//------------------------------// // 15 - Bronze Lake // Story: Twilight Over Thanalan // by tom117z //------------------------------// When Twilight’s hearing finally returned to her, it wasn’t to the chaotic rumblings of the battlefield or the shrieks of sahagin as they either tried to retreat from danger or orchestrate it. Instead, her eyelids fluttered open to the sight of a rather boring wooden roof hanging above her head. She missed Canterlot architecture; at least it was generally pretty to look at. Oh, and also, she hurt. Her barrel ached due to the wound she was pretty certain she’d received from friendly fire, and she also felt like she hadn’t moved in days. “Stiff” did not adequately describe it, and she couldn’t help but wince as her body creaked in protest when she began to sit up in the bed. Yes, a bed. She wasn’t sure when that had happened, but logically speaking, she had been taken for some kind of medical treatment following her injury. That made sense. Maybe back to the fort? It was the only structure nearby, as far as she could remember, save for Wineport. She’d probably been out for only a few hours, maybe a day, so Y’shtola had to be somewhere nearby. But then, even as Twilight went through a mental checklist of all her normal bodily functions to make sure she wasn’t about to leak something red and bad all over the floor, her mind slowly drifted into more sobering territory… What happened to the child? Had… had she helped? And the others? The sahagin? And the soldier she’d been with? Were they all alright? She had been so sure that they could fix things… They’d been talking! It had only just started, but there was a chance! No fighting, no arguing, just calm and constructive conversation toward a better future… How had it all gone so wrong so quickly!? First the tempered ambush, then the panic amongst the soldiers… What had happened after she’d been hurt? “Oh Celestia, Y’shtola is going to be so mad at me…” Twilight lamented aloud, her throat dry and croaking. “I was supposed to be keeping an eye out! What if…” Her moment of self-doubt was interrupted by the sound of a door opening, and she finally scanned her eyes across the room in search of it. It was a small square room with a single bed, some cabinets off to the side and a table with what she assumed to be medical instruments arranged neatly atop it. All of this was a passing curiosity as her eyes found the entranceway and watched as a hyur woman walked in with a pack of fresh bandages in her grasp. She gasped the moment she saw Twilight, the bandages dropping to the floor. A piece of Twilight’s mind couldn’t help but notice how their sterility was probably now ruined, but that was hardly the most pressing issue. “You’re… awake! Um, Miss? Is it Miss? I don’t really, um…” Twilight bit her lip, suddenly feeling incredibly naked without her carbuncle disguise. And she was a typically clothes-less pony, so that was saying something. “Yeah, um… That’s fine…” “Oh! Right, um, beg your pardon!” And with that, the woman dashed out with nary another word. Was she really that daunting to converse with? Twilight sighed, her shoulders sagging as she examined the bandages around her wound. They definitely seemed dirty and in need of replacing. Maybe she should just do it herself. It’s not like she didn’t know how. Celestia was ever the thorough teacher in all things… And Shining Armor always made for an excellent practice dummy. She stretched her hooves out, wincing once more as more creaking emanated from her bones, before starting to pull herself towards the edge of the bed with the intent to roll off the mattress and hopefully right herself on the ground. “Don’t even think about it. Your wound yet remains. I would advise rest for a while longer,” a familiar voice gently chastised her, Twilight gasping as her eyes shot up to see a gently smiling Y’shtola looking at her with a mix of relief and sympathy from the doorway. “Come now, if you reopen your wounds and render my ministrations for nought I won’t hesitate to ground you on a more permanent basis.” “G-ground!?” Twilight whined in protest. “I’m not a foal!” “No, but you are wounded. Now, sit. Medic’s orders,” Y’shtola continued, closing the door behind her and approaching the bed as Twilight reluctantly fell and returned to her seated position. “Now… how do you feel? Are you well?” Twilight grimaced, feeling at her bandaged barrel. She winced with a hiss as her hoof passed over her injury, and it quickly jerked away on reflex. The hole burned like fire, and it took a considerable amount of willpower to keep from yelping in pain. She cracked open an eye to give Y’shtola a look. “Ack! Does that answer your question?” “The pain lingers, then,” Y’shtola noted soberly, her smile fading away. “I had hoped otherwise… Severe though as your wound was, it came far closer to claiming your life than it had any right to, and for far longer. You are truly an enigma.” Twilight blinked, confused. “Wait. What do you mean?” Y’shtola didn’t answer immediately. Her brow furrowed in thought as if she were hunting for the right words to express what was on her mind. It only took her a moment to find