#aether is the traveler and he's not gonna be happy when he finds his twin

[thebmatt]

FFXIV Write 2021 Prompt #26 - Free Day!

Herein I commit the chronicle of the Traveler. Shepherd to the starts in the dark.

Thought the world be sundered and our souls set adrift, where you walk, my dear friend, fate shall surely follow.

For yours is the Fourteenth Seat – The seat of Azem.

Rheika held the orange crystal before her as the golden light sunburst pattern shimmered and shined on the floor of the Tower’s throne room. Four circles of white light were formed at the edge of the sunburst, two on either side of her, one before, the last behind.

Franks looked around at the spectacle. “Uh…Rheika? How are you doing this?”

“Don’t think it’s her. It’s that crystal she found…the one that mighta belonged to her” Dahkar hadn’t taken his eyes off Elidibus since his transformation into the Warrior of Light. His greatsword was drawn.

“He’s right. If Elidibus is gonna summon people to empower him, I figure it’s only right we bring in a little help of our own!” Rheika said, smirking.

She pressed the crystal to her breast, and columns of light erupted from the circles, empowered version of the very summoning circles G’raha had used to bring aid to her during her battle against Emet-Selch.

The Warrior of Light, Elidibus, stared at her in wonder. “An invocation of eld…thought not of Hydaelyn’s making….what ARE you?”

Rheika started to think of a smartass remark to throw at him, but before she could, he continued. “No-it matters not! You are the enemy, and you will fall! Even should it cost me everything, I will not forsake my duty!”

He lifted his sword to the heavens, and a pillar of light of his own flashed into and out of existence. “For my people-for our world, I will strike you down!

The team drew their weapons as the columns faded, revealing four people. In front of Rheika stood a raven-haired elezen dressed in the gleaming armor of a paladin. “Well, well. Not sure how you all called us here, but it seems like this is a problem we can certainly do something about.” Her voice was refined and smooth, more akin to an Ishgardian than a Gridanian. She turned to look behind her. “So who exactly- What the HELLS?”

The others all recoiled slightly, startled.

The Elezen looked over to the people to their left and right. Rheika naturally followed her gaze. “Holy…shite…”

Standing to her left was….herself…clad in the garb of a Thavnairian dancer, carrying weapons she immediately recognized as the chakrams Fearless made use of as a dancer herself.

To her right was….another Fearless that had the familiar teal undercut hairstyle, but was clad in black robes and wielding a thuamaturge’s staff.

The two of them were staring at their counterparts in open shock. The other Rheika was the first to speak. “Are you…me? Damn, that is awesome. Stuck to the bow, did you? This is trippy. Holy shit, Syhrwyda, check it out, they have a you! Damn, black hair is a good look on you, girl!” Her voice mirrored Rheika’s own, though slightly raspy.

Fearless turned to look at her counterpart. “Did you say….Syhrwyda?”

Her counterpart looked confused. “What…is that not your name?”

“Class 12 aetherial deiform entity present! I suggest we table this discussion and initiate anti-eikon combat procedures first and deal with the cosmological implications of this after! Unless you all would prefer this thing destroy us?”

The new speaker’s voice was clipped and precise, almost…imperial. The four Warriors in the middle turned. A midlander with sandy blonde hair, carrying an Machinist’s weapon and aetherotransformer stood there, holographic screens deployed in front of him as he read the data that scrolled across them. Though he wore goggles, all of them could clearly see no third eye in the center of his forehead.

A conscript? No he’s right, fight now, talk later.

Dahkar strode in front of Rheika to stand next to the Elezen woman. He looked over at her. “Dahkar Darkspear.”

She smiled, shield raised. “Veilette de Liis. That’s a big sword for someone named Darkspear” she said with a slight teasing lilt.

Rheika reached her mind into the Armory, finding her Ninja soul crystal there and quickly re-established her connection to it. With a quick *pop*, she was glad in her shinobi uniform, twin daggers in hand. “Franks, Fearless?”

“We’ve got the healing, Rheika” Franks said from behind her as two more *pops* sounded behind her, followed by Frank’s fae companion winking into existence.

Elidibus raised his sword, and moved to attack.

Rheika thought Hades had been the toughest battle that they had ever fought.

Elidibus put lie to that statement.

He was every fighting discipline they group had ever seen in one massive primal. Swordplay, thaumaturgy, summoning, he threw all of it at them and more. What was worse, he kept bringing more of those spectres into the fight to help him.

