Seventh❧Dawn;;

Deryk led Aisling and her comrades through the entrance to the Heaven of Lightning. As before when they entered the Omphalos, he kept a watchful eye on her as they materialized in the realm, curious to know if the locale jogged her memory. He was doubtful, however, given that the Heavens of Lightning and Fire had been the ones she spent the least amount of time in. That was despite the fact that Byregot had been uncharacteristically charmed by the small Miqo’te child when he first saw her sleeping in Oschon’s arms.

-----------------

Menphina came flying out of the Heaven of Ice as soon as Oschon entered the Omphalos, the small girl tucked safely against his chest. Despite the severity of her burns, she had somehow managed to fall asleep, presumably lulled into it by his warmth. Given how terrified she had been when he found her, Oschon was greatly relieved to see her so comfortably sleeping. 

A small frown appeared on Menphina’s features at the sight of the child.

“To know she is injured this badly…” she whispered, being heedful not to awaken the child from her slumber.

“You were right to send me to her,” Oschon replied quietly, his green eyes focused on the mortal. “Her palms, lower legs and both sides of her feet are badly burned. It will take time for her to heal, both physically and emotionally. She was petrified when I found her.”

Menphina sighed sadly. “‘Tis only natural that she would be frightened. She lost everything, after all.”

A small hum came from Oschon. “Indeed.”

The goddess gazed at the girl for a moment before reaching over to lightly place a hand upon his bicep. “I know you had your doubts, but thank you, Oschon. Truly. I could not ignore the pleas of her parents to allow her to live.” 

Oschon’s attention flicked to Menphina and he leaned over, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. “Of course, my love. She shall be comfortable here as she heals, safe under our guidance.” 

The divine couple was suddenly interrupted by Byregot emerging from the Heaven of Lightning, his expression becoming rightfully confused at the sight of them in the Omphalos. Menphina and Oschon shared a glance before turning toward him as he approached them.

“What brings the pair of you…?”

Byregot’s question faded as he noticed the child resting in Oschon’s arms and his expression changed to, instead of anger, what the Wanderer could only describe as enchanted. 

“While I should be offended that you brought a mortal child here, I cannot get over how utterly endearing she is!”

Oschon grimaced the tiniest bit at the loud exclamation and shot the Builder an irritated glare. “Quiet, lest you wake her,” he hissed. “She is sleeping.”

Byregot looked surprised by his brethren’s outburst. “My apologies,” he said. “I did not realize…”

Menphina gave Byregot a small smile and motioned toward the child’s bandages. “She has some rather serious burns. Do you think you can make us some ointment for them?” 

“Of course! It shall be done immediately.” 

Byregot then retreated back into his realm to seemingly work on the medicine. Oschon watched after him for a long moment before turning his attention to Menphina.

“Do you believe that allowing him to help us is wise?”

Menphina giggled and placed a light kiss to his cheek. “Of course! Her injuries need more attention than simply dressing them, afterall.”

“But if the others were to find out…”

“They are going to find out with or without Byregot’s assistance, my darling. Do not fret. It will work out in the end.”

-----------------

Deryk was suddenly pulled from his memories by the sound of Aisling’s voice. 

“So this is the Heaven of Lightning.”

He turned his attention to her and nodded. “Aye, it is. Byregot will be waiting for us, no doubt.”

“And Rhalgr, too.”

It was indeed only a short while until the group found Byregot waiting for them. As she prepared to do battle against him with the rest of her allies, Deryk placed a hand on Aisling’s shoulder. 

“Promise me you’ll be careful, Ais.” Because I shall never forgive myself if something happened to you.

She blinked in surprise, but then gave him a nod. “Of course. 

Deryk smiled softly at her and opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off by one of the other adventurers before he could.

“Come on already! We’re here to fight against the gods, not watch the two of you on a date with each other!” 

The comment caused Deryk’s face to grow hot and his eyes to widen. Had the pair truly been that intently focused on each other? He glanced wildly at Aisling through his side vision only to find that she looked just as flustered as he. He quickly dropped his hand from her shoulder and stepped back from her, feeling his heart thudding. After taking a moment to collect his composure, he forced himself to swallow and gave her a reassuring nod.

“Go on. May the Wanderer watch over you and keep you.” 

And with that, the group begain their battle with Byregot. Although every single one of the adventurers they recruited was exceptionally talented, Deryk found himself utterly taken by Aisling. She had indeed grown to be quite masterful with the bow and had an absolutely beautiful singing voice. Watching her in battle, he was again reminded of the woman he had loved back in a different time when he was Apeliotes. Her name had been Kalliope and she was the love of Apeliotes’s life. The couple had traveled the lengths of the unsundered world together with only each other as company, creating beautiful melodies to share with the masses. Apeliotes had been perfectly content to spend the rest of his existence with Kalliope like so, but then the Final Days happened. Kalliope was gravely injured and Apeliotes was unable to save her, instead forced to watch helplessly as she perished in his arms. 

Once he had become Oschon the Wanderer, he again began wandering the land in search of his lost lover, hoping that her soul may be reborn in the sundered world. As the years passed, however, he had slowly lost hope of ever finding her. He eventually took Menphina as his lover in an attempt to curb his loneliness and while he was indeed happy with her, his heart still ultimately belonged to his beloved Kalliope. His hopes now were to give his blessing to Etheirys and then himself over to the lifestream where he assumed his lover would be waiting for him. There could be no greater gift for him after twelve thousand long years than finally being reunited with her. Though Deryk could not deny that something about Aisling was drawing him to her like a moth to a flame and the thought scared him. He was not long for this world, after all, and could not afford to grow attached. 

Aisling and the other adventurers, much to Deryk’s surprise, made relatively quick work of Byregot and they were soon trekking deeper into the Heaven of Lightning. Like Aisling had predicted, Rhalgr was the next to call out to the group and send one of his servants to face them in battle. It was taken care of in short order and an impressed Rhalgr opened the path forward so he himself could fight the group. As they pressed onward, Deryk caught up with Aisling.

“You are a joy to watch in battle,” he told her. “It’s clear that the bow has become second nature to you at this point.” 

Aisling’s face colored slightly at his compliment and she looked away from him. “I think some of the others likely performed better than me,” she mumbled. 

“I wouldn’t know. My attention was on you and that lovely singing voice.”

Aisling’s eyes grew wide at this and she mumbled something incoherent, her cheeks turning a deeper shade of red. Deryk chuckled softly, finding her flustered reaction to his words rather adorable. It also made him curious to know how badly she’d blush when she saw him as Oschon, given his true form’s more revealing attire. But such thoughts were neither here nor there at the moment, as the group were coming upon Rhalgr’s arena. If he was being honest with himself, Deryk was rather looking forward to the opportunity to watch Aisling in combat again. The other adventurers may very well not have existed, as far as he was concerned. He only cared about watching her. 

Like Byregot before him, the adventurers were able to take down Rhalgr without too much issue. And again, Deryk found himself mesmerized by Aisling’s combat prowess. Once Rhalgr had dissipated into aether, a fiery portal appeared before the group and Azeyma called out to them.

“Come, mortals. Enter my realm, if you dare.”

While the majority rushed through the portal without hesitation, likely eager to do battle against more of the gods, Deryk noticed Aisling back a few steps away from it. He immediately moved to her side, taking notice of the way she was trembling. 

“Is something wrong?”

She visibly flinched at the question and shook her head quickly. “It’s nothing,” she told him in a shaky voice.

