Traveler

She teleported to Horizon and hurried over to the Waking Sands. She knew the guests were waiting for her return, and she didn’t know how many stories Kida could tell to keep them entertained. She rented a chocobo for a quicker ride over, as she made her way to Vesper Bay. The desert night sky had been quite different than usual, filled with darkening clouds and some thunder crackling in the distance. 

By the time she arrived at the Waking Sands Headquarters the sky splintered into a rampart rainstorm. The lightning illuminated against the darkened clouds as she ran inside. Her clothes slightly wet from the sudden downpour. Tataru had rolled out an additional carpet by the door, when Azlyn appeared. 

“‘Tis good to see you so soon! How’d the ceremonies go?” Tataru smiled up, as she brought forth a dry handkerchief. Azlyn accepted it gratefully, drying the ends of her dripping hair. 

“They went as well as I thought they’d be. Are the guests still being cajoled by Kida and Roll?” 

The doors below opened, as a pair of feet came running up the stairs. She could already see a fishing pole popping up from the staircase as her cousin popped up. She had a fisher’s outfit on, as she looked outside. “Gotta go, it’s raining—specific fish to catch—bye!” Roll ran out the front as Tataru waved goodbye. 

Azlyn watched her cousin go with an amused expression. “She loves to fish.” 

Tataru chuckled. “She’s been like that for a while. Come on down, and get yourself warmed up. I’m sure Minfillia is waiting for you in the Solar.” 

She followed the Lalafell down the stairs, as they took a short pit break in the break room. Azlyn announced herself just as Kida had put a plate of snacks down. The other officers were listening to her story. 

“There was this one time where she and I were—oh! Speak of the devil!” Kida smiled to her as she approached. “I was just telling them about the time you jumped off the cliff.” 

Tataru raised an eyebrow to her. “Jumped off a cliff?” 

Azlyn sighed, “Was this during the time we were assigned an ecological dig off the coast of the archipelago?” 

Kida nodded, “Yup that’s the one!” 

The officers looked to her with curiosity.

“Kida thought it would be a wonderful idea to start a campfire late at night. The smoke drew in several large wafts of insects and arachnids, invariably different sizes, and as such led to her untimely withdrawal into the nearby forest. Meanwhile I knew that the ocean was just off the cliff, so I drew the bugs away from Kida’s retreat.” Azlyn explained matter of factly. 

Tataru blinked, “So you—jumped off the cliff?” 

Azlyn shook her head. “No, I was actually trying to fend off the bugs, except the terrain was kind of unsteady to begin with. I was hoping to get out before the cliff collapsed below, only for all of us to go down. But I don’t want to bore you with the details. Actually, I wanted to inform you of my decision. Shall we go to the Solar?” 

The officers smiled warmly, thanking Kida for her stories and adventures. Kida stretched. “Alright, I’m going to head home for the night. Call me if you need anything more.” She winked to her, before activating her teleport back to Gridania. 

Azlyn led the officers with Tataru back into the Solar. 

Minfillia was currently sitting at the desk, reading what looked to be an old journal. “Welcome back Azlyn, good evening gentlemen.” The officers lined up at the side of the desk. They were expectantly waiting for her reply. “Were the Grand Company leaders’ words as illuminating as you had hoped?” 

The girl smiled, “I guess you could say that. Each leader had quite the compelling speech. It. Definitely felt like A Call to Arms type of ceremony.”

Minfillia nodded, looking to each of the officers. “Aye, each nation is beset with problems. I trust you see now why your services are in such demand. Would that there were more of you, Azlyn.” She grinned, closing the journal. 

“I don’t think the realm would benefit from their being multiples of me.” Azlyn laughed, and turned to each of the officers. “I know each of your companies have high expectations, and after some consideration, and personal decisions—I will, for a time, sign my services to the Order of the Twin Adder.” 

The serpent officer smiled, “I take the Elder Seedseer’s words have touched your heart.”

Azlyn smiled. “No more or less than the Flame General’s or Admiral’s words. I hope to be of help to all the Grand Companies, however I doubt you’d let me split the responsibility between all three.”

All of the officers saluted to her. The Immortal Flames officer nodded, “That might be far too much for one person to handle. I shall start my way back to Ul’dah.”

