“What did Ozwin say? Was he alright?” Azlyn asked Kida as they climbed the stairs. Her blue haired Au Ra companion smirked to her. 

“He said that he needed a bit of time to himself. He said he’d send Nin-Nin when he had time to fill the void he left.” Kida explained, before chuckling. “He also stated that unlike a certain someone we all know, he won’t ignore his linkpearl.” 

“I resent that.” 

Alphinaud called out at the entrance to the storage room, a bit worried. “Tell me, does aught strike you as odd?” 

Richiro Wichiro, tapped his chin in worry up front by the lad. “It’s dark?” 

“Not that.” Mjnt replied, looking around the recently cleaned interior. “It oddly smells like...” She smelled the air, letting her nose slightly twitch. “Cleaning agents.” 

The remaining Scion led them through, voicing his concern as he noted at the rest of the interiors. “I see signs of recent habitation. Could it be that we have trespassers?” 

“Let’s check the Solar.” Azlyn replied, stepping up from the back of the group up front now. 

They all walked with purpose, through the first storage room into the halls. Azlyn looked to the ground and walls, noticing the lack of blood and bodies from last she was there. The lights had still been blown out, but for the most part the Waking Sands had been cleaned recently. 

They approached the doors to the Solar, where Alphinaud pushed them open. Azlyn could see a figure standing in the dark, their back was turned to them as the piled inside. The shaded red boots that rose up past the person’s high thigh gave a slight shimmer as they turned. Their outfit, a dull white shift and short combination looked comfortable to move in.

“Who goes there!?” The figure snapped, turning to take in all of their worn out faces. Even with the lights off, they looked familiar. 

Alphinaud relaxed visibly, recognizing the sound of the person within. “Now, now Yda. Is that any way to greet a friend?” The young lad stepped forward, snapping his fingers as he typically did. 

The one known as Yda brought both her hands up to her face, covering her mouth as she audibly gasped. “Alphinaud...Azlyn...Kida...everyone?!” She sniffled loudly, before Cid approached from the middle. Azlyn took a step to the side. “And Cid too! This...this is overwhelming. Is this a dream?!”

Cid waved, “Not that I’m aware of. It’s been a while Yda.” 

Kida ran forward to the Scion, grabbing her hands with a small smile. “Yda! I’m so glad to see you’re okay! We all were worried after the attack!” 

The girl sniffled, “I—I don’t believe it. I was sure you’d been—”

Roll stepped forward, offering the scion a handkerchief. “Dry your face.” 

The pugilist nodded, accepting the handkerchief. Kida smiled brightly before gesturing to Azlyn behind them. “We had to find our wandering member first, and then we had to deal with Garuda, and—by the twelve—there’s just so much to tell you!” 

The rest of the party entered the Solar, spreading out in the space. 

Richiro looked to the broken pieces of vases and furniture. “This place has seen better days.” 

Yda hiccuped, wiping her face. “You know—I wasn’t actually here when the—I mean—I was still in talks at the Adder’s Nest...when...” She faltered, shaking her head. “The first I knew about it was when I came back—and—and I saw...”

Alphinaud gave her a worried look. “Yda.” 

Azlyn remembered the incident—how fresh it laid in her mind. She clenched her fists. 

“The guards took care of the majority of the work the first few days—then—then the church came taking care of the bodies. But that left—left the stains. I-It was hard to know where to start. I guess the easiest to clean—was the cupcakes—but after that.” Yda paused in her recollection, before shaking her head. “If Y’shtola hadn’t been there to help me I don’t know what I would have done.” 

“Y’shtola is here?” Azlyn snapped out from her memory. 

Yda nodded to her. “Yes. But she’s not here right now. She’s gone to Ul’dah to meet a man who might know what happened to the others.” She paused, looking down to the ground before speaking plainly. “Papalymo and Minfillia weren’t among the dead, according to the church. Y’shtola thinks they were taken somewhere.” 

The Au Ra could confirm this by the vision she saw. “Urianger and Tataru were also captured. Together they were taken in by the white armored Imperial. I don’t know who she was though.” She gritted her teeth, thinking back to the scene where that imperial had kicked Noraxia’s chest in. She could still recall the purple bruising and wilted green upon the sylph. 

