#venat.

[vierandancer]

"No! This can't be happening!"

This shouldn't have blindsided her the way it did. Even before Alisaie cried out, Meiko had felt it. It was strangely akin to the same sensation when her aether had began to fracture under the Lightwarden's light. It wasn't her own, though -- it was Hydaelyn's.

Venat's.

Deep down, she had known this was how it would end. It was how it was meant to end. After everything She had done, She deserved to rest -- and yet there was a small part of Meiko had had hoped they could speak freely once more, when all this was over. Even if it meant fighting her way through wayward souls.

Hydaelyn had spoken to many since her inception, but only ever from a distance. That meant Venat had been isolated for so long -- carrying burdens while those who knew not of Her intentions (Meiko included at one point) cursed Her name, with no possible way to explain Herself. This outcome may have been what She wanted, but it wasn't enough. Nothing ever could be.

Meiko heard what was being said, and yet she could only vaguely grasp the meaning of the words. Only when Hydaelyn beckoned she and her brother forward did she manage to grasp some form of clarity long enough to approach along his side.

When she offered up her gift, A'kihiko retrieved the crystal of Azem from his belt and allowed her to cast her final spell upon it.

"With that...my work is finished." She looked between the two of them, and Meiko felt her stomach sink and desperation rise. "Fulfill our promise. Right the wrongs committed when the world was yet whole. Silence the song of oblivion. Teach her a brighter melody. Show her our journey is far from over."

A'kihiko, trembling as he struggled to hold in his own emotion as he nodded. "We will. I promise we will."

Hydaelyn let out a shaky sigh; the aether -- Her aether-- around Her flickered and began to dissipate more quickly. In a burst of emotion, Meiko dropped to the ground and took one of Hydaelyn's hands in two of hers. It felt so wrong to just watch her disappear. How long had it been since She felt a hand of comfort at all?

Tears spilling over, she looked up at Her and managed in a far stronger tone than she anticipated. "We'll find our way, Venat. Just as you said we could -- we will. So rest -- rest well, aye?"

The deity's eyes widened briefly in surprise. Then they shut, lids fluttering as a tear of Her own rolled down Her cheek. She faintly, weakly gave Meiko's hand a squeeze in return.

"I will. And you now understand that I never forgot you. Aye?"

Meiko's breath caught.

I never forgot you.

How many nights had she agonized over why she received the Blessing of Light so much later than her brother? Clouded by doubt and suspicion, Meiko had wondered if she were merely a back-up in the event of his demise. Upon traveling to Elpis and telling Venat her story had provided her with her own answer -- and the answer was that it was Meiko herself who had orchestrated it all. In a strange, headache-inducing time loop sort of way.

I never forgot you. She had never been unimportant. She had always had as much of a role to play as her brother. Meiko sobbed and could only manage out a nod. Words tumbled around in her head but couldn't make it to her lips, but that seemed sufficient enough an answer. Hydaelyn looked to A'kihiko, and then beyond him towards the Scions.

"Long after I have gone, though not even my soul remaineth..." She smiled with all the warmth of the light She embodied. "My love with be with you forever...my dearest children."

And then she was gone. Meiko found herself still grasping at the air as Hydaelyn's remaining aether scattered into the air, fading off into the aetherial sea. Finally lowering her hands, Meiko doubled over and sobbed. After a moment, A'kihiko knelt down beside her to pull her into a hug.

They cried together.

[halvedhekate]

And amidst deepest despair light everlasting.

[toxooz]

4got to post snookie pookie that i doodled b4 i got my leg stuck in Depression Sludge 🏹🌳🌿

bonus stupidass was too busy diggin holes

[quistal]

Hecate but it’s Venat

[estinininininen]

FFXIV: Can you imagine the Ascians' reactions to Midgardsormr landing on this planet? They didn't know about life on other stars. If they missed his actual landing they'd be gallivanting around, jumping to the other shards, teehee we'll get that dastardly Venat, and then they come back and find

this thing

protecting a lake full of aether, it's the size of a skyscraper from the World Unsundered, it's immortal, it has funky aether they can't sense or manipulate like other sundered beings' aether, its soul is in its eyes, it's incredibly strong, it seems to be able to change its shape, holy shit it's like it's unsundered is it even ethical to fight this thing, and it may also be able to eat people to get their souls and then that soulshard is kinda immortal again? how did Venat come up with this thing -

And then the lizard opens its mouth to the nice mortals that are hanging around asking questions and it says, completely intelligent, that a goddess called Hydaelyn let him stay on this planet if he protects the lake and does her a favor every now and then. Oh, and meet his first baby. The other 6 are going to hatch at some point.

