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Entry tags:
- -event,
- alfyn greengrass,
- alhaitham,
- benedikta harman,
- cidolfus telamon,
- clive rosfield,
- darin altway,
- dehya,
- dion lesage,
- dongfang qingcang,
- faris scherwiz,
- gale dekarios,
- graha tia,
- izuku midoriya,
- jill warrick,
- joshua rosfield,
- kaveh,
- midadol telamon,
- miriam,
- rem tokimiya,
- roxas,
- sherlock holmes,
- therion,
- zack fair,
- zelda
« player event » 🌪️ the eye of the storm
Who: Garuda & YOU.
Status: Open log.
Where: Eltrut, Nogard.
What: Benedikta Harman has primed into Garuda, and is wreaking havoc on the Leviathans.
Warnings: Violence, Final Fantasy XVI spoilers.
"The Warden of the Wind. She takes the form of a fearful harpy, summoning storms and tearing into the flesh of her prey with hawklike talons. Such is the Eikon's frenzy for destruction that even allies of the Dominant of the day are wont to begin fleeing the battlefield when dark clouds gather overhead."
Status: Open log.
Where: Eltrut, Nogard.
What: Benedikta Harman has primed into Garuda, and is wreaking havoc on the Leviathans.
Warnings: Violence, Final Fantasy XVI spoilers.
The morning of May the 4th starts out like any other: calm waters, clear blue skies, ships coming and going from their ports. However, all of that is about to change—and abruptly—as Benedikta Harman soars over the ocean after learning the painful truth about the fate of Cidolfus, and of herself. Her wrath now unbound and unmatched, all coming to a head as her aether bursts at the seams, a storm gathers on the horizon. With every angry beat of her wings, the skies turn a dark, eerie green, the winds grow stronger, and Garuda's voice is louder as laughter rings clearer for the first time since that one fateful dawn...
Her wings are tired, her face stings with the burn of sharp tears and sharper winds that follow after her, but she does not stop. She cannot. Any other day, she would never make it this far, but her body and the air are dense with her aether that she can fly farther and faster than she has ever managed—in no particular direction, so long as it is a direction away from him. Away from the place where she thought home could be. How naive she was to think that anywhere could be; how ignorant of her to have lit even the smallest spark of hope that things could be any different than before.
Reckless to think that trusting anyone, especially after a whole life of never affording to, would end in anything but deceit.
They all leave. They always leave.
Just like they had then, six years ago on that fateful night in Stonhyrr, those claws of betrayal coil tight around her throat and sink deep into flesh. Only this time, who is there to catch her?
The thought of that wide, open freedom that always followed Cidolfus wheresoever he went frightened her to no end. To her, it meant the unknown that came with running away, being whisked on the back of the winds, to a place where she would not know if, when next she landed, there would be a ground beneath her feet. His betrayal left her on her back once before, and she had been fool enough to take that risk again. Six years in an empty pursuit in his absence, chasing what she thought to be stability, power, and even love in another—her king, touch-starved and hunting any warmth that she could find, is what had her listening to the promises he whispered into her ear again. It is what made her take that plunge into that vast unknown, made her lean into his easy-going benevolence...
And look at where it has led her.
Back then, she had King Barnabas to pull her back on her feet. He would show her a better world, through what they both knew to be empty platitudes, and hearts that did not belong to the other, but she would be loyal. She would be good. She would be everything that Cid could not be. She would do his bidding to prove to him—and most importantly, to the rest of the world, and to herself—that she could be valuable. Powerful. Yet, what she thought was love, she realised in hindsight, was nothing more than a passion for his insurmountable power. A stable place above all the rest who thought they could cut her down. And it was his power that gripped her like a vise—she feared him, and yet, she was still loyal.
Look at what trust and loyalty have wrought.
Destined to loneliness and desperation.
Falling, falling...
Alone and afraid, a wrath now unbound as she soars over the bone dragon's head. Fumbling in the dark, she is trying to catch the pieces of herself that have shattered and are now being scattered into the wind—how the fuck is she supposed to put herself back together now?
