#A Thousand Thousand of Your Lives (emet-selch)

[silver-strings-of-fate]

@lights-flickering-flame asked// 'Since my master is gone. Does this mean I'm your familiar now?' He still has not quite figured out he's his own person yet. -Wren, for Emet-Selch

Emet-Selch looked down at the little rabbit man. Leave it to Azem to make such an annoying thing.

Though, a small part of him was glad to see Wren once more. A living memory of better days. Though, Hythlodaeus was always more fond of Azem's little whimsies.

"Of course not. The last thing I need at the moment is to babysit their pet."

[voidsentprinces]

Shadowbringer Context: Emet-Selch: I have lived a THOUSAND! THOUSAND OF YOUR LIVES! I will revive Zodiark and bring back what was lost to me! WoL: That's insane! Endwalker Context: Hythlodaeus: Greetings. WoL: Understandable, I'd also burn the world a hundred times over for him. Hythlodaeus: Pardon? WoL: Nothing.

[hythlodaeus-mynewoldfriend]

Spotify ask number 63

Where does your body go when I leave you alone? Would your heart know if I met you in a brand new set of bones? 'Cause you may see me in different bodies Hiding below with the same soul I could have walked by you a thousand times Different places, different lives

-"Same Soul" by PVRIS

Thank you for sending this in! I had this song last year funny enough for the gpose prompts so similar take but with a slightly different interpretation this year! Have my Azems and their various shards! Complete pictures and info below the cut (spoilers for ShB, EW, Panda raids, Post-EW patches, and FFXVI)

Deimos and Phobos

The originals, the start of it all! During the Final Days in looking for a solution that would prevent more death and sacrifice Deimos became overwhelmed and devised a bit of a crazy plan he wasn't even sure would work. Deimos growing up had heterochromia, knowing it was one of his eyes having just slightly different DNA he took a page out of his old mentor Lahabrea's book and tried to see if he too could split himself in two. The difference in being able to keep a full soul and full power laid in Deimos making the basis on that small piece of different DNA, and so was Phobos brought into fruition!

note: characters on the left/listed first are shards of Deimos and those on the right/listed second are shards of Phobos

Demos Reyes and Siberite Akagane (The Source)

The WoLs and the ones to avert the Final Days, the promised kept to one Emet-Selch made thousands of year earlier. The two couldn't get a long at first but over time and through many trials they found common ground and supported one another and developed a kinship that goes beyond friendship. With the Final Days averted the two are living out a version of what their past selves would have done, with Demos settling down and leading a more quiet life, with the occasional adventure, and with Siberite exploring the world with all it has to offer and helping those met along the way with no sign of stopping.

Unnamed Archeologist and Ardbert (The First)

"There was a man. A researcher who pored over these pieces. He offered us work when we needed it. Slaying beasts, delivering provisions... A funny old bugger, he was, but he had a good heart. He believed this first painting dated back to a time of myth and legends. A tribute to the heroes of a long-forgotten era. The story went that it was rediscovered by an explorer from Ronka, who was so struck by its majesty that a second painting was commissioned, commemorating the heroes of their day. "One day, you will all be here too," he said. "Heroes immortalized forever. Maybe I'll paint you myself!" I had a good laugh at that. We were only trying to make our way, after all. Being heroes couldn't have been further from our minds. But it seems...he actually went and did it. Before or after the Flood, I wonder...Do you suppose your deeds will warrant an addition to this collection? Or some other kind of monument?" -Ardbert, Shadowbringers

What can I say he explains all you need to know.

Golbez and Durante (The Thirteenth)

Two friends trying to save their world from impending darkness, were unsuccessful in their endeavor resulting in one having to kill the other. With his best friend dead and the world still falling apart Durante took up Golbez's armor and name in the hopes of being able to eventually free his home from the cycle of darkness that befell the land. His methods would prove destructive and nearly be the end of him, had he not been reminded of the friendship that he once had. This pair shows just what can happen when one loses the other after having met and forged a bond, their souls don't like be parted in that way and will lash out in line with who they are in that life.

Clive Rosfield and Midadol "Mid" Telamon (Valisthea)

Both souls on their first lives in their world Clive and Mid met for the first time not long after her father's death and since then she's been whirlwind of a friend to Clive. A prodigy engineer Mid created The Enterprise to initially be a last resort for escaping the Blight, but seeing all that Clive had done so far to stop that from happening put him in charge of the vessel and did everything in her power to help him save their world. While neither know that they share the same soul Clive can't help but be reminded of Siberite, the au ra he met while on a different world, when Mid is teasing him or speaking from the heart, while Mid always felt an instant connection to and faith in the man that made it feel like they had been friends since children and not just the five years. There is only two people that know of them having the same soul in this world and that is Barnabas and Ultima, the two using it to their advantage to get Clive to Kanver.