I think the Ascian in the awestruck crowd would have just shat out of their borrowed body on the spot and gone running to the others like "You will not BELIEVE what that fucking bitch beat us to"

[fisherrprince]

for as much as I love and adore stories where the power of hope and friendship is a blinding wonderful light, full of happiness and ease and laughter, something hits different about the way hope, in ffxiv, looks like this

covered in blood and dirt and limping forward. It’s probably been said multiple times before but isn’t it a reassuring image to know that hope drags itself through the mud just as much as you do and keeps fighting when it can hardly stand. and amidst deepest despair, light everlasting

[pilinonia]

some keychain concepts

[moshimoshibe]

venat

[koyoriin]

okay venat enjoyers here you go

https://twitter.com/koyoriin https://patreon.com/koyorin https://instagram.com/koyori_n https://www.pixiv.net/member.php?id

[yhane]

“To all of my children”

Inspired by “Answers” and “Your Answer”. The fight with Hydaelyn makes me cry so much. I love how Endwalker reveals deeper meanings to “Answers” and how “Your Answer” echos to “Answers”.

“Has your journey been good? Has it been worthwhile?”

「あなたの旅は、良いものでしたか？」

Glad that I played FF14.

[raphaerolo]

Tasuki

[vierandancer]

She had been holding herself together very well, all things considered.

Even after Fandaniel’s cackle of triumph, even after that horrific, crimson vision of the end of the Source – FINALLY, that voice had cried – Meiko had clutched at her heart and carried on. Shaken? Of course. She trembled all the way to that strange ark structure on the moon, so much so that even Y’shtola had noticed, but still she carried on.

It was shortly after meeeting the Loporrits that she had her first little BREAK – although it came in the form of laughter. Laughter at the absurdity of it all. Small rabbits on the moon, placed there by Hydaelyn, created by Hydaelyn; these fuzzy little geniuses whose diet consisted of nothing but (admittedly delicious) carrots, having been in contact with the Sharlayan Forum for centuries… Centuries! The image of the twins’ stoic father trying to hold a conversation with wee bossy Livingway?

She had to sit down for a bit, but ultimately, she was all right. She was still all right.

Then came Thavnair and all the horrors of the beginning of the Final Days. It was too similar to what had transpired on the First, and she knew that G’raha recognized that, too. It wasn’t – it didn’t feel good. It didn’t feel like a true victory, not until the end when they watched Vtra present himself to his people.

Estinien was right. Ysayle would have been so happy to witness it. It took all of Mei’s willpower not to obsess over the point that she never would.

She really had come quite far. Part of her lamented the fact that Fray no longer lingered in her mind to commend her. Her own self-congratulations would just have to do.

And then she returned to the First.

Standing by the Cabinet of Curiosity, Mei could not help but reflect on how she had once viewed the First with quiet disdain – with jealousy, even, after watching her brother and fellow Scions fall in love with a world that had stolen them from their own. But now she was just as, if not more enamored with this world than the Source – and seeing it thriving and peaceful only solidified her desire to save it once more.

In truth, she was unsure whether or not Elidibus would want to be of any assistance. What a surprise it was, then, to hear his revelations – and his offer to send her into the past at his own life’s (?) cost.

She had hated him once. Truly, fiercely wished him dead for all that he inflicted upon this world and her loved ones. But now it was just pity. Pity and maybe the smallest amount of forgiveness. Maybe.

The trip to the First was not meant to last long, and yet she knew this would be a whole separate adventure the moment she walked through the portal and thrown into the river of time.

How the fuck am I supposed to get back again? A question she should have asked, she supposed, before Elidibus bid her leave. But as she, little more than a small shade, tried to regain her bearings in the world that once was, a familiar voice stopped her in her tracks.

Emet-selch. And Hythlodaeus! She was content and perhaps even eager to follow them as a ghost, but suddenly they could see her and even brought her into proper existence before them. A familiar. They thought she was a familiar of Azem!

