Alzadaal's Legacy
The voyage into the Bounty proved to be uneventful. The wind was brisk, the skies fair, and with Lily at the helm, they’d made it within a hair’s breadth of their destination—the mysterious isle home to Alzadaal’s Legacy. But as they approached, those fair skies gave way to a dense fog and the wind seemed to all but die. By the time they could feasibly swim to shore, the fishing vessel had lost nearly all of its momentum.
But that was for the best, Ascilia mused. Better to take their approach carefully, lest they wreck the ship upon jagged rocks or a reef. And so, after gathering her motley crew of former Scions and Estinien, she splayed their map out over the lid of a crate.
“There is supposed to be a glyph of passage, isn’t there?” she asked, scanning the map once more. “What would such a glyph be, I wonder…”
“Perhaps it’s this eye crest,” G’raha offered, pointing to the eye in the corner of the map. “But I can’t say I’ve any idea how to activate it.”
“Mayhap thy glyph shalt remain dormant until the time is nigh,” suggested Urianger, rubbing his chin. “Or mayhap thine atlas is a forgery in truth.”
“If that’s the case…” Estinien began, moving to the bow of the ship. “... We’ll just have to force our way through. I’ll scout ahead—”
At that moment, the eye crest in the map’s corner began to brightly glow, and upon the island magicked lanterns began to light up as well. Not only had these lanterns marked a route for them to travel, but with each one the fog grew thinner and thinner, ‘till it was practically gone. With the fog gone it was clear that the island played host to an immense jungle, not unlike that of Thavnair itself.
“It seems Urianger had the right of it,” said Y’shtola, turning her gaze towards the lanterns and narrowing her eyes. “... Hm. There are adversaries awaiting our arrival. The local wildlife, from the look of it.”
“Only wildlife?” asked G’raha, looking a touch dismayed.
“For now, at least.”
As she made her way over to the wheelhouse, so that she might instruct Lily to bring them to the nearby stone pier, Ascilia took a moment to breathe and steady her nerves. This was it—the moment she’d been hoping for.
The first adventure of my new life.
***
Watching as the golden glow of Minfilia’s aether faded from view as she entered the wheelhouse, Y’shtola returned her attention to the torchlit path ahead. Something about this endeavor seemed off to her. In the depths of the Qitana Ravel, similar mechanisms roared to life at their intrepid fellowship’s approach. But the Viis of Fanow had been maintaining those devices, at least until the Flood and the Lightwarden drove them out from the Ravel.
Who, then, was responsible for performing maintenance on this well hidden island?
There was always the possibility that the isle’s defenses had simply been built too well to fall to pieces, she had to acknowledge. No small number of Allagan ruins had miraculously survived through calamity after calamity. But until they delved further within, any such musings remained firmly in the realm of speculation.
As Minfilia became clear to her limited vision, Y’shtola caught a glimpse of an oddity. Not within the young Ala Mhigan woman, but her partner. Lily’s aether, normally a burning red tempest, seemed to have stilled considerably. It was, in all likelihood, acute aether sickness. Nothing to be too concerned about. But to see her boisterously strutting out of the wheelhouse behind Minfilia, it was as if she were suppressing the negative effects...
“Alright, everyone, may I have your attention!” Minfilia commanded. As everyone turned to face her, she continued on. “For this expedition, I will be taking three of you with me to the entrance of the ruins. The remainder shall stay here to secure the ship and ensure it isn’t vandalized or stolen, then rendezvous with the vanguard once they’ve finished.”
“In that case, I’ll join the van,” Estinien declared.
“Likewise!” G’raha exclaimed, barely reining in his enthusiasm. “... I mean, by your leave.”
“That leaves Urianger, myself, and Lily…” Taking a moment to pause, Y’shtola considered the situation.
With the strange condition Lily was in, it would be unwise to let her fight. But she was the only one who could see what was happening to the Viera, and given the strain the Final Days had put upon their friendship, it seemed unlikely that she would listen to the sorceress. With that in mind, it was clear what she needed to do.
“The goal of our advance party is merely to secure the entrance, yes?” she asked rhetorically, glancing over in Urianger’s direction. “I shouldn’t expect a delay in your arrival would disrupt your reason for being with us, Urianger. With that in mind—”
“Actually,” Minfilia interjected, “I’d like you to stay behind, Shtola.”
Y’shtola’s eyes widened in surprise. “I… hardly object, but why?”
“That’s a good question,” Lily added, side eyeing the sorceress. “Why her?”
Minfilia motioned to the both of them, then seemed to lay her hand over her heart. There was a playfulness to her tone as she answered, as if this moment of matchmaking was akin to a game for her. “After our reunion at Noumenon, it occurred to me that the two of you hadn’t seen each other in four months. Having a scant few minutes to catch up with each other is hardly ideal, of course, but I believe it would do you both a world of good.”
