#c: Zenos

[liightwarrior]

[Continued from Here]

That smirk never leaving him, and Zenos was more than pleased to see the other standing so tall, despite the very obvious fatigue that rattled their system. It must have been adrenaline that was keeping them upright, and willing to fight on. Of course he would oblige such a request. "As you wish... but do so with every ounce of your strength. I'll have you no other way." His hand reached out, and of course through the magic of his fellow Ascian did the warrior's weapon come into existence. He tossed it at their feet, and studied them with such a sharp gaze.

As he observed them, something did come to mind, and he mentally paused at the options which were presenting themselves so quickly. For one, he did notice his friend was really looking worse for wear, and it could easily spoil the fun for himself. A frown then deepened on his expression, and he let out an annoyed sigh, turning briefly to the side to contemplate on what he could do. "Though... if you pass out from all that's been done, maybe a rest is required. Unless you're strong enough, that is, to handle what I will give you." The challenge being set, and he shot a simmering glare his way, wondering if he would rise for the occasion.

@brightblessed

[marinehaddock]

I'm going to be at Deecon!! Im at table 12 in Pavement Cafe, I'll be there with @duskdragonxiii so just look for Beyond The End!!

I offer pick-up orders at con, and you can just generally buy my stickers, on my webbed site

[tillman]

[tartagliove]

something something Cyno gets all our friends together and organizes a little Lantern Rite celebration for me because I mention that I get homesick around this time of year...

[sebille]

when was the first time Ayla realized "wait... im into him, actually" about Zenos? does she fight that feeling at all or just accept it for what it is?

Oh Ayla DEFINITELY tried her very best to ignore her feelings. She tells herself that she's just feeling sympathy for him, or maybe she sees potential in him to be better, or whatever bad excuse of the day she would come up with. It's not until like...I'd say right before Fandaniel and Zenos goes to the moon in ew where she realizes that she's kinda scared that he'll do something stupid (girl..it's....too late for that??? Look around you?? ANYWAY.) that she has a bit of an.....oh......fuck?? Oh god?? Fuck??? No???? Moment. It adds to the flavour later after she defeats Zodiark and Zenos says something dumb as always and she refuses to even look at him: she kinda shuts down a little and is 1: fucking furious with him - he crossed the line SO BAD and she's shocked that he'd take things that far. And 2: girl can't look at him because she doesn't trust herself to not...want to talk things out, change his mind, anything. She cares and wants things to be different.

I wouldn't say that those feelings were romantic however, but rather a "oh, I care more than I should - huh?" moment. (+ attraction.)

Just like in the royal menagerie in SB where she in all her big brained glory tells him that she accepts him because she's got this vague feeling of "I feel hopeful that we could be something more than this because we're more alike than I want to admit." .

I think she realizes that she's got romantic feelings for him during that one part in ew where Alisaie rips him to shreds. She hopes a little too hard that he will listen, feels sad for him, wishes that he wouldn't walk away and then spends more time than she should thinking about him.

I think one of her happiest moments in endwalker is when he shows up in Ultima Thule. It's...validating that the hope she's had for him in her heart since way back in stormblood wasn't wasted. Tldr it's complicated.

[tenebriism]

silver-strings-of-fate : "But if you're dead we can't get bubble tea." -T'aiyo

... is that supposed to make him change his mind, or... ?

[mumbledramblings]

I'm still of the opinion that the Scions should have summoned Phoenix for the Endsinger trial instead of having Deus Ex Zenos show up for No Fucking Reason™️

[rose-from-ashes]

Today I'm thinking about how Endwalker is about the futility of giving your life a purpose. The unhappiness. More importantly, how there's a gentle light in the lack of one.

Think of the societies that had ended hopeless because they had reached their goals.

The dragons renounced war only to be conquered by the Omicron. Though they fought the Omicron off, their land began to die, and when they realized that they could not find another world without war, they gave up.

The Ea had sought knowledge. They did everything they could, abandoned their bodies, and finally, they found all the knowledge they could need and turned their gaze to the final fact. When the universe would die. Knowing that they could find no purpose. There was nothing else to learn and they had geared themselves for knowledge so heavily that they could find no other things to chase, knowing death would come for them in the end. They gave up.

The Omicrons had sought power. Fighting greater and greater enemies until they could find nothing left to fight that might teach them anything. Eventually, Sir came to believe that the Omicrons no longer served a purpose. Like the Ea, Sir could see no other direction in which the Omicrons could seek purpose, believing that it simply wasn't possible. Sir gave up.

The denizens of Ultima Thule aren't the only ones. Metion lists several in her report.

Deka-penta lived in service to a higher power that destroyed it in a fit of rage. The higher power destroyed itself shortly after, possibly because, like a primal, it had solely lived for the faithful that had made it and lacked any purpose now that they were gone. Another world strived to make a land with no conflict. They became detached from those that should have been their loved ones to prevent personal strife, and their world collapsed.

In the Dead Ends, we see yet more.

One world was struck with plague, and in an attempt to survive, they sought to destroy each other to purge the plague, giving up on a cure. Another world became embroiled in war, seeking freedom and peace using violence, until there were no people left to be freed from. One world sought to remove sorrow, only to find that joy without any other emotions became empty, and they became depressed, giving up on a meaningful life.

In modeen day, we know of Garlemald and Allag. The former fell to civil war, as that was what it had been built for. Its people only knew war, and to follow their radiant leader. When that leader was removed, they had none to war with but themselves, and collapsed inward, its people having already given up hope on any help from the outside world.

