#Endwalker LbR

[lunarosewood23]

FFXIVWrite2023 Prompt 1: Envoy

Raven’s first meeting with Vrtra when she, Haurchefant and Charibert went to Thavnair with Thacred, Urianger and Estinien.

Word Count: 941

~~~

“Your Excellency, may I present our honored visitors.”

Raven smiled at who she guessed was the “Satrap” or ruler of Radz-at-Han, an Auri man with light blond hair and kind blue eyes outlined by green limbal rings. He introduced himself warmly and offered his thanks for their aid in the creation of the warding scales.

She frowned at that. “Forgive me Your Excellency, but while I am more than happy to provide help, I fear that not everything went as well as we had hoped.” She explained as she felt her talons dig into her palms and she didn’t need to pierce her hands again.

“Nidhana had been taken. I feel like such an idiot for not realizing the trap laid at my feet...”

She watched as the Satrap, Ahewann, bow his head in sadness. “A regrettable incident indeed. However, her colleagues insist that we honor her wishes and trust the talisman, that it will be instrumental in saving Nidhana and the others.” With a gesture, he bit them welcome to sit as they discussed the matter.

Raven looked between Haurchefant and Estinien, who nodded as she took a step forward as they went to stand on either side of Charibert.

“I would be happy to, however...” She started before looking at the green curtains at the stage behind them before speaking in Draconic. “I request that all be present for our conversation, as I suspect I speak to a mouthpiece. I may be an Ishgardian, as are several others among my party, but we mean you no harm, Great Wyrm.”

She heard a gasp from her brother, while Haurchefant translated for those without an Echo.

Ahewann looked stunned as he stared back at her. “Forgive me, but-”

“Raise the curtain. She speaks plain, bold as she is.” A voice boomed as Ahewann looked back at the curtain.

“As you wish.”

With that he moved to pull the curtain back, revealing a beautiful green dragon with a massive horn on his snout and large tusk-like teeth from his maw.

“Halone’s mercy...” Haurchefant breathed in awe.

“You travel as assistants to the Students of Baldesion, but you are known to me. Even here have we heard of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn.” The dragon spoke in Common, a surprise to Raven as she was mostly expecting Draconic like Hraesvalgr, Nidhogg and Tiamat. “I am Vrtra, and for years uncounted hath this isle served as mine abode.”

“Vrtra! Of the first brood, sibling to Hraesvelgr and Nidhogg!” Urianger gasped.

“Aye, mine elder brothers. Of Midgardsormr's spawn, I was last to hatch.” Vrtra confirmed.

Thancred shrugged his shoulders with a huff. “Well, isn't this a surprise! We were told Radz-at-Han had an alliance with a dragon, not that a great wyrm sat in the satrap's own hall...”

“A surprise, but not entirely unexpected.” Charibert mused to himself. She looked back at him, who shook his head. “Later.” he mouthed to her and she nodded before looking back to Ahewann, who explained the true tale of Radz-at-Han’s beginning.

“A necessary charade then.” Raven realized, frowning at the reason why.

“Many envy the great wyrms their power. Were it known that I ruled here, then the fires of war would burn without end.” Vrtra explained. “I would not be the flame which consumeth my people. Those few who joined me in laying our country's foundations were, perforce, sworn to secrecy.”

Raven grimaced as she crossed her arms. Were that Ratatoskr followed your example Vrtra.

She then looked at him and her eyes went wide in shock, though Estinien pointed it out first. “Your eye. It was taken?”

This was NOT going to be another variant of her homeland.

Thankfully her panic settled when Varshahn spoke, affirming that the Eye was within his body and more importantly explaining that the boy was a simulacrum, an envoy of Vrtra’s will.

“Ah. That would explain why I felt the presence of a dragon upon our first meeting.” Estinien reasoned.

“You weren’t alone in that...” Charibert grumbled as he rubbed his bejeweled taloned hands.

“I am woven with wards fashioned to deceive such arcane senses. Though 'twas short-lived, it seemeth thy fusion with my brother hath left thee much altered, Estinien Wyrmblood.” Varshahn replied with ease. “From the very first, we sensed the nature of one another. Yet did neither one of us bare his fangs. That is all I need know of thee for now.”

Vrtra soon offered his proposal, to have the Scions delve into the tower with Raven as the tip of their spear and warding scales given to each of them for the assault.

“I need to speak with my sisters.” Raven explained. “And speak with the rest of our allies.”

“'Tis no trifling task that I have laid before you. Go, steel your hearts and hone your plans─such time as you require shall we spend in crafting your protective charms.” Vrtra affirmed. When Raven turned she saw both Estinien and Charibert making their way out of the chamber.

“Wilt thou not lend thine aid?” Vrtra asked them.

Both of them turned back to Vrtra and Estinien spoke first. “Whether your request be made as a great wyrm or the ruler of Radz-at-Han, I see no reason to refuse. Nor will I.”

“Well said. Those towers are an utter eyesore so the sooner they’re gone the better. Besides, I already promised I would aid the Scions by any means so if they plan to aid Radz-at-Han then I will as well.” Charibert added with a cursory glance at his talons.