them, though. “As you know, I am a Conjurer, and one of the most important aspects of that discipline is the art of healing magic. For Conjurers, this involves drawing upon the aether of the natural world and imbuing it into our patient in order to accelerate the body’s natural recovery. In your condition, all that normally would have been required would be a swift surgery to remove the bullet from your chest, and then a few days of bed rest and routine applications of healing magic until you were recovered.” Twilight’s frown deepened, a sense of unease pooling in her belly. “I’m sensing a very loud ‘but’ in there somewhere,” she said slowly. Y’shtola nodded. “Aye. When the bullet was extracted, I set about applying my magic to you. But instead of the swift recovery I would have expected, I was alarmed to discover that your body was actively rejecting the aether. ‘Twas as if there was a fundamental incompatibility between my spells and your flesh. Not unlike how your magic struggles to enact meaningful effects in this world; it would appear that the opposite is also true.” The colour slowly drained from Twilight’s face at this revelation. “But… w-what about my glamour? The carbuncle illusion?” Y’shtola shook her head. “I am afraid I can only speculate. Were I to make a theory, I would wager that the reason your glamour works at all is that you are the one casting it. Further, it does not seep into your flesh in the same manner as a healing spell. Rather, it affects only the surface of your skin, and the space surrounding it. As such, the foreign energy is not recognized as a threat by your body, and so no effort is made to repel it.” Twilight swallowed heavily. “Then… If your magic wasn’t working on me… how long was I out?” Y’shtola was quiet for a moment. “...Several weeks, I am afraid.” “Several weeks…?” Twilight echoed, looking down at her hooves. Another stab of guilt and disappointment went through her system. If that was true, then how much had she been slowing Y’shtola’s efforts? Intentional or otherwise, she would have been serving as a drain on resources. A dead weight. She shuddered slightly and closed her eyes. “I’m sorry.” But instead of the biting remarks Twilight was expecting from the stern, suspicious Miqo’te, Y’shtola merely tilted her head in confusion. “For what, pray tell?” “For making a mess of things?” Twilight said. “For not realizing something was wrong sooner? For getting myself hurt with that reckless stunt?” Y’shtola stared at Twilight for a moment. Her expression hardened, but not in the way Twilight was used to. “Come now. That is enough of that. You did more than enough.” Twilight blinked, confused. “Huh?” Y’shtola actually smiled at her. “Everything happened quite quickly. I would not blame someone for being slow to react in such a chaotic situation, much less in such a selfless manner. When you saw an innocent child’s life in danger, your first instinct was to leap to their defence. It did not matter that you defended the child from one of your own allies. You risked your life to do what was right.” Twilight began to relax as Y’shtola spoke, feeling a weight rising from her shoulders. Was this praise? From Y’shtola? “Huh. New feeling.” Y’shtola went on. “Nor was I the only one to notice your courage. After the battle ended, Voth sent an emissary to speak with the commander back at the fortress. Though there is yet lingering tension, Voth and his fellows recognized the manipulation of the situation, and out of gratitude to you for saving the child, negotiations have been re-opened.” Twilight’s heart swelled. She could barely dare to believe it. After things had gone so wrong so quickly, they were actually getting better? She took a deep breath. “Then… I helped? I made things better?” Y’shtola nodded before reaching out to pat Twilight on the shoulder. “That you did. More than I could have hoped. I must apologize for doubting you for as long as I have. It was wrong of me to treat you so harshly. Having seen your conviction firsthand, I am proud to call you my friend and ally.” Twilight blinked, taking a second to let the staggeringly blunt vote of confidence seep in. Then she laughed. She might have jumped forward to hug Y’shtola, were it not for the lingering burn in her chest, and the fact that Y’shtola still had a hand on her to keep her in place. All the same, she laughed. A happy, relieved sound. When at last she could speak again she met Y’shtola’s gaze. “Me too. I promise I won’t let you down.” “You have yet to do so,” Y’shtola reminded with a nod. “And I do not expect this to change.” Acting on impulse, Twilight managed to rise to her hooves before reaching out to pull Y’shtola into an impromptu hug. Her chest burned slightly in response to the friction against Y’shtola’s shirt, but she didn’t really care. She was just glad things had turned out as they had. The violence had passed, and with any luck, some meaningful progress could be made in building a lasting peace with Voth’s clan. The moment of silence carried on for a few too many. “Unhand me,” Y’shtola said in a deadpan. Twilight quickly withdrew with a yelp. “Sorry, sorry!” “I appreciate the gesture, but