Traveler

They finally emerged from the mines, they were greeted by a handful of the guards standing by. Being riddled with their questions and comments to their current afflicted attires, they had to spend several minutes to explain that the giants were dealt with. Or at least the ones that happened to appear from captivity. 

Kida pushed past some of the miners, and then knelt on the ground smelling the fresh clean air of Thanalan’s desert. “Ahhhhh—fresh air! I liveee.” She cheered happily. Arenvald chuckled at her, before turning to look at Azlyn and Roll. Roll’s chocobo ran over to her, it’s plumage prickling in delight at the return of her master. Azlyn reached up to pet the chocobo’s head. 

“Your steed is a capable mount.” Arenvald commented to Roll. 

“Markarov is, and will forever be, a good companion to me in our travels. Isn’t that right Markarov?” The bird khewed in response, leaning into her outreached hand. Azlyn smiled. 

“I wonder when I’ll have a chocobo like you Roll.” 

Kida popped up to their group with a wide grin. “Join a Grand Company! Mine is currently resting in the stables. My team takes her out when I’m not able to.” 

Azlyn shrugged, “Isn’t it enough that I’m with your free company?” 

Both girls shook their heads. “Nope.” They said in unison. Kida gave Roll a smirk. “Jinx.” 

Arenvald chuckled at the Auri’s comical duet routine. When they were done laughing at each other did he reply. “With this, I think my job here is done. Since my post is in Vesper Bay, I’ll be fine to walk over from here.” He handed Roll back her mount whistle that she let him use. “It was fun traveling together.” 

Kida ran over to him, extending a hand to him. “As new party buddies, we must invoke our secret handshake!” 

“A what?” Azlyn and Arenvald said to her in unison. 

Roll crossed her arms sighing. “Oh. Right.” 

Kida nodded, as she presented valid points. “We will establish a secret handshake between us four, a way of greeting!” She then presented several variations of fisting bumping, handshaking, and finally an explosive hand bursting away from Arenvald’s outstretched hand. 

“Heh.” Arenvald learned the handshake with ease, and turned to Roll. She performed it seamlessly with the midlander, and then he looked to Azlyn. She reached out and did her best to mimic the moves she saw her cousin and friend create. 

“May we travel again!” Arenvald waved goodbye at last, walking away from them into the dead of the night. 

Roll stretched her arms, and then looked to the time. “It’s a bit past three in the morning. Momodi won’t be up for us to inform her—so I suggest we go back to Gridania for now.” 

Kida looked over to Azlyn, “Are you going to be okay? You weren’t feeling well earlier,” 

Azlyn smiled to them. “I barely did much in there—you three picked up on my lack of effort. I should be able to handle a teleport tonight. As long as I get to sleep.” 

The three nodded, connecting with the Aetheryte in Gridania. They arrived one at a time, popping up next to one another. Markarov had bristled his feathers at the sudden jump, but relaxed under the familiar trees growing overhead. The central plaza was quiet at this time of night, save for a few officers of the Grand Company patrolling the area. 

Kida led them out to the City-State proper into the residential area. Together they boarded Markarov in his resting spot, and finally went up to their apartments. Azlyn had been given a futon to rest on in Kida’s room, since Roll’s had been busy with her previous projects. They had taken showers and baths to get rid of all the dirt and dust from Copperbell—and finally crashed just as the clock struck four in the morning. 

A knock on the door of Kida’s apartment caused her to stir, blinking the sleep from her eyes. Kida had slowly pulled herself from the comforts of her bed to stagger over to the frame. She plucked it open with semi-closed eyes. “‘Ello?”

A young female Miqo’te dressed in archer gear had her hands on her hips, she gave her a look of disbelief. “Weren’t you the one who said we were going to train this morning! Don’t you give me that excuse of you forgot!” 

Azlyn plucked herself from the futon, her bedclothes wrinkled from sleep. “What time is it?” She mumbled, trying to find a clock. 

Kida rubbed her eyes with her hands, opening the door for her guest to come in. “Sorry Leih, come on in. I’ll make some coffee.” 

The girl called Leih entered, and then waved to Azlyn. “Ah, you must be the one who’s competing against Silvairre! My name is Leih Aliapoh, and Kida asked me to supervise your training this morning!” 

