#this is after the Ifrit fight

[duskowithapen]

After Ifrit

January's Rambles Day 6

Word Count: 1067

After Ifrit

Ifrit was extinguished, but the flames around her weren’t. Zaya shuddered, skin crawling along the edges of new burns, and she breathed in

Ifrit was extinguished, but the flames around her weren’t.

Zaya flopped onto her back. She ignored the way her skin crawled along the edges of new burns, how warm her chainmail felt above the protective padding, the odd angle her tail was caught in beneath her. She just wanted to revel on the feeling of being alive. A victory song warbled out of cracked lips, and she licked them to sooth the sting.

A mistake.

Zaya coughed and gagged as ash and blood coated her tongue. She rolled onto her side, curling into a shaking, shuddering ball despite how much her body did not want her moving right now. Pressing her scarf to her nose, Zaya tried to focus on the faint scent of Tataru’s preferred soap rather than smoke. Her breathing slowly evened out, but it only made the ache in her throat – her hands – her chest – her aether – so much worse. Aether that flared in animal terror as the sound of footsteps reached her horns. Pain was pushed aside as Zaya rolled to find her katana.

The footsteps grew faster, closer.

No, no more – not again!

A whine escaped a tight throat. Her katana appeared under a scrabbling hand, still smouldering from Ifrit’s last strike, and Zaya forced herself to her feet. She darted towards the cavern entrance – towards those footsteps – and at this speed, it didn’t matter that her arms were shaking. Her sword still struck true.

Or at least, it would have. If her target was anyone but Thancred.

The pale-haired man yelped, eyes wide, and caught the blow with his own sword. “Zaya – Zaya, it’s me! It’s Thancred!”

Her mind knew this. It recognised the strange mask on his shoulder, the curling red markings on his neck, the steady sand-over-bedrock of his aetheric signature. But her body didn’t. Her body was still primed for battle. Like this, Thancred wasn’t a safe haven – he was another enemy to defend against, to defeat before he could tear and burn and hurt her. She delivered another crushing blow, sending the man sliding to the side.

“It’s me, Zaya, calm down!”

It’s Thancred, it’s Thancred, her mind hummed, safe-steady-warm.

It’s an enemy, it’s an enemy, her mind yelled, hurt-pain-no-more!

Zaya flipped backwards out of reach, scrabbling at the drained well of her aether reserves. If she could just conjure a shield – heal the wound dripping blood into her boot – catch him in Higanbana –

“Zaya!” Thancred seemed to appear out of nowhere. Air that was once empty was no longer so. Her katana was flicked from her hand. A strong arm wrapped around her waist, lifting her over a hip and slamming her to the ground. Zaya snarled, tail whipping out and around to slam against a restraining leg. Above her came a muffled curse, but she was too busy trying to fight against the forearm stretched across her collarbone, hands clawing at wrist and elbow. Another hand grasped her chin.

“Look at me, Zaya – look at me!”

It was the smell that cut through the panic. Fresh cut wood, Thanalan dust, perfume. “Th-thancred?” The fight went out of her. Limbs went limp. Eyelids began to flutter. Every injury seemed to catch up with her at once, pulsing through her body. A whimper rang through her teeth as her body tensed again. Thancred put more pressure on her chest, legs shifting to better pin hers, hand moving to restrain the end of her tail.

“I – I’m okay, daijoubu,” Zaya relaxed her grip on Thancred and tilted her head forward, breathing in the pine and sand and flower scent, only to flinch from the blood that smeared across her jaw – blood that wasn’t hers. “Daijoubu desu ka, ah, are you – are you okay? Did I hurt you?”

“It’s alright, just a scratch,” Thancred soothed, slowly releasing her from the pin to kneel at her side. “Are you back with me now?”

Zaya nodded, leaning back into his supporting hands as he pulled her upright. Head heavy, she couldn’t help but slump forward into Thancred, pressing her face into that space between his neck and shoulder. Mmmm, so warm… The thump-thump of his heartbeat was just wonderful against her horn, and she couldn’t help but tilt her head into it, rubbing scar and scale into the softness of his shirt. Her own racing heart began to slow.

“Whoa there!” Thancred seemed startled by her actions, but not annoyed, given the way he curled an arm around her back. “Don’t go passing out on me now,” he said, “We should get you back to Camp Drybone.”

A grumble vibrated in her chest. Don’t wanna move… Her hand left red and black streaks where she clutched his shirt, and she hummed an apology. Still didn’t want to get up though.

Thancred’s grip changed to resting against her back to being tucked under her arms, and Zaya growled as the man stood, dragging her along. She let her body go limp. Showing off a strength hidden by his loose clothes and charming smiles, Thancred held Zaya straight out from his body like a disgruntled cat. Her feet dangled a good foot from the ground, and she kicked them half-heartedly. Her tail drew little squiggles in the sand. Thancred had a look on his face like he was trying very, very hard not to smile.

“Are you going to keep being difficult?” He asked.

Zaya frowned. “Y’don’t have to help me,” she rumbled, “I can get back to camp.” In a little bit… after I’ve had a nap.

“Uh huh.” Thancred did not seem convinced. He sighed. “Alright, c’mon.”

Zaya didn’t protest as the man drew her in closer, gladly curling arms, legs and tail in against the warmth, but grumbled loudly when he tried to move her elsewhere.

“I’m trying to help you, you silly lizard,” Thancred said, pulling and pushing her limbs until she was curled up against his back, rather than his front. Blood spread across his white shirt, and Zaya pawed at it.

“Sorry ‘bout y’shirt,” she slurred into his collar, “Clean it f’you later, p’omise.”

“Just don’t go falling asleep back there,” Thancred said, deliberately shuffling the grip he hand on her thighs, “And try not to let your tail trip me up, will you?”

To be continued... when I don't have to go to work

[lunarlegend]

i need to make myself play FFXV

you know, exploring the city would be extremely fun if i wasn't going to be forced to kill Noctis at the end

[sunderedazem]

Soulshards (Ch 3)

Horrorstruck (Mid-ARR, Waking Sands Massacre)

Chapter rating: Teen, No Archive Warnings Apply

Summary: Titan's Bane returns to the Waking Sands victorious. Only silence is there to greet him. (WoL POV)

Ao3 Link!

Start Snippet:

It was too quiet. Far too quiet for the usual subtle bustle of the cheerful port town that doubled as the Scions’ favored base of operations. And yet that was only the immediate surround of the steep stone docks of Vesper Bay, the lack of merchants’ echoes and haggling creating a suffocating silence as he strode back toward the place he’d so recently come to call home.  It was enough to make every ilm of his skin prickle, all his fur stand on end like he was a Miqo’tten whelp in the orphanage again, watching the sky fall and burn and Dalamud shatter, and terror settled in the pit of his stomach, heavier than lead. He’d only just spoken with Minfilia over the linkpearl less than thirty-six hours ago, just prior to boarding a ship from Limsa Lominsa. Was it possible something had happened in so short a time? Sometimes, he cursed the overkeen hearing of his sensitive ears. Even by Miqo’te standards he was particular about sound, catching odd whispers and echoes from yalms away on occasion and so this- silence. It clung to him like fear clung to prey. Ominous and looming.