Raven groaned at her brother’s retreating back as Vrtra nodded.

“I am in thy debt.”

[abyssalmermaiden]

“Have you seen Aryaille of late? She has not been answering her linkpearl and I must confess I am beginning to worry-”

“Oh! No, no there is no cause for concern! She left it here, saying “If anyone needs me for the next week- don’t”. I’d say if anyone deserves a vacation, its her.”

Junelezen 10- Summer

[warlordfelwinter]

please this man does not know how to carry things

[reapcrbunny]

anyway hi, the expansions are dahlia's journey of sorting out her grief and they all explore the stages of grief.

bargaining - a realm reborn: there are whispers among viera that various veena and rava are being captured and thus dahlia bargains with herself among everything else happening that there's absolutely no way that her mother could have been one of the many that got captured or harmed. she was one of the reasons she left the tundra in the first place. denial - heavensward: the more she deals with more and more grief and loss she falls into denial which by extension is mostly desperation that what she is hearing is not true whatsoever and it is just rumours or tales to scare. anger - stormblood: her anger comes from finding out the truth that happened was to the extent that it was. it was vile and inhumane and she flies off the handle a little bit for awhile 'fore she's knocked down back to etheryis. losing to zenos several times doesn't help matters much. they just feed into her anger and prove his point lbr lol. depression - shadowbringers: it be comin crashin' down besties. sad times. acceptance - endwalker: her fault or not she accepts that her mother is gone. although saddened she makes peace after 6.0 and travels home in the few months between 6.0 - 1 to leave what little remains of belladonnae so that she be properly accepted in the arms of the word. her mother didn't leave like she did, she left to protect the tribe rather than find less and less reason to remain. she accepts this thanks to fray mainly. everyone say thanks fray.

[arinemone]

so i was drawing while in the groupchat vc and we started talking abt tsunderes and Cardcaptor Sakura and MAN

THINKINH ABT MAGICAL GIRL AU WOLGRAHA AGAIN

like you could get a fun double-identity twist w/ graha as the exarch-- hes playin up the drama HARD to act as an ally so he can ""backstab"" them later when in reality hes doing the one thing he can to save his best friends life; only for rhem to pull the uno reverse card on him bc fuck that we win or go down together. And rhemi didnt come here to loose SO

also lbr

canon Rhemi Koromoa is like. Already part magical girl with how her echo choses to manifest in her and her dynamis abilities. she geta a full ass power up costume transformation come the final trial in endwalker. it only makes sense I NEED IT

maybe ill draw it tomorrow who knows

[linelpisffxiv]

Men who were missed, but if this is done again, here’s my flippant jokes:

Estinien: Growly voice. May have fucked Aymeric in the past cuz they were friends beforehand. People say he’s notoriously bad with money, but it’s also a bit of a kindness thing, at least one time (He likes to help those in need knowing he’s being scammed). Once got possessed by a dragon. We saved him. Fandom is generally close to Aymeric’s due to their friendship, Haurchefant’s due to both being Ishgardian Knights, and now the Scions’ fandoms since he joined them, but that last one isn’t as close except for the Twins’ and G’raha’s fandoms. (And more specifically Alphie’s the most, other two somewhat tangentially due to a few scenes and a high school au)

Zenos: You cannot convince me he isn’t a sex-repulsed aroace, but I am *very much* in the minority here. He likes battle. Only battle. And even then not all the time, only the rarest of times where someone can challenge him. So far, that’s only been the WoL. Lets us ride him in the final battle of base Endwalker. Also turned into a dragon. Cannot die. Fandom is generally close to Emet-Selch’s, but also I know many who have it overlap with various heroic NPCs’ due to the same devotion (or “Devotion”) to the WoL.

Thancred: This is Thancred. May or may not be in a thing with Urianger post-Shadowbringers. Started off as a pretty boy flirt, but as of now is an adult spy who could actually get some if he wanted but is too busy worrying about his daughter in a parallel universe. Is very well-liked in fandom, with a decent amount shipping their WoL with him. Generally not very controversial even if everyone was sick of his shit during Shadowbringers, but he gets over it.

Alphinaud: Is 16. We do not touch this.

Raubahn: Leader of Ala Mhigo, former general of Ul’Dah. Big and burly. Clearly a bear. Pretty well-liked, but I don’t know many people who would choose him above others in the game.

Hien: King of “China” that is really Japan cuz it has samurai and ninja. There’s also another Japan that’s more Meiji Japan but that one we don’t learn as much about. Is literally Cyan’s (well, Kaien’s) son. Is... decently popular, but also has people who hate him either jokingly or for serious because of certain things he’s said and done. (I say both, I know people in both camps of hatedom.)