Azlyn walked over to her, reaching her hand out to shake hers. “I’m Azlyn. Sorry for not being ready to go.” 

Leih shook her head, “Nah, just giving my girl a hard time. It’s just a quarter past eight.” 

Kida dropped the kettle she was holding onto the stove. “Barely four hours of sleep! No wonder I’m exhausted!” 

Leih smiled, grabbing one of the chairs to sit on. “If you want to get ready, we can start our target practice and hunt.” 

Azlyn nodded. “Okay, give me two minutes. I’ll change in my cousin’s room next door. Excuse me.” She bowed courteously to the archer who was kind enough to train her. Moving out into the hall, she walked over to find Roll’s door had been left unlocked. When she entered, she could hear the subtle sounds of her cousin sleeping on the bed. 

Entering quietly, she gathered her belongings she’d left from the previous day. She then quickly changed into her clothes which had been mended, and then snapped the armor pieces into place. She tapped the armor with her hand. “I learned watching from Arenvald how not to get doused in blood, so hopefully we won’t have to ruin these clothes anymore.” 

When she exited her cousin’s room, she found Leih and Kida waiting for her in the hall. Kida was nursing a cup of coffee, holding a training bow and quiver set and Leih had an energy bar she was chewing on. Azlyn took the training set from Kida as Leih led their way out from the residential district. They travelled into the Central Shroud. 

Azlyn found herself in a training zone designed for the archers and lancers of Gridania. She could spy in the trees several bullseye markers, and there were several boards designed with a point system on how they score points in the exercise. 

Leih pointed to the board. “In two days time, you’ll be facing Silvairre here in our training grounds. From what I’ve been told, the upper brass will be attending, so we need to make this a good show.”

Kida hopped up on one of the training benches. Her coffee steaming up in the crisp morning air. “Azlyn’s going to give ‘em a show alright.” 

Azlyn lifted her bow in her hands. “I’ll try at least.” 

The Miqo’te shook her head, “There’s no trying when you’re up against Silvairre. He’s one of the best marksmen we have in the Archer’s Guild. You’ll need to be in tip-top shape in order to outshoot him.” 

“Hrm.” Kida sighed, kicking her feet out. “What exactly is he preparing to set up? Which competition style?” 

Leih pointed to the bottom of the board. “It’s the triathlon for archers. An Advanced course only our guild-masters and well trained shooters complete. You’re graded on multiple points. First is your peripheral shooting capabilities. Second is the quality of kill you can bring in with only one shot. There is an endurance shooting match to see how many bullseyes one can get in a row.” 

Azlyn looked between them. “The question is, what’s Silvairre’s current standing in this activity?” 

Kida frowned. “Uh—Leih?” 

“He is the second ranked, just under Guildmaster Lucianne.” 

Kida winced, while Azlyn widened her eyes. “O-ohh. Kida, what did I sign up for?” 

Her friend gave her a piteous look. “Uhh—I never really got involved in the competition shooting. I just trained on my own. I just assumed because he was an asshole, he was compensating for his archery skills or something.” 

It was Leih’s turn to shake her head, placing her hands on her hips she began her trining regime. “Alright, we’re training from the very start! Azlyn approach the circle and we’re going to run this drill until you vomit blood.”

Azlyn raised her hand to interject. “I’ll probably vomit blood given my weak constitution.” 

Kida nodded, “Oh yeah, she has a fever.” She pointed this out as if it was common knowledge that her friend was still sick from yesterday’s adventure. The look of horror than emerged on Leih’s face was almost comical to them. Given the small time crunch they had to train. 

“By the Twelve.” She muttered, shaking her head. “We’ll train as long as you can handle it. Jeez Kida, tell me these things in advance!” 

Kida laughed at her, and returned to sipping her coffee. “She’ll be fine. We fought about fifteen giants last night and she didn’t cough up blood. She’ll be good.” 

Leih gaped. “Wh-hat? No—no, focus on the task at hand. Azlyn, shoot all the targets in this range within the circle on the ground. You will be penalized for anytime you step out from the circle. Do you understand?” 

Azlyn stepped into the white painted circle on the grassy ground, readying her bow. She had already spied over fifty targets she could potentially hit given her location. “Alright, anything else?” 

