Fandom FFXII: Manufactured History [Closed]

[Lucyfer]

‘You still owe me a treasure, princess.’

Balthier kept the thought quiet as they entered a noisy tavern in Rozarria, thanks to the invitation of Al-Cid Margrace. It was the thought that the sky pirate tried to force himself to believe to explain why he accompanied her into the pub alongside Basch. Fran, Vaan, and Penelo had been sent to gather travel supplies, while Ashe took charge in going to meet the Margrace’s contact who could supposedly help them find something to truly prove her identity.

Truly, allow her to stand up to the Empire and claim her rightful throne in Dalmasca.

The Dawn Shard was no longer enough. Not after what Ghis did to it. It was now an empty husk, like the other shards….

‘Like you.’ His thoughts turned to his father, an empty husk of a man chasing manufactured nethicite.

He saw that madness in Ashe now, as she chased deifacted nethicite.

He couldn’t save his father.

He may be able to save Ashe.

Or, if nothing else, the world.

He was the Leading Man, after all.

“Ah, another day, another filthy bar,” Balthier adjusted his cuffs as they found a seat in the upper level of the pub, “I’d almost grown to miss it,” Ashe shot him a look, and he just gave her a bemused grin, “Chin up, princess, I’m sure you’ll eventually escape this life of drudgery soon. Why else are we here?”

Ashe sighed and dropped her hands to the table, leaned into her elbows, “I hope this isn’t just a dead lead,” she said.

“It won’t be,” Basch insisted, “Al-Cid is no ally to the Empire.”

“No, but that doesn’t mean he knows much about deifacted, well, anything. Does any mortal man?” Balthier wondered, “But I suppose that’s why we’re not meeting him.” He still would have rather gone to the Garif or the Viera, but they’d settled on Rozarria. The power had always been given to humes.

Humes would have clues to their own past, even if Rozarria didn’t have a shard like the Dusk, Dawn, or Midlight. ‘More to the point….’ Ashe was the rightful heir of Dalmasca, and Dalmasca was about to become the battlefield of Rozarria and Archadia.

Balthier knew she was there to also try and make sure that didn’t happen. To stall it, long enough to prevent it entirely.

Balthier would rather not see Dalmasca fall into ruins beneath their airships, either.

~***~

The Tchita Uplands was not a place anyone wanted to stay for long out in the open without judges or other guards around, and yet it was where Liraz Belrune found herself with the questionably sane Cidolfus Bunansa. Liraz didn’t actually mind the environment. The old ruins belonged to a civilization neither Galtean nor Occurian, which had led to plenty of theories, though none had yet puzzled out the truth.

As Liraz leaned into her staff near the crumbled domes of a broken building, she did wonder at it. Pre-Occurian? It seemed as impossible as it was possible anymore, if it turned out the Espers of folklore were true. She’d started to subscribe to the belief of a so-called “Empyrean Era”, before the Occuria, though nothing was ever proven.

“Ah! That’s his airship now,” Cidolfus spoke up, drawing her out of her reverie about what the carvings in the dome could be about, “Took his sweet time, didn’t he?” Liraz wasn’t sure if Cid was talking to her, or to Venat. It was hard to tell, and she didn’t dare ask. Little was sensible about him anymore.

Certainly not his attire; it was wonderful in Archadia, the red and purple reflecting the Bunansa colors, but monsters weren’t going to consider his wealth or name as protective ornamentations the same way a noble in Archadia would.

Liraz considered her leathers a bit more protective than all that out here. Not that she had the name to know the protection of it.

The glow of the gem at the top of her staff faded as she lowered the protective barrier she’d cast around them so that the various creatures of the Uplands wouldn’t breach their space; she hardly wanted to deal with a malboro overking.

Which, did spur the question, “Will he be bringing any judges with him?”

“Well, it wasn’t discussed,” Cid waved it off as he walked towards his red chocobo, “I warned him it was likely we would not find Famfrit, mmmm, unprotected – but it is his discretion. You hardly need to worry, even with all that turmoil of mist within, we will be quite fine! Trust in the nethicite!” Cidolfus easily announced, though Liraz didn’t feel herself calmed much at all at the thought of no judges in company.

