#Kivera x Shuri x Divinity | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

inviouswriting · 3 years

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A Fall - Kivera

Characters - Shuri/Lilith belong to @snow-covered-moon while Kivera and Divinity are mine.

Kinda a theme I write alot is fallens. My reaper is one. So thought about writing it.

Touches on themes of insecurities, hints of other things for Kivera’s past. Death and mourning. Along with grief and all that goes with it. Some fluff at the end.

Kivera can recall any event that has happened to her, any event she has attended, witnessed or it was recorded in a book. The one memory that haunts her is her fall. She remembers how her wings use to be pure white, why she doesn’t like others touching her left wing is it is the only pure thing about her.

Pristine, the shimmer of gold among the feathers, she use to have six of them. Kivera remembers when things were simpler, all she had to do was get up and guard a gate. She would fly around the heavens, taking in the splendor of colors, she remembers her first flight. How it felt so freeing.

Then she fell in love, and that changed everything about her. A choice she would make again and again. She does not see anything wrong with her choice. It brought her so much more than what she could even dream, nightmares and terror all.

How she strived to get her wings back even as a demon.. even with her tarnished status as a fallen angel. She wears it proudly now, that even a creature like her can rise to ranks in another way. She had delivered retribution even on her murderer. She chased the love she sought freely, and it was reciprocated until Damien defended her.

She would never forgive him for that, she can’t forgive him. She would have been fine from the attack Vanth used. She would have been able to heal, instead he let himself get caught, and worse Vanth tried to use him as his next host. A ritual that failed.

Kivera made sure to reduce Damien’s body to ashes after his death, while she had taken his life. She remembers that like it happened hours ago. Yet it was necessary, in a twist of fate. She doesn’t remember much after that, her memories are fuzzy, she only remembers Divinity embracing her and holding her after the rage subsided, after her awakening. What stood of the area Vanth had made for himself was nothing but a smoldering crater.

Kivera had asked Divinity what did she do, but stopped when she saw the look of terror in her eyes, in each of the spirits she helped. Parn and Killian only looked away, while Aiden looked down. None of them wanted to remember the scream she had made, or the pain she went through.

She didn’t learn of the magnitude of her wrath till Kronos showed her. When she pleaded to spare Damien, to bring him back from death. Breaking one of the three taboos in the underworld. The first since she had broken her vows above.

Every memory she had flitted before her very eyes, like a flipbook she couldn’t look away from. She saw the fight she had with Vanth. How she devastated him, and further destroyed the very realm he had created for himself. All she could think was...

“good riddance..” The third event she never regretted. She doesn’t regret the manner in how she died as a human, her fall, or what was the catalyst of her spirit awakening. Zodiac spirits are born from tragedy. Every Greek tale speaks them of tragedy, hers as Scorpio especially hard as the sign of death. Her entire existence is life, death, rebirth.. transformation.

So she stands there watching Shuri embrace her former self, the missing half of herself. Lilith. She always found it interesting that the name is of a fallen angel too. Maybe that was a secret draw to Shuri, what made her so special to Kivera. She has always been aware of her lacking a soul, how she had been created and not “born” naturally.

Kivera doesn’t see a difference in being born, though in another time she would have killed her creators. For blood magic that creates unlife is a taboo in her domain. Yet it was different in this case, they did not use the souls of the dead. What keeps her from carrying out that hidden order.

How dutiful she is even to the underworld. Her former habits as an angel. Yet if she was ordered to, she would destroy the star that is The Source without hesitation. She learned what hesitating does. It equals things you wish you never knew.

She saw the beasts that plagued Amaurot, she was glad to end them all in her destruction and hopes they never resurface as nothing but a memory. She despised that worm creature, it was the most offensive to her eyes.

Kivera closes her eyes and remembers the events of her fall, how she came back, knowing she would be thrown out. She sought mercy. She had kneeled and bowed her head, she had pleaded for them to forgive her.

She was never forgiven, at least not the angel that ordered the way she was thrown out. She recalls the burn in her right wing, the stain and scar of black feathers, she shoved them before they touched her left, it made her lose her footing on the edge.

She fell backwards, she couldn’t fly once it began, a fallens wings are paralyzed till they land. She was glad that the last sight of the heavens she had was calming, she accepted her fate then. How she has constantly accepted her fate. Where she understands the warrior of lights, and Kiya, Hecate.

Hecate had the same expression she did when she extended her hand to end her life. She just accepted her fate.

Where she fell was through another gate, into the Underworld, and into Styx. Many scorn the goddess, yet she was merciful on Kivera. Keeping her a float as she drowned in waters from Styx and Cocytus. She was fished out by the underworld lord himself Hades.

She scoffs at the name that Emet had. He was no where near the level of god that the true Hades is, or how merciful he actually is.

“It’s Persephone people need to pay more tribute to.” She muses aloud, the first sound of her voice since Shuri’s soul was completed. Divinity eyes her, seeing Kivera’s eyes closed, she frowns a bit knowing what she is thinking of. She leaves her alone to travel through her mind.

Kivera had been collected out of the river, to be placed in a boat for a field to go through the process of judgement. The rest of her memories are painful with the way The Fates had intervened with that, they knew what her path was, and how none of them could intervene what the stars ordain. She had to endure Hell.

Kivera rubs at her shoulders where she still feels the fire of when her wings were torn off her back. Or how the last sight she had, was snarling hatefilled human souls as they gouged her eyes. How dare something so pristine as an angel be allowed in Hell.

She remembers darkness and pains she wishes she can forget. It thuds in her mind as dull of an ache as much as listening to Thancred talk about noble rightness. A thief talking about righteousness is absurd to the angel.

Kivera feels a warmth on her lap, this breaks her reverie, her eyes open and she is greeted to Shuri and Divinity resting their heads equally on Kivera’s lap.

“You three.” She acknowledges the other within Shuri, if she made her happy and complete. She didn’t have anything against her. She reserves her judgements on actions over existence. If there was a judgement on existence she is the worse offender out there.

A scoff comes from her at the way she was offered redemption, able to return to her former position after she had become a powerful being. Something feared, enough to leave gods in other domains and realms in ashes.

The temporary form of the miqo’te she chose, it will one day fade and she will have to uphold her role. She just hopes and for the first time in ages prays that she never has to claim her beloved ones. She can never tell them when they’ll die, or how they die.

She knew Damien’s. She had tried to prevent his, she fought so hard against Aiden and Killian to reach Damien before Vanth had stabbed his side. Divinity couldn’t cross the circle, she would have been another catalyst to the spell. She was held down too by Beatrice and Daphne. Saying she would kill all of them if she ran to Kivera.

Kivera cards her fingers through Divinity’s hair and Shuri’s. Something both of them do for her endlessly, They’re kittens compared to a lion. Shuri... more of a wildcat. She’s seen her ferocity when she fought hard against Innocence, and Hades.

Divinity, she knows way before this world, a different world and different time. How could anyone forget the Salem Witch Trials. Orchestrated by Vanth, Kivera takes her hands off Shuri and Divinity’s head to prevent scratching as she curls her hands.

When she begins her memories even she can’t stop them from flowing through her mind once they begin. It’s why she stares hard at those she shares them with. She watches for any recoil in disgust that someone has for her. Those in the past to her, that have failed it. She has seen them recoil at her fall and descent in Hell. She couldn’t blame them, but it also meant they would not be able to see her as anything more than a “fallen.” Instead of the greatness she became.

Pride is much her vice, as much as wrath. Wrath more... there is nothing more fearsome inducing than an angel’s wrath. And one who has nothing to lose earns more respect. They become greater protectors of realms.

Protectors. Her mind drifts to Ardbert, and Estinien. She laughs a little from Estinien, she remembers full how she met the dragoon. She had knocked him off a rooftop when he chased after her, after pursuing a relationship with Divinity. He had come close to losing his head, even he remembers her pinning him to a rock wall by the end of her scythe. He looks back on it amused as most of the women in his life has threatened to kill him, or almost has killed him.

Yet he treated her no different than a normal individual, even if Kivera is death itself. She only warned him to never do something that harms or causes the death of Divinity. Or she will make his life a living hell. He still doesn’t understand the importance within Divinity’s being. What she is, who she is. She kept it that way on purpose.

The same with Ardbert when he was around. Still is around, but in a different way. He had gotten too close to her, questioned her motives, he infuriated Kivera to no end. They fought hard against each other once to spare G’raha Tia’s life from Kivera nearly killing him. Ardbert had spoken to him after that to never anger her again. A warning he took serious with the damage they had done to Mor Dhona’s debris of airships. He remembers her scythe cutting clean through some of the metals. Like it was wet paper to her.

It was a first for alot of them, to understand Kivera can turn on them. She will if she is made to. Another disgrace is her being Vanth’s puppet once, enslaved to attack others.

Ardbert had been on the receiving end of many of her beatings. He sparred with her so much he had learned the names of her attacks. How when she uses her incantations she sings them, if he was still among them he’d say how haunting her voice is. It lures, it is hypnotic.

In those thoughts for Kivera, she solely thinks about Shuri and Ysayle. How both have to live without Ardbert, she could easily arrange for her to see him. Yet she wonders how her progress would be if she allowed it. It would be another taboo for her. To pull his soul and place it in her world. Would Shuri scorn her for something she could do at anytime. She doesn’t offer the idea because it means a sacrifice for Shuri. And Kivera’s track record was not the best when it comes to bargaining souls. Kronos is cruel. He will take what she values most if she is not specific with her request. Memories, soul and body intact. That alone meant a major piece of her would go missing. Kronos would take Estinien as payment. Another who was suppose to have died but was spared through fate.

Kivera doesn’t tell Shuri about this for everyones sake. Even if it came down to it, she believes her to not choose that path after seeing what it did to Kivera and Damien. How every single memory, and tie Damien had to her was erased. He doesn’t even recognize her existence. He only sees a shade whenever she is around him.

Her mind drifts back to her fall. The last thing she remembers saying to them.

“I’m sorry. I choose love.” The phrase falls from her even now.

“I chose love.” It had angered Azrael, Gabriel understood and so did Michael. Yet Azrael acted on his own, when she was dismissed to await their judgement on her sins. Azrael was her guardian, she answered to him, she had “just” been made an arcangel before she laid with a demon. A great sin among angels was being intimate with a demon.

“We know you chose love.” Shuri’s voice cuts through her fog, breaking her free of her memories and them running through them.

Kivera smiles opening her eyes a bright gold towards both of them.

“Thank you for all this time together.” Kivera says a little breathily, as if almost sighed.

“You’re not leaving are you?” Shuri panics at that phrasing, usually said by someone who might leave her.

“No.. no. I am just elated I’ve reached a point where I am grateful for all this time shared. I have no intentions of leaving unless you’ve had enough of me hanging around.” Kivera reassures her. She would not leave unless it is the last breath she takes. She doesn’t think she could face Estinien again if she was the cause of her death. Taking her life, she could do that to end her suffering. But never do it if it is unwarranted.

“Good.. what are you thinking about?” Kivera frowns at the question. She had been so deep in her thoughts she realizes it has gotten late.

“Memories.” Kivera says quietly, Divinity already knew, she has seen Kivera with that expression before. When she reflects and thinks no one is watching her.

“Which ones? From how pained your face has been.. we’ve been worried.” Shuri points out that she had expressions of pain when she dove into her mind.

“My fall, my descent. The events that lead up to here.” There is no scolding. Only further embraces by both. Neither are in pity or feeling sorry. They understood the pains. What it meant to lose so much. Shuri lost her very identity and mind. Divinity lost her life and father.

“I wonder... sometimes I want to know what both of you see in a stained being like me?” She doesn’t miss the way Shuri’s nose wrinkles at her words, or Divinity narrowing her eyes.

“You know why. and if you call yourself stained again, I will hit you.” Kivera eyes Divinity. Kivera has only felt her hit her once, and the woman uses holy behind her slaps to make her feel it. Otherwise it doesn’t faze her and she shrugs it off as nothing.

“Even stained beings are worthy of love. The same reason others still love Estinien. Some are still scared of him, some are still scared of me, and scions were terrified of Kiya when she almost became a lightwarden. You said it once yourself how our pasts don’t define what we do now. If you say that as true, why do you cling to yours like it matters now what we think of you?” Kivera feels a chord struck in her. She did say that once.

She said it to Ardbert. When he questioned her motives about life and death as her role. That the things he had done in his past do not define what he does then and there.

Kivera ruffles Shuri’s hair till it is messed up.

“A cheeky bastard has told you alot hasn’t he?” One of her hands is caught and bitten for messing up the snow white hair. She had ruffled enough and Kivera feels those fangs for it.

“He didn’t say anything, I felt it. I felt the reason he too had started to love you. You looked pass his weaknesses and made them a strength. So.. you should do the same thing.. Look at your weaknesses as strengths. For all the pains you endured... look what you have gained.” Kivera’s eyes change to a brief blue then back to their brighter green they usually are. Green is the color of life. The color also is the very color she had been born with. Bright vibrant green, a reason she was selected by Bathory. Who also had green eyes.

Kivera feels a sting in her face, and snaps her attention to Divinity, her hand shimmers with white off it. Kivera touches her face and winces from her using the attribute.

“Don’t dwell on that one. I saw your eyes dim down. She doesn’t exist remember?” Shuri a little shocked from the slap.

“Bathory.” Divinity says, Shuri only saw memories of her enough to know what she does. What she did. To six-hundred women. Kivera being one of them.

Kiva Siverstein age eighteen, died after running away from a grand party the countess held in celebration of her birthday, to be used in one of her rituals for her blood. What started her path and trickle in fate. The method she used, Elizabeth beheaded her after Kivera enraged her. She had fought every step of the way to escape. When she realized she would die she called her every single foul and form of ugly she could manage.

Through all the memories Shuri had seen, the one that stood out was Kivera’s fall. How she was shunned for something she believed in, for who she loved. It was the same as Shiva and Hraesvelgr. Those who chose love even when they knew the repercussions. Kivera knew what would happen but chose to fall in love anyway. Just as she does now.

Shuri is drawn out of her thoughts by Kivera’s eyes, they seem to glow under the fading light. Ethereal, was that part of her being or her abilities. It is her. The soft glow was something left over from her former being.

“Thank you Divinity, but you didn’t need to use holy. That hurts. I should use unholy on you the next time you need a slap. Show you how it feels.” Kivera glares orange at Divinity.

“Maybe you should, it lets me know you love me enough to inflict pain to break me out of madness.” Kivera’s tail puffs up at this, and Shuri sees pink irises. She decides to help Kivera up and they start heading inside.

“You both are loved so much. I know Kivera, it will take a while to accept Lilith. I hope you come to love her as equal she is to me.” Kivera nods to this, and smiles soft.

