Tsubi-Uru's Art Thangs

Beneath the Ruby Sea, the Regalia’s submersible was approaching the Dive.  Everyone was prepared to carry out their task, though Lilina was anxious to commence with the fun part of becoming a Summoner, clutching her new soul crystal in hand.

“This is Head Secretary Yuanji,” she whispered over the linkpearl.  “Miss Shiro and I have made off with one of their trinkets, and have commenced the diversion.  We’re already leading them southward, away from the Kojin’s vault.  You may begin insertion.”

“Take us up, little mammet – we’re here!” Sarielle ordered.  As they made their ascent, Rhaegos landed atop the rocks looming over the isle, while Himmeya found a small landing out of view from wandering eyes. She kept her griffin there and climbed the wall, looking up to Rhaegos, who was scanning the area: the Red Kojin were growling and barking orders at each other, weapons at the ready as they took paths around the isle to pursue the intruders.  The way was now clear save for a few sentries, and his first victim was an unwary swordsman. Jumping from his elevated position, Rhaegos would land on top of the Kojin sentry, knocking him out instantly.  He slowly made his way to the center, where Jaanavar’s Vision was beginning to surface.  Two more Red sentries armed with daggers attempted to ambush the Vizier, only to be met with a wind-imbued fist to the face of one, and a swift kick to the other, sending them both flying into a rock face and incapacitating them.

“Nice form, sir!” Himmeya grinned.

“Comes with the territory,” he coolly replied.  The submersible finally reached the surface, and out from the hatch jumped Meriri, Sarielle, Lilina, and Thiji.  The Jaanavar’s Vision then took back to the depths after closing the hatch to maintain stealth.

“Rhaegos, this show’s yours now,” Thiji spoke.

“Right,” the Au Ra said as he cracked his knuckles.  “Miss Himmeya, you take care of anyone who gets past me.  Miss Sarielle’s got the heals and the power of time, so when they start to swarm, slow ‘em down.”

“Understood,” the green-haired Elezen acknowledged.

“Miss Meriri, disarm them with your arrows.  If they have any spellcasters, they’re priority targets,” he ordered.

“Aye!” Meriri stated. “These arrows are blunted, too, so a nice hit between the eyes’ll knock em on their shelled bottoms if need be!”

“Let Lord Thiji and Miss Lilina rest and conserve their strength for now; they’ll need it for the vault,” Rhaegos pointed out as he advanced.  With the plan now in motion and the diversionary tactic in place, it was finally time for the mission to begin in earnest.  Their push through the isle was relatively easy, occasionally taking fire from Red sentries who struck at them with volleys of water.  Though they were trying to prevent the Mythrite Sultan from engaging in combat, he had no time for holdups.  

The gems on his robes and turban were beginning to glow as he walked out of cover.  As the sentries prepared to conjure another water spell, the aether gathering within the gems shot out from his robe in bluish-white beams, freezing their weapons, and eventually their entire bodies.  The sight left everyone – including Rhaegos – utterly amazed and confused as they followed Thiji up the isle…

“How’d ye do that, My Sultan?” inquired Meriri.

“The Gemweave,” he answered.  “This particular robe was woven with materials conducive to aetherial manipulation; they travel through the robe like a conduit and is focused into the gems, allowing me to cast spells without somatic involvement.”

“Ye could’ve just said ‘Black Mage shenanigans’ and I’d still believe ye, milord, but I won’t question it!” Meriri commented.

Meanwhile, on the southern portion of the Kojin’s stronghold, Shiro and Yuanji were fleeing from the bulk of the Reds.  With quick hand gestures, Yuanji jumped over an incoming water blast and slapped the ground with her palm, disturbing the earth beneath her and turning it into a large patch of mud, slowing down the horde.

“Get back here, thieves…!” roared a Red marine, struggling to get through the disturbed earth.  “You will not get away with this!”