Midgardsormr: Is a space dragon from the planet dragon. They can reproduce both sexually and asexually. It is unknown which version his 7 kids are (He escaped Planet Dragon with their eggs). Is the WoL’s best friend and I will hear no arguments.

Vrtra: One of Midgardsormr’s sons. He’s a baby boy and it’s his birthday. Is a valuable ally to the main characters through Endwalker and is currently part of a party investigating the Void cuz he has a giant siscon (platonic, maybe? But not sure... I’m not gonna get into dragon biology here) and she disappeared into the Void 3k years ago. Has two dolls (one a kid, one an adult) he can control to wander around in a humanoid form. But LBR, he’s trying to seduce Estinien too cuz the big one only came out after Estinien started working for him. Generally well-liked by the fandom.

Vauthry: Is the hottest character in XIV. Okay, no, but yes. I don’t wanna talk about it too much, but he is a beautiful butterfly.

Elidibus/Themis: Is... borderline. While the word “youth” is used for him twice in english, in every other language, it’s more a term meaning “Young man” (which Youth can also mean, though more in the “College age barely legal” kind of way). May or may not have a boyfriend. Ends up becoming a god who gets sliced in 14 but only after his consciousness was ejected. Has memory problems in the present.

Erichthonios: Elidibus’s maybe boyfriend. Son of one of Elidibus’s coworkers, and works in Hell, which is just a containment unit for dangerous monsters made up by these people.

Lahabrea: Erichthonios’s dad and Themis’s coworker. Also Emet-Selch’s coworker. Is grumpy and has fucked at least once and had Ancient Secret Super Sex once. We’ve seen the latter on-screen. Was once a reasonable-if-grumpy guy, but the way we meet him (Cuz time travel) is a man who’s lost most of his personality into becoming a giggling evil ghost wizard from hell.

Fandaniel: Will kill you, the world, and everything and then himself. Because he hates living. I don’t think he fucks anymore, but who knows, maybe he did when he was Amon. Even if he regretted it.

Hermes: The Past life of Fandaniel and also kinda him? Ascians are weird. I generally hold they’re functionally the same, but this version is more openly sad. Made a bunch of bird daughters out of dark energy and sent them into space. Found out space was hella dead and decided to kill everyone and then himself. Then wiped his memory of that decision so he can test the people of his world.

Thordan: Has canonically fucked. Unfortunately. Is Elf Pope and Aymeric’s dad. Looks hella old. Keeps the secret that the elves started the war with the dragons.

Nidhogg: Has also canonically fucked, probably. Another son of Midgardsormr. Hates the Elf Papal States cuz they killed his sister 1000 years ago and has been trying to kill them ever since. Gets killed. Comes back, and then killed again. I like him. He’s fun.

Hythlodaeus: Does not have a made-up name. It means “Dispenser of nonsense” and is from “Utopia.” Or so I’m told. Is a fucking troll for the most part. Says he’s incredibly weak except for his magic sight, but he’s comparing himself to Emet-Selch and another friend. Works for the creation approval department of the Ancient DMV. Hates getting all the shark ideas. Keeps approving all the shark ideas. Wao Sugoi. Generally shipped with Emet-Selch (and sometimes their third) in fandom, extremely popular. Has the dead mom hairdo, which is fitting, cuz he died 12k years ago.

Nero: Cid G’s constantly divorced and remarried husband. Constantly trying to one-up him because Cid G comes from privilege and Nero “had to work his way up to the top” and kept  getting outshone. They aren’t actually married, but people often interpret it that way cuz there’s a five minute cutscene we have to watch every time we do a dungeon where he’s on call complaining to Cid and the WoL just... stands there.

Gaius: My BEC character who can do no right. Used to be believed to be fucking his adoptive daughter, but after he was given five more adoptive kids, not only was it revealed he wasn’t fucking her, but also that he thought it was creepy she was pursuing him and was his least favorite kid and subordinate and he totally hated that he adopted her. I hate him, but he’s generally well-liked. Has some funny lines that people don’t pay attention to the meaning of because haha guy says funny line in a funny way. One has been deleted from the game and people are still mad about it. Hates the evil laughing wizards from hell known as Ascians because one used him to try and destroy the world when he only wanted to rule the savages.

Ardbert: Is a bro. Ghost bro. Killed himself and his friends to cross parallel universes to save their world by causing a rejoining. Urianger managed to broker a way for their world to stay around without a rejoining. We later run into him again. He was a bro. Had at least one person who wanted to fuck him.

[illegiblewords]

Some Endwalker Predictions!


Basically I’m absolutely prepared to eat crow/will not be betting on these theories for even a second. But I wanna hazard a guess about pacing for 6.0 not only on having an unsundered return, but when and how.

Long post under the cut!