“Of course. You accept all the imperfections within me, and she makes you happy and complete. Just know.. I draw the line at blood magic and summonings.”

“I know. Hopefully nothing comes down to that.” Kivera leans down and presses her face to Shuri’s giving her a full kiss. She backs the auri up to the wall behind her to kiss her more fierce. A promise for later, when she lets her down she can see the fire in her mismatched eyes.

“How fast do you think we can get all the young ones to sleep?” Kivera sways her waist against Shuri’s.

“You’re playing unfair!”

“Am I? You know how unfair I can truly get.” A promise she keeps. Kivera goes to take a bath, to allow Shuri and Divinity the time they need to calm children for sleep.

#kivera x shuri #Kivera and Shuri #Kivera Siverstein #ffxiv estinien #estinien wyrmblood #divinity libra

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inviouswriting · 3 years

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Those who bargain.

Kivera centered. Got inspiration for something, so angst applies and warnings that goes into this field.

Mentions of - @candideangel ‘s Angelique and her ship. @snow-covered-moon for the polyship.

She is use to the role, she is use to the odd stares and whispers. She had taken over the role from her successor when the territory of magic concerned bringing life back, blood magic was something Kivera usually kills at the source for. She had traveled a bit with the offender to her, and learned another side to G’raha Tia.

The former exarch was weary of her, knowing what she is. He is surprised at how well she hides herself among the living. They were left alone, to stray behind after Palgth’an. G’raha was wondering just why she lingered when her presence was needed back at the Scion’s faster.

“They can wait. Not like they can start without their “warrior of light.” What’s on your mind.” They walked among the dying, occasionally he’d see her grab the air in front of her and pull. Those that were struggling would cease.

“What do you do if someone wishes to save them.” Kivera looks at him, then back to in front of her. Her vision different. She sees tethers that are breaking. She sees many trying to crawl through the aether itself. What he can’t see, or those that are not a servant of death.

“I can’t answer that. It’s a matter of my world.” She answers clipped, there was no need to answer a pointless question to her. It was always hard to make the living understand the laws of the underworld.

“Do you ever get tired of it?” G’raha Tia sees her stop and look at him, she had tugged another spirit free.

“It’s tireless and unending. Of course I get tired of seeing the same thing. Yet, I know the alternative is worse. I’ve seen the worse of it. To be trapped in a body that can’t die because of the selfishness of the living.. is more heartbreaking than letting them die.” G’raha focuses on her hand that tugs another thread, a touch of flame from her palm burns and he sees the sever wisp off.

They soon approach a scene Kivera hates the most. A couple, a woman crouched over another. Her eyes quickly looking over him and she narrows her eyes at the dagger in his back. She notes him bleeding out, and it would end soon. Equal was a head injury, one Kivera knows has caused permanent damage.

The woman looking up and sees Kivera standing there. She senses her intent and quickly covers over her fallen one more.

“Please don’t.. he’s all I have left. He can be saved.” Kivera hears the pleas, and G’raha was about to step forward to offer his healing magic when Kivera glares over her shoulder at him. He understood immediately that this was not something he could save.

Kivera sighs as she approaches and kneels down in front of both, a hand going to the top of the woman’s head an auri couple. Kivera understood the pain well, she saw it in Shuri with Ardbert.

“He could be saved, but he won’t be the same. He will just be a shell of himself. These wounds will leave him paralyzed, unable to move, unable to speak, and in constant pain. I’ve seen them, the soul itself would be miserable stuck in a body like this. I’ve seen auri men, they’re very proud. This is cruel to keep him like that.” Kivera explains it down in a gentle tone, to get her to understand.

“There are white mages who can help, can’t they?”

“Not with something like this. Their magic is only limited to certain points. They can heal certain injuries, and some are blessed with enough power to raise someone who freshly fell in death. But on bodies where the damage done is on their spine and brain. They can’t heal that. Besides... he’s already lost too much.” G’raha stands back more, witnessing the rumored hardened being of death be soft and understanding. Talking someone down from holding onto someone who is beyond saving by their magic and means. He thinks back to his crystal self still in The First, how death would be a blessing than standing as a living statue for endless time.

Kivera is right. It is torture to someone who has the option but can’t voice it. He wrings his hands together and turns to go attend to others that he can save. Letting the reaper do her part. He can save lives, she is tasked with taking them. He stays within earshot listening to her convince the woman to let go. Kivera relays her own stories, sharing Shuri’s heartbreak as a way to convey that feeling. Sharing her own, the first time he hears of the name Damien.

G’raha encounters Estinien overlooking the woman, leaning against a wall.

“You don’t stop her at all do you?”

“I have no reason to. This is her nature. She’s being merciful today. She’s usually alot colder than this. I wonder if that is because of Shuri and Misija.” Estinien muses aloud leaving G’raha to wonder about the relationship they share.

“I’ve only heard stories about her. How she was Amaurot’s desctruction along with the doom beasts. How she doesn’t blink if she is told to kill, or feel remorse for her actions. Yet here she is giving solace to someone she barely knows.”

“People will gossip about those that don’t understand. Then they fear and hate what they can’t understand. She’s meant to be feared, she commands respect in the world she comes from. Her hands are stained with countless and they’ll continue to be stained.” Estinien sees Kivera almost bowled over by the woman after she took the life of her lover. Letting the auri woman cry into her stomach. Kivera rests a hand on her head and lets her mourn.

“You said she is normally colder than this, what made that change?” Estinien thinks it over, he casts his gaze across a different direction seeing Shuri. She was busy helping bandage an amalj’aa’s arm. They had stayed behind to do work others wouldn’t do. Too caught up in themselves to really help the casualties of wars.

“I am still figuring that one out. Mystery that one is. There are still things I don’t know about Kivera, and things I will never know with the way she is. She can’t tell us the matters of the underworld. Forbidden by them. If she can’t tell us, she won’t tell you.” Kivera was let up when another amalj’aa came to collect the fallen man and the auran woman follows to learn their methods of mourning.

Kivera sees Shuri approach her and extends a hand to help her up. She takes it, and Estinien sees them both rub face to face. Kivera breaks and hugs Shuri tight to herself. He has a knowing smile on his face as the reaper seeks her own solace in Shuri’s arms.

G’raha watches in awe over this. He feels bad for his earlier questions, seeing her breakdown after a hard death.

“Have your answer?” Estinien watches G’raha wring his hands again.

“This gets to her too.”

“Of course it does. She was once human too after all.” This interests G’raha but Estinien walks away from him, and Angelique approaches to collect him for he is needed elsewhere with his ability to heal.

Estinien looks at the two after Kivera’s calmed, he sees a tinge of blue among the green of her eyes.

“Confide in us at home? I think you would feel better in private than in front of others.” Kivera too is a proud being. Her vice is her pride, Estinien rarely sees her broken down. Save for the time she couldn’t help Shuri in her catatonic state, he didn’t think wrong of her for soul searching. Yet the day she came back after managing to be pregnant was a joyful shock everyone needed.

He had gotten the secret out of her of how it happened. Shuri knows who, another love she married in a different world. He wants to meet this man, but he wouldn’t press her for how to unless she offers it.

“I’ll like that.” Kivera gives a genuine simpered smile, Shuri rests her head on top of Kivera’s.

“Let’s go then. The field doesn’t need us any longer.” He gives a stare to Kivera. She agrees to let the remainder of the souls end on their own without her assistance now. Estinien collects both women to head back to their home. Before they head back they sit in quiet at the edge of the beach front. Till they are joined by their many mutual lovers. Misija still learning how to accept their relationship, Divinity accepting her role as a stay at home mother type. If she had lent her power on the battlefield alot more could have been saved.

Yet the exchange and balance was simple. Where Divinity is needed she goes while Kivera stays behind, and vice versa.

Kivera rests her head on Shuri’s lap after sprawling herself across Estinien, Divinity, and Misija. Kivera is in thought about something, and closes her eyes when two hands run through her hair undoing the braids to leave her hair sleek against her back.

“What are you thinking of?” Shuri breaks the silence, Ysayle climbing onto her from behind.

“Would any of you think me different of I wander off to maybe have another or three?” The hands on her hair pause, and Shuri knows what she is referring to.

“Why would you think, we’d think of you different? Isn’t it children you sought to have for a long time, and you have a means to? We’ll be supportive and waiting for your return.” Estinien shakes his head at the idea, but is intruiged of what future children from the reaper might look like. The daughter she bore is already stunning.

“As long as you come back, mayhap you bring your lover here to us so we can finally see the one who managed it?” Kivera buries her face into Shuri’s stomach in embarrassment.

Ysayle sees this as an opportunity to climb on her head and sit on it to nuzzle her mother better. Kivera accepts her fate to be a seat.

“Yes, even I’d like to meet this one.” Misija comments, her hands along Kivera’s back. Divinity laughs as Kivera becomes a seat to each child.

“I’ll ask him if he wants to make that trip here.” Kivera agrees to let them meet her lover.

“For now though you’re ours.”

“Agreed.”

#Kivera Siverstein #polyship #shuri fontaye #estinien wyrmblood #G'raha Tia #g'raha tia x angelique #misija votyasch #divinity libra

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inviouswriting · 3 years

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A Price For Love.

Got to talking with @candideangel about Kivera meeting G’raha Tia.

It would most likely happen in transition between probably before the final fight in 5.3

Obvious spoilers for shadowbringers and 5.3 patch. Not there yet? Don’t read this.

Also has @maiden-born-in-snow ‘s and mines polyship. May have gotten deep and fluffy in spots. and @meepsthemiqo ‘s character mentioned too.

G’raha knew his time was getting closer, it was a matter of literal time before he could act on his role. He was climbing stairs slower than those that raced to fight Elidibus. He rounded another corner only to be greeted with a face he had seen before, and hoped he never had to interact with.

“You know what you’re doing changes so much. Right?” G’raha has seen her around Shuri, he had a sense of dread every time he was around her. Like a creeping death. Kivera.

“A little more time.”

“That is not what I am here for yet, and by the way things are looking. You might just escape me again.” She is death, in the form of a miqo like him, but in full black, and sitting on her scythe like a witch. G’raha Tia is confused to her words.

“What do you mean?”

“Oh? You don’t know? The soul transferring. The whole plan to save those scion members?” They were statements more than questions, reminders of what he had been working for.

“Aye.”

“So, I’ve come to you because things are being rewritten as we speak. However. Nothing is quite free.” He is confused to her words.

“To chase a new life, with the memories you have. My world needs something in exchange.” Kivera folds her arms across her chest.

“I am content to die here though.”

“You would say that, yet it seems fate has other options for you.” Kivera looks at her hand as she speaks to him. She had to carry out what was in motion. Green eyes stare at G’raha.

“Are you truly resigned to death then? You don’t seem the type. The whole bravado back with Hades when Innocence was dying. Elaborate plot to abandon this world for in favor of greener pastures.” She catches the surprise in his face.

“How do you know of that?”

“What am I.”

The Exarch knows what she is, one of the reasons she is visible is to those about to die.

“So what do you want of me?”

“I already told you. Your fate has changed, and I am no longer here for you. Well in a way. This body is dying. Your soul however. Isn’t. Then again a soul doesn’t really die unless devoured.” Kivera rambles as she kills her time.

“What would I have to offer?” There is a brief change in her eyes from green to orange. Annoyance.

“I swear women are less complicated than men. I need something from you to carry out this change. Your transfer requires an exchange, something of a payment. What are you willing to give up?” She asks, and G’raha thinks about it.

“The memories of my old self in the Crystal Tower?” Kivera raises an eyebrow to this.

“Smart one. Sometimes.” He scoffs at her.

“Smart people don’t die.” She interjects.

“Thus why you get yet another shot at a life. So in exchange for your life here, you sacrifice the memories and basically the life of your young self still sleeping away for this path?” Kivera hops off her scythe and walks up to him, he feels small compared to her, she was a bit taller than him.

What unnerved him was her eyes. A vibrant green but cold there was no warmth in her eyes. Not from what he has seen her gaze directed at people like Shuri and Meeps. When she stares at him he feels like he is looking at exactly what she is. Death.

“I accept those terms if that is what fate has in order.” He sees her tug out a scroll and from the left white wing she pulls a feather from it. She crosses his name out replacing it with the name he uses in The First as Crystal Exarch. He is one of the few to see how the ink seems alive, feathery as she writes.

“For the sake of Angelique, no more time meddling. That girl loves you more than you realize.” She turns away from him to begin up the stairs towards the fight.

“Wait? Kiv-”

“You will not call me by my name, you do not have permission yet. Reaper works.” She cuts him off from using her name.

“Reaper. What of this life then?”

“You already know. Can’t change what is already in motion. This life here does come to an end. Now. I am busy.” She is regretful in the next one she does have to take.

G’raha sees her again, after the exchange is over with Elidibus. She remains unnoticed to the rest of the group, not interfering with the events as they play out. It is after he is turned crystal that he senses her in front of him.

“As promised, this life has ended, but this soul is far from done. Memories from the past to be replaced with the future.” Then there is nothing, at least until he wakes from his stasis in Crystal Tower. Angelique had brought the vessel, and is the first sight he sees. Kindness and warmth in his soul at a face he loves.

He doesn’t forget glancing to the side and seeing Kivera once as she flits from the tower waving him off.

Kivera had returned to Shuri’s home by this point exhausted she had resigned herself to curl up between Divinity and Shuri. Finding their touches less offensive she did not want to be touched by men and Ardbert and Estinien understand this mood from her. She favors the girls a tad more, her excuse is they’re softer.

“So I take the exchange went well then?” Ardbert prods at the reaper for answers. He is met with Kivera sinking her face further into Shuri’s hair while Divinity winds her arms more around her from behind.

“That miqo should be up and running around in a few weeks. Along with your scion friends.” Kivera presses her face against one of Shuri’s horns rubbing her cheek to it in the manner she had learned when she dons her auri form. Divinity rests her head on top of Kivera’s knowing her tired nature from doing her role.

“He- could be a friend to you too.” Kivera wrinkles her nose a bit.

“Maybe in time, but that boy has made me break some taboos.”

“Wait you said that it was ordained by fate... You mean you stepped in?” Estinien knows her disdain for interfering. He is met with a grin from her.

“I have a soft spot for real love. I also know what it is like to lose someone to twisted fate.” He remembers her memories she had shared of Damien.

“And you say you are this cold-hearted being.” Ardbert feels a sense of proud in her for doing something right.

“I am cold-hearted. I just pick and choose what I want to see happen. Lest we forget my alignment.” She raises a hand to shoo them off.

“You are done asking me questions. I’d prefer some quiet.” Kivera sees the men look at her questioning. Estinien tugs Ardbert off to grant Kivera what she asks for.