Leih nodded, gesturing to her quiver. “When you’re out of arrows, the first assignment will be over. They’ll grade you on how many targets you hit and give points on how the arrow landed. The more bullseyes you have, the better score you get. Also the further away the target is, the better the point values are. And whatever you do, don’t miss.” 

The Au Ra did as instructed, noting that her quiver only had about twenty arrows. She then swept around in the space provided to find the best targets to hit. “Any time frame for this?” 

Leih stepped up with her time watch. “Yes, all of the events are timed, and added together for a grand total at the end. Sometimes time is what makes the difference between a winner and a loser.” 

“Alright, which explains why this assignment is a peripheral task, as you have to sense where all the good targets are.” Azlyn started to understand the premises of the competition a bit more. “Is Silvairre going to be shooting at the same time as me?” 

Leih shook her head. “No, at least not in the first set of matches. You’ll be doing this exercise three times, where they will tally your average point score between the three. The hunt will only happen once, but you’ll be pitted against Silvairre at the same time. You’ll need to kill a beast with just one arrow. The very last task will also pit both of you down the archer’s lane. The endurance test also tested the mental capacity of the shooter seeing how and where their adversary is doing. It’s very intense.” 

The Miqo’te raised the stopwatch in her hand. “Ready? Go!”

Azlyn raised her bow. She started firing rapidly, shooting the targets that would give her theoretically more points. She didn’t stop until all twenty of her arrows were gone. She looked to Leih who had stared in amazement at her stopwatch and then at the targets surrounding the yard. She grinned ear to ear, while Kida whistled. 

“See, told you she would give them a show.” Kida finally said, as Azlyn heaved a sigh of relief. 

Leih nodded. “Alright, give me a moment while I gather your points for this round, and we’ll do it again.” 

They trained in the yard like that for two hours. Azlyn could tell that Leih had changed the positions of the targets with each new round. At one point she had even installed moving targets for her to shoot. When they were done to Leih’s approval, it was a quarter past ten. 

Leih handed her a towel to wipe away the sweat on her forehead. “Your scores are excellent! Are you sure you haven’t done archery before?” 

Azlyn sat down on the bench beside Kida. Her friend had already poured three classes of water for them to sip on. The small break was good for her, as she could feel the muscles in her upper shoulders and back getting sore. 

“I dabbled in all sorts of weaponry.” Azlyn revealed, but didn’t mention anything about her being blessed with the Echo. “I also trained in Sharlayan with someone who trained in archery daily. I just watched his forms... and Kida’s as well.” 

Kida beamed at her compliment. “Awww—Thanks Azlyn!”

“I’m not too concerned then about your first exercise’s results. In fact, I’m thoroughly impressed! Not many are able to consistently get high scores in that exercise.” Leih explained, and reached over to her clock. She checked the time, before she frowned. “Sorry girls, but I have some duties I have to do. Actually Kida, I could use your assistance with these poachers. Azlyn, you’re free to rest and we’ll pick up on the hunt later tonight if you’re free.” 

Kida stretched, her eyes narrowed at the thought of poachers. “Are these the same poachers that were being difficult before?” 

Leih nodded. “Yeah, and I just caught wind of their activities late last night. I wanted to investigate it this afternoon.” 

“Well, I got a burst of adrenaline watching Azlyn shooting all morning. Let’s shoot some poachers.” Kida cracked her fingers and hands as she smiled. “Oh! Azlyn, you can head to Ul’dah and report to Momodi that we did as she required! She’ll probably ask for our Free Company information so that she can send us our reward for completing the task.” She rubbed her hands together. “The more gold we can acquire, the sooner Roll can purchase a house for us to live in!” 

Leih grinned. She waved to Azlyn who started her trek out of the training yard. “You be safe in your travels, and don’t overdo it!” 

Azlyn waved back to the pair. She said, “Alright, then I’ll just head over from here. You two be safe traveling in the Twelveswood.” She enjoyed the slight breeze brushing through her hair, the way the sun peeked through the canopy above felt like a warm glow on her skin. Closing her eyes, she embraced the aether around her, picturing the busy streets of Ul’dah’s Aetheryte Plaza, inside a shaded alcove adjacent to the Adventuring Hall. 