A tool for love. A way to atone for his past sins. A way to "save her" where he could not before, and to fulfill a promise he could not uphold the first time. To make up for past mistakes so that he may now live with himself. Because that was all she was, wasn't she? A remnant, a ghost of a broken past that haunted him.
A tool for war. Even in death, she was nothing more than that. The king that she pledged her utmost fealty to then saw fit to use her however he wanted. Her body was desecrated and turned into an instrument to fuel the war between cruel men and crueler gods. Nothing more than a vessel for power. Nothing more than Garuda.
Falling...
So why does she refuse her? Why has she been so afraid of her? She should embrace her Eikon again. Become one with her once more, all fangs and no mercy, because that was all she was ever seen as: a source of power, of redemption, but they were not her own. They were never to be her own.
Tighter, the claws squeeze, and Benedikta screams and screams until she can no longer breathe. Until it is no longer her own screams, but Garuda's.
This wretched world... With wretched people...
Liars. Maggots. All of them. They all knew, and they lied.
She is afraid, but she is angry, and she has learned that it is easier to let in the rage than it is the fear. It was at Garuda's hand that she had died before, but that would not happen this time, that voice promises her. Garuda will protect her, swathe her in her comforting winds and rip apart everything that has and could hurt her.
The sky above Nogard falls dark, almost black. The waters rage as the wind abruptly picks up, lightning cracks, and a violent, swirling gale descends, only growing.
Let me help you. Let us show them what happens when they hurt you. Again and again...
If only Barnabas could see her now in all her strength. All power coursing through her pulsing aether, not an ounce of humanity left. This is what he wanted, isn't it?
She can at least take solace in the fact that Cidolfus is here. He could not keep his promise, could not save her, and instead, he lied to her, deceived her. In return, she will hate and hurt with all her love. She will let the fury take her. She will tear it all apart, and he will have to watch, knowing that he did this.
So much for your fucking redemption now.
DIE, DIE... DIE...
And from that whirling gale, she emerges. No longer is it Benedikta at the eye of the storm, but the true Warden of the Wind, the Eikon, Garuda, a reckless harpy with four wings wider than any bird's, claws that could split a man open in a single swipe, and fangs that could rip flesh from bone. With them all bared, her laughter echoes across the sea and sky.
Freedom. She is untethered, let out of the cage that Benedikta chained her in for so long.
And she will ravage this world in her name. Now fall...
Benedikta & Garuda's Wrath (Final Fantasy XVI spoilers)
Reckless to think that trusting anyone, especially after a whole life of never affording to, would end in anything but deceit.
They all leave. They always leave.
Just like they had then, six years ago on that fateful night in Stonhyrr, those claws of betrayal coil tight around her throat and sink deep into flesh. Only this time, who is there to catch her?
The thought of that wide, open freedom that always followed Cidolfus wheresoever he went frightened her to no end. To her, it meant the unknown that came with running away, being whisked on the back of the winds, to a place where she would not know if, when next she landed, there would be a ground beneath her feet. His betrayal left her on her back once before, and she had been fool enough to take that risk again. Six years in an empty pursuit in his absence, chasing what she thought to be stability, power, and even love in another—her king, touch-starved and hunting any warmth that she could find, is what had her listening to the promises he whispered into her ear again. It is what made her take that plunge into that vast unknown, made her lean into his easy-going benevolence...
And look at where it has led her.
Look at what trust and loyalty have wrought.
Destined to loneliness and desperation.
Falling, falling...
Alone and afraid, a wrath now unbound as she soars over the bone dragon's head. Fumbling in the dark, she is trying to catch the pieces of herself that have shattered and are now being scattered into the wind—how the fuck is she supposed to put herself back together now?
A tool for war. Even in death, she was nothing more than that. The king that she pledged her utmost fealty to then saw fit to use her however he wanted. Her body was desecrated and turned into an instrument to fuel the war between cruel men and crueler gods. Nothing more than a vessel for power. Nothing more than Garuda.
Falling...
So why does she refuse her? Why has she been so afraid of her? She should embrace her Eikon again. Become one with her once more, all fangs and no mercy, because that was all she was ever seen as: a source of power, of redemption, but they were not her own. They were never to be her own.
