling a breath he plucked a small fingerful of the bean mush and tasted it.
"No wonder you threw this at me." He laughs a bit and placed a chocolate chunk on Evelyn's tray which was devoured almost instantly. "More beans for more chocolate."
He had himself, his horse, and that was all that he needed.
What was the destination? True wanderers didn’t need them. He had no idea where he was going, but his feet knew how to get him there and his heart beat for the change of scenery.
The dust on his lips tasted like liberation. The storm in the distance looked too fun not to weather. A free shower, a chance to wash himself clean and be baptized by the land anew. A million malms he’d traveled in his life time, a million and more he’d tread before he died - that was living. Always on his mind, the question of ‘What next?’
Would he find himself on dusty terrain, and cracked earth? Beneath the majestic canyons of mesa reds and oranges. The humid swamps of La Noscea, maybe? White sand beaches? In the dense woods, where the scent of fresh rain mingled with the damp earth to fill his olfactory senses with that comfort only home could give you.
Home was the moonlight shining down. The open sky with soaring birds. A canopy of leaves. A blanket of stars. The heat of the noon sun.
Happiness was one foot forward after the next. It was forging paths untouched by the average explorer. It was discovering something new, that only he could know about.
Freedom, the thundering of hooves. The ability to come and go as he pleased. It was never knowing where he was going, but always being on his way.
He took a deep breath of fresh air. Opened his eyes to a blue sky, and smiled.
Compulsive purchases were something that Eiri normally avoided. The Doman tended to be much more thought out and methodical!
Yeah, right.
Truth is, they'd been keeping an eye on this specific vendor for some time. Exotic pets. Because the proverbial zoo that was already in their yard needed another addition, right? Khan, the regal tiger, always lounging in his bamboo. Dango, Raulin's big dumb mass of muscle that was apparently a pugnax under all that stupid, running around the yard chasing anything that moves.
Inside the house there were the fish Sakura had won at a festival, a beta fish who got huffity at its own reflection. A sparrow and somewhere up in the garden was Chiisa, the spider that had been gifted to him by a jorogumo.
What was one more pet? One more exotic creature...?
It had been a steep purchase, somewhere just shy of a million koban. But by the end of it, they'd picked from the muster of peafowl, and arranged for the peacock to be shipped to their home directly. Oh, those poor moogles. The bird they'd selected was the stand out...the bird with the most pristine feathers.
He was also the most aggressive bird, asserting his dominance over the rest. It was no different when the bird arrived in the yard days later. Poor Dango, he was tormented by that bird, Khan didn't take any of the peacocks crap and managed to prove that he was still the king of the yard.
Akihiko. A fitting name for such a lovely bird, he was a nice addition to the yard. Save for his aggressive behavior to anyone that didn't show their mettle any time he ruffled his feathers or screamed.
Rules & Info || Prompt List || #FFxivWrite2020 || kofi
Banner above courtesy of @roleplay-aficionado – Borrow with credit!
I’m personally doing something new with this year’s prompts. I’m writing around 500 words or less that are connected in one larger story. I hope you guys enjoy!
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(02) Sway
Aultena leaned back in her chair, arms folded over her chest as she regarded the man with a level gaze. If there was one thing life had most certainly taught her it was that excessively complimentary people were always after something. Letting out a long exhale through her nose, she leveled her golden-eyed gaze at the man with a confident, debonair smile. “I might be swayed to help you, my lord, if we could get to the subject of price. If you appreciate my skill as much as you imply, then surely it will be reflected in the regard of your gil.”
- Major Patch 5.3 Spoilers of Shadowbringers MSQ -
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
This wasn’t him. Katsum knew this and yet...to see him - or a face that looked like him - staring down at her with such anger and hatred, his sword posed to strike her down without another thought…
“What is the matter, Warrior?” She heard Elidibus’s sickening voice echo around her from where he hid in the shadows, “What causes your strength to waver so?”
He knew. Of course he knew. It was why he had her fighting him specifically, to push her, to anger her. Well, she would not play his games.
“Fury, guide my blade!” The shade of Lucia shouted as she wound up her swing and brought it down upon Katsum, the Miqo’te blocking it with her shield. There was no hesitation when she pushed away the sword, throwing the shade off balance and opening her guard for Katsum to lunge in and strike. As her sword pierced the shade, “Lucia” crumpled to the ground, her voice crying in agony as she stopped moving. Katsum faltered at the sound of it, only to be knocked off of her feet from behind. She rolled to her side just in time to dodge the blade of Raubahn as he stabbed the ground, the Bull of Ala Mhigo glaring at her and as he drew it again and thrust it down at her. With swiftness, she sat up to avoid the blade, its edge just grazing her hair, and struck out with her own blade to stab through the shade’s chest. “Raubahn” growled, pulling away from her staggering, only to hiss and suddenly charge at her with a cry of battle. Katsum struggled to stand, readying her blade as she shifted around her and sliced through him, the shade crumpling behind her with a rasp of pain.
