Final Fantasy XIV- A Dream Untold: Hitocillia's Story.

The Darkness.

The next few hours passed without much incident, both to her satisfaction and dismay. The silence allowed her to token what little slumber she could before she headed out. However, as her incessant squirming made apparent, it also made way for another dream. Unlike the ones she'd experienced in the past, this particular one proceeded quite differently. She hadn't been aimlessly wandering towards some crystal anymore.

All the Commander could make out in her environment was harsh snowland; unbeaten paths that swallowed her shoes deeper into the ground with every step. It was excruciating to traverse such thick blanket of snow, but she took solstice in finally having a general idea of where she was. Of course, as is the theme with all her dreams as of late, she hadn't a clue where she was headed. Yet, her feet resisted her will, stowing her away deeper into this dreary landscape. Had she not known any better, she'd believe that she was headed home after some assignment she was tasked with. But, it was clear that she wasn't headed for the province.

She was sure she'd been walking for hours--days even. Every step she took continually disappeared without a trace, deleting any and all landmarks she could muster for some semblance of navigation. With how heavy the snowfall had been, it was suicide to travel by foot; the ensuing frostbite would quickly bring you to Thal's Gates. However, her body persevered; following some blind intuition, Hitocillia continued the path without so much as a nod in another direction. Whatever had been awaiting her forward... she was close.

After what felt like an eternity, a large shape obstructed her vision. She seemed to have stumbled across a village. At least, that'd been her original idea-- the entire area pulsated a thick fog, enveloping the area's contents. From the looks of it, the village had been abandoned. All she was sure of was that she'd never seen this place in her life. So why was she so certain of its location? She was able to make out one of the signs. It read: Scala ad Caelum. She wasn't getting anywhere standing out here. Perhaps inside she'd receive some answers. And answers, she received.

The moment her foot stepped into the territory, everything changed. Namely, the snow overhead came to a halt. The sudden shift in weather caught Hitocillia's attention as she looked into the sky for answers. It responded back with darkness emblazoned with a crimson glow. She quickly realized the source hadn't been some faraway lights--the village had somehow caught on fire. Hitocillia was ready to flee from the embers, but found that her feet were locked in place. She couldn't move, desperately trying to catch her breath amidst the pungent fumes. Instinctively, her eyes were drawn downwards, noticing something that caused her even more panic. She was wounded. Deeply. Her hand ran across her side and gripped onto the leather handle of her sword, unsheathing it. It too had been drowned in a deep crimson luster, spilling the liquid onto the fresh snow below. She had to remain calm; she was clearly beginning to lose her mind. Bodies were littered across the floor, all around her. Fresh ones. She couldn't recognize a single face. Men, women, children, you name it. She gagged at the sight. All she could do was avert her attention away.

When she looked forward, she saw someone had been standing there. The figure had their back turned to her, but due to their bodily structure, she was sure it'd been a male. What threw her off guard, however, had been his tail. His fur had a strange green shade matching his his hair. It'd been wrapped in a grey bandana. She couldn't make out the rest of his attire, but was able to recognize the large weapon in his hand. A Mi'qote capable of wielding an axe; a very deadly combination of acrobatics and aggressiveness.

"You did this." The man projected. He didn't turn. Somehow, he knew that Hitocillia's attention was solely on him. "You killed them. You didn't think nary a second that your precious Empire was wrong!" His grip on his axe tightened. His head tilted to face Hitocillia with a gaze of pure hatred. No, not hatred. Sadness. Regret. "How many more have to die before you come to your senses?"

Hitocillia's head had went numb. Her brain remained fixated on the word "think," bouncing around her thoughts in rapid succession. Everything around her swirled into a mess, leaving behind jumbled features and incoherent dialogue. Her senses hadn't returned to her until she saw the axe swing down into her. Before her vision faded, she was able make out blood.

Darkness took over again. Words formed into her head. She didn't have the power to ignore them. 

"Find him. Your answers start with him."