“But we are, as you can see!” Yuanji yelled back as she stormed ahead.  With the enemy thus distracted, the main host was able to enjoy a simple push through the Air of the Opulent, taking down a few striped rays that were straggling. Yuanji and Shiro kept retreating until they reached a dead end, where they came upon a stockpile of goods and other miscellaneous trinkets.  “The dead end at the southernmost area, as Lord Thiji planned.  Shall we, old friend?”

Shiro nodded and handed a small glass orb to the Head Secretary before they hid themselves away from view.  Before too long, the Red Kojin would swarm the area, searching high and low for the intruders.

“They’re here somewhere! The Mist Queen could not have gotten far!” spoke a Red Marine.

The preceding area now secure, it was time to begin the next phase.  Thiji and Lilina entered the vault and arrived within the Blessed Treasury. They immediately noticed the large altar on the far side of the area, lined with gold, trinkets, and all sorts of curiosities.  Submerged pedestals served as stepping stones leading to a platform in the center of the large pond; a faded scar could be seen, dividing the platform into two lengthwise halves.

“Welcome to the Pool of Tribute, Miss Lilina,” the Mythrite Sultan greeted.  “’Twas here I and several others encountered the Lord of the Revel, albeit brief.  And it is in this area full of water and lightning-aspected aether that you shall take your first steps into becoming a full-fledged Summoner.”

“I am ready to receive your teachings, my lord!” Lilina anxiously replied with a bow.  “What must I do?”

“Simple: make your way to the center platform.  I will then commence the Austerities of Revelry and call forth a scintilla of Lord Susanoo’s power, more commonly known as an Egi.  You are to face this manifestation and conquer it.  Doing so will absorb and merge its aether with yours, allowing you to call it forth and bind it to your will via the soul crystal.”

“Understood!” Lilina acknowledged.  She slowly began to make her way towards the center, eager to get started.

“I will offer you guidance your battle unfolds.  I would aid you in defeating the Egi, but I do not wish to run the risk of collecting its energies,” he further explained.

“Not to worry, my lord! I’ve no intention of failing you or the Regalia!” she reassured.  Once she was in position, Thiji unveiled his own soul crystal, stretching out an arm as he focused inward, shifting his aetherial balance.  The crashing of water and dancing thunder coursed through his body; his soul crystal would begin to glow in response.  At this time, Lilina would summon her Topaz Carbuncle to aid her in the battle, giving it a gentle pat on the head as it appeared.

After a short moment, something would begin to emerge in front of Lilina.  In a small flash, a bluish aetherial being wreathed in water and lightning energy appeared, brandishing a blade no longer than its form.

“The avatar of the Lord of the Revel has been drawn into the material plane, and the Austerities of Revelry is complete,” Thiji declared.  “The rest is up to you now, Miss Lilina: defeat the Egi and claim its power for your own.”

“Let’s do it, Carby!” cried Lilina as she gave the order to charge.  The Egi engaged her pet, and thus was battle joined.  Lilina’s Carbuncle leapt into the air to strike at the avatar, but the Egi showed its speed by moving to the right, avoiding the attack.  Its blade then began to crackle with electric energy… “Carby!  Incoming!”

The distinct sound of laughter came from Susanoo-Egi as it rose the blade in the air, calling down a column of thunder to strike at the Carbuncle.  It was able to dodge the incoming bolts by curling into a ball and rolling about the arena.  With the Egi’s attention thus diverted, Lilina readied her spell, using her quill to draw aetherial shapes in the air.

The Egi managed to catch Carbuncle with a lightning strike, temporarily immobilizing it.  However, enough time was bought so that Liliana could finish her spellcast, sending a large orb of unaspected aether towards her foe.

“Have some Ruinga!” she cried as her spell hit the Egi center mass.  While the Egi was still reeling from the attack, she sent a wave of restorative aether to Carbuncle, curing it of its paralysis as it fell back to her side.

“So far, so good…” the Mythrite Sultan said in his mind.  Meanwhile, outside the vault, Rhaegos and his crew had the perimeter secure.  While they set up posts around the Air of the Opulent, Meriri noticed what appeared to be smoke rising from the south.