Tighter, the claws squeeze, and Benedikta screams and screams until she can no longer breathe. Until it is no longer her own screams, but Garuda's.
This wretched world... With wretched people...
The sky above Nogard falls dark, almost black. The waters rage as the wind abruptly picks up, lightning cracks, and a violent, swirling gale descends, only growing.
If only Barnabas could see her now in all her strength. All power coursing through her pulsing aether, not an ounce of humanity left. This is what he wanted, isn't it?
She can at least take solace in the fact that Cidolfus is here. He could not keep his promise, could not save her, and instead, he lied to her, deceived her. In return, she will hate and hurt with all her love. She will let the fury take her. She will tear it all apart, and he will have to watch, knowing that he did this.
So much for your fucking redemption now.
DIE, DIE... DIE...
Freedom. She is untethered, let out of the cage that Benedikta chained her in for so long.
And she will ravage this world in her name. Now fall...
WEATHERING THE STORMS
The moment that Nogard senses that something is amiss, its flesh will reform to protect itself and the villages within from the worst of the storms. While the Leviathan does get battered and the winds persist even after its body takes shape, Fang and its docks will be saved from the tidal surges that are bound to come and, upon seeing Garuda take off in the direction of Eltrut, the dragon will follow after her, roaring across the seas to send a signal of warning to the others to either flee or shield.
Heeding its call, the Naughtilust and Norhpip will retreat while Elah comes to their aid. Paladins will be encouraged by Elah to assist with rescue efforts—brave the storms and head out to sea to help. Those who do not wish to face the harpy's wrath can take refuge on the whale's back. But it will be Eltrut that will receive the brunt of Garuda's attacks, and where her magic will be most potent, the build-up of her aether coming to a head when she lands on the turtle's back.
Harsh, hurricane-like winds will assault Eltrut, and with them, a sense of dread and trickles of sadness fall upon the Leviathan. With Eltrut docked at an island, it's easier to see what is about to happen: the tide recedes, and on the horizon, the shadow of a giant tsunami wave guided by the wind approaches. While Eltrut can shield itself with its bubble, it will still need some help!
Using whatever magic is available—and necessary—everyone will have to work together to help Eltrut withstand the worst of it and, when the tide hits, it's best to be holding onto something, or someone, as Eltrut will be knocked around a bit before stabilising. Unfortunately, with the water's far too choppy to swim in, everyone will have to wait it out and work together to reduce the magic, and hope that someone comes along soon to take care of the harpy that keeps tearing through its shields.
With their homes partially destroyed by the massive wave, some of the merfolk have come to aid not only their own that have been washed up onto land, but those who hope to alleviate the stress on the Leviathans, whether it be rescue efforts or fighting off the birds and winged sharks. They have offered their herd of seahorses for people to ride on, but they are a bit temperamental, especially with all the chaos, so they will need to be calmed first before they can be ridden.
All threads will be worth 4 points.
( Bonus ♫ )
Heeding its call, the Naughtilust and Norhpip will retreat while Elah comes to their aid. Paladins will be encouraged by Elah to assist with rescue efforts—brave the storms and head out to sea to help. Those who do not wish to face the harpy's wrath can take refuge on the whale's back. But it will be Eltrut that will receive the brunt of Garuda's attacks, and where her magic will be most potent, the build-up of her aether coming to a head when she lands on the turtle's back.
Harsh, hurricane-like winds will assault Eltrut, and with them, a sense of dread and trickles of sadness fall upon the Leviathan. With Eltrut docked at an island, it's easier to see what is about to happen: the tide recedes, and on the horizon, the shadow of a giant tsunami wave guided by the wind approaches. While Eltrut can shield itself with its bubble, it will still need some help!
Using whatever magic is available—and necessary—everyone will have to work together to help Eltrut withstand the worst of it and, when the tide hits, it's best to be holding onto something, or someone, as Eltrut will be knocked around a bit before stabilising. Unfortunately, with the water's far too choppy to swim in, everyone will have to wait it out and work together to reduce the magic, and hope that someone comes along soon to take care of the harpy that keeps tearing through its shields.
