#isorawrites

[writeraven]

FFXIVWRITE 2024 — 05: STAMP.

“Whether she is cute or creepy has been oft debated, but all agree it is best not to leave her to her own devices.” — Eorzea Database

TAGS: [ isorawrites. » FFXIVwrite » 2024 ]

FANDOMS: FFXIV | Sherlock Holmes.

VERSE: Heavensward » AU.

STATUS: Submitted; 1 chapter.

GENRES: Draft, Short Story.

SHIPS: Murderomantiques.

MUSES: Sora Holmes, Yiune Watson.

NPC: Zhloe Aliapoh.

stamp /stămp/ intransitive verb 01. To bring down (the foot) forcibly. 02. To bring the foot down onto (an object or surface) forcibly.

Nighttime at Idyllshire was as lively as the day, though with a different kind of crowd. Adventurers would flock through the gate, turning in their spoils from their hunts; disciples of the hand and land would rush to the vendors and fight for their share of the trade.

Further behind from the hubbub, there was an orphanage established by Zhloe Aliapoh, a Moon Keeper with a cheery personality. Even so, there was a time that had turned her smile upside down.

Though small and cramped, the foster home had its fair share of guests—from Miss Rowena, her benefactor, to the Warrior of Light, who had been a great assistance with the custom deliveries. However, this pair who followed behind her, weren’t your ordinary helpers.

The shorter of the two was of Xaela origin: clad in full black, with frills that matched her noble upbringing, except for her unblinking grey eyes that shone with cold intelligence. Her partner, a Veena in maid uniform, though appear meek at first glance, had an air of deadly grace—of someone who was capable of walking across wooden boards without a sound, even with her high heels. They introduced themselves as Sora Holmes and Yiune Watson, respectively, and they were recommended by the Warrior of Light himself.

“Here.” Khloe showed the odd duo into a vacant room on the second floor. “I have moved the children to another chamber, but—”

Before she could finish her sentence, the building shook as a thundering sound spook the poor young lady, causing her to lose her balance. Yiune the maid caught her; she noticed that the Viera had large hands.

“…I see,” Sora spoke, completely unfazed by the stamping noise from above. “So this is the reason why you seek our help.”

“T-The children are scared,” Zhloe replied after she had calmed down a little. “We tried to search for the cause of this… strange phenomenon, but we couldn’t find any.”

“What’s above this room?”

“The attic,” Khloe answered, now leaving the room and continuing the tour. “It’s where we keep the toys that the children would pick up and play.”

When the trio reached the topmost floor, the stomping sound began to echo through the orphanage. Khloe pursed her lips when her ears picked up the sound of crying.

“I’m sorry, but please excuse me while I need to attend to the children.”

After the distressed Miqo’te had left the scene, Sora turned to her maidservant. “What do you think?”

“I can feel an odd presence behind this door,” Yiune whispered, placing a hand on the attic’s entrance. Her voice sounded deeper than what one would expect from a pretty lady like her. “But… how?”

“Someone must have sneaked them under the guise of presents for the children,” Sora said, rapping on the wooden surface with her scaled fist. “A poor taste for jokes, if you ask me, especially for the month of All Saints’ Wake.”

She pushed open the door, revealing a room full of toys—or more specifically, dolls. Her nose wrinkled at the dust that shimmered in the moonlight streaming through the rooftop window. The loud stamping also ceased the moment the pair entered the attic.

“You don’t scare us, little ones—I suggest showing yourselves now.”

High-pitched giggling bounced off the walls, probably an intent to confuse the stern guests, but Sora merely sighed.

“If you please,” she said, tapping on the Veena’s arm. “Naughty children should be punished, after all.”

With a curt nod, Yiune pulled out a pair of daggers from the under her maid dress. In a flash, she appeared to slice through the air… only for a handful of broken strings to fall slowly onto the floor. Then, with insane precision, she threw her knives at two particular spots from amongst the towering collection of dolls. Walking up to retrieve her weapon, something was stuck to the end of the blade.

Twinning dolls. One in a red dress, the other in blue.

“Calca and Brina.” Sora grimaced at the culprit behind the annoying stomps. “Who in the world would think that these rascals were worth gifting?”

