#Kivera and Shuri

[unbloomingmoonflower]

Emergence of the End

Mentions of the OTPoly. Pre-EW

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Everything...is mine again. 

True, the body was that of her shard. However, it was still hers. Lilith stretched the fingers, accustoming herself with the limbs of the lithe Au Ra. 

It was easy to fool her shard into accepting her. It was a stepping stone to annihilate the star, to destroy everything she hated about Amaurot in its ridiculousness for perfection. Hydaelyn shattering reality...well, that only gave Lilith more work. 

Shuri was battling futilely within the recesses of her mind. Her strength will fade over time and Lilith will fully regain autonomy over herself and her shard. Day by day, the Xaela was becoming weaker. 

That is just how I want it to be. 

“Shuri?” That familiar voice, belonging to the shard of her beloved, called out the name of her own shard. That’s right; he didn’t know. He didn’t know that Lilith could erase the presence of the woman he loved.

Such heartbreak. It would tug at her heartstrings if she had any left.

Turning with the face he recognized, Lilith could see the shock in Estinien’s ice-blue eyes. “Your eyes...” he murmured. “They’re silver.”

“Yes. They are.” A smile curved Lilith’s lips, feeling the aether within her flowing. So this is what Amaurotines felt.   

“You’re not Shuri.” Estinien’s voice was biting, his eyes narrowing as he reached for his lance. “You’re her, aren’t you? The part of her she merged with?” 

“Very good, my dear.” Lilith turned fully, spreading her arms as though to encompass the world. Just like her predecessors, with the aether running through her veins, she was able to form a glyph over her face. Just like Lahabrea; just like Hades; just like...

Just like papa.

“I took back what is rightfully mine. This body is my shard. It did not belong to the woman you know as your wife, Estinien,” Lilith continued, beginning to walk toward him. “And I intend to tear everything at the seams. These worlds should not have existed, yet Hydaelyn’s power shattered the very fabric of reality. I was to be Her heart, however...something went terribly wrong. Or...horribly right.”

“You know she isn’t like that. You should allow her to be in control of her body,” Estinien retorted. 

“It’s not her body.”

Estinien recoiled as Lilith approached, using Shuri’s body, the mania in etched on his wife’s face disconcerting. It didn’t fit, it wasn’t Shuri; it was her former self, conveying the madness she’s had within her, the madness she relished in. 

It was swift, but he was able to perceive Kivera coming to his side, aiming her scythe toward Lilith, her eyes narrowed. Despite her stoicism, Estinien could perceive a tremor in her arm. Hesitation. 

It was clear she wanted to excise Lilith from Shuri’s body; however, that would involve hurting Shuri--the last thing the reaper wanted to do. 

There was sick amusement in those silver eyes, the mad grin stretching further. “Your hesitation is so sweet,” she mocked, pressing a hand to her chest. “You don’t want this little shard to die. You were there, Kivera, when Amaurot fell. You’ve seen my sundering. And yet here you are, so fond of this little shard when you should have just taken her soul away. She shouldn’t even exist, is that not what your creed follows?”

Kivera grit her teeth before feeling Estinien’s hand curl over her wrist. She could feel his own hand shaking with rage at witnessing this, at beholding a mad homunculus wearing Shuri’s body no differently than Elidibus used Ardbert’s body. 

And there was no doubt Shuri was screaming from within. 

Turning on her heel, Lilith walked away from the two. “I’ve become quite fond of you both. Estinien being the shard of my beloved...it’s as though I have Lucifer returned to me. I want to keep you hidden away while I destroy the fabric of these shards. And I will use this body to do it. Can you imagine the sheer look of betrayal on the Scions’ faces when they see their precious warrior of light stand as an enemy?”

Glancing back at them, Lilith’s eyes were swirling with her madness, her unyielding need to destroy. “It will be absolutely delightful. And I hope to see you both on the battlefield when the time comes!”

The pain within their hearts was to an overwhelming degree to watch Lilith walk away--to watch their beloved being used no differently than Ardbert’s body had been.

And there seems to be no way to bring her back.

[thedeathstarspirit]

For The One of Light and one of Death.

Rp start for @meepsthemiqo

Kivera is use to the ire of people. Specially of the living. She has seen and been the one to claim many lives. Whether she wanted to or not. It surprised her that Meeps wanted to speak to her. She knew it was a matter of time that she would reach out to her.

She was the one who claimed Elidibus after all. She had seen and heard the interactions with Angelique. She herself dealt with her own feelings on the matter, as long as it wasn’t her, herself dragged into matters.

When she got a delicate summon from Meeps, she had a feeling of what the conversation was going to be, given her feelings over Elidibus. She knew of Fae, she was present during Amaurot’s fall, she had witnessed many deaths as the star had died. She was in between voids waiting for the fight with Elidibus to be over, as she was ready to collect the Ascian.

She never wanted to, but an exchange was made, with those that opposed Zodiark had won, and had changed the fate of The Source and The First. Kivera waited outside of the Goblet, being close enough to be sensed rather than knocking at her door.

She felt conflict and unrest within Meeps, that had been there since she first met the woman. Even when she narrowed her eyes to see bits of her soul, the sundered similar to Kiya. But much different in terms of their conditions.

Kivera had assured Shuri that this meeting should not be negative. To Kivera this was another soul coping with grief. She barely knew Meeps, except the brief interactions with her and Fae’a.

She waited for her to compose herself to want to carry out this meeting. She had even abandoned the miqo form in favor of her natural appearance. From ashen white skin and bi-colored wings, to her unique clothing. She remains unseen to normal eyes except to those she wants to see her. A faint burning cloves scent within the air to ward off other spirits.

Kivera holds herself and steels her resolve. She already knows she won’t be able to answer all of her questions. She had recently come from one of the interractions with Kiya. Seeing her and Aymeric go about their lives, the haunted look behind Kiya.

“Some things are best left forgotten to time.” She muses aloud to herself. All she hopes is that grief does not overtake rational thoughts.

[candideangel]

Setting Sail

more continuation from @invidia1988 ‘s AU from the previous night with mention of @maiden-born-in-snow‘s Shuri. 

A bit more of the Crystalangel couple just finding a moment’s peace.

Curing a hangover had not been what one would consider fun, dehydrated to the point that the head ached and the body didn’t know if the temperature was up or down. That was the first day on the trip for the Warrior of Light and the once known Crystal Exarch; lying in the bed of the quarters, drinking water and tea periodically with no appetite to call for. Not to mention with the fact that the slow bobbing of the ship didn’t help the empty stomachs that both yearned for food while not wishing for it at the same time. G’raha probably had the worst of it, half keeled over a basin for someone who wasn’t quite so used to the sea and as the sailors had mentioned he would grow his “sea-legs” once everything eased up. They were a little better during the evening, but not quite up to snuff to feel the urge to leave their quarters, piecing on bread, cheese, and chamomile tea for dinner instead of anything large and filling.

By the day after though, G’raha had gone above deck when the sun had fully risen, inhaling the air that surrounded his senses, ears fluttering slightly at the moment of joy. The air smelled of salt, the sound of the boat breaking along the surface, the sight of the stretch of dark blue touching a lighter blue horizon lined with puffy white clouds. All his senses were on an overdrive, and right now his body that had been so wound with tension eased a little. The only change was that the clothes Tataru had worked to make him had been swapped out for a simple white shirt and black pants and boots. They were a bit loose, but then again the Miqo’te sailor that had offered them to him was at least a little bit taller and had the muscle stature to add on it. It was a kind gesture all things considered, but perhaps Angelique’s Warrior of Light status had caused some type of warranted attention or even favors...and while he didn’t want to be the partner that used a title to get things, this was his only exception.

“It’s good to see you got the color back to your cheeks.” Angelique’s voice once more caused his ears to perk upright and one of them to cock towards the direction. Her own adventuring attire had been swapped as well, but that was from another patron on the ship. A kindly and fashionable woman who had offered a soft fabric top that draped against her chest, in a deep shade of hunter green and a skirt that billowed gently in the breeze. “And that we’re not feeling like we’re about to die.” she teased and G’raha smiled when she came to join his side, staring to the horizon. Limsa Lominsa was no longer a speck of darkness in the distance...it was long gone.

“Same to you. I wouldn’t think the great Warrior of Light and Darkness, slayer of gods and then some, could be brought down by a hangover.” G’raha Tia shot her a smirk but she just gave a challenging one right back.

“Claims the light-weight who rarely had alcohol and I nearly had to drag you to the Roost!” She chuckled slightly, even G’raha began to laugh. For a moment it was as if the tensions were gone, and perhaps they were at least tucked away for the moment. For certain though he would go a little lighter on the spirits until he could grow a decent constitution for it.

“It’s refreshing to see the ocean...I didn’t spend much time admiring my surroundings. Especially once the light waned in Kholusia…” He trailed off, remembering waking and coughing up the sea water from the exhausting swim back to the rocky and shell covered beaches of Kholusia after the Tempest, but for a moment when he thought he was simply seeing the light...saw the one person haloed by that light and he couldn’t help but smile that day as the cheers filled the distant bridges. “...We didn’t get to spend much time outside of the borders of Lakeland in general.”

“Well...you couldn’t help that.” Angelique shrugged as if it were no big deal. It certainly made their evenings a bit...stale as he worried. The late nights ghosting away to the Tower to curl up in the Umbilicus next to the Crystal Exarch, wrapped up in a blanket and lights slightly dimmed in the room but enough for them to read together. Hiding away in a place they considered a sanctuary. It was those moments that they cherished, even if the bard was a woman of action...and needed to move to ease the restlessness, trips further out were near impossible if she didn’t want to haul a weakened old man back to the Crystarium to recover. 

“Mm...do you miss it? Those quiet times, safe in our world?” He asked quietly during the sobering thoughts that had passed. “Do...you miss when I was the Crystal Exarch?”

“What’s there to miss, when I have you here and now, in my present?” Angelique would answer his inquiry with one of her own, turning to face him and lightly took hold of his hands, making him turn to face her. It was the present she did thank Kivera for, but the consequences...the ones who suffered for it...those were still the consequences they would be living with until forgiveness if at all would be found. G’raha had fallen silent then he let out a soft sigh before letting his forehead press up against hers, a small notion that followed with a small nuzzle. A sign of affection that Angelique returned; they were here to think, whilst at the same time letting everything clear up. Besides this time together was something that was long overdue. A plan to meet with two objectives.

With a soft kiss between the two, they stood by each other, leaning against the railing with idle conversation, just occupying time. Truth be told they had gone on this trip...they had gone half-cocked. They didn’t pack a change of attire outside the ones on their backs, no extra food rations in case they were out further away from civilization, but most of their time would be spent in Kugane, unless the urge to hunt called to the bard’s blood. Angelique had spent most of the previous evening splitting the gil between them so both herself and G’raha Tia could have some kind of spending money on this trip...and Angelique had half a mind to ask Feo Ul for a very, very miniscule favor, but she wasn’t going to bother the Fae King to gather their laundry. That would be rude and...she just didn’t know how ready she was to introduce them to the new G’raha.

“Oi! Storm’s brewin’ on the horizon!” A sailor called down to the patrons and G’raha and Angelique glanced over, they had taken to sitting down after their legs tired and Angelique was halfway to dozing off in the warmth of the sun against her skin. “Could have some nasty winds, for your safety we ask you head below decks for the time being. You don’t have to go to your quarters, but you can’t stay here.” He spoke before turning to head back to the bow as passengers were heading down below. G’raha would help Angelique to her feet and went with her with the others.

While they had idled in the main cabin for a time, Angelique had thanked the woman who had offered her the clothing, and strummed up some conversation for a while until the rain had started to be heard with the gale wind that caused the boat to rock harshly for a moment. The two mammets had occupied themselves in their quarters, following the rolling star ruby that had fallen out of Angelique’s travel bag.

“Oh, I forgot I brought that part with me…” Angelique muttered when G’raha shut the door and went over to the two mammets and reached over to pick it up as well as the two automaton on the floor. She looked at the ruby in her hand while the mammets climbed onto respective perches.

“...The music box that’s still broken back home…” G’raha muttered softly. “I...can’t apologize enough for that. My temper...I didn’t expect it to…”

“Raha, we’ve been over this, it’s okay. Something like that is easily repaired. Besides...I’ve been getting the urge to change the parts to play a new sound...and a new stone. So when we go back I’ll go to the Goldsmith in Ul’dah.” Angelique told him as she moved over to the bed and sat down as a loud clap of thunder could be heard outside but her fingers still idly rolled the gemstone between her fingers, brow furrowed in thought while the Miqo’te soon joined her. “...I want it to play Eternal Wind…” she spoke softly and G’raha looked surprised at the sudden proclamation.

“Eternal...Wind? You mean those old music sheets we found in the tower...so long ago…the ones I often played in my youth filled days…” He remembered at least...the times he did remember. They had found the old sheet music in the theater, and taken it with them to the camp, G’raha poured endlessly over the work until he could finally play it properly...and that was the first time he heard her sing after he translated it. One of those halcyon moments when he realized he was starting to find himself falling deeper in love. Angelique looked over to him and smiled sheepishly.

“It was one of the few things Rammbroes let me take from your tent. The set was so simple...that I practiced it...every night when I was stressed or not too tired to play a the flute or a harp string.”

“Heh,” he chuckled slightly and covered his eyes a little with a hand, covering the urge to sniffle, “...For so long we had loved one another, unable to express it...now..it feels almost like I’m walking in a daydream...and I don’t want to wake from it.” He could feel the tears sting his eyes but he wiped them away before gathering Angelique into his arms, mammets and all, and bury his face into the crook of her neck, his sanguine eyes staring at the star ruby that almost reflected the same color. For a beat he was silent then he asked a question as he pressed a soft kiss against the back of her neck, feeling the slight tremble under his hold.

“...Do you think they will come and try to find us? Now that Tataru can’t really tell them where we went aside from just sending mail by Moogle?” he asked softly to her, but the hyur only shrugged.

“We will just have to see. It wouldn’t surprise me if Estinien took chase at the behest of Shuri, but hopefully they’ll be understanding why we took off so suddenly instead of telling them. And hopefully they don’t harry the poor Moogle otherwise.” Her response came calmly enough, but she too wasn’t sure what everyone would be capable of if they were wanting to know terribly. For now though as she could feel the soft press of the Miqo’te’s lips on her soft skin and his tail find a way around her waist with only the sounds of the storm outside...she allowed herself to simply drift away. To forget. To find the calm they needed.

[inviouswriting]

Hero

Prompt taken from @witterprompts​   "I know I'm bad, but I'm not selfish. I know this world needs a hero as bright as you. I can't take that away from anyone."

Contains some additional character mentions from @snow-covered-moon​ ‘s Shuri. 

Also borrowed a quote from @witterprompts​.

Also some Endwalker spoilers after the return from the Moon. So if you are not pass that point skip over this story. Contains some subjects that can be hard.

This is long but I’ve been working on this when I’ve had time and energy to work on this.

Kivera is use to the nature of her role, in death, as death. She hardly bats an eye anymore when she has to act on it. Her mind buzzing for days with the inevitable calling that is presenting itself. She feels the world dying, her attunement in the world lets her feel it, and her eyes see the constant threads of life severing off left and right. 

She sits back watching things unfold, contemplating whether to step in, if she should step in and change things. She’d anger the fates, and their designs. She almost scoffs a laugh at the idea of upsetting their carefully constructed webs. They’re not there to witness what she sees on the normal basis.

A reprieve between Radz-at-han’s people learning to control their emotions, the last of the dyanims beasts dealt with. The orb in her scythe full with those that were cut down. The bodies they use to inhabit warped and changed because of their fears.

Kivera has seen this before, when she was called to Amaurot. She sat back the same way, just out of sight, miasma up to ward off anyone approaching her. Waiting for the dam to break, waiting for hell to break loose itself so she can begin. She’d know by then that it is too late to save it.

She was never meant to play the hero role, yet she does on behalf of her successor. She could rewrite the fate of a single star. She contemplates it, she wants to see what happens. Even now as she hovers the orb between her hands, it hums with her thoughts, remaining a beacon for the fallen.

“You’d be wise to not sneak up on me.” Kivera turns her head enough her awareness higher. She notices G’raha approaching her. He almost shrinks back seeing the orange in her eyes instead of the vibrant green. 

“We managed to stop them enough from turning. Still some are scared.” Kivera turns her attention back out to where the remaining beasts are, being dealt with by Estinien’s lance, and Thancred’s blade. They were the last ones, the fallen’s eyes shift again from orange down to in between green with a touch of blue to show her own sorrow.

“Of course they’re scared. and I wonder for how long. We can’t constantly be here.” Kivera fixes the orb back into Antares, she’ll have to go back to the underworld for the fifth time that day. 

“We’ll take what small victories we can achieve. At least the changing has stopped, and they’re starting to figure out their emotions of despair are the triggers.” G’raha looks up at her, Kivera had perched on top of her scythe’s blade, she looked more like a witch than she does an angel. She found a space where she wouldn’t scare the others. To not add onto the reality of death looming around.