It wouldn’t surprise her, though. Cid had mentioned she shouldn’t speak a word further of this once she’d provided him with the location, and the evidence for it – the twisting and swirling mist underground being a portion of that evidence. She had wanted to explore it on her own with a few judges, but he insisted on coming along, and then it seemed Vayne was involved.

Liraz knew when she was in over her head.

She also recognized there was far more to this than she understood, even if Cid was doing a remarkably good job at keeping whatever that was under wraps. It was some miracle Cid had allowed her to come, and she wasn’t keen to remind him of that and find herself under an executioner’s blade, or cast away in some other form.

The airship that Cid believed carried the consul did land some ways off, but Cid wasn’t bothered by it, nor even Liraz, who knew their position wasn’t the best one for landing. It was why they had brought along a couple of chocobos, and as Cid mounted up on his deep red one, Liraz did as well with her pale gold one, and they quickly urged the chocobos out across the field of old roads and older buildings to where the airship had anchored itself.

 

[socasm]

"I don't want you to leave again. No, I want you there when I'm married. He's so handsome and brave… You would be so happy with him as a brother in law," Caterina pressed her face in Leindra's blouse. She was still quite the little mouse despite being twenty.


Leindra stared over the balcony to the city below. There were bright banners against white buildings and bright roofs. Voices and music swelled in the warm air. She blinked the tears away.


"I'm sorry, mouse, I want to be there as well. You'll be as radiant as mama," she rubbed her back. "You… need this more than I ever will."


Leindra's hand shook as she handed mama's hair pin. "We'll both be there, with this."



Fifteen minutes later and her hand still shook. Choices had consequences. Hers had been not seeing her little sisters grow into women since she had been quietly banished.


Entering the noisy tavern with bright walls and murals painted on the edges. She scanned the crowd until she spotted whom was easily from the other city states. She pulled a chair close up.


"Who was it that wants to know of the greatest myth of Rozarria?" She smiled, taking in each face. "I'm Leindra Miren, Al-Cid wrote to me."


_.---._


Vayne didn't often let his mind wander like the clouds that they passed. Perhaps he did once as a child- he was training with his eldest brother when he was ten, the moment Vayne watched a cloud that looked like Bahumet, his brother struck his face.


He touched his chin at thought. As it turned out, Vayne ordered that brother to be stabbed in the face- an added touch on father's orders. That was the first shadow that fell on that ancient face.


Vayne held his arms in front of him as the ship sunk to the ground. The great expanse before him came into view.


"I will meet Dr. Cid alone. As soon as I give you the signal, you will join me," he spoke.


Gabranth nodded.


The crisp dry air hit his face, as he smiled to Dr. Cid. "Doctor Cid, thank you for this opportunity." He turned his attention to the woman next to him. "I don't believe we had the opportunity to meet yet."


This woman must be trusted by Dr. Cid to be there on this official business. He would need to properly vet her and intentions. As he thought this, the trustworthy smile remained on his lips.

 

[Lucyfer]

A woman with red hair and a familiar face entered and came to their table. Balthier leaned forward, not at all hiding his curiosity. He knew this face, and he let out an, "Ahh," as she mentioned her name, smiling a little to himself.

"You know her?" Ashe asked.

"No, not really," he kept the grin on his face, "we just did a few trades, she has a knack for finding buyers for, ah, fenced goods."

Basch gave a disapproving look, but didn't interject.

Ashe opted to disregard the thief in her midst to speak instead to Liendra. Honestly, what did she expect from Al-Cid? "Liendra," Ashe repeated, "I'm Ashe," a glance to Balthier, and at the slight move of his head, she added, without disclosing her full identity, "We are the ones interested in the story, and any truth it may have…."

"I'm Basch," her knight introduced.

"And I'm curious if you remember my name," Balthier said, curiosity indeed glimmering in his eyes.

