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Day 25 - Perpetuity

"Sergeant Fiske!"

Brynhorn Fiske paused, his Maelstrom hat under his arm, the red and black uniform once more worn by the ex-soldier as he met the eyes of a young officer, the soldier actually saluting Bryn first as the old dog chuckled, and saluted back, the smart, sharp, straight right hand grazing his right brow before they both dropped the common greeting. "Sorry sir," the younger man blurted out, speaking rapidly, "didn't mean to surprise you by calling out, but I saw you and had to talk with you!"

Bryn turned fully towards the man who, by all accounts, outranked him, but the respect he saw in his eyes was genuine, and he had a good idea why. The Silver Wolf was well known now among the ranks of the Maelstrom, both for his time in the corp, and for the years after helping them. Now, with the threat of Ultima dealt with, a dragon slain, and a relatively peaceful future stretching ahead, Bryn had returned from his snowy vigil in Ishgard to receive an honor bestowed only on a few lucky soldiers.

"Speak, Lieutenant," he chuckled out, and motioned for the man to walk with him. "Time is short before the ceremony begins."

"Right!" The young man jumped forward into step with Bryn, and for a few steps, seemed to be visibly wrestling with his words, before finally sighing. "I have a...problem. Or really a short coming. I'm a Lieutenant, already, but I'm so young that a lot of my men don't respect me. I know that you were given a command very young too, Sergeant. So how did you earn their respect?"

Those intense, brown eyes lifted to silver ones as Bryn met his gaze, reaching up to gently stroke his well kept beard, humming thoughtfully. "Respect, hm?" A tricky subject. He remembered how he, a fresh faced twenty year old, holding a rifle he barely knew how to use, had stared at the ten men and women meant to be under his command, and felt so...small before them. Like he didn't deserve this honor or their respect. But he also remembered how he had earned it. "When was the last time you shared a meal with them?"

"Shared a - what?! I eat with the officers!" He seemed shocked to be even asked such a question, and Bryn stopped to look at him with a sharp eye.

"That's your issue. You are separating yourself from them." The Lieutenant flinched slightly at the harsh tone in Bryn's voice, and he relented slightly, sighing heavily. "Look, they are all acutely aware that you outrank them. That you, somehow, so young, could order them to lay down their lives and they would be expected to do so. What they don't know is if they can trust you. And that means you need to ask yourself a question. Do you want to be their leader, or do you want to be their dictator?"

For a moment, he watched as the young man's head wrapped around the question, worked through it, and formulated an answer, his mouth opening to say something, but was silenced by a firm pat on the back from Bryn. "Don't tell me," he chuckled out, "tell them." And after a second of embarrassed nodding and a quick salute, the Lieutenant was gone, off to find his command as Bryn continued on his way towards the ceremony.

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

"Sergeant Brynhorn Fiske."

Rising, his hat under his arm, Bryn took the few steps forward on the makeshift stage the Maelstrom was using the Limsa Lominsa to hold their ceremony, the applause of both civilians, soldiers, and veterans filling the air as Eynzahr Slafyrsyn turned with medal in hand towards Bryn, the old Sea Wolf's eyes gleaming as he pinned it on the red and black of Bryn's uniform. "Apologies Merlwyb herself couldn't be here, sir, but she sends her regards and congratulations."

Bryn chuckled, and shook his head, his voice soft as he shook his old Grand Marshal's hand. "It is of no consequence, sir. The honor alone is enough."

"Speaking of, she asked me to impart another gift besides the distinguished service medal." Bryn's eyebrows shot up, but Eynzahr was already turning to the crowd, and announcing loudly the second gift for Bryn.

"By order of the Chief Admiral, Sergeant Brynhorn Fiske has received a distinction for his actions during the fall of Dalamud, and the many years of working with us and the Scions to protect Eorzea. As a result, despite leaving our ranks, he is to maintain and hold his title as Storm Sergeant Second Class, in perpetuity! Thank you, sir, for your service!"

The roar from the crowd as the Grand Marshal turned and saluted Bryn barely registered for the Silver Wolf, his salute more ingrained instinct than anything else, his expression one of shock as he tried to form words to say something, but already the Grand Marshal was moving on to the next person on the stage, and Bryn dutifully retook his seat.

Storm Sergeant, Second Class, in perpetuity. Until death, and after, Bryn would hold that rank, and be able to leverage it wherever he went. It was truly, one of the highest honors. Almost made him wish he had made it to a higher rank...

