Traveler

The only thing that stuck out to her was the crisp, clean ocean air in the room as the cool breeze entered from the open window. She wondered when it had been opened for just a moment before the events of yesterday rushed into her head. Surprisingly her head was clear, and the strange tingling down her arm happened to be the only reminder of what transpired.

Turning her head on the pillow, she found a red haired Miqo’te sleeping hunched over onto the bed. He had cradled his head around his arms in a makeshift pillow and took some space next to her head. She moved her fingers through his hair, lightly scrapping by one of his ears as they perked on the contact. She continued slowly running her fingers over his head, feeling a bit reminiscent of days long since passed.

“If you continue petting me I’m going to be severely embarrassed.” A voice mumbled under her hand.

“Good morning Raha.”

She watched him lift his head up, his gaze blinking away sleep. “You haven’t changed that habit of yours.” He murmured, reaching up to catch her hand that was still petting him.

“But they’re so soft.” She whined, a smile appearing on her face. She pried her hands away with ease and attempted to poke him on his cheek. 

He met her mischievous smile with his own bemused smirk. “Oh yeah, and how would you feel if I started to pet your ears?” He snatched her hand into his and used his other hand to caress the side of her horn. They were curved like backward fins on her head. She tried to pull away, but he continued his pursuit until she was laughing at him.

“Ok-ok-okay—It’s ticklish.” She pushed up on him, giving her some space between him and her on the bed. He was practically hovering over her.

“That’s what I thought.” He smirked, and then placed a hand on the back of her neck and forehead. He nodded to himself. “You got some color back.”

Azlyn pumped her arm in the air. “I feel pretty good to be honest. I think I could take on an entire herd of Aurochs!”

He deadpanned. “Are you trying to end an entire ecosystem?” He noticed her moving up into a sitting position and sat cross-legged on the mattress in front of her.

“No, but that’s how good I feel.” She started to stretch out her limbs, letting her sore muscles stretch themselves out from a few days of no use. When she felt her muscles warmed up, she attempted to roll onto her arms and lifted her lower body off the bed. She then curled her lower body and legs over her head as she stretched. Her feet were pointed to G’raha, who watched her concentrate in holding the position on her arms. Her tail followed the shape of how her legs went.

“I forget how agile and mobile you are.” He smirked, “You kind of look like a scorpion when you do that.”

All she did was reach out with her foot to poke him in the forehead. He just reached up to catch her foot and mischievously grinned. She immediately realized she was in trouble. “No—no don’t you dare.” He merely curled her further into a ball, where she could touch the top of her head with her toes. She started to whine about the movement.

“Now you’re an egg.” He laughed, releasing her so she could roll out from the stretch.

“I’d like to see you try it.” She challenged with her tongue sticking out. “It requires quite a bit of strength in your arms!” She went to shuffle off the bed before he grabbed her around her waist to pull her back. He easily lifted her over his shoulder when he got off the bed.

“I’m plenty strong enough. Although you’re not a good example to prove this, you’re too tiny.” He started walking around the room with her draped over his shoulder and back.

“Oh! Oh! Hold onto my feet from your shoulders,” She playfully tapped his back. “I want to stretch my back!”

Krile walked into the room without bothering to knock. The laughter from inside the room gave her plenty of reason to enter. “Sometimes I wonder if it was a good thing to leave you two alone. You two always get into trouble.” She was smiling, despite the sigh that escaped her lips.

Standing in the middle of the room was G’raha holding Azlyn’s ankles from behind him as she started to reach her arms down to the floor. It looked like a good handstand if G’raha hadn’t of been holding her. He tried to walk, where she mimicked walking with her hands.

“Fever broke?” Krile asked, walking over to the table to grab a glass of water.

G’raha nodded. “Yup, in the middle of the night.”

The door opened once more when Ejika walked in with a rolled piece of bread. He was midbite when he walked in to see Azlyn attempting a vertical sit up from G’raha’s back.

