Charakter

My eyes opened to find an endless room of white light and my body felt surprisingly painless for the battle that had just taken place. I rose to my feet and called out into the nothingness,

"Phoenix, where are you?"

I stood there and called out again, this time to anyone that would answer

"Is there anyone here?"

It seemed like forever, until at last there was an answer.

Please do not worry, Child of Light, you are safe. No harm will come to you while you are within my realm."

My body turned towards the voice, squinting in the light to make out whatever shape I could. A woman appeared, her slender crystalline body held afloat by angelic wings. My eyes could hardly believe what they were showing me. My mouth tried to speak, but I couldn't form the words.

"Altana?"

She smiled as she drew nearer to me and I fell to my knees as she stopped in front of me.

"I have been called many things by many people throughout the ages. You know me as Altana but, in Eorzea, they call me Hydaelyn."

I screamed through tears as my fists slammed into the ground,

"Why did you bring me here? Why did you take me away from all of the things that I loved? Ever since I've been here I have been kidnapped, beaten, not to mention my only friend died. What was so important you deemed it necessary to ruin my life? Whatever you want from me just take it and send me home!"

I buried my face in my hands and cried. The tears ran down my arm as every last drop poured out of my eyes. A hand gently rested on my shoulder but I didn't have the will to push it away.

"My child, whatever do you mean? I was not the one who summoned you here, the Ascian you know as Apallasso did. I merely separated your soul from your body as it was being brought over to prevent him from getting to you. He means to summon Zodiark to bring about the resurrection of a world long forgotten by time, where all was perfect and none suffered, until one day a calamity befell it. Many lives were sacrificed, and from them, Zodiark was born, but he only brought more suffering and death. That was when I was created. Born from the hope of those who remained, and the sacrifice of my earthly body and soul to the Light, the goddess Hydaelyn came to be. I was created to defeat Zodiark, but so great was the despair that he fed on, all I could do was destroy his physical form and lock away his spirit. I created the crystals you have been gathering as the keys and charged the Elemental Lords to watch over them so that he would never again be free to destroy."

Her face wore a pained look and she hung her head as she talked. I sat there red-eyed and unable to speak, wondering if everything I was being told was true. My shaking hand grasped at the necklace, holding the ring tight in my fist as I closed my eyes.

"The Crystal of Darkness was taken from Zodiark's shattered heart, and the Crystal of Light..."

Her voice began to trail off and the pain in it deepened.

"The Crystal of Light I hid within my daughter's soul and sent her to some distant star so that she might live in peace, away from her dying world."

"Apallasso said that the Crystal of Light resides in me. That's why I was summoned here wasn't it?"

Hydaelyn knelt before me and gently placed a hand on mine.

"Every girl in my daughter's line has inherited the Crystal of Light within her. Have you not wondered why you have taken to white magic so proficiently? You were born for great things Crescentia."

My eyes opened and I sat there motionless and emotionless, unable to fully process everything that was said. Hydaelyn stood up and walked away slowly, leaving me alone with my thoughts.
Zephyros stood in awe as Phoenix made swift work of the Ixali in Natalan. The bitter cold of Cortheas didn't seem to phase him at all as steel and fire married into a dance of chaos and destruction. The man almost seemed to be enjoying himself, he thought. Zephyros briefly teleported to the Crystal's chamber and watched gleefully as the Ixali priest started to chant around the dark green crystal. The sound of the prayers continued louder and more intense as the battle outside grew closer. The emerald crystal began to glow a brighter green and the winds began to swirl around the chamber, closing it off just as Phoenix burst through the door. Three small tornados broke off of it and began to dance around each other, merging into a large funnel. It stood still in the middle of the chamber, growing in size until the top burst open wide. Garuda shot into the air and landed as it disappeared, her feet barely above ground as she hovered. She looked around the room, first at Phoenix, then to where Zephyros was standing. Her gaze shot to the priest as she started to scream at him.

"You fools! You've summoned me to my doom!"

She looked at Phoenix again,

"Come now human! You desire my crystal so much, you will have to come and take it from me!"

She bared her claws and spread her wings as far as they would go. Phoenix started to slaughter the priests as Garuda began to summon several small tornadoes. Zephyros stood back and watched as Phoenix dodged funnel after funnel, barely completing the casts as the tornadoes tried to merge into him. Claw clashed against steel as Phoenix and Garuda traded blows, each one feeling the pain of a lucky strike until the greed of one more hit backfired on Garuda and she left herself open. Phoenix plunged his rapier into her heart and she let out a loud wail as she fell to the ground. He landed on his back with a thud and began to get up as Garuda continued to scream in pain. He reached over to remove his rapier when a claw gently grabbed his arm and he stopped to stare at the Lady of the Vortex as she began to speak.

"You would doom this woman? If you care at all for her you will leave this place empty-handed. The Daughter of Light is dying, just as you are. It's not too late for either of you, I can see it in your eyes that you care for her, please, just...”

Her voice trailed off as she drew her final breath, her body transforming into a shower of feathers that danced in the receding winds. Phoenix's rapier fell to the ground next to a single emerald crystal where the Lady of the Vortex had lain. He picked it up, reflecting on Garuda's words as he peered into the dull emerald emptiness. Zephyros took the opportunity to grab Phoenix's orb and smashed it against the now lifeless summoning crystal, ripping the Dark Crystal from its core. He grabbed a small knife from one of the priests and began to cut away the strands of hair. Beams of dark purple light brightly shone through as he used his robe to wipe away the dried blood. Zephyros quickly made his way toward Phoenix as he came to his senses and began to flee with the Wind Crystal.

"Foolish creature, I WILL have that crystal!"

Zephyros outstretched his empty hand and Phoenix came to a stop, still clutching the crystal. He tried to summon all of his strength to move but to no avail and watched in horror as Zephyros drew closer. He placed the Dark Crystal on Phoenix's forehead, chanting some unknown prayer as the evil aura began to permeate mind and soul.

"It's a good thing Apallasso was only able to salvage such a small portion of your soul. I do believe I would have had trouble claiming it otherwise!"

He could feel the man's will still trying to push through as his eyes flickered between black and brown and his laugh grew.

"Do you know why he was unable to bring back so little? I usually don't care for you creatures and your silly emotions, but if there was anything that bothered me most it was the fact that for someone so loved by that woman as you, there was little love we could find for her. It makes no difference now, once she illuminates the Wind Crystal all that remains is the Light Crystal that resides in her. Shall I tell you how we plan to retrieve it from her?"

Phoenix fought it with all the strength his soul possessed but it was not enough. Zephyros burst into a maniacal laugh as Phoenix's eyes turned a solid black and his mind faded out of his control.