--Crystal--

[eyesofaproxy]

[Wise and Belle are not quite of the First Brood but they are two of the older dragons on Eorzea (they've long since abandoned their original draconic names, because they like these better). They're just a few eons younger than Vrtra, and thus are closest to their cousin. Helped, of course, by the fact that like Vrtra the two of them spend a lot of time in a humanoid avatar. They'd heard about Vrtra doing it, thought it sounded fun, and after a few mortal centuries of trying on avatars and figuring out things like "gender", they eventually settled on their avatars of choice. Belle spends most of her time in the guise of a cute Au Ra lady and Wise as a slightly customized Viera man.

(Scales. He needed scales somewhere, it felt weird being entirely flesh. His hips and thighs have a lovely pattern of scales that are easy to hide.)

They've settled in, of all places, the Dravanian forelands for a time. They heard that there was someone interesting, someone interesting enough to urge Midgardsormr to wake up for a moment. They're settled in Tailfeather, their draconic bodies tucked safely away in Anyx Trine for now. Belle's taken to being a chocobo tender while Wise has set up as a alchemist and scribe for people who want to write letters but can't.

Hopefully this interesting person will show up.]

Comments

[eyesofaproxy]

[He smiles in gratitude at that--Lighter's sweet--but then Lighter mentions the Scions and.

Well.]

I heard. Have you had any luck...?

[fuegor]

... Somewhat. We snuffed most of the Crystal Braves out of Vesper Bay and Mor Dhona and took back the Scions who signed on with them. Most of the Archons and the Antecedent still aren't accounted for.

[He's relieved they found Urianger safe and sound and that Caesar and the others are keeping a close watch on him and both locations, but the others... where in the world were they?]

[eyesofaproxy]

If I hear or see anything, I'll let you know then. Good luck, Lighter.

[The war ends soon after that. The Warrior of Light is truly a miracle.

Wise doesn't hear much in the intervening months, not until he hears about a wandering naked man. He has Eous check it out, and when it's confirmed to be a scion who has seriously fucked his aether, Wise maybe has his familiar infuse Thancred with some of his. Not much, but enough that he isn't quite as fucked. Belle gives him shit, but she would have done the same if she'd found him first.

Now that the war is done, the siblings feel safe heading into Ishgard for the first time. It's exciting, getting to see the city, and though Wise looks for Lighter he doesn't find him. That's fine, though, as it's fun just exploring.

And then Nidhogg's song starts again. Belle is safe at their inn room when it starts, but Wise is out shopping. A pounding starts in his head, urging him to heed the song and attack, but he manages to resist it.

He does end up collapsing in the street, though, unconscious from the strain.]

[fuegor]

[To say Lighter has been through the Seven Hells would be an understatement. Another person killed because of him, Estinien being taken by Nidhogg, the "Warriors of Darkness" or whatever those try-hards fashioned themselves as... not to mention whatever Hydaelyn did to Minfilia... damn it all.

It all made Aymeric being stabbed a tiny footnote in comparison. At least the man recovered... and at least he had Wise and the Sons behind him. Gods only knew where he'd be if he didn't.

Lighter had a chance to finally breathe if only for a little while when he saw Wise passed out in the middle of the street. He froze, flashing back to the many people that have died in his arms... both before and during his time as Warrior of Light. God, no, this cannot happen again...

He rushed over, immediately checking over Wise's condition. He still had a pulse, thank the gods, but still.]

Wise?! What happened!? Come on, open your eyes... [Please.]

[eyesofaproxy]

[He's unresponsive, but alive. He's cold and shaking even now, muttering something unintelligible.]

[fuegor]

Hold on... I've got you... you're gonna be alright.

[Please be alright.

Lighter lifted Wise in his arms to bring him to the nearest facility to get medical attention. Knights were mobilizing due to Dravanians apparently being on the move again, which meant Estinien would be found sooner or later. But right now he was focused on Wise.

Lighter being well known by this point meant he could skip the line a bit and get Wise some help. When he wakes up next he'll find himself laying in a soft bed with Lighter posted outside of the curtain.]

[eyesofaproxy]

[Belle heard about Wise's collapse and though she's not doing much better, she manages to get to the healer's to sit with Lighter until Wise wakes up. She knows before he does, perking up and looking to the curtain just as Wise groans.]

Ugh...

[fuegor]

[When Belle perked up (though Lighter told her not to push herself either), he looked to her. Then he heard Wise from behind it and opened the curtain just enough for them both to poke their little heads through.

There's a sign of relief, a load of tension leaving Lighter's body. Both of them are let in to be next to Wise without much issue, though he was still being looked over just in case.]

Hey, how are you feeling?

[eyesofaproxy]

Like I've been hit with a chocobo cart. Ten times. Belle?

I'm fine. You have that condition, though...

[Code for "it was in fact Nidhogg again".]

[fuegor]

I can imagine.

[Ishgardian stone is not pleasant to fall on.

He tilted his head.]

... "Condition"?

[eyesofaproxy]

[Belle and Wise share a look, again seeming to have a telepathic conversation. Belle nods and steps out. After a moment, she returns with Eous in her arms.]

I can explain later, in private. But...well, you've met our little Eous.

[fuegor]

[These siblings must have had some sort of non-verbal means of communication. But when Belle came back holding Eous, Lighter's eyebrows shot up.]