[cidnangarlond]

who are those guys in your dni (the curiouser)

emet-selch is this guy (in an edit I made):

short version he's thousands of years old and wayyyyy back in the days of PARADISE shit hit the fan and the world started uhhh ending. so half the population gave themselves t. this isn't gonna be short but anyway half the population gave themselves to make this god to save it etc etc things get even worse AGAIN somehow and to save the remainder of the world venat aka hydaelyn (capital g God in ffxiv) splits the world into 14 shards. now emet-selch manages to survive this "sundering" intact along with two of his colleagues and/or friends and they go well we know what we have to do now. which is merge the 14 pieces back. now each of the 14 "shards" has life on it. whole populations and lands and one expansion happens entirely on one of these shards and you visit another in the expansion after. there's more details with that which are very fun but basically there's life on these worlds. and emet-selch (and lahabrea and elidibus) really do Not care they are going to be exterminating like. millions of lives. and they do that! they destroy SEVEN DIFFERENT SHARDS! and fuck up most of the thirteenth so it's irreparably damaged but still around

emet-selch also went "HRMMM how can I sow maximum discourse in eorzea to bring about these horrible moments called "calamities" in which one shard is merged back with the source... oh I know!" so he founds this military empire garlemald the garlean empire (he possesses the body of a man named solus and builds the country up and declares himself emperor) to go forth and conquer and occupy lands and enslave and conscript those who live there and cause war and many other issues. to ensure the maximum amount of human strife possible. he does all this because he *checks notes* misses his friends from thousands of years ago and also *flips page* tells you directly multiple times he does not feel bad for killing what is likely millions of people and that he felt entirely justified in what he did.

unfortunately people are in love with him regardless. I think he's a great villain he's a sarcastic smarmy asshole who does a lot of posturing and he's deeply fascinating but my GOD people ship their characters with him to the high heavens for some reason. like okay "I miss my friends wah" is an insane justification for doing All Of This and he May have been tempered/under the thrall of a god for thousands of years but brooo it's been millennia just give it UPPPP it's mainly his fans that are super fucking annoying to me they try and justify everything or just loudly and unabashedly defend him. like no I want that fascist dictator DEAD I want that soggy ancient man DEAD. or at least they're so loud about their ship that that's all that matters and just will not shut up about it. OH and emet-selch is a title not his real name his REAL NAME believe it or not is HADES so you can imagine! when people write about their character in The Before Times who their soul Originally Was what name they give their character!!! it's not original in the least!!!!!

he's very snape-esque. there's a large overlap in my mind of him and his fans and snape and snape wives.

okay NOW onto zenos. pictured here alongside an old discord message:

(not pictured was them saying "he looks like he'd call me a slur" which is accurate! he probably would!)

he is emet-selch's great-grandson. he is an asshole and more or less like psychosexually obsessed with you because you're the only one who has ever posed an ounce of a challenge to him and that's why he becomes so obsessed with you and fighting you.

he's viceroy or something of one nation, ala mhigo, that garlemald has occupied for many years now and also of another, doma, in the far east, though he has this lady yotsuyu (she's an antagonist and also hot and has a shitty backstory and she DOES kill her abusive family members so. that's cool) as the acting viceroy of doma. either way he sees anyone not garlean as beneath him and refers to not only you but literally everyone else as "savages" ESPECIALLY the people who live in ala mhigo but yeah.

he just like. kills indiscriminately. he has this giant metal fucking thing with three different swords in it that he took from people he killed and lets this thing chose which sword he's gonna use at random. he treats killing as a sport he's gone pro in "wanton slaughter" he can and will and Does cut people down for no reason other than he wanted to. negative conscience. doesn't care he's crown prince of garlemald. also, emet-selch as solus "dies" thus causing a brief succession crisis before varis (zenos's dad) becomes emperor and then zenos kills him causing a full-blown war of succession in garlemald which tears the nation apart and so many different members of the royal family are fighting for the throne and ultimately all of them fucking die from killing each other and zenos naturally does not care or feel bad he's just like UGH WHERE'S THAT CHAMPION OF EORZEA (aka You)... WHERE ARE THEY... and his gay jester fandaniel is there also now he's fun.

anyway doesn't care he's in line to throne he just craves bloodsport and power and getting stronger and after you kick his ass he kills himself because he's. happy about it. that he was bested. but then his body gets possessed by one of emet-selch's old besties elidibus to cause More problems and then zenos's soul hops into another body and makes his way back before elidibus is like god you're so fucking stubborn FINE take your fuckass body back I already fought the champion of eorzea in your body I've got other shit to do more pots to stir.. goobye

fortunately when you and him fight at the end of the universe you kill him (HE BETTER BE DEAD OR I'M GONNA BE PISSED!!!) and leave him there so hopefully HOPEFULLYYYYYYY he doesn't come back. his backstory is varis fucking sucks and was a shitty father and now zenos is Like That as a result there's a short story somewhere about his childhood and this guy he had train him and then ultimately killed him and decided he was going to keep fighting and killing people to get stronger and now here we are. his fans are also so fucking annoying I hate this blonde bitch I do not think he's hot I don't care if he's got some weird predator/prey mentality when it comes to you/your character and him he's a fascist prick and I'm glad he's dead AND I HOPE HE NEVER COMES BACK. THIS BLONDE BITCH IS DEAD AND IT IS GOOD HE IS DEAD. WE DO NOT NEED TO RETURN TO HIM EVER