Deryk hummed and folded his arms across his chest. “That is very obviously a lie, because I can see the way you’re trembling.”

His words must have come out harsher than he intended, since her lower lip began to wobble. His expression immediately softened and he lightly placed a hand on her shoulder.

“My apologies, as I didn’t intend to upset you. But please. I would like to know what’s bothering you so.”

“You’ll think it’s stupid,” Aisling mumbled, her voice cracking slightly.

“I promise you, I won’t. Everyone has their fears and yours are equally as valid. So talk to me.”

She sucked in a long breath before motioning toward the portal. “Fire…I’m scared of it. I had a, uh, bad experience with it when I was little. I thought I’d be okay coming here with so many other people, but…”

Deryk frowned as her voice trailed off. “Ah, I see. If it would be easier, you can head back to the Omphalos and I can guide the others through the Heaven of Fire,” he offered.

But Aisling stubbornly shook her head. “And never hear the end of it from G’raha? I don’t think so.” 

“The coming fights will only trigger your pyrophobia even more,” Deryk said gently. “Besides, I noticed that you seemed uncomfortable with Nald’thal earlier. I should think that your peace of mind is more important than any feud you may have with your colleague.”

“No, this is something that I have to do for me. I need to prove to myself that I can.” 

Deryk was briefly surprised by her determination, but then he nodded. “If this is what you truly want, then I will not stop you. But the only way forward is through the portal.”

He watched as she looked from him to the portal anxiously before taking a step toward it himself and putting one of his arms into it. 

“See? The portal is simply aetherial in nature. It will not hurt you in any way, I assure you.”

Aisling still looked hesitant, so Deryk removed his arm from the portal and stepped back to her. He was worried for her in the coming battles if the fiery portal was making her this anxious, but he already promised her he wouldn’t stop her from going on. He considered his options for a moment before coming to a decision.

“If I may be so bold…”

Before she could question him, Deryk had knelt down and took Aisling into his arms bridal style. She immediately let loose a surprised squeal as he lifted her up and instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck, causing his cheeks to pinken slightly.

“What are you doing!?”

“Relax. I have you,” he answered kindly. “Just keep your attention on me.” 

Aisling gave him a small nod, her cheeks also taking on a pink hue. Deryk gently smiled at her in response and then stepped through the portal with her in his arms. He felt her muscles tense the slightest bit as he did so, but it was only a moment until she began to relax.

“See? I told you that the portal was perfectly safe.”

“That you did,” Aisling agreed. 

“I cannot, unfortunately, say the same for the fights against Azeyma and Nald’thal. The danger, I fear, will be real. So I will ask again. Are you sure you wish to continue?” 

Aisling’s eyes bore directly into his, causing Deryk’s heart to shutter. Oh. He hadn’t taken notice of just how lovely her eyes were, likely because they had never been quite so close to one another before now. And heavens help him, they were so similar to Kalliope’s. He was so captivated by her eyes, in fact, that the sound of her voice startled him somewhat.

“I am. Like I told you, this is something that I need to do for myself. I already let my fears get to me once before. I refuse to let that happen again.” 

“Well then, let us reunite with our comrades before that determination has a chance to fizzle out.” 

The pair drifted into silence as Deryk carried Aisling through the Heaven of Fire, admittedly not wanting to let her out of his arms yet. The moment, however, was unfortunately ruined as soon as they caught up with their allies.

“There the two of you are! Finally! We were beginning to think that you snuck off to make out somewhere.”

“Making out? No, look at how he’s carrying her. I wager they absolutely took it further than just making out.”

“Look, if you guys are just going to keep kissing, I think we can manage to find our own way.”

Deryk’s eyes widened at the last remark, as he hadn’t even noticed that his face had drifted so close to Aisling’s that their noses were just about touching. They were so close that he could feel her breath against his  face. His cheeks flushed a deep crimson and he hastily placed her on her feet, ignoring a few snickers coming from the group. Just what in the heavens had gotten into him? He squeezed his eyes shut and took several deep breaths in an effort to calm himself, again feeling those butterflies storming through his stomach. Once the sensation had passed, he cleared his throat loudly before acknowledging the group.

“Come. This way.”

So Deryk began guiding Aisling and her fellow adventurers further into the Heaven of Fire. They hadn’t made it terribly far, however, before they were jumped by the trusted lion familiars of Nald’thal. As the rest of the party moved to do battle against them, Deryk caught a hold of Aisling’s arm. 

“If it starts to be too much, look outside the arena. I will be there.”

Aisling nodded in response and gave him a shaky smile. He returned the latter before shifting his gaze to a nearby adventurer who had picked up on her not-so subtle discomfort. 

“Pray keep an eye on her in the coming battles.”

“Of course,” the adventurer told him and then looked at Aisling. “Just stick with me!”

Satisfied that Aisling was in good hands, Deryk backed off so he could watch the fight. True to their word, the adventurer kept a watchful eye on Aisling during it and dutifully guided her to safety. He could tell that their presence was indeed helping Aisling’s confidence, if only a little, and it made him happy, as he had been worried about how she’d react to his fire-aspected brethren. But he knew full well that the true tests were still ahead. When the lions were taken care of, Deryk made his way over to Aisling.

“You did well. I’m proud of you.”

“Mainly because you asked that person to keep an eye on me,” she admitted sheepishly. 

“Hey now, there’s nothing wrong with accepting help from others, especially in difficult situations. Nor does it change the fact that, given the circumstances, you fought well.” 

Aisling blinked in surprise, but then gave him a tiny smile. “I guess you’re right. Thank you.”

But Deryk shook his head. “You may want to hold off on thanking me until you are through the next couple fights, as Azeyma and Nald’thal are still ahead.”  

“Right…”

Indeed, it was all too soon that the group found Azeyma waiting for them. She gave Deryk a questioning look when she noticed Aisling among the group, likely not expecting to see her there, and he merely shrugged the slightest bit. A proper explanation would have to wait until later when he wasn’t masquerading as a mortal. Speaking of Aisling, the kind adventurer that had taken her under their wing gladly did so again for the fight against Azeyma. And unless Deryk was imagining things, the goddess herself seemed cautious about using her abilities too close to the Miqo’te. Regardless, it was clear that Aisling was clearly out of her element during the fight, which tugged at his heartstrings. He disliked seeing her under such distress, even if he admired her resolution to face her fear. Though he did find himself wondering how much of it was truly determination and how much of it was simply her wanting to avoid G’raha. 

Once the group had defeated Azeyma, they followed Deryk’s lead into the Endless City. Aisling fell into pace with him, gazing around her surroundings with a look of amazement that caused a small smile to grace his features.

“You seem to be enjoying yourself.”

“Eh? A little, I guess. This city just reminds me of U’ldah.”

A quiet chuckle escaped Deryk’s throat. “Allow me to remind you that according to myth, Nald’thal was the one who created it. I doubt that its similarity to Ul’dah is no mere coincidence.”

Aisling’s ears flattened slightly in response. “Oh, yeah. We still need to fight him…”

Deryk’s smile turned into a frown. “You seem to have a disdain toward Nald’thal in particular, one that I’ll wager goes beyond the fact that he’s fire aspected. If I may, is there a reason for that?” 

A frown appeared on Aisling’s face as well and he noticed her tail swishing awkwardly. There was a heavy silence for a few moments before she finally let out a defeated sigh. 

“How about I tell you later? It’s somewhat of a long story that I’d rather not go into with nearly two dozen other people around.”

