Deep beneath the roiling seas of the Tempest, a party of adventurers delved ever deeper into the briny seabed. The water this far down had been magically dispersed by the fae creature known as Bismarck in an effort to help said adventurers in their travels. Their mission: to rescue the Crystal Exarch, the leader of the Crystarium and hero of the First. Only a couple weeks prior the party had learned the truth of this Crystal Exarch, his true identity – one G’raha Tia of the Source who had by unknown means transported himself and the entirety of the Crystal Tower across the rift and centuries into the past to the First in an effort to save it from destruction.
Among the Warriors of Darkness and the Scions accompanying them, one in particular was near-inconsolable. Satora Lhansi was struggling to keep it together. The power of the light she had absorbed from the Lightwardens was threatening to overwhelm her as it was to the other four Warriors, but more than that her emotions were in tatters. How many years ago had it been that she had said goodbye to the crimson-haired Miqo’te as he locked himself away in that accursed tower not even a moon before her life completely fell apart? That precious, irritating coeurl who expressed his admiration for her heroics by playing petty pranks. That sweet, romantic fool who she so thoroughly fell in love with during the course of NOAH’s investigations into the Crystal Tower. There was so much she needed to tell him. She needed to reconnect. She needed to know how he’s been doing all these years. She needed to scream at him for abandoning her. She needed him to know she still lo-
A shriek, a hand reaching out. Satora had slipped on a slick piece of coral and nearly fallen into the canyon abyss they had been crossing. With a considerable grunt, Ty’at began pulling her back onto safe ground as Petra and Sibold rushed in to support. “Satora, you need to pay attention!” A stern voice shouted in her direction. Coconori? “If Ty’at hadn’t been keeping an eye on you, we would have lost you! None of us are in the best shape right now, which is all the more reason to be vigilant!”
Satora retreated into herself, sheepish. “I’m… sorry,” was all she could force out as her allies dragged her to the far side, to stable ground where she could sit and rest. “I was… thinking about him. It’s been so…” she trailed off. The entire party was sullen at this. While they had been there for NOAH’s investigations, they hadn’t realized just how close Satora and G’raha had become during those months, nor had they realized how much his absence weighed on her. Not until his identity was revealed in the wake of Vauthry’s defeat. Not much time had passed for the Warriors of Darkness since then, not with them conscious at least, so everyone was still coming to grips with it.
Coconori sat beside her. “I’m sorry. I should not have yelled. I am aware, we all are aware, of how much this situation weighs on you. Do you need time to rest?” His hand fell on Satora’s leg. She leaned into the touch.
“I appreciate it. Just a minute, then we can move on? I’ll… try not to get lost in thought again.” Coconori nodded before standing up to join the others in guarding the area against monster attack. Sibold approached next and sat next to her. They didn’t exchange words, but Satora found comfort in their presence nonetheless.
Her rest was soon interrupted by shouting from the other side of the coral they had just crossed. “Are you alright, my friends?!” Alphinaud was calling out to them, concern plastered over his face. Petra turned and approached to explain the situation while Satora returned to her rest.
It would be some time before Satora was ready to proceed. By that time, the rest of the Scions had moved well ahead to ensure safe passage for their encumbered Warriors of Darkness. As the group gathered themselves to press forward, Ty’at approached Satora. “You know, not all is lost. G’raha is alive. He may be in danger, but he is alive. That is more than you could say before, yes? Before, we all believed him lost to the tower. But now you can see him again! We just need to save him.”
Tears welled in Satora’s eyes at the words of comfort. Ty’at was right. G’raha yet lived. She would see him again. She just needed to press on.
Into the Tempest they descended.
