Traveler

What awoke her the next morning had been the chirping of the birds in the garden. The soft warm breeze of the sun peered in from the far eastern horizon. She felt the warmth of G’raha Tia’s arm wrapped around her, his head turned over hers as he slept. He had a few blankets laid out in case the temperature dropped, his other arm had been laid out to his lower abdomen. The book under his hand was closed. 

Her linkpearl started to buzz, bringing her to reach a hand up to the device. She wondered if Minfillia found something needing done. “Good morning?” 

She felt G’raha stir as she spoke. It became apparent who it was as a young male’s voice spoke into her pearl. “Is this Azlyn? I’m with the Order of the Twin Adder. We have finalized the paperwork and wanted to know when you be able to come to Adder’s Nest?”

G’raha mumbled under his breath. “Five more minutes.”

Azlyn replied softly back. “Yes, I’ll try to be out there sometime this afternoon. Around 2 or 3?” 

The male over the line seemed to accept this answer. “Wonderful, then we shall see you later today.” 

The conversation came to a close. G’raha had already started to yawn as he stretched. His arm tightened around her before he curled back into the blankets. “Leaving soon?” He grumbled, she could feel his breath on her hair. 

Azlyn sighed. “A bit later, yes.”

“How soon is a bit later?” He yawned, she could feel his tail thumping between his leg and hers. Her own was curled up and over the hammock, swaying in a slow rhythmic wave. 

“Around 2 or 3.” 

He didn’t say anything else, only a low grumble in his throat as he laid there. 

“Raha?” 

He opened his teal eye to her. “Hmm?” 

“Can I ask you something?” 

G’raha closed his eye again. “If you’re going to present an argument to me about anything involving the notion of getting up and leaving the comforts of these blankets, it will be denied under Article 2.123.” 

Azlyn started to laugh, tapping on his arm playfully. “And what does Article 2.123 state exactly?” 

“That I still have five more minutes to sleep.” He yawned. “Yet here I am now wide awake.” He shook his head as he sat himself up. Azlyn followed suit, hoping that they wouldn’t flip the hammock with their movements. “What did you want to ask?”

She blinked, remembering what she was about to say. “Oh—uh never mind. It’s nothing.” She shuffled her legs off the hammock, so that she could stand up. Azlyn was a bit surprised that she felt well rested. 

He remained sitting, he had one leg dangling by her, the other curled up to himself. He had that sleepy look on his face that definitely cried out for more sleep. His arms reached out to her, wrapping them sturdily around her waist. He leaned against her as he said. “I like the Azlyn who speaks her mind.” 

“What about the Azlyn who likes to keep her secrets?” Azlyn reached down to stroke his ears and hair. He slightly jumped at the contact, waking up a bit more. He dropped his arms from around her. 

“I don’t mind that Azlyn, as long as she tells me eventually.” He pursed his lips, turning away. 

She gave a hearty laugh. “Maybe one day when the world doesn’t need saving.” 

He sighed, propping his head on his hand to look up at her. “Great, so I’ll never hear it at this rate.” 

“I kid, I kid.” She smiled brightly to him. “Thank you Raha—for staying with me.” 

He lifted his head, a slight blush on his face as he crossed his arms over his chest. “Geez, what are we teenagers or something.” 

“Who knows.” She chuckled back, shaking her own head. “Let’s go get break—“ Her linkpearl started to buzz again. She stopped mid sentence as she wondered who else would call her this early in the morning. “Sorry Raha, one second.” 

He nodded, a playful smirk on his face. 

She opened the communication line once more. “Azlyn speaking.” 

“Azlyn! This is Thubygeim from Mealvaan’s Gate, are you available this morning?” 

Azlyn blinked in rapid succession, she hadn’t expected to hear from her. It sounded like she had been in a pinch more so than usual. “Interim Guildmaster Thubygeim, it’s good to hear from you. I can be available, what’s happening?” 

The Guildmaster immediately cut to the chase. “K’lyhia has been missing since late last night and has not returned. There have been times when she has disappeared without a word, but we have always been able to find her—Alas, that is not the case this day. Were the Guildmaster here, he could deduce her whereabouts with nary a moment’s concentration.” 

Azlyn crossed her arms in confusion. Where could she even go? She didn’t even have a book since Doesmaga threw it into the ocean that night. She reached one of her hands back up to the linkpearl. “I’m guessing she hasn’t answered her linkpearl either?” 

Thubygeim sighed. “No, and now I find myself beginning to wonder if those who devote themselves overmuch to arcanima are more prone to bouts of wanderlust—But while I might wish to ponder further such oddities of character, we must needs organize a search party.” 