Luckily, the allies she’d summoned with Azem’s crystal were every bit her group’s equal. More than once she’d had to remind herself to stop staring at her counterpart whirling and dashing around the battlefield, constantly throwing and catching her chakrams, using the magic of the Kreigstanz to empower them all. She’d seen Fearless do this more than once, but watching herself do it was…amazing.

Didn’t help that she now knew that she looked really hot in the outfit, either.

Fearless’ counterpart was a terror, herself. Elidibus’ magic might have been devastating, but he was an Ascian, or a primal, or…..well, both, she supposed. Other-Fearless was a mortal, and the devastation she struck him with, massive explosions of flame and boulders of ice, even calling an explosion of pure void energy into existence. More than once she spotted her Fearless watching her in wonder….and the Other-Fearless admiring her mastery of Astrology. Dahkar and Veilette worked in perfect synchronicity, back and forth trading the deflection of blows dealt by the Warrior and harrying him from multiple angles.

In the end, he’d fallen. And when he didn’t stay down, G’raha had sprung his trap, wielding the massive energy of the Crystal Tower to contain Elidibus’ soul…and disintegrate it.

She had given back the Convocation’s soul crystals to the echo of the real Elidibus that remained. He deserved to bid farewell to his friends, one last time, before he too was reduced to aetheric dust, leaving behind the soul vessel he’d taken.

Luckily she had picked it up, for the strain of destroying the final Unsundered had proven too much for the Exarch’s body, which was slowly growing more crystalline. But he’d transferred his soul into the vessel , asking her to take it back to his original body. She’d agreed, and he’d become a sentinel, standing atop the tower on the First until…well probably forever, unless something catastrophic happened.

She hugged her friends, her sister and brothers, then turned to the foursome she’d brought here. “Thank you.”

Other-Rheika ran and jumped into her arms. “No sweat! It’s what we do after all!” Rheika hugged her back, adamantly refusing to let her hands wander, but damn, is this what other people felt like when they hugged her. Cause it was nice.

Her counterpart pulled back. “Are you thinking what I think you’re thinking”

“That I’m suddenly extremely tempted to explore a new and intriguing meaning of the phrase ‘go fuck yourself’? Yeah, more than just a little.”

She giggled. “Oh, it’s very tempting. But if this works like how it did with G’raha did it for us when we fought Emet, I’m guessing we don’t have that long before we go back home. Plus….I don’t think I could do that to Moen and Uri. I mean they’d probably understand, but it feels wrong, you know?”

Rheika looked at her in shock. “Did…did you say Moen? As in Moenbryda? She’s alive in your universe?”

“Yes? Oh fuck, did you lose her? I’m so sorry!”

“She died making sure Nabriales was felled. Used all her aether to make a blade of light strong enough to destroy him. I didn’t even get to know her that well.”

Other-Rheika hugged her again. “Fuck. We all managed to make it to her in time. Between the four of us, we had more than enough spare aether to do it. We’ve become….really close, and through her I got closer to Uri, too. We….we’re really in love. I haven’t felt anything like it with anyone else, really. Wasn’t sure I could for a while. But I guess you know what that’s like, right?”

Rheika shook her head. “I don’t, actually. I’m aromantic. Sounds like you’re demi, I’m guessing?”

“No shit? Huh. Guess we’re not exactly alike.”

“Yeah, I’m not trained in the Kriegstanz either, for another. Now I wanna be though!”

“Really? So what else do you know?”

While the pair of Miqo’te had been talking, Fearless had approached her own counterpart. “So….Syhrwyda? Guessing you had better luck than I did in the parents department?” she asked, sadly.

Syhrwyda shook her head. “By that tone of voice, I’m guessing we both had shite experiences. Mine always demeaned me until they decided I was useless as anything but marriage collateral. I fled, stowed away in a merchant caravan until I ended up in Ul’dah”

Fearless nodded, smiling as she did “Yeah, same here actually, except I ended up in Limsa. Decided I didn’t want any part of them in my life anymore, so I changed my name to just go by the translation. Got father’s name away from me and if they came looking, well, no one would know who ‘Syhrwyda’ was. It worked for a while, at least.”

Syhywyda chuckled. “Smart, that never even occurred to me. I got taken in by a Hellsguard, a captain in the Flames. I think he saw how lost I was and took pity on me. He…treated me like I was his own daughter. Made sure I knew how to make it out there, life lessons my…that they never bothered to teach me. I owe him more than I can ever pay back. So one day, same day I got accepted to the Thaumaturge’s Guild I came home and gave him a copy of my new identification papers….changed my last name to Saztiwilfwyn. Never saw him cry so much, but we were both real happy.”