He jumped as his linkpearl went off, and he quickly lifted a hand to his ear and answered, listening, nodding, and confirming he would be on his way. Perfect timing too, as the last man received his award and the crowd clapped. It was a simple matter to slip off the stage and head for the aetheryte plaza, humming to himself.

"Well...it never ends, does it?" He muttered dryly, but still, his feet carried him surely back towards Ishgard, and whatever new threat existed.

Day 26 - Zip

If there was one thing that Kaleh'a Quickdraw was good at, it was knowing his limits.

And when he reached those limits, the second best thing he was good came in to save his tail.

That second thing being running.

The Miqo'te was naturally light on his feet, but after years of tracking prey, chasing after wounded animals, and occasionally running from said wounded animals, his skill at fleeing from danger was exceptional. So exceptional, in fact, that he had never been caught.

And today would not be the first time he was caught.

He zipped past a tree and a slumbering watchman, the illegal hunters camp he had infiltrated rather loosely guarded for so early in the morning, a pair of ill-gotten rabbits over his shoulder as he laughed, waking the sentry just in time for his buddies to come rushing past, most with bows drawn as they yelled with ire.

The truth was, the seven hunters would have put Kaleh'a's skills to the test if he took them all on by himself, but stealing a little piece of their hoard and luring them out was a different story entirely. In fact, it was exactly what he was hoping to do. He jerked to the left, behind a tree, and an arrow whistled past and through the spot he had been running in, but before another could be nocked and fired, he was dashing about in a completely different direction, still laughing as the rabbits bounced on his shoulder.

Another truth, he was a bit terrified. Sure, fighting was one thing, but when you turned and ran? That was a whole different can of worms. Staring down the enemy meant you knew where they were, what they were doing, how they were reacting. This, with his back to them, he had to rely on his ears, his instincts, and his legs.

More arrows zipped past him, singing in the air, and then moments later, a few more, but the wily Miqo'te ducked, dodged, and weaved out of their way, seeing the clearing just up ahead that meant freedom.

And a whole lot of hurt for the poachers.

He burst through the undergrowth, letting out a whooping cry, and as if on cue, from patches of tall grass, Twin Adder and God's Bow soldiers rose up, knocked arrows, readied spears, and prepared themselves, just in time for the first swordsman hot on Kaleh'a's heels to burst from the forest proper, and skid to a halt as he saw what awaited him.

The quick turn towards the forest was stymied by the flow of poachers behind him, unable to call out a warning as he was bowled over by the swarm of bodies intent on skinning the Miqo'te, and instead, all froze as the guards held them up at spear and bow point. Slowly, they raised their hands, dropped their weapons, and surrendered one by one, leaving the captain of the guard grinning as he strode over to Kaleh'a.

He patted the Miqo'te on the back, who was hunched over and panting, chuckling as he did so. "Well done. Crazy idea, but, well done."

Kaleh'a lifted a shaky hand, gave him a thumbs up, and then barfed, the captain taking a step back as the young man groaned. "Should not...have eaten breakfast." And the captain laughed.

Day 27 - Memory

No, not again, not here.

He couldn't move, the Eorzean men and women bravely charging around him, fighting with tooth and nail against the encroaching VIIth Imperial Legion. They were holding their own, each and every one of them, pushing back the larger force, but Bryn couldn't move.

He was rooted in his spot, like his boots were full of lead, like he was frozen in place by what he was seeing as they sky overhead burned red. He had fought here, he had seen friends die here. But he hadn't fought here.

No, this was the thick of the battle, this was not where he had fought with his small contingent of soldiers on the flank. But all of it, it felt far too real.

He heard it, the cracking sound of artificial earth, his head jerking up and staring up into the sky as the red moon, now so much larger, broke apart, magnificent wings bursting free from their prison, followed by claws, maw, and fiery death. He saw as the primal roared with the rage of his imprisonment, witnessed as its wings curled in and then burst open, unleashing a flare of small fire spears that rained down on both armies, and spread out throughout the land to seek other targets. He saw one strike a butte to the west, and obliterate it.

Where Bryn had originally stood on this battlefield. Where he had barely survived.

This wasn't his memory.

He saw the spell cast by Archon Louisoix fail, saw the monstrous beast in the sky ready to unleash a blast that would destroy the world as he knew it, and felt the cocoon of magic start to envelope him. He reached out, for Louisoix, yelling something, anything, to tell him to stop, to not do this -

But there was only darkness, and that sad smile on the Archon's face as he faded from view.