The connection was made, as her body lifted up from the ground. A swirl of purple and blue light circled around her as she jumped locations in an instant. What had been a nice, breezy day turned into a dry heat. The sweat already began to collect on the back of her neck as she found herself within Ul’dah’s proper City-state. 

Wanting to get inside to a cooler location, she walked out into the Main Street, heading in the direction of The Quicksand. Last night when they arrived, the streets had been barren and practically empty. There were some people milling about, but for the most part they weren’t on the main avenues. She’d heard many would go out to the casino nearby, while others packed the Stadium well within the Steps of Thal. She wondered if one of those nights had been a gladiator fight that people enjoyed to watch. 

She worked her ways through the crowds, finding the smaller gaps to squeeze by people moving in groups. As she ran through the busy streets, she found herself thinking about all the events that led up to that day—how in such a short time she’d managed to make an impressionable image throughout the three City-States. She wasn’t expecting such an impact to occur, but after last night battling with her friends and new allies alike, she felt that was what she needed to do. 

Azlyn thought hard after their conversation last night, when she admitted her fears, her guilt, her anxiety as to what others may think of her—and had to make a clear decision for herself. What did she want to do? It was a heavy question, and one with no easy answer in front of it. 

She’d just have to take everything one day at a time. One meaningful encounter after the next. She smiled. She found herself pushing open the doors to The Quicksand, walking into the drinking halls of adventurer and Grand Company officers alike. She hung on the outer ring of the wooden platform, having no need to head down into the central seating area. As she walked around, she noticed a familiar man from last night. She remembered Papashan had introduced him as Painted Mesa, as he started to beckon her over. 

She walked over to him, with a light smile on her face. “Good morning,” 

He gave her an exuberant welcome. “Ah! One of the conquerors of Copperbell returns!” Painted Mesa gave her a thumbs up to congratulate them. “Thanks to you, our minin’ operation can resume, and Ul’dah will have the materials she needs to rebuild. The entire nation’s in your debt friend!” 

Azlyn gave him a curt reply. “Think nothing of it. I’m glad we were able to assist.” 

Even behind his black fabric covering his lower face, Azlyn could see the smile he wore. She grinned back as he happily continued. “I’ll share the good tidin’s with Papashan the next time I see him. As for you, you’ll want to report to Momodi. It’ll do the woman well to see you alive and in one piece.” 

She nodded in return. “Thank you Painted Mesa, I’ll be on my way then!” 

He waved goodbye to her, as she ran over to Momodi’s counter. She had just finished up with one of her clients as she approached. The proprietress looked ready to speak to her, however a loud piercing shriek echoed from outside the hall. Azlyn gave an apologetic look, before she sprinted out from the Quicksand. She could hear Momodi yelling at her to be careful. 

Taking her advice, she sprinted outside into the main thoroughfare to find a crowd of people gathering. There was a white-robed women cowering back from a well-dressed man with a greasy afro of black hair sauntered over to her. Obnoxiously, he yelled, “Shut your mouth, you thieving little swine! You stole from me—don’t even think to deny it!” 

The young lady under the cowl desperately shook her head. She had her hand on her chest as she pleaded. “P-please Sir, I didn’t steal nothin’! I b-bought this—paid for it with me own coin!” 

The obnoxious merchant from what Azlyn could tell continued to belittle her in front of the ever growing crowd. “What rot! You refugees are all. The same—couldn’t afford maggoty mole meat, much less a choice cut of dodo!” Azlyn couldn’t bear to him him yell anymore, as she started to work her way from the back of the crowd to the center. If no one was going to stop this stupid farce, she would. “I’m going to say it one more time, give back what you stole, or I’ll make you wish you’d never set foot in this town!”

Azlyn was almost to the center of the group, she was still stuck behind two rather large Midlanders. 

The man continued to make a spectacle of the poor woman. “By rights, I should turn you over to the Brass Blades, you know—help keep the streets safe for law-abiding citizens. But I’m a reasonable man. If you agree to serve me in...whatever capacity I require, the authorities needn’t hear of your crime.” 

All of his men behind him started to laugh aloud, as if it was a comical joke to them that he practically offered her to become his prostitute. Azlyn gritted her teeth. The young lady cowered back, just as they started to surround her. 