“Fair enough, but realize that I intend to hold you to that.”

The rest of the trek through the Endless City was a silent one, aside from some hushed conversations from their allies. He noticed Aisling starting to limp the slightest bit as they trudged along, which again tugged at his heart strings. He had a feeling that it was because of the scarring along her legs and feet, but knew better than to question her about it, lest he rouse her suspicions. He instead slowed his own pace to make it easier on her, earning himself a thankful smile from her. He wished that he could simply transform into Oschon and fly her through the city, but knew that was out of the question. Mayhaps one day, however.

When they arrived in the Twin Halls some time later, they found Nald’thal awaiting them, with Nald at the helm. Like Azeyma before him, his attention fell on Aisling, who had squeezed so close to Deryk that their shoulders were practically touching. Noticing her trembling, he took her hand into his larger one and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

“You can overcome this,” he whispered. “I know you can.”

Aisling looked a little flustered by his actions, but squeezed his hand in return and mouthed “thank you”. He gave her a tiny smile before letting go of her hand and nodding toward his brethren, who had relinquished control to Thal.

“It’s time you get in there,” he told her. “Again, look for me along the sidelines if need be.”

Deryk then placed his hand on the small of Aisling’s back and gave her a gentle nudge into the arena so the battle could begin. For a blessing, a handful of other adventurers had picked up on Aisling’s discomfort and joined the original one he asked in keeping an eye on her. Even so, he caught her gazing at him anxiously quite a few times and returned each one with an encouraging smile. When it came time for Nald’thal’s judgment, he picked Aisling’s soul for one of his vessels, probably to find out why she was such a nervous wreck. After doing so, the twin-aspected god stared at her for a long moment before turning his gaze to Deryk. This caused the latter to blink in surprise a couple of times and take an awkward step back. Just what had Nald’thal seen in Aisling’s soul that concerned him? 

As soon as the aforenamed deity was laid low, Deryk wasted no time in jogging over to Aisling, who still looked on edge. 

“I am so incredibly proud of you,” he told her earnestly. “I can tell just how frightening that was for you, but you pulled through it despite the hardships and all things considered, handled yourself well.” 

Aisling glanced at him through her peripheral vision and gave him a half smile. “While I’m touched by your kind words, I would really like to get out of here.”

A light hum escaped Deryk’s throat and he nodded. “Of course,” he replied, motioning toward the portal. “Let us return to the Omphalos at once.”

This must not have been fast enough for Aisling’s liking, since she wrapped a hand around his wrist and yanked him toward the portal. A silent chuckle rumbled in his chest as she pulled him along, fairly certain that nothing short of Oschon could stop her from manhandling him out of the Twin Halls. Though, given her dislike of Nald’thal, he didn’t blame her for not wanting to stay longer than she had to. He wondered if the deity’s look into her soul had weirded her out, but decided it would be best to question her when were they away from the Endless City. He also made a mental note to ask Nald’thal about what he had seen in her soul when he next had the chance.

When the pair arrived back in the Omphalos, they were swiftly met by G’raha and a Lalafellin woman. Deryk glanced over his shoulder at Aisling.

“She's another one of your colleagues, I take it?” he asked in a hushed voice.

She nodded in response before filling G’raha and their associate in on what happened in the gods’ sanctums.

“You defeated them all? Incredible! I had no doubt that you would succeed, but I’m no less impressed for it!” 

Before Aislng could respond, Rhalgr’s voice rung out. 

“Gahahaha! Seldom have I felt such exhilaration!”

The four spun on their heels as the gods reemerged from their sanctums and took physical form in a blast of light. Rhalgr immediately turned his attention to Byregot.

“To think that the day would come that we would put on an act for men... I must say, Byregot, you played the villain's role to perfection!”

“Come now, Master, I merely did what was necessary to compel the mortals to confront us.”

Azeyma released somewhat of a pained sigh. “Still, it pained me to speak to our beloved children so unkindly…”

“So you say, Azeyma,” Nald’thal said, “yet you seemed happy enough to fight them. You did not forget the true purpose of the trial, I hope?”

The goddess turned away from Nald’thal, seemingly embarrassed that she had been called out. “Well, I couldn't help but be excited. And do not tell me you felt differently!”

She then turned her attention to Deryk and the three mortals. “Consider yourselves fortunate, children. 'Tis rare indeed to see Nald'thal in such high spirits.”

“What in the world is happening?” Krile asked. “Didn’t you say you had defeated them?”

G’raha’s voice was a mixture of alarm and amazement. “Did they manage to flee…or perhaps were resummoned?”

Deryk watched as Aisling rushed forward with G’raha, both of them readying their weapons. He had to admit that he was impressed by the duo’s willingness to take on his brethen by their selves, even though he knew it wouldn’t come to that.

“Put up your weapons,” Rhalgr told them. “You have naught to fear from us.”

“Rest assured we are not summoned beings. We do not drain the land of aether, nor do we take men into our thrall,” Byregot added.

Aisling glanced back at Deryk, who gave her a single nod. Satisfied by this, she placed her bow back upon her back. G’raha put his weapon away as well, but didn’t look convinced.

“But...what of the gods who were summoned during the Calamity? The ones Master Louisoix called forth to protect the realm…”

“That was not us, but a primal born of your fervent prayers for salvation,” Nald’thal told him.

“Indeed,” Azeyma chimed in. “That the worst of the Calamity was averted and the realm restored in its aftermath was a direct testament to the power of your hopes.”

Aisling tilted her head in confusion. “Why choose to appear before us now?”

As Byregot turned his gaze to her, Deryk took notice of the tenderness in it. It was clear that his brethren still cared for her as much as he did.

“...Just as men harbor hopes, so too do we gods. To realize our aspirations, 'tis essential that we do battle with you. Thus did I falsely claim that we sought to rule the world. 'Twas deceitful conduct unworthy of a divinity, and I must apologize. Not only for that, but for using my power to do harm besides.”

The newcomer, who looked to be deep in thought, suddenly spoke up. “These hopes of yours─won't you tell us what they are?”

“We cannot,” Nald’thal answered. “If you wish to know the truth, you must discover it for yourselves.”

Azeyma nodded her head in agreement. “'Tis not easy to move forward when there is seemingly no destination. But if you press on, you will eventually arrive at the answers you seek.”

“Aye, you will understand why we hold our peace, and far more besides,” Rhalgr said. “You will learn the very truth of our existence.”

“Go forth, mortals, and seek knowledge of us. And when the time is right, we shall meet again in this place,” Byregot finished.

The divinites then returned to their sanctums, leaving Deryk alone with Aisling and her colleagues. There was several moments of silence before G’raha finally broke it.

“We have met and exchanged words with the Twelve... When I pause to think, I can scarce believe it.”

The Lalafellin woman nodded her head in agreement and turned her attention to Aisling. “As if hearing about your battling the Twelve weren't shocking enough, to have them appear before my very eyes... Suffice it to say it's been an interesting day. While much about them remains shrouded in mystery, at least they seem open to reason. In considering our next step, I should very much like to hear your detailed account of them.”

She then paused and turned her attention to Deryk. “Right after I have a word with our client, that is. Please give me a moment to introduce myself, and then we can review the situation.”

