#post arr spoilers

[katriaarts]

who up finalling their fantasy fourteen

[faragonart]

[wintersneg]

god i miss the scions so much, they really left me with alphinaud out of all of them

[theninthlaw]

テミス GIVE. ME. MORE. PANDAEMONIUM.

[kraefishh]

fucked up AU idea where instead of Minfilia falling into the lifestream to give her life source up to Hydaelyn, the WoL does it instead?? Like the WoL sacrifices themself for her in spite of Minfilia protesting. Or maybe they were called instead of her.

But then the rest of the story is Minfilia being forced to step up in the Wol's place because she's the only other one who has an Echo power that rivals the WoL's (perhaps its even stronger!).

Think of the potential that this would bring. The scions' devastation over losing this shard's last Warrior of Light before Minfilia picks up the helm and through sheer willpower takes the WoL's place. The WoL becoming the 'Word of the Mother' and the utter agony that that would bring. RYNE INSTEAD BEING A MIRROR OF THE WOL INSTEAD OF MINFILIA..... GOD. Like if you put your WoL in that place instead of default Meteor Survivor (love him to death) you could make some damn cool designs and not to mention pain with that.

Anyway this is getting a little away from me but I've been pondering this for like a solid few hours.

[picaroroboto]

as we all know, the WoL is very stoic, always with this serious face on - yet Haurchefant praises their smile with his dying breath, meaning they must have smiled around him at some time.

and in that same scene we see the WoL with the most complex expression they've ever shown on screen: shock transforming into a close-lipped smile but with eyes seeming to be on the verge of tears.

In that way Haurchefant, the man who loved the Warrior of Light's smile more than anyone, is also the one responsible for them learning how to cry.

[anneapocalypse]

Hildibrand and Alphinaud should meet because they are both big-hearted, well-intentioned, ambitious young men from privileged families who do possess genuine talents but are prone to grandiosity and overconfidence in their abilities, and I think it would blow Alphinaud's mind to see that all you have to do to exist in that state unscathed by consequence is to cloak yourself in the thickest layer of comedic plot armor imaginable.

[lookbluesoup]

(Spoilers for EVERY expansion to follow)

I have been thinking about Alisaie again and I just. Have an ache over how terrified she is of losing people she loves.

I also really do love how insanely protective of the WoL she is, as much as hurts how desperate she is for you not to leave her.

That antagonism toward loss is such a recurring element throughout her story. Her fear of losing the WoL comes up frequently, and she's shown to be much more overtly afraid of harm coming to them than most of the other Scions (not that the others don't also worry, Alisaie's just so loud about it.) Which, personally, I really like about her. She may idolize the WoL, but she never forgets that they're human, too.

Anyway, this is a theme for her from the very beginning, and Alisaie is faced with a major loss in every. single. expansion. Her grandfather, Emery, the Call taking the Scions, Tesleen, and Ultima Thule. And throughout those she learns to keep her heart open nonetheless, to keep trying, to keep caring. That's what she tells the Endsinger. "We take each other's hand. Share in each other's courage. Follow in each other's footsteps. And turn sorrow into strength!"

I'm gonna shove some rambles and a BUNCH of quotes under the cut, here, because they make me emotional and I like having them in one place. This isn't all of them, but it's some of the one's that stuck out to me most in my 95987324876423 screenshots (since Tumblr only lets me put in 30 per post >_> )

The Coils of Bahamut, where she begins to hope her Grandad is still alive, only to find his body has been possessed and turned into a tool for his enemy, and the man she loved is beyond saving, and that his body is now a puppet being used to try to kill her...

The loss of Emery in "A Malm in Her Shoes" official short story, when Alisaie shuts down and stops looking for companionship:

In Stormblood, trying to dissuade the Qalyana from following Lakshmi after the death of the leader's daughter:

As the other Scions get Called to the First, their souls kidnapped and their bodies left behind:

When it's just the WoL and her, about to face Garlemald on the battlefield:

That her instinct is to reach for the WoL when you're both Called again...