“B-but I ain’t done nothin’ wrong! Twelve as me witness!” Her eyes were tracking the area, looking to see if someone would help her. Many of the citizens backed away, as if to avoid her gaze asking for help. When the two in front of Azlyn shifted, she finally found the break she needed to Azlyn duck in between.  She managed to get in front of the crowd as the woman made eye contact with her. “P-please, help me. I beg o’ ye!” She was reaching out her hand, and Azlyn ran over to her. She knelt down to grip her hand, and then gave her a firm smile. 

“It’ll be okay.” 

The woman started to cry. She began to weep as she explained. “I swear on me mother’s grave, I didn’t steal nothin’! I bought this with the coin I’d saved.” She broke down into more tears, as Azlyn tried to assuage her. “I only wanted to treat me children to a decent meal.” She sobbed into her arms. 

The obnoxious merchant and his thugs started to harass her now that she was helping the woman. Azlyn patted her hand in comfort, before standing up in a rigid position. She positioned herself so that she was protecting the woman behind her from these men. 

The man raised both of his hands. “And who the hells are you when you’re at home?! This dog’s master?” 

Azlyn replied curtly. “Take a hike sleaze bag.” 

He yelled to his men. “I’ve had enough of this mummer’s farce. You lot, teach them a lesson!” 

The first man to approach her had an awful smell to him, as if he’d been day drinking. He belched at her, as he confidently roared. “I’ll take care o’ this. The rest o’ ye can watch.” He went into the stance of a pugilist, so with a quick thought she brought forth her greaves and immediately went to work. The man had seen her unarmed, and wasn’t anticipating her to bring forth a set of weapons from thin air. 

She ducked and weaved, light on her feet as she punched, kicked, and flipped around him until he was knocked to the side. When he attempted to realign himself, she immediately went into a haymaker, knocking him unconscious. As he dropped, Azlyn spat on the ground, looking to the merchant with her eyes fired up. “Come on, show me what you’ve got maggots.” 

The other two bodyguards had not seen that knock out coming, before their boss yelled at them to get in there. He pushed the mage in, followed by the swordsman to attack her at once. Azlyn shifted from her greaves, to her axe, drawing forth her inner fury to take on the swordsman. Again, as if expecting a pair of fists to collide into him, he hadn’t anticipated the dull edge of the axe to come rearing up into his chin. He was knocked back ten feet into the crowd, as many started to cheer Azlyn on. 

The mage started to cast fireballs at her, so she brought forth her arcanima book. She let her book rise up in the air as she completed several complex formulas to summon her carbuncle to the field. The mage froze as a medium sized topaz carbuncle sent several rock blasts into his chest, and for good measure Azlyn started firing several ruin spells at him. She then smiled briefly to the Lalafell as she started to chant. “I was going to save this spell for a worthier opponent, but you’ll have to suffice!” She casted a heftier version of her Ruin spell, with a quicker recast time and quicker release time. It wasn’t long before the mage Lalafell was pushed back and flipped from the force of her spells. 

Signifying her victory, her Topaz Carbuncle jumped on top of the fallen mage, knocking the wind from out of his chest. 

Azlyn turned back to the merchant, a confident smirk on her face. 

One of the bodyguards she blew back with her axe started to rise up from the ground. They were wiping blood from their lips as they yelled, “I ain’t gettin’ paid enough for this!” 

Azlyn too a menacing step forward, her carbuncle ran over to her side protectively as it’s tails rose in defense. She raised her book, her eyes shooting a warning to whoever attempted to attack her. 

They ran away, leaving Azlyn with just the sleazy merchant. He turned to see them running away, aghast at the sudden turn of events. “H-hey! Where the hell do you think you’re going!?”

Azlyn saw the crowd forming a protective circle around her, and the white-robed woman. The woman spoke kindly to her. “Thank ye, kind soul! Thank ye thrice over!” 

Before Azlyn could tell her another word, a sharp pain went through her skull. She let her carbuncle disappear into the flow of aether as she felt her vision darken and change. She found herself floating, following the path behind two Ul’dahn men about to enter the City-State Proper. She could see the refugee camps on the outside filled with way more people than she was comfortable of seeing, living in a small space. 

