* IN THE ARMS OF WAR.

I KNOW ; IT IS THE SENTENCE THAT BREWS ATOP HER TONGUE! she knows, that the way words have spilled from his lips toward the g'raha, the exarch, ... golden heart beats against her chest, the weight of worlds colliding. it aches, yet, it is not her place to stand in-between it, not unless teeth dig in too deep. her own past has woven it to her ; that to aid, to be there for others, does not always mean to stand as a shield, nor the sword ... sometimes, it is enough to simply be there. &. so, she shall remain, as long as her lungs draw breath. they have done so defiantly, across space &. time.

she also knows, just who he is as a person. never could she imagine the man standing beside her to remain silent, when he senses something wrong. never could she imagine him remaining motionless, not taking a step ahead in defiance of fate. that is who he is, she knows.

so, it is voiced, ❝ i know. ❞ angelic melody, edges smooth &. refined. she glances ahead toward the waves, their gentle lullaby. ( you know now what is 'neath dark waters, hero. home recalled, remade. a ghost-town bestowed to your shoulders, now. )

SO, THE CHAMPION OF THE STAR STAYS ; STEADY AS THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THE SUN WILL RISE AGAIN, EVEN WHEN THE FIRST LIGHT FLICKERS WHEN IT CO-EXISTS WITH THE DARKNESS! because m'hati speaks further ... a story of his that she has heard pieces of he has trusted with her enough. not all in order, not all at once, but slowly, the brush paints a fuller picture. &. so, it does now again. ethereal golds turn their attention away from the waves &. the stars glimmering above, focus poured upon his features, even when his attention remained ahead ... in memory.

perhaps it was easier for him if she would look away, as well, ... but she can not bring herself to do such. not with the depth in those seas of gold, the solemness deep.

but what makes her expression shift, the slightest thing ; lush lips parting ajar, just barely, ... brows furrowing in a mark found, when he speaks that he does not wish that to happen to her. knowing her, the added part of how she might be fine with that, she might say it is fine as long as she has helped, but that legends start with someone, &. that deserves preserving as much as the deeds themselves.

the way those words land with their effect is visible for him to witness upon those ethereal features underneath cold &. pure light, before she is left to watch how the sand draws his attention. a statement that carries so much weight, so much history ... she feels it as if was physical. so too, does the warrior of light turn her attention downwards, golden heart heavy. ❝ i am sorry. ❞ the words come out, steady, even in their softness. not hesitant, never that. the knowledge, that part of the aggravation in him that poured toward the exarch, though not only because of fate tugged at her strings, but at least to be a part of the cause ... it remains within. precious thing, even with its heaviness. ❝ you did deserve thanks for all that you did, ❞ a pause, ❝ you do. the source would not be where it is, had it not been for your deeds. ❞

that, she allows to exist there on its own. it deserves to be heard, it deserves to carry the weight of the truth in it. she knows he said he did not want thanks for his deeds, but by his words, deeds of something legendary deserve to be preserved.

❝ i wish that you would not worry for my sake, ❞ she speaks only well after, attention not upon him, but in the stretch of the horizon once more. however, there is a spark of humor upon her expression, although slight, ❝ your observations are never lacking, ❞ &. then, it fades toward the steadiest part. ❝ for i am exactly of the mind you worded me to be. ❞ she was prepared to wilt away to corrupted light, even when the suspicion of what it might do to her had reached her ears, before it was theorized aloud by y'sthola. she had given her all for the realm of first she knew nothing of in the beginning. she has always been ready to lay down her life, if it saves others, if it saves the star. she has been the monstrous instrument of destruction, a burning sun. one day, the brightest star will burn out.

❝ it is a beautiful thought, that those deeds could carry on somewhere, ❞ the sentence scrapes her throat, when it compares to all that has unraveled just in the passing days.

the truth of herself, of this long lifeline. the truth, that she now carries the burden of remembering. the fact that now, she is among those very few who remembers what came before.