“Weren’t you on the verge of death?” He muttered, waddling over to the table to sit. G’raha laughed as he tapped Azlyn’s legs to indicate he was letting go.

“That’s the cost of traveling.” Azlyn replied with a smirk, stretching her arms over her head. She felt G’raha let go of her legs so she balanced on the palms of her hands, before curling over to her feet. When she was in a backwards crab crawl, she twisted so she could get out of the curl. 

Ejika shook his head, eating his breakfast and avoiding her gaze once more. He looked as if he didn’t want to be there—or rather it was an obligation forced onto him that he was there.

“You can head back home if you don’t want to be here.” Azlyn pointed out at last, rolling her head in small circles. “I’m thankful you came out to help me though.”

G’raha shook his head, grabbing a glass from the table as Krile had done before. He lifted the vase of water to pour into the porcelain cup. “No, he can’t go back to his precious study until he’s all done with his work over here. Archon Baldesion was adamant about that.”

Krile smiled, “That and the outside world will do you wonders Ejika. You can’t hide away in your books forever.”

He huffed in response. “I can certainly try.” But he shook his head. “The sooner I get that business done in Camp Overlook the sooner I can go home.”

Azlyn quirked her head, “You guys have field assignments out in Eorzea? That’s kind of rare, isn’t it?”

Krile nodded. “It is, however, our assignments are taking us to different locales. Ejika’s is easy enough since it’s located on this continent. G’raha will need to head out to Gridania to the ruins by Amdapor Keep. I will need to head over to Vesper Bay to finish a couple errands and tasks myself.”

G’raha drank from his cup. “An ecological study, nothing more.”

Ejika moaned. “I want this trip over with.”

“And in the meantime, we’ll be traveling with you Azlyn.” Krile replied after drinking from her own cup. The Au Ra blinked.

“Wait—really?”

She continued. “Oh yes, my father was adamant about keeping an eye on you while you’re recovering. He even said to tie you down if need be.”

G’raha smiled, “Not exactly how I pictured journeying around, but it sounds fun.”

Azlyn clapped her hands together, excited for the company. “Awesome! Oh, but I should probably get ready.” She looked down at herself compared to everyone. Everyone had been dressed in their outerwears, but Azlyn was still in her shorts and blouse. She scrunched her nose. “Give me fifteen minutes to clean up. I believe Baderon said he had something to tell me, so he might have something for us to do.”

She ran over to her stuff, looking through her bag for her clothes. She found it with ease, folding neatly away, and she also noticed a grimoire laying beside her bag. She lifted it up for them to see. “Did you all bring this for me?”

Krile nodded. “It was a request from the Admiral of Limsa Lominsa.”

Ejika frowned. “Archon Baldesion couldn’t exactly say no to the gold though.”

G’raha bumped Ejika’s chair, timing it for when he took a tip from his glass. As the Lalafell sputtered his drink from his mouth, the Miqo’te shrugged as if he didn’t mean to be clumsy. “I’m gonna freshen up as well.”

Krile narrowed her eyes looking at both. “Separately, right?”

Azlyn choked on the air, and G’raha ran his knee into the door he meant to open. They both snapped their heads over to her like she had three heads growing from her yellow robes.

“Wh—” Followed with a curse slipping from his mouth.

“A hundred years too young,” Azlyn coughed into her clothes. “I’ll use your room to clean up in Krile.” She reddened at the thought, shaking her head.

“It’s the door on the far right of the hall.” Krile replied and watched Azlyn escape. 

G’raha held the door open but his attention was still to his knee. “Ouch. That’s rude, you know maybe one day I’ll figure out how to actually do tha—and she’s gone. Ejika, the room you have is the one on the left?” He mumbled before leaving into the hall. Ejika didn’t bother telling him yes or not.

When Azlyn came back to the room with her hair damp from the water, she found Krile and Ejika still in her room. Both were reading texts, the room quiet as she entered. “And back!”