“Oi, what do ye think that is?” she asked.

“That’s gotta be Miss Shiro and Miss Yuanji,” Himmeya replied.  “She’s called the ‘Mist Queen’ for a reason; getting out of her domain is difficult.  With her on our side, we shouldn’t have to worry overmuch.”

“Should we go and assist Lord Thiji and Miss Lilina, then?” Sarielle thought aloud.

“As good of an idea that sounds,” Rhaegos started, “we can’t interfere with the ritual.  All we can do now is stand watch.”

Back inside the treasure vault, the Egi had recovered from Lilina’s attack, and decided to change tactics. Raising its free hand, several dark clouds appeared along the outskirts of the arena, teeming with electricity.

“Whoa!  What’s this?!” Lilina gasped.  The clouds were beginning to charge up for a powerful attack, which gave the cue to get out of the way.  She dove to the left just as pillars of lightning shot across the pool in a cross-shaped pattern, while Carbuncle dodged in the opposite direction. After the attack, the clouds faded, and Susanoo-Egi returned to the fray with sword raised.  As Carbuncle charged their foe to draw its attention, Lilina watched the clouds part.  Small trails of water and lightning-aspected energies danced in the air, which caused her soul crystal to react.

“My Sultan!” she spoke. “The crystal is glowing!”

“It’s responding to the aethertrails left behind by the Lord of the Revel,” he explained. “Attune yourself to them and you will be one step closer to mastering Susanoo’s power.”

Without hesitation, she rushed over to the far side of the arena, stretching out a hand to attune herself to the aethertrail, but was stopped short by a wayward lightning strike.

“Whoa!  Carby, Glittering Topaz!” ordered Lilina.  Her pet nodded, its body glowing for a brief moment before channeling its power to the ruby on its head to erect an aetheric bulwark around Lilina’s form, absorbing the lightning strikes with ease as she successfully attuned herself to the first aethertrail.  “All right – two more to go!” she said to herself as she hurried to the opposite side.  The Egi took notice of what Lilina was attempting to do, and was making its best efforts to stop her, but Carbuncle was putting up an exceptional defensive effort, keeping it away from its master, and with the barrier still present, its lightning attacks proved ineffective as she was able to attune to the second aethertrail with no issues.  The excitement of mastering this power was beginning to get to Lilina, as she happily made her way to the final aethertrail, which laid behind the Egi on the far side of the arena, confident that the barrier would hold.

“Almost…!” Lilina uttered as she began to fuse her own aether with the final trail.  Just as it seemed like she would be victorious, her concentration would be broken as rocks began to rise from around her and her Carbuncle, encasing them in a stone gaol.

“Ama-no-Iwato…” Thiji thought.  Three blue chains sprouted from Susanoo-Egi’s free hand, linking themselves to the earthen prisons that housed Lilina and Carbuncle, as well as the empty third prison.  It rotated them around the center of the arena in a triangle formation.  Lilina and her Carbuncle were helpless, unable to do anything to break out from within, as the stones began to glow, preparing to unleash The Sealed Gate.

Thiji, sensing trouble, quickly opened his Blissful Grimoire and prepared to retaliate.  He would prepare a spell powerful enough to shatter the Ama-no-Iwato in one strike.  The Mythrite Sultan would not enjoy this honor, however, as he heard footsteps approaching from the entrance.

“Don’t waste your energy, My Sultan!  We got this!” shouted a voice.  Two Lalafell women zoomed past Lord Thiji in the blink of an eye – one with black hair, and one with strawberry-blonde hair and platinum-blonde highlights.  The black-haired Lalafell sprung into the air with her Mythrite pugil stick, while the other one hopped over the pedestals to enter the arena.  The strawberry-blonde blasted the center stone with a fire spell, destroying it and freeing Lilina, while the black-haired lass chucked her weapon straight through the gaol to the right, shattering it.  Unfortunately, it was the dummy.