“She’ll answer us when she is in a better mood.”

“She really spared him.” Ardbert was more amazed at how she boasts so much about her conforming to her role. Yet here she was, breaking that role for a friend.

Angelique chances across Kivera after a few days. Seeing her at night in Mor Dhona. She sees her sitting on the edge of a ledge.

“It’s nice to see you for a change.” Kivera lowers her eyes a bit.

“It is, how is he?” She inquires to G’raha’s health.

“He’s up and running around already. Poor Krile though I think she is about to drop.” Kivera listens to her, hearing the amusement in her voice with a brief smile of her own.

“Good. Cherish him. He earns your love.” Kivera tucks her legs underneath herself, and Angelique sees a moment of vulnerability from the elusive reaper.

“I do cherish him, thank you.. back there.” A brief flit in Kivera’s eyes from their green to a yellow.

“Angelique!” G’raha finds her, and when the blonde turns away from Kivera she waves to him. When she looks back Kivera has disappeared again.

“Talking to someone?” He asks, seeing her look surprised.

“I forget she does that. I was, but she left.” Angelique answers a little bewildered, and G’raha figures out who.

“She’s still mad at me?”

“I don’t think she is mad, just keeping her distance.” This seemed to satisfy him for now.

“So there is a chance she’ll come around.” He wants to make peace with the reaper, but even he knows from seeing her, she picks and chooses who she wants to be around. The men he’s noticed are less compared to the women.

“It takes time.” Angelique reminds him, and they both turn to head off towards Gridania. When his head was turned he felt something ice cold and wet hit the back of his head. He turns his head and is met with another water ball. Angelique is surprised at the magic and looks for the source.

Kivera takes a shot at her as well, only with her warm water hits instead of the ice cold that she pelted G’raha with. They both manage to see her a few feet above them at a distance. Mischief in her gold eyes.

“I think that answers our question.” Angelique laughs seeing how she had messed G’raha’s hair with water. She herself wipes the water from her face. G’raha shakes his head, and glances at their supernatural friend.

“Are we even yet?”

“No. Far from it. Don’t you have places to be?” She lowers her eyes a little and magic on her fingertips ready to summon another set of water at him.

“We were about to leave till ack!” Another cold water ball thrown at him.

“Why throw water at me?!”

“Why not.” Kivera readies another one, a wild grin on her lips as she makes the miqo dance a bit with a few well aimed water balls. Angelique watches this exchange and it makes her wonder what exactly he did to earn her ire like this. A hand places itself on her shoulder, and she sees Estinien.

“She’s in a good mood. Looks like she is accepting him.”

“A good thing right?”

“If she didn’t like him, he wouldn’t be here.” His attention turns to Kivera.

“Go easy on him, he’s still recovering.”

“It is why I am using water. Unless he is secretly allergic to it like a normal cat.” Kivera pipes up and Estinien sees she is about done with it. A few more barrages of water thrown at him, and she lands next to G’raha.

G’raha eyes her wearily.

“Was that necessary?” Kivera looks him over and uses her base element of fire to dry him off.

“It was.” G’raha fidgets with his hands, looking down. Kivera can see what he is about to say, and before he can muster an apology. She flicks his nose.

“I don’t want an apology for something you didn’t do. Just don’t do anything stupid to make that one cry? Then we’ll call it even yes?” G’raha looks over to Angelique and nods after holding his nose.

Kivera goes over to Estinien’s side, she gives one more look to G’raha before she flits once and disappears back to Shuri’s home.

“Are you sure she was in a good mood?”

“She was, she’s a bit of a trickster when she is in high spirits. She’s constantly pulling pranks on Ardbert. And myself. So trust me, she is in a good mood.” He recalls the time Kivera and Shuri ganged up on him with, Shuri being sweet to him in front while Kivera stuck ice cold hands on his back.

“We should get going. Meeps did want to see us.” Angelique reminds him, and knows not to keep Estinien too long. They go their separate ways.

Kivera lingers a bit on the roof of the house, truly questioning her place in this world. She looks at one of the several multi colored feathers she had gained. She had grown several of them for the realms she had traveled and lives she had spared instead of taking them. Her own mind muddled with after thoughts of whether she is doing right by letting things happen with mild interferences.

She saw the grief-stricken Meeps, she had seen how the remains of what was Lillith separated from Shuri, she has seen how fate gave Ardbert to her, bound her even. This world she is in, is full of things, the biggest is how many she watches overthrow cosmos and fate again and again.

She saw how Kiya excitedly ran back to Ishgard to see Aymeric. How she envied her a little in her pure self. Hecate would be happy with her new life if she could remember. Gaining her own knight to love.

Kivera lost in her own thoughts for once doesn’t notice the hand reaching to the middle of her back. A single finger runs down the middle of her spine between her wings. Kivera reacts by jumping and turning to see Shuri. Her wings poofed up in the manor of a scared owl even her tail puffed a bit, and eyes wide and white, then flash down to pink looking away.

“You’ve been up here ever since you got back. Everything alright?” Shuri notes she managed to startle her, and opens up her arms for her to come into them. Kivera glowers brief at being startled, then finds her way to rest her head on Shuri’s lap.

“Just thinking, do I truly belong with you and yours?” Kivera closes her eyes.

“You do, even if you don’t feel it. Something happened?” She catches on, she knew Kivera went to check on Angelique.

“G’raha. He saved so many lives, yet at the cost of..” She sighs trying not to let what is beyond her means get to her now.

“You did say it yourself, fate has other plans for him, and you have yet to really intervene with what is in motion. As for feeling of where you belong. You belong here with us.” It takes Kivera a moment to think about it, she is still scared of getting close to this group more for the lives they lead. Any day she could be the one that has to claim them, she’d steal them to her realm first.

Green eyes flicker a soft blue then settle to gold with a tinge of deep blue at the centers. Shuri sees this, thinking of ways to ease her, settling on petting through her hair the way she has seen Divinity does. Kivera accepts her affections and curls in closer to her.

She doesn’t need everyone to understand her nature, just the ones she loves. Even if she must be harsh with a few, she hopes her actions can be forgiven by those she must remain distant with.

Kivera was in a light sleep when another person shows up. Ardbert sits next to Shuri and looks over the reaper strewn across her lap. Kivera has her face pressed to her abdomen close to the bump where she is able to detect life. She is half curled around Shuri protective. She herself was denied this life and ability to experience children. She can at least chase a dream of being a secondary parent where she is wanted as one.

“Such a fearsome one she is.” He says teasing, he sees an ear twitch in his direction.

“She can be, not to me though.” Ardbert chances a touch along Kivera’s back, his hand drifting to her right wing, her black one. Hand smoothing through the feathers finding them softer than most silk he’s touched. One of the few times the reaper does not find his touch offensive.

“A summon came for her.” He says quietly, enough for Shuri to raise a little concern.

“From who?” Kivera turns her head, a yellow eye cracks open.

“Kiya.” Kivera closes her eye again with a sigh.

“I’ll see her when the time is right. I think I know what it is about.” Ardbert drifts his hand to her left wing but feels her shrug his hand away from it. Shuri feels her tense up and looks over to Ardbert shaking her head no. Fingers card through Kivera’s hair again to sooth her a bit.

Ardbert looks Kivera over, wondering what in her changed to make her bristle. She was still getting use to him, and he wanted to earn more of her own affection in the way she shows the others. He let’s it roll off of him, and lets Kivera have her space.

“You both should come down soon, for food and Estinien worries with you up here Shuri.”

“We’ll come down soon.” Kivera confirms, and raises her gaze to Ardbert. A brief glimpse of purple tints her irises then back to green.

He leaves them be, and it isn’t much longer till they both get down, Kivera using her ability to fly to transport the auri down. Kivera finds Divinity after making sure Shuri is within her husband’s care.

Divinity keeps her eyes closed as she takes over comforts on her soulbound lover. Remembering the time when Kivera did this for her. Ardbert approaches again, finding how Divinity seems more at ease with her leader resting on her now.

“She doesn’t like her left messed with does she?” He keeps his voice low.

“It’s a painful reminder for her. What she use to be.” Divinity feels Kivera tense at hearing her talk about her. One of her hands rests on top of her head ressuring.

“She use to be of the heavens right?”

“She use to. She did show you her memories right?” Ardbert was shown them once, they were shown fast to where some of them were hard to make out, ones that were clearly painful to her.

“Aye, I was.” He rather the answers come from them about it, he was shown, but not told much.

“The white one is what remains of that time she spent in Caelum. They do wish to have her back.” Divinity feels a hand dig into her thigh and she ignores it.

“But she doesn’t want to go back.” Ardbert sees her bristle again.

“Correct. They threw her out like she was nothing. You understand that feeling right? What it means to have the height of glory then thrown out like you mean nothing. Name dragged through the dirt. That was her in that lifetime. All because she fell in love with a demon.” Ardbert sees Divinity swat Kivera’s head for biting her leg. Ardbert can see Kivera’s eyes a dark blue, a color he rarely sees.

Kivera’s ears flatten to her head, she was about to leave until she feels Divinity’s hand press at the middle of her back to stay.

“You showed him those memories. You know that they’re common memories in this house if you did. I know they’re painful, but he should hear the causes of why you choose your way now.” Divinity heals herself of the bite. She keeps a hand through her hair. The Libra spirit looks up towards Ardbert, he notes how both of her own eyes are gold in color.

“If this is too much for her to reveal..”

“You’re bound to know. You know of Damien. You know her feelings surrounding him, in how he was lost to her.” He nods at her question.

“Good, what were your feelings when she showed you those memories?” Divinity holds Kivera still having her lay on her stomach with her face fully buried into her abdomen.

“Heartache. I felt like I was losing someone I loved. I too have shared a pain like that.” Divinity nods.

“Now be the one that deals the death to that loved one.” Ardbert recalls that one. Seeing Kivera take the life of Damien was hard for him, he couldn’t comprehend what ran through her or the thought if something like that came to him towards Shuri.

“But forgive my way of asking, but what does that have to do with her not returning?”

“Because Caelum offered her to return after his death. Before she spoke to Kronos. After she sent Vanth into the underworld. They offered her, her position back, after the love of her life was taken from her. As a way of saying “The source of your sin is gone, come back to us.” She was just grieving and they threw what she followed into her face. As if he was nothing but what held her down.” Kivera by this point had wrapped her arms around Divinity’s waist face fully buried into her stomach.

“So now... she denies it every chance...” Ardbert understands now.

“She’s a fallen, but has the chance of redemption. Yet scorns it because of what they’ve done to her in the beginning. She loved Damien. Just as she loves the people here and strives hard to protect them. Whether you see her in action. She broke taboo for alot of you and yours recently. Because she ouch! Damn it Kivera!” Divinity grabs the reaper’s tail and pulls it to get her to quit biting her stomach. She felt her fangs dig in this time.

“Because she actually loves alot of you!” She finishes her sentence and glowers down at Kivera who glares back up through bright pink eyes. Ardbert’s first time seeing the color.

“What? Did I embarrass you? You felt the need to bite me over it?” Ardbert sees Divinity pull Kivera over and pin her down. The taller woman easily keeping her pinned as she kicks her feet out. He notes how she keeps her hands together and pinned above her head.

“Need any help with her?” Shuri pokes her head in at hearing all the commotion of Kivera being somewhat handled rough. She was sitting outside the room they were in listening in on the conversation. She had been shown personally and shared more intimate details to Kivera. She felt a swarm of emotions run through her at hearing how Divinity speaks of what she had lost and why she has no desire to return to the heavens.

“I think I could use your help if it isn’t straining on you at all.” Divinity takes both hands now and rubs at Kivera’s wrists. Shuri sees the reaper restrained in a way where she can dote on her. She grins at her as her hands land on her sides. Instead of rubbing them, she lays on top of Kivera pinning her to Divinity.

Ardbert takes the hint that any further conversation is over for now. He hears laughter follow the girls together, specially once the twins ran in and jumped on the women.

Shuri glances at Kivera, seeing life back into her green eyes. Divinity takes a moment to inspect the bite she got on her stomach and heals it before anyone else sees them. She returns and eyes Kivera who is pinned under children and lovers now. Resigned to her fate. Freya taking up most of her right wing’s space while Lexan in her left wing.

She is beside herself in all these faces showing her she belongs that she looks to Divinity who leans over her to let her bury her face into her chest and conceal her tears. Overwhelmed in her emotions at those who care so deeply for her.

“You belong here.” Shuri reminds Kivera, and lets her feel her emotions that she keeps suppressed. Estinien tugs Ardbert in with him, to assist the girls helping Shuri up and announcing that meals were ready.

Kivera lingers with Divinity, glancing up at her from her spot.

Divinity glances down giving her the same kind smile she has always given to her since the pyre.

“We’ll be in, in a few.” Divinity assures them, and cards her fingers through Kivera’s hair again.

“You are loved more than you know and want to be shown.” Divinity is at face level with Kivera who seeks her in a moment and shares a kiss with her.

“Thank you... even though you didn’t have to tell Ardbert all of that.”

“At the rate you go, it would snow in Thanalan before you’d tell anyone.” She is shoved briefly and Kivera goes to join the others with Divinity in tow.

“You are worth it all.” Divinity murmurs under her breath.

#angelique #Kivera Siverstein #polyship with shuri #shuri fontaye #Kivera x Divinity x Shuri #ardbert #ff14 ardbert #ffxiv estinien #estinien #G'raha Tia #g'raha tia x angelique #estinien wyrmblood #meepsthemiqo #angsty

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inviouswriting · 3 years

Text

Aspectabund

Letting emotion show easily through the face or eyes

Let me start by saying... this is a side AU. Going off another thought that hit me during my rp with Meeps. If Kivera acted of her own volition on G’raha. Some friends of mine asked for some angst regarding Kivera and G’raha. They got what they asked for~

Mentions of @meepsthemiqo Meeps, @earthlystar ‘s Yume, @candideangel ‘s Angelique, and the polyship with @maiden-born-in-snow

This is long to boot. at 19 pages and 8,429 words.

Be comfortable reading.

Kivera is an observer type, she spends her time watching people. She’ll sit in a busy place and just watch them going to and from places. She chose Mor Dhona for this past time of hers. Green eyes peering out through the holes in her mask. She was here on official business for herself. She was still raw in her ordeals, and witnessing the grief so strong in Meeps day to day.

The reaper felt like she was getting too close to people. She spied one of her targets, and all she could feel is her soul turning to ice to steel her resolve. Make it easier to not care about him. She was good at cutting her emotions off when it mattered.

She spies G’raha Tia, leaving the Rising Stones. He looks across the plaza and his ears flatten as if he has seen a ghost. The expression that waits and stares at him. He wonders if Estinien meant that she liked him, or if it was him covering for her mood.