[takamoris]

Getting high af and running synced EX ARR trials with a group of randoms >>>>>>>>>>>>

[divine-misfortune]

Dew pulls away entirely after his transition, he barely lets Aether near him, but he won't let Mountain anywhere remotely in his vicinity.

It's like he's avoiding him...Because he is.

Water and earth were two things always meant to overlap, seamlessly blend together and work harmoniously, Dew and Mountain were two halves of a whole. But fire? Fire was never meant to touch the earth. He won't let his flames reach Mountain, refuses to even play with the idea of allowing him close. One ember in a field deprived of water could lead to absolute ruin.

He avoids Mountain for weeks. Nearly months. Dew almost seems to warm up to the new ghouls before he even looks Mountain in the eye again.

But Mountain can't take the ever widening gap between them, like his world is slowly caving in without Dew to hold him together. With both Ifrit and Zephyr gone, he's had to hold Aether and Dew that much tighter just to survive the days but Dew took something of him when he pulled away.

Mountain can't do it, can't take another day not hearing his name off of his mate's familiar lips. He's almost forgotten what Dew sounds like.

Dew returns to his room and nearly turns on his heels when he sees Mountain on the edge of his bed, hands clasped between his knees like he's just interrupted the ghoul in the midst of praying. He flinches from the yearning etched into Mountain's strong features, the pain unburying itself from his emerald eyes.

"Don't go," Mountain breathes, pleading despite the weariness in his voice. "I don't think I can take watching you walk away from me again."

"What are you doing here?" Despite his attempts to sharpen his tongue, offer up a front that might drive Mountain away, he could never speak anything but softly to the gentle giant.

"I...I don't know." His eyes drop to the floor, "I miss you, droplet."

The words feel like a knife, or several, in his gut and his chest. Guilt or fear beginning to claw in his throat.

"I'm not the person you miss, he's gone."

"You're right in front of me, Dew-"

"And I'm a burnt up husk of who I was, he's dead for all it matters." The words feel cold on his tongue.

Mountain stands and Dew goes rigid, fight or flight tugging at his tendons. They both smell kerosene. Another reason to keep him further than arms length.

"You're here, Dew. I'm looking right at you, don't hide from me...Please." He swallows, throat tight. "You haven't gone anywhere."

"Might've been easier if I did. They should've let me turn to ash."

"It would've fucking killed Aether and I..."

"And you think this is better? I'm an accident waiting to happen, Mount. It's stupid to try to deny it."

"You wouldn't hurt me." Mountain's lips almost manage a smile despite his weariness. He's too close now. Dew can smell the eucalyptus and juniper and it makes his knees threaten to give. He should have turned tail but his body didn't budge. "Ifrit never hurt me."

"I'm not him."

"Yeah, you're not." Those big hands settled on his shoulders and his world went spinning. Flipped on its head from one touch. The anger and indifference he'd tried to hide behind gave. Dew hadn't realized how badly hed missed Mountain's firm, reassuring touch until he remembered how it felt. "You're you, Droplet. The only thing I've ever wanted you to be."

[cosmic-metanoia]

The Ruler of Life and Death

***Spoilers for Final Fantasy XVI***

<Edited to add some missing scenes!> Over time, I have written several FFXVI character analysis posts and Joshua is intertwined throughout most of them.

But I held off on writing his own post because frankly...there is just too much to say. As Johnathan Case (the English VA) once said, Joshua is "full of contradictions."

But the Tumblr world deserves more Joshua so...here we are!

My angle of approach - I will choose one word that encompasses many of his astounding qualities - self-possession.

(You got it! It's a word that Jote uses in her inner voice about a completely different character.)

Self-possession doesn't just mean "control over one's emotions." Afterall - having "control" over something implies that you can lose it.

Self-possession refers to mastery over one's destiny and being a fixed point within the chaotic storm rather than being pulled under the waves.

As a child, Joshua understandably had imposter syndrome. Makes sense considering who stood beside him. His highly admired and beloved older brother who, for reasons unknown, was passed over by the Phoenix. Instead of selecting the heroic teenager, the Eikon of Fire chose the sweet and frail little brother.

Thirteen years later, we witness in awe as a well-travelled Joshua confidently strides into Drake's Head to protect Clive and Jill. Everything about him emanates self-possession - his gestures, his stance, his diction, his facial expressions. HE is the shield now and he knows exactly how this game of chess with Ultima will end. Every move is intentional.

Five years after that, we see his self-possession when he kindly turns away Kihel's offer to heal him of his blood-ridden coughs while travelling on the crystalline road with Jote. He would rather have Kihel save her medicines to help others.

And despite the couple of times he doubts his abilities to keep Ultima sealed, Joshua presses on with grace and determination.

One of the most BEAUTIFUL examples of self-possession was when he emerges uninvited in Dion's tent. The man who was supposedly dead now stands before all with complete composure and authority. Through his subtle yet monumental gestures, it is plain that Joshua holds absolute conviction in his heart that Dion will not harm him or turn him in - despite the fact that Dion's loyalties lie with the very nation that destroyed Joshua's homeland.

The chilling reunion between Joshua and Anabella really tests Joshua's self-possession in the midst of so many emotional barrages from earlier. Instead of dismissing her or ragefully calling her out for destroying so many lives, he does something extraordinary. He reaches his hand out to her in a last act of mercy that no one else was willing to give her.

Another example of self-possession is when Joshua reveals the extent of his dire situation to Clive and Jill in the infirmary after the fall of the Crystalline Dominion. Notice how he revealed it with a soft smile and a gentle voice in contrast to Clive and Jill's horror and outrage. Joshua knows the consequences of his actions and chose that path willingly without a single regret.

Joshua is far from weak. He's the only Dominant able to seal Ultima within and continuously heal himself. Yet he STILL wakes up every day to fight by Clive's side and slay every beast in their path...all with a kind smile and words of wisdom. Always mindful, always demonstrating self-possession in the midst of pain.

A small but notable dialogue exchange between the brothers is when Clive expresses concern for Joshua's ability to take on a huge ambush of beasts in Waloed. Joshua's answer is one of acknowledgement and even humor. He is clearly in command of his situation - the situation is not in command of him.

One of the most noteworthy scenes that rarely gets touched on is the battle with the Behemoth in Waloed. When Clive reaches out with his hand to stop Behemoth's meteor and wanted to prime into Ifrit, Joshua exclaimed, "Why do you turn to him, brother?! When we fight, we fight together." And does Joshua also reach out to prevent the meteor from obliterating them? Nope....he heals Clive's hand continuously - being his support and his fixed point in the sea of chaos.

And there were several emotional scenes throughout the game where Joshua is spiritually and emotionally the steadfast center in Cilve's tumultuous world as symbolized by the phoenix feather he carries.