“I wouldn’t use the phrase victories. There isn’t anything to celebrate.” They exchange looks, her reminding him he’s in the presence of an underworld servant and not to speak like that when she hasn’t ferried souls yet. G’raha steels himself.

“I know it isn’t anything to celebrate. Just bad phrasing, we’re taking what we can get around them. To not look grim that we haven’t found a solution yet. The oddities of what dynamis is except emotion.” Kivera drops down and collects her weapon. G’raha sees a range of emotions from her whirlwind in her eyes, flitting from green to yellow, red, even the whites of her eyes brief to match her anger before she lets it subside down to green tinged with orange in the centers.

“What about you, have you decided whether you’re going to help us? Or let this world burn? You said you needed time to decide, now we need to know. Are you on our side, or are you against us?” G’raha stares at her with the same resolve he had in the tower. Clear of himself and convictions. Kivera narrows her eyes.

“Why do you remind me so much of him. Selfless... and willing to sacrifice yourself.” Under her breath, leaving G’raha to wonder who she is referring to.

“You’ll meet him one day, and I’m sure you two can be idiots together. Running off nearly getting yourselves killed all to be heroes.” Kivera turns her gaze out to find Estinien and Shuri. They needed her answer too. Would she lend her scythe to them or on them. Did she love them enough to change and extend the life of a star she’s assigned to end.

“I’ll give my answer when I meet with you back at Sharlayan. I need to take them to their next plane.” She raises her scythe, and G’raha gets it.

“How many more linger here?” He sees her lift her head to meet his eyes.

“Too many were lost in that outbreak. It’ll take three more trips.” She answers him honest, she doesn’t disclose her worlds matters so easily. Maybe it is a sign of her trust extended.

“We’ll meet up soon, and await that final answer. I hope for our sake you’re on our side. We already know we’re not a match for you.” G’raha sees her fold her arms letting the blade of her scythe cross towards her side.

“You’re as bad as Thancred sometimes. You miss the clues already. You’d know if I wasn’t on your side. Looks like the crowd needs you down there.” The mild joy could be heard.

“Aren’t you joining us to take part of it?” He’s met with red eyes mirroring his own.

“That would not be wise since I spent the duration of time away. They don’t need a reminder.” Kivera snaps her fingers to create a gate for herself. 

“You can act the part of a hero once in a while, so others don’t think ill of you.” Kivera shakes her head.

“Unwise. Again, they don’t need a reminder. Besides that “victory” is for heroes not for beings like me.  "I know I'm bad, but I'm not selfish. I know this world needs a hero as bright as you. I can't take that away from anyone." G’raha sees her walk through the gate lingering to hear his words.

“We’ll meet up later then.” Kivera narrows her eyes in response. She has alot to think on. She needed to make a choice, one that decides a fate. 

Once she sets foot at Acheron, Kivera lets those trapped in the orb free, handing them coins for payment to Charon. The circumstances of their deaths did not allow burials or them to be given proper rites. She couldn’t deny them passage when they were flooding the underworld’s shores. 

“So tireless lately. Still dealing with Garlemald’s souls, still dealing with those lost in The First.” Kivera is frustrated with the ceaseless work, young and old, rich and penniless, all were treated equal. She has an opportunity to stop the underworld so overrun.

“Seems they have an answer?” She lifts her head to a voice she hasn’t heard in a while. Kivera meets the stare of Aiden, the other person that irritates her the same as G’raha and Alphinaud. He was a mix of both together. 

“How would you know? For all you know I could have decided to end them.” Aiden folds his arms.

“I know because you hate senseless killing. And this seems like senseless to me. Besides you’d never subject the ones you love to horrific fates if you know you can change them.” Aiden assists in helping smaller souls into a boat to ferry, he had been helping those going to Paradise.

“You and that damn miqo would get along with how you two probe me like this.” Kivera shakes her head, offering a grin.

“But you do know me well, I was not one for sitting idly by, while I can do something about it. Maybe I should give the underworld a break?” Kivera looks out along the shores, they were overrun, with the way some faded into nothing she is glad she can catch the few before they turned into beasts that look like they came from her domain she watches over.

“So like Purgatory...” Kivera feels a pull in her energy, a call to her. She recognizes the sound in Divinity’s bell. Something changed and Kivera gives Aiden a tired stare.

“I think you have your answer. You wouldn’t allow countless and unneeded deaths if you have the opportunity to change it. You do still retain alot of your former self after all.” Aiden walks pass her letting his hand pass on her white feathers. A subtle nod to her former rank.

“I was one to be a bit of a rule breaker. What’s one star? Even Antares could use a break from collecting so much. I feel almost in my fledgling days all over again.” Kivera hears the ping again, and without hesitating any further she dashes off back to Etheryis. 

Kivera focuses realizing the call is not within the city but outside, where she can see a swarm of beasts and flames. She doesn’t worry about those who see her, and drops down on a few creatures in front of the small group of her own. G’raha, Thancred, Estinien, and Divinity. She notes another draconic beast like the worm they fought earlier. 

“No wonder you were frantic.” Kivera can see Divinity breathe relief, G’raha had exhausted his mana, and Thancred was winded. Estinien could easily fend it off and Divinity was tasked with healing others. Kivera takes time to look at the group before focusing on the creature.

“Such trouble they are... all from people who give into their despair. Warped beyond recognition, and further seek relief from the pain.” She observes a few encroaching on her, Thancred about to lend his help if it weren’t for Divinity to hold him back keeping them all in a protective ball of light.

“She does not need our help. We need hers.” Divinity tends to Thancred to heal injuries while Kivera takes a good look around her. She lures these creatures out and away from the group, her pace above a sprint.

“G’raha, Thancred. Here is my proposition.” The reaper changes herself with horns and eyes glowing amber under the red sky. She points one hand up while the starshowers keep coming down.

“Do you have a choice in accepting my help? Your answer right now determines whether I will help now or leave you to the inevitable.” Kivera swirls a foot on the ground to create a miasma to keep the beasts back enough but roots entangle on their feet to keep them in place.

“You’re right, we don’t have a choice. So let’s stop it together.” Kivera smirks at G’raha’s words, and gets to work with pulling the beasts down into the ground while using her scythe to rend them to nothing.

“Wise decision. Are you still too much of an old man? Or are you going to help now?” Divinity lifts her shield on them and they all get to work to help end the ones already turned into beasts, while Divinity tries to calm down the ones who haven’t, leading them away from the violence.

“I knew you would come to our aid. But can you not cut it so closely next time?” Estinien chides her a little, when he lends his lance for her to stand on to deliver a power attack on the worm beast.

“I’ll think about it. Are you worried I’ll betray you all?” Kivera looks down to him while perched, letting the arch of the heels hook onto the pole itself.

“I know you wouldn’t unless you know it is something you can’t interfere with. You have your reasons, and you’d never willingly betray us this late in helping.” Kivera lets her eyes flit between green then back to the yellow she is using. 

“You know then. I was going to help regardless of everyone prying, but sometimes the scion’s have to get a physical answer.” Kivera jumps to end the current mob of beasts sending a shockwave of flames unstabling their spirits. She uses a similar method when dealing with the mass beasts of Purgatory. To dissipate the bigger in hopes of collecting the souls of those already lost from being devoured.

Kivera works fast to find a main source, noting how some of them are almost of a hive mind, similar to the sin eaters, but only with hunger to drive them. She’s reminded alot of how between the undead beings and purgatory beasts they are. She briefly wonders if Kiya is fairing well against those that plague Ishgard. She knows her abilities are as strong as hers, she gave her that shard of herself. Kiya would never allow a rampage in her own, just as Kivera wouldn’t allow one to remain where she walks.

The reaper ascends to the sky and delivers a massive barrage of pure energy on main sources of mobs. It works to subside the changings, while they work on getting the survivors free of the epicenter.

Kivera looks at the surroundings on her group, and lets a sigh escape seeing far too many in the main vicinity. She takes her weapon and tosses it down so the snath is embedded. From where she hovers in the air, she creates a sphere to contain the beasts.

The small party looks up to see her stand on her scythe, while a stranger is pulling the guys to run to the center where Kivera stands.

“She could have at least ported you guys outside, damn her!” Divinity is already under the arch of Kivera’s scythe with Estinien having seen this ability before, while G’raha, and Thancred are being pulled by Aiden dragging them almost as Divinity forms a protective ball around them.

“Who are you!” Thancred looks at Aiden, then glances up to Kivera who is already focused on one of her annihilator attacks.

“Saving your arse apparently. Just word for wise, if you see her throw that scythe for any reason. You’ve two options, run away far and fast from her, or towards her. Name is Aiden.” Aiden adopts the form of a red headed miqo, dressed in ravel keeper clothes, and adorned with gold horns. He tugs Thancred down further getting them all to crouch right under the arch of Antares.

“Aiden, you know she wouldn’t hurt them.” Divinity reminds him, and Aiden points to the blade as Kivera finishes setting up the attack, lightning concentrated within her scythe, concentrated in the air itself. 

“I know, it’s the best seat to watch her though.” As he finishes his words, Kivera lets loose the attack, a concentrated blast of fire and lightning, engulfing the area around to snuff out the remaining beasts in the area. The air inside the sphere is sapped out, Aiden taps on both Thancred and G’raha to look up at Kivera, and a sight they won’t forget.

Kivera looks exactly her namesake, angel of death. She is glaring down at Aiden, crimson irises while a swirl of purple lightning surrounds her and them. Her weapon changed to something else even resembling something an angel of the heavens would use. 

Once the attack subsides, the ashes she creates lifts and Antares changes back into the former scythe they recognize. The land around them is scorched from the flames that already were blazing, but the rest of the forest remains where they thought it would be nothing. Beasts were gone to nothing, and those that were trapped in the sphere she created were unharmed. G’raha and Divinity break away instantly to go tend to them, while Estinien and Aiden run off to fight the remaining beasts in other areas. Thancred remains behind having witnessed the reaper use a catastrophic attack while not harming those around her, or those still fleeing.

“You could have done that from the start you know?” Thancred chides, and she only gives him a stare.

“Remember, there are certain things I can and can’t do. Those already meant to die in this.. you know my laws are absolute.” Kivera reminds him, before she agreed to help them.

“It’s good to have you on our side now.” Kivera lowers the intensity of the glow in her red eyes down. 

“You’re still an idiot. I’ve always been on your side. Who do you think kept you alive for so long? Kiya may have helped in The First, but I did keep your spirits tethered.” Thancred shakes his head at her reminder.

“And ever grateful for your help. I won’t ask further, but I also won’t make you regret turning your scythe to aid us.” Kivera eyes him then folds her arms leaving her scythe to act as a beacon for the fallen. 

“Good. I have a lead I am going to follow. You go assist this world while I traverse others.” Her eyes flit back to green. 

“We will be waiting and doing our best from here then.” Kivera collects Antares after the orb is full again already.

“You’re in good hands with Aiden. I’ll send you one more. Three of my kind should be more than enough to protect you and yours. You’ll have Divinity, Aiden, and Killian. Keep watch over Aiden. He tends to rush head first and nearly get himself killed.” Kivera uses a bell to summon this other person, a lance in hand, almost close to Estinien and gives Kivera a weary look at being summoned here.

“Understood.” Killian only needed a look from her to know what she is doing. Thancred and Killian head off to help where they’re needed. Kivera leaves them to break another taboo, time. To traverse its river to find answers on dynamis.

“Kiya, be glad we swapped places. Now I know this was not your path, but mine.” Kivera’s thoughts are wild as she follows the lead she has to search a time period, the remaining link in Elidibus, and one more. 

Kivera tenses feeling the swirl of emotions from Shuri, they met up together at the entrance to the Ocular. They also entered the room together, Shuri being quiet while Kivera handled the coordinants. She had her own on her plate the whole duration of events. 

Kivera handled any matter that related to realm shifting and time or death, while Shuri helped among with Estinien and the selected few she trusted without doubt. 

They barely had a chance to sit down together after Lilith returned fully, let alone bond, it was almost like they were looking at different people. Kivera looked like her name sake, as an angel of death, Shuri resembled more of her former unsundered self.

Both drawn to the small room for the same thing. Answers. Kivera sought to save a star, Lilith and Shuri sought more of who and what she is. After Elidibus leaves the two together, Kivera looks to Shuri, she had to warn her.

“We may uncover truths that are hard, and they must happen regardless. You might see my hand be destructive again, since we’ll be reliving that past before the sundering. I hope you know, the me of that time is not the same mind of who loves you today. Do you trust me enough to guide both you and Lilith?” Kivera presses her forehead to Shuri’s.

“I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t trust you. I am aware of what might be ahead. I need to know.” Kivera lets Shuri run her hand on the white feathers, the only other person even allowed to touch them. 

Kivera closes her eyes letting herself feel the whirl of emotions within her own self and from her partner with her. They were both on the same path in the end to save the star they call home. 

“I know, I just have to go through my normal warnings. Tampering with time does have its limits and we’re here for dynamis to understand the changes of emotions. At least to give the scion’s answers.” Kivera could cut things off here, doom the star to its path. Shuri grasps Kivera’s hands sensing her uneasiness in changing fate for a world.

“This is entirely your choice to help us. I can go it alone from here if you are still struggling with the choice. I need to go through that gate.” Kivera lets her eyes shift from their green hue to a flit of purple. 

“It’s not easy to do this, go against what I’m suppose to do. I’m not suppose to be a hero, I end them... I shouldn’t be doing this.” Kivera stalls them longer to keep her forehead to Shuri’s. Sharing with her memories of a distant past for the reaper, a flashed warning of what time meddling can do in losing the memories of someone she loves, and have to watch from afar them to live happy.

“Yet you are here with me, you know that this world has so much more life left in it. I seek the answers that lies in Elpis for my history, and what I really am. We must go now, otherwise Estinien is going to get himself killed on the field.” Shuri reminds Kivera of their shared love, the one that brought them in together and further to be almost inseperable.

“Right, forgive me, it’s been a while since we had time like this, specially with the world the way it is. Let’s go, I’ll guide our hands together.” They both share a brief kiss, Kivera leads through the gate, set for a time period to learn how to alter this worlds fate. 

Traversing the shards and rivers of time is natural to her, she’s seen it many times with her coming and going to different worlds. She views the different memories as they drift pass her and Shuri, she glimpses some of Shuri’s, some of Lilith’s with Lucifer in Amaurot, each playing through her mind like a movie reel, recorded in her own mind. She can see tears to Shuri revisiting shards from Ardbert, some of her own drift to Shuri. Allowing her to see Amaurot through her own eyes.

Memories of Shuri’s tribe flit in, from when some were captured for experiments, some completely wiped out from Garlean forces. Kivera had no hand there, she doesn’t kill senselessly or participate in massacres. The ones involved in ordering and have died since then have passed through her domain on Purgatory where they reside in one of the regions she designated for those that participate in such wars.

Kivera doesn’t hide them from her, she never did anything wrong with her hand involved with sundering an entire realm and star. She saw a world dying, and she was the one meant for it. The former angel lets an internal laugh at how one role she played would mean she gained more people the cherish in her time again. One step below committing an ultimate taboo to her. She would never do that unless it was Vanth. She’d defy that one to her very last breath.

“While we drift through. It’s important that I express this, part of my role as a guardian I have to say this. I know I touched on it briefly at the threshold. We do not interfere with the past. We let the roles and everything play out as they’re meant to be. The one exception you and I have, is gaining knowledge from this time. If either of us are caught violating this condition. We know the outcome.” Kivera’s voice as she speaks echoes through their space, Shuri able to hear her out loud, and in her soul itself, resonating.

“I know Kivera. We know. You have a role, and so do we. We won’t do anything that jeopardizes this opportunity.” Shuri speaks on behalf of herself and Lilith. She understands that Kivera has to talk like this, and toss warnings about her realms laws.

“I know you won’t budge even for me if it came down to it. I wouldn’t make you either.” Kivera glances back to her, green eyes flit between purple and gold. 

“Thank you for understanding.” There is a warmth in the echo that speaks into Shuri’s soul, while the space around them is devoid of sound.

 “I’ll be splitting us into two parallels upon our landing. You will experience the same path I will, but for the sake of things, it is how it must be done. You have to uncover the truth the same as me alone, without me interfering with your progression. I will keep an eye on you through our tethers. If you should need me, just call my name.” Kivera grips Shuri’s hand brief before they pass through the shard they were searching for. 

“Make me proud.” Kivera’s voice rings through before she resumes her role as her charge’s former self in Hecate’s similar while retaining her own appearance. 

 “I for once will have hope that this truth to learn will be beneficial.” Kivera uses the reprieve time she has before she’s discovered, letting things play out how they’re suppose to.

“The underworld will understand. This star does not need to see horrors akin to Hell on earth. Not even I will tolerate a mad apocalypse like this.”

[inviouswriting]

Opinion

Mentions for polyship with @snow-covered-moon​ 

Kivera, Estinien, Thancred, and mild character heavy.

Spoilers in here for Endwalker 6.0 Up to the first dungeon.

Kivera is use to scrutiny but witnessing the trials that the Scion’s are going through to get answers to a phenomena even she is curious about. She has grown attached to them, she understands now why Kiya fought so hard in The First. How she gave her time and time again to help them at risk of her own life.