AUTHOR’S NOTE.

I know the ending is a bit rushed, but I think it works for a quick writing exercise.

When I saw the prompt word, I was immediately reminded of a certain dungeon with certain enemies that were doing exactly that… I am sure most people in the community would agree with me that they were pretty annoying, especially when that sound effect booms through headphones.

Support me on Ko-fi — https://ko-fi.com/whyraven. Thank you very much for your continuous support☕

[gatheredfates]

Dividers! ✧˖°.

As to not flood the original post with reblogs, I'm making a new post of the ones I've done tonight with little lorem impsum descriptions! This means you can see how they will look when you use them. ♥ If you'd like your own, feel free to send me a dm!

For @riftdancing:

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Donec ultrices bibendum ex, condimentum varius quam convallis eu. Proin a quam vel metus gravida gravida eget quis turpis. Praesent efficitur magna in egestas placerat.

Vestibulum auctor eu massa in tincidunt. Quisque luctus rhoncus ornare. Nam eu magna tristique, aliquet sapien nec, vehicula ligula. Etiam in lacus ullamcorper, tristique ex sed, dignissim leo.

Orci varius natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Sed eget porttitor sapien, eget consectetur dui. Pellentesque nec metus sed purus pharetra ullamcorper. Nullam eget placerat magna.

For @arinaxiv:

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Aenean sit amet efficitur dolor. Aliquam interdum sit amet risus dictum feugiat. In placerat porttitor risus, sit amet blandit odio aliquam ac. Morbi ultrices, elit sed tincidunt scelerisque, felis nibh gravida sem, sit amet gravida ligula tortor eu enim.

Aliquam lacus tellus, porta vitae venenatis id, placerat non risus. Aliquam ac ultricies nibh, at blandit ante. Cras sit amet tortor convallis, mollis arcu nec, tempus ante.

For @irisopranta

Vestibulum commodo scelerisque odio. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut ultricies erat ut quam blandit rhoncus. Aliquam feugiat imperdiet ipsum tincidunt varius. Nunc blandit non felis sit amet lobortis.

For @cadrenebula

Vestibulum lacinia orci accumsan, posuere lacus vitae, tincidunt ligula. Suspendisse diam leo, maximus nec dolor id, porttitor sagittis ante. In et leo eu augue finibus facilisis nec id erat. Pellentesque eget velit ac nisl molestie venenatis et nec mi.

For @saeta

Nullam at enim a nisl molestie scelerisque ut eu odio. Integer feugiat nunc et mauris lacinia, eu porta nunc facilisis. Suspendisse euismod condimentum pulvinar. Sed fermentum odio id accumsan dictum. Curabitur vitae efficitur nibh.

Morbi sollicitudin tortor quis convallis imperdiet. Donec est purus, tincidunt vitae ex sit amet, hendrerit bibendum magna. Nulla consectetur augue et auctor finibus. Donec sodales dictum congue.

For @dragons-ire

Ut et pharetra tortor. Etiam id leo erat. Nulla rutrum luctus suscipit. Orci varius natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Vivamus blandit ex pellentesque, gravida nisi nec, vestibulum mauris.

For @isorawrites

[best viewed on light theme!]

Donec dictum magna et est sodales, nec maximus eros maximus. Nulla id lectus ut elit efficitur laoreet et gravida nulla. Proin rhoncus diam nec orci tristique, eget faucibus nulla dictum.

Vestibulum rutrum malesuada nulla, in rutrum ex congue sit amet. Nullam eu velit imperdiet, pretium lacus nec, dignissim massa. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Sed non consectetur libero.

[biff-adventurer]

i got @isorawrites for the #ffxivswap!

i decided to write a poem about the feeling of coming across their character Yiuno Rei, inspired by the line pertaining to their origin:

"Where he came from, no one knows. Even by the standards of his race, Yiuno eludes a mysterious yet intimidating aura that other Vierakind have enough tact to simply leave him alone."

Dark Stranger

I puzzle over it, that person’s shadow. One of our kind, and somehow not. The aura was indescribable–like the feeling  of whispers slithering through the silence. Like footsteps light as breath, and the taste of cold steel. How can I describe it? A face like our brothers, our sisters,  but with a soul of a color all its own. Does the Wood remember you? Do you remember the Wood?

