Traveler

She entered the building, slowly walking down the stairs into the bottom floor. Krile had been right where she left her, reading a few textbooks laid out on the table. Azlyn pulled a chair to sit by her. “All done.” 

Krile looked up, with a small smile. “Perfect, just in time. They announced an Ul’dah flight in ten minutes.” She gathered her belongings, packing it into her satchel. “You look troubled, everything okay?” 

Azlyn nodded, “Yeah, I ran into my cousin and friend from school.” 

Krile perked at this, “Oh! That’s quite the coincidence! You sure you don’t want to spend some more time with them?” 

Azlyn tapped her link pearl with a smile. “We exchanged information, and I promised them dinner the next time I’m in town. We’ll talk more then.” 

Krile walked over with her to the gate, the flight attendant accepted both of their passes, and waved them through the security point.  Azlyn waited, wondering how quick of a journey this flight would be. They had been walked onto the landing strip and were waiting for permission to board the ship. “How long do you think this flight will be Krile?”

The Lalafell bobbed her head thinking, she said, “Less than an hour or two—Ul’dah is practically neighbors to Gridania—just past the shroud and over the mountain is Thanalan.”

It wasn’t as if she had been blown away by the distance, but it still was interesting to think about.

“Krile, how have you been?” Azlyn asked, hoping to get some one on one time with her. It had been quite awhile since they last spoke.

Krile replied, “I’ve been teaching over at the school for a bit—had a few rambunctious souls here and there. The recent ones have been unleashed into the realm,” she chuckled. “Most of them are bright eyed students that wish for the betterment of the world—and I hope their wishes become obtainable.”

“It sounds like you love what you do.” Azlyn pointed out, smiling down to her friend. “I’m sorry to have taken you away from that.”

She shook her head in response to her statement. “Nonsense—How could I not come out and help my family friend. We do miss you back home, and your sandwiches you used to make.”

Azlyn chuckled into her hand. That took her back when she was helping their work studies by bringing them finger foods and tea. She remembered long stretches of her coming in and out of the offices and archives for years.  “If I hadn’t, you all would have starved.”

Krile nodded, “I understand why my father was sad to see you go, he really wanted you to join the organization. He said you were just like your father—” She stopped at the mention of one of her parents, and Azlyn gave a sad smile.

“Thank you.” she said, and then guards of the landing strip allowed them access to board. Azlyn let Krile onto the ship first, watching her walk up the steps before doing the same. They took a seat on the same bench and waited to see if any others were boarding. Still no one boarded. It was a strange thing to see, as hardly anyone wanted to fly anymore. And that was probably due to Garlean influences.

They sat in silence as the ship finalized their flight plans. Once the last calls were made, and no one came running up, the ship had been cut loose allowing the propellers to catch the winds and sail up above the trees. Azlyn could feel how clean the air was there, not much pollution from advanced technologies—it was a naturalist’s dream to experience the like.

“The anniversary is coming up.” Krile replied, looking at the landscape expanding further out as they traveled higher and higher. Before long the large city-state of Gridania had looked like any old forest in the Black Shroud. “Did you have any plans for that?”

Azlyn pondered about this too. What should she do? After she delivered the missive to the Flame General, she’d have some time to kill. After all, if the Admiral was planning on holding a remembrance ceremony on the fifth-year anniversary, it would be another couple weeks until then. “I might attend the ceremonies. Not sure which one I’ll go to, but maybe they’ll be held at different times.”

Krile nodded. “It’d be good to see how each of the city-states will move forward from this point. Maybe it will help ease the pain you have felt these past five years.”

“I hope so.” Azlyn said, thinking back to Kan-E-Semna passing her those flowers. She just had a strange feeling that she knew more about her in that short time together than she wanted to let on—and that was something for even her to say. “I just want to help people and see the world with my own two eyes.”

“That’s not a bad way to look at it, just be careful on how you travel from now on. You’ll be by yourself, and this world isn’t forgiving as you may think it is.” Krile warned her all the same. Azlyn smiled.

“It’s not always like that though.” She thought back to the pirates who stabbed a goobue in the back to attack her and Y’shtola. Or how the Serpent Reavers attacked Swiftperch. Then the Ascian trying to kill her. She shook her head at the memories. “There are some occasions however that ground me for the many troubles the realm face.”