~***~

Cid gave his own warm smile in greeting, dismounting from the chocobo with a chuckle, "Oh, the pleasure is all mine. I can hardly expect you to keep funding me if I don't produce results," actually, he could, they shared the secrets of their larger task together, after all. But there was an audience in attendance, one that the ever inscrutable Vayne noticed.

Liraz had also dismounted but stayed a few extra steps back, quietly assessing the man who killed his own brothers in cold blood.

She couldn't imagine doing such a thing.

She approached to Cid's side when addressed, and she returned a friendly smile as she inclined her head, "Liraz Belrune, Consul," she questioned a moment if that was the preferred title, but it was out already, as she returned her gaze to his face, "one of the researchers. We haven't had reason to be acquainted."

Cid laughed, though he did wonder if the name would ring any bells. Gramis saw to the girl's education, without her so much as knowing. Cid recognized talent and pointed it out; that's all that needed done. "Modest, no?" He grinned as he shook his head, "She's the one who located this area. To think, hundreds of archeologists, millions of gil, and not one figured out the glyphic symbols here or the hatch below. Well, no matter, I was sure you would want to be involved in the discovery of a long lost Esper." Cid had no doubts despite not seeing it with his own eyes yet.

Of course, he also had an expert at his side, invisible to Liraz, but not Vayne. Venat did not chime in, however.

"I trust you're well prepared for the journey down below?" Cid didn't sound doubtful at all.

 

[socasm]

"Are you a sky pirate?" A young blond asked with bright eyes. A look she imagined she had when she first trained at The Outpost. "Or a thief?"


The girl nudged him.


"I'm Penelo, and he's Vaan," she smiled.


"I'm going to be a sky pirate." Vaan pointed to himself with a smug expression.


Liendra chuckled and shook her. "No to both- I'm a salvager. Many items -sometimes people- go missing in the desert and if I'm lucky, I find only one."


Her eyes focused on Balthier for a moment, then the other two. The princess and… the knight.. she furrowed her eyebrows before relaxing. Al-Cid had a reason for her to repay the debt she owed him.


"A pleasure to meet you both- and Balthier." She said with a small nod.


Liendra folded her hands in front of her. "I'll keep this brief. Before the Dynast King, there was a kingdom in what we call The Waylands. It was a lush beautiful city in what we call The Godless Times. They were wealthy, and answer to no one. When the Dynast King united the area, some were pleased and separated, my ancestors, and we became Rozarria. From there it's all lore…


"All sources say, is that this kingdom was angered, and created a weapon to destroy the Dynast King." She paused. "Some sources say that the Dynast King destroyed the kingdom, the weapon, and cursed the land. Others say they were cursed by the power they sought to destroy. Either way, we don't know where this kingdom is exactly is, or what they created."


Ashe leaned forward. "And how would we get to these Waylands."


Her eyebrows rose. "You want to go there? Oh. It's dangerous. The locals aren't friendly, the landscape harsh… but, Al-Cid asked me to help. I can take you to the Outpost. For information, you'll need something valuable- preferably from your home. He likes shiny toys."



—-


Vayne's face brightened, recalling the detailed work that Dr. Cid so willingly offered for him to read. Though it could be argued that Vayne offered little choices in the matter.


"Ah, yes, the researcher that my father funded and whom the esteemed doctor has told me about. Your work has been very appreciated, Liraz Belrune." He bowed his head.


He looked behind and wiggled two fingers. Judge Gabranth stepped out and stood behind Vayne.


If Vayne only knew. Perhaps he did. Gabranth was charged by the dying Emperor to report whatever Vayne did. Gabranth did not wonder why, cruelty bred cruelty, and now the Emperor could not control what he created.


"Let us begin then," he lifted his chin.

 

[Lucyfer]

Balthier was pleased he left a memory in Liendra's mind, and nodded to confirm his name, before listening to tales of this Wayland place. His brows furrowed a bit. None of this sounded like what they were seeking. Only Dynast-King relics were going to reveal what Ashe was, after all.

'It's the power she wants.' Balthier thought, feeling a headache coming on. What were the odds it didn't exist? Zero, with his luck.