I worry about it, that person’s shadow. It’s the unsettling feeling of hearing a knife at your back, ready to strike if you’re so foolhardy as to turn around and look directly into the endless abyss of the night. How can I describe it? The smile of a stranger, and eyes that look through me, right at my beating heart. Leave you alone - but why? Only the unwise seek to know.

[miqojak]

I decided to do that Pokemon Gym Leader Quiz that's going around! Hilariously, Dark Type tracks for what I had in mind for Jak - I made a team for her ages ago, and pinned it in my Discord even. XD Once again, each one is kinda like her tattoos - representative of her in some way! Phoenix (she has phoenix down feather tattoos); the dragon-that's-not-really-a dragon; the lycanroc to represent her beast; the yamask since she has a lot of Egyptian themes and themes about death/family; and a liepard because: A) Spooky kitty like Jak, but also B) "Don't be fooled by its gorgeous fur and elegant figure. This is a moody and vicious Pokémon." ...it even sounds like Jak! (And the gothorita seems self-explanatory given Jak's tiny-goth-girl-who-knows-too-much vibes, really!)

Do it! @archaiclumina@fanged-draidoix@mxkelsifer@but-first--tea@umbralaether@dragonsongmakhali@ascendedhypothesis@rylen-ashworth@yvesoix-sellemontiere@sundered-souls@illia-ast@isorawrites@briar-ffxiv@helenamnell@merlwybs-wife - and anyone else!

[xivacademia]

“Welcome, to my personal gallery.”

Curated side-blog for FFXIV screenshots. All taken by me, SFW only. Not accepting Asks, DMs and Replies on this account.

For inquiries — main blog: @why-raven, oc blog: @etheirysnoir.

Likes and Reblogs are most welcome. Would greatly appreciate if you reblog my posts with all the literature quotes or lore notes intact.

Feel free to follow this blog, or subscribe to this tag: #xivacademia, to receive updates.

“I curate my own space as I see fit.”

Not spoiler free. To reduce unnecessary clutter, no spoiler tags will be used. Latest patch contents will still follow the general community guideline of a two-week embargo before going live.

All my screenshots are achievable with vanilla gears and emotes in game. However, note that some may contain post-processing edits, ex. filters, typography, etc.

Runs on queue. Updates will be irregular and sporadic. May post manually sometimes on a whim. Next-day reblogs are on shuffle and may not be posted in order. (Currently paused.)

“Terms and conditions apply.”

Do not repost my screenshots and claim them as yours.

Only private use (ex. personal wallpapers) is allowed. Strictly no paid or commercial usage.

Please credit me and Square Enix if you use my photos in your works.

“Where’s the taglist? See below cut.”

ffxiv ― content.

expansion // a realm reborn / heavensward / stormblood / shadowbringers / endwalker / dawntrail

raid; alliance // the shadow of mhach / return to ivalice / yorha: dark apocalypse / myths of the realm

raid; savage // alexander / omega / eden / pandæmonium / arcadion

deep dungeon // palace of the dead / heaven-on-high / eureka orthos

seasonal // heavensturn / valentione’s day / little ladies’ day / hatching-tide / moonfire faire / the rising / all saints’ wake / starlight celebration

location // gold saucer

ffxiv ― race, class, job.

race // viera / au ra / miqo’te / lalafell / elezen / hyur

tank // paladin / warrior / dark knight / gunbreaker

healer // white mage / scholar / astrologian / sage

melee // monk / dragoon / ninja / samurai / reaper

ranged // bard / machinist / dancer

caster // black mage / summoner / red mage / blue mage

hand // carpenter / blacksmith / armorer / goldsmith / leatherworker / weaver / alchemist / culinarian

land // botanist / miner / fisher

community ― prompt, challenge.

race // febhyurary / miqomarch / vierapril / aurapril / lalapril / mayqote / junelezen / vieraugust / auraugust / elftober / hrothober / roevember

general // glamtober / musember

content ― other.

sqex // ffvii / ffviii / ffxii / ffxv / ffxvi / ff tactics / nier automata

cosplay // dc comics / frieren / nasuverse / oshi no ko / rwby / takt op.

misc // monochrome / comics / gifs / academia quotes / masterlist

“Give credit where credit is due.”