She folds her arms as she wanders around Thavnair, to meet up with the others before they take a risk that can either kill them, or save many. An area beyond even her hands to control, for this is fate, and she doesn’t interfere with divine fate. 

She despises the pompous attitude the Twin’s father displayed, but she could sense behind his intent is fear more than just doing it for his own mean. Had she been in any other position, she would be sitting idly on her scythe watching it all go down.

Yet she has two of her own she is desparate to see no harm come to. Estinien being one, and Shuri the other one. She will see them together and pull through the end of things for both of their sakes. 

“Your straggling behind.” Kivera lifts her head to a familiar voice, she almost narrows her eyes to Thancred. But her opinion on him has shifted a bit, they had been fighting together since their first steps in Thavnair. 

“Enjoying the calm before the impending storm.” Kivera folds her arms across her chest as she walks. Thancred walks beside her, Kivera keeps her form as it is, no alter to her mood save for a subtle flick of yellow in her piercing green eyes.

“Know the feeling actually. Each of these battles can easily be our last, and here you would collect us.” Thancred sees her turn her head to scoff at him.

“Come now. I haven’t paused my scythe over you in a while.” Kivera elbows him in his side. Thancred takes the faint jab in his side.

“You’ve changed since you agreed to help us, you know. I thought you would continue to hate us.” Kivera stops in her walk to look at Thancred.

“I know what it’s like to be controlled against my will for some monsters merits.” Kivera explains a little bit, Thancred can see the memory pains her, the subtle shift in her eyes to blue. Somethings she couldn’t hide. 

“Is that what drives you to keep going?” Kivera looks up the way to Estinien’s back walking beside Alphinaud to talk about their plans. She had selected Estinien in place of putting both siblings in danger. 

“One of the reasons.” Estinien feels eyes on him and casts a glance back to the two stragglers behind. His thoughts seeing Kivera and Thancred in close distance together worries him. Yet the two in question aren’t yelling or clashing weapons together. He too noticed a shift in Kivera, from that day when she let her emotions go wild and nearly ended G’raha’s life for his use of blood magicks. He understood her pain, it was the same pain he held towards Nidhogg.

Estinien waves Alphinaud to catch up to his sister and Y’shtola. He leans against a wall formation to wait for the two. 

“I know we haven’t gotten along the best since... Shuri and that one spat we had in The Rising stone. I do want to say, I appreciate that you joined us for this cause, even if you have your own reasons for this.” Kivera flicks her tail in thought. She eyes him out of the corner of her eye. A wry smirk graces her lips and she tilts her head a little to the scion.

“Are you trying to flirt with death? Or do I detect a bit more flattery than usual for this demon?” She nudges his side with her elbow again, the two of them even feint a bit to the sides in attempts to mess with each other.

“Nay, no flirting. I’d never hear the end of it from Urianger, Shuri, or Krile. And especially that one.” Thancred gestures ahead of them to Estinien, watching them intently.

“Yeah, I like to think he’s less inclined on sharing his ladies.” Kivera confirms, and starts to turn towards the dragoon, giving him a genuine smile and nod that things are okay.

“Might we start over then? At least that way?” Thancred offers out his hand to Kivera.

“As long as you don’t cause anymore trouble for Shuri, or myself. Too much.” She adds that last bit taking his hand. They have a mutual respect and they want to help with Shuri as long as the dominant threat ends somehow. Kivera looks up over to Estinien.

“We’re okay.” Thancred shakes Kivera’s hand for the first time in full respect of each other. Had they been in different circumstances. She might have entertained him in other ways, but she wouldn’t without Shuri’s feelings in the mix and with Lilith running through her. She fears something like that would be taken the wrong way or used to fuel the homunuclus spirit.

“Aye, just waiting for you two, that one has a habit of wandering if you let her. We need her for we can’t summon her stand-in last whim.” Estinien points out Kivera’s ability to just wander if left alone.

“Too much at stake you know I wouldn’t up and run off.” Kivera walks between them. 

“I know, a jest.” Estinien gives Thancred a stare to run ahead so he can talk to Kivera. Thancred raises his hands quick and runs off. Once Kivera and Estinien are to themselves, he sees the weariness in her eyes heavier that the eyeshadow negates to hide.

“How are you fairing.” Checking her mental state.

“Missing her. You?” She leans into his side and he winds an arm onto her.

“Missing her. You know I am. You sent the family to your domain for safety right?” He inquires knowing she would let Divinity take charge of the children.

“Of course. How could I leave them vulnerable?” Kivera feels the rub on her shoulder through the leather of Estinien’s glove.

“We’ll see her back. Now, we need you as deadly as possible in there. Can you manage that?” Estinien looks over Kivera, the reaper smirks and they share a mutual look.

“Who do you think you’re talking to? I’ll dance circles around them. I’ll even make you my partner.” 

“I look forward to seeing that. You know I don’t need the boost, feel like Alphinaud can benefit from your blessings.” Kivera under the moment no one is looking, she stretches her wings brief to give him a brief kiss.

“Alphinaud can’t summon Nidhogg. We’ll be fine in there. Not our time yet. At least your group.” She teases.

“Oh? You know something?”

“You’ve cheated death before, what’s one more.” Kivera walks ahead towards the group waiting for them. Her clothing resembling more of a tribal affiliated dancer. She looks stunning, and Estinien is reminded of both his dancer’s ferocity.

“How far she’s come to accept those around her. Shuri if you could see her now. You’d be proud.” Estinien walks after her to not fall behind now.

[inviouswriting]

For my October list.

1. Spell

Cameos - @snow-covered-moon ‘s Shuri for polyship.

Kivera is use to the way magic feels. Depending on the spell she uses, she feels the prickling of ice as it leaves her fingertips, or the burning sensation of the flames she casts. She wonders sometimes when did she get so use to these sensations.

All of her spells become second nature to her now, as if she can just breathe one out without effort. Her feelings regardless are the same, it is a necessary tool for her now. Part of her as much as her ability to change form.

Maybe it is the bickering that got to her, hearing those around her argue over what to do next. Not taking the moment to relax between fights, the different perspectives between the Scion’s. She isn’t meant for idleness, she could be anywhere else, but another meeting.

Kivera had tuned them out hours ago, her mind drifting to an internal library to pick something other than listening to the same subject on repeat.

“What to do about the telephoroi.” She dismissed any question directed at her, they know her answer, yet prod her for a different one. Her attention drawn to the candles on the table, she finds the flicker of fire more entertaining. Even toys with the flame under her own mastery.

Kivera lets her eyes drift towards Alphinaud watching her mess with the small element, making it dim down to the smallest of ember before igniting it tall, matching her annoyance when the subject of soul magic comes up.

“You’re going to catch something on fire.” Kivera feels a nudge to her side. G’raha Tia, she noticed he had taken an interest in her magic, her spellcasting. She tolerates him, he noticed her hand waving over the flame before the flame expanded.

“The flame is too small to catch anything on fire.” Kivera keeps an ear towards the ones talking, another argument between moral obligations from Y’shtola and Thancred. How many times has she heard this?

Kivera was there in place of Estinien and Shuri, Estinien taking a wise trip at the mention of another meeting, while Shuri needed time with family around her. One of them had to attend, Divinity assured her to go.

It was on the fifteenth recurring subject that Kivera had enough of the arguing over the same thing.

“Is this meeting going to go anywhere? Or is it like the other ten you had to have?” Attention drawn to her, Kivera raises her head, eyes flickering to orange.

“We would get somewhere if some weren’t so stubborn about what we’re doing.” Kivera breathes out a sigh under her breath as she gets up to leave.

“So no, I’m leaving.” She could be anywhere else, she itched to stretch her wings.

“We’re not done.” Thancred chases after her, Kivera speeds up to get out the door faster. The others who had things to do in a day followed her out. Leaving the bickering behind.

Stepping out into Mor Dhona, Kivera sees the gloom over head and sighs seeing how late it actually is.

“Kivera, I know you don’t like these meetings, but they must be held.” Thancred approaches her from behind, she casts a stare over her shoulder.

“You’ll have another ten of them before we get to Sharlaya, I know. There isn’t much to be done until we approach that continent. So why not spare the busy ones with the idleness. You almost had Aymeric bored to tears in there.” Kivera folds her arms as she faces Thancred, the knight in question glances over as he makes his way to head home. Mouthing a quick “thank you” to her.

Kivera waves Aymeric off quickly while she has Thancred distracted. Kivera soon turns on her heel to leave Thancred, under her foot she leaves a little spell behind. Thancred sees her walking away again, then follows after her, only to be tripped by something. He looks down to see a vine had wrapped around his foot. He glares at Kivera who looks at him as she smirks.

“Stumbling over yourself now? You must be tired, why not go relax, like the rest of us want to do.” Kivera sees his bewilderment at her using an earth element on him.

“I thought you only knew fire and ice, then destruction.” Kivera humors him.

“With destruction, you must also know how to give life. My mentor was very firm about what I learned.” Kivera crouches down to Thancred and pats his head.

“Go relax before you catch your death from stress. We all could use a break.”  She says before she walks off, letting the vine retreat back into the ground freeing him.

She chose a less powerful spell to bother him with, but to knock him down a few pegs. Thancred follows after her, as she rounds a corner, when he reaches the same spot she had vanished. He resigns himself to her words and heads back to find his friends.

Kivera looks down from her spot, just above where Thancred was, arms folded and shaking her head.

“You’re more elusive than normal.” Kivera looks to see Alphinaud, she had just gotten away from one scion only for another to pop up. She needs to work on her escapes.

“Can you blame me when all they talk about is diplomacy? What is proper, what magic should and shouldn’t be used?” The reaper doesn’t mind Alphinaud, she straightens and regards him with a gentler look from her eyes. 

“You could change the subject anytime in there you know.” Alphinaud points out, and Kivera returns her stare down towards the busy little settlement. Thancred returning back to the group, she spies G’raha Tia, she owes him for his side jab on her.

“That would mean engaging in talk I don’t want to and keeping conversation from circling back. I’m afraid if I ever get Urianger talking we’d be there for two days.” Kivera makes a face at the idea of exchanging with the elezen in anything beyond just work related to her. She isn’t blind to Urianger poking about her being. 

“Got me there, but can’t blame him when you are still a mystery to alot of us.”

“I intend it that way. Anyway I think I had enough prodding into my life or self for one day. Want to see something?” A hint of amusement to her voice, Alphinaud rarely hears her tone anything above serious.

“Sure, what do you want to show me?” Kivera waits for him to stand next to her and she points in the direction to G’raha, he’s curious now. Kivera has a look of mischief as she focuses energy into her fingers and sends a bolt of water to the back of the miqo’te’s head. G’raha looks around and rubs his head wondering what hit him. 

Alphinaud sees Kivera grin when her magic goes unnoticed, and he sees her sweep her fingers down creating a little wind to knock G’raha down. Kivera ducks down behind the wall when G’raha looks their way, Alphinaud almost gives them away if the reaper didn’t pull him down by his braid. 

Alphinaud forgives her for pulling his hair, then watches as she observes the red haired miqo, looking for another opportunity to use an element on him. Kivera sees one, and Alphinaud sees one of her abilities in her hand slipping into the ground sending a surge into it, vines like the one she tripped Thancred with raise and G’raha is stumbling over himself.

“Forgive me, but why are you doing this to him?” Kivera eyes him.

“No reason other than a little bored and he is a nice target for it. I’ll leave him be now.” She waves her hand to dismiss her magic. 

Alphinaud had seen her use countless spells, all with a breath or not even a murmur from her tongue. He wonders if he would accomplish that, use a spell with only a thought.

“How did you learn to do all that?” 

“I can’t tell you that.” She cuts him off, a little sad.

“It’s from another world. and you’re better off not knowing it.” Kivera turns away, she bides her time till it is time for Estinien to come grab her. She entertains the lalafellen children that are in Mor Dhona with light spells, demonstrating how spells are beautiful in dazzling light. 

Soon enough she is collected for home, choosing to wait for her two loved ones rather than flying off. Taking respite in the comfort of them rather than hiding away.

She leans on Shuri, giving her loving nuzzles to her horns.

The greatest spell she has fallen under has been love.

[inviouswriting]

A Fall - Kivera

Characters - Shuri/Lilith belong to @snow-covered-moon​ while Kivera and Divinity are mine.

Kinda a theme I write alot is fallens. My reaper is one. So thought about writing it.

Touches on themes of insecurities, hints of other things for Kivera’s past. Death and mourning. Along with grief and all that goes with it. Some fluff at the end.

Kivera can recall any event that has happened to her, any event she has attended, witnessed or it was recorded in a book. The one memory that haunts her is her fall. She remembers how her wings use to be pure white, why she doesn’t like others touching her left wing is it is the only pure thing about her.

Pristine, the shimmer of gold among the feathers, she use to have six of them. Kivera remembers when things were simpler, all she had to do was get up and guard a gate. She would fly around the heavens, taking in the splendor of colors, she remembers her first flight. How it felt so freeing. 

Then she fell in love, and that changed everything about her. A choice she would make again and again. She does not see anything wrong with her choice. It brought her so much more than what she could even dream, nightmares and terror all.

How she strived to get her wings back even as a demon.. even with her tarnished status as a fallen angel. She wears it proudly now, that even a creature like her can rise to ranks in another way. She had delivered retribution even on her murderer. She chased the love she sought freely, and it was reciprocated until Damien defended her.

She would never forgive him for that, she can’t forgive him. She would have been fine from the attack Vanth used. She would have been able to heal, instead he let himself get caught, and worse Vanth tried to use him as his next host. A ritual that failed.

Kivera made sure to reduce Damien’s body to ashes after his death, while she had taken his life. She remembers that like it happened hours ago. Yet it was necessary, in a twist of fate. She doesn’t remember much after that, her memories are fuzzy, she only remembers Divinity embracing her and holding her after the rage subsided, after her awakening. What stood of the area Vanth had made for himself was nothing but a smoldering crater. 

Kivera had asked Divinity what did she do, but stopped when she saw the look of terror in her eyes, in each of the spirits she helped. Parn and Killian only looked away, while Aiden looked down. None of them wanted to remember the scream she had made, or the pain she went through. 

She didn’t learn of the magnitude of her wrath till Kronos showed her. When she pleaded to spare Damien, to bring him back from death. Breaking one of the three taboos in the underworld. The first since she had broken her vows above. 

Every memory she had flitted before her very eyes, like a flipbook she couldn’t look away from. She saw the fight she had with Vanth. How she devastated him, and further destroyed the very realm he had created for himself. All she could think was...

“good riddance..” The third event she never regretted. She doesn’t regret the manner in how she died as a human, her fall, or what was the catalyst of her spirit awakening. Zodiac spirits are born from tragedy. Every Greek tale speaks them of tragedy, hers as Scorpio especially hard as the sign of death. Her entire existence is life, death, rebirth.. transformation.

So she stands there watching Shuri embrace her former self, the missing half of herself. Lilith. She always found it interesting that the name is of a fallen angel too. Maybe that was a secret draw to Shuri, what made her so special to Kivera. She has always been aware of her lacking a soul, how she had been created and not “born” naturally.

Kivera doesn’t see a difference in being born, though in another time she would have killed her creators. For blood magic that creates unlife is a taboo in her domain. Yet it was different in this case, they did not use the souls of the dead. What keeps her from carrying out that hidden order.

How dutiful she is even to the underworld. Her former habits as an angel. Yet if she was ordered to, she would destroy the star that is The Source without hesitation. She learned what hesitating does. It equals things you wish you never knew. 

She saw the beasts that plagued Amaurot, she was glad to end them all in her destruction and hopes they never resurface as nothing but a memory. She despised that worm creature, it was the most offensive to her eyes.

Kivera closes her eyes and remembers the events of her fall, how she came back, knowing she would be thrown out. She sought mercy. She had kneeled and bowed her head, she had pleaded for them to forgive her. 

She was never forgiven, at least not the angel that ordered the way she was thrown out. She recalls the burn in her right wing, the stain and scar of black feathers, she shoved them before they touched her left, it made her lose her footing on the edge. 

She fell backwards, she couldn’t fly once it began, a fallens wings are paralyzed till they land. She was glad that the last sight of the heavens she had was calming, she accepted her fate then. How she has constantly accepted her fate. Where she understands the warrior of lights, and Kiya, Hecate. 

Hecate had the same expression she did when she extended her hand to end her life. She just accepted her fate. 

Where she fell was through another gate, into the Underworld, and into Styx. Many scorn the goddess, yet she was merciful on Kivera. Keeping her a float as she drowned in waters from Styx and Cocytus. She was fished out by the underworld lord himself Hades. 

She scoffs at the name that Emet had. He was no where near the level of god that the true Hades is, or how merciful he actually is. 

“It’s Persephone people need to pay more tribute to.” She muses aloud, the first sound of her voice since Shuri’s soul was completed. Divinity eyes her, seeing Kivera’s eyes closed, she frowns a bit knowing what she is thinking of. She leaves her alone to travel through her mind.

Kivera had been collected out of the river, to be placed in a boat for a field to go through the process of judgement. The rest of her memories are painful with the way The Fates had intervened with that, they knew what her path was, and how none of them could intervene what the stars ordain. She had to endure Hell. 