In Shadowbringers, when Tesleen is corrupted by the Sin Eaters and transformed into an aether-hungry zombie:

Later, when you have to kill "Tesleen", if you run the dungeon with Alisaie in your party, at the end of it she will be facing back down the road, where her friend's body was, and wishing her a peaceful rest. (And if Alphinaud is also there, he will notice, too)

Then, when the Fuath kidnap and attempt to drown you, she searches for you frantically:

When the Light in you starts to break free and the WoL collapses, she's the first to speak, "Are you alright? Say something!" and is also the first of those gathered to take even a step toward you. She doesn't walk, she runs, and only stops when the Exarch interferes - but she's immediately ready to throw hands with him too when she starts to think he means harm:

She lashes out in frustration when trying to find a way to save the WoL from the Light doesn't turn up anything

By Endwalker, you can see how much she's opened up to the WoL and the rest of the Scions. How she invites you to join her around Sharlayan, surprises you with food, and is just generally so much more open and happy.

After you go missing in Garlemald, her and G'raha are the only two who run to meet the WoL on the road when they're spotted returning to camp.

And when you don't answer immediately, she asks if you're alright, with a much softer concern.

If you speak to her before chasing after Fandaniel and Zenos in the Tower, a battle you will have to undertake alone, she will give you some bonus dialogue and pray in front of the WoL:

If she's the one that visits you the night after returning from the Moon, she has a really touching bit of dialogue to offer the WoL (if you have not watched this cutscene please go to the Unending Journey book to replay it and pick the Alisaie route, there's so much inflection the text just can't capture):

And once she's out of the WoL's immediate view she SPRINTS away, she's the only potential visitor who will do that, as if opening up to you so much was still frightening and her courage only lasted so long.

Finally at Ultima Thule, as your friends are taken one by one, she gets progressively more distressed... (I am running out of image space so I'll type a couple of the shorter ones)

"No... Not Estinien too..."

"Y'shtola, no! You mustn't!"

I wish I could post the whole cutscene here but - in Endsinger, when you send your friends away, the amount of screen time dedicated to showing Alisaie realize what you are about to do, and begging you not to do it. The shock and desperation as she recognizes that you're taking away any chance she has at fighting by your side - at protecting you. That same outstretched hand:

And when she thinks you're going to die...

“[Sobbing] You can’t leave us... Not like this... If you do, I’ll never forgive you… So come on! Open your eyes and get up!”

Of all the companions fighting desperately to revive them and call the WoL back, her's is first the voice the WoL hears clearly through the fog, too. It's the first uninterrupted line and actually gets a text box, where the half-finished fuzzy sentences you hear companions shout before do not. If Dynamis played a part in bringing you back, her desperation may well have been a tipping point.

And then she sounds angry enough through the tears that she might just murder you again anyway

I could probably fit another 30 in here but those are some big ones.

I think it's a big part of what makes Alisaie such a favorite of mine, the struggle she goes through and the courage she has to keep caring anyway - something you can go back and see her learn throughout the series.

[kannedia]

Lalapril 2024 - Day 18 - Distance

"We've come a long way. I can but hope that our lost members would be proud of us."

[arianeoftheglade]

Forgive me, Moenbryda. Had I been quicker, or wiser... But I was not, and you paid the price.

[faragonart]

"Alas... I can no longer walk this path with you... so promise me this. Tell me you will live your life, make friends anew, share your heart with someone special...

...for this is only the beginning of your long, long road..."

[myreia]

Bitter Frost

Rating: T Characters: Aureia Malathar, Alphinaud Leveilleur, Haurchefant Greystone Words: 2216 Notes: Frozen and lost on their way to Camp Dragonhead, Aureia and Alphinaud must contend with the events that lead them there. Spoilers for end of ARR patches. Read on AO3

A bitter wind howls across the frozen hills, biting at her cheeks. Aureia bows her head and clutches her scarf around her face, seeking whatever meagre protection it offers. Snow cracks beneath her feet, the drifts so frozen she doesn’t even sink through them. Though she has wandered the highlands many times before, even becoming accustomed to the harsh climate, this time is different. The cold is in her teeth, her lungs, her bones, unyielding and unending. But as awful as it is, at least it has given her an advantage. This way she doesn’t have to feel the pain.

