Traveler

The three patiently waited for their fourth member to arrive. As luck would have it, a muscular hyur male with dusty blonde hair, olive eyes, and white war paint covering a good portion of his upper face approached them. His skin was tanned, and his green wardrobe helped him blend in with the nature. He waved to Roll and Kida.

“You were lucky I was free. Who’s your friend?” The male replied, reaching his hand out to introduce himself to Azlyn. “I’m Arenvald Lentinus.”

“Azlyn.” Azlyn reached out to shake his hand, it was then that her vision blackened, and she was thrown into a strange flashback. She saw a small Hyur boy fitting his description had been cowering in a corner. A woman was coming at him with a knife. She couldn’t discern what she was yelling, but the vision abruptly ended. She found herself staring up to Arenvald with wide eyes.

“S-sorry.” Azlyn replied, attempting to pull her hand back. He gripped hers into his tightly. He had a smile on his face.

“I believe we four have quite a common trait—being blessed with the Echo. Or whatever it is. Can’t really choose how to make it work.” Arenvald replied calmly. “You said you were called Azlyn? That’s a pretty name, well you three have pretty names in general.” He caught himself as he laughed aloud. This allowed her to relax at last, smiling back to him.

Arenvald could see Roll approaching him with her prepared bag. “What’s that?”

Kida coyly jumped at his side. “Our team outfits! One of us—one of us!” She chanted at him as he pulled the outfit from the bag. He held up the yellow coordinated outfit with a smirk on his face. He didn’t seem too opposed to the idea. 

“Couldn’t have made it green?”

Roll smiled, “I have some green dye if you want.” She immediately went to dye the fabric into a different color, while the rest of the group continued to discuss about the next set of plans. In the short time it took for her to finish the outfit, they were finished prepping for the adventure down below. 

Azlyn looked down at the staircase leading into the Mausoleum. She then looked back to Arenvald who had held the newly dyed cloth up to himself. He was showing it off, “It compliments your eyes.” Azlyn remarked.

He broadly smiled, gesturing to her with a finger. “I like her—she’s honest and kind. Hang on—I’ll go change behind the tree. Don’t you peek Kida.” He ran off, somewhat excited at the aspect of a team outfit. Azlyn looked to her friend and cousin.

“He’s a bit young.” She noted, crossing her arms.

Kida lifted her hands behind her head. She shrugged. “I think he said he was around nineteen or so. You’re young too.” She teased back to Azlyn.

Azlyn smiled. “You’re not that much older.”

Roll gave a short laugh, placing her hands on her hips. “She’s got a point Kida.”

The dark blue haired girl pointed to Azlyn. “Yes, but she’s my baby underclassmen. Gotta look after my babies.” She reached over to squeeze her scaled cheeks, while Azlyn tried to bat her hands away. Their playful banter soon quieted as Arenvald rejoined them with his new gear. He examined the newly dyed green shirt and protective brown and black vest.

“Remind me to order from you when you have open commissions.” He complimented Roll, and then looked down the stairs. He pulled out his sword and shield with a cheerful disposition. “Alright, you three ready? Let’s bash some cultist’s heads in.”

Azlyn chuckled. “Do you and Kida hang out often?”

Kida pointed to Arenvald with a smile, “Well we all work together when we’re called. I’m surprised you haven’t been recruited to the Scions yet with your particular powers.”

Roll nodded. “Yes, we were found pretty easily—yet you’ve been out on your own for five years without so much as a peep.”

“I like my privacy.” Azlyn replied, smiling to them. “Besides, I have a feeling it’s all going to change when that Miqo’te finds me again.” All three of them quirked their head to her as Azlyn shrugged. She could already see Y’shtola’s expecting eyes looming at her like she was her new project. “Ehhh, don’t worry about it. Let’s go into Tam-Tara already.”