There was something off about Kivera, and he hoped he was wrong about the look in her eyes. They stared anger, they stared hate, he knew those looks, he knew little of the reaper save for that chance encounter before he was facing off against Elidibus, then again when he was assaulted with water attacks by her.

His face pales at what the water truly was about. She was gauging his reflexes. G’raha felt he was staring at her namesake, Death. He had seen the mad stare in her eyes when she extended the offer to him before fate was altered.

His feet move him closer, and before he knew it he was standing across from her, mustering a sheepish grin and fidgeting with his hands.

“It’s good to see you again. Kiv-”

“Be silent. Save your pleasantries. I doubt you’ll greet me the same after today. I have told you, you have not earned that right to call me by name yet. You and I have some unfinished business.” When Kivera spoke the first words, G’raha felt his voice leave him. He barely understood why he couldn’t talk, he tries using a spell on himself and they don’t work. He was fully silenced. He stares at her, wondering how she can muster it with just words.

“I want you to stay quiet while I speak.” She extends the spell placed upon him, drawing a full line across the front of her mask as if zipping his mouth with it.

G’raha can’t do anything but stands there staring at her.

“You should count your lucky stars gracefully, that you still walk among the living. I want you to know at what cost. I want you to feel it.” At her words, G’raha feels an intense sadness wash through him, an intense sorrow tinged with rage, confusion. He looks at her.

“What you feel is the life altered, by your doing. Your meddling. Your victory.” Her voice was low and full of malice. He soon realized these were Meeps feelings being thrown into him. He looks away from Kivera, feeling unworthy to even stare at her eyes.

“Look at me.” A command. Reluctantly he does, he meets red eyes. She still sits there calm and unmoving from when he first chanced on her. The wave hits him again in how Meeps truly felt afterwards. Heartache, he himself was barely holding himself together.

He got to walk away, when Elidibus died. No he got a chance to live again, through magic and the tower.

He felt the spell removed and clears his throat of any lingering effects.

“You are here for me then?”

“I can’t kill you. Doesn’t mean I can’t make you wish I did.”

“Estinien said you were okay with me.”

“I tolerate you. Because that is what I am suppose to do. Let things happen, not intervene unless I have a merit for myself, or perhaps I see that a realm is in danger with your presence. You are very much a threat. you and that engineer.”

“Cid? What does he have to do with this?”

“You are here because of his meddling. If you did not investigate the tower. You would not be here, you would not have stuck your nose in what was meant to happen.” Kivera stands up motioning for him to follow her outside of Revenant’s Toll. He reluctantly follows her, not inclined to reject her. She’d make him.

“The future was dead! There was no future! You saw it yourself! How was I suppose to just sit back and let it happen.” Once they were outside the gate and towards the Agrius. Kivera stares over her shoulder in eerie calm at his words.

“That is how fate works. You let it happen. And deal with it. How thousands before you handled their lives, how thousands after you will do so. Let’s just hope you and that man don’t tamper with anymore forbidden doors.”

“The Garleans were going to use a bio-weapon that sapped people of their aether and left them to die horribly. I was suppose to stand back and watch Angelique die that way?”

“Exactly. .. it doesn’t matter, your feelings in it. It was meant to happen. This world would have died, and so forth. To me, just more souls.”

“You speak so plain of the ones you call lovers too?” He hears her laugh dark, and her eyes focus on him again.

“You’re talking to someone who has had to kill their soulmate. Because he was going to be used in some ritual to do what you did in body hop. The great thing about the afterlife is they would be returned to me, as I would pluck them from the shores of Acheron myself. I wouldn’t have had to worry about them.”

“You thought that out? In case they died?”

“I am loyal to Shuri and them. They have earned my trust. But I am not here to discuss my personal things with you. I think you have much more to worry about.” He feels a ripple under his feet, and before G’raha knew it, the ground beneath him caves and he sinks into it to his knees. His eyes snap up towards Kivera who had disappeared from his line of sight.

“Damn it where did she go!?” He manages to get out and looks around him for a sign of her. He knows nothing about her abilities. He feels something touch his back from the base of his neck and down his spine. It was alien to him, then intense heat.

“L'anima del fuoco dell'inferno brucia.” G’raha feels himself on fire but no flames to be seen. He dashes away from the hand at his back, seeing Kivera standing there. Scythe drawn, and glowering down at him as she hovered.

“What did you do to me..” He feels the flames still, a cold chill through him it lasted through him and didn’t ebb off.

“I’m not going to bother wasting my time explaining. There is no need.” She flits and the sight before him falters and fades out. What he had been conversing with was an illusion, his ears perk up and he holds his staff to his side to parry the blade aimed towards his torso.

The power behind the hit forces him back with the blade as it swings. He barely has his bearings with her attack. He notes she is fast, just as soon as her attack connects she flits out again, he feels the blunt side against his back, knocking him forward. He was knocked with enough force it launches him towards one of the fallen airship pieces bouncing off once.

He gets his bearings this time after shaking the confusion off. He jumps back to avoid the point end of her scythe embedding into the ground right where his head just was. He realizes, she is out to kill him.

“Didn’t you say you couldn’t kill me?! What was that?” G’raha can’t believe what he witnessed in her breaking the ground with her attack.

“I changed my mind. I think I will take your soul.” She hisses under her breath, G’raha was still recovering his own strengths, fighting her as he was, is a suicide mission. She rivals anything of a primal, and he knows he won’t win.

“Y-you’re going to kill me?” G’raha asked more in disbelief, this woman had spared him. Now she wants to run him through with her scythe.

“I think it would be the best option. Before anyone else gets wrapped up in whatever you have to bring forth. Spare more lives from potential doom?” She mocked him openly, and G’raha sees her shift on her feet after pulling her weapon free.

G’raha assumes one of his roles to heal himself then adjusts for his other to defend himself choosing something that might last long against her.

They both trade blows, he parries her blade to keep it from striking him. His arms shake with each hit she leaves on his staff. The ground gives under him again and he feels something pull at his ankle under the rubble. A vine. He changes his role to burn it off, taking his attention off of her again.

Kivera uses his distraction to launch a elemental attack in a fire column. Deep black and green flames arched and raced towards him. He felt that same soul chilling burn in him again. He raises a protection around him, but it doesn’t stop the sensation running through his entire form.

“How annoying. Silenzio!” He hears her shout that last word, he felt its meaning as he is silenced again. He glances up and now understands why she is called an angel of death. Wings spread, scythe raised, green eyes glaring down at him, and flames surround her blade as she swings down letting the fire splash and rain down on him as if it were water. It did not feel like water, it burned his very soul.

He doesn’t see her next attack till the arch of her blade almost connects with his head. He glances up and sees someone had blocked her attack, yet his feet sunk into the ground from the force of her hit. If she had connected, his head would be rolling.

“So this is where you ran off to, to be a murderer now?” Ardbert holds his axe to parry her attack. Her strength unlike what she shown him before.

“Is that what you think of me?” Kivera presses harder pushing down.

“That is what it looks from a distance. You know he is not at full strength still. Why attack him? What happened at Meeps place.. or is this your true face that even Shuri hasn’t seen?” Kivera glares anger at him for his words.

“Why explain it to you then. You wouldn’t understand! You still think of me the same. That man behind you should not be walking! He doesn’t deserve it!” Kivera surges lightning through her scythe into Ardbert’s arms.

“Damn you! You said yourself it changed! You have no authority over it! Not without messing up some grand design you refuse to tell us about!”

“I’ve said in the past! My world is off limits to the living!” G’raha witnesses their exchange, both staring at each other in pure pained expressions. Kivera’s a bit more.

“I am not living if I last recalled! Remember?! Slain by a sin eater!” Ardbert pushes her back, and Kivera flits putting distance between him and her. She glares dark at him, and sinks her foot into the earth. Ardbert knows this ability, and moves G’raha off half tossing him onto a machine part of debris. Below where G’raha was sharp vines impaled the ground from below. A second late and he would have felt those himself.

“You prove I can’t trust you! Why should I now! You obviously side with him! Always wanting to play the hero! That’s what got you killed!” Kivera sees Ardbert’s eyes lower then glare at her.

“What of you? You yourself have your hands covered in blood of innocent people. Including Damien’s.” Kivera flits and appears directly in front of him slamming the blunt end of her scythe into his abdomen launching him for that remark.

“How dare you! Don’t you say his name here!” Kivera throws a fireball his way, and Ardbert blocks it.

“Struck a nerve? Do I finally see more than the same brooding expressions day in and day out? You finally show what is beneath that exterior.” Ardbert runs towards her, Kivera dashes pass him instead still aiming for G’raha. G’raha just now gets himself together in time to see her swing her blade and ducks underneath the sharp edge of her blade as it hits into the piece of airship next to him. She rends it deep, G’raha shrinks further down seeing how she stares down at him now.

Kiya presses a hand to the metal and sends a pulse through it letting it ripple beneath him. G’raha feels the lightning run through him, and yelps out only for it to stop as Kivera is grabbed around her waist and thrown back by Ardbert.

“G’raha! Get out of here!” Kivera turns her attention now onto Ardbert in full, she hovers on her feet as she stares at him. G’raha gathers himself and races back towards Mor Dhona. Kivera keeps an eye on him from her distance and poises a bolt of fire, snapping once and sends it at him. Ardbert sees this and changes his class to deflect her attack.

Ardbert sees G’raha make it through the gate, and at least his relief that he won’t die today. His attention returns to Kivera, who holds his stare, he closes his eyes after seeing them flash bright green.

“So, what was all that about? Why so hellbent on attacking him all of a sudden?” He tries to reason with her. He glances at her, and sees her expression one of pure anger at him.

“Why bother telling you anything if you’re going to throw it in my face.” She remains where she is, Ardbert sees her scythe wrapped in her flames, even growing in their intensity. How he wished he had Divinity to intervene but he dug this one bringing Damien in.

Kivera eyes him carefully after but it is only a brief moment when she appears in front of Ardbert. She swings her scythe blunt end towards his middle to strike him this way. Ardbert takes this hit, but he wasn’t prepared for what the hit would do to him. He is engulfed in her flames they felt cold but it burned him in a way he hoped did not transfer to Shuri.

He sees bright red eyes glaring at him through the black and green. Her scleras dark.

“Always playing the hero, always on this bravado about the right and just. When a wrong has been made. It should be corrected. That miqo’te should not be walking. He is just like Vanth. Not a single care to who he affected, the reasoning behind what he had done. He lied to everyone, he put my charge in danger, he put Kiya at risk of losing her life. He took everything from Meeps that she held dear. He took the life of his former self locked in the tower for some idea to live another life. Instead of resigned to fate the way it was intended.” Kivera’s voice comes out in pure malice as she speaks of G’raha Tia. Ardbert is pushed back by her scythe.

“You truly feel this?”

“Why would you care? I am just a murderer. So let me be the murderer, and end your life just the same. You shouldn’t be walking EITHER!” Ardbert feels a surge of energy rush at the end of her scythe and he is launched back towards a crystal structure.

Kivera hot on where he falls, Ardbert regains himself and jumps to his knees. He is overcome by intense sadness in his heart. One that has him doubling over, and he realizes his wrong he committed with Kivera. She was masking her eyes to hide her pain, she shifts at will, and he looks up to see her irises falter to a deep very deep blue staring at him.

“Kivera! Kivera! I did not come to fight you! Just saving G’raha from you! Would you hurt Shuri this way? The life of one of your loved ones too?” Kivera leaps and strikes the ground near his head. Ardbert uses this as a way to grab hold of her, and rolls to pin her.

“Why would you use Damien... G’raha knows nothing about him!” Kivera digs her nails into Ardbert’s arms and uses her lightning to deliver a continuous shock. He grimaces, her lightning unlike that of Ramuh’s, he remembers she won’t kill him because of Shuri.

“I know! That was wrong of me, but you can’t go and jeopardize your life in exchange for some feelings! You said it yourself, you can’t intervene in fate once it is in motion! We’d lose you!” Kivera’s lightning weakens, but the fire she had around them remains.

She is angered still, she had done irreversible damages if G’raha tells what she had done. How she attacked him.

“I’m not apologizing to him... he should not be here... He and that man should have never set foot where they don’t belong! Look at what grief it caused!” Kivera feels Ardbert wrest her hands off and pins them over her head at the wrists, as he has seen Divinity do.

“You don’t have to like him! Shuri doesn’t! He lied to alot of us, you don’t have to do anything for him either. But killing him in cold blood is not an answer! What would happen if you took his life? You’d put yourself on target for others to have to slay you.”

“I’d like to see them try it... they wouldn’t be able to. There isn’t a soul around here that can.” She barks back at him.

“Oh? So you’re immune to holy magic? Last I checked you are not! One of the alliance leaders is adept in holy magic, she’d be able to take you down. You also forget myself. I can use that same magic.”

“So would you kill me?” Kivera narrows her eyes. Her question makes him sit back on her abdomen. Keeping her pinned. All he can see is her eyes, he reaches to pull her mask off, only to be shocked by the same magic that is around her neck. An intense electrocution she musters.

“Kivera! Stop! I want to see your face! It’s only me here now, and I have seen you without it.” Kivera keeps the pulse going.

“No! Answer me! You would kill me then?!? Someone who has sworn to protect me? You would kill me.” Kivera glares through her mask. Ardbert feels the heat of her flames rise around again. She was prepared to continue the fight depending on his answer.

“If I knew Shuri was in danger of you, yes! I’d have no regrets! You’d just be another primal to slay here in the eyes of the realm!” At this, Kivera uses a different element between them, air combined with fire to create a blast to launch him back away from her.

“Then let’s just get this over with here and now! Hero. To be frank with you, I am rather annoyed with your constant judgement of my role and what I do. You did not have to try and love me. In fact... I rather you didn’t. I was content with the others... Now that I know your feelings in this.. I won’t show mercy then.” Kivera stands still at the edge of where Silvertear Lake is, leading towards the Agrius.

Ardbert sees her pull off her mask and ties it to her side. He wonders why she is even doing this now. Perhaps to sever their ties together. He hoped she wasn’t doing that to make it easier on herself to do her role without being questioned by him. The air around Kivera shifts to cold winds, and intense heat scorching the ground.

“What have you done!? Ardbert!?” Ardbert looks over to a ridge to see Divinity kneeling on both legs of hers, her head hanging low as she sees her leader’s demeanor change.

“What do you mean what I have done?! She attacked G’raha Tia!”

“She wasn’t going to kill him! She can’t kill him! Kivera! Stop! He doesn’t need to see this side of you!” Divinity sees Kivera glance at her then stare at Ardbert again, Divinity glances down at Ardbert.

