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The midday sun shone down upon the Crystarium, and the Exarch quietly enjoyed the view from where he sat at the bottom of the Crystal Tower’s steps.
As beautiful (and refreshingly unusual) as the returned night was, twas easy to forget that day had once been a welcome sight. Now, however, when one could see the blue of the sky and shape of the clouds, the charm could not help but return. At least for him. The Exarch was not sure if the people of the First would so easily find a love for daylight.
Thankfully, they would have all the time in the world to do so.
For not the first time in the recent past, the Exarch let out a sigh of relief. The First was saved. The Source was saved. Those thoughts ran through his mind as they often had of late, bringing serenity in their wake. Both realms would face more threats in the future, he knew, but catastrophe had been averted. Not only that, but the person best suited to protect them from future harm had been saved as well.
The Exarch smiled to himself, closing his eyes as he breathed in and felt the wind rustle through his hair. ‘Safe. At long last, she is—’
“G’raha?” came a familiar voice saying an increasingly familiar name.
The Exarch’s eyes snapped open, and he looked up to see the person he’d been thinking about striding toward him.
The sunlight shone off her night black hair, but more brilliant was the smile upon her lips, directed straight at him. Twas, as always, a nearly blinding thing, and he found himself smiling in return.
"Ariadne, tis good to see you," he said, making to stand.
"Oh, don't get up on my account!" she said quickly, hurrying her steps. "Tis good to see you too, more so that you're actually out of your tower! I'd started to worry you'd turn completely to crystal if you stayed in there much longer."
"Certainly not. There is far too much to do and see, surely." The Exarch laughed a little uncomfortably, rubbing one of his hands over his robe. Beneath it he could feel his left leg, solid and crystalline. 'I will have to find a casual way to explain this…'
Ariadne walked up and promptly took a seat beside him. Rather than admiring the view, however, she looked at him. She was still smiling, but it had become rather teasing. "So much to see, you say? You could've fooled me. Tis hard to see the horizon together with so many buildings in the way, don't you think?"
Ariadne made to give him a playful nudge with her elbow, only to yelp when she was met with the hard crystal of his shoulder. His eyes went wide and he opened his mouth, but she was already waving him off before he might do anything.
"My fault! My fault, don't apologize. I know you were about to." She laughed, and the Exarch found himself at a loss, for she was quite right. Thankfully, Ariadne filled the silence as was her wont. "Jokes aside, do you think you've some time to spare? I had hoped to find you. Twas just a pleasant surprise for it to be outside of all places."
Though her expression was still playful, the words themselves were plain and simple. However, the Exarch could not help but smile slightly at the question. Why did she think she had to ask?
"What do you need? I am happy to help however I can," he told her.
Ariadne looked amused. "Tis just as I said, silly: some of your time. I know tisn’t an adventure, but I wanted to walk around Lakeland with you if I could. I just… well I thought you could use a break. It seems every time we see one another, tis about plans for this or that."
The Exarch hesitated. Twas a kind offer, and one he would usually accept without reservation. However, his respite upon the stairs was only meant to be just that. The research into the spirit vessels was slow and arduous, as was imbuing them with the power of Allag. Allowing himself to be distracted with leisure was out of the question (no matter how tempting it was).
"You needn't worry, I'm quite alright. If anything, I find myself feeling better than I have in years," the Exarch told her.
He had hoped to be reassuring, but the look that Ariadne gave him was pensive. She was quiet a moment before she opened her mouth, though not a word escaped. She closed it, glancing away as she gave a small shake of her head.
Clearly she was rethinking something, though he knew not what.
After a couple more seconds she scooted over, nudging his shoulder with her own—gently this time—and said cheerfully, "I'm glad to hear it, but does that mean you won't come with me?"
Before the Exarch might reply, she leaned even closer. He found himself staring very determinedly at the ground, only glancing at her out of the corner of his eye as a heat rose up his neck.
Ariadne raised one of her hands so she might whisper conspiratorially in his ear, "Tis just that it is quite cold, you know. With my magic being all out of sorts, I can't use thaumaturgy to stay warm anymore. I thought you might be able to help…"
She sat back, grinning hopefully at him, and the Exarch let out a breathless laugh. His oddly unsteady heart wended its way back to a regular pace as he replied, "Would a coat not work just as well?"
