dreamcrystals | 【 Ⅲ 】𝐂𝐑𝐘𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐋 💎 Passive Dream

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【 Ⅲ 】𝐂𝐑𝐘𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐋 💎 Passive Dream

Sender: G'raha Tia
To: Everyone
Subject: Passive dream recording

[OOC:There are heavy Shadowbringers spoilers in this nightmare.]

For anybody who's seen G'raha's previous dream, the location may or may not seem familiar as the dream is broadcasted. Though the exact location hadn't been shown previously, that blinding bright light should be easy enough to catch as soon enough as the the vast night sky was swallowed whole by light once more.

With Vaulthry's defeat, and the last lightwarden in turn, that should have been enough to save Norvrant. Too bad things were never that simple. At the front of the pack was a sillhouette of a figure growing bright. All of the collective light from the defeated lightwarden had become too much for the Warrior of Light to handle. It threatened to push them over the edge as the light poured out of them. They were on verge of turning into the next lightwarden, more dangerous and powerful than any other thus far.

"The combined power of every lightwarden is too terrible a burdan for any one should to bear. And so I will relieve you of it," a familiar hooded man spoke out as he started to transfer the light to himself.

"Exarch?! What are you doing?!" a possibly familiar girl called out. Some people here may or may not already know this individual as Alisaie Leveilleur.

"I will channel this perfusion of power to the Crystal Tower and use it to travel to other worlds. As I have dreamed of doing ever since I first learned of their existence!" he stated, "Who would chose to remain here, in this dying realm, when they might go elsewhere and begin anew? Not I. And thus... thus did I use you!"

"No... No! I don't believe you! It doesn't make sense!" a girl with red hair cried out.

"Damn you! We won't let you do with them as you please!" Alisaie retorted.

"Do not interfere!" a tall Elezen yelled out in a pained expression, "Please! I beseech you all. Let him go!"

"You knew of this, Urianger," a Miqo'te woman said as she looked to the man who spoke out, "'Tis all a fiction. Such vaguely defined acts of teleportation stand no chance of success. The Exarch will never live to see another world--as he knows only too well."

The boy who looked similar to Alisaie spoke up finally, "Then... What does he mean to do?"

"He means to take the Light with him into the rift... where he will die. From the beginning, he intended to sacrifice himself to save our friend and Norvrant," the Miqo'te woman explained.

Turning his complete attention to the bright figure, "At journey's end, an opportunistic thief makes off with the hero's prize. A paltry way to end a chapter, I concede. Yet your tale will continue, and my role will scarcely be remembered."

With a short pause, "Worry not. Whatever should become of me, I will be happy and free, safe in the knowledge that I have played my part."

With enough force due to the gusts around them, the Exarch's hood flew back, revealing a familiar Miqo'te. His red hair looked slightly different and there is one detail that's is not present otherwise here. The one arm, neck area, and partially creeping on his cheek is what looks to be crystal.

For anyone who has seen G'raha thus far, he'll look a little different, but he is undoubtedly the same man who had proposed the aetheryte project here.

If there are any doubts, the Warrior calling out his name should clear all confusion. It was just a name, and yet he found such comfort in hearing it for the first time in hundreds of years.

"Thank you for fighting for this world. For believing. Fair you well, my friend--my inspiration," at this rate, his plan should be a success. That was until a gunshot rang out as he collapsed to the ground.

The man responsible made his presence known. "Only those who possess the Royal Eye of the Allagan Imperial line are capable of controlling the Crystal Tower. Such individuals do not exist in the First."

"Therefore, in all likelihood, the Exarch arrived here with the tower. This much I had surmised, yet I could not discern his grand scheme," approaching him, he continued, "To think he went through all this trouble for the sake of a single hero. It's almost admirable in its absurdity."

The Exarch, or rather G'raha Tia, tried to move, but found it difficult. The man looked to him struggling, "Alas, it is not your grand scheme that will succeed, but ours."

Turning his attention to the Warrior of Light, struggling to hold in all of the light. "What a disappointment you turned out to be. I placed my faith in you. Let myself believe that you could contain the Light. But look at you now, halfway to becoming the monster. You are unworthy of my patronage."