She doesn’t have to feel anything at all.

Alphinaud stumbles beside her, hands stretched outwards as he treads uneasily across the icy terrain. His cheeks are chafed raw from the wind, the tips of his ears rubbed red. He hasn’t said too words to her since they struck out on their own. No complaints about the cold, no questioning her lead or choice of path. He has slipped more than once, falling painfully on his knees. When she extended a hand to help him up, he brushed her away and dragged himself to his feet, plowing forwards with dark look in his eyes.

The flight from Thanalan left little time to prepare for Coerthas. No staff, no rapier, no focus, and dressed in rags and with boots more appropriate for the desert sands than snow mountains. Filo, her faithful chocobo through thick and thin, remains stabled in Ul’dah with the Immortal Flames. The moment she chose to leave her gear and equipment at the Quicksand is seared in her mind. Why would she need it? She was attending a banquet as a guest of honour and invited to a private audience with the sultana herself. If anything, she assumed the audience was reason enough to leave her weapons behind, lest she be accused of attempted assassination.

Fool.

With her description spread like wildfire and the bounty on her head rising by the hour, it was only a matter of time before someone recognized her. Sitting in Brendt’s cart, she took a knife to her hair and hacked away the dark locks, cutting her identifiable red streaks free. Once in Black Brush, she barely had time to breathe. She shed her banquet attire as soon as she could, exchanging the beautiful dress and jewelry for a ragged coat and boots.

It wasn’t a moment too soon. She had only just faded into the background as yet another adventurer on the road when the area swarmed with Ul’dah agents. With Pipin’s help, they managed to escape and board the Enterprise, taking off for Coerthas. Cid flew them as far as he was able, but issues with the engines and high winds forced an emergency landing. Fearing they would be found if they remained, Aureia and Alphinaud set off into the snows on foot.  

Alphinaud slows, inhaling sharply, and comes to a halt. The air around them is eerily still—no sound to be heard save their trembling breaths and the crunch of snow underfoot. Even the local fauna is scarce. They are well and truly alone.

Aureia glances at him. “What is it?” she asks quietly. “What’s wrong?”

He shivers, shoving his hands into his armpits. “It is nothing,” he replies, shaking his head. His breath puffs across his lips, rising in the air. “Simply the result of the overactive imagination of a child. I would not trouble you with it.”

She presses her lips together, uncertain how to respond. Though she herself is reeling from their loss, the weight of what happened is breaking him. She’s powerless to help—nothing she can do or say will absolve him of his guilt. The Crystal Braves betrayed them, yes, but it was his blind naivety that allowed for it in the first place. Even if she did have the right words, they may not be what he needs right now.

“Here,” she says, unbuttoning her coat.

Alphinaud’s eyes widen. “Aureia, I—”

She shrugs off the coat and proffers it to him, goosepimples running down her bare arms. “Take it.”

“But…” His shoulder sag and he lowers his head, staring dully at his feet. “But you will freeze. I do not wish to be responsible for any more harm done to you.”

She seizes his hand and pushes the coat into his arms. “Take it,” she repeats. “Please. What would your sister say if you perished from the cold on Camp Dragonhead’s doorstep?”

“I…” He nods and accepts the coat, pulling it on. His frozen fingers struggle with the buttons. “Thank you.”

She smiles, privately thanking whatever gods are out there that the boy has finally seen sense. She may be brutally cold without the coat, but it is better this way. She has survived worse. “Besides,” she continues, pulling down her scarf and wrapping it around her shoulders like a shawl. “You need not worry about me.”

Aureia steps back, snow crunching beneath her feet, and pulls a hand into her chest. A flurry of snow spirals around her, dusting her hair and shoulders, clinging to her eyelashes. She closes her eyes and tugs on the aether around her, breathing it in, letting it course through her veins. Fire-aspected aether bursts between her fingers, spinning into a small, burning orb balanced perfectly in her palm. It doesn’t amount to much—without her staff to channel, it is barely more than a parlour trick—but it will keep her warm for now.