Alphinaud clutched his chin with his hand. “Upon orders of the Black Wolf, no doubt.” 

The group grumbled at the mention of that armored devil who appeared just that morning. The memory of that weapon still reeled in their minds. 

“—Why would he want them?” Cid asked suspiciously. 

Alphinaud frowned at this. “Gaius wants the knowledge of another power that can be brought to bear against the primals—one that he wouldn’t have had a harness upon yet.” 

Azlyn remembered how Gaius had tried to capture her recently with the netting he shot. What would have happened if Ozwin had pulled her out of the way. She grimaced. “The Echo. Or rather, they were after me because of it. But then they settled for—for Minfillia.” She admitted, digging her nails into her palms. 

“Gaius will be aware of its existence, as well as the immunity it grants the gifted to the primal’s influence. Powerful though his weapon may be, he would doubtless desire such protection.” Alphinaud reasoned, and looked to Azlyn. “‘Tis good that you went into hiding when you did, but with Minfillia...he means to use her to gain an understanding of the Echo.” 

The group grimaced at this new development. 

Kida crossed her arms. “But it doesn’t explain how the Empire came to know the location of the Waking Sands in the first place...” Then she directed a glance to Richiro. Everyone followed her gaze to the Lalafellin who jumped back in sheer shock. 

“It wasn’t me! I swore on my honor not to speak a word!” He defended. 

Mjnt replied calmly from the remaining couch. “He speaks the truth.” 

N’thuzu Tia quirked his head to the Viera. “How is it that you know that?” 

Mjnt smiled warmly to them. “Call it... a woman’s intuition.” 

“No matter.” Alphinaud gathered their attention. “The empire has shown its hand, and now we must act. It is up to us to rebuild and save Eorzea.” The young Sharlayan turned to Yda, and looked to her. “Can I count on you, Yda?” 

“What? Oh! Yes—yes, of course! Whatever you need!” 

Roll crossed her arms over her chest. “We can discuss our next moves when Y’shtola returns from Ul’dah. She probably won’t be long if she’s gathering intel.” 

Koroko Koko agreed with the Au Ra’s proposition. “We had a trying fight. Let us rest ourselves and come up with a battle plan afterward.” 

Given that the only thing left to do was to wait until their last scion returned, Azlyn watched as their group of ten split into smaller groups of two to three. She noted Kida and Roll had been comforting Yda, while Cid and Alphinaud went to close by them, near the back wall. Mjnt closed her eyes on the bench, her arms lax in her lap as she tried to get a quick shut eye. The two lalafellin casters and N’thuzu Tia occupied a corner on the west side of the room, where Richiro had tended to the Miqo’te’s bruised ribs. Koroko silently leaned back next to the wall, her red eyes closed shut.

Azlyn first approached Yda, Roll, and Kida.

“Where have you been Azlyn? Y’shtola and I had tried calling you the instant we learned of the attack!” Yda wiped her face with Roll’s handkerchief.

“It was my bad.” The girl spoke her apologies immediately. “I didn’t mean to worry everyone.”

Roll gave her a questioning stare. “How did you stumble across Cid and Alphinaud anyway?”

“Oh, Cid… was not himself. He went by the name of Marques living as an amnesiac in the Church.” Azlyn crossed her arms remembering the first time she met him. It must have been during the time she was investigating Ifrit. “Alphinaud followed the imperial soldiers who were observing Cid from the background and decided to use me as bait to draw them out.”

From nearby, she heard Alphinaud call back to them. “I wouldn’t have done that if it wasn’t someone you couldn’t handle.”

Kida laughed at them. “And then the misadventures of your snow days began.”

Yda tilted her head. “Snow?”

“Coerthas.” Azlyn explained swiftly. “We went searching for Cid’s missing airship.”

The scion snapped her fingers as if something clicked. “Oh! That was the sound of the hangars opening from the outside. I thought my mind was playing tricks on me—then when you all entered—I thought the imperials were coming back for round two.”

Kida punched a hand into her own fist. “The only thing they’re going to see is me opening a fresh can of whoop-ass on them. We’re not taking that shit anymore. If they’re starting a war, let’s finish it once and for all!”

Azlyn smiled, looking over her shoulder to the two Lalafellin’s by N’thuzu Tia. “I’m going to check in on Thuzu. Thank you for worrying Yda. I’m glad you’re safe.”