"This doesn't sound like what we're looking for," he noted. "We're looking for relics of the Dynast-King, not his foes." This could be a waste of time.

Or worse.

"Not to mention, we hardly have anything to give from your home." Ashe had already given that to him and her rueful glare said as much.

But it was tinted with a bit of defeat.

She still rallied against that feeling when she looked back at Liendra. "We want to go, but will gil be accepted? I don't have much at all from my homeland any longer," she admitted.

Balthier sighed.

Basch, at least, asked, "Lady Ashe," a glare. He persisted, "I'm with Balthier, why do we wish to pursue this lead?"

"If the Dynast-King did curse this land, there may be something there that can help," whether it helped them understand the Dawn Shard or, "It may even be another shard. We know their power. Setting one off could be viewed as cursing a land. We've…all seen Nabradia…."

~***~

"What?"

There was no masking the surprise from Liraz as Vayne so casually revealed her education hadn't been funded through, well, traditional means. Of course, she had earned grants and scholarships, but now she understood who had pushed those towards her.

Cid laughed and her face burned, embarrassment and anger trying to take hold, and she tried to fight it down. This was hardly the time for it, but she couldn't just wish the feelings away. "Forgive me my outburst," she quickly inclined her head again and stepped back. "I was not aware I owed House Solidor my standing." And for it to be thrown at her this way…she didn't enjoy it either.

Hells. How was she supposed to act now? Was he expecting begging and scraping? Or was he just going to use that to remind her of secrecy?

She hated owing people. "I will endeavor to prove worthy of your faith." She took the reins to follow Cid, and kept her gaze forward.

Cid was still chortling to himself as he turned, holding the reins of the chocobo, clearly amused with the shift in Liraz. He didn't know if it was intentional on Vayne's part or not, or if Vayne assumed her awareness. "You can endeavor now, by opening the way. Gabranth will make sure we don't die in the journey," which was always a possibility, but one he doubted would come to pass, as they returned to the ruined dome, the floor ornately decorated.

Liraz didn't waste time in tying her chocobo up before stepping into the building and speaking the words to activate the glyphs so the path down would open.

 

[socasm]

Liendra listened with interest. To some it could be a sign of wanting to sell information, yet despite leaving a station, Rozarria held her heart and soul still. What was good for her home, was good for her.


"Perhaps seeing the other side will give some perspective. It is the victorious that writes history." Liendra stood up.


So this was tied within the events of what happened recently.


"Any empires will do. He likes anything grand. Fancies himself a king of the waste. I'll be in the marketplace at nine in the morning."



That night, Basch paced in the common room of their lodging. They had a vague story that would lead to danger. His loyalty was to Ashe.


"Do you truly believe this to be the wisest course, m'lady?" He asked. "There's still a matter of this payment."


—


"No, Liraz, it isn't owed. The House Solidor only gives opportunities to those who show merit while the rest is what the individuals do themselves." Vayne said with a smile. "All debt has been paid with this alone."


With Gabranth in tow, Vayne went on his own almost relishing the feel of this. He was raised as a shadow and to do and feel, it was memorable. Larsa would have enjoyed this.


He noted the entrance and different sounds from the distance.


Gabranth already prepared his sword. Vayne did not. Instead he listened, focused on the surroundings.

 

[Lucyfer]

The Strahl was quite cramped of late. It wasn’t built for so many people, though, and Balthier sat at the table with his cheek pressed to his hand as Fran stood near him, the group now gathered to discuss the situation at hand: the misleading path put before them by Al-Cid Margrace and his spokeswoman, Liendra.

“Yes, and we don’t have anything to pay with, unless you’re willing to part with the stone that reveals who you are, of course,” Balthier lifted a hand, and let it fall at the wrist, “I haven’t any treasures, you can search the Strahl for them, and I daresay any of the rest of you have ought worth giving.”

“What would you suggest then, Balthier?” Ashe snapped at him, pacing similarly.