“There,” she says, opening her eyes and extending the orb to Alphinaud. “See? I have my own methods.”

With the orb pressed to her chest, Aureia pushes on, taking one hill at a time. Alphinaud follows, a little stronger and more assured on the ice now he isn’t chilled to the bone. The winds shift, bringing with them more snow and greyer skies. She clutches her scarf, anxiety gnawing away at her. She can taste the storm coming. If they don’t make it to Camp Dragonhead soon…

“Not much further now,” Aureia calls over her shoulder. “We’re almost—”

She crests the hill and halts, her stomach sinking. A sea of white stretches out before her, masking the trees and landmarks. They are too late. The storm has come and the path forward is lost to the snows. She curses, her fingers cramping, spasming from their curled position. The fire orb flickers and goes out.

“Shit,” she mutters. She rubs her hands together, desperately trying to get some feeling back into them. They remain curled, refusing to relax, and she pulls on the aether, commanding it to bend to her will.

It does not answer.

“Aureia?” Alphinaud appears at her side, his pale face lost in her coat’s hood. “What now?”

Should have stayed with Cid, that’s what. It was a foolish decision to leave and go on foot. “Shelter,” she says through dry lips. “Shelter is the priority. We can weather the storm, then make our way to Camp Dragonhead once it clears.”

He nods. “Where? The trees over there, perchance? ‘Twould be good to remain on the path, no?”

Hells. It has been years since her defection from Garlemald, but her time in the frozen Imperial capital has stayed with her. She should know better than this. She should know how to adapt.

Aureia raises an arm, shielding her face from the brutal wind as she peers through the endless white. A broken wall rises some feet away, its outline little more than a hazy shadow in the falling snow. “This way!” she shouts, her voice lost in the wind, and veers off the trail. “We need to get out of this wind.”

He follows without comment. That he doesn’t argue is either a mark of his unconditional faith in her, or that he is too exhausted to object. Gripping his frozen hand with hers, she wades through knee-deep snow, leading him to the wall. Once there, she drags them to the far side and hunkers down. She doesn’t know if this will be enough to survive, but it’s all she has.

Aureia and Alphinaud huddle together with their backs to the wall. The snow falls with fury, piling up around them. Though the wind is not as fierce, the brutal cold makes her teeth ache and her lungs burn. She’s freezing. He’s freezing. They were brutally unprepared for this. How laughable would it be if they perished in this storm. A pitiful end to the Scions of the Seventh Dawn.

“Aureia?” Alphinaud’s voice is quiet, so soft she almost misses it. The snow crunches as he shifts beside her, pulling his coat tight. He exhales a shaky breath and rests his head on her shoulder. He looks so young… Too young. With all his bright-eyed idealism and sheer determination, it’s easy to forget how young he is. “This is my fault. I’m sorry for what I’ve wrought. If I hadn’t.. If I had…—”

She wraps an arm around his shoulder and pulls him close. “Don’t think of that now,” she says. It’s difficult to get the words out—her teeth are chattering. “There will be time for that… later…”

“There’s… time for it… now,” he interrupts, stuttering through the cold. “At the very least, I would… apologize… for what I’ve done. The others are… unaccounted for, perhaps even dead because of my ignorance.”

She looks down at him. “Yes.”

It’s a bitter truth, but to soften it would do him a disservice. Even now, she can picture that night’s events as clearly as one of her visions. Nanamo, collapsed and struggling to breathe as the treacherous cup rolled across the floor. Raubahn’s rage as he cut down Teledji Adeledji. Escaping the banquet with the Crystal Braves hot on their tail, losing her friends one by one as they chose to stay behind… And most painful of all, the look on Thancred’s face as he bid her farewell, shooting her one final lopsided grin as she turned her back on him and fled into the night.

“How… how do I contend with that?” Alphinaud whispers.