-----------------

And that is how Deryk found himself waiting for Aisling in Ul’dah’s Arrzaneth Ossuary. After he was formally introduced to the Lalafellin woman, whose name was Krile, the quartet had a discussion about their next course of action. G’raha suggested that they make for Rhalgr’s Reach, mentioning that it was a holy ground for worshippers of Rhalgr. So Deryk, with Aisling and G’raha, did just that. It was surreal for Deryk to be back here after his original encounter with Aisling on that fateful day, but he elected not to linger on that and instead assisted the other two in finding information about Rhalgr. Following an unexpected visit from Byregot and Rhalgr, G’raha was contacted by Krile and announced that an acquaintance of hers would be joining the investigation. While he was to retrieve her, he asked Deryk and Aisling to visit Ul’dah to find information about Nald’thal.

“So, it's to be just you and me in Ul'dah…” Deryk had commented to Aisling with a sigh. “What strange manners for the one who proposed the survey to so promptly abandon it. Though I suppose it can’t be helped…”

“Oh, you can’t say the arrangement is that bad,” Aisling teased, causing him to blush the slightest bit.

“I'll not lie: I am not given to working one-on-one with another,” he admitted, which was true. He had not done so since Kalliope all those millennia ago and the thought of suddenly being alone with Aisling was making him more than a little anxious. 

“But I suppose I agreed to this arrangement,” he paused again to release another sigh. “Well, we had best be on our way. As I recall, Milvaneth Sacrarium is still closed for construction, so let us try our luck at Arrzaneth Ossuary. You have no objection to traveling separately, I trust?”

Aisling looked surprised and maybe slightly disappointed by his proposition, but nonetheless shook her head. 

“Good. I shall see you in Ul'dah.”

“Hey! I hope you weren’t waiting too long.”

The sound of Aisling’s voice pulled Deryk from his ruminations back to the present and he turned his attention to her.

“Not at all,” he replied before motioning toward the statue of Thal. 

“Of the deific twins Nald'thal, here they worship Thal, who keeps the realm of the dead and weighs the worth of men's souls. In contrast, Nald keeps the world of the living and oversees their financial fortunes.”

“And is who they worship in Milvaneth Sacrarium, which is located on the Steps of Thal,” Aisling commented. 

Deryk nodded his head before continuing. “Their names are borne by many a location, and religious organizations─some extremely wealthy and powerful─exist to nurture faith in them. On the surface, it may seem strange that a hub of commerce such as Ul'dah could be home to such spiritual people. But it is actually quite logical when one considers that their religion is, in essence, commerce.”

He then motioned toward the statue of Thal again. “In any event, Nald'thal is a truly unusual divinty. What was originally held to be one god came to be worshipped as twins. Indeed, rather than two distinct entities, that which we encountered was a single being possessed of two personalities.”

“D-Did I mishear? Did he just say they encountered Nald'thal?”

Deryk’s attention, however, was focused on the statue of Thal as he continued his rambling. “And while his appearance differs somewhat to the divinities worshipped, it cannot be denied that there are striking similarities in their nature.”

Aisling suddenly elbowed him in the ribs, forcing him to look at her. She motioned toward a nearby priest that was gaping at the two of them.

“Uh, you’re starting to attract attention to yourself,” she whispered.

Deryk’s cheeks flushed in embarrassment. “F-Forgive me, this is hardly the place for such a conversation... Let us continue it elsewhere!”

He then hurried out of the Ossuary with Aisling on his heels, mentally scolding himself for his foolishness. He should have known that a comment about encountering Nald’thal would attract the attention of the Order. It was another reminder of just how out of place he truly was in the world of man. Once they were far enough from the Ossuary to no longer make a spectacle of themselves, Deryk turned to Aisling and gave her a sheepish smile.

“'Twas careless of me to openly speak of our encounter with a divinity within a place where he is worshipped. Hereon, I shall exercise greater caution. I thank you for alerting me to my indiscretion...and ask that you keep it between us.”

“Of course!”

Deryk gave her a slight smile in response. “Come to think of it, now that I have you alone, I believe I will take this opportunity to again question your dislike of Nald’thal.”

Aisling’s ears pressed back slightly in response and she released a sigh. “I suppose it was too much to hope for that you’d forget. Very well. When I was in U’ldah, I was close friends with a poverty-stricken youth. Given that Nald’thal is a god of commerce, it seemed hardly fair that the numerous shady merchants controlled the city’s wealth, while a defenseless child was left out on the streets with nothing but the clothes on his back.” 

Deryk released a thoughtful hum. “Yes, I can imagine that something like that would negatively shape your views of Nald’thal. Though I have a feeling there is more to this story.”

Aisling look surprised by his comment, but then gave him a pained smile. “And you’d be correct. My pyrophobia stems from the fact that my entire clan was killed in a forest fire when I was young. Being the only survivor, I was left with both physical and emotional scars.”

“Would I be correct in assuming, then, that you hold some anger toward him for the fate of your clan?” 

She nodded in response to his inquiry and then pulled the glove off one of her hands, holding her palm out toward Deryk so he could see the scarring on it. He said nothing and instead gently took Aisling’s hand into both of his, lightly brushing his thumbs against the rigid skin. His action caused her ears to spring up in surprise and a pale blush to dust her cheeks, but she made no effort to pull her hand back. He released a small hum as he continued to trace his thumbs against her palm.

“It gladdens me to see these have healed so well,” he mumbled to himself after a moment. 

Unfortunately for him, Aisling’s ears twitched in response to his remark and she lifted a quizzical eyebrow toward him. “Um, Deryk?”

Realizing that he may have very possibly just blown his cover, Deryk let loose an embarrassed laugh. “Ah, I mean that I can only imagine how bad they must have been originally,” he said quickly.

Aisling didn’t look wholly convinced, but much to his relief, she shrugged it off rather than question him further. Deryk dropped her hand quickly and looked away from her, feeling his heart pounding in his ears. Being alone with her was starting to get to him, it would seem. After several awkward moments, he swallowed back the lump that had developed in his throat before speaking hurriedly.

“I believe it’s high time that we report our findings to G’raha Tia. Rather than waiting for our companion to arrive, perhaps we might seek him out at the Sunken Temple? He mentioned needing to make a detour. Were we to set out now, we ought to be able to catch up to him. After all, we hardly know one another. Rather than loiter with an unfamiliar person, 'tis better to use our time productively. Wouldn't you agree?”

Aisling looked confused by this, but shrugged. “Sure, I guess.”

“Then let us head to the Sunken Temple of Qarn at once.”

When he arrived at the temple some time later, Deryk came across the sight of Roegadyn woman collapsed on the ground. He immediately went to her side, checking her for injuries. 

“Deryk?”

The sound of his name caused him to look over his shoulder to se Aisling running toward him. 

“You're here, thank goodness. I found this woman collapsed, though I can see no obvious injuries. By her attire, she appears to be some manner of scholar.”

“Water... Food... In my bag... Please…” the scholar uttered.

“I see... Ais─may I trouble you to find her bag? I will stand lookout in the meantime.”

Aisling nodded in response before going off in search of the woman’s bag. She returned a few minutes later carrying a waterskin and handed it to the woman, looking a little sheepish. 

“Sorry, but this is all I could find…” 

The woman consumed the water quicker than Deryk would have liked before speaking again.

“Not enough... Food... I need food…”

Deryk turned his attention to Aisling. “I have naught save dried meat, tough as leather. Do you have anything easier to consume?”

But she shook her head sadly. “I don’t cook, so I don’t usually carry food on me.”

A small frown appeared on Deryk’s face at her comment, but he was cut off by G’raha before he could respond.