Krile closed her textbook upon her arrival, but Ejika ignored her entrance. Azlyn patted her hair with the towel she had, she moved over to her belongings and started to pack everything in her satchel. The only thing she didn’t put away were her weapons, the axe and the grimoire. She held them both in her arms.

“Hrmm—I guess I need to decide which one I should use then.” She pondered over it for a while. When she decided to use her arcanima over her axe skills, she felt a blaze of heat erupt from her and surround the weapon. The room lit up, and everyone stopped what they were doing to see Azlyn staring at the axe that magically disappeared.

It was at this time that Ejika dropped his book. “D-do that again!”

Azlyn widened her eyes. “How?!”

Krile seemed also interested in the strange phenomena. “What were you thinking when that happened?”

Azlyn held the grimoire in her hand. “I just thought I wanted to cast arcanima, and then the axe disappeared! Where’d it go?”

Ejika ran over to her, and looked all over the room for her axe. Krile crossed her arms, before she replied. “Strange. I wonder if this is a Warrior of Light thing. Quick, think of using the axe instead. See what happens.”

The girl nodded, holding the book and thinking to her axe. She remembered the feel of the wood in her grasp, the hefty weight of the metal as it tore threw her enemies. Another bright light emerged, which engulfed her book in her arms and slowly changed into the axe that disappeared moments ago. Azlyn widened her eyes at the sudden change.

“Fascinating!” Ejika cheered, asking her to do it again.

Azlyn switched between the two weapons several times before a feeling of weariness washed over her. It was around this time when G’raha walked back into the room with his hair dripping wet. He hadn’t braided it, letting the strands drip dry. “That was a nice – what are you doing?”

Ejika turned to him with a fire in his eyes. “It’s amazing, Azlyn can shift weapons at the thought of it!”

Krile examined Azlyn who meekly smiled. The color in her cheeks were draining ever so slightly. “Perhaps you shouldn’t do that too much, I think this might be an effect of the Mothercrystal that allows you to shift between weapons. It may come in handy when you least expect it.”

Azlyn clenched her hand, now holding onto the grimoire. “I’ll do my best.” She looked over to G’raha. “You’re going to catch a cold.” She said as she pointed to his wet hair.

He scoffed at her. “Says the one who’s had a fever for the past few days.” He stuck his tongue at her playfully.

Krile walked over to him with a dry towel. He took it, rubbing his hair aggressively into the fabric. When he was done, he folded the towel and laid it on the edge of the bed. “What’s the plan? Are we going to burn daylight here or what?”

“I should probably check in with Baderon.” Azlyn mentioned once more. “Is everyone almost ready?”

The group nodded, ready to leave to room they were holed up in for two to three days. Azlyn could feel herself getting stir crazy needing to move. She led them out, down the stairs into the Drowned Wench. With her satchel and book in hand, she walked over to the counter where Baderon was wiping the counter. He seemed to be thinking about something.

“’Ey there, Baderon, you didn’t catch my cold did you?” She waved a hand in front of his face.

He gave her a wide smirk and reached out to ruffle the top of her hair. “There ye are, ye deviled brat. I was beginnin’ to think ye kicked the bucket or somethin’.” He grinned to the rest of the group behind her. G’raha took a seat at the bar gazing around in mild fascination. Ejika crossed his arms, leaking away from the bottles on the countertops. He would not be bought over in alcohol.

“Thanks fer comin’ out an’ doin’ us the favor. She’s been quite the help.” Baderon tapped Azlyn’s cheek happy to see she was good and well. “Oh, bugger! I almost forgot. The Admiral wants to ‘ave a word with ye when yer all better.”

Krile smiled up to the proprietor. “I suppose we can enjoy a drink while you go have a chat with the Admiral.”

Ejika paled. “Drink?”