They walked down into the area, finding several people just outside the gates of the Mausoleum. Azlyn recognized both the grandfather and granddaughter from Sastasha’s entrance. She also saw Dolorous Bear and his entourage from the Adventurer’s Guild in Limsa. She didn’t have time to speak with them, as Arenvald led the group in. He kept close to the wall to avoid triggering any of the lurking dead or spirits wandering nearby. They traveled to the hall adjacent to the room, where standing in a unit of two were the posted sentries Lewin mentioned.

Kida hid behind Arenvald and waited for him to introduce himself to the two.

“What can I do for you adventurer?” The guard dutifully asked, his tone of voice bordering on the side of boredom.

“We were sent to deal with your cult problem.” Arenvald replied, and then without any warning Kida jumped out from behind him. She roared in a comical monster voice, causing both the unsuspecting guards to jump at her sudden appearance.

“By the Twelve!” One of the guards gasped, clenching his chest. The other slipped, falling on his tail bone. He angrily looked up to Kida.

“Kida! You just wait until Bowlord Lewin hears about this!”

Kida just laughed at them. “Both your faces are pale and white! You could even join the dead with how fast the color drained! Oh, that was a good one.” She pretended to wipe a tear from one of her eyes.

Azlyn and Roll emerged on Arenvald’s side, wondering what the hold up was about. “Are we clear to enter?” Azlyn asked.

Kida held out a helping hand to the fallen sentry, “Jeez, take a joke—you looked bored anyway.”

The sentry accepted her hand, patting the dirt off her clothes. When she was all straightened up, she turned to Arenvald, Roll, and Azlyn. “Thank you for helping us out, friends. Hopefully Kida doesn’t play her usual pranks during your investigation.”

Arenvald broadly smiled. “Not to worry, I’ll be helping her with said pranks. Those cultists won’t know what hit them.” He pounded his sword up against his shield, letting the metal clash echo in the room.

The sentry sighed, turning to look to Roll and Azlyn now. “No doubt the Bowlord has already informed you, but your task is to enter the Deepcroft and purge it of the Lambs of Dalamud. In case you’re unfamiliar with them, the cult emerged shortly before the Calamity put an end to the Sixth Astral Era. The cultist’s took the lesser moon, Dalamud, for their god, believing that it would deliver them from the devastation. And so, they were rather disappointed when Dalamud exploded into a thousand flaming pieces before it could complete it’s descent.”

Roll nodded. “That would be rather disappointing.”

The sentry continued. “Now, having seen their god turn to ash, one would think that the cultists might feel moved to question their faith. On the contrary, it served only to stoke the flames of the fanaticism. The Lambs of Dalamud are convinced that ‘heretics’—that is to say, everyone but them—interfered with the coming of their lord and savior, and that it’s now their sacred duty to avenge him.”

Azlyn crossed her arms. “This all just sounds nuts—did they lose their common sense as the Garleans invaded or something? I feel like I’m missing something.”

Arenvald sighed, he looked down to her with regret in his voice. “People’s grief, hatred, fear—it dilutes the mind and whittles common sense to absolutely nothing.”

Kida piggybacked off his comment. “It’s not like we can just talk with them either. Like our friend here just mentioned, they believe to be right. Clearly their perspective is biased and faulted to a severe degree, but you can’t make villains smarter when they’re neck deep in religious crap.” She then looked back to her fellow Gridanians who narrowed their eyes at her. “No offense to the Twelve, they’re great.”

The sentry replied dully. “Whatever it is they’re doing in the Deepcroft, you may be sure that no good will come of it. For the sake of Gridania, and Eorzea at large, put an end to their madness.” She turned to the locked gate behind her, pulling her keys out from her waist. She unlocked the heavy gate with ease, allowing them access beyond. “Be careful in there.”

The four of them walked down into the tunnels, seeing the lights from the Mausoleum start to fade. The only light they had were the passages torches that were lit every other one. There were long stretches that seemed darkened from not being used as often.

Arenvald cracked a bone in his neck as he stretched. “You ladies ready?”

Azlyn nodded.

Roll pondered for a moment. “Let’s make a map of the area so we don’t get lost. Who wants to draw?”

Kida touched her nose. “Not it.”