The pugilist nodded to her, giving her a thumbs up. “I’m glad that you all are safe too. Let’s find our friends and rescue them too!”

Roll gave another curt nod. “That’s the plan.”

Azlyn left the three of them to chat amongst themselves. She tiptoed over to the trio sitting in the back corner of the room.

“—That’s smarts.”

She heard N’thuzu Tia wince as Richiro finished wrapping gauze around the Miqo’te’s chest. Koroko Koko pulled out from her components pouch a small vial and handed it over to the male.

“Take this. It should help for the moment.”

Richiro smiled to her, while N’thuzu took the whole vial in one gulp. Only to sputter it back up as he looked to her with horrified brown eyes. “The hell was this?”

“Alcohol.” She chirped.

Azlyn spoke up after Koroko mentioned what it was. “Can you not hold your liquor Thuzu?”

The Miqo’te shook the heavy after taste from his mouth, sticking his tongue out. He scrunched his face up, his nose crinkling as he handed the empty vial back to the black mage. “That was my first taste of it.”

Richiro brought both of his hands up to his face, the shock as his jaw slightly gaped in mid-horror at the liquid he just drank. “ALCOHOL!?”

The entire room went quiet, turning to them.

“Who has alcohol? Ya better be sharing!” Kida perked, pumping her fist into the air.

Cid shook his head. “We need somber people, not drunken buffoons.”

Kida went to pout, kicking the ground.

“I meant for cleaning the wounds, not for drinking.” Koroko emphasized when the attention dropped away.

Azlyn knelt, gazing at the black haired Miqo’te. Her eyes reflected his own as she examined him. “You sure you’re okay?”

He gave her a lopsided grin. “I can see why you said Titan kicked your ass. That was an eye-opening moment for me.”

The Lalafellin with dirty blonde hair bobbed his head excitedly. His hazel eyes were bright despite the darkened interior of the space. “As it was for me! Never have I witnessed a primal summoning—much less three in one location!”

Koroko crossed her arms over her chest, lost in thought. “Such a rare opportunity we were unfortunate to experience. That was an exhausting battle. My mana is slowly recovering.”

“It was a harsh fight. The Ixal had quite the cache of crystals to often Garuda as well. As terrible as this sounds—it seems we owe the Black Wolf some credit in ridding Eorzea of her terror.” Azlyn bit her thumb nervously, thinking back to the fight. That terrifying thing—weapon—ancient—something. She couldn’t quite pinpoint what it was or where it originated from.

“How are you Azlyn? You have blood on your face under your nose.” Richiro pointed out the dried blood from her nosebleed.

She touched the dried specks of crimson smeared by her mouth. “The wind knocked me pretty good. If I didn’t have Titan-Egi summoned, I think I would have been blown into the vortex.”

N’thuzu Tia frowned, thinking back to the fight. “If Roll hadn’t pulled me back in, I would have been flung to who knows where.” He paused as he looked over to her chatting with Yda and Kida. “Is she alright? Garuda had said some terrifying things to her.”

“Roll has history with Garuda.” Azlyn struggled to find a good way to explain. “The Twin Adder sent a few platoons to deal with Garuda when she was summoned a few years back. Roll happened to be assigned as a healer. She was the only one who survived it.”

Richiro went silent, as did N’thuzu Tia and Koroko.

After a long pregnant pause the Miqo’te slowly nodded. “I’ll make her a warrior’s totem.”

Koroko Koko quirked her head to N’thuzu Tia—her crimson eye inquired to him without asking the question of why.

“A Warrior’s Totem is a custom of my tribe. Before I was found and adopted by Curious Gorge and his brother, I lived with a nomadic group. Whenever we survived an incredibly difficult threat or encounter, we would carve totems to represent our will of strength and preservation.” The Miqo’te explained slowly, seeing that they wanted to know more but weren’t asking for it to be explained. “Sometimes Warrior Totems were also used as tools to help overcome fears. However, I would make it with the former idea in mind.”

Azlyn smiled, “Because she stood strong with us—not abandoning her friends even when she was scared?”

Koroko tacked on with a grin. “A noticeable difference between the first time and the second time is that we all survived together.”