G’raha grinned, “I wouldn’t mind one.” Azlyn walked up behind him to combed through his straight hair. He didn’t seem to mind it as she quickly braided his hair from the nape of his neck to just several inches below his collar. She reached over his shoulder  to request his hairtie.

He handed it to her with a roll of his eyes. “Thanks mom.”

She yanked his hair so that he felt it. “Your welcome. I’ll be back. Hey Baderon, you should give him the good stuff. You know what one I’m talking about.” She mischievously smirked.

He caught her thought process and brought a shot forward, pouring out a distilled colored drink into the glass.

Azlyn ran off to the Crow’s Lift to head below to the Bulwark Hall, just as she was about to enter to lift, she could hear her friend coughing and Baderon laughing.

The flight down was a quiet one compared to her present morning. She could sense there was a subtle change in her, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. Regardless, it didn’t change what she wanted to do. When she exited, she walked over to the guard who was in control of the light to the Admirals’ Room. She smiled to the Roegabyn officer. “Good morning, Baderon said the Admiral wanted to talk with me?”

The guard remembered her from before, nodding as he opened the lift for her to use. “She’s taking a break at the moment, but she did request you to come by. Head on up.”

She entered the lift, feeling the inertia of gravity drop as she was pulled up into the space. Azlyn had to admit, these lift’s were really something. She reached the top, as the gates of the lift slid open to reveal a familiar room and an ornate wooden desk at the back. She recognized the Admiral standing with her back to her, arms crossed behind in formal fashion. 

Azlyn walked forward, stopping just before her desk. Admiral Merlwyb turned to look down at her. “Ah, Azlyn—It is good to see you on your feet again. You are recovered?”

She nodded, “Yes—and I apologize for my untimely illness. Hopefully it won’t happen again.” 

The Admiral frowned to her. “All that matters is that you are hale and whole—but let us waste no time. I have a task that needs doing—one I would entrust to no other. Will you do this for me?”

The Au Ra seem intrigued by the prospects, “Yes Admiral.”

“I have penned a letter to each of my counterparts in the Eorzean Alliance.” Admiral Merlwyb walked back to her desk, picking up two sealed envelopes with Limsa Lominsa’s emblem on the wax seal. The maroon wax had already been dried for some time. Azlyn accepted the letters, safely stowing them in her satchel. The Admiral waited for her to finish putting them away. “The Battle of Carteneau and the Calamity that followed claimed countless lives. It has been five years since those of us who were spared dragged ourselves from the ashes to look upon Eorzea we scarcely knew…Five years, and yet the people still suffer.”

The Admiral looked out to her large window, to Azlyn it oddly reminded her of the back of a ship’s room—looking out to the sea below. She let a moment pass. “Their lives are fraught with worry and the Warriors of Light who might once have given them hope are gone. Yet we must press on regardless. We will never truly do so, however, till we have faced our past.”

Azlyn grimaced. Facing the past was something she didn’t really know how to do. She thought with her travels it would get easier, and in some way, time did kind of help ease the pain. She always remembered her parents for the loving care and support they gave—whether it was to her, or to others.

“I am proposing that a memorial service be held in each of the city-states, on the fifth anniversary of the Battle of Carteneau. These letters contain the details of said proposal.” When Azlyn looked back up to the Admiral, she realized that she was being watched closely. “And as I have come to understand, you have also been affected by this dreadful event—and as such, I think it would be pertinent to have you deliver these letters as my personal envoy.”

Azlyn widened her eyes. “What? But I wasn’t even the—”

Admiral shook her head. She lifted her hand over her heart with a stern gaze. “You have proven yourself as a staunch ally to Limsa Lominsa, but that’s not my only reason for choosing you. Face the past, look to it, learn from it, and become the person you were meant to become. I chose you because you possess a quality which puts me in mind of history’s champion—A quality I feared lost. But if your heart is full of doubt as it is now, that quality will be lost for good.” She took a breath. “Say that you will perform this duty.”