I do prefer an element of personal space,” Y’shtola stated, before gaining a wry smirk. “Besides, should you make the mistake of dripping your blood onto my white garments, then the grounding is still very much an option. Twilight groaned. “What is with the mother routine? Where did grumpy Y’shtola go!?” “Are you not the one who claimed I would make for a good, stern, grumpy mother? Besides, I am merely cautious. If you want grumpiness, I would be happy to introduce you to my teacher. Alas, this is neither the time nor the place.” “Why? What’s going on?” “While most of the Maelstrom soldiers accompanying us escaped, a scant few were dragged beneath the waves by our attackers. This served to add to the pile of unease amongst those that would protect their nation, especially as the second beast tribe of these lands begins to stir.” “The second?” Twilight inquired. “Right… Kobolds, was it?” Y’shtola nodded. “Indeed. They have been acting in a manner suggesting the summoning of their own patron deity is imminent. With matters resolved in Gridania for the time being, our axe-wielding friend has left the forest and joined us here. It is likely we will soon confront Titan directly, as you two did Ifrit.” “What? He’s here? Wait, what happened in Gridania, are Yda and Papalymo okay?” “They are fine, worry not. There was a risk of Ramuh being summoned, but thanks to our friend’s efforts, such an outcome was thankfully averted. Beyond that, among the primals, he is a strangely benevolent one, and while still dangerous, not above reason. So he—and by extension, the sylphs—yet stay their hands. The Twelveswood remains safe for the time being.” Twilight hummed, taking it in. From what she’d heard and experienced about primals, she hadn’t thought such beings could be seen as ‘reasonable’. Though, that there was at least one gave her a sense of hope… “So, Yda and Papalymo stayed behind?” “They have their own tasks to tend to, our friend meanwhile is of far greater use readying his weapon against a foe only the echo can combat,” the miqo’te noted before her expression darkened somewhat. “There is something else. After your injury, amidst the fray, I spied an ascian overseeing from up above.” Twilight’s coat bristled at the mention of that name, immediately sitting up a little straighter as her widening eyes examined the grim woman before her. “Ascian? Like the one I met before?” “His mask was blackened, an underling for certain,” she confirmed. “And as like, the very being in possession of your Element of Magic. I cannot be certain, but their direct presence would indicate a personal connection with the event. Interrupting peace negotiations is certainly among typical ascian plotting, but to allow himself to be seen… Nay, I believe it was we who invited his presence.” “...Or me. Specifically speaking…” Y’shtola gave a slow nod. “It is plausible. The ascian who holds designs on your artefact is likely none too pleased with your alliance with the Scions. We must take great care. They will most certainly try again to remove you from the board.” “We… we aren’t even any closer to finding him. Is he really that threatened by me?” “We Scions exist to thwart them at every turn. And your connection to his prize undoubtedly makes your continued presence a threat. But whatever he intends for the crystal, it cannot be allowed to come to fruition. I hold no doubt it would spell ruin for Eorzea.” “The Element is meant to spread friendship, harmony…” “As with many things they deign to touch, its purpose may yet be corrupted. All the more reason to halt their primals and ascertain the plot. And doubt not that we are sparing no effort. Thancred continues his due diligence and is scouring the realm for information regarding our foe, as do the rest of us in our own assignments.” Twilight took in a deep breath, holding it for a moment before slowly letting it loose through her lips. “Okay… I trust you all. Heh, maybe he’ll bring it to us if he wants to see me dead so much…” “Should his persistence create mistakes, you can be certain we will be quick to take advantage,” Y’shtola promised her. “And they are getting bolder. Another was encountered in Gridania, attempting to incite the sylphs. Lahabrea, an overlord.” “Celestia, one of the big ones? Is-” “He is fine, they did not personally come to blows,” Y’shtola assured her, anticipating her question regarding their adventuring companion. “We may speak with him later, but as of now he is sleeping off a night of revelry and an all-too-numerous plateful of food.” Twilight slowly tilted her head. “...Wanna hit me with that one again?” Y’shtola chuckled. “A long and terribly tedious story, I am afraid. Suffice to say, local ‘custom’ delayed us, in order to secure the proper aid against Titan.” “Okay, I do want details…” Twilight said, before beginning to rise from the bed once more, much to Y’shtola’s immediate alarm. “But enough about the ascians for a moment, I want to hear more about Titan and the kobolds. And wherever the heck we currently are…” “Twilight, stop, you are not-” “Ground me later. Dear Celestia, I need some air…” Twilight stubbornly refused, carefully sliding off of