A gunshot couldn't be what held G'raha down, he refused. Struggling to push himself back on his knees at the very least, "You're wrong." He reached for his staff, using it to prop him up, "I won't allow it. I will not allow you... to point my friend like a weapon."

The man rose a brow in response, "Oh? And how exactly do you plan on stopping me? By all accounts, you don't have much time left and I don't intend on letting do your little parlor trick a second time."

Gesturing over to the Warrior of Light, spitting out more white liquid, "It's almost comical. You're playing a rather risky game of chicken, don't you think?"

G'raha gave him a glare as the man shrugged in response. "It seems like our time is up. Do seek me out later once you're able. Perhaps you will be able to complete your descent in privacy," he said as he nonchalantly waved them off, existing through a dark portal.

"N-No!" Turning to his friend in urgancy, "Please! You must hold it in for a little while longer. I-I'll save you. I'll save you all."

Panic spread through him as he tried once more to take the Light from the Warrior of Light, but to no avail. It was a nightmare. It was something that he had gone over in the back of his mind on a few occasions while trying to figure out plan. The Warrior of Light changed before their eyes, G'raha petrified as all of his fears bubbled to the surface.

"N-No...This... This cannot be happening...," taking a step back, the newly formed lightwarden snaped their gaze to him as he looked on in horror. He found it difficult to breath suddenly as he tried to remain calm. That was much easier said than done when all of your worst fears bubbled to the surface with all of his regrets.

"Exarch!" another man with a gunblade shouted out to snap him out of his thoughts. He charged forward to try to help, but the lightwarden easily flicked him away, sending him flying into a wall.

"Thancred! Are you okay?!" the red head called out as she rushed over to him.

It was no use, G'raha's brain was shutting down. He was going to save them... How could he fail something so important. Hands shaking, holding his staff towards his friend.

"I... I'm so sorry, my friend. I...," he found himself choking over words. That hesitation was enough for the lightwarden to grab him as his staff clambered to the ground once more, mouth open wide as if to eat him.

"I've failed you... I've failed everyone... Pray forgive me...," he muttered under his breath.

Just as he was about to be devoured, the dream ends there.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

It's alright not to be okay. I dare say it's also my duty to worry about you.

[You were shot and eaten, honey. No apologies. If you think she was staying home at this point, you'd be wrong. She can bundle up, rouse her sleeping yol and carry her lantern at the same time. She couldn't help but think of the crystallized skin again. It was creeping up his body, his neck, his face... it was worse than what she'd seen before, in that dream that took place in a time many years before.]

What cruel embellishments these are... the end especially. Why the mind chooses to be this way to us sometimes, I'll never understand.

You've been through so much...

[He was silent for a moment, letting her message sink in a little.]

So it is.

[Saying he was mentally tired was an understatement. Younger body or not, sometimes he felt the years weigh on him. They hadn't been quite so bad up until now.]

Whatever I've been through, it hardly even scratches the surface as to what they've been through.

[Thinking of the Warrior of Light is a little sensitive right now and he feels that pain of guilt more than ever.]

Needless to say, only about half of that dream is accurate. Thankfully, nothing so fire has come to pass in reality.

[But it really just makes him think about what would have happened if he wasn't able to step in on time. If he had bungled things up more than he had.]

[Memories of home of late pop to mind, but she gave no voice to them. These were things he didn't know of yet, but the knowledge of them wasn't important right now either.

But to speak so little of himself, to even take in everything and die in some suffocating rift in the sea of stars... she wasn't going to stand for it.]

Thankfully. I meant it when I called you 'hero'. I'd do it again and again without a second thought.

...Speaking of 'without a second thought', I'm going to do the thing. There's your warning.

[If taking all of the burdan and sacrificing himself would save everyone, he'd do it a hundred times over... Well, maybe not now. He had plenty of people who'd be pissed off at him if he even contemplated the idea; Hell, one of them was here with them.]

Ah- hero... You flatter me.

