Traveler

Three years later, after an exchange of letters had started, should have signified the return of her parents back on the Isle of Val. In their last letter, Azlyn read about the rush to an end committed by Archon Louisoix and his fellow peers. His Warriors of Light companions had been painstakingly keeping the Garleans at bay, and doing what they could to also help in the operation. Apparently her parents met a few of them and were pleasantly surprised by their selfless service to protecting their homeland. Azlyn wanted to be helpful like they were, but barely turning nineteen without much world knowledge probably wouldn’t help now. She’d be more of a burden if she went to Eorzea now.

From what she could tell, the Black Wolf had laid pressure on Eorzea. This pressure was called: “the Meteor Project”.  Azlyn gleaned her parents notes, and what the Students of Baldesion were pouring hours of work into, and came across a shocking development. Garlemald wanted to rid the map of Eorzea by dropping the lesser moon Dalamud into their land. And the decisive plot where this would unfold? Carteneau. This was where her parents said all of the Eorzean Grand Companies, its armies, those blessed adventurers with the Echo, and the Archons would put an end to the madness.

All she could do back on the Isle of Val however was wait in anticipation for their next letter. They told her they would write to her as soon as the operation at Carteneau was concluded. Needless to say, the waiting was excruciating. The battle had not even occurred, but she felt a strange sense of foreboding. Especially when she looked at the sky, as the lesser moon seemed to grow redder with each passing night.

The Students of Baldesion didn’t help her nerves, as all of them; Archon Baldesion, Krile, and G’raha Tia to name a few, had been tirelessly pouring over books upon books about Dalamud, and any connections it had to previous civilizations. The major one that continued to pop up, especially in the books Azlyn found, had been Allagan related. And there was a reason why the Allagans stopped existing to this day. 

She had been told previously that she didn’t need to help them in their pursuit for understanding, since she was not affiliated with their order and just a family friend—but it didn’t sit well with her to water the plants and do nothing. So when she finished her chores, she would rush on by to the library archives and pour herself into the research. Sometimes she’d find a break, and see no one getting food. It was at this point she would go prepare light snacks and beverages for them, passing them out to each person. Then she’d jump right back into her books. 

Her head was swarming with legends, some involving a seal of sorts. Others involved a dragon race being held back by the Allagans. Bahamut was another name that came up. The research in itself was extensive and never ending. 

She wasn’t the only one who found this information, as other texts from the past mentioned these similar tales in her fellows same books. It was with that the Archon sent a message after ten days straight of thorough research. 

Azlyn slumped in her chair, leaning her head back against the wood to stare up at the vaulted ceiling. Krile murmured something about heading back to the academy, jumping up from her seat to catch the last ferry home. She thanked her before she walked out, drawing up her yellow hood to cover her face. 

“Ten days straight.” G’raha Tia muttered under his breath as he buried his head into his arms. “Wake me up never.”

Azlyn pulled herself up, feeling the strain on her back. “I’m heading home. I hope to get some sleep before the big day tomorrow.”

He groaned before pulling himself up from the desk. “I’ll walk you back. It’s the least I could do to thank you.”

She shook her head, “I couldn’t just sit around and do nothing either. My parents, and everyone here and there are doing all they can.”

G’raha Tia opened the door for her to walk through. When she was through the threshold, he followed behind her stretching and rolling his head in different ways. “Why don’t you become a part of the order Azlyn? You already are like an honorary member anyway.” He raised his hands behind his head. “It’s just a couple markings, and it’s not like your world is going to drastically change.”

Azlyn sighed, the last two years he had been pretty adamant about her joining. She appreciated the compliment about being just as great, and worthy as a Sharlayan, but she couldn’t really see herself committing to a life of studying. It was enjoyable, she didn’t deny that, but something told her to move. To go see the world and experience it first hand. If she was an archon, she felt it would pin her in one location. 

“I don’t know—it’s not really something I see myself doing full time.” She explained for the umpteenth time. 

He rolled his eyes all the same. “It’s a waste that a genius such as yourself will always work side by side with us, and still refuse to get some type of credit.”

Azlyn sighed, “I don’t really think myself a genius. Like I’ve said, it just comes naturally.” Due to the Echo. She let this roll through her mind before ultimately letting the thought drift away. “And it’s not just me—everyone in the Students of Baldesion should get the credit. I just wanted to give you all some help during this troubling circumstance.”

