#ffxiv garlean

"Oooh no, my friend, I won't let that slide! They're real alright, even stole some of our own magitek! I've seen the machine myself in t' Praetorium, marked with that damned traitor's design!"

"You get Cid nan Garlond's name out of your vile mouth-"

"I never said 'is name!"

"Shut up you two. Though I have no doubt in my mind that bastard eikon slayer is real, I also know he's just another savage-…one of those elezen, and a young and small one no less. I've killed plenty of those pretentious knife-eared-…"

Yeah, that was a better moment than any to cut in. "We get it, Avilius, thank you. Don't let the conscripts overhear all that." Another sigh left me as I found myself staring at the great iron gates we 'guarded'…

In that moment, I'd never regretted being anywhere more than where I currently stood. My body froze up from utter bewilderment, despite every inch of muscle and the back of my mind screaming 'danger' - the gates were turning red, burning, melting, ready to blow-… And in the next moment, it all turned to fire and ash.

My eyes burned as I struggled to catch my breath, knocked onto my back - who knows how far I flew - my chest heaved, yet my throat could only manage to cough through the cinders. Behind the ringing in my ears I could just about hear the clamor of fighting. Holding back burning tears under my helmet, I desperately searched for my weapon, if for nothing else than to simply defend myself. Finally finding a grasp on the handle of my sword I felt my heart skip a beat-… out of the corner of my eye, bodies were starting to fall-…my comrades.

I reached under my helmet to wipe the soot from my eyes, despite my screaming muscles I forced myself to stand - after leaning on it, I could barely lift my sword… But I did it anyways. One foot forward-… And suddenly, the ground split open - a dark circle opened up, swallowing the boots of my comrades, creeping up their legs, digging through their armor and eating away at them, that terrifying power pulsating in waves as arrows sunk into their flesh and blades cut them down…

The man running at the fore didn't have a single scratch on him as he cut through the crowd, any blow to his body bounced off as if our weapons were mere blunt objects - I watched on in horror as Avilius lunged forward with his spear, landing a solid hit on the mad man and plunging the blade into his shoulder-…only from him to pull it free and the wound to close instantly. My brother in arms fought a few brave seconds more, until a streak of unnatural light curved around the axe-wielding savage and planted itself onto Avilius' chest and the man was ended, fallen into the mud…

Little else stood between myself and the measly group of four charging our Castrum…

For-…Garlemald.

As I overheard the canons outside firing beyond my ringing ears, I reaffirmed my grip on my blade. If I can just get behind that mad-man, perhaps-… I took a shallow breath before taking the shield off of my back and began charging forward, no idea if I was shouting or not. Blocking the first swing that came from the axe, I used the momentum to try and swing past him, and now I was too close for the archer to properly aim - or so I thought, I barely felt it at first but he deliberately grazed my leg to avoid hitting his ally. Still, I managed to kick the warrior in the back, knocking him off balance and buying myself some time.

Barely soon enough, I whipped around to catch the curved blade of the other fighter on my shield, pushing back against it until I got close enough to sweep them off their feet as well. Surely-…surely I could do this-… at least make things easier for everyone else-?

Then, as I lifted my head, time seemed to slow - I realized just how cruel my reality truly was. No amount of rumor or hearsay could have prepared me for the leviathan I now stared down - my blood running cold on the spot as the flickering eyes, viridescent and inhuman, scoured the pages beneath them, the book moving unnaturally on it's own as the surrounding embers and fire enkindled the blazing blood orange hair of the burning soul that now stood before me. His hand lifted above the book, pure power surging and smoldering at his fingertips which now pointed towards me…

When his eyes lifted and landed on me directly, it felt as if my death had already been determined. As if he'd seen it before I even dared to stand before him. Whatever this was-… This was not a weapon - not a hunter, nor a slayer. I didn't dare to move, didn't think to run. The only thing at the forefront of my mind was-…

What…are you…?

Fear finally pushed me forwards.

I raised my sword.