Arenvald immediately touched his nose shortly after. Azlyn looked to Roll. “I can draw it if you will be busy.”

Roll handed her a journal with a writing utensil. “It doesn’t need to be perfect.”

She nodded and began sketching out the preliminary tunnels. Arenvald and Kida took to the front, engaging with their first enemies which happened to be nothing more than the usual wildlife. Bats and insects—but when they entered the large open cavern beyond the tunnels, they all saw what was going on.

Azlyn lowered the journal in her arms to see a large purple orb being powered by several ritual sites prepared all around. They were spaced out along the outer ridges of the cavern. “What the hell.”

Roll narrowed her eyes. She looked at how massive the large purple sphere of energy collecting was. “That has to be a quarter size of Dalamud.”

Arenvald clenched his hand on his sword. “Then we’ll have to destroy the sites to stop their ritual. We can’t let it leave this cavern.”

All four of them were in agreement and charged forward. Throughout the caverns, they had their fair share of fights with the wildlife, but the egregious number of cultists that lurked in the man-made areas with the rituals site would not listen to reason. As if tempered to kill any who did not see eye to eye with them, they attacked them one after another. Some even reached out to the Void, calling out demonic creatures to do their bidding.

This happened several times in their quest to stop the ritual zones. From the tunnels they found their living quarters, with bloodied books and parchments of papers dedicating efforts to a summoning ritual. They must have been doing this for weeks, as it took quite some time to gather all the rosaries necessary to bring up barriers. As if they knew someone would come to intervene, the Lambs of Dalamud worked hard to prevent outsiders from ruining their plans.

However, even with their safeguards, it wasn’t enough to stop their group. They destroyed all the artifacts linked to the growing mass of energy forming in the center platform of the cavern—and when the last barrier’s broke and the cultists eliminated, did the group give a sigh of relief. Only for a bridge to begin and reveal itself to the center platform.

Arenvald had excellently taken charge of all the enemies that engaged with them, easily out-powering and maneuvering them so they would get pushed off the edges. Their screams as they fell remained in Azlyn’s ear as they slowly entered the central platform. The purple sphere dropped down toward them, as the energy fluctuated and exploded from within. A large creature emerged, his robes purple, his alien-like face had multiple tentacles wiggling up and down as it regarded them. He shouted in broken common to the four as they arrived.

“Who summons me from the void to reside within this crude vessel?”

Kida raised an index finger. “Your dead cult buddies?” She hoped the voidsent would find humor in her comment, but its eyes seemed to become more enraged. It snapped both of its arms back, as it roared loudly.

The whole cavern shook, as several of the walls started to crack and break apart. Arenvald clashed his sword against his shield as he yelled back at it. “Let us get rid of this foul creature! Azlyn, Roll, Kida, follow me!”

They ran at the alien-crude form. Azlyn brought forth her carbuncle to help deal extra damage before starting a long process of complicated formulaes to weaken it. The voidsent chortled at them. “You seem surprised. Did you not cross our gates in search of blood? Come hither, children of the dawn. The undying master will drink deep tonight!”

Azlyn yelled to Arenvald, “Be careful—I’ve read about these creatures before! They crack the skulls of their enemies and eat the brain and fluids with their mouth under the tentacles.”

Roll sighed. “Great, a mindflayer.”

Kida notched several arrows, some of them already dosed in poison. “Ew! Disgusting!”

They all did the best that they could, to keep their distance and to whittle the defenses down. Suddenly the mindflayer began summoning smaller inconspicuous creatures to his side. As it did so, a type of shield prevented any of their spells or attacks to work against it.

Azlyn remarked, “We have to kill the add ons! It should drop the barrier afterward!”

Arenvald did as instructed, charging each imp that showed up. Azlyn commanded her carbuncle to do the same, attacking and tackling the unsuspecting creatures off the platform. Roll slammed several stones and wind magicks into the flying imps. While they were busy taking care of the imps, Kida had run over to Arenvald to hand him a potion. She was running between the three, handing them healing salves to save on Roll’s energy incase they needed her healing assistance later in the fight. She also had been timing executed arrows into the insects that were brought forth. And several skeletons had their heads shot off with precise aim.