making fandaniel aka funnydaniel aka damndaniel his silly gay jester was fun BECAUSE. fandaniel was one of emet-selch's besties from way back when but Did get sundered so they found his soul and went Remember Who You Are and shoved him in the body of a gay little freak named. oh my god why can't I remember his name that's so funny. I had to look it up. fandaniel gets put in asahi's body. asahi was OBSESSED with zenos oh my god he saw this man cut down doman ninjas and samurai who were trying to protect their homes and their land and asahi went I Want Him. unfortunately for him zenos never gave him the time of day and died unrecognized by his favorite homicidal maniac. asahi was also the adoptive brother of yotsuyu and she killed him so good it was so cathartic *chefs kiss*. who cheered who clapped because I did. anyway so when damndaniel turns up in asahi's body - by the way when these guys do all that it's like putting a costume on to them they don't retain memories or anything of whoever they're in - he's all DO I LOOK FAMILIAR TO YOU MY LORD... and zenos is sitting there like "*checking his nails* ...no." look up the fandaniel cutscenes those are funny he's a fun villain.

but no yeah zenos he fuckin sucks I think his fans are super annoying too and also he's blonde. OH he changes into this class/job called Reaper and as such an entity from the void is attached to him he gives it souls in exchange for his powers and abilities. and you get to meet who this void being is because after he dies they change back into a human person (kinda) and HER NAME the name shes given anyway is ZERO and shes cool as fuck

what if you were from a doomed shard and ended up becoming a voidsent attached to a homicidal bastard fascist maniac and when he dies you become a person again and now you have to relearn how to be a person because it's been A LONG TIME and you learn the joy of spicy foods. and also you're a lesbian

[picaroroboto]

Wizard #1: Emet-Selch, immortal sorcerer of eld, secretly your ex from a few thousand past lives ago. He aims to either convince you to join his cause, or failing that, ensure you transform into a monster capable of destroying the world. He introduces himself as an Ascian from the get-go, and plays the part of a villain perfectly, down to the theatrical mannerisms, yet follows you around being oddly helpful if a bit obnoxious, even explaining major lore to you if you ask, which ironically makes him in some ways more honest than our Wizard #2 -

Wizard #2: The Crystal Exarch, crystalline master of a crystalline tower, secretly a minor character from an old sidequest who has time-traveled from the bad timeline just to save your life. All-around great guy who is beloved by his people for almost single-handedly keeping life and civilization in the First alive in preparation for your arrival. He'd help you in just about any way you need - any way except giving any hint about his true name, face, or intentions, or the truth that you're not as immune to the Light corruption as he said you were.

Anyways that's what I meant when I said Shadowbringers was all about being lied to by wizards.

[nemesis-is-my-middle-name]

also while i'm posting about ff14 because it's late and i should be in bed but if i stop changing topics i'll die, but one of my favorite emet-selch interaction moments is when he yanks y'shtola out of the lifestream.

like, knowing what you know about him after the fact, fuck, man. it must have felt so familiar to him. like, not doing that specific thing, idk if azem would ever have yeeted themself into temporary nonexistence like that or if that's even a thing the ancients could do given their differing aetheric physiology. but just the act of begrudgingly following after the heroes, having to be the responsible party dragging their ass home after they do the heroics. bitching about it but doing it anyway. you must have all felt so much like his old friends in that moment. always coming up with new inventive ways to risk your lives for no good reason. leaving him to do the cleanup.

thousands of years of cleanup, nearly alone in a world of broken corpses and mockeries of life.

also then y'shtola comes back buck naked and his response is to go "ew gross" and teleport her clothes back on which i still think is hilarious

[a-pink-beau]

FFXIV Write 2024 #28 - Deleterious

[Note: A semi-sorta sequel to my Prompt #9 - Lend an Ear. Might not make as much sense without it.]

Summary: Beau reflects on her failed plan after returning from Mt. Gulg.

Content Warnings: Suicidal Ideation

Spoilers: Shadowbringers

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“I’ll be right behind you. I just need a moment,” Beau says to Lehon’a, both having finished their conversation with Ardbert. Ardbert had vanished, leaving the two alone to reflect on the events that had just transpired.

The last thing they remember is being atop Mt. Gulg, having collapsed from the light overtaking them. The Exarch taken by Emet-Selch.

“Okay, I’ll be just outside.,” Lehon’a replies, closing the door behind her.

Beau walks back over to the bed she had awoken in and sits down on it and gives a thousand yalm stare to the floor.

“That didn’t go how you imagined it, did it?” Beau looks up to see Arbdert has reappeared in the room. Beau quickly looks back to the floor, her eyes wide as she lets her tough exterior shatter. She needed to keep it together just long enough until Lehon’a was out of sight. Now that she is gone, Beau finds herself trembling.

“I would have killed everyone.” Beau grips the sheets of her bed where her hands lay. “Had the Crystal Exarch not been there, I would have killed everyone.” Ardbert stays in silence, unsure if he should reassure her or give her the cold hard reality that she may be right. “I’m so stupid.” She swings her hand up into her face, as to punish herself. “Stupid, stupid, stupid.” Three more blows to her brow.