This is based off of a combination of narrative beats and precedents in Stormblood and Shadowbringers. Both past expansions we had 2 dungeons followed by the first trial. StB we had Sirensong Sea (lvl 61) and Shisui of the Violet Tides (lvl 63 non-MSQ) + Susano (lvl 63 MSQ). ShB we had Holminster Switch (lvl 71) and Dohn Mheg (lvl 73) then Titania (73). Additionally, Emet appeared after Titania but before Rak'tika. In terms of pacing this mattered because the Warrior needed to be immersed in the First and tension had to be built around Emet leading up to his appearance. Holminster Switch as dungeon #1 needed to offer the first taste of a dungeon in ShB, and surrounding that first dungeon players got introduced to the setting and tone of the expansion. Dohn Mheg and surrounding Il Mheg quests served to establish a pattern of expectation. We become immersed and have a sense of what is “normal” for the course of our plot. Introducing Emet then challenged expectation.

For Shadowbringers, Emet was a wildcard who threw expected patterns into disarray. For Endwalker I think the Dreamer will fill this role, although it’s possible Venat might as well depending. I’ve talked in the past about why I think it’s essential we have at least one unsundered ally in the MSQ for Endwalker but to refresh: an unsundered will have the highest emotional stakes in Zodiark and Amaurot/the Ancients who were sacrificed to make Zodiark, providing a direct tie to that conflict as well as contrast against what Fandaniel is doing as a sundered Ascian going AWOL. WoL and the Scions care because of what Emet and Elidibus have shown us, but it is less immediate for them compared to the unsundered. Venat offers the opposite perspective of that conflict. Narratively, we need a character who is extremely personally invested and who is actively reacting to the way things develop with Fandaniel and Zenos as threats to Zodiark/the star.

Part of me thinks the Dreamer is Lahabrea b/c of how prominently the First Beast is featured, because of his implied role in Zodiark’s creation and various steps leading up to the Doom, guilt and WoL-related character drama, as well as timing and arc issues. Arc-wise Lahabrea is nowhere near complete and needs a fuckton of explicit examination. He’s the first adversary we encountered in-game and has been put through utter hell without the impact on him being shown. We’ve also been getting loads and loads of clues about his psychology, history, and development from someone admired as Amaurot’s arguably most trusted sage to Mr. Laughs-at-explosions we meet in ARR. He has a ton of ground to cover as a character.

Lahabrea also has his own share of foreshadowing (his own phoenix motifs + Thaliak links in Sharlayan) plus many recent lore mentions. The comments about Tiamat's untempering being easier because she trusts WoL & Co along with her seeing Bahamut as an equal with regards to tempering I expect to be hugely contrasted with Lahabrea. Because honestly if any of the Ascians have reason to hate, fear, and be outright traumatized by us it's Lahabrea. Lbr here. Not to mention if he sees himself as absolutely low compared to Zodiark even beyond Zodiark being the god composite of his people that's added challenge.

The big complicating factor to me that would point to the Dreamer not being Lahabrea would be if the "Glory to Garlemald" bits we’ve been seeing, which make sense more tied to Emet's dreams. Emet narrating the trailer, everything surrounding the currently unutilized clones, and Emet being implied to have Allagan Eye abilities (control of the Crystal Tower + Zenos inheriting dream memories like G’raha) would be points in favor of Dreamer!Emet. Additionally, a more established bond with the group might make slightly less difficult untempering challenge. Lahabrea has intense soul damage and reason to be actively hostile/fearful so if it is escalating difficulty, Emet might be easier Unsundered untempering start point.

When it comes to timing, Elidibus is hard mode untempering as Zodiark's Heart, just appeared in 5.3, and is currently in crystal storage. Emet I'm unsure of his fate beyond that I certainly don't expect him back super imminently because he cameo'd for 5.3. Lahabrea has been MIA since HW so is very much due to return. If we are to get all three unsundered back, which would be BEAUTIFUL but who knows, I think difficulty is Emet-Selch, Lahabrea, Elidibus in terms of where they are psychologically but Lahabrea, Emet-Selch, Elidibus if it’s a matter of last appearance in MSQ + overall power level. Lahabrea has been self-harming for millenia and has had a shitty time recently so I don’t expect him to just show up at level 80+ like it’s nothing.

But anyway.

From the trailer, we know that Endwalker will involve the Doom being brought back. Even beyond the implications of Zenos and Fandaniel, it makes sense to me that an Unsundered Dreamer is the mechanism of that--I'm p. sure his memories are being used to bring back the Sound. Elidibus might have been the original intended instrument given Zenos and Fandaniel planned an ambush but alas, crystal storage.

Mysterious lady who is all but confirmed as Venat has appeared already, so the stage for her entrance is set. She can move more or less freely. I think she will be introduced as a parallel to Ryne's entry in terms of timing, but I can't be positive. The Scion Trust party structure is shuffling with Estinien coming in as physical DPS and G'raha being present so I'm skeptical Venat's gonna fight. Something that could throw a HUGE wrench in things is one of the current Trust members dying (SE has essentially confirmed a character will die, imo it makes more sense for it to be a character we currently have confirmed with us and alive, probably will be one of the Scions) partway through the MSQ. That could lead to either Venat or even an Unsundered becoming a Trust member without the total number of possible Trust members shifting too much, but honestly idk what that timing will look like or what restrictions Square is working with regarding Trusts.