🏝️ On Land. For those stuck on Eltrut or Nogard, the storms are just as fierce. With winds strong enough to rip the trees from their roots, shatter glass, and throw large objects around, it is imperative that people help each other find shelter and safety, and those with shielding magic use it, especially around the docks. Help the locals, assist the merfolk that have been washed up back into the water. There are weaponsmiths asking anyone with a set of hands to help craft things like harpoons and arrows that will be useful against the creatures that now roam the Leviathans.
🌊 Out at Sea. Crews will need to batten down the hatches and work together to weather the storms as well as rescue anyone else, including locals, who might be out there. Though, it is recommended that people try to outrun them as that is one big wave that is heading for Eltrut. Thanks to Garuda's magic, some of the wildlife have grown wings, and sharks are chomping down on boats and even leaping onto decks in search of a good meal.
☁️ In the Air. Male gryphons from The Hideaway's island will arrive to aid those who wish to take to the skies for search and rescue efforts. They are still wary and a bit erratic from being attacked earlier on the island, so working together to earn their trust will be imperative. Offering them food or small gifts such as feathers or beads will appease them, as well as protecting them from oncoming attacks from their fellow birdkin. Once in the air, riding on gryphon-back will take some getting used to, as they will always travel in pairs, and will employ tactical maneuvers to dodge the debris and any creatures that attack.
🌊 Out at Sea. Crews will need to batten down the hatches and work together to weather the storms as well as rescue anyone else, including locals, who might be out there. Though, it is recommended that people try to outrun them as that is one big wave that is heading for Eltrut. Thanks to Garuda's magic, some of the wildlife have grown wings, and sharks are chomping down on boats and even leaping onto decks in search of a good meal.
☁️ In the Air. Male gryphons from The Hideaway's island will arrive to aid those who wish to take to the skies for search and rescue efforts. They are still wary and a bit erratic from being attacked earlier on the island, so working together to earn their trust will be imperative. Offering them food or small gifts such as feathers or beads will appease them, as well as protecting them from oncoming attacks from their fellow birdkin. Once in the air, riding on gryphon-back will take some getting used to, as they will always travel in pairs, and will employ tactical maneuvers to dodge the debris and any creatures that attack.
With their homes partially destroyed by the massive wave, some of the merfolk have come to aid not only their own that have been washed up onto land, but those who hope to alleviate the stress on the Leviathans, whether it be rescue efforts or fighting off the birds and winged sharks. They have offered their herd of seahorses for people to ride on, but they are a bit temperamental, especially with all the chaos, so they will need to be calmed first before they can be ridden.
All threads will be worth 4 points.
( Bonus ♫ )
BIRDS OF A FEATHER
It isn't just the violent skies and seas that pose a problem. Garuda's magic has somehow affected all of the birdkin and bird folk alike across Nogard and Eltrut. What once were peaceful, friendly creatures have now turned on others, as well as each other, and will be attacking and fighting on the streets.
More than that, while some birds have transformed into menacing beasts large enough to pick up a whole person—sometimes two—there are also dozens and dozens of Wind Elementals that have spawned all around the Leviathans, all of them under the command of Benedikta's sisters, Chirada and Suparna, the strongest of them. They hardly ever leave one another's side, but when they are provoked, they will not hesitate to attack. To make matters worse, when threatened, they will tether their aether to each other to make themselves more immune and to regenerate. They are fast, agile, with wide wingspans and talons that will rip anyone apart if they manage to catch them. They are weak to lightning magic and can be held off by the plumes found throughout the forest, and destroying them will buy time for those fighting the smaller Egis to defeat them... However, be warned, they will only respawn again elsewhere, and will keep doing so until Garuda is chased away. (Note: this video of their boss fight can be referred to if needed.)
There will occasionally be white plumes that will flutter down from the skies. These feathers are from Garuda's wings, and gathering them will provide a ward to protect one from harm for a short period of time. They can shield against one hit or act as a repellent to the birds and the Egis before they are destroyed. Search for them in the treetops and the vines, gather them, and they should be shared so that everyone can make it out of the forest safely. If anyone is able to collect enough of them, they will have healing wind properties that can mend small wounds and cuts.
