jikan_rpg | [CLOSED] A heavenly assignment

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[CLOSED] A heavenly assignment

⌛ Who: Azem (

starshepard), Emet-Selch (

emet_sulk), and Rhea'li (

lightduties)
⌛ What: Three refugees receive a heavenly assignment in which they fix fractured souls
⌛ When: Early December
⌛ Where: The Western Paradise
⌛ Warnings: FFXIV Shadowbringers/Endwalker spoilers all the way down, probably

Rhea'li is no stranger to odd requests, so he thinks nothing of it when he wakes after a strange dream and a golden train ticket in his hands. It wouldn't be the first time a god-like being has called to him in his sleep...

Which is how he ends up in the Western Paradise with a number of other refugees summoned to help return souls fractured and ripped from their bodies by the timeloops back to their rightful place. When he hears that, Rhea'li winces, thinking of his own soul, the sundered nature of it and the re-fracture of it in recent days.

It can be a little tricky for others to spot Rhea'li in the gaggle of refugees who had been summoned to help with the situation in the Western Paradise (being as short as he is), but he can certainly spot the two ancients amongst the crowd as Inari Okami teaches them how to properly wield Kizuna to complete their task. Without hesitation, Rhea'li bonds with another refugee -- a stranger as suggested -- before gently breaking it, the magic coming easily to him. Mayhaps the ease has something to do with its similarities to the echo, even though he has little control over the latter?

The lesson complete, the refugees are allowed to disperse to complete the task of aiding the lost and fractured souls, though not without a warning; particularly malevolent lost souls can influence or corrupt those who attempt to help them, possibly even possess them. So it would best to not travel alone, so that another can assist in removing the malevolence.

It's with that in mind that Rhea'li keeps an eye out for Emet-Selch and Azem as the other refugees begin to disperse, waving as he approaches.

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Rhea'li shakes his head vigorously, eyes wide, biting his lip as he pulls away. "No, I have to see!"

The spirit's grip on Azem's hand is tight, but the spirit is pulling their arm as he reaches for Rhea'li's retreating back. If the spirit could, he would hold onto both Rhea'li and Azem, and so it tries to do both. "No, come back! Don't leave me!" it screams.

True to Emet-Selch's words, fire rains down from the sky as Bahamut begins his descent. Streams of aether streak through the air, striking Limsa Lominsa in the distance.

The scream rends through him. Without thinking, he turns to the older Rhea'li and one of his large arms shoots out and slams down in front of the miqo'te, blocking their way.

"If you wish to see death so desperately then we go together!" he snaps, eyes flashing. "For we are old friends, Death and I."

Ah, so it's Rhea'li that's going to be the one that needs dragging along. Azem pulls the spirit closer to them, their freehand moving to the top of their head to gently scratch behind their ears and try to calm them.

They open their mouth to say something to the Rhea'li when Hades pulls out a part of his transformation with such a dramatic line. If they had a freehand it would have connected with their face, instead, they roll their eyes.

"Perhaps we can take a look on the way to somewhere safe?" Trying to find some kind of compromise, after all, they're just as curious to see what's going on above.

Rhea'li bristles, his tail and fur standing on end as he defiantly stares up at Emet-Selch. He has the look of someone who will find a way past when Emet-Selch isn't looking. "I can look out for myself!" he grumbles, but makes no move to find a way around Emet-Selch. "What are you, goin' around with an arm like that?"

Meanwhile, the spirit wriggles in Azem's grip, but with Rhea'li seemingly acquiescing, he settles in their arms and leans back against them. "Don't wanna see."

But in the future, this very valley became a canyon, the river much wider and more free flowing than it is now. And so rocks of flaming fire -- aether trailing in their wake -- crash into Bronze Lake in the distance. The stony walls of the valley crack, water beginning to pour in.

He scowls back just as hard. "That isn't important right now. You--"

Crack! His head whips around and he sees water begin to spray through a newly formed crevice.

