Ifrit Bled and We Killed It

I have been struck with a burning madness for nearly two weeks. It was ten days ago that Louisoix gave my companions in Fedaykin an opportunity to slay Ifrit. When our work there was interrupted by the Nael Van Darnus and we were expelled back to Gridania, Louisoix told me that there was yet another way - a way to re-enter the Bowl of Embers and defeat Ifrit but if he had absorbed the aether that Van Darnus had let bleed freely from the land he would grow more and more powerful until he could not be stopped. Thus a challenge had been issued and I gathered my allies around me and set to the task with blind obsession guiding my every waking moment on this earth.

We got ourselves Inferno Lamps made from the tapers found at the Amalj'aa stronghold of Zahar'ak. We readied ourselves as best we could, but we were only throwing ourselves to our own defeat. Many brave warriors fought and died before me, only to be revived by our best healers and set once more against the monster. I fought for my Fedaykin: Nimla, Elden, Alma, Jigi. I fought for my friend Shadow's Sound of Elysium with Narctiss, Dark and Merton. I fought side by side with Calamity Jane and the Orchestral Army including Ullr Hellfire and Minai Ruo. Finally I fought with my old Moogle Knight allies known as Blizzard - but our efforts were no match for Ifrit's power.

Fedaykin & Allies

I spent my nights talking with Nimla, wishing I had the strength to fight on. I couldn't sleep. I barely ate. Only the soup offered to me by Chick kept me nourished enough to fight on and try harder. After three or four days of all my best efforts I sat down with my old ally Shin Metsu and we decided to hand pick a team we thought would see us through to the end, but even that fell to the might of Ifrit. It was not until a brave group of foreign adventurers took Shin and I under their wing and taught us how Ifrit could be defeated by slow and steady attacking and dodging, weaving in and out rhythmically, knowing when to apply pressure and when to ease off. I owe much to Yuri Aureus for showing us that the it could be done, truly if it bleeds that we could kill it.

What's the Battle Plan?

While our team made up of Fedaykin and Sound of Elysium tended to their wounds on our fifth day of throwing ourselves at this harsh fate, Shin made an alliance with a new group of warriors. He had left Sound of Elysium and I disbanded the Fedaykin. Resolution was born. We gathered our strength and our courage and together decided we would unite to slay Ifrit the next day. Sadly, we grew tired as the day wore on and though we made several close attempts at the primal's life, we decided to cool off for a while. We knew that victory was within our grasp and we would have him the next time we gathered at his door.

We had planned to take a break, but something unexpected happened. Snow Storm approached me over the Blizzard linkshell and asked who I could muster. Apple and Minna from our newly formed Resolution responded to the call and together with Snow, Ruri, Grimlock and Lord we finally saw this through to the end. Through the combined efforts of two strong teams coming together and using a strategy that Shin and I had been honing for ten straight days, fine tuning it with him all the times I could not bring myself to fight, we did the unthinkable and defeated the Primal of Fire.

Resolution & Blizzard Combination Victory!

Congratulations to the newly formed Resolution and our allies in Blizzard! It was long time coming and well earned. I feel that my days will no longer be haunted by the claw marks across my back and burns along my legs and arms. Nimla was lucky enough to get a bow made from Ifrit's horns, and I lucky to turn them to claws. We stand triumphant together at last. Now I must think and turn my attention to other Primals that the beastmen have summoned. I must protect Eorzea from the coming storm.

We Fight for the Future of Eorzea!

Unexpected Alliance

Nimla, Elden and I were still determining which Grand Company to ultimately dedicate ourselves to when we were invited to hear Kan-E-Senna speak on behalf of the Twin Adders which she would lead. We gathered at Mih Khetto's Amphitheatre in central Gridania. I recognized a lot of familiar faces in the crowd as I stood by my friends and allies in Fedaykin. I was particularly happy to see the children from the Oak Atrium who waved vigorously to me so I would notice them. I would have to pay them a visit someday in the future. There were also several Padjal in attendance. I was curious to learn more about them, but I doubted Kan-E-Senna's speech would enlighten me on their elusive nature.