“etheiryscape” by isorawrites (@why-raven).

All screenshots and edits by me unless otherwise stated.

Do not claim or repost any part of this blog as your own.

I do not consent to have my screenshots fed to AI.

Please give proper credit to the rightful owners.

Final Fantasy XIV © Square Enix. All Rights Reserved.

All other fandoms belong to their respective copyright holders.

Divider from open source.

Warning Banner: No AI by vase-of-lilies.

For full disclaimers, please check via the desktop version here.

[thorneyes]

Get To Know Me

I got tagged by at least two people - I know I saw @aces-and-kings and @raahinash did.

Tag (9) people you'd like to know better!

Last song: Who Are You, Really? By Mikky Ekko. Was just the latest song on a playlist I was listening to.

Currently reading: Found a copy of Watership Down that I read when I was 13 and decided to read it as an adult to see how much of it went over my head at that age.

Currently watching: Got a free trial to watch Game Changer on Dropout because people keep putting Brennan Lee Mulligan clips on my dash. But rn it’s the shakespeare ep.

Current obsession: Kind of in between at the moment. I guess RP takes up most of my hobby time, so that technically counts, but in terms of brief bursts of intensity I’ve been watching a lot of crafting videos from Hanabira工房 on youtube.

Tagging @isorawrites @sunbeasts @umbralaether @oneiroy @midnightmagicks @cadrenebula @upatreewithoutaharness, though no pressure! and if you see this and want to do it, please do and tag me ovo

[etheirysnoir]

wanderers of darkness.

lights ahead, darkness descends in the shadows we make amends names unknown, deeds untold we still go on as the tales unfold.

— poem by isorawrites (@etheirysnoir)

Decided to reboot this site, due to many weird bugs and issues with the old one (I did contact Tumblr Support for assistance, but they couldn’t figure out why, either).

This pinned post is a placeholder/temporary announcement for now as I’m slowly working on moving all my posts and reblogs here, then archive them nicely. It will be re-written when I have settled in with this new account. All reblogs are running on a queue to stagger my progress at a manageable pace.

For anyone curious about the purpose of this side blog:

For people who only want to follow a strict FFXIV-only account without distractions about unrelated stuff. I do post about other fandoms and topics on other blogs I own, and this might not work well with those who heavily curate their dash or spaces.

Technically an OC-centric/RP site. I noticed that a lot of FFXIV folks who are looking for more blogs to follow often specify this as their main focus. Also easier for people to find my OC lore if they are interested to do collaborative writing (most preferred) or roleplay (selective) with me.

Expect tons of aesthetic reblogs, mainly literature quotes and dark academia moodboards. Feel free to reblog them for your OC aesthetics if you want, but I strongly encourage you to reblog from the source wherever possible.

Will also be moving other FFXIV reblogs here (those unrelated to my OCs) to de-clutter my main blog. Hopefully.

Thank you for reading, and I hope you can walk with me here on this new journey!

[writeraven]

it’s thigh day today and I know I’d be okay in a deep dungeon all alone at the top, white as bone.

— poem by isorawrites (@writeraven)

[writeraven]

FFXIVWRITE 2024 — 01: STEER.

The Final Days were upon us. Meteors falling from the crimson sky, Blood painting the burning land, Weapons out, back to back, Once comrades, now fiends, Surrounded by despair… Will we live to see the next sunrise?

TAGS: [ isorawrites. » FFXIVwrite » 2024 ]

FANDOM: Final Fantasy XIV.

VERSE: Endwalker » MSQ.

STATUS: Submitted; 1 chapter.

GENRES: Draft, Flash Fiction.

SHIPS: Murderomantiques.

MUSES: Sora Amariyo, Yiuno Reine.

NPC: Scions of the Dawn (mentioned).

steer /stɪə/ noun; informal a piece of advice or information concerning the development of a situation.

Counting was never something that Sora Amariyo was good at. Like the chakrams that sliced their ways through the fiends with a blur, her mind was hazy as she kept repeating the same actions over and over again… But there seemed to be no end to these monsters that continued to burst forth, amongst screaming locals scuttering all over the place.