The Maelstrom officer also nodded, “And I back to Limsa Lominsa. We hope to work with you soon!”

The two officers left, their duties fulfilled. The serpent officer smiled down to her. “You have chosen wisely, my friend! The Elder Seedseer will be overjoyed! I shall get the paperwork started, and shall be in contact with you shortly. You’ll want to report to Adder’s Nest when that time comes. Until then, fare you well.” He bowed to her, and exited the Solar. Tataru had decided to show the three out of the premise which left Minfillia with Azlyn. 

Minfillia nodded. “I dare say you’ve earned yourself a respite. I’m sure it will take a day or two for them to complete the formalities.” She gently opened the journal she had been reading, and softly sighed. “Do you miss them?” She asked suddenly.

Azlyn was surprised by her question. “Miss them?” 

“Your parents?” 

Her questioning tone felt like a punch in the gut, a heart wrenching reminder of their untimely departure. She lowered her gaze. “More than one can possibly imagine.” She answered at last. 

“I can’t say I’ve personally worked with them, however I know who they were. Urianger worked with them closely, as well as Thancred. These two were hit quite hard by their passing as they were not only colleagues but friends.” Minfillia thumbed through the pages until she found something to share. “We had companions within the Garlond Ironworks, and they decided to take pictures for history’s sake. Not all the pictures survived however, only those that made it happened to be in Archon Louisoix’s journals. This book happens to be one of his.” She gestured to the readings with a slight melancholic expression. “Here.” 

Azlyn had been handed a photograph, where several scholars and field officers were standing together. Near the side, she could see Urianger and Thancred beside her parents. Her mom had been smiling broadly, her father had a stack of books he must have been going through. She could also see Archon Louisoix holding his staff looking to the group with a compassionate expression. 

She did her best to not breakdown in tears. “Thank you.” She handed the picture back, as Minfillia regarded her with soft eyes. 

“If you want to look through his journal, you’re more than welcome to at anytime.” Minfillia then looked to the staff behind her. “I probably shall continue reading, I hope you have a peaceful night Azlyn.” 

The Au Ra girl smiled as she started to exit the Solar. Only she stopped to look over her shoulder to the blonde haired woman. “If you require me, you can call me through the link pearl.” 

Minfillia quirked her head. “Are you off somewhere?” 

Azlyn nodded. “There’s something I need to do.” 

The head of the Scions nodded back. “Safe travels.” 

While she could have waited until after she left the room, she decided it best to teleport then. She didn’t really feel like talking with anymore people that night. She teleported to a crystal outside of Eorzea, one that she’d once called home long, long ago. It was evening, the sun was already past the mountains. While it had been pouring buckets of rain in Thanalan, here it was clear skies. A crisp breeze welcomed her as she slowly walked down the paved pathway. The air had a cleaner taste to it, as if the pollution never existed. She could already see the home where she grew up, on the outskirts of the community, a thriving garden in front. The steps to her home were as sturdy as she remembered long ago, her hands gliding up the wooden rails as she found the same hanging hammock swinging in the wind. She knew it had been used often since it wasn’t covered in dust or cobwebs. 

She entered the small abode, feeling the sense of comfort and warmth. She sat down at the low table, drawing her satchel out. She reached inside, something she’d received long ago now from the Elder Seedseer. Two white circular blossoms, as healthy as the day she received them, the flower buds laid bare in her open palms as she regarded them with watery eyes. 

She placed them in the center of the table. She then laid down on one of her arms to stare at the them. She felt her tears slide down as she murmured. “Mom, dad. I’m home.” 

She laid her head for a long time—was it an hour—or maybe a bit more. She just wanted to be alone after all of those speeches. Their troubles, their primal problems, from pirates to money-swindling crooks, from divided peoples of the realm, and how one could hope for a better future—she wondered if this was what her parents dealt with over in Eorzea. How hard they must have searched for a better means of survival—only for a lesser moon to drop upon them. 

Each country—each city-state had casualties. That was something that she didn’t deny. They also lost many adventurers, people with whom many do not even recall that well. She reached out to caress the sides of the blossom. Would she become like them one day, stuck in a never ending fight and be forgotten about?

“How did you do it? How did you have the strength to make it through another day?” She wondered aloud, and then found her answer immediately. “Was it because you were together? Were you able to persevere because you two had something you had to protect, no matter the cost?” 