“They aren’t real...they aren’t real...” Katsum clenched her eyes shut and chanted this quietly to herself, yet when she turned to look at the shade of Aymeric, her hand trembled, “Not real...not real...”
“You underestimate me,” Katsum was shocked, caught off guard by his response, allowing the shade to strike at her and land a blow on her arm. She winced at the pain, yet she did not strike back. He wound up another swing, spinning around to swing at her legs and she jumped back to avoid its range. He was fast though, and caught up to her, striking down at her where she had to lift her shield and hold back against his weight as he pushed down upon her. Then, he let go and she watched his foot fly out and kick her backwards, dropping her shield as she rolled across the tiled ground. She gasped at the pain in her shoulder, using her sword to prop herself up to stand again, turning to face Aymeric again.
“I won’t fight you,” She shook her head as she frowned sadly, speaking then to the air surrounding her, “You cannot make me fight him.”
Aymeric paused, as if something bid him to stop, and for a moment there was silence as neither of them moved.
“We shall see about that,” Elidibus mused from the shadows as Aymeric suddenly charged at her. Katsum barely had enough time to raise her sword to block him as he rammed her, struggling to hold her footing as she slid back. Something touched her shoe and she looked down to see her shield lying there, quickly picking it up and holding it out as the tip of Aymeric’s blade nearly pierced the flesh on her neck. She saw his blade come into view again as he sliced out at her and she rolled under it to get away. She turned back and widened her eyes as she threw out her blade to parry his, pushing against him as she struggled to stand and locked them in their struggle. A tear fell from her eye as she stared back into the hateful gaze of her beloved and cried, “I will not fight you...I cannot...”
He did not answer, only pressed against her harder to try and break her balance, yet she held fast.
“Very well, you have made your point,” Elidibus appeared from the shadows behind Aymeric, “I grow tired of this pointless struggle anyway. Let us move on.”
She thought that Aymeric would simply fade away, but Elidibus lifted a hand and an arrow of darkness shot out and struck Aymeric in the back.
“NO!!” Katsum dropped her blade and caught Aymeric as he fell, cradling him close to her as he stopped moving, “No, no, please!!” She frantically looked for a wound to stop the bleeding from, but there was none. She listened for heartbeat, a breath, any to show he was alive, but there was none. He lay motionless in her arms, and tears poured from her eyes as she leaned over his body and cried, “Don’t leave me...please...please don’t go...”
Her sadness slowly turned to anger as she turned her hate-filled eyes to Elidibus and shouted, “Why!?!”
She watched him blink in surprise, shock filling his eyes like he remembered something. Then that all too familiar pressure in her head began, and she shakenlying breathed and let the Echo take hold…
“Umbra! Noctem, please!” A blonde Elezen woman cried as she held out a hand between her and the dark-haired Elezen man she spoke to, pleading with him to no avail, “My love, please listen to me!”
“Bringer of fire...bringer of chaos...” The man growled as he glared at her, a dark, purple haze over his eyes that Katsum had seen only once before, yet she knew what it was, “I invoke the will of Zodiark...and cut you down!!!”
He shouted as he charged at her with a spear made from dark blue crystal, and she dodged to the side, holding out what looked like an astrolabe to shield herself. The man growled again and swung at her over and over, pushing her further and further back towards the railing of the walkway. The faceless ancients around them all watched in horror, none of them knowing what to do as they stood there.
The woman’s eyes filled with tears as she shook her head, “I will not fight you, my heart! If I must, I will let you harm me, but I will not harm you!”
Still, the man pressed forward, raising his spear to throw at her. She dropped her guard and closed her eyes to let him hit his mark, tears flowing freely as she waited.
“AURORA!!” A flash of light made her winced as she waited for the pain, yet when it did not come, she gasped and her eyes flew open.
“NO!!!” A deep gash punctured through Noctem’s chest, blood and aether already beginning to soak his clothing as he dropped his spear and staggered. Aurora rushed forward to catch him in her arms, laying his head in her lap as she cried, “My love, my moon and sky.” She held out her hand over his chest and focused her healing light upon it, yet no matter how much magic she used, his wound did not heal.
“Azem...Aurora...” She looked down at him to see the purple haze gone from his sea-colored eyes, his sad smile breaking her heart, “You set me free, my love. Thank you...”
“No, no, no! Noctem, please don’t! Please don’t leave me!” He reached out and placed a hand on her cheek, caressing her face as she held it there and sobbed.
