********* (I Love You) Chapter LXV: HourglassFollow

AUTHOR’S NOTE: Sorry for the delay...real life been getting the best of me.

But I do have good news! As soon as I finish this story I am going to start writing my next story...it’s a story that’s familiar to some of the people of Vana’diel, and one that exists regardless on the lips of many bards throughout the land.

Read, review, leave comments, yada yada.

Previous chapters, aki, and Interludes

Part I - Connection (Enishi)

Kasho II - Kodoku (Solitude)

Part III - Reunion (Saikai)

Kasho IV- Suriyoru (Closer)

Part V- Secrets (Hiou)

Kasho VI- Hanarebanare (Apart)

Part VII- Longing (Akogare)

Kasho VIII- Takatobi (Escape)

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(Chapter LVII)
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=35;mid=1158658394285452028;num=8;page=1

(Aki LVIII)
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=10&mid=1160487418129598544

(Chapter LIX)
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=35&mid=116215072938586841#116232451255312339

(Aki LX)
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=10&mid=11683340869501875

(Chapter LXI)
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=10&mid=1170686480312991438

(Aki LXII)
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=35&mid=1173454020128048747

(Chapter LXIII)
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=10;mid=117708938380248789

(Aki LXIV)
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=35;mid=1177332956241669586

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Bonus Story: Rainfall Memories

Bonus Story: Morning After

This is for Eden, who is as beautiful and as much of a gift from God to Humanity as her biblical namesake was.

*****

My eyes snapped open and I hastily handed the Eruntalon Code over to Moon’lite.

She accepted it gratefully and slid it into a pocket of her robes. Shifting her weight to her other foot, she reached into another pocket of her robes and pulled back out the hourglass that I remembered seeing her twirl over and over in her fingers when I passed her all of those times at the guidestone. She held it up into the air for a moment, the golden sands catching the light and shimmering, before handing it over to me. Surprisingly, the hourglass felt nearly weightless, as if it was composed of only feathers.

"...I'll send you to Xarcabard now, Commander. When you get there, all you have to do is just hold the hourglass in your hand and then press the bottom of it down against the markings that you will find nearby where you will be landing. The magic within the glass activate when you do so, and you will be immediately sent into the realm of Dynamis. As long as you keep the glass upon your body, you will be able to remain in the dreamworld. Once you have found your lady and are holding her form in your arms, you will need to cast the glass away from you. When you do this, the magic spell that allows you into Diabolos' realm will break and you two will instantly be transported out of Dynamis.”

At this, Moon’lite held up a single slender finger in caution, her robe slipping down to the crook of her elbow as she did so. “A word of caution however...you will also be kicked out of the dream when the sand in the top of the hourglass runs out. The spell that will let you exist within the realm of dreams will only work as long as there is sand to spill over into the lower half. Do you understand?"

I only nodded, my eyes blinking a couple of times as I tried to digest everything that is about to happen.

"I will send you to Xarcabard and while you’re there...I will handle the Archduke...so that way if-no, when-you two return, there won't be reprocussions for you here in Vana'diel."

At that, Moon’lite raised up her arms and started started to cast a spell upon me, that I recognized as a transportation spell. As white lights started to appear over my form and I felt my body start to suck away into nothingness, I could swear that I could make out her lips saying to me...

“Good Luck.”
***

Chapter LXV: Hourglass

***

Snowflakes dripped against my face from the darkened sky, and I felt the metal of my koenig armor instantly chill with my first breath. I blinked my eyes a couple of times as my hand feebly tried to cover my eyes to allow me to try to pick out these ‘trail markings’ among the ever-growing snowbanks.

I had never been to the wasteland of Xarcabard before, for it had always been forbidden territory to the citizenry of Jeuno. Not being one to question the Archduke’s wishes, I had never bothered to ask him why we weren’t allowed to go there. And even now, I felt a bit ashamed that I was violating a direct order from the Archduke despite all that had occurred.

Trudging forward through the snow, I found that my heavy boots were beginning to sink into the ground with every step I took. Squinting, I could just make out a decent sized etching upon a rock wall not far away from me. It shape was blurred at first but as I drew closer, I could just make out an image of a crooked ‘H’ interlocked with what seemed to be the letter ‘C’ that hacked into the rock wall’s surface. I had no idea what those two letters stood for, but if it meant that I could get her back...

My gloves going slightly stiff in the joints, I pulled out the hourglass and tipped it over on it’s side. Immediately, the golden sand inside started to trickle down towards the lower half of the glass and I hastily pressed it against the scrawling.

A bright golden light suddenly flooded my eyes and seared my vision away from me. I then felt a sensation not unlike when I was being teleported here suddenly overcome me as I felt my body get sucked into the markings.

-Fin Chapter LXV: Hourglass