Kan-E-Senna spoke on behalf of the Adders, the people of Gridania, the elementals of the Twelveswood and the Shroud itself when she addressed the crowd. She was quite majestic to look at and I wish I had the opportunity to take a picture of her. She spoke of the great and ancient elementals who had given her council to stand against the darkness of Garlemald. Her speech invoked the mysticism of the conjurers and the deep ties to the land within the Shroud that all Gridanians revered deeply. Her words evoked images of harmony and unity and defending our homelands. She was truly a warrior of the heart. Her passion was in emotion and love for the land itself. She called to purge it of the disease of the Empire.

Hail, Papalymo!

Afterwards, as everyone was leaving, Nimla, Elden and I bumped into Papalymo. I knew him to be one of Y'shtola's allies and Nimla knew him ever more well since she had been in Gridania around the time he had arrived. He hailed us and spoke with us briefly. Papalymo asked us about the speech, but also let slip that it was he who had discussed in great length with Kan-E-Senna reviving the Order of the Twin Adders. The thought gave me pause. He admitted that as students of the prophecies, he and his allies, Y'shtola and Thancred, had come to Eorzea believing that the Grand Companies were the key to saving the land from destruction and put their hearts into their revival. The more I learned about Y'shtola and her allies the more interested in them I found myself but to sit down and discuss it all at length had yet to present itself a time.

Papalymo instructed the three of us to head out to Rootslake to see firsthand what kind of dangers lurked in Eorzea other than the Empire. He was first to admit that there was more to all of this within the prophecies than a simple Imperial invasion. We all wanted to know more, so he handed Nimla something called an Earthbreaker which he insisted we would need.

What Manner of Beast...

We rode out to Rootslake where we were immediately surprised to see something unlike we had ever seen in Eorzea - an enormous creature made all of stone and some spriggan attending it. We fought our way swiftly through the spriggan and encountered this stone monster. It's defense was impenetrable until Nimla used the Earthbreaker to weaken its rock-skin. Only after its armored exoskeleton had been cracked and weakened that we were able to destroy it out-right. Then we saw Papalymo and Urianger standing in the wake and I found myself confused. Papalymo and Urianger are allies?

It appears that they are indeed. They had studied the prophecies together before coming to Eorzea. The herald named Alfgar in Ul'dah had denounced Urianger as a dark and false prophet, a doomsayer with no basis in reality - but so far his prophecies were coming true and to find out that my allies, Y'shtola and her associates, were also Urianger's allies sent my head reeling. I had thought there was more to Urianger; I had thought he to be some type of villain. Now, I learn we fight for the same deep cause. He told us that the prophecies spoke of the men carved by the Archons from stone - the golem we had fought presumably that were resurfacing again in Eorzea.

Allied with Urianger

Urianger told us that he was here because his own master had sent him after telling him that the future was not entirely consumed by darkness, that a beacon of light yet remained to guide us all. I wondered what man Urianger called master, and he assured me that if he could arrange it one day we would meet, because he felt strongly that we were the key to the future and I would discover the gate to deliver us from the darkness of the 6th Umbral Era. I wanted to laugh at how ridiculous it sounded. I'm just one man, leading a small group of freedom fighters, but I know that such men in the past have had the power to influence all of history. The thoguht makes me uncomfortable still, but all I can do is endure and move forward.

I decided that I did not want to think too hard about this prophecy, about being key to the light of the future - and so I summoned Fedaykin some hours later to explore a cave of untold treasure that had recently opened up for adventurers to explore. I thought might be a fun way to spend time and hone our skills and camaraderie - and I was right!

Coeurl is All Alone

Nimla, Elden, and I headed for Shposhae where it was alleged that Captain Mistbeard had hidden troves of his legendary treasure in its midst. Who believes such things? It was fun to explore a new, elaborate cavern, filled to the brim with trials to overcome and treasures to unlock. It was a great way to break in Fedaykin's newest member, Alma, who had joined us earlier in the day. We managed to find and fight a mysterious beast known as the Lone Coeurl, who yeilded to me a pirate's eyepatch which I wore proudly as a trophy for the remainder of the night. We also fought a gigantic orobon and an angry crab. We did not leave with Mistbeard's riches, but we did leave in good spirits (and without feeling the weight of the entire future on our shoulders).

Giant Remora!

Nimla and I still have yet to choose a Grand Company while Elden heads to Limsa Lominsa and Alma heads to Ul'dah. For the two of us, that choice will have to wait at least another day. I always seem to have so much to think about. It's my own fault, of course. All I wanted to do when I came to Eorzea was make a name for myself - apparently I'm on the path to becoming a legend...