“An equitable arrangement, my lady Ascilia,” Urianger declared, removing his star globe from his back. “Then if there are no further objections, I shall join the vanguard as well, and offer succor in thine endeavor to chart a course through the canopy before us.”
Y’shtola felt like rolling her eyes. An equitable arrangement? The circumstances of which she’d not spoken to Minfilia were hardly the same as with Lily. One had been gone for years, and the other had made a habit of making an arse of herself in the wake of Hydaelyn’s demise. Her concern for the Viera’s health aside, she didn’t want to spend any more time around her than was strictly necessary.
But hearing the joy in Minfilia’s voice, she couldn’t find the heart to complain. “... Very well,” she sighed. “Have fun storming the ruins.”
After standing by, watching as Minfilia’s party disappeared into the jungle’s depths, Y’shtola sighed and stepped onto the pier herself. “We may as well get this over with. Far be it for me to question our leader’s desires, but unless you’ve some business we need to attend to—”
“Hold that thought,” said Lily nonchalantly as she finished furling the boat’s sails. Stepping out onto the pier herself, she moved past Y’shtola further up, then turned to look out across the sea. “Could you snap your fingers for me? As loudly as you can.”
Y’shtola arched an eyebrow. “Snap my… fingers? Lily, you’re not…”
“I am,” Lily insisted. “You’re not the one losing her dignity here, so just do it. Please.”
With a loud groan, Y’shtola moved in close enough to hold her fingers up to the Viera’s ear. Then, firmly pressing her fingers together, she snapped them. The sound seemed to echo all across the jungle, giving flight to a small flock of birds nearby.
“Thank you,” said Lily as she slowly clutched her stomach. “Now look away and cover your ears.”
“What—”
Without further warning, Lily doubled over in pain. And with a loud, guttural heave, she relieved the contents of her stomach into the waters below.
Narrowing her eyes and scrunching her nose in disgust, Y’shtola looked away and cupped her hands over her ears. She waited and waited until, from the corner of her eyes, she saw that Lily’s aether had returned to its normal, chaotic self. “Just how long have you been fighting the urge to do that, praytell?”
“Since Matsya tested my ability to steer a sailboat,” Lily groaned as she rolled into a seated position. There was an odd, shaky timbre to her voice, no doubt as a consequence of her apparent seasickness. “I guess the hypnosis was only a half-measure.”
“You remained lucid for the whole experience, so I suppose the training Minfilia and I put you through years ago wasn’t completely pointless.” Y’shtola shook her head. Now that the matter of her friend’s health was out of the way, perhaps they could actually get a word in with one another. “She has informed me of your misadventures in the aetherial sea… and the distant past, for that matter. I understand I’ve only an abridged understanding of what you’ve done, but I must ask: What in Hydaelyn’s name were you thinking?”
“About saving our friend?” Lily asked, shooting a glare upwards at the sorceress. “Or saving the Ancients?”
“The latter.”
“If you’re worried about the risks involved, know that I vetted my intentions with a reliable source first.” With a grunt, Lily swiftly pulled herself to her feet and began to dust herself off. “If you want to know more, then you’ll have to wait. Or ask Ryne and Gaia—they went with me.”
Rolling her eyes once more, Y’shtola began making her way along the path before them. “Oh, of course. I’ll get right on that once we’re finished here. It’s only a brisk walk from the Rising Stones to the Crystarium, after all.”
“You’ll find a way there. It’s only a matter of time.” From behind her, Y’shtola could hear the sound of Lily rooting around for something in her pack. “... If you’re done with the questions, I’ve got something to say, too.”
“Oh?” Turning aside, Y’shtola eyed the Viera with uncertainty. “And what could you have to say to me, I wonder?”
“I’m sorry.”
Y’shtola did not respond. Not until the silence between them deafened her to the litany of nature surrounding them. There were two things she deserved an apology from Lily over, and it was unclear whether this was even one of them. A part of her simply wished to take her words at face value, as they radiated sincerity. And another urged her to push for more information, lest the opportunity slip her grasp forever.
Today, the need for truth proved stronger.
“Will you not tell me what it is you’re apologizing for?” she asked, trying her best to avoid sounding judgmental.
“For making an arse of myself in the aetherial sea, when all you did was try to soothe my frustrations. And for shutting you down when you approached me with your reservations about recording our journey.” As her gaze drifted down to her pack, as if focusing on something within, Lily continued. “And lastly, for taking so long to make this apology in the first place.”
“Were you not stranded in the distant past?” Y’shtola asked, cocking an eyebrow. “And later still a warzone on the far side of the star?”
“I had time betwixt, as Minfilia can attest. I should’ve called you then.”