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

Bryn started awake in a cold sweat, gripping the sheets he was under with panted breaths, the chill of that memory seeping into him as he took a slow, steadying breath, and breathed out. That wasn't me. That wasn't me. Not that it was worse than what he had gone through, but that moment, that moment was not his own. And that, that was calming.

"Hear, Feel, Think."

A voice, that voice, again, the one he thought he had heard before, had denied before, his teeth gritted as he growled out in frustration at it again. "Why me?" he asked to the air, to the presence there, and swiped a hand at where he thought it could be. All he hit was air, nothing was there, but he did feel that presence shift, fade, become nothing.

But it didn't change the fact that he felt like it had left something behind. Whether he liked it or not.

Day 28 - Deleterious

Sitting in Ishgard, surrounded by the wreckage caused by dragons, Bryn felt like he had not done enough.

No, not just in this moment, that would be an incorrect characterization of his feelings. It was more like...he had never done enough. And if he had never done enough, why did he deserve this life he lived, or to consider himself a part of the Scions?

And as he sat there on the rubble, it seemed more and more right what he had done, to strike out on his own, and to leave behind his friends, his past, and that feeling of...well, uselessness.

But no matter how hard he tried to do that, to just walk away, someone, or something, always pulled him back. This time, in the form of an annoying goggled Elezen, hooded and contemplating as he stared down at the sitting Hyur.

"Are though injured?" Urianger asked, somehow without a hint of detectable concern in his voice, which made Bryn glance up with a scowl.

"No," he growled back, "and I do not seek 'thy council.'" His retort stung, he knew it would, but Urianger did not waver, or turn away, instead humming almost thoughtfully, a finger tapping his tilted cheek.

"You may not seek it, but you need it."

Bryn rose abruptly, glaring at the goggled man, and shaking his head. "The last thing I need is you analyzing my life and telling me what and how I went wrong."

"Then do not hear me out for yourself, but for them."

Them. He knew who he meant, and Bryn froze in his place, halfway to walking away, before he slowly turned back, and glared again at Urianger. "Fine... I will listen."

For a moment, the tall Elezen was silent, and then he tilted his head. "Why, Bryn, do you act the way you do? I think you know why, but cannot stop thyself. Simply because you do not realize how deleterious your actions are to thyself, and thine own."

Bryn stared at him for a long moment, until he raised an eyebrow slowly and rumbled out, "I'm sorry, what?"

Urianger seemed befuddled for a moment, then let out a soft "Ah," and rephrased. "What I mean, is that your actions, while good intentioned, harm both yourself, and those you care for." Bryn visibly bristled, and Urianger lifted his hands placatingly. "You said you would listen. So please..." Bryn calmed, slightly, and Urianger let his hands fall. "I do not blame you for what occurred, with the Crystal Braves and the following madness. In fact, I am pleased you were away, that you remained unentangled by that mess. But Bryn...where were you when the call for help went out?"

The way the Hyur gritted his teeth was evident, and his gaze flicked to those goggles, and he pointed a finger at Urianger. "Do not question what I was doing, when you know full well I left and did not wish to be contacted! And you know the moment I heard I came back!"

"And left as soon as you arri-"

"I WAS NOT NEEDED!" He roared back, and a shiver shot down his spine, before the Hyur sucked in a deep breath, and let it out slowly. "I...was not needed. Everyone was safe. And everyone had someone to take care of them."

Urianger was silent, for a long moment, and then sighed. "You are...incredibly dense sometimes."

Bryn looked like he was about to punch the poor man.

"What made you think you weren't wanted? Just because they are cared for, does not mean they don't still desire your presence. I would argue that your presence was more highly sought then others. Yet you chose to leave. How do you think that made them both feel?"

Bryn's fist clenched, the stupid finger tapping Elezen just observing him calmly, until the Hyur sucked in a slow breath, and let it out slowly, closing his eyes in almost...shame. "You're right." That was all he could say, when faced with his choices, and he opened his eyes slowly. "I couldn't be there. Not after I wasn't there...originally. After I learned what had happened to them."

He took a deep breath, and sighed it out again, and crossed his arms over his chest, staring at Urianger with a harsh glare. "You know, you could always be kinder when calling someone out."

Urianger chuckled, and shook his head. "Tis not my way. And you appreciate the fact that it isn't." Bryn just grunted in disagreement. Or perhaps it was agreement.

Day 30 - Two Heads are Better than One

Kaleh'a was perplexed.