“Oh, my sun and stars...I will never leave you...I will always be...right here...” His voice faded and his eyes closed, his hand slipping down to rest on her heart and she grabbed it tightly to hold it there as she watched him fall limp.
“No...Noctem, please…” He did not answer, and Aurora fell upon him as she cried, “Nooooo!”
The crowd around her murmured sadly, some of them crying tears of their own. Aurora sat up slowly as looked back behind where Noctem had been standing, seeing three very clear faces standing there: a very young Elidibus clutching the robes of a stern looking Lahabrea, and Emet-Selch, a faint cloud of purple magic still dancing around his fingers. At first, she opened her mouth to cry out for their help, yet when she saw the magic in Emet’s - Hades’s - hand, she stopped as the pieces fell in place. Suddenly, her jaw tightened and her eyes glared at them with hatred.
“You killed him...WHY!?” Her voice made nearly everyone jump and Elidibus hid further behind Lahabrea in fear.
Hades said nothing, but Lahabrea scoffed, “T’was his own fault that he wandered into my study when he did. I specifically said I was not to be disturbed, so when he opened the door, the darkness enthralled him.” The man shrugged and waved his hand as if to dismiss the matter, “I have killed no one. I am not guilty.”
Hades finally spoke, hissing out at him, “We have spoken on this. There is to be no communing with Him where others might be affected!”
Again, Lahabrea only shrugged, “It is still not my fault he is dead.”
“It is because he was going to kill Azem!”
“I curse the name of Zodiark…” A collective gasp echoed as everyone turned back to Aurora, yet she stared straight into Hades’s eyes with a fury unlike any he had ever seen from her, “I curse the convocation of the fourteen and all it now stands for! I relieve myself from its ranks and vow to be its undoing!”
“Aurora, please,” Hades took a step towards her, yet a flash of light appeared behind her and a talon struck out at him from the glowing phoenix that now floated above her.
“I am Azem, the wanderer, and from this day do I take my title from the Fourteen forever as it is mine alone to weild,” She lifted her husband’s lifeless body into her arms and stood, holding him close as her phoenix landed beside her to let her climb on its back, “The reign of Zodiark shall end, and there will be no need for anyone to sacrifice themselves EVER again...” She laid Noctem on the glowing bird’s feathers and sat behind him, the phoenix shrieking as it lifted into the air once more, the stars twinkling around it as she spoke only once more, “With mine shall it end. By my blood shall this world become as it should be.”
The crowd watched as the phoenix lifted into the skies and flew up into the stars, twinkling as it disappeared from sight, Azem and her Umbra along with it.
Katsum blinked as the Echo faded, suddenly remembering where she was and looking down at her empty arms to find Aymeric was gone. Her trance faded then, her mind settling as it finally believed her that the Aymeric had not been real afterall. She shakingly sighed and stood to her feet, wiping the tears from her face as she gathered her sword and shield again and looked up at Elidibus. He was staring at her, like he was still caught in a memory as she had been. Yet just before she could say anything, his shock faded into a blank expression and he hummed, “We’ve wasted enough time here. Let us move forward. Your journey is not yet finished after all.”
He turned and disappeared into the shadows again, leaving Katsum to stand there alone. The Miqo’te’s ears dropped as she turned and looked up at the city’s tallest buildings, thinking about the vision she saw.
Maybe it was because she was so small that people thought they could heckle the Xaela. Even after the changes to her appearance after being made a Yokai--the shark teeth, proud horns, predatorial pupils--had made her more intimidating, some people overlooked it based on her diminutive stature. Or took it as a challenge. No way someone that small could be that tough.
They were wrong of course. After once again being targeted whilst on her way back from the market in Ul’dah, Gan had finally had enough. Leading her would be attackers to the outskirts of the city, away from any guardsmen, she set down her groceries and waited for them to approach.
The look of confusion on their faces drew a small chuckle from her as she lowered herself into her fighting stance. She wouldn’t even need to draw on any of her supernatural power to deal with these two. In fact, even were she not Isonade, the strength she had as a mortal would have more than sufficed.
The fight was over in a matter of moments. The poor guys probably didn’t even know what happened to them. Bodies splayed out on the ground, breathing but unconscious, Gan dusted her hands off and sighed.
“Gods. That wasn’t even worth my time. Winning a bout that fast and easily.” Shaking her head, she collected her groceries. “Maybe I’ll get Batu or Julian to spar with me when I get home. I could use a challenge…”
Ezra stood quietly albeit nervously, within the dank cave which was lit by all but the smallest trio of candles which sat upon a table crowded with dusty tomes and tarot cards. He looked to the small figure before him, hunched with age yet so very imposing. Clutched tightly in her right hand was her staff which to the untrained eye, would appear to be nothing more then a gnarled tree limb. Crowning her head was a large pointed purple hat which brim did little to conceal the silver hair beneath but hid her eyes quite easily.