“And I wish you wouldn’t be so giving.” He shook his head. “But then again, that’s just who you are. People are going to take advantage of your kindness one day.”

“It’s a good thing I have you then,” Azlyn teased, their long walk on the paved path led to the house where she blithely jumped on the steps of her porch. “Did you want to come in for a light snack? I made a few dessert dumplings.”

G’raha Tia wasn’t expecting that, turning away with a bashful expression. “S-sure. Why not.”

She moved around the house, gathering a plates for them to eat. He went to sit at the table he’d grown accustomed to eating at with her on a normal basis.  He had his own place to sleep in his workshop, but it didn’t have the same feel as the home did. Sometimes he’d just wander over for a quick bit and talk about the things he worked on. 

Azlyn brought over the desserts, popping open the lid to reveal a sweet smelling treat inside.  She placed them in the center of the table for them to grab at their pace. 

“Do you think everything will go well tomorrow?” Azlyn played with the treat in her fingers, she wondered if there was anything more she could do before everything went down.

G’raha Tia frowned, “I hope so. This is the great Louisoix we’re talking about, if he can’t do it—no one can.”

Azlyn chuckled. She knew how successful the elder Elezen had been in their previous campaigns. It did help ease a bit of her tension she had. “Then I guess all I can do is watch from here.” She gestured to the porch with a nod of her head. “And pray to the Twelve, to the Dawn Father, to any of the gods willing to listen.”

He said, “Well, not any god mind you. There are some really bad ones out there.”

Azlyn chuckled. “You’re right. I’ll be mindful of that.”

They sat in momentary silence, chewing on the dessert lost in thought. Before long G’raha Tia had started to nod off. 

“You gonna be alright?” She asked him, reaching over to gently rouse him by his shoulder. He looked awfully tired. 

“Just tired, I’ll probably head back to sleep. You make sure to get some sleep.” He pointed to her bags under her eyes. “I don’t want to walk in here in the morning to see those get bigger.”

Azlyn snorted. “As if you can talk—yours are much heavier than mine. I’m gonna have to write to Kida about your incessant need to insult my face.”

At the mention of their mutual friend Kida from school, he widened his eyes in shock. “No, no, no, no; there’s nothing wrong with your face—shit, you’re beautiful, even when you look half dead.”

She had to fight back to urge to smack him hard on the arm. “What type of backhand compliment is that?” Azlyn crossed her arms with a tilt of her head. As if waiting for him to continuing burying himself in the hole he dug. 

Flustered, his eyes darted around the room, perhaps looking for ways to escape if things became worse. “You’re absolutely right,” he caught sight of a piece of blank paper on a nearby desk. Azlyn curiously raised an eyebrow at him as he immediately over to it. 

He shuffled the paper into folds, almost expertly as he finalized what was a paper origami flower. All these years of having to make them under the tutelage of her mother and father, he was along with the other children quite good at it. 

Presenting it to her with a flustered expression, he apologized. “Forgive me?” 

Azlyn plucked the paper flower from him with a wry smile. “I was kidding about Kida, you know.” She serenely smiled at the paper craft. “But you’re forgiven. Thank you.”

He relaxed, his shoulders slumped down as if a great load had been taken off his back. “You weren’t kidding about Kida. That’s why I needed to make up to you now.” He reasoned, but smiled all the same. “She won’t let me live that down.”

“You can’t compliment girls looks by comparing them to looking like a corpse.” Azlyn warned, waving her flower. “It’s a good thing I’m not that nice to let it slide.”

“But you did?” He answered.

“Huh...oh, yeah I guess I did. Shoot, I am too nice a person.” 

At this the Miqo’te burst out laughing. He said, “It’s okay—I won’t make that mistake again.” He walked up to her, staring down at her eyes. He pushed her bangs to the side. “I can’t help but get lost in the light of your eyes, the way your limbal rings shine a luminescent ruby red, how calm and regal your amethyst irises are. They say your eyes are portals to the soul, and I can see yours as bright as the sun. Beautiful isn’t the right thing to say, when I should be telling you how stunning and attractive you are.”

Azlyn didn’t miss a beat as she smiled heavenly. “So you’re not denying I still look dead.”