She pauses. “You press on,” she says after a moment. She cups her palm between them, subconsciously pulling on the aether around her, a faint flame sizzles to life, warming her fingers. “Guilt can only carry you so far before it bleeds you dry. Just know that the next time… the next time will be different. Better.”

He’s silent for a long time. “Do you… blame me?”

Aureia closes her eyes, snowflakes crystalizing on her lashes. “You are not responsible for our enemies’ actions, Alphinaud. You did not kill Nanamo. You did not frame the Scions. Take comfort in that.”

If he answers, she does not hear.

Her body is stiff, her limbs numb. A small sphere of warmth With the world gone white, it’s too easy to lose herself to the exhaustion and the cold. To submit herself to the bitter frost…

“…Aureia!”

She stirs, forcing herself out of her stupor. She can’t open her eyes—her eyelashes are frozen shut. Though she has not yet lost all sensation. A small sphere of warmth licks at her palms, her flame still burning against all odds.

“Aureia!”

The voice cuts through the haze. Someone seizes her by the arms, unearthing her from the snow. She groans, wobbling on uneasy feet, and a strong arm wraps around her, putting a cloak on her shoulders. Warmth floods her from the embrace and she lets out a desperate gasp, lungs aching as she inhales frozen air.  

“Easy, my friend,” the voice says. “Easy. You have taken a terrible turn.”

“Haurchefant?” she breathes, tilting her head up. She pries her eyes open and a familiar face swims in her vision. She would know that smile anywhere. “What are you… how…”

“Scouts saw your approach on patrol,” he says, easing her through the snow. “When the storm swept in, we did not hesitate to commence a search. The snows in Coerthas are not to be trifled with. I would not lose you to them. If not for your abilities…”

The flame. How in the hells did she keep that going on the brink of unconsciousness? If she had slipped into darkness completely, it would have gone out.

Aureia stifles a cry and clutches at him, her heart aching with gratefulness. “I’ve been stupid, Haurchefant,” she mumbles. Her lips are stiff and blue, frost clinging to her skin. “So damn stupid.”

“You can tell it to me in time, once you are warm and recovered. For now, rest. We will see you safely to Camp Dragonhead.” With one arm still supporting her, he turns and shouts to his men. “I have her! Young Master Alphinaud, too!”

A flurry of activity flickers on her peripheral vision. Knights crowd around them, clearing a path to the nearby carriage. She spots Alphinaud some distance away, wrapped in a cloak and leaning on a knight as he struggles through the snow. He glances over his shoulder and meets her eyes, a grave smile on his face. He nods, silently showing his thanks.

She returns it. Somehow, they have survived this. Where they go from here, she does not know. But whenever it may be, it will be up to them to pick up the shattered pieces of the Scions and find a way forwards.  

[kraefishh]

figured i'd post mine and my friends wols on main for the time being while im still stockpiling stuff for when i eventually make that side blog for em

basic stuff is - 1) there's more than one wol 2) by more than one i mean there are seven of them 3) each one/two of them are designated for a specific expansion 4) i have so much stuff planned for them all and have not even finished stormblood (please help me)

also im putting them under a cut so the post isnt naturally extremely fucking long

SO WE'LL START IN ORDER!!!!

Alidae Mendica -- ARR WoL. only one without a "traditional" name convention. SMN/MCH/GNB. bloody banquet happened and she got to ishgard and went "NOPE. I'M DONE." and goes and spends most of her time at the skysteel manufactory with garlond ironworks.

i love her very much she was the first i made. i nearly played an elezen but then really wanted to be small. so after finishing the opening cutscene i restarted and well!! shes here!! shes ready to kick some ass!!!

T'lyr Kho -- 1/2 Heavensward WoLs. is half miqo half garlean, possesses the third eye as well (hence the shaggy hair+forehead coverings). PLD/DRG/DRK/SGE. is never doing well at any given moment. he is (not) coping.

he's the one who made me spiral and make 3 more characters. i love him so so dearly.