Kivera rubs at her shoulders where she still feels the fire of when her wings were torn off her back. Or how the last sight she had, was snarling hatefilled human souls as they gouged her eyes. How dare something so pristine as an angel be allowed in Hell.

She remembers darkness and pains she wishes she can forget. It thuds in her mind as dull of an ache as much as listening to Thancred talk about noble rightness. A thief talking about righteousness is absurd to the angel.

Kivera feels a warmth on her lap, this breaks her reverie, her eyes open and she is greeted to Shuri and Divinity resting their heads equally on Kivera’s lap. 

“You three.” She acknowledges the other within Shuri, if she made her happy and complete. She didn’t have anything against her. She reserves her judgements on actions over existence. If there was a judgement on existence she is the worse offender out there.

A scoff comes from her at the way she was offered redemption, able to return to her former position after she had become a powerful being. Something feared, enough to leave gods in other domains and realms in ashes.

The temporary form of the miqo’te she chose, it will one day fade and she will have to uphold her role. She just hopes and for the first time in ages prays that she never has to claim her beloved ones. She can never tell them when they’ll die, or how they die.

She knew Damien’s. She had tried to prevent his, she fought so hard against Aiden and Killian to reach Damien before Vanth had stabbed his side. Divinity couldn’t cross the circle, she would have been another catalyst to the spell. She was held down too by Beatrice and Daphne. Saying she would kill all of them if she ran to Kivera.

Kivera cards her fingers through Divinity’s hair and Shuri’s. Something both of them do for her endlessly, They’re kittens compared to a lion. Shuri... more of a wildcat. She’s seen her ferocity when she fought hard against Innocence, and Hades.

Divinity, she knows way before this world, a different world and different time. How could anyone forget the Salem Witch Trials. Orchestrated by Vanth, Kivera takes her hands off Shuri and Divinity’s head to prevent scratching as she curls her hands. 

When she begins her memories even she can’t stop them from flowing through her mind once they begin. It’s why she stares hard at those she shares them with. She watches for any recoil in disgust that someone has for her. Those in the past to her, that have failed it. She has seen them recoil at her fall and descent in Hell. She couldn’t blame them, but it also meant they would not be able to see her as anything more than a “fallen.” Instead of the greatness she became.

Pride is much her vice, as much as wrath. Wrath more... there is nothing more fearsome inducing than an angel’s wrath. And one who has nothing to lose earns more respect. They become greater protectors of realms.

Protectors. Her mind drifts to Ardbert, and Estinien. She laughs a little from Estinien, she remembers full how she met the dragoon. She had knocked him off a rooftop when he chased after her, after pursuing a relationship with Divinity. He had come close to losing his head, even he remembers her pinning him to a rock wall by the end of her scythe. He looks back on it amused as most of the women in his life has threatened to kill him, or almost has killed him. 

Yet he treated her no different than a normal individual, even if Kivera is death itself. She only warned him to never do something that harms or causes the death of Divinity. Or she will make his life a living hell. He still doesn’t understand the importance within Divinity’s being. What she is, who she is. She kept it that way on purpose.

The same with Ardbert when he was around. Still is around, but in a different way. He had gotten too close to her, questioned her motives, he infuriated Kivera to no end. They fought hard against each other once to spare G’raha Tia’s life from Kivera nearly killing him. Ardbert had spoken to him after that to never anger her again. A warning he took serious with the damage they had done to Mor Dhona’s debris of airships. He remembers her scythe cutting clean through some of the metals. Like it was wet paper to her. 

It was a first for alot of them, to understand Kivera can turn on them. She will if she is made to. Another disgrace is her being Vanth’s puppet once, enslaved to attack others.

Ardbert had been on the receiving end of many of her beatings. He sparred with her so much he had learned the names of her attacks. How when she uses her incantations she sings them, if he was still among them he’d say how haunting her voice is. It lures, it is hypnotic.

In those thoughts for Kivera, she solely thinks about Shuri and Ysayle. How both have to live without Ardbert, she could easily arrange for her to see him. Yet she wonders how her progress would be if she allowed it. It would be another taboo for her. To pull his soul and place it in her world. Would Shuri scorn her for something she could do at anytime. She doesn’t offer the idea because it means a sacrifice for Shuri. And Kivera’s track record was not the best when it comes to bargaining souls. Kronos is cruel. He will take what she values most if she is not specific with her request. Memories, soul and body intact. That alone meant a major piece of her would go missing. Kronos would take Estinien as payment. Another who was suppose to have died but was spared through fate.

Kivera doesn’t tell Shuri about this for everyones sake. Even if it came down to it, she believes her to not choose that path after seeing what it did to Kivera and Damien. How every single memory, and tie Damien had to her was erased. He doesn’t even recognize her existence. He only sees a shade whenever she is around him. 

Her mind drifts back to her fall. The last thing she remembers saying to them.

“I’m sorry. I choose love.” The phrase falls from her even now.

“I chose love.” It had angered Azrael, Gabriel understood and so did Michael. Yet Azrael acted on his own, when she was dismissed to await their judgement on her sins. Azrael was her guardian, she answered to him, she had “just” been made an arcangel before she laid with a demon. A great sin among angels was being intimate with a demon. 

“We know you chose love.” Shuri’s voice cuts through her fog, breaking her free of her memories and them running through them.

Kivera smiles opening her eyes a bright gold towards both of them.

“Thank you for all this time together.” Kivera says a little breathily, as if almost sighed.

“You’re not leaving are you?” Shuri panics at that phrasing, usually said by someone who might leave her. 

“No.. no. I am just elated I’ve reached a point where I am grateful for all this time shared. I have no intentions of leaving unless you’ve had enough of me hanging around.” Kivera reassures her. She would not leave unless it is the last breath she takes. She doesn’t think she could face Estinien again if she was the cause of her death. Taking her life, she could do that to end her suffering. But never do it if it is unwarranted.

“Good.. what are you thinking about?” Kivera frowns at the question. She had been so deep in her thoughts she realizes it has gotten late. 

“Memories.” Kivera says quietly, Divinity already knew, she has seen Kivera with that expression before. When she reflects and thinks no one is watching her. 

“Which ones? From how pained your face has been.. we’ve been worried.” Shuri points out that she had expressions of pain when she dove into her mind.

“My fall, my descent. The events that lead up to here.” There is no scolding. Only further embraces by both. Neither are in pity or feeling sorry. They understood the pains. What it meant to lose so much. Shuri lost her very identity and mind. Divinity lost her life and father.

“I wonder... sometimes I want to know what both of you see in a stained being like me?” She doesn’t miss the way Shuri’s nose wrinkles at her words, or Divinity narrowing her eyes.

“You know why. and if you call yourself stained again, I will hit you.” Kivera eyes Divinity. Kivera has only felt her hit her once, and the woman uses holy behind her slaps to make her feel it. Otherwise it doesn’t faze her and she shrugs it off as nothing.

“Even stained beings are worthy of love. The same reason others still love Estinien. Some are still scared of him, some are still scared of me, and scions were terrified of Kiya when she almost became a lightwarden. You said it once yourself how our pasts don’t define what we do now. If you say that as true, why do you cling to yours like it matters now what we think of you?” Kivera feels a chord struck in her. She did say that once.

She said it to Ardbert. When he questioned her motives about life and death as her role. That the things he had done in his past do not define what he does then and there.

Kivera ruffles Shuri’s hair till it is messed up.

“A cheeky bastard has told you alot hasn’t he?” One of her hands is caught and bitten for messing up the snow white hair. She had ruffled enough and Kivera feels those fangs for it.

“He didn’t say anything, I felt it. I felt the reason he too had started to love you. You looked pass his weaknesses and made them a strength. So.. you should do the same thing.. Look at your weaknesses as strengths. For all the pains you endured... look what you have gained.” Kivera’s eyes change to a brief blue then back to their brighter green they usually are. Green is the color of life. The color also is the very color she had been born with. Bright vibrant green, a reason she was selected by Bathory. Who also had green eyes.

Kivera feels a sting in her face, and snaps her attention to Divinity, her hand shimmers with white off it. Kivera touches her face and winces from her using the attribute.

“Don’t dwell on that one. I saw your eyes dim down. She doesn’t exist remember?” Shuri a little shocked from the slap.

“Bathory.” Divinity says, Shuri only saw memories of her enough to know what she does. What she did. To six-hundred women. Kivera being one of them. 

Kiva Siverstein age eighteen, died after running away from a grand party the countess held in celebration of her birthday, to be used in one of her rituals for her blood. What started her path and trickle in fate. The method she used, Elizabeth beheaded her after Kivera enraged her. She had fought every step of the way to escape. When she realized she would die she called her every single foul and form of ugly she could manage.

Through all the memories Shuri had seen, the one that stood out was Kivera’s fall. How she was shunned for something she believed in, for who she loved. It was the same as Shiva and Hraesvelgr. Those who chose love even when they knew the repercussions. Kivera knew what would happen but chose to fall in love anyway. Just as she does now. 

Shuri is drawn out of her thoughts by Kivera’s eyes, they seem to glow under the fading light. Ethereal, was that part of her being or her abilities. It is her. The soft glow was something left over from her former being.

“Thank you Divinity, but you didn’t need to use holy. That hurts. I should use unholy on you the next time you need a slap. Show you how it feels.” Kivera glares orange at Divinity.

“Maybe you should, it lets me know you love me enough to inflict pain to break me out of madness.” Kivera’s tail puffs up at this, and Shuri sees pink irises. She decides to help Kivera up and they start heading inside. 

“You both are loved so much. I know Kivera, it will take a while to accept Lilith. I hope you come to love her as equal she is to me.” Kivera nods to this, and smiles soft.

“Of course. You accept all the imperfections within me, and she makes you happy and complete. Just know.. I draw the line at blood magic and summonings.” 

“I know. Hopefully nothing comes down to that.” Kivera leans down and presses her face to Shuri’s giving her a full kiss. She backs the auri up to the wall behind her to kiss her more fierce. A promise for later, when she lets her down she can see the fire in her mismatched eyes.

“How fast do you think we can get all the young ones to sleep?” Kivera sways her waist against Shuri’s.

“You’re playing unfair!”

“Am I? You know how unfair I can truly get.” A promise she keeps. Kivera goes to take a bath, to allow Shuri and Divinity the time they need to calm children for sleep.

[inviouswriting]

Come With Me.

Pairing for Kivera and Shuri.

Shuri belonging to @maiden-born-in-snow​ 

Kivera belongs to me.

Something that popped into my head. And well here is the result.

“Let me show you a different side of my abilities.” Kivera had said it on a whim, half serious, half playful. She didn’t think anything of it, and before she really wanted to wait. She had dragged Shuri with her to Camp Bronze Lake. The people had gotten use to her taking over for Kiya, and don’t think much of the reaper as what she is, unless she uses her abilities.

Such abilities she had wanted others to understand the nature more than fear it. She is a force, but one with non destructive power as well as what she has showcased to many, different realms, faces, those she had used her power directly on, and those who witnesses her destructiveness.

Kivera briefed the guards at the camp about what she was going to do. 

“A spirit release? As long as you are not making romps, parading nude, or destroying the spring. I can careless what you do.” Kivera remembers that these folks on La Noscea are less likely to care about a little light show. She shakes her head with the permission given to them, and begin to wait with Shuri for nightfall.

“You sometimes do this? Free trapped spirits?” Shuri sits next to Kivera at the center stone watching over the waterscape. Kivera turns her head enough and lowers her eyes.

“It’s something I’ve done ever since I gained the ability. The first place I did this to, was where I had died.” Kivera’s hands wring the end of her skirt at mentioning her former life. Shuri has seen the less elegant side in that day she showed the auri her memories. The ones she had hidden from the first time. The details of her death and descent into Hell itself.

“I think it is admirable to release them then, you know what it means to suffer greatly..” Shuri takes a hand from wrinkling the borrowed dress from Kiya. Reminding her that the clothes are not hers. While she assumes similar appearances. There was a great difference between Kiya and Kivera.

Kivera had a darker complexion than her successor, lighter eyes, and wore her hair up in a complicated way compared to Kiya’s simple styles and more noble appearance. Lighter tanned skin and darker green eyes. 

They had the same sizes, but wore their styles different. Shuri had gotten Kivera to wear more light colors, while Kivera got Shuri into darker tones here and there. Resembling light and darkness well.

“It was the least I could do for all the girls who were used in that tyrant’s ritual.” Kivera feels a squeeze on her hand.

“Remember why we’re here? I don’t think anger will help draw them to us. We can talk about it more alone if you still feel that way.” Kivera nods and moves closer.

“Aye, I’m sorry.” Kivera looks over one of the lanterns she had helped make for this occasion. A conduit for spirits to travel the planes from this world to the spirit and underworld.

“Don’t be sorry, you have every reason to feel those emotions.” Shuri opens one of the lanterns and with Kivera’s flames helps get them floating, waiting for the time to be right.

Kivera takes up Shuri’s hands and has her focus their aether together, to create a full beacon for wandering and restless souls. Drawn to the light, what feels like warmth they hadn’t felt in how long they’ve been dead. As they approach they are manifested into orbs and filling the lanterns giving them more lift.

Shuri steals a glance to Kivera, seeing her looking more peaceful than she has seen her in a while. Kivera had seen Shuri’s hair loose, and decided through touching her hand she weaves it into a neat braid. Kivera’s hand on Shuri’s reminded the reaper of a time when Divinity did the same thing. Held her hand, or how she held the Libra’s hand a long time ago on a pyre.

Kivera grips Shuri’s hand a bit tighter as her memories run wild with things she had lived. Shuri squeezes the hand back to ground Kivera there. They focus together till they gathered enough spirits for the transfer. Any who lost the chance will be collected another time.

Kivera releases the lanterns and lets them float off into the air, away from them letting them disappear into the spirit world itself. Shuri feels Kivera draw her in closer, as she felt tears run down her face, she was wondering why when she was not crying, only to feel a forehead pressed to her own. They weren’t her tears, they were Kivera’s.

They kneel down together and Kivera lets the emotions of the released spirits run through her. The tears she shed are not hers either. They belonged to the spirits they just released from the realm. Shuri would have been concerned if she hadn’t seen them before off her. 

Kivera glances upwards as the last lantern leaves through the gate she opened. She then drifts back to Shuri and presses her head to hers again. 

“We can do this again in other locations?” Shuri’s mismatched eyes find Kivera’s yellow eyes in question. 

“Yes. Do you have one in mind?”

“I do.” Kivera understands there is one in particular she would want to do this for. One they both loved. 

“Ardbert.” The star spirit gains a nod.

“We can do than then. Might enable him to return to us.” They hoped for that scenario. Kivera misses the wisecracks back and forth. The gentleness he had made her remember that she could be soft.

Kivera had a secret to share. She wanted to share it with all the ones she loved. Not just a few, more important she wondered how they’d take it.

“We should tell Estinien then about that plan so he can take care of all the children with Divinity.” Kivera stands with Shuri, starting to wander towards the inn of the resort area. 

“We should. After a soak here though.” Kivera nods in agreement.

[inviouswriting]

Fear The Reaper

Between mine and Shuri’s polyship and piggybacking off an idea she started for Shuri returning to the frontline.

Shuri belongs to @maiden-born-in-snow​

Kivera had heard the reports from Estinien first hand, about how those that entered the towers came back almost mindless and attacked their own. Something stirred within the normally docile creature. She had seen the aftermath of the scion’s after their return from Ala Mhigo.

She had made a trip first to Ishgard and pointedly threatened Aymeric to never let Kiya into the battle beyond this point. To enjoy being a mother and smaller things. When she had returned home, she had seen Shuri staring at armor she had been given. Coming to terms with herself of returning to the demand of the Scion’s something she was sure she never wanted again.

Kivera had taken Divinity aside, and spoke with her about assuming the mother role for a while for the children in the house.

“What do you plan to do?” Divinity asks, hugging Freya to herself watching her leader hold out her scythe, a transformation spell glows at the reapers feet. Divinity always enjoys these spells when her leader takes on her own image in worlds. Kivera taps her scythe to the bottom of a foot, and it changes from her scythe to a crystal staff. One that Kiya had used for a while before she hung her mantle.

“You should know by now what I plan to do. Only my best.” Divinity is greeted to Kivera looking more herself, but held back with some binding runes until she should need stronger magic. Freya content with seeing magic because of all the lights. 

“That look suits you.” Divinity compliments, seeing her leader take on a darker complexion than what she was use to, hair up in a abanian fashion, and the clothes she snatched from Kiya’s home from the Scion’s. 

“Thank you.” Kivera looks over the pants and boots with a frown and with a glimmer of light she alters them to something from the First. Warg pants and boots that complimented the outfit. She kneels down to give Freya a nuzzle with her own face.

“Take care of Shuri’s precious souls. Divinity. Guard them with your life. I may summon Parn here to help if you need it.” Divinity nods in the chance of having more help given to her. Once kivera got her fill of Freya petting the top of her head. She bids them goodbye and makes a travel out to Mor Dhona.