“Now I don’t believe that will get us anywhere.” Ardbert takes a step closer to Beau. “I suppose in hindsight, there were some flaws in your plan.” Ardbert is trying and failing to be gentle with the Warrior of Darkness. Beau stands up and aggressively approaches Ardbert.

“One Lightwarden. Two Lightwardens. It wouldn’t have mattered! Because there is nowhere for the light to go!” Beau turns away and places a hand to her forehead. “Gods, even if it had worked and the Scions had been able to defeat the Lightwarden that I would have become, Lehon’a would just have to take in all that light anyway and it would have all been for nothing!”

“Then maybe we should be thankful the Exarch did what he did.” Beau doesn’t seem to acknowledge Arbert’s comment as she paces the room.

“I really thought I would be doing something. I really thought I had it all figured out.” She finds herself near the table in the room and lays hands on top of it. “But again I made the wrong decision.” She grabs a water pitcher and chucks it across the room, flying through Ardbert and clattering against the ground behind him. “Because I’m too stupid to make a proper plan!”

“Fortunate then, that you have surrounded yourself with the people that you have.” Ardbert’s voice remains calm but firm. Beau stares at him, angry. “You thought yesterday to be your last day alive, correct? But here you stand.” He smiles. “Because of your allies.” Beau’s shoulders deflate, her anger turning to grief.

“I’m not worth the effort,” Beau says, her voice having lost much of its volume.

“If we’re going to go that route, then think of it this way; they just saved the First and they don’t even know the half of it. Their efforts saved countless lives yesterday. That sound better to you?” Ardbert has found himself tired of Beau’s regular self-deprecation. “Their care for you has saved lives. So I’m going to have to disagree there. You are worth the effort. I suppose you are just going to live a little longer, friend.” Beau doesn’t respond, she instead sits herself onto the floor, putting herself deep in thought. Ardbert takes a breath, feeling as though he should ease up on her.

“It must have been hard on you; thinking you knew the day your life would end. I hope you maybe feel some sense of relief now that that final hour is behind you.” He takes a few steps towards her and kneels down in front of her. Beau just stares through him. “It is okay to feel lost, Beau. Most people do at times. This pain you try to hide, your friends can feel it. And they wish to help. Pushing it down will not shelter them from it.” While his form is incorporeal, Ardbert nonetheless still rests a hand on Beau’s shoulder. “You can let them in.”

Beau still does not respond. Ardbert lets out another sigh and plants himself beside her, sitting on the floor alongside Beau.

“I think I’d miss them,” Beau whispers, her misty eyes looking forward. Ardbert nods his head.

“I’m sure they’d miss you, too.” Ardbert tips his head toward Beau. “Suppose it could be a good idea to try to make an effort to spend more time with them now.” Ardbert finds a smile growing onto his face. “Might make the next time you try to attempt a big self sacrifice a little easier if you’re tired of them.” Beau scoffs, a smile breaking through her somber face. Ardbert, thankful his attempt at levity worked, lets out a sigh of relief. “Might be worth getting moving soon. Wouldn’t want Lehon’a to come check in and find you’re actually expressing some emotions for once.” Beau rolls her eyes with a smirk.

“Go disappear, ghost boy.” She waves her hand through his chest. Ardbert laughs.

“With pleasure.”

Beau finally looks over to where Ardbert had been, and finds the spot vacant. She wipes her eyes and stands herself up. Grabbing her rapier from atop the chest at the foot of where she had been resting, Ar’beunti heads for the door to catch up to her fell Warrior of Darkness.

[sunderedazem]

Hey! It's been a while :D I've been off the Internet for a bit but just know both of your updates have been giving me essential bits of life energy, even though I haven't had time to type something out in appreciation until now. First things first I absolutely love what you wrote for the 'stay?' prompt, it's exactly what I hoped and imagined what could have happened if things hadn't gone so wrong back then. Seriously, it's like you took a look into my brain, I was really imagining scenarios of helios coming back and taking care of an exhausted emet selch 😩 such good food thanks so much for that.

Okay so back to the actual ao3 updates, I couldn't believe that you guys did the tempering cure so early XD ahhhhhh it was so good! The way it was just a slight shift of perception, how emet selch goes off just barely holding it together, the line "I always believed I would see them again" broke me so bad like how dare you 😭 but honestly finally processing his grief now is great cause it'll be so much better when Hyth comes back 😈 iirc that that's happening. One of my favourite bits was emet selch having company while the cure was being administered, idk there's always something about having support while you're healing. Corrain's writing is superb as always, in the tempering fic as well as the Sharlayan one, he comforted emet selch so well and it was very interesting to see his point of view when he snapped at thancred, poor guy needs a long break and so much therapy. I haven't read the most recent lelesu writings yet but ahhhhhh she has such big sister energy? Such a solid anchor, it's so great every time she gives support.

I think that's all my thoughts for now, so that this doesn't get too long. Thanks so much for the new content, and I hope the both of you are doing well!! Many well wishes <3

Okay! Now it's time to sob over this ask so excuse me while i

And YEAH we couldn't wait to untemper that bastard man and break him even worse. Like imagine waking up and the thing you've been working towards for the last thirteen thousand years is not only principally opposed to what you believe is right, but also now you have to accept that everyone you'd ever loved is dead and gone and will not come back.