The two well-off gentlemen started to speak of the current city affairs, and how the amount of refugees had grown in the coming days. How even after five years they were still appearing in droves trying to achieve a better life. Many of the hamlets on the outskirts by Carteneau had been ransacked, there supplies and resources dwindled to nothing save scraps. She’d known that all too well. In her years beginning as an adventurer and traveler, she’d been to those places. She’d seen the troubles they went through and how awful a struggle it was to survive. She supposed she could have listened to them talk about how dreadful it was with the intensity in the air between the Ul’dah citizenry and the Refugees, but she noticed a white cloaked woman by one of the stalls. 

A loud, boisterous voice called out from their stall. “Dodo tenderloins! Get your dodo tenderloins! Guaranteed cheapest in Thanalan!” The woman in the white cloak handed over a pouch of gold coin. “Thank ye for yer custom, madam! Please come again!” 

The scene returned to the two well off citizens talking about how the current states of affairs were in Ul’dah, where Ul’dah had no kindness for those who had no coin. They left, and the scene finally came to an end. Her vision blackened, as she tried to refocus. 

That same woman’s voice broke through the veil of her vision, bringing her back to Ul’dah’s main thoroughfare. She was holding the book Azlyn must have dropped when she entered the vision. “Err—Miss, are ye alright?” 

Azlyn gave her a weak nod, reaching out for the book she grabbed for her. “Th-thank you.” She mumbled, and the grumbling of the crowd caught her attention. That same sleaze-ball of a merchant pushed his way through and pointed a fat finger at Azlyn. 

“Wh-what now! You mean to threaten a defenseless citizen?” 

Azlyn let her book disappear into the pocket void she possessed. She gave him an incredulous look. “Uh—no. That’d be you pointing the finger.” 

The merchant snarled at her. “Excuse me!”

The Au Ra snapped back at him. “This woman did no wrong. I saw her purchase the dodo tenderloins this morning. You’re in the wrong for accusing her.” 

“—What? Saw her buy that meat, you say? Th-that’s asurd!” 

Azlyn narrowed her eyes. “What’s absurd here is you trying to force a woman who did nothing wrong to be your slave.” 

A mysterious voice from the crowd yelled out to them. “Aye! Leave the poor woman alone, you damnable vulture! I saw her purchase it as well!” 

“W-who said that!” The merchant sneered to the crowd, looking to see if he could find the voice of the person who yelled that. He circled twice, before turning back to Azlyn. She was resolute in her stance, staring him down with a judging glare. He growled at her, pointing his finger at her once more. “I’ll overlook this—but just this once!” 

He ran away from the street, pushing through the throngs of people. As the scene had immediately died away with his retreat, everyone else started to go back to their normal activities. The streets returned to their usual bustle and excitement as Azlyn turned to look at the white-cloaked woman. She gave her a reassuring nod. 

“God bless ye. If ye hadn’t come along when ye did, who knows what that monster might’ve done! It don’t bear thinkin’ about....” 

Azlyn smiled. “I’m glad that you are alright. Please be careful when you head home.” The woman smiled back, and waved goodbye. She watched her leave, making sure that she made it away from the streets before deciding to head off herself. She went to turn back to The Quicksand, only for a familiar female voice to call out to her. 

“Ever the selfless hero, I see.” 

Azlyn paused mid-step, feeling as if her muddled thoughts about what she wanted to do had brought about this strange chance of reality. She looked back over her shoulder, and found herself looking at the Sharlayan Conjurer known to her as Y’shtola. She was smiling, approaching her on the street with her casual gait. 

“It’s been a while Azlyn.” Her surprise was not at being found by her, but mostly wondering why she was in Ul’dah of places. She thought the conjurer had been stationed out in Vylbrand for her activities. “I have been watching you closely ever since you flew out of Limsa Lominsa.” And there was the reason why she was in Ul’dah. It must have also meant that she watched her when she was in Gridania as well. How did no one in their party not notice her. 

The conjurer chuckled at her expression. “Don’t look so surprised. I was merely—curious and seldom worried since you last collapsed. I thought it best to study from afar. You discharged your duty as Admiral’s personal envoy with admirable humility, and you have displayed unfaltering courage in the face of danger ever since. Even pushing past your limitations, as you still have that fever from yesterday.” Y’shtola reached up a caring hand to touch her burning forehead. Azlyn relaxed under the cool touch. She was getting used to people touching her head now as part of her new illness she brought upon herself. She continued in her assessment, as she dropped her hand from her. “Whensoever you came upon those in need, you gave them succor with no thought of personal gain. In summary, you have demonstrated all of the qualities we seek in an adventurer.” 