" at least y'know what you want, " he concedes, a wry smile breaking through the gloom. sarastus does have a point, however; a great one, in fact. kutseena didn't die at cartenau with glory in his thoughts; he didn't even enlist with the twin adders with the idea of beating back the imperials and taking glory home not when glory "wouldn't have fed my little one". kutseena fought for paaka's future, for her sunrise. but now all she and z'mhati have is a memory, and memories can't feed grieving hearts. " but don't misunderstand me: i've never chased glory 'r fame or none of that rot. not even recognition. i was jus' a farmer before i got mixed up with everyone, but ... "

mhati starts to meander, watching the water swirl and part before his feet as he walks. " it's the way i was spoken about. not enough people used my name, and louisoix ... the things he said. man had a gift to get those starvin' through on sheer hope, and the more we worked together the more i believed it. that i was a light to follow, that i could do something for the world. and then ... "

and then the power of bahamut was too much to bear, and it cost leveilleur his life. it sent mhati away in a haze of light, and hydaelyn saw it fit to erase his name and face from the minds of most. welcome home, minfilia had told him, just him no longer only minfilia but the word of the mother. he would have embraced her in the waking sands had he not hid away from the world. (perhaps that's also what still eats at him. the what ifs. that which he never did.)

― FFXIV : DARK KNIGHT QUESTS.

a collection of starter prompts taken from the dark knight job quests in ffxiv - there may be spoilers for these quests. change pronouns and gender as needed.

after witnessing a spectacle like that, everyday life seems rather dull in comparison…

even after he took several wounds, he showed no sign of pain - though there was no mistaking the blood.

open your eyes. look. do you see now? do you see?

there's a darkness within us all - nothing dangerous, mind.

now, bear in mind that while the darkness gives you strength, that strength comes at cost.

that is but one sacrifice, though - and justice demands many.

we're not here for her; we're here for you.

fear, pain, rage - that which lies in the deepest depths of our soul makes for a potent fuel.

the first step over the threshold is always the hardest.

but drink not too deep, lest the flames consume you…

those of you who yet live, remember this horror!

punctual as ever, i see.

do not, however, presume the risks to be any less than before.

i want you to kill something for me.

come on, let's get this over with. i know you're not having second thoughts.

i pity the man who dies without scars.

i’ve sins aplenty, aye, but regrets? not so much.

don't pretend you haven't done this before.

strength is pain. strength is suffering. strength is sacrifice.

close your eyes and hold out your hand towards me

listen to my voice. listen to your heartbeat.

breathe deep through your nose - let the air fill your lungs, then let it pass from your lips. slower, slower…

yet no good deed goes unpunished, does it?

to mete out justice, one must be strong - a simple truth which you already knew, of course.

it begins, as always, with blood.

offer yourself to them. they will come.

remember this feeling. treasure it.

it's time to play the hero!

i mean, look at yourself. most of that's not even your blood!

leave it. you've nothing to be ashamed of.

they know nothing of true sacrifice, and are weak for their ignorance.

in sacrifice there is strength. in sacrifice there is liberation.

at the very least, you must realize that you cannot continue to carry all these burdens…

those who have never known true sacrifice quake at the sight of it.

you know i'm trying to help you, don't you? all of this is for your benefit.

you listen, but you don't understand -

you're the stubborn type. i know that.

..never much cared for the ocean, myself.

i kill your enemies. i fetch your things. i do what you people can't or won't do yourselves.

you're helpless. weak. all you do is want and need.

you must see now what it's doing to us… what they're doing to us…

i wish i could tell you. i wish i could make you see.

felt good, didn't it? seeing that sniveling wretch tremble.

…you stand at the precipice, but do not fear the fall.

ask, and we shall quit this place forever.

only when you have renounced everything are you free to do anything.

this could be the greatest moment of our life…

say my name. say it. my real name.

what you wanted was a mentor.

deny me all you want - you cannot deny what we have done.

a house divided cannot stand, you know.

this childish rebellion ends now.

have i not been good to you? have i not given you everything i promised?

you can't really kill me, you know.

they have borne witness to the darkness within us…

wipe the slate clean. forgive and forget!

darkness dwells within us all, but few are forced to confront it as you are.

well? are you going to kill him, or shall i?

this is the part where you beg for your life.

…i pray you do not make a habit of following men plotting to kill you into secluded areas.

mercy, some would call it. idiocy, i name it.

if i have to drown in the abyss to see it done, i will!

..don't be foolish. you've naught to apologize for.

i couldn't tell when it was raining - whether it was day or night…

…it's not a sin if someone made you do it.