“Aisling, Deryk! What are you doing here? Actually, that can wait…”

The Miqo’te then pushed himself between the two so he could reach the woman.

“Steady, Snoegeim! I've brought you Archon loaf and coffee─made sweet and creamy, just as you like it.”

He then handed the food to the woman, who immediately helped herself. Once she had finished, she pulled herself to her feet. 

“Ahhhhhh, I am reborn! Washed down with a sweet beverage, the life-giving nutrients of Archon loaf permeate my being from head to toe! Thank you, kind stranger! However you knew my preferred source of sustenance, you are truly a godssend! ...Oh, it's you, Raha! What brings you here? I don't recall mentioning my fieldwork. It's for my research into the Belah'dians' worship of Azeyma, you see…”

Aisling turned to Deryk and gave him a look that screamed “You cannot be serious”, which made him cough loudly in an effort to cover his chuckle. He, too, had misgivings about this enigmatic woman joining the investigation, but there was nothing for it. So with this Snoegeim in tow, the group made their way back to the Omphalos, where they reunited with Krile. After catching Snoegeim up on everything that had happened so far, the group helped themselves to some dinner at the Seventh Heaven. They then decided to go their separate ways for the time being, since Krile and G’raha had paperwork to fill out about the commission. Snoegeim, meanwhile, wanted to investigate the Omphalos on her own. And Deryk wanted to return to home, so he could fill his brethren in about what had happened so far. 

It was early the next morning when he set off for the Omphalos, when most of the settlement was still asleep. He hadn’t even stepped foot out of Revenant’s Toll, however, when he felt someone’s gaze on him. He turned around to see Aisling staring at him from the entrance to the Seventh Heaven. Their eyes made contact and Deryk felt his cheeks warm slightly. Curious to know if she would follow him, he resumed his journey toward the Omphalos, gazing over his shoulder every once in a while to see her trailing him. While he knew full well that it would be in his best interest to stop her, he found himself wanting to show his true self to her. So, against his better judgement, he allowed her to follow him into the Omphalos.

Much to his relief, Snoegeim had fallen asleep, leaving no prying eyes as Deryk made his way over to the entrance to the Heaven of Wind. He glanced over his shoulder to see Aisling some distance behind him and then entered his sanctum, leaving the choice to follow him further up to her. He wasn’t surprised in the least to find a short while later that she had indeed followed him, though he was surprised to find that he was somewhat relieved about it. She deserved to know the truth, after all. At least when it came to his identity. So he smiled to himself before continuing through his realm, keeping an eye over his shoulder at Aisling. When they arrived at the windward pass, he finally stopped walking and turned to wait for her to catch up with him. 

“I take it I know why you’re here,” he said once she had. 

“Come, let us find my associate so we can discuss this matter in greater detail.”

Deryk only gave a small nod in response, inwardly relieved at the suggestion. When he had arrived in Mor Dhona, his thought was to enlist the assistance of the Sons of Saint Coinach. They, in turn, had contacted a group of scholars hailing from Sharlayan known as the Students of Baldesion. But now he was wondering if mayhaps he should have made the journey to one of the city-states to ask for the assistance of the Adventurer’s Guild. The red-haired Miqo’te man from the Students was excitable , to say the least, and Deryk had admittedly zoned out most of what he had said over the past few minutes. Truth be told, he was beginning to worry that the man, who had introduced himself as G’raha Tia, was the only one who had come to offer resistance and was gladdened to know that that was not the case. 

If it will help us achieve our goals, it will be worth it in the end, Deryk thought to himself.

So the pair began walking through North Silvertear in search of G’raha’s colleague. Much to Deryk’s relief, the other man no longer seemed interested in idle chit chat and the walk was a silent one. It didn’t take long for them to find the associate in question, a Miqo’te bard who Deryk’s young opo-opo companion had quickly warmed up to, having climbed onto her shoulder. He stopped in his tracks as his eyes took her in, a pale blush crossing his cheeks. He should have known that she would come calling at the mention of the phantom realm. It warmed his heart to see her hale and hearty again, as well as using the bow he had given her that fateful day at Rhalgr’s Reach. He was surprised, however, to see just how beautiful she had become. It was something that, given the circumstances, he hadn’t taken notice of the last time he had seen her. 

That is quite enough, Oschon. She is merely a mortal, one you looked after as a child even, and your days remaining on this star are limited. Besides, you already have Menphina, he told himself sternly. 

“Just in case you were entertaining the thought, Aisling, that opo-opo isn't our explorer. I have the man in question here with me.”

She flinched slightly at the sudden sound of G’raha’s voice and turned her attention to him, her ears flattening slightly.

“Yes, I figured that out when he failed to introduce himself.”

Deryk bit back a chuckle at her witty retort to the painfully obvious statement as he stepped the short distance to G’raha’s side; as soon as he did so, the opo-opo leapt from Aisling’s shoulder and happily ran up to him. He leaned down to allow the creature to hop onto his arm before introducing himself. 

“I am Deryk, the one who discovered the phantom realm. My apologies for making you search for me.”

Sensing a quizzical gaze on him, Deryk looked over his shoulder at G’raha.

“Curious about this creature, are you? I found him injured during one of my journeys and tended to him. Since then, he has taken to following me around. He's inquisitive but otherwise harmless, so pray pay him no mind.”

He then turned his attention to Aisling as the opo-opo leapt off his arm and trotted back to her. He hadn’t expected the creature to take such a liking to her and presumed that it was able to sense the portion of his aether that resided in her. 

“Aisling, was it? He seems to have taken quite a liking to you. Please have my humblest apologies for his behavior.” 

But Aisling shook her head and leaned down to allow the opo-opo to climb onto her shoulder.

“Oh, you can call me Ais. And no worries! I happen to really love animals. Besides,” she paused so she could gently pat the creature’s head, “he’s really cute.” 

Deryk blinked in surprise at her offer, but then a soft smile graced his lips as she finished. “Well then, Ais. What good fortune that one as compassionate as you should lend her aid.”

G’raha suddenly cleared his throat. “To be clear, our organization has yet to accept the commission. Before we can make a decision, we would conduct a preliminary survey. Will you guide us to the phantom realm?”

“Of course. I will show you to the entrance at once. The gate to a realm long dreamed of by explorers…”

With that, Deryk turned on his heels and began walking to the shore of the lake. He didn’t stop at the edge of the water, instead walking out into the middle of it.

“What are you—!?”

Deryk stopped at the startled exclamation from G’raha, gazing back to find him and Aisling jogging up the water’s edge.

“Impressive, isn't it? When the gate manifested, so too did this magick, allowing one to thus walk upon water.”

Aisling looked more than a little uncertain. “Are you sure it’s safe…?”

“It’s perfectly safe, I assure you. Come.”

She still didn’t look terribly convinced, so Deryk walked back to the water’s edge and held out a hand for her. 

“Do you trust me?”

Aisling looked initially surprised by this, but after a moment, she gave him a tiny smile and hesitantly placed her hand into his. 

Deryk met her smile with one of his own. “Wonderful. We shall go together.”

He then started leading her slowly across the water, keeping an eye on her through his peripheral vision. Normally such a bold action would be drastically out of character for him, but for some reason when it came to her, he felt inclined. The fact that she seemed so at ease with him this quickly made him ponder if she could sense their deeper connection, if not his true identity. Which, if he was being honest with himself, the latter was something that he would be perfectly fine with.