The Au Ra looked down to her satchel containing the letters. Gripping the straps in her hand, she closed her eyes to see a passing memory of her parents. The day they said goodbye at the docks. As the scene slowly faded, she returned her gaze back to the Admiral. “I will.”

The Admiral straightened, her eyes lightened. “I knew you would not disappoint me. The task shall take you far from the borders of our nation, to the city-states of Gridania and Ul’dah. A grueling journey, to be sure—were you to travel by sea and land. But I mean to have you take to the skies.” Pulling something out from her pocket, was another missive—or rather, an airship pass. Azlyn looked down in shock at the pass. She knew these passes cost quite a bit of funds to even get one. But there she was, holding one in her hand. “An Airship pass to be used at your discretion.”

Admiral Merlwyb turned around to face her windows once more. She could see the hustle and bustle of Limsa below. Azlyn held the pass in her hand.

“Airships bound for the nations of our allies leave from the landing connected to the Bridge, but before you depart, I suggest you trouble Baderon for a few pearls of wisdom regarding your destinations. The old bastard is nothing if not well traveled. Tis a pit I cannot issue such passes with a freer hand, as I did in more peaceful times, when berths were not so limited. But in these times of war, every craft we commit to the clouds risks drawing the eye of the Empire, and every voyage must needs be born of necessity.”

“Thank you—I promise to do as you’ve asked. I won’t take this pass for granted.” Azlyn thought about her friends from Sharlayan at that moment. She wondered how they’d be able to go. “My friends from Sharlayan—I suppose they won’t be able to fly with me then?”

The Admiral looked over her shoulder. “The Students of Baldesion have passes of their own—no need to fret over their passage. If they wish to go with you, they should have means of their own to allow it.”

The Au Ra smiled, more relieved that she didn’t have bad news to break with her friends. “Oh good, then I’ll be sure to return this pass once I return. I know there are others more deserving of this than me.”

The Admiral chuckled, shaking her head. “Lest you doubt, you have well-earned that place—nor am I alone in that opinion. There were other parties who would see you granted the privilege for air travel.” Azlyn wondered who else would have wanted her to keep the pass.

“So you’re saying I am to keep this?”

The Admiral nodded. “Indeed. Your deeds do not go unnoticed—as our Bloody Princess of the Sea, the whispers and tales of your heroics have many seeing great promise in you.” Azlyn flushed at the title.

“Even you’ve heard the name—I was hoping it would disappear.”

Admiral Merlwyb laughed. A short chortle from her lips, “Hardly, even I enjoy watching how you wreak destruction on our enemies—such scenes are reminiscent of my days as a pirate. But I have flattered you enough.”

Azlyn stood at attention when she watched the older woman with white short hair, and her piercing white eyes to look down upon her. “On behalf of Limsa Lominsa and her people, I bid you go forth Azlyn. Discover the realm for which so many have fought and died—and put the rest the doubt laid deep within your heart. Wonder and danger await you in equal measure, but turn not from either. Only by braving the unknown will you achieve the greatness of which you are surely capable. The light of the Crystal guides you, and I wager that your destiny will be no small thing.”

She bid her farewell, as her second in command entered the room. The fancily dressed Roegabyn nodded his greeting to her as Azlyn walked out the room. She was led over to the lift, and was accompanied down to the Bulwark Hall. As she exited the lift, she couldn’t help but feel the swell in her chest. To be an accomplished traveler—and adventurer. It was something she never really thought about until recently. She ran over to the opposite side of the hall, asking the lift operator over there to grant her access to the Drowned Wench up above.

It wouldn’t be long before she would find her friends sitting at the bar, sipping on their morning beverages. Azlyn hopped over with a smile gracing her lips. “And she returns!” Baderon replied, with a coy grin. “Yer boy needs to grow some more whiskers if ‘e wants to drink with ‘em sailors.” He chuckled, while G’raha shook his head.