(And then they do. Because we are stealing Hyth. And then also stealing Elidibus from Pandaemonium like sorry Athena that man is ours now. And then Hyth is spotting Lahabrea's soul mixed in with Nidhogg and they are Stealing (and helping him put himself back together, and confiscating his wife's evil space rock) him too. And we are stealing the Sundered Ascians as we find them and curing and collecting them, because they all deserve a chance to recover from the literal apocalypse knowing that the star is actually safe. Anyway. I have emotions about the first Final Days and how nobody who lived then deserved what the world and Hydaelyn ended up giving them, no matter if it was necessary or not.)

To be fair it most likely only feels fast because most of what happens in Shadowbringers and the post 5.0 patches happens as it does in canon and tby rewriting all the Same Stuff seems kinda jejune so we skipped it XD. There are a few more pieces from SHB in process though, we just have to finish them.

And YEAH GOD. Corrain can be very cruel on occasion, and him snapping at Thancred for having EXTREMELY JUSTIFIABLE RESERVATIONS (even if he was a jackass about it) wasn't his finest moment. He doesn't even honestly feel so upset about Minfilia, he liked her alright as a person, and she WAS kind to him, but in the moment he's purely reacting in anger, and it dredges up some really nasty parts of him. This is a trait Helios had as well, if uh. You read the Final Days breakup fic XD.

And YEAH I ALSO NEED MORE LELESU ALWAYS. She is so SASSY sometimes. Hey @azems-familiar give us your girl. Grabby hands.

Honestly I know I'm late actually answering but this made my week last week 🥺🥺🥺💙💙💙

[roguelioness]

fables from the field

[written for ffxivwrite2024]

Day 7: Morsel

Rating: G Words: 1243 Pairing: implied Emet-Selch/Azem/Hythlodaeus Additional notes: Shadowbringers + Endwalker spoilers

It is – and was, and will always be – the smallest things she does that catch him.

Oh, Emet-Selch has met her in many forms many, many times over, and though he had always been diligent to his duty, those morsels of her clung to the cold edges of his soul; like the most determined of burrs they dug into him and refused to be prised, no matter how many times he tried.

He can still remember the joy in her eyes as she sliced apples to share with her friends. The fear as she shepherded her little group of survivors into the safety of a cave. The sickening crack of her bones as she hit the ground, when the winds of the Calamity tired of her.

He knows, too well perhaps, the sound of her screams –high-pitched and shrill– as Amon subjected her to yet another experiment. There were times he was haunted by the utter blankness of her gaze, her mind broken beyond repair; had Amon not had her executed, he would have intervened to grant her the mercy of death, so pitiful had her state been. 

This one, though – this one is different. Whether because of the increased density of her soul, or the result of her circumstances he cannot say; only that he can see more of Azem in her than he has ever seen in any of her prior iterations, and it depressed and infuriated him in equal measure.

Even as he watches her struggle to understand this new land, he can see the way her gaze inevitably landed on those little bits of beauty in her surroundings. Watches her take moments to admire them. Watches her immerse herself in the mundanity of the daily lives of those around her, and attempt to find a way to ease their burdens.

How very Azem of her, he sneers at her pitiful endeavors.

Emet-Selch observes the way her body trembles in the aftermath of absorbing Lightwarden aether, and cannot but think of Hekate’s predilection for getting a fever at the most inopportune of times, of how she shivered beneath the covers of their bed as Hythlodaeus fussed over her.

The first time they meet face-to-face, he finds himself underwhelmed. There is a distinct presence about her, yes; she carries herself as a warrior would, but it is sorely clear to his soulsight that she is lacking, and so he cannot be blamed if he is marginally ruder in his responses.

But then–

She ducks her head to the side, the better to hide her smile, and Emet-Selch is- he is transported to a thousand thousand years ago, watching as his beloved wife gives him that very same smile while she teases him; there’s a loud buzzing in his ears that drowns out whatever this misguided, miserable group of heroes are saying.

When he returns to the void, the loneliness gnaws ravenously at his bones.

He finds himself approaching her in the middle of the night when she is alone, tucked away in a corner of the amaro launch, lying flat on her back and staring up at the night sky. She marks his appearance with a curious glance, but returns to her stargazing. Before he can make a suitably acerbic comment, she forestalls him with the oddest of requests. “If you’re here to make yet another rant about altering your perfect imbalance, and so on, I ask that you reschedule it for another day.”

Emet-Selch glares at her. “Have you considered your precarious position, hero? Alone and isolated as you are, it would take me little effort to kill you here and now.”

“I thought you said you were attempting a path of cooperation?” She shifts to a sitting position, stretching her arms over her head with a pleased little sigh. 

“Here to revel in your victory, are you?”

“What? No,” she huffs. “I’m only admiring the sky. It’s beautiful, is it not?”

He does not want to look at the stars, familiarly unfamiliar as they are. He does not want this sky, he wants his own. “It is unremarkable. It was there yesterday, and it will be there tomorrow.”

The hero sighs. “That might be, but it is still pretty.” She looks up at him. “Are all you ascians blind to the beauty in small things?”

He remembers a garden, and a night sky. The warmth of his husband's arm around his waist. The lingering scent of his wife. 

