From the Heavens (Final Fantasy XVI)

𖥸 Echoes of the Fallen: III 𖥸

Fun fact: Morana (also named Marzanna, Marena, Morena, Morė, Mora, or Mara depending on which language you refer to her) is the Slavic Goddess of cold, frost, winter, death, and agriculture. I chose the single aspect of death to create a counterpart to Gaia.

Hope you all enjoy part 3 of Echoes of the Fallen DLC! Love you all!!!
~✨Celestial✨~
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Clive was the first to reach the unconscious Lyra. He pulled her body into his arms, cradling her against him. He saw just how sickly pale she was and felt overcome with panic and concern. He examined her body for other injuries and found a strange black spot on her chest. It swirled just like the mass that had formed in the sentinel's hand. "Joshua!" he shouted for his brother.

Joshua and Jill rushed over while Famiel, Marnek, and Halek watched with their own concerned gazes. The younger Rosfield attempted to use the flames of the Phoenix to heal Lyra, but the strange black enigma in her chest lashed out and prevented him from doing just that.

Jill had witnessed what happened. "Founder, what is that thing?"

"I know not," Joshua replied. "It is preventing me from aiding her."

Clive glanced over at the sentinel, which now lay completely lifeless. It had deactivated after its attack hit Lyra with no hint of resurrection. He looked back at the unconscious woman in his arms. "Could this be—?"

Lyra's eyes fluttered open. Her emerald eyes stared into Clive's sapphire ones before traveling over to Jill and Joshua. She closed her eyes for a few seconds when she felt a sharp pain in her chest. "Heavens..." She quickly placed a hand over her chest, only to be startled by the sensation of darkness. Not knowing what truly happened or what this darkness was, she did her best to remain calm. She glanced down just as the dark enigma vanished from sight. "I-I'm all right."

"No, you are not," Clive rebuttals. "Is this Morana's doing?"

"Possibly," Lyra replied. She removed herself from his arms and got to her feet with his help. She looked over at the lifeless sentinel. "If this is part of her plan, I do not understand what she hopes to achieve. For now, we must focus on locating the heart of the Mothercrystal."

Jill placed a hand on the goddess' arm. "You are not well. Perhaps it would be best for you to return to Eastpool."

"As much as I would love to..." Lyra clenched the hand she had placed over her chest into a fist. "I fear if this is part of Morana's plan, I would be endangering all of Eastpool. Whatever her objective is, the tower must be part of it."

"If you begin to feel unwell, tell us," the silver-haired woman said.

She nodded. "I will."

Although her companions were still worried about her, they spoke to Famiel so they could gather more information. While Clive, Jill, and Joshua spoke to the man, she examined the sentinel for any answers.

Famiel glanced at the goddess before meeting Clive's intimidating gaze. "I knew that Fallen thing was no match for you. Allow me to apologize for earlier. That was, er...ill-played. All born of a misunderstanding, though. Can we start again?"

"We don't need your apologies," Clive replied. "We need answers. And you're going to give them to us."

"I suppose you'll be wanting to know about the tower, then," Famiel said as he and the man glanced at the Fallen structure. He then turned his attention back to him. "As you've probably guessed, this isn't the first time we've been here. Fact is, my people have been coming to this place for centuries."

"Have they, now? To these ruins in particular?"

"Aye, well...they, uh...talked to us. Told us what this lot was all for."