Kivera doesn’t waste her time meandering in Mor Dhona, she notes some of the curious faces looking at her. She doesn’t pay them attention, in favor of the Rising Stone’s door within the tavern. She ignores a startled voice from the keeper saying she needs to have an appointment with the scion’s before wandering in. 

Inside she is greeted to several on alert from her entry. Kivera notes a few familiar faces from Shuri interacting with Alphinaud and Alisaie. Tataru and Krile she knew from Aymeric’s visits, and Y’shtola and Thancred. The ones that stood out to her were G’raha Tia, and Cid. The ones she had pointedly held up at one point by the end of her blade for interfering with time and soul magic. 

Those two shrink back knowing her visit didn’t bode well for perhaps their health. She sees and sizes up each of the scion members, something she does regardless of who they are. If they choose to be hostile towards her. She doubted they would turn away help with Kiya out of the spotlight, and Shuri contemplating her roles.

“Who are you, I don’t think we have met.” Krile speaks up, and Kivera looks to her.

“Kivera. You can call me that. I am normally around Shuri and Estinien. I’m sure you two remember me.” She glances over to the twins. Her irises flickering between amused yellow and brighter green. The twins take a moment to recall her, then realize who and what they’re talking to.

“Forgive me, but why are you here then? You made it clear of your lack of interest in... mortal engagements.” Alisaie comments, Alphinaud looking at his sister for her words.

“Well, if that is how I am going to be received for my generous offer of helping you sad suicidal fools. I may just collect your souls now and be done with it. Save the trouble of hunting each of you down when your on your last breaths.” Kivera has a wicked grin to her, Thancred on defensive of that statement.

“Help?” Alphinaud takes in the reaper’s clothes and realizes those were Kiya’s gifted ones. Down to the staff on her back.

“Forgive my sister. She holds unnecessary grudges sometimes. You’ve come to help us? With what?” Alphinaud ignores the expression Alisaie has directed at him, a scoffed glare.

“Estinien gave me the reports about the towers. As you are aware, Kiya has stepped out of the dangers of world saving. This place is special to Shuri, so here I am. Willingly offering my hand and magic to you all. Face reality, you need my help. Or I can go back and live comfortable in my lovers home. Only resurface when the world is burning.” Kivera looks at her hand as she speaks, clearly there to hear if they accept her help or not.

“We accept your help then!” G’raha Tia speaks up this time, before anyone else could question her methods of why she even wants to help. 

“I have a few... requirements then. So we get this out of the way from the start. You all may not ask me about my being, Where I am from, and all that pertains to the underworld. I will never answer them. Nor about the certain death you one day will have. If we are in agreement. Summon me for the next missions. Kiya has resigned after all. Let’s let her be happy.” She turns towards Cid and G’raha Tia.

“You two. Looks like we’ll be working together.” She further walks pass both of them in favor of learning the faces of the Scion members.

Kivera is approached by Thancred after a while, he had one more question for her.

“Kivera, was it? Why are you helping us? You made your stance clear from Alisaie’s report moons ago. What changed?” Kivera raises her hands to her face and looks him over.

“Shuri. She is the sole reason I am doing this. You can thank her when you see her.” Her answer leaves him with more questions. He’d have to accept that he might not get genuine answers out of her. 

As if on cue, the aura approaches them after deciding her own path of coming out.

Kivera offers a nod to her, Shuri having more nerve seeing her there. Giving her strength with her presence.

“ “ℑ 𝔯𝔢𝔱𝔲𝔯𝔫𝔢𝔡 𝔬𝔣 𝔪𝔶 𝔬𝔴𝔫 𝔠𝔥𝔬𝔦𝔠𝔢. 𝔜𝔬𝔲 𝔰𝔞𝔦𝔡 𝔶𝔬𝔲 𝔫𝔢𝔢𝔡𝔢𝔡 𝔪𝔶 𝔥𝔢𝔩𝔭, 𝔡𝔦𝔡 𝔶𝔬𝔲 𝔫𝔬𝔱? ” It is there, the scion’s realize why Kivera is among them. Not once for the them, but for her. She is keeping Shuri from death, from her own fate that she fears she will one day have to do.

Take another life she loves. She prays in her heart to her governing deities she never has to do again. Maybe this time, it would not turn out like Damien.

[inviouswriting]

Madness

Kivera centered. with polyship shown to it.

Cameo character from @snow-covered-moon​ ‘s Shuri. Ongoing story series of their interactions.

Mild warnings include - character death and talk, necromancers, and relation to a story dialogue in ARR and mild spoilers for Endwalker content.

Soul magic. Kivera hates it, she remembers the feel of it from Vanth. She recalls every single person she had ever come across afflicted by it at least once, unending madness to their eyes. She keeps a close eye over the interactions regarding the tempered, and those with specific instructions from the healers. She overlooks the slight “raises” from the conjurers and white mages.

What she doesn’t let slip are the ones who are too far gone, and gives them a swift and painless end. It is tedious work when one is brought to her. She had given those around her firm warnings that necromancy is forbidden. 

Shuri and Estinien left her, they worry over her, the far off stare the reaper has. The same one she had when she attacked G’raha Tia for tampering in her realm. She has grown to accept him, a necessary person to instruct the new ones.

Kivera still hates the set up, yet she understands them wanting to save so many from enthrallment. Green eyes flit to orange as she takes another life. A simple touch of her hand to theirs and they are gone, then carried off to their tribe or to be sent to their appropriate places to be handled. 

When did she become so docile, she lets heat run through her fingers letting the surge leech the life of the next ones. When another is set in front of her, she almost instinctively touches them, but something about them feels off. She hovers her hand, waiting for her to come to her own senses. She recognizes this feeling and scent.

“What did this one do before they were tempered...” She recognizes the appearance as a former Gridanian, but they were off to her.

“That one was brought back after they were found outside Tam-Tara. They have been wandering for a while. It’s a surprise they lasted this long. No one is sure what they did before they were tempered.” One of the Twin Adder’s answers her. 

Kivera observes the person. Orange eyes giving to red when she looks into their past. The scent of undead heavy on them, and the vacant expression like they had lost their world.

“Tam-Tara? Didn’t Shuri have to deal with someone trying to raise their loved one through necromancy there?” Kivera glances towards Thancred for an answer, he shrinks back seeing her eyes red.

“It was sealed off from that incident.” Alphinaud explains, as he looks up. A little unnerved by the demeanor change, Kivera keeps her hand off the soul in front of her.

“What of the books that were left behind, notes, the scryed and things left over from the psicodemon and Dantalion?” Her questions specific, she knows better than the rest does. That this person before her tampered with it. 

“We left it all buried in the chamber when we sealed it? Why are you asking so many questions about it, aren’t you just going to take their life?” Thancred questions her about why she is so interested.

“One more question, how long was this person missing before they were found.” The timeline, she needed it before she can determine the soul in front of her.

“About... three months ago? We were busy with Sharalayan and Thavnair around that time, so any minimal quests were done by freelance adventurers. What’s wrong? From what was gathered, they got tempered by something inside there. They’re too far gone to save.”  Kivera lowers her eyes to the clasped hands of the former conjurer. 

“Something is wrong. They’re not tempered. They performed soul and blood magic.” Kivera eases off her death touch, to tug apart the hands, seeing carvings of runes into the palms. Her own eyes hold sadness to them while blazed with red irises. 

Alphinaud catches on first and shrinks down from her stare when it lands on him. Kivera continues to search the person over, she finds a journal, when she touches it, the person seems to snap out of their vacant stare. They reach for it, and Kivera swats their hand off it.

“What’s in it?” Thancred approaches the reaper, her eyes glance over to him.

Kivera had wandered Tam-Tara following after a group of adventurers. It was there she first encountered Shuri, Kivera had watched her grieve for a former acquaintance driven to madness by the thought of going without their loved one. What she never expected was Shuri to change her views and become someone she changed fate for, breaking taboos and extending a world’s lifespan.

“Notes... laments... they went in there because of the rumors from Edda practicing a “miracle” there. They lost someone during the raid there, and instead of going through grief, they thought to use the books there to fix the problem.” Kivera flips through the translation book before she sets it in her lap catching it on fire in her hands.

The person before her tries to pry her hands off it, to keep the book from burning to ashes. While she watches the person touch the ends of the book and feel it slip away as ashes. 

“Aren’t they in pain?” Thancred rushes to the side now to pull them away from Kivera’s flames, when he touches their hands, he is surprised to not feel heat or see his own hands on fire the flames dance on his hands as a warning. He stares at Kivera who matches his stare with a solemn stare.

“Remember I am a master of my elements. I won’t harm anything I don’t intend to hurt.” Ruby eyes dim down to amber, yet one side of her sclera tints black in warning to Thancred for doing that.

“They still have a chance of reasoning.” 

“No, they don’t. Their mind is too far gone to madness. I just want you all to see this. A price and reason why I am against this kind of magic. While you all play hero and use similar magicks for curing tempered souls. There is one other side that is still unforgiveable. It marks them, it makes them unable to accept even their own deaths. They become parasites in the spirit realm. You’ve yet to see the horrors I see as normal.” Kivera would have dispersed their soul without hesitation, yet right here she wants everyone in her vicinity to witness the aftermath of it.

“So you’re prolonging their end for a point?” Thancred sees a flash of red again. 

“Mind that tongue of yours, you are still in the presence of an underworld being. I am bound to my role, and what I can and cannot touch. This soul has tampered in necromancy. You know. The most forbidden magic. The magic I myself have been exposed to and used on. The very magic that gave birth to that lich I speak of. The laws of the Underworld are specific when regarding a soul who held these rituals, judging by their reaction... they were unsuccessful to the date when they were found. Chances are, they would have kept going.” Kivera picks up the bags that were found with the person and dumps the contents out at her feet.

More scrolls and tomes spill out, her eyes regard it with a sigh. 

“What do you intend to do then?” Thancred has heard half of her story loose from Shuri and Estinien. Both said the same thing. That Kivera will tell them herself if she thinks it is important enough. Divinity gave them a stern warning that the reaper does things with reasons behind them. She wanted to teach them a lesson.

“Their existence will be extinguished. They will not return to the ether, nothing of them will remain. It is the fate of all those who use this magic. The taboo they performed is a grave offense to the underworld, and as a result. We do not accept these souls. Hades himself and Thanatos are certain of this law. No good comes of trying to bring back what is dead.” Kivera feels eyes on her from the person, the gravity sinking in of what she said.

“I can’t be with the ones I lost?” Kivera’s attention is drawn to them.

“No. There are reasons the magic has severe ramifications. If you had stopped at one, it could have been forgiven.” The reaper recalls what was written in the notes of their failures exceeding thirty others. 

“But you sacrificed so many for your own selfish reasons, you trapped those souls into unwilling bodies.” Kivera snares their hand now, once reality settled in and she saw them moving to get away from her.

“I won’t perform the magic anymore.” Kivera’s eyes look over to Alphinaud and Thancred.

“Silence.” She snaps at both before they can reason with her. Thancred wanted to speak but finds his tongue dry and Alphinaud doesn’t attempt it. Her spell.

“You won’t perform the magic again. Indeed. I’m sorry.” She says last as she digs her nails into their hand using her touch to end their life, along with burning them to ashes. She does make it painless, the soul had suffered enough in their own head. The moment her hand had touched theirs they were gone.

Kivera looks at the soul in her hands now, she regards how it appears dark before she disperses it in her hands leaving nothing of it behind. The books, tomes and scrolls at her feet, she sets those on fire the same way minding not to scorch the wood beneath them.

“I’m done here for now. Go about your saving them. Remember my warnings, if you encounter another necromancer summon me.” Kivera says as she stands up letting the ashes dissipate under her feet.  She ensures nothing remained cleaning off and preventing the remains from floating around. She gathers them to spread them at Tam-Tara. 

Thancred feels the spell lift and chases after her. Kivera shakes her head hearing him follow her. In his chase of her, he doesn’t see or feel a vine snare his ankle tripping him. 

“What in the?” Thancred goes to untangle his foot giving her the opportunity to leave him. Kivera stretches her wings when she is outside but waits for one more minute letting them breathe. Thancred catches up to her.

“Kivera, you know you can trust us. We won’t make that mistake.” She looks at him.

“I know you won’t make that mistake, you already endured the magic from that blasted miqo’te with the First. Quagmire.” She folds her arms to regard him walking closer. She sinks a foot into the earth itself to cause a small ripple under his feet making him sink to his knees changing it.

“Why then do you shy away from us? You talk more to Alphinaud and Y’shtola than the rest of us. Urianger gets a few sentences out of you too.” Thancred begins to pull himself out of the ground while she hovers over it.

“It’s because they don’t question my motives and understand what I am and why I do things. If you beseech me for my role, expect my role to be carried out. If you question my motives every single time I’m around and don’t trust me, why would I extend trust where I have not earned it. I clearly do not have yours yet, since you keep interfering with what is my assigned role itself as my title as death. I did not have a choice when it was given to me. I merely carry it out. Alphinaud and his sister, Y’shtola, Urianger, and G’raha Tia have seen my memories. You haven’t. There is a reason for it. You do not accept my being. Until you do, you will be kept in the dark about what and why I am this way regarding soul magic.” Kivera begins to ascend higher, her eyes on him, to ensure he doesn’t follow her she snares him with vines again at his feet and hands to hold him in place.

“Let her go.” G’raha Tia waves Kivera off, letting her go carry out her mission for disposing of the ashes back in Tam-Tara. G’raha breathes a sigh of relief once she takes off and helps Thancred up.

“It would be wise of you to not challenge her every single time about morals. It took us ages to get her to warm up to us enough to fight along side our cause. I think we have asked enough of her. Lest you earn that scythe pointed at you for a change. I still recall the day she nearly took my head off. She reacts out of a place of pain from this subject.”  G’raha explains a little to it. 

“She knows I’m not a stranger, not with risking everything.” Thancred folds his arms trying to piece together more. He knows of her past and mentioning of a creature that used soul magic. But not the extent that everyone else has seen.

“You don’t trust her though. If you do trust her, you wouldn’t question her so much. That’s part of her very being. We asked her help to give rest to the ones that couldn’t be saved. We didn’t know that one practiced that magic. Otherwise we would have given them to someone else. She knows the intentions of spirits better than any of us. If that one would continue the practice, they would have caused more damage and be marked for death later.” G’raha tries his best to defend Kivera’s hand in her choices.

“It’s hard to trust someone who takes life so easily. Without it impacting her on the outside.” G’raha Tia looks up at the sound of other feet joining them. Kivera had brought Divinity with her, and heard some of the commotion. 

“It does impact her. More than she lets on. She knows every single name that is on her never-ending scroll, their faces, the way they died, she doesn’t forget them, the wealthy ones, the poverish, the deceitful, the blessed and kind-hearted ones. The old and young.” The spirit’s vision returns as she reduces her healing abilities, not needed for now, to replenish her mana and go home for the day.

“She’s hard on you because you remind her of one of ours. Aiden. He always challenged her methods and morals the same way. You two would even be friends with how you both rush into things. Kivera trusts you more than you know. If she didn’t, she wouldn’t have lingered longer.” G’raha watches the Libra spirit as she fixes her clothes, they wouldn’t have gotten through half the healing without her.

“You should chance on her one of these days in Ishgard, in the Brume. See what she does there. It might change your opinions on her. From the cold-hearted reaper you often see. Just don’t tell her I said anything. Small secret? She visits the Brume every evening while waiting for Shuri and Estinien. If you want to catch a side of her you don’t normally see.” 

Divinity is joined by Y’shtola and Krile for getting something together.

Thancred and G’raha are joined by Alphinaud after hearing the suggestion. They head towards Ishgard under the hint. When they catch up to the reaper, they observe her with a flute. 

Kivera plays a quiet melody on it, that brings children out in droves. As if they had been waiting on this all day. One of the few times they see her keep her wings out, and let them be touched. Kivera doesn’t mind their curious hands on the black and white feathers, even letting a few of them keep a feather to marvel at the serrated edges, her explaining how owls have the same kinds enables them to move so quiet. Even demonstrating with how quiet she is when she flaps them.

“Quite a sight isn’t it?” Thancred looks up to see Aymeric. 

“She does this every day for them. She lets them hang off her and fly around a few times, she plays songs, sings even.” Aymeric watches Kivera as she warms the young ones up for the evening, allowing them to cling to her for warmth.

“She does this every day?” Aymeric nods to their question. 

“Every day. Except when she was traveling with you. They understood why too.” Thancred sees Kiya in tow behind with Alyse barely walking with her. It is rare to see her now, with how she has stepped down from adventuring and world saving for the sake of the small family. He finally connects the reasons Kivera does things, is so others don’t have to suffer worse. The potential of death was too great for Kiya. Not for areas they needed Kivera’s hands. The reaper was right, the events in Sharlaya needed her more than Kiya. What with the atrocities of those driven to despair. Thancred realizes just how much Kivera’s expertise in the field was a godsend. She spared Kiya the horrors of seeing people eaten alive as they changed to monsters. 

“I owe her an apology. Can’t believe how selfless she really is.” 

“You’re only now realizing that?” Another voice behind them in Estinien, it was the time frame that they collect the reaper from indulging the young of Ishgard. 