There is no garden now, or husband, or wife.

“You know nothing of us, hero.” He leaves before she can respond.

In every subsequent meeting, he seeks to annoy her. Her companions fall for his bait easily enough, but more often than not he catches the amused smiles she tries her best to tuck away. He wants to remain aloof, remain the mere observer he’s announced himself as, and yet there is something, or another, that catches him – the focus on her face as she mends and repairs her gear, the small, inelegant snort she makes when she laughs too hard, the songs she hums to herself when she thinks she is alone- 

The way her mouth slots so wonderfully against his-

It is a moment of weakness, the result of eons of loneliness. Or that is what he tells himself as she apologizes, as he shares a meal with her, as they make casual conversation beneath the dense canopy of the Citia Swamps.

He remembers a forest, and sunlit sky. A breeze wearing flowers. The laughter of his husband as he spun their wife beneath the canopy.

There is no forest now, or husband, or wife. 

He appears in her room days after defeating Eros. The weight of the newly-learned truth sits heavy on her shoulders. She is somber, his hero, but the pity in her gaze is unbearably corrosive.

“You must have loved them dearly,” she says quietly.

Emet-Selch freezes. Does she remember? What does she know? Arching a brow, he asks, “Who do you mean, hero?”

She flushes and looks away. “I do not wish to make any assumptions. I only meant…” she trails off. “I- I am sorry. For those you have lost. You… you must miss them dearly.”

He remembers a city, and a flaming sky. The sway of his husband's robe as he walked away. The clatter of his wife's mask as it fell from his hands.

There is no city now, or husband, or wife.

“Do not speak of that which you cannot begin to comprehend,” his tone drips ice and rancor. “You know nothing of true loss.”

He leaves.

Emet-Selch watches her retch Light-poisoned bile, his rage at her failure palpable in his tone. “I pity you, truly,” he mocks, even as he dares her to seek him out.

She is the first of Hekate's shards to see the splendor of Amaurot. 

And of course she is drawn to the shade of Hythodaeus. If his eyes are misty when he observes their interactions, well, it will be his secret.

High above a recreation of the Final Days, he finally, finally sees Azem in all her fierce, determined glory. Within the gordian knot of emotions caught in his throat, there is pride and relief.

Remember us,  he says as the Lifestream pulls inexorably on him. Remember that we once lived.

As Emet-Selch finally, finally lets go of his title and his duty, he knows one certainty: 

His hero will carry the morsels of him.

[yamisnuffles]

character ask meme! 5, 6, and 9 for estinien.

oh, heck, and give me 15 for emet-selch. i mean, i know, but i want to read your words.

5. What’s the first song that comes to mind when you think about them?

Honestly, it's boring because it's just the song Heavensward from the OST. The expansion is obviously sort of his star moment and it's the song that plays when you fight Nidhogg, which was also a pivotal moment for Aubrey with him. So it will forever be his song in my head.

6. What’s something you have in common with this character?

While certainly not a constant, I can relate to his tendency to be a bit too blunt. I can appreciate the need to sugar coat things but, especially with friends, I tend to just say shit. Like him, it's not really born of any ill will or anything. Sometimes I just don't have the patience to BS through things. Related, but I would also jump out a window to escape awkward social situations if I could.

9. Could you be roommates with this character?

Oh, totally. He seems like he'd be a real chill roommate? You know, after his blood caked armor phase, I think it would be nice. We'd both do our own thing. I enjoy a fair amount of solitude. So does he. We both can go in for a heartfelt talk when it's really needed. Pick him up some squid to snack on sometimes and we'd be golden.

15. What’s your favorite ship for this character? (Doesn’t matter if it’s canon or not.)

You do know, but I'll say it anyway. Hythazemet, which I think is pretty thoroughly canon whether people like to accept it or not lol. I think that the three of them have a fun dynamic together and they all just love each other so much that it hurts. In life they did everything they could to support each other, with Azem pushing Hades' reluctant ass into the seat of Emet-Selch and dragging him out to the world they both so loved. Not to mention Hythlodaeus literally giving EVERYTHING in the hopes that they could carry on. He didn't think he had the strength to fight, but he was willing to give up his chance at rebirth if it meant he could help. Hythlodaeus continues to be their biggest supporters, even in death, helping you on the moon both because you're a shard of Azem and because you won Emet's approval.

And Emet-Selch. He went against everything he once stood for and carried on through a thousand thousand lifetimes trying desperately to bring back the world and people he loved (and still loves). Even when he was miserable. Even when he wanted to give up. He carries on and he remembers because only he, in all of existence, still can. One of the first scenes with him in ShB proper, we see him find a glimmer of hope after so long simply because he recognizes the color of your soul. He defied the Convocation created Azem's memory crystal in secret so that they would live on and when you call through it, he comes even in death.

I also really like Emet/WoL but only if it's messed up in just the right way LOL.

[silver-strings-of-fate]

@heartlightheartbright liked for a weird old man.

What an odd little boy... Though, then again, Emet-Selch didn't exactly have the best grasp on what was considered 'normal' nowadays. It was difficult to keep track of over twelve-thousand years of societal change.