“Oh, come on! Would you feel better if I compared myself to a rotting corpse filled with maggots?”

She laughed, pushing him back as she shook her head. “Alright lover boy of words, go swoon some other girl with your sweet words. I’m going to sleep.” She waved a hand up, moving to the side of the house where to futons were at. 

He watched her with disbelief. When she left the room, he called. “I’m not like that with the other girls!”

It was Azlyn’s turn to call back to him. “You were when we were younger.”

“And I’m a different guy from then!” He now came into the doorway of the room she was in. He leaned against the frame with an exasperated look. “I can prove it, and I am truly sorry for comparing you to a dead person.”

She stopped making the futon to look at him. “It’s okay, I was just teasing you Raha, you don’t need to prove anything to me.” She smiled, but noticed he was being quite serious. She tried to explain herself. “I was just joking really—you don’t need to take it seriously. Besides, your nose is always stuck in a book. It’s alright, I know you’ve grown up since then.”

He blinked several times before letting a long sigh escape his lips. “Everything I say to you is my true feelings.” Shaking his head, he crossed his arms and frowned. “And one day, when everything is calm, I hope you’ll listen to what I have to say.”

Azlyn seemed a bit surprised by that. “O-okay.” She didn’t know what else to say beside that. 

Pleased with her answer, he nodded. “I’ll be back in the morning. Sleep well.” He left the room with a wave. 

She absentmindedly waved back, holding the blanket for her futon in her other arm. What could have gotten him so heated that he needed to reaffirm. And she also found it odd that he wanted to tell her something when everything calmed down. Wondering what it was, she got ready for bed. 

As soon as her head hit the pillow, she found herself sound asleep in mere moments. 

It wasn’t until the next morning when she woke up. Her whole body was stiff, from sleeping on her side and cuddling the blanket. She wasn’t fully rested, but she had gotten enough sleep to pass the day. She went over to the water basin, pulling the washcloth from the water to wash her face. It wasn’t sweltering hot, but the weather had been warm. 

As she got ready for the day, preparing for the work outside in the garden, she stopped on the porch to stare at the sky. A maelstrom—that would be how she’d describe it, of red vicious looking clouds swirled around what she thought was the lesser moon. It’s hue a deep red threatening to drop out of the sky. Even malms away, she could see how disastrously close it had gotten overnight. 

She gripped her railing, tightening until her knuckles turned white.  She watched with wide eyes, wondering how this had happened. She worried for her family, for the people she didn’t know, and also for the fate of that foreign land. And it only got worse. 

Her dreams from her childhood, the ones where she watched the sun explode into a multitude of comets and meteors, came to life right before her eyes. She had to pinch herself, hoping it was just another stupid vision, but it wasn’t. 

It was real. 

As the first meteors seemed to collide with the ground, she could only imagine the destructive force. How many people lost their lives with each collision? She could feel the wood in the rail bite into the palm of her hand, as she watched in morbid horror. 

“Azlyn!” Running up the path to her home was G’raha Tia—his face ashy pale as he also witnessed the destruction being rained upon. She managed to unhinge her hands from the rail and shakily walk down the steps, watching over hundreds of small objects in the distance continue to plummet. 

“Why aren’t they stopping it.” Azlyn’s knees gave out as G’raha went to catch her. Soon several others on the walkways, were shouting that they needed to evacuate the nearby outposts of their field operations. A swirl of activity, but Azlyn watched transfixed to the lesser moon. Even from this distance she could see it was falling, and more of it started to rocket further out. A projectile, a large meteor came crashing into the ocean several thousands of malms away, but the air pressure took a swift change, as if the energy was absorbed. 

G’raha Tia’s arm was wrapped around her as he lifted his goggles up to gauge the energy. “Twelve preserve.” He muttered in horror, before he lowered the goggles for her to see. The energy amassed could be seen from this far out, and it was stupidly high. Way too high. 

Something large dropped, a blue pillar slid out from the Dalamud, crashing down below. They watched the shockwave happen, and waited with bated breath. The moon, also started to change, dropping debris and rubble everywhere. In the midst of chaos, all they could do was watch in horror. 

“No ones—no ones...” Azlyn choked, white knuckling his sleeve as others joined them to watch. There was nothing they could do, as they watched what they assumed was the end of Eorzea. 