“If you’d called me then, I’d like as not have ignored you,” Y’shtola admitted. “I’d cut off contact with everyone for the sake of my focus, after all.”
“That lost in your books, huh?” Lily chided her as she steadily removed a massive titanbronze blade from her pack. “Hopefully you’ll find what you’re looking for out in the field today. Now let’s get going—Ascilia is no doubt waiting for us.”
***
The path through the island’s dense jungle was remarkably well laid out, Ascilia couldn’t help but note. Even without the lanterns to guide their way, it was clear that someone had laid out an intended route through to the isle’s core. It was as if for convenience’s sake.
There was hardly any time to puzzle that out, however, as every step of the way her party was heckled by what appeared to be the local wildlife. Strange manlike creatures with barbed and sharpened clubs, armadillos with thick, cudgel-like tails, and even a local offshoot of the malboros known to plague the swamps of Mor Dhona barred their way.
With a crystalline shield and sword in hand, she did her best to hold their attention and defend herself, while her allies did their best to thin the beasts’ numbers. Most of their adversaries retreated after a few quick rounds of combat, as if aware that they’d bitten off more than they could chew, though the malboros proved far too aggressive and had to be put down. But even so, by the end of the path, even those obnoxious apex predators had begun to avoid them.
Now they stood poised by the basin of a towering waterfall, with no clear path in sight.
“It seems we’ll have to uncover the way forward ourselves,” she declared, turning to face her party. “Any ideas, my friends?”
“Doth this scene not resemble one we hath previously encountered?” asked Urianger, tapping his forehead. He wasn’t exactly wrong, either—earlier, an entire bridge seemed to manifest itself across a gap similar to this waterfall’s basin. “Perhaps thy map and the glyph of passage marked upon it is the key to lighting our path.”
“Maybe the answer is the basin,” G’raha suggested as he began to stretch out his arms and legs, as if in anticipation of the necessity of diving into the frigid waters. “This wouldn’t be the first time we’ve had to dive underwater to keep moving forward.”
Even as G’raha made the suggestion, Ascilia caught the brief grimace that formed on Urianger’s face. She was almost tempted to ask why, but the reason why hit her almost immediately thereafter. “Let’s exhaust our options before we consider that. Estinien, do you have anything to add?”
Estinien turned to gaze at the top of the waterfall. “Just say the word, and I’ll jump.”
“Jump…?” Ascilia asked, somewhat confused. “To the top of the waterfall, you mean?”
Glancing back down, Estinien gave her an all too familiar stoic look. “In a single bound, yes.”
“Well, that certainly is impressive. If there’s a hidden path forward, I’ve no doubt you’ll find it, even with the canopy.” And now it was her turn. Only, Ascilia had to admit, her friends had already exhausted all the good ideas she might’ve come up with. “Alright then, here’s the plan. We’ll try the map first, then Estinien will scout things out from above. If all fails, then we’ll wait for Shtola and Lily to arrive and break up into groups of three.”
“A sound plan,” said Estinien. “But why groups of three?”
“I’m glad you asked. Under our current arrangement, the remainder would have a clear approach to the ruins. Should we need to delve into the basin’s depths, however, whomever we leave to defend the entrance will most certainly require an extra pair of hands.” Glancing about the party, she paused to consider any further words. She would need to make a convincing argument, lest she give away the true reason for splitting the party this way. “I know Lily is as agile as a Sahagin under the water. What of you, G’raha?”
“I wouldn’t compare myself to a Sahagin, but I am fairly confident in my ability,” G’raha responded, moving to the edge of the basin and peering into the water. “And if it’s Lily and I who are going, Y’shtola should have no trouble coming with us, too.”
At this, Ascilia furrowed her brow. “Why do you say that?”
G’raha’s ears flicked, and he gave her a look as if she’d suddenly turned into a sin eater. “... Oh, I’d have thought someone would’ve told you. Y’shtola is… well, her eyes… ahem. She can no longer make… proper use of them, so to speak.”
“What he means is she’s blind,” said Estinien rather gruffly. “Not that it slows her down, mind you.”
“Blind? That’s… I see. But I suppose it would explain a few things…”
And it did, didn’t it? The way she never quite looked anyone in the eye. How she’d stared through her at Noumenon, and could only comment upon the color of her soul. She was using her own aether, burning it bit by bit, just to see. Y’shtola hadn’t been like that when they parted that night in Ul’dah—could it have been her use of Flow that fateful night was to blame?
Brushing the thought from her mind, Ascilia produced the map and unfurled it. “Well, never mind that. If there are no further objections…”
Neither Estinien nor Urianger uttered a word, and so Ascilia took the map over to the edge of the basin, hoping to find some device to activate. Before she could even begin searching, however, the nearby lantern suddenly burst into glowing light, as did the waterfall. In an instant it parted wide, and a bridge began to manifest before them, covering the basin in its entirety and revealing a hidden passageway right through to the other side.