For those at The Roost (the Hideaway crew's island), the gryphons will be up in arms, not only because one of their nests has been destroyed, but because Benedikta's uncontrollable magic has bled into them, too. The female gryphons, led by the Matriarch, will attack the males, and a fight will break out among them. The males will flee down into the Roost to seek help, but the females will surely soon follow. Killing the gryphons is not an option, and anyone who threatens the lives of the females will have to get through the males in spite of this war, so they will need to be chased off for now. In return, the males will allow anyone to ride on their backs and carry them to Eltrut should they wish to help there.
All threads will be worth 4 points.
( Bonus ♫ )
More than that, while some birds have transformed into menacing beasts large enough to pick up a whole person—sometimes two—there are also dozens and dozens of Wind Elementals that have spawned all around the Leviathans, all of them under the command of Benedikta's sisters, Chirada and Suparna, the strongest of them. They hardly ever leave one another's side, but when they are provoked, they will not hesitate to attack. To make matters worse, when threatened, they will tether their aether to each other to make themselves more immune and to regenerate. They are fast, agile, with wide wingspans and talons that will rip anyone apart if they manage to catch them. They are weak to lightning magic and can be held off by the plumes found throughout the forest, and destroying them will buy time for those fighting the smaller Egis to defeat them... However, be warned, they will only respawn again elsewhere, and will keep doing so until Garuda is chased away. (Note: this video of their boss fight can be referred to if needed.)
🐦 Birds and Birdfolk. Beware of feathered friends! Garuda's magic has made both the birds of the islands and the bird folk particularly aggressive. Bird folk will be quick to anger, and those caught up in the worst of the effects will attack anyone unprovoked for so much as looking at them. The only cure for this is taking out the Wind Elementals that have spawned, as they are what sustains Garuda's magic. In the meantime, until they can be destroyed, luring them further away and outside of town or finding a humane way to knock them out for the time being will work to help alleviate the threats at the eye of the storm. Cats will also be effective against them. Be careful, however—the birds are capable of stealing the breath of anyone who wanders too close, strangling them through lack of air.
🌪️ Wind Elementals. Minions of Garuda herself, these Wind Egis will indiscriminately pick out anyone they find to assault with their large wings, sharpened talons, and powerful wind magic. Men will be carried out to sea where they will attempt to drown them, while women will be carried to "safety" in the nests that the birds have built within the forests. Defeating them is the key to weakening Garuda's magic, so take them out by any means necessary. Note: Players are free to use and control the Egis however they want.
🪹 Within the Nest. For those caught in the nest, escaping on the ground will be the only way out as horrific winged beasts and Egis guard the skies. Beneath the trees, people will need to carve out a path through the messy vines and thorns. It will be safer with a partner, as all sorts of horrors lurk. Eldritch hummingbirds, cassowary, magpies, human-sized hawkmoths, guineafowl, pelicans, and a strange breed of geese that are prepared to feed on or tear apart anyone who might threaten their nest.
🌪️ Wind Elementals. Minions of Garuda herself, these Wind Egis will indiscriminately pick out anyone they find to assault with their large wings, sharpened talons, and powerful wind magic. Men will be carried out to sea where they will attempt to drown them, while women will be carried to "safety" in the nests that the birds have built within the forests. Defeating them is the key to weakening Garuda's magic, so take them out by any means necessary. Note: Players are free to use and control the Egis however they want.
🪹 Within the Nest. For those caught in the nest, escaping on the ground will be the only way out as horrific winged beasts and Egis guard the skies. Beneath the trees, people will need to carve out a path through the messy vines and thorns. It will be safer with a partner, as all sorts of horrors lurk. Eldritch hummingbirds, cassowary, magpies, human-sized hawkmoths, guineafowl, pelicans, and a strange breed of geese that are prepared to feed on or tear apart anyone who might threaten their nest.