the bed and trotting towards the door. “Since everyone here has already seen me now on account of the bullet, I take it nobody will object much if I trot around a while?” The woman gave her a deadpan glare. “I would not advise any of this. Truly.” “I got shot, I get to be difficult!” she decided with a smirk. “And you get to tell me everything!” Y’shtola maintained her look for several moments more before it shifted into a mildly amused expression. “Such stubbornness, perhaps you have been exposed to we Scions for too long. Very well, but do not wander far or beyond my sight. I won’t hesitate to use magic to render you asleep and carry you back myself.” “Hm, I thought your magics weren’t as effective on me?” “If the amalj’aa can make it work, then I assure you, so can I.” “Oh, fine,” Twilight conceded with a playful roll of her eyes. “You coming?” Y’shtola came up to Twilight’s side with a nod and guided her from the room. They descended down a flight of stairs before emerging into a large, well-lit room. A series of windows along the front wall let in shafts of vaguely green-tinted sunlight. Twilight felt a pull toward it, and didn’t even pay attention to the people around the room who gave her startled or surprised looks. She could only imagine it was a stern glance from Y’shtola that kept them from saying anything. Stepping out of the building, Twilight’s eyes widened. The hospice she had just left was situated at the top of a tall rise of La Noscean stone, affording her a wide view of a town snugly nestled into a rocky cliff-side. Dense forestation marked the tops of the cliffs, while the ground was marked with dozens of natural pools of greenish water, softly bubbling away and steaming. She could see people lounging in the pools, stripped down to their smallclothes. The air stank of rotten eggs and salt water, and Twilight knew the pools to be hot springs. Beyond the edges of the settlement, Twilight could see a large lake spanning out far into the distance. Small wooden boats could be seen on the water, some host to fishermen, others travelling to or from a wooden dock on the shore. An impressive ruined structure rose out of the centre of the lake, made of moss-smeared white stone bricks. It was narrow at its base where it met the water and widened out as it rose high into the air. Twilight eyed the ruin with wide eyes. “Woah… what is that?” she asked quietly. “An old ruin left behind by the people of Nym,” Y’shtola answered, crossing her arms. “One of the old nations of magi from before the sixth umbral calamity. The Calamity of Water.” Twilight’s brow furrowed. “Of water, huh? I take it that means there was a lot of flooding?” Y’shtola nodded before ushering Twilight towards the nearest of the hot springs. “Yes. But that is a lesson for another time. For now, if you must be out and about, at least be in the water.” Twilight tilted her head. “How come?” “Did you not wonder why this town was built directly on top of these hot springs, where the air stinks so powerfully?” “Er… not really?” Y’shtola chuckled. “The waters here emerged after Dalamud’s fall, and it was discovered that they possess potent rejuvenating properties. The old Camp Bronze Lake was relocated here following that discovery, and the settlement is often hosting Maelstrom and Yellowjacket soldiers who were injured in the line of duty. Bathe in the spring, and it may help your body recover.” Twilight’s eyes widened, and her mind immediately lit up with scholarly interest. “Wow, really? How does that work? Is it magic, or something more scientific?” “Twilight.” Twilight’s stream of questions ended before they could truly begin. With a disappointed sigh, she slipped into the waters of the stream. It wasn’t deep, only coming up to the bottom of her belly, but already the heat of the water and the steam did wonders to chase the tension and pain out of her system. Once she was settled and comfortable, she nodded back up at Y’shtola. “Alright. Kobolds and Titan. What do we know?” Y’shtola sat down by the edge of the spring, her smile fading away. “...The Kobolds are natives of this island, here long before the pirates of Limsa. They are remarkably skilled smiths and alchemists, due in large part to their homes being settled deep into the U'Ghoromo Mountains on the northern end. In the days of Lominsa’s founding, it was in fact the Kobolds who shared the secrets of smelting with the freshly-arrived pirates.” Twilight’s eyes widened. “Really? There was an alliance between them?” she asked. “Aye. For a time. When Limsa was first founded, there was conflict, but an accord was eventually reached. It was… tenuous, at the best of times. The terms were vague and the borders between their territories ill-defined. I can only assume this was by design, to give the largely more powerful forces of Limsa Lominsa a political advantage. There were numerous conflicts, violations of the treaty in spirit, fights, and thefts as time went on. With the coming of Dalamud, things reached a boiling point. With the geography of Vylbrand forever altered, Limsa Lominsa’s leadership believed they had no other recourse but to ignore their already-murky borders