“By the Twelve, you truly can walk here! What magick is this? By what means is it perpetuated?”

Both Deryk and Aisling looked back to see G’raha following them onto the water, looking rather floored. When he realized there were two pairs of eyes on him, he rubbed his neck sheepishly.

“F-forgive me. Let us continue on!” 

Deryk gave G’raha a small nod before he returned his attention to Aisling. “Come, we are just about at the threshold.”

He felt her hold on his hand tighten ever so slightly in response to his statement, causing his heart to flutter. He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze as they passed through the barrier into the phantom realm. His realm. The thought of once again guiding Aisling into his home, this time while in the form of a mortal like her, was surreal. Deryk kept a steady gaze on her as they materialized on the other side, wanting to gauge her reaction. Like he suspected, her look of amazement was tinged with something akin to familiarity.

“What do you think? Beautiful, is it not?”

Aisling turned her attention to him. “It truly is. Though I can’t help but feel as if I’ve been here before.” 

Deryk hummed thoughtfully. “Is that right? How fascinating.”

“This is the phantom realm…”

The sound of G’raha’s voice gave Deryk a start, since he had admittedly forgotten the other man was behind them. He opened his mouth to speak, but then realized that he was still holding Aisling’s hand. Feeing his cheeks grow slightly warm, he hastily dropped her hand and took a few steps away from her. Unless he was imagining things, he thought he saw the faintest traces of disappointment on Aisling’s face when he turned to face them again. G’raha, for a blessing, was too preoccupied with this strange environment to have even noticed. 

“To think that the entrance would lie over Silvertear Lake…” he mused, kneeling down to get a closer look at the grass. “There is nothing out of the ordinary with the environment. The sights, the sounds, the smells─all appear as they should be in nature. That is to say, this place is no illusion.”

Deryk cleared his throat to get the attention of his companions before giving a courteous bow. “I bid you welcome to the navel of the phantom realm: the Omphalos.”

“The Omphalos, you say this place is called?” G’raha questioned. 

“A name of my own conception, I confess,” Deryk told him, his voice taking on a sheepish undertone. He, as Oschon, had indeed been the one to coin the term. “I felt we needed something to call it by. Lest you wonder, the word means ‘navel’ in an ancient tongue─an allusion to Mor Dhona's location in the heart of Aldenard.”

He noticed Aisling tilting her head quizzically at him, but paid it no mind and continued speaking. 

“As you can see, there are man-made structures, and the place appears well kept. Yet there isn't a single soul in evidence. 'Tis my hope that you will help me to shed light upon this realm. To learn who created it, and to what end.”

G’raha nodded his head thoughtfully. “I should also like to know why it has revealed itself now. Was it simply chance that kept it hidden...or something more? In any case, let us begin by taking a look around.”

And so while G’raha went about exploring on his own, Deryk’s attention drifted back to Aisling. He was admittedly curious about how much she remembered of her time here. He wagered it wasn’t terribly much, since the Twelve had wiped her memories of them when they returned her to the mortal realm in hopes that she may fit in better with her own kind. Not to mention the fact that she had been very young. But still, the thought that she remembered the Omphalos at all, even if it was vague, made him happy. He again wondered if it had something to do with his presence and their shared aether.

Whatever the case, Deryk found Aisling knelt down at the base of the central monument, in front of Oschon’s sigil. His sigil. He again felt his heart flitter as he approached her and knelt down at her side. 

“I take it that you consider The Wanderer to be your patron deity,” he said quietly.

The sound of his voice caused Aisling to flinch and she gazed over her shoulder at him.

“That obvious, huh?”

When Deryk only gave a small hum of acknowledgement, she continued. “I’ve always felt much closer to him than the others,” she commented, lightly tracing her fingertips against the carving. “He’s what inspired me to both start adventuring and take up bowmanship.”

Deryk’s lips curled into a smile and he reached over to run his fingertips against the sigil as well. If only you knew you were talking to him right now, he thought.

“Well, I have a feeling that he would be greatly honored to know that he has inspired you so,” he told her, speaking the truth. 

Aisling blinked in surprise at his comment, but then she smiled. “You seem awfully confident about that.” 

Deryk merely chuckled lightly in response and the pair drifted into a comfortable silence as they continued to trace their fingers against the carving of Oschon’s symbol. His fingers suddenly brushed lightly against Aisling’s, causing his eyes to widen. The unforeseen contact must have caught her off guard, since her hand froze against his. He quickly jerked his away, feeling his skin tingling. He frantically looked over his shoulder at her only to notice the pink hue visible on her cheeks, which did nothing for his rattled nerves. It instead caused a weird sensation to develop in the pit of his belly; it took a moment for him to realize that it must be the so-called “butterflies” that he had heard mortals talking about. This was the first time in his long existence that he could remember feeling something akin to this, although strangely enough, the sensation wasn’t an entirely unfamiliar one. 

It brought back faint memories of the woman he had loved when the world was still whole, before he had become Oschon the Wanderer. When he was simply Apeliotes. 

Deryk cleared his throat, attempting with questionable success to mask it with a cough, and then pulled himself to his feet. 

“Come, we would do well to check on G’raha.” 

“Yeah, that sounds like a good idea.” 

Once Aisling had stood as well, the pair made their way over to G’raha. He gave them a curious look as they approached, but Deryk acknowledged him before he could question them.

“Finished looking around, have you? What are your impressions?”

“I have had only a cursory glance, but this is truly a mysterious place,” G’raha said, pausing to motion into the distance, “The gleaming spire rising beyond the clouds─that is most certainly the Crystal Tower. And judging by its aspect, we are a considerable distance above Silvertear Lake. Which would suggest that the gate we entered is a teleporter.”

“However, if this isle lies where it appears to lie, then it couldn't have escaped the Battle of Silvertear Skies unscathed… Which is to say we are in Mor Dhona...and yet we are not. 'Tis as if we were displaced from our world, if only slightly.”

Deryk nodded in agreement, satisfied with the man’s observations. “Displaced is an apt way to put it. Was there aught else you noticed?”

Nodding as well, G’raha motioned toward the monument that Deryk and Aisling had been kneeled at only moments before.

“Aye. The motifs upon yonder structure─they are unmistakably the marks of the Twelve. By which I posit that this was created to be a place of worship. But by whom? I cannot think of any who could have possibly built such grand premises, never mind magically conceal it. At least, not in the wake of the Battle of Silvertear Skies. Aye, this is a mysterious place indeed…”

“Magically concealed…” Deryk mused quietly. “In like manner, perhaps, to the ruins of Amdapor in the Twelveswood. The city, I understand, reappeared when the Seventh Umbral Calamity weakened the elementals.” 

Aisling tapped her chin thoughtfully. “Fascinating,” she replied. “Though as far as ancient cities go, I admittedly know more about Nym than Ampador.” 

A soft smile graced Deryk’s lips. “Given its connection to your chosen deity, I cannot say that surprises me. I, too, have a fascination with Nym. We shall have to discuss it in depth at a later point.” 

“I would really like that.” 

“As would I.”

G’raha suddenly cleared his throat loudly, effectively putting an end to the exchange. “Well, it seems there is but one solution for our ignorance: a thorough investigation! For this, we will require more manpower and supplies, among other things,” he paused briefly to turn his attention to Deryk, “With your permission, we will confer with our representative, Krile, and make the necessary arrangements for a formal investigation.”

Deryk placed a hand on his chin thoughtfully for a moment before nodding in agreement. “If that is what must be done to commence your work in earnest, then by all means.”

