The Astral’s Goodbye - Ramuh
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This time she knew she was in a different realm.
Maybe because she remembered sleeping next to Gladio’s warm body in the Leville room back in Lestallum. Or maybe because her seat was a soft white cloud, looking down at the Angelgard Island.
“Welcome, my friend.” She heard the Fulgurian’s low, gravelly voice ring inside her ears.
She turned her attention behind her, where the old, weary man was standing.
He was dressed in a white tunic, much like the one the priests used to wear back when the Chantries of the Six had some value to the world.
His long gray hair, pulled up in a ponytail and his eyes, loving, smiling as the wrinkles on their sides grew.
Ramuh was just a smaller version of his Astral self, seemingly happier and more welcoming from the God, but still, the same.
He kept rubbing his very long, gray beard as he smiled down at her, and Six –just like a child, got up from her seat and run into his arms.
“It is nice to finally see you again, my child.” He welcomed her embrace, returning it, letting one arm fall around her while the other caressed her long raven hair.
“Did you think we’d be a waste of time?” Six smiled against him, teasing on how easy his trials were, in opposed to the Titan’s.
“I could not make you fight in the state you are in, child.” The Stormsender laughed, petting her head.
“Oh, come on! I’m a little sick, but I could still kick your wrinkly, ol’ butt.” She playfully punched his arm.
“I had forgotten how insolent you can be.” Ramuh said with a smile, touching her forehead with the palm of his hand, a pure white light emerging from underneath it as he spoke while a wave of healing passed through her, making her every cell tingle “There you go. This should make you feel better, until the time is correct.”
“You know, I will never get people older than me.” She laughed while rubbing the spot his hand touched.
“And by that you mean us Astrals, I imagine.” The old man laughed.
“Well, yeah. We used to be a family.” The Glaive’s features went dark as she thought back to those times “Weird; but a family. And now…” she took a moment to find the right words “…one by one, you sent me away.”
“Oh, child.” Ramuh’s voice broke at her feelings.
He would always take the place of the father in the important moments in her life; having her think he was abandoning her of his own will wasn’t what he wanted.
“I mean, I expected it from Leviathan, or even Bahamut, but…”
“Come now child, don’t fret.” Ramuh placed his hand on her cheek, whipping a single tear away with his thumb “Come. Let’s watch the explosions together.” He smiled as he walked off on… nothing.
He kept walking on air to where he wanted, and Six followed close behind “The explosions?” she wondered out loud.
“That is how you used to call them.” He explained “We watch them once a year.”
“Then, why don’t I…”
“Because I took the memory away.” The Astral answered simply.
“Why?” she froze in place, feeling lightning at the tip of her fingers. She wasn’t going to use it against him –she knew better, but for some reason her memory being taken away send sparks of annoyance all over her body.
The Astral sighed and gave his answer, not turning to look at her as they walked over Eos “Every time we watch them, you see something important. It hurts. Every time! I will not stand to see you like this, I’d rather…”
“You’d rather I forget our time together, instead of me being in pain.” Six finished his thought, understanding just how much she meant to him; just how much this goodbye was going to cost them both.
“We are here.”
“This is…”
“Insomnia.” He finished for her, explaining what was happening “This is after you and the Chosen’s company left the City.”
“So, by explosions,” she huffed a laugh as a firework burst in the afternoon sky, mere feet away from them “you mean fire –is that…” her attention was immediately drawn to him; how could it not?
He was one of the most important people in her life. Someone she missed and cherished every single day!
He was standing guard at the balcony at the Citadel, speaking, smiling… having a good time with Lady Lunafreya.
He was smiling for Gods’ sake!
“Nyx Ulric.” Ramuh answered for her.
Whatever the Stormsender said next, about the duty she was to fulfill, about him and the rest of the Astrals and their fate-bound treatment against her and Eos, about her condition and the safety of those important to her; Six heard nothing!
She was so drawn to the scene in front of her.
Nyx, being alive, being happy!
That’s when realization hit her. Libertus was waiting in vain! Nyx was not coming back to them.
He was the hero she wanted him to be.
“If I can have one last wish from you?” she whispered, voice rough from the pain and the tears she was holding back.
“Name it, child.”
Her thoughts were making this hard.
Her thoughts were chocking her, killing her.
Her thoughts were everywhere!
“Please, do not take this away from me.” She whispered at the clouds around her, never taking her eyes off her loving son “Our last talk.”
I’m gonna miss you, old friend.
“The memory of him smiling!”
Oh, Gods, please don’t take him away!
“As you wish.” The Stormsender accepted “But know, this is the last wish I can grant you. I shall not come to your aid if…”
Before the Fulgurian could finish his sentence, Nyx’s laugh echoed around the clouds, and Six could swear in the name of anything she held dear anymore, he was staring up into the sky when he did. Looking up, at her!
“It’s worth it.” She smiled while the tears rolled down her cheeks.
“He’s worth it!”
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