“It’s not something to be ashamed of. I would fear that harpy too. Everyone has one fear or two.” Richiro commented to them. “I have a fear of ghosts.”

“We know.” Azlyn and Koroko spoke at the same time. Then the pair looked between each other to laugh.

N’thuzu Tia looked between them. “I’m afraid of being left alone. What are you afraid of?”

Azlyn paused, her mind brought her standing in a dark space mentally—a place where shadows pointed to her yelling that it was all her fault. That she could have prevented everything if she just did more. The shadows of monsters clawed at her legs, dragging her into a deep shadowy pit. “…Falling.”

Koroko tapped her chin in thought. “Bathing suits.”

“What?” They all turned to her, all with equally confused faces.

“I don’t want my skin to be shown to the outside world. I burn easily.” She explained, adjusting her big casting hat with her hands.

They all chuckled, laughing at the absurdity.

Azlyn pulled away from them before they could question her about her own fears. “Get some rest you guys—I’m going to check on Mjnt.”

“You need rest. Don’t forget that.” N’thuzu Tia reminded her. “Make sure to get some sleep.”

“I will.” She promised and made her way over to the napping Viera. The ruby haired woman with her hands nestled in her lap slightly perked when she felt Azlyn take a sit next to her.

“Not tired?” Mjnt’s thick accent quietly entered her quiet musings.

“A bit. I just wanted to check in with everyone first.”

The Viera cracked one of her eyes open—her ruby eye trained upon her with curious intrigue. “A fear of falling?”

She was taken back by the sudden question. “You heard?”

Mjnt rolled her head slowly, deciding to awaken from her restful state. “My ears pick up on the subtlest of conversations. I am also very good at picking up a lie when I hear it.”

The girl awkwardly looked away. “I see.”

“Do you remember Lord Haurchefant’s game—Truth or false?”

Azlyn nodded, “Yeah, it’s where one person tells something about themselves and everyone has to decide if its true or not.”

Mjnt leaned over, her face moved to the side of her head to whisper for only her to hear. “What are you really afraid of Azlyn?”

The Au Ra didn’t know what to say, caught in silence as her mind went blank.

The Viera pulled away, going back into her resting position with her back leaning up against the wall. “Get some rest little one. Time is short for those who do not rest.”

Slowly, the girl asked their new companion a question of her own. “—How old are you Mjnt?”

The corners of her lips lifted ever so slightly. “A few scores over a century now. I’ve seen many a war—and many people through my years. You remind me of someone I once knew a long time ago. Perhaps that is why I’m intrigued to stay with you all.” Mjnt explained, her tone light.

“You must have seen the world through some changes then.” Azlyn admired, thinking of all the travels she must have been through to even get to Coerthas. “What caused you to leave your home in the first place?”

“One question for one question.” Mjnt clicked her tongue in a teasing tone. “I shall answer your next question when I have a sufficient answer for my first question. When you are ready I will listen.”

A few moments of silence lingered between them, before Azlyn let her eyes dart away. She wasn’t ready to answer that question with everything presently going on. “I’ll let you rest Mjnt.”

She escaped from the bench to find a small quiet spot in the room. Her mind constantly chewed at her conscious state of self, wondering why it was so hard to answer. Yet the answer was just as hard to speak as it was to deal. She knelt to the ground, pulling her knees up into her chest and rested her head upon them. Closing her eyes, she hoped to get some rest while they had time.

Whether she wanted to fall into a deep slumber or not, she listless stood in that dark space. There were no sounds, no signs of people or voices that called to her. It was just herself in the middle of darkness. Her feet felt tied to that spot, locked as the world seemed stuck in time.

Slowly she wondered if this was her penance. A prickling pain occurred in her hand—the same one with the aetherial cracks that ran up the arm to her shoulder, chest, and neck. The ebb and flow of aether that gushed before had slowly diminished to a small trickle—she wondered if it was due to the last crystal of light she found, or if her body was slowly rejuvenating the damage she caused to herself.

She tested her hand, wriggling her fingers and curling them into a fist. She did it several times in quick succession before sighing. She had no idea what the point of that exercise she did, however it felt fine.

Something snapped her awake, as she jolted her head up from her resting position. Her eyes slowly adjusted to the dark interior of the room where she saw all her companions sleeping or resting quietly. Even Alphinaud and Cid were sleeping.