Of course, Joshua isn't always perfect in maintaining self-possession at all times.

Generally speaking, he is patient and not easily aggravated....but when he does snap, you freaking watch and listen. I'm talking about THE infamous Clive-gets-a-hook-punch-to-the-face-from-lil-bro that was felt around the world. But even in that context, Joshua was still thinking about Jill and standing up for her.

During the VERY dangerous encounter with Barnabas on the Enterprise, symbolically speaking, Joshua dangled on the edge of the self-possession but kept one hand gripping firmly at its edge. He almost lost himself in the fires of frustration and anger that Barnabas attempted to stoke.

We also see a heart-breaking example of his self-possession - Joshua foregoing romantic attachments in order to spare them the inevitable suffering if he doesn't make it in the end.

In the end....

Despite so many fans thinking Ultima would puppet his body and/or mind, Joshua demonstrates his mastery of self-possession - literally until the moment he dies in Clive's arms.

Joshua had every reason and opportunity to be spoiled (former little prince of Rosaria), self-centered (messiah of the Undying), haughty (like Anabella), unforgiving (Phoenix Gate/Night of Flames incident), greedy (being a Dominant), and hateful (a mix of traumas within his lifetime).

But this man OWNS his trauma and processes it to make him strong in the spirit and self-sacrificing for those he loves.

Perhaps that self-possession is something we can all apply to our own lives.

[delusionalbitchinthehouse]

Hi, I had a devastating idea about Ifrit that I need to put into words. Not at all projecting on him, no…..not at all….

It’s a well-known fact that Ifrit rarely ever gets into arguments. He is praised for his self control, his easy temper, the way he always seems to be able to diffuse tension, eager to make compromises, never holding grudges for long.

What they don’t know is that Ifrit doesn’t get into arguments because he’s terrified.

Because in his mind festers the deeply rooted belief that an argument with someone would lead to them cutting him off forever, purging the fire ghoul from their life immediately.

A little voice, the rational one that never can quite make herself loud enough no matter how much it tries, whispers that it’s bullshit, that Ifrit would never even think to do that himself, sever his bond with someone simply because of a little fight, so why would anyone ? But it’s different when it’s him.

Because Ifrit loves too hard, too much, accepts things that he shouldn’t - he’s been told time and times again, Zephyr and Aether especially are concerned by this particular tendency of his.

So of course, he wouldn’t let a fight put an end to a relationship - no matter it’s kind.

But that doesn’t mean others should act the same way, should endure what he willingly endures. So maybe, maybe, yes, people would delete him from their lives if Ifrit dared to express too strong an opinion, or raise his voice a little. And maybe they’d be right to do so.

And why would they ever come back ? What about Ifrit could urge them to think about it again, change their mind and open their arms to him once more ? For what reason could they ever what Ifrit back after leaving him behind ?

(One day, Zephyr catches Ifrit crying in the kitchen, hands shaking around a spilled cup of coffee. He crumbles in their arms like a poorly built sandcastle getting kicked by negligent passerbys, sobs rattling his whole frame.

« I’m afraid I love people more than they love me - that I would wither away without them, but they would barely notice if I were to disappear, and only feel a vague twinge of disappointment instead of the gaping hole they would leave in my chest if they weren’t part of my life anymore, » Ifrit confesses in Zephyr’s chest, voice and spirts broken almost beyond repair.

The air ghoul’s heart sinks as they hold their precious little flame, reassuring him the best they can, hoping to ward him off from the twisted lies of his own mind.)

[crepes-suzette-373]

[Ch 1119 spoiler] Sanji can activate his exoskeleton at will?? So it wasn't him flipping unconsciously, he was doing it on purpose???

Or, if it's not at will, at the very least he's fully aware that it's activated.

WHAT!?!?!??!!?

This is really important!! If he can be self-aware when the exoskeleton was activated or he can turn it on and off at will, then he knows this is happening when he said "Power of Love". He might just be sarcastic, but he still knows full well that what he is calling "Power of Love" is the Germa mods.

See below how one moment the brow is normal and the next he can just casually do Ifrit Jambe (brow flipped, of course):

I know I probably shouldn't assume too much with very minimal info, but... there doesn't seem to be any alternative explanation at this point?

If Sanji doesn't mind calling the exoskeleton mods "Power of Love", then it's not impossible for the mods to be "redeemed" into just a force of good later. All we need is to make sure there is to somehow remove the time bomb trigger of his emotions getting messed up.

For the longest time I've noted that Sora was only protesting about the boys' emotions being fiddled with (theory post here). She did not say she's not okay with them having powers.

TL;DR in my analysis I've come to the conclusion that the reason why Sanji's modifications also disappeared when Sora's medicine worked on him because all the modifications are in the lineage factor. Whatever is in that medicine, it affected the entire lineage factor and so it blocked both the emotion manipulation and also the physical manipulation. We just don't really know the why and how specifics yet.

Therefore, Sanji keeping the powers is not against Sora's intentions. Once again, as long as he doesn't lose his ability to empathise and be kind, the exoskeleton and superpowers are fine. It'd be exactly like the Kamen Rider parallel, where the Rider got his whole powers from the evil organisation that he was fighting. He was just using that ill-gotten powers for the sake of good.

In some of my older theory posts I mentioned since Vegapunk is out of commission, extracting or manipulating very very specific strands of the lineage factor might be doable using Law's fruit powers, since it can selectively extract out his disease. We'll see later...

I'm kind of cautiously hopeful/excited. When I made the solar eclipse theory with Germa being the moon and Sora being the sun, I'm not sure if the intention is that he needs to get rid of the eclipsing moon to "become the sun" (remove Germa mods entirely), or the moon can stay but needs to be "adjusted/realigned" so that it can function properly because moonlight is simply the sun's reflection after all (fixing the Germa mods so that the exoskeleton and heightened speed and strength can stay, but no longer has any impact on his "heart"/emotions).

My personal preference is the latter, but in the fandom people were hyping up the former. I've seen some theories saying that Sora's medicine gave Sanji superpowers that is not the Germa mods somehow, so I wasn't overly confident with my theory, but this new chapter indicates that the version that I like is not completely impossible or off base. Crossing fingers...

Also this gives me a liiiiiittle bit more hope that 124ji can be healed later too. Think about it, even a full lunar eclipse doesn't make the moon go entirely dark and disappear. It just makes it look red and weird. There's still light in there.

[sentientgolfball]

Mushy May: First Aid

I wrote this at like 1am after work. Take that as you will

Pairing: Zephrit

Word Count: 584

“You're a fool.” 

“Ow! Zeph it stings.”

“Good! Maybe you’ll think of that next time you wanna pick a fight!” 

An uncomfortable silence fills the hotel room. Zephyr’s hands shake slightly as they tend to the cuts on Ifrit’s face with their small travel sized first aid kit. They don’t look him in the eye as they work. Ifrit stays silent, not wanting to upset them further. He flexes his hands every so often, the pain in his knuckles keeping him distracted. 

“Stop that. You’ll make the bleeding start again.” 