"Nevermind. You're right; we should go, Azem."

Too bad he can't summon Grani here. At least, he doesn't think he can. This is only a memory after all.

Azem can't help but snort a little at Rhea'li response. He's so obstinate it amuses them. Their attention turns to the spirit and their protest. "If you like I can carry you and you can cover your eyes?"

The crack and rush of water has Azem wanting to transform and scoop everyone up to get them out as quickly as possible. They don't, however, not wanting to put Rhea'li or the spirit on edge any more than they already are.

"Let us make for higher ground and then go from there." It's start, at least. They aren't sure where to go from there, they don't know the lay of this land.

The spirit nods silently, clinging to Azem more tightly than ever, tail lashing wildly from side to side as he stares wide-eyed at the water.

Rhea'li, on the other hand, reacts quickly. "I know my way around. Follow me!"

He doesn't give anyone time to protest, darting past Emet-Selch and out of the valley, leaving the spirit to cry out again at the sight of his retreating back. But Rhea'li is the first to see what had been hidden from them all; the tail end of Bahamut flying away as Limsa Lominsa burns in the distance. He stares at the flames licking the tallest spires of Limsa Lominsa, horror drawing across his face as the realisation of what is happening strikes him all at once. Everyone who isn't at Carteneau...

He shakes his head, expression steeling, looking more like the expression he'd worn when stumbling towards Emet-Selch in Amaurot, on the verge of death. He turns away from the sight of his home burning and when the others catch up to him, points the group towards the south east where the land slopes upwards towards what would eventually become the Summerford Farms. Grasses burn from where other fiery rocks had struck the earth, but there is water less inclined to wash them into the sea in the form of the Agelyss River cutting through the grasslands.

"That way!"

Hades isn't usually the sort who likes hurrying. Their robes are not really made for running. Still, he hastens after Rhea'li, occasionally glancing back to make sure that Azem and the other spirit are following. Fire continues to rain down as Bahamut continues his assault on the land; it's far, far more destructive to live it than to hear of it in Garlemald.

He puts out spot fires which threaten to spread far as they climb the hill. At the top, he turns to watch Limsa as fire flickers over and around its famed white walls.

"Is everyone unharmed?" he finally asks, looking to the others.

"Don't worry, I have you," Azem says softly as they scoop the spirit up in their arms and follow after Rhea'li. They're more accustomed to moving quickly in their robes so they find little issue in doing so.

"Everything is one piece here." They respond as they look down at the spirit in their arms and then to Rhea'li. "And you?

Once they arrived at the hill, Rhea'li's gaze had become fixed on Limsa Lominsa. The only sign that he's heard Emet-Selch and Azem's words is a twitch of his ears in their direction.

The spirit is quiet, but their hands are tightly gripping Azem's robes, burying his head into their arms.

"I should have been there," Rhea'li says numbly. "I, gods. They're... I should have been there."

It's harder to see being so far from Carteneau, but if one looked to the far distance, one could spot the glow from attempt to bind Bahamut.

"...And what do you hope to accomplish against that?" he asks, pointing at the great form of Bahamut in the distance, surrounding by gleaming rods. Even from here the draconic primal is easy to spot, which only speaks to its immense size. "You would be vaporised in an instant. Look at what it's done to the land already."

As if to illustrate his point, the blue orb that starts to build around Bahamut explodes outwards before it can complete. The shockwave is felt even from where they are, although much reduced from the distance.

Hades sometimes wonders if perhaps having the dragons - unsundered beings of great strength - summon a facsimile of one of the First Brood had been a good idea. If not for Louisoix and the Circle of Knowing, the star may have suffered a great deal more. The ancient's gaze flickers towards Limsa again, thinking about how all the lives lost this day are the result of him allowing Nael's sister to finish what her brother had begun.

One of Azem's hands moves to pet the spirit's hair to try and soothe it. They're reminded of small child and want nothing more than to protect them and make them feel better.