When will this end?

Her arms felt heavier with each swing; her waist was screaming against her lead-like legs that were lagging behind, and she felt disjointed with her body, the world around her…

“Sora.”

A gloved hand caught her spinning frame as she dived headfirst into the torso of someone much bigger and taller. Looking up, she pursed her lips at the muted disapproval on her mentor’s face.

“Don’t push yourself too hard.”

“I know,” Sora huffed, pushing herself away from the Viera. “But there’s no end to this.” She glanced briefly at the Scions, who were also struggling to keep up. Shrugging, she readied her glaives and prepared to make a dash through the hordes…

Only to be stopped again by Yiuno. The latter pulled her aside, just in time for a claw swipe to narrowly miss her hair by a few ilms. Unable to break out of her guardian’s iron grip, she went limp, but not without an angry chirp.

“What is your deal?”

With a sigh, Yiuno finally released the Warrior of Darkness. “I’m not here to babysit you, young lady. Either we work together as partners, or you’re going to get yourself killed in this chaos.”

Sora couldn’t believe her ears (or horns, to be exact). “Do you really think of me as your—”

“Get moving,” Yiuno cut her off curtly, but not without a slight hint of pink on his pale cheeks. “If you don’t want to die just yet, I suggest we save the idle chit-chats for later.”

Support me on Ko-fi — https://ko-fi.com/whyraven. Thank you very much for your continuous support☕

[writeraven]

FFXIVWRITE 2024 — 06: HALCYON.

do you remember the days we promised to be together forever and ever?

TAGS: [ isorawrites. » FFXIVwrite » 2024 ]

FANDOM: Final Fantasy XIV.

VERSE: Pre-A Realm Reborn.

STATUS: Submitted; 4 poems.

GENRES: Draft, Poetry.

SHIPS: Necromancers.

MUSES: Yiuno & Yiuna Reine.

halcyon /ˈhalsɪən/ adjective denoting a period of time in the past that was idyllically happy and peaceful.

remember the days you and I, young and bold we thought: nothing could separate us

remember the days you and I, strong and powerful we thought: nothing could stop us

remember the days you and I, last ones standing we thought: nothing could kill us

remember the days you and I, hand in hand we thought… of nothing.

AUTHOR’S NOTE.

A series of poetry summarizing some parts of Yiuno and Yiuna’s immortal life; from their childhood days to their participation in calamity wars.

Support me on Ko-fi — https://ko-fi.com/whyraven. Thank you very much for your continuous support☕

[writeraven]

FFXIVWRITE 2024 — 03: TEMPEST.

“Being an assassin is not always about the easy kill. It’s about the best kill.” — Tricia Levenseller, Vengeance of the Pirate Queen

TAGS: [ isorawrites. » FFXIVwrite » 2024 ]

FANDOM: Final Fantasy XIV.

VERSE: Dawntrail » MSQ.

STATUS: Submitted; 1 chapter.

GENRES: Draft, Flash Fiction.

SHIPS: Murderomantiques.

MUSES: Sora Amariyo, Yiuno Reine.

NPC: Wuk Lamat, WoL (Meteor), Alphinaud & Alisaie Leveilleur.

tempest /ˈtɛmpɪst/ noun a violent windy storm.

The deck was an utter mess. Rolling waves teased with malice at the masts; the Endeavor rocked back and forth in the violent storm. Few people were scuttering about to keep the ship afloat, lest it got swallowed by Llymlaen’s rage.

However, one lone person seemed unfazed by the chaos around them.

With a firm hand around one of the study poles, Sora Amariyo watched a certain female Hrothgar falling flat on the plank, her grey eyes devoid of emotion.

“Do you want to help her?”

She was startled by the quiet yet steady voice of Yiuno Reine, her mentor (and secret crush). She glanced away, slightly annoyed at her own inability to detect his coming. “Why do I want to save that spoiled princess? I don’t even see any value in assassinating her, honestly.”

“Patience, young lady,” Yiuno drawled, patting the Xaela dancer’s head with a gloved hand. “We’re merely here to observe.”