"Is the current trend to style one's hair in such a way as to resemble a sea urchin? Or are you ahead of the curve on that one, boy?"

[voidsentprinces]

Emet-Selch: I have lived a thousand thousand of your lives! I have broken bread with you, fought with you, grown ill, grown old, FUCKED and yes, welcomed death’s sweet embrace.

[darthsassacre]

You already know what I'm sending you. (Emet, of course)

He had seen many of these so-called heroes over his many excruciatingly long years, prancing about with their little crystals and spouting off about how they would surely stop the evil plans of the foul Ascians.

They all died.

Each and every one of them.

They all failed so completely, so utterly and miserably.

It was almost sad, in a laughable sort of way.

This particular hero, however, was… intriguing.

At first glance, they were just like any other Elezen, perhaps even a rather ordinary Ishgardian. Utilizing the skills of a dragoon at times, a gunbreaker at others, and sometimes even a bard, which was a fascinating choice, all things considered.

And then he saw them use magic for the first time.

Most Amaurotines wove magic in very particular patterns, wove creations, with definite ideas in mind. Most of the half men who came after the Sundering were wild with their magic, flinging it about with nary a care. With each iteration of magical learning, they grew closer to understanding, but they were still so far off.

This particular one, however, understood magic in a way that Emet-Selch had frankly never seen, which was impossible. There was no way for one person to do anything he had never seen, because he had seen all incarnations of magic across all twelve thousand years since the Sundering. If he hadn’t witnessed it directly, another Ascian had. This had never been witnessed by them before.

Yet here they were, the Warrior of Light, controlling fire and ice together, mixing in something else entirely, sweat trickling down their brow as they tightly controlled the mixture, creating a swirl that they then unleashed into the midst of the Eulmorians, creating a rather glorious explosion.

“Ha!” the white-haired gunbreaker shouted, pumping a fist in satisfaction. The girl with him said nothing, only readied her daggers. Emet-Selch wondered if her guardian could see how her fingers shook. The Elezen twins were quite focused with what they were doing, but that astrologian with the odd speech pattern appeared quite impressed and intrigued. It was clear this was new to him as well.

How deliciously new and exciting. Perhaps he might actually find something new amidst the complete monotony of observing this lot.

It didn’t take long for them to return to the Crystarium, and that was when Emet-Selch made his move, choosing to corner G’raha Tia about the Warrior of Light.

“Tell me what you know about your champion.”

“Their name is Rian Dawnwhisper,” the Exarch replied. “An Elezen from Gridania, I believe, originally trained as an archer and lancer, and then-”

“You cannot actually expect me to believe that.”

G’raha looked up, frowning.

“What do you-”

“I witnessed them wield three kinds of magic in concert, something that no living mage has ever accomplished. The truth, if you please?”

“What.”

It was clear he didn’t know as well, so Emet-Selch moved his search elsewhere. He’d find the truth.

[motheatenscarf]

thinkin bout endwalker thoughts, i liked the idea of each character confronting their own despair and overcoming it to pave a path forward, just don't love that it literally kills them to do so, even if they come right back

bcs like

the point of the existential despair is that hey, you have ONE fragile, wild life to live, so to throw it away, to as a society devalue it, uh, sucks.

it gave us a lot of good character moments, but it did feel a little cheap, to watch people sacrifice themselves with the promise that the WoL would bring them back at the end of it.

it's kinda like what emet selch went thru, huh? except instead of 10 minutes, it was 12 thousand years

which, speaking of, bringing emet selch and hythlodaeus back only for them to immediately choose death again bcs the world they knew and loved is gone and it's time to pave the way for something more is like

woof

idk, to me it's the conflict here between accepting death, which is something everyone has to do, and choosing death, which is something, that uh... people in this place at the end of the universe also keep choosing, even if the theme is that you can't give into nihilism and have to take the hurt with the joy

emet does seem hopeful to pass on the torch, to trust the future to the scions, like he finally accepts that he was wrong in denying the personhood of the sundered, even if he also says his principles were "inviolate, invincible" in trying to bring his people back anyway.

so him entrusting the sundered world to carry on and to lay down his burden isn't exactly the absolute "i am tired of living and want to die" kind of nihilism that all the shades in Ultima Thule long for that we have to overcome, but it's close enough to it that imo it kinda muddies the message a bit.

it's by no means a bad thing, just, you cannot play willy nilly with the forces of life, death, and resurrection, i know it's JRPG logic, but when the theme of your story is "Life is fleeting and terrifying and painful but still precious and worth living," then you CANNOT be so cavalier with characters dying and coming back and then stubbornly choosing to die again rather than heal and move forward.

idk, i'm dumb, and i'm bad at words, and i even still think it was a good moment, i just think it was a little... off-theme is all, even if i loved that the flowers they made got through to Meteion.