“Did they ever come lookin’ for you?”

As the duo continued, Dahkar and Franks walked over the Veilette, who was speaking with the hyur. As they approached, she smiled and walked over to greet them. “You boys fought well, not that I expected you wouldn’t. I imagine you have to, tryin to keep up with your own Rheika and Syhrwyda over there.” She nodded in their general direction.

Dahkar laughed. “We do our best.”

Franks likewise chuckled, then extended a hand to her “Aleister Franks. Pleasure.���

She took it, shaking with a firm grip. “Veilette de Liis”

“….why does that name sound familiar…wait, Dahkar, didn’t we fight Hades alongside someone with that name?”

His eyes opened wide. “THAT’S why it sounded so familiar! But…well she didn’t look anything like you. Dark blue skin, purple and red hair, punched like a freaking battering ram, and she was from the Shroud. Your accent…I’m guessing Ishgardian?”

Veilette nodded. “Formerly, at least, my family got exiled and lives in Ul’dah now. Part political maneuvering by the Dzmaels that we didn’t foresee, part discrimination because, well, we might not look it, but we’re Duskwrights and we’ve always faced some semblance of discrimination over it. Not ‘proper’ Ishgardians or some such tripe. Sounds like that other Veilette and I share a love of punching people though. Was she trained in the Rhalgr’s Fist style too?”

Franks shrugged. “No idea, we didn’t get to talk to her that much, and none of us are trained in it ourselves, so we wouldn’t have recognizes it”

Dahkar looked past her to the hyur, who was ignoring the conversation in favor of meticulously inspecting his equipment. “Uh…hey, man. Just wanted to say thank you for the help”

Veilette intervened “Ah, don’t mind him. That’s B. Short for Brorthon, but we all just call him B out of habit at this point. Tripped over his name a few too many times. He’s not rude on purpose, he’s just…been through things and isn’t good with people he doesn’t know well. He’s from Dalmasca, but they conscripted him into their schools when they conquered the place. Discovered he’s a magitek prodigy, so they basically tried to erase his whole past. Got ‘adopted’ by an Imperial family who basically brainwashed him into forgetting a lot of his past. He got out when a couple of other prisoners escaped and came to the Shroud, but the pursuers killed a woman he was close to during the getaway. He’s….been wary of getting close with anyone ever since. Absolute genius with magitek, and fights like hell with a gunblade, but…yeah. “

Franks nodded. “I’m something of a magitek user myself. You think I could try…”

Veilette held up a hand, shaking her head. “I’ve no doubt you could, given time, but I think I feel the spell’s hold on us fading, and I’d rather not agitate him.”

Franks stepped back. “I understand.”

Dahkar threw a salute her way. “Good luck back there.”

She smiled. “You as well!” Then she turned to the others. “Hey, you two! Finish up, I think we’re heading home soon!”

The two Roegadyn women exchanged hugs before Syhrwyda walked over to her friends’ sides. The two Rheikas did likewise.

“You sure you don’t wanna try a kiss before you go?”

The Rheika in the dancer’s costume giggled. “Bye, sweetie. Take care of those guys. I can tell by the way you carry yourself you’re the leader of em. Another difference between us, I don’t think I’ve got that in me.”

Rheik really wanted to offer some encouragement about that, but there wasn’t time, as the four summoned Warriors of Light began glowing. Their Rheika and Syhrwyda reached their companions and each took a hand of the other two (forcibly in B’s case). Pillars of light erupted from the ground, and the group was gone.

Rheika turned to Franks. “Any luck on doing that whole universe jumping thing?”

He laughed. “Not hardly, not sense I got us all here anyway. I think that’s pretty amazing.”

“Yeah yeah. I wanna visit their universe, though.”

Dahkar elbowed her. “You just want to watch yourself with Moenbryda and Urianger.”

She blushed. “You uh…you heard that, huh?”

Fearless put a hand on her shoulder. “You….weren’t exactly quiet, hon. Either of you.”

Rheika covered her face with her hands. “Uuuugh, okay look, maybe you’re right, let’s keep this to ourselves. I can hear the others coming, we’ve got some explaining to do, so let’s leave that part out. Kay? Kay”

The others chuckled, but also added their assent.

They all turned at the sound of the Scions approaching from within the tower.

It turned out they didn’t need to explain much at all. At least not right away. The sight of the Exarch converted and Elidibus gone definitely spoke volumes.