However, they're momentarily distracted as their gaze follows Hades' gesture. Their eyes widen as a grin forms on their lips. "I want to fight that," they say in a low tone, a giddy feeling bubbling up in them.

This might only be a memory or a dream or something of that nature, but the idea of fighting whatever that large creature is excites them.

What does he hope to accomplish? Rhea'li doesn't know. But that feeling of being left behind stirs in his chest and the spirit reaches a hand out for Rhea'li, as if drawn by that emotion. Without thinking, Rhea'li clasps the offered hand tightly, trembling.

But at Azem's declaration, his snaps his gaze upwards at them, disbelief written across his face. "Why!? Aren't you afraid!? You'll die."

Hades rolls his eyes and sighs deeply. "That won't stop them," he mutters. "Azem enjoys a good fight."

But how are they supposed to extract this spirit? This is their main purpose here and he would see it done as swiftly as possible. He can't imagine they're supposed to do something about Bahamut.

"...What do you wish to do?" he asks Rhea'li directly. "We can stand here until the land swallows us, or we can act. This is your memory, Rhea'li. What happened next?"

Azem lets out a little laugh, not the least bit deterred by the idea of dying. Though, this isn't why they're here. Their attention turns once more to the spirit, watching as it now clings to Rhea'li. How were they supposed to extract it? That part hadn't been made clear to them.

Right, memory. Their attention turns to Rhea'li to see not only how he reacts to the question but what he has to say.

Rhea'li jerks, as if stung. "My... memory?"

Emet-Selch's words pierce through the veil that had separated his current self from this dream-like memory. Rhea'li's openly fearful expression smooths over as a calm settles over him, the hands grasping the spirits' steadying.

"I... ran. There was a grotto where I hid until the dragon was vanquished and all I knew were gone. I was alone. I wished with all my heart... that I had been there with them."

Even if it meant he would have met his end, too.

Rhea'li's gaze turns to the spirit, who squirms in Azem's arms. The spirit who is wearing his appearance during the Calamity. Did he really look so young and vulnerable back then? Nevertheless, he reaches out to lightly ruffle the spirit's hair, fingers gentle rubbing one of the spirit's ears.

"Alone," the spirit mumbles in the smallest of voices. "All gone."

Rhea'li looks to Azem. "You wish to fight the dragon? Then let us fight him. Together." His gaze slides to Emet-Selch. "All of us. None left behind. None left alone."

He looks warily to the distant horizon where Bahamut's flames light up the skies above Carteneau. It isn't that he doesn't want to help, but...

"Don't you remember what happens when one gets too close to that dragon?" he asks tensely, eyes boring into Rhea'li's own. He is aware they can be a little airheaded but surely they know. "Still you wish us to fight?"

While it's sad what Rhea'li says as he recalls how things originally went, they're far too excited by him asking if they want to fight the dragon. They're practically vibrating where they stand, blue eyes wide and a near-crazed expression on their face.

Of course, Hades has to put a damper on things. They turn to look at him with an exaggerated pleading expression. No words, simply a puppy-dog expression.

Rhea'li thinks about that for a moment. "I do." He turns his gaze upwards. "This is not exactly like the past. The dragon, a ghost of what he once was."

Would Bahamut still temper those who approach? In this... world within his soul, surely something like that would not affect them in truth? In a way, is this place not unlike a land made of dynamis? Malleable, manipulable. And he is no longer a small, young miqo'te, paralysed in the face of loss.

His grimoire coalesces into existence.

"If it still has the ability to corrupt the mind, I can protect you from it." Just like he had in Ala Mhigo. "I am not as I once was."

Ugh. Ugh. Between Azem's puppy eyes and Rhea'li's trite declaration, Hades finds himself quite unable to refuse. With a great, put-upon sigh, he waves his hand and summons his greatsword to hand (a surprise to him, but he doesn't let it show).

"You will protect me?" he asks derisively. "I don't need your protection. Lest you forget, I am your elder - and the superior sorcerer besides. I expect you to stay behind me when we fight."