“Well, going to the Garif, for starters,” he said, “but if not that, taking a detour to find treasure. We can quiz Liendra in the morning for what sorts of things would work, and fly to Archades, Rabanastre, Bhujerba, or the necropolis itself – although my vote is on Bhujerba. Who knows?” he smirked, though it faded into irritation, “perhaps Larsa will be there and we can take his necklace.”

“Heey!” Penelo started, “That’s not nice. Larsa helped us a lot in Bhujerba.”

“I wonder,” Balthier spoke a bit hotly, evidently not quite buying it, “but that would be my suggestion, princess.”

“Are you sure you don’t have anything of value here?” Vaan asked, “it’s weird being a pirate and all….”

Balthier snorted, “Even if I did, I’m still owed quite the tithe from Ashe here. My treasure was stolen when she bonded with Belias.”

~***~

Pretty words from a pretty politician.

Liraz didn’t buy them even if the smile was genial enough. She didn’t show any doubt, of course, but returned the smile and did not let it bother her. It was Gramis Solidor she owed, after all – not Vayne. She’d have to find a way to clear it with his father at some point in time. Perhaps all of this would truly be considered worth it, but she had yet to believe that.

Still, she completed the task set before her without a waver.

The glyphs began to illuminate within the dome and upon the floor, which moved, scratching stone as it withdrew the large hatch above the spiral staircase that led down. Light poked through the mist that welled up and filled the dome once the hatch was opened, and rocks could be heard skittering down the steps, but no monsters came to greet them.

Just as they hadn’t before.

Of course, this was as far as Liraz had gotten – after that, Cid demanded no further. Not without himself, and it seemed, Vayne.

Dr. Cid gave a bit of applause, dramatic as ever, as he stepped into the dome without any concern, “It’s a bit of a walk down, Lord Vayne, I hope your shoes are comfortable,” he said, opting to take the lead down the steps, two at a time.

The next level could only be seen as an illuminated platform. The darkness was otherwise impermeable except for the orbs of light that illuminated the stairs. Liraz moved to follow Cid, careful with her steps as they descended.

“This isn’t ruins at all,” she couldn’t help but murmur.

“No,” Cid agreed, “and it may finally unlock the secrets of the ruins above, these ruins aren’t Occurian make like I feared they would be. How strange! To lock Famfrit in a prison not of their own make – ah, but it isn’t the firs time, is it?”

And although Liraz could not hear, there was a response from Venat, voice upon voice, layering over one another as they addressed the query, “No, the Occuria have oft used the spoils of others to advance their machinations. The Stilshrine of Miriam is yet another example of such opportunism. The Occuria can only act through others, it is no surprise they continue to use what others hath built to hide their own sins.”

 

[socasm]

"So now you see, little sparrow." Al-Cid finished. "That is why I asked this of you. Treasure. You should have said!"

Liendra felt small again. She was small against her cousin, one of the handful of people who bested her in a sword fight.

The cousins gathered in a villa outside of the palace. Her temporary home where she saw her family after many years away.

"I see. You should have mentioned all of this before." Liendra hummed. "The King has top many national treasures. Before we go… what about that dagger? It's a convincing forgery. I remember you screamed when it broke."

Al-Cid glared. "I'll bring it then. To see the Lady Ash again…"

She rolled her eyes.


In the morning, at the market place, Liendra placed the covered blade. "I will help while you're here. As long as you try for peace. When do we leave?"

_–_


Vayne chuckled. "Yes, doctor, they are. Though we wouldn't want to see that fine lab clothes dirtied by battle."

Very few were as comfortable as Dr. Cid. While the question if he was entirely trustworthy came up, Vayne was comfortable. As for his assistant, as smart as she seemed to be, there was a weariness.

Gabranth strode next to his side.

"What does this exactly mean?" Vayne asked. He frowned at the unexpected site. What came before the world of puppets?

 

[Lucyfer]

The six arrived in the market, and the red-head was easy to find amongst the many moving about. Liendra approached, and held out a dagger, spouting strange words from her lips. Ashe canted her head.