The self-proclaimed Undying Master raised its staff, calling forth torrents of water to each of them, effectively drenching them from head to toe.

When it’s spells weren’t working, the mindflayer started to cast a larger spell. Azlyn started to back away, while Roll magicked a quick rescue spell to Arenvald who had been continuously attacking it still.

“It’s casting something big! Get away from it!” Kida yelled, just as Roll’s commanded spell yanked him back to her side. A spark of energy surrounded it and faded shortly after. It appeared to have been a paralyzing spell—hoping to catch one of them off guard to kill. Azlyn commanded her carbuncle to attack. Arenvald looked to Roll with gratitude.

“Thanks for saving my hide.”

Roll nodded, casting a quick healing over him. “No need—now kick it’s ass.”

Arenvald smiled wicked, “Aye Aye ma’am.” He charged forward, with Kida on his flank. He started to hack and slash at the creature. They tirelessly kept up the onslaught, as the heat from battle worked them all to a sweat. Azlyn ran over to the side of the platform, preparing several ruin formulas to hit the creature’s backside.

It swung it’s arms wide, knocking Arenvald to the side and into Kida. She caught him before skidding to a stop just before the edge. Roll had been entirely focused on Arenvald and Kida to not notice the Voidsent mindflayer rushing to Azlyn—its tentacles flailing at her.

“Azlyn! Watch out!”

“I, Galvanth the Dominator, will not die in vain! I’ll take one of you with me!” He roared, his large arm already attempting to grapple her into his hold. Her carbuncle jumped into the way and slammed a heavy stone into its open jaw. Azlyn looked up at Galvanth with focused eyes, as a wave of aetheric energy poured out from her book and into her hand. A large spectral light orb formed as she yelled at him.

“I’m not your dinner!” She blasted him square in his chest, as the energy started to tear into his being and blew a hole in his chest. She could see Arenvald rushing over from the hole, and Galvanth halting. Black smoke started to roll off his head, arms, and shoulders as he fell forward. Azlyn didn’t have time to move, and half expected to get crushed under the weight—but only felt the pulse of energy as the voidsent disappeared from their plane of existence.

Dropping to her knees, she started to violently cough.

“Azlyn!” All of them yelled, quickly making it to her side. Roll was studying her carefully, looking for any injuries. Kida had knelt to her side, rubbing her back to help ease the coughing fit. Arenvald stood in front of her, wondering what to do.  She regained her breath, as the feeling of exhaustion entered her system.

“I’m—fine.” She stammered, looking up to Roll and Kida. “I’m alright.”

Roll gave her a questioning look. “Too much?”

Azlyn nodded. “Just took me by surprise. I’m okay.” She gave them a weak smile. “We should quit this place and inform the God’s Quiver of what happened.”

Arenvald agreed, he reached down to help her back up to her feet. She accepted his help. It was then that he looked at her with a curious expression. “You’ve been through quite a bit.” He replied calmly, and then looked to Kida and Roll. “Alright, let’s do as she says. Hang onto me if you need any help walking.” He added, before leading them out from the Deepcroft.

For the time being, Gridania would be safe from the Lambs of Dalamud’s forces summoning strange voidsent creatures—however the future could not hold the same truth. More would come, and it would be up to brave adventurers to go back in and clean up the rampant few that remain. The four left Tam-Tara Deepcroft, and they slowly made their way back to Bentbranch Meadow.

Azlyn requested them to walk, and avoid teleporting for a short period. “Sorry for throwing a wrench in your plans.”

Arenvald shook his head, sitting down on a bench with her. “You know what your limits are—we should respect that.”

Roll had gone to purchase some waters for them. Kida had been pacing behind the two trying to work something out. Azlyn leaned back on her hands, looking behind her. “What’s eating you Kida?”