There will occasionally be white plumes that will flutter down from the skies. These feathers are from Garuda's wings, and gathering them will provide a ward to protect one from harm for a short period of time. They can shield against one hit or act as a repellent to the birds and the Egis before they are destroyed. Search for them in the treetops and the vines, gather them, and they should be shared so that everyone can make it out of the forest safely. If anyone is able to collect enough of them, they will have healing wind properties that can mend small wounds and cuts.
For those at The Roost (the Hideaway crew's island), the gryphons will be up in arms, not only because one of their nests has been destroyed, but because Benedikta's uncontrollable magic has bled into them, too. The female gryphons, led by the Matriarch, will attack the males, and a fight will break out among them. The males will flee down into the Roost to seek help, but the females will surely soon follow. Killing the gryphons is not an option, and anyone who threatens the lives of the females will have to get through the males in spite of this war, so they will need to be chased off for now. In return, the males will allow anyone to ride on their backs and carry them to Eltrut should they wish to help there.
All threads will be worth 4 points.
( Bonus ♫ )
THE LADY OF THE WIND
For those few who are brave enough to encounter Garuda and live to tell the tale, and those fewer who are daring enough to chase her down seeking to clip the vengeful harpy's wings, they will likely not have to look very far. Garuda is a mischievous and wicked Eikon, chaotic, as if she were made of the winds and storms herself, and through all of the destruction she brings, she also finds enjoyment in taunting others, sometimes swooping down or over one's head just to toy with those on the ground before flying off again.
If she is feeling particularly naughty, she may even kidnap a few, scooping them up in her claws and flying them off someplace else... just for fun. Whether it is the nest, into the sky, out to sea, who knows, but one thing is for certain... one does not want to be engaged with her for long, lest they wish to feel just how sharp her claws and fangs truly are...
Try as they might, however, it will take the might of another full Eikon to take her down, and the battles will end as Ramuh, the Warden of Thunder, makes his appearance and chases her away from Eltrut, and they will face off against one another over the ocean.
Note: This portion of the log is closed to those who signed up for an encounter with Garuda. Please leave a starter at your designated top level down below! They will be worth 6 points.
( Bonus ♫ )
If she is feeling particularly naughty, she may even kidnap a few, scooping them up in her claws and flying them off someplace else... just for fun. Whether it is the nest, into the sky, out to sea, who knows, but one thing is for certain... one does not want to be engaged with her for long, lest they wish to feel just how sharp her claws and fangs truly are...
Try as they might, however, it will take the might of another full Eikon to take her down, and the battles will end as Ramuh, the Warden of Thunder, makes his appearance and chases her away from Eltrut, and they will face off against one another over the ocean.
Note: This portion of the log is closed to those who signed up for an encounter with Garuda. Please leave a starter at your designated top level down below! They will be worth 6 points.
( Bonus ♫ )
This is the designated log for a player-run (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
garudas) mini-event. After revelations came about surrounding her fate, Benedikta Harman primed into her full Eikon, Garuda, and she is now ravaging the seas, skies, and land.
Players are free to make their own top levels and tag around, and those who have signed up to face Garuda can leave their starters beneath their designated top levels. Information can be found on the OOC post and please direct any questions here. New players/characters are free to tag into this as well, as this is all occurring after their arrival.
The event and its effects will last less than one day ICly and will have a resolution, so there will be no bearing on anything afterward. Any post-Garuda events will be on the main monthly log that will be going up, including Leviathan clean-up and helping the mermaids after parts of their underwater dwelling were ruined by the wave that hit Eltrut.
garudas) mini-event. After revelations came about surrounding her fate, Benedikta Harman primed into her full Eikon, Garuda, and she is now ravaging the seas, skies, and land.Players are free to make their own top levels and tag around, and those who have signed up to face Garuda can leave their starters beneath their designated top levels. Information can be found on the OOC post and please direct any questions here. New players/characters are free to tag into this as well, as this is all occurring after their arrival.