Hear—Feel—Think

Azlyn felt the impending headache overcome her mind, as her sight shifted from the dark interior of the Solar to another dark void. There she sat, and feeling too vulnerable, she stood up. With how dark it was, she wondered why she felt there was a source of light drawing her attention to the left.

She looked, only to see the sky erupt in bright falling meteors. The same visions she had been plagued with as a child resurfaced, showing her an end of an era—a star exploding into small pieces of chunks. They soared past her as she watched in horror.

The scene changed like it always did, as the world whitened. Azlyn raised a hand up to her face, blocking the brightness for the time being.

Bringer of Light

Azlyn removed her arm from her face, seeing that she wasn’t standing alone watching a star explode. Floating in space, she discovered a brilliant blue crystal, large and beautiful, magnificent and welcoming… this voice, the tender sound of the woman’s echo strengthened her as she regarded the Crystal of Light with curious wonder.

Brave gatherer of the Crystals. Thy soul burneth bright!

She had been floating close to the mother crystal, so close she could see fractures of her reflection off of her brilliant light.

I am Hydaelyn, All made one.

“Azlyn.” She answered, pointing to herself. That was when she noticed her own body was glowing a bright luminescent light.

Hearken unto me now, for the Darkness doth begin to spread. Ware thee the bearer of the Crimson Brand, for he is the Avatar of Shadow, whom death attendeth always.

Her description of the man immediately left her an image in her mind—the Ascian with the glowing arcanic symbol that appeared over his mask whenever he started to cast his dark magicks. She grimaced, wondering what that man truly wanted and why he was so bent on creating chaos.

The Crystals shall be thy salvation—thy blade and shield both. Steel thyself, for at the appointed hour—thou shalt stare into the Heart of Darkness.

She wondered what this cryptic message was foretelling, as she started to drown herself in questions. How would she use the Crystals to serve and protect? What would she have to do when this appointed hour was upon her? Her mind brought up the slight image of the weapon—the one the Black Wolf controlled to absorb the primals.

As if to answer her worries, Hydaelyn spoke with comforting ease. Go with caution, my child, but fear not—for I am ever with thee.

Azlyn wanted to ask her for more information, about what they should do about the weapon and how to bring peace to Eorzea—however the vision started to brighten. Hydaelyn started to disappear, as Azlyn began to lose sight of her.

“Lyn! AZLYN!” The girl found herself standing in the middle of the Solar, with all eyes on her as Kida was vigorously shaking her shoulders back and forth. “WAKE UP GIRL!” And the loud smack of her palm on her cheek drew her from the vision.

Groaning in pain, Azlyn mumbled past the pain in her cheek. “Owwww.”

“Thank the Twelve!” The blue haired Au Ra cheered, hugging her tightly.

Alphinaud sat back down on the bench, his face held the look of someone with great concern. “You were sleep walking.”

“I was?”

Kida squeezed her tightly in response. Her cousin walked over to them examining her cousin with a quick look up and down. “You sure you’re alright?”

“Fine.” Azlyn shrugged, about to explain her vision to them, only to be interrupted by the doors bursting open. A Miqo’te scholar came rushing in, her face drenched in sweat. Beelining behind her was a black cladded Ninja with his face mask expertly covering his face.

Yda called out. “Y’shtola!”

Kida let go of Azlyn, looking to the male behind her. “And Nin-Nin too!”

Y’shtola staggered her breaths, looking at the entire group before she settled her eyes on Azlyn, Alphinaud, and then to Cid. “Azlyn… I see you and Alphinaud are safe. And—and Cid?”

The engineer smiled to her, his arms were crossed over his chest. “Yes. Thanks to all of them we’re safe and together once more.”

The conjuring Scion heaved a relief of air as she looked to Nin-Nin. “I found him walking over from Horizon. He wrote in a journal that he heard you all were waiting here.” She raised a hand to her chest, as her lips curled up in a slight upward motion. “That we should meet each other thus defies simple explanation. It is as if the benevolent hand of Master Louisoix guides us still.”

Nin-Nin stepped up, greeting everyone with a curt two fingered salute. Mjnt’s ear perked right away, and she regarded him with keen interest.

