Chapter Text
The doors to the Syrcus Tower closed behind her, letting out a boom that echoed throughout the chamber. The last time she had been here, there were Crystarium crates strewn throughout the lower area, and the doors on the first landing had been thrown wide open, leading into the depths of the tower.
"Lili—, er, I mean, Miss Viras!"
Despite the ambient blue glow of the Tower's power and lighting systems, she could spy the familiar red hair and ears perking up from a landing far above her. "G'raha!" she called, and waved, then made for the stairs. Even at this distance, she saw his ears flick when she called his name, and she couldn't help but smile.
They met on a landing somewhere in the middle, standing a few yalms apart. "It is good to see you, Miss Viras! How long has it been for you?"
Lilith's voice hitched, and she clutched the glowing spirit vessel in her hand. "Quite a few moons," she said, looking at him. He looked so young; just as she had recalled him, before seeing him atop Mount Gulg.
But this was a different him. By the deeds of herself, and the Crystal Exarch, they had turned the river of fate onto a far more hopeful path. He had not experienced the Eighth Umbral Calamity; had not experienced the trials of Norvrandt. He would never experience those trials.
The one who had was currently clutched in her hands, dormant, safe in the crystal.
G'raha Tia's face fell, as he sensed something amiss. "Something has happened, hasn't it?" he glanced at the crystal, "What is that crystal? Are those Allagan designs in the metalwork? Or is that of Sharlayan design?"
She gripped it tightly, and looked to the stairs he had just come down, "We should sit down for this."
Confused, and a little worried, G'raha Tia took a seat on the stairs.
She sat near him, "This may sound unbelievable, but please…" she looked at him, pleading.
"I trust you would not lie to me," he nodded, reassuring her.
She nodded, took a steadying breath, and started from the beginning, "This is not the first time the tower was opened, and you awakened. The first time was… two centuries from now, long after the world had been devastated by the Eighth Umbral Calamity, killing thousands of thousands… including me."
A little of the color left his skin at that, and his tail hair stood on end.
"The survivors of that Calamity banded together, woke you up, and turned the Crystal Tower into a vessel that could traverse the rift, and the river of time itself. They sent you back in time, to another world entirely, with no way to return, all to unwrite the Eighth Umbral Calamity. To save two worlds, and to save countless lives. To save me."
He had leaned forward, elbows on his knees as she spoke, but looked up to meet her eyes at that, and saw the hope and yearning within them.
"You did it. We saved them all. The Crystal Tower became a beacon of hope for mankind, once again. We won, but…" she choked up, as she looked down at the vessel, "…but it cost you your life."
The silence billowed out from where they sat, G'raha's ears flattening against it.
"Before your body failed, and became one with the tower, you entrusted this to me, with your mind and soul… because—" her voice hitched, "—because the one thing you wanted, desired, with your entire being, was to come home with me. To go on another adventure with me…"
His ears perked up a little, as he looked down at the crystal, clenched tightly, protectively, in her hands.
"We don't know if it will work properly…" she pulled the vessel to her heart, squeezing her eyes shut, her voice losing strength, "We don't know if your body will accept this soul; whether your essences would blend properly, whether your mind will survive the ordeal, but…"
A hand touched her shoulder, and she opened her eyes. G'raha Tia had moved closer, and rested a reassuring hand on her shoulder. She could feel the love, the hope, the yearning from him as well. "Miss Viras…" he whispered, "Did I say I was willing to take the risk?"
She nodded.
"If he is my future self, then he must know I would be willing to take that risk, too." After a moment's hesitation, he reached out to place his hand on hers, over the vessel, over her heart.
With those bright, ruby eyes looking into her amethyst ones, she couldn't help but return his smile.
"For my inspiration's sake, I'm willing to make a leap of faith, and indulge in a little recklessness," he said, grinning.
She made a noise that was more laugh than sob, and a tear escaped her eye. She bit her lip, and slowly unclenched her hand, letting the spirit vessel slip into his.
He looked at it for a moment, then closed his eyes, and brought it close to his own chest.
After a long moment, the red and white glow brightened. G'raha Tia flinched, and brought his other hand to his forehead.
Before she could grab him, she heard a heartbeat that wasn't hers, and clutched her own forehead reflexively.
…people with Ironworks uniforms in the entrance to the Crystal Tower…
…a boat, heading towards the ancient wreck of the Agrius, and the body of Midgardsormr…
…a book from the ruins of Ishgard, Edmont's memoirs…
…a tiny, broken model of Omega, in the corner of a busy workshop…
…her son, speaking of her, "…Burn bright again… and live."…
…the Crystal Tower, radiant…
…an unfamiliar part of Lakeland…
…the utter devastation of Norvrandt…
…refugees huddling around the tower…
…"When all falls down around you, rise up."...
…buildings cropping up around the tower…
…the walls of the Crystarium going up…
…the rookie guards, fighting off Sin Eaters with the Crystarium's defenses…
…a young Viis kit with white hair and lavender eyes…
…an image in the mirror, the Eorzean Alliance's march on Ala Mhigo…
…talking to Urianger in the Umbilicus…
…the sky, ripped asunder by her hand…
…atop Mount Gulg, watching herself in agony…
…seven pillars of light around her, framed by the starshower…
…six spirit vessels, with new blood-red adornments…
…she grabs the staff out of the roaring light, and steadies him…
…looking into her own face, love in her eyes, hands on his cheeks…
She snapped back to the present, and saw him on his knees, breathing heavily. He still clutched the spirit vessel, the light within gone.
In an instant she was on her knees in front of him, grabbing his hands, and guiding his gaze up. His eyes focused on her, "Lilith?"
"When we spoke on the clifftop, overlooking Eulmore, before I climbed Mount Gulg, do you remember what I said to you?"
G'raha looked down, brow furrowing. "You said… I should seek out my inspiration, and tell her… and her answer may surprise me… but why is that releva—?!"
Relief flooded her. He knew the answer, and he wasn't wondering how he knew this. It was him.
She cut him off by grabbing his cheeks, and pulling him in for a kiss.
His ears and tail shot up in surprise, but he quickly recovered, putting a hand on her neck, and leaning into her, savoring this moment.
She finally broke the kiss, and looked into his beautiful ruby eyes. "I also told you we only have one life to live," she said, her eyes glistening with happy tears.
G'raha let out a slightly stunned laugh, and she joined in, resting her forehead on his. "That was… the most beautiful thing I could have woken up to."