Ezra knew better though to let her appearance fool him. She was very powerful.
“The cards tell me you speak the truth...” She finally said and Ezra released a breath he did not know he was holding. “You are who you appear to be.”
Ezra couldn’t help but narrow his eyes slightly at the choosing of her words. It seemed to strike out to him but before he could pursue it, the old woman clad in purple shuffled ever so slightly and the young red mage was reminded of his visit.
“Master Matoya... My apologies for simply arriving unannounced... You see I traveled with great haste to get here and doubt even a moggle could have arrived any faster then I.” he prattled. “I was reading my grand fathers journal... And rather curiously discovered he had hidden with in it’s bindings a small note detailing items left in your care....”
“Aye.. That he did... The nerve of that fool, believing me to be his personal safe as if I have room to spare.” Master Matoya replied with a clicking of her tongue and a shake of her head.
The cavern she resided in looked very spacious however.
“Then I would very much so like to reclaim those items... They may be useful in my quest to-” Ezra was caught off.
“To hunt down the Ascians or further your families studies?” The sharp tongue elder said.
“Both...” Ezra said dryly, unsure of how she knew.
“You are startled...? Though in a cave, I still hear of the outside world from time to time... Besides... Your father once stood where you do right now wishing for my aid in his studies... This was before the stench of the Ascians consumed him but one could still see what was to come... Like flies hovering over a wound, the rot was beginning to set in then... Why should I help you now?” Motoya fired back.
“Because I am not my father.... I realized the threat those dark fiends represent...” Ezra spoke with conviction and anger.
“No... You are more like you’re grand father... He was noble... As well as a fool... He had ideas of grandeur that were ill fitting for him. He was a dreamer...” Motoya spoke with a odd softness which betrayed her character, her words not at all meant to disarm Ezra or anger him, but instead sounding as if she was stating a fond fact. “You are not your father... Nor are you the Warrior of Light... Going down this path will lead to much pain.. And much discovery which will change who you are... The cards revealed as much..”
Motoya then rose her staff high and brought it down with a thundering boom which echoed off the cavern walls causing Ezra to flinch. The room was bathe in a bright flash for all but a moment and in that instance, the old woman spied what she wished to see. Behind Ezra stood a dark shadow, transparent in nature with near all details faded save for a pair of crimson eyes.
“Ah... I see.” She said with a slow nod of her head as if confirming something she already knew. “Your grand father left several journals... Those pertaining to the study of the red as he loved to call it and more... Enamored as he was with the art of those mages, his original studies were that of aetheric currents.... Though not as informed as myself, he was rather talented in grasping the flow of energy through out this world... You may visit me to continue your own studies in between your travels... But let me make myself clear, you do as I say when in my home... He also entrusted a uniform to me as well... Heaven’s know how gaudy those things are... Lastly you will need a way of traveling these realms quickly... I think it will be rather fitting for you, I just hope you haven’t a fear of heights.” Master Motoya said as one of her magical brooms wandered by and started pushing Ezra towards one of the toads that inhabited the cave. The toad was dragging a chest behind it, seemingly filled with the items he was to claim.
“Youngling... Be careful of the name you wear and the dark fiends you seek.” She warned once more as she lifted her head just high enough so their eyes met in the cold darkness of the cave. “If this be the path you wish to tread I pray for your safety... Just be careful of what you wish for.”
She gasped, laying there, unable to move, exhausted and alone. She could feel the soft pink hair plastered to the back of her neck, itching, but raising a hand to brush it aside seemed impossible. Moving her head took so much effort that it hardly seemed worthwhile, and yet she tried.
Where was she? What had happened?
Her sight offered nothing of value, dim and shadowed, unclear and misty. The vagueness of shape and form and colour provided not even enough to make the slightest guess at her location, despite all the lands in Eorzea she’d traveled.
More disconcerting than that, she had no understanding of why this might be so—why she lay face down in some unknown place, her weapon far from her hand. She didn’t hear the rustle of feathers or feel the warmth of her summons.
Think, Lalalun—think.
The small figure tried. She knew her name. Remembered her family. She could state the name of this world. She recalled battles. The faces and names of friends rose to her memory and her tongue.
Yet something wasn’t right.
Times and dates—she understood their use, could imagine a calendar and the seasons and festivals... but certainty in what had most recently passed... ah, there was a rub. There, something fragmented and drifted away, scattered and lost to the breeze.
A pearl, dropped into a well, sank slowly to the bottom, bubbles no longer rising as it plummeted into darkness, never to be seen again.