In the distance, Ascilia could see the sea. Had they not headed into the isle’s interior? Perhaps this was some sort of magicked gate, binding this location to another. Either way, she couldn’t help but feel a mix of emotions. Disappointed that all their planning was for naught, and awed by the beautiful sight before her.
“I guess the map was the answer after all!” G’raha exclaimed, heading onto the bridge before anyone else. “The entrance to the ruins might well lie beyond. Shall we wait for Lily and Y’shtola, or continue advancing?”
“The ruins will no doubt have some sort of guardian,” Ascilia began, glancing back at the road behind them. “But I believe the four of us will be more than able to handle whatever lies ahead. Let us advance with our initial stratagem, everyone.”
“Works for me,” declared Estinien, heading onto the bridge himself.
As the two crossed the bridge, Ascilia stayed put, however, instead turning to smile at Urianger. “Perhaps this is a touch presumptuous, but might I assume you have… difficulties when it comes to swimming, Urianger?”
“... You presume correctly, my lady,” Urianger answered, bowing his head in apparent gratitude. “I’m afraid that, were thee to compare mine efficacy to that of another such creature, that which cometh to mind wouldst no doubt be an… adamantoise, mayhap.”
“So you sink like a stone,” Ascilia surmised, stifling a giggle. “That, hm hm, is nothing to be ashamed of, my friend.”
“And yet thine amusement telleth another tale,” Urianger replied, shaking his head before returning her smile with one of his own. “Regardless, you have my thanks for thy consideration. By your leave, Ascilia.”
***
“Should we not aid them?” Y’shtola asked, watching the scene unfold before her.
Across the bridge beneath the parted waterfall, there laid a massive mist-covered body of water, and between there and here sat what appeared to be a ceremonial dais covered in water. It was upon this dais that a colossal wavekin—it was difficult to tell what it precisely was, but its aether was densely packed.
Estinien, G’raha, and Urianger had fanned out around the amphibious beast’s backside. Ascilia was much harder to make out, but she assumed it was she that held the monster’s attention. Most of its attacks, the wild flailings of its boneless appendages, were directed in that direction, at least.
“They look like they’re doing fine to me,” answered Lily, as she leaned against a nearby pillar. “Say, what species of jellyfish do you think that is?”
“I wasn’t aware it was one,” she admitted, turning her attention to the Viera. “Why do you ask?”
“It’s larger than any I’ve seen before, and the shape is very unique,” Lily went on, seemingly ignoring the question. “The coloration is rather normal, though perhaps more opaque than usual? I don’t know, we’d need a few more samples to compare it…”
“Lily…”
“Hah, look at that!” she suddenly exclaimed. “It buried one of its tentacles into the dirt!”
Now feeling completely nonplussed, Y’shtola furrowed her brow and returned her attention to the dais. Just as Lily had said, one of the creature’s tentacles was indeed buried into the ground. Between the bulging aether as it moved and the splashing water it kicked up, it seemed as if it was trying to land a surprise attack on Estinien.
She had half a mind to call out to him, but in the moment before the tentacle erupted from the earth and water below, he leaped into the sky, slamming down lance-first into the jellyfish’s flank before backflipping to safety behind Urianger. It trashed and flailed about wildly, kicking up a mix of aether-infused water as it battered the party with wave after wave.
“Do you think those red and blue hues are from the dirt?” Lily asked, rubbing her chin. “Or did it secrete its venom as a defense mechanism?”
“What? I mean, I think it would be safe to say it’s venom…” Y’shtola shook her head. She couldn’t concentrate, not like this. “Where is this even coming from, exactly? I’ve never known you to care one whit—”
“And there go all the tentacles! Wow, it’s a real fighter, isn’t it?”
With an exaggerated sigh, Y’shtola pulled out her staff and headed into the fray. Just as Lily had said, the creature had dug every single one of its tentacles into the dais. No doubt it was planning to unleash them in some staccato fashion, herding Ascilia and their allies together for a final attack.
But it would never get the opportunity. Not so long as she had something to say about it. Planting her feet firmly apart, she gripped her staff tightly before her and began to channel the requisite aether for the stunt she was about to pull.
“Mistral winds of the Bounty, heed my call!”
The echo of her voice resonated throughout the chamber beyond, catching the attention of her allies. The first set of tentacles erupted out from below, splashing about venom-tinged mist and water as the beast flailed about, narrowly missing everyone.
“This way, my friends!” came a shout from Ascilia, who began to run towards the middle edge of the arena.