The pair in black watched a few figures rushing up to the Third Promise of Tuliyollal, whom Sora recognized as members of the now-defunct Scions of the Seventh Dawn: the Elezen twins, Alphinaud and Alisaie Leveilleur. And of course, the Warrior of Light himself.

“Do you think we have a chance, with these Scions here?” Sora asked, turning to leave and retreating to the lower decks. “I don’t see your bookish girlfriend around.”

“Frankly speaking, I agree with your assessment—that Xbr’aal girl isn’t worth our time,” Yiuno began, trailing behind the Warrior of Darkness. “Also, Y’shtola isn’t my girlfriend; she’s just a regular client.”

Ignoring the look of disbelief on the young dancer’s face, Yiuno went on, “I’m more interested in the ‘Golden City’ they were talking about.”

“Do you think it exists? A city made of gold?”

Sora’s excitement deflated at Yiuno’s narrowed expression. “Keep your greed in check. I don’t think it’s that simple—there’s perhaps a hint of truth somewhere, even in folk tales.” Rubbing the back of his neck with a hand, Yiuno shrugged and faced his young charge. “Change of plans, then, I guess.”

Sora’s pale face broke into a grin. “I’d never say no to new adventures.”

Support me on Ko-fi — https://ko-fi.com/whyraven. Thank you very much for your continuous support☕

[writeraven]

FFXIVWRITE 2024 — 09: LEND AN EAR.

“If it was anyone else he’d be pissed if they were still here, but not you.” — Sarah Clay, Never Enough

TAGS: [ isorawrites. » FFXIVwrite » 2024 ]

FANDOM: Final Fantasy XIV.

VERSE: AU » Modern Day.

STATUS: Submitted; 1 chapter (3 parts).

GENRES: Draft, Short Story.

SHIPS: Shenanigans.

MUSES: Yiuno Reine (Yiune Rei).

NPC: Emmanellain de Fortemps.

lend an ear phrase of lend listen sympathetically or attentively.

WARNING — mild alcohol abuse.

Emmanellain loved his job very much. He enjoyed working in the sales department: there were plenty of challenges awaiting him each day. Whether it was about handling fussy regulars or seeking out new customers to add to his repertoire, he was content with the busy schedule that gave him a sense of fulfillment.

However, his colleagues had other ideas—they exploited his easygoing personality by often dumping their tasks onto him, causing him to stay in the office beyond working hours. By the time he managed to complete everything for the day, it was already half past eleven. Then, he had to catch the last train home; he barely had any time for himself, and simply crashed for the night. Worse, he had to return to the workplace on weekends in a feeble attempt to catch up, draining him further.

One day, his manager, Yiuno, called him to his room for a talk. While Emmanellain greatly respected Yiuno, for the latter was the youngest in the department but also the most capable, he found it difficult to approach his stony-faced superior. He heard rumors from his colleagues about Yiuno being an extremely strict person, and he’d fire anyone who didn’t meet his high expectations.

Throughout the whole meeting, Emmanellain merely kept his eyes on the carpeted floor. He didn’t pay much attention to what Yiuno was saying to him; his mind was running various simulations about the mountain of tasks that he still needed to do.

He only jolted out of his own thoughts when he felt a sudden pat on his shoulder. “There’s a client I want you to meet tonight,” Yiuno said. “Meet me at the parking lot at seven. I’ll drive.”

“Ah! But—”

“I will drive,” Yiuno cut him off in a flat tone. “You should take a good look at yourself in the mirror. Have you actually slept at all?”

An hour had passed since Emmanellain arrived at the posh restaurant with Yiuno—they were already done with the main course and now onto the desserts, but the client they were supposed to meet was nowhere in sight. He glanced at his Viera boss, who was digging into his chocolate soufflé with a blank expression.

He kept wiping his sweaty hands on his pants. He couldn’t remember the last time he ate together with anyone in the company; this was his first time hanging out with his superior. As the tense atmosphere began to crush him, he hurriedly picked up his glass and downed all its content. He coughed as the dryness of red wine burned his throat.

He looked up to see Yiuno standing next to him with a glass of water. “Take it easy,” he said. “I think our clients got lost somewhere, so I’m going down to fetch them. It’s my treat tonight—feel free to order anything you like in the meantime.”