and expand into Kobold territory just to try and recover from the damage left in the Calamity’s wake.” Twilight’s ears drooped. “And… the Kobolds fought back?” “There was nought else for them to do,” Y’shtola nodded. “And so, as it is with the Sahagin, the two sides have entered into conflict, a constant cycle of retribution against retribution. A never-ending loop, perpetuated by a tithe of blood and hate.” Twilight looked down at her face reflected in the water. Part of her wanted to ask why these people couldn’t just get along and cooperate, but this time she held her tongue. She was starting to understand why. This world was not so kind as her own, and it did not smile upon weakness. It was wrong for these people to fight one another, of that there could never be any question. But no longer was she so certain that it wasn’t necessary… She shook her head to dispel such notions. Maybe the violence had to happen, but that was why the Scions were here, right? Fighting to end the fighting… “...As for Titan,” Y’shtola continued, her voice tentative. “According to the faith of the Kobolds, he is a gentle, loving father figure to the Kobolds. But while he is gentle, tender, and loving of his people, he is fiercely protective of them. According to legend, all who invoke the fury of Titan shall meet a terrible end. The Lord of Crags, he is called.” Twilight hummed. “Gentle, caring, and infinitely protective of his subjects, huh? Heh. He almost sounds like Princess Celestia.” “I would not know. Alas, the primal that the Kobolds have summoned is not alike to the gentle father of their faith. This entity is born of a desire to push back the people of Limsa Lominsa, and as such, his fury and his wrath have taken centre stage. The ground trembles and the earthquakes with his fury, and if left to his own devices, he shall march upon the people of this isle and entomb them in the earth.” Twilight closed her eyes. “I see… Then I guess there is nothing to it but for us to stop him.” “Us?” Y’shtola echoed. “Pardon me, Twilight, but you are still wounded. In spite of your rebelliousness, you are in no condition to fight, nor will you be by the time our friend ventures forth to confront the primal.” Offence crossed over Twilight’s features. “Okay, first, I’m not a rebel! I happened to be a very well-behaved student! Mostly. Ahem, secondly, I think I showed with Ifrit that I can be of help to him!” “Perhaps, but not as you are. You cannot expect us to combat a primal while also nursing your wound, such would be a futile effort. And as it is, Titan’s present strength is magnitudes beyond the, by all accounts, shallow summoning of Ifrit you faced before.” “Then that’s all the more reason I should go! You won’t be able to face him without becoming a drooling slave, and we’re the only two who can resist him! Do you think he’ll just be fine by himself?” Y’shtola frowned. “Despite the recent banquet, he has taken great strides in actual training for that very event. I believe he is ready, and we do have auxiliary forces if it becomes necessary. Hopefully, it doesn’t come to that, because all too many would fall to his influence.” “Y’shtola, I’ll be fine. We still have a little time, right? We can work on this, and I can work on my magic a bit more. I’m not going to sit back while you all go fight a god.” “And I won’t sit back and watch a friend fruitlessly smash her broken body against the raging earth,” Y’shtola stressed, an uncharacteristic hint of desperation entering her tone. “I already watched you fall, and I refuse to do so again.” Twilight’s resolve faltered a little at that, but some small measure of defiance yet remained. “I… I can’t watch you go knowing you might not come back when it was I who could have done something.” “My body is yet whole. Your wound is the deciding factor,” she concluded in turn. “I apologize, but this is the final word on the matter. In a few days, we will assault Titan’s lair within the kobold settlement, and you will remain here and further practice integrating your magic with ours.” “...Fine. But… I can’t agree. I just can’t.” “I understand. But it changes nothing,” Y’shtola finished, before managing a softer smile. “Things will be fine, have some faith in us, as you might your Equestrian friends.” Twilight sighed. “Okay… But you really think I’ll be fine by myself with the Ascians poking around?” “Even they would be foolish to make an attempt against you here, surrounded as you are by alliance forces. Practice your magic, stay put, and we shall return anon.” “...Promise me.” “I promise,” she replied without missing a beat. “We Scions shall triumph, and when Titan lay defeated at our local champion’s feet, we’ll all make our return to the Sands to plan our next move. Hopefully, Thancred should have some further lead on your Element’s fate.” Twilight was quiet for a moment. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Y’shtola was right. She was overthinking things again, as usual. She had seen what their friend could do firsthoof. He could handle himself. And so she gave Y’shtola a smile. “Alright. I’ll hold you to that.” Y’shtola smiled back. “You shall not be disappointed.”