The other four followed suit quickly thereafter and, as they took shelter behind her, Ascilia planted her sword in the ground. Her aether began to stir and swell, forming an enormous pair of angelic wings that covered the party in a beautiful, all-encompassing shield.
The second set of tentacles burst up from below, poisoned waters battering against the wings of Ascilia’s shield.
Sliding one foot back, Y’shtola braced herself for what was to come. “Tornado of the Seventh Era!”
The wind within the arena began to kick up, spinning and churning as it formed a twister in the center. As it drew in water, both normal and tainted by the creature’s venom, it grew in size and shape, until it had become far too large for the jellyfish to hold its ground. Swept up within the tornado’s inescapable grasp, it flew helplessly into the air. And with a simple gesture, Y’shtola pushed the tornado into the water beyond, where it dissipated entirely, sending the jellyfish plummeting into the mirrored surface with a massive thoomp.
“That was pretty reckless,” came the voice of Lily beside her. “Good job, though.”
Gazing out across the arena, Y’shtola spied a number of the jellyfish’s tentacles still embedded into the earth. It seemed that it had tried to brace itself with them, only to have the tentacles shorn off when it was pulled into the sky. “I did not intend to cause harm to the beast, but I suppose it couldn’t be helped.”
“Don’t worry about that,” said Lily. “Jellyfish can’t feel pain—at least not as we understand it—owing to a lack of a central nervous system, and it can regenerate to heal practically any nonlethal damage it suffers. Those tentacles will grow back with time.”
Y’shtola’s mouth fell agape as she slowly turned to face Lily. “What in the—since when were you an expert on aquatic lifeforms?”
Lily returned the look of surprise with one of her own. “... I’m… not? It’s just… I noticed… you wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”
“Try me.”
“Time travel.”
“Godsdamnit,” Y’shtola sighed as she clapped her palm against her forehead. “I will definitely need to have a word—”
“That was incredible!” exclaimed the voice of Ascilia, interrupting her train of thought. “Thank you for your timely aid, Shtola.”
“... Ah.” Taking a moment to give Ascilia a once over, Y’shtola felt a wave of relief. There were no signs of injury upon her person, at least as far as she could tell, and her golden-hued aether was perfectly normal. “You are unharmed. Good. I was a touch worried the tornado might sweep you away as well.”
“It might well have, were it not for my shield!” With a stifled laugh, Ascilia turned to LIly and reached for her hand. “Thus far my first real adventure is off to an amazing start. What wonders do you think the ruins themselves will hold? Hm hm, I can hardly wait to see!”
“What infectious enthusiasm,” Y’shtola remarked, giving her friend a warm smile. “I suppose this journey has already been worth it, if only for the sight of your happiness. Of course, I do still hope to find some evidence of interdimensional travel…”
“If there’s any evidence to be had, we’ll find it,” said Lily, taking Ascilia’s hand. “Have you found the entrance to the ruins yet?”
“No, I’m afraid, though Urianger suspects the device beside the water is a teleporter.” Turning sidelong, Ascilia motioned to the aforementioned device—a collection of four towering lanterns, arranged together in a square. Urianger and G’raha appeared to be examining the lanterns while Estinien, also close by, was rinsing his lance in the water. “If they’re wrong, we may have to spend a few days charting the isle. But I believe in them, and that we’re on the right track.”
“Knowing this place,” Y’shtola began, “your map and its glyph of passage are the keys to unlocking it. Where is it, by the by?”
“Oh, I handed it to Urianger before—” Ascilia began, only to be interrupted as the device suddenly sprung to life. And so all three caught sight of Urianger, who had been standing in the center of the four lanterns, getting flung into the air through an arc of translucent aetheric rings before plunging deep into the water beyond. “... oh no. Urianger!”
***
As she flew through the magical arc and plunged into the waters beyond, Ascilia knew not what to expect. Would she be transported to some underwater facility, or one hidden someplace above the surface? Or would she merely be stranded underneath the crushing depths?
Definitely not that last one, she hoped. There’d be no forgiving herself if her brand new life was ended in such an abrupt and anticlimactic fashion.
Thankfully her fears were allayed when the arc finished delivering her unto her destination. She was standing now within a dim but warmly lit room. An ornate and colorful array of shapes and spirals made up the pattern on the floor beneath her, and ahead of her was a corridor, coldly lit by light pouring in through the sea from a window beyond.
And between here and there was Urianger, catching his breath against a nearby pillar.
“Oh, thank goodness you’re alright,” she sighed in relief, moving to aid him. “Did you inhale any water on the way down?”
At the sound of her approach, Urianger seemed to tense up, straightening his back and covering his mouth as he coughed. For just a moment Ascilia caught sight of a forced smile on his face, but it swiftly gave way to a genuine one. No doubt because she had, at her insistence, been the only one to enter thus far.