“Sisters!  You came!” Lilina cheered.  Her older sisters, the strawberry-blonde Lelena, and the black-haired Luluma, had come to her side.

“And you didn’t invite us?!” Lelena scolded.  “We would have loved to see our baby sister become a Summoner!”

“Miss Yuanji told us about the whole thing before she set off for the isle, so we took the Vigil to get over here after suiting up,” Luluma explained.  “Mamai is always watching over her Angels – may she know eternal peace in Nald’thal’s realm.”

As they spoke, the remaining stone prison exploded, and the Carbuncle was gone without a trace.

“Aww, there goes your Carbuncle…!” Lelena groaned.

“Hold on!” Lilina exclaimed.  She slapped the pages of her book and stretched out her palm as a bright sigil appeared around it for a brief moment.  Out from below, Lilina’s Topaz Carbuncle returned and struck at Susanoo-Egi from below!  “I was able to recall Carby before the gaol exploded!  Swiftcast is so handy!”

“Miss Lilina, the final aethertrail,” reminded Thiji.  Lilina nodded and hurried over, her sisters covering her back while she attuned to the final aethertrail.  Luluma dodging a few lightning bolts and then struck Susanoo-Egi, knocking it back towards the far end of the arena and briefly stunning it, while Carbuncle ran to the opposite end and curled into a ball, rolling across the pool to gather speed, the resulting acceleration causing aquaplaning to take effect. Lilina had finished preparing a fire spell to cast underneath the charging Carbuncle, causing a tiny explosion of stream to propel it upwards to smack the Egi with enough force to send it plummeting into the waters below.  The aethertrail was thus extracted, and Lilina’s attunement was complete. The sisters cheered and began conversing among themselves as they started to leave the arena.  Thiji gave a nod of approval and would begin to turn around and leave, but something caught his eye.  With a double take, he looked to the far side of the arena and noticed that the aether stored in blade was beginning to stir.  It began to levitate from its resting spot for a few brief moments before shooting into the heavens.  Just as Lilina and her sisters would step out of the arena, a large thud was heard that shook the earth, with enough magnitude for it to be felt from beyond the vault.

“What was that…?” Sarielle questioned.

“Oh, shit…” Rhaegos murmured as he turned to the door to the vault.

“Intruders have breached our treasure vault!” cried a Red marine in the distance, taking notice of the tremors.  “Alert our main force and protect Lord Susanoo!”

Before he could get too far, an arrow would find its mark on the Red Kojin’s forehead, knocking him on his shelled back.

“Welp, there goes the neighborhood…” Meriri sighed.

“They still have yalms of mist to go through!” said Yuanji as she appeared behind them.  “Miss Shiro has stayed behind to maintain the ninjutsu.”

“Good, because until they leave the vault, our work here’s not done,” Rhaegos replied as he took to a combat stance.

Back at the Pool of Tribute, Lilina and her sisters turned around and immediately took notice of the large blade that had pierced the waters.  The surrounding atmosphere changed as well, with overcast clouds and rain suspended in midair.  The waters began to stir as the Egi had transformed into a larger variant of itself, towering over the arena by yalms.

“This one doesn’t seem as large as I remember…” Thiji pondered. “Two of the three sacred treasures are also missing…”

“How the heck are we going to stop that?!” Lelena shrieked.  The enlarged Egi took the blade in its hand and began to raise it over its head.  The Topaz Carbuncle ran over towards the shadow of the blade, turning back to Lilina and pointing upwards with a paw.

“Carby’s got our answer, I think!” Lilina commented.  “Sis, let’s do the Cryotic Feedback!”

“You want me to use Subzero now?!” she immediately questioned.

“Trust me!  We can’t let that sword touch the pool!” Lilina replied as she went over to Carbuncle’s side.  With grimoire in hand, she readied herself for Lelena’s ice attack.  Luluma attempted to stall for time with repeated strikes at the enhanced Egi, but it proved to give little effect as it shook off her strikes with relative ease.  Lelena finished conjuring enough ice energy to blast a large ray of frost at Lilina’s grimoire, which absorbed its energies into a barrier formed around the tome.  Luluma, who had did all she could to buy time, landed back onto the arena and sighed.