The Grand Opening!

The word on the street is that the Grand Companies would be opening the flood gates to allow adventurers final entry into their ranks today. I had been scurrying about all morning running errands for them in order to determine to which of the three I would be most interested in dedicating my services. I have a great deal of pride in Limsa Lominsa, but I would not turn down the possibility that I could be swayed to Ul'dah, as I am a Dunesfolk and am at home in the harsh terrain of Thanalan, or that I may be swayed to Gridania, as I feel a close kinship to the Conjurers of the Stillglade Fane. As such I have been running as many errands for them all day long hoping that by the end of the day I would decide where to swear allegiance. I'll save you the anticipation today! I have decided to sleep on it.

Over the last few weeks, I have been on several raiding missions into the Dzemael Darkhold with the mercenary group Blizzard composed of former Moogle Knights as well as some new friends among the group calling themselves the Sound of Elysium (no affiliation to Elden's linkshell named Elysium). I have learned a great many things and put to rest the foul creature known as Batraal - who bears a horrible resemblance to a primal in my opinion. The Imperials never cease their activities there, no matter how many times we flush them out. The problem with the Empire in Eorzea grows daily.

Fall of Batraal

I've managed to also lead a strike team under the name of Fedaykin into the Thousand Maws of Toto-Rak where we have uncovered various magitek devices put in place by the Imperials. We did not fight any inside, but there was plenty of evidence they had come and gone frequently enough - as well as a vast host of foul and aggressive monsters. Fedaykin is a small project I'm working on since the collapse of Moogle Knights and consists of myself, Nimla, Elden and (previously unmentioned friends) the McChops, Scooter and Ducky. I was impressed with their tenacity and dedication to triumph over the depths of Toto-Rak. It was in that former gaol that we met Seedseer A-Ruhn-Senna, the first Padjal I have met in my travels, along with some Moogles (one of which I had met long ago during a Botany excursion in my first months in Eorzea). He is the brother of the Twin Adder's commander, Kan-E-Senna. He said a curious thing to me about hearing the crystals that echo in all of us. Could it be connected with the Echo? I did not have the time to ask as monsters were set upon us and we had to fight on.

A-Ruhn-Senna, Seedseer of Gridania

Earlier today I was able to help the Maelstrom defend against the Imerials gaining a foothold on Vylbrand by flushing out some kobolds from their newly developed encampment north of Bloodshore. I laid an ambush in the canyon en route to the kobold settlement and defeated a small squad of Imperials single-handedly in order to prevent sure disaster for all of La Noscea. I was fortunate to have found such a narrow space so I did not have to fight too many Imperials at once. After the skirmish, I checked on the kobolds to make sure they were undisturbed, but they were not too pleased to see me lurking about so I made haste back to Limsa Lominsa taking with me a small trophy from the battle that I had discovered - a communication device.

You Shall Not Pass!

The Maelstrom was immensely pleased to find one intact. Apparently they self-destruct when separated from their unit, so I was asked to deliver it out in Coerthas to the Garlond Ironworks' cryptologic linguist, Ebrelnaux. He was a bit rude about receiving such a precious gift, but made haste in returning to Limsa Lominsa with me where I overheard him speaking with the Chief Engineer of the Garlond Ironworks, Cid Garlond himself. I had heard of this prodigy from some earlier work I had done - before the Grand Companies had opened even so I was a bit surprised to finally lay eyes on him. He was young, and attractive for a scientific genius, I dare say. He muttered one word as he wandered by lost in thought and I have only the faintest idea of what he could have learned from intercepted communications. That word is "Meteor."

Crypto-what now?

Tomorrow, Nimla and I have some loose ends to tie up with the Twin Adders and Immortal Flames. Then we will dedicate ourselves to a cause and become full members of a Grand Company. The thought leaves me restless just thinking about it. I'm having trouble sleeping. Nimla, on the other hand, sleeps as soundly as if Downy Dunstan had lulled her to sleep himself. It is said that with the opening of the Grand Companies comes finally a large sum of male Chocobo from Ishtar and the re-opening of airships to those brave enough to ride them in these troubled times. I simply cannot wait to see how much of these rumors are true for my own eyes.