“Good, I’m glad you have a solid foundation on where you stand in this world. I fear others don’t quite have the same notion to think the same.” Krile sighed, thinking about something beyond Azlyn’s knowledge. “Regardless, here we are and together we’ll do what we can.” The Lalafell reached up her hand to extend it over to Azlyn.

She accepted her hand into her own. Azlyn grinned. “Is that the Echo talking?”

Krile shook her head, a ghost of a smile on her lips. “Well what else would I be talking about?”

Which reminded Azlyn, both her cousin and Kida said they possessed the Echo some fair time ago. She wondered if this was a normal phenomenon or not. “Krile, I found several others who have been blessed with the gifts as you and I have. Although it’s fairly recent—is this a common occurrence in the realms since the Calamity?”

Krile clasped her hands together in her lap. “Hmm, well if they are recent I’ll have to inform my friend.”

Azlyn quirked her head. “Friend?”

“Oh yes, a young lady whom you may meet one day. I’ve regaled your stories to her time and time again.” Krile chuckled. “She’s helped restore the order after Archon Louisoix—and well—we’ve been pretty close the last decade getting to know one another.”

She was pleased to hear that her friend how such a confidant outside of her small circle of friends. “She sounds like a nice person.” Azlyn knew the struggles of growing up with the echo, albeit she didn’t have an outed one like she had. It was still strange not to be able to relate with her openly, so it was nice to hear Krile had someone to support her beside themselves. “I’d like to meet her too.”

Krile started to talk about a mixture of things, diving deeper into her recent studies. The weather’s slight humidity from the water in the forest changed rapidly as they scaled over the barren mountains. The heat intensified as they started to cross into plains of desert and sand. This area started to look familiar to her as she’d been traveling in these deserts for a few years. Some of the smaller communities in the outskirts had always been welcoming to her when she came back. However, she never really got this close to the Capital of Ul’dah.

Huge, towering walls and large ornate buildings began to come into view. She could see even from this distance above how many small refugee camps there were at the entrance and surrounding walls. The tightly crammed buildings packed in upon one another. “There’s more refugees than I thought.” Azlyn said, pointing down to the dunes below.

“Yes, they come from all over—Ul’dah has always been rumored to be prosperous in their living. Many people come here to try and make it big—however it doesn’t always work out like that. Resources are scarce, and in this unforgiving environment there isn’t much Ul’dah can do to feed all the mouths present.” Krile crossed her arms over her chest. “Many problems have arisen in Ul’dah due to this, where riots overtake the streets and many people struggle to get by.”

They could see from the vast amount of people traveling into and from Ul’dah that it was a giant hub for networking and transporting goods.

The ship started to make its descent, flying into a flight zone for the ships to go in. Azlyn could already see the entrance, where the inside of the landing strip had been filled with unused airships. The sun was unforgiving, baking her exposed face and hands as she squinted up. The clouds had disappeared in the time it took for them to travel from Limsa Lominsa to Gridania—but Azlyn hoped for a little bit of shade.

Krile tugged her hood down to help cover her forehead.

It wasn’t long before the ship entered the building, after the officers within cleared them to arrive. Slowly they drifted in, the sails unable to pick up the wind drafts from outside. The propellers inched them into dock, and a crew of workers quickly went to tie them into place. From how fast they worked, Azlyn guessed they must have been waiting for something to do—or at least it looked like they needed to prove that they were doing something.

The guard waited for them to disembark, watching them as they went to exit the landing strip. As he escorted them both out, Krile turned to look up at Azlyn. “Alright, well this is where we’ll part ways for the time being.” She wiped her robes down with her hands. “We’ll meet back in Limsa Lominsa in two days’ time. Until then, the time is yours. Say hi to your friends for me.”

Azlyn nodded. “You have fun with your friend as well.”

Krile waved goodbye, walking away when they exited the docking station. Azlyn wondered if there would be an honor guard waiting for her too, like they had back in Gridania. Standing by a pillar, a guard was shifting on his feet as if he were bored. He looked a bit uneasy, peering at the people who exited the landing strip. She had a feeling he was the guy she needed to talk to.

The moment their eyes connected, he called out to her. “Welcome to Ul’dah. We have been expecting you. Flame General Raubahn will receive you in the Fragrant Chamber. Please take the lift down to the Hustings Strip and speak with Bartholomew at the Royal Promenade.”