Wait, so Eous is yours? That means...

[That dragon he helped in Anyx Trine. He was quiet for a moment, then pushed his shades up.]

Yeah, no sense airing your business out while you're recovering. ["In the presence of Ishgardians who could be zealots", in other words.] Take it easy for now, I'll hear you out whenever you're ready.

[eyesofaproxy]

[Lighter can be smart! Thank god.]

Yeah. We'll probably need to stay in Ishgard a while, but once they let me head back to the inn I'll let you know.

["That should be save enough." And if it isn't, they have magic for that.]

[fuegor]

[When it comes to his job, Lighter was dangerously sharp. This wasn't part of his job strictly, but it was part of his desire to protect people he cared about.]

It'll probably be best if you meet up with me there, then. Medics will want all the space they can to check on you. And you should be with your sister and Eous while they do it. When you're cleared, give Gibrillont of the Forgotten Knight my name and he'll let you in.

[...]

He's a real sympathetic guy. ["He's on your side as Dravanians" in other words.]

[eyesofaproxy]

[Wise smiles.]

We will. Thanks, Lighter.

[It's not until the next morning that they manage to get free, the three of them knocking on Lighter's door.]

[fuegor]

[Lighter was contemplating strength or stamina training this morning when he heard the knock on the door. That may explain why when he opened it the siblings would see him in mostly warm but still form fitting clothes. Not much was left to imagination there.

But most interestingly, he didn't have those ever present shades on. The lighting was always dim in the Forgotten Knight and its inn rooms, so he didn't need them on.

Wise might note that he did not have a Seeker's slit pupils. In fact, they were a strange red color that stood out among his pale green eyes.]

Hey, morning you three. Come on in. [Once they were in, he closed the door behind them.]

We'll have all the privacy we need in here.

[eyesofaproxy]

[Those eyes...hm. He's curious, but that's for later.

Also wow, he's fit. Hm.]

Good. [He glances at Belle.] Well, you've probably guess that we're not really a Viera and an Au Ra. We're dragons.

[fuegor]

Yeah, I drew that conclusion.

[Not accusatory or offended or anything, just a statement of fact. It was pretty obvious by now that Lighter was an ally to Dravania.]

What happened that made you pass out like that, then?

[... No, he had a hunch. Between the Temple Knights mobilizing and the tension in the Forelands that Lucy and Piper talked about...]

It's Nidhogg, isn't it?

[eyesofaproxy]

[Wise nods.]

We're not of his brood, so it isn't as strong as it is for them, but...

Our mother was Ratatoskr. We're the only two of her brood, so...well...

Nidhogg's grief is our grief, even if we were way too young to even remember her. We had just hatched when she was killed, and Hraesvelgr sent us to Thavnair to keep us away from Nidhogg.

[Belle huffs.]

And thank the star for that. He's the worst.

[fuegor]

[And the song travels as far as the other first brood's kin. There really is just lasting consequences for Ratatoskr's murder on all sides. That's what this whole struggle was about. And there was no easy way to fix it on either side.]

Then it makes even more sense why it would be that strong for you both. He's on this path cause of what happened to Ratatoskr. But you don't wanna join the hoard even if the song's overwhelming.

[Despite understanding the situation on both ends, there was a tinge of anger in his tone for both the siblings' sake and... Estinien's.]

Nidhogg's taken the Azure Dragoon's body. If he's rallying his forces there's a good chance we'll be able to find Estinien behind them. What'll be done about him... I couldn't tell you for sure right now.

[Alphinaud, gods bless him, wanted to save Estinien at all costs. And Lighter will do everything in his power to spare the man.

But if it came down to it. If Lighter's gotta be responsible for getting another friend killed, it'll happen.]

How are you two feeling now?

[eyesofaproxy]

Awful. They had to tie our bodies down in Anyx Trine so they didn't try to fly off with us all the way out here.

We think Wise's actually almost did it, which is why he passed out.

I also still have my other eye in that body. You don't.

[fuegor]

[... Come to think of it.]

You're both dragons, but you're walking around in regular bodies. Why not stay in Anyx Trine? And how does what you're doing work exactly.

[eyesofaproxy]

[Wise perks up and Belle rolls her eyes. Wise loves talking about this.]

So, Vrtra does similar and he's where we got the idea from. These bodies are alchemical homunculi, able to hold one or even both of our eyes and allow us to move around like humans while our dragon bodies just...lie around wherever we've stored them. Not like we're not used to that, after all.

We only hatched a thousand years ago, but we were born ten thousand years ago. It's...complicated and honestly I don't think humans could even begin to understand. Not even most dragons do.

Either way, we're used to just having our bodies in one place while our everything else is somewhere else. So this sort of avatar was really the next logical step for us!

[fuegor]

[ahahahaha what]

Sounds complicated.

[Please don't make him do math, he can barely even read bro and his ears are twitching.]

So you use these bodies made through alchemy to go around regular towns and be among the people. Like a proxy.

[eyesofaproxy]

It is. Don't ask him to explain, because he will and you'll die from boredom.

[Casually reaching over to give Belle a noogie...]

Yeah, basically. We spend so much time like this that it's honestly weird when our dragon bodies react or when we're moving around in them.