“Here it comes, girls,” she warned.  With the spell complete, Lilina rose her grimoire high in the air, meeting Susanoo-Egi’s blade head-on.  The sisters screamed in fright from the resounding clash, with Lilina’s plan actually proving to have some effect at holding back the sword.

“I am genuinely astounded and frightened right now!” Lilina informed everyone.  As she continued to hold back the blade, miniature lightning orbs formed around the arena, slowly making their way towards Lilina in an effort to shake her off.  Her Carbuncle took note of this, and began touching each one, which caused a small fulguration.  The resulting release of electric energy would take its toll on the Carbuncle, however, as it felt its strength waning.  “Come on… Come on…!” Lilina grunted with effort.  Once the barrier was broken from the sheer force of the clash, the energy stored from Lelena’s attack had shot out, causing a blast of ice-aspected energy sufficient enough to force back the blade.  This feedback sent Lilina skidding across the waters, her grimoire landing beside her.  Her sisters hurried to her side to get her on her feet as the Egi was recovering from the attack.

“Darnit!  That wasn’t enough to beat it?!” spoke Lelena.

“Lilina’s Carbuncle can’t hold out any longer, either…” Luluma spoke with concern.  With no other options, Lilina approached the shadow of the blade once more, but something about her was different.  Lelena pointed out the shift in aetheric balance within Lilina’s body, and her soul crystal had begun to respond to this change. Luluma watched in anticipation as the Egi begun to lower the blade back down again.  Just as it would finally hit home, a flash of lightning crashed down upon Lilina’s form, and holding the Egi’s blade back was another aetherial sword identical to it.  Lilina’s form had changed slightly as well, with the distinguishable helmet and plumage on her head.  She laughed victoriously as she held back the blade with ease. 

“Attendeth me, my sisters!” she called.

“Wait, what does she mean by that?” Lelena asked.

“She want us to do another team attack,” answered Luluma.

“Then let’s invent a new one!” Lelena cheered as she prepared the Triplecast spell.  Luluma got into position as her older sister sent three thunder orbs at her, knocking them overhead as they spiraled into the side of the Egi’s sword, significantly weakening it.  Lilina used this opportunity to strike back, knocking the blade out of its hands and disarming the Egi.  Her own aetherial sword then touched the residual lightning energies from Lelena’s spell, wreathing the length of the blade with its power before chucking it at the reeling Egi, landing right in its torso before erupting in a pillar of bluish-violet energy.

The scintilla of Susanoo’s power had begun to lose its form, letting out a roar before finally dispersing back into the aetherial sea, the atmosphere returning to normal signifying its defeat.  Lelena and Luluma heaved a sigh of relief while Lilina fell on her bottom, exhausted from the effort.  She looked over to Carbuncle, who was slowly approaching its master.  With a smile, Lilina petted its head and stated that it will be missed dearly.  With an Egi of her own now obtained, there would be little reason to keep Carbuncle under her employ.  The Carbuncle nodded and gave Liliana a hug before being called back into the aether.

“Congratulations, Lilina,” said Thiji.  “You are now officially a Summoner, and a practitioner of Susanoo’s power – a Master of Revelry.”

“Thank you, My Sultan. I could not have done it without your guidance and the help of my sisters!” Lilina replied as she got back to her feet.

“A question, My Sultan,” Lelena interjected.  “What was that spike in power that Lilina had during the second clash?  Was that the Trance thing?”

“Correct,” Thiji confirmed. “In addition to bending eikons to their will, Summoners are also able to invoke the powers and personalities of said eikon by entering a Trance. When enough of an eikon’s aether is attuned, they are capable of assuming this form change for a brief period of time.  With practice, however, they can uphold this Trance longer and more deftly – and even call forth a simulacrum of the primal itself as a result.”

“Then as the first to obtain Lord Susanoo’s power, I shall dub it… the Reveler Trance!” declared Lilina.