Azlyn wiped her face, deciding to make something in the kitchen. She knew no one would be coming right away—as G’raha Tia was probably lost in his studies. Krile wasn’t one to check in on her home often, and any thought of Ejika coming to her parents home seemed absurd. She prepared a light dinner, a box set of sandwiches from some of the veggies and fruits that grew in the garden out front. She prepared a few sides to go alongside the main entree, and then split the meal in half. She placed the wrapped box on top of the table, a small handwritten note to G’raha Tia. 

She then reached over to the blossoms on the table, picking them up and walking out. She followed the path that led south, straight into a small clearing with a small pond resided. Kneeling in the damp grass, she offered a silent prayer, and finally set the blossoms loose on the water. She watched the float on the surface, the wind taking them to the center of the pond. 

“I promise to finish what you started. I won’t be indecisive anymore.” She nodded to the floating flowers. reaching down to her sandwich, she started to eat. She hadn’t had a bite all day, so the first few bites were astonishingly good. 

When she had finished her meal, her linkpearl buzzed. “So who did you wind up joining?” 

She smiled, looking up to the clear night sky. “The Order of the Twin Adder.” She waited for her friend to answer back. 

“Oh? Any particular reason why?” 

Azlyn laughed, wiping her hands as she gave Kida a chuckle. “There’s something this order had that none of the others had.” 

Kida cooed in her ear, pestering her for the answer. “What was that?” 

“You and Roll.” She cleaned up her mess, making sure not to disturb the nature surrounding her home. She looked out to the flowers floating on the water. It’s surface reflected the sparkling stars above. “Are you going to tell me how your poacher mission went, or will you keep me in suspense?” 

“Awwww you’re adorable.” Her friend chirped back into her ear, “Right I did tell you that I’d regale you the tale. Leih, Silvairre and I had to go into the Twelveswood chasing after these poachers, who apparently had ties with Leih. Leih tried to go out alone, so Silvairre devised a plan to rescue her! In the middle of our rescue, we all managed to work well together, and I managed to save Silvairre’s ass from getting shot.” 

Azlyn laughed, “During the Archer Competition, I had a vision about that. I think that’s why he gave up his last shot.” 

She could see Kida smiling already, even though she wasn’t exactly in front of her. “He actually apologized to me and Leih afterwards too! And you want to know what else he said?” 

Azlyn grinned, “What else?” 

“He said that during the competition he noticed your bow was damaged, and was impressed that you were still able to keep up with him—injuries and all. He said, straight from the horses lip, ‘she’s an excellent shot.’” 

She giggled, the quiet night sky and Kida kept her company. “I hope you three will be able to work together. I think you three would make an excellent hunting group.”

Kida  seemed to blow her off, as she yawned. “Well, I just wanted to check on you before hitting the sack. Are you sleeping in Roll’s room or my room tonight?” 

Azlyn replied, “Actually I think I’ll sleep outside tonight.” 

Her friend sounded mildly surprised. “But it’s pouring rain outside.” 

“Oh it is?” Azlyn wondered if the rain had been brought into Gridania as well. 

“Yeah, it started raining in Thanalan and Gridania.” 

Azlyn smirked, “It’s a good thing I’m not in either place.”

Kida sighed, more our of tiredness. “Alright keeper of secrets. I’ll talk with you tomorrow. Don’t catch a cold!”

“Good night!” Azlyn said before the call ended. She smiled, walking back to her home. Her mind wasn’t clouded by doubts of the future, only of what she could do with the present. 

Azlyn could have decided to remain alone for the remainder of the night, however she had the sneaking suspicion her friend that was studying would be upset at her for not telling him she had arrived on his side of the world. Reaching to her linkpearl, she opened her contact list. “Rahaaaa, what are you doing right now?” 

There was a momentary pause, before she heard his voice come though. “Azzzzzlyn, just reading about the history of the Third Astral Era. What can I do for you?” 

She hummed a bit, “Did you eat dinner yet?” She walked up the steps to her home, entering her place to grab one of her mom’s woven blankets. She wrapped one around her shoulders and headed back outside to a hammock. This hammock was placed a couples years back for when G’raha wanted to read outside while at the house. She’d found the thing from a traveling merchant and thought it’d make a good present.