The event and its effects will last less than one day ICly and will have a resolution, so there will be no bearing on anything afterward. Any post-Garuda events will be on the main monthly log that will be going up, including Leviathan clean-up and helping the mermaids after parts of their underwater dwelling were ruined by the wave that hit Eltrut.
no subject
She goes through several emotions first. Denial, because there is no world in which he would be stupid enough to ask this as he bleeds out on the sand beneath her. He is either delirious or she imagined it. Confusion, because no, she definitely did not imagine it. Sadness... Guilt...
...Love...
And last, but not least...]
No, Cidolfus—!
[Anger.
She shoves herself away from him, landing on the sand, looking offended.
How could he? How could he say those words, to her, of all the people, after everything!? Who does he think he is?]
Not after you kept all those secret from me, you have no right!?
[She punches her fist into the sand, and she isn't sure whether those tears of hers are born out of feelings of anger or... regret.]
You knew all along about what happened to me, and you didn't... you kept it from me!
no subject
...What?
[What did she just say?
Still open wound be damned, he struggles to rise up on his arms as he looks at her.]
What happened to you?
[What the hell is she talking about? And why is there is a sense of dread, of an ominous premonition, perhaps one that Ramuh had been trying to warn him of this entire time.
That he is clearly missing some very big.]
no subject
What do you mean, what?
[Her hands splay in the sand as she leans forward towards him, almost menacingly, but there is confusion that furrows her brows and presses her lips together.]
You know damn well what happened.
[He cannot possibly be trying to play the fool now, after all that?
... Right?]
no subject
If it's something to piss you off this badly...
[What happened?
What happened? No, when—
His heart, once starting to slow now races and pounds in his ears as a thought occurs to him. Something that happened, something she learned from Ultima. Something—]
Was it after your death?
[As if a storm is raging in his mind, he once again pushes himself up.]
Tell me, Benedikta, what happened—!
[But that's as far as he gets before his strength gives out and he collapses, another coughing fit seizing him.]
no subject
Why is it that she had to find out from him, and not—
...?
But the way that he looks at her has her doubting herself suddenly, her mind racing as it searches for the words that Ultima had whispered to her, and it... it has said that...
...
....]
What—
[She is about to ask him what he means this time, but before she can even get a word out, he falls into another fit of coughs, and she swallows the question back down, all of it tasting like bile.
And in spite of her anger, she brings her hands to his chest again... desperate to try and find whatever scrap of magic she has left in her drained body.]
Cidolfus, stay with me. A little longer... they are coming to get you—
no subject
[Now is what he tries to say, but his vision is already blurring, his head spinning now both with this sudden revelation along with his body failing him now of all times.
Again.
Why always when it's important?
He tries to grab her arm, bloodied fingertips fumbling around her sleeve.]
What...
[He wants to scream, wants to ask her, make her tell him what the hell is it that she knows that he doesn't? What the fuck did that abomination tell her!?
But despite his efforts, no more words leave him. He's breathing is once again labored, rough gasps as the grip of his hand loosens and his face contorts both in pain and in frustration for not being able to last long enough to hear. No, to not realize that there really was something else. He had suspected, but there had been no time to really think more of it, and no real opportunity to try and get to the matter.
What is it?
What is it!?
Those are the last words he thinks, her voice now a distant echo as he body finally succumbs once more to the pain and the exhaustion, hand falling as he blacks out completely.]
💚💜 fin.
Did he really not...?
She wants to ask him now, because even the most stubborn of people could see that something was not lining up here about his reaction. A blind person could see that this isn't right. She knows Cid better than anyone, and this is not how he would react if it were something he knew... right?
Did she...]
Cidolfus...?
[Her thoughts are broken when his voice stops begging her, and his coughing silences... and he goes completely still, his hand falling away from her. It does nothing to abate her panic—it only makes it worse, as she tries to shake him awake, calling out his name again, only to fail to wake him.]
Cidolfus, wake up... I need—
[There's so much that she still needs to say to him. There's so much that they need to clear up. That he needs to understand. So much that she wants to hear from him...
But most of all...
She needs him.
No matter how angry, no matter how hurt, no matter how much she hates him, she still needs him. She always has, and there is no more running from that. Even now, after he had betrayed her again, the thought of weathering all of this alone is a terrifying one. She doesn't know what she wants anymore, doesn't know what she needs besides. She cannot go back there, to the island, or to Nogard, so where is she to go but in his arms? Into the arms of the only one who might still accept her after she turned into a monster again?