“Now we just need to get out of the isle…” Luluma pondered.  “The Red Kojin are definitely not happy to learn that we’ve stolen into their vault, so they’ll send everything they’ve got at us.”

“No problem, Luluma!” Lelena assured.  “I think we’ll be just fine!”

“Indeed we shall, ladies.  Miss Lilina, pray lead the way,” said the Mythrite Sultan.  With an enthusiastic nod, she hopped and skipped her way out of the arena, exiting the vault.  Meanwhile, the Red Kojin’s main force had finally caught up with Rhaegos’s team.

“We fear not those who trespass upon our sacred vault!  Least of all you, Demon of the Steppe!” taunted the Red Kojin’s commander.  Rhaegos smirked and crossed his arms, taking a step forward.

“Be thankful we’re not here to kill you, or you’d soon learn to fear me,” the Au Ra coolly retorted.  “But if you’re so eager, then step on up.  I can’t promise anything, though.”

The commander gave the order to charge.  Everyone prepared for the Red’s onslaught as they drew closer and closer.  Just as battle was about to be joined, however, the doors to the vault burst open, and hearty laughter was heard from within. The Red Kojin coasted to a stop, murmuring amongst themselves…

“The Kami of the sacred treasures…?”

“Lord Susanoo…?”

“Has He awakened once more?”

Himmeya and the others heaved a sigh of relief as Rhaegos turned his gaze toward the vault.  Out from the doors came Lilina, assuming the Reveler Trance once more, brandishing her aetherial weapon in the air with a wide grin on her face, with Susanoo-Egi in tow.  She was followed by her sisters and Thiji, who had approached the Red Kojin’s forces.

“What… what omen is this?” gasped the Commander.  Everyone on the isle was amazed at what they beheld.  With another spot of laughter, lightning danced around her being, frightening the Kojin and their pet rays.

“Behold, shelled ones!” boomed Lilina.  “These children of man hath come to pay tribute!  They sought not to abscond from ye who hath made us whole, but to offer respect to the banquet, and as thanks, have blessed them with a power none hath dared to hold!  Thus, the test is passed, and the feast hath ended!  Pray let these children of man free in the name of the divine!”

“If what you say is true, blessed one of Lord Susanoo,” began the Red Commander, “then we thank you for this test, and shall obey your words.”

Thiji beckoned the others over and fell in behind him, walking with Lilina out of the isle as the Kojin parted the way for them.

“So, does this mean that Miss Lilina’s gettin’ a promotion, milord?” Meriri thought aloud.  The only response she received was laughter from everyone but Thiji, who was shaking his head.

“Wait, wasn’t Miss Shiro with us?” Sarielle said as she looked around for any sign of the shinobi.

“Don’t concern yourself, Miss Sarielle,” Yuanji replied.  “We’ve already planned out for this; before this operation began, Miss Shiro went into the vault and took the Yasakani-no-Magatama and the Yata-no-Kagami, leaving the Ame-no-Murakumo alone.  She volunteered to stay behind and put them back in their proper resting place after our success!”

“That explains why the Lord of the Revel himself didn’t appear, and the Egi was considerably weaker when the sword awakened!” Lelena deducted.  “Wow, the Regalia’s just full of geniuses!  I may have to become a Summoner myself if we can have more exciting adventures like this!”

“I am certain we can strike a deal with the Immortal Flames when the time comes,” Thiji said.

“Well, I call dibs on Shiva-Egi!” Lelena decreed.  “And no one can say otherwise!”

With another bout of laughter, Thiji, Lelena, and her sisters took off on Mamai’s Vigil docked on the southern cliff face, while the remaining team boarded Jaanavar’s Vision, returning to their respective branches.  An Arcanist no more, Lilina Lina was ready to serve the Regalia with her newfound powers over the reveling chaos that was Lord Susanoo, setting her apart from the numerous other Summoners within Eorzea and beyond.

“I am Lilina Lina, and in revelry do I rejoice!”