“Sorry…”

Zephyr sighs, placing a bandaid over the worst of the cuts on his brow. They pack up the first aid kit once they’re done. Zephyr doesn’t say a word. Ifrit watches them as they put the box away in their luggage before climbing into the bed. He slowly scoots up from the edge, tentatively trying to twine their tails together. His ears droop when Zephyr whips their tail away. 

“Come on birdie…”

“What? Do you expect me to praise you for nearly getting yourself killed?” 

“I did not nearly. That’s a bit of an exaggeration.” 

Zephyr suddenly sits up, back facing Ifrit, “There were six guys, Ifrit. Six!”

“What was I supposed to do? Sit there and do nothing?” 

“Yes! That’s exactly what you do!” 

“After what they said about you and Dew? No fucking way. Besides, it was fine. We got away.”

“And what if you hadn’t” Zephyr’s whole body shakes “what would have happened if Mountain hadn’t pulled you out of there? What would have happened if we hadn’t slipped away before the human authorities showed up? What would have happened if your glamour slipped?” 

Ifrit reaches forward again, hand resting on their shoulder. Zephyr doesn’t pull away this time. 

“Birdie…”

“This isn’t like the Pits Ifrit. You can’t just hide away in your element to heal everything. You can get hurt. You can…”

Zephyr’s hand flies to their mouth to keep the cry that bubbles up in their throat. It doesn’t stop the way their shoulders shake or a few stray tears from falling. Ifrit gasps and immediately pulls them close to his chest. They turn in his grasp to bury their face into his neck, deeply inhaling his scent. Sparklers and burnt marshmallows. They press a kiss to the deep bruise forming on his jaw, exhaling a shaky breath. 

“It’s okay Zeph. I’m right here. I’m okay” Ifrit moves them to lay against the pillows, maneuvering to press Zephyr’s feathered ear against his chest. 

“Stop pulling these stupid stunts. I can’t stand to see you like this.”

“I know. I’m sorry love.” 

Ifrit presses a kiss between their long horns. He instinctively turns up his temperature, rubbing up and down their arms. The gesture pulls a weak laugh from Zephyr. 

“Shouldn’t I be the one taking care of you right now?” 

“You are. You’re letting me hold you and kiss you and love you.” 

They scoff and roll their eyes, but a small smile pulls at their lips “Disgusting.”

“What? Can’t a man express his undying love and affection?” 

“No. Keep that to yourself” Zephyr clumsily sits up to press a kiss to Ifrit’s lips. 

When they break apart, he holds Zephyr’s face between his hands. He gently brushes his thumb under their eye, wiping away the dried tears. 

“I love you Zephyr.” 

“I love you too” they kiss him again “but don’t ever do that again or I’ll call Alpha to come deal with you.” 

“Noted” he laughs. 

[esamastation]

Part forty-nine of Shizuroth, aka, the SOLDIER General's Self Saving Shizun.

Ao3 link.

Previous parts: thirty-three, thirty-four, thirty-five, thirty-six, thirty-seven, thirty-eight, thirty-nine, forty, forty-one, forty-two, forty-three, forty-four, forty-five, forty-six, forty-seven forty-eight

-

There are certain things you can expect to happen when warriors from opposing factions meet. Some of those things don't make it into the reports.

Truth rarely accepted by higher-ups at Shinra is that no one wants to die. It would be obvious to anyone with sense, but it isn't. Because even when they acknowledge that, sure, no one wants to die, they rarely draw the next conclusion. Which is that no one willingly charges into a hopeless battle, knowing they wouldn't make it out alive.

And that includes Wutai troops.

SOLDIERs have been around for years, and they've reshaped the nature of the war being fought in Wutai. That's not only on the side of Shinra either - the Wutai warriors have adapted too. They've learned. And they never, if they were to help it, to try to take SOLDIER head on anymore.

And there are SOLDIERs, not all of them but some, who take full advantage of it whenever they can. Angeal most certainly does. Because there's another truth, rarely acknowledged.

Most people don't want to kill other people.

On a report it looks something like this:

"Shortly after the engagement began, the Wutai troops deployed a diversion in order to make their escape. Unfortunately, this made following them impossible."

In reality it looks like this:

Angeal walks down the path, making himself loud and obvious. The Wutai troops spot him. There's about a dozen of them, armoured men and women armed with gunspears. They aren't expecting him, but they can recognise his uniform. It makes them wary. 

They take a few warning shots at him, which Angeal quickly deflects with the Buster Sword. Then he's left with a dilemma quite literally in his hands.

He doesn't usually draw his sword on people. It was easy not to, before, he wasn't really able to use it. Now he can use it, but, uh… if he takes the Buster Sword on a person…

The two sides size each other up. There's a moment of posturing.

"What are you doing here, Shinra?" demands the warrior in lead, wearing captain's colours.

"I'm sorry, but I can't answer that," Angeal says, feeling a little awkward with the sword now. "Shinra business. I'm going to have to ask you to go back the same way you came from."

"You want us to leave, from our home? You have some nerve! Who are you, SOLDIER, what is your name?"

"I am Angeal Hewley - and you are?"

His name might not be as known as that of Sephiroth, but it's known enough. SOLDIER Firsts carry a similar level of recognition as Wutai generals, and his name is usually enough.

He isn't usually holding a huge sword, though, and the Wutai troops look somewhat alarmed now.

Angeal clears his throat and rests the Buster Sword on his shoulder, trying for casual rather than… excessively forceful. "Your name, sir?"

The Wutai squad looks to their captain, who makes a decision. "I am captain Deng Yuto. It is my honour to face commander Hewley in battle." He bows and then grabs his spear and shouts to his squad, "Get ready!"

For a moment it looks like they might actually rush at him - then one of them throws something. It cracks on the dirt road between them, and there's an explosion of smoke, footsteps, confusion. 

And then the Wutai Captain murmurs a quiet mantra and brings out a Summon, lighting the acrid smoke in a vivid red glow.

"Here we go," Angeal murmurs, looking up. Before him looms a fiery demon, with flames dancing on its back, behind its impressive horns. Smiling slightly, he tightens his grip on the Buster Sword. "Ifrit, huh? Great - I have been wanting to try these new tricks I've been learning!"

It's not the first time he's been left facing a Summon rather than people, and quite honestly, he prefers it. There's not much honour in fighting people who can't truly meet him at his level. A man's honour can only take so much, fighting against weaker opponents.

But a Summon is something very different.

Angeal waits standing still until the Ifrit attacks, and then ducks out of the way - and then back closer, to get a few hits in, using the Buster Sword to its full advantage. And damn if it's not gratifying, to put his recent lessons to the test!

Ifrit isn't the strongest of Summons, but it's formidable enough and far above the usual monsters of Wutai. This one is a higher level one too - someone put a lot of effort into maturing it. It's one hell of a workout. Being able to swing his sword and feel it do real damage…

"Whoa, what the hell -"

"On guard! Stay alert!"