Staring down from his perch on a large oak tree, he was mildly amused by the sight below him, and could understand why the request had come up. Sleeping beneath him, peaceful as could be, was a two headed Ziz, both necks stretched in different directions, and attached to a rather large body. It was unique, very unique, likely a once in a lifetime phenomenon, and one that proved a bit challenging for the skilled hunter.

Normally, he would take one shot and fell a beast like this, but now, with two centers of control, he wasn't so sure taking out one head would be enough. He tapped his cheek with a fist, humming softly, as he tried to come up with a good plan.

He could try to maneuver his way into a position where one arrow could take out both heads, but that was putting a lot of faith in his bow. Plus, the darned thing would have to wake up and move its heads around into that position. Which didn't seem likely. Maybe he could somehow tie the two heads together? Except the rope he pulled from his satchel was...not nearly long enough or strong enough. And he didn't want to leave the mutated Ziz to go get help. Finding it had proven hard enough. So what could he realistically do to take out this beast alo-

"Hey."

Kaleh'a jumped, straight up like a cat, nearly losing his balance on the branch as he scrambled around to stare at the man who had appeared behind him so silently he could have been a ghost, his eyes widening as he took in the white hair, white and black coat, and he breathed out a sigh of relief. "By the Twelve, Thancred! Are you trying to kill me?"

Thancred just smirked at the young Miqo'te, shrugging as he leaned casually against the tree trunk at his back. "No, not on purpose at least. But you do have the best reactions." Kaleh'a grumbled something under his breath, and Thancred chuckled, before he glanced down at the Ziz. "Well, I was expecting you to already be finished when I arrived. Had need of you to run a letter."

Kaleh'a let out a little "Hmm?", also staring down at the Ziz, before he sighed and sat on the branch too. "Well, I was expecting to be finished too, but, two heads."

"Are better than one." Kaleh'a gave him a look, but it was lost on the white haired man, whose eyes were closed and hands behind his head. "Need help?"

For a moment, his pride almost wanted him to say no, but in reality... "Actually, yes. A Ziz with one head is dangerous enough. But with two, I don't have a good way to..." He made a motion of his finger across his neck, and Thancred opened an eye just in time to see it and nod.

"Fair enough. I can drop down on a head as you take a shot. Shouldn't prove too difficult, as long as you don't miss."

Kaleh'a scoffed, and shook his head with a grin. "As long as you don't miss, old man. Sure your back can take the fall?"

Thancred scoffed, and swung his legs off the branch, readying a dagger as Kaleh'a unslung his bow and nocked an arrow. "You worry about yourself. Ready?"

Kaleh'a drew back the bow string and nodded, sighting the left head and murmuring, "I've got the left. Ready."

"Perfect." And Thancred dropped down towards the right head at breakneck speed, Kaleh'a timing his release so that his arrow struck at the same time as Thancred's dagger.

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

"Well, that was fun."

Thancred brushed off his coat, cleaning his dagger in the grass as Kaleh'a swung down from the tree, striding over to his arrow and pulling it free, a clean shot and a clean stab from them both having felled the sleeping beast with narry a squawk, Kaleh'a spinning the arrow back into his quiver after cleaning the head and shaft. "I keep forgetting how reckless you are," Kaleh'a chuckled back, turning towards Thancred as he shrugged.

"I am hardly Reckless, more...calculated." The look he got from Kaleh'a was one that said the Miqo'te did not believe a word he said. The Hyur just shook his head and glanced around, before pulling out the letter he had for Kaleh'a to deliver. "Anyways, think you can get this to Limsa?"

Kaleh'a took the letter, hummed thoughtfully at the name on the sealed letter, and nodded. "Yah, easy. Something brewing?"

Thancred snorted, and lifted an eyebrow. "When is something not?"

First time doing it! And, bar the Sundays that I took for a day of rest, I did do every prompt!

I'd love to see a follow-up after the event is over of people sharing their favorite piece from the event. We just wrote for thirty days! What are we proudest of making?

YES, I love this idea! Now that the challenge's 24-hour deadlines are officially closed:

Writers, what were your proudest moments in FFxivWrite this year?

FFxiv 30 Day Writing Challenge SEPTEMBER 1st - 30th, 2024

Welcome to YEAR 8 of our annual FFxiv 30 Day Writing Challenge, folks!

Last year we had 7,935 total entries! Which brings us to a total of 50,656 unique written entries over the last 7 years. That is just incredible! And something that I think that we should be super proud of as a creative fan community.