“Shuri wouldn’t have loved her so much if she was selfish.” The auri under his arm leans in closer before going to meet Kivera and help soothe the lingering auri children with a familiar face to their own.  Kivera greets Shuri with a nuzzle to her horns. It is then she realized their is an audience this time. Three she huffs a little for.

“Forgive them.” Shuri draws her attention out to dance with her for the children. The group joins Kivera and Shuri, with the guys having small strength matches or racing around till they were tired out and called to their homes. Kivera leaves fire barrels lit with her magic to keep them burning longer.

Thancred leaves with G’raha and Alphinaud leaving the fallen angel to be with her loved ones. Estinien can feel something off with Kivera with her staring at the backs of them hard. A judging stare on their souls.

“What did you encounter?” Estinien asks once Aymeric with Kiya and Alyse leaves too.

“A necromancer. Like Edda. Someone mistook them for being tempered, and brought them to me since they were so unresponsive. Thought a death would be better.. they didn’t know.” Shuri’s expression dims at hearing Edda, remembering also the place where she first encountered Kivera. She had been glared at fiercely the same way she stared at the guys. As if warning not to go down the same path.

“That explains your lack of enthusiasm with the guys. They pestered you too?” Kivera nods, and he shakes his head.

“You should show Thancred soon then. He’s the only one you haven’t.” The reaper is lifted under one of his arms to prevent her from flying off. Shuri walks along side the side Kivera is on to take a hand.

“I am perfectly capable of walking. He doesn’t trust me yet. It goes both ways, it’s not that I don’t trust him, it’s he doesn’t accept me, and I can’t show clouded minds and expect them to understand what I show them.” Kivera folds her arms but lets Shuri take one hand.

“You are also capable of flying away when questioned like this. It’s been a while since we’ve been here, and rather you not avoid us at least.” Shuri notes, tugging some of Kivera’s hair to weave a braid into her bangs.

“I won’t fly off. You two make it tolerable. But I can’t promise to be kind on the next necromancer I come across. It’s bad enough to deal with certain ascians and those in Mor Dhona curing the tempered. Give me at least that.” Kivera folds her wings away, and marvels at how contrasted her dark skin is to both Shuri and Estinien’s are. Her tail behind her whips the back of Estinien’s thigh to let her down.

“You’ll be set down soon enough. It’s sunset here, indulge us.” They climb the stairs to Last Vigil. It is on the platform that she is finally set down, then guided to sit with both of them. Kivera allows herself to be pulled into Estinien’s lap, then Shuri follows being the smallest of them.

The sight over the abyss below was washed in gold and pink hues. Kivera likens the sight to one she remembers from Caelum, when she first took flight and soared high above the cloud space. How free she feels and is.

“It’s your turn for a reminder in how you don’t always have to act the way you do. Trust them a little more, even if they’re insufferable sometimes. We wouldn’t be here without them. Thancred isn’t terrible as he seems, just like you have had moments that shaped you, he has had them.” Kivera notes Shuri being colder than she should be and starts warming her up.

“He reminds me a little of someone. Stubborn, set in her ways, argumentive, and maybe a little pig-headed when it comes to reasoning, but underneath it knows when and where to drop it and accept others.” Estinien gets a jab in his side from Kivera.

“Call me pig-headed again... I promise you, I’ll make you suffer Urianger’s lectures. I’ll gladly tell him you want to have a long chat about Eorzea and Sharlayan history. I can tell him right now you can’t wait to talk tomorrow!” Kivera’s ears stick straight up, and she sees fear behind those blue eyes. Shuri laughs at both of them.

“You wouldn’t dare... subject me to that.” The gold in Kivera’s eyes hold her jest, and they settle to watch the horizon.

“Only if you call me pig-headed again. You know me to keep my promises. Or I can make you suffer in... another way.” Their banter enough to make Shuri roll to the side in her laughter.

“Like what?”

“Ameliance~ Even Shuri loves her. We could all sit together and chat.” That was all Estinien needed to tug Kivera back and pin her down.

“You do that to me, and I’ll ensure you unable to walk for three weeks.” Kivera reaches over to Shuri who slips in next to her.

“Sounds like fun to me. Shall we get started then?” Playful gold eyes accepts his undertones, and scoots closer to Shuri to be gathered up by their dragoon.

“You two are in for a tireless night then.” He collects them both to head to their home they acquired there in Ishgard.

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

“Shuri, he sounds so scary, you’ll help me take him on right?” Kivera exchanges looks with her, and sees the equally amused look.

“Of course I’ll help you.” Kivera leans in to give her a quick kiss, letting the day melt off to her now with her loved ones.

Kivera accepts them both easily, and is grateful Divinity chose this world to allow her to see again. She wouldn’t have met the ones who healed her a bit more.

Changed her very views for better.

[inviouswriting]

“I was once asked, why is it that I take life, why is it that I appear as an angel when I am nothing of an angel.”

“Truth of it is... I know what it is like to fear and despair in what was my last moments of life. The dying, shouldn’t feel fear in the afterlife. The pain is over, the spirits shouldn’t be reminded how cruel the world is.”

“Others have sought solace from a touch, from words, those who I have loved endlessly, those who I only knew briefly. I remember every single name across the endless scroll. For the gentle and scared. I don’t let them feel fear as they take my hand.”

 “For the cruel and horrid ones... They’re dealt with appropriately. But for those who have suffered their entire lives. They deserve kindness even afterwards. If I can at least give them that. Then so be that they go in peace.” 

“The one who loved and held her book until the end.”

“The one who held my hand as I took his last breath. Against my wishes.”

“The one who gave her sight to imprint my smile as the last thing she saw.”

“The ones who sought to change the fate of a dying star.”

“The one who gave her life for a family.”

“The scared one at the end who wanted to know the thoughts and happiness of at least one world.”

“The one who sought one last fight in a plain of nothingness.”

“All had their wishes fulfilled.”

“All they need to do is ask. And I shall do it.”

~Kivera~

[inviouswriting]

Reunion

Kivera and her universe centered a little. Mentions of polyship with @snow-covered-moon ‘s Shuri and including her character. Between Shuri and Lilith.

Lengthy! Been working on this for a few months now. This is an ongoing series I am writing. Starting at the beginning with Kiya and Aymeric’s stories. 

I had to split off before going into Ultima Thule. 

Spoilers for Endwalker content, if you have not gone through that expansion, are about to, please read with caution. While I’m vague, there are major key points in here. Also subject matter is heavy because that expansion is dark itself.

Thank you for those who have been following this original side story.

Kivera’s path in Elpis was different than Shuri’s, the angel was there to learn dynamis, while Shuri and Lilith were there to learn of their origins. Like Meteion, Lilith is an entelechy. Kivera did not intervene with the knowledge the two gained, she watched from the spiritual plain she was drifting after her time period caught up.

She had intentionally made her side a day faster than the time duration Shuri was in. So she could get through and wait for her to catch up. Observe her from the shadows of the spirit realm itself. She had no worries over her as she uncovered truths about herself. Kivera was watching for instability. 

Kivera sees a web of tethers, always seeing them, how different lives have thinner closer to death, or stronger when they’re full of life. How she knows when a life has truly been fulfilled. She thinks back to the many she rend in Etheryis, just like another world she knows.

For Shuri, the events she witnesses are identical to the ones she went through. Meeting Meteion, meeting Hermes, Emet, Venat, and Hythlodaeus. A time loop that Kivera experienced herself, and now watches it unfold up to the point where Meteion converges with her sisters to tell the fate of the distant stars. 

Kivera watched with pain in her own eyes at how the color drained from Meteion. Leaving a bleak and grim face filled with pure despair. An emotion she is familiar with, and faces on the normal with her nature of being. 

The chase after Meteion as she fled to the end of space and time itself. Shuri being sent through the confluence she herself went through in haste to not have her memories wiped out. 

Kivera waits for Shuri to be returned to the gate they arrived in, where they both will be returned to the same time point. After Venat separates from Shuri and the auri is through the gate to head back to the one they entered together does Shuri finally see Kivera. As if breathing air their points are together. 

“You’ve your answers I take?” The same whirlwind of emotions Kivera had are reflected within Shuri and Lilith. Mismatched eyes meet green, Kivera offers her hand to her again to take her back. 

“I do. Let’s head back home.” Kivera’s eyes flit between purple then back to green when her hand is taken.

There is nothing else they need to say as they step through and drift back to their current time points. Letting memories they both know flood them. Seeing what led Venat to become Hydaelyn, the staggering walks and parallels of going towards Emet that day in the First. For Shuri, driven by Ardbert, for Kivera her own will. She recalls her position that day to stand to the side and let the events play out.

Shuri sees directly from Kivera’s eyes as she offers her hand to Hecate and leeches her life while giving her own essence to the woman who just wanted to find love. How she saw a world plagued by beasts and diseased with warring deities. Where she cleansed it to become the Etheryis they know now. 

Kivera can feel the anger within Lilith digging into her hand at rewatching the death of Lucifer and herself. Almost clawing into the hand that holds her steady. Kivera having a hand in everyone’s death that day. It was a world that ended and split one star into fourteen. Each having their own life and each having their own fate. 

The arrival back in the ocular was spent in mild silence. Kivera knows they have to separate again, for a while. Kivera to Garlemald, and Shuri to Thavnair to lend her hand there. It is brief for them to spend any time together. Kivera has more power to lend in Garlemald while Shuri is best aiding with Divinity. Where the rest of their family would be.

Kivera gives Shuri one of her bells, and a full embrace. The reaper uses her second sight to look at her tethers to the world. Vibrant and full but frayed at the edges. One wrong move was all it takes.

“Only ring that if it is dire. I’ll hear it anywhere, each of my circle has one. It summons me. We’ll meet up again in Sharlayan.” Kivera gives her enough to know they’ll see each other again. Outside they split their paths, Kivera instantly going to where she is needed, hearing a faint ping from Aiden’s bell. 

He rarely rings it, and it would be a little bit before she meets up. The escort mission in Garlemald becoming a bad choice in the end. The reaper didn’t need to see the tethers to know how many severed, and how many were lost. She followed the path and where she can feel Aiden and Killian lending their hand to fight off those that turned.

The pace she uses is slower and reverent, making peace with her choice to help them. Steeled from her visit to Elpis, if she had resolved herself to let the star go, she would never had helped earlier.

Green eyes watch the clash of swords and spears against hands and mouths. At her feet she lets small pulses of fire, enough to ruffle the snow under her feet and race towards beasts but not scorch the ground underneath. The beasts too far gone to be saved, they’re only touched by the flame before they dissipate as if they were never there.

Killian is first to see her, and nudges Aiden. They exchange looks and begin to stand back from the circle they entered. The rest of the group sees her, and breathe sighs of relief at her showing up.

“About time.” Kivera stops by Killian and Aiden. 

“I thought you could manage without me.” She teases Aiden a little.

“This end of the world stuff is all yours. Not mine. I rather you know, not be in worlds about to burn. Find your answers?” Kivera nods and amused amber eyes light up.

“More questions, but I have some of my answers. How many are left?” Kivera looks on to see a group, where she feels at least one of hers, Estinien nearby tending to other beasts. 

“Just this group and the ones the other scions have right now. I think they need you more than us here. You took care of the worse one.” Aiden joins Killian again, ending the small reunion between her and her spirits. Kivera closes her eyes, letting a wave of emotions run through her. She keeps herself composed noting that no one she cares for is in dire danger or injured.

“I guess it is time then. Bring end to the restless.” She sees the beasts close to lich monsters. Ones devoid of any will of their own, just merely acting. There were no longer souls to collect in the field save for the few who were just devoured. Her hands work as she walks closer to her group, the one that needs her. Burning off threads in front of her with a sweep of her hand. It looks like she walks through spider webs.

Kivera weaves these threads in her hands looking for ones fading and rotting. She runs the end of Antares along them, severing them as she determines which were saved, which are beyond saving, and those who wither away like dust when she touches them.

A scene that awaits her is one she was anticipating. G’raha and Alisaie in a circle, the latter with a wound to her side. Estinien sees her first, he’s met with a quick flash of purple before they settle to green. Vibrant in life like herself. 

“Hmm... funny how that doesn’t look like you have things handled, Alisaie.” Kivera chides, playful earning a quick glare from her.

“I can look after myself you know!” Kivera’s eyes light up gold in her amusement. 

“So.. you don’t need my help then.” She fixes Antares in her hand, from the two hand-scythes she had been using to her weapons full form in the looming polearm it is. 

“We could use your help against the big one. You know she’s a bit prideful.” Alphinaud is quick to comment before his sister can shoo away their godsend help.

“Ha, you know I deal with prideful ones on the norm in my domain. Maybe it is a bit of divine retribution? Some humbling? You do remember I oversee Purgatory.” The reaper sees the fear in both siblings faces at that reveal.

“Come now, don’t tease them too badly. You’re going to scare them.” Estinien joins them after rending the last of the bunch he was on.

“You know me by now. If I wasn’t going to help, I wouldn’t be here. Perhaps... this is a chance to show them what I can actually do.”  She glances to the twins and gives them both a slight wink, then faces herself to the last beast on the field after sensing the others were gone.

“Why not show them then. You dance circles around every other enemy. Quite literally.” Estinien holds a hand in front of the rest to keep them from wandering into the fray now. The reaper whistles loud enough for something.

“Doesn’t she need help?” G’raha looks up at the dragoon for stopping him from aiding Kivera as she finds a center to draw the attention of lingering beasts to her. 

“Since when does Death need help? Recall back in Thavnair, with Aiden?” He almost forgot she has hidden abilities that she has not shown this world.

“How could I forget being at epicenter.” Alphinaud and Alisaie resort to helping aid survivors in healing them.

Kivera waits for them to get closer, she sweeps one of her feet in a circle to close off the spot once she has them away from the others and where she can control their escape and keep the others from getting struck by her.

“To think that your very emotions caused these changes. That your very existence is nothing more than lingering essence. You remind me of the beings lost to necromancy. Warped beyond recognition, only driven by reasons you’ll never understand anymore. To fill that empty void. That you neither will return to the aetherical sea nor spirit realm. Exactly like a lich’s flame. Whither away body, mind and soul.” Kivera watches them get closer, she holds her scythe outwards curved blade pointed inwards ready to strike in a sweep she stands in a way ready to turn on her foot.

“Fiamme del cielo.”  Barely a whisper as she speaks those around her feel her speak to them. White fire dances on her blade blooming on it as she swings to spin it out. She lets the blade work with the few she connects with, rending them and dissipating them in one sweep. She uses the flames to round behind her to the rest, splashing them as if it were water off the blade.

In the small dome she had created there was nothing after she stands her scythe upright, looking more like a reaper than ever. Green eyes flit to blue brief feeling the deep-seated sorrow of those that fall around her. She had made a promise not to reverse time, not for anything like this. She instead looks to collect their names so that she can imprint them somewhere if their family remained alive. 

Sensing the danger is over, she returns her attention towards her group. She sees her lingering spirits running towards them. She gives a quick glare at Aiden who shrinks back behind Killian.

“That makes... how many here.. Four? Five? I saw Parn back in Thavnair.” Kivera approaches after manipulating her scythe back down to the hand scythes she uses as a dancer.

“Well... six... Selene is here too.” Kivera folds her arms and sighs.

“Why? Are we popping up left and right? You know this isn’t good when we’re all here.” Kivera can feel the pom on the end of her tail bristling out. 

“With all due respect queen. Our being here means it is an end. We can do what we can to limit impaction, but you know better than any of us.” Killian leans on Aiden, he glances over to Estinien and they toss knowing looks.

“I’m not a queen. Mind yourselves. Don’t use titles when I’m not in “that” form.” Kivera sees the scion’s tending to others keeping themselves from the unusual group until she introduces them.

“I suppose it really is, if things pan out the way they’re going. Then I trust you are resolved to act if you know.” Kivera looks between Aiden and Killian, they both nod knowing what she means. To guide souls if the star does fade, to lessen the impact for the star itself.

“What of you, have you decided what is going to happen. You don’t willingly lend that scythe to spare lives unless you intend to spare them.” Aiden pokes at her aiding others.

“I hate senseless deaths. Specifically when the entire soul itself dies and there is nothing to reap. It’s like those touched by Vanth. Unable to be saved because simply there is nothing to save. No wisps of their former selves, no gleam, just... nothing. Aether, mind, body. All warped beyond from despair and dynamis. I’ll explain that in depth with the rest. That is the answer I and another sought to find.” Kivera lifts her eyes to look pass her spirits to the scions around them. Wanting answers to who and what her unique group are.

“Shall we head back to Sharlayan where I can deliver the news more in depth? Killian, can you find Parn for me? Aiden, Beatrice.” She sees his eyes light up instantly at her name and goes to collect her immediately. He doesn’t question her bringing more of their circle to the realm if she is calling for Beatice. 

Like Kivera, she is a fate decider, between Kivera, Divinity and Beatrice they can determine paths for a realm.

“Who?” G’raha sees Kivera’s charges quickly run off to collect the people she mentioned. The reaper looks over to him, bringing a finger to her lips.