“Without further ado, then, let us return to Sharlayan,” G’raha told Aisling, who said nothing and only gave a small nod in response.

The pair were preparing to leave the Omphalos when they were stopped by a disembodied voice. 

“Hold, mortals.”

Both G’raha and Aisling spun on their heels in time two of the six structures raise from the ground and four orbs of light emerge from them. The orbs moved in the direction of the trio before gaining altitude and exploding into a blast of intense light. When it had faded, the orbs have been replaced with four members of the Twelve: Byregot, Rhalgr, Azeyma and Nald’thal. At the sight of the latter, Aisling inctintively took a step closer to Deryk. He gazed at her from over his shoulder, frowning the slightest bit. It was nigh certain that she didn’t know who Nald’thal was yet and here she was, still anxious upon being in his presence. Deryk made a mental note to ask her about her feelings toward the Traders later, as he had a suspicion that the situation was more complicated than he realized. 

His attention was torn away from Aisling when the voice spoke again. “You profane this sacred realm with your very presence, and must answer for your irreverence. I am Byregot, the Builder.”

G’raha recoiled in shock at this. “Byregot!? Then...the Twelve are real!?”

Byregot gazed at Aisling for a long moment before responding; Deryk could only assume that he wasn’t expecting to see her here. 

“Let there be no doubt: we are not simulacra born of mortal faith. Nay, we Twelve are divinities true. And in Hydaelyn's absence, we are the star's rightful rulers. Its will.”

Azeyma spoke up next. “Closely have we watched mankind. And we have determined that you, one of the saviors of the star, pose a threat to our ascension.”

“You were foolish to wander into our realm. We could destroy you with ease here and now...but as divinities, we must demonstrate grace and forbearance,” Rhalgr said. 

“There is but one path. We must weigh this mortal's worth,” Nald’thal chimed in, both twins speaking in tandem. 

“Hear, hear! Let there be a trial,” Azeyma suggested.

“Hmmm... While the mortal would invariably be destroyed, it would at least provide us with a diversion,” Byregot agreed. 

“What!?” G’raha exclaimed. “You suddenly appear, and expect us to simply comply with your whims!?”

“Protest if you wish, but mortal logic means naught to gods,” Byregot told him. “You will abide by our laws. Lo! The gateway to our sanctums lies open.”

“Show us the strength of mankind,” Rhalgr said.

“Show us the honor of mankind,” Azeyma said.

“Show us the spirit of mankind,” Nald’thal said.

Byregot turned his gaze to Aisling. “If man would remain the master of his own destiny, then assemble your comrades and come. Come, and prove your worthiness.”

The four then turned into orbs of light and flew back into their sanctums. Once they were gone, Deryk shook his head in feigned disbelief.

“Seven hells... During my previous forays, nothing like this ever happened. I encountered not a single soul─and certainly not gods. And by their own admission, they mean to take over the star. What are we to do?”

“The situation has indeed taken an unexpected turn...but we must try to think clearly,” G’raha told him. “The Twelve have long been revered and worshipped in Eorzea, and myths about Them abound. But to my knowledge, They have never thus appeared so openly before people. For these beings to suddenly reveal themselves just when we're here, claim supremacy over the star, and challenge Aisling to a trial…” his voiced trailed off and he shook his head before continuing. “Too much about this feels odd, and it gives me pause.”

“Fair enough…” Deryk replied, unsure of how to feel about the man’s hesitation. “Yet as it stands, it seems we can't dismiss the threat either.”

“He makes a valid point,” Aisling, who had been silent this whole time, spoke up. “Though I will say, this is certainly turning out to be an affair.”

G’raha nodded. “Well, if 'twas an adventure we sought, I daresay we've found it. In any event, if these beings seek dominion over the star as they say, what happens here may have far-reaching implications. To that end, I believe we should take action. Suffice it to say you are with me?”

“Then the Students of Baldesion will officially tend to the situation?” Deryk asked.

“Aye. In the course of studying the star's mysteries, we have undertaken to deal with any threats that may arise. This is no different.”

“To think that we would encounter the Twelve…” Deryk muttered.

Aisling glanced over her shoulder at him and nodded in agreement. “It beggars belief.” 

“Right, let us deliberate a course of action,” G’raha spoke. “Deryk─know you aught of these beings' sanctums?”

“Ae, they are domains in the phantom realm that lie beyond each gate. I've explored them all,” Deryk answered. “Perhaps due to aetheric instability, there are times when one can enter when ordinarily one cannot. But 'twould seem the way has been opened for us. While I encountered no gods during my previous forays, I saw enough to know my way around.”

He then turned his attention to Aisling, his eyes flicking to hers. “I am but a humble explorer and cannot contend with gods. But if you would be willing to protect me, I will serve as your guide.”

She lifted a skeptical eyebrow at him, but nodded her head. “Of course.”

G’raha looked between the pair, his arms folded against his chest. “‘Assemble your comrades’, Byregot bade us. As strong as I know you are, we know little and less about our foes. Neither their strength nor their true nature. 'Twould be decidedly reckless to face them by ourselves.”

“No, you don’t say,” Aisling replied dryly.

G’raha’s eyebrow twitched slightly in annoyance. “I believe we must choose an approach that affords us the best chance at victory. To that end, this time I shall work behind the scenes. While you set forth to answer the gods' challenge, I will do what I can in my capacity as a Student. For one, it would behoove us to arm ourselves with knowledge about the Twelve, and I shall begin by apprising Krile of the situation. By thus utilizing our resources to the fullest, we shall overcome whatever trials await!”

Deryk nodded before gazing at Aisling. “If you are ready to set forth, then so am I.”

“Yes, let’s go gather up some crazy adventurers and fight against some gods.” 

With that, Aisling and Deryk began making their way out of the Omphalos with the baby opo-opo trailing them when G’raha stopped them.

“Before the two of you leave, Aisling, I must ask if everything is alright.” 

Aisling tilted her head. “I don’t follow.”

“You’ve been acting rather strange since arriving here. Not only have you been oddly indifferent about being in such an environment, it’s not in your character to trust a stranger so readily. Needless to say, I am a bit concerned.”

“Being worried about me trusting a stranger is rich coming from you, given how you lied to all of us on the First,” Aisling told him.

G’raha’s jaw tightened and his ears pressed back, clearly not pleased with her response. He glared at her for a tense moment before shaking his head.

“Just go gather your damned comrades.” 

“With plesaure.”

Aisling then made for the exit of the Omphalos so quickly that Deryk had to hasten his pace to keep up with her. She only slowed down as they passed through the gate back into the mortal realm, coaxing him to look over his shoulder at her. 

“The two of you do not seem to have a smooth relationship,” he remarked. 

“It’s been tense for awhile now,” she replied with a sigh. “So needless to say, I can’t say I’m exactly pleased that Krile paired us together for this mission. But I can see why she did, given that you originaly contacted Sons of Saint Coinach.”

Deryk inwardly grimaced upon hearing this. “My apologies. If I had known…”

But Aisling shook her head. “You have nothing to apologize for. How could you have?” 

“Ah, a fair point. But I does not mean I like having to watch you work with someone you aren’t comfortable with.”

“We’ll make it work. It’s not the first time we’ve worked together and I doubt it’ll be the last.”

“If you insist it’ll work out, then I shall trust your intuition,” Deryk said before tilting his head curiously, “Though if I may be so bold, is there a reason for the strainted relationship?”