..i should've had them cut out your tongue.

am i supposed to be grateful when you come back covered in blood? when i put you back together so you can do it again!?

you drag me to halfway across the world so you can discover a new way to kill yourself, and you tell me it's for my sake!?

she's just a burden to you. so why do you care what happens to her?

…mayhap it was all but a convenient excuse to indulge in vengeance.

i bore that monster into this world!

for everything that you are - that you have done - you are still her mother.

i will follow you to the ends of the world, if i must.

for a long time, i prayed for forgiveness. i prayed you would take me in your arms and hold me as you did before…

is not this world filled with sadness and despair?

i… i will never be a hero.

it is not death itself we fear, but the unfinished story.

it is enough to break a heart... and a man.

i'm only trying to put the fear of the gods into the little shite, but by all means, go ahead and undermine my authority!

yet the brighter the light, the deeper the shadow.

for all your victories, for all your accomplishments, you cannot turn your mind from the failures.

that which was taken has been reclaimed, but we are not yet whole.

no one can accuse you of not giving the man a chance.

do be sure to wipe the blood from your boots before meeting [ name ].

a lie, however sweet, is nevertheless a lie.

fight, if it be your will, and if the gods show you favor, then so be it.

i knew you would understand. how could you not?

life here is not easy, but it is fulfilling all the same.

a swift death is more than that bastard deserves.

pain is all that is left to her, don't you see?

they say the war's over now, but it never ends for people like you, does it?

she is still a good person. and so are you.

can there be truth in a lie.. .and perhaps salvation as well...?

a lesser man would be tempted to forget, but we know better.

it's not as though i threatened to kill every last one of them and burn their village to cinders. not recently, at least.

here you can immerse yourself in the beauty and the calm, and forget the horrors. almost.

how far we have come, you and i.

this pain, this sadness… it is mine to bear.

we have always been apart, have we not?

if the little bastards didn't want their heads caved in, they shouldn't've tried to sneak up on me.

these are your memories, remember?

the point is, deep down, you wanted this.

i saved lives and punished the wicked, and for a time, that was enough.

we have wept rivers for our dead and cursed the gods for their cruelty.

memories can be powerful and painful… in more ways than one.

the little bastard's a handful and a half.

even now, after everything we have done, we can still go home…

it was not mine to take, but i took it.

…what good are prayers to the dead. they have not ears to listen.

how are we to withstand this relentless onslaught which threatens to consume us?

is there no truth but this, that all men must die?

they made their choices, and such are the consequences.

when i have finished, naught will remain of me.

look how he burns with fervor, with desperation, with faith.

he is not the first, nor will he be the last to betray you.

the dead are forever beyond our reach, and we have no choice but to accept the inevitability that everyone we know and love will join them in time… or do we?

for all our faults, for all our failures, we have made a difference.

time and death, our true enemies, need hold no power over us.

i can make a place for you in my world. you need only ask.

you knew from the first that there was only one way this could end.

if you would not forsake me, then of course you would not forsake him.

he is a fool, but he is our little fool.

he's going to get us killed one of these days...but what can i say? i love him. i forgive him.

you are still a good person.

say your name. your real name!

…shall i ask you the same? who holds the reins?

we are complicit, you and i.

can you even remember why you came here?

can you even remember how many you killed? how many lives shattered, how many stories ended?

justice is an excuse. nobility is a lie. murder is murder!

though we are most definitely not without fault, it is this cruel, indifferent world which has made murderers of us all.

this world is brutal, uncaring, without logic or justice…

no justice but that which we make for ourselves!

i'll be damned if i give it up so you can force your illusions upon us to assuage your guilt!

i am not your enemy. not then or now. i will not fight you.

it's never too late to turn back. you are still a good person.

you can still be…a good person…

ours is the greatest lie of all.

so many broken by this world, and then by you.

everything we fight so desperately to protect slips through our fingers…

what remains… is us. only us, and the memory of our sin.

i wasn't about to stand idly by while that imbecile tries to do… whatever it was he was trying to do.

i offer you peace! restitution! a chance to make amends!

when it comes, i shall welcome it with open arms…

again and again and again you kill. do you feel nothing!?

you know my heart! it bleeds like any other!

these scars and sins are ours to bear - not to deny!