Emmanellain nodded as he watched Yiuno leave with a paper bag. He suddenly felt a little light-headed—maybe he was too nervous. He never had issues with alcohol, and he used to be quite the drinker when he just turned twenty. He ordered more wine for himself, becoming more intoxicated by the time he finished the third bottle.

Through his half-opened eyelids, he saw a figure approaching: at first, he thought his manager had returned because of the familiar leporine ears, then he sat upright when he realized the person was female. Emmanellain traced the lady’s curvy figure with his eyes, then he mumbled a quick apology when he noticed the latter pulling down her mini skirt shyly. Work had kept him busy for years with no room to socialize, let alone date anyone.

“D-Do you mind… if I sit here?”

The lady’s mature voice surprised Emmanellain; he relaxed when she covered her mouth and coughed softly. “No, no… Not at all,” he replied, still gaping at the Viera woman. Half of her face was covered by the long fringe of her silver bobcut, with only one eye and her dark-red lips visible. She was clad in full-black: long-sleeved turtleneck, opaque pantyhose, and ankle-strapped heels.

Chuckling nervously, she averted her gaze from Emmanellain’s intense stare. “…Is there something on me that bothers you?”

“No… no.” Emmanellain shook his head. “My apologies. I’m awed by your beauty.”

She laughed again. Then she looked Emmanellain. “But there is something that has been bothering you.”

He froze. This lady was a stranger, yet he felt a tinge of familiarity from her. Waving his hand at a passing waiter for more wine, Emmanellain could no longer stop the words tumbling out of his mouth, and the tears flowing down his cheeks for the rest of the night.

The next day, Emmanellain woke up with a splitting headache. That cleared after he sat up for a while, and he began to study his environment.

He was in a hotel room, fully illuminated by the sunlight pouring through the bay windows. The bed was queen-sized, big enough to fit two fully-grown adults. He heard the sound of running water coming from the bathroom; he then noticed some clothes left on the backrest of an armchair, just a few steps away.

He felt his head throbbing again when he tried to recall what had happened last night. He kept talking to the Viera woman, who simply listened in silence, occasionally helping to fill his glass with more wine. He clutched his head when he remembered leaning against the surprised lady and cried on her shoulder. He recognized the clothes belonging to the female stranger. A sudden realization dawned upon him, and he began searching the room frantically.

He couldn’t recall anything else after he cried himself to sleep. Nothing could possibly happen between them… right?

He accidentally knocked over the lady’s pile of clothes, where it fell onto the ground in a scattered mess. As he picked them up, he noticed something queer among the sea of black. Something he’d never imagine anyone would have, under normal circumstances.

He looked up when he heard a click, and the bathroom door opened to reveal the last person he’d expect to meet.

“Oh, you’re finally awake,” Yiuno greeted him with his usual nonchalance. “Feeling better now?”

Emmanellain could only gape at his topless superior, his other hand still holding the silicone breastplate he’d just picked off the floor.

Yiuno merely replied with a wry smile. “This is the only way I could make you talk to me.”

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[writeraven]

FFXIVWRITE 2024 — 07: MORSEL.

Just give a little more.

TAGS: [ isorawrites. » FFXIVwrite » 2024 ]

FANDOM: Final Fantasy XIV.

VERSE: Eorzea Academy » AU.

STATUS: Submitted; 1 poem.

GENRES: Draft, Poetry.

SHIPS: Bibliomantiques.

MUSES: Yiuno Reine.

NPC: Y’shtola Rhul, Alisaie Leveilleur (mentioned).

morsel /ˈmɔːsl/ noun 01. a small piece or amount of food; a mouthful. 02. a small piece or amount.

Morning begins with tea Over the table, it’s coffee Right after breakfast, we leave Strolling through the gates Everyone on time, but Alisaie is late Little moments like these, we create.

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[writeraven]

FFXIVWRITE 2024 — 04: RETICENT.

“When I discover who I am, I’ll be free.” — Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man

TAGS: [ isorawrites. » FFXIVwrite » 2024 ]

FANDOM: Final Fantasy XIV.

VERSE: Endwalker » MSQ.

STATUS: Submitted; 1 chapter.

GENRES: Draft, Flash Fiction.

SHIPS: Bibliomantiques.