“Couldn’t handle it Raha?” She teased him, who merely scrunched his nose up in disgust.

Krile finished her fruit mulled wine. “What’s the news?”

Azlyn sat in the open spot between her and G’raha Tia. Ejika was nowhere to be seen. “Admiral wanted me to deliver two letters. One to the leader in Gridania, and the other to the leader in Ul’dah.”

Baderon exclaimed in surprise, “Personal bleedin’ envoy?!” Everyone looked to him as he nodded in approval. “So ye’ll be carryin’ the word o’ the Admiral ‘erself to the leaders o’ the Alliance!”

Azlyn nodded, smiling to him. “Strange, I know.”

Baderon crossed his arms impressed with her. “Bugger me—I knew ye was goin’ up in the world, but I didn’t realize ye’d get that bloody ‘igh.”

G’raha slid a short glass over to her, and she frowned at the contents. He gave her a mischievous grin, his two-colored eyes aglow with mischief. “Nothing like a good strong drink to celebrate—am I right?”

Krile smiled, adding onto G’raha’s statement. “Baderon was insisting how much you enjoy this drink. He says you even drink it before bed.”

Azlyn widened her eyes to the proprietor who smirked back at her. With a disgusted look upon her face, she lifted the glass to her lips. “Where’s Ejika?” She asked and decided to just down it in one go. Better to get it over with fast then savor the distilled stout over their conversation.

“He’s decided to go off on his own.” Krile shook her head. “The fool of a Lalafell said he didn’t want to travel in a group and said it would be quicker if he’d just head off to Camp Overlook on his own. Too bad for him.”

G’raha laughed at Azlyn who finished her drink, as she pounded the glass on the counter. She tried to ignore the bite it gave her in the back of her throat. Looking squarely at Baderon, she smacked her lips distastefully. “I still hate it.”

Baderon laughed, bringing up a glass of water for her to drink. Smiling, he said “I’m proud of ye, lass! Thinkin’ of ‘ow far ye’ve come—why, ‘tis enough to bring a tear to me eye! An’ that ain’t the ale talkin’ neither—well not just the ale—at any rate.” He looked to her companions. “Bless the Navigator fer steerin’ ‘er my way.” He pointed to Azlyn. “She’s been too good fer any o’ us. Ye scholarly folks have a good friend right there.”

Krile nodded, and G’raha rubbed a finger under his nose. They were happy for her, and Azlyn beamed in between them. She pulled out the airship pass from her bag. “The Admiral also gifted me with a pass—”

Baderon leaned in, eyes wide as he looked at the small ticket. “Is that what I think it is?”

She nodded.

“Bloody ‘ells, look at ye. I really might tear up.”

G’raha shook his head, reaching over to ruffle Azlyn’s hair. “Well, if you’re doing air travel then we’ll go with you. With Ejika running off to do his work, Krile and I decided we should take care of what we needed to do first. So it’s good fortune that you got yourself an air pass.”

“Yes, so while we three fly, we’ll each go off once we get to our specific destinations. Then we’ll meet back up here in Limsa Lominsa when we’re all done.” Krile reached into her bag. She brought out a pearl from within a small box, and handed it over to Azlyn. “And my father said that you are not allowed to go without one of these. He’s been worried sick about you wondering if your letters have been on time. At least with the linkpearl we can just give you a call and hear your voice.”

G’raha whistled looking away from Azlyn.

She shook her head. “I didn’t take mine when I first left because I thought it would make me want to return home—but it’s probably not a bad idea to have it.” She reached for the linkpearl with a smile. “I’m still writing letters home though.”

Krile nodded. “He would love to see your penmanship still. Writing letters is such an old-fashioned convention, but it’s nice to see your letters when they come.”

“I enjoy them, and for safe keeping I place them all in my shoebox back in your place.” G’raha smiled. “You said I can use it since you weren’t there.”