“Odd to be presenting a dagger and ask for peace, isn’t it?” And yet, Balthier recognized the dagger for what it was. Rozarrian treasure. He was sure Ashe recognized it as well. “Curious. Is this a donation to our cause? Or is it a treasure you need fenced anyways?” He doubted that. No, Liendra was clearly more than he’d realized, but then, perhaps he should have.

He knew too well what it was to be noble and running away from home, after all. He was a bit surprised she offered to present this in the midst of the market, but then again, people weren’t paying attention. They were just milling about their day, going around the odd group that had gathered together off to one side.

They were probably just annoyed with the group for being in their path.

“What is it?” Vaan piped up, looking over everyone to see the dagger.

“I don’t understand,” Ashe said, not reaching for the blade. “What do you mean? I don’t have any ill will towards Rozarria, nor do I mean you any harm,” peace? Was she going to ask Ashe to be peaceful with Arcadia? ‘Lie.’ Ashe told herself. ‘If that is what she asks for, lie.’

Though Ashe did not wish to be a liar.

Even when she played the role of Amalia.

“What peace do you ask of me, Liendra?”

~***~

“I am afraid even I cannot speak to the world before,” Venat answered Vayne, as Cid hummed, mulling the question over.

“That will be for time to uncover,” he deduced, “we’ve hardly the time to consider all it could mean, with worlds to conquer, and gods to dethrone.”

Liraz gave Cid a curious look, and couldn’t stop herself from mouthing along with, “We will put the future back in mankind’s hands!” – a bit off in her own mouthing, but Cid said phrases like that so often, she could easily guess when it would spring forth.

He didn’t seem to notice, as they reached the platform, which illuminated beneath their steps, staying alight wherever pressure was applied. The room led into an elaborate entry hall, that opened into what seemed a temple dedicated to mapping the night sky, although as Liraz noticed, it was a sky that existed long before they did.

The stars and constellations were in far different arrangements than they were now, but that wasn’t what true her attention. ‘That’s magicite…all of it, magicite.’ Every star, magicite. The mist hummed off of it, the sound almost siren in nature.

“Well, Venat? Which way?” Cid inquired, allowing Liraz to move on her own since she wasn’t being asked. Let him ask his strange, invisible friend.

“I do not know. This place is unfamiliar to me, I had no hand in hiding the Espers in the world.”

Cid gave a frustrated sigh, “Well, I suppose we have all the time in the world—” as they entered further, a wall slammed up behind them, blocking the stairs, blocking retreat, with a glyph glowing upon it.

Liraz recognized it as the symbol of Famfrit.

The wall wouldn’t budge without him. ‘Well, now we have no choice.’

“I don’t suppose you brought rations, Gabranth?” Cid teased, “to protect us from our hunger? Else we’ll have to start eating your limbs.”

Liraz sighed, but slowly, Cid was wearing down her earlier embarrassment and frustration by just being…well, him. “I think I know the way, Cid, if Venat doesn’t,” humor an old man, why not? "We can delay cannibalism a little longer."

 

[socasm]

"I said peace, not peaceful. It's a well crafted forgery, I'd never give this man a piece of Rozarrian history." Leindra lifted her chin before she looked Ashe in the eyes. "People have often gone too far in the name of freedom- then they hurt more in those actions even if it's justified. It's not what I want that matters, though. Just be mindful of others. 'A great person is defined by deeds, not power'.,"


Leindra wouldn't know what to do if she were Ashe. Still, she had done her part, the old sense of duty still beat somewhere.


"We should gather supplies and leave very soon."


Basch folded his arms and watched. Curious interactions. The princess was suffering and they were there to help her. He looked to Ashe. "Let's shop."


—--


The strange moods of Dr. Cid caused him to frown for a moment. What good was an ally if they shifted like the sand? Yet, Vayne trusted him more than he'd like.


He studied the hallways, quiet, eerie. Almost empty. Then he heard something. It was large.


"You must stay back, your grace." He said. "We have some enemies near. I suggest we find this esper soon."


Vayne stepped back. Father, at one point trained his brothers and he, the most dangerous was when he was still. "We go down the most quiet of passageways. Danger often comes when still."

 

[socasm]

I'll fix that