“What in the seven hells did you say to her?!” Her attention snaps back to Kivera when she hears the air crackle around.

“We exchanged opinions again, she didn’t like them. When the question came about whether I’d kill her for the sake of others. I had said yes. I would.” Divinity stares in horror at his words.

“You broke her trust!?” Ardbert realizes that was the intense sadness he felt from her. Her trust was broken down. He is faced with someone who doesn’t have any qualms about using her full power on him now.

“ O 'Plutone, io sono il tuo mietitore, il tuo angelo della morte, la stella dello Scorpione e lo spirito che guida tutti negli inferi. Supplico il tuo nome, perché ho bisogno del tuo potere per mostrare a quest'uomo la grande grandezza di ciò che farà un portatore di morte. Non ucciderò o mutilarò quest'uomo, ma mi assicurerò che sappia il suo posto. O 'Plutone, io sono la tua falce, sono il tuo servo per tutta l'eternità. Invocazione dello spirito di morte.” Kivera’s voice is solemn as she speaks almost in a song. A lament in her incantation as she invokes her deity.

“Kivera!” Ardbert hears Divinity’s voice pleading the reaper to stop. Kivera ignores Divinity for now, and the Libra spirit feels chills run through her spine at the sight of Kivera changing to her preferred form of the arc angel.

“Spostamento dimensionale.” Kivera changes the realms that she and Ardbert are in. Leaving Divinity behind to keep her from getting into their fight. Ardbert is dropped into the wasteland he remembers from when she first took him to one of her worlds. A dead star, much like Amaurot. Where she won’t hold back. He looks for her and doesn’t see her where she was once hovering.

“Silenzio...” Before he could muster a spell to protect himself, he hears her voice in a quiet whisper, next to his head. Kivera touches his back in the same manner she had done G’raha Tia. Ardbert feels flames run through his body, an intense burning sensation that feels like his very soul is on fire.

Ardbert jumps away from her, and catches a glimpse of her, golden eyes, and braided hair instead of the wild sleek black he was use to or green irises. He’d take her red over the gold he sees. Something rang in his mind that this was not the same reaper.

He wished Divinity was there to explain this form to him. He braces himself.

“Mandala.” He is caught off guard when he sees a flash of a array around her. Then it dissipates. He is confused to why it dissipated only for the ground beneath him to unstable and the controlled elemental attack bursts under him. He has a split moment where he jumps away, she was much faster, just as he lands another hit was thrown his way.

“Tempo di stop.” He had a moment to dodge this other incantation. She attempted to use stop on him, Ardbert flailed a bit in this fight, trying to figure her out, she does things just enough to keep him on his toes. Kivera was about to send another blast when Ardbert sees a shield raised around him.

“Kivera!” Ardbert hears Divinity again, and sees her hold her barrier up. Kivera sees this and glares at her charge.

“What do you think you are doing? He chose this of me.” Kivera drops in front of them, scythe held behind her.

“Kivera! He’s not an enemy. He answered a question, and you are taking it as if today is the day he’ll act on it! Tell me, what is all this? What made your trust break this way? Are you this upset over G’raha Tia still living? Does he remind you that much of Vanth?”

“Vanth?” Ardbert looks at Divinity confused as she fends off the blast that was thrown down, raining embers. Kivera seeps those embers into the ground, and uses the ground to race them underneath Ardbert.

“Acque della Bilancia.” Divinity says this incantation, and beneath Ardbert a pool of water forms to protect him from the hellfire as it raises through her barrier.

“Vanth, is an evil person.” Divinity says brief to Ardbert.

“He is the reason behind her acting like this, she sees alot of what he has done echoed from G’raha Tia’s actions. I should have suspected her lashing out at some point..” Divinity says to Ardbert, keeping her eyes on Kivera as she drops in front of them, Ardbert sees the difference in her now, the normal black and white wings replaced with full black ones, the braid on her descends down pass her back, but her eyes unnerve him. They were devoid of any emotion, except the telling anger at the corners of her eyes in expression.

“Vanth was the reason behind Damien’s Death right? When she showed her memories to me, I remember a cloaked figure stabbing him.” Ardbert keeps his stare on Kivera, Divinity is his best defense.

“He is also responsible for my own death. He lead the events of what made many towns and villages to burn anyone who practiced herbalism and ways to heal in medicine. Claiming it as witchcraft, thus my death. Vanth is a lich.” Kivera seethes at the other side of Divinity’s barrier, she keeps her magic up waiting for her to calm as she explains the being.

“Lich? An undead spirit?” He has seen them before, specially among Tam-Tara, and other dungeons.

“Yes, they’re a step above necromancers. They enslave both spirits and the dead together. Kivera has a special hate just in that alone, per her role as guardian of the dead. But Vanth, has also used her in several of his rituals, including enslaving her once to do his work. All liches start as necromancers. They think what they do is innocent in bringing back what is dead, soul and body. However the body is already dead, and rots when the spirit is returned. It’s a great taboo.” Divinity feels her nerves on edge with Kivera’s gaze still on Ardbert, waiting for her to drop her magic. She’s thankful she was blessed in holy attributes to fend her off sometimes.

“So this Vanth, enslaved even her? What does that truly have to do with G’raha Tia?”

“His soul jumping and time meddling. Vanth does both to avoid death. Avoid her. She sees G’raha Tia’s jump from The First to The Source as the same magic. Something that should not have happened. Beq Lugg, animates and uses soul magic. Similar to what Vanth uses, though Beq, renounced their use of that magic. Kivera sees it the same as raising the dead, or tempering with the flow of death.” Divinity glances over to Ardbert.

“Forbidden magic.” It makes sense to him, he had inadvertly set foot into a fight that was her, in her right as an arbiter of death. She was suppose to handle it, she sees him as a threat, and Ardbert had foolishly jumped to the defense of someone she thought a pure enemy to her nature.

“I had no idea...”

“She doesn’t tell people of him, because his name invoked could easily summon him to places. Vanth alone is devastating. He is smart, places like Ishgard would be ideal with their former prejudice against other races and holy agendas. If Vanth had been here while the Dragonsong war was still going on...” Divinity sees the reaper glance at her, she lowers her barrier sensing her change.

“Kivera! I take it back, I wouldn’t kill you. Now that I know this, I can’t.” He sees her glare back at him. Divinity even looks at him.

“It’s going to take some time before she’ll open up again to you. If at all. Shuri might be crossed with both of you for fighting like this. did you try to understand her reason before you came to blows?”

“I jumped in the middle of her delivering a death blow on G’raha. If I hadn’t, he would have been either seriously maimed or his head would have rolled.” Divinity glances at Kivera.

“I wouldn’t have killed him. I was trying to scare him half to death.” She says it nonchalant. Like it was no big deal to her.

“Ardbert, you need to trust her a bit more. She does not kill needlessly. She does this alot to one of our own in Aiden, the Aries spirit. He’s constantly getting himself into trouble, and she occasionally will do a false blow to remind him of how close to the edge he was.”

“Yet she was so certain of his impending death.”

“You still have alot to learn about her. Think of the attacks she made, were they truly for death strikes? Or were they close calls?” Ardbert thinks to her scythe attacks, and how they struck the ground next to his head, and how she cleaved a good gouge in the metal of one of the airship pieces.

“Close calls.” Ardbert sees Kivera revert back to her base form, black and white wings, and hair wavy instead of sleek.

“If she had truly aimed to kill him. He would have been taken out with her first attack. You felt her touch your back right?” He nods.

“She never misses a target if she truly aims for death. Her namesake after all.” Ardbert’s shoulders lower down a bit, he was foolish.

“Aye, shows how much I need to spend time with her. Estinien spars with her alot more.”

“He’s also earned more of her trust. He keeps her secrets, and doesn’t throw them at her in fights. I heard that bit about Damien. Never use him in an argument with her.”

“That is unforgivable on my part.” He doesn’t add anything more onto that one. He knew it was wrong. She had seen her beloved die before her, she had taken his life, she had begged for his life to be returned and paid an ultimate price in having him back but not in the way she wanted. Unable to remember or even look at her without it making sure she’d lose him permanently. He’d never find the same strength if Shuri had to make that same choice or he about her.

Divinity drops to her knees once the fight was over. Kivera is at her side.

“I’m relieved that.. don’t worry. I thought for certain that I’d have to get get Shuri to stop this fight. Ardbert, never make her invoke Pluto ever again. She can destroy an entire world through him.” The dead world they were in, was an indicator for Ardbert to understand she had intended to do that.

“I apologize then, My words were careless and callous.” Kivera turns her head away from him. She leaves a gate for them back to The Source, and disappears from them both.

“She’ll return... After she cools her head.” Divinity turns to Ardbert, she first delivers a hard slap across his face.

“What was that for!?”

“You’re an idiot! You have no idea how much you hurt her!” Divinity then hugs him tight.

“What do we tell Shuri...” Ardbert realizes they need to tell her what happened.

“The truth. She obviously felt it, she is going to worry over Kivera.. I know my leader, she won’t be back in Eorzea for a while till the flames have died off.”

“We should get going in telling Shuri then. Might do to tell her about Vanth too. So she understands where her anger and resentment comes from.” He is helped up, as he holds onto Divinity’s hand she heals him of the hellfire that was leeching into him still. He didn’t realize he still had her spell on him through it.

The trip back to the house, it felt like he was walking on eggshells. Shuri was pacing out in front, she had already heard from others who came back from Mor Dhona that there was a huge fight with Kivera and G’raha Tia. She had gotten several linkpearl notices from Tataru and Krile.

“Where is she?” Shuri says upon seeing both Divinity and Ardbert.

“We don’t know. She disappeared from us.” The Libra spirit answers and once she was safe after helping Ardbert, she collapses to her knees again, as her own emotions run through her. She was terrified, she had nearly witnessed Kivera lose her mind again.

“Divinity, what happened out there?” Shuri asks her.

“Kivera went after G’raha Tia. She was harboring feelings against him from sparing him. After seeing the magic he used. It reminded her of the person that was responsible for Damien’s death.” Shuri stares from her to Ardbert, seeing him in a dishelved state.

“You got in the middle of it?”

“She did not leave me much choice, I thought she was going to kill Tia. You know I’ll defend the weaker of people.” He defends himself in his method.

“But she doesn’t kill out of spite. You know this. She’s told us alot she doesn’t kill unprovoked.”

“Divinity was thorough in reminding me on the way here.” Ardbert folds his arms across his chest as Shuri looks Divinity over, remembering Kivera would never hurt her either.

She inspects Ardbert, the deep punctures on his arms where Kivera had dug her nails into them. She places her hands over them.

“She was in alot of pain, if she did this. She wanted to get away from you both.” Shuri helps heal the punctures on his arm, noticing how all the abilities Kivera used were not to kill him. They were to let her hurt out. Even she knew Kivera would not harm any of them unless she was backed into a corner.

“Divinity, you know more about Vanth, help us understand.” Estinien had approached Divinity as Shuri tends to Ardbert.

“You remember Edda and Dantalion? The odd events that were happening in Tam-Tara with her experiments?”

“Aye, she was using blood and soul magic. To try and revive her lover Avere.”

“Vanth can do that magic on a larger scale. He is a lich. He uses the magic to jump from one body when his is too rotted, into a new host. In short... when he had taken Damien, he was planning to use his body to house his spirit then. Thus why Kivera could not use her magic, and why I was held back from doing the same.” Shuri listens to her intently, her heart aches for Kivera having to be pushed into that corner to do it.

“Vanth has also used Kivera as a catalyst in other spells, including one where he had enslaved her as a puppet and attacked us.” Ardbert heard this part, but not the details of Kivera once attacking Divinity.

“Go on.” Estinien has Divinity rest her head on his lap, her sight had gone out as she recalls her memories.

“Kivera sees the same magic used between Beq Lugg, and what it took to transport the Scion’s back to The Source. She would have been satisfied with them, as they were not meant to die yet. G’raha Tia on the other hand...” Divinity trails off.

“He used it for his own means. To cheat death.” Shuri completes the sentence. She remembers well, and sees where their supernatural lover is angry with him. He was not suppose to cross that threshold.

“So now he is untouchable to her, as whatever fate in store needs him as well.” Ardbert feels even more foolish upon realizing he intervened with her doing her job to right the world. They don’t know if his death here would truly upset things or not.

“Exactly. Soul magic is forbidden in the underworld based on the fact, what is dead and should be dead, remains in the underworld. That is the very law set in that world. Hades, forbids the magic, and anyone practicing it is to be hunted down and dispatched of. Lest we have more people like.. Sisyphus. Who cheated death so much he is pushing a boulder uphill in Tartarus.” Shuri finishes healing Ardbert up and has him sit with her across from Estinien and Divinity.

“So she really was doing her role.” Ardbert says quietly to himself.

“Those that constantly cheat death, are looked down upon in the afterlife and underworld. They’re selfish about it. Because if this was truly about just the Scions, he could have tested his theories and magic with one of them implementing their memories without him using his own. It’s why Kivera took G’raha Tia’s younger selfs memories to exchange for him doing so. Since the future we knew was going to happen.. isn’t. So there was no need for the memories of the current G’raha to exist.” Divinity raises her head as her vision returns to her. Choosing to see Shuri’s face.

“That explains why she went after him then. But why did she attack you so hard Ardbert? I’ve never seen her lose her composure, your body speaks volumes.” The burns, the cuts all over him, the deep gouges in his arms from where she had dug her nails. She saw someone acting in pain more than anger.

“I said some things...”

“What did you say?”

“He threw Damien at her. Said that her hands are covered in blood, including Damien’s.” Shuri looks back at Divinity in shock, then to Ardbert. He looks away from her.

“You didn’t... No wonder she was in pain!” Shuri wants to seek Kivera out, but she has a feeling she wants to be alone to heal herself.

“Ardbert.. Damien... there is a reason I don’t bring him up in her presence, specially when she is heightened.” Divinity leans back against Estinien.

“What are those reasons? So I never say it again.”

“Agitazione. She showed the devastation of that world?” He nods remembering that.

“Once Damien died, she awoken. All star spirits awaken. Kivera did in a grand display, being her own role, the sign of death alone experiences great tragedies. All leading to a great moment where they invoke their deity to either defend or defeat a foe. Aiden, burned his whole city, Io defended women from Zeus, Gemini were chased through Maedryn. Cancer fought Hera to earn his. Silvara uprised an empire for their gladiator tournaments, Virgo defended a citadel, I was burned at the stake and in my moments I tried to make my people see their errors. Kivera lost her soulmate... Sagittarius has always been Chiron. The start of the circle, Capricorn was drowned to save someone, Aquarius escaped a slave trader, and Pisces did the same as they were in the same troupe. They died defending themselves.”