Azlyn nodded. “I know, and you’re taking good care of my vegetable garden I hope.”

“Yes, and the tea leaves are finally growing. I can send you some herbal leaves and flowers the next time I write.” He explained.

Baderon scratched behind his head. “Where’s home?”

The Au Ra smiled, stating bluntly, “My parents had a home on the Isle of Val where we’re all from—G’raha lives there and takes care of the place since I’m gone doing—” She emphasized with her arms, gesturing to the space around them. “this.”

Azlyn equipped her linkpearl to her ear, feeling the aetherflow into the device. It buzzed to life as she tapped it. “It’s been like what—ten to fifteen years now?”

Krile smiled, adjusting her satchel. “Give or take a few years.”

“Well I’ll say, ye’ve got quite a history.”

G’raha leaned his head down on his hand, looking up to Azlyn. “So where are we off too? Ul’dah or Gridania?”

Azlyn thought about it, “I think Gridania will be easier to reach time wise, and then Ul’dah right after.”

Krile pulled out a world map and checked the distances. It was true that Gridania would be a bit quicker than Ul’dah from there.

“So I’ll be heading off from Gridania to do my own research.” The Miqo’te shrugged his shoulders. “No worries, I’ll be done after conducting a thorough investigation. I’m not gonna let that bugger of a Lalafell—no offense—”

“None taken.” Krile replied.

“Get the best of me.” G’raha finished.

Baderon smirked to them. “If ye think us Lominsans are characters, just wait till ye cross paths with the grim forest-dwellers o’ Gridania, or trade coins with the crafty merchants of Ul’dah. An’ then there’s the wild places where the beasties rule, an’ no bugger with an onze o’ sense sets foot—but yer all the venturing type, so I wouldn’t let a little thing like that ‘old ye back.”

“I’m pretty excited to see Gridania—I’ve only really been to the outskirts of Thanalan and the small communities by the edges of Carteneau. It’s going to be new places to see.” Azlyn smiled, thinking back to when she first started. Those were some rough days.

“It ain’t all explorin’ an’ excitement.” Baderon warned, “There’s an ‘eap o’ troubles what plagues every nation, see—‘tain’t just ours. I’m talkin’ intrigue an’ infightin’, beastmen an’ their godsdamned primals—aye, there’s an ugly side to life, an’ sooner or later, yer bound to walk into it.”

The group frowned at the mention of primals. They read about them being summoned by the beast tribes, but without a source of power to summon the gods, it’s been hard to do so in the last five years. It hasn’t ever stopped the tribes from trying though.

“We’ll keep an eye and ear out for the trouble.” Krile promised.

Baderon smiled to them. “I’ll wager there’s bugger all out there that you can’t ‘andle. Summat tells me yer goin’ to be just fine. The realm’s ‘ad it rough, ‘tis true, but folk’re beginnin’ to recover from the beatin’ the Calamity dealt ‘em. Call me an optimist, but it wouldn’t take much to turn things ‘round. ‘Tis the perfect time fer a ‘venturer like yerself to get out there an’ make a difference!” he stopped speaking as if an idea popped into his head. He dropped both his hands onto the bar with wide eyes. “Well, what are ye waitin’ fer?”

He started to wave his hands at them sitting at his bar. Motioning for them to get a move on, he started to clean up his bar. G’raha went to grab out a bit of coins to pay for the drinks, while Krile hopped down from her chair. Azlyn was excited to get going, especially when she had never ridden an airship before.

After he paid, G’raha joined them by one of the wooden poles. “Alright, so do we need anything from the market before we head to the docking station?”

Krile shook her head. “Got everything I need in my bag.”

Azlyn smiled, “I have everything too.”

“Well, let’s get moving.” The Miqo’te urged them to the Crow’s Lift to head back down to the Bulwark Hall. They needed to catch another lift down below to go to the airship dock. They chatted amicably between each other as they rode down.