Azlyn looked like she was about to ask him for more information, however he stopped her with a wave of his hand. “Sorry, just got off work now. You’ll find it eventually.” He walked off, leaving the girl more confused than before.

She walked over to a set of doors, exiting the room into a large hallway. The ground had been draped in red carpet and the fabric trailed all through each of the segmented halls. Azlyn walked down the hall, seeing there was nowhere else to go but straight, and find a small aetheryte crystal by the entry of the hall. Deciding it was best to snag the aetherytes as she could, she started to attune to the little one, and hoped to find the larger central plaza soon.

She felt her ear buzz as her linkpearl started to go off. Reaching up, she tapped on the button which allowed her to speak freely to the sender.

“Whatcha doin’?” The feminine voice of Kida popped into her head.

Azlyn leaned against one of the rails at the center of the room, seeing the ground below and then up to the floor above. The symmetry of this building was pretty cool and different compared to the other two city-states she’d been in. “I just landed in Ul’dah, what are you doing?” Azlyn replied.

“Oh! Well I’ll be damned, Roll you’ll never guess who flew into town!”

Azlyn quirked her head. “What are you talking about, I’m in Ul’dah not Gridania.” Not quite catching what they meant, she crossed her arms.

“Where are you at?” This time the soft-spoken voice of her cousin piped in.

She looked around and explained what she could see. It wasn’t long before two individuals popped up by the aetheryte by the landing strip. Standing before her were both Kida and Roll, causally waving to her. They ended the call as they approached. Azlyn just shook her head, leaning back on the center rail.

“How’d you get here so fast?” Azlyn asked, but then rolled her eyes. Of course, they could also teleport if they had attuned to the Aetherytes in town. How else could they have popped up from the small crystal? “Nevermind, I know the answer.”

Kida laughed, and Roll’s soft ‘heh’ filled the void of what should have been her laughter.

“I have some business in Ul’dah to take care of.” Roll replied stoically, lifting several bags full of paper. “The Alchemists’ Guild.”

Azlyn stared at all the restored papers in the bag, nodding. “I see.”

Kida lifted her pick axe with a wide grin. She was dressed differently than she had been when she was shooting her arrows. “And I know some pretty good mining spots, so I thought why not go gather more materials!”

“Well, if that’s the case—do you think you all can give me a tour of the place? I guess I’m supposed to meet a Bartholomew by the Royal Promenade.” Azlyn asked, she could barely remember the exact instructions from the honor guard.

Roll nodded, crossing her arms over her chest. “Sure. But you should probably attune yourself to the Aethernet in Ul’dah first.”

Azlyn shrugged. “I guess if we have time.”

Kida grabbed Azlyn around her shoulders, directing her forward with a toothy grin. “You have to make time! Besides, the Flame General can wait a few moments while you find your bearings.”

“It’s an easy place to get lost.” Roll said, walking on her other side. “And people take advantage of the vulnerable here.”

Azlyn kept pace with them, as both began to explain what each of the avenues were called, and what buildings were what. They should her where all the crafting and gathering guilds were located, where Roll dropped off all her work to the Alchemist’s guild. They gawked at the amount of illustrations she rejuvenated, and then paid her handsomely for it. From there, they travelled outside the building. The streets had been cobblestoned into a smooth walkway all the way across, where many individuals were shouting for the time and money of passing customers. They passed by the Sapphire and Emerald Avenues accordingly, and they showed her where the Quicksand bar was in case she wanted to find a quick room for the night.  It wasn’t long before Azlyn had got a full understanding of Ul’dah’s structure and attuning to the Hub Crystal at last helped open several of the teleports to the gates.

Kida stretched, “And that’s Ul’dah! We’ll have to give you a run down of Gridania when we go back over. Oh! Maybe later tonight!”

“Sure, when I’m done with my business I’ll meet you all in Gridania.”

Roll shook her head. “I’m going night fishing tonight. I need to catch this fish.”

Kida snapped her fingers. “Oh! Then what about tomorrow morning?”

Azlyn didn’t have any plans. “Tomorrow works as well—did you say night fishing Roll?”

The Au Ra nodded, pulling out her fishing tackle box. She brought out a lure that she recently bought. Her eyes were alit with passion as she said, “I’m going to catch that fish if it’s the last thing I do.”