There was a large implosion from what they could see, where an insane amount of energy had been thrust into a gigantic solar ball above where once the Dalamud moon had been. It was in that moment a giant wave of energy pulsed through like a wave, rushing and flying out from the epicenter. A giant size blue sewing spell circled around, with all the symbols of the Twelve. As the symbols started to rise up, both Azlyn and G’raha Tia waited.

Those two seconds felt like a lifetime. 

And instantly the sealing spell had been broken. They weren’t sure by what, but as it broke the giant flare of energy started to grow larger and larger in size, dropping closer and closer to Eorzea below. Azlyn felt her eyes brim with heavy tears. 

A shockwave coursed through the air once more, and the inevitable boom that rocked their entire realm. A heavy gust of wind burst through, smashing windows and knocking people off their feet. G’raha Tia and Azlyn landed backward, as the first initial shock wore off. 

“—lyn...Azlyn!”

She was shaken by G’raha Tia, who was pulling her up to her feet. “We need to get to the Archive! Archon Baldesion could have made contact with those onsite!”

Shakily, she let herself get taken. Her feet numbly carrying her at the quick pace her friend was committing them to run. She still stood transfixed at the site malms away—for such a powerful wave — it meant it was much worse at the epicenter. 

They ran into chaos in the archives. People were yelling into linkpearls trying to get ahold of the outposts—some were contacting the major cities in Eorzea. Some seemed to be responding, Limsa Lomensa, Ul’dah. 

Gridania hadn’t responded. Neither did Carteneau. There were some other cities that had been by the battle zone, some that never replied. G’raha Tia pulled out a chair, ushering for her to sit. 

They could hear Archon Baldesion in the background. 

“Thank the twelve you’ve replied Minfillia. What is going on out there?”

There was silence. 

“I-I see. Louisoix failed.” He collapsed into a chair that he had nearby. “And the others?”

More silence. “Get a hold of me when you have more information. Aye. Bless the Twelve that you’re safe. Krile will be pleased to know.” His voice was hollow despite the jovial motion he proposed. There was no joy in the death of many great souls.

G’raha Tia widened his eyes. 

Azlyn bit the bottom of her lip. If Louisoix didn’t make it—then what chance had her parents had? She dropped her head and her tears slid down her cheeks, dropping heavily on her clenched hands on her lap. 

The older Hyur looked to them sitting nearby. He gave them an expression torn between grief and regret. “I’m so sorry my dear.”

She hiccuped, her shoulders started to shake as she cried to herself. Her sniffling caused G’raha Tia to kneel down in front of her, to grab her hands and shed several tears of his own. He leaned his head against her downcast one.

In the wake of destruction, there was a lull of inactivity. As numb as she felt, she hadn’t realized a few weeks had come and gone. She was resolute in her work around her parents home, the possibility of them returning was a small scarce chance, but one she wouldn’t forsake. 

It wasn’t until the fourth week when something new came in. A delivery from the moogle postmasters. Whether they decided to start mailing again after the destruction, or if it was by fate the moogle flew over to the residence with a curious face. 

“Is a miss Azlyn here?” He called out by the front. Azlyn, dazed sitting at the table, hadn’t heard it at first. If G’raha hadn’t tapped her on her arm to alert her, she probably would have been deaf to the call. 

“M-me, thats me.” She stood up, and walked out the door to the porch. She could see the moogle dropping the box off at the front. 

G’raha Tia was right on her heel.

“Right, stamp here for a perfect delivery, kupo!” Azlyn did as instructed, and watched the little puff of white float itself back to where it had come back. Not knowing who had sent her the package, she decided to check the sender. 

“From—Nahz’el and Liliana!” G’raha Tia perked at this and watched her tear into the box. Any energy she had was to confirm whether they were alive and well. What she neglected to see was the date, as it had been addressed a day prior to the Battle of Carteneau. G’raha Tia noticed this detail, but couldn’t say anything. He clenched his fingers into a tight fist as Azlyn found a book and a closed letter inside. 

She grabbed the letter, reading it aloud.

She stopped reading aloud, her voice shaking. Fear overtook her mind as she numbly read the next paragraphs to come.