Touya Kawa (@twisted-solace's wol) -- the other Heavensward WoL. WAR/DRG/RPR. the most shy and well spoken but will not hesitate to cleave you. works himself to death (quite nearly literally!).

i wish i had more to say about him other than he is very silly. him and t'lyr picked up lancer as a bonding experience and then got roped into dragoon lore (whoopsie!!)

Koren Cadoret -- 1/2 Stormblood WoLs. has 1v1'd Zenos too many times to count. very very protective of his sister and friends. MNK/SAM (plus blue mage and soon to be viper!!).

I LOVE HIM I LOVE HIM I LOVE HIM!!!! punch first ask questions later. wants to be everyone's friend. separation anxiety got his ass in shadowbringers cause he was the last wol to be summoned to the first.

Raana Cadoret -- the other Stormblood WoL. took her brother and left her village the moment she was declared to be the next matriarch. DNC/AST/RDM. likes to give koren shit about his poor decisions.

she makes me go :) !!!!! we really cant decide if she picks up astrologian on the first or if she does it beforehand.

Sthallona Dhemskyltwyn -- 1.0 WoL and also Shadowbringers at the same time?? shes going through it. WHM/BLM. grew up the daughter of a famous pirate. Thancred's childhood best friend.

feigned death after the calamity until she gets pulled to the first and is like "AH SHIT. HERE WE GO AGAIN." she gives me perhaps the most brainworms.

AND FINALLY

Sarangerel Malqir (@trying_to_cosplay on insta's wol) -- Endwalker WoL while also being a whole can of worms by herself. was her universe's only WoL before shit collided in shadowbringers and she met everyone else

the love of my life-- ahem. currently only Warrior canonically because my friend is not even halfway through ARR. very much younger sibling energy to the rest of the scions/wols.

last notes - 1) t'lyr and touya are gay (lovingly referred to as 'the boyfs' by me and @twisted-solace) touya nearly fucking dies for t'lyr and t'lyr proceeds to go oh wait fuck i dont want to lose you. normal shit for their line of work. 2) koren canonically says "you wanna fuck me so bad it makes you look stupid" to zenos. and zenos proceeds to get very confused. zenos isnt even who he ends up with koren just likes fucking with him. 3) raana went through 3 different wol/npc ship ideas before we finally landed on haurchefant. that was hell. 4) alidae and cid are best friends!! stamp of approval right here!!! alidae also hates nero's guts. 5) if biggs and wedge (who i lovingly refer to as the 'lab boys') are around, alidae is not far behind. 6) alidae was named before i realized there was a character named alisaie. this is canonically a struggle for everyone. 7) sthallona swam her ass to sharlayan upon realizing that thancred had been taken under louisoix's wing. insert LET ME IN. LET ME IIIIIIN gif here. she wrote a thesis on how to combine conjuring and thaumaturge magic before ever knowing what a red mage was. (she is very stupid but also unnaturally smart). 8) t'lyr can't use magic. point blank. his third eye fucks that up for him. only reason he can be a Sage is because the magitek does it for him. on the bright side he's really good at parkour!!!

anyway if you got down this far thank you for looking at my blorbos. i am working (not very) hard to get that sideblog set up for these weirdos. i appreciate them very much they consume my every waking thought.

[scionshtola]

i did kind of forget that based on timelines shtola is probably 32 in ARR, in favor of my own headcanon that she’s 28 at that time. cori is def 26 in ARR bc she was like 24-25 when she left home. then there’s shtola’s 3 shb years which i tend not to count but could add to her age. in conclusion,

shtola is somewhere between 2-9 years older than cori

[void-kissed]

Oh incidentally on the note of Zero

I think I've said this before, but I have now started to play the game she is from, Final Fantasy XIV. It will be a very, very long time before I can actually get to see her in-game, but what is already existent is trying to replicate Lorenza (my self-insert) as an in-game player character, and

I keep catching her making such great unamused expressions =P

[wildstar25]

collection of cat (ffxiv) sketches from my priv twitter (some more thoughtful than others) Mix of reactions to my playthrough and warmup/cooldown doodles