“Nay. The method by which our sought-after ‘entrance’ sent us into the ruins proper also appeareth to shield us from sea’s frigid kiss.” Without a moment’s hesitation, Urianger swiftly presented Ascilia with the map Estinien had purchased. “Thy map is also unharmed, if thou art concerned for it as well.”
“The thought hadn’t crossed my mind,” Ascilia admitted, looking back at the square pattern upon which the teleporter had placed her. “There doesn’t seem to be any way back. Without the glyph of passage, our options for moving on would be rather bleak indeed.”
It was at this moment that Estinien and G’raha appeared before her, followed by Y’shtola and, at last, her beloved Lily. Each fanned out slightly as they took in the surroundings, before finally turning their attention to the corridor ahead, one at a time.
The first to speak was G’raha, in all his usual excitement. “Look! We’re deep under the Bounty!”
“Seems like it,” said Lily, whistling as a large whale suddenly swam across the transparent wall at the end of the corridor. “Hell of a view, right?”
“Care to share a few whale facts with us?” asked Y’shtola, snickering as Lily side-eyed her. “But in all seriousness, might we continue onward?”
“Just be careful where you throw your magicks about,” Lily warned, gesturing to the window. “There’s bound to be some self-preservation mechanisms in place down here. Break the glass, and we’ll like as not be locked in here to keep the rest of the ruins dry.”
“They are ruins, are they not?” Y’shtola fired back, only to shrug her shoulders in defeat. “But perhaps you’re right. This place is remarkably well kept for a vault supposedly abandoned for thousands of years.”
“We can ponder what has been maintaining this place when we’re finished,” Estinien argued, looking to Ascilia. “But that’s your call to make, yes?”
“Mh. Everyone, form up. Should we come to a fork in the path, we’ll split into groups of three. Otherwise, we move as one.” Then, taking the first steps herself, Ascilia strode into the corridor. “Mysteries and excitement await us in equal measure! Onward, my friends!”
“Glyph of Passage detected,” boomed a looming, mechanical voice. “Confirming bearer’s identity…”
“Oh dear,” she sighed.
Some small part of her had hoped finding the entrance to the ruins would be the most difficult task. But even when setting foot on the isle, it was clear that there was something fishy going on. And now, it seemed, her suspicions were confirmed. Whether it had been constructed thousands of years ago, or merely yesterday, this was no “ruin”. And she had no doubt their path forward was about to be barred by all manner of hidden security systems.
“Unrecognized aetherial signature…”
But who, then, would go to such lengths to protect an ancient vault?
“Brazen thief! You will proceed no further!”
***
And just as Ascilia had predicted, the security measures in place had hounded her party at every turn. From ancient warmachina to automata resembling voidsent, not a step deeper into the ruins went by without a fight. Even as they made their way into the deepest, innermost chambers, through hidden paths and secret doors, it seemed there was no end to the vault’s defenses.
At least there was plenty of treasure to be found, she mused. Though how they were going to abscond with it was another matter.
Having fought their way through the vault’s myriad defenses, it was not long before the six of them found their way to the vault’s deepest chamber—a massive one bearing an apparatus of some kind connected to a golden stairway. Standing between them and the apparatus, poised for battle, was what appeared to be some sort of cloth golem wielding an undulated blade. Upon closer inspection, however, it became clear that the silks draped about its form were not the body of the golem itself, but additional weapons replete with aether.
Thavnair was a nation with a rich history in alchemical matters, so this should not have been a surprise, and yet...
As the golem roared to life, Ascilia glanced back at her party, then dispersed her sword and shield into motes of aether. “G’raha, would you care for a change of pace? If so, then take point for us.”
“I’m more than happy to,” G’raha answered, conjuring a shield and sword of light. “But why me and not, say, Lily?”
“I want her to join me in the back.” Motioning quickly to Lily and Estinien, she continued. “Lily, I want you to pair up with Estinien. I’ll do the same for Y’shtola. Lastly, Urianger is on healing duty. Be careful, everyone.”
“Pair up…?” Y’shtola asked, raising an eyebrow. “... Ah. I think I understand.”
“I’m afraid I don’t,” Estinien admitted as he readied his lance. “But I doubt our foe will wait for an explanation.”
“Just keep an eye out for those silk wraps,” Lily warned them, before resting her greatsword against the nearby wall. Digging out a pair of worn-looking chakrams from her pack, she twirled them about her fingers and assumed a fighting stance. “And keep another eye out for traps, for that matter. I think I just heard clicking beneath us.”
“Warning,” the golem suddenly intoned as it began to approach them. “This vault is under my protection. Failure to withdraw will invite chastisement.”