She stopped her pacing to look at her. Kida replied sullenly. “You didn’t contract a deadly and fatal disease since we last met? Or is this a backfire of the echo? I’m trying to wrap my head around what could have happened, but nothing’s coming to mind.”

Azlyn blinked. “Oh.” She let a long sigh out. “I broke a taboo for casting magic. There’s no reason to overthink it too much Kida.”

When she admitted that both her companions looked at her like she’d grown two heads. “You. Did. What?” Kida emphasized each word with surprise and fury.

Arenvald crossed his arms over his chest, deciding to look at the ground. “That’s why I felt something was off.”

Azlyn anxiously played with her bangs in front of her face. She knew it was her fault she was in bad shape, but she wasn’t trying to worry her friends. She’d already worried her family in the Students of Baldesion. “I casted arcanima from my own aether—but lesson learned—I won’t do that again.”

Kida stormed over in front of her and started to shake her by the shoulders. She looked mad. “You bet your ass you won’t! Don’t be breaking the natural order of things! You hear me!”

Azlyn felt herself nodding to her exuberance. “Loud and clear.” She looked around to see the quiet community also looking at them with questionable looks. “I’ve paid my price—I just run fevers and get sick easier than normal.”

Arenvald looked to her, concern in his eyes. “You do look a bit flushed.” He raised a hand to touch her forehead. He frowned. “You have a fever.”

She bobbed her head once again. She gave a sad chuckle. “Yes, I’m only as effective as my body will hold out. You could say I have pathetic stamina and endurance, but I can manipulate and shape aether better because of it. See?” She switched her book once more to her pugilist greaves, and then to her thaumaturge staff. She shifted through all her learned weapon sets. She brought forth her grimoire at the end, feeling sicker than before. “I’ll get stronger—I won’t let this define me or change how I do things. I have people I want to protect, and friends that I want to watch their backs. I can’t just leave Eorzea to fend for itself when it’s barely standing up against its foreign attackers.”

Roll arrived at the tail end of her talk, handing her a canteen of water. “You can’t do much if you’re bedridden.” She replied and looked to Kida.

Kida gathered Azlyn’s hands into her own, holding them tightly. “Then if you’re that determined, rely on us more. Tell us these things like this so we don’t panic when everything goes to shit. Anything else you’re neglecting to tell us?” She gave her a rare solemn look, one that seemed to read her.

Azlyn smiled, trying her best to reassure her friends. “I think that was the major one—Krile, Raha, and Ejika sorted me out, so it’s up to me to not overwork myself. I’ll be careful from now on.” She pulled her hands from Kida’s and ruffled her hair. “I promise.”

Kida sighed, “Fine, but if you start getting worse I’m calling your boyfriend.” She stood up and walked away. Azlyn sputtered behind her as if she’d said something embarrassing.

“B-Boyfriend? What boyfriend?”

Roll quirked a curious eye to her. “Oh?”

Arenvald chuckled. “Sounds like she’s got someone.”

Azlyn shook her head, she waved her hands in front of her. “N-no, it’s not like that, promise!”

Kida looked over with a wry grin. “Trust me when I say this Azlyn: I will use everything in my power to ensure you and the rest of our friends are safe. From this point on, you better not overwhelm yourself or I’m calling your precious Raha.” She waited for her to agree, her head bobbing faster than her usual nod. “Good, now let’s enjoy a nice walk in the Twelveswood. Arenvald, you coming?”

He looked to Azlyn sitting mortified. “I should accompany you back to the City State. Once we’re there, I have a favor I want to ask of you three. But only after you’ve rested, of course.” He smiled to Azlyn. “Alright, let’s go.”

Roll summoned her chocobo mount, and then gestured for her cousin to sit in the seat. “Sit. You can ride comfortably as we walk. Arenvald can hold the reigns by the side.” She was a tad bit smaller than her chocobo, as the reins were just out of comfortable reach. He walked over, taking the straps with ease.

“So—are you three related by blood?” Arenvald asked, wondering what their relationships were.

Roll pointed to Azlyn. “Cousins.”