no, no, no... that is not how this story goes...

i ask, i beg, i pray, but it never comes…

such is the fate of all who are born - to suffer and to die.

do not seek forgiveness, for it will not ease the burden. it weighs as it should.

no one likes having to say good-bye. but it's… it's a part of life.

i forgive you. i forgive you. i forgive you…

thank you. that is… that is all i ever wanted…

so… this is it. one last parting.

in your darkest hour, in the blackest night… think of me… and i will be with you.

for where else could i go? who else could i love but you?

a man can never truly understand what's in another's heart… and probably not their own, for that matter…

i like you. i respect you. and i'll always be here for you, if you need me.

part of me can't help but think this was all a fever dream.

it's nice to dream of a world without pain and suffering. but the world is what it is, and dreams will only carry you so far.

not a day goes by without your name being spoken, you know.

the pleasure of your company alone would be more than enough.

your destiny was never to remain here, was it? though a part of me wishes that you would…

you will always have a place here, [ name ]. for you are family.

the world waits for none - not even you.

you've an insatiable hunger for it, don't you?

even when you bite off more than you can chew, you refuse to let go.

from the moment i laid eyes on you, i suspected you were a particular blend of impulsive and stubborn.

victories like that are always bought with blood.

being grim and dark will only get you so far, don't you remember?

now, if you'll excuse me, i have an angry girl to mollify.

yet you never were one to let a mystery remain unsolved, were you?

they will tell you who they see, but you and you alone know who you are.

if you find comfort in my words, they are yours for the taking, but that is your choice.

but if you're reading this, then you know how the story goes, don't you?

what will your legacy be tomorrow, and the day after, and in the days after that…?

it never had to be this way. this world is exactly as we choose to make it.

i told you before you know how the story goes, didn't i?

it's been a long, strange journey, filled with all kinds of ups and downs.

i want to believe - i need to believe that this was not for nothing.

i don't know when we'll do this again - if we'll ever do this again.

the little trick you've learned doesn't count, you know.

even if this is our end, it won't change what we had.

i love you more than you'll ever know.

over a year ago, i made this meme & since then, it’s blown up. so, over a year later — i thought i would make a new one. so here it is, after several requests & a pile of brains,  THE PRE-ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIP MEME 0.2 send me a  ✿  and i’ll fill out the template below. bold for things i could definitely see or want, italics for things i could see or am unsure of and striked out for things i don’t want or cannot see.

FRIENDSHIP.     childhood friends  /  work buddies or coworkers  /  family friends  /  friends with benefits  /  smoking buddies  /  adventure buddies  /  fake friends  /  recently friends  /  party buddies  /  friendship of need  /  dying friendship  /  circumstantial friendship  /  partners in crime  /  old friendship  /  [ your muse ] is the good influence  /  [ your muse ] is the bad influence  /  [ my muse ] is the good influence  /  [ my muse ] is the bad influence  /  opposites attract  /  ride or die  /  frenemies  /  roommates or flatmates  /  penpals  /  exes to friends  /  enemies to friends  /  other

ROMANCE.     childhood sweethearts  /  [ your muse is mines ] childhood crush  /  [ my muse is yours ] childhood crush  /  exes  /  exes to lovers  /  forbidden lovers  /  highschool sweethearts  /  secret relationship  /  opposites attract  /  long distance  /  unrequited [ from your muses side ]  /  unrequited [ from my muses side ]  /  unrequited [ from both sides ]  /  skinny love  /  friends to lovers  /  enemies to lovers  /  spurious relationship  /  power couple  /  newly entered  /  soulmates [ metaphorical ]  /  soulmates  [ literal ]  /  awkward  /  turning toxic  /  toxic love  /  cheating [ on your muse ]  /  cheating [ with your muse ]  /  other 

FAMILIAL.     siblings [ half ]  /  siblings [ step ]  /  [ my muse ] is an older sibling figure to your younger sibling figure  /  [ my muse ] is a younger sibling figure to your older sibling figure muse  /  [ my muse ] is a parental figure to yours  /  [ my muse ] is a child figure to your muse  /  guardian figure  /  legal guardian  /  adoptive child  /  foster child  /  [ your muse ] is taken under mines wing  /  [ my muse ] is taken under yours wing  /  other