“Aye! I’m – ah, m’here to learn more about Elpis,” she gave a shaky nod, trying not to seem too suspicious or un-familiar-like. “Azem sent me in his stead.”

Emet-selch made a noise of disgust. “What is that manner of speaking of yours? Are you defective?”

Bristling, she glared at him, but Hythlodaeus stepped in to diffuse the situation before she could speak again. On one hand, she was prepared to punch the snarky bastard in the throat – but on the other, he was right. Her accent likely did not even exist, did it? Perhaps it would be better if she spoke less…

That was impossible, however. Despite trying to be as invisible as she could, there were endless questions to answer and ask and people to meet. Meiko tried to absorb everything she could while not looking too out of place, but that only led to more introspection:

Again, she had to confess that the original forms of Emet-selch and now even Fandaniel (!!!) had been decent people. Good people, even, and Hythodaeus even sweeter in the flesh as he had been a mere reflection. It was like her original time spent on the First all over again – that inner struggle over growing attached. Meteion, too, had tugged at her heartstrings as quickly as any other child she had come across on her journey had. And Elpis itself? She would be lying if she denied that that was beautiful.

But this paradise and these people were long dead and gone. She was merely a visitor and this world had already met its unfortunate end. So long as she kept telling herself this, surely she would be fine. Surely.

“Are you from the future?”

Venat, however, saw right through her. Meiko had been so taken aback that she could not possibly think of a convincing lie, and then the other two were pressing her as well. She tried, instead, to simply say nothing. Elidibus had already told her that this timeline’s fate had been sealed, hadn’t he? There was no point in telling them. And how could she? How could she look at them all and explain their abysmal fates?

The answer was that she could – but only through tears. Tears that had been building up since before Garlemald. Tears for those lost and those who yet suffered, tears for those she had left behind on the Source – tears even for those she had met in this time, in this very room.

Emet-selch stormed out, and she couldn’t blame him. Hythlodaeus pursued. Emotionally drained and ashamed for folding under the pressure, afraid for what her actions might lead to, Meiko sat there with her face in her hands for what felt like a long time.

“Meiko.” Venat was still there, however, and she gave the Viera’s shoulder a comforting squeeze. “Fear not. As tragic as your story was, we yet still have reason to hope. Our meeting was surely planned; I am confident that sharing this with us was what you were meant to do.”

Meiko exhaled slowly, lowering her hands from her face after a quick rub at her eyes. Was this what she was meant to do? Blubber and sob and spoil everything? It didn’t feel like the proper path, and yet as Venat spoke, she somehow felt reassured.

Maybe this was meant to be. Maybe it wasn’t. Regardless, she would just have to keep forging ahead, wouldn’t she? No matter what it took, she needed to find a way to save the Source. At the moment, she was the only one that possibly could.

“…Right,” she looked up finally, letting out a long-held breath. “Whats next, then?”

[space-diablo]

They are all mentally ill. Always have been. (Do not forget it's just a joke... In a half...)

[leoninaiart]

♦ A ray of hope ♦

[etroveria]

What's a God to a non-believer

[picaroroboto]

One of the typical imageries associated with the concept of "hope" is the image of light amidst darkness. FF14 does a lot of stuff with light and dark of course but in Shadowbringers they made light a thing of horror so they can't rely on the light image all the time.

Another usual image is a bird - "Hope is a thing with feathers..." from the Emily Dickinson poem. Meteion, the bird, was created with hope, but becomes a thing of despair.

So what's left as the image of "hope" in Endwalker is this:

From the cutscene "Live, Die and Know", where Venat monologues about hope and light everlasting while the camera cuts back and forth between her, blackened with blood, and the WoL succumbing to the Light corruption, both limping and stumbling along their paths. This is the face of hope in FF14 - broken, dying, bloodstained, yet defiant. That's what makes playing the hero in FF14 so damn magnetic.

Early ARR, I was cringing at the cliche chosen one, light vs dark type concepts. Further along I began to doubt Hydaelyn, given her ineffectiveness and the cruelty of the fate she bound the WoL to. But from Elpis to the end of Endwalker and beyond, I was proud, for the first time, to be called a Warrior of Light.