“Our enemy hath little patience for would-be consultants and adventurers, it seems.” As he drew a card from his divining deck, Urianger readied his star globe for battle. “Shall we engage, my lady?”
“On my mark,” Ascilia declared, manifesting a pair of crystalline chakrams in her hands. “Attack!”
The six of them dived into the fray at once, G’raha taking the lead as he zipped underneath the golem’s armored feet, diverting its attention in the opposite direction. Lily and Estinien were the next to arrive, the former tearing into the automaton with near-point blank twirling and tossing of her tools while the latter pierced and punctured the golem’s metallic hide with expert lancework and astonishing displays of draconic magicks.
Last to enter the fray were Urianger, Ascilia herself, and Y’shtola. Between Urianger’s divine blessings and Y’shtola’s incredible proficiency with the elements, their party had their work cut out for them. All Ascilia needed to do, then, was keep her distance and dance.
It was for the best that she took on this role for the fight, Ascilia knew. Though she endeavored to pull her weight, her own chakrams singing through the air as she kept in step with her mentor, the true purpose of switching roles was to keep a sharp eye on the whole of the battlefield. Should any traps or reinforcements come into play, it would be better to warn her party before they could fully spring.
Such a case immediately made itself apparent when the automaton leaped away from the party to the stairway ahead of them.
“Spin and fumble!” it bellowed as it whipped the silk cloth bound to it into a furious whirlwind above itself. “Stumble and fall!”
“Keep on your toes, everyone!” she shouted, watching carefully as the golem flung the cloth fetters towards the party. If one counted the seconds, they would still have fingers left over on both hands before the attack had finished. Yet in those fleeting seconds, time seemed to slow near to a crawl.
The first to be struck out at were Estinien and G’raha, though between their acrobatic maneuvers and nimble reflexes respectively, both managed to narrowly avoid the golem’s binding attacks. The second were herself and Y’shtola—in one moment she reached out her hand and pulled the sorceress to her side through sheer force of will, narrowly avoiding the first strike. And as the second came her way, Y’shtola pulled them both back to her original position, flashing a bemused grin as Ascilia bowed her head in thanks.
Finally it launched its last two attacks. Urianger was the first to be targeted—he narrowly avoided being captured by using magicks to pull himself to Y’shtola’s side. Lily on the other hand, and much to Ascilia’s surprise, simply stood still while the last fetter spun around her body, binding it until it engulfed her entirely.
“L-Lily?!” she exclaimed in utter incredulity. “What is she doing?!”
Swiftly the golem pulled the fetters back, trapping Lily in place beneath its massive hand like a child’s toy. Ascilia heard a loud click as spikes rose up from within many of the panels on the floor, and it became all too clear what this thing was about to do.
She would just have to intervene, she realized, just as she’d done for Y’shtola.
“Leave now, and live. This is your final warning,” the golem declared as it flicked its wrist.
The bindings keeping Lily in place unraveled as she was sent careening towards the spikes, spinning so wildly that it seemed impossible to get a solid grip on her. But Ascilia did not give up, straining to pull her away. And so Lily’s path suddenly veered aside, zooming towards Ascilia… and right past her, towards another set of spikes.
“Heavens,” she gasped, watching the spectacle unfold. “What is this tomfoolery…?”
But then something unexpected happened. Though she continued spinning, and even seemed to be picking up speed, Lily came to a complete stop. Then, with a powerful kick of her leg, she pitched herself high into the air and tossed her chakrams with force akin to a meteorite. They tore clean through the golem, one severing its sword arm and the other inflicting irreparable harm onto the body before impaling themselves into the stone floor beneath it.
As Lily descended from the air, landing just between the spikes on the tips of her toes, the rest of the party unleashed their power onto the golem’s newly formed weak point. Between draconic magicks, immense red-violet flames, swords of light, and a shower of furious petal-like blades from Ascilia herself, the automata crumpled into a pile of cloth and scrap. With its “death”, the spike traps it had activated all retracted into the floor, and the vault fell silent.
All of the defenses had been defeated. The ruins of Alzadaal’s Legacy—they had conquered them. She had conquered them. The first adventure of her new life was a resounding success. In this moment, she felt like a girl half her age—no, a tenth. Presenting the spoils of her labor to Lhaminn, beaming with pride.
“... You’re looking rather pleased with yourself,” Lily observed, giving Ascilia a tight hug from the side. “It’s a good look for you… my wild rose.”
Ascilia’s heart quickened and her cheeks flushed red. With a nervous laugh, she returned Lily’s hug with one of her own. “A rather obvious nickname, all things considered. But I rather like the sound of it, hm hm… thank you, my galbana lily.”