This was the moment Azlyn worried about. She was about to interrupt her, but Y’shtola raised a finger to her parted lips. She gave a knowing smile. “For reasons I cannot well explain, your every deed seems invariably to serve the general good—whether you mean it to or not. It is a happy knack, and one which speaks volumes for your character. I understand your reasons, having heard them late last night between your friends. Can you truly find the answers you seek by chance? I don’t think so—I think in order for you to find out what things you truly want to do in life, you need a better understanding. I speak of your gift. The way you fight in combat, switching your weapons at just a thought or the visions you experience—visions like the one you had mere moments ago, if I’m not mistaken. I can provide you with the means to understand them.” 

She moved her finger away from her mouth, granting Azlyn an opportunity to speak. She swallowed the heavy lump in her throat, before sighing. Shaking her head, she placed a hand on her hip. “Who am I to say no to your persistence. As a Sharlayan myself, I suppose I had this coming.” She continued to shake her head. 

Y’shtola grinned. “Then we have an accord. I have an acquaintance who is blessed with the selfsame talent you see—if you so desire I can introduce you to her. She and I fight for a common cause. A cause which would greatly benefit for your support. If you decide to lend us your strength, we should be glad to do all within our power to aid you in your personal endeavors. It’s not a bad trade, I reckon.” The Miqo’te lifted her finger up in the air, demonstrating the pros and cons to her. 

Azlyn didn’t need the list, as she decided to let fate dictate her next course of action. And as such, she’d follow it out to the Scions. She gave a dry chuckle. “Alright, where shall I go first?” 

Y’shtola’s ears perked at her affirmation to her summons. She pointed over to The Quicksand with a big smile. If Azlyn could explain the expression on the Miqo’te’s face, it was one enthralled in joy.  “Speak with Momodi, the proprietress of The Quicksand. She is a close friend and ally of ours. She’ll tell you where to find us if you inform her that you have been chosen by the Scions of the Seventh Dawn. I look forward to seeing you!” The young conjurer waved, and disappeared into the streets of Ul’dah. 

Azlyn shook her head, feeling a wry grin creep onto her face. “Damn—she did manage to catch me off my guard too.” She then turned to the Quicksand’s entrance, and made her way up the staircase to the upper landing where the doors led in. She walked inside to see the inside was the same way she had left it. Save for the whispers of a young Au Ra girl beating the shite out of some sell swords, nothing else seemed to crop up as she walked through. She arrived at Momodi’s counter once more, a warm smile on her face. “Greetings Miss Momodi, I apologize for running out.” 

Momodi smiled. “No worries, I was just providin’ guidance to the fresh-off-the-carriage adventurer. But gods, it’s good to see you safe and well! How was the rest of the party?” 

Azlyn explained the events in the mines using the key details. “—And everyone went home after three or so in the morning. I believe Roll is still sleeping.” Azlyn pondered this before she gave an inevitable shrug. “And Kida’s helping out with the archer’s guild in Gridania. Something about poachers.” 

The proprietress bobbed her head, crossing her arms over her chest as she finished hearing the tale. “To look at you, no one would ever guess you all had been hard at it with giants in the dark. You’re every ilm the adventurer Baderon and Miounne said you four would be. The stationmaster will be overjoyed when he hears the news!” 

“I’m glad to have been able to help—oh speaking of—I was told—“ She started only for another girl to interrupt her. Azlyn stopped abruptly in her conversation with Momodi who gazed at the girl with a keen eye. 

“Oh, right—this lass here wanted a word with you. Didn’t actually know your name, but hearin’ her description of you, well I knew who she meant right away. Don’t mind me.” She smiled to the two of them, hopping away from the counter. 

Azlyn turned to face the same conjurer she saw from both Sastasha Seagrot and in Gridania. Edda, the conjurer who’s party left her after the death of Avere. “Thank you for sparing the time. I realize you don’t know me well, but I’ve been longing to speak with you once more for a while.” The conjurer bowed her head to her. Azlyn waved to her, not wanting her to make a big deal of their chance encounter. “My name is Edda. I’m an adventurer like you, though I’m not very good at being one, if truth be told. I was adventuring with my friends in Gridania when—when—I’m sorry.” She stuttered and stammered. 