"But then I would be without your company," Ariadne said immediately.
The Exarch did not reply at once. In truth, he knew not what to say to such an honest declaration.
Ariadne saved him the trouble. She reached out, taking his hand in both of hers and giving it a comforting squeeze as she looked earnestly at him.
"I'm sorry to be so insistent, but it shall only be an hour, maybe two. Your work can wait that long, I know it. And… well… What is the point of victory if you can't savor it? Tis a beautiful day, and I would love for you to tell me all about that forest. Surely there is at least one folk tale about it."
The Exarch's ears pricked despite himself. Though he clung to reluctant silence a few moments longer, he knew at once that he had been caught. Telling myths to his favorite legend was an experience that he could hardly dismiss. Even more so when that legend was looking at him with such concern. Still, it wouldn't do to crumble so quickly. He did have important things he should be doing, after all.
Clearing his throat, the Exarch looked away. "I'm not sure that would be wise…"
He glanced back at her only to see her looking at him expectantly, and he swallowed a sigh. Of course she saw through his attempt, spotting his lies was a talent of hers.
"...But I would like nothing more," he admitted in defeat.
"Wonderful!" Ariadne said, clapping her hands together.
She sprang to her feet before offering the Exarch a hand up. As soon as he was standing, she hooked one of her arms around his own—taking care to choose the one not subsumed by crystal—and looked up at him with a triumphant grin.
"Lead the way!"
The Exarch laughed and made a show of pondering what to do before setting off. "So tell me, what do you know about Lakeland's forest?"
Ariadne stayed close to his side, her tail flicking cheerfully back and forth with each of her strides. "It is beautiful! Beyond that, not a thing. I have wondered if the purple leaves were natural, though…"
"Ah! Well, you see, there are a few different explanations for them. Where to begin…"
"At the beginning?" she asked cheekily.
"Haha, very clever. But starting with the tale that goes back the farthest isn't a bad idea, so…" the Exarch began to regale her as they strode through the Crystarium and towards Lakeland.
Ariadne was as able a listener as she was a talker, and she remained attentive to his every word. Twas some time indeed before his tales wound down, and he turned back to see the Tower piercing the sky a surprising distance away.
His power waned the farther he was from it, and it oft served as a stark reminder of his age. However, gentle sunlight was filtering down between lavender leaves to warm his face, and there was a fresh scent upon the chill breeze. He stood admiring a truly unique horizon with his greatest hero at his side, her presence a steadfast support.
Twas almost surreal, this tranquility, as if he could blink and it would disappear.
Unable to stop himself, the Exarch squeezed his eyes shut.
Darkness greeted him, but twas neither cold nor lonely. He could yet feel Ariadne standing beside him, her arm still linked with his. The leaves rustled, the birds sang. The world was still there despite his disbelief. It felt truly miraculous.
The Exarch opened his eyes again and let out a breathless laugh.
Ariadne looked up at him, her head tilting slightly. "What's so funny?"
The Exarch smiled wryly at her. "I was just thinking that I am rather like a book with a broken spine. I've spent so long one way that I cannot help but fall open to those well worn pages, so to speak."
Ariadne squinted, clearly befuddled for a moment before her eyes widened. She frowned slightly and then reached towards him and cupped his face with one hand. Her touch was gentle, though her fingers were calloused and slightly rough. She was still looking at him, her lips curving around words that the Exarch suddenly could not hear.
The breeze was still soft, a mere whistle, so from whence did the roaring in his ears come from?
Thankfully, it died down after a little while, and he heard her say, "...you mean, G'raha, but memories staying with you isn't a bad thing even if they are sad ones. For me, at least, it allows those I've lost to always be with me."
The Exarch let out a breath and nodded. "You are right, of course, but I meant more… I find it hard to believe I’m here sometimes."
He turned his head to look out at the vista once more. Her hand fell from his cheek, leaving it suddenly quite cold in the face of the wind. However, twas not much deterrent to the Exarch as he gazed at the Crystarium.
Something warm bloomed in his chest when he saw it framed by a blue sky. It took him a surprisingly long time to figure out from whence it came, but he did. The memories were distant, but he could remember a similar warmth whenever he gazed upon Old Sharlyan.