Returning to Ascians though.



In the story currently, we've had the towers introduced and understand their structure/function more or less. Tempered worshipers are imprisoned and put into a state of high stress so they will cry out to their deity--fueling a lunar primal. Narratively, the first attempt to interact with a tower didn't work. We know we're going into a tower full of matanga from our dungeon previews and we know that at some point we are going to be facing the Magus Sisters. I don't know that the Magus Sisters will be a trial--they could very well be the final boss of a Thavnair tower dungeon given what we've seen.

Right now however, we need to both deal with a tower dungeon and we need the Doom introduced to the star for elevated stakes as per the trailer.

It took a bit of thinking for me but I suspect Sharlayan is going to be a bit like a combination of Eulmore at the start of ShB and Gyr Abania at the start of StB. We go there briefly, get shut out/are unable to access what we were after, and quickly move to another location.

Whether we stop in Thavnair on the way to Sharlayan or go after, I think we'll be more established in Radz-at-Han. It's going to be the Crystarium/Rhalgr's Reach equivalent player hub. Thavnair is where we'll do our first dungeon, and I predict it’ll be building off our previous tower experience. After that I think we'll encounter monsters from the Doom and possibly catch wind of the Dreamer, then make our way to Garlemald in response. Garlemald is gonna be a hellscape and our second dungeon will be there as well as trial boss #1.

Trial #1 could be a guard of the Dreamer or could be the Dreamer himself depending on what's going on, but I do think in either case we're retrieving the Dreamer rather than killing him.

If we are fighting the Dreamer in the trial, I do think that whether it's Lahabrea or Emet-Selch there's a chance we'll be tasked with untempering. At the same time it could be that we don't try to untemper in that setting/under those conditions and instead try at a later point. Untempering being done during the fight itself would give a dramatic fight that lets players revisit the emotional pathos freely outside of the unending journey log, which is a possible reason for it.

If untempering is done at a later point though, 1st trial gets to be a build-up (establish normal) probably with a guard rather than the Dreamer himself. If the Dreamer is Emet, a guard would avoid redundancy with The Dying Gasp. Lvl 89 trial is a bigger boss followed by the high tension lvl 90 trial later. Later untempering is prob an instance, but if Dreamer = Lahabrea, I think Pandaemonium is going to be psychonauts-style "fight the inner demons" and is partly bc Yoshi-P said he regrets no Lahabrea trial. We get a raid instead.

Dreamer introduced around trial #1 in any case tho.

A point toward fighting a guard to the Dreamer rather than the Dreamer himself would be I think it's significant that the Warrior + Scions see an unsundered unconscious, vulnerable, and in need of help. That's a huge re-frame off of past experiences.

But yeah, curious what you guys think!

[valebatcattusmoved]

//things i would like to do at some point:

immediate aftermath of the end of shb and that whole “almost a lightwarden” thing

Emotions! at the disco the entirety of endwalker

heavensward during that period when she finally really committed to the whole damn WoL thing instead of just doing what people wanted bc it got her free food and also killed time (so so many quests give u free food and lbr i lean into that a lot lmao)

literally every in between msq moment honestly at this point

[cxarch]

i haven’t been on this blog in months because of real life and just a general ffxiv obsession, but i’m really planning to revamp the blog and get it off the ground this week. i’m surprised there’s anyone still following this blog, but you guys are amazing ~

(okay, lbr, i’m revamping g’raha tia’s blog and working on my oc’s blog; feral viera boy is happening and i’ve even started a placeholder character to get them caught up in the story before endwalker.)

[starblood]

✨✨✨ mobile stars cause mobile

Send me “✰” if you REALLY want our characters to interact!

listen, i am so down for all of it. xel does appreciate the garlic men, a lot, and given that endwalker is finally going to offer up garlemald to me on a silver platter? i really want to explore COMPLEXITIES. because lbr xel would be going wild in getting to visit garlemald. she’s a nerd. she wants to visit so bad even with everything going on. so i am VERY down. i will yeet her at all of them. enjoy ur new free cat, boys!

[lunarosewood23]

FFXIVWrite2022 Prompt 13: Confluence

Serella, Raven and Mingxia have a talk with Hydaelyn.

Borrowing @starswornoaths’s Serella and @inkblood-mistrieu’s Mingxia. I’ll be doing my edits to post the better version of this on Ao3 after the FFXIVWrite challenge is over. (Also yell at me if I’ve butchered your girls plz?)