While she and Lily continued to shower each other in affection, Ascilia couldn’t help but overhear the discussion her friends were having nearby. Whether they were merely trying to grant her and Lily a sense of privacy, or they were truly focusing on something interesting… Well, in this moment she could hardly care less.
“... What have we here...?” came first the voice of G’raha.
“‘Tis not unlike a Hannish alchemical furnace in design…” the voice of Urianger noted.
Are they speaking of the device at the end of the hall? She wondered to herself as Lily’s lips fell upon hers, their breath mingling together. Mh, never mind them, Ascilia. You can celebrate their discovery later.
“Well, there is one way we might find out…” suggested the voice of Y’shtola, as she and the others began walking away from her and towards the apparatus. At least, if their footfalls were any indication.
But it was those same footfalls that seemed to make her beloved Lily tense up, parting their tender embrace somewhat abruptly.
“We’re being watched,” she whispered.
“I know,” Ascilia whispered back. “Ignore them.”
“No, I mean…”
“Stop! You mustn’t touch it!”
The whole room seemed to turn and face the source of this newcomer’s voice. It was, as far as Ascilia could tell, a young Auri boy. But appearances could be deceiving, and that this “boy” had somehow appeared in what were allegedly ruins of an ancient Thavnairian satrap was all too suspicious.
Before she could ask the boy his name, however, G’raha helpfully provided one. “Vrtra… Ah, my apologies. Should I continue calling you ‘Varshan’?”
Vrtra. Youngest of Midgardsormr’s Brood. A greatwyrm, and the true satrap of Thavnair.
“You may address me as you wish,” Vrtra answered as he began to approach them. “My nature is no longer a secret. Still, this is not the setting I imagined for our reunion. Surely you’ve not entered these ruins as common looters…?”
Ascilia chose to keep quiet. Not out of a sense of shame or regret—she refused to let such feelings take away today’s joy. It was far more important right now to feel out the situation she’d stumbled into, that she might avoid making careless missteps on the world stage. The satrap of Thavnair did not need to know that she’d raided what might be his own personal vault just to feel alive.
“Would that I could deny your accusations…” Estinien sighed. “But I fear you’re not far off from the truth.”
“Great Vrtra,” Urianger interjected, drawing attention both to himself and the supposed alchemical furnace at the back of the room. “Might we beseech thee to explain the nature of this strange contrivance?”
Vrtra furrowed his brow as he locked eyes with Urianger, then glanced away as he began to answer his request. “It was crafted by our alchemists at my behest. For the purpose of… sealing something away.”
Then our suspicions were true. ‘Tis no ruin, long forgotten by man, but the hidden lair of a greatwyrm. Perhaps, then, the rumors are true...
“What is it that you sealed away?” Ascilia asked, seizing the opportunity. “Might it be something not of this world?”
Vrtra regarded her coldly, and for several terse seconds the hall fell silent. When at last he did speak, it was to make a pointed request. “That you stand amidst the company of Thavnair’s saviors bespeaks you are a woman of no mean ability and renown. Yet before I answer your question, I would first know your name.”
Ascilia looked about, gauging the expressions on her friends’ faces. All save Estinien knew the truth, and all had agreed—to some extent—to cover for her new identity. Were she to continue to uphold that masquerade, they would surely continue to do so. But if the years of navigating the political landscape of Eorzea had taught her anything, it was the importance of knowing when not to lie.
As much as she hated to admit it, this was one such moment.
“My name is Minfilia Warde,” she declared, her voice firm and stable, lest she let slip the frustration brewing in her heart. “Former Antecedent to the Scions of the Seventh Dawn, now an adventurer of uncommon ability.”
“I’m the one who ferried her soul back from the depths of the aetherial sea,” Lily admitted, plugging the gap in her statement before it could be examined. “And if you don’t trust my word, then ask Y’shtola—if Minfilia wasn’t the real deal, she could tell.”
“That will not be necessary, I believe you.” Moving past the two, Vrtra turned his attention to the alchemical furnace ahead and above them. “As for what was sealed within, perhaps I should simply show you.”
All eyes were upon the Auri boy as he held out his arm, dispelling the wards surrounding the furnace. The cloth bindings holding the furnace shut dissipated into aetheric dust, and the lid of the furnace began to rise, hoisted to the ceiling by a massive golden chain. A violet miasma spilled forth from the opening it made, giving way to a most unexpected sight.
At the center of the furnace, hovering in the air and radiating dark energies, was what Minfilia knew to be a hollow. Black as pitch, like a hole in reality itself.
“I have lifted the seal, if only for the moment,” Varshan remarked, turning back to face the gathered heroes. “By an authority only I possess.”
“A planar fissure!?” Urianger exclaimed, eyeing the hollow with surprise.
G’raha, however, shook his head and grinned. “No, my friend… Small though it may be, this is a functioning gate into the void!”