The latter, too, had been founded with the flawed purpose of conquest, and at its height ruled most of the world. When their leader passed, the Allagans pushed for greater knowledge, greater creation, greater technology, but stagnated nonetheless, as their culture had been designed to take and there was nothing left to take from. Xande was cloned and began to conquer the last traces of the world, but the Allagan people knew there was no purpose in it and fought back against his rule, ultimately spelling their end.

Finally, there was Amaurot. A culture so dedicated to the concept of purpose that some, like Hermes, could not accept the concept of there not being one. Their ultimate purpose was dedicated to the star itself, and they cared for it deeply, even to their own expense, never sharing deeper feelings, always keeping anything that did not pertain to their purpose to themselves. When the Final Days came, they were overwhelmed by the very emotions they had pushed down, and they knew no mechanisms to push through or seek help. Ultimately, Hydaelyn decided they would never be able to as they were, and sundered them. Whether or not she was right is not the purpose of this.

I'm sorry, did I say finally? i actually had some individuals to dig into as well. Zenos, whose chosen purpose was combat, the battle high. He knew that there was no true overarching purpose or meaning in life, knew that he could choose his own, but failed to see how he could have multiple, how he could have connected to others and seen a better life had he tried, until the very end. The Ascians, whose chosen purpose was to undo the sundering, unable to see the true value in the sundered world due to their focus. Hermes, whose purpose had been seeking purpose, unable to see the truth before his eyes that there not being one wasn't a bad thing.

The point is that every one of these worlds and people had the concept of purpose guiding them. And they were unable to pull away from that purpose in the end. They died unhappy, save for Zenos and Emet-Selch, who in their final moments saw a different light in the Wol and took comfort knowing that there truly was something else out there.

It's a life lesson. There's a lot to live for. Try to keep your eyes open for more. You'll be happier.

[thefreelanceangel]

[the-rogue-mockingjay]

WAIT SCREAM ABORT LAST ASK WRONG WOL

🏴‍☠️ for Ravi please! 🥰

aye aye, captain 🫡 here's babygirl shooting things up in the Sirensong Sea!

skfdjghlfdkjh this one made me think, could've gone with the obvious- O'ravi hanging out with her pirate brother, O'rhafa, or wearing a pirate outfit- but I thought this might be more fun! Dealing with the Confederacy comes right after Sirensong too, so-

Actually you know what I think I'm gonna take some bonus Confederacy pics with her later, because that sounds awesome. But for now, here's O'ravi using Empyreal Arrow :3

[screenshot ask game]

[liightwarrior]

[Continued from Here]

Zenos was practically laying on his throne, casually with one leg propped up, just enough for him to be so spread. His gaze had been on the other for quite some time, and he smirked when he was rejected in the politest way. "How quaint... but it was not a request." He watched as they backed away, loving how much he had already affected them from just a few words. "I have had my sights on you, wayward traveler. A companion of mine's company do you selfishly keep; my dearest friend..."

@aequitaas

[nikkisticki]

I'm pretty sure most people yapping about the 7.0 expansion for XIV have forgotten that yoshi-p has said in interview that he's more interested in entirely new jobs then remaking a classic one.

That was several months ago and could have changed, but I'm led to believe the new jobs will be something we aren't immediately expecting. If not, the potential options are:

Ink Mage / Pictomancer

Geomancer

Swordsaint

Rune Fencer / Mystic Knight

Corsair / Brigadier / Duelist

But as I said, I'd doubt any of these at the moment.

Otherwise it looks like a completely mediocre expansion for all of the usual additions, the graphics update means nothing to me when the main brunt of gameplay is still largely moving between places as quickly as possible and enter a cutscene where some NPCs stare at you like you just took their last pudding cup

Dye update makes it a good expansion tho but I've personally got zero interest in anything else they've shown, and have no doubts that the MSQ will waste your time with pointless nonsense to pad out the trials and dungeons being the standard rote repetition that we always get.

Let's see some changes to movement and combat that aren't entirely focused on the 10% of players who do hardcore content, maybe, that'd be nice

[kastukj]

I love yan wushi so much it’s like zenos if he wasn’t clinically majorly depressed

[smallturtlebomb]

ivo spawning out of nowhere

gotta love polyamory, those relationships lowkey goated

[sebille]

I feel like I don't show the zenos dinner date in endwalker enough love

[tenebriism]

@draikoeques ;; Cont. from here -

Never has he seen such BRIGHT shades of these colors in his entire life, and he swears that each new item Rothalion brings out is even more blinding than the last. " Like-minded... " He parrots the statement, almost as if he DOUBTS it, to some degree. " I find it hard to believe there won't be some pushback. "

' I'll be there. '

It's the only thing preventing him from backing out of this arrangement entirely. Being the son of a strict politician did not leave the path OPEN for many opportunities to be his true self, his family terribly outspoken in their disapproval of certain... lifestyles. Though not completely ' out ' yet, there had been signs, but mayhap Rothalion would serve as the push of courage he needed to stop sitting back and letting his family dictate how he carried himself.

" ... I'll be recognized. Picked out from the crowd. " More excuses, more attempts to drag this plan right back to the drawing board. " --- and I look ridiculous. Rainbows do not suit me. " But has he moved? No. Not even as Rothalion continues to fill his hair with blossoms of seemingly every color in existence.