~~~

She heard the music first.

Raven groaned softly as she woke to the sound of a woman's voice singing. She looked around at her sleeping companions before she heard it.

Hear

Hydaelyn?

She looked around as she slowly untangled herself from her husband, still slumbering away. She smiled as she watched him lean on her brother, who didn't stir from the movement. She wandered towards the stairwell and bumped into someone, and judging by the smell of cloves and lilies, it was Serella.

Feel

"Raven?"

"Do you hear that?"

"Yeah...let's go look." Serella replied with a nod.

Think

The two of them heard a barely audible mumbling in Hingan as Mingxia stumbled into them while rubbing her eyes.

"Mingxia? Hey Ming are you awake?" Serella asked softly.

"Barely. She calls us." Mingxia mumbles.

"Let’s see what she wants then?" Raven suggested. The other girls nodded as the three of them wandered up towards the deck, Serella leading Raven and Ming by the hands. The breeze felt nice on their faces as they were met with a spectral figure with long white hair and wearing white robes staring out over the bow.

Serella squeezed Raven and Mingxia closer, as if she was preparing to shield them with her body when the person turned to reveal themselves, a woman with pale skin and stunning blue eyes that made them think of the Aetherial Sea.

And the way she spoke...

“And thus we meet at last, my Warriors of Light, guided by the Crystal.”

"Hydaelyn..." Raven breathed in realization as she felt Serella tense. She wrapped her arms around her in a grounding hug.

“You have given us reason to not trust you, yet you show yourself now, despite us understanding what you are.” Mingxia mused before looking at her.

She looked sheepish, apologetic even. “As you have every right to, after your journey to the First.”

She explained what they already knew, though none of them were sure if it was comforting that Emet-Selch told them the truth or horrifying. 