[Deep down he felt like he didn't do anything special enough, but it was nice to hear nonetheless.]

...The thing?

[Was she still talking about the hero thing or...?]

[About a minute or two later, there's a rustling in the tree boughs above. Something very large had decided to perch.]

The balcony thing, but for innocent purposes rather than its original intention. Some nights I tire of doors. Not theatric enough. Don't you?

[There was a soft knock from one of the windows.]

[In truth, he had intended to busy himself with work as a distraction. He hadn't gotten that far on that front. It was probably for the better if she was stopping by.

He noticed the rustling of the leaves -- albeit a little slower than he normally would have -- and then the knock. Opening the window for her with a faint smile in response.]

Oh? Are you also going to serenade me?

[Oh good. He can still make a joke, but his overall fatigue had likely been obvious.]

Pfft- You kid, but I'm a Qalli.

[Ah, he can still be a smartass. There's hope for his spirits yet. But she went ahead with climbing in through the window. A moment later, she stooped to gather up and put a very fluffy slipper back on; in her haste to dress for the cold, it was evident in the shoes and the loose pants that she'd hustled along in her pajamas.

But after a dusting off, she went in for the hug. Gods, he looked like tired hell.]

I couldn't help it. There's only so much you can do over those lanterns, you know...?

[Something could be said about leaving her home dressed like that when it was cold like this, but that didn't really matter right now.

The hug had been incredibly comforting. He had no idea just how much he needed one until now. He returned the embrace, lingering longer than intended.]

... Thank you. I... appreciate it nonetheless.

[After finally letting her go, he reached over to grab the nearest blanket to warm her up. Adjusting the blanket to fit snuggly on her shoulders.]

I hadn't expected the surprise trip.

[He'd probably manage on his own. It was just easier with someone he cared about.]

Please do remember to take care of yourself as well. I would feel awful if you froze on my account.

[She couldn't help herself any further, taking in the warmth of him. He was hale and whole, very much alive, just... rattled. Having had her fair share of nightmares- especially of late- she wasn't too hot on the idea of letting go either.

The blanket settled on her shoulders and she had a shudder, a full body reaction to the realization that maybe she'd been a little too hasty in her race over. Still, worth it... even if she pulled the blanket over her head and quietly sighed. She loved winter, but damn was she prepared for spring.]

You're a Scion-Archon-Exarch... I know you're a tough cookie.

[She curtsied and tipped her chin.]

But a sniffle and a sneeze means little to me if it means I can climb in through my beau's window with a calm-imbued tea blend from my garden...

[She opened up her bag and fumbled through it before pulling out a little ceramic jar with a flourish.]

...And maybe fuss over him. Just a little.

[Rattled was an understatement. He had been prepared to suffer alone, meanwhile acting like he was fine. This was a much better alternative.

She was real good at finding crit points for him. Though nothing had been said out loud about their relationship, to hear her say such words was enough to make his heart beat faster. There he was, cheeks burning red once more and ears darted up. How could she have such an effect on him? If she wasn't warming up from the blanket already, the heat he was giving off would.]

I... [Inadvertantly bringing a hand to his heart.] I've been... fussed over more times than I could count. Mostly to make me take breaks and eat. To keep me from working so much. But this... [Taking the jar with care.] I... think I'm okay with this fussing.

[And it was from her own garden which makes this even more special.]

I'm glad. I don't want to be a pecking hen as the westerners call it, you see, but... this world's going a little crazy, and after everything I've seen that lies ahead of us, it's- I feel we should take care of ourselves and each other a little more.

[She tucked her hair behind her horns and moved to get the water boiling.]

...That jar contains a little experiment of mine: I'm trying to infuse dreamotion into food, so I've been singing to my garden from germination to harvest during my daily work in the plots. My hope is that it's got a little extra 'calm' in them. If it doesn't, well...

...Jokes aside, I could always sing you something.

['I've seen that lies ahead of us,' dare he ask? No, mayhap it was best not to get into that right now. There was enough going on as is.]

There are theories that such things work, though not as intended. I am interested to see if it worked out properly.

[Letting out a small chuckle.]