‘Home.’
“Seeing this makes it easier, however. I have spent an age longing for the Source, but… I shall miss this,” he said, his eyes never wavering from the horizon.
Ariadne did not reply at once, but after a pause she said, “Well, tis only natural, isn’t it? You’ve helped build something astounding. But… don’t worry too much. I will see you back here. Or, well, Y’shtola will. I know she plans to find a way to return. Until then…”
She trailed off a moment, and the Exarch looked down at her to see a grin spreading across her face. She pointed to herself triumphantly and added, “Consider me your personal delivery Moogle!”
Ariadne's eyes positively sparkled with excitement, and the Exarch couldn't contain his amusement. This only seemed to goad her further, and she pulled away so she might give a flourishing bow.
"Hopping between worlds… You do put them all to shame, don't you?" the Exarch said, biting back laughter.
"Only the best for you, my friend," she said with a wink.
Still amused, the Exarch gave her a formal bow in return, painting a mock solemn look upon his face as he straightened. "Well then, I shall thank you in advance for your service."
Ariadne waved her hands dismissively. "No thanks necessary. Instead, just make sure I've plenty of work, okay?"
He nodded, smiling, and she returned to his side so they might continue their walk. Neither of them spoke at once, but a thought crossed the Exarch’s mind, and he glanced down at her.
“All this talk of tales has me wondering, are there any that you would like to share?”
“Hmm, what do you mean? I doubt I know any folktales you don’t.”
The Exarch chuckled and shook his head. “No, not folktales. Your adventures!”
“I rather thought you knew them all already,” Ariadne said, looking so genuinely confused that the Exarch was brought up short.
They stood there a moment, staring at one another. Then the Exarch said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world (which it was), “Reading a tome is no replacement for hearing it from your own lips.”
Somehow this seemed to perplex Ariadne further. She began to walk again, towing him along, as she scratched her cheek with a finger and said, "I'm not much of a story teller. Honestly, twould probably be better if I just gave y— Oh, nevermind. What would you want me to tell you about?"
"Everything," the Exarch replied instantly, and when Ariadne scoffed, he rushed to defend himself, "Tis true! Every part of your legend is captivating, you know."
"Flatterer. I can assure you that there was plenty of mindless busywork, and you couldn't pay me to recount all of that."
The Exarch could not hold back a disappointed sigh, which seemed to amuse her to no end.
Chuckling, she said, "There is naught you are missing, I promise. Now, pick something!"
Twas a tall order indeed, and the Exarch was quiet for some time pondering over it. Ariadne did nothing to rush him, which only made his task more difficult.
It was as he had said. No history book could possibly replace the words of the Warrior of Light herself. Given the length and breadth of her legend to choose from, twas hard to pin anything down. Yet, there was something that came to mind eventually. Every history had its gaps, and there was one extremely notable one when it came to Ariadne's tale.
"Well… I have been told the beginning is a good place to start," the Exarch said, and when Ariadne's eyes narrowed he was quick to add, "Tis just that no one ever wrote of your origins. The earliest recounting always begins in Ul'dah, five years after the calamity."
"Oh, well there is a good reason for that. Twould be hard for them to write something I didn't know of myself. Though Alphinaud has assured me that amnesia is a most heroic trait, twas quite the annoyance as well."
The Exarch nearly tripped over his own feet at this revelation. Only Ariadne kept him from falling, and she patted his arm reassuringly as she added, "I’ve gotten most of it back by this point, but I only remembered my 'origins' after I visited the Steppe. Have you ever been?"
The Exarch shook his head. "No, regrettably. I have seen pictures, though."
"Then we shall have to visit it together," Ariadne said. Twas simple and quick, but the assuredness of her words inexplicably filled his heart to bursting.
She continued on none the wiser. "I'm sure they didn't do it justice. I only spent my first few years there, but tis the most beautiful place in the world…"
Ariadne began to regale him, and for all her protestations, the Exarch found she made a capable (and colorful) storyteller. He hung upon her every word, only regretting that he had not the foresight to bring any parchment with him to record her for posterity.
And so the pair walked, slowly wending their way back to the Crystarium, until they crossed paths with someone searching most arduously for the Exarch.