“The greater His strength grows, the swifter doth mine own diminish. The power to draw your minds into the rift betwixt is no longer mine to wield.” She explained before looking at the three of them with a determined gaze. “Yet though it taxes me sorely, I dare not leave these words unsaid.”

“A warning.” Raven felt Serella trace in her palm. She felt Mingxia do the same in Hingan on her back. Something was coming, a confluence of time between their and hers.

“When you truly understand what is at stake, and your journey has prepared you to surmount the insurmountable, then I will honor the promise made in another time, another age.”

Raven felt her heart sink, there were still so many questions...

The shiphand soon called out that Sharlayan was just ahead.

“I will not keep you further, your traveler’s heart must yearn to witness this unfamiliar land.” Hydaelyn says with a smile.

“Wai-!” Raven tried to say but Hydaelyn had already dispersed, her form gone.

Serella took a deep breath as Raven and Mingxia squeezed her in a warm hug. She hugged them back just as tightly, and she could feel how tense and overwhelmed she was.

“Just like with Ysayle, except Hydaelyn has no excuse” Mingxia muttered with an annoyed sigh. “We’ll see this world through whatever crisis comes.”

“I know we will, just... I can’t help but wonder how many more of our people will suffer because of this.” Serella wondered sadly, squeezing their hands in hers.

“We’ve got each other in this Serella. Nobody is left behind here.” Raven assured. “We’re gonna be ok, because we’ll make it so.”

Serella looked between the two of them and squeezed them tighter as they looked out onto the bow, the city of Sharlayan in the distance.

[fetabathwater]

its kind of a shame you didnt like the end of shadowbringers as much or emet considering how endwalker played out. i thought for sure you would like him

i mean. i liked a lot of shb, the ending fell flat for me at the time but like. okay. it is heavily attributed to just how much exposure i had to fandom prior like 1) thought emet was totally different 2) thought the end played out different 3) i won't say it was overhyped but i definitely think that the story was held to such a high standard by ppl i had spoken to and friends and ppl i follow on social media (which isn't a bad thing!!! OFC!! you gush about the thing you love) that like. idk. i think it comes down to if i could have played it completely blind without being exposed to numerous twists by coincidence prior i wouldve come away differently.

like with zone 5 of ew, i think the fan portrayal of hytholodaeus is pretty off key to the point that when i finally got to zone 5, full offence, i dont rly get what ppl were seeing and its the domino effect there that suddenly ur constantly exposed to all this other stuff that the game itself is just a starting point now. also probably finishing shb in the middle of doing like 35+ hr weeks at work where i wasn't quite functional (just like how i absolutely SHOULD NOT have done the second to last trial for ew so late at night when i got way too frustrated and didnt try lbr) probably didn't help with any sort of emotional punches. cramming too much into my brain with role quests and dungeons and raids and so on that it was just. too much.

but i definitely do want to ng+ shb like that expac is still incredibly near and dear to my heart and ive even organised a few tattoos to do with it lmao but yeah. who knows. the more i do now the more i am considering.

[magitekhearted]

//Well, my OCE Menenius alt is officially up to Endwalker. Will this be the time I finally get an alt all the way through to the end? Only time will tell. (Though probably not, lbr)

[lunarosewood23]

FFXIVWrite2022 Prompt 2: Bolt

Timaeus is experimenting with his powers, and discovers a new arcane equip.