The Au Ra nodded, even though she knew the Interim Guildmaster couldn’t see her. “Of course, is there somewhere you’d like me to search first?”

“According to eyewitnesses in Hawker’s Alley, she was apprehended by the Yellowjackets. She was looking into a ring of Qiqirn smugglers before she’d been taken away. We of course followed the lead, asking someone over at Coral Tower about her, only to find out she had started questioning the Yellowjackets about everything they had on Doesmaga. From there, our parties were told that she should have returned to Mealvaan’s Gate, only she hadn’t. Which leaves us in a peculiar situation.” Thubyrgeim stated into the linkpearl. 

Azlyn fiddled with the front of her bangs as she tried to think of where she might have gone. “Is there anything you can tell me about K’lyhia or Doesmaga that might help me understand her a bit more?”

G’raha tilted his head in confusion as to what was going on. She gave him an apologetic look, as Thubyrgeim started to explain. “Perhaps it would be best if I told you the entire tale. Doesmaga’s banishment was the result of a surprise inspection that revealed his involvement in an underground slave trade. The assessor that stepped abroad the pirate’s merchant ship spoke of finding dozens of unwashed unfortunates crammed into that squalid hold. Among these prisoners was a young Miqo’te, destined for some black market auction block.”

“That was K’lyhia wasn’t it?” Azlyn spoke into the line when Thubyrgeim stopped talking. 

“Yes—though K’lyhia was initially too terrified to even speak, the Guildmaster brought her out of her fearful daze with the gift of an initiates grimoire. The selfsame tome that she has carried her entire career.”

Azlyn thought back to that night when Doesmaga threw her grimoire into the waters, and then K’lyhia’s newfound obsession into a ring of smugglers. “K’lyhia’s grimoire was thrown into the ocean—could she be trying to find it? Could someone have found it?”

The interim Guildmaster pondered. “I—well I had thought it was overthrown as well. Recently there have been rumors that a Qiqirn merchant of ill repute has retrieved the black market grounds the crew of the Morningstar heaved into the ocean. Even now, he gloats over his salt-encrusted catch in Aleport.”

“Then it sounds like I should head to Aleport.” Azlyn concluded. 

The interim Guildmaster agreed. “It is entirely possible the foreseer’s most prized possession was caught up in the Qiqirn’s salvage net. I’ve no doubt that K’lyhia has reached the same conclusion. Aleport is probably the likely spot our wayward assessor is at. Thank you Azlyn, I feel more relieved having you help us in this endeavor.” 

Azlyn nodded once more. “Of course, I’ll get in touch if I do find her. Take care.” 

The linkpearl connection cut out, as she sighed. G’raha had been staring up at her wondering what on earth happened. “Someone’s missing?” He guessed from the tidbits he heard. 

“Yeah, however she might be in Aleport.”

His ears a top of his head lowered a bit as he sighed. “So much for breakfast together.” 

Azlyn gave him a sad smile. “I’m sorry Raha, I’ll have to give you a rain check this time.” 

G’raha reached out to grab her hands so she would stop fidgeting nervously. “Another day in the life of a new heroine. Alright, get going. I’ll clean up here.” 

She quizzically looked at him. “Are you sure?” 

He nodded. “Positive.” 

She squeezed his hands, but not before she leaned down to give him a quick peck on his cheek. He immediately flushed red at the contact. He gave her a flustered remark. “Wh-what was that for?” 

Pulling away, she thought of Aleport, and grinned wide to him. “For good luck.” She winked, waving at him as she felt herself get carried away in the flow of aether. When she arrived in western La Noscea, in the town of Aleport, she was welcomed to a strong sense of humidity. The rains from last nights storm must have passed through the night before, leaving the area feeling muggy and thick with moisture. She moved away from the crystal, finding a few people to talk to. After a few residents walking by told her they’d recently seen a pink haired Miqo’te in town recently, she knew she was on the right track. 

First she ran down the docks, checking each station and port. It wasn’t until she got to the holding cell down below on the western side of town did she find the Foreseer sitting in front of the bars. 

“Yes—yes, Combat pattern 256 should serve to cover all expected contingencies—you never know when you’ll have to nullify a thaumaturge or two! My retrieval is complete.” K’lyhia was muttering, the guard by the bars saw Azlyn approaching and gave her a ‘what the hell’ look as she stared down at the Foreseer. 

“K’lyhia?”

The Foreseer didn’t turn to her, only spoke forward. “Azlyn, it is good of you to come. I was unable to calculate for certain if you would piece together my movements in time. Very little is certain when so many variables are involved.” 