Angeal falters, realising that the Wutai troops hadn't run away - they'd moved back, but stayed to watch, and now they're watching out for someone else. Quickly Angeal jumps away from the Ifrit's blow and looks where they're looking - up in the trees?

It's… Sephiroth. Who is - what?

"Uh?" Angeal manages, confused - and then Ifrit is upon him, trying to blow him away with a fiery fist. Angeal drags his attention back to the fight and goes about finishing it as quickly as he can. He must've seen it wrong.

Whatever he saw isn't as important as the fact that Sephiroth is here at all. He was supposed to be doing his Alignment practice - why is he here? And… how would he react to all this?

Before he lost his memories, Sephiroth never humoured the Summons - and he too has a reputation. One far worse than Angeal's.

Angeal whittles the Ifrit's HP to zero as quick as he can, and the Summon breaks. Breathing hard, Angeal checks the Wutai troops - still there, frozen in place - and then he looks at Sephiroth.

Who lands, light as a feather, not far from him.

"... What are you doing here?" Angeal manages.

"I was told there was going to be trouble," Sephiroth says, a complicated look on his face, and apparently not thinking there was anything unusual about his own ability to, what, fly? He looks at the Wutai troops instead, eyes narrowed.

"I've got this handled," Angeal says slowly, worried it might turn into a bloodbath after all. "You didn't need to come."

Sephiroth glances at him, and his expression goes cold and inscrutable. "You're worried," he says, sounding somewhere between confused and offended. "Why?"

Because Angeal wasn't planning to fight, really, and he wasn't planning to kill. There wasn't any reason for it. The Wutai squad were just checking out the unusual activity in a place they knew to be abandoned - they weren't geared for an assault. Certainly there might be a full assault later, after they'd confirmed who had taken residence in the abandoned house they might choose to attack them, but that is different. If the enemy planned and executed an attack, even knowing who they were, then of course there would be a fight, but…

Killing these people here and now, when there's no mission and no orders and no point other than to keep them from passing information on… information that would be passed on regardless…

These men aren't a threat to us, Angeal wants to say. But Sephiroth didn't get his moniker for being understanding or merciful. And Angeal isn't sure how he will react now.

Angeal opens his mouth, but before he can speak, the Wutai Captain steps forward. "My name is Deng Yuto," the captain says bravely and brandishes his gunspear at Sephiroth. "I challenge you, Demon of Wutai, for the lives of my men."

Angeal's heart aches for him. The man's spear point doesn't even quiver. Angeal looks at Sephiroth, who probably doesn't even understand the custom he's witnessing. "You don't have to do this. Please. Let me handle this."

Sephiroth looks at him and hums, thoughtful. For a moment, Angeal dares to hope…

And then Sephiroth draws his sword and turns away.

"I accept your challenge."

-

So, not my favourite chapter ever...

[koukouture]

I will forever think about this now because yeah this applies to an astounding amount of characters in ffxiv whom you could see their friendship with WoL as more of a convenience and how they use WoL as a tool. I think Aymeric is obviously guilty of it (bc of the above image) but I also think to some extent the Crystal Exarch is guilty of this (yeah ik it's not for HIS benefit but he still did kinda use WoL and he would not have taken it well if WoL stopped being a hero)

So many characters that are "friends" with WoL kind of only see them for what they can do. I think to some extent even the Scions are like that. Actually come to think of it, the Scions are the most egregious case of this because WoL is their champion. After we killed Ifrit that solidified WoL as something to be used and thrown at any danger that came at the world.

A lot of characters The Exarch included only know WoL as the hero. For what they can do for everyone else and it makes me insaaaannnneee. Likes yes OBVIOUSLY Exarch/G'raha admires the WoL as a hero and sure he got to know us for a time- but he just thinks that we are the hero from the books. WoL is inspiring; they give people hope and they give people the strength to push on but that's all he knows them for. Listen, I'm still on post Shadowbringers, but so far Exarch has done nothing but sing our praises as hero and yeah I'm sure he has good intentions but it's still a little dehumanizing that to him that's all WoL is. Everyone is free to make their WoL's relationships with the other characters whatever the hell they want ofc, but I kinda read a lot of the characters this way just because it's so easy to water down one person for only cherry picked parts of their whole personality. Celebrities are the best example of this but we also to this to the people around us every single day.

I think Aymeric and WoL's relationship has also sort of been put into question with this moment (for me at least) because now I'm thinking "Oh my god, Aymeric did extend his friendship to WoL for either his own gain or for that of Ishgard's" and it's not a rag on him I love Aymeric but he is a politician. I don't doubt he admires WoL for all they've done for Ishgard, but I also don't think that if Aymeric hadn't pushed us we wouldn't have ended the Dragonsong war. I wouldn't say he manipulated us, but he didn't exactly have any qualms about making us battle on the Steps of Faith for Ishgard- yk, the closed off nation that's pretty hostile to outsiders- despite not knowing us for super long at that point. He thought that we could get it done and was like "Sure. You can fight for my country" and yeah I think Alphinaud's handling of the whole thing was also to blame- but Aymeric being okay with letting an outsider deal with things that should be handled by the Temple Knights is kinda sus to me now lmao. Like you are in charge of Ishgard's military shouldn't YOU have dealt with this???? Okay lol.

Listen, obviously I still love Aymeric and Exarch/G'raha but I think the potential that they only see WoL for their deeds is great and would make for an interesting hurdle to get over in a relationship. Actually, you can literally just slap this onto almost any character you want to ship with your WoL and it will be an interesting point of tension. The possibility that they only love WoL for being the hero and not in spite of it.

Anyways I need to thibk about this more bc I just finished the little Elidibus plot of Shadowbringers which is sort of about how heroes are remembered and how history can easily twisted and/or forgotten so uh yeah. I have lots of thoughts and I am very normal.

[meeblo]

@stalkiwi so, Muelsyse. This is just going to be extrapolations off of Mansfield Break, Dorothy's Vision, and the manhua. I think Mumu also appears in a vignette event or is hinted to, but I haven't read that one so I won't bring it up. No lone trail spoilers.

In 7-10, it's revealed that Elves are heavily discriminated against.

The Aegis of the Infected. The Yeti Squad was one of its subsets, and its members did not solely consist of Infected. The exiles, the fanatics, the maimed, Elves, Durin, and Sarkaz. The guerrillas did not fight for the Infected alone.

While the Durin can become recluses in their advanced underground cities, Elves have nowhere to go. We haven't seen any Elves besides Muelsyse. It's possible they have mostly died off as a result of this persecution. It's important to Muelsyse's character to recognize that she is a member of a persecuted minority, a minority that may have already been mostly killed off.