Y’shtola looked to the broken staff of their predecessor on the wall behind Minfillia’s broken desk. “He would not see us undone so easily. Not now, when the need is so great.”

Yda clasped her hands together with a silent prayer. “Did you find out where the others are being held!?”

The Miqo’te with the twin frontal tails nodded.

“Where?” Alphinaud asked.

“An imperial stronghold in the heart of Mor Dhona—Castrum Centri.”

Everyone in the room tensed at the revelation of the sudden news. It was not only a tough location to get to, it was heavily guarded by posted sentries. There were two locations they could go in from, but both were inevitably dangerous.

Azlyn bit her lip, knowing what their next course of action should be. “We’ll need to gather as much information as we can about the Castrum.” 

Alphinaud brought a hand up to his chin in thought. “The rescue of our allies will be no small undertaking.” 

The conjuring Miqo’te agreed with him, tapping her chin with her hand. “Even under normal circumstances, breaching the defenses of an imperial Castrum would be a slightly dangerous proposition.” 

Mjnt mused aloud for the group to hear. “If this stronghold houses prisoners whom the Garleans deem valuable, we may be confident that they have taken additional measures to ensure their security.” 

Kida ran over to Minfillia’s desk, hopping up to sit on the edge of the wood. She kicked her feet back and forth. “Sounds like this operation needs a badass plan.” 

Yda joined the blue haired girl upon the desk, sitting next to her. “And a good kick ass strategy too!” 

“To formulate an effective strategy to make said plan, we will require intelligence.” Alphinaud reminded them all, pacing back and forth on the carpet now. 

Mjnt raised her hand to offer an idea out to them. “Might I make a suggestion? Castrum Centri is close to the borders of Coerthas—there may be a Lord who can aid us in our planning. Lord Portelaine of House Durendaire has been in charge of keeping vigil over the Garlean movements in Coerthas. Might I suggest going to the Observatorium to petition his aid?” 

The group looked to the Viera. 

“Surely not as a large party as ours.” Koroko Koko said before she crossed her arms. “Might I suggest we split into three to four effective parties?” 

Alphinaud stopped his pacing, nodding his head to the idea. “That is an excellent idea. I shall make my way to Mor Dhona to ask the locals of what they know.” 

“I’ll go with you Alphinaud.” Roll raised her hand. “I have something to hand over to Rowena.” 

Nin-Nin kept to himself, crossing his arms over his chest. He didn’t sign to Azlyn what he wanted to do. 

Y’shtola mused to herself. “I shall remain here and wait for any news from the Lord Portelaine then. And also tend to the injured—it seems there are some who require some looking after.” Her attention had been sent to the injured warrior sitting back by the wall.

N’thuzu Tia’s ears flattened. “Sorry for the bother.” 

Kida perked up from the table. “I want to go with the party to Coerthas!” 

Azlyn gazed up to Mjnt, wondering if this was where she was going to part ways with them. “I will go as well. I’ve worked with Lord Portelaine before—it should make conversation easier if he knows the people he’s talking with.” 

Mjnt smiled approvingly. 

Richiro Wichiro returned to resting by the wall. “I’ll remain here. I would like a moment to breathe after all that casting.” 

Cid looked to the groups forming. “I need some help with the airship repairs. If there is someone who’d like to help me?” 

Yda bounced her hand up to volunteer. “Oh! I can! Just tell me what I can do Cid!” 

With the large group splitting the responsibilities between one another, the ones who would head to Coerthas to beseech the lord for help wound up of three individuals. Azlyn, Mjnt, and Kida. The girls waved to the groups, and left the headquarters of the Scions. 

Mjnt chuckled to them as they walked out into the hot desert of Thanalan. “We should stop in Camp Dragonhead before we go to the Observatorium.” She noted with a smile. 

Kida quirked her head. “And why’s that?” 

The Viera smirked, “So I can ask Lord Haurchefant permission to have you attuned to our Aetheryte. It’d make travel easier, would it not?” 

Azlyn chuckled. “Yes—yes it would. Come on, let’s hurry back to the highlands!” 

The trio rushed off, leaving Vesper Bay to teleport to Gridania. Then they travelled through the North Shroud into the frosted edges of the boundaries between Aldenard and Coerthas. Before long, the trio found themselves back in the biting cold of the Coerthas Central Highlands.