#Final Fantasy XIV #FFXIV 2021 Writing Challenge #Rheika Aliapoh #Dahkar Darkspear #Aleister Franks #oldmanfranks #Fearless Willow #Other Scions from the multiverse

[thinkofduty]

Ingvald Bloodhound is fuming just a little bit; he's trying to calibrate his aether reserves on the crystal and read a book at the same time.

Ingvald Bloodhound: "Finding anything?"

Orella shrugs at him.

Orella Steelhand: "Depends what you're asking about. You want to know about Ul'dahn tax returns? Could probably find something for you over here."

Ingvald Bloodhound snorts, unimpressed by her dramatics.

Ingvald Bloodhound: "Yes, I would love to know about Ul'dahn tax returns."

Helisent Wynter walks over as she hears two familiar voices, and pokes her head around the partition. "Oh, hey. Didn't expect to find you two here."

Helisent is dressed more in something approaching a monk's gear, and she's filled out some. Ingvald actually smiles a bit.

Ingvald Bloodhound: "I wasn't expecting you back for the time being."

Orella Steelhand: "Well, if you'd specify," Orella mutters, and cuts herself off when they're approached, greeting Hel with a simple nod before looking back at the papers she has spread out around her.

Helisent's mouth twists into a frown. "I came to check on Nive, and I --" She cuts off, crossing her arms, and there's a breeze that ruffles her skirts. "Well, I'm back for now. I let Wilhelm know that I'd have to keep an eye on my sister."

Ingvald Bloodhound: "So you've heard the news. Orella and I were... looking. For anything that could be of use."

Ingvald, at least, is doing that; he figures Orella was doing the same, but isn't sure. The woman in question simply nods, only half-paying attention and picking up another book to riffle through.

Helisent Wynter: "Sort of. I heard something about the Riskbreakers going on a mission, and from what I understand, Nive's going to join so she doesn't have to deal with her fucking feelings, and probably work herself into the ground."

In case it isn't obvious, she's not happy about this.

Ingvald Bloodhound: "Hm."

Ingvald is feeling a little called out, but definitely doesn't say so.

Ingvald Bloodhound: "So you'll be coming along?"

Orella Steelhand looks up at Ingvald's quiet noise, paying attention finally to the people more than the books. "... are you going?" she asks Hel simply. "This one's seen fit to come along to keep an eye on me after the last fucking thing the Riskbreakers put us up to."

Her tone makes it Very Clear what she thinks of That. Hel nods at her.

Helisent Wynter: "Yue suggested it, actually. I figure I can offer some healing, or whatever is needed. I just--" She throws up her hands. "If anyone comes back from the dead again, I'm going to have words with the Twelve."

Orella Steelhand: "... again...?"

And then she shrugs, like it's not worth thinking about.

Helisent Wynter looks down and says sourly, "Nive's father showed up. The one that she thought she lost some fourteen years ago. Apparently some old kingsguard he met in Ala Mhigo said she was here, or ... something. I didn't get all the details."

Ingvald Bloodhound: "You know - like all the other Corpses Ala Mhigo buried."

Helisent Wynter mutters something under her breath that sounds very much like "jackass".

Orella's eyebrows raise and she glances at Ingvald at his muttered aside, and grimaces when the words unwind in her mind to make sense. She isn't gonna touch that with a longsword.

Ingvald Bloodhound: "We'll be all the better off for your presence."

Helisent Wynter doesn't quite know what to do with that sort of compliment, and rubs the back of her head. "Uh. Th...Thanks?"

Ingvald Bloodhound: "But you said you were following Nive." He turns to regard Orella. "Where was it you were aiming to go? Bozja?"

Orella Steelhand meets his gaze coolly, and nods. "What remains, anyway. You heard Linini." And she shrugs, before he can get a word in. "I'm playing nice and making up, before you say anything. No time like the present."

Helisent Wynter gets the distinct impression that she's out of the loop, but doesn't ask for elaboration.

Ingvald Bloodhound: "What about Nive? Has she given voice to any of her plans?"

Helisent Wynter: "She just told me she was leaving for a mission, that's about it. I'm not sure if she means to go with the Bozja team, or the ... the Rabanastre team, was it?" She shakes her head. "She might go to Bozja though, because of her heritage. She's probably curious. Sorry, I know I'm not much help, but trying to get answers out of her is even worse than you two."

Orella frowns. "Hey."

Ingvald Bloodhound manages a chuckle.

Helisent Wynter: "Am I wrong?"

Orella Steelhand: "Tell me one time I haven't answered your questions, you brat."

Helisent beams at her. "You're still a prickly bastard who doesn't like to talk much," She informs Orella with a smile. "And I still like you for it."