NOTE: Some spoilers from the Endwalker caster role quest, which I am rewriting bc that kid deserved better. Timaeus is my rendition of the clone that became the blasphemy of Ishgard. The super lazy TLDR of his powers is this: Timaeus was basically born with Allagan summoning programmed into his brain. And his egis, the adorable carbuncles I keep going nuts over? Those are the primal egi knights of the Ward, who are ofc alive in LbR. Timaeus is officially adopted by Zephirin and takes Valhourdin as his last name. And his powers are a little fucky, as I’m still meddling with his skillset to make sure it’s not too broken. (He can have a little OPness, as a treat! :3)

~~~

Timaeus couldn’t help but stare at the newfound gauge in his grimoire. It was a simple thing, but it felt much more complex. The way the glyphs looked to be that of a sword, a wand, an axe, and a spear was intriguing, and he wondered if there were multiple combinations of the sigils that gave him access to different arcane equips.

“Let’s see, sword plus sword gave me Angel’s arcane equip, the golden armor with the white greatsword...”He mutters to himself. “That’s the only one I’ve tried so far, and truthfully I don’t entirely know how I did it...”

He sighed with a pout and looked out the window. “I wish big sister was here, she’d be happy to experiment with me...”

He was so lost in thought that he didn’t even notice that he was pacing until he missed a step and went tumbling down the stairs into the kitchens. He let out a startled cry as tears gathered in his eyes from the fall, biting his lip to keep his pained cry from being loud.

“Owwie...” He mumbled as he fixed his glasses, a sudden bolt of pain rushing through his head.

“Hey lad, are you alright?”

Timaeus jumped as he looked up to see Hermenost knelt in front of him.

“F-Father Hermenost! Yes, I-I’m alright. I just missed a step.” He stammered as he tried to stand up. “I...wanted to play a little with my new powers but I don’t have anyone to really record what I’m doing. Big sister was helping but she got called by her friends...”

Hermenost steadied Timaeus as he got up, handing him his grimoire. “Would you like help? I may not entirely understand arcanima or the art that Mingxia has helped train you in, but I am still a mage despite my use of a battle axe.”

Timaeus stared wide eyed at Hermenost before shaking his head. “Sorry, I’m just...so cool...”

Hermenost laughed as he gently ruffled his hair. “What exactly are you doing?”

Timaeus got the biggest smile on his face, he knew he was acting incredibly childish, but he couldn’t help it as he excitedly started to open his grimoire, but then bit his lip in concern as he remembered that his egis could cause panic among the knights. He didn’t want to hurt anyone...

“Father Hermenost, can I ask you to not be upset about my powers?” He asked shyly, hugging his grimoire to his chest as his ears drooped in worry.

Hermenost gave him a confused look, and Timaeus hesitantly summoned one of his egis, making him gasp in surprise. “How...”

“Bis sister Mingxia thinks I was experimented on, which is why my memory is so fuzzy. But I can summon these egis like she can certain primal egis as her summoner. Big brother Zephirin is worried that I might hurt someone, or make them angry because of them. The big scary black dragon that appeared isn’t helping anything...”Timaeus explains slowly. “It’s why I’m a little worried to ask for help, but I don’t know who else I can ask...”

Hermenost is stunned by the egi at Timaeus’s feet, the knight egi holding a smaller scale of his old weapon, Greycloud. This was the form he took as a primal.

By the Fury, no wonder Zephirin was worried.

“I understand. I’m not upset and I see why Zephirin was worried.” Hermenost assured slowly. He let his eyes slip closed for just a moment, a silent prayer to Halone for guidance. “I will help you, but I do request that you explain all you know and understand of your situation.”

Timaeus nodded, his smile returning. “Okay. Can we go somewhere else? Maybe in the highlands? I wanna see if I can recreate what I did a few days ago.”

Hermenost nodded and the two of them walked through the city, letting Timaeus give his theory of this “arcane equipment” that he conjured and showed him the gauge in his grimoire, the thing he wanted to test was the idea of using the glyphs in different orders to get different effects. Once out of the walls of the city, he started to explain what he and Mingxia pieced together.

Hermenost’s heart broke for the boy as he squeezed his shoulder soothingly. “Blessed Fury lad...”

“We’ll figure it out, don’t worry.” Timaeus assured as he spotted an aevis, who charged at him. “Alright, let’s see how well this works.”

It took all his instinct to not jump to Timaeus’s defense as his egis stood at the ready. He drew his grimoire and threw out several spells before two glyphs looked to light up in his grimoire. One was an axe, but he wasn’t sure what the other glyph was.

Suddenly he saw the smaller egi of himself draw forward and looked to disperse before it reformed...using Timaeus as its host.

Timaeus jumped and slammed Greycloud on the ground and a bolt of lightning paralized the aevis before the armor released and Timaeus fell on his face in the snow.

“Timaeus!” Hermenost shouted as he ran up to him, watching as the other egis swarmed their creator. A thumbs up came up from the snow as he lifted his face up before picking up his grimoire and grabbed his quill.

“Axe plus wand equals levinlight!” He cheered as Hermenost sat him up in a sitting position and fixed his glasses.

“What in the Fury’s name was that??” Hermenost asked, stunned by what he saw.

“That, Father Hermenost,” Timaeus replied with a pleased smile. “Was my arcane equipment!”