Kida skipped along the path. “Just because we’re Auri doesn’t mean we are related. They’re apart of the Raens Auri, I’m actually a Xaela Au Ra.”

Azlyn leaned forward on the saddle to look at her. “You know, I don’t know much about you Kida—save for you attending the same school as I.”

The archer nodded. “Yeah, and that school kind of sucks. They only want you to learn what they want you to know. It’s too oppressive. I left after I turned seventeen!”

Arenvald smirked to her. “Where did you go?”

She sighed. “I went back home. My parents were quite surprised to see me back, but I soon left shortly after.” Kida gave a loud laugh. “My grandfather is sooo mad at me.”

Roll shook her head. “Something we should know about?”

Kida clicked her tongue. “Nah—it’s nothing too important. Anyroad, I went to Eorzea after that and I’ve been here ever since. I’ve been one with nature and dealing with asshole racists. Nothing new.”

Arenvald sighed, “You would think people wouldn’t be dicks, but some can’t even swallow the idea of someone who is different than them.”

“People get scared of the unknown.” Roll gave her sudden remark. “But not everyone is like that.”

Azlyn pondered hard about all her experiences up to that point. She’d experienced some blatant racism in her time, but she never held a candle to it to let it fester. It just wasn’t worth her time. Arenvald turned to her, “And you are cousins with Roll? How come you two have different styled horns?”

“Ah.” Azlyn explained. “My mother, and her mom are sisters. My aunt took more after her father’s horns. My mother took on her mother’s horns. Then she met my dad, who was half Miqo’te and half Au Ra, and then I came. I took after my mother’s appearance, but my limbal rings took after new father’s eye color. Even though my mother had purple eyes.”

Roll smiled, “Our maternal grandfather didn’t like Uncle Nhaz’el when Aunt Liliana eternally bonded with him because of his half blood. Even though the Dawn Father spoke of it as a necessary union, he felt like it betrayed the traditions of the clan.”

Azlyn gaped. “Really?”

“He’s simmered in his old age—but he still lingers on it from time to time. Not like it did him any good.”

Arenvald looked between them. “Any upcoming family reunions to worry about?”

Azlyn gave a small chuckle. She had no intention on seeing her remaining family that lived under imperial rule. She could only imagine how tough life had been after the imperials invaded. “No. It’s not like I would want to go.”

“Same.” Roll replied and looked in her satchel. She was already pulling out her Captain’s badge for her Grand Company. “We’re almost to Blue Badger Gate.”

“I didn’t think you were of mixed blood Azlyn.” Kida said suddenly, “That’s pretty cool if you think about it.”

As they walked down the forest paths, they eventually made their way through to New Gridania, entering the safe place with relative ease. Kida and Roll showed their badges for inspection, while Azlyn and Arenvald pulled out their identification passes. They were waved in, and once again they set a course to Carline Canopy. Kida pointed to the large building. “Mama Miounne is waiting for our report! Let’s go!”

Arenvald helped Azlyn hop off Roll’s mount, as she had to leave it outside the City-State. When her feet touched the ground, the Au Ra felt a tad bit better now that she had some adequate rest and water. Kida led the way, pointing out Gridania’s favorite spots to Arenvald. It was his first time passing through the Shroud since he was from Thanalan.

They entered Carline Canopy, where Mother Miounne had a pot of tea ready for them. She smiled, beckoning the four over. “Welcome back! I see your party had grown since we saw met! I’m reliably informed that your foray into the Deepcroft was a success.” She started placing out cups of tea for them, as they lined her counter. She pushed her hair back behind her ears. “Nor did I expect anything less. You’ve made such a habit of succeeding that it’s difficult not to take your talents for granted. Rest assured however: Mother is impressed, even if she isn’t surprised.”

Kida cheered. “Yay! We got compliments from Mama Miounne!”

Mother Miounne gave Kida a knowing grin. “And Bowlord Lewin asked me to pass on his thanks and message: I want that report on my desk bright and early tomorrow!”

To which Kida deflated, she blew a raspberry at the thought of paperwork. “Booooo.”