[feralkwe]

tell me more about "all the ways it isn't fair"

well, as i mentioned in the meme post, i have a few fics that are less an organized fic and more a fistful of one-shots that are connected by the source material and written out of chronological order.

there is nothing, imo, fair about being the warrior of light. it is a classic chosen one narrative in many ways, thrusting the main character into the cruel cycle of saving the world through ever-increasing stakes, but never losing grip of it's main theme of hope in all it's messy, ugly, and yes, beautiful iterations.

kit left her home to avoid being thrust into a life that was chosen for her only to become the chosen one of this story. despite her adventurer's heart, she often finds herself isolated, and "all the ways it isn't fair" is snaps and flashes of her grasping onto something she wants for herself while she marches forward, stalwart in her dedication to always do what will serve the greater good.

hilariously, what kit wants was very much not what i wanted, and that complicated both our lives in a way that has been fun to write. her love life, past and present, is a treasure trove of agonizing comedy for me.

have a very rough excerpt of a first draft i wrote back in august that may or may not make the final cut of the story:

"You look like you have something on your mind." As he was wont to do, Thancred surprised her on soundless steps, no small feat in the snow, startling her out of her reverie. He rubbed his hands up and down over her arms when he thought no one was watching. Kit shook her head. "It's nothing that can't wait." His eyes narrowed, disbelief clear on his face, but he didn't argue. "If you say so." He draped his arms lazily around her waist and leaned up just short of kissing her. "Consider me at your disposal should you change your mind." Kit stepped back. "I know you are, and I am grateful for it." It was tempting to try to explain, but Kit knew once she started talking about Elpis there would be no stopping until it was all out. It was still too raw, too recent despite being the distant past. In a way, her distant past. Even thinking about what she'd lost brought a sting to her eyes, even if it wasn't all hers to mourn. She knew Thancred, knew how he'd felt about Emet-Selch. He was nothing if not vocal about it. Despite how Thancred loved her, part of her was certain that he would just not accept or understand everything that now hid in her heart regarding the man she knew she must have loved some twelve thousand years in the past. The man whom she knew beyond a doubt she also loved when she'd very recently killed him. Or, maybe she wasn't giving Thancred enough credit. Despite his loud and even justifiable opinions on Ascians, perhaps he cared about her enough to try to offer her a modicum of empathy. "Actually," she started, bulling her way through her hesitation, "could we go somewhere more private?" He replied with the lift of an eyebrow, then nodded. "Of course." He gestured toward one of the structures that had been converted to a shelter. She took the lead, and was almost there when she caught sight of a flash of fur on a very short body. Stutter-stepping, she stopped, and turned in the direction she'd seen it. "Is that a Loporrit?" She jerked her chin in the direction she was now headed. Thancred followed her line of sight with his own, then frowned. "I believe so." They followed the tracks around the side of the shelter where a sizable group of the moon rabbits gathered. They were looking around excitedly, chattering away, their voices overlapping in their fervor. At their center, fielding their countless questions, was Urianger. What was complicated had just become more so.

reading this now, it's full of buck wild things even by final fantasy standards. i can only imagine how it reads out of that context. enjoy!

[siderealcity]

I will always love the spectacular tragedy of this trio of characters. How each one tries to save the others and fails in a different, horrible fashion.

Hythlodaeus gives his life, everything he has, including his hope of living and dying with those he loves, to save Azem and Emet-Selch, and for this selfless act: Azem is torn apart. Hades lives for thousands of years in torment, slowly twisted into a monster. They kill each other, at the last. Did it work, in the end? Was his sacrifice worth it?

Emet-Selch backs a plan to save life on the star, only to lose everyone he actually wanted to save in the process. One trapped forever, unable to rest in peace, the other violently vivisected and then forgotten. The only way to release the one is to destroy the star he died to save in the first place. Repeating the murder of Azem over and over. Azem, who is beyond salvation, anyway, since if all this destruction pays off, they'll be sacrificed to take Hythlodaeus' place. Did it work, in the end? Was any of this sacrifice worth it?

Azem gives up their identity, their place in the world, and severs every connection that gave their life meaning, in order to try to find a route out of the catastrophe for everyone, and fails. They die alone, ripped apart by their mentor, to be tortured and murdered by Emet-Selch and Elidibus countless times, mostly by accident, an afterthought, an acceptable casualty of the grand plan, unmourned and unrecognized, and in the end the only thing they can do for the people they loved is deliver their souls to death. Did it work, in the end? Was any of their sacrifices worth it?

Has your journey been good? Has it been worthwhile?

Sometimes I think about Hythlodaeus existing as part of Zodiark for so long, being the first to go of a trio of people who intended to live and die together, people he gave his everything to, and then returning to his senses and moving on after 12000 years of stasis

And despite all those years passing, getting to reunite with the souls of those two dear companions and maybe even fulfil the promise of returning to the Star by their sides after all

But Emet-Selch is twisted by millennia of grief and anguish, warped into a villain by a desperation to restore that which he lost, and Azem was sundered, soul split and reborn a thousand, thousand times, another person entirely

Of course he is not a negative person, and he - better than anyone - can see that they are not gone. Emet-Selch’s actions prove that he has not lost himself entirely despite all he has been through, and even though the Warrior of Light is not Azem, they still carry their legacy, and the parts of Azem that were so fundamental to their self that they were burned into their very Soul

But even so, they are undeniably different in a way that would be clear to anybody who had known them as intimately as Hythlodaeus had. How must that feel, reuniting with the people you loved so deeply and learning that they have changed so much while you have remained exactly the same