Azlyn walked over, kneeling down at her side. “You’ll have to thank Interim Guildmaster Thurbygeim for that. She helped me figure your movements.” 

K’lyhia gave a ghost of a smile. “I see—I had expected a variable of that regard to happen—but didn’t think it’d be this soon. Good. Other good news: this prisoner was kind enough to confirm that the trader who salvaged the Morningstar’s jettisoned cargo did indeed retrieve a tome matching the description of my lost grimoire. Lominsan law and the policies of Mealvaan’s Gate would support the confiscation of goods connected to an official inspection, but alas, my personal belongings do not fall under that definition. Thus, I intend to launch an unofficial offensive against the black marketeer and his cronies.” 

“I hope you don’t think you’ll do this alone.” Azlyn reasoned, smiling to the Foreseer. “Have you even slept from last night. 

“Huh, is it morning already? Time sure flies.” K’lyhia nodded. “It is time I gathered to me such allies as I possess—and you too. The peddler has already departed for Candlekeep Quay, we should meet our quandary before he’s able to retreat.” She dusted her hands on her lap, before standing up on her feet. Azlyn could see the dark circles under the young girl’s eyes as she attempted to smile. “Pray let us go to Oschon’s Embrace, where we’ll ambush this disreputable Qiqirn.”

Azlyn also got up, but not before tapping her linkpearl. She opened her contact list to find the Interim Guildmaster. “Interim Guildmaster Thubyrgeim, I found K’lyhia.” 

The young Miqo’te looked to Azlyn, and an idea popped into her head. She immediately tugged upon her arms. “Tell her to join us.” She responded. 

“Oh good, pray tell her that if she requires assistance, she will have it.” Thurbygeim’s reply sounded genuinely happy that the Foreseer was alright. 

“The Foreseer actually is wondering if you could meet us in Oschon’s Embrace. I’m sure she’ll tell you more of her plan when you arrive.”

The woman appeared to be in agreement. “I would like nothing more. I shall be there shortly.” The linkpearl hung up, as Azlyn looked to K’lyhia beside her.

“She’s on the way.” 

K’lyhia pumped her fist in the air, a smile gracing her lips. “When you’re prepared please go to meet our Interim Guildmaster, I shall be going ahead of you to complete my own preparations.” She ran off shortly after, leaving Azlyn her only option to head to Oschon’s Embrace. She remembered it was a small bridge that had a station of Yellowjackets present. They also held inspections there from time to time. 

She traveled by foot, running through western La Noscea toward Moraby Docks and further north closest to Limsa Lominsa. It only took her forty minutes to arrive, she could already see the Interim Guildmaster speaking with a Yellowjacket on duty. As she approached, Thubyrgeim stopped to include her. 

“Greetings Azlyn. Your arrival completes our small company. You are equipped for battle, I trust? We need not await K’lyhia’s arrival—once the Qiqirn appears on the bridge, we spring our ambush. The strategy for trapping our target relies on the two allies we have concealed on the other side of the ravine. The pincer maneuver was, naturally, the foreseer’s idea. As for the target himself, the Qiqirn is. Known as a careful and cautious fellow. He travels with a small retinue so as to avoid attracting attention, but do not be fooled. More bodyguards follow at a distance, and will likely join the fray after hostilities ensue.”

The Yellowjacket soldier by Thurbygeim saluted to Azlyn. “We unfortunately are unable to help in this endeavor, however we will turn a blind eye to this operation. We wish you success in your mission.” 

Azlyn nodded to the soldier, “Thank you. We shall not be bothering you for long.” 

Thurbygeim agreed. “Victory is all but assured. Now, let us take our positions and wait for the Qiqirn to arrive.” They walked over to a few cargo boxes, hiding out of sight as they waited. Thubyrgeim tapped her wrist. “The foreseer’s calculation stated they should be passing this point in fifteen or twenty minutes. It shouldn’t be too long.” 

“I know everything will be fine.” The Au Ra reasoned, bringing her book out to summon her emerald carbuncle. It hunkered down by her side as she went to stroke it’s back. She smiled to the small creature beside her. 

They looked beyond the bridge, seeing a band of bodyguards escorting a Qiqirn across. Azlyn followed Thubyrgeim’s lead, as she strode out from their spot. As they had their books out and ready, the bodyguards all started to draw their weapons. The Qiqirn, fearful of the fight, went into hiding immediately.

“Filthy ambushers! They want Kikiroon’s sparkles! Ambush them back!” The Qiqirn yelled out as he hid behind some crates. The bodyguards charged forward, readying to attack them. 

Thubyrgeim calmly yelled to them. “Your foul trade is a blight on Limsa Lominsa! Surrender your goods at once!” She started casting her long range spells, knocking some of the guards off their feet. She yelled out to the ravine. “Geissfryn! Aersthota! Now!” 