Azlyn gripped the sides of her clothes as the pained expression formed on Edda’s face. She was about to tell her it was alright not to say anymore, but the conjurer pressed forward. 

“We were in Gridania, when the leader of our party was killed.” 

That was a tough sentence to let out. It was the unfortunate thing about traveling, the chance of dying was just as great as the riches and spoils were. 

She continued to explain her experience, telling her everything about the one known as Avere. “His name was Avere, and he and I were to be wed in the spring. You may not remember him, but to say that he remembered you would be an understatement. He would sing your praises from dawn to dusk. He saw you for what you are, you see, an adventurer’s adventurer—and swore that he would be like you one day.” 

Azlyn nodded. “My condolences Edda. How tough this must be.” 

Edda gave a small smile. “I believe that he would have succeeded—had a fiend not robbed him of the chance. Since that day, I have thought long and hard about giving up adventuring. But when I think of you, of all that you achieved, I find that I am inspired. Just as Avere once was. So I decided to start again as an adventurer. I will go back to the village of my birth and behind my training anew.” 

She reached a hand out to Azlyn, as the Au Ra accepted it fully in her grasp. “But before I left—I wanted to meet you and ask you your name.”

Azlyn tightened her grip on the conjurer’s hand. She gave Edda a warm smile. “Azlyn. I’m called Azlyn.” 

Edda shook her hand just as fiercely. Her eyes were lit with a renewed vigor as she smiled to the Au Ra girl. “Azlyn, I shan’t forget.” She released her hand, and Edda performed another bow to her. Azlyn reciprocated the bow back, formally bowing deep to the healer. 

She rose up from the bow. “Edda, I shall remember you—and of the experiences you’ve shared. May you be safe in your travels.” 

The conjurer lifted her head, a stray tear fell from her eye as she nodded. “Thank you Azlyn, I pray that we will meet again. Fare you well!” She ran off before Azlyn could give her a final goodbye. As the Quicksand doors closed behind the new fledgling Adventurer known as Edda, Azlyn hoped that one day she’d hear the enchanting tale of Edda, a brilliant conjurer who saved the lives of her fellow man. 

Momodi popped up from the counter, she replied with a curt nod. “Adventurin’ can be a cruel bleedin’ business—time was. I didn’t know why anyone would bother. When they first asked me to take charge of the guild here, I didn’t want aught to do with you lot—thought it’d be a right pain in the arse lookin’ after you all.” The Lalafell sighed. “But against my better judgment, I decided to accept the post...and I’m full glad I did. I feel privileged to be a part of your lives.” 

Azlyn leaned on the counter, a lopsided grin on her face. “We’re a handful, but we do the best we can not to worry our guildmasters.” 

Momodi pointed her finger at her, as she stated simply. “Yeah, well that goes double for you Azlyn! You be careful out there! I don’t want to hear some sob story that you’d up and died.” 

“I wouldn’t dream of it. Especially after being a chosen candidate for the Scions of the Seventh Dawn. I’d hate to disappoint the one who persistently recruited me to them.” Azlyn sighed, taping her hand to her chin. She pretended to be bothered, but in actuality she wasn’t. She was wondering what Momodi would say. 

And surprised she was, as she simply stated, “Eh? What did you say? You’re a chosen candidate for the Scions of the Seventh Dawn?” The proprietress looked down in thought, using her hand to cover her mouth. “Hrm, they’re beginnin’ to move in earnest then.” 

The Au Ra nodded. “Yeah, and one had her sights on me.” 

“Listen Azlyn, the Scions ain’t no ordinary folk, and the work they do ain’t no ordinary work. I know full well how capable you are, but even you would think twice about attemptin’ some of the stuff they do. Knowin’ that, you’re certain you want to get involved?”

Azlyn finally lowered her hand from her face. She gave the Lalafell a serious look, and then gave her an earnest bow. When she was done, she lifted herself back up. “Yes. In order to find the answers to my questions, I need to move forward past regret—past my indecision—and help where I can. Please tell me everything you know.”