Landing on a patch of sand, I stretched out, my mechanical wings and tail doing the same as Bahamut yawned. The old drake rather happily had been enjoying some much-needed sleep and time to think to himself. He was rather a very kind man, with his wrath induced enslavement gone. As during his tired state, although sluggish, he had been rather happy to teach me to fly better. I even learned how to use my new scythe tail, and I will say I feel like a Xenomorph using it.
Looking around, I saw desert for miles around, but Thancred through the Ghost Link said to fly this way. So I'm trusting the man just enough to do so, and well, it may be hot here in Ul'dal, but it's beautiful in its own way. Because it has actual SAND, it's actual fucking sand! Most sand in my old life had been glassed, soaked in blood turning it into blood sandstone, or so heavily radioactive that on my fingers I could count the times I saw authentic sand in my life. I look like I'm twenty-five, but I'm thirty-seven actually, and I have only seen actual sand and plants six times in my life. Kind of depressing, actually.
(You will see many things in this world, Interloper, it is full of life and wonders both horrid and beautiful. I regret almost destroying it all in my wrath filled haze from being summoned by corrupted feelings and then being enslaved. Those Ascians will learn what a Primals fury means, even if I kill their host.)
Shrugging lightly, I try to recall snippets of the game version's plot when I'd randomly see people playing it. Remembering one bit, I narrowed my eyes and asked the old drake something. Bahamut hummed in thought a little before giving me an answer.
(If this Thancred has been possessed, I can certainly help eject the soul parasite known as an Ascian. I would prefer to instead kill them to ensure an Ascian dies, but you are trying to redeem yourself even a bit. So I shall follow your example slightly, Interloper. While I do not owe the people anything for what their ancestors did to me, I will work with you on this redemption quest. You are now kin by all but blood and race, so I wish to see you find it… Xander.)
Chuckling at the old dragon, I flapped my Reaper Wings, lifting off from the ground. Firing the two largest guillotine cannons, I climbed higher with a slight spin. Gray ethereal light between each cannon as if forming a membrane. Once high enough in the air, I brake by flaring them wide with an arc to them. Looking around for anything airborne, I eventually get a move on, cannons sporadically firing weak blasts to boost my speed.
Flying through the skies was peaceful and rather calming, as I would occasionally just drift and glide through the air. Passing over a town, I spot a rather weird sight. A giant ant swarm, literal giant ants, are chasing a Viera carrying a large larva. Now it may just be a regular larva, but ants are protective of their royalty, so that's possibly the next queen. Swooping down in front of the Viera I clothesline the rabbit person, causing them to throw the larva into the air as they fell backwards. Catching the larva from its airborne travels and scratching her head slightly, I get a confused but pleased wiggle as her stubby legs flail.
Chuckling softly, I set her down and nudged her towards the approaching swarm of ants. She looked at me rather confused before realizing I was letting her return to her colony. The little one wiggled before moving with her best effort towards the swarm, who was coming to a stop. An ant that looked awfully different stepped forward, clacking their mandibles, the larva making a gurgling noise in response. Watching them talk, I came to the conclusion that it's a royal guard ant, likely. The royal guard looked towards my direction, so I just raised a hand.
It looked as if it just sighed before shaking its head and gently clasping the young one with its mandibles. Lifting them up, the ant and most of the swarm left, all but four similar looking ants to the royal guard one. Looking at them then at the Viera I picked the still dazed rabbit up. Walkeduntil I was a foot away from the ant, then threw them at the ants, who seemed to perk up, confused at first. Before realizing, I just gave them the kidnapper and turned to the Viera who was waking from their daze. The rabbit barely had time to process what's happening before the screams started as the ants had their way with them. Watching the ants devour and dismember them was ironic.
Given that this kind of scene happened once before, but differently. Yet, it still remains the same, ending the life of someone after a child never changes. A criminal soldier I am, one I remain until I've made up for everything, but I do have standards, all criminals do regarding children of any race.
I just remember doing this same thing to a terrorist who was a repeat rapist. She'd kidnap young men and women suddenly in broad daylight, as if she was a ghost. What she didn't expect, was my team of criminal soldiers to be in the area and kidnap her instead. She tried kidnapping a twelve-year-old boy, and we were passing through, so we nabbed her instead. She really didn't expect essentially special forces made of American war criminals to restrain her abruptly. Yet, we did, and she hated every moment of it even as she died.