Mansfield Break introduces Muelsyse at what is in my opinion her lowest point. Saria is no longer at Rhine Lab, Ferdinand is swallowing up Energy and coming for Originium Arts next, Parvis is Parvis, and Muelsyse is entirely alone with no one to plead to but the negligent and indifferent Kirsten. Muelsyse's actions and plans regarding Anthony show just how bad things have become for her. She's so deep in the cuthroat game of Rhine's internal politics she's trying to adapt to Ferdinand and Parvis' tactics, but she isn't Ferdinand or Parvis. She can't manipulate people like Parvis or crush rivals like Ferdinand; her plan with Anthony is solely preventative. Gain custody of Anthony, Ferdinand can't get Simon Co and Muelsyse now has at least one bargaining chip... but what next? What does she do from there? It doesn't advance the situation, merely prevent things from becoming even worse for Muelsyse. It also reflects Muelsyse's increasing desperation that she's willing to think of Anthony as an asset and refer to Ifrit simply as the test subject in Mansfield Break. She's so deep into self-preserving fight or flight that her empathy is being pushed down. But this isn't working for her; she's still losing ground, her plan in Mansfield Break failed spectacularly when Saria freed Anthony rather than giving him over to Muelsyse, and pushing down her compassion is just paining her. Something has to change.

In the Rhine Lab manhua, we see Muelsyse before things at Rhine start to fall apart for her. She's working as an informant for Kirsten, but she's able to set that aside for what she actually believes in. Parvis is still Parvis, but Ferdinand hasn't amassed nearly as much power yet. After Saria and Muelsyse find the tape from Haydn Pharmaceuticals with the horrible things they put Ifrit through that lead to the explosion, Muelsyse closes the laptop solemnly and begins truly helping Saria rather than merely monitoring her. Throughout the Rhine manhua, we can see Muelsyse's compassion towards Ifrit. She has ulterior motives in visiting Ifrit to get some information, but we can see that Muelsyse cares about Ifrit, and continues to visit even after it's clear they won't get any info about Haydn from Ifrit. Ifrit isn't solely "the test subject" to Muelsyse, lil' Iffy is someone that Muelsyse wants to help save. Going against the cover up and continuing to dig places her in danger she could have otherwise avoided, but she continues anyway with Saria. Saria's presence at Rhine is crucial for Muelsyse to feel safe in taking risks for what she believes in. Saria is the backbone of integrity at Rhine and without her there are no checks in place on monsters like Parvis and Ferdinand. Even overwhelmed and weakening in influence, Saria's iron will provides a safety net for Muelsyse. It's implied in the Tin Man scenes that Muelsyse is the one leaking info from Rhine Lab (something Dorothy's Vision's opening scene confirms), an action very much in conflict with Muelsyse being Kirsten's informant. There is a clear struggle between Muelsyse doing what she believes is right, and Muelsyse doing what she believes she has to in order to survive among vipers like Parvis and Ferdinand. Muelsyse is so deeply trapped in the politics of Rhine Lab that she has no way out. There's a scene in the Manhua where she says something about having a good resume if things ever go south, but Saria calls that out. Muelsyse's resume means nothing in the face of the power Rhine has over its industry in Columbia. Saria can walk away because she's the only person Kirsten respects and because Saria has a will of steel, but no one else can escape Rhine Lab; Silence goes to Rhodes Island leading the partnership with Rhine, Mayer goes over as part of this partnership to escape Ferdinand's control over Engineering, etc. Rhine Lab has created a closed system in the Columbian scientific community where the only way out is to another Rhine affiliated company or one of Rhine's many puppet shell companies like HydeBro, Loken Watertank, and Haydn Laboratories. Muelsyse has nowhere to go, but she recognizes that she's clearly in danger, so she is forced to hedge her bets and lean on both Saria and Kirsten for aid.

Dorothy's Vision shows Muelsyse beginning to change after her loss in Mansfield Break. Playing the game failed, utterly, so she's more openly doing what she believes in. If she can't win anyway, she might as well do as much as she can even if it makes her even more vulnerable, so she leaks even more documents. This catches the attention at last of the Columbian military, and leads to Ho'olheyak stuffing her into a mechsuit. Crucially in the opening scene of Dorothy's Vision, we see Muelsyse attempt to call Kirsten for aid. Kirsten doesn't pick up, because Kirsten doesn't give a shit about anyone except Saria. The implication here is clear, in my opinion: Muelsyse was never Kirsten's informant because she was given the task by Kirsten; Muelsyse was Kirsten's informant because she was desperately attempting to make herself useful to Kirsten so that she could have any sense of security that Control might protect her from Ferdinand, Parvis, or the military. These frankly tragic lines as Muelsyse is stuffed into the mech shed new light onto her character:

Cold hard steel clamps down on the limbs, preventing any attempt at movement, never mind resistance. If only tears would flow from the eyes. Mother always said tears were powerful weapons. But the eyes are not cooperating. They have seen too many mountains fall and too many rivers dry up over the centuries. They have seen too many loved ones die. They have become dry, like the land after a nomadic city has passed through.

Muelsyse is old. She has seen so much conflict, death, and tragedy. She has lost too many loved ones, and been placed into mortal danger many times herself for being an Elf. Despite being a compassionate person who wants to do what she believes is moral, Muelsyse is burdened with the weight of centuries of loss and the fear of losing even more. She tries to steel herself to this loss, to stop empathizing, to survive, but it just digs her deeper. She attempts to hide her identity as an elf, does her moral actions like leaking info and comforting Ifrit in anonymity and secrecy, so that on the surface she can appear a crafty and formidable force in Rhine Lab's internal politics, but it doesn't fool anyone. In Dorothy's Vision, she tries to let go and do more of what she thinks is right, and at first all it seems to get her is days on end of suffering. But the latter half of Dorothy's Vision begins to prove her wrong; Doctor and Saria begin to prove her wrong. Their actions are succeeding against Ferdinand and the military, they are able to walk straight in to Rhine, they are able to place themselves into danger to make the change that needs to be made and walk back out unscathed and successful. Whereas Muelsyse always hedged her bets and tried to walk the line between Rhine Lab loyalty and pushing against corruption, Saria and Doctor have no such reservations. Muelsyse is shown that stepping with full confidence towards a cause you believe in can work, and is shown that her own leaked information is making an impact.

I haven't had any Lone Trail spoilers, but I have listened to Muelsyse's song, Morning Dew. I could discuss the lyrics at length but here's some verses I find especially important. I'll put it under a cut if you haven't heard the song and don't want it spoiled.

Overall, Muelsyse is one of the most interesting characters of the Rhine Lab storyline to me. She is a silly elf, that's right, but there's so much depth to her. She's a kind person, a silly person, and yet she also makes an active effort to try and be both of those things in spite of the loss and sadness she's witnessed. I feel that it's less of a coping mechanism, and more of an ideal she wants to be. Muelsyse is fun and silly in spite of what she's been through, not to cover up what she's been through.

Don't let the loneliness stop you from being kind. Don't let them say that your peace is a waste of time. Don't let them crush all your dreams, then change their mind

This first verse reflects the trajectory of Muelsyse's character arc after Dorothy's Vision, and her compassionate nature. She's no longer going to let others disparaging her efforts or outright opposing them get in her way of what she thinks is right.

This room was built for one chair only. I'm not empty, I'm just lonely, tied to the ghost of you. I can be gentle too.