"Oho, nice sword," Azem says in an all too giddy tone.

They're wasting no time readying themself for battle either. They gently set the spirit down with a large smile. "We shan't be long, I hope."

They step back to give themselves some room, glyph flashing before their form begins to grow and change, light pouring from parts of them like liquid before coalescing into new limbs. If the dragon can be seen from this distance it must be quite big and they've decided that they best match them. Before long the space in which Azem once stood now stands a large multi-limbed and multi-eyed beast of white and gold, not so dissimilar from sin eater.

"Aaaah, this feels nice. Would you like a lift?" they ask in a tone that almost seems to be made of a multitude of voices.

Rhea'li successfully refrains from rolling his eyes at Emet-Selch. Yes, yes, he knows Emet-Selch is an all powerful sorceror of eld.

But when Azem lets down the spirit with his face, the spirit lets out a cry. Ah, yes. The anxious, child-like spirit who had trapped him here in the first place. Placing a hand on the spirit's shoulder, he leans down to look up into the spirit's eyes, which are watering at the thought of them leaving (he thinks.)

"You and I are bonded. You can feel it, aye?" Rhea'li gently bumps his forehead against the spirit's, the spirit sniffing. "No matter how far I go, I am always with you." He draws out a crystal -- not Azem's, but his summoner's stone -- and places it in the spirit's hand. "Keep this safe for me, will you? I will be back for it."

He waits for the spirit's silent nod, greatly reassured when the spirit clutches the crystal close to his chest.

Turning to Azem -- their appearance has him pausing for a brief moment, thinking vivdly of the grotesque transformations from the First -- he nods, stepping forward for Azem to give him a ride. "Aye, let us strike at the heart of this constructed memory."

For what else could Bahamut represent than the terrifying ordeal of an all encompassing change that one is powerless to stop, leaving one so desperately alone?

For his part, he stares up at Azem and their multi-limbed form. It has been a long, long time since he has seen it. It may not mean much to them right now, but to him, it means everything. He hasn't forgotten their promise either. One day, when they can freely indulge in their true forms together...

Snapping his fingers, he summons his own mount and climbs up. The large horse-like creature dips its head and nuzzles the spirit gently.

"Don't worry. I don't think anything could kill him," he sniffs. "And if something does, I will be sure to drag him out of the Lifestream so you can scold him yourself."

With that, he urges Grani into the air. The steed's raiment billows behind it, streaming like the flags of Limsa's warships.

Azem wants to comfort the spirit, the only reason they put them down was to transform but now they feel a little bad about it. At least Rhea'li steps in and calms them down. "We will return ere long, little one," they say in the more reassuring tone they can, difficult given their transformation's voice.

They lower a hand for Rhea'li to climb on while they pout at Hades for summoning Grani. "Let us be off then." They take to the air as well, large feathered wings unfurling behind them they launch themself forward. They take care to hold Rhea'li close so that he's not too jostled by the take-off.

"Tell me of this dragon. Do you know its weaknesses?" Something they can strike easily at to make quick work of it would be nice. Not that Azem wouldn't enjoy a longer and more difficult battle.

Mayhap it was because Azem and Emet-Selch had come back before, but the spirit quietly nods and lets them depart, curling up small as he waits.

It won't be the first time Rhea'li has ridden a being much, much larger than himself through the skies, and it certainly seems it won't be the last.

"It has the power to corrupt the minds of those who approach it by releasing a wave of aether, but I can protect you from it." He thinks. Maybe. No, he will. "Naught short of fighting until it can no longer hold its form will destroy it."

Rhea'li tightens his grip on Azem's fingers as they soar higher.

"We will bring it down by coordinated attacks from multiple sides. It is but a simulacrum of aether, born from suffering. It knows only rage, all semblance of thought driven from it." He presses his forehead against Azem's hand. "The dragon it mimicks, Bahamut, was slain long ago."

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TO ALL OF MY CHILDREN

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