We made sure she was restrained nice and tight before taking her to the infected quarantine, right as a group was turning. We threw her at their feet as they turned before locking their quarantine cell door. While the rest left, not wanting to watch, I taunted her by standing there and watching as she begged and cursed me. Before long, her cries stopped as her body tried to turn, only to be torn into relentlessly by the fresh hungry infected. She was nothing but blood stained bones the next day when guards found her and the infected.
Shaking my head, I take off once more, leaving the ants to their work. The rest of the flight was rather mundane until we neared the town the Waking Sands was located in. Bahamut asked me something about the memory I had drudged up.
(You were a captive of war, disease, and a disposable soldier to be discarded once broken. Yet, your persistent nature to thrive and see an end made you an unpredictable beast. So why did you keep fighting? Why did you not let that chained and controlled wrath out to be free? I cannot guess from these brief memories, only feel the faint emotions.)
Taking a moment to process the drake's question, I hovered in the air. My thoughts sorting through the past, present, and certain events that led to the ending of one life.
(You sure you want to hear a possible rant?)
(Please tell me my kin.)
(Alright Bahamut. My world was a mess and there were constantly small and large wars. I was a second class major in the United States Marines, just going through the motions. Then I found a child with my squad, the kid had just been infected by the same fucked plague going on everywhere. They knew they were going to die, so the kid looked at us with a depressed smile and requested something of us. Agreeing, the kid gave us a picture, a note, and wanted his body taken to his parents to be buried.
I pulled the trigger, a round through the temple before gently catching the body. The rest of my squad wanted to do as command asked, they wanted to use the kids' body as a test subject. I had killed plenty of turned kids of all ages, but this one had still been Human. I wasn't going to let the kids' wish be covered in lies like so many others. Likewise, I'm not a good man I never was, nor will I be, but I went AWOL to do this one good thing. I killed my squad as they got ready to bag and tag the kids' corpse, I killed them with that all too practiced ease.
Just butchered them like animals, they were shocked and confused as their life left their eyes. I grabbed the body bag, the picture, and note and booked it towards the shelter the parents headed towards. It took a few hours to a day to get there. I was tired, and hounded by the retrieval teams after me for going AWOL and taking a test subject. The kids' parents were utterly destroyed emotionally, but their thanks… It actually hurt to hear because I was the one who killed them. Yet, they didn't blame me, they just thanked me…
So when I was essentially made into a slave soldier, I didn't care. I did everything I could so at least the kids do not become their toys or to survive another day. Even if it cost me a lot of pain, I followed a standard and the rest of the criminals, with me, followed mine with a few other examples. We were dead men and women walking already, we could take the heat with a smile on our faces in the face of death. The kids we'd make sure lived or died Human couldn't be subjected to such unreasonable ends. They made examples out of certain ones of us, they ripped my eye out with almost melting prongs scaring everything, then they made us Taskforce Exile.
We were exiles to them but by and large we were, Taskforce Wendigo. Because they wanted us to be a continuous example, we were always under equipped. Always half starved but we surprised them by essentially becoming one with the environment. We hunted criminals and infected, eating the safe parts of them. Always avoiding the brain as we ate them, we made the environment our greatest weapon. They didn't like this, but they dared not get close to us because we had given up much of our humanity to spite them.
We became like fabled malevolent forest spirits of old to survive. Cursed to die a dog's death, in the end we did our best to spite them and live. So until I am six feet under permanently I shall not falter, I shall pave a way towards my desired outcome and spite all opposition. I am the last Wendigo standing, and that means I must carry on the mission until the end. Redemption is a mission not done until I'm dead, I'm afraid, as I'll commit more crimes along the way.)
The old drake listened to my rambling quietly and when he next spoke, I could feel the emotions behind the words. Respect, wrath, and sadness.
(You truly believe that is all but your course…. You have suffered not as I have, but it is not lesser, you stand tall like a Dragon, and like the Wendigo Primal, unflinching in such circumstances. It makes me sick; however, I will not let you stray from this life quest, I shall nudge you forward whenever you need it. We are kin of the same star, a dying but beautiful star.)
Chuckling, I landed outside the town, my wings folding up and locking together. Walking into the town was interesting and pretty much lively given it's a coastal town. As I entered though I watched families and their kids having fun together, sighing softly in regret I remembered someone. I hope they found my last message to them and the old song I had on a disk for them. Thinking of that song, I pulled it up on my phone and sat down to listen to it.
Memories of a troublesome kid I had essentially adopted. I left Dandy to watch over them before I died that next day. I wonder if they miss me? Or are they glad I died? I'll never know, but that's possibly for the better in the end. I gave them what I could, regardless of my situation and state of being.