“I’ll tell you later. For now, go see about the stray survivors and bring them somewhere safe. Unless we want more beasts from the unstable ones.” G’raha leaves with Alphinaud to soothe those around them. Kivera scratches through her hair feeling frustrated with the current situation. Estinien approaches her getting met with orange eyes.

“Oh, it’s you this time.” She relaxes enough for her eyes to tinge back to green.

“You know I won’t pry unless you willingly tell or it is of great importance. Prefer to keep it that way. You saw her, how was she.” He had been busy fighting to where he couldn’t see Shuri.

“It’s best you learn from her. In fact she could probably use your comfort more than mine. Lilith is still looking at me a bit scorned still. Shuri understands. It was a time before I knew any of you, and your times before the sundering.” She refers to Amaurot.

“You’ll have to earn her trust like we all have had to earn yours.” Estinien reminds her of how distant she was at first interacting with any of them. Divinity bringing them in, and she acted much like Lilith towards her. 

“I’m not one for this side of courting you know. I believe there will be a time “after” the fate of this star is determined.” Estinien sees amusement in Kivera’s eyes.

“Right, I’ll go find Shuri then.” Kivera shakes her head.

“No.” Her word is firm.

“You can’t tell me either.”

“Correct. Paths are different. She and I will cross paths again. She won’t like how either.” Estinien stares at her for a few minutes, like she is entirely different than the one they’ve grown to love.

“Be careful. We part ways here then?” Kivera looks at him and lets her eyes flit to a brief blue.

“For now yes. This is part of my role. I can’t interfere with certain choices she makes. We will see each other again.” Kivera is cryptic but Estinien does not question her further, he knows he won’t get a straight answer out of the reaper. Not if her tongue is bound by the stars.

They split their paths, Kivera overseeing the remainder of the survivors to safe spaces where they can rest their minds. She even uses some of the trauma on some to make them “forget” what they witnessed fearing their unstability.

When Kivera is back in Sharlayan, she sees Aiden had kept his word to find Beatrice, and Killian had collected Parn. She approaches them counting out the number around them.

“With Selene in La Noscea, and Silvara in Thanalan... it’s seven. Really are coming to the end of a world aren’t we?” Kivera folds her arms thinking over her circle. 

“Normally we’d be concerned seeing you at the end, but you’ve been here from the start.” Killian notes Kivera had been in and out of this place more than any other world.

“Lot’s of tragedy to this star in different eras. Naturally.. I’m needed. What of you and Killian? You two usually travel together and create chaos.” Kivera reads the two as they stand next to each other. Killian looking away from her eyes, and Aiden rubbing the back of his head.

“Just following where all of us seem to be. Divinity did choose this world to have her vision back in... we wanted to see what was so special she had to see it with her eyes.” Kivera closes her eyes at the memory, remembering when she was approached by the Libra spirit for her vision back after years of darkness.

“She chose well, and with good reason. Was all light hearted until they ended up in that parallel world. Where alot of them met me for the first time. Now here we are.. trying to advert it.” Beatrice regards Kivera, she looks almost like a valkyrie that fits in Ishgard’s lore. Braided hair and tall like an elezen. Serving under Demeter.

“So that’s why it feels like this world is in constant flux. You’re attempting to divert it. Is there a reason? You don’t get involved unless it’s for genuinely a cosmic rewriting.” Beatrice questions her, arms folded as she stands parallel to Kivera.

“I hate senseless deaths, and the way they’re dying is like Vanth’s doing.” Kivera meets her eyes, they always butted heads like her and Aiden. 

“All of it. We know you by now. Is it for love? or your own justified reason? I won’t help unless I know.” Kivera keeps her stare, eyes shifting brief to orange in her annoyance.

“More out of love for the ones I’ve grown to love here. Along with the truth of the senseless deaths. The soul at the ends of time and space means to end it here as a “gift” rather than letting this star die out the way it is intended to naturally. So not my own justified reasoning, it goes against the very path. So this IS our job.” Kivera reminds her quickly that this is one of their roles. Beatrice places a hand on her waist at her being combatted nicely.

“You and that sharp tongue. You’d drag me in by my braid if I tried walking away.” Parn sighs in relief, the lalafellen spirit panicked momentarily seeing the two bickering. 

“Anymore questions about my involvement? Or can we get that meeting going. They want answers, and we have them.” Kivera kneels down to Parn and holds out a finger to him, and he takes it with one of his own.

“Good to see you again. Wish it was on better terms.” She greets him and they share a moment to understand the circumstances.

“Honestly it feels good to do this again.” Green eyes light yellow as they walk together to the Andron. To where the others wait for answers.

Kivera is first to step through the meeting hall’s threshold, a different air to her as she’s followed by the rest of her circle.

“Large crowd in here today.” Alphinaud has Parn stand near him, Aiden fits near G’raha giving him a wave, Beatrice to Y’shtola, Divinity near Estinien and Alisaie, and Kivera to the center.

“First... let me start this with three conditions. Matters of the underworld are off limits, you cannot ask me about souls that have died, souls that reside and where they are. About the very fate of what is going on.. I can’t tell you. and matters of raising the dead. Everything else can be discussed except those. But given we’re facing an end of the world, I can talk about certain things related to Dynamis since it was on me to find it.” Kivera does go into the answers they sought for the trigger response, about Meteion, and what waits at journey’s end.

“You said something about needing your spirits for something.” Kivera looks over to G’raha, he and Aiden jump back from her glare.

“It’s complicated, but we have a way to determine if this is truly “it” for a realm. The more of us showing up, the more it aims that way. I heard Beatrice was here, and Selene. To your world it might not mean a whole lot, but from where we’re from...” Kivera answers him; annoyance in her voice as she speaks about it.

“It means fate is decided.” Beatrice finishes for her, Kivera extends a hand out to let her have her chance.

“So all that you were saying about possibly saving this world. Still hangs out there.” Thancred is the one talking understanding the underlaying words.

“For lack of better words... yes.” She regards him seeing the frustration at going in circles after the explanation of Meteion and her sisters. Kivera linked her memories to them, finding it easier to show them than tell them. Urianger still reeling from the information he was given.

“Then what do you and your circle intend to do.” Those that know Kivera look at her more than the Scion’s it was like they were around equal halves but still undecided around the reaper.

“Two paths. One answer. The paths are chase after Meteion and try to stop the literal end of your star. Or the other method.” Kivera folds her arms.

“Do nothing and let everything play out as it is intended.” Alphinaud catches her bluntness and almost laughs.

“One answer indeed. You know what we’re deciding too.” The reaper flashes a bright gold stare to him.

“And here I thought it was going to be the other option.” Divinity steps back near Estinien, using her second sight with the group.

“She’s not normally one for jokes, yet here she is. What do you wager?” Divinity knows the time allotted to them is running out, and soon even Sharlayan’s skies will bleed fire.

“I am guessing she has some tricks in those wings of hers.” Estinien regards the Libra spirit amused.

“It does, but not without some pain first. If the world was without a chance, she wouldn’t do this. She reminds me of a side I haven’t seen in ages. So confident that I almost believe her. Yet even she is still powerless to fate at the end.” Divinity sees her leader when the others are busy going over their options. The anxiety written on her face, and wondering if she is making a right choice.

“There she is. Good to see her still with her resolve and not mindlessly running in.” G’raha overhears this and looks to the reaper too, seeing that hint of sadness to her eyes, the edges of her eyes tinged with white.

“Even she’s scared.” Divinity looks to him, and offers a brief smile.

“Did you forget? She has people to lose here just as much as you do.” G’raha nods remembering that even Kivera has loved ones.

“More of a reason we’re glad she’s on our side.” Aiden winds an arm on G’raha’s shoulder to drag him between himself and Killian to talk to.

They were waiting for word to go to Journey’s end from the Ark. Kivera takes time away from them to go over her own paths, and wait for the peace to be over with. Where they would descend into the Mothercrystal and further to the next plain.

“These are days I wish I could have your veil lifted Damien. Another time, and maybe another world will see it happen.” 

[inviouswriting]

Blood Flow.

As always minors DNI with my works my writings and blog are 18+

Kivera centered.

This has original elements in it, but also cameos for polyship with @snow-covered-moon​.

There will be some hard warnings in her pertaining to my reaper’s history. But a reattempt at writing her stories. Maybe a little at a time. This isn’t one of the light hearted ones, and also why my blog has that mature rating. It isn’t always going to be smut included. My other shining element on literature is horror and angst. There are alot of reasons I rarely write in those fields because I am too good at it.

Warnings include - death as a subject, abuse content, and mild grooming for slaughter. It’s Elizabeth Bathory. Bathing in blood talk. Character deaths. The reasons I have my warnings.

Lady Amandine, Kivera recalls her. Too well, she was paused over in names and the reaper reads through scripts she had found in Shuri’s adventures. Ones that remind her of what she herself went through. A woman obsessed with beauty to the point she would bathe in blood of young women.

It is surreal to Kivera, she had died to that nightmare in her living. What started her path, back then she was just a simple castle servant trying to keep her head literally on her shoulders. She was unique to the region, Kivera’s dark complexion proved to be something that captivated Bathory. A rare sight in a land of fair skinned girls.

Bathory extended Kivera and her mother an invite to serve Cachtice castle. An offer they couldn’t refuse with the recent death of her father. Being able to live without worrying of money or further persecution. Kivera was further extended etiquette training in the school attached. 

Runa had refused at first until their hands were forced to accept once the rest of the city learned that they were marked by Bathory. Some warned of the horrors that were rumored, that it would be better to escape. Others suggested they accept the offer, their situation wasn’t going to improve, and Runa did not want to risk another city chasing after Aeslund.

Kivera learned fast on her feet inside the walls, the rumors were true about the women being groomed for slaughter. She is mocked for her unique looks, being foreign to them. She heard each of their snickers, each of their bets on whether it would be soon she’d lose her head so their own lives would be prolonged.

Every morning there was a presentation, Elizabeth would present full bloom roses to certain girls and budding ones to others. The look of fear on the women upon receiving full blooms, along with news there was going to be a banquet for everyone to participate in. 

“Look your best.”

Kivera didn’t understand till later, when Runa had come to her in tears. Telling her to always remember that there is light outside the walls, that she will see outside it someday again. Confusion waned when Kivera saw a full bloom on her, and fear settled in realizing this is the last time she would see her before the banquet. This would be their last time seeing each other alive.

Banquets were held on the seasonal equinoxes and solsctices. It was about the moon being right to Bathory. For her rituals. Kivera was made to stand and watch as the true meaning behind them was revealed as a blood bath. Nobles would come from neighboring lands to participate. 

It is on this night she witnessed Runa’s death in front of her. Kivera had cursed Bathory that night, being held back from attacking her in her grief. She was sent to stay in her room, by morning she was presented a “gift” in Runa’s head. Kivera made to watch it rot, till one of the castlemen took it to cremate it. 

Kivera was always defiant towards the Countess afterwards, no beating or marring was ever done to her. Not even being forced onto her knees and stared down by her green eyes could ever erase her rage in her. Kivera did become compliant after one of the exchanges left a friend to die in her place. Volunteering to spare Kivera.

When she came of age was when she received the budding rose. After witnessing many other women die, she viewed it as a reminder of what was coming up. Fed a special diet to make her skin and blood healthier, make her glow to “bloom.”

A precious rose to her, and almost ready to be clipped. Her birthday was celebrated that year, as a banquet. Kivera was tired of hearing the bell for them, the assembling for it. A special gift was given to Kivera in a dark almost black rose. As if mocking her unique features, from the dark skin, to obscure features not native to the land. Like her, foreign and meant to be clipped like the flower.

Kivera fought that day, during the hours leading up to the banquet she slipped out of the castle thanks to her knowledge of all the secret passages. She ran as fast and far. She had attempted many escapes and was brought back. If she could just get far enough that they didn’t realize it till it was too late maybe they would let her go.

Kivera had torn the dress she was made to wear to shreds to run better. Abandoning it for clothes she swiped off a line. She used tricks of hiding her scent from their dogs, traveling in water till her feet were frozen. What awaited her was death. 

Exhaustion caught up to her and she hid in a barn. A stable hand finding her, and providing her enough food to not faint on him. A short lived reprieve for her, Kivera wasn’t sure how long she had slept until she recognized the shine of knight armor in front of her face. 

Elizabeth’s men, the house was in flames when they left with their bounty. Leaving no witnesses behind to tell of what goes on behind the castle walls.

Kivera fought every step back. Any breaks they took, she had made attempts to flee, to where they hung her up to a tree branch to keep her from running or giving her any spaces to figure out how to get out of the ropes.

When she was brought before Bathory, Kivera was tired, she had cried enough tears and anguish for those around her. Young faces that hadn’t witnessed death were about to, those that knew, they knew. 

“You always did have pretty eyes.” Kivera looked away from her at those words.

“Anything to say?” Kivera glares out the side of the corner of her eyes.

“No matter how many women it takes, you will never achieve true beauty. Your soul reflects you, and you are hideous! Just like the roses you are so fond of, you too shall wilt and whither away. I just wished I could be there to see you in all that glory as it leaves your face leaving you to match your personality. Ugly and vile.” Her words were venom, and the single thing she remembers when she smirked seeing she struck a nerve. Elizabeth hating anyone calling her ugly.

Kivera accepts her fate in a thorough lashing, she had gotten use to whips, and her mind goes somewhere else the moment she is strung up by her feet. The jagged scar across her neck now serves as reminder of her defiance and death. Bathory cut her head off in a manner that was similar to Runa’s.

She doesn’t remember after that, her time then was spent in Caelum, learning to fly, learning to heal and what it means to be free and dream.

Dreams then too end.

It wasn’t until her fall, she had received her first scythe along with her first mission. The name she was to collect was one etched into her mind. In her former Countess.

Kivera had slipped in through a mirror that was broken, one half of it left intact enough for her. Her feet sounding on stone enough to draw the attention of the woman. Time was cruel to her, just as it was cruel to Kivera. A lifetime of imprisonment for Kivera, to Bathory’s few years.

“My.... how have the roles reversed... Instead of me being on my hands and knees. It’s you.” Kivera approached her tormentor, crouching in front of her. The now reaper looks at how old and sunken Bathory’s features are now. She could not feel pity for someone who did atrocities in the sake and search for eternal youth.

“So... you never did find that magic worked in your favor. Did you?” Kivera observes dark marks imprinted in her skin. Sunken spots, some wounds being eaten away. To also rot.

“Are you here to end it? If so, I’ve no banter with you.” Kivera’s eyes flit for the first time between green to red, reflecting her anger, the strange gift from the lamia eyes she was gifted. After her own sight was taken for other means.

“You got your wish to see me whithered away. Just be done with it would you.” Kivera thinks it over, still being barked orders at.

“Aren’t we being full of ourselves. In your situation, you should be more courteous to the one who holds your life in the balance. Whether or not I will end it, or not.” She thinks it over, a punishment in sort from the reaper. 

“Defiant to the very last... those eyes. Kiva. You always had lovely eyes. Seeing them stare in anger.” Kivera narrows her eyes at her words.

“Then they shall be the last thing you see. I will also be the one to take your soul.” Kivera locks her eyes with Bathory’s, the ability she uses for the first time, is the one that belonged to the serpentine creature in petrification. She freezes her slowly letting it take its time settling in. Bathory resigning herself to stone. 

Kivera severs the cord with her hand, burning it to catch the soul afire with it. She would not let her escape just as Bathory never allowed her to escape.

“I am already dead!” 

“I did say to watch how you talk to someone who holds your life in their hand. I meant that literal. You do not get to leave this place, nor touch the shores of the Underworld like any other soul does. You are not normal, and for your blood magic, a great taboo among the underworld to preserve your youth and extend your life. You are marked for a different plain of existence.” Kivera tugs on the cord she holds. 

“Nothingness. The eternal plain of darkness.” Kivera sends a surge of hellfire into the cord dispersing Bathory into the air to be sent to this plain. Kivera comes back down to her reality after the deed was done. She had left the tower to visit a place she had heard of in Italy. 

It is there she discovers a mask, expressionless, decorated in black and white sides with gold leafing around the eyes. It was made on the day of her death, and she collects it for on the day of her death was a rebirth that lead to a strange chain of events that gave her more than she ever asked for.

“Not the timid scared chamber-maid anymore.” Kivera quips as she watches the carnival of masks around her come to life.

Kivera now reads over the notes that belonged to Shuri’s fledgeling adventurer. Amandine already dealt with by Shuri and the group she had traveled with, including the succubus that possessed her. 

The reaper closes her eyes as she tucks the parchments away, getting mildly lost in her memories of the tyrant. 

“Kiva. They’re waiting.” Kivera sees Divinity leaning against the door. The Libra spirit knows from the way she read over the details. The subtle flashes of her eyes, telltale in what she remembered. 

“I’ll be there soon. Do you think it is time that Aiden and Killian came here?” Kivera puts the notes away where they were remembering how they looked undisturbed. She joins Divinity, walking with her, a hand to guide the blind one through thresholds out of habit.

“I can see you know. Question is, do you want to babysit them while they bring havoc across Eorzea? I swear, if you get Aiden with G’raha and Alphinaud. There will be no end to their troublemaking.” Kivera lets her ears perk up.