“In the meantime—” Kida said, bringing Azlyn’s attention back to her. “You can stay with me in the apartment. We live in the Lily Apartments in Gridania, message me when you’re done. We can teleport together.”

Azlyn smiled to her, before wondering how that could work. Kida waved off her concern. “Stop thinking so hard, I’ll see you later. I’m going to go mining!” She ran down the street, which left her and Roll by themselves in the avenues.

“I’ll take you to the Royal Promenade.” Roll directed her attention back to the large Aetheryte crystal she had just attuned to. “Go to the Airship’s Landing.” Roll then teleported once she activated the command. Azlyn quickly followed suit, feeling herself get whisked through the aether. She arrived back where she started initially, staring down at the red carpet. Roll beckoned her with her hand.

“This way.” She walked around the circular hall, and then pointed up one of the only halls she didn’t go down. There was a man standing at the entrance of the door. “That’s the guy you need to talk to.”

Azlyn looked to her cousin. “You guys could have told me it was here before running me around for forty minutes.”

Roll smiled deviously. “But you’re all attuned to the crystals now. Well, I’ll be seeing ya. I’m going fishing.” She walked away from her, a small wave from behind her shoulder as she disappeared once more. Azlyn forgot how whimsical and sardonic her cousin could be—but she had to hold that thought. She walked down the red carpet, catching the eye of the lone soldier at the door.

She pulled out the missive from her bag just as he said, “The Lominsan envoy, I presume? Would you be so good as to allow me to inspect the missive you bear? My thanks.” He ended as soon as she passed the letter to him. It was the same thing that the conjurer did in Gridania—they checked the contents making sure the seal hadn’t been tampered with or opened en route. Nodding, he gestured to the door behind him. “The Admiral’s seal. Please proceed.”

She was led inside a large gathering hall, where a long table that could sit at least twelve or more people resided. Two individuals were standing by the decorated pillar with desert blooms in each vase and pot nearby. Azlyn walked forward as the two—one she clearly remembered from her vision—and a woman wearing a black uniform waited for her to approach.

“Ah, a guest from Limsa Lominsa. I thought I smelled stale ale.”

Azlyn blinked, and then went to sniff her clothes. As she did so, the woman standing by the Flame General’s side laughed. “I did take a shower this morning.”

He gave her a knowing smile, seeing as his joke lightened the tension in the room, he continued. “I won’t hold it against you. If you’re half the warrior Merlwyb says, ‘tis a wonder you don’t reek of dead Sahagin.”

She nodded, a small smile on her lips. She was grateful that cursed nickname didn’t come up.

“Welcome to the sultanate of Ul’dah. I am Raubahn Aldynn, General of the Immortal Flames. But you did not come all this way to trade formalities.”

Azlyn probably would have been intimidated by the difference in size, but she swallowed the nerves back down, and held out the missive for him. She could tell this general was a straight forward kind of person.

He opened the letter, reading its contents to himself before sighing. “Carteneau. Aye I remember bloody Carteneau. Do you know what happened that day, adventurer? When we took the field against the Garleans?”

She nodded, looking at him with a straight look. “I’ve been told of several different perspectives.”

Raubahn nodded, “So my counterparts have educated you.”

“Yes,” Azlyn jumped right into the heart of the matter, figuring it would be best to get it out of the way. “The Elder Seedseer requested some assistance in heeling a wolf she has as well.”

The General shook his head, crossing his arms over his breastplate. The metal clinked as his body moved. “Hm? Kan-E’s pet is giving her trouble, is it? Well, she should already know my mind on that subject. Wolves are beyond taming. ‘Tis but a matter of time before they bare their teeth. So it was with the Garleans, fifty years ago. No sooner had they learned how to use magitek than they began seizing territory from their neighbors.”

She immediately thought of Doma and all of the surrounding continents that had succumbed to Garlean rule. The history was not wrong since it fit the timeline she read about in her books in Sharlayan.

“Led by then legatus Solus zos Galvus, they swiftly brought the other nations of Islabard to heel. And so the legatus became an emperor, and his republic an empire. An empire which then set its sights upon Eorzea.”

The woman standing beside the general finally spoke, adding more history onto the story he told. “But the conquering emperor is now an old man of four score winters. His health is failing, and he has no clear successor. Like as not, this is why the Garleans have been quiet of late.”

Azlyn frowned. “So his successor hasn’t been chosen? Shouldn’t it be his grandson Varys zos Galvus?”