Whether you're new to the FFxivWrite community or a 7-year writing challenge veteran, if you'd like to give perfectionism in your creative writing process a swift kick in the butt, then this challenge was designed for you!

More info is below the cut~

Here’s the gist:

Runs from September 1st - 30th, 2024. During that timeframe:

Visit sea-wolf-coast-to-coast​ once a day at 12:00pm (noon) PDT for the prompt of the day. Convert to your timezone accordingly. All prompts will be one word or brief phrase that you can interpret however you please.

You have 24 hours to write something for that prompt.

Submit the link to your entry post via this Google Form: https://forms.gle/jDWjFKfmeaGnH3PL9

There are no length or skill requirements (short & sweet is fine!).

There will be no 24-hour deadlines for the first week, September 1st - 7th. The deadline will go into effect on September 8th at 11:59am PDT.

Makeup/extra credit days every Sunday.

Every entry posted within its 24-hour deadline will count toward a participation prize raffle at the end.

You can join any time with any prompt #! There’s no need for latecomers to start with prompt #1. Picking up with the most recent prompt is A OK.

If you’re an artist and you would like to volunteer to do a simple black & white illustration as a participation prize at the end of this challenge, you can volunteer here!

RULES & MORE INFO can be found here: https://ffxiv-write.carrd.co/

(( banner art - by @dantinmikannes ))

Rules & Info || Prompt List || #FFxivWrite2024 || kofi

Day 1 - Steer

Where Leofard makes a suggestion that is totally, absolutely, 1000% NOT avoiding chores and has no relation to avoiding that At All.

Totally not.

Why would you ever think that.

WE BACK BABEY

Another year, another forgetting I write things til XIVWrite! But hey we in here. (Also forgetting to post things on the writing blog but in my defense AO3 went down yesterday so posting here with the link was uh....not. feasible.)

Warnings: None (unless Leofard is a warning) Leofard/Named WoL

Day 2 - Horizon

In which Sicard and Emmanellain climb a tower.

Sicard is annoyed, Emmanellain is a nuisance (affectionate), and Honoroit really just wants to get there.

LO, A LINK

Day 3 - Tempest

In which we have done the obvious.

Shadowbringers spoilers in this one - all Emet-Selch baby!

HARK, A LINK

Day 4 - Reticent

No warnings or real spoilers in this one! Just Estinien talking to Urianger.

Mild awkwardness ensues.

Unintentional Estinien Funny HERE

Day 5 - Stamp

LINK AT THE TOP TO BE DIFFERENT!

The one in which Aymeric really cannot focus on his job today.

No warnings, no real spoilers of note. Hint of Aymeric and named WoL but nebulous at best. Mostly just Aymeric lamenting.

Day 6 - Halcyon

LINKIE

In this one Kaida talks with Ardbert about the past, the present, and hide and seek.

SHB Spoilers! I rarely write Ardbert if ever so this was fun!

Day 7 - Morsel

TW: Blood, Torture, Death

Yotsuyu is another character I rarely write and I tried to challenge myself to do so.

Did I succeed? WHO KNOWS.

Day 8 - Free Day (Forget)

Continuing the trend of People I Don't Write Really, this time Ysayle!!

Kaida and Ysayle discuss convictions while the others sleep. Or "sleep." Who knows really. There's a cave it's cold.

WHAT IS YOUR REASON?

No spoilers, no warnings.

Day 9 - Lend an Ear

FRIENDS, ROMANS, COUNTRYMEN...

Set post-SHB, spoilers but no warnings.

Struggling with ghosts is hard when they look so much like the living.

AKA can you be friends with the shard of your dead lover in another world? We're TRYING OUT HERE

Day 10 - Stable

Unexpected task, unexpected consequences.

No warnings, no spoilers. Haurchefant/WoL but not the biggest focus here.

Chocobos Are Involved

Day 11 - Surrogate

Kaida goes to visit Tataru and gets an unexpected surprise.

Set post-EW but no specific warnings or spoilers. Just girls hanging out.

Unintentional Girls' Night

Day 12 - Quarry

Some Undetermined Time Later...

Kaida and Estinien spar. DRG on DRG violence occurs.

No warning, no real spoilers but is set Post-EW so places mentioned!

Day 13 - Butte

Alphinaud and Alisaie need a debate settled.

G'raha Tia is great at mediation.

Erenville and Krile are just there to witness, really.

Post-EW but not spoilers or warnings. Just geography.

Do you know what a laccolith is? You will.