Aisling sighed again, her tail drooping slightly. “It’s a long story and something I’d rather not get into before fighting gods.”

“Another fair point. I shall let the subject drop then, but know that you can always talk to me about it if need be.” 

She looked briefly surprised by this, but then gave him a smile. “Thank you. Perhaps I will take you up on that offer later.”

Deryk returned her smile and silence wafted over the pair as they made their way to the Seventh Heaven, which was located in Revenant’s Toll. Once there, he and Aisling began pleading their case to the adventurers gathered in the tavern. The mention of fighting against gods seemed to pique the interest of several, and before long, the pair had managed to find a ragtag group of adventurers willing to do battle against his brethren. Deryk mentioned to Aisling that the overall eagerness to partake in such a risky mission surprised him, but she only laughed.

“Oh, you’ll learn quick that adventurers are a rare breed,” she told him. “The riskier a mission sounds, the quicker they’ll sign up for it. Glory and fame only come from the most dangerous of assignments, afterall.” 

When everyone was accounted for and their preparations have been made, Aisling and Deryk lead their veritable army into the Omphalos. G’raha was nowhere to be found, which given the altercation he had with Aisling, didn’t come as a surprise to Deryk. He figured that the man must have been bitter and elected to depart for Sharlayan before their return. Ignoring the hushed whispers of amazement coming from their new allies, Deryk turned to Aisling.

“It looks like the Heaven of Lightning is the only one accessible. ‘Twould seem we are supposed to head there first.” 

“Very well. Lead the way, explorer.” 

Deryk couldn’t say for certain what had brought him to Gyr Abania on this particular day. Mayhaps he was simply following the wind, as was his wont. Or mayhaps it was simply a feeling . Whatever the case, he found himself wandering into Rhalgr’s Reach, a place held sacred by those who worshiped the aforenamed god of destruction. He had to admit, the locales  that were dedicated to the worship of his brethren were some of his favorites on Etheirys. It pleased him to see the people continuing to show their faith in the Twelve. But the atmosphere in Rhalgr’s Reach today, however, was rather dismal. It was clear that something very serious had occurred shortly before his arrival.

Not wishing to alert anyone to his presence, Deryk pressed himself against a wall and folded his arms across his chest. Being among people had always been difficult for him, so he chose to instead gather information from bits of the hushed conversations that were taking place around him. It didn’t take long for him to gather that the Ala Mhigan resistance had been using the area as a base of operations and that the Garlean crown prince had launched an attack, leaving several resistance members either killed or badly injured. 

One exchange in particular suddenly caught Deryk’s attention. 

“And Aisling’s wound has become infected. I fear we may have to remove the arm, lest it spreads and puts her life in danger.”

Deryk’s ears perked up at this. Aisling had been the name of the child whose life Oschon had saved at the request of Menphina some time ago. The Wanderer found her severely burned from the forest fire that wiped out the entirety of her clan and brought her to the Omphalos, where he and the rest of the Twelve nursed her back to health. Once her injuries had healed, Oschon took it upon himself to teach her bowmanship in lieu of her clan. When it came time for her to be returned to the mortal realm, Nymeia gave her the gift of prophetic visions. And Oschon elected to take the form of a man known as Deryk, so he could better watch over the child on the entire pantheon’s behalf.

Over the subsequent years, Deryk had kept his promise and watched over Aisling as she grew into adulthood. It gladdened him to know that while she had become somewhat disillusioned with Nald’thal as she entered adolescence, her faith in Oschon never wavered. Nor did the sense of adventure he had instilled in her, as she would regularly travel to the Floating City of Nym to leave offerings for him, at first the various gems she’d find while mining and later her arrows once she took up archery again. Once she had joined the Scions of the Seventh Dawn, Deryk had distanced himself somewhat, comforted in the fact that she had found a family. At this moment, however, he was wondering if that had been a mistake.

Mayhaps this is what brought me here , he thought.

His curiosity effectively piqued, Deryk took a glance around to make sure no one’s attention was on him before making his way over to the designated infirmary. He let loose the breath he hadn’t realized he was holding when he realized it was, at the moment, empty of chirurgeons. They were like as not taking a much needed break, he presumed. So he wordlessly crept through the rows of beds, keeping a watchful eye on the inhabitants. He felt his stomach drop when he eventually came to a bed with a dark-haired Miqo’te woman in it. He had no doubts that it was her . 

Deryk took a cautious step to the bedside, a small frown visible on his features. 

“It is you,” he said quietly. 

He reached over to lightly place a hand against her forehead, his frown growing as he felt it burning up against his skin. It would seem that her situation was indeed dire. Wanting to see the injury for himself, he began carefully unwrapping the dressing from her upper left arm. He bit his lip gently once it was completely removed and he was able to witness the full grievousness of the wound, which ran from the base of her neck down to her elbow. It was a small miracle that her arm was still attached, though judging by the amount of pus leaking from the gash, it probably couldn’t remain for much longer. 

Deryk took a step back to consider his options. The obvious one would be to simply let the chirurgeons amputate her arm, since even if she did somehow manage to fight the infection off, the chances of her making a full recovery with such a grave injury were bleak. But the thought of putting Aisling through such a life altering procedure wasn’t sitting well with him, especially after what she had already gone through as a child. Given her love of adventure, he worried that it would have a negative impact on her already precarious mental state; he knew full well that she still struggled from the trauma of losing everything at such a tender age. 

Yet Deryk was not ignorant of the writing on the wall. There was a high likelihood that the infection would kill her if the arm wasn’t removed. Unless…yes, there was indeed a way to save both Aisling’s life and her arm. But it was something only he could do. He was unsure of the repercussions this would have among his brethren, but for what may have been his most cherished mortal, the benefits far outweighed any risk. So having made up his mind, Deryk stepped back to Aisling’s bedside. He reached out to gently place his fingertips against her arm, his lips curling into a small smile.

“You shall not die on the Wanderer’s watch, I promise you,” he whispered. 

He then shut his eyes and swallowed a lengthy breath before transferring some of his own aether into Aisling. Countless millenia of worship had made all of the Twelve into incredibly powerful beings, so only a small portion of it would be enough to give Aisling the strength she needed to begin properly healing. It was the single greatest gift he could give to a mortal, but in his eyes, she had already suffered enough. Once the transfer was complete, Deryk moved his hand back to her forehead and was relieved to find that her fever had already gone considerably down. 

He then rummaged around for some clean bandages so he could redress her wound, not wanting the chirurgeons to return and find it unwrapped. Satisfied, he was about just about to take his leave when another idea occurred to him. Deryk pulled out a mammet of his divine self that Nald’thal had made as a prank during an unusual bout of mischievousness and placed it on Aisling’s bedside table. He also manifested a replica of Oschon’s bow and placed it at her bedside, hoping that it would inspire her to keep up with her bowmanship. 

He stroked his chin thoughtfully for a moment before searching for what he would need to leave her a short note: 

Blessings be upon you for a continuous and fruitful journey. I am ever watching over you.

He signed it with the walking stick symbol associated with Oschon before leaving it underneath the mammet, hoping that Aisling would be the only one to see it. He finally took one last look at her, a soft smile gracing his features. Unable to help himself, he leaned over to gingerly touch his lips to her forehead. 

“May the wind be ever at your back, my child,” he whispered. 

Deryk then turned around and walked away from Aisling’s bedside, ready to again become one with the wind and allow it to guide him wherever it so desired.