I would be happy to hear whatever you decide to sing.

Edited 2022-01-11 02:39 (UTC)

[Down that path lies literal oblivion. She's still trying to absorb all of it, but one day she may tell the tale.]

If the tapirs can give us magic emotion cheese, I can make more soothing herbal tea or true "comfort" food. Hopefully.

[But now she had to think of songs. Hmm. There were a few lullabies she knew, some sea shanties, but which would help? She needed to think of something that wasn't... ah-hah!]

I think I've got an idea or two. Ooh, how exciting...!

[Here's where he kept the mugs. Let's pick this one.]

It's always for crowds or the tribe, you see. Never for one person. That would have the elders talking.

[He would have offered to make the tea himself, but it seemed like she had things well in hand.]

Forgive me for the lack of knowledge I wield concerning Auri, but is your tribe normally so vocally gifted?

[He wanted to know more about her and this was a chance to... not think about his own nightmare.]

[She'll borrow just a bit from the jar, but it seemed to need the same measurements as your average cup of herbal. The full five-minute brew would be the ticket, but that required the painful wait.]

It's not that xaela culture is well-known outside of the Steppe, so how could you know, silly?

My surname is actually my tribe's name. Qalli folk are known as the "songbirds of the Steppe". We tend to live in the mountains, where our voices can carry great distances and relay messages, be it a marriage, the birth of a child, a death of an elder and more. We're able to impart something much deeper into a sound, expressing much while singing so little. I could sing my warm-up scales and you'd know how my day was, or I could sing a name and you'd know how I feel about that person.

My dreamotion specialty here seems to revolve around that, which is perfect, seeing as I've a lifetime of practice as it is.

[She chuckled with a recollection, tapped a cheek and looked away.]

You know, I once asked one of my elders if a Qalli is like the siren in all the tales from sailors of the Ruby Sea. She scoffed, but she also didn't deny the notion. Oh, how my imagination ran that day, and has since.

[He'll just hand it back over to make it easier if she needed it. He had been intently listening, a few things popping out at him.]

So it's the same for you then? [And he realizes that there's no clarification in that question so continuing on...] The tribe thing, I mean. Miqo'te are not so different when it comes to terms of tribes, though I'm certain our tribe customs are much different.

For us, naming conventions are a little strange. Trying to explain them here would only cause more confusion than they would back home. Tia is not a last name, it's a title. The G in my name relates to the tribe that I'm from.

[Returning to the siren thing finally.]

So what you're saying is that I've been doomed from the start. [He's cracking jokes. Progress!] That is impressive nonetheless. I'm beginning to understand the true strength that emotion holds since coming here, so I can only imagine how that may be a boon here.

[She canted her head curiously. She could recall that Tias were traveling males while Nunhs were the patriarchs, but the letter thing had eluded her knowledge. So that was why some folks dropped the 'Y' in Y'shtola's name. It was like a nickname, but she wasn't sure if she'd like being called 'Dhuri' or 'Ri' or anything. But he was -

She smirked and raised her chin. Draped in the blanket just so, it may as well be a cloak, but she moved her tail in an undulation, like the slow flip of a sea creature's tail.]

I do not confirm nor deny any ships I've made disappear into the mists, my jolly sailor bold... but yes. Boons upon boons...

[She took up the mug and removed the bag with a flourish. Flipping her makeshift siren tail to propel her, she carried this gift to the awaiting sailor.]

Edited 2022-01-12 05:10 (UTC)

[Accepting the mug, he looked at her apologetically.]

I'm... sorry to have troubled you.

[About everything really, but right now? Having her be the one to ready the tea. At the very least, her tea seems to be doing as intended, helping him calm down from his nightmare. Maybe all it took was her presence to allow him to do so though? Either way, he didn't seem to be shaking anymore.]

[With her hands freed, she could reach out and rub his upper arms. Having faded from her eyes, the humor was exchanged for a soft once-over. Her tone followed suit.]

...You have nothing to apologize for. I'm just glad you're alright.

[These damned nightmares. She'd get to the bottom of this.]

