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It's always been like this.
This repetitive nightmare I've been experiencing every night.
"Hurry! We have get out of the castle!"
I do not know these people, but they run and keep on running.
Stumbling here and there, as the castle shakes from the quakes and activated traps of the place.
I see two twins of the lalafellin race. One is a black mage and the other, a white mage. An elezen bard and a hyuran paladin.
They barged doors after doors, stumbled through the spiral stairs until they reach a specific room where the quaking stops and an ominous voice makes itself heard.
"Impressive, very impressive indeed. But alas, this is your final destination."
The paladin stands back up on his feet slowly, snarling at the threat.
"If you're so confident in your petty magicks, then show yourself coward!"
The voice laughs menacingly, giving its final words of advice to the adventurers in the room.
"Farewell, impudent fools of the Mist!"
The walls start to close in and the four knew they'd be crushed before they can even feel it.
"By the twelve, is there really no other way around this?!"
"Stay calm! We'd surely-"
"Not this time! We have to act fast!"
The twins looked at each other puzzled, but one of them mouthed the name of a certain spell, and the other had eyes wide open.
"Have you finally lost your marbles?!"
"I only know of the best spell for this situation. Nothing else will work!"
The white mage lalafellin knew that they have limited options, but not to this level. She knows and believes that her brother has always chosen the better route, and it always worked out for the better but casting this spell is a high risk decision. It's certainly a gamble, but it's better than having no option at all.
"It seems that we have no other choice."
"For once, thanks for not being stubborn dear sister."
They nodded in agreement. The two looked back at their companions and smiled as if the situation has been solved.
"Wait, what in Thal's name are you two plotting this time?"
"It'll be alright. Just believe in us the way you believed when we thought we'd already lost."
"This may not be the most comfortable situation, but it was worth the journey we've embarked with you."
The quakes have started again and the walls have started closing in.
The lalafellin twins made their battle stance gestures as they faced the wall opposite of each other's direction.
A spell was cast, and only those who have the mark of the sage have the right to attempt it. The twins have never practiced it as the sage never allowed them to but both knew incredibly well what it takes to successfully cast a powerful spell.
"Brother, I never said this before however, I always thought that I'm strong by myself until we met them and ventured far from home and made it to other lands unknown to us."
"My dear sister, fate has always been a cruel thing. It lead us to the light we have always sought only to challenge us afterwords. We fought, we grew and then we learn how the world works. It saddens me to know that this is our final exam in this world."
The white mage smiles weakly, with teary eyes as she looks back at the injured paladin and the bard helping him up. She reaches out one hand and attempts to cast the best healing spell she could manage as one final gift.
Her friends.
Her newly formed family.
Her second home.
"Gods don't exist. Only aether does, and that's what matters the most!"
She smiles as she manages to cast an AoE heal, as she felt that the forbidden spell is also ready to be casted. Her twin brother takes one final look at his comrades, and offers a silent plea when he and his sister met each other's gazes.
"Mother Hydaelyn. For this once, I beg of you. Please guide us home."
He smiles and nods as a signal to his sister.
"Finally, I was getting tired of focusing. Ready brother?"
"Of course. Let's get it over with."
One.
Two.
And three.
"BREAK!"
A ray of light shone from the twins' positions.
In order to stop the walls from closing in, they willed themselves to turn into stone.
"No!!"
My body moves as I wake.
My voice shakes.
My tears won't stop so I let them out for a good few minutes.
I always catch my hands desperately reaching out to the ceiling of Ishgard's inn.
My anxiety tells me to reach out to Alphinaud and Alisaie.
Tells me to head over to Mor Dhona.
And move on to The Fringes, a place beyond Baelsar's Wall.
I can't help think that something is stirring somewhere and I can only pray that this nightmare means nothing.