The first two lines here reflect Muelsyse's loneliness as one of very few elves and her isolation at Rhine Lab. She's not empty like Parvis and Ferdinand are, corrupt to the core; she's just alone and desperate. I'm not sure who "the ghost of you" is here, I assume Lone Trail will make it more clear, but I have a few guesses. It could be Kirsten, Muelsyse joined Rhine Lab because of the kind of person Kirsten used to be and is now trapped tied to the ghost of Kirsten attempting to appeal to her for safety against the other sector directors. It could be Saria, that Muelsyse is tied to the lingering influence of Saria that remains at Rhine Lab after her departure. It could be Muelsyse's presumably dead mother we don't really know anything about mentioned in that Dorothy's Vision text.

Oh-ooh... letting me go isn't the only answer. Oh-ooh... letting me go makes the world spin faster. "No one like me" doesn't mean you won't like me. Oh-ooh... I'll let you go, it's a pattern on repeat.

The chorus, reflecting the amount of times people have left Muelsyse behind. Saria leaving Rhine is the obvious one that sticks out, but it's clear that this is a pattern that keeps happening to Muelsyse, and the "No one like me" implies that some of these people leaving did it for racist reasons because Muelsyse was an elf. Muelsyse attempts to make connections, but inevitably she has to let them go as they leave her behind.

Don't let utopia haunt you, there's more to save. Don't stop the search for the perfect, you're smart and brave. Don't let them sail off in anger, just smile and wave.

The next verse continues to reflect Muelsyse's compassion and desire to save people, in spite of being faced with opposition preventing utopia from being possible. "Don't stop the search for the perfect", even while perfection is impossible it's still worth striving for. The last two lines show Muelsyse's acceptance of all the people leaving her life. She's resolved to smile as they go, rather than be angry at it.

The ship takes off, now I'm the captain. Gentle breeze, I'll make it happen. I'm gonna lock the doors, no one allowed on board. I won't choose, I'm not ungrateful; making peace to quell the hateful. Look at the mess you made. I whisper as you fade.

This last verse before the song ends with the chorus again I hope shows where her character arc goes in Lone Trail. Muelsyse is finally taking control of her own life and becoming the captain of her own ship, no longer having Kirsten fill that role. "Look at the mess you made" probably refers to the mess that is Rhine Lab under Kirsten's willful negligence, who is now fading into the distance as Muelsyse is able to finally sail off and escape.

[rydiathesummoner]

Rating FFXVI characters based on how badass they were when they died*

*the official status from Square Enix for three of the characters is "it's up to the player's interpretation" but for the purpose of this post obviously I'm rating as if they died.

Spoilers start here!

Elwin 4/10

It's always a bit badass to die saving your kid. So he gets some points there. And he didn't go out crying about how he was betrayed. That said, he was REALLY caught off guard by Head Chopper, and as the ruler of a nation and the spouse of a conniving bitch I expected more from him.

The Bastards 7/10

Squashed by Boulder Dude gets lots of points for the memorable epic scream. Axe Dude here gets points for getting murdered without messing up his hair. Now THAT's talent. Tiamat gets no points. He was easily beaten by his subordinate, plus he was given a chance to escape his position and he chose to remain loyal to Sanbreque. Like bro. That was your chance. So many people died in that battle. You could have just vanished. Did anybody go looking for Clive after he vanished? No! You died Sanbreque's loyal little bitch.

Benedikta 9/10

Benedikta went out like a champ. An absolute badass. She didn't even flinch at the previously unknown Eikon of Fire, she just took one look and was like "ok yeah sure I''ll kick this one's ass too." Girl regrew limbs and stood on Ifrit's face. She showed the player how scary eikons are. I'd give her a 10/10, but she threw my dog.

Cid 10/10

Cid destroyed a mothercrystal, got stabbed by an interdimensional monster, STOOD BACK UP to stab Ultima in the neck, then spent his last moments giving Clive a heartwarming and encouraging speech. He went out on his own terms, despite being a dominant. Bravo Cid 🫡

Imreann 0/10

Just look at this asshole. He genuinely thought Jill wouldn't kill him. His last moments were spent like "Wait, why is the girl I horribly mistreated killing me? That's not fair!" I considered giving him a pity point because Jill's badassery is awesome in this scene, but nah.

Hugo 4/10

The fight was a 10/10, but his death was too quick after that to really show any badassery. He used up everything he had to fight Clive, which I'll give him points for. But just turning instantly to stone like that... I dunno, he just seems pretty 'armless.

Sylvestre 6/10

Again, giving points here for dying to protect your kid. Even if your kid is a possessed monster from a conniving bitch. I gave him an extra point for running even though he needs a cane. And another because I'm pretty sure he figured out he was a dumbass all along in his last minutes.

Olivier 2/10

I'll give points for this death making me laugh. It wasn't a badass death at all, but I still clapped in my head.

Annabella 4/10

I hate this cunt so much. I wanted to kill her myself, but she stole that too. I'll give her points for the mystery of whether she actually thought Joshua was a demon or if she was just manipulating to the very end. Plus a point for trying to cut Joshua with her knife. If she really did think he was a demon, at least she tried to defend herself.

Barnabas 9/10

The fight was great. The crazy-man laugh was great. The best part though, is that he got one over the most overpowered person on the planet just by grabbing his ankle. Clive didn't even want Odin's power, but Barnabas was like "nope, you're slurping my powers whether you want to or not." I took off a point for his last words reminding the player of the scene of him cuddling his mom naked, ugh not the last thing I want to remember about the dude.

Dion 3/10

I gave him points because the "I ask not for acceptance but for forgiveness" part was cool, but everything else about this death was stupid. He's still babbling about his worthless father. He doesn't even mention the one person genuinely in his corner. He's badass the rest of the game, so his Suicide by Demigod death is incredibly stupid. Look, I've spent way too much time in the past in a therapist's chair ticking The Bad Boxes so I really, really understand the mental state. But that doesn't change the fact that killing yourself over something you didn't have control over is stupid. It would have been far more badass if he managed to find a way to live with himself, because that's far harder than offing yourself.

Joshua 10/10

Joshua was frail and weak, but he really powered through until the end. His dedication was admirable. He gave it his all, including his Phoenix powers. His last speech to Clive was so sweet, and it really showed his faith in Clive to do what was right for the world.

Ultima 7/10

The fight was great. But the sheer pettiness here won me over. Clive won fair and square, and Ultima is STILL getting his digs in, right up to the last second. His last words are pure snark. Maybe that's not very badass, but I can at least respect it.

Clive 9/10

I respect his ability to swim/float to the beach after that last fight. That's badass. I only took a point off because he didn't drag himself very far onto the beach. His body may be in trouble when the tide comes in. It's nice that his last moments are thinking of the ones he loved. But most impressive of all is that despite JUST dragging himself out of the water, his hair looks like he just stepped out of the salon. Like, damn. Nobody will ever top that ability. No man can compete with that.

[lost-lux]

Dion must be a CBU3 favourite because the way he survives his bossfight it's hilarious like!!!