“Will Ejika really be okay?” Azlyn asked, feeling a little worried for their friend. Even though he was a bit snobbish, he had come out this way to help—well sort of.

“He’s stubborn.” Krile sighed. “But he’ll be alright. He’s got a head attached to his body, so that probably will help him in his travels over.”

G’raha crossed his arms. “Isn’t Camp Overlook in Outer La Noscea?”

Krile smiled deviously. “I never said he’d have an easy time getting there, but he’ll learn.”

Azlyn winced. She knew how long of a walk it was for her to get from Limsa Lominsa to Moraby Drydocks. She imagined it would take a bit longer to get over to that camp. If she remembered correctly, it was in the opposite direction. “More power to him, I suppose.” She said.

The lift operator opened the gate to the exit, allowing them to leave. They shuffled out from the space, and moved over to the side where the dock elevator was located. The lift operator asked for their passes, and they flashed their documentation to him.

They were waved in, and after a bit of time they found themselves at the desk of the flight attendant. She smiled to them as they stopped.

“Greetings, this is the counter for passengers traveling to Gridania.”

Both G’raha and Krile showed their passes, getting them stamped by the attendant. When it was Azlyn’s turn, the Miqo’te girl with brown hair lit up with joy.

“Wait, aren’t you that famous adventurer! The Bloody Princess of the Sea?  I thought I recognized you!”

Azlyn forced a smile, “Oh—I think you might have me mistaken for someone else.”

The attendant shook her head. “No—no, I remember you! You’re the only Auri in these parts that fit that description—I must say, you are an inspiration to us all! Highwind Skyways is at your disposal! Will you be traveling with us today?”

Azlyn gave a bashful nod. “Y-yes.” She could feel the stares of her friends.

The attendant opened the gate for her, and smiled brightly. “May you have perfect skies on your way princess!”

Krile and G’raha were trying to hold back their laughter as the Au Ra blushed furiously red. She walked past them looking at her feet as she walked the airway. Before she knew it, her friends were right beside her poking fun.

“Bloody Princess of the Sea, saint of the poor and weak—won’t you please slay some monsters for us?” G’raha theatrically leaned on her side, draping an arm across her back.

“Come now G’raha, her tales exceed that of killing Aurochs—why I’ve heard the rumors of how her eyes glow bright red in the heat of battle.”

The attendants allowed them access onto one of the flying vessels, as Azlyn sat down. She covered her embarrassed face with her hands. “Please no more.”

“Oh—but I heard about the Bloody Princess rising from the seas in Moraby Drydocks to prevent an assault on the prized Victory. How she manifested from the spilt blood of the yellowjackets begging for help.” G’raha nudged her side playfully.

“Why do the rumors get more and more estranged?” Azlyn moaned.

“Because people don’t want realism in this world—they want something to uplift their spirits. I don’t think stories like these are bad—so long as they remain just stories.” Krile explained, looking back to the gangplank. She noted that no other passengers were boarding.

The airship began to ring the bells, echoing their calls for departure. Their group could hear the attendants on the gangplank calling out to any last-minute boarders to Gridania. When no one arrived, they roped off the ship and began untying the anchors that held them aloft. Azlyn straightened up, to look at the docks below.

Giving a wry smile, she said. “It’s strange—I think I like this place. It’s—homey.”

Krile laughed. “Better watch out, or else our princess may bloody well become a pirate.”

G’raha hooked one of his fingers up to imitate a hook. “I’ll be yer second-in-command, arrr.”

Azlyn laughed, which led into a fest of laughter between them.

With the preparations of their flight finishing up—the ship lurched down and upward, as the sails caught the wind. As the propellers started to accelerate them forward, Azlyn closed her eyes to feel the wind in her hair and face. Unbeknowst to her, the people she got to know in Limsa Lominsa would be wishing her good fortunes and the best of luck as she journeyed forth toward Gridania.