MUSES: Yiuno Reine (Yiune Rei), Sora Amariyo (mentioned).

NPC: Y’shtola Rhul, WoL | Meteor (mentioned).

reticent /ˈrɛtɪs(ə)nt/ adjective not revealing one’s thoughts or feelings readily.

After the talk and bidding goodnight to Meteor, Y’shtola Rhul left the Baldesion Annex and made her way to the Journey’s End—the residential district of Old Sharlayan. Upon arriving at her destination, she rapped smartly on the door. “I have come.”

Pushing it open, she entered the room and walked towards the peacock-blue couch. Someone was already seated there, staring out of the skylight window. A Veena Viera with a complexion as pale as the full moon above, further enhanced by the raven trench coat they were wearing. They turned their attention to the approaching sorceress with a raised eyebrow.

“Shtola,” they greeted; despite their androgynous features, the voice was clearly masculine. They—he—regarded the Sun Seeker with his heterochromic eyes, unblinking. “Is everything all right?”

“Never better,” Y’shtola replied, sitting next to her partner. “You should worry about yourself first, and more.” Seeing that the Viera clearly didn’t buy her cheery tone, she shook her head. “The Warrior of Light is fine; he is with friends, who will rush to his immediate aid if anything happens. I’m more concerned about you.”

She closed into the troubled man; her hands felt something soft on her lover’s chest. “How long were you able to control this, Yiuno?” she asked as she began to remove his coat. “Does the Warrior of Darkness—Sora—know?” Then she sighed at Yiuno’s averted gaze. He didn’t want her to worry. Just like me.

As she began to loosen Yiuno’s necktie, the latter stopped her with a hand. “You’ve been pushing yourself very hard, too,” he said, his tone colored by mild amusement. “The effects are only temporary; you shouldn’t rely on my potions so much.”

A moment of silence hung between the pair. Regret met longing; sadness met desire. Y’shtola brought her face closer and kissed her weary partner on the lips. “Fools, are we not?”

“We are, indeed.”

Straightening up, Y’shtola picked up a parcel from the low table before the couch. “Shall we get changed?”

“Shtola, I—”

“No buts,” she cut him off, unwrapping the package to reveal two sets of feminine clothing. “Ladies’ night at the Last Stand, you and I.” Her expression softened as she handed over a sweater to her embarrassed partner. “All I want… is for you to be free.”

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[writeraven]

FFXIVWRITE 2024 — 14: TELLING.

Seven expansions. Seven poems. Where shall we go next?

TAGS: [ isorawrites. » FFXIVwrite » 2024 ]

FANDOM: Final Fantasy XIV.

VERSE: All Expansions » MSQ.

STATUS: Submitted; 7 poems.

GENRES: Draft, Poetry.

SHIPS: Murderomantiques.

MUSES: Sora Amariyo, Yiuno Reine.

there’s no telling idiom it is not possible to know.

there’s no telling of the coup d’état that branded us traitors

there’s no telling of the thousand-year war that began with betrayal

there’s no telling of the oppression that created cruelty

there’s no telling of such despair born from longing

there’s no telling of the ancient past that comes to a full circle

there’s no telling of the love and peace that can bring others to ruin

tell me: onward to new horizons what should we expect next?

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[writeraven]

FFXIVWRITE 2024 — 02: HORIZON.

A sequel to this photostory, written from Yiuno’s perspective.

TAGS: [ isorawrites. » FFXIVwrite » 2024 ]

FANDOM: Final Fantasy XIV.

VERSE: Event » Moonfire Faire (2024).

STATUS: Submitted; 1 poem.

GENRES: Draft, Poetry.

SHIPS: Bibliomantiques.

MUSES: Yiuno Reine (Yiune Rei).

NPC: Y’shtola Rhul.

horizon /həˈrʌɪz(ə)n/ noun the line at which the earth’s surface and the sky appear to meet.

Like oil and water, we seem incompatible Like sky and ocean, we’re from worlds apart

Near yet far, our fates entwine Through the knowledge we seek Yearning for more beyond pages

The bonds we make The promises we keep Changes challenging to break us

Like the sunset on the horizon In that moment, looking out of the inn You curl up next to me The sky and ocean finally kiss.

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