Mother Miounne looked to Roll, Azlyn, and Arenvald enjoying their tea. “I must say, it’s something of a relief to be able to call upon such capable adventurers. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.” She bowed to them with grace. Lifting herself up to stand, she continued. “Sadly, death has become an ever more common occurrence within out fraternity of late. Times being what they are, the guild is constantly inundated with petitions, and we are hard-pressed to find enough hands to deal with them all.”

Arenvald agreed with her, nodding his head in agreement. “Aye, it appears like the same is happening in Thanalan as well. The Adventurer’s Guild is hard pressed and asking any with capable hands to assist. It’s been a tiring time for all.”

Mother Miounne continued, agreeing with his statement. “While this means no shortage of work for able souls such as yourselves, it also provides ample opportunity to overreach themselves—with predictable consequences.” It was then everyone turned their eyes to Azlyn. She slowly lowered her cup to the counter.

“What—don’t give me that look.”

Kida crossed her arms, “Listen to Mama Miounne, she’s right you know!”

To which Azlyn sighed. “Alright—alright, message received.”

Mother Miounne shook her head. “Ah—no, I mean it’s true you look flushed with fever, I meant the group over yonder.” She gave a pointed look over to a group of three. A Lalafell and an Elezen were angrily arguing with a familiar-looking conjurer with brown hair.

The Elezen Archer’s voice escalated loud enough for even them to hear. “Avere’s gone, and it’s all your fault! If it hadn’t taken you an age to heal him, he would still be alive!”

Edda sniffled, rubbing her face with her sleeves. Her face was blotched with streaming tears. “B-B-But I tried! He bolted out of range before I could finish the spell! He shouldn’t have been so hard pressed in the first place—We should’ve done more to lighten his burden—”

Azlyn’s eyes widened. She murmured to the group. “Oh no. That’s the party that I ran into at Sastasha Seagrot.”

Roll looked to her cousin. “You know them?”

She nodded. “Yeah, they were just starting.”

Arenvald quietly placed his cup down on the counter. The frown on his face was evident. “It’s unfortunate to lose someone in battle, but it’s unacceptable to act like th—”

“Bah!” The lalafell of the group angrily yelled. “To the hells with this pathetic excuse for a party! I’m leaving, and it’d be too soon if I never see your faces again! Goodbye and good riddance!” The lalafell stormed away, towards them as they tried their best to avoid his gaze. He continued his stomping and went toward the skydocks.

The Elezen archer burst into anger at Edda too. “I’m leaving as well! I doubt this comes as any surprise, but I never liked you. I only suffered you for your healing, but you couldn’t even do that one thing right. Cruel though this may sound, you brought this upon yourself!” She went to storm off, but then turned a swift foot around. She pointed her finger at her like she was the devil incarnate herself. “Oh—and by way of some parting advice—get rid of Avere’s head! Bury it, cremate it, do whatever the hells you like with it—but for god’s sake, stop carrying it around its—it’s just—just get rid of it!” She stormed off in the same direction as the Lalafell. As she passed, her eyes laid upon Azlyn’s before she strode off. She looked more disturbed than angry. Arenvald followed her walking away, his expression unreadable.

“W-wait! Don’t leave me alone! Please!” Edda collapsed to her knees, her eyes bursting into tears. She was rubbing her face as she pitifully cried. “I’m so sorry Avere, please forgive me.” She realized the people in the canopy had turned to stare at her—so she gathered her things and ran out the front entrance. Azlyn tried to run after her, but Kida caught her by the arm. She shook her head.

“Don’t. She should be alone.”

Azlyn exhaled a shaky breath, before settling back to Mother Miounne. She watched the scene equally as sad. “Scenes like these have become all too common. That makes a dozen times in half as many days. Now you see why I’m grateful for adventurers of your experience. I can send you on a mission without worrying that you might not return—well, not so much, at any rate. You four look tired from your travels, take a rest at the amphitheatre. I have some tickets for tonight’s show.”

Mother Miounne gave Roll the tickets, and allowed them to finish their tea.