Benedikta is killed by a berserk Clive with zero experience, Kupka becomes stone after eating one (1) crystal shard and can't even land a slap on Ifrit and then we have Dion who's slowly dying from the curse and having the worst day of his life and after:

-Slurping the entire Twin's mothercrystal

-Fighting two Eikons at the same time

-FLYING INTO THE FUCKING SPACE

-Casting not only flare but also mega flare, giga flare, TERA FLARE AND ZETTA FLARE

-FALLING FROM SPACE IN HIS HUMAN FORM????'

he manages to survive with only a cut on his forehead and with enough energy to throw his spear at his evil little brother LIKE

Dion is just built different there is no way he died in the battle against Ultima my man cannot be killed it's just a scratch he's fine trust me

[demifiendrsa]

FINAL FANTASY XVI DLC Trailer - The Rising Tide

Japanese version (with multi-language captions)

Leviathan abilities gameplay

Leviathan The (Not So) Lost Is Here | FINAL FANTASY XVI PAX East 2024 Panel

“The Rising Tide” DLC for Final Fantasy XVI will launch in Spring 2024. An Expansion Pass including both add-ons can also be purchased for $24.99.

Latest details

■ The Rising Tide

Introduction

An unmarked letter arrives at the hideaway containing a request most curious: the Dominant of Leviathan, long lost Eikon of Water, is in need of rescue.

To heed this call, Clive and his companions must journey to Mysidia—a hidden land under a blue sky—where they will uncover the tragic history of a forgotten people.

Ifrit vs. Leviathan

A New Ally: Shula

An invaluable ally on Clive’s journey to rescue Leviathan’s Dominant.

A New Area: Mysidia

Deep within a sea of darkness, sanctuary exists for those who know where to look—a lost oasis untouched by the ever-encroaching Blight. It is beneath her emerald boughs that both man and beast have found their final haven.

What’s Up with the New Tonberries?

New Abilities: Leviathan

Tame the tides and drown your enemies both near and far with the terrible might of the Eikon of Water.

—Leviathan’s Eikonic Feat: Serpent’s Cry

Summon onto Clive’s off arm a sea-spitting serpent capable of attacking enemies at great distances (using Triangle and Square).

New End Game Content: Kairos Gate

Unlock this challenging new mode after completing both “The Rising Tide” and the main game scenarios.

Fight your way through 20 stages, each one growing more difficult.

Earn points during battle and use them to upgrade Clive. Maximize battle performance to earn more points.

Find new materials and weapons at the end of each stage.

Aim for a spot on the global leaderboard.

But That’s Not All…

After obtaining the power of all the Eikons, something happens to Clive…

■ Free Update Version 1.30

Return to a quest giver immediately with a new “Quick Complete” function.

Icons updated for important character quests.

New Skill Set feature allows you to save up to five unique Feat and Ability sets.

Abilities and Accessories adjusted to make easier to use.

New controller type allows for customizable button layouts.

Tone correction, screen effects, and more added to Photo Mode.

Approximately 40 new orchestrion rolls added.

■ Collaborations

Final Fantasy XIV Online

Final Fantasy: Brave Exvius

Final Fantasy XVI is available now for PlayStation 5. A PC version is currently in development.

[xruiiii-blog]

Some ghouls come in pairs and they are giving heavy sidling vibes…

These are just for fun!!! Some hc my friends and I shared:)) forgive my English too…I tried🤷‍♀️!

Swiss & Rain-They are not blood siblings but they’ve been by each other’s side for as long as they can remember. There’s an age gap, they act completely different, into different things, but there are times where they look like each other’s reflection. The pit was a tough memory for both of them but luckily they had each other.

That being said, They will do stupid pranks to the other one and it’s only funny to themselves. No one beside them will understand what the hell is going on. They won’t even stop giggling during practices this sometimes pisses Copia off…but they are his ghouls so he can’t do anything about it. Usually Swiss’ the one who started them. Rain only pays back if he’s bored/got irritated, most of the time he lets it slide.

Ifrit & Zephyr-They are twins! They can be very handful sometimes…the intention was nice(ended badly bc one of them accidentally messed up or got too carried away, drag the other one with them). They are free spirit. Don’t even try n tell them to behave or what to do cuz they always end up doing their own thing. Follow the instructions was never an option. If you trust them on whatever they’re about to do then that’s a promise, they sure knows how to deliver. Usually Ifrit suggests an idea and comes up with a “plan” but then Zeph is the one who’s actually doing all the work…

Rare occasions they get time-out from Terzo. They will start behaving for a week at most. Ifrit has to spend a day or two convincing Zeph to be on his side again. They are the sweetest boys tho, always trying to cheer their papa up and lighten the mood. If papa didn’t like it, try something new. Terzo secretly enjoyed their company. It feels like home when these two hanging around(even if he had to cover his ears or screams “put that down!”) Terzo gets complaints from sisters about these two running down the hall all the time. Besides a disappointed gaze, Terzo never actually punish them, ever.

Aurora & Phantom-baby bat siblings! Aurora is probably minutes or seconds older than Phantom and she won’t ever let this go. There’re A LOT of pillow fights, back and forth arguments about nothing, constantly screaming each other’s name for no reason in the ghoul dorms right after they’re summoned. Copia had to sit both of them down for a chat but ending up realizing there’s nothing he can do from this point on. They’re fine, it’s a sibling thing. The ghouls are on their own now.

(Quick side explaining: our lore is that ghoulettes and ghouls are not coming from the same place. Ghoulettes are like witches?? Their community are tight, function more like merceners, papa had to go hire from the witches. Ghouls are…ghouls. They are from hell, the pit, they can be owned I guess?? Make a living in the pit it’s all on ur own. Doesn’t matter where u from, working with/for the clergy, next to papa is always a pleasure, an honor. A sacred chance for anyone. Exceptions always exist, Mist is a ghoulette but she’s from the pit. Phantom in this case, was adopted by the witches and lives among them, so this makes him a half-witch I guess…there are some ghoul behaviors he simply doesn’t understand, Aether prepared him after his summoning but there’re still alotttt to process. He’s an exchange student if u will. )

If Phantom ever felt frustrated, Aurora is the first person he goes to, and vises versus. Aurora will call Phantom her baby brother only when tommy is not around. They are still on the young side so everyone is looking out for them. They never been on Earth before so they are super hyped about everything. Blew up the kitchen couple times but they were forgiven after a sincere apology. Will you ever say no or stay mad towards a baby bat who love you with all their heart?? That’s right, I don’t think so.

I haven’t read much of the lores in the fandom if there’s similar ones oops!! We have similar tastes I guess! I don’t own any of these they are all just for fun. Thanks for reading and tolerating my on going struggle with writing! Hearts to all the writers out there, idk how y’all did this, it’s so damn hard💀.

u guys’ stuff actually makes sense, mines don’t lol

FYI my drawing always have them in these dynamic as well! These became canon to me…I just love seeing ghouls messing around…