Charging in from the rear, Azlyn could see in the battle two individuals running to them. Geissfryn had his conjure wand ready to start applying his healing spells and Aersthota had her axe. She immediately went to knock the bodyguards unconscious that she could. 

Azlyn commanded her carbuncle to defend against the attacks, throwing in several offensive spells in the mix. They all worked in tandem, driving the bodyguards until they were too tired, or weakened to move. 

The one calling himself Kikiroon yelled from his spot. “Kikiroon no scared! Kikiroon have scary spellslingers!” 

It was like Thubyrgeim had said previously, this Qiqirn was cautious and prepared. Many of his bodyguards that travelled in the south group started to arrive, seeing the vanguard had been completely taken down. They jumped into the assault, as Thubyrgeim yelled out to the party. “Conjurers. Just as K’lyhia predicted. We shift to Combat Pattern 158! Azlyn, blunt their heals with Miasma!”

She quickly started to mass cast Miasma, blasting one with the spell, and then followed it up with a contagion like spell. The Miasma started to entered into all of the enemies surrounding them as Azlyn commanded her emerald carbuncle to keep herding the enemies to center. 

The four of them whittled them down, drawing their weaknesses out by splitting them apart and attacking their thaumaturges first. Aersthota was able to handle most of the melee attackers, while Geissfryn healed their minor wounds. 

When all of the bodyguards were rendered unable to fight, Thubyrgeim started to run toward the Qiqirn’s cart. “That appears to be the last of them. Now to find the Foreseer’s Grimoire!”

The Qiqirn was cowering in fear as all four of them started to run through his cart. Azlyn checked the front of the wagon, only to see a stack of tomes. She recognized the face of one of them, slowly pulling it out from the group. She frowned at the distorted pages and marred cover. 

“I think I found it.” Azlyn said sadly, lifting the book with forlorn eyes. 

She could hear a pair of running feet, a pink haired Miqo’te girl running to them. “Well executed everyone—were you able to retrieve my grimoire?”

Thubyrgeim turned to Azlyn, “Pray, hand over the tome.”

Azlyn stepped forward, she slowly handed the book to her understanding how exactly she felt. She knew from experience from her damaged book that there would be no way for her to use this book for future arcanima. 

K’lyhia carefully flipped through her tome, her face went pale. “It’s ruined—My wonderful grimoire is ruined. The probability of repairing this degree of damage is zero percent. Even the most brilliant strategy cannot undo such ravages of seawater." 

Everyone grimaced at the sight. This only left a despondent K'lyhia in their wake. "I have never felt so defeated. I believe it is time I returned home." Azlyn could see in her purple eyes the tears starting to well up—as she wiped them from under her glasses. She sprinted away, back to Limsa Lominsa. 

Aersthota tried to chase after, only for Geissfryn to yell. "Leave her be."

"But how can I?!"

Thubyrgeim sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. "He is right Aersthota. You must allow K'lyhia time to process the loss. Didn't you experience something akin to this before Azlyn?" 

They turned to her. 

"...Yes." She reluctantly admitted. Although she had taken up an axe to unleash her anger about the loss. 

Aersthota bit her lip, but accepted the answer nonetheless. "Then Geissfryn and I shall handle the rest of this situation." She accepted, as the tied up Qiqirn before them scrambled in the ropes. 

Thubyrgeim nodded. "Come then Azlyn, it is time we returned to the Guild." She closed her eyes, before she teleported back to Limsa Lominsa. 

Azlyn looked to the two remaining, thanking them as she bid them farewell. "Thank you for your assistance." She bowed, and when she straightened, they waved back to her. She closed her eyes, connecting to the Crystal back to Limsa Lominsa, returning to the first crystal she attuned to in Eorzea. The time it took for her to reach Mealvaan's Gate was short, as she used the City-State aethernet to teleport over to the front of the Guild. She supposed she could have run through the market, but decided it best to make it back posthaste. 

Thubyrgeim waited for her arrival, as she silently ran a finger down the books on the shelf. "Not quite the victory we imagined, was it? The moment K'lyhia beheld her soaked and tattered grimoire—you could see the light of hope die in her eyes." 

Azlyn frowned, she knew that feeling all too well. 

The Interim Guildmaster shook her head. "We'll deal with this is strides. After all you have overcome the loss of your precious grimoire; I know she will get through this hurdle too." 

The Au Ra nodded. "I'll continue training until you require my aid once more Interim Guildmaster. Please rest well today. We all had it rough." 

The woman had a sad smile on her face. "Indeed."