Orella Steelhand scowls at her, and then promptly picks up another book and opens it at a random page rather than deal with either of those statements. Helisent gestures at her to Ingvald, as if to say 'See?', and he grins, knowing with his back facing Orella he won't be in trouble for doing so.

Helisent Wynter: "Are both of you going to Bozja?"

Ingvald Bloodhound: "Orella's right: I had meant to go where she meant to go. But it may be overcrowding, at this point. I've a mind to see what can be done in Rabanastre. Especially if new imperial protocols are taking shape."

Orella mutters a little "I'm not going to get possessed." ... and follows it up with a quieter "... again."

Helisent Wynter: "... You too? For Twelve's sake--"

Orella shrugs.

Helisent Wynter: "Why is everyone in my family just bound and determined to give me a heart attack before I'm twenty five?" She demands of the world at large. Orella simply laughs.

Orella Steelhand: "That's just how we are."

If she's smiling a little at the mention of family, well. No she's not.

Ingvald Bloodhound: "How about this, then."

Helisent Wynter tilts her head, listening.

Ingvald Bloodhound: "Orella takes care to look after Nive in Bozja; you come with me to Rabanastre."

Orella Steelhand opens her mouth to say something about babysitting but thinks better of it and simply inclines her head in acquiescence.

Helisent Wynter: "I... I think that could work. Admittedly I was wanting to travel with at least one of you -- I've never been to either place, and the last time I was in the Far East, I got thrown off a cliff. And was involved in an attack on a shrine. So it's probably better if I go with someone I know."

Orella Steelhand: "A--"

Ingvald Bloodhound's eyes grow wide with awe upon seeing Helisent Wynter.

Orella Steelhand: "Now who's giving who heart attacks?!"

Helisent Wynter: "Neither were my fault, before you accuse me of it. It was just a minor imperial raid, nothing really! And then some jackass on a throne demanded if I was his Moon, or ... something."

Orella Steelhand: "I... Sure. Sure, whatever."

The young girl confuses both her elders; they share a bemused-at-best glance, before Orella's expression melts into her much more usual frown."... You're sure?" she asks. "Won't be too much for you?"

Ingvald Bloodhound: "The Grand Steward will be there as well. I imagine that'll be all the backup any of us will need."

Orella Steelhand: "I meant-" and she casts a brief glance at Hel before swallowing her pride. "I meant if it wouldn't worry you too much."

Ingvald Bloodhound: "Of course I would worry."

His voice is patient, surprisingly, and even a little soft.

Ingvald Bloodhound: "But if it must be done, then it must be done."

Helisent Wynter looks between the two, lifting a brow, but keeping quiet for a moment. It's the least wooden she's ever seen them act around one another.

Orella Steelhand: "Only if you're sure."

Ingvald Bloodhound: "I am."

He smiles, just as soft as his words, and she nods, softening considerably. It's noticable even to their audience of one, to whom Ingvald turns.

Ingvald Bloodhound: "That's assuming you'll be able to tolerate me while we're afield together for the next few weeks."

Helisent Wynter bites back a comment about how Orella can be soft, and instead just clears her throat. "Thanks, and I mean it." She shrugs at Invgald. "You're trapped with me, not the other way around. Though I'll try to be on good behavior."

Orella Steelhand snorts.

Helisent Wynter: "I did say try..."

Orella Steelhand grins at Hel. Just slightly. "Good luck with him."

Helisent Wynter: "Good luck with my sister, you're going to need it," she mutters. "I can give you the care package, if you like."

Ingvald Bloodhound: "We'll all have a means to contact one another, I imagine. This won't be the last we speak for the foreseeable future, that is."

Orella Steelhand: "It better not be."

Helisent Wynter: "Probably won't, no. I'll be sticking around until we're all ready to leave, instead of going back to Wilhelm."

Orella Steelhand grins. Craftily.

Orella Steelhand: "How is the prettier twin?"

Ingvald just glares.

Helisent Wynter laughs, and coughs to smother it up. "I suspect he'll finally get his voice back, after yelling at me to stop jumping off cliffs. He gets very offended."

Orella Steelhand: "Definitely related."

Ingvald Bloodhound: "And I'll have to see to it that you don't get any new ideas before he can see you again."

Helisent Wynter: "He also has been teaching me how to spit properly, so I can really show my disrespect to any Imperials that cross my path. He was really insistent on it."

Helisent Wynter beams at Ingvald, and Orella bursts out laughing.

Ingvald Bloodhound has no real objection there, and he simply shrugs. "Right. I'll begin making our preparations."

#RVL