“Killian on the other hand.. he’d adapt to Estinien. Both being dragoons. I think this world could use more of us, but you remember what happens when all of us congregate in one realm.”

“It means disaster is potentially upon us again.” Kivera finishes Divinity’s thoughts.

“Maybe we should take them to Chiron. Let them see a city of literal books. Lost arcane texts. Or do you think?” Kivera looks up to watch out the main door to see Shuri with Ysayle and Estinien. Full of life both of them, she sees peeks of Lilith within her if she focuses on her energy. Both residing within her. both accepted.

“Paradise? You know as much as I do, that living beings are not suppose to walk there.” Kivera reminds her.

“Kivera, they’re not ordinary living. You have two sundered beings, two who have tasted death, came back from the brink of it. I think they’re safe, you know they would never do anything to upset the balance of Paradise. It’d be a rare thing for them to see it.” Kivera folds her arms, the very realm she protects and guards with every fiber of her being. The only realm she has a say in yay or nay of who can cross the thresholds.

“Do you trust them enough to see our home? Meet our kind? Perhaps solve some of our problems?” Divinity sees a flash of orange at that mention.

“What are you scared of? They are bound to us after all.” Kivera turns away enough to think it over. Not just anyone is allowed to walk the realm of Paradise. She would have to test their worthiness. Kivera lifts her gaze towards Shuri and locks eyes with her mismatched ones. 

Could she put her through a test of sin itself? Estinien too. Kivera feels Divinity press a hand to her shoulder.

“I think it’s the last step of trust you can show them that they mean so much. You’ve shared all your memories, you saved this home world of theirs, they know of Damien, yet have never met him to see for themselves your reactions around him.” Kivera’s eyes shift blue brief then glare amber at Divinity for her words.

“Are you so scared to heal?” Divinity sees Shuri’s attention drawn back to her children for now.

“I’ll have to let them have the idea... I’m not scared. Just that test is not easy. I’ll have to be cold and ruthless when I dig into their minds and hearts. I do not think they’re ready for that.” Kivera bumps Divinity to the side a little. 

“You don’t know what they’re capable of till they do it. They faced so much, why not show them the same level of trust they give you?” Divinity wraps her arms around Kivera.

“Love them as we love you. Trust us.” Kivera closes her eyes again, letting herself think it over. She hopes they accept this opportunity to see her domains and worlds.

Divinity takes Kivera’s hand to walk with her out to meet the others. To talk of another life changing chance. To see a city made of gold and water.

[inviouswriting]

2. Doppelganger.

Warnings - character death.

small cameo for @snow-covered-moon ‘s Shuri.

Kivera rarely made promises to others, but the times she does she carries them out. She remembers that night so vivid in Amaurot when she had assumed her role as angel of destruction. A star was dying and she helped laid it to rest, she followed everything down to what she was suppose to do.

Yet when she happened upon a young woman who had been tossed from a building by one of the beasts, holding a book, looking through it for a favorite passage. She took a personal mercy on her, Hecate was her name. She didn’t fit the normal of the rest around her, timid and buried herself in the world of books. 

Hecate didn’t experience a full life, always dreaming of what “could” be instead of living it. She dismissed the people assigned to her, she wanted to follow her own path for love. Just like the book she clung to.

“Do you want a second chance?” Kivera offered her a rare opportunity, something she never does is spare souls. Yet this one struck something in her, reminding her of her own time when all she sought was solace away from a literal hell.

“If you agree, you will have no memory of this place, not a single moment will be remembered even if you were to find your way back near here or remnants.” Kivera saw Hecate’s eyes light up at not remembering Zodiarks missions, remembering all the things related to war and death. 

“I don’t want to remember this place.. you’re certain?” Kivera leans on her scythe, she regards her highly now as someone non-resistant to change.

“Not a single moment. I promise. Do you want your name to carry over?” Kivera thumbs through a mental index of names she has, settling on the one she currently went by. 

“Then I accept these conditions, I don’t want the name Hecate. I want nothing to remain of this dying world.” Kivera kneels down to Hecate and presses her forehead to hers sharing not only a soothing moment but part of her own essence to her. 

“Then I give you my name, Kiya. Now rest.” Kivera takes the book Hecate has gently from her. Her eyes skimming over the passage to understand why she chose to look at it in her final moments.

“You are mine, and I am thine, and no power on earth shall make it otherwise.” Kivera collects the book for herself, as she sits down letting Hecate use her lap to rest her head on. Kivera chooses benevolence with her rather than violence. 

With simple touch on her head, Kivera begins to leech her life out, something she has done to others who earned this kind of death a gentle one. Hecate was far too gravelly injure to be moved to somewhere more fitting. So Kivera sits with her much like she did for Sera, and like Damien. 

Hecate had drifted to sleep, to her death, never feeling pain beyond a dull headache. Kivera collects her spirit like she has others to send back to the aether. To Hydaelyn who wanted her.

The next time she encountered Hecate now Kiya was after her exchange with Thordan. Kiya looked at her with such fear, her own appearance was similar to Kivera’s. It didn’t make sense to her, Kivera only gives her a brief glance before she disappears from her. 

The third time she encountered her was during her travel to The First. She had taken something from her then, she still does not recall what Kivera took. But she also gained something, a stronger will.

“Look at this world as I would, and do not let them pursuade you with false ideals. Darkness is a blessing as much as light. You chose to be a black mage of your own, now use that power.” Everytime Kiya was on the brink of death she met Kivera. Not understanding her until she sought her out in Amaurot, her friends were remembering their former lives. Yet she couldn’t remember a speck of it.

“Please, tell me?” Kivera sighs.

“You can’t remember. It will undo the magic that protects you from a harsh reality.” Kiya looks up at her hovering in place.

“Why is it so bad to remember?” Kiya had kneeled down low in front of Kivera.

“You don’t want to remember a dying world, the soul that you were formerly made a pact with me to never remember it. I will honor her wishes over your desire to remember. Go home to your husband and live a calm life for that child within you.” Kivera left her without telling her a shred of that life, keeping her word as much as it pained her to see her distraught now.

“The memories of the dead are always to be respected. My small doppelganger the truth would hurt you.”

Kivera does hand her a book, the one she kept from Hecate, returning it to its owner. With the highlighted passage she loved marked with a white feather.

At the back of the book was the only thing she told Kiya of. Her former name. Hecate. A message scribed by Kivera from that night.

“You may not understand it when you are handed this book now. This was your favorite, you clung to it even as you died. You died with a smile on your face, the life you led before was unfulfilling, a woman who dreamed of love, but never experienced it, a woman who will go on to experience what this life didn’t. There is an agreement in place, you can’t remember or your life will end. It is a law of the underworld. All you need to know is you will be protected until I know it is the end.” Kivera. Kiya hugs the book to herself accepting the conditions all over again, all that Kivera can tell her without directly saying it.

“I’ll go home.” When she first arrived back to Ishgard after what felt like months in The First, she was first to spy Aymeric, and ran to him. She realized that the memories of an old life was not worth the chance of losing everything she gained. Even as she clung to her new life as he hugged her back.

Kivera gave Kiya much more than what she realized while taking away one thing. The last memory of Hecate in her soul that could be sparked. The memory of the book in her arms, so she can experience it new.

Kivera now sits a few feet away from Shuri and Estinien. The other reason Kivera didn’t want Kiya to remember, was she didn’t want to see Kiya broken in mind the way Shuri was after losing two pieces of her soul from Ardbert and Lilith.

She hopes she has done the right things, even if it means taking over for Kiya. After all she is a means to an end.

[inviouswriting]

Spot drabble, something that is light hearted and simple.

Pairings mentioned. My own for Aymeric and Kiya. and polyship with @snow-covered-moon ‘s Shuri and Estinien.

“It’s rare to see you all the way out here without Estinien, or Shuri attached to you.” Kivera turns an ear to the voice, and looks to greet Aymeric. She is resting in between her flying, she was visiting Churning Mists and took a detour through Ishgard.

“It’s rare to see you out here without your wife. How has she adapted to home life?” Aymeric sees her alter her weapon, her magic always mysterious to him. She makes Shuri and the elusive Estinien happy, and he is glad to see her.

“Kiya is doing well, settled well into being a mother and even expressed how she wants to return to fighting. But you know these are battles beyond her ability.” Kivera nods, she would be glad to give her successor back her spot, resume her identity no less instead of Kivera filling in and potentially upsetting the cosmos.

“It suits her. Hecate would be happy to know she eventually found her happiness. Still a shame I can’t restore those memories.” Kivera folds her arms to rub off a chill setting in. 

“Thank you for protecting her, even if you were harsh about not telling her. It still grieves her to not know her former life in Amaurot. She’s accepted you won’t tell her and the reasoning behind, I would literally lose her.” Aymeric joins her in looking out over Last Vigil.

“Some things are best left unknown. It wouldn’t do her well to remember the screams of those who were dying there, or how Hecate died.” She remembers that worm beast, and how it brought havoc. They both shiver together.

“Say, Kivera. You and yours should visit us for an evening. Drag Estinien here for me.” Kivera flashes a smirk and her eyes light gold. 

“All up to Shuri, maybe make room for a bunch of kids.” For a rare instance, she gives him a brief hug, letting heat rush through both of them using one of her abilities. He returns it, nothing more than a friend, he minded his hands to avoid touching her wings save for a brief brush of them on fingers. She gave him alot, but the ethreal beauty Kivera possessed is unique to Kiya. Kiya had something the reaper didn’t possess. 

Innocence. But she didn’t need that, Aymeric feels her magic work, to ebb off the cold that had settled into his bones. He also understood Kivera had to lose that innocence to her to be what she is today. He hopes in his heart Kiya never loses her unique shine or endures heartache the way she has.

“Please do, my house despite Alyse, and Kiya is still much too quiet. It would do our manservant to hear more children running around.” They exchange another smile together before.

“Then be ready if we drop unannounced and steal you away from your work for a day. You should take breaks, you’ll work yourself to death.” Kivera warns him about his stress, and Kivera stretches her wings to take flight again, to head back home for herself.

“You, Kiya, and Lucia tell me the same thing every day.” Aymeric starts to wave her off.

“There is a blizzard coming in tonight, fly safe.” Kivera salutes and lifts more and he watches her fly higher.

“If you ever want to get Estinien to visit, just offer him fried squid. He’ll be there before you know it. Works every time!” They part their ways, with him watching her swoop down looking exactly as her name sake. A fallen angel.

[inviouswriting]

Light and Dark

Cameo characters - Shuri belongs to @snow-covered-moon for the polyship. 

A little dive into Kivera’s insecurities. I needed to write them.

Kivera is use to alot of things, one of these is watching people praise others for their hard work or titles. She sits in on another meeting in her successors stead. Orange eyes lit up at how some of these people talk.

It has to be carry over from her former ranks, she was taught the importance of humility. So seeing how some of the Scion’s take small victories as great chances to have parties irks her. They should be planning for their next moves, she would already have it mapped out. 

Such is the difference between herself and those of this star. She wears her annoyance heavy, as a way to deter others from interacting as some of the Rising Stone members try to outdrink each other, or do strength contests.

Paglth’an had just barely been won, and she felt it is too soon for a victorious celebration. 

“Aren’t you going to join in?” Kivera looks over to the source of who talks to her. Thancred, he had been trying to make peace with her since she had joined along with Shuri and Estinien. She is not interested in his company. 

“Parties are not my thing. If anything they spell disaster for me.” She leans away from Thancred, using subtle body language to close herself off.

“We take what we can get, little joy amongst chaos.” He explains, Kivera didn’t want the explanation. Celebrations and parties were telling to her. That there is an “end” coming. 

“It’s absurd to celebrate victory after a battle when you’ve yet to really win a war. Where I come from, preemptive celebrations can make people cocky and forget the lives that were lost during those battles.” Kivera stares at Thancred out of the corner of an eye.

“I forgot you are more of a doom and gloom type.” She flattens her ears at this.

“It wouldn’t hurt you to loosen up a little.” Thancred points out, and Kivera scoffs under her breath.

“I’m just here for Shuri and Estinien.” Kivera turns her head away from Thancred, keeping her eyes closed so he doesn’t see the red tinting into them from his comments. She can’t relax, she isn’t made to relax. Instead of leaving her, Thancred sits down near her. She glances at him out of the corner of an eye.

“We know how foolish it is to celebrate small victories. However it gives those who fought hard motivation to keep going. If we continually focus on fighting without reprieves. They’ll burn out, and we need them feeling like they can take on the world versus they might die tomorrow.” Kivera turns her head to look at him fully, a rare moment he manages to do is make her understand. 

She is aware Shuri and him ended amicably later hashing it out among themselves. Kivera looks at those around her differently, evaluating their demeanors. The absolute joy on some, while there are a few mustering simper expressions. They don’t need death to remind them their time is limited. 

Thancred sees her observing again, reading the faces and demeanors of his allies. He places a hand on her shoulder to pat it, Kivera rolls her eyes at the gesture then leans back to relax. She doesn’t bat an eye to another joining the small table. G’raha Tia, another one she isn’t too thrilled on talking to, yet here he was approaching her and Thancred with drinks for both of them.

“This seems like a quiet corner.” Kivera glances pass him to Estinien who nods that it’s okay. 

“Was quiet, seems I’m gaining popularity.” Kivera  leans a little more away from Thancred, he takes the hint to remove his hand from her shoulder. Kivera looks between the guys. G’raha Tia had spent time tailing after her watching her take lives in Paglth’an . A humbling experience seeing the reaper at her work sending those back to the ether.

“Are you just shy?” Thancred notes the way Kivera pulls away, and sees her snap her attention to him.

“No, I just don’t like parties. I rather not go into it, it’ll dampen the mood.” Kivera deflects his question, green eyes flash yellow enough wondering why he would ask her that.

“Alright, you can trust us too as solace when it is needed.” G’raha offers, he saw her uncomfortable with just Thancred and went over to check on her. Given her previous encounters with Thancred.

“Thank you, but there are some things you are best not knowing.” She has her wall back up before Thancred managed to get through and see a sliver of just what made Shuri and Estinien love her. The small vulnerabilities that even a strong being has.

“You don’t have to share everything. Or anything at all, sometimes just sitting near others is enough.” G’raha Tia offers her the drink and she officially takes it. It is a different atmosphere to her, what it is like to just be somewhere without “being” her role.

Kivera lowers her eyes feeling small, feeling just a little out of place. Her hands placed in front of her in thought. Her mind drifts to one of her own, remembering his words in how she should relax, that not everything is “death” she knows that. Yet she never understood it. She is surrounded by life, when she lifts her eyes she sees a few of the group in the other room do squat challenges between Hoary Boulder and Lyse. Seeing who is stronger. 

Just to the side of them is Alphinaud and Alisaie cheering them on, with their favorites. Y’shtola and Urianger taking bets. Estinien manning the bar with Shuri, sharing a plate of food. 

Kivera doesn’t realize she is smiling till G’raha tia turns his head in the direction. Thancred sees it too.

“They talk alot about you Kivera, they weigh your feelings alot. How to let you experience life and truly live.” Thancred takes another chance and pulls the reaper into a side hug. Kivera is surprised by this and sits upright.

“Too much.” She warns, and Thancred understands.

“Just a gesture.” Kivera flicks her tail at her side, she looks at the empty cup that once held wine for her. When did she drink all of it, she wishes it affected her like the others. She finally feels comfortable enough to sit near these two and leans back in her seat. Estinien catches this and nudges Shuri to look over.

The aura sees Kivera relaxed, and smiles brief no longer worrying if G’raha or Thancred would be sent flying across the room. Kivera would have.

“You two want to see something?” Kivera has a hint of amusement in her voice, the two men next to her look at her.

“Sure, humor us.” Kivera raises a hand up and makes a circle with her finger before sending a water ball at the back of Hoary’s head, making him slip up on his squat giving Lyse the victory.

There is a roar of laughter when the Roe stands up shocked and rubbing the back of his head like he had seen a ghost.

“You devil.” Thancred laughs.

“In the flesh~” Kivera gets up from the table to go enjoy the celebration with the others. Taking Hoary up on a challenge to see who can out drink the other. 

Estinien approaches Thancred and G’raha Tia some time afterwards.

“You two managed to do an impossible. She seems genuinely happier after talking to you two.” Estinien gives the two new tankards of ale.

“You know her better than we do, but there are some things that can’t be taught by loved ones. How to truly live.” Estinien nods to G’raha Tia. He’ll hear it later from Kivera ranting about how obnoxious the two are, but he can tell something changed in the reaper. 

“Just be careful about prying into her life. There are still things I don’t know about her.” Estinien looks up to see Shuri and Kivera dance together, Kivera seeking affection from the aura and clinging closer, a sign she has had enough of being around the group and will leave them to fly off for a bit.

“We won’t pry beyond what she feels comfortable to disclose.” Thancred confirms the warning, and lets Estinien leave them to steal Shuri and Kivera to head home.

Kivera gives one last glance to Thancred and G’raha. A flash of gold from her irises before she follows after Shuri and Estinien out to take an airship.

Kivera still has alot of personal growth around the living. Words from Chiron remind her to take times to live, instead of staying dead.