(Dear Ellie (Take Care, Take Heed) by JT Music)
{Well, the darkness takes up too much of that empty-hearted place
Forced to live a life of just surviving every day
And I'm sorry that I wasn't better for you
And I never really said it, but darling, I adored you
And I couldn't save my life but I knew that I could yours
And if I did it all again, well I'd probably stay the course
'Cause I couldn't bring myself to be the bearer of a death
Of a life that hadn't had the time to live itself out yet
So take care, take heed
Take the best of me
Forge ahead, Godspeed
Take care, take heed
I left unfinished business but it always was that way
And I did the best I could by you throughout my final days
There are so many things we left unsaid
Things that I can see from here that dance inside your head
But just be careful of the path you take and always watch your back
Try your best to make up for what that cold world lacks
Revenge will rip you up and take its toll
And I'd hate to see it tear apart the kindness in your soul
So take care, take heed
Take the best of me
Forge ahead, Godspeed
Take care, take heed
A life lived brutally for scarce immunity
Tried to protect you from that world
It may be hard to take, but don't let your spirit break
I've always got you, baby girl
So take care, take heed
Take the best of me
Forge ahead, Godspeed
Take care, take heed}
Sitting there a while longer, I stared at the sky and let the salty breeze of the nearby water wash over me. Eventually, I got up from my seat and walked off to the Waking Sands. Finding the place was rather easy, as Y'shtola herself stood outside waiting for me. Smiling at me as soon as she saw me, her tail flicking about subtly showing she was glad. Waving at the Miqo'te I noticed here gaze on my new… weaponized appendages. Knowing what she wanted to ask, I signed to her as I walked over unhurriedly.
'I freed Bahamut of his wrath and pain, but not in a way you'd think. Because of my state to reach his soul crystal, the old dragon didn't leave this plane of existence normally. He's not here, but he's also not gone, we've become Primal and Archpriest. Willingly, as the old drake wanted to repay a debt I had fulfilled with my own blood. My Reaper weapon changed because he is a part of me now, however, we quite like it. It makes us feel like kindred souls.'
She pondered on those words as I stepped up before her and stood there silently. Nodding her head, she smiled softly before poking my chest with a finger.
"As long as you are safe and come home at the end of the day. That is the most important thing in the end, Xander. Coming back means there will be no sad farewells just yet. Now come we have a party to go to and children who have missed you."
Nodding my head. We entered the building, we passed by their receptionist and headed down some stairs. As we headed down, the Miqo'te would stick close to me and explain something's I should know. But oddly, not the Scions goals or purpose as she just waved it off, saying I just need to do what I already do. Thinking about that, I saw some logic there and can agree with it, I'm not a Scion technically. So I don't need to play the angel of mercy. Y'shtola showed me around basically everywhere before leading me to a large room.
What we saw upon entering were various races and occupations gathered. Though, my eyes trailed to the more beastly guests who were getting antsy. Y'shtola, seeing where I was looking, giggled before taking me towards them. As soon I stepped towards them, I pulled my mask down and kissed the big and small kids on their muzzles or beaks. This surprises and startles them as they all essentially squeak confused before processing what happened.
When they did, I was given a lot of love bites from them as they returned the sudden affection. Y'shtola watching off to the side, happy to see us do this little ritual of ours. The next couple of minutes were either wrestling with them, or once more teaching them to read and write. What I didn't expect was for Thancred and Minifilia to have helped teach them to sign in a modified way. As, I was genuinely surprised when Zendaya rather clumsily signed at me with her meaty paws.
'Surprise Patriarch! Minifilia and Than… Thane… Thancred taught us how to do this to surprise you.'
She looked annoyed when she kept messing up Thancred but otherwise pleased seeing my reaction. Cackling silently like a madman, I grabbed the young Behemoth's cheeks in my hands and rubbed them. Making the big girl squirm but not pull away from my hands as her pinkish purple skin tone turned a darker shade across her face. When I was done messing with her, she grumbled but sat there, not at all displeased with being embarrassed like that. One of Valentine's chicks pecked her cheek with a coo, getting a huff from the Behemoth.
Chuckling, I scratched Valentine under her chin, getting the bigger Chocobo to croon. Talons lightly clacking against the floor as they flexed due to the feeling when I scratched a sensitive spot. Her remaining chick fell asleep standing up with its head drooping sideways while snoring softly. Chirpy was already around my bicep nibbling at my arm gently, his head was tucked in between it and his body. This was peaceful and relaxing, just tending to and spending time with some friends who like you.