“Each born of tragedy and doing something to invoke their spirit. Kivera would explain it better. Eitherway, Ardbert, when she is reminded of him, she tends to lose her composure because it still haunts her. She feels immense guilt over his death still. They had been together for a long time. He was the first being to show her love, and the last to truly show her unconditional next to Shuri here. I avoid talking about him, specifically in public. Unless we want to see a city razed to the ground.”

“I’ll keep that in memory around her.. what can I do to make it right with her?”

“Time. She has to come back here first. She’ll vanish alot. If I had to chance a guess at where she is, she’s in Purgatory.”

“Time we will give her then. Is there a way I can go to her and check on her? In a few days?” Shuri asks Divinity.

“I’ll tell you in private, I sincerely doubt she wants to be around men right now.” Divinity looks to Estinien who raises an eyebrow but leaves it alone.

Ardbert can understand that sentiment.

“Divinity, The day isn’t over yet, I think you should talk to the Scion’s and relay the same information to them.” Estinien remembers the linkpearls. He had gotten one from Krile. Frantic about the state G’raha had been in. Divinity nods.

“I agree. As much as I want to rest. Damage control.” She sighs and Estinien helps her up, to go do so.

“I’ll come with.” Ardbert says, he had to explain things from his perspectives.

“You will stay with Ysayle.” Shuri says. Divinity looks at her and nods knowing she won’t take “getting rest” as a means for her to stay back and let one of their lovers be slandered.

The task in itself was rough as the tension in Rising Stones could be felt, the confusion at why Kivera reacted the way she did. Divinity spoke and relayed everything she had learned, Ardbert’s side, and further explaining the reasons behind her actions.

G’raha had no idea to how it looked from a pure outsiders perspective. He had only meant to help, not realizing how much he had tread on others to get there. This was his doing in how the reaper attacked. Soul magic was forbidden, even he knew that, there were reasons Beq Lugg had stopped using it. They had caused alot of damage.

Kivera was trying to prevent another Vanth from happening if things went sour. The person in possession of that knowledge, can do so much. Elidibus only had the vessel with his blood and used it to summon people from across worlds and realms. It was a threat. If that fight had gone in any other direction. It could have meant deaths worse than what was going to be another Calamity.

“So what do we do about her now? We cannot overlook this, too many people have seen her and are scared. They think her another primal.” Alphinaud speaks up, voicing the concerns around the people.

“What do you mean, what do we do about her?” Divinity questions him in the tone of concern, coming off as aggressive. Estinien places a hand at her shoulder to still her.

“It will take time for the people to forget what they saw and felt in the air.” Alphinaud mentions, he knows that Shuri and Divinity will keep her safe and the reaper will lay low when she comes back to this world. He worries that they’ll be forced to take action on her.

“Then it will be time for now, she is not a threat to the realm.” Divinity speaks up, defending Kivera from the idea of being hunted the same as a primal.

“She did attack G’raha.” Thancred mentions.

“And it was explained why she did.” Divinity reiterates.

“We’ll have to see how the public perceives her then. She’ll have to stay out of public eye for a while.” Krile suggests.

“I don’t think she has a problem abiding by that. If she returns.” Divinity says that last bit under her breath, she had a bit if disdain for the way they were talking of her. Like she was a monster now. Estinien’s hand on her shoulder keeps her from saying or adding onto anything.

“So we’re done here then?” Estinien asks, he wanted to put some distance between his home and the Scion’s more for Shuri and Divinity.

“We’re really going to sweep this under a rug then?” G’raha Tia pipes up, not understanding why they want to defend her actions.

“You should count your lucky stars she didn’t decide to kill you! Besides, if a former warrior of light, was struggling against her, what makes you think we have any hold against her? She was there among Amaurot’s Doom creatures. And with you at half your former power, can you go toe to toe with her? I think she was certain of that, if Ardbert hadn’t intervened..” Y’shtola reminds him of where he should stand for now.

“What if she does decide to finish the job now?”

“That is highly unlikely now.” Divinity hisses, she couldn’t believe her ears.

“You are certain?” He was speaking of his own hurt. He sees her glare at him, Estinien tugs Divinity along.

“Don’t answer him. Let’s not drag this on further.” Estinien keeps hold of Divinity’s wrist to tug her with Shuri.

They had left without answering any more questions about Kivera if it would lead to more hurtful judgements on her. They know the reaper is coming from pain and hurt. She doesn’t want to see another tragedy befall the realm like she had witnessed and dealt the hand herself.

The evening was long once they returned. Kivera’s presence missing greatly, Divinity making an excuse that the reaper had to visit another world for a bit. The spirit closes her eyes to sense her or detect her only to be shut out of their link together.

“Any luck?” Shuri asks, approaching Divinity with a sleeping Ysayle.

“She’s in her world. Sanctuary. She’s not receptive still.” Divinity sighs feeling defeated in her attempts to reach her life long lover.

“She requires time to process her feelings.” Shuri reassures her, they still have to do their part in keeping her name clear and anyone seeking her in this world would be chased off by either of them for now.

Divinity is invited to rest her head at the end of Shuri’s lap her mind plagued with great headaches concerning what she had just went through and using her own abilities to defend one of their own from an enraged angel. There are times even she forgets her leader’s unrivaled strength.

“You’re not angry at her?” Divinity raises the question.

“I’m mad at both her and Ardbert for fighting. But not the reason behind why. She did not do anything to hurt him beyond shocking him the way she did. As you said, all of that came from her pain. She and Ardbert will have things to talk about civilly. For now, distance between them is needed. Mostly on her part, Ardbert has remorse for what he said to drive her away. She needs to hear it herself.” Shuri recalls the times even she had to fight against him before The First. He can say things to get at his opponent.

Shuri adjusts Ysayle to let Divinity hold her on her own chest while she cards fingers through Divinity’s hair better.

“Tell me something about her from your world? You two share the Underworld. I could use something positive of her.” Shuri requests, and Divinity knows what to talk about.

“She takes extra care towards children. She carries a special flute for them, and plays it when she has to find lost souls.” Shuri runs her free hand through Divinity’s hair soothing her nerves the way she has seen Kivera do.

“What kind of flute is it?” Her voice low and quiet.

“Made of crystal. She keeps it safe within Antares.” Shuri thinks about it and wishes to hear Kivera now.

“Antares is her weapon, you speak of it like it is part of her.” Shuri pauses her hands.

“That’s because it is part of her. It was made from her own heart.” Divinity sees her eyes widen.

“Antares is her heart? Makes sense why she is never seen without.” Shuri sees her smile.

“There is still a whole lot we don’t know about her. It’s only fair for the others to still be weary of her.”

“For good reason. For events like today. She could be ordered to raze a world and she has to carry it out. Vanth isn’t dead, he’s an immortal being. So her concerns are valid. If she feels someone is under his wing or doing things similar to his magic. She doesn’t hesitate. She wanted to scare G’raha from ever using that magic again. She did something similar a few days ago to Cid. She pinned him against the wall of his workshop and threatened him to never tamper with time temporals again. The poor man never saw where she came from.” Shuri manages a laugh.

She remembers Yume telling her that Kivera had chewed the man out something fierce, his hand in things less offensive compared to G’raha Tia. Cid may have opened the door to all this, but G’raha was the one who did more than he should have. Now that she knows the reason behind Kivera’s actions lately, she would never be angry with her for acting on what she knows is right.

“Let’s hope she comes back soon.” Divinity nods in agreement. She closes her eyes to try her link with the reaper again, this time she isn’t shut out from her.

“I love you.” Is all she sends through their link, she feels a sense of warmth run through her.

“Te Amo... you, and Shuri... Tell her I am sorry..” A smile graces her face, her hands that rest on Ysayle rubs the child’s back. Shuri can sense something good happened.

“She respond?” Divinity nods, Shuri feels relief.

“She extends her love to you and I. She apologizes too. Means she was watching the whole time.” Divinity feels Shuri’s hands still.

“Thank you...” It eased her mind knowing she still cares, still loves them despite her anger and running away. Divinity closes her eyes again.

“Take your time to return. Come back soon. You are missed.”

“I’ll return, visiting Chiron. I need guidance.” Kivera answers her brisk.

“I’ll let everyone know. You’ll have to apologize in person to Shuri.”

“I know.. I’ll let you know when I return. I want to see you and her first before the guys.” Divinity relays the information and Shuri nods.

“We’ll keep things civil here on your behalf.”

“I’ll do that myself.” Kivera ends the link after that, and Divinity sighs, but knows she will come back.