The Flame General seemed surprised by her knowledge. “Or great grandson? Perhaps, but nothing is known quite yet. You’re well versed in current events beyond the borders.”

Azlyn shook her head. “My family—we left Doma when the Garleans started to heavily raid our communities. Many people died as a result to the boiling conflicts of our people clashing with theirs. I was just a small baby when we left, but my parents told me many things—and how terrifying the Garleans can be when they’re at your front doorstep.”

Raubahn nodded, a knowing expression dawned upon him as she explained. “So you understand it well, and with the XIVth Imperial Legion entrenched within our borders we won’t be safe. Legatus Gaius van Baelsar has long harbored ambitions of conquest.”

Azlyn looked to the woman standing next to him. “Despite the Empire having no clear successor, that man will probably continue pushing into Eorzea. It’s only a matter of time. At least, that’s my humble opinion.”

The woman nodding, giving a glance to the General. He was smiling down at Azlyn now, he seemed impressed by her working knowledge of the situation. “Were he to strike now, I fear we would fall like so many others before us. And not only Ul’dah, but Gridania and Limsa Lominsa as well. The Calamity brought the lot of us to our knees, and we’ve yet to get up. We barely have the strength to stand against the beast tribes, never mind the primals they mean to summon. We are a realm divided. An alliance in name only.”

Azlyn agreed with him, tactically speaking the Legatus could easily wipe out a suffering city state like theirs and all the others—but the question was why hadn’t he? Perhaps the successor had been the cause, but surely that couldn’t hold him off forever. She felt that he must be planning something else—maybe something worse than the Meteor Project. She gripped her fists together in front of her.

“The wolf cares not for the plight of its prey.” Raubahn said, looking at her. “The Garleans stir, and the Elder Seedseer would not let it go unnoticed.”

A lightbulb snapped on in Azlyn’s head. That was the wolf Kan-E-Semna was referring to. “Oh.”

“All other concerns pale in comparison to the Empire, even the beast tribes and their bloody primals.” He nodded, unfolding his arms to look at the woman by his side. “We must stand united once more, that much is clear. And if we’re to do so, we must remember the cause which last brought us together. Elline, Merlywyb will have her memorial.”

The woman saluted to Raubahn, walking away from him to pen his reply. She was scribbling on the table his answer while he looked down to Azlyn.

“We will honor the memory of the fallen. We will remind the people what their brothers and sisters fought and died for.” Raubahn walked over to the table where Elline had finished writing it up. He grabbed his own quill and added a few of his own words at the bottom. He folded it up, sealing it with his wax of approval. Elline took his letter, asking him; “Shall I inform the sultana and the Syndicate?”

“I will speak with Her Grace myself.”

Elline nodded. “Very good sir.”

She left, and when the room was just between the two of them Raubahn looked back to Azlyn. “The Admiral will have my reply anon. My thanks to you Bloody Princess.” He grinned wickedly as Azlyn went pale as a sheet. He started to laugh hard at her reaction, with his hands placed squarely on his hips. “I eagerly await to see what else you’re capable of here.” He bid her a heartening farewell, and she walked herself out from the room.

She made sure to shut the doors behind her and looked to Bartholomew waiting for her. He smiled. “Ah, my lady envoy. I trust your stay in the sultanate has been pleasant. Now, if you do not mind my asking, do you perchance have plans to visit Limsa Lominsa in the near future? If so, I have information that may be of interest to you.”

Azlyn nodded. “I’m going back in two days.”

Bartholomew continued, “Well I once accompanied the Flame General on an official visit to the seaside city-state, during which time I became acquainted with Baderon, the proprietor of the Drowned Wench. It seems he’s sent word just now that he has a job for a capable adventurer. Hearing of your recent exploits, and as the Bloody Princess herself, I can think of no one more capable than you. Baderon would doubtless be pleased were you to offer him your services, I’m sure.”

She sighed, when would this title go away, she would never know. Bartholomew gave her a wink and wished her a good night. He returned to his duty of standing guard, and she reached up to her Linkpearl to contact Kida.

“Kida, I’m all done!”

She waited for the response of her friend. “Alright, I’m almost done collecting some ore. Why don’t you check out the Coliseum, pugilist’s or Thaumaturge’s guild while you’re down there. It couldn’t hurt to ask around.”