Except she cannot go there, either.
She cannot. Not after what he did, or what she did to him. The guilt and the hurt weigh far too heavy on her wings to fly to him, even if he offers her his shoulder to perch on. He hurt her, and she hurt him—do either of them truly deserve the other anymore?
She's lost and she doesn't know where to go, and all she can do now is cry his name again and again, pleading for him to wake up, even if she fully understands now that he probably won't. She shakes him and shakes him, punching his arm and his shoulder, and yet, he refuses her still. Shakes and shakes until...
—?
Something tumbles out of the pocket of his jacket and onto her lap. It's so very light, but she hears the jingle of the chain, feels it through her torn leathers, cold against the exposed skin of her leg before it falls off and into the sand. The shimmer of it catches what little light there is, but she recognizes it instantly, even if it is covered in his blood...
The pendant. He kept it? He had it on him this whole time?]
You old fool.
[She picks it up and turns it over in her palm, trying desperately to wipe the blood and sand away with her thumb, and as she stares at it, her eyes start to well up with more tears as memories come flooding back all over again. The same ones that they shared together during their tumble in the eye of the storm—of the first time he placed it around her neck, of how it felt when she grazed her fingers over it...
And then...
The last time he would place it on her before they met again. How he'd offered a silent prayer to it before he gave it to her one last time. The grief that she had felt in her own heart as he walked away from her...
With a sob, she collapses to the sand, the last of her strength finally leaving her. She curls up beside him, head on his shoulder, the rain and winds so very cold, the thunder still roaring above, and she seeks what little warmth he might have to give, and she shares what little she has. Shivering, she looks at him, brushes back his hair, wipes away more of that blood on his face before she lays her head down next to his, the pendant clutched tight in one hand while the other attempts another brush of healing winds... only for it to amount to nothing.
And she supposes the rain is a blessing, for she can pretend to hide her tears as she cries and cries, sobbing at his side through the hours they lie there together.
The hours that it takes for Clive to come and find him, the ship's sails a silhouette through the dark fog. Night is falling upon them now when Benedikta lifts her head upon seeing it, and he still hasn't woken. Still hasn't stirred... but at least he is breathing.
Except she cannot stay. She cannot face the rest of them. And as the ship nears and she can hear the calls of the crew aboard the ship telling them to dock, she rouses into a panic. She needs to get out of here before they find her. She needs to find someplace to hide lest they skin her alive, and she is too weak to fight back.]
... I'm sorry, Cidolfus.
[She feels the pendant dig into her palm, and opening her fingers...
"—weigh anchor!"
...she offers it a silent prayer, tapping it to her lips, before she sets it carefully upon his chest. Just like he had done. Only this time, unlike her, he will wake up. He has to. There is no other alternative that she will accept.
Benedikta can hear their hurried footsteps being carried on the winds, she can hear Clive's voice shouting...
With one final, desperate plea to Garuda, the gods, the world, whatever or whoever will listen, she lifts her hand above her and fires up a signal, a trail of green sparks made of the very last of her aether, to lead them to him. They have seen it, she hears, and are rushing towards it...]
I'm so sorry.
[That is the last thing that Benedikta whispers to him before she touches her ring...
... And disappears.
Only to reappear elsewhere on the island, far enough away that they will not see or find her. Not even Clive will sense her aether as she has none left to sense... but it is close enough that she can watch them from the cliffs above. From the flower field that she and Cid ran through once. They made each other flower crowns and took photos here. It's still the background on her phone...
She eyes them all like a hawk as they move in to fetch Cid, keeping herself low and masked by the flowers that still remain, if there are any that lived through that storm. Barely...
And once she is sure that he is in their hands and they back on the ship, and far away enough that they could not turn back without wasting any time, Clive will receive a message on his phone from Benedikta:]
take care of him or I will kill you
[Then, another:]
keep me apprised of his condition
[Then, a third:]
please save him
[And that will be the last anyone hears from Benedikta in the days to come.]