Just need to give her time.

~~~~~~~~~

Translation notes~

Incantations -

“Hellsfire soul burns.”

Silence,

Invocation -

"O' Pluto, I am your reaper, your angel of death, the star of Scorpio and spirit that guides all unto the underworld. I beseech your name, for I require your power to show this man the great magnitude of what a death bringer will do. I will not kill or maim this man, but I will ensure that he knows his place. O' Pluto, I am your scythe, I am your servant for all eternity. Invocation of the spirit of death!”

Dimensional shift

and Waters of Libra.

#Kivera Siverstein #polyship #long story!#shuri fontaye #meepsthemiqo #Kivera x shuri x Divinity x estinien x ardbert #ffxiv estinien #estinien #estinien wyrmblood #G'raha Tia #I apologize to fans of him Kivera was not kind at all to the boy #5.3 spoilers #ardbert #ff14 ardbert #Kivera vs ardbert and G'raha #now i am gonna go eat my food I got

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inviouswriting · 4 years

Text

Time - Primal AU!

Aymeric x Kiya

Angst. So much angst. You are warned.

mentions of the polyship with @maiden-born-in-snow

They were racing against time, time they didn’t have. A group of adventurers had already went inside before them, into Dusk Vigil. There was a chance to save Kiya, but it meant that they had to beat them to the center of the chapel.

Kivera and Divinity had given Aymeric hope in this plan, and he had foolishly allowed the other group to go ahead thinking it was the only way to honor his wife. Who would rather die than be a monster. Mormo using her as a aetherial conduit into the world.

The girls had prayed at the doors each to get there in time. Divinity holding grim looks along with Kivera. They could sense Kiya’s aether faltering and growing weaker by the minute. Aymeric took a moment to kneel in his prayer.

As they ran through the place, they were met with varying monsters. How Aymeric wished they had Estinien’s lance to help. He was already inside trying to stop the fighting before a casualty was made.

Shuri stops the two grabbing Kivera and Divinity’s hands to squeeze both. She felt grim knowing they had time against them. Divinity giving her a somber stare. the auri knowing things were not going their way this time. Like with many she’s lost before, she knew what defeat looked and Kivera and Divinity both wore it plain as day.

There is a moment where Aymeric staggers and drops, grief in his face. He had been more in tune to his wife. They were sealed together, and bound together body and soul. He felt his soul ache in a way he had never felt before.

“By Halone... please.” He murmurs under his breath. At his stagger Shuri is shocked, are they too late?

They had finally made their way to the inner chapel, but the fight they had inteded to intervene with, was already over. Kivera and Divinity knew before they saw her. They felt her life extinguished halfway through the run through the barracks. Kivera was the first to know, she had seen a floating lost soul and knew.

Divinity saw from her leader’s face the sudden sadness that welled in her eyes unnoticed by the others. Not her tears, she never cried her own tears. Always the tears of the lost souls.

Estinien had kneeled down to inspect Kiya, a very grim look to his face. The fight ended before he got to her. He hears the doors to the chapel being opened and disbelief on his face hearing the sound of armor sabatons hitting the stone.

“Damn it all. Aymeric! Don’t come any closer!” Divinity was first to see the sight before her. She knew there was no bringing her back, she felt Kivera grip her wrist hard to not to. It meant that this had to happen.

Kivera walks ahead and stops midway. There was no ounce of life left. Not even a glimmer. She waited, she knew what was coming and braced her ears to her head.

Aymeric against Estinien’s words had stepped down, he saw the rest had stopped in their tracks. Shuri near Divinity on the stairs, Kivera a few feet away from Estinien. They all had the same looks on their faces. Grim. Defeated. Sorrow.

Aymeric had given the order, but it did not prepare him for the sight before him. Of his wife lifeless and already cold from the ice and snow. She laid on her side curled up where she fell, where she reverted back after Mormo dissipated back to the void.

Kiya appeared as if asleep, Aymeric kneels next to her, seeing her face is serene, but no breath. She had a hand raised outward to reach for something.

Aymeric takes that hand between his own. Even Kiya knew the end. Not even Hydaelyn’s blessing could bring her back after having her soul stained with voidsent.

Aymeric keeps himself together, despite wanting to crumble on the inside and shake her to see if she’d wake up. He knew that wouldn’t work, if Kivera wasn’t racing or Divinity. He knew.

He buried his face into her chest as he cradles her to him. Regretting his choice in having her slain to protect Ishgard from Mormo. If he had held out a little longer, the answer would have presented themselves in the women behind him. As he buried his face he lets out a cry of anguish. The very cry Kivera braced herself for, and one she has screamed herself.

They let him cry and hold her till it was getting too cold even for seasoned people to Coerthas. Estinien resting a hand on Aymeric’s back.

“Aymeric.” He knows the pain, he felt it first hand with his family. He’d feel the same if anything happened to any of his lovers too. A deep sadness no one can replace.

“I know..” Estinien reaches down to offer to help carry Kiya.

“No. I’ll do this.” He nuzzles Kiya’s face feeling the cold against his cheek. What is he going to tell Alyse, how was he going to go throughout the rest of his own life without Kiya. He lifts her and feels her so limp against him. He hadn’t felt her like that since Estinien brought her back from the confrontation with Zenos. He had carried her out of the battlefield then too.

He prayed in silent to Halone to bring her back to him. He knew asking the reaper was forbidden. She brings death, not life. What would he exchange for her anyway. Beyond what he knows, Kivera lost her love in a cruel fashion. The memories. Ever knowing who she was. He wouldn’t be able to think of Kiya like that.

He had carried her from the chapel to Ishgard, not letting go of her as much as possible. Except to load her in the caravan then sit with her, holding her hand in his own.

Shuri offered to take Alyse to allow him the chance to grieve alone before his daughter could see or know what happened. She was only three and barely knew what went on from her mothers disappearance.

The Fortemps rightfully distraught left Aymeric with Kiya at Last Vigil. The spot where they had made promises, vows, shared news and spent most of their time. The starting point of their lives together now also where it ends.

He had her dressed and from there he gave her one last kiss.

“Goodnight. I’ll join you someday. I promise. Until watch over Alyse and me.” He takes her left hand and kisses her ring. His final promise for her, to her.

#aymeric #ser aymeric #ffxiv aymeric #aymeric de borel #aymeric x kiya #Kiya Shinikami #who ordered extra angst today?#shuri fontaye #Kivera siverstein #Divinity #estinien #Estinien wyrmblood

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inviouswriting · 4 years

Text

Memories

This follows 5.3 lore. So if you are not caught up in it, avoid this story please.

Spoilers.

Aymeric x Kiya.

Characters - Kivera, Aymeric, Kiya, Mentions of the polyship with Shuri. @maiden-born-in-snow

Kiya had to have answers, about what her life was. When she explained what she had learned to Aymeric, he only embraced her. His feelings did not change at all, learning her life before.

The question was, what was her life before she was brought to The Source. She had approached Divinity, with questions the Libra spirit could not answer.

“I’m sorry, those are questions for Kivera. I can’t talk about them, without her around, or in general because it might break taboo.” Divinity answered enough to explain. Kiya had more questions, but the Libra spirit smiles.

“She’ll be glad to answer you though. I think you earned to know.” Divinity then goes into the house she shares with the rest. To talk to the reaper. She was found cocooned in her wings. Divinity pets her black wing then right to have her rouse up.

“Hm?”

“Kiya, wants to know. Ever since she has learned where she came from. She feels lost.” Kivera sits up at this and knew eventually she would have to explain and maybe give her a glimpse of her former life. Kivera dresses in a flash of her magic and wanders out to greet the miqo. Kivera softens her eyes seeing her.

“I’ll answer everything tonight. I do have a requirement though, to pray to your deity at both statues. I’ll meet you at Thal’s around midnight.” Kivera had to give a condition, before she opened up doors.

Kiya nods and sets about the trip for the spots in Thanalan. Kivera watches her teleport, and folds her arms under her chest while Divinity hugs her from behind.

“You’re getting better at not denying others.” Kivera shrugs Divinity off only to be snared by her and lifted up to be carried at her waist with a few flails from her.

“I swear you chose that form so you can do this!”

“Maybe, I also like how some outfits look. But lifting you and Shuri has become a favorite. I see why Ardbert, and Estinien enjoy it the same. How do you think she’ll take the information?” Divinity sits with Kivera starting to pet her head, fingers weaving into dark hair.

“She’ll take it like anyone who has had their memories taken. She’ll be confused. However, it benefitted this realm greatly. Having memories of your life before can end up causing conflict. What if she had remembered what her calling was. Even with her defecting their cause. It only took a stray thought and this world would have died.” Divinity nods her head as she listens. They’ve witnessed realms that died, together. Worlds, and dimensions. Kivera being their reaper, she’s seen the grief on her face when faced with dying worlds.

“You did a good thing.” Divinity sits with her overlooking The Mist’s shores.

“You think so?”

“Your bits of interferences have helped. I know you guided her hand against that necromancer. I’ve seen you angry before, but to channel that through her? Preventing liches and catastrophes from them. I know you do good. Even if the world scorns you for what you do.” Kivera thinks Divinity’s words over, and sees a glimpse of the woman who she sat with on the burning pyre return her gentleness. The first and only time they had touched in the physical realm was Divinity’s own death.

“I think someone who takes away someone’s suffering as they burned to death isn’t someone to be hated.” Divinity adds on. Kivera shifts her form a bit to the one she keeps hidden under the disguises.

“You do have a way with words, you’ve been hanging around Ardbert a little much.” Kivera comments, and is met with another smile.

“He’s full of insights. Still doesn’t know in depth of what we are and what we do. We’ve let him glimpse our pasts, but not our reasons.” Divinity hears Kivera sigh and feels her nod against her shoulder.

“Eventually. For now, I need to right one who doesn’t know herself.” Kivera disentangles herself from Divinity and goes about to prepare her end of giving some memories back.

“Do you want me to come with you?” Divinity offers.

“Nah, This is best done by myself. Keep Shuri comfortable.” Kivera goes back into the house to gather things she needs.

Kiya had returned to Ishgard to tell Aymeric she will be home late. She is met with a soft smile and him wishing her to stay safe. Kiya got lost in his eyes when he coaxed her to join him for a little enjoyment in his office.

When she returned to her home, she found a box left on the bed from Kivera.

“Wear this at the statue of Thal, I’ll know when you have completed the prayers.” Kiya sets off and goes to Nald’s Respite statue first. She kneels before the statue in prayer and respect.

One of the few things she and Aymeric don’t cross is their beliefs. He remains devoted to Halone, while she is faithful to hers in Nald’Thal. She had long since remained faithful to him before she met Aymeric. Such being the way Black Mage are. Instilled from Thaumaturges guild’s teaching.

Kiya stops before she approaches the final statue, and dons the unique attire. She looks herself over in the reflection of water. Her hair worn down in the way Kivera instructed her to wear it. Kivera nods once she sees her exactly how she wants the mage to look.

“Good, now the memories. I apologize for taking those. They were payment for revival. There is a unique balance to keep in the underworld. While you can be spared from a fate, something does need to be taken to cushion it. It’s a bit complicated.” Kivera begins with telling her about the exchange.

“I’ve come to terms with that part.. it’s trying to remember a part of you..” Kiya begins and Kivera nods.

“I understand that. I’ll give you the chance to see and know that former self. I do however want to pose a question. Aren’t you happy with the way things are now?” Kivera asks, and sees Kiya’s eyes light up.

“I am happy with how things are, yet I want to know.” Kivera smiles and steps back to give her, at least her name. Her voice coming out as a double echo.

“Solaris. Ricorda.” It is a simple phrase, and one that has her remembering. Everything up to the fall of the star of the 14th. How she chose to leave, how she witnessed the last days, she had fallen the creature Therion. From there plucked from the aether by Hydaelyn and given a new life. Her form itself she couldn’t recall except like every other Amourtine. She notices her own appearance resembles the reaper before her, slightly altered. Then every memory from there on was what she knew.

“My form, that was your doing?” Kivera nods.

“Just a smidge of my likeness. But everything else is all your own. Memories, friends, loved ones, children, those you’ve protected, those you’ve lost. The memories you have now, those you fought for. If you had remembered that former life, would you have followed the same path as now?” Kivera questions, and moves to press her forehead to Kiya’s. A simple gesture.

“We’ll never know that answer, for it didn’t happen.” Kiya smiles though in her answer. She knows. Kivera knows. They can’t rewind the time. Not with what they’ve done already.

“Do you have any regrets?” Kivera asks.

“No, none. Just glad to know my name. Solaris. If I have any more children, it might fit for a son maybe.” Kivera places a finger over her own lips as hers are sealed.

“I can’t tell you anything more. You should get back to your husband now.” Kiya eyes her wearily, then shakes her head. Kivera takes her home, and Kiya takes the offered hand.

“Is it true you have such a dislike for people that raise the dead?” Kiya asks, and Kivera glances to her.

“You felt my rage right? At that necromancer? That is your answer. There is no good from people who raise the dead for their own means. They start innocent, but quickly lose themselves to madness. Like your friend Edda, whose scythe you wear so proudly on your back. Or those that have stained Tam-tara deep with their ill magic. You’ve seen their madness. What it does. Such in Dusk Vigil with the frozen in time soldiers who were kept alive through ill magic too.” Kiya nods.

“Underworld beings, such as myself are death bringers. We obey that. Anything that abhors that nature shouldn’t be celebrated. The acolytes, the white mages, those that have the blessing to revive someone who freshly fell before the soul leaves. They’re different, but even they can’t revive what is truly lost to the aether. I’m sure if you take the white robes you would understand more in depth to that difference. But those who use bodies are defilers and need to be ended.” Kiya nods at the end of her words. Kivera stays with Kiya till she is on the steps to her home with Aymeric.

Aymeric stands in the doorway, he waited for his love to be returned to him. He regards the ethereal being with a look of reverence. Kivera flits out like smoke as if she was never there. Kiya turns to Aymeric and is guided under his arm inside, to get much rest and spend the night better with him. It has been a few months after Alyse came into the world, and Edmont took their daughter to give the two a night to themselves.

So Kiya could get answers about herself.

Kivera returns to her lovers. She makes a face to herself as the spots next to Divinity and Shuri was taken up by Ardbert. Leaving the space between Shuri and Estinien open. She opts for that spot, not without first planting ice cold hands on Estinien’s back. The dragoon jolts from the cold, but only eyes Kivera and pulls her between him and Shuri. Letting her wrap her arms around her and pulling her closer.

“ Non desidero mai prendere nessuna delle vostre anime.” She murmurs a protection spell.

#Kiya Shinikami #aymeric x kiya #Kivera siverstein #Divinity Libra #shuri fontaye #Kivera and kiya #mentions of Alyse in here #Kiya's lore #The phrase there should be I wish to never take any of your souls.

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inviouswriting · 3 years

Text

Ignipotent

Presiding over fire.

Mentions of the polyship with @maiden-born-in-snow

Just a bit of a spar between Kivera and Ardbert.

Ardbert had seen questioned Kivera’s ability to use other weapons than her traditional scythe. He was curious to know if the reaper was truly one who had been trained in all manners of weapons like himself. Estinien had to even see this, so the two of them arranged a spot. Out in the Dravanian Hinterlands, an abandoned area that Estinien and Kivera knew of.

Shuri and Divinity sat on the edges of the stairs, with Estinien a bit closer to watch them, The twins seated next to him, while Shuri holds Ysayle close. Kivera had removed most of her outer wears down to the one piece cat-suit she wears underneath all of her main clothes. Ardbert chooses monk for this exchange wanting to trade blows as close as possible to the reaper.

Kivera holds her scythe up and the first time he sees her shapeshifting manipulation into her weapon. Two ornate sabers are held in her hands, and she is graceful in how she moves with them. A few spins in her hands and holding them up and guarded. Ardbert sees this as an invitation to begin, learning from previous fights that she never strikes first.

Ardbert rushes her first, and throws a punch her way, and Kivera is right there spinning on her heel to the side, while using the flat of the blade in her left hand to slap against his back. A deadly grin on her lips, as Ardbert rebounds, and sees her playful in this, he throws another punch and speeds up, she almost dances around his hands while blocking them with her swords.

Begins their exchanges of him throwing attacks and her parrying them with her weapons or dodging them with grace to where she lands on an arm he has extended out. Kivera jumps off back and he is almost reminded of another time. Kivera starts returning his power in her strikes with the flat on key points on his body.

“Open.” He hears her murmur, he’s confused then feels the heat with the hit of her blade against his back again. She had added fire to the mix, he notes how the flames only feel hot, but do nothing to scorch him or burn him. She rules over the element.

“I think that unfair that you are using power.” Ardbert chides her, Kivera only gives him a smirk.

“Do I need to go easy on you?” A taunt he shakes his head at with a laugh.

“Go easy on me? I think we know who would win in a real fight. You made that painfully obvious that one day.” Ardbert sees the proud gleam in her eyes, even a flash of brighter green in her pride.

“We do indeed. So I ask again, do I need to go easy on you? Can’t take the fire?” Kivera raises one of her blades and lets dark green flames dance over it. Ardbert shakes his head, and prepares himself for the spar to get harder.

“No, in fact, you going too easy on me would make me look bad in front of the girls.”

“Not like you look good either right now.” He hears her banter, and even laughs at her. Kivera dips the other sword into the water, and Ardbert dashes at her, when he gets close she swipes upwards to create steam with the slash. Ardbert puts his arms in front of him.

“Side~” He feels heat against his left side and power with her hit knocking him off and a few feet. He rebounds and counters her next attack as she leaps with her feet at him, he is thankful she isn’t wearing her boots. He gets feet on his arm and ducks underneath her swinging both weapons towards his head. Ardbert shakes her off and puts distance between them, only to be chased by her.