We spent an hour just like this, nothing hyperactive or fancy, just being around each other. Y'shtola sometimes leaves before returning and passing me items such, as information. Although the necklace made in a Miqo'te fashion that's typically for interested parties was interesting. She hadn't realized it at first as she was on autopilot, she only noticed when I put it on. She looked at me dazedly before yowling and scrambling to get the necklace back, rambling about a merchant contact playing a prank.
When she couldn't get it, she scowled at me, and I just smirked at the cat woman.
"Surely, you don't intend to wear that for no foreseeable reason?"
'I know it's basically a proposal necklace. Yes, I know you got pranked, but I will still keep it as you gave it to me. I may not be interested now, but if I keep this on, maybe you'll stick around.'
"You… that is the most dead sounding future proposal I've heard yet, given your troubles. Yet, it doesn't come off as such because you are not one to joke about such things, I feel. Alright… keep it safe… as this would be interesting to see develop towards that route possibly…"
'You know, you could just say you'd like to see how things turn out between us, not that. It's so much simpler and not as if you're talking about a dating sim game.'
The Miqo'te woman looks at me owlishly before coming to a realization. Her face flushing as she hissed at me embarrassed with her ears folding back. Chuckling, I smirked smugly at her while my companions snickered at her. A few bystanders are also amused, by seeing the stoic Scion become a flustered mess. That was until I caught the first of a certain Au Ra who growled at me. My arm had hairline fractures along it from the force, luckily Bahamut was healing it already.
Looking at the Warrior of Light, hard light knuckle dusters made of gray energy appeared on my free hand knuckles. Compared to the bulky knuckle busters in this world, mine are smaller but very dangerous. Rearing my arm back, I slammed my fist into her face, toppling the woman as I held her hand still. Looking down at her as she dazedly glanced at me, not comprehending what just happened. Letting her hand go, she sat there in her daze a couple of seconds more.
Getting back onto her feet, she snarled, trying to get out a question. However, Y'shtola stepped forward, face neutral and stoic as she addressed the dragon woman.
"Miss Salamis Drigovic, what is the meaning of this? Why would you attack someone unprovoked like this during your welcoming party?"
The Little Light calmed down some and spoke, spitting out the words.
"Why is he here? He's not someone who is keen on doing the right thing if it means getting the job done. After all, he admitted as such, so why would the Scions want to work with him?"
"Xander is here because the Scions will sometimes work with more agreeable criminal elements. We cannot be everywhere, so they come in play as informants and mercenaries, typically. We can't always rely on the three Grand Companions and their forces to aid us. He has, although, already helped us calm and put Elder Primal Bahamut in a more peaceful state. So he has all rights to be an ally of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn."
"I find that difficult to believe, he wouldn't care to do something like tha-"
SLAP!
The sound of a palm striking flesh rang out as Y'shtola retracted her hand. The Warrior of Light and several people looked surprised, the Scions looked intrigued, though. The petite cat lady stares at the dragon lady with her crystal blue eyes steeled.
"You will not make assumptions, nor will you continue to slander an ally like this. You will rarely ever work with him, so stop behaving like a kitten and act mature. He put the Elder Primal at ease and paid for it by almost dying. He is alive and here now because the Elder Primal gifted him a chance to as a favor for freeing him. Now walk away and make friends with the other members, I will not tolerate this behavior anymore. GO."
With the stoic Scion staring her down, the WoL scurried off a bit terrified as her muscles tensed. Once that was over, Y'shtola turned to me and was met by a head pat, blinking as she looked at me. She slowly grabbed my hand and held it while I stroked her head and ears. The woman smiled a little lazily as her eyes squinted. Chuckling softly, I signed with my free hand that still had knuckle dusters.
'Thank you Y'shtola, you actually almost made my heart feel something. Keep that up, and I'll end up dragging you to bed to seal this accidental proposal.'
Her tail shot straight out as she sputtered, growing bright red with a blush on her face. Her ears going back slightly, but she makes no move to do anything, however, hearing her bite back was amusing.
"Maybe another day dear reaper, when that heart of yours feels something, perhaps then. When it happens, though, you shall take responsibility, as I have never done anything explicitly romantic or sexual."
'Sounds like you need a dating life, then, kitty.'
"Shut up, you are not one to talk."
'I'll have you know I've been married before and had kids, I have more experience than you in this regard. So bite me, kitty.'
She glares at me and then actually bites my fucking hand. Looking at her, I see that smug smirk and I can't help but pinch her nose. She flails and hisses, but I smirked before releasing her nose. This is quite a hilarious turn of events given my last few days.