G’raha Tia reached over to touch her arm in support. 

Clenching the papers, she sniffled. Her eyes burned with the tears flowing down her face. She wondered how much water she could let loose before she wound up with no more tears. Her major regret was allowing her parents to leave. What could they have done in an apocalyptic event like Dalamud falling from the sky to obliterate both sides of the war. 

“We should get your pack ready.” G’raha Tia spoke calmly, he looked torn by what he was about to suggest, but he continued to say it despite his personal feeling. “Your parents wanted you to carve out your place in life. You can’t do that crying about it here.”

She rubbed her face with her arm, her eyes bright red from the tears. She nodded. 

They didn’t know what she should pack, or how much food she should carry, or what she should even start out with for defense in the wilds. But they stowed what they could. G’raha Tia grabbed a suitable satchel for the girl, grabbing just another set of clean clothes for her off wash days. He started to get a sleeping bag rolled up into a tight roll, to attach to the top of her satchel. While he got that ready, she started grabbing any rationed foods that wouldn’t expire. She grabbed a small cooking set for camping, and a plate or two for eating. By the time she grabbed what she thought would, G’raha Tia had walked over with the bag. 

“Nothing too heavy, just essentials.” He advised, having removed most of the clutter. “Don’t take a link pearl. If Archon Baldesion learned you had it, he might try and convince you to return.” She was left with rations and a few utensils and a plate. He then handed her the bag. Azlyn threw one of the handles over her shoulder as he frowned. He plucked a bag of coins from his back pocket. “You need money out there. Take this. I get paid by the work I do for the order.”

She looked about ready to decline, but he wouldn’t budge. “I’m not taking no for an answer.”

It wasn’t long before Azlyn was holding the book her parents sent to her. It’s empty pages were hollow, but they held an important impression of needing to be filled. 

“I—can I really do this Raha? Maybe I can become apart of the order like you’ve always said—“

He stopped her with a firm finger to her lips. “Stop. You have said countless times before that this life isn’t meant for you.”

She wavered. “But to leave this soon?”

“I’m going to be honest,” he said, “you can’t thrive here living as you are now. I can’t see you living your days out numbly waiting. If you leave now, you’ll move forward from this stronger than before.”

Azlyn clutched the journal. G’raha went to cup her hands holding the book. “Raha, will you come with me?”

He looked directly into her eyes, and after a long pregnant pause, he answered. “I’m needed here with the Students of Baldesion,” his face had an inexplicable expression that she couldn’t read. Sometimes she saw him with this expression, and it hurt a little to see it. “Go, before your parents last will fades. Please.” He then removed the book from her hands to stow it safely in her bag, and then went to rummage around her mother’s chest. He was looking for something. 

She bit her lip again. “Th-thank you.” 

He pulled out another book from her mother’s weapon rack. She remembered using it beforehand when training with the dummy. “I’d prefer you stay away from enemies if you can help it. I hope this book will keep you safe.” G’raha handed over an Arcanists book to her. 

She held the dusty tome in her hands. “I guess—I guess this is goodbye.” She said, as the last of what she needed for her lifelong journey to experience the world started at that very moment. 

G’raha shook his head. “When I’m done with my work, I’ll join you and we can travel the world together. Let’s have an adventure together.” At this he leaned his head down on hers. “Let’s promise on it.” He grabbed her pinky in his, giving it a shake up and down. 

Azlyn smiled, wondering if that was his way to cheer her up. She felt a tear fall from her face as she said, “Yeah! Let’s go on an adventure!”

He reached up, his hands wiping her face with his hands. When G’raha had finished his task of clearing her face of the tears she shed, he looked directly into her eyes. She looked right up to him, looking into both his different colored eyes. “I’ll w-write often!”

Again it was that inexplicable expression that caught her off guard, but with a wry smile, he slowly released her face and took a step back. “Yeah— go. Become what you must.”

She turned on her boot, taking the first of many steps into the unknown world. And the first place she wanted to know more about was Eorzea, the resting place of her parents. With her head held high, she walked out from the house, as bittersweet memories of her home arose from her mind. 

Looking back, she would remember the way he looked at her. She couldn’t explain it, but she felt that there was something he was holding back, and she probably wouldn’t recognize it until many years later as a full fledged adventurer and Warrior of Light.