Kivera on the next hit thrown her way grabs an arm and swings herself to sit on his arm as he raises up. She even uses a foot to make him look at her, Ardbert does and is met with a fireball blown at him from her mouth.

“Damn you!” He shakes her off and feels her slip down in front of him, only to send another heat blast with steam upwards. Ardbert steps back in time and turns to parry the next attack when she slips behind him from under his legs.

He misses through an after image, and he blocks another jump attack to have her slide down his back, at his feet he feels cold through ice and jumps so he isn’t frozen in place.

“Ardbert! Need a hand?” Estinien calls out, he is impressed at this side of their supernatural lover. How she hides her prowess, and how slippery she really is.

“No! Shuri won’t let me live it down if I did!” Ardbert focuses on the being dancing circles around him, even getting a kick to his face when she ends up on an arm again, slipping backwards to avoid him trying to grab her. Kivera hasn’t let him get a single hit on her except when she uses his momentum against him to elbow him in his abdomen and toss him using a heat blast.

“I’m not going to let you live it down if you lose to her either!” Shuri is entertained by this, seeing their own hold herself so well against the former warrior of light. Kivera lets Ardbert nearly catch her, only to feint to his left and blow another fireball his way, this catches him off guard raising his arms to fend off the flames.

“Open~” She is in close and uses his arms up to lay a full kick into his stomach. He is sent back enough and raises his head in time to see her before she flits and he braces his side where she strikes at him again.

Ardbert catches her on one of her hands, and squeezes her left to make her drop one sword, not anticipating the heat he feels from her when he does. Flames dance over his arm and he lets go of her. Letting her have enough space to use those flames as a whip upwards to lash his face. Once she has distance she uses that same ability to pick her dropped sword up and back into her hand.

Kivera sees him look at her bewildered.

“Elements master, remember?” She half sneers, and Ardbert wonders if he picked the right class to fight her. He charges her, a stronger punch thrown her way, only to see her jump and land on his arm again. He shakes her off, and she flips over his back, lands behind him, pivoting on her heel to deliver another kick to the backs of his knees making him buckle down on them.

Kivera then grabs a handful of his hair, and pulls him back by it till he is looking up at her, she has a full grin on her face as she poises the blade in her right hand over her head and he for a second fears she would end him right there. Only to have her lower her head down and give him a full kiss. He is taken back by this, and doesn’t know if he should accept it or fight her longer.

“I win.” He hears her say between them, and he accepts this defeat. He is then uncermoniously dropped from her letting go of him, and giving him a devilish wink before running over to Shuri and Divinity to accept pets and praise.

Estinien shakes his head at how fast the reaper turns off just like that. As if she just didn’t literally dance in flames and blades around Ardbert. He goes over to help the hyur up.

“I think that settles it, she’s exactly as she claims to be? We best stay on her good side from now on?” He notes how Kivera has already draped herself across Divinity’s lap while resting her head in Shuri’s letting Shuri rest Ysayle on top of her head. Kivera feels the weight of the twins on her back running their hands through her feathers. Freya wanting her to fight Estinien next.

“I will later.”

“What!?” Estinien’s head perks up at the idea of fighting her in front of them all. And losing.

“What? Did you think I was only going to trounce Ardbert?” Estinien looks at her pleading.

“After that?! You’re not tired at all?”

“Estinien, who are you talking to? You think that was enough to wear me? A spirit out? Let alone one like me who fights day in and day out for fun? Ha! I think you should remember how much stamina I have.” Lexan fits underneath Kivera’s white wing.

“Have mercy, I’d like to keep my pride in tact today.”

“Oh.. are we prideful? All the more to make you fall a few times. Pride cometh before the fall.” Divinity rolls her eyes at her leader, and reaches a hand through Kivera’s hair to calm her down a bit.

“I think we should leave one of my husbands able to carry these girls back.” Shuri defends Estinien, showing some mercy on the elezen and sparing him from Kivera’s antics.

“Aww, I’ll just have to do it a different day then.” Estinien sees Kivera lower her head, and Shuri mouths to him. “You owe me.”

“Yes, princess.” Estinien agrees.

#polyship #Kivera vs Ardbert #Kivera Siverstein #ardbert #ff14 ardbert #Kivera x shuri x Divinity x estinien x ardbert #shuri fontaye #polyship with shuri

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inviouswriting · 4 years

Text

Comfort - Polyship

So some feels today because I want to focus on them.

Mentions for the polyship with @maiden-born-in-snow

Main focus for Shuri, Estinien, and Kivera.

Some warnings - Character death. For one of my oc’s. Semi graphic in terms of how this character dies. Not gorey. Just read with discretion.

The night had started like most of their nights. Settled in and curled within each other. Kivera finding herself between Divinity and Shuri. Estinien to arrive later, the dragoon was needed for something, and the girls didn’t pry too much.

Kivera had drifted to sleep without much fight this time. Her mind though plagued with remembering bitter times for herself.

She felt warm in a pair of arms, ones that she knew ages ago in Damien’s. Just before they had been separated in Agitazione, The lich world. Kivera remembered the feeling of being safe, comforted, so sure of their victory. Till Vanth snared Damien in a spell, and pulled him from her.

He had thrown her out of the world, to give him enough time to prepare his catalyst. It wasn’t ever Damien he needed, it was Kivera. His own maddened thoughts of how could “death” find love, when death had taken away his own.

Kivera raced through the realm her own carelessness etched through her. She knew time was against her. When she had seen them, it was a knee jerk reaction from her to start going towards them.

“Kivera! Don’t come closer!” Damien had yelled at her, only to be silenced by Vanth.

“You can’t stop what is already in motion Damien. This has to happen.” Damien glares between him and Kivera, who had stopped at his words. Just outside a great circle etched into the ground. Her nerves on fire, seeing who she cherished most within steps but something urgent in his voice makes her stop. She glances down to see the array, and then glares up at Vanth.

“Nothing you do will bring her back! Stop this!”

“I’m not after that anymore. Something greater.” The lich sees Kivera hesitate, her wings were blackened from her anger and worry. The rest of the circle had arrived. Parn stepping close to Kivera, also glancing at the array. His eyes wide seeing one of their own being used as a point for a great spell.

Aiden and Killian take their own steps forward, only to be stopped by Divinity raising her arms to prevent them.

“Something is wrong here.” She says to them, turning her head in their directions. She could sense them, but not see them. She turns back towards Kivera, who is fighting herself to step forward, she wants to race over and be with him. Yet every fiber of her being screams not to.

Vanth sees that this isn’t working, and scoffs as he pulls an athame dagger from inside one of his sleeves and turns to the incubus and stabs it into his side. The demon groans out from it and clutches at his side when it is pulled free. A burning sensation through his body started. He looks across to see that Kivera had started to run across ignoring her worry of what the circle was for, in place of Damien’s health.

“Kivera!” Just as she had crossed the mid point of the circle, Vanth extends a hand to fire a ball of bright green flames towards her. Damien grabs the arm and pulls it down sinking fangs into the lich’s hand in doing so scorching himself in those flames. Kivera sees Vanth toss him with ease in front to the center to her.

Vanth looks at his hand that has a chunk torn out, but a amused grin on his face at what was about to unfold next. Damien stares up at Kivera, whose eyes are wide in disbelief.

“You idiot! I could have taken that hit! You know I could! I could have dodged! Used my magic!”

“It’s your magic he wants you to use! Don’t use it here. You can’t use it here!” Damien glares at her for once, his hand still pressed onto his side, Kivera sees the wound.

“I could heal it...”

“Kivera. The wound yes, the poison no.” Kivera kneels and reaches her hands to him. Her expression softening.

“Damien... please... Divinity can help you.”

“Divinity’s magic is holy. You know what happens to demons and holy magic. It’s worse than what is running through my veins.” Kivera looks at him pleading.

“I can’t lose you this way... please... Not like this... You promised.... me...”

“Kivera. He wants you to use magic. I said this already. Don’t use a single spell. It’s a catalyst spell... you know the magic. You saw it used ages ago with how he used Salem’s people to body hop. It’s the same thing. Do you want him to become me?” Kivera’s hands seek his, he gives her one of his hands as she tugs him to her kneeling and bowing her head.

“Damien...”

“I know I promised... you forever.. looks like I lied about that too...” Kivera slams a fist into his chest.

“Don’t talk like that...”

“Kivera, Divinity could have helped lightly, but the flames... even she can’t stop those the same way. Please...” Damien reaches his other hand to her face and brushes his fingers against her cheek. He sees deep blue irises.

“Smile for me.”

“No... I can’t...”

“Fine... kiss me then.” Kivera’s eyes brimming at the edges. She feels her nerves on fire with holding him, some of the flames still sizzled and it felt like acid to her own skin. She ignored the pain as she rests her head on his hand.

“Don’t make me do this... Don’t make this our last memory... please... I can pull you out of this circle... please...” She pleads him, she knows what he is asking her. A kiss of death.

“You’ll be lost to me... we still have time to stop this from becoming irreversible...”

“Kivera! It is already too late! Please... I rather die at your hands than die from the flames and poison.” Damien sits up enough to look her in her eyes. He sees how she is distraught with the realization and pulls her close.

The zodiac circle at the edge of the array frustration and worry for the two in the center unable to step forward. Divinity had collapsed to her hands and knees her blinder soaked in her tears. She felt helpless to the two, Killian had his arms around her holding her back from crawling into the array.

“Divinity! We can’t lose you too!”

“Let me go! There has to be something I can do!”

“We can’t! We’re awakened! If one of us goes in there now, we’ll trip that array.” Killian glares to Aiden.

“Help me damn it!” Aiden grabs Divinity and helps pull her backwards away. She claws the ground till both the Cancer and Aries spirit pin her down.

“Let me go!!!”

Kivera is beside herself as her hand that hold’s Damien’s laces fingers, and he grabs her hand firm to dig her nails into his palm.

“Kivera... it is starting to hurt.” This snaps Kivera out of her daze, a pained look on her face. She hovers her face close to his.

“Please...” Damien lowers his eyes and sighs as he kisses her instead, his free hand pressing the back of her head to hold her in place to keep her from fighting him. Kivera does try to pull away till he bites her lip to grant him this request of his. She reluctantly does as he wishes and leeches his life through the kiss, her hand digging more into his while his hand closes over hers.

He felt at ease, the pain subsiding, her doing. She uses the same method when she took Divinity’s life. Through touch. Kivera sobs through the kiss and when she feels the soul let go, and lets it travel through her and into her scythe to keep him safe.

Kivera breaks from the kiss and releases a anguished cry. At Damien’s feet he had begun to flit to ashes. Kivera tries to hug him to her only for his form to crumble in her hands. She buries her face into her hands and curls in on herself.

“So this is what death looks like, lost to grief.” Kivera hears Vanth’s voice, amused, she raises her head and glares at him pure anger in her eyes. Kivera darts towards him, only for gravity to give out from underneath her and she lands on the ground.

Her eyes snap open and she is back in Eorzea, she is in Shuri’s home. A strong pair of arms around her had fallen with her in Divinity. The Libra spirit curls herself on her, and pulls Kivera to herself. The elezen woman winds her arms around Kivera as they lay together at the foot of Shuri’s bed where they collapsed together. Kivera’s eyes are full of tears from the memory. Divinity thumbs away her tears and rewraps her arms around her.

“Divinity... I didn’t mean to... I didn’t wake everyone...”

“Kivera... No.. please.. I’m sure they would be doing this too seeing you like this.” Kivera fidgets in Divinity’s arms, she wanted to run away, she wanted to run outside and fly to the far edges of the world at this moment. She feared getting close to them all. That they would be used in the same manner. Divinity keeps her there from running even as Kivera fidgets and fights her grasp.

“Kivera!” Divinity’s voice is hushed and firm to get her to stop resisting through it.

“Don’t... run away... please... let me help you.” She hugs her tighter, Kivera fights her arms more. At their side is Ardbert who had felt the bed lighter, but didn’t disrupt Shuri. He is at the other side of Kivera and helping Divinity hold her through her episode. Kivera’s flight tendencies strong this night.

“Let go of me...” Kivera presses her face into Divinity’s chest, then shoves backwards to Ardbert.

“Kivera.. stop fighting us.”

“Let go of her!” A firm voice from their sides. Ardbert and Divinity look up to see Shuri giving them both a stare to let go of the reaper. Once they do, Kivera scrambles to her feet and dashes out of the room and up the stairs.

“Shuri? Why?”

“You can’t help by her forcing her! Divinity... I know you know her pain, but restraining her isn’t helping. Just as she has helped me. She needs to come back on her own. Now you two come to me, Divinity.. tell me what happened.”Ardbert helps Divinity to her feet and fits behind Shuri, while Divinity sits in front of her tiny lover with her head lowered.

“She had “that” dream. The one where she lost Damien. She fell off the bed and I wanted to help her... I couldn’t help her then.. now I could possibly help ease her pain.” Divinity feels hands on her face and Shuri raises on her knees enough to press her forehead to the Libra spirit’s.

“She has had many moments like that. She’ll come back to us. Have faith in her. She’s probably on the roof, or in the area. I can’t imagine that sort of pain.. at least let me help you through yours.” Divinity lowers her head and buries her face into her chest.

“Kivera didn’t deserve that. I couldn’t see then... I heard all of her pain.. her pleas to save him..”

“I know.. we know.. I’ve seen it, she showed me that memory. We just need to give her time now. Estinien might find her before then. Have faith in her and us.” Divinity is coaxed into resting her head on Shuri’s lap and fingers weave through her hair.

Ardbert sighs as he looks at both of them. He knew better than to try holding the reaper back, a surprise she didn’t shock either of them. He has seen her do that to Divinity before in an episode. How the woman just grimaced and held onto her while the reaper fought her terror.

Outside, Kivera sits behind the house curled up in a light ball. She didn’t have the mindset to change her form let alone fly and run through different dimensions. She just wanted space, the air outside and the salt of the water eased her and grounded her.

Kivera stared out in front of her at the water in a aquaduct. Footsteps near her and she felt her shoulders shrink in ready to run again. She recognized the boots once they were in her view. She relaxed seeing Estinien’s feet.

He would normally see her on the rooftop or the shore of the ocean. This was unlike her, but it reminded him there is more to her than even he understands fully. He had arrived moments after she had ran outside, saw her running behind the house wearing a short kimono top.

“Bad dream again?” Estinien gets a nod out of her, and he sits down next to her after leaning his lance against a wall. He coaxes her to him letting her lay her head on his lap.

“You want to talk about it?” Estinien sees the braids in her hair how messed they are and begins to unweave them, specially underneath to let her hair down. He knows the dream, she only runs out of the house from one. Just as he has his own from his past whenever he smells grass fire.

“No...” He leaves it alone, to allow her the time she needs to calm down, and seek solace when she wants it. He doesn’t do more than pet an ear. He doesn’t pry about the dream, he knows enough it grieves her.

“Shuri knows you ran out again?” Another nod.

“Divinity and Ardbert were trying their part to keep me from running away again. Shuri made them let me go.”

“Aye, you can’t help someone with force. Sit up.” Kivera sits up and he offers her a water skin. She takes it and notes it is still cold. Estinien feels himself in Aymeric’s place.

“Divinity tries to help me in the worse of it. Probably to keep me from using my magic.” She is coaxed back to lay her head on his lap.

“She knows you in your anguish, if you are prone to throwing fireballs, I can see where she is concerned. She also hurts not being able to help you in these times. Not the way Shuri and I reach you through the madness. There are certain people who can help certain pains.” Estinien helps coax Kivera to stand up, and lets her bury her forehead into his abdomen while his hands are on either side of her head.

He leans down to press a kiss to the top of her head, he admires the black with green as it is straight against her back.

They hear softer footsteps and sees Shuri approaching, timid in her steps wondering if she is needed. He beckons her over, and Shuri hugs Kivera from behind pressing her face into her back in her way to comfort. Estinien runs a hand through his wife’s hair. Kivera shifts to allow the aura between them and hugs both of them.

“Feel better enough to go back inside?” Estinien asks, Kivera looks up then to Shuri.

“Yes.” She earns a smile from Shuri, the three share brief kisses with each other. Then Kivera is guided back inside. She sees Divinity strewn across Ardbert’s lap, she shrinks back a little, bumping into Estinien who places his hands on her shoulders to steer her closer.

Kivera kneels down in front of where Divinity lays and presses her face to hers. A hand moves to her face and Kivera leans her head to it.

“Welcome home.” Divinity murmurs and Kivera presses her forehead to hers.

“Thank you. I’m sorry I ran off again.”

“I’ll forgive you as long as you keep coming back.” Kivera is tugged with Divinity and Ardbert to lay in the center of the bed. Shuri finding her spot against Kivera’s back with Estinien on the other side of Shuri, and Ardbert finding his spot with Divinity’s back with an arm across the girls.

Kivera still feels her nerves but feels at ease and secure next to them all. Much more for her to fight for. Her heart still hurts with that loss, even more with the outcome of it. She sees Divinity in front of her, who has one of her hands in her own held tight as she drifts to sleep.

Kivera feels a flick on her forehead and glares at Ardbert who is watching her face, seeing the worry etched in it. He snaps her out and only grins at her.

“Forgive me but rather not have the girls distraught. and I worry about you too. I’ve my share of nightmares too. If you feel you need my hand when the others aren’t around. Seek me out too.” Kivera feels a nuzzle in her back and nods.

“Thank you.”

“Get some sleep. Or we might have to wear you out.” Kivera’s eyes turn pink for once and she feels Divinity grip her hand in her sleep.

Kivera rests easier, yet still feels uneasy or whether she deserves any of this. For now she feels safe.

#Kivera siverstein #kivera x Divinity x Estinien #Kivera x estinien x Shuri #kivera and Estinien #estinien #Estinien wyrmblood #ff14 ardbert #Divinity libra #Damien Seperia #some angsty stuff

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