Just remember: You've given hope to so many people. You succeeded. You took a situation that I understand was so... impossible, and said, "No. I refuse."

That's just one part of why I stand by calling you 'Hero' back at the café. I'll call you that as many times as you'd like, do you hear me? Because it's the truth.

[Why did he have to feel so vulnerable right now? The nightmare was clearly the cause of it, but then she had to say something like that. All he could do is stare at her stunned in response to her words. How could she say something so touching? He appreciated her words of course, but it was enough to make him that much more emotional.

He had always wanted to be considered a hero and show people that there was still hope. The problem was that even if he had a big part in what had transgressed, deep down he felt like what he did wasn't important. His role would scarcely be remembered. he didn't do anything special. To hear someone fervently believe that he was a hero after all was nice.

Lowering his head, he covered his eyes and forehead with his hands as if to hide his tears prickling the corners of his eyes.]

... Thank you. You're too kind.

[Lies and slander, G'raha Tia. The Crystarium will always remember you.

But she wondered if what he said of being treated differently by his peers in childhood was why he hid his face now. She wouldn't laugh, but instead slipped the blanket from her shoulders and walked a smooth circle around him, laying it over his instead. With a breath, she brushed her hands over the material, perhaps working a little extra warmth into it.

But the air was strange. Warmer, like a fleece blanket before a crackling fireplace. She'd promised, after all, and when she circled back to the front of him, the limbal rings of her eyes had taken a soft glow.]

Now let the day just slip away,
So the dark night may watch over you...

[She offered a hand. He could enjoy his tea and she could whisk him away to bed or the couch, whichever seemed more to his mood.]

Velvet blue, silent true
It embraces your heart and your soul
Nocturne...

[The blanket? Looking at her finally, ignoring how bad he may look right now, he gave her a bewildered glance. Couch or bed hardly mattered to him right now. Noticing her hand, he silently reached out for it, allowing her to guide him wherever suited her fancy as he listened to her sing.]

Never cry, never sigh
You don't have to wonder why
Always be, always see
Come and dream the night with me...

[She was relieved to be inside a house, at least. Last time she went into a nocturne, she was pestered by a number of moths. Here, after guiding him into a seat on the couch, she settled beside and brought her hands to her horns. A moment's focus, and she brought them away to reveal a few fluttering lights shaped as settling silver moths. She was an entertainer after all, and what's a song without a little theatrical flair?]

Have no fear when the night draws near
And fills you with dreams and desire

Like a child asleep, so warm, so deep
You will find me there waiting for you-

[She swept her hair back behind her shoulders and the moth lights took flight.]

We will fly, claim the sky
We don't have to wonder why
Always be, always see
Come and dream the night with me...

[Madhuri reached out and gave the lights a place to land, and cupped them between her hands.]

Though darkness lay, it will give way
When the dark night delivers the day

Nocturne.

[She opened them again, and the silver moths had became a gold butterfly. With a quiet sigh, the light about her eyes dimmed to normal and the butterfly lingered for just a moment more; she bid it play for just that much longer, and find a better perch somewhere utop her companion's head.]

Hmhm... getting better at that. They don't normally linger this long.

[The theatrical flair and tune was enough to keep his attention. Though she had even took that extra step to bring over special tea for him, it had gone forgotten for a time.

There were a lot of thinga he could have said, but despite earlier, he wasn't particularly in the right mood to crack another joke. So instead he settled with something much more heartfelt.]

...Thank you. I am greatful to have you looking out for me. It was beautiful.

[And of course all of her theatrics were impressive as well.]

I figured you've earned something the opposite of a dirty sea shanty. There's a time and a place for those.

[When and where that'd be was anyone's guess, and it wasn't like she'd tell anyway. Neener-neener. While stretching her calves and ankles, she let herself tip and lean against him, squirming a bit to get comfy before she closed her eyes.]

Meanwhile, my time and place is now and here. I'll chase away the dreadful energy and you get your shut-eye.

The bonus? Pancakes in the morning. ...Unless you're a waffle guy.

[Dragons: Always inviting themselves into places. What nuisances.]

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