He paused, and the line went silent. She waited as she laid down on the hammock. 

“I’m taking that as a no.” She replied back. 

G’raha spoke back fluidly. “I didn’t even realize it was this late. I suppose I should see if we have any Sharlayan bread left over.” 

She laughed, “Or, you can come to the house and eat your dinner like a regular person.” 

He sighed, “Yes, however I’m currently delving into the history of the arts that developed during the Third Astral Era, especially how some of these arts translated into today’s modern society. You know, it’s fairly fascinating to see how certain things such as oral traditions and songs from centuries past survive as long as they do.” 

“I guess it’s a good thing the food I made won’t taste bad cold. Well I won’t keep you then.” Azlyn hung up the line, chuckling as her link pearl started to buzz once again. She opened the line once more. 

“Are you here right now?” His question was borderline accusatory. “If I walk over there and find the house empty, I will refuse to write to you for a month.” 

Azlyn twirled a finger in the air. “I’m laying out in the hammock.” 

He disconnected the line, and Azlyn shook her head. She could see how bright the night sky was compared to Eorzea’s sky. In Sharlayan it was open and vast, trees would grow large and tall—taller than the ones in Gridania. It was also significantly cooler comparatively—although that also could be her sunburn talking. 

She hummed a song that she’d heard growing up as a child, letting the wind carry her voice up and away. In the distance she could see a figure running over—his attire was as relaxed as it typically was—his red vest with black accents that went over his chest to his shoulders, covering his upper back. He had grayish pants that were partially, if not all, covered by his furred-lined black and brown boots. 

He ran up the steps, two at a time, before shaking his head down to her. “You—have got—to give a bit of—warning next time.” It sounded like he may have sprinted the entire way over. 

Azlyn smiled. “It’s nice to see you too. Is that the book you were reading?” 

G’raha looked down to one of the three books he carried with him. Nodding, he handed it over to her. “The minstrels and sagas of an era long passed. However the records in the archives and the histories that I have been taught slightly differ depending on the perspective. Thus did I go about adding to the depth of knowledge.” He went inside the house, where he found the food on the table. He also noticed the note on it. 

Bringing it out, he lifted the note in one hand. “You know I would have been really mad at you if you’d just left this.” The note just read, ‘Raha remember to eat. Azlyn.’  

She pulled her mom’s blanket around her a bit more. She was hoping it would serve as a cover to prevent him from seeing her remaining bandages on her arm. “I didn’t know if you were coming over today or not. You tend to lose yourself in your research.” 

He went by the ledge closest to her, leaning back on it as he ate some of the fruit salad she prepared. G’raha finished chewing his food, “What brings you here this late?” 

Azlyn replied, “I had sometime granted to me—and I just wanted to come home.” 

G’raha’s tail slowly thumped back and forth on the wood of the ledge as he chewed his sandwich. He looked to Azlyn lounging. “Is that really all?” 

She sighed, “Well, I joined a Grand Company—looking at all the City-States I know that all of them have pros and cons. However—I’m wondering if I should have chosen an Order for one singular reason.” 

He licked his thumb. Curious to hear her answer, “What reason was that?” 

“Kida and Roll are in this Order. I just figured it’d be easier to protect my friends who also will be in the same place.”

G’raha seemed to be lost in thought before he nodded. “If that’s your true feelings, follow it. You don’t need to explain to anyone why you chose one over the other.” He guessed her anxiety of having to explain. 

“Okay.” She finally sighed in relief, “Then it looks like I will have more work ahead of me. From the Scions to the Primals.” Azlyn started to get up from the hammock, her feet hanging from the edge her tail curled behind as she stretched up. “Today was so long—I went to all of the remembrance ceremonies on top of that.” 

He popped a few grapes into his mouth. He paused mid chew as he realized what day it actually was. “Wait, Remembrance Ceremonies?” G’raha moved suddenly, kneeling in front of her. He gave her a concerned look. 

“I can’t believe five years have past.” Azlyn replied solemnly. She lowered her head as she shook her head. “With everything that’s happened, you’d think I wouldn’t have any tears left to cry, but here they are.” 

