A start to a fic that I decided to take in writing my characters adventure into Shadowbringers.
*This is going to be long so it's still in progress*
An Eorzean Tail; The Parting Glass: A Three Part Prologue
Set at the begining of A Reqium for Heroes with fan made additions to the msq leading into Shadowbringers.
~Sé mo laoch mo ghille mear
’Sé mo Shaesar, ghille mear,
Ní fhuaras féin aon tsuan ná séan,
Ó chuaigh i gcéin mo ghille mear.
Sé mo laoch mo ghille mear
’Sé mo Shaesar, ghille mear,
Ní fhuaras féin aon tsuan ná séan,
Ó chuaigh i gcéin mo ghille mear.
You will be my gallant star
Oh heys to me mo ghile mear~
It had been four weeks since Thancred, Y'shtola, and Urianger had fallen unconscious due to the mysterious voice anomaly.
"Ahead looms a calamity....twin dooms must be fore stalled".
The words kept repeating again, and again in Sequoia's mind day in and day out. What's worse, she couldn't sleep after all of what happend. She felt even worse for young Alisaie due to the fact they hadn't heard from Alphinaud since he left for Garlemuld with Maxima. As much as she trusts Alphinaud, she can't help but pray to the Twelve that he be safe. The twins maybe prodigies, but they were still children.
Archon, Sequoia's husband began to stir from the other side of the bed. "Good morning, dandelion" he yawned out, "How are you feeling?" He gently reached his arm over to place a hand on her face. He knew what happend.
At the time, Archon was at the Rising Stones helping Tataru with some errands. At first he didnt want to do it until Urianger decided to guilt trip him by using his very olde speech to get the miqote annoyed enough to accept. It was after Sequoia and the others return that he witnessed seeing Urianger and Y'shtola collapse. He was frightened and rushed over to his wife, trying to prevent her from doing the same. He was scared and he began to curse himself and also Cedar, Sequoia's brother, for not accompanying them to Ala Mhigo. In fact, where was Cedar during all of this?
Sequoia let out an audible sigh "I'm still processing it all. Its....I'll be okay". It was a small lie. She knew that he's always worried for her. She knew that he knew that being chosen as a Warrior of Light was taxing. She had slain primals of many, ended a 1000 year war between dragon and man, and liberated not only one nation but two under the oppressive Empire, Garlemuld in which was still a major threat. More over she has dealt with the sinister Ascians, those of which have tried to kill her and her friends many times. At the sametime she tries to balance all of her duties with her marriage. She and Archon had decided to take their marriage a step further to start a family, but the dream had to be put off due to the immediate threats impossible to ignore.
It saddens her. She wished that the world would stay saved just once for her to start a new chapter in her life.
Archon brushed the back of his hand over her cheek to comfort her to the best of his ability.
During his absence on current events, Cedar had gone to the Shroud to take a trip down memories both nostalgic and tragic. He had felt the need to visit the place where his sister and his journey began; the old cabin, their childhood home.
Bullseye, the araiman voidsent along with Kupo Cop accompanied him to the place aswell. Although he didnt mind his Bullseye, he couldnt quite understand why Kupo Cop wanted to come along when it was a personal matter. Cedar decided to let it slide for the best.
Immediately upon their arrival, Cedar was overcome with sorrow from the site of what was left of his childhood home. The cabin was barely keeping itself togather from being abandoned for almost 16 years. Nature had already reclaimed every part of the foundation, vines and other vegetation covering every ilm of the house from broken furniture, to the sink that can be seen in through the kitchen window.
Cedar got off his chocobo and approached the building. Opening the the door he instantly smelled the memory of his mothers stew boiling in the kitchen, the sound of the kettle that would almost always be forgotten before it made its presence know with its screeching. He can hear the pattering of feet and giggling of children on the top floor, with his mothers voice calling them all down for supper. He even imagined hearing his fathers voice calling down in reply, laughing while carrying and limping down the stairs with children not wanting to let go. He even imagined seeing them all singing songs with instruments and his parents telling his bothers and sisters about their time as adventures.
He was brought back to the present from the sound of broken glass. Looking down at his right foot, his eyes grew wide as he looked upon the faces under the broken shards.
It was a picture of his family. He brought the frame up carefully to examine it. The photo features his parents and his siblings all posing neutral standing up save for his mother holding a bundle in her arms; that bundle being Sequoia. And right next to where his mother was cradling his sister in her arms, a boy slightly glancing at the babe stands protectively, his little hand reaching over to let his baby sister hold his pinky. It brought a smile to the miqote face but a stray tear rolled down his cheek and he instinctively whipped it away with the back of his hand.
In the backyard a small cemetary was made where his parents and other siblings now lay at rest. He took that moments to attend to each grave stone, praying and talking to them as if they were actually their before placing a white lily at the foot of the stones.
"Wasn't expecting you to come here" a voice suddenly came out of the blue startling poor Cedar to where he jumped back and fell on his rump. He turned to his left to find an older miqote man in his early sixties. As Cedar winced in pain from his fall the other man leaned over and gave his hand out to the younger. "Seven hells, old man!" Cedar hissed out. The older miqote chuckled before replying apologetically while helping Cedar up. "I have come to visit the same as you, to visit my daughter". Both men looked over to where Cedars mother's headstone was. Cedar knew that his grandfather suffered just as much as he and his sister did, losing his only child in the massacre. Since Bealsarswall, the Garleans have been scouting around the east shourd with the family cabin being located just a few miles from the perimeter. Even thinking about it made Cedar wished there was a way to change the past.
"I...also came with a message, from the Scions." Cedar turned his head back to face his grandfather. "Is it urgent? Is Sequoia alright?! Wh-" his grandfather interrupted "HOLD YOUR BALLS BOY!"
"Language, kupo!" Kupo Cop came over with Bullseye in tow.
"Well, what is it! What's the mes-AAH!"
Suddenly, Cedar threw up his right hand to his head as his body rocked, everything strobing violently around him as he tried to collect his bearings.
"OOOH KUUUUPPOOO WHATS HAPPENING TO HIM?"
Bullseye was flapping his wings frantically comeing over to try and help his master.
"What is this anomaly I'm sensing?" Says the inner apparition of Fray within Cedars soul.
Suddenly everything went black.
At the very sametime both Sequoia and Alisaie were experiencing the same thing.
"Throw wide the gates.......throw wide the gates!"
And just like before, the voice and anonomly ceased. Lyes ran over to the two stopping just short when the experiance stopped. "Was it The Call again?" Lyse asked worried.
"It was, but we can't do anything about it now." Alisaie responded. "We have to find out if my brother is alright." Sequoia agreed. And with that they left to accompany Lord Hien, Yuguri, and Maxima to Shiriyus Wall.