#shuri x ardbert | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

inviouswriting · 3 years

Text

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

12 notes · View notes

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

7 notes · View notes