G’raha cupped her hands in his. He spoke softly. “Did you want to do anything for them? Light an incense? Sing a song?”

She looked up to the sky. “I already offered my prayers to the Dawn Father. And besides, you said you can’t handle me crying.” She tried to laugh, but he instead pulled her into a hug. The hammock flipped out from under her, as she was pulled to the ground. His books clattered on the deck of the outside balcony.

“You’re already crying.” He murmured, running a hand behind her head. He paused mid stroke, and studied her hair. “Is your hair shorter?” 

She choked out a laugh. “I think it was cut after the ends were burned.” 

G’raha lifted the ends with his hands gingerly. “What do you mean burned, wait are those bandages I’m seeing?” Azlyn felt him flip down her collar to see the wraps that decorated her neck. 

“I’m guessing you haven’t gotten my recent letter?” She sniffed, as he sighed loudly. 

“No, I haven’t actually. When did you send it?” He scowled. 

Azlyn thought back. “About three days ago?” 

G’raha shook his head. “You know the mail won’t get here until tomorrow then.” 

“Oh. Right.” Azlyn remembered, shaking her own head. “I was investigating for the Scions about the abductees and stolen crystals from the Mineral Concern. While snooping around, the Immortal Flame soldiers and I were caught in a trap and taken to the summoning grounds for the Lord of the Inferno.”

He listened to her quietly, as she seemed to have forgotten her tears streaming down her cheeks. He simply reached up to wipe them away as she explained. 

“I never actually seen a primal summoning before, and just seeing all that aetherial energy get absorbed and manifest into such a terrifying being. I guess Ifrit tried to Temper all of the abductees and myself—because of the Echo I was the only one who survived.” She clenched her fist in front of her. Azlyn then leaned her head down onto his shoulder. “There were so many people Raha—and I was barely able to get out of there. Now everyone thinks I’m this hero amongst hero’s for slaying Ifrit, but instead I feel like a fraud.” 

He cleared his throat at last. “You’ve been through quite the ordeal, but from the sounds of it, there probably wasn’t anything more you could do. Those people, their wishes, everything that they hold dear—if you remember anything about that—just carry it with you. It’s a heavy burden, a responsibility no one would want to have—however that’s what we must do. For their sakes—and for our own. You did the realm a good deal Azlyn, if you got rid of Ifrit, you potentially saved many more individuals from that same fate those people went through. You’re not a fraud, you’re doing the best you can with what’s been given to you.” G’raha ran his hand through her hair once more, it was his way to calm her.

She relaxed, looking down at the ground. The books he brought with him had been scattered. She reached for one of them. “I’m sorry for bothering you while you were working.”

He shook his head. “You can bother me anytime. In fact you can be a bit more selfish—if you want something ask for it. You can start tonight, what would you like to do my lady?” 

Azlyn laughed, helping to wipe her face so that she could stop the waterworks. “I want to read.” She lifted his book up and he grinned, “And sleep on the hammock.” 

“That’s all?” 

She shook her head. “Will you stay with me?” 

He laughed, his ears flicked up and down as he spoke. “So we’re sleeping under the stars.” G’raha helped her to stand. When she was up on her feet, he tapped her chin before walking inside.

He returned with some more pillows and blankets only to find Azlyn had already fixed the hammock. It had gotten twisted when he pulled her off of it earlier. He plopped down on the hammock with his arms held open. “Alright, what are we reading?”

“More about the Allagan Society in the Third Astral Era.” She said, and crawled into the hammock, getting comfortable where she could. 

“We don’t need a book for that,” He teased, pointing to his red eye. “You have someone well endowed with the knowledge right beside you.” 

“Yes, but I want to see if the textbooks are wrong.” She found herself curling into his side as he adjusted to give her some room. 

“You already know the answer to that.” He wrapped one of his arms from under her, as he held up the book for them to read. She flipped the pages since he was holding it. It wasn’t long at all before they started a lengthy discussion about which hero of eld was better or worse.

They talked for hours, their discussions lasting well into the evening. It wasn’t long before he started deviated from the text altogether discussing all of the previous hero’s of old and their accomplishments. She found herself soon falling asleep under a blanket of stars. G’raha Tia continued to read when he noticed her eyelids shut, the flipping of the pages and the steady beat of his heartbeat were the last things she remembered.